Mycotoxins, such as aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), deoxynivalenol (DON), fumonisin B1 (FMB1), ochratoxin A, T2 toxin, and zearalenone, are found in numerous vegetables. Mycotoxin accumulation in food and feed poses serious health risks to humans and animals because of carcinogenic, mutagenic, teratogenic, and toxic properties. In addition, mycotoxins cause large economic losses in commercial crop production, food and feed processing, and animal husbandry worldwide. In this study, an analytical method for the simultaneous analysis of the levels of AFB1, DON, and FMB1 in cow blood with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was developed and validated. AOZTM and Myco6in1TM multitoxin immunoaffinity columns and an OasisTM reversed-phase solid-phase extraction Hydrophilic-Lipophilic-Balanced columns were used to purify and concentrate the blood samples. Extracts that contained AFB1, DON, and FMB1 had average recovery of 64.0%, 98.0%, and 89.9%, respectively. In conclusion, we used LC-MS/MS to detect several important toxicological mycotoxins in cow blood. The multimycotoxin method, which detected and quantified the levels of AFB1, DON, and FMB1 can be used in animal pilot studies to monitor simultaneous exposure to major mycotoxins.

Tight junctions (TJs) form continuous intercellular contacts in intercellular junctions. TJs involve integral proteins such as occludin (OCLN) and claudins (CLDNs) as well as peripheral proteins such as zona occludens-1 (ZO-1) and junctional adhesion molecules (JAMs). TJs control paracellular transportation across cell-to-cell junctions. Although TJs have been studied for several decades, comparison of the transcriptional-translational levels of these molecules in canine organs has not yet been performed. In this study, we examined uterine expression of CLDNs, OCLN, junction adhesion molecule-A, and ZO-1 in canine. Expression levels of canine uterine TJ proteins, including CLDN1, 2, 4, 5, JAM-A, ZO-1, and OCLN, were measured using reverse transcription PCR, real-time PCR, and Western blotting, whereas TJs distribution was determined by immunohistochemistry. The mRNA and protein expression levels of OCLN, CLDN-1, 4, JAM-1, and ZO-1 were identified in the uterus. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated that TJs were localized to the endometrium and/or myometrium of the uterus. Our results show that canine TJ proteins, including CLDNs, OCLN, JAM-A, and ZO-1, were expressed in the canine uterus. Taken together, these proteins may perform unique physiological roles in the uterus. Therefore, these findings may serve as a basis for further studies on TJ proteins and their roles in the physiological or pathological condition of the canine uterus.

Bone fractures are most often seen in racetrack horses because of the high level of intensity in racing. These issues are the main cause of decreased performance in racehorses. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been explored to improve intra-articular therapy in racehorses. MSCs are essential for the repair and regeneration of damaged tissues. In this study, the effect of intra-articular injection of MSCs in racehorses was investigated. Before accessing the MSC therapy, synovial fluids were obtained from the fracture site of racehorses, and adipose tissue was collected for MSC isolation. Using the MSC specific marker, adipose tissue-derived MSCs were identified. The racehorses received intra-articular injection of autologous MSCs (or allogeneic) (3 × 107 cells/3 mL). After 1 or 2 weeks, synovial fluids were collected from racehorses. To test the effect of MSC injection using ELISA, we analyzed inflammatory factors from the untreated samples compared to MSC-treated samples of racehorses. The level of pro-inflammatory factors (interleukin-1β and prostaglandin E2) was significantly decreased in synovial fluids of MSC-injected racehorses, compared to before accessing the MSC therapy, whereas, the level of anti-inflammatory factor (interleukin-10) was higher than prior to accessing the MSC therapy. Further studies are needed to investigate the anti-inflammatory mechanism of MSC in racehorses.

In photobiophysics, biophoton means a kind of biological energy which enhances most metabolisms of the body. To investigate the immuno-enhancing effects of biophoton energy projector (BEP) producing light energy, pigs were irradiated with BEP for 8 weeks. Swine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (sPBMCs) were isolated from the blood of irradiated pigs. In this study, the antigen uptake and mitochondrial membrane potential of sPBMCs were measured by flow cytometric analysis. The irradiation of BEP increased the antigen uptake of sPBMCs. For functional analysis, the production of Bordetella bronchiseptica-specific IgG, measured using antigen-specific ELISA, was increased during the period of BEP irradiation. Taken together, the results suggest that the irradiation of BEP has immune-enhancing effects on sPBMCs.

Observed spectra of stars around the Sun have indicated that the Sun is located in a gas cavity, extending to 100pc. This gas cavity is called the "Local Bubble". The density of the interstellar medium (ISM) in the local bubble is about one tenth that of the average for the ISM in the Milky Way. Furthermore, some structures such as gas planes and strings in the local bubble are probably the result of supernovae. These, due to their low temperatures, can not be observed in the visible and infrared. The only way to do so is to measure the spectra of nearby stars so that the light of stars passing through the local bubble is absorbed by existing gas and the resulting spectral lines from absorption can be measured. In this study, we use binary stars to trace the local bubble structures through lines such as the Na I Doublet. First, we determined the observed spectral lines of stars by HARPS and FEROS echelle spectrographs. Then, we made synthetic spectra with the ATLAS9 code. Finally, the difference between the observational and synthetic spectra confirms the existence of the Na I Doublet in the local ISM.

Poria cocos is a well-known traditional Chinese traditional medicine (TCM) that grows around roots of pine trees in China, Korea, Japan, and North America. Poria cocos has been used in Asian countries to treat insomnia as either a single herb or part of an herbal formula. In a previous experiment, pachymic acid (PA), an active constituent of Poria cocos ethanol extract (PCE), increased pentobarbital-induced sleeping behaviors. The aim of this experiment was to evaluate whether or not PCE and PA modulate sleep architectures in rats as well as whether or not their effects are mediated through GABAA-ergic transmission. PCE and PA were orally administered to individual rats 7 days after surgical implantation of a transmitter, and sleep architectures were recorded by Telemetric Cortical encephalogram (EEG) upon oral administration of test drugs. PCE and PA increased total sleep time and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep as well as reduced numbers of sleep/wake cycles recorded by EEG. Furthermore, PCE increased intracellular chloride levels, GAD65/67 protein levels, and α-, β-, and γ-subunits of GABAA receptors in primary cultured hypothalamic neuronal cells. These data suggest that PCE modulates sleep architectures via activation of GABAA-ergic systems. Further, as PA is an active component of PCE, they may have the same pharmacological effects.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of the removable ankle-foot orthosis (RAFO) which was developed to improve the gait of stroke patients. The subjects of this study were five stroke patients who agreed to participate in this study by signing a written consent form. To verify gait improvement after wearing the orthosis, a Timed Up and Go test and Functional Gait Assessment were performed, and spatiotemporal gait variables such as gait speed, cadence, stride length, double limb support, and the efficient gait test of body sway angle were performed. For every variable, the differences prior to and after wearing the RAFO were compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Every gait variable improved significantly after wearing the RAFO compared to prior to wearing it. The pilot study will enhance future efforts to evaluate orthotic function objectively during gait in stroke patients.

This study aimed to determine the effects of Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation (RAS) using music and a metronome on the gait of stroke patients. 13 female and 15 male volunteers were randomly allocated to two groups: namely a group to receive RAS using music and a metronome group (the experimental group; n1=14) and a group to receive RAS using a metronome only (the control group; n2=14). The affected side was the left side in 15 subjects and the right side in 13 subjects. The mean age of the subjects was 56.6 years, and the mean onset duration of stroke was 8.6 months. Intervention was applied for 30 minutes per session, once a day, 5 times a week for 4 weeks. To measure the patients’ gait improvement, we measured gait velocity, cadence, stride length, double limb support using GAITRite, body center sway angle using an accelerometer, and Timed Up-and-Go test. Functional Gait Assessment were conducted before and after the experiment. The paired t-test was used for comparisons before and after the interventions in each group. Analysis of covariance was used for comparisons between the groups after the interventions. Statistical significance was set at α=.05. Within each of the two groups, significant differences in all of the dependent variables before and after the experiment (p<.05) were observed. However, in the comparison between the two groups, the experimental group showed more significant improvements in all dependent variables than the control group (p<.05). Our results also suggest that in applying RAS in stroke patients, the combination of music and a metronome is more effective than using a metronome alone in improving patients’ gait.

해수 중 광학적 특성 때문에 유색 용존유기물은 위성자료에 기반한 해양의 엽록소와 일차생산력의 정확한 측정에 영향을 미칠 수 있다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 2009과 2011년 여름철을 대상으로 서로 특이하게 다른 결과를 보고하고자 하였다. 이 두 시기의 여름철 차이는 것은 용존유기물에 영향을 주는 주요 공급원이 다른 것으로 나타났다. 그리고 현장 측정치와 위성자료로 부터 얻어진 엽록소 농도를 비교하여 위성자료로부터 구한 엽록소 농도 측정에 대한 용존유기물의 영향을 보았다. 그 결과, 2009년 MODIS를 이용한 엽록소 농도와 현장 측정된 엽록소 a 농도는 서로 유사하였으나, 2011년과 같이 유색용존유기물의 농도가 높았던 시기에는 이 두 농도간에 유의한 차이가 나타났다. 2011년 여름 MODIS 자료와 비교하였을 때, GOCI 자료는 엽록소와 유색용존유기물 모두 현장 측정치 자료와 잘 일치하였다. 수직 혼합에 의해 공급된 표층 해수 중 높은 유색용존유기물의 존재는 위성자료에 의한 엽록소 농도의 과대평가에 영향을 주는 것으로 보인다.

Graphite can be classified into natural graphite from mines and artificial graphite. Due to its outstanding properties such as light weight, thermal resistance, electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, chemical stability, and high-temperature strength, artificial graphite is used across various industries in powder form and bulk form. Artificial graphite of powder form is usually used as anode materials for secondary cells, while artificial graphite of bulk form is used in steelmaking electrode bars, nuclear reactor moderators, silicon ingots for semiconductors, and manufacturing equipment. This study defines artificial graphite as bulk graphite, and provides an overview of bulk graphite manufacturing, including isotropic and anisotropic materials, molding methods, and heat treatment.

In establishing and overseeing ASIAPARC Federation in March of 2016 in Jeju Island Korea, it will be essential for us to learn aspiration, network, purpose, values, goals and strategies from 42 years experiences of EUROPARC Federation as our partnership organization such as practicing exchange programs and joint conferences. We also believe we can add one more principle, ‘Initiating Island Resilience’, into the three principles of the Jeju Declaration of 1) Scaling up Conservation, 2) Nature-based Solutions, and 3) Sustainability in Action through the opening of a "Green Growth Organization" of the Jeju Declaration of WCC 2012.

This paper explores the field of reparations for historical injustices as an expression of the juridification of international affairs. Following Michael Mann, it examines the ideological, military, political, and economic reasons for the spread of reparations politics and the different meanings that the notion of reparations may have. This is explicated on the basis of the UN’s Basic Guidelines on the Right to Reparation for Gross Violations of Human Rights, a crucial foundation for the pursuit of reparations in contemporary life.

Fashion design itself has an independent artistic value of its own. However, legal protection for fashion design is still lacking. In the fashion market, design piracy and trademark piracy are universal phenomena and the imitation behavior is made by a wide range of subjects in real time. The protection of the authentic holder in the relatively-short-cycled fashion design should be done immediately. Accordingly, this study aims to conduct a comparative research on the laws designed to protect fashion design significantly, to promote the creation of fashion design, and to provide implications for the future fashion design protection. The specific objectives of this study are as follows. First, we aim to examine the market trends relating to the theft of the fashion design between Republic of Korea and the United States. The second objective is to consider current legislation to protect fashion design in Republic of Korea and the United States and to analyze the differences between the two countries. Thirdly, the present study seeks to measure consumers’ perception on counterfeit in order to analyze the current status of design piracy. Our results suggest that both countries cohere in that the market size of counterfeit goods is expanding and fashion products are prominent in the counterfeits market. However, while Republic of Korea is not capable of effectively controlling domestic counterfeit products, the United States is trying to protect the intellectual property rights with regulations of counterfeits through the Customs and Border Protection Agency. In the domain of legal protection for fashion design, the United States enacted individual laws such as DPPA and IDPPA through cooperation with the fashion industry and the legal profession since 2006. On the other hand, the effectiveness of laws for fashion design protection appears to be weaker in Republic of Korea. According to the analysis of consumer perception, Korean consumers continuously buy counterfeit goods, whereas U.S. consumers rarely report having had a counterfeit product purchase experience. Korean consumers have a relatively high level of legal knowledge concerning fashion design protection and, compared to their U.S. counterparts, they are negatively recognized about counterfeit goods. Despite this, they do not hesitate to buy counterfeit products in real life. The results of our analysis of the consumer perception suggest that Korean consumers’ attitudes and purchase behaviors with regard to counterfeit goods are inconsistent; the reason underlying this tendency is that the force of the legal system is insufficient. Therefore, this study suggests to strengthen the rigor of the law-enforcement and to establish the laws that would help enhance consumer awareness in the Korean society.

This paper is a qualitative study which explores perceptions of the ideal wedding dress held by Singaporean brides who choose to skip wedding fairs in their wedding preparaton process. Ten interviews are conducted: 8 with Singaporean brides who do not attend wedding fairs, and 2 with brides who do attend them. Questions to the interview are formulated by first attempting to understand the bride’s perception of the ideal wedding ceremony, and subsequently that of the ideal wedding dress. For the purpose of this paper, the narratives of two brides who do attend wedding shows are included as an attempt to make the study more complete. For example, brides who attend the wedding show might attend with the sole purpose of acquiring information of what is available for consumption in the wedding market, but still hold the same perceptions as the non-attendees. From the results, perceptions of the ideal wedding dress in relation to wedding shows are catagorised as follow: (A) The perception that a wedding dress offered by the wedding show is a bad investment; (B) The perception that the wedding dress available for sale at the wedding show is not “unique”; (C) The rejection of the wedding dress altogether; (D) The rejection of the idea of a “wedding dress package”; (E) Attributes that have nothing to do with perceptions of the ideal wedding dress, such avoiding wedding shows because brides do not like “hard-selling”, or perceiving the wedding show as a “marketing gimmick”. Wedding show organisers can consider these perceptions when planning future communication and sales efforts to appeal to a larger pool of prospective brides.