Adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ASCs) are very interesting in several laboratory animals and humans because they are easy to harvest and expand to generate millions of cells from a small quantity of fat. ASCs are known as useful materials for clinical applications in human cell therapy and as a donor cell in somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). Here, we investigated if 1) minipig ASCs can be isolated, self-renewed and differentiated into multiple tissue lineages, 2) ASCs can be a suitable donor cell type for generation of cloned pig. In order to isolate ASC, adipose tissues were collected from inguinal region of a 6-year-old female minipig. The ASCs were attached to the culture dish with a fibroblast-like morphology. They expressed cell-surface marker characteristics of stem cell, underwent osteogenic, adipogenic, myogenic, neurogenic and chondrogenic differentiation when exposed to specific differentiation-inducing conditions. To investigate its potential as donor cell for cloning, we respectively carried out SCNT using ASC, adult skin fibroblast (ASF) and fetal fibroblast (FF) derived from same minipig. The ratio of blastocysts to 2-cell embryos and total cell number of blastocysts were monitored as experimental parameters. In results, cleavage and developmental competence to blastocysts rate showed no significant difference among the three groups. On the other hand, total cell numbers of blastocysts derived from ASC and FF were significantly higher than in ASF (89±7.9 and 105±5.5 vs. 57.5±5.2, respectively). Our results demonstrated that ASC have potential compared to ASF and FF in terms of the in vitro development and blastocyst formation ability. In further study, we will investigate the in vivo developmental ability of ASC as donor cell for pig cloning. * This study was supported by IPET (#311011-05-1-SB010), RNL Bio (#550-20120006), Institute for Veterinary Science, the BK21 program, TS Corporation and Optifarm Solution.

There are diverse methods of cryopreservation of mammalian embryos with variable degrees of success. Although cryopreservation technique of mammalian embryos has been advanced, freezing stress affect to cellular event such as apoptosis and autophage in embryos. The objective of the study is to investigate the affection of to survival, development, live offspring, apoptosis and autophagy on embryo. Mouse embryos were vitrified and thawed using normal straw and modified cut standard straw (M-CSS), then in vitro cultured until blastocyst stage and transferred to recipient. Recovery rates (100 vs 99.2%), survival rates (99.2 vs 78.6%), developmental rates (18.4 vs 10.7%), total cell numbers (45 vs 37), preganacy rates (34.5 vs 25%) and offspring numbers (10.1 vs 4.9 %) of M-CSS group are significantly higher than those of normal straw vitrified group. Also, rate of apoptosis in blastocysts developed using M-CSS (1.9%) was significantly lower than using normal straw vitrification (2.7%). Apoptosis-related gene, caspase 3, was expressed at the highest level in blastocysts derived from normal straw group. However, no differences of autophagy related gene, Atg6 and expression of LC3 between normal straw and M-CSS groups were observed. In conclusion, the standard vitrification procedure induces mitochondrial apoptosis in zygotes in an autophagy-independent manner, whereas the novel M-CSS procedure may improve embryo vitrification.

This study was carried out to identify how a self-stretching exercise program affects pain for each body area, pain relief and job satisfaction for care workers. 20 of 40 care workers with musculoskeletal symptom were randomly selected and participated a self-stretching exercise program consisting of 15 motions. The intervention was done five times or more per weeks for 8 weeks and 1 session lasted within 15 minutes. 'Musculoskeletal symptom survey table' of the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency(KOSHA) and JDI(Job Descriptive Index) was used for pain on the musculoskeletal symptom and job satisfaction. Survey were done twice before and after the program. The result of this study showed that self-stretching exercise program group(SSPG) relieved from pain significantly in the shoulders(p<.01) and lumbar(p<.05), comparing to the non selfstretching exercise program group(NSPG). Although no significant difference on variations in the JDI appeared in SSPG, the significant reduction appeared from the colleague relationship and organization in NSPG(p<.05). SSPG showed the significant increase on variations in JDI from the job and organization comparing to NSPG. Especially, the improvement on satisfaction for the organization was shown(p<.05). Accordingly, the self-stretching exercise program for care workers can be said to positively affect the overall pain relief and increase on the JDI.

In this case report, we investigated the effects of robot-assisted gait therapy in a chronic stroke patient using motor assessment and gait analysis. A patient who suffered from the right hemiparesis following the left corona radiata and basal ganglia infarction received 30 minutes of robot-assisted gait therapy, 3 times a week for 4 weeks. Outcome was measured using Motoricity index(MI), Fugl-Meyer assessment(FMA), modified motor assessment scale(MMAS), isometric torque, body tissue composition, 10-meter gait speed and gait analysis. After robot-assisted gait therapy, the patient showed improvement in motor functions measured by MI, FMA, MMAS, isometric torque, skeletal muscle mass, 10-meter gait speed. In gait analysis, cadence, single support time, double support time, step length, walking speed improvement in after robot-assisted gait therapy. The results of this study showed that robot-assisted gait therapy is considered to facilitate locomotor recovery of the chronic hemiparetic stroke patient.

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of treadmill walking in underwater and overground which affects gait and physical function of people who have had a stroke. Twenty people after a stroke who have become hemiplegic over 6 months were participated. Participants were divided into two groups: underwater treadmill group(UTG) and overground treadmill group(OTG). The intervention was done 4 times per weeks for 6 weeks and 1 session lasted for 30 minutes. Gait and physical function elements were measured at baseline, at the middle(3 weeks) and at the end of the intervention(6 weeks). For the elements of gait, walking velocity, affected stance phase, affected weight bearing were assessed. For the elements of physical function, Short Form 8(SF-8) health survey was used. The result of this study showed that both groups improved similarly in walking velocity. However participants in UTG improved more than those in OTG in affected stance phase(p<.05), affected weight bearing( p<.05) and emotional aspect(p<.001). Based on the results of this study, it can be suggested that treadmill walking both in underwater and on the ground can be effective in improving hemiplegic gait and physical function of people who have had a stroke. The result also suggest that the underwater treadmill exercise can be more effective than overground treadmill in restoration of gait in people after stroke.

The purpose of this study was to determine the difference of the pinch strength according to testing posture(standing and sitting) and elbow flexion degree(0。, 45。, 90。and 135。). Forty normal young adults(male: 20, female: 20, mean age: 22.68±2.91 years) participated in this study. The methods of this study were categorized as follows: 1) One set of measurement was performed on four elbow flexion degrees(0。, 45。, 90。and 135。) in two testing postures(standing and sitting) and all subjects were measured for 3 sets testing procedures in every experimental sessions. 2) Pinch strength in various elbow flexion degree was measured after 2 min rest time, and then each test set was repeatedly performed with 5 min rest time to prevent fatigue of muscles involved in the elbow joint. The result was obtained as follow: 1) In standing posture, there was statistically significant difference at 0。and 45。, 0。and 90。, 0。and 135。, 45。and 90。, 45。and 135。, 90。and 135。. 2) In sitting posture, there was statistically significant difference at 0。and 45。, 0。and 90。, 0。and 135。, 45。and 90。, 45。and 135。, 90。and 135。. 3) Statistically, there was no significant difference between standing and sitting posture in same elbow flexion degree, however pinch strength in standing posture was higher than sitting posture.

We assessed the environmental risk of herbicide resistant transgenic rice (Protox) on non-target herbivore, grasshoppers (Oxya japonica japonica Thunberg). We conducted life-history experiments of grasshoppers with measuring their body weight, body length, eating amount, and feces amount between non-transgenic rice (nTR; Dongjin rice) and transgenic rice (TR; Protox rice) under laboratory conditions (Temp. 25Ð, R.H. 50-70%, Photoperiod L16:D8) in 2007. The growth of grasshoppers appeared to increase at each measuring date. We also compared the growth rate of grasshoppers between nTR and TR to examine the transgenic impact on the herbivore and we found there was no statistically signifi cant difference between the two plant types (P>0.05). We found that body weight and body length for grasshoppers were highly correlated at each of the two types of plants, nTR (0.962) and TR (0.960). The correlation of eating amount and feces amount of grasshoppers were higher nTR (0.830) than TR (0.782). The energy effi ciency of the grasshopper was not a signifi cant between nTR and TR (P> 0.05). But the molt timing of the grasshoppers for TR difference was faster than for nTR. Conclusively life-history of the grasshoppers but molt timing was not a signifi cant difference between nTR and TR. Therefore, we could conclude there was not any environment risk on herbivore from our result.