Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a bioactive lipid messenger involved in the pathogenesis of chronic inflammation and various diseases. Recent studies have shown an association between periodontitis and neuroinflammatory diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, and multiple sclerosis. However, the mechanistic relationship between periodontitis and neuroinflammatory diseases remains unclear. The current study found that lysophosphatidic acid receptors 1 (LPAR1) and 6 (LPAR6) exhibited increased expression in primary microglia and astrocytes. The primary astrocytes were then treated using medium conditioned to mimic periodontitis through addition of Porphyromonas gingivalis lipopolysaccharides, and an increased nitric oxide (NO) production was observed. Application of conditioned medium from human periodontal ligament stem cells with or without LPAR1 knockdown showed a decrease in the production of NO and expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and interleukin 1 beta. These findings may contribute to our understanding of the mechanistic link between periodontitis and neuroinflammatory diseases.

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a lipid messenger mediated by G protein-coupled receptors (LPAR1-6). It is involved in the pathogenesis of certain chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. In addition, it controls the self-renewal and differentiation of stem cells. Recent research has demonstrated the close relationship between periodontitis and various diseases in the human body. However, the precise role of LPA in the development of periodontitis has not been studied. We identified that LPAR1 was highly expressed in human periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs). In periodontitis-mimicking conditions with Porphyromonas gingivalis -derived lipopolysaccharide (Pg-LPS) treatment, PDLSCs exhibited a considerable reduction in the cellular viability and osteogenic differentiation potential, in addition to an increase in the inflammatory responses including tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β expression and nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) activation. Of the various LPAR antagonists, pre-treatment with AM095, an LPAR1 inhibitor, showed a positive effect on the restoration of cellular viability and osteogenic differentiation, accompanied by a decrease in NF-κB signaling, and action against Pg-LPS. These findings suggest that the modulation of LPAR1 activity will assist in checking the progression of periodontitis and in its treatment.

Ampelopsis brevipedunculata (Maxim.) Trautv., also known as porcelain berry, has been used for many years as herbal folk medicine to treat liver diseases. This study was conducted to assess the influence of various factors on the rooting of hardwood stem cuttings of this plant species, collected from Jeju Island (Korea). Three experiments were conducted: (1) Stems of three diameters (≤ 4.5, > 4.5 – < 6.5, or ≥ 6.5 mm), (2) four types of rooting media [rockwool cubes, perlite, peat moss + perlite (3:1, v/v), or vermiculite] and (3) indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) at four treatment concentrations (0, 100, 200, or 400 mg·L-1). For the IBA concentration experiments, cuttings of the various diameters were inserted to a depth of 2 cm in a commercial propagation medium in 72-cell plug trays. The planted stem cuttings were initially placed on a fog bench for 16 days at 95% ± 5% relative humidity at a temperature of 25°C ± 3°C under 95% shade. The stem cuttings were then transferred to a greenhouse bench under ambient light and fed a nutrient solution on a daily basis for 2 weeks. Among the tested stem diameters, cuttings with a stem diameter ≥ 6.5 mm produced the largest stem diameter (2.6 mm) of new shoot, but without root growth. Initial stem diameter significantly affected the length of the new shoot, and the longest shoot length (67.8 mm) was observed in cuttings with an initial stem diameter of ≥ 6.5 mm. Cuttings inserted in vermiculite produced the largest diameter of new shoot (2.4 mm), whereas cuttings grown in rockwool cubes produced the shortest, stem diameter of new shoot growth (1.9 mm). No significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) were observed in the length of new shoot growth among the various rooting media and IBA concentrations. Furthermore, all tested IBA concentrations failed to induce rooting. Collectively, these results suggest that porcelain berry cuttings with an initial diameter of ≥ 6.5 mm have higher survival and bud break, but they did not produce rooting. Further studies are needed to optimize the protocol for the rooting of hardwood stem cuttings of A. brevipedunculata (Maxim.) Trautv.

A filtration-tapingmethod was demonstrated to fabricate carbon nanotube (CNT) emitters. This method shows many good features, including high mechanical adhesion, good electrical contact, low temperature, organic-free, low cost, large size, and suitability for various CNT materials and substrates. These good features promise an advanced fieldemission performance with a turn-on fieldof 0.88 V/mm at a current density of 0.1 mA/cm2, a threshold fieldof 1.98 V/mm at a current density of 1 mA/cm2, and a good stability of over 20 h. The filtratio-taping technique is an effective way to realize low-cost, large-size, and high-performance CNT emitters.

Background: Proteolytic enzymes are involved in insect molting and metamorphosis and play a vital role in the programmed cell death of obsolete organs. Here we show the expression profile of cathepsin B in the fat body of the silkworm Bombyx mori during development. We also compared the expression profile of B. mori cathepsins B (BmCatB) and D (BmCatD) in the fat body during the larval-pupal transformation of B. mori in the BmCatB or BmCatD RNA interference (RNAi) process. Results: BmCatB is ecdysone-induced and expressed in the fat body of B. mori during the molting, and the larval-pupal and pupal-adult transformations, and its expression leads to programmed cell death. In particular, BmCatB is highly expressed in the fat body of B. mori during the larval-pupal transformation and BmCatB RNAi treatment resulted in the arrest of the larval-pupal transformation. RNAi-treated BmCatB knock-down sustained the expression of BmCatD during the larval-pupal transformation. On the other hand, BmCatD RNAi up-regulated the expression of BmCatB in the fat body of final instar larvae. Conclusion: Based on these results, we conclude that BmCatB is involved in the programmed cell death of the fat body during B. mori metamorphosis and that BmCatB and BmCatD contribute collaboratively to B. mori metamorphosis

Cloned calves derived from somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) have been frequently lost by sudden death at 1 to 3 month following healthy birth. To address whether placental anomalies are responsible for the sudden death of cloned calves, we compared protein patterns of 2 placentae derived from SCNT of Korean Native calves died suddenly at two months after birth and those of 2 normal placentae obtained from AI fetuses. Placental proteins were separated using 2-Dimensional gel electrophoresis. Approximately 800 spots were detected in placental 2-D gel stained with coomassie-blue. Then, image analysis of Malanie III (Swiss Institute for Bioinformatics) was performed to detect variations in protein spots between normal and SCNT placentae. In the comparison of normal and SCNT samples, 8 spots were identified to be up-regulated proteins and 24 spots to be down-regulated proteins in SCNT placentae, among which proteins were high mobility group protein HMG1, apolipoprotein A-1 precursor, bactenecin 1, tropomyosin beta chain, H+-transporting ATPase, carbonic anhydrase II, peroxiredoxin 2, tyrosine-rich acidic matrix protein, serum albumin precursor and cathepsin D. These results suggested that the sudden death of cloned calves might be related to abnormal protein expression in placenta.

Steel structures with added viscoelastic dampers are analysed to investigat their behavior under earthquake excitation. The direct integration method, which produces exact solution for the non-proportional or non-classical damping system, is used throughout the analysis. The results from modal strain energy method are also provided for comparison. Then a new analytical a, pp.oach, based on the rigid floor diaphragm assumption and matrix condensation technique, is introduced, and the results are compared with those obtained from direct integration method and modal strain energy method. The well known phenomenon, that the effectiveness of the viscoelastic dampers depends greatly on the location of the dampers, is once again confirmed in the analysis. It is also found that the modal strain energy method generaly underestimates the responses obtained from the direct integration method, especially when the dampers are placed in only a part of the building. The proposed method turns out to be very efficient with considerable saving in computation this and reasonably accurate considering the reduced degrees of freedom.

Background : Schizandra chinensis Baillon have five tastes and lately it is using a beverage broadly. Schizandra chinensis is one of the top producing medicinal plant in Korea. Mungyeong of Gyongbuk province produce almost of Schizandra chinensis. Maturity of Schizandra chinensis get 3 years and proliferation of Schizandra chinensis was not a manual. It is needed that a new cultivar has a big fruit and high quality chracteristics using processed food and beverage. Methods and Results : 105 lines of Schizandra chinensis were collected on Mungyeong, Yeongwol, Jinan. It were studied it’ characteristics especially it’s fruit trait. Fruit traits of Schizandra chinensis were researched on fruit length, fruit weight, maturity, number of fruit, male and female ratio, powdery mildew. Fruit length of Schizandra chinensis is relation of fruit weight. It were founded 15 lines of long fruit length. 5 lines were studied high fruit weight and it’s weight were 32 to 41g. Number of fruit has relation with fruit weight and high fruit weight gets many fruits. it’s numer of fruits were 3 to 41. Male and female ratio were very impotant characteristic. High level of female ratio has quantity of fruit. High level of female ratio were founded 2 lines. Finally It was selected 3 good breed lines of Schizandra chinensis. Conclusion : 105 lines of Schizandra chinensis Baillons were collected on Mungyeong, Yeongwol, Jinan. It were founded 15 lines of long fruit length and 5 lines were studied high fruit weight. High level of female ratio were founded 2 lines. 3 good breed lines of Schizandra chinensis were selected.

Compared to wide ranges of genetic variation of natural populations, very limited Miscanthus cultivar has been released. This study was the first report on the development of Miscanthus cultivar by means of radiation breeding. Seeds of M. sinensis were initially exposed to gamma rays of 250 Gy for 24 h, generated from a 60Co gamma-irradiator. The irradiated seeds were sown and then the highly tiller-producing mutants were selected for this study. Biomass-related parameters including tiller number, plant height, stem diameter, and leaf number were measured. Ploidy level and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) were investigated to characterize the mutants compared to wild type (WT) Miscanthus. Plant height and tiller number were negatively related, where multi-tillering mutants were relatively short after 4 month growth. However stem diameter and leaf number were greater in mutants. All the materials used in this study were diploid, implying that the mutants with greater tiller numbers and stem diameter were not likely related to polyploidization. Based on the sequence of ITS regions, the mutants demonstrated base changes from the gamma irradiation where G+C content (%) was decreased in the ITS1, but increased in ITS2 when compared to WT sequence. ITS2 region was more variable than in ITS1 in the mutants, which collectively allows identification of the mutants from WT. Those mutants having enhanced tillers and allelic variations might be used as breeding materials for enhanced biomass-producing Miscanthus cultivars.

A new mungbean cultivar Soseon (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek) was derived from the cross between KM9003-2B-783 and V2939 at the Jeollanam-do Agricultural Research & Extension Services (JARES) in 2003. “Soseon” has erect growth habit, heart leaf, green hypoc