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.

The majority of strokes are caused by ischemia and result in brain tissue damage, leading to problems of the central nervous system including hemiparesis, dysfunction of language and consciousness, and dysfunction of perception. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase(PARP) on necrosis in neuronal cells that have undergone needle electrode electrical stimulation(NEES) prior to induction of ischemia. Ischemia was induced in male SD rats(body weight 300g) by occlusion of the common carotid artery for 5 min, after which the blood was reperfused. After induction of brain ischemia, NEES was applied to Zusanli(ST 36), at 12, 24 and 48 hours. Protein expression was investigated using immuno-reactive cells, which react to PARP antibodies in cerebral nerve cells, and Western blotting. The results were as follows: In the cerebral cortex, the number of PARP reactive cells after 24 hours significantly decreased(p<.05) in the NEES group compared to the GI group. PARP expression after 24 hours significantly decreased(p<.05) in the NEES group compared to the GI group. As a result, NEES showed the greatest effect on necrosis- related PARP immuno-reactive cells 24 hours after ischemia, indicating necrosis inhibition, blocking of neural cell death, and protection of neural cells. Based on the results of this study, NEES can be an effective method of treating dysfunction and improving function of neuronal cells in brain damage caused by ischemia.

Interlellkin • 8(IL-8) is an important cytokine involved in tllmor growth and angiogenesis in a variety of malig nancies. bllt the regll lation of IL-8 in 01 외 cancer cells are llnderstood . We invesLigated whether mi togen-activated protein kinases pathway is involved in iron chelator-mediated lL-8 produdion in inunortalized and malignant oral keratinocytes. In this study we examined the role of p38 and extracellular signal- reglllated kinase• 1/2 in the expression of [L-8 by DFO. Incllbation of IHOK and HN12 cel ls with DF'O increased the expression of 11-8 mRNA. as well as the release of IL-8 protein. The signal transdllction study revealed that both p38 and ERK1/2 were significantly activated in response to DFO. Accord ingly. the selective inhibitors for both kinases‘ eit her a lone or combination. abolished DFO- induced lL-8 secretion. indicating an importance of MAP kinase pathway. Interestingly. however‘ inhibition of the p38 and ERK pathway more attenuated IL-8 secretion in IHOK than in HN12 cells. DFO induced NF-kB activation , suggesting a NF-kB- dependent mechanism in DFO- induced IL-8 production. In addition, p38 and ERK inhi bition resulted in the accelerated degradation of lL-8 mRNA, suggesting that in IHOK and HN12 cells, p38 and ERK cunLr iullLe Lo DFO imluced IL-8 secretion by IHOK and HN12 cells via a posttranscriptional mechanism that involves stabilization 01' the IL-8 transcript. Finally. we investigatecl llsing specific inhibitors : 8NP and G8NO for NO c1onor. PDTC for potent inhibitor of NF-kB. Cycloheximide for inhibition of de novo protein synthesis. We observecl 8NP ancl PD1'C clepenclent IL-8 gene incluction in IHOK cell s. but not in HN12 cells used specific inhibitors‘ Collectively. these results demonstrate that‘ targeting MAP kinase ancl NF-kB pathway may be a potentiaI approacb to controlling the angiogenes is ancl growth 이 human oral cancers

Studies to evaluate distribution of markers in normal keratinocyte and their immortalized keratinocyte are appropriate to evaluate the normal and preneoplastic lesion of oral cancers as biochemical and cytochemical changes associate with tumorigenesis being not completely understood. Complementary DNA microarray containing 6000 sequence -verified cDNA elements was used to systematically characterize the variation in gene expression patterns of NHOK cells vs. immortalized keratinocyte by HPV16 E6-E7(IHOK). Examination of gene expression that is 85 clones cDNAs exhibits greater than 2 fold overexpression in NHOK probes relative to IHOK probe, 147 cDNAs reveal greater 2 fold overexpression in IHOK relative to NHOK probe.The high similarity in gene expression (96.5%) between IHOK and NHOK cells suggests that only an additional 232/6720 (3.5%) of the genome is differentially gene activated during HPV16 immoratlized keratinocyte growth and differentiation. Examination of gene expression that differs between NHOK and IHOK cellsapprear to be related to : cell adhesion & recognition, cell cycle regulator, apoptosis, transciption factors, growth factors and therir receptors, cytoskeletal and extracellular matrix proteins, signal transduction modulators and effectors, and miscellaneous. The gene expression of cell recognition factor such as endothelin 1, collagen IV, fibronectin, and SPR1 in IHOK were upregulated. Distinct or duplicated cDNA clones representing the same gene were typically clustered in adjacent rows in the clustered gene map. Therefore the differentially expressed and identified genes should be informative in studying oral epithelial cell carcinogenesis and such studies should foster the research of molecular markers allowing to assess the phenotypeof malignant epithelial tumor.

To understand molecular mechanisms underlying adaptation of plant cells to saline stress and stress memory, we developed Arabidopsis callus suspension-cultured cells adapted to high salt. Adapted cells to high salt exhibited enhanced tolerance compared to control cells. Moreover, the salt tolerance of adapted cells was stably maintained even after the stress is relieved, indicating that the salt tolerance of adapted cells was memorized. Salt-adapted and stress memorized cells were densely aggregated and formed multi-layered cell lump. Cell morphology analysis using transmission electron microscopy indicated that cell wall thickness of salt-adapted cells was significantly induced compared to control cells. In order to characterize metabolic responses of plant cells during adaptation to high salt stress as well as stress memory, we compared metabolic profiles of salt-adapted and stress-memorized cells with control cells by using NMR spectroscopy. A principle component analysis showed clear metabolic discrimination among control, salt-adapted and stress-memorized cells. Compared with control cells, metabolites related to shikimate metabolism such as tyrosine, and flavonol glycosides, which are related to protective mechanism of plant against stresses were largely up-regulated in adapted cell lines. Moreover, coniferin, a precursor of lignin, was more abundant in salt-adapted cells than control cells. The results provide new insight into metabolic level mechanisms of plant adaptation to saline stress as well as stress memory.

A case of three primary malignancies in one patient is rare. We report on a case of three primary malignancies including myxofibrosarcoma, renal cell cancer, and prostate cancer in one 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/ computed tomography (PET/CT) evaluation of a 75-year-old man. PET/CT showed different FDG meabolism in each tumor.

Quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping is a highly effective approach for studying genetically complex forms of plant shattering. With QTLs mapping, the shattering loci can be described. SSR marker is based on the imformation of Simple Sequence Repeat and easy to analyze using PCR and has high reproducibility. For analyzing QTLs associated with shattering, we selected 219 SSR markers from 254 SSR markers and used them for implementing Mapmaker(Ver. 3.0) and Mapchart(Ver. 2.2). Mapmaker help to calculate distances between each markers and Mapchart is a program for drawing Genetic map. This Genetic map of rice (Oryza sativa L.) covering 2082.4 cM with 9.5 cM between makers in the Kosambi function has been constructed using 120 F1 DH plants from a single cross between the indica variety Chungchung and the japonica variety Nagdong.

“Shinmichal1”, a waxy red winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivar was developed by the National Institute of Crop Science, RDA. It was derived from the cross “Alchan”/“Chal2”during 1997. “Alchan” is a soft red winter wheat with high yield and good noodle quality. “Chal2” is a waxy wheat line crossed by “Kanto107” (Wx-A1b and Wx-B1b) and “BaiHuo” (Wx-D1b). “Shinmichal1” was evaluated as “Suwon306” in Advanced Yield Trial Test in 2002. It was tested in the regional yield trial test between 2003 and 2006. “Shinmichal1” is an awned, semi dwarf and soft red winter wheat, similar to “Uri” (check cultivar). The Heading and maturing date of “Shinmichal1” were similar to “Uri”. Culm and spike length of “Shinmichal1“ were 79 cm and 7.8 cm. “Shinmichal1“ had greater test weight (802 g) and lower 1,000-grain weight (31.8 g) than “Uri” (782 g and 35.2 g, respectively). It has resistance to winter hardiness, wet-soil tolerance, lodging tolerance and moderate post-harvest sprouting damage. “Shinmichal1” had higher flour yield (66.2%), ash (0.73%), protein (10.9%) and SDS sedimentation volume (40.7 ml) than “Uri” (64.7%, 0.53%, 9.3%, and 32.5 ml, respectively) and similar flour color to “Uri”. “Shinmichal1” had higher dough extensibility and lower dough strength than “Uri”. It is 5.2% of amylose content and had typical waxy starch pasting properties. Average yield of “Shnmichal1” in the regional adaptation yield trial was 5.24 MT ha-1 in upland and 5.58 MT ha-1 in paddy field, which was 3% and 8% lower than those of “Uri” (5.39 MT ha-1 and 6.09 MT ha-1, respectively). “Shinmichal1” would be suitable for the area above the daily minimum temperature of -10℃ in January in Korean peninsula.

A new light green seed coat Azuki bean cultivar, "Yeonkeum" was developed at the National Institute of Crop Science(NICS) and the Yeongnam Agricultural Research Institute (YARI) in 2005. Yeonkeum was selected from the cross between Jaja-sodun and "IT12099

A new high yield and storability lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) cultivar Jeokdan was developed from a cross NAAES DL14 (late bolting and high yield) and NAAES DL 108 (late bolting and disease resistance) in 1997. We selected desired charac-2003 year, and we