Nutrient ileal digestibility evaluation of dried mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) larvae compared to three animal protein by-products in growing pigs.

OBJECTIVE: This study was to investigate the nutrient ileal digestibility of dried mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) larvae and compare with those of three animal protein by-products in growing pigs. METHODS: A total of 12 crossbred ([Landrace×Yorkshire]×Duroc) growing pigs with average body weights of 24.12±0.68 kg were surgically equipped with simple T-cannulas after being deprived of feed for 24 h according to published surgical procedures. These pigs had a recovery period of two weeks. A total of 12 pigs were assigned to individual metabolic crates and allotted to one of four treatments with 3 replicates in a fully randomized design. Dietary treatments included the following: i) Fish meal, corn-vegetable by-product basal diet+9.95% fish meal; ii) Meat meal, corn-vegetable by-product basal diet+9.95% meat meal; iii) Poultry meal, corn-vegetable by-product basal diet+9.95% poultry meal; iv) Tenebrio molitor, corn-vegetable by-product basal diet+9.95% dried Tenebrio molitor larvae. RESULTS: Results showed that the apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of Lys was higher (p<0.05) in pigs fed Tenebrio molitor diet than that in pigs fed fish meal diet. Pigs fed Tenebrio molitor diet showed increased (p<0.05) AID of His and Arg compared to pigs fed Fish meal or Meat meal diet. The AID of Cys was increased (p<0.05) in pigs fed poultry meal and Tenebrio molitor diets compared to that in pigs fish meal diet. Pigs fed meat meal, poultry meal, and Tenebrio molitor diets showed higher (p<0.05) standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of total energy compared to pigs fed fish meal diet. The SID of Arg was higher (p<0.05) in pigs fed Tenebrio molitor diet than that in pigs fed fish meal or meat meal diet. Furthermore, pigs fed poultry meal or Tenebrio molitor diets showed increased (p<0.05) SID of Cys compared to pigs fed fish meal diet. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, providing pigs with diets that contained Tenebrio molitor larvae meal improved AID and SID of nutrients as well as essential and non-essential amino acids. The digestibility of dried mealworm larvae protein and its utilization in vivo are also good. Therefore, dried mealworm larvae protein can be used as protein source at 10% level in growing pigs.

Variations in fat mass contribution to bone mineral density by gender, age, and body mass index: the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2008-2011.

UNLABELLED: The relationship of body composition and bone mineral density is complex and controversial. When classifying Korean population based on gender, age, and body mass index, fat mass had varying contributions to bone mineral density. INTRODUCTION: The relationship between body composition and bone mineral density (BMD) is complex, and it is uncertain how components of body mass variably affect BMD. METHODS: This cross-sectional observational study was performed in subjects ≥20 years based on the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2008 to 2011. Among 17,583 subjects, the mean ages were 49.1 ± 16.0 years (M, n = 7495) and 49.3 ± 16.3 years (F, n = 10,088). Subjects were divided into age groups, either <50 or ≥50 years for males, or menopausal state, either premenopausal or postmenopausal, for females. A further classification used BMI, either <25 or ≥25 kg/m(2). Anthropometric and body composition parameters were compared and evaluated to look for correlations with BMD. Further, appendicular lean mass (ALM), fat mass (FM), fat percentage (FP), and waist circumference (WC) were included for multivariate analysis with BMD, controlling for covariates in each age group and BMI subgroup. RESULTS: Anthropometric and body composition parameters significantly correlated with BMD in all age groups for both genders. After adjusting for covariates, ALM strongly affected BMD in all age groups for both genders. FM, FP, and WC significantly affected BMD in both age groups of women and in older men, but they did not affect BMD in younger men. Fat indices positively affected BMD of all sites in all non-obese women and in non-obese older men. However, little contribution was found in obese subgroups of both genders and in non-obese younger men. CONCLUSION: Considering different weights of covariates, ALM strongly contributed to BMD in all gender, age, and BMI groups. On the other hand, fat indices positively affected BMD of both age groups in women and older men with normal BMI, but they showed little contribution to BMD within the same age groups with high BMI or any BMI subgroups of younger men.

Diversity of Tn1546 in vanA-positive Enterococcus faecium clinical isolates with VanA, VanB, and VanD phenotypes and susceptibility to vancomycin.

AIM: To investigate diversity in the vanA cluster in Enterococcus faecium isolates from nontertiary hospitals. METHODS AND RESULTS: We identified 43 vanA-positive Ent. faecium isolates, including two vancomycin-susceptible isolates, from hospitals between 2003 and 2006. Of these isolates, >85% were resistant to ampicillin, erythromycin and ciprofloxacin. The vanA cluster was classified into six types using overlapping PCR, but the prototype transposon Tn1546 was not found. Most vanA-positive vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) carried IS1216V and belonged to Type III (58·1%) or Type II (20·9%). vanY, vanZ and IS1216V were observed in the left and right ends of Type III with long-range PCR. IS1216V was also observed within vanS and vanX in the two vancomycin-susceptible isolates and in two vancomycin-resistant isolates. No VRE isolates with VanB and VanD phenotypes contained point mutations in vanS, unlike in previous reports. Sequence types (STs) of all isolates belonged to clonal complex 17, and ST78 was predominant. CONCLUSIONS: Insertion sequences, especially IS1216V, cause structural variation in the vanA cluster. We report the first observation of vanY and vanZ at the left end of Tn1546 in clinical isolates. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This is the first report of the frequency of vancomycin resistance and diversity of Tn1546 in vanA-positive Ent. faecium isolates from nontertiary hospitals.

Effect of dietary fermented garlic by Weissella koreensis powder on growth performance, blood characteristics, and immune response of growing pigs challenged with Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide.

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of fermented garlic by Weissella koreensis powder (WKG) on pig growth performance and immune responses after an Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge. In Exp. 1, 120 growing barrows (23.5 ± 0.5 kg of BW and 56 d of age) were used in a 35-d experiment to determine the optimal amounts of WKG. Pigs were randomly allotted to 1 of 5 treatments with 6 replicate pens and 4 pigs per pen. Dietary treatments included 1) NC (negative control; basal diet without antibiotics), 2) PC (positive control; basal diet + 1 g of tylosin/kg), 3) WKG1 (basal diet + 1 g of WKG/kg), 4) WKG2 (basal diet + 2 g of WKG/kg), and 5) basal diet + 4 g of WKG/kg. At the end of the feeding period, 12 pigs each were selected from the NC and WKG2 treatment groups, and 6 pigs were injected with LPS (50 µg/kg of BW) and the other 6 pigs with an equivalent amount of sterile saline, resulting in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. Blood samples and rectal temperature data were collected at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 12 h after challenge. The ADG of pigs fed WKG- and antibiotic-supplemented diets was greater (P<0.05) than NC from d 14 to 35 and the overall phase, but no dosage-dependent effects were observed. At the end of the experiment, the fecal E. coli count was linearly reduced by the increasing amounts of WKG at d 35 (P=0.01). Challenge with LPS increased white blood cell counts at 6 and 8 h (P<0.01) and depressed lymphocyte concentration at 4, 8, and 12 h (P<0.01). During challenge, LPS injection increased rectal temperature at 2, 4, 6, and 8 h postchallenge (P<0.05), and WKG2 alleviated (P<0.05) the increase in the temperature at 2 h postchallenge. The LPS injection increased plasma tumor necrosis factor-α and IGF-1 concentrations at 2, 4, 6, 8, and 12 h (P<0.01), whereas an alleviating effect of WKG was observed at 4, 6, and 8 h after LPS challenge (P<0.05). At 2, 4, and 6 h postchallenge, concentration of cluster of differentiation-antigen-4-positive cells and cluster of differentiation-antigen-8-positive cells (CD4(+) and CD8(+), respectively) increased in the LPS treatments (P<0.05), and the WKG2 boosted this effect (P<0.05). In conclusion, dietary supplementation of WKG2 in growing pigs can improve ADG and have a beneficial effect on the immune response during an inflammatory challenge.

Effects of phenyllactic acid on growth performance, intestinal microbiota, relative organ weight, blood characteristics, and meat quality of broiler chicks.

This study was conducted to determine the effects of dietary supplementation with phenyllactic acid (PLA) on growth performance, intestinal microbiota, relative organ weight, blood characteristics, and meat quality in broilers. A total of 500 male broilers (BW = 46.3 g) were randomly allotted into 1 of the following 5 dietary treatments: 1) basal diet (CON), 2) basal diet + 44 mg/kg of avilamycin (ANT), 3) basal diet + 0.2% PLA (PLA0.2), 4) basal diet + 0.4% PLA (PLA0.4), 5) basal diet + 0.2% PLA + 44 mg/kg of avilamycin (PA). Chicks fed PLA had lower feed intake (FI) from d 0 to 7 (P < 0.05) than those fed CON and ANT. From d 21 to 35, BW gain was greater in ANT, PLA0.4, and PA diets than CON and PLA0.2 diets (P < 0.05), whereas the FI was lowest in the PLA0.4 diet. Feed efficiency was depressed (P < 0.05) by the antibiotics and PLA supplementation during d 0 to 7, whereas it was improved (P < 0.05) in the PLA and ANT diets during d 21 to 35, with the best value in PLA0.4.The population of Escherichia coli in the large intestine was lower in the ANT, PLA0.4, and PA groups than the CON and PLA0.2 groups (P < 0.05). The relative weights of gizzard, liver, spleen, bursa of Fabricius, breast, and abdominal fat were unaffected by any of the dietary supplementations. Treatment of PLA led to an increase (P < 0.05) in the concentrations of white blood cells and lymphocyte percentage. The yellowness of breast muscle decreased by ANT, PLA0.4, and PA treatment. In conclusion, PLA can improve growth performance when it is supplemented in finisher diet (d 21 to 35), whereas it can depress BW gain and FI in earlier days (d 0 to 7). In addition, PLA can also decrease the number of E. coli in the large intestine and improve the number of immune-related blood cells.

The effect of rosiglitazone on insulin sensitivity and mid-thigh low-density muscle in patients with Type 2 diabetes.

AIMS: We examined the effect of rosiglitazone on insulin sensitivity, abdominal fat and mid-thigh intramuscular fat distribution, and plasma concentrations of adipocytokines in patients with Type 2 diabetes. METHODS: Rosiglitazone was administered at a daily dose of 4 mg to 42 Type 2 diabetes patients [age 32-70 years, body mass index (BMI) 17.5-32.6 kg/m(2), 15 women, 27 men] for 12 weeks. Various anthropometric and metabolic profiles, plasma adiponectin, leptin, and resistin levels were measured, and insulin resistance was calculated from the short insulin tolerance test. Body fat composition was assessed by computed tomography. RESULTS: Twelve weeks' rosiglitazone treatment resulted in improved insulin resistance despite increases in body weight and BMI. There was a significant decrease in abdominal visceral adipose tissue area (145 +/- 65.6 vs. 129 +/- 73.1 cm(2), P = 0.049). Mid-thigh low-density muscle area (TLDMA) increased from 23 +/- 9.6 to 26 +/- 8.2 cm(2) (P = 0.009). There were significant changes in plasma adipocytokines, but they were not significantly correlated with changes in insulin resistance. CONCLUSIONS: Rosiglitazone treatment resulted in an improvement of insulin responsiveness in Type 2 diabetic subjects, which was associated with the redistribution of visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue, an increase in TLDMA, and changes in serum adipocytokine levels. Further studies are needed to elucidate the insulin sensitizing mechanism of rosiglitazone on peripheral skeletal muscles.

The effect of mosapride (5HT-4 receptor agonist) on insulin sensitivity and GLUT4 translocation.

AIMS: We investigated the effect of mosapride, 5HT-4 (5-hydroxytryptamine) agonist, on blood glucose level and insulin sensitivity in subjects with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and conducted an in vitro study to evaluate the action mechanism. METHODS: Thirty IGT patients were randomly assigned to receive either mosapride or placebo for 2 weeks. Biochemical profiles and insulin sensitivity index from euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp test were assessed before and after treatment. In cultured myotubes from human skeletal muscle cells, insulin- and mosapride-induced GLUT4 translocation and tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS-1 were determined. RESULTS: After 2 weeks of treatment with mosapride, glucose disposal rates were significantly increased up to those of control (mosapride 5.47+/-1.72 vs 7.06+/-2.13, P=0.004, placebo 5.42+/-1.85 vs 5.23+/-1.53mgkg(-1)min(-1)). Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and insulin levels were decreased. Mosapride increased the contents of GLUT4 in plasma membrane representing the increased recruitment of glucose transporters from intracellular pool. While insulin treatment on human skeletal muscle cell resulted in an increased tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS-1, mosapride did not have any effect. CONCLUSIONS: Mosapride is effective in decreasing FPG without stimulating insulin secretion in IGT subjects, possibly by inducing GLUT4 translocation in skeletal muscles.

Osteoradionecrosis of the hyoid bone: imaging findings.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: ORN is a postradiation complication that has been well-documented in the medical literature. Most cases in the head and neck have been described in the mandible or larynx. Only a handful of cases in the hyoid bone are documented, all in the clinical literature. Our purpose is to present the clinical and imaging features of ORN involving the hyoid bone. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We present a case series of 13 patients with imaging findings highly suggestive of hyoid ORN after radiation therapy for head and neck cancers, in which we observed progressive features of hyoid disruption along with adjacent soft-tissue ulceration. RESULTS: Pretreatment imaging, when available, showed a normal hyoid. Typical postradiation imaging findings included an initial tongue base ulcerative lesion with air approaching the hyoid bone, and subsequent observation of hyoid fragmentation, often with intraosseous or peri-hyoid air and the absence of associated mass-like enhancement. CONCLUSIONS: Findings of hyoid fragmentation, cortical disruption, and soft tissue or intraosseous air in the postradiation therapy patient should strongly suggest the diagnosis of hyoid ORN. It is important recognize this entity because the diagnosis may preclude potentially harmful diagnostic intervention and allow more appropriate therapy.

Effects of delta-aminolevulinic acid and vitamin C supplementation on feed intake, backfat, and iron status in sows.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary administered delta-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) and vitamin C on the hematological profiles and performance of sows and sucking pigs and to determine if iron status could be improved by dietary administration of ALA. Seven days before parturition, 120 sows (Landrace x Yorkshire) were randomly assigned within parities to 1 of 4 dietary treatments. The lactation treatments were arranged as a 2 x 2 factorial with 2 ALA concentrations (0 or 10 mg/kg of feed, as fed) and 2 vitamin C concentrations (0 or 500 mg/kg of feed, as fed). After farrowing, daily feed allowance increased gradually, and sows had ad libitum access to feed by wk 2. Sows provided diets with ALA tended to consume more feed (P < 0.10) than sows fed diets that did not contain ALA. Conversely, backfat losses were less in sows that received the diets with ALA compared with those received the nonsupplemented diets (P < 0.05). Supplementation with ALA and vitamin C resulted in improved hematological profiles (total protein, albumin, and IgG) in sows (P < 0.05). The iron status in the blood and milk were also improved by ALA supplementation (P < 0.05). Moreover, the BW at weaning and the ADG during the sucking period increased in response to supplementation of ALA and vitamin C (P < 0.05). The blood iron status of piglets was also improved by ALA supplementation (P < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary supplementation of ALA can increase the blood iron status of sows and sucking pigs, as well as the iron transfer efficiency from sows to piglets through elevated milk iron concentrations.

Effects of phenyllactic acid on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, microbial shedding, and blood profile in pigs.

Ninety weanling pigs in Exp. 1 (6.27 +/- 0.73 kg; 21 d of age) and 96 growing pigs in Exp. 2 (21.73 kg +/- 1.29 kg; 56 d of age) were used in two 42-d experiments to evaluate the effect of phenyllactic acid (PLA) on growth performance, apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of DM and N, fecal pH value, microbial shedding, and blood profiles. In Exp. 1, the 3 dietary treatments were 1) negative control (NC), 2) positive control (PC), NC + antibiotics, and 3) PLA, NC + 0.5% PLA. In Exp. 2, dietary treatments were 1) control diet (CON), 2) PLA-0.1, CON + 0.1% PLA, 3) PLA-0.2, CON + 0.2% PLA, and 4) PLA-0.3, CON + 0.3% PLA. In Exp. 1, pigs fed the PC and PLA diets had greater ADFI during the overall period (P < 0.05) and tended to have greater ADG and G:F from d 7 to 21 (P < 0.10) than those fed the NC diet. The ATTD of DM was greatest in pigs fed the PLA diet on d 20 and 41, and N digestibility on d 20 was greater in pigs fed the PLA diet (P < 0.05) than those fed the NC diet. The numbers of white blood cell and lymphocyte concentrations on d 42 were increased (P < 0.05) by the inclusion of antibiotics and PLA in the diet. In Exp. 2, G:F tended to increase when PLA was added (quadratic, P < 0.10). The ATTD of DM did not differ among treatments, but there was a tendency (quadratic, P < 0.10) for N digestibility to increase as PLA levels increased. The lymphocyte percentage on d 42 increased linearly as dietary PLA increased (P < 0.05). Additionally, the white blood cell counts on d 42 tended to increase as PLA levels increased (P < 0.10). In both experiments, there was no effect of treatment on the fecal pH or presence of Lactobacillus, but the number of Escherichia coli in feces on d 41 decreased in response to the addition of PLA [P < 0.05 and 0.001 (linear) in Exp. 1 and 2, respectively]. In conclusion, PLA can decrease the number of E. coli, and this novel dietary acid may have potential to stimulate the immune system for both weanling and growing pigs. Thus, it could be a good candidate as an alternative to antibiotics in pig diets.

Effects of chitooligosaccharide supplementation on performance, blood characteristics, relative organ weight, and meat quality in broiler chickens.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with chitooligosaccharide (COS) on growth performance, blood characteristics, relative organ weight, and meat quality in broilers. A total of 480 broilers with an average initial BW of 45.04 g per chick were randomly allocated into 1 of the following 4 dietary treatments (20 broilers per pen with 6 pens per treatment): 1) CON (basal diet), 2) ANT (basal diet + 44 mg/kg of avilamycin), 3) COS0.2 (basal diet + 14 g/kg of COS), 4) COS0.4 (basal diet + 28 g/kg of COS). The experiment lasted for 5 wk and avilamycin was administered from d 0 to 21. Growth performance was measured on d 0, 21, and 35, and all other response criteria were measured on d 35. No change in feed conversion (G:F) was observed in response to any of the treatments throughout the experimental period (P > 0.05). However, BW gain and feed intake were greater (P < 0.05) in broilers provided with feed supplemented with COS than in those in the control group. In addition, broilers had significantly greater (P < 0.05) red blood cell and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations when they were provided with the COS0.4 diet, whereas the triglyceride concentration was lower (P < 0.05) in broilers in the COS0.2 treatment group. No other blood characteristics were affected by the treatments. Additionally, as the dietary COS concentration increased, the liver weight increased (P < 0.05). Conversely, as the concentrations of dietary COS increased, abdominal fat decreased (P < 0.05). Furthermore, meat yellowness decreased (P < 0.05) as the concentration of COS increased. Finally, the breast meat and abdominal fat of birds provided with feed supplemented with COS had a lower (P < 0.05) saturated fatty acid concentration but a greater concentration of total monounsaturated fatty acids (P < 0.05) than that of birds in the control. In conclusion, COS can improve the performance and breast meat quality of broilers while increasing the red blood cell and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations in blood. In addition, COS can induce a decrease in abdominal fat and improve meat quality.

The anti-diabetic effects of ethanol extract from two variants of Artemisia princeps Pampanini in C57BL/KsJ-db/db mice.

The anti-diabetic effects of two variants of Artemisia princeps Pampanini, sajabalssuk (SB) and sajuarissuk (SS), were investigated in type 2 diabetic animal using their ethanol extracts. Male C57BL/KsJ-db/db (db/db) mice were divided into control, SB ethanol extract (SBE), SS ethanol extract (SSE), or rosiglitazone (RG) groups and their age-matched littermates (db/+) were used. Supplementation of the SBE (0.171 g/100g diet), SSE (0.154 g/100g diet), and RG (0.005 g/100g diet) improved glucose and insulin tolerance and significantly lowered blood glycosylated hemoglobin levels, as compared to the control group. Plasma insulin, C-peptide and glucagon levels in db/db mice were higher in the db/+ mice, however these values were significantly lowered by SBE, SSE or RG-supplement. Hepatic GK activity was significantly lower in the db/db mice than in the db/+ mice, while hepatic G6Pase activity was vice versa. Supplementation of SBE, SSE and RG reversed these hepatic glucose-regulating enzyme activities. In addition, SBE and SSE markedly increased the hepatic glycogen content and muscle ratio as compared to the control group, but they did not alter the food intake, body weight and plasma leptin level. The RG group, however, showed a significant increase in the food intake, body weight and plasma leptin. These results suggest that SBE and SSE exert an anti-diabetic effect in type 2 diabetic mice.

Biophoton emission of MDCK cell with hydrogen peroxide and 60 Hz AC magnetic field.

We studied biophoton characteristics of Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells under the influence of H2O2 by employing a photomultiplier tube (PMT) and a fluorescence microscope. H2O2 was used for producing reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the measurement. Images from a fluorescence microscope show an increase of photon intensity emitted from the sample due to H2O2. By using a PMT we measured quantitative change in biophoton emission with application of H2O2 to the MDCK cell culture, found that the increase of the biophoton is dependent upon the amount of H2O2. The agreement between the results of the PMT and the fluorescence microscope suggests the possibility of quantitative measurement of the influence of ROS on living tissue or cell. In addition we applied a 60 HzAC magnetic field on the cells to investigate the change in reaction between MDCK cell and ROS. It showed that a decay of chemiluminescence intensity has taken a different path following exposure to the magnetic field. As a result, the PMT measurement might be considered as a useful tool for studying biochemical characteristics in relation to ROS.

Cloning, purification, and characterization of chitosanase from Bacillus sp. DAU101.

A chitosanase-producing Bacillus sp. DAU101 was isolated from Korean traditional food. This strain was identified on the basis of phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rDNA sequence, gyrA gene, and phenotypic analysis. The gene encoding chitosanase (csn) was cloned and sequenced. The csn gene consisted of an open reading frame of 837 nucleotides and encodes 279 amino acids with a deduced molecular weight of 31,420 Da. The deduced amino acid sequence of the chitosanase from Bacillus sp. DAU101 exhibits 88 and 30 % similarity to those from Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas sp., respectively. The chitosanase was purified by glutathione S-transferase fusion purification system. The molecular weight of purified enzyme was about 27 kDa, which suggests the deletion of a signal peptide by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The pH and temperature optima of the enzyme were 7.5 and 50 degrees C, respectively. The enzyme activity was increased by about 1.6-fold by the addition of 5 or 10 mM Ca(2+). However, Hg(2+) and Ni(+) ions strongly inhibited the enzyme. The enzyme produced, GlcN(2-4), were the major products from a soluble chitosan.

Effects of basic oxygen furnace slag and inorganic nutrients on the germination of resting cysts of two toxic dinoflagellates.

Effects of basic oxygen furnace (BOF) slag, inorganic nutrients and H2S on the germination of resting cysts of two toxic dinoflagellates Alexandrium catenella/tamarense and Gymnodinium catenatum were studied in batch cultures. The germination rate of the test species has increased by 23-25%, when the concentration of NO3--N or H2S in culture medium has increased to 2.0 ppm. At the treatment of enriched NH4+-N and PO43--p, the germination of resting cyst was increased. Nevertheless, the increased range in germination rates was less than those of NO3--N and H2S. When BOF slag in culture medium increased to 50 mg/ml (or 500 g/m2), the cyst germination rate fell to less than 5%. At higher level of concentrations germination was completely inhibited. Adding BOF slag to the culture medium reduced the concentration of inorganic salts and H2S in seawater and sediments, resulting in the inhibition of cyst germination. These findings demonstrate the potential use of BOF slag on the sediments seed bank of red tide organism because it has an ability to inhibit resting cysts germination.

Use of sodium transfer tissue biosensor (STTB) for monitoring of marine toxic organism.

A highly sensitive sodium (Na+) transfer tissue biosensor (STTB) was designed using a frog bladder membrane to measure paralytic shellfish poisons (PSP). The STTB consists, of a Na+ electrode covered by the membrane, which was then integrated into a flow-through system for continuous measurements. In the absence of Na+ channel blocker, active transfer of Na+ occurred from inside to outside across the frog membrane. When the STTB was used to measure the Na+ -dependent dissociation of PSP, it was able to detect PSB at a level contained in a single cell. However, 5 fg or higher (100 cells or more) is needed for accurate and reproducible measurements. The toxicity obtained by the STTB was significantly correlated (r = 0.9449) to that determined by the HPLC. Therefore, the simple method of the STTB can be used not only to detect a low level PSP in toxic plankton populations, but also to monitor poisons in shellfish.

Augmented expression of peroxiredoxin I in lung cancer.

Comparative proteome analysis was performed between human normal (BEAS 2B) and malignant (A549) lung epithelial cells in an attempt to identify novel biomarkers of lung cancer. Approximately 500 protein spots could be separated by mini two-dimensional electrophoresis and visualized with Coomassie blue R-250. Among those relatively abundant proteins, eight spots were changed more than twofold reproducibly and identified by peptide mass fingerprints using mass spectrometry and database search. The increased proteins in A549 were aldehyde dehydrogenase, peroxiredoxin I, fatty acid binding protein, aldoketoreductase, and destrin, whereas the decreased proteins were galectin-1, transgelin, and stathmin. Since human lung is exposed to continuous oxidative stress, antioxidant enzyme peroxiredoxin I was selected for further investigation and its augmented expression was confirmed in cancer tissues compared to normal tissues from lung cancer patients, suggesting peroxiredoxin I as a potential biomarker of lung cancer.

Solution structure of the SL1 RNA of the M1 double-stranded RNA virus of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The 20-nucleotide SL1 VBS RNA, 5'-GGAGACGC[GAUUC]GCGCUCC (bulged A underlined and loop bases in brackets), plays a crucial role in viral particle binding to the plus strand and packaging of the RNA. Its structure was determined by NMR spectroscopy. Structure calculations gave a precisely defined structure, with an average pairwise root mean square deviation (RMSD) of 1.28 A for the entire molecule, 0.57 A for the loop region (C8-G14), and 0.46 A for the bulge region (G4-G7, C15-C17). Base stacking continues for three nucleotides on the 5' side of the loop. The final structure contains a single hydrogen bond involving the guanine imino proton and the carbonyl O(2) of the cytosine between the nucleotides on the 5' and 3' ends of the loop, although they do not form a Watson-Crick base pair. All three pyrimidine bases in the loop point toward the major groove, which implies that Cap-Pol protein may recognize the major groove of the SL1 loop region. The bulged A5 residue is stacked in the stem, but nuclear Overhauser enhancements (NOEs) suggest that A5 spends part of the time in the bulged-out conformation. The rigid conformation of the upper stem and loop regions may allow the SL1 VBS RNA to interact with Cap-Pol protein without drastically changing its own conformation.

Serum factors associated with neovascular glaucoma following vitrectomy for proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

We performed a retrospective study of serum factors associated with neovascular glaucoma that can occur following vitrectomy for proliferative diabetic retinopathy. The medical records of 183 patients (241 eyes) who received vitrectomy between August 1996 and August 2000 were studied retrospectively and subsequently analyzed by linear logistic regression analysis and multiple logistic regression tests. Neovascular glaucoma developed at an average of 2.7 months in 31 of 241 eyes (14.1%). The overall anatomical success rate of retinal attachment was 82.5% (199 eyes in 241 eyes), although it decreased to 45.1% (14 eyes in 31 eyes) in eyes with neovascular glaucoma. Serum cholesterol (P = 0.041) and fibrinogen levels (P = 0.020) were significantly associated with the development of neovascular glaucoma. However, no significant association could be found concerning hypertension, diabetic retinopathy or hypercholesterolemia (P > 0.05). We suggest that serum creatinine, cholesterol and fibrinogen levels can be used to predict the development of neovascular glaucoma in vitrectomized eyes with diabetic retinopathy and can further provide a more active approach to preventing the development of this condition.