We constructed an unbiased asteroid catalog from the mid-infrared part of the All-Sky Survey with the Infrared Camera (IRC) on board AKARI. About 20% of the point source events recorded in the IRC All-Sky Survey observations were not used for the IRC Point Source Catalog in its production process because of a lack of multiple detection by position. Asteroids, which are moving objects on the celestial sphere, are included in these "residual events" We identified asteroids out of the residual events by matching them with the positions of known asteroids. For the identified asteroids, we calculated the size and albedo based on the Standard Thermal Model. Finally we had a new brand of asteroid catalog, which contains 5,120 objects, about twice as many as the IRAS asteroid catalog.

An overview of the North Ecliptic Pole (NEP) deep multi-wavelength survey covering from X-ray to radio wavelengths is presented. The main science objective of this multi-wavelength project is to unveil the star-formation and AGN activities obscured by dust in the violent epoch of the Universe (z=0.5-2), when the star formation and black-hole evolution activities were much stronger than the present. The NEP deep survey with AKARI/IRC consists of two survey projects: shallow wide (8.2 sq. deg, NEP-Wide) and the deep one (0.6 sq. deg, NEP-Deep). The NEP-Deep provides us with a 15 μm or 18 μm selected sample of several thousands of galaxies, the largest sample ever made at these wavelengths. A continuous filter coverage at mid-IR wavelengths (7, 9, 11, 15, 18, and 24 μ m ) is unique and vital to diagnose the contribution from starbursts and AGNs in the galaxies at the violent epoch. The recent updates of the ancillary data are also provided: optical/near-IR magnitudes (Subaru, CFHT), X-ray (Chandra), FUV/NUV (GALEX), radio (WSRT, GMRT), optical spectra (Keck/DEIMOS etc.), Subaru/FMOS, Herschel/SPIRE, and JCMT/SCUBA-2.

The interstellar dust grains are formed and supplied to interstellar space from asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars or supernova remnants, and become constituents of the star- and planet-formation processes that lead to the next generation of stars. Both a qualitative, and a compositional study of this cycle are essential to understanding the origin of the pre-solar grains, the missing sources of the interstellar material, and the chemical evolution of our Galaxy. The AKARI/MIR all-sky survey was performed with two mid-infrared photometric bands centered at 9 and 18 μ m . These data have advantages in detecting carbonaceous and silicate circumstellar dust of AGB stars, and the interstellar polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons separately from large grains of amorphous silicate. By using the AKARI/MIR All-Sky point source catalogue, we surveyed C-rich and O-rich AGB stars in our Galaxy, which are the dominant suppliers of carbonaceous and silicate grains, respectively. The C-rich stars are uniformly distributed across the Galactic disk, whereas O-rich stars are concentrated toward the Galactic center, following the metallicity gradient of the interstellar medium, and are presumably affected by the environment of their birth place. We will compare the distributions of the dust suppliers with the distributions of the interstellar grains themselves by using the AKARI/MIR All-Sky diffuse maps. To enable discussions on the faint diffuse interstellar radiation, we are developing an accurate AKARI/MIR All-Sky diffuse map by correcting artifacts such as the ionising radiation effects, scattered light from the moon, and stray light from bright sources.

A nuclear, biological, chemical (NBC) canister was indigenously developed using active carbon impregnated with ammoniacal salts of copper (II), chromium (VI) and silver (I), and high efficiency particulate aerosol filter media. The NBC canister was evaluated against carbon tetra chloride (CCl4) vapours, which were used as a simulant for persistent chemical warfare agents under dynamic conditions for testing breakthrough times of canisters of gas masks in the National Approval Test of Respirators. The effects of CCl4 concentration, test flow rate, temperature, and relative humidity (RH) on the breakthrough time of the NBC canister against CCl4 vapour were also studied. The impregnated carbon that filled the NBC canister was characterized for surface area and pore volume by N2 adsorption-desorption isotherm at liquid nitrogen temperature. The study clearly indicated that the NBC canister provides adequate protection against CCl4 vapours. The breakthrough time decreased with the increase of the CCl4 concentration and flow rate. The variation in temperature and RH did not significantly affect the breakthrough behaviour of the NBC canister at high vapour concentration of CCl4, whereas the breakthrough time of the NBC canister was reduced by an increase of RH at low CCl4 vapour concentration.

The reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated during the somatic cell transfer nuclear (SCNT) procedures may cause the mitochondrial dysfunction and DNA damage, which may result in restricts the reprogramming of SCNT embryos and play a key direct role in apoptosis. The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of antioxidant treatment during the SCNT procedures on the inhibition of mitochondria and DNA damages in bovine SCNT embryos. The reconstituted oocytes were treated with antioxidants of 25 μM β-mercaptoethanol (β-ME) or 50 μM vitamin C (Vit. C) during the SCNT procedures. In vitro fertilization (IVF) was performed for controls. Mitochondrial morphology and membrane potential (ΔΨ) were evaluated by staining the embryos with MitoTracker Red or JC-1. Apoptosis was analyzed by Caspase-3 activity assay and TUNEL assay, and DNA fragmentation was measured by comet assay at the zygote stage. Mitochondrial morphology of non-treated SCNT embryos was diffused within cytoplasm without forming clumps, while the IVF embryos and antioxidant treated SCNT embryos were formed clumps. The ΔΨ of β-ME (1.3±0.1, red/green) and Vit. C-treated (1.4±0.2, red/green) SCNT embryos were significantly higher (p<0.05) than that of non-treated SCNT embryos (0.9±0.1, red/ green), which similar to that of IVF embryos (1.3±0.1, red/green). Caspase-3 activity was not difference among the groups. TUNEL assay also revealed that little apoptosis was occurred in SCNT embryos as well as IVF embryos regardless of antioxidant treatment. Comet tail lengths of β-ME and Vit. C-treated SCNT embryos (337.8±23.5 μm and 318.7 ±27.0 μm, respectively) were shorter than that of non-treated SCNT embryos (397.4± 21.4 μm) and similar to IVF embryos (323.3±10.6 μm). These results suggest that antioxidant treatment during SCNT procedures can inhibit the mitochondrial and DNA damages of bovine SCNT embryos.

In ruminants, Interferon-τ (IFN-τ) has the role of recognizing pregnancy signals produced by the embryo and it may have an important role during the luteolysis. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of IFN-τ on prostaglandin synthesis, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) gene expression in vitro and secretion of progesterone (P4) in vivo. The epithelial and stromal cells isolated from bovine endometrium were cultured with different doses of IFN-τ (0, 0.02, 0.2 and 2 μg/ml). Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG, 1.5 IU/ml) was used as a positive control. Prostaglandin E2 and F2α levels in the culture media were analyzed by enzyme immunoassays, and total RNA was extracted from the cells for RT-PCR. P4 concentrations in blood samples were assayed by chemiluminescent immunoassay system. In epithelial cells, COX-2 gene expression was increased in the presence of IFN-τ (p<0.05), but it was not significantly different in all groups of stromal cells except 2 μg/ml IFN-τ group (p<0.05). Although IFN-τ did not affect PGE2 and PGF2α production in epithelial cells, it decreased PGE2 and PGF2α production significantly in stromal cells (p<0.05). In vivo experiment, the P4 concentrations in blood sample was significantly increased after injection of 1 μg/ml IFN-τ. These results indicate that PG production was mediated by COX-2 expression in the stromal cells but it did not affect in the epithelial cells, and suggest that treatment of IFN-τ was to improve the implantation environment of uterine by maintenance of high P4 concentration. * This work was carried out with the support of “Cooperative Research Program for Agriculture Science & Technology Development (Project No. PJ907008)” Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea.

Embryo transfer has been used in Japan for several years to produce bulls and cows of high genetic value, to produce beef calves from dairy cows. The average size of Japanese cattle farming is not very large. An efficient embryo transfer program is important to facilitate adoption of these technologies in the field. The fixed‐time embryo transfer programs allow for systematic embryo transfer under field conditions. The objective of this paper was to evaluate the practical utility of fixed‐time embryo transfer programs in cattle under field conditions. Two fixed‐time embryo transfer programs were used for dairy or beef cattle: 1) the ovysync program and the 2) progesterone and estradiol program. 1) Ovysync Program Dairy cattle (cows, n = 146; heifers, n = 107) were randomly allocated to a natural estrus control group (cows, n = 63; heifers, n = 47) or an ovulation synchronization (ovysync) group (cows, n = 83; heifers, n = 60), which was treated with an intramuscular (IM) injection of 100 μg GnRH at a random stage of the estrus cycle. Seven days later, the cattle received PGF2α (Cows; 25 30 mg) or PGF2α analog (Heifers; 0.5 mg) to regress the corpora lutea (CL). Forty‐eight hours later, the cows and heifers received a second injection of 100 μg GnRH. Embryo transfer was carried out 6 or 7 days after the second GnRH injection. There were no differences in the proportion of acceptable embryo transfers in the control (cows, 81.0%; heifers, 91.4%) and ovysync groups (cows, 83.1%; heifers, 91.7%). Pregnancy rates did not differ between groups. 2) Progesterone and Estradiol Program All beef heifers and beef or dairy cows received CIDR and estradiol benzoate (EB, beef heifers and cows, 1 mg; dairy cows, 2 mg) IM on Day 0, PGF2α at the time of CIDR removal (beef heifers and cows, Day 7; dairy cows, Day 8), 1 mg EB IM on Day 8 (beef heifers and cows) or 9 (dairy cows). Embryo transfer was carried out on Day 16 (beef heifers and cows) or Day 17 (dairy cows). The pregnancy rates were 80.0% (12/15) for beef heifers, 46.7% (7/15) for beef cows and 68.4% (13/19) for dairy cows. These results suggest that both fixed‐time embryo transfer programs can be effectively applied to cattle programs under field conditions.

The green peach aphid(Myzus persicae) and sweet-potato whitefly(Bemisia tabaci) biotype Q are serious pests in hot pepper and cucumber. To optimize the formulation type of Clothianidin 1.8% granule, coated and extruded granule formulation types were tested against green peach aphid in hot pepper and sweetpotato whitefly in cucumber. Clothianidin 1.8% granules were incorporated in soil before transplant of hot pepper and cucumber. At recommend dose(540g ai/ha), the efficacy of Clothianidin 1.8% coated and extruded granules were 83.3% and 94.4% and continued until 50 days and 70 days against green peach aphid, respectively. Against sweet-potato whitefly, the efficacy of Clothianidin 1.8% coated and extruded granules were 65.7% and 96.3% at 32 days in cucumber, respectively. Clothianidin 1.8% extruded granule was safe on crops (hot pepper, cucumber, melon, cabbage etc.) at 540g ai/ha (recommend dose) and 1080g ai/ha. The results suggested that Clothianidin 1.8% extruded granule is promising as a best insecticide against green peach aphid and sweet-potato whitefly, because of the high efficacy and low phytotoxicity.