This study aimed at investigating whether a porcine follicular fluid (pFF) supplementation positively affects the characteristics of donor cells and the developmental competence of porcine cloned embryos. Ear fibroblast cells (donor cell) from an Massachusetts General Hospital miniature pig were cultured in different culture methods: (1) Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM)+10% FBS (Control); (2) DMEM+0.5% FBS (SS); and (3) DMEM+10% FBS+10% pFF (pFF) for 72 h. In each conditioned medium, the concentrations of 4 amino acids (Thr, Glu, Pro, and Val) in the pFF group were significantly different from those in the control group (p<0.05 or p<0.01). The proliferation of the cells cultured in the SS group was significantly lower than that of the other treatment groups (p<0.01). The population of apoptotic and necrotic cells in the SS group was significantly higher than that of either the control or the pFF group (p<0.01). The number of embryos that cleaved (p<0.05) and developed into blastocysts (p<0.01) in the SS group was significantly lower than that of either the control or the pFF group. Compared to other groups, the blastocysts produced from the donor cells in the pFF group had higher total cells and lower apoptotic cells (p<0.05). It can be concluded that pFF supplementation in the donor cell culture medium positively affects cell death, cell cycle and quality of the cloned blastocyst.

Traumatic insemination (TI), an extraordinary copulation strategy, is most prevalent in cimicoid true bugs (Insecta: Hemiptera) among invertebrates including insects. Here, we resolved the evolutionary history of TI and the females’ adaptations by conducting molecular phylogenetic analyses and comparative studies based on the phylgenetic relationships. We found a sister group relationship of Curaliidae + Lasiochilidae, which are the only groups among Cimicoidea not likely engaged in TI. Divergence time estimates revealed that TI is a behavior of antiquity that first evolved in the Early Jurassic 188Mya (95% highest posterior density = 157 – 221). Furthermore, ancestral character state reconstructions indicated that TI evolved only once from standard insemination in Cimicoidea. The results revealed that only TI is correlated with PS among the biological traits, and that evolutionary acquisition of PS was driven by selection of TI. Additionally, we found that not only are the three types of PS homoplastic to each other, but also that each of types could not be a homologous feature despite of same terminology, which suggests convergent evolution of the females’ morphology have occurred as females were adapting to TI.

Significant variations occur in pigmented rice germplasm with respect to their antioxidant potential. Therefore this study was designed to evaluate the antioxidant potential of exotic rice germplasm collected from different parts of the globe. Grain samples of exotic rice germ plasm (21 0 accessions) were collected from different countries of Asia, America and Europe and their ground grain samples were extracted with 80% methanol at 30 oc using sonicater for 30 minutes to estimate their total polyphenol and flavonoids contents and antioxidant activity. Rice germplasm had tremendous variations with respect to total polyphenols (0.0800.71 mg g- 1) and falvonoid contents (0.091 00.413 mg g" 1 ) and antioxidant activity (18096%). Rice cultivars with red and black seed coat had higher antioxidant activity owing to significantly higher polyphenols and falvonoid contents in their grains. Therefore rice cultivars with red and black seed coat color should be included in breeding rice genotypes with higher nutritional value.

Negative implications of indiscriminate use ofherbicides in agricultural systems have forced the scientific community to develop alternate weed control strategies. Allelopathy appears one of the possible alternatives for achieving sustainable weed management. Study was designed to evaluate the allelopathic potential of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L. cv. Azargol) water extracts on germination, early seedling growth and lipid peroxidation of Johnson grass (Sorghum halepnse) and wild mustard (Sinapis arvensis). Three levels of sunflower water extract viz. 5%, 10% and 15% were evaluated against both species in two separate experiments by using distilled water as control. Sunflower water extracts considerably delayed and reduced the germination percentage, along with fresh weight and length of both Johnson grass and wild mustard seedlings. Highest reduction was noticed at higher concentration (15%) of sunflower water extract. Nonetheless, sunflower water extract application enhanced malondialdehyde content (lipid peroxidation) along with reduced activities of antioxidants (catalases and peroxidases) in both Johnson grass and wild mustard seedlings. Such effects can be explored further under field conditions

The shortage of human organs for transplantation has induced the research on the possibility of using animal as porcine. However, pig to human transplantation as known as xeno-transplantation has major problem as immunorejection. Recently, the solutions of pig to human xenotransplantation are commonly mentioned as having a genetically modification which include alpha 1, 3 galatosyl transferase knockout (GTKO) and immune-suppressing gene transgenic model. Unfortunately, the expression level of transgenic gene is very low activity. Therefore, development of gene overexpression system is the most urgent issue. Also, the tissue specific overexpression system is very important. Because most blood vessels are endothelial cells, establishment of the endothelial-specific promoter is attractive candidates for the introduction of suppressing immunorejection. In this study, we focus the ICAM2 promoter which has endothelial-specific regulatory region. To detect the regulatory region of ICAM2 promoter, we cloned 3.7 kb size mini-pig ICAM2 promoter. We conduct serial deletion of 5' flanking region of mini-pig ICAM2 promoter then selected promoter size as 1 kb, 1.5 kb, 2 kb, 2.5 kb, and 3 kb. To analyze promoter activity, luciferase assay system was conducted among these vectors and compare endothelial activity with epithelial cells. The reporter gene assay revealed that ICAM2 promoter has critical activity in endothelial cells (CPAE) and 1 kb size of ICAM2 promoter activity was significantly increased. Taken together, our studies suggest that mini-pig ICMA2 promoter is endothelial cell specific overexpression promoter and among above all size of promoters, 1 kb size promoter is optimal candidate to overcome the vascular immunorejection in pig to human xenotransplantation.

Bovine brucellosis causes abortion and infertility. The authors conducted this study in order to determine pathological lesions of Korean native cows and fetuses who received experimental vaccination with Brucella abortus RB51 and were challenged with Brucella abortus 2308. Gross and histopathological lesions in endometrium and placenta were observed in cows of the vaccinated group. Twenty-five percent of pregnant cattle in the vaccinated group showed endometritis and placentitis, which was three times lower, compared with the non-vaccinated group. The pathological lesions in the uterus and placenta in both groups were consistent with previous reports. Therefore, vaccination in heifers using Brucella abortus RB51 may not provide adequate protection against infection with Brucella abortus virulent strain.

벼 흰잎마름병균의 정확한 진단을 위하여 PCR용 진단 kit를 개발하였다. 본 PCR kit를 개발하기 위하여 벼 흰잎마름 병균 유전체 정보 중 phage-related integrase and transposase gene의 염기서열을 이용하여 프라이머를 각각 제작하였다. 프라이머 염기서열은 XOP-F (5-CGG TCT GCT CAA TGA GGA AGA-3)와 XOP-R2 (5-TGC AAT TGG TGT TCTCCA GG-3), XOT-F (5-GTC ATA GGT GAG GCT TCCC-3)와 XOT-R2 (5-AGT GCG ATC TTT CAG CAG G-3)로 벼 흰잎마름병균의 DNA를 401bp와 492bp를 증폭하게 제작하였다. PCR 증폭은 벼 흰잎마름병균만 증폭하였으며 다른 세균인 Escherichia coli, Agrobacterim, Pectobacterium caratovora subsp. cartovorum, P. atrosepticum, Pseudomonasputida, P. syringae, P. savastanoi pv. phaeolicola, P. savastanoipv. savastanoi and P. marginalis pv. Marginalis 등은증폭되지 않아 특이성이 인정 되었다. 본 프라이머로 병이 의심되는 벼잎과 논물에서 병원균을 3시간 이내에 검출할 수 있었다.

Iron is an essential trace element for normal functions of the body. Restriction of iron availability directly limits erythropoiesis. The objective of this experiment was to compare the bioavailability of iron nanoparticles (Fe-NPs) with iron-microparticles (Fe-MPs) in anemic mice. There were four experimental groups, including the normal control group, iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) group, Fe-NPs group, and Fe-MPs group. Animals in the normal group fed on an adequate iron-containing diet (45 ppm Fe). Meanwhile, animals in the other three groups fed on a low Fe diet (4.5 ppm Fe) for seven weeks. Double deionized water was supplied as drinking water ad libitum. After feeding for three weeks with the low Fe diet, animals in the Fe-NPs and Fe-MPs groups received oral administration of Fe-NPs or Fe-MPs at a daily dose of 40 mg/kg for four weeks. The IDA group showed markedly decreased red blood cell (RBC) count, hematocrit (Hct), and hemoglobin (Hb) values compared with the normal group throughout the experimental periods. Treatments with Fe-NPs or Fe-MPs for four weeks resulted in restoration of the decreased RBC count and hematological values similar to normal values. The Fe-NPs group showed faster restoration in values than Fe-MPs with passage of time. The iron contents of the upper small intestine in the Fe-NPs and Fe-MPs groups were higher than in the normal group at weeks 2 and 4. Treatment with Fe-NPs and Fe-MPs resulted in a significant increase in hepatic iron contents and lipid peroxidation, compared with the IDA group with passage of time. The iron contents in liver and ferritin deposits in spleen were identified in the Fe-NPs and Fe-MPs groups, similar to the normal group. These results indicate that oral administration of both Fe-NPs and Fe-MPs can result in recovery from anemia and Fe-NPs is more absorbable and available in the body than Fe-MPs.

The sol-gel technique has been studied to fabricate a homogeneous Fe-Mo/MgO catalyst. Ambient effects (air, Ar, and H2) on thermal decomposition of the citrate precursor have been systematically investigated to fabricate an Fe-Mo/MgO catalyst. Severe agglomeration of metal catalyst was observed under thermal decomposition of citrate precursor in air atmosphere. Ar/H2 atmosphere effectively restricted agglomeration of bimetallic catalyst and formation of highly-dispersed Fe-Mo/MgO catalyst with high specific surface-area due to the formation of Fe-Mo nanoclusters within MgO support. High-quality thin-multiwalled carbon nanotubes (t-MWCNTs) with uniform diameters were achieved on a large scale by catalytic decomposition of methane over Fe-Mo/MgO catalyst prepared under Ar-atmosphere. The produced t-MWCNTs had outer diameters in the range of 4-8 nm (average diameter ~6.6 nm) and wall numbers in the range of 4-7 graphenes. The as-synthesized t-MWCNTs showed product yields over 450% relative to the utilized Fe-Mo/MgO catalyst, and indicated a purity of about 85%.