Structure Elucidation of Calyxoside B,a Bipolar Sphingolipid from a Marine Sponge Cladocroce sp. through the Use of Beckmann Rearrangement

Marine sponges are an excellent source of biologically active secondary metabolites. We focus on deep-sea sponges for our discovery study. A marine sponge Cladocroce sp. exhibited cytotoxic activity in the bioactivity screening. From this sponge a previously unreported cytotoxic glycosphingolipid, calyxoside B, was isolated and the structure of this compound was elucidated by analyses of MS and NMR spectra and chemical derivatization. We converted the ketone in the middle of a long aliphatic chain into an oxime to which was applied Beckmann rearrangement to afford two positional isomers of amides. The products were subjected to acidic hydrolysis followed by LC-MS analysis, permitting us to assign unequivocally the position of the ketone. Calyxoside B shows cytotoxicity against HeLa cells with an IC₅₀ value of 31 µM and also weakly stimulated the production of cytokines in mice.     

Characterization of Waxy Rice Cakes (Mochi) with Rapid Hardening Quality by Instrumental and Sensory Methods

The textural properties of cooked waxy rice cakes made from four waxy rice varieties including the unique varieties Kantomochi 172 (K172) and BC3 with the property of rapid hardening were analyzed by instrumental and sensory methods. For the instrumental analysis, a compression test, adhesiveness test, and tensile test were conducted. The waxy rice cakes made from K172 and BC3 showed significantly higher compressive force and resistance to break under tensile load. Significant difference in amylopectin chain‐length distribution was observed between each variety, and this difference strongly reflected the hardness of waxy rice cakes. The peak area ratio of amylopectin branch chains with 6–12 degrees of polymerization negatively correlated with the compressive force required for 50 and 80% strain. Sensory evaluation showed that the waxy rice cakes made from these varieties had a significantly harder, less stretchable, less smooth surface, whereas the scores for adhesiveness and ease to cut off (hagire) were preferable to those for other rice varieties.     

Ectomycorrhizal‐fungal colonization induces physio‐morphological changes in Quercus serrata leaves and roots

To determine how colonization by different ectomycorrhizal (ECM)‐fungal species affects the physiology and morphology of Quercus serrata seedlings, we assessed the net photosynthetic rate, the respiration rate of the lateral roots, leaf and root nitrogen (N) concentrations, specific leaf area, and specific root length in 9‐month‐old Q. serrata seedlings inoculated with Pisolithus tinctorius, Scleroderma citrinum, Laccaria amethystea, and Astraeus hygrometricus. While uninoculated control plants showed no colonization, the percentage of ECM colonization of root tips attained 35% with P. tinctorius and about 86% with the other three ECM species. Similar to ECM root colonization, the photosynthetic as well as the root‐respiration rates were higher in seedlings with S. citrinum, L. amethystea, and A. hygrometricus than that in the control and those with P. tinctorius. Both the photosynthetic and root‐respiration rates were positively correlated with ECM‐fungal colonization. Similar trends were observed for the N concentration, specific leaf area, and specific root length, which differed significantly among ECM‐fungal species and were related with ECM‐fungal colonization. The results suggest that both physiological and morphological traits are specific to ECM‐fungal species. As Q. serrata seedlings with high colonization can exhibit better resource‐acquisition ability, the identification of strongly colonizing ECM‐fungal species is essential. Comparisons with high‐ and low‐colonizing ECM‐fungal species improve our understanding of source–sink relationships in carbon allocation of forest tree species.     

Retracted: Isolation,characterization, and effect of administration in vivo,a novel probiotic strain from pig feces

From porcine rectal swabs or feces, we isolated lactic acid bacteria and used porcine Peyer's patch cells to select them for inducibility of IgA production as an indicator of probiotic effects. The strain selected as a new probiotic was named ‘Enterococcus faecium NHRD IHARA‘. To verify the probiotic effects of this strain in vivo, 536 piglets at age 25 days were assigned to either the trial group, which administrated the strain, or the control group. An increase in IgA in the feces was observed at age 45 days (P < 0.05 compared with the control group); a significant increase in serum IgA was also observed at the end of the study (P < 0.01) in the trial group. In addition, significant differences between the groups in terms of body weight (P < 0.05) and average daily gain (P < 0.01) were observed. The rate of detection of swine‐pathogenic Escherichia coli gene in the feces tended to be lower in the trial group than in the controls. The novel probiotic strain; E. faecium NHRD IHARA may have beneficial effects on swine growth by inducing IgA production and reducing rates of colonization by pathogens in the body.     

Performance of a new artificial abalone hatchery culture system in terms of settlement of larvae and growth and survival of postlarval Haliotis discus discus (Reeve)

ABSTRACT:   A new abalone postlarval culture system, Stott's abalone postlarval production system (SAPPS), is being developed as an alternative method for settling larvae and on-growing postlarval abalone. SAPPS was tested in trial 1 using two commercially available artificial diets, Adam and Amos (Adam; supplied by Adam and Amos, Mt Barker, SA, Australia) and Cosmo (Cos; supplied by Cosmo, Matsuyama, Japan), against the diatom biofilm method (Diatom). In trial 2, SAPPS was tested against the previous production system (PPS, used by Stott et al. 2002). Larvae were induced to metamorphose and the resulting postlarvae were on-grown in 10-L flow-through tanks for 28 days in their respective treatments. The final survival of postlarvae was significantly higher ( P  < 0.05) in the SAPPS-Cos group (56.7 ± 11.15%) than in the Diatom (9.4 ± 2.7%) and SAPPS-Adam groups (8.5 ± 1.1%). The final length of postlarvae in SAPPS-Cos (1065 ± 73 µm) was significantly higher ( P  < 0.05) than those in the other two treatments (average of 841–883 µm). In trial 2 the metamorphosis rate was improved by using Spirulina platensis. The final length of postlarvae in SAPPS (1449–1471 µm) was significantly higher ( P  < 0.05) than PPS (1065–1075 µm) and Diatom (993 µm). There is potential for SAPPS to be used as an alternative to the current diatom method in the culture of postlarval abalone.     

Using micro particle diets to replace diatoms for feeding postlarval abalone Haliotis discus discus (Reeve.)

Feeding artificial micro diets instead of diatoms may allow a more constant and controlled form of nutrition, and thus results in lower mortality rate and increased growth. A 4-week trial was conducted to determine the growth and survival of postlarval Haliotis discus discus (Reeve.) postlarvae fed three experimental micro particle diets, and naturally occurring diatoms. A completely randomized design was adopted with each diet being replicated three times. All diets varied in terms of particle size and gross composition. Survival rate was significantly lower ( P  < 0.05) in the diatom diet (19.5 ± 2.1%) when compared with the K-1 diet (38.8 ± 8.9%), the K-2 diet (43.7 ± 5.6%) and the MD-Q diet (44.2 ± 14.8%). The size of postlarvae fed the four diets was not significantly different ( P  > 0.05). There was also little difference in the daily growth rate. Based on the results of this work for the preliminary implementation of artificial food as a replacement diet for diatoms, it seems that postlarval H . discus discus readily consumes artificial micro particle diets and has a superior survival rate when compared to that of diatoms.     

Characterization of fucoxanthin and fucoxanthinol esters in the Chinese surf clam, Mactra chinensis

Fucoxanthin and fucoxanthinol fatty acid esters in the clam, Mactra chinensis, were characterized on the basis of 1H NMR and FAB-MS spectra. 1H NMR revealed that the hydroxy group at C-3 in fucoxanthin and fucoxanthinol was acylated. 3'-O-Acylated compounds such as fucoxanthinol 3'-ester or fucoxanthinol 3,3'-diester were not found in the clam. The fatty acids esterified with fucoxanthin and fucoxanthinol were identified as C24:6, C22:5, C22:6, C20:5, C20:0, C20:1, C18:0, C18:1, C16:0, C16:1, and C14:0 by FAB-MS data.