The occurrence of allergic disease has increased harmfully in the last few decades. Atopic dermatitis (AD) is an allergic inflammation disorder characterized by itchy, red, swollen, cracked skin. Although the pathogenesis of AD is not fully understood, it is assumed that deregulation of T-helper 1 (Th1) and T-helper 2 (Th2) immune responses, a predominance of allergen-specific IgE, and interrupted epidermal barrier function are keys to the pathogenic mechanism. Activated T helper 2 (Th2) immune function is hallmark of various allergic diseases. Oxidative stress implicated in cutaneous damage in various inflammatory skin diseases. We investigated the effect of fermented soybean (SCGB1) on the improvement of AD. Soybean fermentation was carried out using B. amyloliquefaciense SCGB1 (KCCM11964P), which is known to produce of natural antibiotics. And then, we experiment of SCGB1 and soybean powder (NC) in DNCB-induced AD model. Mice were respectively oral administration of variety dose for 14 days. As a results, it was confirmed that serum Immunoglobulin E (IgE) expression was dose-dependently decreased in SCGB1 and NC compared to negative control, and it was reduced the skin pruritus inducing factor that Interleukin-31 (IL-31) mRNA level. In addition, the inflammatory cells were infiltration in skin for histological analysis. As a result, it reduced that epidermal hyperplasia, cancellation and aveolarization compared to negative control. These results suggest that SCGB1 may be effective for prevention and treatment of AD.

During reading instruction, sustaining learners’ reading motivation (RM) may be a challenge but a requisite when the goal is to keep learners reading. In the context of the present study, it was examined as to how RM may be sustained in a reading course. For this purpose, information on learners’ RM was collected in a semester-long university reading course with 118 Korean learners of English at the pre- and post-instructional stages of reading. RM was assessed with Motivations for Reading Questionnaire before and after reading instruction. Results indicated that reading involvement had decreased for all learners whereas the less skilled learners demonstrated an increase of reading efficacy and a drop in reading for grades. A linear multiple regression further indicated that reading efficacy was a significant predictor of reading proficiency only for the skilled learners. Implications are presented on how reading needs to be conducted by allowing learners to choose their own materials, which in turn may have an effect on developing more robust forms of RM.

Photosynthetic characteristics and growth responses of Phalaenopsis Queen Beer ‘Mantefon’ orchid were determined in plants exposed to variable carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations at 2-, 24-, and 36-weeks age (i.e., corresponding to juvenile, young, and mature vegetative growth stages, respectively). Plants were grown at 400 (control), 800, or 1,600 μmol･mol-1 CO2 for 6 hours during the nighttime for 32 weeks. Phalaenopsis ‘Mantefon’ in 2- and 24-week-old plants grown at 1,600 μmol･mol-1 CO2 had increased leaf number and net CO2 uptake compared with the plants grown at 400 μmol･mol-1 CO2. In 36-week-old of Phalaenopsis ‘Mantefon’, leaf number was significantly greater in plant grown at 800 and 1,600 μmol･mol-1 conditions compared with plants grown at 400 μmol･mol-1 CO2. Leaves that emerged after the start of the CO2 treatment were initially longer in the plants grown at 1,600 μmol･mol-1 CO2 than at 400 μmol·mol-1 C O2, but the final leaf length was shortest in the plants grown at 1,600 μmol･mol-1 CO2 condition. Plants showed crassulancean acid metabolism characteristic of nighttime CO2 uptake regardless plant growth stages. We found that growers may be able to promote leaf growth with increasing leaf number and reducing time to leaf initiation in the 36-week-old (i.e., mature stage) plants with 800 – 1,600 μmol·mol-1 CO2 and 2- and 24-week-old (i.e., juvenile and young stages) plants with 1,600 μmol·mol-1 C O2 for Phalaenopsis ‘Mantefon’.

This study investigated the fumigant activity of phosphine (PH3) on 2 kinds of mealybug (Pseudococcus longispinus and P. orchidicola (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae)) adults and nymphs. All of the two mealybugs adults showed higher LCT99 values than nymphs, and P. longispinus showed higher tolerance than P. orchidicola in a 12 L desiccator. The absorption of phosphine on 13 nursery plants showed 12.2~41.5% difference depending on the plant. All of the mealybugs treated with phosphine 2 mg/L in 0.5 m3 fumigation chamber for 4 h showed 100% fumigant activity, except P. longispinus adult (approximately 90% at bottom part). However, when the exposure time was increased to 24 h, all of them showed 100% mortality. In the treatment of 10 m3 container, the 24 h treatment of phosphine showed 100% mortality to P. longispinus and P. orchidicola adults and nymphs. In all the experiments, no phytotoxicity of phosphine observed on 13 plants until 1 month after treatment.

A combination using phosphine (PH3) and ethyl formate (EF) was performed to compensate for the disadventages (long exposure time and phytotoxicity) of a single substance. P. longisipinus was more susceptible to mixed phosphine and ethyl formate than P. orchidicola in 12 L dessicator. Mortality of mixed treatment was higher than aggregated mortalities that treated individually, so it indicated to have a synergic effect on each other. Ethyl formate was showed higher adsorption rate than phosphine on imported nursery plants and showed differences depending on the plant. P. longispinus and P. orchidicola was showed 100% mortality when phosphine and ethyl formate was treated as 1 g/m3 and 30 g/m3 for 4 hour in 0.5 m3 fumigation chamber and in 10 m3 container. Phytotoxicity was evaluated to mixture of phosphine and ethyl formate at 1 month after treatment.

Childhood obesity causes a higher risk of obesity, premature death and disability in adulthood. In addition, obese children experience an increased risk of respiratory problems, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance and psychological effects. This study aimed to investigate how an exercise intervention affects health-related physical fitness and inflammatory-related blood factors in obese children after. We hypothesized that there would be positive effects on serum levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), connecting peptide(C-peptide) and resistin, as well as in muscle and cardiovascular-related physical capacities, after an exercise intervention in obese children. Thirty-seven obese children haveperformed health-related fitness tests and provided blood samples for the analysis of changes in circulating biomarkers, both before and after an 8-week exercise intervention, which includes stretching, aerobic exercise, resistance exercise and sports games. The results indicate that exercise training beneficially affects body compositions, especially percentage body fat and muscle mass, without influencing to body weight and height. The results of the physical fitness tests show that muscle and cardiovascular capacity were increased in obese children in response to exercise training. Simultaneously, the exercise training decreased circulating levels of C-peptide, which equated to a “large” effect size. Although there were no significant effects on the levels of IGF-1 and resistin, they show a “small” effect size. Therefore, our findings suggest that the exercise intervention have beneficial effects on body composition and physical fitness levels in obese children, whichmight be associated with the decline in circulating C-peptide.

Surfactant-wrapped separation methods of metallic and semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) can result in large changes in intrinsic physical and chemical properties due to electronic interactions between a nanotube and a surfactant. Our approach to synthesize SWCNTs with an electronic feature relied on utilizing carbon nanorings, [n] cycloparaphenylenes ([n]CPPs), which are the fundamental unit of armchair type SWCNTs (a-SWCNTs) that possess a metallic feature without any surfactants. To obtain long tubular structures from [n]CPPs, the host-guest complexes formed with well-aligned [n]CPP hosts and various fullerene guests on a silicon substrate were pyrolyzed under an ethanol gas flow at a high temperature with focused-ultraviolet laser irradiation. The pyrolyzed [n]CPPs were observed to transform from nanorings to tubular structures with 1.5–1.7 nm diameters corresponding to the employed diameter of [n]CPPs. Our approach suggests that [n]CPPs are useful for structure-controlled synthesis of SWCNTs.

Mycoplasma spp. are extracellular bacteria that colonize on the respiratory epithelium of humans and animals. It is a causative agent of pneumonia commonly complicated by opportunistic infectious bacteria. Mycoplasma spp. infection cause relatively mild disease in the absence of environmental stressors, but when complicated by secondary bacterial invaders the resultant disease can cause obvious clinical disease and severe production losses in intensively reared pigs Mycoplasma spp. are highly fastidious bacteria, difficult to culture and slow growing. Many species of Mycoplasma spp. are important pathogens causing respiratory infection in animals and known to induce huge economic losses. The aims of the present study were to develop a rapid isolation and culture method of wild type Mycoplasma spp. in pigs. We used Mycoplasma spp. genus specific direct PCR without DNA extraction procedure using PhireⓇ Animal Tissue Direct PCR Kit from the lung tissues with pneumonia lesions. Therefore, we could save the time for tissue processing and increase the accuracy of Mycoplasma spp. inclusion prediction in lung tissues. Thereafter, we used the optimized media to isolate and culture Mycoplasma spp. As the results, Mycoplasma spp. could be isolated and cultured quickly and efficiently. These results could provide an efficient strategy and method for the rapid and accurate isolation and culture of wild type Mycoplasma spp. in pigs.

동남아시아에 발생하던 등검은말벌은 최근 국내 뿐만 아니라 프랑스와 일본, 유럽 전역으로 확산되어 전 세계 양봉 산업에 극심한 피해를 주고 있다. 등검은말벌을 방제하기 위해 다양한 방제 방법들이 연구되고 있으며, 그 중 말벌 유인제에 대해 국제적으로 많은 연구가 진행되어 왔으나 이 역시 지속적인 개발이 필요한 실정이다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 시판 유인제와 최근 (주)다목에코텍에서 새롭게 개발한 신규 개발 유인제에 대한 효능 검정을 수행하였 고 양봉장에 출현하는 국내 발생 말벌속의 발생양상을 조사하였다. 담양 1개소와 곡성 2개소에 기존 유인제과 신규 유인제를 장착한 포획기를 각 3쌍씩 설치하여 2016년 9월부터 11월말까지 주 1~2회 관찰하였다. 그 결과 국내 발생 말벌속 중 등검은말벌(7,787 개체)이 가장 많이 포획되었고, 다음으로 장수말벌, 말벌, 좀말벌, 꼬마장수말벌, 털보말벌 순으로 포획되었다. 두 유인제의 포획력 검정 결과, 신규 개발 유인제가 통계적으로 유의하게(P < 0.01) 등검은말벌 포획력이 높음을 보였다.

풀무치(Locusta migratoria)는 메뚜기과에 속하는 곤충으로 70% 이상의 단백질을 함유하고 있어 식사료용 곤충으로 이용 가능성이 높다. 그러나 풀무치의 대량생산을 위한 연중사육 관련 연구는 미흡하여 사육방법 정립, 먹이원 선발 등이 필요하다. 본 연구에서는 풀무치의 연중사육을 위한 방법으로 사육밀도에 따른 생육 특성과 최적 산란처를 찾기 위해 상토, 오아시스 등을 이용하여 산란 특성을 조사하였다. 풀무치의 생육 온도는 28℃, 습도는 65% 내외로 유지하고 처리구별 생존율, 탈피횟수, 크기, 무게 등을 측정하였다. 사육밀도별 약충 기간은 32일 소요되었고, 생존율은 82~90 %였으며, 성충 기간은 110~120일 소요되었다. 산란처별 난괴 길이는 33~49mm였으며, 부화 후 생존율을 72~82%였다.

The present study evaluated the susceptibility of field populations of Plutella xylostella and Spodoptera exigua larvae to four diamide insecticides—chlorantraniliprole, cyantraniliprole, cyclaniliprole, and flubendiamide. All the four diamide insecticides induced 100% mortality in the populations from Seongju (SJ) and Geochang (GC) when treated at a concentration recommended for P. xylostella. However, a very low insecticidal activity was observed in the population from Pyeongchang (PC) with 42.3% 3 d after treatment with chlorantraniliprole. Further, the populations of S. exigua from Cheongju (CJ), Jindo (JD), and Yeonggwang (YG) were not completely controlled by the 4 diamide insecticides. A comparison of susceptibility of S. exigua larvae to chlorantraniliprole between 2014 and 2017 showed that chlorantraniliprole induced 100% mortality in all populations in 2014, whereas a very low insecticidal activity was observed among the populations in 2017. This study can serve as a basis to control pests effectively using diamide insecticides.

The two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae), is one of the most important pest species devastating many horticultural and ornamental crops and fruit trees. In the present study, a field strain was collected in January 2001 and has been selected for sixteen years with acequinocyl. The resistance ratio calculated from the LC50 of eggs and adults was 191- and 4,237-fold, respectively. The laboratory-selected acequinocyl resistance (LSAR16) strain was screened with 11 acaricides for cross-resistance. The detoxifying enzyme activities and quantitative real-time PCR analysis were performed in the LSAR16 strain. Crossing experiments revealed that LSAR16 strain was inherited maternally, incompletely dominant and monogenic. Most importantly, we identified two new point-mutations at mitochondrial cytb from acequinocyl resistant T. urticae.

Ficus carica L. (common fig), one of the first plants cultivated by humans, originated in the Mediterranean basin and currently grows worldwide, including southwest Asia and South Korea. It has been used as a traditional medicine for treatment of metabolic, cardiovascular, and respiratory diseases as well as hemorrhoids and skin infections. Its pharmacological properties have recently been studied in detail, but research on the anti-cancer effect of its latex has been only been studied on a limited basis on several cell lines, such prostate cancer, breast cancer, and leukemia. In this study, we investigated the anti-cancer activity of the latex of Ficus carica L.and its underlying mechanism in FaDu human hypopharynx squamous carcinoma cells. (See Ed. note above) We confirmed through SDS-PAGE analysis and gelatinolytic activity analysis that the latex of Ficus carica contains cysteine protease ficin. Our data showed that the latex inhibited cell growth in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, the latex treatment markedly induced apoptosis in FaDu cells as determined by FACS analysis, elevated expression level of cleaved caspase-9, -3 and PARP (poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase), and. increased the expression of Bax (pro-apoptotic factor) while decreasing the expression of Bcl-2 (anti-apoptotic factor). Taken together, these results suggested that latex containing the ficin inhibited cell growth and induced apoptosis by caspase and the Bcl-2 family signaling pathway in FaDu human hypopharynx squamous carcinoma cells. These findings point to the potential of latex of Ficus carica to provide a novel chemotherapeutic drug due to its growth inhibition effects and induction of apoptosis in human oral cancer cells.

Naegleria fowleri is pathogenic free-living amoeba leading to primary amoebic meningoencephalitis(PAM) in human and animals. The nfa1 gene cloned from N. fowleri is located on food-cup structure called pseudopodia and function an adherence of host target cells. To evaluate the effect of nfa1 vaccination against N. fowleri infection, we constructed retroviral vector(pQCXIN) expressing nfa1 gene. To determine the effect of vaccination and protective immunity in in vivo models, we measured the immunoglobulin levels, cytokine induction, and survival rate in mice infected with N. fowleri. Both levels of IgG and IgG subclass in DNA vaccinated mice were significantly elevated. The cytokine analysis show that DNA vaccinated mice induces production of IL-4 and IFN-γcytokines suggesting a Th1/Th2 mixed type immune response. The levels of nfa1 specific IgG antibody were maintained highly until 12 weeks post-vaccination in vaccinted mice. The nfa1 vaccinated mice using retroviral vector increased significantly survival rate(60%) after N. fowleri infection. Consequently, the nfa1 vaccination effectively induces protective immunity by upregulation of immune response in mice infected with N. fowleri. These results suggest that DNA vaccination using retroviral vector may be proper trial for treatment and prevention of PAM.