Analysis of microbial communities in solid and liquid pig manure during the fertilization process.

Utilizing livestock manure as organic fertilizer in sustainable agriculture is crucial and should be developed through an appropriate manufacturing process. Solid-liquid separation contributes to reducing odor, managing nutrients in livestock excretions, and lowering the cost of transporting manure to arable soil. To investigate the impact of fermentation after solid-liquid separation, we examined the specific correlation between chemical properties and bacterial communities in solid-liquid manures before and after the fermentation process. In terms of chemical properties before fermentation, the levels of electrical conductivity, nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen (NH4+-N), potassium, sodium, and chloride were higher in the liquid sample than in the solid sample. However, the chemical components of the liquid sample decreased during fermentation, which could be attributed to the low organic matter content. Many chemical components increased in the solid samples during fermentation. Fifty-six bacterial species were significantly correlated with NH4+-N and phosphorus. Following fermentation, their abundance increased in the solid samples and decreased in the liquid samples, indicating the potential for NH4+-N release or phosphorus mineralization from organic matter. These results provide information regarding changes in nutrient and bacterial formation when applying the fermentation process after solid-liquid separation.

Effects of Hanwoo (Korean cattle) manure as organic fertilizer on plant growth, feed quality, and soil bacterial community.

Introduction: The development of organic manure from livestock excreta is a useful source for sustainable crop production in environment-friendly agriculture. Organic manure increases soil microbial activity and organic matter (OM) supply. The excessive use of chemical fertilizers (CFs) leads to air and water pollution caused by toxic chemicals and gases, and soil quality degradation via nutrient imbalance due to supplying specific chemical components. Thus, the use of organic manure will serve as a long-term supply of various nutrients in soil via OM decomposition reaction as well as the maintenance of environment. Methods: In this study, we aimed to analyze the diverse effects of Hanwoo manure (HM) on plant growth, feed quality, and soil bacterial communities in comparison with CFs, commercial poultry manure (CM), and the combined use of chemical fertilizer and Hanwoo manure (HM+CF). We analyzed the contents of crude matter (protein, fat, fiber, and ash), P, acid detergent fiber (ADF), and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) through feed quality analysis, and the contents or activities of total phenol, total flavonoid, ABTS, nitrite scavenging, and reducing power via the antioxidant assay. Furthermore, the soil microbial communities were determined using 16S rRNA sequencing. We compared the soil bacteria among different soil samples by using amplicon sequence variant (ASV) analysis. Results and discussion: We observed increased OM in the soil of the HM group compared to that of the CF and non-treated groups over a period of two years. Moreover, HM+CF treatment enormously improved plant growth. Organic manure, especially HM, caused an increase in the content of crude ash and phosphorus in plants. There were no significant differences in total polyphenol, total flavonoid, ABTS, nitrite scavenging, and reducing power in plants between HM and CF groups. Finally, we detected 13 soil bacteria (Acidibacter, Algisphaera, Cystobacter, Microvirga, Ohtaekwangia, Panacagrimonas, Pseudarthrobacter, Reryanella, Rhodoligotrophos, Solirubrobacter, Stenotrophobacter, Tellurimicrobium, and Thermomarinilinea) that were considerably correlated with OM and available phosphorus, and three considerably correlated bacteria were specifically distributed in CF or organic manure. The results suggest that HM is a valuable source of organic manure that can replace CF for sustainable crop production.

Elevated CO2 concentration induces changes in plant growth, transcriptome, and antioxidant activity in fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.).

Introduction: Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) is widely used to produce natural bio-materials. Elevated CO2 (eCO2) concentrations in the atmosphere improve the net photosynthesis of plants. Methods: The aim of the present study was to investigate distinct changes in fennel growth characteristics and phytonutrient contents under different CO2 concentrations. The effects of 400 and 800 ppm concentrations on plant growth and antioxidant activity were observed under hydroponics. Results and Discussion: Plant growth was improved by eCO2 concentrations. We also observed diverse changes in nutrient solution (pH, electrical conductivity, and dissolved oxygen) and environmental factors (temperature and humidity) in greenhouse under light or dark conditions. Electrical conductivity increased under dark and eCO2 conditions, whereas the pH decreased. Additionally, we performed transcriptome analysis and identified CO2-responsive differentially expressed genes. In the 800 ppm group, genes involved in photosynthesis and Karrikin response were upregulated whereas those involved in syncytium formation were downregulated. Four upregulated differentially expressed genes involved in flavonoid biosynthesis and total flavonoid content were relatively increased under the 800 ppm CO2 condition. In contrast, antioxidant activity, including total phenolic content, scavenging activity, ferric ion reducing antioxidant power, and reducing power were decreased in fennel under relatively high eCO2 concentrations. Moreover, different light intensities of 12 or 24 lx did not affect the growth and antioxidant activity of fennel, suggesting eCO2 has a stronger effect on plant improvement than light intensity. The results of the present study enhance our understanding of the positive effects of CO2 on the growth and antioxidant activity of fennel.

The effect of pelvic movements of a gait training system for stroke patients: a single blind, randomized, parallel study.

BACKGROUND: Aging societies lead to higher demand for gait rehabilitation as age-related neurological disorders such as stroke and spinal cord injury increase. Since conventional methods for gait rehabilitation are physically and economically burdensome, robotic gait training systems have been studied and commercialized, many of which provided movements confined in the sagittal plane. For better outcomes of gait rehabilitation with more natural gait patterns, however, it is desirable to provide pelvic movements in the transverse plane. In this study, a robotic gait training system capable of pelvic motions in the transverse plane was used to evaluate the effect of the pelvic motions on stroke patients. METHOD: Healbot T, which is a robotic gait training system and capable of providing pelvic movements in the transverse plane as well as flexion/extension of the hip and knee joints and adduction/abduction of the hip joints, is introduced and used to evaluate the effect of the pelvic movement on gait training of stroke patients. Gait trainings in Healbot T with and without pelvic movements are carried out with stroke patients having hemiparesis. EXPERIMENT: Twenty-four stroke patients with hemiparesis were randomly assigned into two groups and 23 of them successfully completed the experiment except one subject who had dropped out due to personal reasons. Pelvis-on group was provided with pelvic motions whereas no pelvic movement was allowed for pelvis-off group during 10 sessions of gait trainings in Healbot T. Electromyography (EMG) signals and interaction forces as well as the joint angles of the robot were measured. Gait parameters such as stride length, cadence, and walking speed were measured while walking on the ground without assistance of Healbot T after gait training on 1st, 5th, and 10th day. RESULT: Stride length significantly increased in both groups. Furthermore, cadence and walking speed of the pelvis-on group were increased by 10.6% and 11.8%. Although interaction forces of both groups except the thighs showed no differences, EMG signals from gluteus medius of the pelvis-on group increased by 88.6% during stance phase. In addition, EMG signals of biceps femoris, gastrocnemius medial, and gastrocnemius lateral of the pelvis-on group increased whereas EMG signals of the pelvis-off group except gastrocnemius lateral showed no difference after gait trainings. CONCLUSION: Gait training using a robotic gait training system with pelvic movements was conducted to investigate the effects of lateral and rotational pelvic movements in gait training of stroke patients. The pelvic movements affected to increase voluntary muscle activation during the stance phase as well as cadence and walking speed. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: KCT0003762, 2018-1254, Registered 28 October 2018, https://cris.nih.go.kr/cris/search/search_result_st01_kren.jsp?seq=14310<ype=&rtype=.

KCHO-1, a Novel Antineuroinflammatory Agent, Inhibits Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Neuroinflammatory Responses through Nrf2-Mediated Heme Oxygenase-1 Expression in Mouse BV2 Microglia Cells.

The brain is vulnerable to oxidative stress and inflammation that can occur as a result of aging or neurodegenerative diseases. Our work has sought to identify natural products that regulate heme oxygenase (HO)-1 and to determine their mechanism of action in neurodegenerative diseases. KCHO-1 is a novel herbal therapeutic containing 30% ethanol (EtOH) extracts from nine plants. In this study, we investigated the antineuroinflammatory effects of KCHO-1 in lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) treated mouse BV2 microglia. KCHO-1 inhibited the protein expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), iNOS-derived nitric oxide (NO), cyclooxygenase- (COX-) 2, and COX-2-derived prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in LPS-stimulated BV2 microglia. It also reduced tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), and IL-6 production. This effect was correlated with the suppression of inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa B-α (IκB-α) phosphorylation and degradation and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) translocation and DNA binding. Additionally, KCHO-1 upregulated HO-1 expression by promoting nuclear translocation of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in mouse BV2 microglia. Tin protoporphyrin (SnPP), an HO activity inhibitor, was used to verify the inhibitory effects of KCHO-1 on proinflammatory mediators and proteins associated with HO-1 expression. Our data suggest that KCHO-1 has therapeutic potential in neurodegenerative diseases caused by neuroinflammation.

Hepatoprotective and Antioxidative Activities of Cornus officinalis against Acetaminophen-Induced Hepatotoxicity in Mice.

The fruit of Cornus officinalis Sieb. et Zucc. is commonly prescribed in Asian countries as a tonic formula. In this study, the hepatoprotective effect of ethanolic extracts of the fruit of C. officinalis (ECO) was investigated in a mouse model of acetaminophen- (APAP-) induced liver injury. Pretreatment of mice with ECO (100, 250, and 500 mg/kg for 7 days) significantly prevented the APAP (200 mg/kg) induced hepatic damage as indicated by the serum marker enzymes (AST, ALT, and LDH). Parallel to these changes, ECO treatment also prevented APAP-induced oxidative stress in the mice liver by inhibiting lipid peroxidation (MDA) and restoring the levels of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, and HO-1) and glutathione. Liver injury and collagen accumulation were assessed using histological studies by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Our results indicate that ECO can prevent hepatic injuries associated with APAP-induced hepatotoxicity by preventing or alleviating oxidative stress.

Inhibition of homodimerization of toll-like receptor 4 by 6-shogaol.

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play a critical role in sensing microbial components and inducing innate immune and inflammatory responses by recognizing invading microbial pathogens. Lipopolysaccharide-induced dimerization of TLR4 is required for the activation of downstream signaling pathways including nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB). Therefore, TLR4 dimerization may be an early regulatory event in activating ligand-induced signaling pathways and induction of subsequent immune responses. Here, we report biochemical evidence that 6-shogaol, the most bioactive component of ginger, inhibits lipopolysaccharide-induced dimerization of TLR4 resulting in the inhibition of NF-kappaB activation and the expression of cyclooxygenase-2. Furthermore, we demonstrate that 6-shogaol can directly inhibit TLR-mediated signaling pathways at the receptor level. These results suggest that 6-shogaol can modulate TLR-mediated inflammatory responses, which may influence the risk of chronic inflammatory diseases.