Aquaporin channels (AQPs) are known to play an important role in the development of ovarian follicles through their function in water transport pathways. Compared to other AQPs, research on the role of AQP4 in female reproductive physiology, particularly in cattle, remains limited. In our previous study, gene chip microarray data showed a downregulation of AQP4 in bovine cystic follicles. This study was performed to validate the AQP4 expression level at the protein level in bovine follicles using immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, and immunoprecipitation assays. Immunostaining data showed that AQP4 was expressed in granulosa and theca cells of bovine ovarian follicles. The ovarian follicles were classified according to size as small (< 10 mm) or large (> 25 mm) in diameter. Consistent with earlier microarray data, semi-quantitative PCR data showed a decrease in AQP4 mRNA expression in large follicles. Western blot analysis showed a downregulation of the AQP4 protein in large follicles. In addition, AQP4 was immunoprecipitated and blotted with anti-AQP4 antibody in small and large follicles. Accordingly, AQP4 exhibited a low expression in large follicles. These results show that AQP4 is downregulated in bovine ovarian large follicles, suggesting that the downregulation of AQP4 expression may interfere with follicular water transport, leading to bovine follicular cysts.

In this study, we investigated the effects of the ripening level (50% and 100%), storage temperature (1°C and 10°C), and storage period (0, 7, and 14 days) on the fruit quality of the strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch) cultivars “Arihyang” and “Kuemsil”, which are commonly grown for export in South Korea. Strawberry plants of each cultivar were grown in a plastic greenhouse, and fruit samples were harvested in January 2019 to evaluate the fruit hardness, gray mold rot, anthocyanin content, sugar content, and antioxidant activity. We found that “Arihyang” had a greater fruit hardness than “Kuemsil” across all storage periods excluding the day of harvest, and that fruit stored at 1°C had a greater hardness than fruit stored at room temperature (10 ± 2°C) for both cultivars. In incidence of gray mold rat, “Kuemsil” had a higher than “Arihyang”. The soluble solid content was highest at 7 days after harvest for both cultivars, with the exception of “Kuemsil” following storage at 1°C. The anthocyanin content was higher in “Arihyang” than in “Kuemsil” and was also greater in fruit that had been stored at room temperature due to the faster ripening time. Finally, the DPPH activity of fully ripened fruit tended to decrease as the storage period increased, while the ABTS activity was the same across all treatments. These findings demonstrate that “Arihyang” are more advantageous for long-term distribution as well as export than “Kuemsil”, and recommend that the two new cultivars of strawberry be cool stored at 100% ripening state and eaten within 7 days.

Background: Shoulder horizontal abduction in the prone position (SHAP) has been reported as an effective exercise to strengthen the lower trapezius. However, the effects of pre-emptive scapular posterior tilt on scapular muscle activity and scapulohumeral movements during SHAP have not been examined. Objectives: To examine the effect of the addition of scapular posterior tilt on muscle activity of the trapezius and posterior deltoid, and scapular posterior tilt and shoulder horizontal abduction, during SHAP. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Fifteen healthy male subjects performed two types of SHAP: general and modified SHAP (SHAP combined with pre-emptive scapular posterior tilt). To perform modified SHAP, pre-emptive scapular posterior tilt training was performed prior to the modified SHAP. Muscle activity of the middle and lower trapezius and posterior deltoid, and the amount of scapular posterior tilt and shoulder horizontal abduction, were measured during two types of SHAP. Results: Muscle activity of the lower trapezius and scapular posterior tilt was significantly increased during the modified SHAP, while muscle activity of the posterior deltoid and the amount of shoulder horizontal abduction were significantly decreased. However, the middle trapezius muscle activity did not change during the modified SHAP. Conclusion: The SHAP with pre-emptive scapular posterior tilt can be useful to strengthen the lower trapezius.

Jellyfish envenomation is a world-wide health problem, which often seriously affect the fishery and bathing activities. To date, few individual jellyfish venoms proteins have been thoroughly characterized yet. In this work, four species of scyphozoan jellyfish (Nemopilema nomurai, Cyanea nozakii, Aurellia aurita and Rhopilema esculentum) are compared according to their, cytotoxicity, hemolytic potency, brine shrimp toxicity and protein components. Jellyfish venoms showed higher cytotoxicity in H9C2 heart myoblast than in C2C12 skeletal myoblast, with the exception of C. nozakii venom. This result suggests that the selective cytotoxic effects may be possibly related to their in vivo effects of cardiac tissue dysfunction. On the other hand, hemolytic activity could be also observed from all tested jellyfish venoms. N. nomurai jellyfish venom displaying the greatest hemolytic activity. As an alternative method of evaluating the toxicities of jellyfish venoms, the toxicity on brine shrimp was examined with the four jellyfish venoms. From this, the venom of N. nomurai showed higher toxicity against brine shrimp than the other jellyfish venoms, which is consistent with the results of cytotoxicity assay as well as hemolysis assay of the present study. SDS-PAGE analysis of four jellyfish venoms showed the similar pattern with molecular weight of around 40 kDa, and appeared to be the major protein components. These results provided that N. nomurai jellyfish venom was potently toxic than other scyphozoan jellyfish venoms and may explain to some extent the deleterious effects associated with human envenoming.

Background: Static hamstring stretching exercises have been widely used to improve flexibility of the hamstring muscles. However, few studies have examined the influence of standing static hamstring stretching (e.g., jack-knife stretching) on movements of the lumbopelvic–hip complex. Objectives: To examine the short-term effects of jack-knife stretching on movements of the lumbopelvic–hip complex. Design: Case series. Methods: Fourteen participants with hamstring tightness (8 male, 6 female) were recruited. Participants performed jack-knife stretching for 150 s. Before and after stretching, participants performed the finger-to-floor distance (FFD), sit and reach (SRT), active knee extension (AKE), passive straight leg raising (PSLA), and active straight leg raising (ASLR) tests as well as pelvic tilt while standing to identify the effects of stretching. Results: There were significant improvements in the FFD, SRT, AKE, PSLA, and ASLR tests after stretching. However, pelvic tilt angle while standing did not significantly change. Conclusion: Jack-knife stretching can be a useful exercise to improve flexibility of the hamstring muscles, but not pelvic alignment while standing.

최근에 감에서 떫은맛을 조절하는 AST에 연관된 지역에서 분자 표지들이 개발되었다. 이중에서 sequence characterized amplified region (SCAR) marker는 5R region에 인접한 지역에서 개발되었다. 하지만 이 SCAR마커는 분석 방법이 다소 복잡하고 해석이 어려워 많은 교배실생을 분석할 경우에는 적합하지 않다. 우리는 5R 지역의 sequences에 기반하여 high-resolution melting (HRM)-based 분자 표지를 개발하였다. 개발된 HRM preimer set을 8개 품종의 단감 및 떫은감에 대해 적용한 결과 단감 품종에서는 직선을 나타낸 반면 떫은감 품종에서는 다양한 크기의 곡선으로 나타나서 차이를 확인할 수 있었다. 결과적으로 이번 연구에서 개발된 HRM primer set은 분자 표지를 활용한 감 품종 육성 연구에 매우 효율적으 로 활용될 수 있을 것으로 기대된다.