Isolation of Scalarane-Type Sesterterpenoids from the Marine Sponge Dysidea sp. and Stereochemical Reassignment of 12-epi-Phyllactone D/E

The chemical investigation of the marine sponge Dysidea sp., which was collected from Bohol province in the Philippines, resulted in the identification of 15 new scalarane-type sesterterpenoids (1–14, 16), together with 15 known compounds. The chemical structures of the new compounds were elucidated based on NMR spectroscopy and HRMS. The structure of 12-epi-phyllactone D/E (15) isolated during this study was originally identified in 2007. However, careful inspection of our experimental ¹³C NMR spectrum revealed considerable discrepancies with the reported data at C-9, C-12, C-14, and C-23, leading to the correction of the reported compound to the C-12 epimer of 15, phyllactone D/E. The biological properties of compounds 1–16 were evaluated using the MDA-MB-231 cancer cell line. Compound 7, which bears a pentenone E-ring, exhibits significant cytotoxicity with a GI₅₀ value of 4.21 μM.     

Concurrent multicentric hemangiosarcoma and ovarian teratoma in an aged Père david's deer (Elaphurus davidianus).

A 20-yr-old female Père David's deer (Elaphurus davidianus) died following a 3-wk history of depression, anorexia, and progressive respiratory distress. At necropsy, numerous soft to firm, tan or blood-filled nodular structures, 1-6 cm in diameter, were noted in the lung and the visceral and parietal pleura and within the mediastinum. Similar nodules were also found in the liver, spleen, kidney, and lymph nodes. Histologically, the nodules were diagnosed as hemangiosarcoma. A benign teratoma was present in the left ovary.     

Effect of Partial Acid Hydrolysis and Heat‐Moisture Treatment on Formation of Resistant Tuber Starch

Structural characteristics of resistant starch (RS) were investigated. Tuber starches, hydrolyzed with 1N HCl at 35°C for 8 hr followed by autoclaving‐cooling treatment, were heated at 100°C for 16 hr after adjusting the moisture content to 20 or 30%. RS content of the tuber starches ranged from 5.4 to 22.7% depending on the source and type of treatment. Gelatinization parameters of RS isolated from partially acid‐hydrolyzed starch with autoclaving‐cooling followed by heat‐moisture treatment (HMT) showed higher enthalpy (ΔH) values and lower peak temperature (T_p) compared with non‐acid‐hydrolyzed RS. R values, the difference between completion and initial temperatures, and ΔH of RS increased by HMT. The X‐ray diffraction patterns of potato and sweet potato RS isolated from partially acid‐hydrolyzed starch with autoclaving‐cooling showed distinct sharp peaks at 15, 25, 27, and 28°, which decreased by HMT.     

Addition of the red macroalgae Turkish Towel Chondracanthus exasperates and taurine improves the performance of alternative plant‐based feeds for juvenile sablefish Anoplopoma fimbria

Turkish Towel Chondracanthus exasperates and taurine were added to alternative plant‐based feeds for juvenile sablefish Anoplopoma fimbria to evaluate the effect of these ingredients, alone or combined, on fish growth, feed intake and efficiency, whole body nutrient composition, and liver histomorphology. Fish growth was significantly increased with the addition of taurine, and to a lesser extent, Turkish Towel to the experimental feeds. Feed efficiency and protein retention were significantly improved with the addition of taurine, but were unaffected by Turkish Towel addition. As expected, whole body taurine content was significantly affected by taurine addition. Increases in whole body lipid were observed with both taurine and Turkish Towel addition, with a significant interaction between the two factors. Liver histomorphology was generally normal; however, histopathologic changes were observed in some fish at the end of the experiment. The occurrence of hepatocellular nuclear pleomorphism and clear cell foci was less among fish that had received the Turkish Towel feeds. The addition of taurine had no effect on the number of fish with a histopathologic change. Overall, results from this study reaffirm taurine supplementation is beneficial to sablefish receiving plant‐based feeds and indicate Turkish Towel may be a promising feed ingredient for this species.     

Evaluation of Major Dietary Ingredients in Diverse Oats (Avena sativa L.) Germplasm

Journal of Crop Science and Biotechnology - Oat (Avena sativa L.) is one of the world’s most important cereal crops, owing to its use as an important source of essential nutrients for both...     

Effects of soil compaction by a forestry machine and slash dispersal on soil N mineralization in Cryptomeria japonica plantations under high precipitation

New Forests - The use of heavy forestry machines for clear-cutting and site preparation causes soil compaction, which can decrease forest productivity. This process becomes complicated in forests...     

Influence of Water Temperature on Morphological Deformities in Cultured Larvae of Japanese Eel,Anguilla japonica,at Completion of Yolk Resorption

The occurrence of morphological deformities under different rearing water temperatures (18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, and 30 C) was examined in Japanese eel larvae. The rates of hatching and survival until yolk resorption at 22–26 C were higher than those at other water temperatures. Fertilized eggs never hatched at 18 and 30 C. The rates of occurrence of abnormal larvae reared at the water temperatures 24–28 C were lower than those at 20 or 22 C. Pericardial edema and lower jaw deformities occurred most frequently at lower temperatures (20 and 22 C). In contrast, the incubation temperature did not significantly affect the relative frequency of some neurocranial deformities and of spinal curvature. These results imply that the optimal temperatures for rearing Japanese eel eggs and embryos are 24–26 C from the viewpoints of survival and deformity.     

Diversity of swine Bordetella bronchiseptica isolates evaluated by RAPD analysis and PFGE

The degree of genetic diversity in 45 Bordetella (B.) bronchiseptica strains comprised of a vaccine strain (N = 1), reference strains (N = 3) and field isolates (N = 41) was evaluated using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) fingerprinting and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Three candidate primers were selected for RAPD analysis after screening 20 random decamer oligonucleotides for their discriminatory abilities. The OPA-07, OPA-08 and OPA-18 primers yielded 10, 10, and 6 distinct fingerprint patterns, respectively. The most common identical RAPD pattern was produced by OPA-07 which was shared by 32 isolates (71.1%), the pattern produced by OPA-08 was shared by 26 isolates (57.8%), and the pattern produced by OPA-18 was shared by 40 isolates (88.9%). The RAPD patterns of the vaccine strain and the 3 reference strains did not match any of the patterns produced by the field isolates when primers OPA-07 and OPA-08 were used. PFGE using the restriction endonuclease XbaI produced a total of 15 patterns consisting of 4 PFGE types (A, B, B1 and C, differing by ≥ 4 bands) and 11 A subtypes (differing by ≤ 3 bands). Most of the field isolates exhibited identical type A and B patterns, suggesting that they were related. The vaccine strain and the three reference strains showed different PFGE patterns as compared to the identical type A strains.     

Increased phosphorylation of c-Jun NH (2)-terminal protein kinase in the sciatic nerves of Lewis rats with experimental autoimmune neuritis

The phosphorylation of c-Jun NH (2)-terminal protein kinase (JNK), one of the mitogen-activated protein kinases, was analyzed in the sciatic nerves of Lewis rats with experimental autoimmune neuritis (EAN). Western blot analysis showed that the expression levels of both phosphorylated JNK1 (p-JNK1, approximately 46 kDa) and phosphorylated JNK2 (p-JNK2, approximately 54 kDa) in the sciatic nerves of rats with EAN increased significantly (p < 0.05) at day 14 post-immunization (PI) and remained at this level at days 24 and 30 PI, with a slight decrease. In EAN-affected sciatic nerves, there was intense immunostaining for p-JNK in the infiltrating inflammatory cells (especially ED1-positive macrophages) and Schwann cells on days 14-24 PI, compared with those of controls. Some macrophages with increased p-JNK immunoreactivity was shown to be apoptotic, while some Schwann cells remained survived in this rat EAN model, suggesting that JNK is differentially involved in the EAN-affected sciatic nerves. These findings suggest that JNK phosphorylation is closely associated with the clearance of inflammatory cells as well as the activation of Schwann cells in the EAN affected sciatic nerves.     

Mammary gland adenocarcinoma in a mandrill (Mandrillus sphinix).

A 22-year-old female mandrill (Mandrillus sphinix) with continuously growing mass at the right mammary gland area was found dead, and a postmortem examination was performed. At necropsy, an elevated firm subcutaneous mass about 5 cm in diameter was present at the right mammary gland area. Axillary, mediastinal, and tracheobronchial lymph nodes were enlarged 2 to 4 times their normal sizes. Numerous metastatic foci 2 to 5 mm in diameter were scattered in the lung. Histologically, the tumor was diagnosed as mammary gland adenocarcinoma. Metastasis to the regional lymph nodes and lung was also confirmed. This is the first reported case of a mammary gland tumor in mandrill in Asia.