The pharmaceutical effect of Korean wild ginseng residue extract on the performance, microbiota quality, cytokine expression, and the ginseng saponin content of laying hen.

In this study, a total of 312 Hyline brown laying hen of 1.92 ± 0.12 kg acquired at 24-wk old were employed to evaluate the pharmaceutical effect of Korean wild ginseng residue extract administered via drinking water on the performance, microbiota quality, cytokine expression, and the ginsenoside saponin (GS) content of laying hen for 12 wk. In the experiments, basic feed (CON) was compared with basic feed + 0.05% wild ginseng in drinking water (WGD1), basic feed + 0.1% wild ginseng in drinking water (WGD2), and basic feed + 0.5% wild ginseng in drinking water (WGD3). At the end of study, hen-day egg production (HDEP), average egg weight (AEW), and egg mass (EM) were linearly higher (p < 0.05) in WGD3 at wk 30 to 33, 34 to 37 wk, and the cumulative wk compared with CON. Feed conversion ratio (FCR) was linearly lower in WGD3 at 34 to 37 wk, and the cumulative wk compared with CON. Relative expression of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) was linearly lower (p < 0.05) in the WGD3 at wk 30 to 33, and 34 to 37 wk compared with CON. The GS in egg yolk was linearly higher (p < 0.05) in laying hens supplemented the WGD3 treatment at wk 34 to 37, while the fecal microflora quantity of Lactobacillus was linearly higher (p < 0.05) in WGD3 at wk 30 to 33, till 34 to 37 wk, and Escherichia coli (E. coli) was linearly lower (p < 0.05) in the WGD2 and WGD3 from 2637 wk compared with CON. We concluded the result in HDEP, AEW, EM, and FCR were due to the increase in GS content, tentatively leading to an improvement in the TNF-α, and fecal microflora quality such as Lactobacillus and E. coli in the WGD3. We therefore recommend the use of WGD3 at application level 0.5% in drinking water for optimum laying performance from 30 to 37 wk.

Exogenous protease influences protein digestibility, growth performance, and gut microflora in weanling pigs on a limited protein diet.

The study was conducted to evaluate the impact of dietary level of crude protein (CP) and protease supplementation on growth performance, digestibility of nutrients, intestinal morphology, and gut microbiota in weaning pigs. Three hundred cross-bred piglets (Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire) were allotted to five dietary treatments on the basis of initial body weight (BW) and sex. Pigs were group-housed in pens with each treatment with 10 replicate pens with six pigs per pen. The treatments included a standard diet (STD), STD with 0.6% lower protein (STD0.6), STD with 0.6% lower protein and protease supplementation (Pro0.6), STD with 1.0% lower protein (STD1.0), STD with 1.0% lower protein and protease supplementation (Pro1.0). Results indicated a higher BW (p < 0.05) of piglets in the Pro0.6 group at days 0-42 compared to the STD0.6 and STD1.0 groups. The average daily gain was higher (p < 0.05) in the Pro0.6 treatments at days 0-42 compared to the STD0.6 and STD1.0. The gain to feed ratio was higher (p < 0.05) in the STD, and Pro0.6 groups compared to the STD0.6, Pro1.0 and the STD1.0 groups at days 0-42. Dry matter digestibility was lower (p < 0.05) in the STD1.0 group than the Pro0.6 and Pro1.0 groups. The crude protein digestibility was higher (p < 0.05) in the Pro0.6 group compared to the STD, STD0.6 and STD1.0 treatment groups while crude fat digestibility was higher (p < 0.05) in the STD and Pro0.6 compared with the STD0.6 and STD1.0 groups. Digestibility was higher for histidine (p < 0.05), leucine (p < 0.05) in the protease Pro0.6 and Pro1.0 groups than in the STD0.6 and STD1.0 groups. The digestibility of non-essential AA was higher for alanine (p < 0.05) in the Pro0.6 than the STD1.0 group. For faecal microbial population, Faecalibacterium abundance was higher (p < 0.05) in the Pro0.6 compared to all the other groups while the population of Actinobacteria was greater (p < 0.05) in the STD group and lowest in the Pro1.0 treatment. In the ileum, villus height was greater (p < 0.05) in the protease Pro0.6, and Pro1.0 groups compared to the STD0.6, and STD1.0 groups while the villus height to crypts depth ratio was lower (p < 0.05) in the STD 1.0 group compared to the STD, Pro0.6, and Pro1.0 groups. Based on these results, dietary protease supplementation improved nutrient digestibility and gut histo-morphology translating to improved utilisation of nutrients thus positively impacting growth performance in weaned pigs. Further, reducing the CP content in the diets increased the abundance of Muribaculaceae while protease supplementation increased the population of Faecalibacterium in the gut of the weanling piglets on the STD0.6 diet.

Cervi Parvum Cornu complex for men with lower urinary tract symptoms: a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Background: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Cervi Parvum Cornu, Angelicae Gigantis Radix and Glycyrrhizae Radix complex (CAG) in men with moderate lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Materials and methods: From November 2020 to January 2022, participants with International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) of 12-19 in two centers were recruited and randomize into three groups: a CAG 500 mg/day group (CAG 500), a CAG 1000 mg/day group (CAG 1000), and a placebo group (PG). They were treated for 12 weeks. The primary endpoint was change of IPSS at the end of study from baseline. Secondary end points included change of prostate specific antigen (PSA), testosterone, dihydrotestosterone (DHT), maximum urinary flow rate (Q max), post-void residual volume (PVR), International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF), and drug safety. Results: A total of 103 patients were able to finish the study according to the study protocol. Total IPSS and sub-scores (residual urine sensation, frequency, weak stream, hesistancy, nocturia, and quality of life) in CAG 500 and CAG 1000 were significantly improved at the 12th week compared to those of the PG. Changes of serum PSA, DHT, and testosterone levels at the 12th week from baseline did not show significant differences among the three groups. Q max and PVR changes did not show significant differences among the three groups either. Total IIEF and sub-scores (erectile function, orgasmic function, sexual desire, intercourse satisfaction) in CAG 1000 were significantly improved at 12th week compared to those in PG. No significant adverse events were found. Conclusions: CAG is well tolerated in patients with moderate LUTS. Treatment with CAG for 12 weeks has a therapeutic effect on moderate LUTS.

Calcium chloride is a better calcium source rather than calcium carbonate for weanling pigs.

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of calcium (Ca) levels in weanling pigs (Landrace × Yorkshire × Duroc). In experiment 1, one hundred and eighty weanling pigs were randomly allotted to one of the three treatments. The treatments were low (Ca 0.60% in phase 1 and 0.50% in phase 2), standard (Ca 0.72% in phase 1 and 0.66% in phase 2), and high (Ca 0.84% in phase 1 and 0.72% in phase 2). In experiment 2, hundred and forty weanling pigs were randomly assigned to one of four treatments differing in Ca levels (high and low) and sources (CaCl2 and CaCO3) in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. There were 10 pigs per replicate in both experiments, with 6 replicates in each treatment, and they were conducted in two phases (phase 1, days 0-14; phase 2, days 15-28). In experiment 1, body weight (BW), average daily gain (ADG), and growth to feed ratio (G/F) increased as the Ca level decreased (p < 0.05). P digestibility was higher in the low-Ca diet group than in the high-Ca diet group (p <0.05). In experiment 2, the final BW, ADG, and G/F increased in the CaCl2 diet group compared with the case in the CaCO3 diet group (p < 0.05). The digestibility of crude protein (CP), Ca, and P was higher in the CaCl2 diet group than in the CaCO3 diet group (p < 0.05). Cl- levels were higher in the CaCl2 diet group than in the CaCO3 diet group (p < 0.05). The bicarbonate (HCO3 -), base excess (BE), and electrolyte balance (EB) levels were lower in the CaCl2 diet group than in the CaCO3 diet group (p < 0.05). Hematocrit increased as the Ca level decreased (p < 0.05). The HCO3 - interacted with the Ca sources and thus, affected the Ca levels (p < 0.05). Bone ash, Ca, and P were downregulated in the low-Ca diet group compared with the case in the high-Ca diet group. Overall, the low dietary Ca supplementation led to greater growth performance. Furthermore, CaCl2 appeared to be a better Ca source than CaCO3 because of the greater digestibility of CP, Ca, and P, and improved EB.

Terminalin from African Mango (Irvingia gabonensis) Stimulates Glucose Uptake through Inhibition of Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases.

Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs), along with protein tyrosine kinases, control signaling pathways involved in cell growth, metabolism, differentiation, proliferation, and survival. Several PTPs, such as PTPN1, PTPN2, PTPN9, PTPN11, PTPRS, and DUSP9, disrupt insulin signaling and trigger type 2 diabetes, indicating that PTPs are promising drug targets for the treatment or prevention of type 2 diabetes. As part of an ongoing study on the discovery of pharmacologically active bioactive natural products, we conducted a phytochemical investigation of African mango (Irvingia gabonensis) using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS)-based analysis, which led to the isolation of terminalin as a major component from the extract of the seeds of I. gabonensis. The structure of terminalin was characterized by spectroscopic methods, including one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and high-resolution (HR) electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectroscopy. Moreover, terminalin was evaluated for its antidiabetic property; terminalin inhibited the catalytic activity of PTPN1, PTPN9, PTPN11, and PTPRS in vitro and led to a significant increase in glucose uptake in differentiated C2C12 muscle cells, indicating that terminalin exhibits antidiabetic effect through the PTP inhibitory mechanism. These findings suggest that terminalin derived from African mango could be used as a functional food ingredient or pharmaceutical supplement for the prevention of type 2 diabetes.

Vitamin C supplementation promotes mental vitality in healthy young adults: results from a cross-sectional analysis and a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

PURPOSE: We aimed to investigate the link of vitamin C status with vitality and psychological functions in a cross-sectional study, and examine their causal relationship through a randomized controlled trial (RCT). METHODS: We first conducted a population-based cross-sectional investigation of healthy young adults (n = 214, 20-39 years), and analyzed the associations of serum vitamin C concentrations with vitality (fatigue and attention) and mood status (stress, depression, and positive and negative affect) using Pearson's correlation and multiple linear regression analyses. Next, we performed a double-blind RCT in healthy subjects whose serum vitamin C concentrations were inadequate (< 50 µmol/L). Subjects were randomly allocated to receive 500 mg of vitamin C twice a day for 4 weeks (n = 24) or a placebo (n = 22). We assessed vitality, which included fatigue, attention, work engagement, and self-control resources, and measured mood status, including stress, depression, positive and negative affect, and anxiety. ELISA determined serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and a Stroop color-word test evaluated attention capacity and processing speed. RESULTS: In the cross-sectional data, the serum vitamin C concentration was positively associated with the level of attention (r = 0.16, p = 0.02; standardized ß = 0.21, p = 0.003), while no significant associations with the levels of fatigue and mood variables being found. In the RCT, compared to the placebo, the vitamin C supplementation significantly increased attention (p = 0.03) and work absorption (p = 0.03) with distinct tendency of improvement on fatigue (p = 0.06) and comprehensive work engagement (p = 0.07). The vitamin C supplementation did not affect mood and serum concentrations of BDNF. However, in the Stroop color-word test, the subjects supplemented with vitamin C showed better performance than those in the placebo group (p = 0.04). CONCLUSION: Inadequate vitamin C status is related to a low level of mental vitality. Vitamin C supplementation effectively increased work motivation and attentional focus and contributed to better performance on cognitive tasks requiring sustained attention. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER AND DATE OF REGISTRATION: Cross-sectional study: KCT0005074 (cris.nih.go.kr)/1 June, 2020 (retrospectively registered). Intervention study: KCT0004276 (cris.nih.go.kr)/4 September, 2019.

Arousal-Inducing Effect of Garcinia cambogia Peel Extract in Pentobarbital-Induced Sleep Test and Electroencephalographic Analysis.

Caffeine, a natural stimulant, is known to be effective for weight loss. On this basis, we screened the arousal-inducing effect of five dietary supplements with a weight loss effect (Garcinia cambogia, Coleus forskohlii, Camellia sinensis L., Irvingia gabonensis, and Malus pumila M.), of which the G. cambogia peel extract (GC) showed a significant arousal-inducing effect in the pentobarbital-induced sleep test in mice. This characteristic of GC was further evaluated by analysis of electroencephalogram and electromyogram in C57L/6N mice, and it was compared to that of the positive control, caffeine. Administration of GC (1500 mg/kg) significantly increased wakefulness and decreased non-rapid eye movement sleep, similar to that of caffeine (25 mg/kg), with GC and caffeine showing a significant increase in wakefulness at 2 and 6 h, respectively. Compared to that of caffeine, the shorter duration of efficacy of GC could be advantageous because of the lower possibility of sleep disturbance. Furthermore, the arousal-inducing effects of GC (1500 mg/kg) and caffeine (25 mg/kg) persisted throughout the chronic (3 weeks) administration study. This study, for the first time, revealed the arousal-inducing effect of GC. Our findings suggest that GC might be a promising natural stimulant with no side effects. In addition, it is preferential to take GC as a dietary supplement for weight loss during the daytime to avoid sleep disturbances owing to its arousal-inducing effect.

Gibberellin Signaling Promotes the Secondary Growth of Storage Roots in Panax ginseng.

Gibberellins (GAs) are an important group of phytohormones associated with diverse growth and developmental processes, including cell elongation, seed germination, and secondary growth. Recent genomic and genetic analyses have advanced our knowledge of GA signaling pathways and related genes in model plant species. However, functional genomics analyses of GA signaling pathways in Panax ginseng, a perennial herb, have rarely been carried out, despite its well-known economical and medicinal importance. Here, we conducted functional characterization of GA receptors and investigated their physiological roles in the secondary growth of P. ginseng storage roots. We found that the physiological and genetic functions of P. ginseng gibberellin-insensitive dwarf1s (PgGID1s) have been evolutionarily conserved. Additionally, the essential domains and residues in the primary protein structure for interaction with active GAs and DELLA proteins are well-conserved. Overexpression of PgGID1s in Arabidopsis completely restored the GA deficient phenotype of the Arabidopsis gid1a gid1c (atgid1a/c) double mutant. Exogenous GA treatment greatly enhanced the secondary growth of tap roots; however, paclobutrazol (PCZ), a GA biosynthetic inhibitor, reduced root growth in P. ginseng. Transcriptome profiling of P. ginseng roots revealed that GA-induced root secondary growth is closely associated with cell wall biogenesis, the cell cycle, the jasmonic acid (JA) response, and nitrate assimilation, suggesting that a transcriptional network regulate root secondary growth in P. ginseng. These results provide novel insights into the mechanism controlling secondary root growth in P. ginseng.

The Effect of Fermented Porcine Placental Extract on Fatigue-Related Parameters in Healthy Adults: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Fatigue is one of the major health conditions induced by excessive stress or abnormal immune function or defective antioxidant systems. Placental extract has been reported to have various effects such as immune modulation and cellular regeneration. Fermented porcine placenta (FPP) is a safe nontoxic material, which is highly valuable as a functional food. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-fatigue effects of FPP supplementation compared with a placebo product. METHODS: In this double-blind, parallel, randomized, and placebo-controlled trial 84 healthy males and females, aged between 30 and 60 years were randomized to 320 mg of FPP once daily or placebo. The main outcome measures included efficacy of fatigue-inducing treadmill exercise on physical fatigue and fatigue-related parameters based on the questionnaire administered. RESULTS: The IL-1ß mRNA expression and fatigue severity scale were changed significantly after 8 weeks of treatment with fermented porcine placenta compared with placebo (p < 0.05). Cortisol levels were significantly improved in participants younger than 45 years following treatment with FPP compared with placebo. Furthermore, the lactate and myoglobin levels were improved significantly in participants with BMI ≥ 23 kg/m2 (p = 0.045 and p = 0.011, respectively) following treatment with FPP versus placebo. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that FPP supplementation significantly ameliorated fatigue-related parameters and subjective symptoms in healthy adults. Therefore, our results indicate that FPP supplementation induced anti-fatigue effect by regulating the inflammatory response.

Treatment strategy and outcomes in locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: a nationwide retrospective cohort study (KCSG HN13-01).

BACKGROUND: By investigating treatment patterns and outcomes in locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (LA-HNSCC), we aimed at providing valuable insights into the optimal therapeutic strategy for physicians in real-world practice. METHODS: This is a multi-institutional study enrolled the patients with stage III to IVB LA-HNSCC, except for nasopharyngeal carcinoma, from 2004 to 2015 in thirteen referral hospitals capable of multidisciplinary care. RESULTS: A total of 445 LA-HNSCC patients were analyzed. The median age was 61 years (range, 24-89). The primary tumor location was the oropharynx in 191 (43%), oral cavity in 106 (24%), hypopharynx in 64 (14%), larynx in 57 (13%) and other sites in 27 (6%). The most common stage was T2 in 172 (39%), and N2 in 245 (55%). Based on treatment intents, 229 (52%) of the patients received definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) and 187 (42%) underwent surgery. Approximately 158 (36%) of the study population received induction chemotherapy (IC). Taken together, 385 (87%) of the patients underwent combined therapeutic modalities. The regimen for definitive CCRT was weekly cisplatin in 58%, 3-weekly cisplatin in 28% and cetuximab in 3%. The preferred regimen for IC was docetaxel with cisplatin in 49%, and docetaxel, cisplatin plus fluorouracil in 27%. With a median follow-up of 39 months, one-year and two-year survival rates were 89 and 80%, respectively. Overall survival was not significantly different between CCRT and surgery group (p = 0.620). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with LA-HNSCC, the majority of patients received combined therapeutic modalities. Definitive CCRT, IC then definitive CCRT, and surgery followed by adjuvant CCRT or radiotherapy are the preferred multidisciplinary strategies in real-world practice.

Temporal Raphe Sign in Elderly Patients With Large Optic Disc Cupping: Its Evaluation as a Predictive Factor for Glaucoma Conversion.

PURPOSE: To determine baseline clinical features associated with conversion to glaucoma in elderly patients with large optic-disc cupping. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. METHODS: Seventy-two eyes of 72 untreated elderly (≥65-year-old) patients with large vertical cup-to-disc ratio (CDR ≥0.7) and without any other glaucomatous findings were included. They had undergone a full ophthalmologic examination twice per year for at least 5 years. The optic nerve head (ONH), peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), and macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) were imaged with Cirrus high-definition optical coherence tomography (OCT). Presence of temporal raphe sign on the OCT's GCIPL thickness map was assessed as one of the morphologic factors. Conversion to normal-tension glaucoma (NTG) was defined as structural or functional deterioration on either red-free RNFL photography or standard automated perimetry, respectively. The utility of the baseline factors associated with conversion to NTG were identified. RESULTS: During the 5.5-year follow-up, 19 eyes (26.4%) converted to NTG. There were no significant differences in demographics, systemic factors, intraocular pressure factors, or OCT parameters between the nonconverters and converters. Interestingly, the temporal raphe sign was observed in the converters (18/19, 94.7%) much more frequently than in the nonconverters (3/53, 5.7%, P < .001) at baseline. A Cox proportional hazards model indicated the significant influences of temporal raphe sign positivity (hazard ratio 6.823, 95% confidence interval 2.574, 18.088, P < .001) on conversion to NTG. CONCLUSIONS: In elderly subjects with large CDR, temporal raphe sign positivity on the baseline macular GCIPL thickness map was associated with faster conversion to NTG.

Pilot plant study on nitrogen and phosphorus removal in marine wastewater by marine sediment with sequencing batch reactor.

Effective biological treatment of marine wastewater is not well-known. Accumulation of nitrogen and phosphorus from land-based effluent is a crucial cause of red-tide in marine systems. The purpose of the study is to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus in marine wastewater with a pilot plant-scale sequencing batch reactor (SBR) system by using marine sediment as eco-friendly and effective biological materials, and elucidate which bacterial strains in sludge from marine sediment influence the performance of SBR. By applying eco-friendly high efficiency marine sludge (eco-HEMS), the treatment performance was 15 m3 d-1 of treatment amount in 4.5 m3 of the reactor with the average removal efficiency of 89.3% for total nitrogen and 94.9% for total phosphorus at the optimal operation condition in summer. Moreover, the average removal efficiency was 84.0% for total nitrogen and 88.3% for total phosphorus in winter although biological treatment efficiency in winter is generally lower due to bacterial lower activity. These results were revealed by the DNA barcoding analysis of 16s rRNA amplicon sequencing of samples from the sludge in winter. The comparative analysis of the bacterial community composition in sludge at the high efficiency of the system showed the predominant genera Psychromonas (significantly increased to 45.6% relative abundance), Vibrio (13.3%), Gaetbulibacter (5.7%), and Psychroserpens (4.3%) in the 4 week adaptation after adding marine sediment, suggesting that those predominant bacteria influenced the treatment performance in winter.

Characteristics of crude oil-degrading bacteria Gordonia iterans isolated from marine coastal in Taean sediment.

Crude oil is a major pollutant of marine and coastal ecosystems, and it causes environmental problems more seriously. It is believed ultimate and complete degradation is accomplished mainly by microorganisms. In this study, we aim to search out for bacterial strains with high ability in degrading crude oil. From sediments contaminated by the petroleum spilled in 2007, an accident in Taean, South Korea, we isolated thirty-one bacterial strains in total with potential application in crude oil contamination remediation. In terms of removal percentage after 7 days, one of the strains, Co17, showed the highest removal efficiency with 84.2% of crude oil in Bushnell-Haas media. The Co17 strain even exhibited outstanding ability removing crude oil at a high salt concentration. Through the whole genome sequencing annotation results, many genes related with n-alkane degradation in the genome of Gordonia sp. Co17, revealed alkane-1-monooxygenase, alcohol dehydrogenase, and Baeyer-Villiger monooxygenase. Specially, for confirmation of gene-level, alkB gene encoding alkane hydroxylase (alkane-1-monooxygenase) was found in the strain Co17. The expression of alkB upregulated 125-fold after 18 hr accompany with the removal of n-alkanes of 48.9%. We therefore propose the strain Gordonia iterans Co17, isolated from crude oil-contaminated marine sediment, could be used to offer a new strategy for bioremediation with high efficiency.

Nitrogen and phosphorus treatment of marine wastewater by a laboratory-scale sequencing batch reactor with eco-friendly marine high-efficiency sediment.

We screened and identified a NH3-N-removing bacterial strain, Bacillus sp. KGN1, and a [Formula: see text] removing strain, Vibrio sp. KGP1, from 960 indigenous marine isolates from seawater and marine sediment from Tongyeong, South Korea. We developed eco-friendly high-efficiency marine sludge (eco-HEMS), and inoculated these marine bacterial strains into the marine sediment. A laboratory-scale sequencing batch reactor (SBR) system using the eco-HEMS for marine wastewater from land-based fish farms improved the treatment performance as indicated by 88.2% removal efficiency (RE) of total nitrogen (initial: 5.6 mg/L) and 90.6% RE of total phosphorus (initial: 1.2 mg/L) under the optimal operation conditions (food and microorganism (F/M) ratio, 0.35 g SCODCr/g mixed liquor volatile suspended solids (MLVSS)·d; dissolved oxygen (DO) 1.0 ± 0.2 mg/L; hydraulic retention time (HRT), 6.6 h; solids retention time (SRT), 12 d). The following kinetic parameters were obtained: cell yield (Y), 0.29 g MLVSS/g SCODCr; specific growth rate (µ), 0.06 d-1; specific nitrification rate (SNR), 0.49 mg NH3-N/g MLVSS·h; specific denitrification rate (SDNR), 0.005 mg [Formula: see text]/g MLVSS·h; specific phosphorus uptake rate (SPUR), 0.12 mg [Formula: see text]/g MLVSS·h. The nitrogen- and phosphorus-removing bacterial strains comprised 18.4% of distribution rate in the microbial community of eco-HEMS under the optimal operation conditions. Therefore, eco-HEMS effectively removed nitrogen and phosphorus from highly saline marine wastewater from land-based fish farms with improving SNR, SDNR, and SPUR values in more diverse microbial communities. ABBREVIATIONS: DO: dissolved oxygen; Eco-HEMS: eco-friendly high efficiency marine sludge; F/M: food and microorganism ratio; HRT: hydraulic retention time; ML(V)SS: mixed liquor (volatile) suspended solids; NCBI: National Center for Biotechnology Information; ND: not determined; qPCR: quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction; RE: removal efficiency; SBR: sequencing batch reactor; SD: standard deviation; SDNR: specific denitrification rate; SNR: specific nitrification rate; SPUR: specific phosphate uptake rate; SRT: solids retention time; T-N: total nitrogen; T-P: total phosphorus; (V)SS: (volatile) suspended solids; w.w.: wet weight.

Hovenia Dulcis Extract Reduces Lipid Accumulation in Oleic Acid-Induced Steatosis of Hep G2 Cells via Activation of AMPK and PPARα/CPT-1 Pathway and in Acute Hyperlipidemia Mouse Model.

Hovenia dulcis Thunb. (HDT) was known to have anti-fatigue, anti-diabetes, neuroprotective, and hepatoprotective effects. In the present study, the anti-fatty liver mechanism of HDT was elucidated in oleic acid (OA)-treated Hep G2 cells and acute hyperlipidemia mouse model using Triton WR-1339. Here, HDT activated p-AMP-activated protein kinase (p-AMPK), proliferator activated receptor-α, carnitine palmitoyltransferase and also inhibited the expression of lipogenesis and cholesterol synthesis proteins, such as 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase, sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c, SREBP-2, and fatty acid synthase in OA-treated Hep G2 cells. Conversely, AMPK inhibitor compound C blocked the anti-fatty liver effect of HDT to induce AMPK phosphorylation and decrease 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase and lipid accumulation by oil red O staining in OA-treated Hep G2 cells. Additionally, HDT pretreatment protected against the increase of serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and phospholipid in an acute hyperlipidemia mouse model with enhancement of glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase activities. Taken together, HDT inhibits OA-induced hepatic lipid accumulation via activation of AMPK and proliferator activated receptor-α/carnitine palmitoyltransferase signaling and enhancement of antioxidant activity as a potent candidate for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and hyperlipidemia. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Forecasting Natural Gas Prices Using Wavelets, Time Series, and Artificial Neural Networks.

Following the unconventional gas revolution, the forecasting of natural gas prices has become increasingly important because the association of these prices with those of crude oil has weakened. With this as motivation, we propose some modified hybrid models in which various combinations of the wavelet approximation, detail components, autoregressive integrated moving average, generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity, and artificial neural network models are employed to predict natural gas prices. We also emphasize the boundary problem in wavelet decomposition, and compare results that consider the boundary problem case with those that do not. The empirical results show that our suggested approach can handle the boundary problem, such that it facilitates the extraction of the appropriate forecasting results. The performance of the wavelet-hybrid approach was superior in all cases, whereas the application of detail components in the forecasting was only able to yield a small improvement in forecasting performance. Therefore, forecasting with only an approximation component would be acceptable, in consideration of forecasting efficiency.

Marine polyphenol phlorotannins promote non-rapid eye movement sleep in mice via the benzodiazepine site of the GABAA receptor.

RATIONALE: In psychopharmacology, researchers have been interested in the hypnotic effects of terrestrial plant polyphenols and their synthetic derivatives. Phlorotannins, a marine plant polyphenol, could have potential as a source of novel hypnotic drugs. OBJECTIVES: The effects of phlorotannins and major phlorotannin constituent eckstolonol on sleep-wake profiles in mice were evaluated in comparison with diazepam, and their hypnotic mechanism was also investigated. METHODS: The effects of phlorotannin preparation (PRT) and eckstolonol orally given on sleep-wake profiles were measured by recording electroencephalograms (EEG) and electromyograms in C57BL/6N mice. Flumazenil, a GABAA-benzodiazepine (BZD) receptor antagonist, was injected 15 min before PRT and eckstolonol to reveal its hypnotic mechanism. RESULTS: PRT administration (>250 mg/kg) produced a significant decrease in sleep latency and an increase in the amount of non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREMS). Eckstolonol significantly decreased sleep latency (>12.5 mg/kg) and increased the amount of NREMS (50 mg/kg). PRT and eckstolonol had no effect on EEG power density of NREMS. The hypnotic effects of PRT or eckstolonol were completely abolished by pretreatment with flumazenil. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that phlorotannins promote NREMS by modulating the BZD site of the GABAA receptor. These results suggest that phlorotannins can be potentially used as an herbal medicine for insomnia and as a promising structure for developing novel sedative-hypnotics.

Thermogravimetric characteristics and pyrolysis kinetics of alga Sagarssum sp. biomass.

Alga Sagarssum sp. can be converted to bio-oil, gas, and char through pyrolysis. In this study, the pyrolysis characteristics and kinetics of Sagarssum sp. were investigated using a thermogravimetric analyzer and tubing reactor, respectively. Sagarssum sp. decomposed below 550°C, but the majority of materials decomposed between 200 and 350°C at heating rates of 5-20°C/min. The apparent activation energy increased from 183.53 to 505.57 kJ mol(-1) with increasing pyrolysis conversion. The kinetic parameters of Sagarssum sp. pyrolysis were determined using nonlinear least-squares regression of the experimental data, assuming second-order kinetics. The proposed lumped kinetic model represented the experimental results well and the kinetic rate constants suggested a predominant pyrolysis reaction pathway from Sagarssum sp. to bio-oil, rather than from Sagarssum sp. to gas. The kinetic rate constants indicated that the predominant reaction pathway was A (Sagarssum sp.) to B (bio-oil), rather than A (Sagarssum sp.) to C (gas; C1-C4).

Molecular characteristics and anti-inflammatory activity of the fucoidan extracted from Ecklonia cava.

Enzymatic extraction has been successfully used for extracting numerous biologically active compounds from a wide variety of seaweeds. In this study, we found that enzymatic extraction of the fucoidan from Ecklonia cava may be more advantageous than water extraction. Therefore, we studied the E. cava fucoidans extracted by the enzymatic extraction technique and used ion-exchange chromatography to determine their molecular characteristics and anti-inflammatory activities. The crude and fractionated fucoidans (F1, F2, and F3) consisted mostly of carbohydrates (47.1-57.1%), uronic acids (9.0-15.8%), and sulfates (16.5-39.1%), as well as varying levels of proteins (1.3-8.7%). The monosaccharide levels significantly differed, and the composition included fucose (53.1-77.9%) and galactose (10.1-32.8%), with a small amount of rhamnose (2.3-4.5%), xylose (4.0-8.2%), and glucose (0.8-2.2%). These fucoidans contained one or two subfractions with an average molecular weight (Mw) ranging from 18 to 359×10(3)g/mol. These fucoidans significantly inhibited NO production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced Raw 264.7 macrophage cells by down-regulating the expression of iNOS, COX-2, and pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1ß. Thus, the present results suggest that E. cava fucoidan may be a potentially useful therapeutic approach for various inflammatory diseases.

Increasing nodal ratio is a poor prognostic factor for survival in stage III-IV (M0) gastric cancer patients who received curative surgery followed by adjuvant chemotherapy: a retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin in gastric cancer patients and to assess prognostic factors affecting relapse and survival. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the data of 153 patients with Stage III-IV (M0) gastric cancer. The patients were given adjuvant 5-fluorouracil/cisplatin chemotherapy after curative gastric resection with D2 dissection from November 1995 to November 2003. Chemotherapy consisted of cisplatin (60 mg/m(2) as 15 min i.v. infusion) and 5-fluorouracil (1200 mg/m(2) as 12 h continuous i.v. infusion for 4 days) in every 21 days up to six cycles. RESULTS: During a median follow-up period of 72.9 months (range: 2.0-135.0 months), a total of 105 patients relapsed (locoregional 19.0% vs. systemic 81.0%). The median disease-free survival and overall survival were 19.8 and 32.2 months, respectively. Univariate analysis revealed T stage, TNM stage and lymph node ratio as prognostic factors for survival (P = 0.002, <0.0001 and <0.0001, respectively). After stepwise selection of the factors, multivariate analysis confirmed the impact of the lymph node ratio and T stage on overall survival and disease-free survival. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with Stage III-IV (M0) gastric cancer, adjuvant 5-fluorouracil/cisplatin chemotherapy was tolerable, but did not seem to confer survival advantage. And the lymph node ratio was found as an independent prognostic factor in this population. This evidence suggests that the clinical trial using more active chemotherapeutic agents is mandatory.