E-p-methoxycinnamic acid production in hairy root cultures of Scrophularia buergeriana Miquel

E-p-methoxycinnamic acid (MCA) is one of the main active constituents of Scrophularia buergeriana Miquel and has hepatoprotective, anti-amnestic, and neuroprotective activities. For studying in vitro production of MCA, we established a hairy root culture of S. buergeriana by infecting leaf explants with Agrobacterium rhizogenes R1000, and tested the growth and MCA production of these cultures using different strengths of media and concentrations of auxins. Hairy roots grown in half-strength MS medium showed the highest levels of growth (10.3 g/l) as well as MCA production (0.83 mg/100 g dry weight). Hairy root culture with the treatment of 0.5 mg/l IBA produced the highest amount of dry weight (11.8 g/l) and MCA (1.26 mg/100 g dry weight) production. These results demonstrate that the hairy root culture of S. buergeriana is a valuable alternative approach for the production of MCA.

Transtorming Growth Factor β1 Induces Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition of A549 Cells

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) comprises an aggregate of mesenchymal cells. However, the cellular origin of these mesenchymal phenotypes remains unclear. Transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) has been known as the main cytokine involved in the pathogenesis of IPF. We examined whether the potent fibrogenic cytokine TGF-β1 could induce the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in the human alveolar epithelial cell line, A549, and determined whether snail expression is associated with the phenotypic changes observed in the A549 cells. EMT was investigated with cells morphology changes under phase-contrast microscopy, western blotting, and indirect immunofluorescence stains. E-cadherin and transcription factor, snail, were also evaluated by measuring mRNA levels using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain rection (RT-PCR) analysis. The data showed that TGF-β1 induced A549 cells with epithelial cell characteristics to undergo EMT in a concentration-dependent manner. Following TGF-β1 treatment, A549 cells induced EMT characterized by cells morphological changes, loss of epithelial markers E-caherin and cytokeratin, increased stress fiber reorganization by F-actin, and cytokeratin replacement by vimentin. Although IL-1β failed to induce A549 cells to undergo EMT, the combination of TGF-β1 and IL-1β showed synergy effects in cells morphology changes and the expression of mesenchymal markers. The snail expression study using RT-PCR analysis provided that loss of E-cadherin expression was associated with snail expression. Stimulation of A54 cells with TGF-β1 plus IL-1β revealed a higher level of snail expression. Our data showed that EMT of A549 cells might be closely associated with snail expression

Consumers Respond to Information About Pesticide Residues

Food safety experts rank foodborne disease due to microorganisms as the greatest health risk from the food supply. Yet for consumers, pesticide residues on fresh produce are a major food safety concern. The Packer trade magazine re-- ported that some consumers altered their buying habits between 1989 and 1990 because of concerns about pesticide residues on fresh produce, although changes were not dramatic. On the other hand, more than half of consumers responding to a 1989 University of Georgia survey said they maintained their purchase patterns for fresh produce, even though they perceived high risks from pesticide residues and desired some assurance of the produce's safety. The apparent contrast between attitudes and behaviors concerning pesticide residues gives confusing signals to food marketers and regulatory policymakers. Researchers at North Carolina State University conducted a consumer survey to gain information on how consumers trade off health risks with price. The researchers found that many consumers were willing to shift to produce that had been tested for residues after they received information about pesticide residues. But their willingness to shift depended on the price difference between the tested and untested produce and their education level

Chapter 02: SELF-PROTECTION, RISK INFORMATION, AND EX ANTE VALUES OF FOOD SAFETY AND NUTRITION

This book was originally published by Westview Press, Boulder CO, 1995

Chapter 02: SELF-PROTECTION, RISK INFORMATION, AND EX ANTE VALUES OF FOOD SAFETY AND NUTRITION

This book was originally published by Westview Press, Boulder CO, 1995.food safety, nutrition, risk, consumer information, self protection, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,

Social acceptance and willingness to pay for a smart Eco-toilet system producing a Community-based bioenergy in Korea

This study investigates residents' social acceptance and their willingness to pay for the community-based smart Eco-toilet system (SETS) project developed by Science Walden in UNIST, Korea. As an alternative to the flushing toilets and the centralized sewage treatment system, the SETS project strives to save water and recover bioenergy and fertilizer on a community basis as well as operate with a health check-up service. A nation-wide, web-based contingent valuation survey was implemented for the sample of 1,613 households in 2018. Nearly 80 percent of respondents expressed their intentions to use the Eco-toilet at home. About 70 percent of the sample stated a positive willingness to pay for the construction of a bioenergy facility inside their community. Furthermore, about 41 percent of the sample expressed their willingness to pay for adding a health monitoring sensor. The respondents' stated preference for the SETS project was influenced by their perceptions and attitudes toward human feces, water usage of flushing toilets, and efficiency of bioenergy and renewable energy. The willingness to pay for constructing the Eco-toilet system was estimated to be around $12 USD per month. The willingness to pay for the smart health services was estimated to be about$3.45 USD per month