This study aimed to develop the in vitro method using domestic commercial diets to estimate nutrient digestibility in dogs. The existing in vitro method were tested and compared with literature data to develop new in vitro method. The development of in vitro method progressed as follows: modification of pepsin solution to an activated form and supplementation with 1% lipase. All the in vitro method progressed to 4 hours of stomach simulation and 2 hours of small intestine simulation. In vivo digestibility was measured using the same diets as beagle dogs. The supplementation of lipase methods showed significantly improved (p < 0.05) DM, OM, and EE than the existing and modified pepsin solution methods. The correlation between in vitro and in vivo data in DM, OM, and EE digestibility was high (r2 = 0.889, 0.907, and 0.721, respectively), and the correlation between in vitro and in vivo data in CP and GE digestibility was medium (r2 = 0.681 and 0.536, respectively). The current in vitro method is similar to in vivo digestibility and helps potentially predict digestibility for dogs. In conclusion, this developed in vitro method suggests that it can help estimate the nutrient digestibility of dogs' diets without in vivo experiments.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of various mulching materials on growth and yield of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench). Three kinds of polyethylene (PE) mulching materials were used which are: black (Black), green (Green), and white and black on both sides (White), black non-woven fabric (Fabric), and barley straw (Straw) and the control plot (Control) were also used in this study. The change of soil temperature was observed in various mulching materials with Green showing the highest average temperature of 24.4o, followed by Black > Fabric > Control > White > Straw. The variation of plant length,, aboveground weight, and root weight were constant in the order of Green > Black > White > Fabric > Control > Straw. Total yield (number of fruits) were 281,000 in Green which was the highest yield, and the least was from Straw which was 62.3% of Green. Total weight of fruits in Green was 395 kg which was the heaviest, and in Straw was least with 226 kg Hence, the weight of fruits

아티초크는 가을에 정식하여 겨울철 월동 중에 화아분화가 이듬해 5월경에 수확이 가능하다. 본 시험은 아티초크 육묘 중 저온처리를 하여 생산시기를 7월로 늦추고자 수행하였다. 시험품종은 ‘그린글로브’ 및 ‘임페리얼스타’를 이용하였다. 파종은 72공 플러그 트레이를 이용하여 2월 10일에 파종하였고 4주간 17oC에서 육묘한 후 3, 6, 9, 12oC에서 4주간 육묘하였으며 4월 8일에 노지 포장에 정식하였다. 재식거리는 이랑폭 150cm에 주간거리 50cm(1,523주/10a), 1조식으로 하였다. 온도 처리별로는 6oC 처리에서 화뢰 발생이 63%로 가장 많았고 12oC에서는 33%로 가장 낮았으며 무처리의 경우는 5%의 화뢰가 형성되어 저온에 민감한 품종임을 알 수 있었다. ‘그린글로브’ 품종의 경우 9oC에서 화뢰 형성율이 가장 높아 28%였고 12oC에서는 10%로 가장 낮았으며 무처리의 경우는 화뢰가 전혀 형성되지 않았다. 화뢰중은 ‘임페리얼스타’ 품종이 97g 내외였고 ‘그린글로브’ 86g 내외로 자랐다. 수량은 ‘임페리얼스타’에서 215kg, ‘그린글로브’에서는 108kg을 보였다.

Coronary artery complications are the most severe complications in Kawasaki disease (KD). Its cause is unclear but superantigens are considered to influence KD. This study aimed to determine whether coronary artery complications and level of Nterminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) are associated with Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) in patients with KD. We studied 142 pediatric patients diagnosed with KD. MP immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibody examination was conducted. All patients underwent echocardiography, and coronary artery dilatation was defined as a coronary Z-score >2.0. We also evaluated their NT-proBNP findings. The independent t-test and Pearson chi-squared test were used to analyze betweengroup differences; a p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Forty children were MP IgM positive. MP IgMpositive patients were older than MP IgM-negative patients. There was no significant difference in the clinical manifestations between the groups. Comparison of the mean Z-score of the coronary artery revealed that only the Z-score of the left anterior descending artery was significantly different between the groups. However, the number of patients with coronary artery dilatation was not significantly different between the groups. Our findings demonstrated no relationship between MP infection and coronary artery dilatation or NT-proBNP levels in patients with KD.

This study aimed to produce fermented soy-powder milk (FSPM) with Lactobacillus plantarum P1201 and to evaluate its anti-obesity activity. Isoflavone and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) of unfermented soy-powder milk (UFSPM) and FSPM and were analyzed via high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography (GC). Their inhibitory activities against α-glucosidase, α-amylase, and pancreatic lipase were assayed. Their anti-obesity activities were evaluated on the basis of their inhibitory effects on adipocyte differentiation in 3T3-L1 cells, and the expression of mRNAs associated with adipogenesis and lipid metabolism were analyzed via real time-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and quantitative PCR (qPCR). FSPM with L. plantarum P1201 increased the isoflavone aglycones (daidzein, glycitein, and genistein) content and produced CLA in soy-powder milk (SPM), both of which possessed bio-activity. Both UFSPM and FSPM showed dose-dependent inhibitory activity for α-glucosidase, α-amylase, and pancreatic lipase. FSPM, but not UFSPM, suppressed adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 cells and reduced their triglyceride content by 23.1% after treatment with 1,000 μg/mL of FSPM, compared with the control group. The anti-obesity effect of FSPM can be attributed to CLA and isoflavone aglycones, which targeted CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α (C/EBP-α) and down-regulated lipoprotein lipase (LPL), adiponectin, adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein (aP2), fatty acid synthase (FAS), and acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACC) mRNA. Furthermore, FSPM enhanced the inhibitory activity of glucosidase and pancreatic enzymes and anti-obesity activity. Further studies are required to investigate whether the anti-obesity effect of FSPM persists in an in vivo mouse model of diet-induced obesity.

In this study, soy-powder yogurt (SPY) with enhanced levels of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and isoflavone aglycone was produced from sprouting high-protein soybeans (HPSs). The fermented steam-HPS sprouts (0 to 4 cm) were fermented (72 h) with Lactobacillus brevis, and the total free amino acids (FAAs) of the formed mixtures were determined to be 79.53, 489.93, 877.55, 780.53, and 979.97 mg/100 mL in the fermented HPS (FHPS), and the fermented steam-HPS with 0 cm (FSHPS-0), 1 cm (FSHPS-1), 2 cm (FSHPS-2), and 4 cm sprouting lengths (FSHPS-4), respectively. The levels of glutamic acid (GA) and GABA were observed to be the highest, 100.31 and 101.60 mg/100 mL, respectively, in the unfermented HPS (UFSHPS-1, 1 cm) and FSHPS-1 sprouts, respectively. Moreover, the total contents of the isoflavone glycoside form decreased proportionally to the increasing total levels of isoflavone aglycones after fermentation in FSHPS-0, FSHPS-1, FSHPS-2, and FSHPS-4. The levels of isoflavone aglycones were detected as 350.34, 289.15, 361.61, 445.05, and 491.25 μg/g in FHPS, FSHPS-0, FSHPS-1, FSHPS-2, and FSHPS-4, respectively. While FSHPS-1 exhibited the highest DPPH (63.28%) and ABTS (73.28%) radical scavenging activities, FSHPS-4 contained the highest isoflavone aglycone ratio (81.63%). All in all, the FSHPS-1 mixture prepared in this study exhibited high GABA content and functional prosperity, thereby making it suitable for potential applications in the soy-dairy industry.

"Geumanbyeo" is a new japonica rice variety developed by the rice breeding team of National Institute of Crop Science, RDA in 2002, which was derived from a cross between SR11878-14-4-1 of good eating-quality and high yield potential, and Suweon345 of lodging tolerance and resistance to diseases. Geumanbyeo is a medium-maturing variety with heading date of August 12 on ordinary planting in the middle plain area. It has a semi-erect plant type with culm length of 82cm, erect pubescent leaf blade and slightly tough culm with good canopy architecture. Geumanbyeo has a little bit fewer tillers per hill, and more spikelets per panicle than Hwaseongbyeo. It is slightly less tolerant to the cold stress in terms of both heading delay and spikelet fertility than Hwaseongbyeo. This variety shows delayed leaf senescence and considerable tolerance to viviparous germination at ripening stage. It shows moderately resistant to leaf blast and K1 race of bacterial blight, but susceptible to virus diseases and insect pests. The milled rice of Geumanbyeo exhibits translucent, relatively clear non-glutinous endosperm and medium-short grain. It showed lower amylose content of 18.6% and similar gelatinization temperature and better palatability of cooked rice compared to Hwaseongbyeo. The milled rice yield of this variety is about 5.32 MT/ha at ordinary culture in local adaptability test for three years. Geumanbyeo would be highly adaptable to the central lowland and mid-southern mountainous areas in Korea.

"Gounbyeo" is an early-maturing and good quality japonica rice variety that was developed by the rice breeding team of National Institute of Crop Science, RDA, in 2004. "Gounbyeo" was derived from a cross between Jinbul0 and Jinbul7. This variety has early heading date of July 28 and medium culm length of 68 cm, similar to Odaebyeo. It is moderately resistant to blast disease, but susceptible to bacterial leaf blight, virus diseases and insect pests. Gounbyeo showed less delay of heading date and higher grain fertility than Odaebyeo in cold-water irrigated nursery, Chucheon. The milled rice of Gounbyeo exhibits translucent, clear non-glutinous endosperm and medium short grain. Gounbyeo has lower amylose content of 18.5% and similar gelatinization temperature and good palatability of cooked rice compared to Odaebyeo. The average milled rice yield of this variety is 5.29 MT/ha at ordinary cultivation in local adaptability test for three years. Gounbyeo would be highly adaptable to mid-northern mountainous area and eastern coastal areas of Korea.

"Gopumbyeo" is a new japonica rice variety developed and registered by the rice breeding team of National Institute of Crop Science, RDA in 2004, which was derived from a cross between a line SR15225-B-22-1-2 which has good eating-quality and high yield potential and a line SR15140-58-2-2-3 which has lodging and disease resistances. This variety has medium heading date of Aug. 13, medium culm length of 78 cm and tolerance to lodging. It has also relatively semi-erect pubescent leaf blades and slightly tough culm with good canopy architecture. Gopumbyeo has a bit less number of tillers per hill and more spikelets per panicle than Hwaseongbyeo. It shows less sensitivity to premature heading in delayed transplanting of 50-day old seedlings. It showed longer delay of heading date but higher spikelet fertility than Hwaseongbyeo when exposed to cold stress. This variety shows delayed leaf senescence and considerable tolerance to viviparous germination during ripening. It shows moderate resistance to leaf blast, and bacterial blight, but susceptibility to stripe virus and insect pests. The milled rice of Gopumbyeo exhibits translucent, clear non-glutinous endosperm and medium short grains. It shows similar amylose content of 19.6%, and gelatinization temperature, and better palatability of cooked rice compared to Hwaseongbyeo. The milled rice yield of this variety is about 5.48 MT/ha at ordinary culture in local adaptability test for three years. Gopumbyeo would be highly adaptable to the central lowland and mid-southern mountainous areas of Korea.

"Seoanl" is a new japonica rice variety developed from a cross between Namyang9, a line of lodging tolerance and adaptable to reclaimed saline area, and Gyehwa7, a line of good-quality, adaptable to reclaimed saline area and high yield by the rice breeding team of National Institute of Crop Science, RDA, in 2005. This variety has about 131 days of growth duration from transplanting to harvesting in central plain area, and mid-western coastal area in Korea. It is about 73 cm in culm length and tolerance to lodging. It has also semi-erect pubescent leaf blade and slightly tough culm with good canopy architecture. The number of panicles per hill of Seoanl is slightly more than that of Hwaseongbyeo. Seoanl was susceptible to major diseases, blast, bacterial blight and viruses, and insect, brown plant hopper. This variety has lower amylose content of 18.8% and better palatability of cooked rice than those of Hwaseongbyeo. The milled rice yield performance of this variety is about 5.60MT/ha in local adaptability test for three years. Seoanl would be adaptable to central plain area and mid-western coastal area of Korea.

"Samkwangbyeo" is a new japonica rice variety developed and registered by the rice breeding team of National Institute of Crop Science, RDA in 2003, which was derived from a cross between good quality, high yielding line Suweon361 and a disease resistant line Milyangl01. This variety has about 129 days duration from seeding to heading in central lowland and mid-mountainous areas. It is about 87 cm in culm length and moderately tolerant to lodging. It has also erect pubescent leaf blade and slightly tough culm with good canopy architecture. Samkwangbyeo has the same number of tillers per hill and spikelets per panicle as those of Ilpumbyeo. It shows less sensitivity to premature heading by lately transplanting of 50-day old seedlings. It is slightly less tolerant to cold stress in terms of both heading delay and spikelet fertility than those of Ilpumbyeo. It shows delayed leaf senescence and considerable tolerance to viviparous germination at ripening stage. It shows moderate resistance to leaf blast, bacterial blight, and stripe virus, but susceptibility to insect pests. The milled rice of Samkwangbyeo exhibits translucent, relatively clear non-glutinous endosperm and medium short grain. It has similar amylose content of 18.3% and similar gelatinization temperature, and good palatability of cooked rice compared to Ilpumbyeo. The milled rice yield of Samkwangbyeo is about 5.69 MT/ha at ordinary culture in local adaptability test for three years. Samkwangbyeo would be highly adaptable to central lowland and mid-southern mountainous areas of Korea.