With emphasis on native genetic resource, Korean native chicken is one of the major native breeds in poultry in Korea. The weight-age data from 216 pullets of Korean native chicken were used to fit the growth curve using Gompertz model. Live weights have been recorded every three weeks for 36 weeks for 5 strains. All available weight data from birth to the 6 specific ages of week were used for the estimation of parameters. The variation in estimates of mature weight (A) decreased with the increase of age 21 through 36 weeks for all 5 strains studied. However, the variation of rate of maturing (k) showed a tendancy increase with the increase of age. These results indicate that the fitting of growth curve is getting more stable for asymptotic value (A) and more flexible for curve shape (k) with the increase of weight-age data range. Correlations among estimates of A and among estimates of k at various ages showed the highest range of 0.93 ~ 0.99 between 30 and 36 weeks except for the maturing rate (k) of red brown strains. The correlations between A and k tended to fluctuate and were not significant statistically at various ages. Thus, the estimates of growth curve parameters, A and k suitable for genetic studies in Korean native chicken can be derived from accumulated weight-age data after 30 weeks of age.

The p21-activated kinases (PAKs) are a family of serine/threonine protein kinases and activated by binding with activated Rho GTPases such as Rac or Cdc42. PAKs regulate actin cytoskeletal remodeling, cell motility, cell survival, and apoptosis. Also, PAKs are involved in several diseases such as cancer, virus infectious diseases, mental retardation, Alzheimer and Parkinson's diseases. Therefore, the substances that are able to inhibit PAK activation can be used as powerful tools and medicines for PAK relative diseases or specific inhibitors for study of PAK signaling pathway. In this study, we investigated and characterized the 5 compounds of 4-benzene-1, 2-naphthoquinone (NQ) family as candidate substances to inhibit the PAK1 activation in vitro and in cells. Binding between p21-binding domain (PBD) of PAK1 and Cdc42 was blocked by 5 NQ-compounds in ELISA assay. Myelin basic protein (MBP) phosphorylation was dramatically reduced by treatment of these compounds in vitro kinase assay for Cdc42-induced or constitutive active PAK1 mutant. Also, phosphorylation at Thr 423 of transfected PAK1 was inhibited by treatment of 5 NQ-compounds in 293T cells, respectively. Finally, NQ-5 inhibited strongly the PAK1 activation by PDGF stimulation and cell motility in PDGF-induced wound migration assay in NIH 3T3 cells. Therefore, these NQ compounds will be good candidates as target molecules to regulate PAK1-related diseases or inhibitors to study PAK1 signaling pathway.

Rubus coreanus is known to have diverse biological properties, such as free radical scavenging activity and antibacterial activity. In the present study, Rubus coreanus leaf and stem extract (RLSE) was used in boar semen preservation whether it has a beneficial effect on assisted reproductive technology (ART) in mammals. Boar spermatozoa were preserved in Beltsville thawing solution (BTS) in the presence of varying concentrations of RLSE (0-10 μg/mL). Sperm motility, sperm viability, and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were examined after 2 days of preservation. The percentage of total motile spermatozoa and progressive motile spermatozoa improved in the spermatozoa preserved with 0.5 μg/mL RLSE. Higher proportions of viable spermatozoa were seen in the presence of 0.5 and 1 μg/mL RLSE than in the control. Intracellular ROS levels decreased when the spermatozoa were preserved in BTS with 0.1–1 μg/mL RLSE. In order to examine the bacterial growth, E. coli was added to liquid semen diluted with antibiotics-free BTS in the presence or absence of RLSE. No anti-bacterial activity of RLSE against E. coli was observed during liquid semen preservation. Although there was no inhibition of E. coli growth, the addition of RLSE might help improve sperm motility and viability during boar semen preservation, suggesting it as a potential reagent for ART in mammals.

As diethylnitrosamine (DEN) effect on cell proliferation, DNA damage and stem cell marker(s) expression have been largely unknown in mouse normal hepatocytes (AML-12 cells) cultured over a short-term period, this study was conducted to examine the cell proliferation, Ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) and epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) and Neighbor of Punc E 11 (Nope) expression in AML-12 cells treated with DEN for 24 and 48 h. Cells were treated with DEN (25-800 μg/mL) and cell phenotype was determined, and the MTT assay was used to quantify the proliferation of cells treated with DEN. Expression and distribution of ATM in AML-12 cells were determined by indirect immunofluorescence microscopy. And Western blot analysis of EpCAM and Nope was performed. Cell viability was significantly increased in response to all doses of DEN treatment compared to control at 24 h (p<0.05 or p<0.01). However, there was no significant increase at 48 h, even though it showed increased trend. Immunofluorescence staining of ATM showed that there was an increase of ATM expression at doses of 50, 100 and 200 μg/mL of DEN treatment, showing strong nuclear staining. Furthermore, Western blot analysis showed that DEN treatment showed increased trend of EpCAM and Nope expression. Taken together, DEN treatment increased cell proliferation in AML- 12 cells, and it was associated with increased ATM expression.

Vitis amurensis, Aralia cordata, and Glycyrrhizae radix have been widely used in Korea, China, and Japan because of their anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory activities. The present study investigated the anti-nociceptive and antiinflammatory properties of an ethanol extract (SSB) of a mixture of three medicinal plants of Vitis amurensis (stem and leaf), Aralia cordata (stem and leaf), and Glycyrrhizae radix. Anti-nociceptive activity was determined using chemical (acetic acid and formalin) and thermal (hot plate) stimuli-induced algesia tests. Formalin-induced paw edema was evaluated for anti-inflammatory activity. SSB (25–100 mg/kg, p.o.) and ibuprofen (100 mg/kg, p.o.), a positive nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), significantly inhibited the acetic acid-induced writhing response caused by peripherally mediated algesia, but failed to protect thermal nociception in the hot plate test that was employed for centrally mediated analgesic activity. However, morphine (5 mg/kg, s.c.) used as a positive opioid control alleviated the acetic acid-induced writhing response and thermal nociception in the hot plate test. In the formalin test, SSB (50 and 100 mg/kg, p.o.) inhibited the second phase response (peripheral inflammatory algesia), but not the first phase response (central algesia), whereas morphine inhibited both phases of the pain response. Both SSB (25-100 mg/kg, p.o.) and ibuprofen (200 mg/kg) caused significant reduction of the formalin-induced increase of paw thickness, which was the index of inflammation. These results suggest that SSB has a significant anti-nociceptive activity that seems to be peripheral, but not central. SSB also displays antiinflammatory activity in an acute inflammatory model. The present study supports a possible use of SSB to treat pain and inflammation.