To evaluate alterations in fecal bacterial compositions in weaning piglets after supplementation with Phellodendron Cortex extract (PCE), piglets were allowed freely to consume feed containing 10 ppm of PCE for 7 weeks. During the feeding period, fecal samples were collected from individual piglets. A total of 578 valid sequence reads were generated from 40 fecal samples of normal piglets before supplementation with PCE. Fifteen classes were identified. Approximately 90% of classifiable sequences belonged to Clostridia and Bacilli classes. The abundance of Clostridium spp. and Lactobacillus spp. was determined based on the results of the sequencing. The supplementation with 10 ppm PCE for 3 weeks increased the numbers of Clostridium spp. and Lactobacillus spp. whereas seven weeks of supplementation with PCE reduced their abundance. In vitro, PCE inhibited the growth of E. coli and Salmonella enteritidis in a dose-dependent manner.

본 연구는 Veronica속 20종의 생장 및 개화 특성을 평가하기 위해 2년 동안 국립수목원 식물자원연구과 육종온실에서 수행하였다. Veronica속 식물은 다양한 생장 및 개화 특성을 가지고 있었다. 꼬리풀 20종을 식물 형태 및 초장에 따라 분류하였다. 포복형의 10cm 미만 초장은 V. armena와 V. repens, 직립형 30cm 미만 초장은 V. gentianoides ‘Little blues’ 등 4종, 직립형 30~60cm 사이 초장은 V. gentianoides ‘Blue Streak’ 등 7종, 직립형 60cm 이상 초장은 V. incana 등 7종이었다. 대부분의 엽색은 초록색이었고 V. incana와 V. incana ‘Silbersee’는 잎에 흰 털이 있었다. 꽃대 수는 5.3개부터 80.7개, 화수는 4.5개부터 67.3개였고 개화일은 3월 초순부터 6월 중순이었다. 화서의 형태는 총상화서, 수상화서, 취산화서로 분류하였다. 화색은 보라색 13종, 분홍색 2종, 흰색 5종이었다. 2017년 모든 개체가 개화한 종은 3종으로 V. longifolia ‘Blue Shades’, V. spicata ‘Blue Bouquet’, V. subsessilis ‘Blue Pyramid’였고, 일부 개체만 개화한 종은 7종으로 V. armena, V. gentianoides ‘Little Blues’, V. longifolia ‘Alba’, V. prostrata ‘Nestor’, V. spicata, V. spicata ‘Alba’, V. spicata ‘Sightseeing’ 이었다. 모든 개체가 개화하지 않은 종은 10종으로 V. gentianoides ‘Blue Streak’, V. incana, V. incana ‘Silbersee’, V. longifolia ‘Pink Shades’, V. orchidea ‘Blue Fingers’, V. repens, V. schmidtiana, V. spicata ‘Blue Carpet’, V. spicata ‘Pink Goblin’, V. teucrium ‘Royal Blue’였다. 반면, 2018년에는 모든 종의 개체가 개화하였다.

This study aimed to examine the effect of a mild elevation in serum cholesterol level in a porcine coronary overstretch restenosis model using a balloon angioplasty catheter or drug-eluting coronary stent. Pigs were divided into two groups and were fed a commercial normal diet (CND, n = 4) or a high-fat diet (HFD, n = 4) for 5 weeks. Coronary overstretch injury by balloon angioplasty or stent implantation was induced in the left anterior descending and left circumflex artery after 1 week of feeding. Histopathological analysis was performed at 4 weeks after coronary injury. During the experiment, the total cholesterol level in the HFD group increased by approximately 44.9% (from 65.9 ± 3.21 mg/dL at baseline to 95.5 ± 9.94 mg/dL at 5 weeks). The lumen area in the CND group was reduced in comparison with that in the HFD group after balloon angioplasty. After stent implantation, the injury score showed no significant difference. There were significant differences in the neointimal area (2.7 ± 0.33 mm2 in the CND group vs. 3.3 ± 0.34 mm2 in the HFD group, p<0.05), lumen area (2.6 ± 0.54 mm2 in the CND group vs. 2.0 ± 0.33 mm2 in the HFD group, p<0.05), and percent area stenosis (52.0 ± 7.96% in the CND group vs. 62.4 ± 5.15% in the HFD group, p<0.05). Body weight change was not different between the two groups. Increased serum cholesterol level activated vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation in the porcine coronary overstretch model.

Salicylic acid (SA) is an essential plant growth regulator that functions as a signaling molecule in plants. The purpose of this study was to clarify how the exogenous application of SA counteracts aluminum stress-induced growth and biomass yield reduction in alfalfa exposed to aluminum (Al) stress. Two-week-old alfalfa seedlings were exposed to a combination of AlCl3 (0 μM, 50 μM and 100 μM, respectively) and SA (0.1 mM) for 72 hours. We observed, Al stress-induced plant growth inhibition and forage yield reduction are Al stress-dependent manner. A significant reduction of plant height (42.0-52.9%), leaf relative water content (13.0-21.4%), root length (35.4-48.7%), shoot fresh weight (31.2-25.9%), root fresh weight (15.4-23.3%), shoot dry weight (12.7-22.2%), roots dry weight (47.3 -53.5%), were observed in alfalfa. In contrast, SA alleviated the Al-stress and enhanced growth and biomass yield in alfalfa. This study provides useful information concerning the role of SA that counteracts aluminum stress-induced growth and yield reduction in alfalfa.