Long-term non-surgical contraceptive methods for cats, especially community cats, are of global interest for cost-effective and humane reasons. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)-based vaccine for immunocontraception and to confirm its safety in intact female cats. Recombinant Salmonella typhimurium flagellin fljB (STF2)-GnRH protein was expressed in Escherichia coli. We divided female cats into vehicle control group (n = 4) and two experimental groups (100 μg injection group [n = 7] and 1000 μg injection group [n=7]), and immunized them twice intramuscularly (0.2 mL/cat at zero week and 4 weeks later into the other leg). Breeding trials started on day 120. All control cats (n = 4/4), 71% of the 100 μg injection group (n = 5/7), and 57% of the 1000 μg injection group (n = 4/7) became pregnant within 203 days after the introduction of male cats. The 1000 μg injection group had significantly a longer median time to conception following treatment (166 days) than the control (17 days, p < 0.05). Average litter size was significantly lower in the 1000 μg GnRH-vaccinated cats (2.8 ± 0.7) than in the control cats (4.5 ± 0.5, p < 0.05). Injection site reactions were not observed in any cat. The E. coli-expressed STF2-GnRH vaccine did not provide contraception in a sufficient proportion of the cats. However, it might be effective to suppress fertility through infertility vaccines before inducing permanent infertility through the trap-neuter-return.

최근 살진균제는 세계 식량 안보에 없어서는 안될 필수 요소이며, 그 사용량은 증가하고 있다. 살진균제는 직접적 또는 간접적으로 곤충에 영 향을 미쳐 유전자 및 분자 수준의 변화를 일으킨다. 곤충은 다양한 해독 매커니즘을 통해 살진균제를 포함한 농약으로부터 유발되는 활성산소 (ROS) 독성을 제거한다. 본 연구는 살진균제 캡탄의 비치명적 투여량(0.2, 2, and 20 μg/μL)을 주입 후 갈색거저리의 유충에서 해독효소의 mRNA 발현량을 분석했다. 갈색거저리의 전사체 분석을 통해 해독 매커니즘 관련 유전자인 퍼옥시다제(POX), 카탈라제(CAT), 슈퍼옥사이드 디스뮤타제(SOD) 및 글루타티온-S-트랜스퍼라제(GST)를 발굴하였다. 처리 24시간 후 TmPOX5 mRNA가 유의하게 증가한 것으로 나타났다. 처리 3 시간 후 TmSOD4의 mRNA가 유사하게 증가하였다. 또한 2 μg/μL 처리 24시간 후 TmCAT2의 mRNA 가 유의하게 증가하였다. 캡탄 노출 후 TmGST1 및 TmGST3의 mRNA 발현량도 증가하였다. 결론적으로, TmPOX5 및 TmSOD4 유전자는 갈색거저리에서 캡탄 노출에 대한 바이오마커 또는 생체이물 센서로 작용할 수 있음을 시사한다.

Pacific herring, Clupea pallasii, a keystone species with significant ecological and commercial importance, is declining globally throughout much of its range. While traditional fishing equipment methods remain limited, new sensitive and rapid detection methods should be developed to monitor fisheries resources. To monitor the presence and quantity of C. pallasii from environmental DNA (eDNA) extracted from seawater samples, a pair of primers and a TaqMan® probe specific to this fish based on mitochondrial cytochrome b (COB) sequences were designed for the real-time PCR (qPCR) assay. The combination of our molecular markers showed high specificity in the qPCR assay, which affirmed the success of presenting a positive signal only in the C. pallasii specimens. The markers also showed a high sensitivity for detecting C. pallasii genomic DNA in the range of 1 pg~100 ng rxn-1 and its DNA plasmid containing COB amplicon in the range of 1~100,000 copies rxn-1, which produced linear standard calibration curves (r2=0.99). We performed a qPCR assay for environmental water samples obtained from 29 sampling stations in the southeastern coastal regions of South Korea using molecular markers. The assay successfully detected the C. pallasii eDNA from 14 stations (48.2%), with the highest mean concentration in Jinhae Bay with a value of 76.09±18.39 pg L-1 (246.20±58.58 copies L-1). Our preliminary application of molecular monitoring of C. pallasii will provide essential information for efficient ecological control and management of this valuable fisheries resource.

Naturally occurring left ventricular hyperplasia is a rare but lethal disease. There are very few reports of this cardiac disease in captive nonhuman primates. In a colony of Macaca mulatta (Rhesus monkey) at California National Primate Research Center, a large number of rhesus macaques were diagnosed by autopsy with naturally occurring left ventricular hypertrophy without obvious underlying diseases over a 22-year period. The confirmatory diagnosis of ventricular hypertrophy was based on findings of notable left ventricular concentric hypertrophy with reduced left ventricular lumen, which is very similar to human ventricular hypertrophy cases. This report discusses an 11-year-old Macaca fascicularis monkey (Cynomolgus monkey, crab-eating macaque), weighing 2.95 kg, that was presented for enrollment in a pharmacokinetic (PK) study. During the PK experiment, the monkey died following a sudden decrease in percutaneous oxygen saturation and heart rate. Gross and histological examinations of the heart were performed. On gross pathology, the left ventricular wall was thickened, and the chamber lumen was reduced. In histopathological examination using hematoxylin- eosin and Masson-trichrome stains, fibrosis and myocyte disarray were not observed, but an increased cell density, compared to the normal heart, was confirmed. The autopsy results confirmed left ventricular hyperplasia as the major cause of death.

Feral cats are widely considered to be leading the potential impacts on public health. This study aimed to provide estimates of vital data for feral cats relating Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) to establish strategies effectively to manage feral cats in Pyeongtaek. Thus, this study focused on estimating feral cat population in Pyeongtaek and conducted a comparative analysis of the data for feral cats in Seoul (2013). The number of feral cats was estimated from 23,069 to 26,655 in Pyeongtaek, 2019. In relation to human population, when comparing the number of feral cats of Pyeongtaek and Seoul, it ranged from 4.57% to 5.28%, and from 1.97% to 2.55% respectively. This showed that Pyeongtaek was higher than Seoul. Fewer kittens were found in high-density areas, which the TNR project is believed to be generally effective in controlling the number of feral cats. In conclusion, in urban and rural complexes such as Pyeongtaek City, the number of feral cats compared to the population was higher than that of Seoul City, and the TNR program is believed to be somewhat effective in controlling the number of feral cats. When implementing TNR, it is necessary periodically to investigate the population and reflect them in policymaking.

The carbon anode material for lithium-ion battery was prepared by pyrolysis fuel oil and waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET) additive. The pitch was synthesized as a medium material for carbon anode by heat treatment. The waste PET additive improved the softening point and thermal stability of the pitch. La and Lc of the anode material (heat-treated pitch) increased at higher treatment temperature but decreased by waste PET additive. The electric capacity was evaluated based on effects of defective cavity and developed graphite interlayer, respectively. When the La and Lc of the anode material decreased, the electric capacity by cavity increased based on defective graphite structure. Therefore, the addition of waste PET causes the improved capacity by the cavity. The anode material which has a high efficiency (over 95%) and C-rate (95%, 2 C/0.1 C) was obtained by controlling the process of heat treatment and PET addition. The mechanism of lithium-ion insertion was discussed based on effects of defective cavity and developed graphite interlayer.

Melia azedarach is commonly used in traditional and folk medicine in Korea and China to treat a variety of diseases including diarrheal, diabetic, rheumatic, and hypertensive disease. The aim of this study was to determine the potential prophylactic and therapeutic effects of Melia azedarach against a broad spectrum of viruses in in vitro cell culture model and the protective effect against different influenza A subtypes in BALB/c mice model. An effective dose of pre-treatment, co-treatment, and post-treatment of Melia azedarach significantly reduced the replication of coxsackievirus, herpes simplex virus, influenza A virus, enterovirus, and bovine rhinovirus in both epithelial and macrophage cell lines. Melia azedarach treatment remarkably promoted the phosphorylation of the key molecules associated with the type-1 interferon and NF-κB signaling pathways. Furthermore, it induced the secretion of type-1 interferon and pro-inflammatory cytokines and the subsequent stimulation of the antiviral state in both epithelial and macrophage cells. Interestingly, oral inoculation of an effective dose of herb extract significantly improved viral clearance in the lungs of BALB/c mice, thus exhibiting protection against several subtypes of influenza A virus. Together with our results indicate that an extracts of Melia azedarach and its components could exhibit a potential natural source of an antiviral drug candidate for a broad spectrum of viruses in animal and humans.