충청남도농업기술원 화훼연구소에서는 분홍색 계통의 국화 (Chrysanthemum × morifolium (Ramat.) Hemsl.) 품종인 ‘레이디빈(Lady Vin)’을 육성하였다. ‘레이디빈(Lady Vin)’ 품 종은 분홍색 반겹꽃 특성을 가진 ‘G18-138-03’을 모본으로, 황색 반겹꽃 품종인 ‘기기골드(Gigi Gold)’를 부본으로 하여 2018년에 인공 교배를 통해 개발하였다. 2019년부터 2021년 까지의 연차별 생육 및 개화 특성 조사를 거쳐 2021년에 최종 선발된 ‘레이디빈(Lady Vin)’은 반구형 초형과 Red Purple 65B에 해당하는 분홍색 설상화를 갖고 있으며, 개화 시기는 9월 12일로 확인되었다. 주요 생육 특성으로는 평균 화경 3.7cm, 본당 착화수 2,248.1개, 꽃잎 수 104.1개, 초장 22.9 cm이며, 엽색은 Green 139D에 해당하였다. ‘레이디빈(Lady Vin)’ 품종은 대조 품종인 ‘Marble Ball’과 유사한 초형과 엽색 을 보이지만, 개화시기와 착화수에서 차이를 나타내며, 화단이 나 도로변 조경용으로 활용도가 높다. 또한, 상품성이 뛰어나 화훼 농가에 새로운 수익 자원으로 기여할 수 있을 것으로 기대 된다.

Ischemic stroke is a leading cause of death and neurological disability though mechanisms involving oxidative stress and the activation of apoptosis-related pathways. Retinoic acid, an active metabolite of vitamin A, is known for its neuroprotective effects via antioxidant and anti-apoptotic mechanisms. 14-3-3 γ is abundantly expressed in the brain and plays a critical role in maintaining neuronal function and survival. However, the effect of retinoic acid on the expression of 14-3-3 γ protein has not been fully elucidated. The aim of this study was to determine whether retinoic acid regulates the expression of 14-3-3 γ protein in the cerebral cortex of a stroke animal model. Male rats were randomly divided into four groups: phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) + sham, retinoic acid + sham, PBS + middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), and retinoic acid + MCAO. Focal cerebral ischemia was induced using the MCAO method. Retinoic acid (5 mg/kg) or PBS was administered intraperitoneally immediately after MCAO. Neurological deficit scores and corner tests were conducted 24 h after MCAO surgery, and the cerebral cortex was harvested for analysis of 14-3-3 γ expression at the mRNA and protein levels. Neurological assessments showed that retinoic acid treatment significantly alleviated MCAO-induced behavioral impairments. Proteomic analysis revealed that MCAO markedly reduced the expression of 14-3-3 γ protein in the cerebral cortex, whereas retinoic acid administration effectively attenuated this reduction. These findings were further supported by reverse transcription-PCR and Western blot analyses, which showed consistent results at both the mRNA and protein levels. Retinoic acid attenuates the ischemia-induced downregulation of 14-3-3 γ expression in the cerebral cortex. Our findings can suggest that retinoic acid exerts neuroprotective effects in ischemic brain injury through the regulation of 14-3-3 γ protein expression.

Bone-related diseases (e.g., osteoporosis) represent a significant health challenge, prompting research for effective therapeutic agents, particularly from natural sources. The edible mushroom, Mycoleptodonoides aitchisonii has attracted interest due to its wide range of biological activities. Cytotoxicity assays revealed no significant toxicity of the M. aitchisonii water extract (MAWE) up to 50 μg/mL. MAWE significantly promoted dose-dependent osteoblast differentiation with ALP activity and mineralization increase by 109.17 % and 23 %, respectively, compared with the differentiation-only group. Moreover, MAWE significantly upregulated osteoblast-related gene expressions, including that of type I collagen (COL1A), osterix (Osx), and osteopontin (OPN). Furthermore, MAWE treatment significantly increased AMPK phosphorylation. This effect was further confirmed by demonstrating that the AMPK inhibitor compound C suppressed AMPK phosphorylation, and subsequent MAWE treatment restored it. In summary, these results demonstrate that MAWE possesses potent osteoblast differentiation-promoting efficacy, primarily through AMPK signaling pathway activation.

This study was conducted to investigate the residue pattern in milk of tetrachlorvinphos oral product used in dairy cows and to suggest an appropriate withdrawal period for the tetrachlorvinphos oral product in milk. The oral product containing tetrachlorvinphos was administered per oral to Holstein dairy cows at a dose of 3.4 g of the active ingredient per 100 kg body weight (maximum dose). Milk was collected at 12-hour intervals during administration and up to 120 hours after termination of administration to determinate tetrachlorvinphos residue in milk by LC-MS/MS. Tetrachlorvinphos residues at each time point and the maximum residue level for tetrachlorvinphos in milk (0.01 mg/kg) were applied to a non-statistical model to establish the withdrawal period of the test product. The recovery, precision, coefficient of determination(R2), limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantitation (LOQ) of the analytical methods used to quantify tetrachlorvinphos were 98%~104%, 5%~11%, 0.9981~ 0.9991 and 2 μg/kg, 7 μg/kg, respectively. These parameters met all the method validation criteria suggested by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and were used as an analytical method for tetrachlorvinphos in milk. When this product was administered to dairy cows at 1x dose by feeding, the tetrachlorvinphos was undetectable in milk (below the limit of detection) in all cows during the dosing period and up to 120 hours after termination of administration. Therefore, we suggest the withdrawal period of this product in milk as 0 days.

The Republic of Korea has experienced rapid economic growth alongside increasing concern for animal welfare. However, progress in improving farm animal welfare remains slow, particularly in slaughterhouses, which are recognized as critical points for animal welfare concerns due to numerous issues observed. Due to the impracticality of assessing all slaughterhouses nationwide, this study conducted a field survey of seven chicken slaughterhouses utilizing the widely adopted WQ® protocol. The evaluation criteria included crate density, rough handling, plumage loss and emaciation, panting or huddling, wing flapping, vocalization, leg fractures, and dead-on arrival (DOA). Given that broilers are transported in crates from farms to the stunning area, the relationship between crate density and these welfare indicators was analyzed. The significance level was set at <0.05. Revealed correlations between crate density and various health and welfare indicators, including rough handling, plumage loss and emaciation, crate height, panting or huddling, pen spacing, lairage temperature and humidity, wing flapping, vocalization, and DOA. This study represents a pioneering effort in the Korean poultry industry, marking the first development of a welfare standard for chicken slaughterhouses.