The mixture of Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb. and Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge. extract produces analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects in a collagen-induced arthritis mouse model.

Pain and inflammation typically manifest in patients with arthritis. It is now widely known that Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb (AP) and Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (SM) exert anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects. We have previously reported that the mixture extract (ME) from AP and SM produces antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects in gout arthritis and monoiodoacetate (MIA)-induced arthritis models. In the present study, we assessed the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects on the collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) model. The antinociceptive effects in mice were measured using the von Frey test. ME administered once or for one week (once per day) once, and one-week reduced the pain in a dose-dependent manner (from 50 to 100 mg/kg) in the CIA-induced osteoarthritis (OA) model. ME treatment also reduced tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in plasma and ankle tissues. Furthermore, COX-1, COX-2, NF-κB, TNF-α, and IL-6 expressions were attenuated after ME treatment. In most experiments, the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects induced by ME treatment were almost equal to or slightly better than those induced by Perna canaliculus (PC) treatment, which was used as a positive control. Our results suggest that ME possesses antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects, indicating its potential as a therapeutic agent for arthritis treatment.

All-optical single-sideband frequency upconversion utilizing the XPM effect in an SOA-MZI.

An all-optical single sideband (OSSB) frequency upconverter based on the cross-phase modulation (XPM) effect is proposed and experimentally demonstrated to overcome the power fading problem caused by the chromatic dispersion of fiber in radio-over-fiber systems. The OSSB frequency upconverter consists of an arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) and a semiconductor optical amplifier Mach-Zehnder interferometer (SOA-MZI) and does not require an extra delay line used for phase noise compensation. The generated OSSB radio frequency (RF) signal transmitted over single-mode fibers up to 20 km shows a flat electrical RF power response as a function of the fiber length. The upconverted electrical RF signal at 48 GHz shows negligible degradation of the phase noise even without an extra delay line. The measured phase noise of the upconverted RF signal (48 GHz) is -74.72 dBc/Hz at an offset frequency of 10 kHz. The spurious free dynamic range (SFDR) measured by a two-tone test to estimate the linearity of the OSSB frequency upconverter is 72.5 dB·Hz2/3.

Microbiological assessment in strawberry production and recommendations to establish a good agricultural practice system.

This study conducted microbiological assessment in tunnel style strawberry greenhouses and packaging centers and suggested recommendations to establish a good agricultural practice for strawberry production. The samples from irrigation water, workers' gloves, harvest bins, soil, strawberry leaves and strawberries in greenhouses, packers' gloves, conveyor belts, packaging tables, and door knobs of entrances in packaging centers were collected. Bacterial cell counts of aerobic plate counts, coliforms, Escherichia coli, E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus cereus were then enumerated on appropriate selective media. In general, bacterial populations were similar (p ≥ 0.05) among strawberry greenhouses but not among packaging houses. E. coli and E. coli O157:H7 were negative in all samples, and low levels of Salmonella and B. cereus were detected. However, high bacterial cell counts of aerobic plate counts, coliforms, and S. aureus were found in most samples. These results suggest that food safety practice in strawberry greenhouses and packaging centers should be improved, and the results may be useful in the establishment of a good agricultural practice system for strawberry production.

Characterization of a new bacteriocin, Carocin D, from Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum Pcc21.

Two different bacteriocins, carotovoricin and carocin S1, had been found in Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum, which causes soft-rot disease in diverse plants. Previously, we reported that the particular strain Pcc21, producing only one high-molecular-weight bacteriocin, carried a new antibacterial activity against the indicator strain Pcc3. Here, we report that this new antibacterial activity is due to a new bacteriocin produced by strain Pcc21 and named carocin D. Carocin D is encoded by the caroDK gene located in the genomic DNA together with the caroDI gene, which seems to encode an immunity protein. N-terminal amino acid sequences of purified carocin D were determined by Edman degradation. In comparison with the primary translation product of caroDK, it was found that 8 amino acids are missing at the N terminus. This finding proved that carocin D is synthesized as a precursor peptide and that 8 amino acids are removed from its N terminus during maturation. Carocin D has two putative translocation domains; the N-terminal and C-terminal domains are homologous to those of Escherichia coli colicin E3 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa S-type pyocin, respectively. When caroDK and caroDI genes were transformed into carocin D-sensitive bacteria such as Pcc3, the bacteria became resistant to this bacteriocin. Carocin D has one putative DNase domain at the extreme C terminus and showed DNase activity in vitro. This bacteriocin had slight tolerance to heat but not to proteases. The caroDK gene was present in only 5 of 54 strains of P. carotovorum subsp. carotovorum. These results indicate that carocin D is a third bacteriocin found in P. carotovorum subsp. carotovorum, and this bacteriocin can be readily expressed in carocin D-sensitive nonpathogenic bacteria, which may have high potential as a biological control agent in the field.

(2R,7S)-diacetoxytridecane: sex pheromone of the aphidophagous gall midge, Aphidoletes aphidimyza.

In a recent study, evidence was presented that females of the aphidophagous midge Aphidoletes aphidimyza (Rondi) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) release a sex pheromone to attract mates. Our objectives were to identify and bioassay the pheromone. Coupled gas chromatographic-electroantennographic detection(GC-EAD) analyses of untreated and hydrogenated pheromone extract on three fused-silica columns (DB-5, DB-23, DB-210) revealed a single compound that elicited responses from male antennae. Retention index calculations of this candidate pheromone (CP) suggested that it was a di-acetate. Considering that most of the presently identified cecidomyiid pheromones consist of a 13-carbon chain with (at least) one acetate group in C2, we synthesized 2,6-, 2,7-, 2,8-, 2,9-, 2,10-, 2,11-, and 2,12-diacetoxytridecane. In GC analyses of these compounds, only 2,7-diacetoxytridecane cochomatographed with CP on all columns. In laboratory two-choice experiments with stereospecifically synthesized stereoisomers, only (2R,7S)-diacetoxytridecane elicited significant anemotatic responses by male A. aphidimyza. In trapping experiments in greenhouse compartments, only traps baited with (2R,7S)-diacetoxytridecane captured significant numbers of male A. aphidimyza, clearly revealing the absolute configuration of the pheromone. Failure of the stereoisomeric mixture (containing all four stereoisomers including the pheromone) to attract males is due to inhibitory characteristics of the (2R,7R)- and (2S,7R)-stereoisomers. The pheromone of zoophagous A. aphidimyza resembles those from phytophagous cecidomyiid midges, suggesting a common, diet-independent pathway for pheromone biosyntheses.