Insect growth regulators (IGRs) are insecticides that disrupt the normal development of target insects. Among the IGR insecticides, juvenile hormone (JH)-related IGRs are of particular interest because they stimulate or interfere with the formation of JH receptor complex. In the precious studies, novel JH-related IGRs with JH agonist (JHA) and antagonist (JHAN) activity were identified by using yeast two-hybrid system transformed with the Aedes aegypti JH receptor complex. In this study, the transcriptomic responses of Aedes albopictus were investigated upon JHA and JHAN, respectively. These results will provide important information about understanding of impact of JH-related IGRs in transcription level.

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a gram-positive bacterium that produces parasporal crystal proteins known as endotoxins or Cry proteins. The Cry protoxins are then cleaved by insect midgut proteinases to form active Bt toxins. The activated Cry protein then binds to specific receptors at the midgut epithelium. Cadherin-like and aminopeptidase N (APN) proteins are involved in Bt toxin binding by interacting sequentially with different toxin structures. Aminopeptidase N (APNs) from several insect species have been shown to be putative receptors for these toxins. We have characterized four different midgut APNs(APN1, APN2, APN3, APN4) cDNAs from S. exigua. Forward primers and reverse primers for confirmation of four different midgut APNs were designed based on their sequences cloned from the cDNA libraries. Quantitative RT-PCR procedures includes 42℃ for 20min (cDNA synthesis), 99℃ for 5min, and 35 cycles (94℃ for 1min, and 60℃ for 50 s) for collection. Four aminopeptidase N isoforms were confirmed with qRT-PCR. Sequence analysis was performed by BlastX search the National Center for Biotechnology Information(NCBI) nucleotide. Furthermore, double-stranded RNAs(dsRNAs) were synthesized. DsRNAs were determined for bioassay.

Nicotine, a major teratogen of cigarettes smoke induces embryonic abnormalities during the early stages of organogenesis. In this study, the protective effect of β-carotene against nicotine–induced embryos was evaluated by morphologic scoring, nile blue staining, lipid peroxidation, SOD activity assay and real-time PCR. The embryos exposed to nicotine (1 μM) revealed remarkable morphological anomalies compared to normal control group (p<0.05), but when β-carotene (1×10‒4 μM or 5×10‒4 μM) was added concurrently to the embryos exposed to nicotine, morphological parameters were significantly improved (p<0.05). Nicotine induced oxidative stress by increased lipid peroxidation, expression of proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-1β), caspases-3 and decreased SOD activity. However, administration of β-carotene (1×10‒4 μM or 5×10‒4 μM) restored the SOD level and decreased oxidative damage in the embryos. These results indicate that β-carotene effectively counteracts the deleterious effects of nicotine on embryos and attenuates oxidative damage possibly through its antioxidant effects.

Nicotine, a major toxic component in tobacco smoke, leads to severe embryonic damages on organogenesis. We investigated if resveratrol can inhibit the nicotine–induced teratogenesis in the cultured mouse embryos (embryonic day 8.5) for 48 hours using a whole embryo culture system. The embryos exposed to nicotine (1 μM) revealed severe morphological anomalies, the increased levels of caspase-3 mRNA and lipid peroxidation, and further the lowered levels of mitochondrial manganese superoxide dismutase (SOD), cytosolic glutathione peroxidase (GPx), phospholipid hydroperoxide GPx, hypoxia-inducible factor 1α, and sirtuin mRNAs and SOD activity significantly compared to normal control group (p<0.05). However, whenre sveratrol(1×10‒5 μMor1 ×10‒4 μM) was added concurrently to the embryos exposed to nicotine, these all parameters were significantly improved (p<0.05).These findings indicate that resveratrol has a protective effect against nicotine-induced teratogenesis in mouse embryos throughout antioxidative and anti-apoptotic activities.

최근의 전쟁양상은 과거의 전쟁과는 확연히 구분되어 첨단 정보·과학전 능력이 전쟁의 승패를 결정짓는다. 전쟁양상의 변화에 따라 각 국가들이 국방력 강화를 위해 추구해야할 요소들 또한 변화되었다. 또한, 북한을 비롯한 중국과 일본의 첨단 군사력 증강은 동북아 지역의 패권 경쟁을 예고하고 있으며 향후 우리 안보정세에 있어서의 심각한 위협 요인으로 대두되고 있다. 따라서 미래 전에 대비한 첨단 기술소요를 선별하여 전략적 차원에서 집중 개발함으로써 신기술, 신개념의 미래첨단 무기 개발능력을 확보하여 자주국방을 수립하기 위한 기반을 시급하다. 이를 위해, 본 연구에서는 국방연구개발 역량 강화하여 핵심기술의 개발 및 선진기술 추격을 위한 전략적 R&D 거버넌스를 구축하고자 한다. 본 연구는 크게 세 가지로 나누어 볼 수 있는데, 첫 번째로 기술 추격형 국방연구개발 사업의 R&D 거버넌스 모형 수립을 위한 기존 거버넌스에 관한 이론연구이다. 기존 거버넌스 연구는 공통문제 해결 기제로서의 거버넌스, 정부 관련 공통문제 해결기제로서의 거버넌스, 신 거버넌스의 측면으로 나누어 살펴보았다. 두 번째는 국방연구개발 전략 수립을 위한 R&D 거버넌스 핵심 프로세스를 통한 전략제시이다. 이는 전략적 의지를 통한 국방연구개발 사업 결정, 핵심기술 지식기반 확충, 개방형 국방연구개발을 위한 유기적인 조직체계 구축, 국방연구개발 프로젝트 관리 방안 측면에서 분석해보았다. 세 번째는 R&D 거버넌스 전략모형과 T-50 사례분석이다. T-50 사례는 기초연구 단계, 탐색개발 단계, 체계개발 단계 별로 본 연구에서 제시하는 R&D 거버넌스 전략모형에 비추어 사례분석을 실시하였다.

Bone remodeling is a process controlled by the action of two major bone cells; the bone forming osteoblast and the bone resorbing osteoclast. In the process of osteoclastogenesis, stromal cells and osteoblast produce RANKL, OPG, and M-CSF, which in turn regulate the osteoclastogenesis. During the bone resorption by activated osteoclasts, extracellular Ca²+/PO₄²- concentration and degraded organic materials goes up, providing the hypertonic microenvironment. In this study, we tested the effects of hypertonicity due to the degraded organic materials on osteoclastogenesis in co-culture system. It was examined the cellular response of osteoblastic cell in terms of osteoclastogenesis by applying the sucrose, and mannitol, as a substitute of degraded organic materials to co-culture system. Apart from the sucrose, mannitol, and NaCl was tested to be compared to the effect of organic osmotic particles. The addition of sucrose and mannitol (25, 50, 100, 150, or 200 mM) to co-culture medium inhibited the number of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) positive multinucleated cells induced by 10 nM (). However, NaCl did exert harmful effect upon the cells in this co-culture system, which is attributed to DNA damage in high concentration of NaCl. To further investigate the mechanism by which hypertonicity inhibits -induced osteoclastogenesis, the mRNA expressions of receptor activator of nuclear factor (NF)-kB ligand (RANKL) and osteoprotegerin (OPG) were monitored by RT-PCR. In the presence of sucrose (50 mM), RANKL mRNA expression was decreased in a dose-dependent manner, while the change in OPG and M-CSF mRNA were not occurred in significantly. The RANKL mRNA expression was inhibited for 48 hours in the presence of sucrose (50 mM), but such a decrement recovered after 72 hours. However, there were no considerable changes in the expression of OPG and M-CSF mRNA. Conclusively, these findings strongly suggest that hypertonic stress down-regulates -induced osteoclastogenesis via RANKL signal pathway in osteoblastic cell, and may playa pivotal role as a regulator that modulates osteoclastogenesis.

We constructed marine forest to restore barren grounds which are expanding in the east coast of Korea using 2 methods of (1)seedlings transplantation method and (2)underwater floating ropes method. We transplanted 3 macroalgae species, Ecklonia cava, Undaria pinnatifida, and Saccharina. japonica to construct marine forest. Blade length of Undaria pinnatifida on underwater floating ropes was 56.70±8.69㎜ in April and grew 68.75±22.30㎜ in May and 70.75±14.36㎜ in July. Blade length of S. japonica was shown 97.95-143.00㎜ in April to June. Blade length of Ecklonia cava was 30.50±1.91㎜ in May, 41.55±1.84㎜ in August, 45.30±2.57㎜ in November, 2009 and 45.30±1.99㎜ in February, 2010. The survey on Dangsa area, Ulsan-city in January, 2009 found a total number of 15 algal species(1 brown algae, 14 red algae species) with the highest variety at 5m depth of A station and the lowest at 8m depth of A and B stations. The March survey showed a total of 24 species (1 green algae, 1 brown algae, 22 red algae species) with the highest variety of 11 at depths of 3m and 5m of B station and the lowest of 6 at 10m of B station. In May, total biomass was 3,755.4g (green algae 1.2g, brown algae 199.0g, red algae 3,555.2g). From January, 2009, we found that E. cava was dominant at the depths of 3m and 5m of A and B stations while Peyssonnelia capensis was dominant at the depth of 8m of A station. The 8m depth of B station was dominated by Acrosorium polyneurum. In May, Grateloupia lanceolata was dominant at 8m depth of A station while other depths were dominated by Phycodrys fimbriata. In June, the dominant species were G. lanceolata at the 3m depth, E. cava at the 5m and P. fimbriata at the depths of 8m and 10m of A station. Under B station, G. lanceolata was dominant at the depths of 3m and 5m while P. fimbriata was dominant at the depths of 8m and 10m.

The GA application on grapevines induces parthenocarpy, fruit set without fertilization, and the inhibition of pollen tube growth. But the molecular mechanism underlying this inhibition is not understood. Similar defective pollen tube growth within the transmitting tract has been reported in the mutant of GABA transaminase (GABA-T), referred to as pollen-pistil-interaction2 (pop2) in Arabidopsis. In spite of the similarity of pollen tube growth inhibition observed in GA-applied grapevines with that of pop2, only the effects of GABA on stress responses in grapevines have been reported. In present study, transcriptional changes of Vitis GABA metabolic genes, together with changes in GABA levels with or without GA application were analyzed to define how GA application restrained the pollen tube growth in grapevines. A GA solution (Dongbu, Seoul, Korea) at 100 ppm was onto inflorescence clusters 14 days before full bloom (DBF) and clusters were harvested at 0, 1, 2, 4, 7, 9, 12, 14, 16, and 19 days after GA application. Harvested inflorescence samples were immediately frozen in LN2 and extracted RNA and amino acid. The GABA contents were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography (Agilent 1100 HPLC, Agilent Technologies, Inc., Santa Clara, USA) equipped with a C18 column (4.6 mm×150 mm, 3.5 μm/VDS optilab, Berlin, Germany), according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Without GA application, the simultaneous high expressions of VvGAD1, VvGAD4 and VvGABA-T2 during 10 to 5 days before full bloom (DBF) showing the activation of GABA metabolism. But the contents of GABA were low before 2 DBF, and it peaked only at near full bloom when expression levels of VvGABA-T2 remained low. After GA application, the contents of GABA were constant during 10 to 5 DBF, although transcription levels of both VvGAD1 and VvGABA-T2 rapidly declined less than 30% of the levels observed without GA application. However, the GABA levels increased more than 2-fold only at near full bloom, compared to those without GA application, and at that time, expression levels of VvGAD1 up-regulated more than 3-fold and those of VvGABA-T2 kept low. But other amino acid contents did not show significant changes. In case of VvSSAHDs, their transcriptional changes with or without GA application were not correlated with GABA levels. These results indicates that GABA levels before pollination is tightly regulated, but GA application alters the GABA-shunt to accumulate excess GABA more than needed for proper pollen tube growth at full bloom. Gibberellin application alters the GABA-shunt to accumulate excess GABA resulting in inhibition pollen tube growth in grapevines.

Sorghum is the fifth most important cereal in the world as one of the staple food. For the use of natural dye, we have done some researches about sorghum red pigments extracted from stalk and leaves on its physiochemical properties, extracting methods and applications. The researches involved maximum extraction of sorghum pigment and analysis of its processing condition. Total polyphenol and tannin contents were measured by varieties and different plant parts. The stabilities of pigment by irradiation and heat treatment for processing were measured by colorimeter and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). In addition, hybrid nano-silica composites with sorghum pigment were made by combining with polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate and sodium silicate. Water silica hybrids with sorghum pigment were performed by emulsion treatment. Nano-silica particles were identified and measured their size to be about 200 ~ 400 nm by SEM analysis.

Happymi is a new sweetpotato variety developed from Mokpo Experiment Station, National Institute of Crop Science(NICS), RDA in 2004, which was for the raw eating and processing. This variety was selected from the cross between Chinmi andMA 3 in 1996, seed