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Anacardic acid (AA), a major component of cashew nut shell liquid, has extensive bioactivities. However, little is known about its antiadipogenic properties or the mechanism that underpins them. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of AA on 3T3-L1 preadipocyte differentiation and its mechanisms of action. AA inhibits lipid accumulation during adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 preadipocyte (IC

We first review current knowledge on PAOs, with a focus on bacteria, in terms of their phylogenetic identities, metabolic pathways and detection methods. We further discuss the evidence that suggests the ubiquitous presence of PAOs in nature and point out the unrevealed roles of the PAOs that warrant future investigation.

Food waste fermentation was investigated in a leach bed reactor operated at acidic, neutral and alkaline conditions. Highest solids reduction of 87% was obtained at pH 7 in 14 days of reaction time with minimum mixing. The concentration of volatile fatty acids increased to 28.6 g COD/L under pH 7, while the highest butyric acid of 16 g COD/L was obtained at pH 6. Bacterial community structure was narrowed down to Bifidobacterium and Clostridium at pH 6, while Bacteroides and Dysgonomonas were identified as main players at both pH 7 and 8. Bacterial populations in the food residue generally reflected those in the leachate, but some bacteria were selectively enriched in the leachate or the food residue. Bacterial community dynamics suggested that biodegradable food waste was first fermented by one of dominant players (e.g., Clostridium) and the other degraded resistant dietary fibers later (e.g., Bifidobacterium, Bacteroides, Dysgonomonas).

The enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) has been widely applied in treating domestic wastewater, while the performance on high-strength P wastewater is less investigated and the feasibility of coupling with short-cut nitrogen removal process remains unknown. This study first achieved the simultaneous high-efficient P removal and stable nitrite accumulation in one sequencing batch reactor for treating the synthetic digested manure wastewater. The average effluent P could be down to 0.8 ± 1.0 mg P/L and the P removal efficiency was 99.5 ± 0.8%. Candidatus Accumulibacter was the dominant polyphosphate accumulating organism (PAO) with the relative abundance of 14.2-33.1% in the reactor. Examination of the micro-diversity of Candidatus Accumulibacter using 16s rRNA gene-based oligotyping analysis revealed one unique Accumulibacter oligotype that different from the conventional system, which accounted for 64.2-87.9% of the total Accumulibacter abundance. The presence of high-abundant glycogen accumulating organisms (GAO) (15.6-40.3%, Defluviicoccus and Candidatus Competibacter) did not deteriorate the EBPR performance. Moreover, nitrite accumulation happened in the system with the effluent nitrite up to 20.4 ± 6.4 mg N/L and the nitrite accumulation ratio was nearly 100% maintained for 140 days (420 cycles). Nitrosomonas was the dominant ammonia-oxidizing bacteria with relative abundance of 0.3-2.4% while nitrite-oxidizing bacteria were almost undetected (

3,3′,4′,5,7-Pentahydroxyflavone-3-rhamnoglucoside (rutin) is a flavonoid with a wide range of pharmacological activities. Dietary rutin is hardly absorbed because the microflora in the large intestine metabolize rutin into a variety of compounds including quercetin and phenol derivatives such as 3,4-dihydroxyphenolacetic acid (DHPAA), 3,4-dihydroxytoluene (DHT), 3,4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (HPAA) and homovanillic acid (HVA). We examined the potential of rutin and its metabolites as novel histone acetyltransferase (HAT) inhibitors. DHPAA, HPAA and DHT at the concentration of 25 μM significantly inhibited in vitro HAT activity with DHT having the strongest inhibitory activity. Furthermore, DHT was shown to be a highly efficient inhibitor of p300 HAT activity, which corresponded with its high degree of inhibition on intracellular lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells. Docking simulation revealed that DHT was bound to the p300 catalytic pocket, bromodomain. Drug affinity responsive target stability (DARTS) analysis further supported the possibility of direct binding between DHT and p300. In HepG2 cells, DHT concentration-dependently abrogated p300-histone binding and induced hypoacetylation of histone subunits H3K9, H3K36, H4K8 and H4K16, eventually leading to the downregulation of lipogenesis-related genes and attenuating lipid accumulation. In ob/ob mice, administration of DHT (10, 20 mg/kg, iv, every other day for 6 weeks) dose-dependently improved the NAFLD pathogenic features including body weight, liver mass, fat mass, lipid accumulation in the liver, and biochemical blood parameters, accompanied by the decreased mRNA expression of lipogenic genes in the liver. Our results demonstrate that DHT, a novel p300 histone acetyltransferase inhibitor, may be a potential preventive or therapeutic agent for NAFLD.

Background Atopic dermatitis (AD) is an inflammatory chronic skin disease that is characterized by the dysfunction or lack of skin barrier proteins. Recent studies have proposed that the pharmacological upregulation of skin barrier proteins is an effective treatment for AD. Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a transcription factor that positively regulates the expression of skin barrier proteins upon its activation. Purpose This study aimed to identify AhR agonists from phytochemicals and investigate its effect on skin barrier restoration as well as its mechanisms of action in AD. Study design A publicly available assay database and HaCaT cells stably transduced with a luciferase gene driven by an AhR-target gene promoter (CYP1A1) were used to screen for the activity of AhR agonists from phytochemicals. Normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEKs) and a human skin equivalent (HSE) model were used to investigate the effect of AhR agonists on skin restoration and its underlying mechanisms. Methods A Gaussia luciferase assaywas performed to screen for AhR agonist activity. Western blotting, qRT-PCR analysis, immunofluorescence, drug affinity responsive target stability assay, and siRNA-mediated AhR knockdown were performed in NHEKs. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was performed to measure epidermal thickness in the HSE model. Results Diosmin, a potential AhR agonist derived from natural products, upregulated the expression of skin barrier proteins (filaggrin and loricrin) and their upstream regulator (OVOL1) in NHEKs. Diosmin treatment also increased epidermal thickness in the HSE model. In addition, incubating NHEKs with diosmin restored the expression of skin barrier proteins and mRNAs that were suppressed by Th2 cytokines and inhibited STAT3 phosphorylation that was induced by Th2 cytokines. Diosmin also upregulated the expression of NQO1, a negative regulator of STAT3. Immunofluorescence results showed that diosmin stimulated AhR nuclear translocation, and the drug affinity responsive target stability assay revealed that this phytochemical directly bound to AhR. Furthermore, AhR knockdown abolished diosmin-induced filaggrin and loricrin expression. Conclusion These results suggest that diosmin is a potential treatment for AD that targets AhR.

Porous hollow fiber polysulfone (PSf) membranes were fabricated via a phase-inversion process and their performance during ultrafiltration (UF) was evaluated. The effects of the composition and concentration (0-50%) of different bore fluid mixtures, including N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP)/water, glycerol (G)/water, and ethylene glycol (EG)/water (in comparison with pure deionized water), on the structure, physicochemical properties, and performance of the fabricated membranes was investigated. Using these various bore fluid mixtures altered the thermodynamic and kinetic properties of the phase inversion system, and changed the morphology and structure of the fabricated membranes, especially on the lumen side. Increasing concentrations of NMP, G, and EG in the bore fluid resulted in increased pore size, porosity, and hydrophilicity. These bore fluid mixtures exhibited a strong influence on the perm-selectivity of the as-spun hollow fiber membranes. The membrane fabricated using 50% NMP/water as the bore fluid mixture exhibited the highest water flux of 166.98 LMH with a bovine serum albumin rejection rate of more than 97%. Overall, this study introduces an easy and effective way to control the structure of the membrane through bore fluid modification and shows how the inner skin layer properties can have a remarkable effect on water permeance, even in the out-in filtration test.

Methane oxidation coupled to denitrification (MOD) was tested in a membrane biofilm reactor (MBfR) using methane gas as the sole electron donor. Nitrate reduction to nitrite was rate limiting, and CH4 was present in the effluent. Slow kinetics of methane oxidation by bacteria were the factors that led to slow kinetics and incomplete removals. Methylocystaceae contained the largest fraction (21%) of bacterial SSU rRNA genes, and Archaea were nearly absent. The functional metagenome included all the genes essential for aerobic methane oxidation (pmo, mdh, mtdB, folD, and fdh) and nitrate reduction to dinitrogen (nap/nar, nir, nor and nos), but not for reverse methanogenesis (mcr). The functional metagenome supports that Methylocystaceae conducted MOD in syntrophy with heterotrophic denitrifiers (e.g., Comamonadaceae and Brucellaceae), suggesting aerobic MOD. DO measurements, serum-bottle tests, and calculation of O2 permeation bolster hypoxically aerobic MOD would mainly account for denitrification in the MBfR.

Red ginseng (Panax ginseng) products are frequently adulterated by manufacturers with cheaper medicinal plant products including deodeok (Codonopsis lanceolata) and doraji (Platycodon grandiflorum) to increase profits. To identify possible volatile markers for the adulteration of red ginseng juices with deodeok or doraji, a headspace stir-bar sorptive extraction method was developed. Gas chromatography with mass spectrometry and untargeted metabolomics analysis revealed that 1-hexanol, cis-3-hexen-1-ol, and trans-2-hexen-1-ol are abundantly present in deodeok and doraji but not red ginseng. The peak area ratios in gas chromatograms of these compounds in red ginseng juices mixed with deodeok or doraji indicate that these volatile chemicals can be used as markers to detect the adulteration of red ginseng juice.

In this study, eggs of black-tailed gull (Larus crassirostris), a top trophic level predator of marine ecosystem were, for the first time, monitored to assess the temporal and spatial trends of emerging pollutants in South Korea. Two Island regions, namely, Baekryeong-do (Site A) and Hong-do (Site B) were investigated from 2012 to 2018, and the total levels of short chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs), medium chain CPs (MCCPs), and organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) for both Site A and B were 1180–2931 and 694–2023 ng/g lipid weight (lw), 1287–4898 and 1034–3075 ng/g lw, and 203–499 and 233–409 ng/g lw, respectively. The time-trends of the concentration of pollutants showed an increasing tendency from 2012 to 2018, with the levels predicted to be doubled within three years, following the results of regression analysis. A shift in temporal-trends from shorter to longer chain CPs was noted, suggesting the effect of industrial-related contamination. Especially, significantly high levels of CPs and OPFRs were found in the site adjacent to China, which is reasonable as China is the largest producer and consumer of FRs and plasticizers worldwide. This study is valuable to understand the temporal increment of emerging pollutants as the alternatives of phased-out FRs and plasticizers, while raising the need for continuous environmental management.

Studies on the monitoring of mercury accumulation using high trophic-level predators of the marine ecosystem have been scarce in South Korea. In this study, we compared the mercury concentrations of the eggs of the black-tailed gulls, a higher-order predator, breeding in two coastal areas. Breeding sites with varying mercury concentrations in land-origin freshwater fish and freshwater and marine sediments were selected in the southeastern (Hongdo Island) and western (Baengnyeongdo Island) seas. The 5-year mean total mercury concentration in eggs collected during the breeding seasons from 2012 to 2016 was higher in those collected from Hongdo than in those collected from Baengnyeongdo. This difference in mercury concentration in eggs was observed for each year. In addition, the total mercury concentration in eggs was consistently higher on Hongdo, which also had higher mercury pollution, than on Baengnyeongdo Island. These results support the suitability of black-tailed gull eggs for monitoring of mercury pollution.

Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are emerging contaminants that pose a potential threat to human health worldwide. Urban wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are a main source of both antibiotic-resistant bacteria and ARGs released into the environment. Nevertheless, the propagation of ARGs and their underlying mechanisms and the dynamics of mobile genetic elements (MGEs) in WWTPs have rarely been investigated in South Korea. In this study, shotgun metagenomic analysis was used to identify comprehensive ARGs and their mechanisms, bacterial communities, and MGEs from 4 configurations with 2 activated sludge (AS) and 2 anaerobic digestion sludge (ADS) samples. A total of 181 ARG subtypes belonging to 22 ARG types were broadly detected, and the ARG abundances in the AS samples were 1.3-2.0 orders of magnitude higher than in the ADS samples. Multidrug and bacitracin resistance genes were the predominant ARG types in AS samples, followed by ARGs against sulfonamide, tetracycline, and β-lactam. However, the composition of ARG types in ADS samples was significantly changed. The abundance of multidrug and β-lactam resistance genes was drastically reduced in the ADS samples. The resistance genes of MLS were the predominant, followed by ARGs against sulfonamide and tetracycline in the ADS samples. In addition, plasmids were the dominant MGEs in the AS samples, while integrons (intI1) were the dominant MGEs in the ADS samples. These results provide valuable information regarding the prevalence of ARG types and MGEs and the difference patterns between the AS and ADS systems.

Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill., which is known as omija in South Korea, is mainly cultivated in East Asia. The present study aimed to investigate the chemical composition of essential oil from the omija (OMEO) fruit obtained by supercritical fluid extraction using CO2 and to confirm the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of OMEO using HaCaT human keratinocyte and RAW 264.7 murine macrophages. As a result of the chemical composition analysis of OMEO using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, a total of 41 compounds were identified. The detailed analysis results are sesquiterpenoids (16), monoterpenoids (14), ketones (4), alcohols (3), aldehydes (2), acids (1), and aromatic hydrocarbons (1). OMEO significantly reduced the increased ROS levels in HaCaT keratinocytes induced by UV-B irradiation (p &lt, 0.05). It was confirmed that 5 compounds (α-pinene, camphene, β-myrcene, 2-nonanone, and nerolidol) present in OMEO exhibited inhibitory activity on ROS production. Furthermore, OMEO showed excellent anti-inflammatory activity in RAW 264.7 macrophages induced by lipopolysaccharide. OMEO effectively inhibited NO production (p &lt, 0.05) by suppressing the expression of the iNOS protein. Finally, OMEO was investigated for exhibition of anti-inflammatory activity by inhibiting the activation of NF-κB pathway. Taken together, OMEO could be used as a functional food ingredient with excellent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity.

The temporal and spatial trends of sixteen per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and their three alternatives, chlorinated polyfluoroalkyl ether sulfonic acid (F-53B), hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (GenX), and dodecafluoro-3H-4,8-dioxanonanoate (ADONA) in whole eggs of black-tailed gulls from two South Korean islands, Baengnyeongdo (BLD) and Hongdo (HD), were investigated during 2012-2018. A total of 16 analyzed compounds were detected at concentrations of 21.3-47.8 ng/g ww in BLD and 11.2-40.0 ng/g ww in HD. Meanwhile, the mean levels of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) were detected at 6.92 ± 4.72 ng/g ww and 0.674 ± 0.993 ng/g ww, respectively. In particular, F-53B, a major alternative to PFOS was detected in each year of the study period with a level of up to 6.66 ng/g ww in all egg samples. Significant increasing temporal trends were observed for PFOS, perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and one alternative (F-53B) during the investigated period suggesting continuous use or accumulation of these in the Korean environment. Moreover, distinctive spatial distribution patterns such as a significantly higher F-53B level in HD and an increased PFAS (C11) in BLD were also observed.

This study sought to analyze the particulate matter (PM) deposited on the surface of pine needles (Pinus densiflora) and pollutants within the needles and to investigate their utility as bioindicators. First-year needles of pines native to South Korea were collected at least 2 m above the ground. A total of four sampling points were selected: two parks around an industrial complex and two urban parks. After desorbing the PM deposited on the surface of the collected needles using ultrasonic waves, the PM and needles were classified; 21 metals, including Pb, contained in each medium were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Useful bioindicators for air-pollution monitoring among the PM deposited on the needles included Al, As, Be, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Ba, Bi, Cs, Li, Rb, Se, Sr, Tl, U, V, and Zn contents. In an analysis of elements identified in PM and needles, Al and Mn were determined to be equally useful as monitoring indicators across a wide area. Elements with high concentrations in pine needles due to PM deposition were As, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Rb, and Sr. The pine needles themselves accounted for 99.95% of the combined mass of the needles and PM, with PM representing only 0.053% of the combined mass. Therefore, washing is expected to have little effect on the pollutant concentrations within the needles.

Rhus javanica has long been used in traditional medicines, and found to possess bioactive properties. In this study, we sought to investigate whether Rhus javanica extract (RJE) has preventive effects against UVB-induced inflammation and photoaging. RJE was identified as a promising candidate based on an MMP-1 promoter assay, and we confirmed suppressive effects on UVB-induced COX-2 and MMP-1 expression (67.6% and 80.9%, respectively) in immortalized human keratinocyte HaCaT cells. RJE suppressed both UVB-induced mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) and Akt signalling pathways as well as EGFR activity. RJE significantly suppressed repetitive UVB-induced wrinkle formation and COX-2 and MMP-13 expression in vivo . Among the compounds identified, syringic acid was found to exhibit the strongest inhibitory effect on UVB-induced MMP-1 promoter activity (45.2%). These results demonstrate that RJE has potent preventive activity for skin inflammation and photoaging which occurs via suppression of pathways related to EGFR.

This study assessed the spatial distribution of biofilm conductivity (Kbio) across a multi-centimetre long anodic biofilm grown on an eight-electrode anode array at different growth conditions. A strong correlation was found between the spatial distribution of Kbio and the anodic biofilm thickness (Lf). The Kbio for different electrode pairs ranged between 0.6 and 0.7 mS/cm for Lf of 17–22 µm and increased to 1.15–1.64 mS/cm upon Lf growth to 38–53 µm. This increase in Kbio was accompanied by increase in current density from 1.15 ± 0.12 A/m2 to 2.1 ± 0.02 A/m2. Low half saturation potential was consistently found for electrode pairs having high values of Kbio and Lf. Microbial community revealed the dominance of Geobacter (>85%) on all electrode pairs. Acetate concentration significantly influenced the spatial distribution of Kbio. Long-term acetate starvation (3 days) resulted in up to 83% drop in Kbio along with decrease in current density to marginal values (

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of piceatannol (PT) in statin (rosuvastatin and simvastatin) resistance and tolerance and its association with PCSK9 expression via its p300 inhibitory (p300i) activity. An in vitro study was performed using HepG2 cells that were exposed to statins (rosuvastatin or simvastatin) with or without PT in delipidated serum (DLPS) medium. In the statin exposed conditions, PCSK9 expression was reduced following PT treatment when compared to HepG2 cells w/o PT treatment. Furthermore, no significant difference was observed in the expression of the transcription factors SREBP2 and HNF1α, which regulate PCSK9 expression. This resulted in low density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) stabilization and reduced cellular cholesterol levels. This indicates that PT epigenetically controls statin-induced PCSK9 expression. Interestingly, PT attenuated p300 histone acetyltransferase (HAT) activity. Moreover, simulation of PT-p300 binding suggested that PT inhibits p300 as PT could be docked in the p300 HAT domain. Furthermore, inhibition of p300 HAT activity using C-646, a selective p300 inhibitor, or through an siRNA system effectively reduced PCSK9 induction upon statin exposure in HepG2 cells. The chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays revealed that PT blocked the recruitment of p300 to the PCSK9 promoter region. In summary, PT attenuated statin-induced PCSK9 expression by inhibiting p300 HAT activity. Finally, co-administration of simvastatin and PT for 10 weeks further reduced plasma low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels and stabilized the hepatic LDLR protein level compared with those resulting from single treatment of simvastatin in a high-fat diet-induced hypercholesterolemia mouse model. Our findings indicate that PT is a new nutraceutical candidate to reduce the statin resistance and tolerance that occurs in patients with hypercholesterolemia.

We evaluated cost-effective food waste (FW) treatment and synthesis of volatile fatty acids (VFA) using a leach bed reactor (LBR) operated at neutral pH and room temperature to maximize the profit from recovered products. Three inoculation strategies that include (1) inoculum pretreatment, (2) pretreatment plus leachate recycle, and (3) sole leachate recycle were examined and LBR performance was compared in these inoculation conditions. The inoculation method influenced the hydrolysis of FW in the LBR. Hydrolysis yield was as high as 771 ± 4 g cum.sCOD/kg VSadded with the second inoculation method only in a short reaction time of 6 d. Butyric and acetic acids consistently dominated VFA, and the LBR achieved the highest VFA yield of 649 ± 13 g COD/kg VSadded in the second inoculation. Bacterial community dynamics targeting 16S rRNA gene suggested that Roseburia would be the key player to fermentation of slowly biodegradable FW (e.g., fibers), while multiple types of bacteria affiliated with Enterobacteriaceae, Lactococcus, and Bacteroides mainly fermented FW to butyric and acetic acids at initial phase. The operating cost for FW treatment was calculated $88.1-$126.8 per ton of VSadded in the LBR. This study suggests that LBRs can economically stabilize FW only in 6 d without regular inoculation of exogenous microorganisms, along with high VFA recovery.

Anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) is an important process for understanding the global flux of methane and its relation to the global carbon cycle. Although AOM is known to be coupled to reductions of sulfate, nitrite, and nitrate, evidence that AOM is coupled with extracellular electron transfer (EET) to conductive solids is relatively insufficient. Here, we demonstrate EET-dependent AOM in a biofilm anode dominated by Geobacter spp. and Methanobacterium spp. using carbon-fiber electrodes as the terminal electron sink. The steady-state current density was kept at 11.0 ± 1.3 mA/m2 in a microbial electrochemical cell, and isotopic experiments supported AOM-EET to the anode. Fluorescence in situ hybridization images and metagenome results suggest that Methanobacterium spp. may work synergistically with Geobacter spp. to allow AOM, likely by employing intermediate (formate or H2)-dependent inter-species electron transport. Since metal oxides are widely present in sedimentary and terrestrial environments, an AOM-EET niche would have implications for minimizing the net global emissions of methane.

// Jangho Lee 1, 2, * , Su Jeong Ha 2, 3, * , Joon Park 2, 4 , Yong Ho Kim 2 , Nam Hyouck Lee 2 , Young Eon Kim 2 , Yoonsook Kim 2 , Kyung-Mo Song 2 and Sung Keun Jung 1, 2 1 Department of Food Biotechnology, Korea University of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34113, Republic of Korea 2 Division of Functional Food Research, Korea Food Research Institute, Gyeonggi-do 13539, Republic of Korea 3 Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-921, Republic of Korea 4 Department of Food Bioscience and Technology, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea * These authors have contributed equally to this work Correspondence to: Sung Keun Jung, email: skjung@kfri.re.kr Keywords: 1,8-cineole; aryl hydrocarbon receptor; skin cancer; cyclooxygenase-2; drug affinity responsive target stability Received: June 20, 2017 Accepted: October 30, 2017 Published: November 20, 2017 ABSTRACT 1,8-cineole is a natural monoterpene cyclic ether present in Eucalyptus , and has been reported to exhibit anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. However, the preventive effect of 1,8-cineole on skin carcinogenesis and the molecular mechanism of action responsible remains unknown. In the present study, we investigated the effect of 1,8-cineole on UVB-induced skin carcinogenesis. 1,8-cineole inhibited UVB-induced cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) protein and mRNA expression and prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ) generation in HaCaT cells. 1,8-cineole also inhibited phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2, and phosphorylation of its upstream kinases, c-Src and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Quantitative real-time RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) and drug affinity responsive target stability (DARTS) assay results showed that 1,8-cineole suppressed UVB-induced expression of a target gene of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), cyp1a1 , and directly binds to AhR. Knockdown of AhR suppressed COX-2 expression as well as phosphorylation of ERK1/2 in HaCaT cells. Furthermore, topical treatment of 1,8-cineole on mouse skin delayed tumor incidence and reduced tumor numbers, while inhibiting COX-2 expression in vivo . Taken together, these results suggest that 1,8-cineole is a potent chemopreventive agent that inhibits UVB-induced COX-2 expression by targeting AhR to suppress UVB-induced skin carcinogenesis.

The heavy metal accumulations of avian eggshells were studied in order to test a feral pigeon (Columba livia)'s eggshell as an indicator for the environmental monitoring of pollutants. The reviews on the eggs of the different 19 avian species showed that it is the eggshell rather than the egg content that can better reflect the heavy metals in the environment; in most cases the CVs (coefficients of variations) of the heavy metal concentrations in the eggshells were higher than those in the egg contents. This can indicate that the heavy metal accumulations are homeostatically controlled in the egg contents, but the accumulations in the eggshells are varied according to the environmental conditions. To test the reviews, the feral pigeon eggs from the two different sites, one representing urban and the other rural environment, were analyzed for lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd). The result showed that the eggshells of the urban pigeons (Hangang) had the higher metal concentrations than those of the rural pigeons (Hampyeong). The same difference can also be found in the internal organs (liver, bone) and blood. However, the analyses of the egg contents between the two sites did not reveal the differences. In other words, the result suggests that the feral pigeons, like the other avian species, are able to control the heavy metals into the egg contents homeostatically. Therefore, it is more useful to use the feral pigeon eggshell rather than the egg content in case of monitoring heavy metals in different habitats.

Environmental Specimen Banks (ESBs) have been established widely in the world since 1979 for monitoring long-term bio-accumulation of environmental pollutants. The ESBs perform the retrospective analysis of representative biological samples collected regularly and store them in cryogenic condition. In Korea, National Environmental Specimen Bank (NESB) was established in 2009. Since then, NESB had prepared the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the seven kinds of specimens (Red Pine ( Pinus densiflora ), Common Carp ( Cyprinus carpio ), and etc.) for monitoring the effect of environmental pollution on the terrestrial ecosystem and river ecosystem. In 2012, NESB added Black-tailed Gull ( Larus crassirostris )’s eggs to the list of the environmental specimen for monitoring marine environmental pollution. In this study, we sampled the eggs of the Black-tailed Gull on two islands (Baekryeongdo of the West Sea and Hongdo of the South Sea). Especially, we selected eggs which remained in the early stages of embryo development for certifying the consistent and stable monitoring for environmental pollutants in egg contents. However, it was not considered to classify an order of eggs per clutch in this study. It is known that the concentration variations of pollutants exist among eggs in one clutch. Therefore, it is needed to consider the positions of eggs in the laying sequences to meet the objective of bioaccumulation monitoring. We collected 30 eggs in each site but the amount may be insufficient to achieve storage target (over 2,000 g). Therefore, we need to consider an optimal sampling size.

A Gram-reaction-positive, rod-shaped, non-spore-forming bacterium (strain 2C1-5T) was isolated from activated sludge of an industrial wastewater treatment plant in Daegu, South Korea. Its taxonomic position was investigated by using a polyphasic approach. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, the closest phylogenetic relatives were the type strains of Nocardioides nitrophenolicus (98.6 % similarity), N. kongjuensis (98.5 %), N. caeni (98.4 %), N. simplex (98.3 %), N. aromaticivorans (98.1 %) and N. ginsengisoli (97.5 %); the phylogenetic distance from other species with validly published names within the genus Nocardioides was greater than 3 %. Strain 2C1-5T was characterized chemotaxonomically as having ll-2,6-diaminopimelic acid in the cell-wall peptidoglycan, MK-8(H4) as the predominant menaquinone and iso-C16 : 0, C16 : 0 and C17 : 1ω6c as the major fatty acids. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 74.9 mol%. These chemotaxonomic properties and phenotypic characteristics supported the affiliation of strain 2C1-5T to the genus Nocardioides . The results of physiological and biochemical tests allowed genotypic and phenotypic differentiation of strain 2C1-5T from existing species with validly published names. Therefore, strain 2C1-5T represents a novel species of the genus Nocardioides , for which the name Nocardioides daeguensis sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain 2C1-5T ( = JCM 17460T = KCTC 19799T).

A Gram-negative, rod-shaped, aerobic bacterial strain, designated EBTL01T, was isolated from activated sludge by using metabolites of microalgae Ankistrodesmus gracilis SAG278-2. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that strain EBTL01T belongs to the family Verrucomicrobiaceae , class Verrucomicrobiae , and is related most closely to Luteolibacter pohnpeiensis A4T-83T (95.5 % sequence similarity) and Luteolibacter algae A5J-41-2T (95.2 %). The G+C content of the genomic DNA of strain EBTL01T was 56.3 mol% and the menaquinone MK-9 was detected as the predominant quinone. Major fatty acid components were iso-C14 : 0, C16 : 1ω7c and C16 : 0. The amino acids of the cell-wall peptidoglycan contained muramic acid and meso-diaminopimelic acid. These profile results supported the affiliation of strain EBTL01T to the genus Luteolibacter . On the other hand, based on chemotaxonomic properties and phenotypic characteristics, strain EBTL01T could be clearly differentiated from its phylogenetic neighbours. Therefore, strain EBTL01T represents a novel species of the genus Luteolibacter , for which the name Luteolibacter yonseiensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is EBTL01T ( = KCTC 23678T = JCM 18052T).

Tremella fuciformis Berk (TFB) has long been used as a traditional medicine in Asia. Although TFB exhibits antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, the mechanisms of action responsible have remained unknown. We confirmed the anti-inflammatory effects of Tremella fuciformis Berk extract (TFE) in RAW 264.7 cells and observed significantly suppressed LPS-induced iNOS/NO and COX-2/PGE2 production. TFE also suppressed LPS-induced IKK, IkB, and p65 phosphorylation, as well as LPS-induced translocation of p65 from the cytosol. Additionally, TFE inhibited LPS-induced phosphorylation of MAPKs. In an acute inflammation study, oral administration of TFE significantly inhibited LPS-induced IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α production and iNOS and COX-2 expression. The major bioactive compounds from TFB extract were identified as gentisic acid, protocatechuic acid, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, and coumaric acid. Among these compounds, protocatechuic acid showed the strongest inhibitory effects on LPS-induced NO production in RAW 264.7 cells. Overall, these results suggest that TFE is a promising anti-inflammatory agent that suppresses iNOS/NO and COX-2/PGE2 expression, as well as the NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways.

Algal biomass cultivated by wastewater is potentially useful resource for biodiesel production. However, little is known about algal nutrient metabolism and microbial interaction with bacteria under real municipal wastewater condition. In this work, we characterized nitrogen and phosphorus removals of municipal wastewater by a representative wastewater-growing algal popu-lation. Ankistrodesmus gracilis SAG 278-2, and analyzed its ecological interaction with wastewater bacterial communities. Com-pared to wastewater sludge itself, algal-bacterial co-culture improved nutrient removal. According to bacterial community analysis with 16S rRNA genes, a selective and dominant growth of a Unclassified Alcaligenaceae population resulted from algal growth in the algal-bacterial co-culture. The selectively stimulated bacterial population is phylogenetically close to Alcaligenes faecalis subsp.5659-H, which is known to be co-present interact with algae in aquatic environment. These findings suggest that algal growth/ metabolism may have effects on selection of a specific bacterial population in algal-bacterial co-cultures that can efficiently removenutrients from municipal wastewater.

Microalgae have been regarded as a natural resource for sustainable materials and fuels, as well as for removal of nutrients and micropollutants from wastewater, and their interaction with bacteria in wastewater is a critical factor to consider because of the microbial diversity and complexity in a variety of wastewater conditions. Despite their importance, very little is known about the ecological interactions between algae and bacteria in a wastewater environment. In this study, we characterized the wastewater bacterial community in response to the growth of a Selenastrum gracile UTEX 325 population in a real municipal wastewater environment. The Roche 454 GS-FLX Titanium pyrosequencing technique was used for indepth analysis of amplicons of 16S rRNA genes from different conditions in each reactor, with and without the algal population. The algal growth reduced the bacterial diversity and affected the bacterial community structure in the wastewater. The following in-depth analysis of the deep-sequenced amplicons showed that the algal growth selectively stimulated Sphingobacteria class members, especially the Sediminibacterium genus population, in the municipal wastewater environment.