Entomopathogenic fungi infect some arthropod pest and have been used for biological control. Some entomopathogenic fungi have high potential in insect pest management worldwide, and most of researches were given to Hypocreales order of Ascomycota, but little in Zygomycota, such as Entomophthorales in our country. We have identified some species belonging to Entomophthorales and investigated cultural features and ecology of Entomophaga aulicae. E. aulicae in sweet potato fields, where Aedia leucomelas was a dominant pest, had caused epizootics from 2002–2005. E. aulicae-infected A. leucomelas larva were mostly found from August to October and its occurrence was significantly related to the precipitation. E. aulicae were mainly observed in dead A. leucomelas larval populations (infection rate = 41.3% in 2002), rather than other lepidopteran pests. E. aulicae was morphologically and genetically identified and its virulence was characterized in laboratory conditions. Additionally, pest infection by Zoophthora radicans, Neozygites floridana and some Entomophthorales have been identified. On the basis with this information, we need research to predict the prevalence and to develop biological control agent using Entomophthorales including E. aulicae that contribute to regulation of host populations.

Insects impact human health through vector-borne diseases and cause major economic loses through damaging crops and stored agricultural products. Insect-specific growth regulators (IGR) represent attractive control agents because of their safety to the environment and humans. Here, we report identification of plant compounds that are antagonists of the insect-specific juvenile hormone (PJHANs), using the yeast two hybrid system transformed with the mosquito JH receptor as a reporter assay. We show that these compounds act by inhibiting larval growth and reproduction in mosquitoes. We also demonstrate that PJHANs affect the JH receptor, Methoprene-tolerant (Met), by disrupting its complex with CYCLE, formation of which is required for mediating JH action. We isolated five diterpene secondary metabolites with JH antagonist activity from two plants, Lindera erythrocarpa and Solidago serotina. They are effective in causing mortality of mosquito larvae at relatively low LD50 values. Two of these diterprenes affect Met function, leading to reduction in expression of Met target genes and causing retardation of follicle development in mosquito ovaries. Developing potent compounds counteracting JHaction (JH antagonists) would find a wider range of control applications. However, so far such JH antagonists have not been developed. Here, we report the discovery of potent JH antagonists in plants, which represents an innate resistance mechanism of plants against insect herbivores. These newly discovered plant JH antagonist compounds could be used as the starting material for developing novel insecticides.

Background and Purpose: The Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI) is the ratio of blood pressure in the lower legs to that in the arms. The intima-media thickness (IMT) of extracranial carotid arteries determined by B-mode ultrasound is a measurable index of the presence of atherosclerosis. A low ABI and a high carotid IMT are independently related to increased risk of cardiovascular events. This study examined the association between carotid IMT and ABI in patients with ischemic stroke. Materials and Methods: Retrospectively, 116 hospitalized patients with ischemic stroke were recruited. Using a pulse wave velocity ABI device along with carotid duplex sonography, we measured carotid IMT and ABI and investigated the correlation between average values. Results: There was a significant difference in carotid IMT between the normal and abnormal ABI groups (P=0.0262). The group with an abnormal ABI was more than five times as likely to have increased carotid IMT as the group with a normal ABI (age, sex-adjusted OR 5.67 (95% CI 1.85~17.38)). The ABI and carotid IMT showed a weak inverse linear correlation in patients with ischemic stroke (correlation coefficient −0.378 after adjusting for age and sex). Conclusion: Our study suggests that an abnormal ABI is associated with a high carotid IMT in patients with ischemic stroke.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of swiss ball program training on lower extremity function of old elderly with mild cognitive impairment. The subjects were 30 mild cognitive impairment eldrly people aged between 65 and 80, who were divided into the swiss ball program training group(n=15) and the control group(n=15). The swiss ball program training group engaged in a 50-minute exercise session using. Lower extremity function scale of the two groups were measured before and after the intervention. The results are as follows. According to the swiss ball program training conducted to examine the effects of the training on lower extremity function, Moreover, the two groups showed significant differences in lower extremity function. These results indicate that virtual reality training is effective in improving lower extremity function. To conclusion, swiss ball program was found to have a positive effect on elderly lower extremity function. Swiss ball program training can be proposed as a form of fall prevention exercise for the mild cognitive impairment. Swiss ball program may be helpful to reduce the incidence of dementia and behavioral complications.

As a preceding study for investigating the influence of sound wave stimulus on Arabidopsis thaliana metabolomics, the polar secondary metabolomes of the plant were determined using high performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. A total of 10 polar secondary metabolomes were characterized and quantified. Among them, 4 metabolomes, p-coumaroylagmatine isomer (7 and 8), p-coumaroylagmatine isomer (9 and 10) were identified in the plant for the first time. The validation was conducted in terms of linearity, recovery, precision, limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ). The validated method was applied to the simultaneous quantification of the 10 polar secondary metabolomes.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of the exercise on elderly balance ability by using hippotherapy and therapeutic ball exercise. 10 patients were assigned to the hippotherapy group and they got with 30 minutes of hippotherapy. Another 10 elderly were assigned to the therapeutic ball group and they got with 30 minutes of therapeutic ball exercise. All procedures were repeated 5 times a week for the total of four weeks. To investigate the participants balancing abilities, the Time“ Up & Go”(TUG) and One Leg Stand Test(OLST) were evaluated. The results of study were significant differences between pre-test and post-test of TUG and OLST(p<.05), and there were no significant differences between hippotherapy and therapeutic ball exercise(p>.05). The conclusion showed that both the hippotherapy and the therapeutic ball exercises were effective on elderly balancing ability. Consequently, it would be better to practice therapeutic ball than hippotherapy for elderly exercise because the more economical and there is less restriction of space than the hippotherapy.

목 적: 본 연구는 한국인의 백내장과 녹내장의 유병률에 대해 알아 보고자 하였다. 방 법: 백내장과 녹내장의 유병률은 2007년도 국민건강영양조사 자료에서 30세 이상의 2,643명(남성: 1,101명, 여성: 1,543명)을 대상으로 하였다. 본 연구는 서베이분석법인 PROC SURVEYFREQ를 사용하여 사회경제적 위험요인과의 관계에 따른 유병률의 변화를 보았다. 모든 통계분석은 SAS 9.2 통계패키지를 사용하였으며, 유의성 검정은 0.05 이하로 하였다. 결 과: 2007년도 한국인은 3.0%(남성 9.8%, 여성 4.6%)가 백내장을 가지고 있었고, 7.8%(남성 5.7%, 여성 9.8%)가 백내장을 앓은 경험이 있었다. 녹내장 유병률과 경험률은 각각 0.2% (남성 0.4%, 여성 0.2%)와 0.5% (남성: 0.5%, 여성 0.4%)이었다. 65세 이상 남성 노인에서, 백내장 경험률 및 유병률은 19.9%와 4.1%이었으며, 여성에서는 38.3%와 17.2% 이었다. 그러나 30-64세 사이의 젊은 사람들에게 백내장 경험과 유병률이 남성에서 3.4%와 0.8%이었으며, 여성에서 1.6%와 3.0%이었다. 65세 이상 노인에서, 녹내장 경험률과 유병률은 남성에서 1.6%와 1.1%이었으며, 여성에서는 1.6%와 0.8%이었다. 젊은 사람들에게서 녹내장의 경험률과 유병률은 남성에서 0.3%와 0.1%이었으며, 여성에서는 모두 0.1% 이었다. 또한, 교육수준이나 소득이 낮은 경우, 비경제인구이거나 실업자의 경우 백내장과 녹내장의 유병률과 경험률이 높았다. 결 론: 30세 이상의 한국인에서 백내장의 유병률은 3.0%, 녹내장의 유병률은 0.2%였다. 본 연구결과는 한국인에서 안보건과 안질환의 적절한 건강관리 정책을 만드는데 있어 중요한 결과라고 할 수 있다.

Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is defined as a gradual, interstitial fibrous disease of the lung parenchyma. PF causes collapse of the lung lobe, which can lead to lung lobe torsion of the other side. A 14-year-old male Pekinese dog was referred to the Veterinary Medical Center, Chungbuk National University. The chief complaint was acute dyspnea. The dog had a history of chronic cough, which lasted for 18 months, and the cough had recently deteriorated. Tachypnea was observed on physical examination. As a result of thoracic radiographs, ultrasonography, and computed tomography, lung lobe torsion and collapse were diagnosed. A postmortem examination revealed lung lobe torsion of the left cranial lobe and carnification of the right cranial lobe. Histologically, severe and diffuse interstitial fibrosis with distortion of alveolar architecture and severe congestion and/or hemorrhage were observed in the right cranial lobe and left cranial lobe, respectively. Although the cause of pulmonary fibrosis was undetermined, this case showed a typical lung lobe torsion caused by pulmonary fibrosis.

지난 2011년 3월의 후쿠시마 원전 사고시 원자로 건물에서의 연쇄적인 수소폭발이 발생하였을 때 관계 자들은 제1원전 4호기의 폭발에 더욱 놀랐었는데 이는 그 당시 4호기는 정기보수를 위하여 원자로내 모 든 핵연료를 저장조에 보관중이었기 때문이다. 저장조내 냉각수 유실로 노심에서 옮겨진 핵연료가 공기 중에 노출되어 수소가 발생하고 임계가 도달하였다면 더욱 심각할 수도 있기 때문이었는데 다행히 추후 에 양호한 냉각수 상태가 확인되어 우려할 상황을 피할 수 있었다. 본 논문에서는 후쿠시마 원전 사고를 계기로 국내 원자력 발전소내 핵연료 임시 저장시설의 안전성과 관련하여 중대사고 관점에서 검토해 보 고자 한다.

Edible mushrooms have been used and researched as medicinal ingredients. They improve immunity and contain excellent anticancer components with large amounts of minerals such as iron, calcium, and potassium. Due to this reason, it has been hailed as a raw material for functional foods. Especially, β-glucan, known to be contained in Ganoderma incidum Karst, Coriolus versicolor, and Phellinus linteus, was reported to inhibit proliferation of cancer cells by activating immune function (macrophages, natural killer cells and T-cells). In addition, mushroom polysaccharides dissolve in water but are undigested ingredients, resulting in stimulating the immune system as well as staying of parasympathetic nervous system in the stomach for a long time. As a result, they induce increase of T-cells and NK cell that attacks cancer cell and has effect on the discharge of body's waste products, blood purification, and constipation improvement. In this study, we report the culture characteristics of Sparassis crispa as to the medium growth compositions, yeast, and elicitor treatments to investigate the optimal condition for the highest β-glucan production in mushrooms.

Sparassis crispa is an edible and a medicinal mushroom, which commonly called cauliflower mushroom and this mushroom, has recently become popular in Asian countries like Korea and Japan. S. crispa can establish to be a good source material for foods and nutraceuticals due to their rich flavor compounds and much amount of b-glucan. Basidiomycetes mushrooms hold the biologically active polysaccharides in fruit bodies, cultured mycelium, and culture broth. Many factors are amenable for the antitumor activities of polysaccharides such as water solubility, molecular size and their branch form. The antitumor activity was examined mainly in the β-glucan (1-3) branched moiety. The researchers suggest that the primary structure of purified β-glucan from the S. crispa possess the backbone structural units as β-(1,3)-D-glucan with single β- (1,6)-D-glucosyl side branching units in every three residues. Polysaccharide derived from S. crispa play an significant role in the antitumor activity. In vitro study revealed that the oral administration of S. crispa β -glucan results in suppressive effect on tumor growth and metastasis in lung cancer through the inhibition of tumor induced-angiogenesis. The researchers also suggests that this effects are not a result of direct action on the endothelial cells because cell growth, migration and capillary-like tube formation were not affected in the human umbilical vein endothelial cells by S. crispa β-glucan application.

In this study, we investigated the nematicidal activities of 102 Korean domestic plant extracts which have not been tested before against B. xylophilus. Nematicidal activity of plant extracts were varied according to plant species and extraction part. Among 102 plant extracts, 42 plant extracts in 22 families showed >50% nematicidal activity against pine wood nematode at 10 mg/mL concentration. Among 31 wood extracts, very strong nematicidal activity (100%) was produced from extract of Neolitsea aciculate, Prunus sargentii and Rhus chinensis at 10 mg/mL concentration. Extracts from Camellia japonica, Carpinus cordata, Daphniphyllum macropodum, Eucommia ulmoides, Ilex cornuta, Myrica rubra, Vaccinium bracteatum, and Zelkova serrata showed strong nematicidal activities (80-99%). The other samples exhibited activities <80%. In a test with leaf extracts, strong neamticidal activity was observed in extract of Machius japonica (100%) followed by Picea koraiensis (99.4%), Meliosma oldhamii (82.7%), and Zelkova serrata (81%). The other 37 plant species revealed <80% mortality. Strong nematicidal activity (>80%) was observed from bark extract of Carpinus cordata, Comus kousa, Cryptomeria japonica, Machius japonica, Quercus glauca and Zelkova serrata. Nematicidal activity of other 19 bark extracts was less than 80%. Twig extract of Smilax china and fruit extract of Forsythia koreana showed 86.6 and 81.4% nematicidal activity at 10 mg/mL concentration, respectively.

Plant essential oils from 26 plant species were tested for their insecticidal activities against the Japanese termite, Reticulitermes speratus Kolbe, using a fumigation bioassay. Responses varied with source, exposure time, and concentration. Among the essential oils tested, strong insecticidal activity was observed with the essential oils of ajowan (Trachyspermum ammi), allspice (Pimenta dioica), caraway (Carum carvi), dill (Anethum graveolens), geranium (Pelargonium graveolens), and litsea (Litsea cubeba). The composition of six essential oils was identified by using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The compounds thus identified were tested individually for their insecticidal activities against Japanese termites. Responses varied in a dose-dependent manner for each compound. Phenol compounds exhibited the strongest insecticidal activity among the test compounds further, alcohol and aldehyde groups were more toxic than hydrocarbons. The essential oils and compounds described herein merit further study as potential fumigants for termite control.