The seven-spotted lady beetle, Coccinella septempunctata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), known also as the seven-spot ladybird, is natural enemy for aphids and has a broad ecological range, living almost anywhere there are aphids for it to eat. In order to understand the genetic diversity and geographic variation of the species we sequenced a portion of mitochondrial COI gene (658 bp) and complete nuclear internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) collected from nine Korean localities. A total of 21 haplotypes (CSCOI01 ~ CSCOI21), with the maximum sequence divergence of 4.56% (30 bp) were obtained from COI gene sequence (from 78 individuals), whereas 65 sequence types (CSITS201 ~ CSITS265), with the maximum sequence divergence of 2.06% (11 positions) were obtained from ITS2 (from 79 individuals), indicating substantially larger sequence divergence in mitochondrial gene sequence. Both COI gene and ITS2 shows the distribution pattern that only a few haplotypes or sequence types are widely distributed, whereas majority of them are highly restricted in one geographic location, even represented as a single individual. Unlikely the ITS2 sequence types the mitochondrial COI haplotypes evidenced the presence of two main phylogenetic groups, reciprocally monophyletic to each other. Geographically, these two groups are spread in all localities surveyed. Considering both COI gene and ITS2 sequence together, current our data may suggest the presence of ancestral polymorphism, rather than on-going speciation, but more scrutinized analysis will be performed soon. Due partially by the presence of both COI groups in all surveyed localities, the genetic diversity estimates of all localities are similar from the perspective of COI gene, but ITS data showed extremely lower genetic diversity of one islet locality, Anmyeon-do (locality 2; 0.002530 vs. 0.008054 ~ 0.012060). Analysis of gene flew estimates between localities indicates that most populations are highly interconnected to each other. However, one islet locality, Anmyeon-do (locality) has shown statistically significant distance from the remaining localities on the basis of only ITS2 data (FST = 0.19 ~ 0.34), requiring scrutinized phylogeographic inference on this population with expanded sampling. As more scrutinized analysis is performed, further fruitful inference on the geographic contour of the species might be available.

Teeth develop via a reciprocal induction between the ectomesenchyme originating from the neural crest and the ectodermal epithelium. During complete formation of the tooth morphology and structure, many cells proliferate, differentiate, and can be replaced with other structures. Apoptosis is a type of genetically-controlled cell death and a biological process arising at the cellular level during development. To determine if apoptosis is an effective mechanism for eliminating cells during tooth development, this process was examined in the rat mandible including the developing molar teeth using the transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick labeling (TUNEL) method. The tooth germ of the mandibular first molar in the postnatal rat showed a variety of morphological appearances from the bell stage to the crown stage. Strong TUNEL-positive reactivity was observed in the ameloblasts and cells of the stellate reticulum. Odontoblasts near the prospective cusp area also showed a TUNEL positive reaction and several cells in the dental papilla, which are the forming pulp, were also stained intensively in this assay. Our results thus show that apoptosis may take place not only in epithelial-derived dental organs but also in the mesenchyme-derived dental papilla. Hence, apoptosis may be an essential biological process in tooth development.

Ursolic acid is a triterpenoid compound present in many plants. This study examined the antimicrobial activity of ursolic acid against mutans streptococci (MS) isolated from the Korean population. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated by the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and time kill curves of MS. The cytotoxicity of ursolic acid against KB cells was tested using an MTT assay. The MIC90 values of ursolic acid for Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus isolated from the Korean population were 2 μg/ml and 4 μg/ml, respectively. Ursolic acid had a bactericidal effect on S. mutans ATCC 25175 T and S. sobrinus ATCC 33478 T at > 2 × MIC (4 μg/ml) and 4 × MIC (8 μg/ml), respectively. Ursolic acid had no cytotoxic effect on KB cells at concentrations at which it exerted antimicrobial effects. The results suggest that ursolic acid can be used in the development of oral hygiene products for the prevention of dental caries.

Influenza virus infection is a zoonosis that results in high mortality in animals and humans. Several recent avian influenza outbreaks have posed a significant public health threat to humans because there have been many cases of direct interspecies transmission from birds to humans. Influenza virus infection causes acute respiratory failure, which is the main cause of death, while chronic influenza virus infection in the central nervous system results in neural dysfunction. Of particular interest, according to one report, a group of patients who recovered from influenza virus infection during pandemics showed neuropsychiatric disorders, including depression, schizophrenia, and Parkinsonism. Thus, study of the etiology of neuropsychiatric disorders caused by influenza virus infection is needed. In order to conduct necessary experiments, it is essential to reproduce neurological phenomena that are manifested by human patients who have recovered from influenza virus infection using laboratory animals. In this review, we will discuss some of the facts that should be considered when establishing an animal model for study of central nervous system responses to influenza virus infection using mice.

This study was to investigate the effects of upper and lower limb composing patterns of PNF(proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation) on the static balance ability by 20 subjects for 6 weeks. This study was measured left one leg standing and right one leg standing with closed eyes on Good Balance system. These results led us to the conclusion that the mean speed of X, Y direction, COP(center of Pressure) velocity moment showed a statistical decrease when applying post-exercise. The above results from this study indicated that upper and lower limb composing patterns of PNF exercise has improved the static balance ability. As a result, this study showed that upper and lower limb composing patterns exercise improve the ability of balance in young adults. Based on this study, it may be applied to old people.

This study is intended to examine the motor skill learning and treadmill exercise on motor performance and synaptic plasticity in the cerebellar injured rats by harmaline. Experiment groups were divided into four groups and assigned 15 rats to each group. GroupⅠ was a normal control group(induced by saline); GroupⅡ was a experimental control group(cerebellar injured by harmaline); GroupⅢ was a group of motor skill learning after cerebellar injured by harmaline; GroupⅣ was a group of treadmill exercise after cerebellar injured by harmaline. In motor performance test, the outcome of groupⅡ was significantly lower than the groupⅢ, Ⅳ(especially groupⅢ)(p<.001). In histological finding, the experimental groups were destroy of dendrities and nucleus of cerebellar neurons. GroupⅢ, Ⅳ were decreased in degeneration of cerebellar neurons(especially groupⅢ). In immunohistochemistric response of synaptophysin in cerebellar cortex, experimental groups were decreased than groupⅠ. GroupⅢ's expression of synaptophysin was more increased than groupⅡ, Ⅳ. In electron microscopy finding, the experimental groups were degenerated of Purkinje cell. These result suggest that improved motor performance by motor skill learning after harmaline induced is associated with dynamically altered expression of synaptophysin in cerebellar cortex and that is related with synaptic plasticity.

본 연구에서는 TiO2 나노입자로 표면침적된 polyethersulfone (PES) 정밀여과 분리막이 자연유기물로 인한 분리막 막힘현상(파울링)에 미치는 영향을 관찰하였다. TiO2 나노입자로 표면침적된 PES 정밀여과 분리막의 자연유기물 파울링 거동에 TiO2 나노입자의 결정구조와 용액의 pH 그리고 Ca+2이 미치는 영향을 관찰하였다. 연구결과, TiO2 나노입자로 표면 개질된 정밀여과 분리막은 자연유기물에 의한 파울링 현상을 현저하게 감소시킬 수 있음을 확인 할 수 있었다. 그러나 이와같은 현상은 TiO2 나노입자의 결정구조와 용액의 성상에 매우 의존하는 것으로 나타났다. 자연유기물 파울링의 감소는 결정구조가 상대적으로 불안정한 anatase TiO2 나노입자를 분리막에 표면침적 시, 용액 중 Ca+2이 존재하지 않을 때 상대적으로 높은 pH에서 효과적인 것으로 관찰되었다. 그러나 Ca+2의 첨가 시 이와 같은 효과는 높은 pH에서 더욱 증가할 수 있음을 확인할 수 있었다. 반면, 결정구조가 상대적으로 안정한 rutile TiO2 나노입자의 경우 자연유기물의 파울링 감소는 용액의 조성에 큰 영향을 받지 않는 것으로 나타났다.

The experimental work was conducted to investigate the effects of the application level of composted cattle manure (CCM) on forage productivity using whole crop barely (WCB)-whole crop rice (WCR) double cropping system for 3 years. Main plot was consisted of application level of CCM such as 150%, 200% and control plot. The total DMY of forages under WCB and WCR in treatment of CF significantly decreased as compared with that of treatment of CCM 150%. However, NDF, ADF and CP content of WCB and WCR were hardly influenced by CCM application.

In recent years, there has been a rapid global decline in amphibian populations, and infectious diseases have been associated with this decline. Diseased Gold-spotted pond frogs (Rana plancyi chosenica) were collected from a frog farm in Korea and identif

This study was carried out to investigate effect of herbal extracts mixtures on hair growth in an alopecia model of C57BL/6 mice. There were 4 experimental groups including distilled water (DW, negative control), 25% ethanol(EtOH, vehicle control) and two herbal extract mixtures (HE-1 and HE-2). HE-1 included Polygonum and Brassica campestris extracts and HE-2 included Mulberry root and Gardenia extracts. The 6 weeks-old C57BL/6 male mice were shaved with an electric clipper and the test compounds were topically treated with 0.2 ml per mouse daily for 3 weeks. The hair re-growth was photographically determined at days 0, 4, 7, 10, 14, 17, and 21. The number of mast cells which is an important modulator of hair growth was counted in 1 cm of dorsal skin section of mice. There were no clinical signs in all experimental groups. As the results of photometric analysis, the topical application of the herbal extracts (HE-1 & 2) for 2 weeks to dorsal skin accelerated hair re-growth remarkably faster than that of DW group (p＜0.05). Activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) was significantly increased in EtOH group compared to DW group (p＜0.05). Both herbal extract mixtures also increased the ALP activity, but it was not significantly different from DW. Treatment of mice with HE-2 significantly increased mast cell population compared to EtOH. Taken together, these results suggest that herbal extract mixtures used in this study may have hair-growth promoting activities and can be useful for treatment for male pattern baldness or alopecia in humans.

The study was conducted to gather basic information on the occurrence of phytophagous nematodes for the establishment of nematode management strategy in major highland crop production such as chinese cabbage, carrot and potato. Soil samples were collected from five areas in 48 fields in the highland and sub-highland (425m to 1136m asl) areas in 2006. Majority (88%) of the soil samples contained the root-knot nematodes, Meloidogyne hapla. The average density of the root-knot nematodes in chinese cabbage, carrot and potato fields were 8.3, 18.0 and 25.9 nematodes/100g soil, respectively. Helicotylenchus sp., Pratylenchus sp. and Dorylaimida sp. were also detected but in low densities.Root-knot nematode damage was not detected in potato growth and harvest at 0, 2, 12, 23 nematodes/100g soil densities.

In the process of bone remodeling, mineral phase of bone is dissolved by osteoclasts, resulting in elevation of calcium concentration in micro-environment. This study was performed to explore the effect of high extracellular calcium (Cα²+e) on mineralized nodule formation and on the expression of progressive ankylosis (Ank), plasma cell membrane glycoprotein-1 (PC-1) and osteopontin by primary cultured mouse calvarial cells. Osteoblastic differentiation and mineralized nodule formation was induced by culture of mouse calvarial cells in osteoblast differentiation medium containing ascorbic acid and β-glycerophosphate. Although Ank, PC-1 and osteopontin are well known inhibitors of mineralization, expression of these genes were induced at the later stage of osteoblast differentiation during when expression of osteocalcin, a late marker gene of osteoblast differentiation, was induced and mineralization was actively progressing. High Cα²+e(10 mM) treatment highly enhanced mRNA expression of Ank, PC-1 and osteopontin in the late stage of osteoblast differentiation but not in the early stage. Inhibition of p44/42 MAPK activation but not that of protein kinase C suppressed high Cα²+e- induced expression of Ank, PC-1 and osteopontin. When high Cα²+e (5 mM or 10 mM) was present in culture medium during when mineral deposition was actively progressing, matrix calcifiation was significantly increased by high Cα²+e. This stimulatory effect was abolished by pyrophosphate (5 mM) or levamisole (0.1-0.5 mM), an alkaline phosphatase inhibitor. In addition, probenecid (2mM), an inhibitor of Ank, suppressed matrix calcification in both control and high Cα²+e- treated group, suggesting the possible role of Ank in matrix calcification by osteoblasts. Taken together, these results showed that high Cα²+e stimulates expression of Ank, PC-1 and osteopontin as well as matrix calcification in late differentiation stage of osteoblasts and that p44/42 MAPK activation is involved in high Cα²+e- induced expression of Ank, PC-1 and osteopontin.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the nutrient intake status of elderly dementia patients. We surveyed the dietary intake of 50 demented elderly patients receiving a regular diet, who were hospitalized in a geriatric hospital in Yongin, Gyeonggi-do. The average age of the subjects was 79.6 土6.5 for the males and 80.5 土6.3 for the females. The average heights were 169.5 土6.0 cm (males) and 154.6 土5.2 cm (females), and the average weights were 58.5 土7.4 (males) and 51.7 土8.9 kg (females). Depending on the type of dementia, the male patients showed significant differences in their intakes of vegetable protein, fiber, total iron, and non-heme iron between the Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and the vascular dementia (VD) groups, and the female patients showed significant differences in their intakes of total protein, phosphorus, zinc, and vitamin B6 between the two groups. The male patients showed significant differences in their intakes of animal-source calcium and carotene according to ability to self-feed. According to physical activity, the male patients showed significant differences in vegetable fat and vitamin A intake, and the females showed significant differences in their intakes of total protein, animal protein, fiber, ash, total calcium, vegetable-source calcium, animal-source calcium, phosphorous, total iron, non-heme iron, heme iron, sodium, vitamins B1, B2, B6, niacin, vitamin C, folate, and potassium. We found that the patients consumed excessive protein, but low amounts of calcium, vitamin B2, and folate. Also, the patients’ physical activity abilities appeared to affect their nutrient intakes.