우리나라 여러 해양환경 지역으로부터 확보한 370주의 해양세균, 균류, 미세조류로부터 기초생 리활성(항산화, 항염, 항균, 항암, 항바이러스)을 조사하여 채집지, 분리원, 종(種) 수준에서의 활성결과를 비교하였다. 해양세균의 경우, 일반적으로 유용성이 많이 알려진 Streptomyces 속 과 Bacillus 속에 속하는 균주들이 두드러진 강한 효능이 관찰되었고, 주로 해양퇴적물로부터 유용한 자원을 분리할 수 있었다. 해양균류와 미세조류의 경우에도 종 특이적으로 활성이 강 하게 나타나는 결과를 확인할 수 있었고, 효능 특이적으로 활성을 보이는 결과도 얻을 수 있었 다. 이러한 결과를 바탕으로 추후 특정질병에 선택적으로 효능을 보이는 화학물질 연구 또는 자원 기반 연구 수행 시 유용성을 전제로 한 자원 확보 전략 수립과 산업 활성화를 위한 전 략소재로 우선적 접근이 용이할 수 있는 연구결과라 생각된다. 또한, 이들 결과를 해양바이오 뱅크를 통한 분양소재로 활용함으로써 학계, 산업계에서 활용하여 해양바이오산업 활성화에 좀 더 빠른 접근을 도울 수 있다고 생각한다.

선원은 해양관련분야의 핵심 인적자원으로서 해상운송의 중심이었으나, 선원의 가치에 대한 인식저하 등으로 자발적 비정규직이 등장함에 따라 고용안정에 심각한 영향을 미칠 것으로 판단된다. 이에 이 논문은 선원에 대한 직업의식과 법제적 차이를 검토하고 선원의 비정규직화 현상을 개선하기 위하여 선원법령 상 정규직과 비정규직의 차이를 분석하고, 산업계의 실태를 파악하였다. 선원의 공급과 선사의 수요가 같거나 수요가 큰 경우에는 고용형태의 차이 가 없지만 선원의 공급이 선사의 수요보다 큰 경우에는 고용형태에 따른 차이 가 발생할 것으로 판단된다. 선원의 고용형태에 따른 선호도와 인식도 조사를 시행하였다. 고용형태에 대한 정보가 불충분하고 장기승선 기피 등의 이유로 자발적 비정규직은 일정부분 존재할 것이다. 또한 장기승선 기피, 외국인 선원 고용이 한국선원의 일자리 위협요소로 작용함에 따라 정책적인 지원과 선원의 자질향상 및 인권보호, 계층 간 완충역할을 위한 시스템적 접근이 필요할 것이다. 이에 이 논문은 선원의 고용안정화를 위해 일자리 인식도 개선, 직업안정제 도 마련, 퇴직금 중간정산 제한문제에 대한 인식개선 및 선원고용연계를 위한 정책의 필요성을 제안하였다.

Soy isoflavones have been reported to possess many physiological activities such as antioxidant activity and inhibition of cancer cell proliferation. This study investigated the photoprotective effects of soybean extract in human fibroblast cell line and hairless mice model. Human fibroblast was treated with soybean extract before and after ultraviolet B (UVB; 290-302 nm) irradiation. In the soybean extract treated group, the cells showed better resistance to ultraviolet (UV) than control group. The amount of type I collagen recovered from the soybean treated group was higher than the vehicle group exposed to UV-induced damage. Moreover, increased expression of metalloproteinases-1 as a result of UV irradiation was suppressed by the soybean extract. Female mice were orally administered soybean extract and irradiated with UVB light for 8 weeks. The effects of the soybean extract on the skin appearance, collagen deposition and epidermal thickness in the UV-damaged mouse skin were analyzed using histopathological methods. In soybean extract treated group, the skin had a better morphology than that of the control group. Furthermore, the amount of type I collagen was increased and overexpression of MMP-1 was reduced in the soybean extract group compared to vehicle group. Additionally, up-regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines induced by UV irradiation was suppressed by dietary soybean extract treatment. It appears that soybean extract had a photoprotective effect, including anti-aging and anti-inflammatory effect, from UV-induced damage in not only human fibroblast, but also hairless mice. We confirmed that these effects were possibly due to promotion of collagen synthesis and inhibition of MMP-1 expression.

A 2-year-old female Maltese dog was admitted with a history of pyometra and resulting peritonitis and septicemia. Uterine specimen sampled by ovariohysterectomy was processed routinely for histopathological observation. Grossly, the uterine mucosa was covered with necrotic debris and on the cut surface, lesion extended into the uterine wall. Microscopically, severe necrosis was observed throughout thickened mucosa, submucosa, and wall of uterus. Tumorous lesions composed of anaplastic cells with bizarre nuclei or tubular structures of cuboidal to short columnar cells were infrequently observed around the necrotic lesions and muscular layer far from necrotic areas. Immunohistochemically, central necrotic area with ambiguous cell and tissue structures, peri-necrotic tumor lesions, and muscular layer were strongly positive for cytokeratin. Since huge necrosis of adenocarcinoma lesions in this case made it difficult to diagnose, immunohistochemical results enable to diagnose as a severe necrotizing adenocarcinoma. Thus, histopathological and immunohistochemical findings in this case may serve as an important knowledge to diagnose uterine adenocarcinoma with huge necrosis in the veterinary field.

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is associated with porcine circovirus diseases (PCVD), of which postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome is considered to cause considerable economic losses in pig industry worldwide. As the virus-like particle (VLP) is a highly effective type of subunit vaccine and has unique advantages in terms of safety and immunogenicity, this study aimed to develop PCV2-like particles, which matched currently circulating Korean PCV2 and were applicable as vaccines. The ORF2 genes encoding PCV2 capsid protein were amplified from the PCV2 subgroup 1A/B Korean C275 isolate and the subgroup 2E C94 isolate by PCR assay with primer pair specific to PCV2 ORF2 gene, and were cloned into baculovirus transfer vector. Recombinant baculovirus was generated by cotransfection with the transfer vector and linear baculovirus DNA into the Sf9 cells, and then by plaque purification. Expression of PCV2 capsid protein was determined by the indirect immunofluorescence and Western blotting assays, and electron microscopy. By both immunological assays, PCV2 capsid antigen was detected in the Sf9 cells infected with the recombinant baculoviruses. The formation of empty virus particles, characteristic of VLP, was detected in the lysate of Sf9 cells infected with the recombinant baculoviruses by negative electron microscopy. From these results, VLPs of two genogroups of PCV2 were successfully expressed and generated in a baculovirus expression system. It is expected that the expressed VLPs of two genotypic groups can be used for control of PCV2 infection as good vaccine candidates.

Although several enteric viral pathogens including the porcine groups A, B and C rotaviruses (PGARV, PGBRV, and PGCRV), sapovirus (PSaV), and torovirus (PToV) are known to cause endemic diarrheas in weaning and post-weaning piglets, their precise prevalence in Korea is not clear. Therefore, we examined 1,222 diarrhea stools obtained from 627 farms during 2004～2009 by RT-PCR and/or nested PCR for evaluating their precise prevalence in Korea. PGARV was the predominant pathogen during 2004～2007 but its prevalence was markedly reduced during 2008～2009. PGBRV infections caused endemic diarrhea during 2004～2007, but was hardly detected during 2008-2009. PGCRV was detected at 27.0%, 14.5%, 42.4%, 28.8%, 7.3%, and 54.2% during each year of 2004～2009, respectively, indicating its high prevalence in Korea throughout the years. PSaV induced with high prevalence (32.4-39.2%) during 2004～2005 but its detection rate was markedly decreased during 2006～2009. PToV caused sporadic infections only during 2006 (1.0%) and 2007 (6.9%). These enteric viruses were detected in diarrhea specimens in piglets usually in combination with each other and/or together with bacterial pathogens including the Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., Brachispira hyodysenteriae, and Lawsonia intracellularis. Infections with PGARV, PGCRV, PSaV, and PToV were more prevalent in fecal samples collected in cold seasons. These results provide important epidemiological data for the control and establishment of a surveillance system for the prevailing enteric viruses in Korea.