Peptidoglycan recognition proteins (PGRPs) are family of innate immune molecules that recognize bacterial peptidoglycan. PGRP-LE, a member of the PGRP family, selectively binds to diaminopimelic acid (DAP)-type peptidoglycan to activate both the immune deficiency (IMD) and proPhenoloxidase (proPO) pathways in insects. A PGRP-LE-dependent induction of autophagy to control Listeria monocytogenes has also been reported. We identified and partially characterized a novel PGRP-LE homologue, from Tenebrio molitor and analyzed its functional role in the survival of the insect against infection by a DAP-type PGN containing intracellular pathogen, L. monocytogenes. The cDNA is comprised of an open reading frame (ORF) of 990 bp and encodes a polypeptide of 329 residues. TmPGRP-LE contains one PGRP domain, but lacks critical residues for amidase activity. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis showed a broad constitutive expression of the transcript at various stages of development spanning from larva to adult. RNAi mediated knockdown of the transcripts followed by a challenge with L. monocytogenes showed a significant reduction in survival rate of the larvae, suggesting a putative role of TmPGRP-LE in sensing and control of L. monocytogenes infections in T. molitor. These results implicate PGRP-LE as a defense protein necessary for survival of T. molitor against infection by L. monocytogenes.

Apolipophorin III (apoLp-III) is a well-known hemolymph protein having a functional role in lipid transport and immune response of insects. We cloned full-length cDNA encoding putative apoLp-III from larvae of the coleopteran beetle, Tenebrio molitor (TmapoLp-III), by identification of clones corresponding to the partial sequence of TmapoLp-III, subsequently followed with full length sequencing by a clone-by-clone primer walking method. The complete cDNA consists of 890 nucleotides, including an ORF encoding 196 amino acid residues. Excluding a putative signal peptide of the first 20 amino acid residues, the 176-residue mature apoLp-III has a calculated molecular mass of 19,146 Da. Genomic sequence analysis with respect to its cDNA showed that TmapoLp-III was organized into four exons interrupted by three introns. Several immune-related transcription factor binding sites were discovered in the putative 5’-flanking region. BLAST and phylogenetic analysis reveals that TmapoLp-III has high sequence identity (88%) with Tribolium castaneum apoLp-III but shares little sequence homologies (<26%) with other apoLp-IIIs. Homology modeling of Tm apoLp-III shows a bundle of five amphipathic helices, including a short helix 3’. The ‘helix-short helix-helix’ motif was predicted to be implicated in lipid binding interactions, through reversible conformational changes and accommodating the hydrophobic residues to the exterior for stability. Highest level of TmapoLp-III mRNA was detected at late pupal stages, albeit it is expressed in the larval and adult stages at lower levels. The tissue specific expression of the transcripts showed significantly higher numbers in larval fat body and adult integument. In addition, TmapoLp-III mRNA was found to be highly up-regulated in late stages of L. monocytogenes or E. coli challenge. These results indicate that TmapoLp-III may play an important role in innate immune responses against bacterial pathogens in T. molitor.

The cultivation methods of Acanthopanax in Korea need to be optimized. Hence, this study investigated the effect of different fertilizer ratios and planting dates on the growth and acanthoside D content of two (2) Acanthopanax species. The current recommended fertilizer rate of 10.5-8.5-8.5 kg/ha- (N-P2O5-K2O, respectively) produced the best plant growth of Acanthopanax. For the first year, the acanthoside D content resulting from the 2P (2x phosphate) rate was higher than that from the other fertilizer ratios, yet there were no significant differences resulting from the various treatments for either Acanthopanax divaricatus or Acanthopanax koreanum. Similarly, for the second year, there were no significant differences in the acanthoside D content resulting from the various fertilizer ratios, although for both species the acanthoside D content resulting from the 2P rate was slightly higher than that from the other treatments. Therefore, the results indicated that doubling the amount of phosphate increased the acanthoside D content. Plus, the optimum planting date with respect to growth and productivity for Acanthopanax divaricatus was identified as April 15. The cultivation methods of Acanthopanax in Korea need to be optimized. Hence, this study investigated the effect of different fertilizer ratios and planting dates on the growth and acanthoside D content of two (2) Acanthopanax species. The current recommended fertilizer rate of 10.5-8.5-8.5 kg/ha- (N-P2O5-K2O, respectively) produced the best plant growth of Acanthopanax. For the first year, the acanthoside D content resulting from the 2P (2x phosphate) rate was higher than that from the other fertilizer ratios, yet there were no significant differences resulting from the various treatments for either Acanthopanax divaricatus or Acanthopanax koreanum. Similarly, for the second year, there were no significant differences in the acanthoside D content resulting from the various fertilizer ratios, although for both species the acanthoside D content resulting from the 2P rate was slightly higher than that from the other treatments. Therefore, the results indicated that doubling the amount of phosphate increased the acanthoside D content. Plus, the optimum planting date with respect to growth and productivity for Acanthopanax divaricatus was identified as April 15. The cultivation methods of Acanthopanax in Korea need to be optimized. Hence, this study investigated the effect of different fertilizer ratios and planting dates on the growth and acanthoside D content of two (2) Acanthopanax species. The current recommended fertilizer rate of 10.5-8.5-8.5 kg/ha- (N-P2O5-K2O, respectively) produced the best plant growth of Acanthopanax. For the first year, the acanthoside D content resulting from the 2P (2x phosphate) rate was higher than that from the other fertilizer ratios, yet there were no significant differences resulting from the various treatments for either Acanthopanax divaricatus or Acanthopanax koreanum. Similarly, for the second year, there were no significant differences in the acanthoside D content resulting from the various fertilizer ratios, although for both species the acanthoside D content resulting from the 2P rate was slightly higher than that from the other treatments. Therefore, the results indicated that doubling the amount of phosphate increased the acanthoside D content. Plus, the optimum planting date with respect to growth and productivity for Acanthopanax divaricatus was identified as April 15. The cultivation methods of Acanthopanax in Korea need to be optimized. Hence, this study investigated the effect of different fertilizer ratios and planting dates on the growth and acanthoside D content of two (2) Acanthopanax species. The current recommended fertilizer rate of 10.5-8.5-8.5 kg/ha- (N-P2O5-K2O, respectively) produced the best plant growth of Acanthopanax. For the first year, the acanthoside D content resulting from the 2P (2x phosphate) rate was higher than that from the other fertilizer ratios, yet there were no significant differences resulting from the various treatments for either Acanthopanax divaricatus or Acanthopanax koreanum. Similarly, for the second year, there were no significant differences in the acanthoside D content resulting from the various fertilizer ratios, although for both species the acanthoside D content resulting from the 2P rate was slightly higher than that from the other treatments. Therefore, the results indicated that doubling the amount of phosphate increased the acanthoside D content. Plus, the optimum planting date with respect to growth and productivity for Acanthopanax divaricatus was identified as April 15. The cultivation methods of Acanthopanax in Korea need to be optimized. Hence, this study investigated the effect of different fertilizer ratios and planting dates on the growth and acanthoside D content of two (2) Acanthopanax species. The current recommended fertilizer rate of 10.5-8.5-8.5 kg/ha- (N-P2O5-K2O, respectively) produced the best plant growth of Acanthopanax. For the first year, the acanthoside D content resulting from the 2P (2x phosphate) rate was higher than that from the other fertilizer ratios, yet there were no significant differences resulting from the various treatments for either Acanthopanax divaricatus or Acanthopanax koreanum. Similarly, for the second year, there were no significant differences in the acanthoside D content resulting from the various fertilizer ratios, although for both species the acanthoside D content resulting from the 2P rate was slightly higher than that from the other treatments. Therefore, the results indicated that doubling the amount of phosphate increased the acanthoside D content. Plus, the optimum planting date with respect to growth and productivity for Acanthopanax divaricatus was identified as April 15.

This study aims to examine the effects of taping of the ankle joint on the static and dynamic balance and gait ability of stroke patients. Twenty-six stroke patients receiving physical therapy at a hospital located in Gyeonggi-do were divided equally into a group that had taping in physical therapy and an ordinary physical therapy group. They exercised for 30 minutes each, 3 times per week for 8 weeks from June to August 2011. Romberg’s eye open and eye closed tests, limits of stability(LOS), forward and back test, timed up and go test(TUG) and 10-meter gait velocity test were performed to evaluate static balance, dynamic balance, and gait ability, respectively, prior to and 8 weeks after the intervention. Differences within each group in relation to the lapse of time were compared by a paired t-test. Differences between the two groups were compared by an independent t-test. Regarding comparison of differences within each group, all tests resulted in significant changes in both groups after the intervention (p<.05). Comparison of differences between the two groups showed that taping in the physical therapy group had significantly better test results than the ordinary physical therapy group in all measured items(p<.05). The after effects of ankle taping on stroke patients are more efficient and effective than ordinary physical therapy alone in improving balance and gait ability.

Adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ASCs) are very interesting in several laboratory animals and humans because they are easy to harvest and expand to generate millions of cells from a small quantity of fat. ASCs are known as useful materials for clinical applications in human cell therapy and as a donor cell in somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). Here, we investigated if 1) minipig ASCs can be isolated, self-renewed and differentiated into multiple tissue lineages, 2) ASCs can be a suitable donor cell type for generation of cloned pig. In order to isolate ASC, adipose tissues were collected from inguinal region of a 6-year-old female minipig. The ASCs were attached to the culture dish with a fibroblast-like morphology. They expressed cell-surface marker characteristics of stem cell, underwent osteogenic, adipogenic, myogenic, neurogenic and chondrogenic differentiation when exposed to specific differentiation-inducing conditions. To investigate its potential as donor cell for cloning, we respectively carried out SCNT using ASC, adult skin fibroblast (ASF) and fetal fibroblast (FF) derived from same minipig. The ratio of blastocysts to 2-cell embryos and total cell number of blastocysts were monitored as experimental parameters. In results, cleavage and developmental competence to blastocysts rate showed no significant difference among the three groups. On the other hand, total cell numbers of blastocysts derived from ASC and FF were significantly higher than in ASF (89±7.9 and 105±5.5 vs. 57.5±5.2, respectively). Our results demonstrated that ASC have potential compared to ASF and FF in terms of the in vitro development and blastocyst formation ability. In further study, we will investigate the in vivo developmental ability of ASC as donor cell for pig cloning. * This study was supported by IPET (#311011-05-1-SB010), RNL Bio (#550-20120006), Institute for Veterinary Science, the BK21 program, TS Corporation and Optifarm Solution.

Neural stem cells (NSCs) are self-renewing tripotent cell populations and have capacity of neuronal (neurons) and glial (astrocytes and oligodendrocytes) differentiation. Many researchers have reported that NSCs have therapeutic effects in neurological disease by transplantation. However, it is not easy to obtain NSCs in vitro. Recently, Yamanaka and colleagues showed that somatic cells could be reprogrammed into pluripotent state by enforcing reprogramming factors. Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells undergo unlimited self-renewal and have differentiation potential into various types of cells like embryonic stem cells. Direct differentiation into a specialized cell types from iPS cells hold considerable promise for regenerative medicine as well as basic research. Here, we induced differentiation of iPS cells into NSCs in vitro and in vivo, which were compared with embryonic stem (ES) cell-derived NSCs and brain derived NSCs. NSCs from ES and iPS cells were morphologically indistinguishable from brain derived NSCs and stained positive for NSCs markers Nestin and Sox2. ES cells derived NSCs were transcriptionally distinguishable from brain derived NSCs. However, global gene expression pattern were similar but distinct between iPS derived NSCs and brain derived NSCs. Moreover, iPS derived NSCs were spontaneously aggregated upon passaging, formed ES cell like colonies, and finally reactivated Oct4-GFP. The spontaneously reverted GFP-positive cells (iPS-NSC-iPS) expressed similar levels of pluripotency markers (Oct4,Nanog) to ES and iPS cells, and could form germ line chimera. One possible explanation for this phenomenon is that spontaneously re-reprogramming was associated with transgene re-activation when iPS cells were differentiated into NSCs. However, NSCs from dox-inducible iPScells could not be reprogrammed into pluripotent state without doxycycline. Taken together, iPS derived NSCs were morphologically and similar to brain derived NSCs, but differ in gene expression pattern and maintenance. * This work was supported by the Next Generation Bio-Green21 Program funded by the Rural Development Administration (Grant PJ008009).

This study was carried out to identify how a self-stretching exercise program affects pain for each body area, pain relief and job satisfaction for care workers. 20 of 40 care workers with musculoskeletal symptom were randomly selected and participated a self-stretching exercise program consisting of 15 motions. The intervention was done five times or more per weeks for 8 weeks and 1 session lasted within 15 minutes. 'Musculoskeletal symptom survey table' of the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency(KOSHA) and JDI(Job Descriptive Index) was used for pain on the musculoskeletal symptom and job satisfaction. Survey were done twice before and after the program. The result of this study showed that self-stretching exercise program group(SSPG) relieved from pain significantly in the shoulders(p<.01) and lumbar(p<.05), comparing to the non selfstretching exercise program group(NSPG). Although no significant difference on variations in the JDI appeared in SSPG, the significant reduction appeared from the colleague relationship and organization in NSPG(p<.05). SSPG showed the significant increase on variations in JDI from the job and organization comparing to NSPG. Especially, the improvement on satisfaction for the organization was shown(p<.05). Accordingly, the self-stretching exercise program for care workers can be said to positively affect the overall pain relief and increase on the JDI.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of handicraft activities on hand promptness and grasp in the elderly. Subjects were comprised of 14 senior citizens between the ages of 70-85, with 7 subjects in the experiment group and 7 in the control group. Subjects in the experiment group practiced various handicrafts twice a day, while those in the control group did not participate in any special activity. The Jebsen Taylor Hand Function Test was used to evaluate the results, while a dynamometer and pinch gauge were used to measure hand promptness and grasp. The 7 senior citizens in the experiment group were able to increase their hand promptness and grasping skills. Conclusively, handicrafts can help improve hand promptness and grasp in the elderly. Furthermore, the development and improvement of such skills can have a positive influence on the daily lives of senior citizens. Such skills are expected to improve the overall neuro-function in the elderly population.

This study was to examine on the respiratory variables, heart rate and muscle activity between the static recovery and dynamic recovery after progressive resistance exercise to maximal point. Subjects were 15 students enrolled in N University. All were tested two times (static recovery and dynamic recovery) and were requested to perform a walking on a treadmill after progressive resistance exercise to maximal point. Electromyography(EMG) was used to monitor the muscle activity(TA: Tibialis Anterior, MG: Medial Gastrocnemius) during gait. CPEX-1 was used to measure the respiratory variables and heart rate. The dynamic recovery group was shown the significant lower heart rate than that of static recovery group at during gait. Respiratory rate showed statistically a significant difference. Electromyography(RMS, root mean square) showed a non-significant difference. But the dynamic recovery group of muscle activity was found highly in TA and MG. This study indicated that the dynamic recovery method evidenced more faster than the static recovery method. And this type of dynamic rest by walking can be a help of recovery after exercise.

The purpose of this study was to comparatively analyze the active stability of shoulder joints according to the frequency of overhead motions, such as serving and spiking, engaged in by female professional volleyball athletes who play different positions, and to provide the results as the basic data for developing exercise programs to prevent shoulder joint injuries. The subjects of this study were 50 Korean female professional volleyball players and positions were as follows: left and right attackers, centers, setters, and liberos. The external rotation and internal rotation muscle strength and muscle strength ratios of the dominant and non-dominant arms of all subjects were measured using Biodex. The results of this study are as follows: Frist, no significant differences were found in the internal and external rotation muscle strength of the dominant and non-dominant arms between positions. Second, for the shoulder joint muscle strength ratio of the dominant arm, by position, the setter showed significantly greater stability compared to the other positions. Third, for the shoulder joint muscle strength ratio of the non-dominant arm, by position, no significant difference in stability between positions was found. Fourth, it was found that the dominant arm had significantly greater instability of the shoulder joint than the non-dominant arm for attackers and centers, but no significant difference was found for setters and liberos. This study comparatively analyzed the muscle strength ratios of the external/internal rotations and dominant/non-dominant arms, which can determine the stability of the shoulder joints between female professional volleyball playing positions that engage in jumps and spikes using only the dominant hand and positions that do not.

Insects or insect remains found in beer are one of major issues in consumer claim. Accurate estimation of inflow time isa critical factor for the settlement of such claims related with beer-contaminating insects but no reliable methods have been developed. In an attempt to establish a molecular marker-based diagnostic method, the degradation rates of 18S rRNA genes in the insectssoaked in 500 ml beer were investigated by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) over one month period at room temperature. Among the six insect species tested, the house fly (Musca domestica) and honey bee (Apis mellifera) revealed high correlations (r2=0.974-0.990) between the degradation of 18S rRNA gene and inflow time. In these insects, statistically significant distinction was possible between the samples stored in beer less than 14 days and more than 14 days. Other insects, including the fruit fly, common house mosquito, German cockroach and Indian meal moth, displayed poor correlations, which appeared attributed to the inefficient genomic DNA extraction likely due to small sample size or disintegration of body parts during storage in beer. With proper improvement in DNA extraction, this 18S rRNA-based diagnostic method would be applicable for estimating the inflow time of beer-contaminating insects.

Antioxidants partially ameliorated the detrimental effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS) on sperm characteristics during in vitro storage. The objective of the present study was to investigate the single or synergetic antioxidative effect of curcumin and Vit. E on the characteristics of fresh boar sperm during in vitro storage. The sperm viability in curcumin, Vit. E supplementation and curcumin+Vit. E+H2O2 groups remained over 85.0% in 3 hr incubation period, but in 6 hr incubation period, curcumin+Vit. E+H2O2 groups was sharply dropped than those of curcumin and Vit. E group. The membrane intergrity in all evaluated groups except for H2O2 group did not significantly difference in 3 hr incubation period. The viability in curcumin or Vit. E supplementation were significantly increased than in curcumin+H2O2 and Vit. E+H2O2 group in 6 hr incubation period. The percentage of mitochondrial activity and acrosome intergrity obtained similar trends within same incubation periods irrespective of treatment. The lipid peroxidation of spermatozoal plasma membrane ranged from 11.6∼17.5 nM/l×106 and 14.0∼ 19.0 nM/l×106 in 3 hr and 6 hr incubation periods. In conclusion, curcumin or Vit. E rpplementation alone or cooperatively improved sperm viability index (motility, membrane intergrity, viability and survival rates) and fertility index (mitochondria activity, acrosome intergrity and lipid peroxidation) of fresh boar sperm, indicating that curcumin and Vit. E have a antioxidative properties through its scavenging activity against hydrogen peroxide.

This study was conducted to improve the effect of environment-friendly Tetranychus urticae pesticide through the development of Tetranychus urticae biopesticide using the plant extract. Tested extracts were fig leaf extract, viburnum erosum extract; besides Sophora flavescens Ait extract, Derris root extract, Tobacco leaf extract, and they were proved to be the caricidal effect of two spotted spider mite adults by spraying on the French bean leaf inoculated for Tetranychus urticae with each concentration; 500ppm, 200ppm, 100ppm, 50ppm. In the control treatments, caricidal effect was compared with only ‘Eungsami’ (500ppm, 200ppm, 100ppm, 50ppm), of which the main ingredient as environment-friendly organic material is, and distilled water. The caricidal effect of tested extracts to the two spotted spider mite adult was the highest in the Sophora flavescens Ait extract and Tobacco leaf extract over 90%, and comparatively low in the Derris root extract. When the caricidal effect of ‘Eungsami’ was compared with two spotted spider mite adults with each concentration, ‘Eungsami’(500ppm) and Tobacco leaf extract(500ppm) were very excellent as each 95.5%, 98.7% in treated concentration. The effect of Sophora flavescens Ait extract was also high as 96.5%. In the low concentration(50ppm), Sophora flavescens Ait extract was 45.8%, Tobacco leaf extract was the most effective as 53.8%.

Wntsignaling is involved in the normal development and tumorigenesis via epithelial- mesenchymal transition (EMT). init iated by down-regul ation of E-cadherin by the transc ription factor Snail. Wnt signaling inhi bits Sna il phosph o rylation t hrough Axin2-dependent pathway that sustains nuclear accumul ation 0 1' Snail by driving CSK3ß nucleocytoplasmic export then consequently increases Snail protein levels and induces an EMT However. the roles of Wnt and Axin expression and their functional implication on Snail dependent EMT program a re not clear du ring the multistep carcinogenic process. We examined that canonical Wnt signaling engagingmul t istep carcinogenic process of uterine cervical cancer through Wnt-Axin2-Snail axis. In nonnal cervi cal mucosa, Wntl. Wnt3a. and Axin2 mRNA expression were locali zed in basal cell layer suggesting that canonical Wnt is required for maintenance of self-renewal program of cervica l epi theli al cells. With progression to cervical int r aepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and carcinoma. Wntl, Wnt3a‘ Axin2, and Snail expression were gradually increased in patient samples suggesting that canonical Wnt pathway is involved in earl y step of carcinogenesis in uterine cervix. LRP6 and Axin2 transfected cells showed the highly increased nuclear Snai l resul ted from dec reased level 0 1' nu clear GSK3ß , indicating that LRP6- Axin2 serves to stabili ze Sna il protein levels and susLains iLs nllclear acc llrnulation by driv ing GSK3ß . RNA interference of Axin2 and Snail on SiHa cells relieved E-cadherin proximal promotel‘ activity and block the in 띠 vo chorioalantoic membra ne ln VaSlOn These results suggest the canon ical Wnt signa ling regul ating Axin2-GSK3ß compartmentalization may important for stabi li zation of E- cad herin repressor Snail during the multistep carcinogen ic process of uteri ne cervix. It may lead to not only tracing the proper biomarker 0 [' ca ncer progression‘ but a lso the development oJ new targets for therapeutic intervention in cancer

In this study, a preliminary trajectory design is conducted for a conceptual spacecraft mission to a near-Earth asteroid (NEA) (99942) Apophis, which is expected to pass by Earth merely 32,000 km from the Earth’s surface in 2029. This close approach event will provide us with a unique opportunity to study changes induced in asteroids during close approaches to massive bodies, as well as the general properties of NEAs. The conceptual mission is set to arrive at and rendezvous with Apophis in 2028 for an advanced study of the asteroid, and some near-optimal (in terms of fuel consumption) trajectories under this mission architecture are to be investigated using a global optimization algorithm called monotonic basin hopping. It is shown that trajectories with a single swing-by from Venus or Earth, or even simpler ones without gravity assist, are the most feasible. In addition, launch opportunities in 2029 yield another possible strategy of leaving Earth around the 2029 close approach event and simply following the asteroid thereafter, which may be an alternative fuel-efficient option that can be adopted if advanced studies of Apophis are not required.

The Korean Institute of Technology Satellite (KITSAT-1) is the first satellite developed by the Satellite Technology Research Center and the University of Surrey. KITSAT-1 is orbiting the Earth’s orbit as space debris with a 1,320 km altitude after the planned mission. Due to its relatively small size and altitude, tracking the KITSAT-1 was a difficult task. In this research, we analyzed the tracking results of KITSAT-1 for one year using the Midland Space Radar (MSR) in Texas and the Poker Flat Incoherent Scatter Radar (PFISR) in Alaska operated by LeoLabs, Inc. The tracking results were analyzed on a weekly basis for MSR and PFISR. The observation was conducted by using both stations at an average frequency of 10 times per week. The overall corrected range measurements for MSR and PFISR by LeoLabs were under 50 m and 25 m, respectively. The ionospheric delay, the dominant error source, was confirmed with the International Reference of Ionosphere-16 model and Global Navigation Satellite System data. The weekly basis orbit determination results were compared with two-line element data. The comparison results were used to confirm the orbital consistency of the estimated orbits.