Age and growth of manybar goatfish Parupeneus multifasciatus (Mullidae) from the Nha Trang Bay of the South China Sea

The growth of individuals is analyzed in the mass tropical species manybar goatfish Parupeneus multifasciatus from the Nha Trang Bay of the South China Sea. The relationship between the body weight and body length is determined for the females and males. Among the fishes larger 180 mm fork length (FL), the males prevail. Linear growth of the sagitta is characterized by negative allometry in relation to body length, and sagitta growth in length is faster than in width. Age of fish assessed based on the analysis of daily increments on the sagitta does not exceed three years, and the majority of individuals reach the first sexual maturity by the age of one year. The growth rate of the fish is characterized by a large individual variation.     

Protective Effects of Mangiferin in Subchronic Developmental Lead-Exposed Rats

Lead is a ubiquitous environmental and industrial pollutant. Exposure to excessive amounts of lead is especially harmful to the central nervous systems of infants and young children, and oxidative stress has been reported as a major mechanism of lead-induced toxicity. To evaluate the ameliorative potential of antioxidant mangiferin (MGN) on lead-induced toxicity, Morris water maze test, determination of blood and bone lead concentration, determination of antioxidant status in plasma, as well as observation of ultrastructural changes in the hippocampus were carried out. In the present study, under a transmission electron microscope, ameliorated morphological damages in the hippocampus were observed in MGN-treated groups. Blood and bone lead concentration in MGN-treated groups lowered to some extent (p?<?0.05, p?<?0.01). The activities of antioxidant enzymes, glutathione (GSH) content, and the GSH/oxidized glutathione ratio in MGN-treated groups were increased, respectively. Further studies are needed to establish whether the observed differences were a direct cause of mangiferin on lead-induced toxicity or not. This study might provide clues for the treatment of lead-induced toxicity.     

Cloning and Expression of Genes Encoding F107-C and K88-1NT Fimbrial Proteins of Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli from Piglets

We cloned two genes coding F107-C and K88-1NT fimbrial subunits from strains E. coli C and 1NT isolated from Thua Thien Hue province, Vietnam. The mature peptide of faeG gene from strain E. coli 1NT (called faeG-1NT) is 100 % similarity with faeG gene, while the CDS of fedA gene from strain C (called fedA-C) has a similarity of 97 % with the fedA gene. Expression of the faeG-1NT and fedA-C genes in E. coli BL21 Star™ (DE3) produced proteins of ~31 and 22 kDa, respectively. The effect of IPTG concentration on the K88-1NT and F107-C fimbriae production was investigated. The results showed that 0.5 mM IPTG is suitable for higher expression of K88-1NT subunit, while 0.75 mM IPTG strongly stimulated expression of F107-C subunit. The optimal induction time for expression was also examined. Generally, highest expression of K88-1NT subunit occurred after 6 h of induction, while that of F107-C subunit is after 14 h.     

Partitioning of oxygen uptake and cost of surfacing during swimming in the air-breathing catfish Pangasianodon hypophthalmus

Though air-breathing has probably evolved mainly as a response to hypoxia, it may provide an important oxygen supplement when metabolism is elevated, as for example during swimming. Due to the increased travelling distance involved when an air-breathing fish swims to and from the surface, and the increased drag when the surface is breached, it can be proposed that air-breathing results in a rise in the apparent cost of transport. In order to investigate this hypothesis, it is necessary to use a fish that is able to swim equally well with and without access to air. The striped catfish Pangasianodon hypophthalmus has been shown to have a sufficiently high capacity for aquatic oxygen uptake in normoxia, to allow for such a comparison. Here, we measured the partitioning of oxygen uptake ( $ \dot{M}{\text{O}}_{2} $ ) during swimming and recovery, and calculated the apparent cost of transport with and without access to air, under normoxic conditions. Aerial $ \dot{M}{\text{O}}_{2} $ constituted 25–40 % of the total $ \dot{M}{\text{O}}_{2} $ during swimming and less than 15 % during recovery. The net cost of transport was 25 % lower in fish that did not air-breathe compared to fish that did, showing that the cost of surfacing can be substantial. This is the first study to measure partitioning in an air-breathing fish during swimming at velocities close to the critical swimming speed.     

Pyrrole and furan oligoglycosides from the starfish Asterina batheri and their inhibitory effect on the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated bone marrow-derived dendritic cells

Three new pyrrole oligoglycosides, astebatheriosides A–C (1–3), and a new furan oligoglycoside, astebatherioside D (4), were isolated from the starfish Asterina batheri by various chromatographic methods. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic and chemical methods. Compounds 2, 3, and 4 moderately inhibited IL-12 p40 production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) with IC₅₀ values of 36.4, 31.6, and 22.8 μM, respectively.     

Consequential LCA of switching from maize silage-based to grass-based dairy systems

Purpose

This study aimed to investigate the environmental consequences (on climate change and land use) of an increase in preference for grass-based milk in France using a consequential life cycle assessment (CLCA) approach. This increase in preference was assumed to be satisfied domestically, by converting maize silage-based dairy farms (MS farm) to grass-based dairy farms (G farm) while keeping on-farm usable agricultural area and total milk production of farm constant.

Methods

The possible consequences of an increase in preference for grass-based milk were identified based on cause and effect relationships. The conversion from MS to G farm reduced the use of soybean meal, changed the on-farm cropping pattern and produced more animals but less wheat and no rapeseed. Effects on on-farm soil C were predicted with the RothC model and on global land use change (LUC) with models of global agricultural markets (Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP) and Landbouw Economisch Instituut Trade Analysis Project (LEITAP)). System expansion using animals from a suckler beef production system was applied to estimate the impacts of milk and animal co-products from the dairy system. Land occupation and climate change impacts were estimated. The consequences of farm conversion were attributed only to the milk, as preference for grass-based milk drove the conversion process.

Results and discussion

The conversion from the MS to G farm increases land occupation and climate change impacts for the G farm, respectively, by 9 and 7 % according to GTAP and 14 and 51 % according to LEITAP. Land occupation and climate change impacts of milk produced by the G farm after conversion increased, respectively, by 82 and 13 % with GTAP and 123 and 97 % with LEITAP relative to those for the MS farm (before conversion). The production of additional wheat and rapeseed outside the G farm increased impacts of the G farm (by 29–69 % depending on impacts and model used). Results indicate that the farm conversion would probably have consequences on global LUC and that it is important to account for this in a LCA approach.

Conclusions

Land use and land use change (LULUC) contributed to the impacts of grass-based milk, and results were highly sensitive to the LULUC model used. The many possible chain-of-event pathways that follow a change in preference for a given product yield high uncertainty in CLCA results. This study only assessed one possible way to meet the increase in preference for grass-based milk; it is necessary to perform a sensitivity analysis to investigate other possible scenarios resulting from this increase in preference.     

New derivatives from the aerial parts of Boerhaavia diffusa L. (Nyctaginaceae)

Boerhaavia diffusa L. is used in the traditional medicine of several Asian countries. The isolation and identification of five new compounds, together with 11 known compounds, from the ethyl acetate extract of the aerial part of B. diffusa grown Vietnam is reported. The structure of the new compounds was established by 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy, and high resolution ESI-MS analysis. New compounds are two rotenoids: 9,11-dihydroxy-6,10-dimethoxy[1]benzopyrano[3,4-b][1]benzopyran-12(6H)-one (boeravinone P, 3) and 3-[2-(β-d-glucopyranosyloxy)-3-hydroxyphenyl]-5-hydroxy-2-hydroxymethyl-7-methoxy-6-methyl-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one (boeravinone Q, 9), an atropisomeric mixture of two rotenoid glycosides (3′,5-dihydroxy-2-hydroxymethyl-7-methoxy-6-methylisoflavone 2′-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, 11), a sesquiterpene lactone (4,10-dihydroxy-8-methoxyguai-7(11)-en-8,12-olide, 5) and a new phenylpropanoid glycoside (boerhaavic acid, 15).     

Wee1 Inhibition by MK-1775 Leads to Tumor Inhibition and Enhances Efficacy of Gemcitabine in Human Sarcomas

Sarcomas are rare and heterogeneous mesenchymal tumors affecting both pediatric and adult populations with more than 70 recognized histologies. Doxorubicin and ifosfamide have been the main course of therapy for treatment of sarcomas; however, the response rate to these therapies is about 10–20% in metastatic setting. Toxicity with the drug combination is high, response rates remain low, and improvement in overall survival, especially in the metastatic disease, remains negligible and new agents are needed. Wee1 is a critical component of the G2/M cell cycle checkpoint control and mediates cell cycle arrest by regulating the phosphorylation of CDC2. Inhibition of Wee1 by MK1775 has been reported to enhance the cytotoxic effect of DNA damaging agents in different types of carcinomas. In this study we investigated the therapeutic efficacy of MK1775 in various sarcoma cell lines, patient-derived tumor explants ex vivo and in vivo both alone and in combination with gemcitabine, which is frequently used in the treatment of sarcomas. Our data demonstrate that MK1775 treatment as a single agent at clinically relevant concentrations leads to unscheduled entry into mitosis and initiation of apoptotic cell death in all sarcomas tested. Additionally, MK1775 significantly enhances the cytotoxic effect of gemcitabine in sarcoma cells lines with different p53 mutational status. In patient-derived bone and soft tissue sarcoma samples we showed that MK1775 alone and in combination with gemcitabine causes significant apoptotic cell death. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and histopathologic studies showed that MK1775 induces significant cell death and terminal differentiation in a patient-derived xenograft mouse model of osteosarcoma in vivo. Our results together with the high safety profile of MK1775 strongly suggest that this drug can be used as a potential therapeutic agent in the treatment of both adult as well as pediatric sarcoma patients.