Antiproliferative and apoptosis-inducing potential of 3β-hydroxy-△5-steroidal congeners purified from the soft coral Dendronephthya putteri

The exploration and identification of antiproliferative phytochemicals have received increased attention in medicinal chemistry.In particular,research focused on the toxicology of marine natural products has increased in recent years.Terpenoids,among many secondary metabolites,have been demonstrated to act as effective anticancer agents.Soft corals,a group of marine invertebrates,produce a variety of terpenoids with biofunctional properties.The current study presents the extraction,purification,and identification of sterol congeners from the soft coral Dendronephthya putteri.The method involves 50%chloro form-methanol extraction,polar column fractionation,and analy sis through GC-MS~n.Do se-dependent antiproliferative activity was observed within the sterol-rich fraction(DPCMH 2-4),which consisted of3β-hydroxy-A5-steroidal congeners.This fraction inhibited the growth of HL-60 and MCF-7 cells with IC_(50) values of 25.27±1.43 and 22.81±0.15 μg/mL,respectively.Apoptotic body formation,DNA damage,cell cycle arrest,and apoptotic cell signaling pathway activation were also observed,reinforcing the dosedependent antiproliferative and apoptosis-inducing activity of 3β-hydroxy-A5-steroidal congeners.To our knowledge,this is the first report of anticancer agent identification from the soft coral D.putteri.Based on the observations,these steroidal congeners are promising candidates for the development of anticancer drugs.     

Wave prediction in a port using a fully nonlinear Boussinesq wave model

A wave forecasting system using FUNWAVE-TVD which is based on the fully nonlinear Boussinesq equations by Chen(2006) was developed to provide an accurate wave prediction in the Port of Busan, South Korea. This system is linked to the Korea Operational Oceanographic System(KOOS) developed by Park et al.(2015). The computational domain covers a region of 9.6 km×7.0 km with a grid size of 2 m in both directions, which is sufficient to resolve short waves and dominant sea states. The total number of grid points exceeds 16 millions,making the model computational expensive. To provide real-time forecasting, an interpolation method, which is based on pre-calculated results of FUNWAVE-TVD and SWAN forecasting results at the FUNWAVE-TVD offshore boundary, was used. A total of 45 cases were pre-calculated, which took 71 days on 924 computational cores of a Linux cluster system. Wind wave generation and propagation from the deep water were computed using the SWAN in KOOS. SWAN results provided a boundary condition for the FUNWAVE-TVD forecasting system. To verify the model, wave observations were conducted at three locations inside the port in a time period of more than 7 months. A model/model comparison between FUNWAVE-TVD and SWAN was also carried out. It is found that, FUNWAVE-TVD improves the forecasting results significantly compared to SWAN which underestimates wave heights in sheltered areas due to incorrect physical mechanism of wave diffraction, as well as large wave heights caused by wave reflections inside the port.     

Integration of the nuclease protection assay with sandwich hybridization (NPA-SH) for sensitive detection of Heterocapsa triquetra

Microalgae are photosynthetic microorganisms that function as primary producers in aquatic ecosystems. Some species of microalgae undergo rapid growth and cause harmful blooms in marine ecosystems. Heterocapsa triquetra is one of the most common bloom-forming species in estuarine and coastal waters worldwide. Although this species does not produce toxins, unlike some other Heterocapsa species, the high density of its blooms can cause significant ecological damage. We developed a H. triquetra species-specific nuclease protection assay sandwich hybridization(NPA-SH) probe that targets the large subunit of ribosomal RNA(LSU r RNA). We tested probe specificity and sensitivity with five other dinoflagellates that also cause red tides. Our assay detected H.triquetra at a concentration of 1.5×104 cells/m L, more sensitive than required for a red-tide guidance warning by the Korea Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries in 2015(3.0×104 cells/m L). We also used the NPA-SH assay to monitor H. triquetra in the Tongyeong region of the southern sea area of Korea during 2014. This method could detect H.triquetra cells within 3 h. Our assay is useful for monitoring H. triquetra under field conditions.     

Petrogenesis of the Paleoproterozoic Guandishan Granitoids in Shanxi Province： Constraints from Geochemistry and Nd Isotopes

The Guandishan granitoids consist mainly of various granitoid intrusions with different scales, including the Huijiazhuang intrusion, Shizhuang intrusion and Hengjian intrusion, which were formed between 1906 Ma and 1848 Ma. On the basis of geological and petrological characteristics, these granitoids can be classified into two groups： the earlier gneissic granodiorites and monzogranites, and the later massive leuco-monzogranites. Their geochemical and Nd isotopic features indicate that they could be derived from complicated partial melting of supracrustal rocks with an affinity of continental arc materials, such as sandy shale and pelite, and with garnet, pyroxene, hornblende and plagioclase as residual phases. Biotite, feldspar and other minerals were most likely fractionated during the magma evolution. Their source may have an affinity with continental arcs, and the granitoids could be derived from the main syn-collisional to late-orogenic tectonic environment, which may be related to the final amalgamation between the Eastern and Western continental blocks in the North China Craton.     

Spatio-temporal variability in sea surface wind stress near and off the east coast of Korea

Sea surface wind stress variabilities near and off the east coast of Korea, are examined using 7 kinds of wind datasets from measurements at 2 coastal (land) stations and 2 ocean buoys,satellite scatterometer (QuikSCAT), and global reanalyzed products (ECMWF,NOGAPS,and NCEP/NCAR). Temporal variabilities are analyzed at 3 frequency bands; synoptic (2-20 d), intra-seasonal (20-90 d),and seasonal (>90 d).Synoptic and intra-seasonal     

Evaluation of Heavy Rainfall Model Forecasts over the Korean Peninsula Using Different Physical Parameterization Schemes and Horizontal Resolution

In this study, the accuracy of a Pennsylvania State University-National Center for Atmospheric Research mesoscale model (PSU/NCAR MM5) for predicting heavy summer precipitation over the Korean Peninsula was investigated. A total of 1800 simulations were performed using this model for 30 heavy rainfall events employing four cumulus parameterization schemes (CPS), two grid-scale resolvable precipitation schemes (GRS), and two planetary boundary layer (PBL) schemes in three model resolutions (90 km, 30 km, and 10 km). The heavy rainfall events were mesoscale convective systems developed under the influence of mid-latitude baroclinic systems with low-level moisture transport from the ocean. The predictive accuracy for maximum rainfall was approximately 80% for 10-km resolution and was 60% for 30-km resolution. The predictive accuracy for rainfall position extended to ～150 km from the observed position for both resolutions. Simulated rainfall was most sensitive to CPS, then to PBL schemes, and then to GRS. In general, the Grell (GR) scheme and the Anthes and Kuo (AK) scheme showed a better prediction capability for heavy rainfall than did the Betts-Miller (BM) scheme and the Kain-Fritsch (KF) scheme. The GR scheme also performed well in the 24-h and 12-h precipitation predictions: the parameterized convective rainfall in GR is directly related to synoptic-scale forcing. The models without CPS performed better for rainfall amounts but worse for rainfall position than those with CPS. The MM5 model demonstrated substantial predictive capacity using synoptic-scale initial conditions and lateral boundary data because heavy summer rainfall in Korea occurs in a strong synoptic-scale environment.     

Gold Deposition by Boiling or Cooling Without Boiling: Genesis ofthe Sangchon Gold Deposits,Hadong Area, South Korea

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