OBJECTIVETo find out the optimal nitrogen application level of Desmodium styracifolium.

METHODA field experiment using randomized block design was carried out to study the effects of 5 nitrogen application levels (150, 187.5, 225.0, 262.5 and 300.0 kg x hm(-2)) on yield and active component content of D. styracifolium.

RESULTNitrogen application could increase the yield and contents of polysaccharide, total flavonoides and total saponins of D. styracifolium. However, the enhancing extent of the active component content and the yield were not always significant with the increase of nitrogen level. In which, the yield were not significantly different among the nitrogen application levels of 225.0, 262.5, 300.0 kg x hm(-2) the polysaccharide content was no significantly difference among the nitrogen application levels of 225.0, 262. 5 and 300.0 kg x hm(-2), the total flavonoides content under the nitrogen level of 300.0 kg x hm(-2) was significantly lower than that of 150.0 kg hm(-2) (P < 0.01), and the total saponins content under the nitrogen level of 300.0 kg x hm(-2) was no significant difference compared with that of 262.5 kg x hm(-2).

CONCLUSIONThe optimal nitrogen application level of D. styracifolium was 225.0-262.5 kg x hm(-2).

Fabaceae ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Fertilizers ; analysis ; Flavonoids ; analysis ; metabolism ; Nitrogen ; analysis ; metabolism ; Plant Extracts ; analysis ; metabolism ; Polysaccharides ; analysis ; metabolism ; Soil ; analysis

The PDB culture medium was selected to ferment the endophyte strain, and the secondary metabolites of endophytic fungi Penicillium polonicum were studied. Combined application of Sephadex LH-20, ODS and HPLC chromatographies over the ethyl acetate extract of the fermented culture led to the isolation of 6 compounds. By spectral methods, the structures were elucidated as [3, 5-dihydroxy-2-(7-hydroxy-octanoyl)]-ethylphenylacetate (1), (3, 5-dihydroxy-2- octanoyl)-ethyl phenylacetate (2), (5, 7-di- hydroxy-9-heptyl)-isobenzo pyran-3-one (3), 3-(hydroxymethyl) 4-(1E)-1- propen-1-yl-(1R, 2S, 5R, 6S)-7-oxabicyclo [4.1.0] hept-3-ene-2, 5-diol (4), (E)-2-methoxy-3-(prop-1-enyl) phenol (5) and p-hydroxylphenylethanol (6).
Biological Factors ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Endophytes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Fabaceae ; microbiology ; Fermentation ; Penicillium ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Secondary Metabolism

Endophytic fungi Penicillium dangeardii, isolated from Lysidice rhodostegia Hance root, was fermented and the secondary metabolites were studied. By means of Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography, ODS column chromatography and PHPLC over the fermented culture, 5 compounds were isolated. By using ESI-MS and NMR, the structures of the compounds were determined as N-[9-(β- D-ribofuranosyl)-9H-purin-6-yl]-L-aspartic acid (1), 3-caffeoylquinic acid (2), 4-caffeoylquinic acid (3), and 5-caffeoylquinic acid (4), 3-hydroxy-benzoic acid-4-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (5).
Biological Factors ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Endophytes ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Fabaceae ; microbiology ; Fermentation ; Molecular Structure ; Penicillium ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Secondary Metabolism

The dynamic changes of germination percentage, germination potential, thousand-seed weight, antioxidase activity in Desmodium styracifolium seeds with different storage time were tested, and electrical conductivity, contents of soluble sugar, soluble protein, starch in seed leach liquor were also determined in order to reveal the mechanism of seed deterioration. The results as the following. (1) The germination percentage, germination potential and thousand-seed weight of D. styracifolium seeds declined, while the seed coat color darkened with the extension of storage time. (2) The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) decreased with the prolongation of storage period. The SOD activity declined fastest in 1,095-1,185 d of storage, while the POD activity declined significantly in 365-395 d of storage. (3) The electrical conductivity and the contents of soluble sugar, starch in seed leach liquor increased, while the content of soluble protein declined with the extension of storage time. (4) Correlation analysis indicated that the germination percentage, germination potential and thousand-seed weight of D. styracifolium seeds have a significantly positive correlation with SOD and POD activity, while have a significantly negative correlation with the electrical conductivity, contents of soluble sugar and starch. It can be concluded that during the storage of D. styracifolium seeds, physiological and biochemical changes including decrease in antioxidase activity, rise in electrical conductivity, degradation effluent of soluble sugar and starch, degradation of soluble protein were the main factors leading to the seed deterioration.
Color ; Fabaceae ; chemistry ; enzymology ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Germination ; Peroxidases ; metabolism ; Plant Proteins ; metabolism ; Seeds ; chemistry ; enzymology ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Starch ; metabolism ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVETo compare the ileal digestibility of protein and amino acids in parental rice and rice genetically modified with sck gene.

METHODSSix experimental swines were surgically fixed with a simple T-cannula at the terminal ileum and fed with parental rice and rice genetically modified with sck gene alternately. The ileum digesta were collected and analyzed for determination of apparent and true digestibility of protein and amino acids.

RESULTSThe apparent and true digestibility of protein was similar in these two types of rice. Except for the apparent digestibility of lysine, there was no difference in the apparent and true digestibility of the other 17 amino acids.

CONCLUSIONThe digestibility of protein and amino acids is not changed by the insertion of foreign gene, so it can meet the request of "substantial equivalence" in digestibility of protein and amino acids.

Amino Acids ; metabolism ; Animals ; Digestion ; Fabaceae ; Ileum ; metabolism ; Male ; Oryza ; genetics ; Phytic Acid ; metabolism ; Plants, Genetically Modified ; Proteins ; metabolism ; Swine ; metabolism ; Trypsin Inhibitors ; genetics

OBJECTIVEIn order to get the method for improving the salt resistance of Hedysarum polybotrys seeds and seedlings under different salt-alkaline stress, the seed germination and physiological characteristics of H. polybotrys seedlings were studied.

METHODSeveral physiological indexes of H. polybotrys seeds under different salt-alkaline stress, such as the germination vigor, germination rate, relative germination rate, relative salt damage rate were measured. And others indexes of the seedlings like chlorophyll contents, soluble protein contents, the permeability of plasmalemma, the activities of POD and SOD were also measured.

RESULTDifferent salt-alkaline stress decreased the germination rate, vigor of germinate, germination index, while relative salt damage rate increased. With the increased salt-alkaline concentration, the adverse effects became more obvious. The strength of the salts: Na2CO3 > Na2SO4 > NaCl. With the increase of the salt-alkaline concentration, the chlorophyll contents and the soluble protein contents decreased, but the permeability of plasmalemma increased. The change trend of SOD and POD activity was similar, it is increased firstly, and then decreased as the stress intensity extended, the most significant increase of Na2SO4 and Na2CO3 in the concentration of salt-alkaline was 25 mmol x L(-1), but NaCl was 50 mmol x L(-1).

CONCLUSIONThe seeds and seedlings inhibition of the salts was Na2CO3 > Na2SO4 > NaCl.

Alkalies ; metabolism ; Fabaceae ; growth & development ; metabolism ; physiology ; Seedlings ; growth & development ; metabolism ; physiology ; Seeds ; growth & development ; metabolism ; physiology ; Sodium Chloride ; metabolism ; Stress, Physiological

PURPOSE: Recent studies have suggested that isoflavones have an inverse correlation with the risk of prostate cancer. In addition, the serum isoflavones levels are thought to be decided not only by the level of intake of isoflavones, but also by the metabolic processes or the genetic abilities required for ingestion of isoflavones. So, we conducted this study to determine the effects of dietary habits on the serum isoflavones levels. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred age- and community-matched healthy men between the ages of 10 and 59 years were interviewed using a food frequency questionnaire that was developed and validated for Korean populations. The individuals' dietary habits during the previous one-year period and the foods they ingested during the previous one-week period before blood sampling were assessed. The serum concentrations of isoflavones were analyzed by the reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography-multiple reaction ion monitoring-mass spectrometry method (HPLC-MS), (SRL Co. Tokyo, Japan). RESULTS: The genistein and daidzein levels were significantly correlated with age (p=0.026 and p=0.016, respectively), but the equol level was not (p=0.091). The foods associated with the genistein level were unmilled rice, beans, garlic and etc. The foods significantly related to the daidzein level were unmilled rice, garlic and etc. Of the foods ingested during the previous one-week period, fermented soybean soup, garlic, strawberries and mung-bean pancakes were associated with the equol level. CONCLUSIONS: The genistein and daidzein levels were associated with usual dietary habits, but the equol level was related to the short-period food consumption. Changes in dietary habit might induce significant changes in the genistein and daidzein levels.
Eating ; Equol ; Fabaceae ; Food Habits* ; Fragaria ; Garlic ; Genistein ; Humans ; Isoflavones* ; Male ; Metabolism ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Soybeans ; Spectrum Analysis

Aspergillus fumigatus, a type of endophytic fungi from Erthrophleum fordii, was fermented with GPY culture medium. Fermented liquid and mycelium were extracted from fermented products after freezing and thawing treatment. After alcohol extraction, mycelium was extracted with ethyl acetate and n-butyl alcohol, respectively. According to the results of cytotoxity of tumor cells, ethyl acetate extracts were studied for their chemical constituents. Five diketopiperazine compounds were separated and purified with silica gel, MCI and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography, reversed-phase chromatographic column and preparative HPLC, their structures were identified as cyclo- (R-Pro-R-Phe) (1), cyclo- (trans-4-OH-D-Pro-D-Phe) (2), cyclo- (R-Tyr-S-Ile) (3), cyclo-(R-Phe-S-Ile) (4), and cyclo-(R-Val-S-Tyr) (5) by using spectral methods.
Aspergillus fumigatus ; chemistry ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Diketopiperazines ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Endophytes ; chemistry ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Fabaceae ; microbiology ; Humans ; Mycelium ; chemistry ; growth & development ; metabolism

To study the molecular mechanism of salt stress response of peanut small GTP binding protein gene AhRabG3f, a 1 914 bp promoter fragment upstream of the start codon of AhRabG3f gene (3f-P) from peanut was cloned. Subsequently, five truncated fragments (3f-P1-3f-P5) with lengths of 1 729, 1 379, 666, 510 and 179 bp were obtained through deletion at the 5' end, respectively. Plant expression vectors where these six promoter fragments were fused with the gus gene were constructed and transformed into tobacco by Agrobacterium-mediated method, respectively. GUS expression in transgenic tobacco and activity analysis were conducted. The gus gene expression can be detected in the transgenic tobacco harboring each promoter segment, among which the driving activity of the full-length promoter 3f-P was the weakest, while the driving activity of the promoter segment 3f-P3 was the strongest. Upon exposure of the transgenic tobacco to salt stress, the GUS activity driven by 3f-P, 3f-P1, 3f-P2 and 3f-P3 was 3.3, 1.2, 1.9 and 1.2 times compared to that of the transgenic plants without salt treatment. This suggests that the AhRabG3f promoter was salt-inducible and there might be positive regulatory elements between 3f-P and 3f-P3 in response to salt stress. The results of GUS activity driven by promoter fragments after salt treatment showed that elements included MYB and GT1 between 1 930 bp and 1 745 bp. Moreover, a TC-rich repeat between 682 bp and 526 bp might be positive cis-elements responsible for salt stress, and an MYC element between 1 395 bp and 682 bp might be a negative cis-element responsible for salt stress. This study may facilitate using the induced promoter to regulate the salt resistance of peanut.
Arachis/genetics* ; Fabaceae/genetics* ; GTP-Binding Proteins/metabolism* ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Glucuronidase/metabolism* ; Plant Proteins/metabolism* ; Plants, Genetically Modified/genetics* ; Salt Stress ; Stress, Physiological/genetics* ; Tobacco/genetics*

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The standard pattern of Brazilian food consumption is based on the combination of rice and beans served together in the main meals. This study assessed the effects of Brazilian-staple calorie-restricted (BS-diet) dietary advice, with brown rice and beans, on metabolic parameters, body composition, and food intake in overweight/obese subjects. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Twentyseven subjects were randomly assigned to a conventional-type calorie-restricted diet (CT-diet) (n = 13) or a BS-diet (n = 14). Glucose metabolism, lipid profile, anthropometric and body composition parameters, and food intake were measured before and after 16 weeks. Paired t-tests/Wilcoxon tests were used for comparison of differences from baseline and unpaired t-tests/Mann-Whitney tests were used for comparison of differences between the groups. RESULTS: After 16 weeks, both groups showed reductions in weight and waist circumference (P < 0.02), and the BS-diet group showed a decrease in body fat (P = 0.0001), and significant improvement in glucose metabolism (fasting plasma glucose, glucose and insulin areas under the curve, Cederholm index, and HOMA2-%beta) (P < or = 0.04) and lipid profile (cholesterol, triacylglycerol, LDL-c, VLDL-c, and cholesterol/HDL-c ratio) (P < or = 0.05). In addition, the BS-diet group showed significant improvement in HOMA2-%beta, compared to the CT-diet group (P = 0.03). The BS-diet group also showed a significant reduction in energy, lipids, carbohydrate, and cholesterol intake (P < or = 0.04) and an increase in fiber intake (P < or = 0.001), while the CT-diet group showed a significant reduction in intake of energy, macronutrients, PUFA, and cholesterol (P < or = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate the benefits of the BS-diet on metabolic parameters in obese subjects.
Adipose Tissue ; Blood Glucose ; Body Composition ; Cholesterol ; Diet* ; Eating ; Fabaceae ; Glucose ; Glycemic Index ; Insulin ; Lipid Metabolism ; Meals ; Metabolism ; Obesity ; Triglycerides ; Waist Circumference