True hermaphrodites are animals of equivocal sex in which both male and female gonads develop simultaneously. The frequency of true hermaphroditism is higher in pigs than in other domestic animals. Two Korean pigs were diagnosed with true hermaphroditism showing ovotestes, epididymes, penes, and uteri. Histomorphologically, the testicular tissues consisted of Sertoli cells that were devoid of spermatogenic germ cells and showed proliferation of interstitial cells. However, the uteri were of normal architecture and had well-developed uterine endometrial glands. The samples were 38, XX female karyotype without the sex-determining region Y (SRY) gene. The findings of this study could contribute to the understanding of true hermaphroditism in the Korean pig industry. * This work was supported by a grant (Code# PJ008148) from BioGreen21 Program, Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea.

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of acteoside (the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor) on the SCNT efficiency with adult fibroblasts in dog. Canine adult fibroblasts were obtained from muscle and cell cycle of fibroblasts was synchronized by culturing to confluency, serum starvation and treating with 30 μM acteoside for 48 h. Cell cycle stages, cell cytotoxicity (apoptosis) and, prduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were analyzed using flow cytometry. The canine cells, prepared by confluent-cell culture or treating with 30 μM acteoside for 48 h, were injected into enucleated in vivo matured oocytes, the couplets were electrical fused and activated by calcium ionomycin. SCNT embryos using acteoside-treated fibroblasts were surgically transferred into oviducts of estrus cycle synchronized recipient dogs. In cell cycle synchronization (G0/G1), there was no significant difference between serum starvations (83.9%) and acteoside treated groups (81.3%) that were higher than confluent group (78.5%). In production of apoptosis, confluent and acteoside treated groups (4.3 and 4.5%, respectively) were generated less than serum starvation group (21.8%). In case of ROS, serum starvation group was induced a significantly higher than other groups. After synchronization of the donor cell cycle, either confluent or acteoside treated, cells were placed with enucleated in vivo-matured dog oocytes, fused by electric stimulation, activated, and transferred into naturally estrus-synchronized surrogates. Fusion and cleavage rate of acteoside treated group were 64.1 and 41.5%, which were higher than those of confluent group (53.9 and 20.6%, respectively). The reconstructed embryo development rates to 4-cell and 8-cell in acteoside treated group were 29.5 and 14.8%, respectively, while confluent group showed 11.1 and 3.2%, respectively. Total 54 SCNT embryos using acteoside-treated fibroblasts were transferred into oviducts of 2 recipient dogs and one recipient finally delivered one puppy, whereas din`t detected pregnancy on transfer of cloned embryos reconstructed with confluent cells in 6 surrogate dogs. In conclusion, the results of the current study demonstrated that canine fibroblasts could be successfully arrested at the G0/G1 stage with reduced the formation of ROS and apoptosis after acteoside treatment. This results may contribute to improve the effi-ciency of canine SCNT. * This research was supported by iPET (Grants 110056-3), Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Republic of Korea.

Acteoside acts as an anti-oxidative activity and anti-apoptosis in the cells. But, it has been not studied on maturation and development of porcine oocytes. The aims of the present study were to examine the effects of acteoside on the morphological progress of meiosis, developmental competence, and ROS in porcine oocytes. Oocytes were matured in tissue culture medium-199, supplemented with acteoside at various concentrations: 0 (control), 10, 30 and 50 μM. The oocytes maturation rates of groups supplemented with acteoside were no significantly different (81.13, 85.96, 82.95 and 83.68%, respectively). Level of ROS was significantly decreased in acteoside treated group. Furthermore, the parthenogenetic blastocyst rate was significantly improved in 10 μM acteoside treated group compared with control group (44.83 vs. 27.75%). And we investigated effect of acteoside on the oocytes condition represented by cytoplasmic maturation by homogeneous distribution and formation of cytoplasmic organelles and regulation of apoptosis-related genes. In the results. during IVM, 10 μM acteoside treated oocytes showed that the mitochondria and lipid droplet were smaller and homogeneous distribution in cytoplasm compare with control oocytes. And reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RTPCR) of parthenogenetic blstocysts revealed that acteoside increased the anti-apoptotic genes (Mcl-1, Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL), whereas reduced the expression of pro-apoptotic genes (Bax and Bak). In conclusion, based on the results, the effect of acteoside on IVM was not attractive. However, in acteoside treated group, cytoplasmic maturation seemed to be improved with morphologically uniform distribution of cytoplasmic organelles. Furthermore, embryonic development in acteoside treated group was significantly highly increased than that of non-treated group. Our results represents that addition of acteoside to the IVM medium has a beneficial effect in physiology of porcine oocytes, providing a improved method for porcine oocytes in vitro. * This work was supported by a grant (Code# PJ008148) from BioGreen21 Program, Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea.

The objective of the current study was to describe in vitro embryo production in Hanwoo, analyzing oocytes yield and embryo production. The effects of oocytes production and the number of OPU procedures per animal on embryo production were also evaluated. OPU was done every 3～4 days during experimental period and collected oocytes were fertilized in vitro in both OPU and needle puncture groups. First, we compared the recovery rate of oocytes based on OPU session (Experiment 1). The average of collected oocytes was calculated from every 10 session. The average number of total oocytes recovered per animalonsessionwas 5.16 (mean). Second, we compared the recovery rate base on collection period of OPU (Experiment 2). The following results show the difference of the number of recovered oocytes in every month during the procedure between the months of session. Every animal shows the constant number of recovered oocytes for the first 5 months. However, the recovery rate of oocytes was decreased from month 6 to 8. Third, we compared the developmental rate to blastocyst in two groups (Experiment 3). Oocytes by needle puncture were fertilized with frozen-thawing semen; the cleavage rate 24～48 h after in vitro fertilization (IVF) was 75.8% and blastocyst development rate was 18.8% in needle puncture group. Even though there is lower cleavage rate after IVF in OPU group (61.1%), blastocyst development rate was higher compared with needle puncture group (28.4%). In conclusion, Blastocyst developmental rate could be increased by OPU than classical method of needle puncture. Improvement of bio- technique in collecting oocytes could be applied to understand the reproductive physiology in cattle, expecially Hanwoo. Therefore, further investigation should be done to clarify the efficiency and advantage of OPU involved in reproduction in animals and human being.

The objective of this study was to evaluate in vitro production of bovine embryos in Hanwoo. Oocytes were collected by ovum pick up (OPU) from ovaries of genetically high-value Hanwoo or by needle puncture from ovaries of slaughtered cattle. OPU was done every 3 4 days duing experimental period and collected oocytes were fertilized in vitro in both OPU and needle puncture groups. First, We compared the in vitro maturation rate in two groups (Experiment 1). 545 oocytes were recoverd from 4 females by 32 trials of OPU and then 433 oocytes were shown MⅡ stage after in vitro maturation (79.4%). In case of needle puncture group, 1905 oocytes were collected and then 1420 oocytes were matured to MⅡ stage during in vitro culture(74.5%). Second, we compared the developmental rate to blastocyst in two groups (Experiment 2). 1420 oocyte by needle puncture were fertilized with frozen-thawing semen; the cleavage rate 24 48 h after in vitro fertilization (IVF) was 88.6% and blastocyst development rate was 20.5% in needle puncture group. Even though there is lower cleavage rate after IVF in OPU group (84.8%), blastocyst development rate was higher compared with needle puncture group (26.4%). In conclusion, Blastocyst developmental rate could be increased by OPU than classical method of needle puncture. Improvement of bio-technique in collecting oocytes could be applied to understand the reproductive physiology in cattle, expecially Hanwoo. Therefore, further investigation should be done to clarify the efficiency and advantage of OPU involved in reproduction in animals and human being. This research was suppoted by Imsil-gun agricultural technology service center.

An ambrosia beetle, Platypus koryoensis, is a vector of Raffaelea quercimongolicae that is known to cause Korean Oak Wilt (KOW), one of the serious threats to forest healthy in Korea. To manage P. koryoensis properly, it is necessary to clarify flight period of the adult. This experiment was conducted to elucidate the relationship between temperature and the flight period based on field observation in three forests consisted of Quercus mongolica from 2007 to 2009 except winter season. Date of flight period for 50% (FP50) was estimated by the cumulative Weibull distribution model based on cumulative proportion of the adult density and air temperature. Relationship between site temperature and the date of FP50 of P. koryoensis was the most significant when temperatures below 6.5℃ were excluded, suggesting lower threshold temperature for the flight period based on the site temperature. The pooling cumulative proportion of flight period against degree days was well described by the degree-day model, which has explanatory power for the 89% of year and site variation in the flight period and predicted accurately the flight pattern in 2011.

Historically the rise of contagious diseases and epidemics has been mainly caused by lack of food safety knowledge and negligence in personal hygiene. Food poisoning is an example that have been caused by lack of proper knowledge in food safety and personal hygiene. In order to prove this hypothesis, our team distributed a total of 225 survey sheets to middle school students. Survey questions mainly focused on the students' food safety knowledge, personal hygiene and regular dietary habits. We used 12 items to determine the stages of change in teenagers and divided into 3 stages of change: precontemplation stage (poor problem recognition), contemplation and preparation stage (some problem recognition), and action stage. Out of the 225 students surveyed, 105(47.1%) were male and 118 (52.9%) were female; 44.0% were in 7th grade, 33.0% in 8th grade, and 24.0% in 9th grade. In stages of change model, 3.8% were classified in pre-contemplation stage, 31.1% in preparation stage, and 65.1% in action stage. The awareness of the significance of food safety has a strong positive correlation with the stages of change food safety behavior (P<0.001), which suggesting our questionnaires regarding stages of change and food safety behavior were quite credential. Stages of change were also correlated with the consumption of unsanitary foods (P<0.01) and with the frequent hand washing (P<0.05). The stages of change showed a positive correlation with the food safety knowledge level (P<0.05). The four questions (out of 10) with the least percentage of correct answers were questions about the meaning of Norovirus (23.6%), the meaning of expiration date (43.6%), the meaning of food poisoning (36.4%), and proper food-handling (36.0%).

The working mechanism of bisphosphonate on bone cells is unclear despite its powerful inhibitory activity on bone resorption. The differentiation and activation of osteoclasts are essential for bone resorption and are controlled by the stimulatory RANKL and inhibitory OPG molecules. Teeth exhibit a range of movement patterns during their eruption to establish their form and function, which inevitably accompanies peripheral bone resorption. Hence, the mandible, which contains the teeth during their eruption processes, is a good model for revealing the inhibitory mechanism of bisphosphonate upon bone resorption. In the present study, RANKL and OPG expression were examined immunohistochemically in the mandible of rats with developing teeth after alendronate administration (2.5 mg/kg). The preeruptive mandibular first molars at postnatal days 3 to 10 showed the developing stages from bell to crown. No morphological changes in tooth formation were observed after alendronate administration. The number of osteoclasts in the alveolar bone around the developing teeth decreased markedly at postnatal days 3, 7 and 10 compared with the control group. RANKL induced strong positive immunohistochemical reactions in the dental follicles and stromal cells around the mandibular first molar. In particular, many osteoclasts with strongly positive reactions to RANKL appeared above the developing mandibular first molars at postnatal days 3 and 10. Immunohistochemical reactions with RANKL after alendronate administration were weaker than the control groups. However, the immunohistochemical reactivity to OPG was stronger after alendronate administration, at postnatal days 3 and 10. These results suggest that alendronate may decrease bone resorption by regulating the RANKL/OPG pathway in the process of osteoclast formation, resulting in a delay in tooth eruption.

The conducting polymer-coated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were prepared by template polymerization of aniline and pyrrole on the surface of MWCNTs in order to develop the novel electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials. The conducting polymer phases formed on the surface of MWCNTs were confirmed by field emission-scanning electron microscopy and field emission-transmission electron microscopy. Both permittivity and permeability were significantly improved for the conducting polymer-coated MWCNTs due to the intrinsic electrical properties of MWCNTs and the conducting properties of coated polymers. The electromagnetic waves were effectively absorbed based on the permittivity nature of conducting polymer and MWCNTs preventing the secondary interference from reflecting the electromagnetic waves. The highly improved EMI shielding efficiency was also obtained for the conducting polymer-coated MWCNTs showing the synergistic effects by combining MWCNTs and the conducting polymers.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the most prevalent pathogens in hospitals. To investigate cross contamination by this bacterium in both dental and medical settings, the pathogens that cause acute pyogenic infection and one of the major microbes responsible for nosocomial infection were isolated from health care providers, nurses and patients. We used VITEK II to measure drug sensitivity, and we further performed biochemical testing, coagulase serotype testing and pulse-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) for isolated MRSA colonies. The isolation rate of Staphylococcus aureus from nasal swabs was 75.0% from dental health care providers and 18.8% from the medical health care providers. A total of 10 MRSA strains were isolated from 40 health care providers and 2 patients and the prevalent coagulase serotype from patients and health care providers was VII. The antimicrobial drug resistance and partial PFGE types of the isolated MRSA strains showed a similar pattern. These results suggest that MRSA may be one of the principal causes of nosocomial infection in dental and medical hospitals.

Multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) nanocomposite hydrogels were prepared by freezingthawing method for the electro-responsive transdermal drug delivery. MWCNTs were used as the functional ingredient to improve both mechanical and electrical properties of MWCNT/PVA nanocomposite hydrogels. The morphology of nanocomposites revealed the uniform distribution of MWCNTs and the good interfacial contact. The compression moduli of hydrogel matrices increased greatly from 40 to 1500 kPa by forming MWCNT/PVA nanocomposites. The swelling ratio of MWCNT/PVA nanocomposites decreased as the content of MWCNTs increased under no electric voltage applied. However, the swelling ratio of MWCNT/PVA nanocomposites increased as the content of MWCNTs increased under electric voltage applied and the applied electric voltage increased. The drug was released in the electro-responsive manner through the skin due to the electro-sensitive swelling characteristics of MWCNT/PVA nanocomposite hydrogels.

The alginate-based hydrogel was prepared as a pH-sensitive drug delivery system. To enhance the drug loading capacity, activated carbon was introduced as a drug absorbent. The iron oxide was incorporated into the alginate matrix for the magnetic transferring to the target organ. The activated carbon and iron-oxide were dispersed uniformly in the alginate hydrogel. The drug release from the alginate/activated carbon composite hydrogel was carried out in various pH conditions with vitamin B12 and Lactobacillus lamnosers as model drugs. The fast and sustainable release of drug was observed in the basic condition due to the pH-sensitive solubility of alginate. The novel drug delivery system having pH-sensitive release property and magnetic movement to target place was developed by using the alginate/activated carbon composite magnetic hydrogels.

The composites of alginate, carbon nanotube, and iron(III) oxide were prepared for the removal of heavy metal in aqueous pollutant. Both alginate and carbon nanotube were used as an adsorbent material and iron oxide was introduced for the easy recovery after removal of heavy metal to eliminate the secondary pollution. The morphology of composites was investigated by FE-SEM showing the carbon nanotubes coated with alginate and the iron oxide dispersed in the alginate matrix. The ferromagnetic properties of composites were shown by including iron(III) oxide additive. The copper ion removal was investigated with ICP AES. The copper ion removal efficiency increased greatly over 60% by using alginate-carbon nanotube composites.

This study was performed to investigate the effects of Needle Electrode Electrical Stimulation(NEES) on ischemia-induced cere˗ brovascular accidents. After obstruction and reperfusion of arteries in white mice, the amounts of necrosis and inflammation related sub˗ stances Bax, IL-6, Caspase-3, and COX-2 were measured in neurons of the fore-brain. The following results were obtained. This study used 21 male specific pathogen free(SPF) SD rats, 8 weeks of age and approximately 300g in weight. Each exposed artery was completely occluded with non-absorbent suture thread and kept in that state for 5 minutes. The sutures were then removed to allow reperfusion of blood. Test group is control group(common carotid artery occlusion models), a GI(underwent common carotid artery occlusion), and NEES(underwent NEES after artery occlusion). The GI and NEES groups were given 12, 24, or 48 hours of reperfusion before NEES. NEES device(PG6, ITO, Japan, 9V, current, 2Hz) was used to stimulate the bilateral acupoint ST36 of the SD rats for 30 minutes while they were sedated with 3% isoflurane. An immuno-his˗ tochemistry test was done on the forebrains of the GI induced rats. Both Bax and Caspase-3 immuno-reactive cells, related to apoptosis, were greater in the GI than the NEES group. Cox-2 and IL-6 immuno-reactive cells, related to inflammation, were greater in the GI and NEES groups than the control group. We can expect that applying NEES after ischemic CVA is effective for preventing brain cells from being destroyed. And we can conclude NEES should be applyed on early stage of ischemic CVA.

Insensitive acetylcholinesterase (AChE) was determined to be basically involved in a EPN-resistant (ER) strain and ER contaminated susceptible (CS) strain of diamondback moth (DBM, Plutella xylostella L.), as estimated by the AChE inhibition assay using DDVP as a inhibitor in nondenaturing electrophoresis gel. ER strain exhibited very high insensitivity revel, high resistance ratio and two point mutations (G227A, A201S) in ace1. CS strain showed intermediate insensitivity level, low resistance ratio and a point mutation (G227A). This finding suggests that the A201S mutation along with reported G227A mutation (Baek et al, 2005) can be main player to develop the organophosphate resistance. Additionally, surveyed seven local population DBMs saturated G227A mutation and A201S mutation mixed in some population. Also A441G mutation was detected in some population, but there was no significant correlation. These results suggest that A201S mutation could be one of the good candidate for molecular diagnosis marker of resistance monitoring.

Global warming is one of the most buzzing words these days, as the average temperature increased up to 6.4℃ before the end of 21st century and the water level to 59cm causing severe draught, heavy snowfall, and monster typhoon all over the world. The capacity of natural ecosystem will not be able to contain such changes. Many of the species will be endangered and some of them are warned to be extinct, and accordingly water and food supply will not meet the demand of human. In 2007, IPCC, Inter Governmental Panel on Climate Change, made fourth report about global warming and estimated that the CO2 content in the atmosphere increased about 1.35 times to 379ppm at 2005 from 280ppm before the industrialization period pulling the average air temperature up by 0.7℃ a year. The water level as well increased by 1.8mm a year as the polar iceberg and permanent snow melt down. Global warming caused by environmental pollution and greenhouse gas may lead to the increase of price of not only agricultural product but also the industrial products as a consequence, a phenomenon so called Ecoflation, Ecology+inflation. IPCC forecasted that if the present phase use of fossil energy continues the air temperature in 2090-2099 will increase by 4℃ and the water level by 26-59cm compared to that of 1980-1999, warning particularly that the average increase of global temperature by 1.5-2.5℃ a year will put the species of 20-30% into danger of extinction. According to the report by the Korea National Statistical Office about the effect of climate change on the production of agriculture and fishery, the cultivation area of apple which is typical temperate fruit decreased to 29,204ha in 2007 from 52,447ha in 1992. On the other hand the cultivation area of peach increased greatly to 15,014ha(2005) compared to 12,000ha in 1996 as it became possible to grow wherever in Korea. Similar change can also be found for orange and grape, orange can be grown in Jeonnam and Kyuongnam province, and grape in Kangwon province. Jeju island and southern coastal area of Korea worry about the inhabitation of subtropical pests when they invade these area, in fact the pest outbreak as a result of the increase of generation a year is ever more frequent. The typical examples are Paratlanticus ussuriensis (Uvarov), the lantern fly, Lycorma delicatula, and the fruit moths like Carposina sasakii Walsingham.

A taxonomic review of the genus Lagria Fabricius is presented. Two species are identified: Lagria nigricollis Hope and a new record, Lagria rufipennis Marseul. A key, description, habitus photographs of adults, and illustrations of diagnostic characteristics are provided.

Alginate-chitosan blend containing coconut-based activated carbon was prepared as a drug delivery carrier in order to improve the loading and releasing capacity of the drug. The activated carbon was incorporated as effective adsorbent for drug due to the extremely high surface area and pore volume, high adsorption capacity, micro porous structure and specific surface activity. Alginate-chitosan blend containing coconut-based activated carbon showed the sustained release for a longer period. Alginate-chitosan blend showed higher release of drug as the pH increased and higher release of drug as the content of chitosan decreased due to the pH-dependent solubility of blend components.