Glycoproteins isolated from fruit bodies and mycelial cultures of mushrooms exhibit anti-carcinogenic actions in human cancer cells and animal tumor cells by induction of apoptosis. Here, we report that isoflavone-conjugated glycoproteins (designate Gluvone), exhibit strong anti-carcinogenic effects on human breast cancer MCF-7 cells by induction of apoptosis. Gluvone with 9.4 kDa of molecular weight was isolated from submerged-liquid culture of Agaricus blazei mycelia (ABM) in soy flake-containing liquid medium. MCF-7 cells were incubated with various amounts of Gluvone (0~250 μM) for a period of 6 days. Gluvone exhibited anti-proliferative actions in a dose-dependent manner and 62% growth inhibition at 200 μM for 4 days relative to control. Hoechst 33258 staining analysis revealed that Gluvone induced formation of apoptotic bodies. Gluvone was associated with down-regulation of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein expression as well as up-regulation of pro-apoptotic Bax protein expression. Gluvone treatment induced proteolytic activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3 through cytochrome c release from mitochondria to cytosol as well as concomitant degradation of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). In addition, Gluvone induced activation of caspase-8. Taken all together, these results indicate that the anti-proliferative effect of Gluvone is associated with induction of apoptotic cell death through the mitochondrial dysfunction pathway mediated by enhancement of Bax protein expression and suppression of Bcl-2 protein expression.

Foraging preference in prey size and type is influenced by a variety of factors including energy requirements, season-dependent food availability, and social context (e.g. competition and predation risk). The oriental stork (Ciconia boyciana) is known as a wetland forager that inhabits human-managed wetlands such as paddy fields while breeding. However, it became an internationally endangered species. Information on its foraging preference is anticipated to play an important role in maintaining storks in captivity with a variety of food types as well as managing the food availability in foraging habitats of reintroduction sites. Specifically, the present study investigated the patterns of foraging preference of the subject in captivity as a partial study of the prerelease training and habitat management programs prior to reintroduction. The observations of foraging behavior of breeding adult storks included foraging preference in prey size (i.e. small, less than 6 cm, vs. large, larger than 6 cm, mudfish) during the incubation and nestling periods (March to April of 2009~2010) and prey type (i.e. mudfish, Misgurnus spp., crickets, Gryllus spp., and earthworms, Lumbricus spp.) during the postnesting period (October of 2009~2010). Our results indicated that storks in captivity not only preferred large to small mudfish independent of breeding stage but also preferred mudfish to crickets and earthworms. To our knowledge, captive storks did not appear to be constrained by providing offspring with various mudfish size and were likely dependent on mudfish, suggesting that a mudfish population in paddy fields should be monitored and managed for the main food resource for breeding storks prior to reintroduction.

The extracts from Agastache rugosa O. Kuntze, their chloroform and hexane fractions, and estragole identified from hexane fraction were tested to investigate the effects on the growth and metabolic activities of several true fungi. The fungi used were: Aspergillus oryzae KFCC 890, Aspergillus niger KCCM 11240, Saccharomyces cerevisiae IAM 459?, Saccharomyces ellipsoideus PNU 2215. The growth of S. cerevisiae by treatment of water extract (1%), hexane fraction (0.05%), and estragole (0.05%) were inhibited 93%, 50%, and 33% respectively, and S. ellipsoideus was also inhibited markedly with delaying the lag phase maximum 12 hrs. The growth of A. oryzae was inhibited by treatment of extracts and fractions. The ethanol production by S. cerevisiae was increased more than two times in the highest value around 42 hrs incubation by water extract, but chloroform fraction inhibited its production. The glucoamylase activities by A. niger were strongly inhibited by hexane and chloroform fractions (0.05%). The invertase activity by S. cerevisiae using estragole (0.05%) reached to 57.5% of control group. S. cerevisiae treated with the estragole was damaged the cell wall and cell membrane, leaked the protoplasm, and observed broken pieces of cell.

Water extract, and methanol extract, its chloroform and hexane fractions, and estragole from Agastache rugosa O. Kuntze were tested to find the inhibiting effect on the growth of several microorganisms. The organisms used were: Escherichia coli ATCC 1129, Staphylococcus aureus 1AM 1011, Vibrio parahaemolyticus WP, Bacillus aubtilis ATCC 6633, Aspergillus oryzae KFCC 890, Aspergidlus niger KCCM 11240. Water and methanol extracts at the concentration of 0.5%, and chloroform and hexane fractions at the concentration of 0.05% inhibited the growth of microorganisms from 1/5 to 2/3 of the control group. Eatregole identified from the hexane fraction as a major component, its authentic compound completely inhibited the growth of Vibrio parahaemolyticus completely at the concentration of 0.03%, and the other bacteria were at 0.05% .