• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.28 no.10
• /
• pp.1170-1176
• /
• 2005

2-Methyl-2-(2-methylpropenyl)-2,3-dihydronaphthoquinone[2,3-b]furan-4,9-dione (N FD-37) is a synthetic furonaphthoquinone compound. In this study, we determined that NFD-37 could inhibit the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced production of inflammatory mediators in macrophages RAW 264.7. This compound inhibited LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO) or prostaglandin (PG) $E_{2}$ production in dose-dependent manners, with $IC_{50}$ values of 7.2 ${\mu}M$ and 5.3 ${\mu}m$, respectively. As the positive controls, pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (30 ${\mu}M$) exhibited a $57{\%}$ inhibition of NO production, and NS-398 ($1{\mu}M$) manifested a $48{\%}$ inhibition of $PGE_2$ production. The inhibitory effects of NFD-37 on NO and $PGE_2$ production were determined to occur in conjunction with the suppression of inducible NO synthase or cyclooxygenase-2 expression. NFD-37 also inhibited the production of LPS-inducible tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$, interleukin (IL)-$1{\beta}$ and IL-6, at $IC_{50}$ values of 4.8-8.9 ${\mu}M$. We also determined the anti-inflammatory efficacy of NFD-37 using carrageenin-induced paw edema in experimental mice.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.14 no.7
• /
• pp.947-950
• /
• 2001

To improve the low content of crude protein and low quality fermentation of napiergrass silage, ensiling with phasey bean was examined. Napiergrasses, (Pennisetum purpureum cv. Merkeron), hybrid napiergrass (Pennisetum purpureum${\times}$ Pennisetum typhoides) and phasey bean (Macroptilium lathyroides cv. Murray) were cultivated in Fukuoka, Japan. The first growth of napiergrasses and phasey bean were harvested at 90 days of age and chopped into about 1 cm lengths. The mixing levels of phasey bean with napiergrasses were 0, 25, 50 and 75; 700 g of plant materials were ensiled into a laboratory silo (1.0 litre. polyethylene container) and incubated for 30 days. After opening silos, pH, total nitrogen (TN), volatile basic nitrogen (VBN) and organic acids (lactic acid: LA, acetic acid: AA, butyric acid: BA) were determined. The experiment was a factorial design of $2{\times}4$ with 3 replicates. The data were analyzed statistically by two-way analysis of variance. Without inclusion of phasey bean, lower quality was observed for hybrid silage than for Merkeron silage. The inclusion of phasey bean at the rate of 25% increased DM and TN, and decreased pH value, VBN/TN, AA and BA in both Merkeron and hybrid napiergrass silages. The value of pH, TN, VBN/TN, AA and BA were not significantly different among 25, 50 and 75% mixing levels of phasey bean. LA production increased significantly with the increase in phasey bean mixing level in both hybrid and Merkeron silages. At all mixing levels of phasey bean, LA production did not show significant differences between Merkeron and hybrid silages.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.35 no.4
• /
• pp.493-498
• /
• 2006

The optimal culture conditions of Monascus purpureus MMK2 for production of red pigment were investigated in submerged culture. Monascus purpureus MMK2 showed a maximal production of red pigment in the medium containing of 3.0% wheat flour, $0.15%\;NaNO_3,\;0.25%\;Na_2HPO_4\;12H_2O$ and $0.15%\;MgSO_4\;7H_2O$. The optimal culture conditions of temperature and initial pH were $30^{\circ}C$ and 6.5, respectively. The red pigment production reached to a maximal level at 7th day of cultivation.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.27 no.10
• /
• pp.1053-1059
• /
• 2004

$N^1$-Benzyl-4-methylbenzene-1,2-diamine (JSH-21) and its analogs were chemically synthesized and their anti-inflammatory potentials investigated. JSH-21 inhibited nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophages RAW 264.7 in a dose-dependent manner, with an $IC_{50}$ value of 9.2 ${\mu}M$, where pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate and parthenolide as positive controls exhibited $IC_{50}$ values of 29.3 and 3.6 ${\mu}M$, respectively. The inhibitory effect of JSH-21 on the NO production was attributable to its down-regulatory action on LPS-inducible NO synthase (iNOS), which was documented by iNOS promoter activity. In the mechanism of the anti-inflammatory action, JSH-21 exhibited inhibitory effects on LPS-induced DNA binding activity and transcriptional activity of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-$_KB$). Structural analogs of JSH-21 also inhibited both the LPS-induced NO production and NF-$_KB$). transcriptional activity, where diamine substitution at positions 1 and 2 of JSH-21 seems to play an important role in the anti-inflammatory activity.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.29 no.7
• /
• pp.1060-1064
• /
• 2016

With regard to animal welfare concerns, behavioral information of weaned and mixed piglets is great interest in swine production. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the change in behavior of weaned piglets over time in two different groups (littermates and piglets from different litters) after mixing. Two weaned groups of piglets (72 individuals in all) housed either with littermates or with foreign piglets (6 individuals in $1.8m{\times}1.4m$ pens, $28^{\circ}C{\pm}1^{\circ}C$ temperature) were observed with the aid of video technology for 9 consecutive hours on days 1, 2, and 3 after mixing. The behaviors of the weaned piglets in the control and treatment groups were significantly different among the days after mixing. Piglets were, however, more active and aggressive in the groups with foreign piglets. This study reveals a lower level of agonistic behavior in groups of piglets that came from the same litter.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.21 no.6
• /
• pp.903-911
• /
• 2008

The effects of salt and bicarbonate solution on overall meat quality in beef biceps femoris muscle were investigated with the application of chilling and freezing conditions. Muscles were injected to a target of 120% of original meat weight with a solution containing 1.2 M sodium chloride, 0.25 M sodium bicarbonate and 0.1% ascorbic acid (pH 7.2). Half of the meat samples, considered as chill treatment and chill control, were stored at $4^{\circ}C$ up to five days; while the other half, frozen treatment and frozen control, were kept in a freezer at $-20^{\circ}C$ for seven days. Compared with untreated control, treated meats had higher water holding capacity (p<0.05), lower drip loss (p<0.05) and lower shear force (p<0.07) with higher overall acceptability (p<0.05) in sensory evaluation. Morphological observations demonstrated smooth and gummy meat surface due to the solubilization of myofibrillar proteins and the distortion of connective tissue in treated raw meats; and in the case of cooked meat, treatment caused the fragmentation of myofibrils, which might be responsible for a lower shear value in salt-bicarbonate treated beef biceps femoris muscle.

• Genomics & Informatics
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.47.1-47.12
• /
• 2023

Silver barb (Barbonymus gonionotus) is among the most economically important freshwater fish species in Thailand. It ranks fourth in economic value and third in production weight for fisheries and culture in Thailand. An XX/XY sex-determination system based on gynogenesis was previously reported for this fish. In this study, the molecular basis underlying the sex-determination system was further investigated. Genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphism data were generated for 32 captive-bred silver barb individuals, previously scored by phenotypic sex, to identify sex-linked regions associated with sex determination. Sixty-three male-linked loci, indicating putative XY chromosomes, were identified. Male-specific loci were not observed, which indicates that the putative Y chromosome is young and the sex determination region is cryptic. A homology search revealed that most male-linked loci were homologous to the Mariner/Tc1 and Gypsy transposable elements and are probably the remnants of an initial accumulation of repeats on the Y chromosome from the early stages of sex chromosome differentiation. This research provides convincing insights into the mechanism of sex determination and reveals the potential sex determination regions in silver barb. The study provides the basic data necessary for increasing the commercial value of silver barbs through genetic improvements.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.29 no.7
• /
• pp.591-597
• /
• 2006

Aerial parts of Artemisia asiatica (Compositae) have been traditionally used as an oriental medicine for the treatment of inflammatory and ulcerogenic diseases. In the present study, artemisolide was isolated as a nuclear factor $(NF)-{\kappa}B$ inhibitor from A. asiatica by activity-guided fractionation. Artemisolide inhibited $NF-{\kappa}B$ transcriptional activity in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophages RAW 264.7 with an $IC_{50}$ value of $5.8\;{\mu}M$. The compound was also effective in blocking $NF-{\kappa}B$ transcriptional activities elicited by the expression vector encoding the $NF-{\kappa}B$ p65 or p50 subunits bypassing the inhibitory kB degradation signaling $NF-{\kappa}B$ activation. The macrophages markedly increased their $PGE_2$ and NO production upon exposure to LPS alone. Artemisolide inhibited LPS-induced $PGE_2$ and NO production with $IC_{50}$ values of $8.7\;{\mu}M$ and $6.4\;{\mu}M$, respectively, but also suppressed LPS-induced synthesis of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 or inducible NO synthase (iNOS). Taken together, artemisolide is a $NF-{\kappa}B$ inhibitor that attenuates LPS-induced production of $PGE_2$ or NO via down-regulation of COX-2 or iNOS expression in macrophages RAW 264.7. Therefore, artemisolide could represent and provide the anti-inflammatory principle associated with the traditional medicine, A. asiatica.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.109-118
• /
• 2015

Open raceway ponds are cost-efficient for mass cultivation of microalgae compared with photobioreactors. Although low-cost options like wastewater as nutrient source is studied to overcome the commercialization threshold for biodiesel production from microalgae, a cost analysis on the use of wastewater and other incremental increases in productivity has not been elucidated. We determined the effect of using wastewater and wavelength filters on microalgal productivity. Experimental results were then fitted into a model, and cost analysis was performed in comparison with control raceways. Three different microalgal strains, Chlorella vulgaris AG10032, Chlorella sp. JK2, and Scenedesmus sp. JK10, were tested for nutrient removal under different light wavelengths (blue, green, red, and white) using filters in batch cultivation. Blue wavelength showed an average of 27% higher nutrient removal and at least 42% higher chemical oxygen demand removal compared with white light. Naturally, the specific growth rate of microalgae cultivated under blue wavelength was on average 10.8% higher than white wavelength. Similarly, lipid productivity was highest in blue wavelength, at least 46.8% higher than white wavelength, whereas FAME composition revealed a mild increase in oleic and palmitic acid levels. Cost analysis reveals that raceways treating wastewater and using monochromatic wavelength would decrease costs from 2.71 to 0.73 $/kg biomass. We prove that increasing both biomass and lipid productivity is possible through cost-effective approaches, thereby accelerating the commercialization of low-value products from microalgae, like biodiesel.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.32 no.6
• /
• pp.842-848
• /
• 2019

Objective: Heat stress poses an increasing threat for poultry production. Some amino acids have been found to play critical roles in affording thermotolerance. Recently, it was found that in ovo administration of L-leucine (L-Leu) altered amino acid metabolism and afforded thermotolerance in heat-exposed broiler chicks. Methods: In this study, two doses (35 and $70{\mu}mol/egg$) of L-Leu were administered in ovo on embryonic day 7 to determine their effect on rectal temperature (RT), body weight (BW) and thyroid hormones at hatching. Changes in RT, BW, and thermotolerance in post-hatched chicks were also analyzed. Results: It was found that in ovo administration of L-Leu dose-dependently reduced RT and plasma thyroxine ($T_4$) level just after hatching. In post-hatched neonatal broiler chicks, however, the higher dose of L-Leu administered in ovo significantly increased RT without affecting BW gain. In chicks that had been exposed to heat stress, the RT was significantly lowered by in ovo administration of L-Leu (high dose) in comparison with the control chicks under the same high ambient temperature (HT: $35^{\circ}C{\pm}1^{\circ}C$, 120 min). Conclusion: In ovo administration of L-Leu in a high dose contributed to an increased daily body temperature and afforded thermotolerance under HT in neonatal broiler chicks.