Kentucky’s disappearing native grassland communities provide habitat for native flora and fauna. A study was conducted to compare the efficacy of herbicides in control of the invasive Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) applied at times when most native species are dormant. Six herbicide mixtures (glyphosate, glyphosate + imazapyr, glyphosate + imazapic, imazapyr, triclopyr + difluphenzopyr, and metsulfuron + difluphenzopyr) were applied in three seasons to assess the effect of application timing of each mixture on honeysuckle control. Herbicides were applied with a CO2 pressurized sprayer at three sites in a randomized complete block design. Pretreatment sampling indicated that Japanese honeysuckle constituted over 70% of plant cover at the study sites. Post-treatment sampling was conducted 60 days, 180 days, 420 days, and 540 days after the final application. All mixtures decreased percent cover of honeysuckle with varying effectiveness. Results indicate that the glyphosate, imazapyr, and metsulfuron + difluphenzopyr mixtures are particularly effective at controlling Japanese honeysuckle when applied at any time between October and April with suitable temperatures. Many native grasses and broadleaf forbs not found during pretreatment sampling also emerged post-treatment, either benefiting from application timing or indicating herbicide tolerance.

AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF Joshua B. Nickelson, for the Masters of Science degree in Forestry, at Southern Illinois University Carbondale TITLE: EVALUATING THE SUCCESS OF OAK AFFORESTATION ON FORMER AGRICULTURAL FIELDS IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS Major Professor: Dr. Eric Holzmueller The establishment of oak (Quercus spp.) plantations has increased over the past two to three decades to reduce fragmentation and promote wildlife habitat throughout the Midwestern United States. However, influences such as competing vegetation, previous land cover, plantation size, and site preparation techniques may have varying outcomes on restorative successes. We established 219 plots (.02 ha) in 29 oak plantations located within Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge (Williamson County, Illinois) 15-18 years after mechanical planting. Sampling data for all trees over breast height included species, diameter, and lianas existence on the main bole of the tree. Additionally, free-to-grow status was recorded for all oak saplings and estimated cover of the exotic invasive shrub Elaeagnus umbellata and vine Lonicera japonica were documented. Results show significantly higher numbers of total oaks and free-to-grow oaks in plantings previously cropped in clover and soybeans when compared to the fallow sites host to brush species that received treatment (mowing and or herbicidal application). Significantly less oaks in the soybean and clover categories possessed a vine on the main bole of the tree when compared to the treated brush sites. Brush sites showed a significantly less number of total trees compared to clover and soybean covers and a higher percent of autumn olive cover (%) compared to soybeans. No significance was found in the percent of oaks with a vine, the percent of oaks overtopped, E. umbellata density or L. japonica cover (%) across the four previous vegetation categories. One treatment of pre-planting mowing and herbicidal application is not effective on fallow sites that are host to early successional species and money should not be invested on Quercus trees or mowing and herbicidal treatments in these scenarios. The results suggest that it is best to plant Quercus species immediately following clover or soybean harvest on abandoned agricultural lands before early successional species become established.

A herbal formula (SL) comprising edible Sophorae Flos and Lonicerae Japonicae Flos was used to treat melanoma in ancient China. In current Chinese medicine practice, the two ingredient herbs of SL are commonly prescribed by Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) doctors for treating melanoma. However, there is no modern clinical or experimental evidence about the anti-melanoma actions of this formula. Signal transducer and activator of the transcription (STAT3), which is constitutively activated in melanoma, has been proposed as one of the anti-melanoma targets. Some natural compounds in SL have been shown to assault cancers including melanoma via inhibiting STAT3 signaling. In this study, we investigated the anti-melanoma effects and explored STAT3 signaling-related mechanism of action of SL. We also identified bioactive components responsible for SL's anti-melanoma effects. Our in vitro and in vivo studies showed that SLE, an ethanolic extract of SL, induced apoptosis, inhibited proliferation, migration and invasion in melanoma cells, inhibited melanoma growth, angiogenesis and prolonged host survival in melanoma-bearing mice. SLE significantly suppressed the activation of STAT3 and its upstream kinase Src in both mouse melanoma tissues and cultured melanoma cells. In melanoma cells, we also found that SLE restrained STAT3 nuclear localization and inhibited the expression of STAT3-regulated genes related to melanoma growth, metastasis and angiogenesis. Overactivation of STAT3 in A375 human melanoma cells diminished the anti-proliferative, pro-apoptotic and anti-invasive effects of SLE. RNA-seq and small RNA sequencing analyses showed that SLE altered both the gene expression profile and miRNA signature in B16F10 melanoma tissues. Based on the RNA-seq data, we further validated that SLE inhibited the IL-17-IL-6-STAT3 axis in melanoma. Verification assays for the candidate miRNAs suggested that the significantly upregulated miR-205-5p is a possible target of SLE. Enforced miR-205 expression has been shown to suppress EMT in melanoma cells. In this study, we demonstrated that SLE inhibited melanoma cell EMT, and miR-205-5p knockdown diminished this effect of SLE. In addition, we computationally demonstrated that luteolin, a naturally occurring edible flavone abundant in Lonicerae Japonicae Flos, could directly bind to Src kinase domain. Experimentally, we verified that luteolin inhibited the Src/STAT3 signaling in both melanoma cells and tissues. In addition to inhibit STAT3 activation, luteolin promoted ubiquitin-proteasome pathway-mediated degradation of STAT3. Luteolin also exerted evident in vitro and in vivo anti-melanoma effects, and overactivation of STAT3 diminished its anti-melanoma effects. In conclusion, we demonstrated that SLE exerted in vivo and in vitro anti-melanoma effects, and inhibition of Src/STAT3 signaling and elevation of miR-205-5p expression contributed to these effects. Luteolin was identified to be one of the active components responsible for the inhibitory effects of SLE on STAT3 signaling and the anti-melanoma effects of SLE. This study provides a pharmacological and chemical basis for the traditional use of the formula SL in treating melanoma, and suggests that SLE and SLE-derived compounds have the potential to be developed as modern alternative and/or complimentary agents for melanoma management.

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