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LEACHN model is useful to describe the nitrogen transport and transformation in soil but requires many input parameters. A sensitivity analysis can help to sort out the sensitive ones among many input parameters. A global sensitivity analysis technique, Latin Hypercube One factor At a Time (LH-OAT) method, was applied to LEACHN model in this study. Only a few parameters were found to be sensitive compared to many input parameters of the model from the sensitivity analysis. Using the results from the sensitivity analysis, calibration and validation of LEACHN model for nitrate leaching was performed for the experimental results from pot experiments that consisted of six types with different soil depth in mini-lysimeters and different fertilizer additions. The results indicated that the use of LH-OAT method could help the facile field application of LEACHN model. Model fitting could be improved by adopting current values in yearly crop parameters in validation.

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4-Hydroxy-2-(4-hydroxyphenethyl)isoindoline-1,3-dione (PD1) is a synthetic phthalimide derivative of a marine compound. PD1 has peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) γ agonistic and anti-inflammatory effects. This study aimed to investigate the effect of PD1 on allergic asthma using rat basophilic leukemia (RBL)-2H3 mast cells and an ovalbumin (OVA)-induced asthma mouse model. In vitro, PD1 suppressed β-hexosaminidase activity in RBL-2H3 cells. In the OVA-induced allergic asthma mouse model, increased inflammatory cells and elevated Th2 and Th1 cytokine levels were observed in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lung tissue. PD1 administration decreased the numbers of inflammatory cells, especially eosinophils, and reduced the mRNA and protein levels of the Th2 cytokines including interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13, in BALF and lung tissue. The severity of inflammation and mucin secretion in the lungs of PD1-treated mice was also less. These findings indicate that PD1 could be a potential compound for anti-allergic therapy.

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