Aquaporin channels (AQPs) are known to play an important role in the development of ovarian follicles through their function in water transport pathways. Compared to other AQPs, research on the role of AQP4 in female reproductive physiology, particularly in cattle, remains limited. In our previous study, gene chip microarray data showed a downregulation of AQP4 in bovine cystic follicles. This study was performed to validate the AQP4 expression level at the protein level in bovine follicles using immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, and immunoprecipitation assays. Immunostaining data showed that AQP4 was expressed in granulosa and theca cells of bovine ovarian follicles. The ovarian follicles were classified according to size as small (< 10 mm) or large (> 25 mm) in diameter. Consistent with earlier microarray data, semi-quantitative PCR data showed a decrease in AQP4 mRNA expression in large follicles. Western blot analysis showed a downregulation of the AQP4 protein in large follicles. In addition, AQP4 was immunoprecipitated and blotted with anti-AQP4 antibody in small and large follicles. Accordingly, AQP4 exhibited a low expression in large follicles. These results show that AQP4 is downregulated in bovine ovarian large follicles, suggesting that the downregulation of AQP4 expression may interfere with follicular water transport, leading to bovine follicular cysts.

In this study, the inhibitory effect of Paecilomyces tenuipes extract on PSA and angiogenesis-related factor expression levels were investigated in human prostate cancer cells, LNCaP. P. tenuipes extract significantly inhibited PSA expression in a dose-dependent manner. We also investigated the inhibitory effect of P. tenuipes extract on the expression of angiogenesis-related genes including VEGF, MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2. P. tenuipes extract significantly down-regulated the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in a dose-dependent manner. On the contrary, P. tenuipes increased the expression of TIMP-1 and TIMP-2. Our findings indicate that P. tenuipes exhibits an inhibitory effect on angiogenesis in human prostate cancer cells.

Unlike older generation whose consumption of music was bounded by their local culture, today’s young consumers access music beyond cultural boundaries. Many successful pop music in cyber space attracted billions of listeners from all over the world. The young generation born and raised in the digital age, are often thought to have altered sensory-neural characteristics because of their extensive use of electronic device since early childhood. This study investigates a perceptual saturation hypothesis which posits that in order to capture the young generation’s hard-to-get attention, online music must present a high level of energy and rhythm that is near the point of perceptual saturation. We conducted a functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) experiment with sixty-four young adults and found that total cerebral blood volume over prefrontal brain area was higher for a song that presents acoustic intensity near the point of perceptual saturation than a counterpart stimulus with lower levels of acoustic intensity. The degrees of prefrontal hemodynamic randomness decreased significantly while the participants listened to YouTube music that provided high levels of acoustic stimulation. Online popularity, recorded as the number of daily hits, was positively correlated with the total cerebral blood volume and negatively correlated with hemodynamic randomness.

The recent developments of artificial intelligence (AI), such as Google AlphaGo and IBM’s Watson, defeating human experts in public game venues, have instigated much surprise and awe among us. We are now genuinely curious about the true growth potential of AI into the future. Some of us are already imagining a darkening future where all human managerial positions can be replaced by machines leaving humans in a marginalized place after the point of singularity where machine intelligence achieves intellectual superiority over us and becomes a truly autonomous being. Likewise, the potential of AI has been overestimated or underestimated; rarely has it been addressed in the open context where marketing academics serve the role of an architect of future marketing AI, to provide valuable insights. We are enlightened about a possibility that the future of and marketing can greatly benefit from advanced forms of artificial intelligence. But how and where can this new technology be integrated in the every-day lives of consumers, to optimize business functions and create much higher levels of collective value for consumers, companies, and machines altogether? In this talk, we will discuss the following three points related to the AI and its potential future in the field of marketing. First, for consumers, we will discuss how marketing AI can help consumers to make better decisions about their eating, health, and consumption to enjoy better life, do more, and be happy. Second, for business, we will discuss the roles of AI and design a collaborative work process that can employ both human ingenuity and machine accuracy. Third, we suggest ethical issues related to marketing AI, delineating its boundaries and suggest governing policies to prevent potential danger spots. The purpose of talk is not to present a definitive answer, but to instigate an open discussion among the marketing academics, about the future of marketing, where AI will be an indispensable partner in the value creation process.

Mushroom have long been valued as highly nutritious and tasty foods in many societies throughout the world. Itis known for biological activities including anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative potential. However little is known about anti-cancer property. In this study, we investigated the anti-prostate cancer activity of mushrooms. For that, eight kinds ofmushrooms such as, T. matsutake, S. crispa, G. lucidum-US, G. lucidum-AS, C. cardinalis-BR, G. frondosa, P. linteus, U.esculenta were extracted with hot water. Among them, three kinds of mushrooms including T. matsutake, G. lucidum-US andC. militaris-BR extracts inhibited prostate specific antigen (PSA) expression in prostate cancer cell, LNCaP. These resultsdemonstrate that some of mushrooms inhibited PSA expression suggesting that the mushrooms might be a candidate for thetreatment of prostate cancer.

Mushroom is known for anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative potential. This study provides evidence that theinhibitory effect of mushroom on the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in human keratinocytes, HaCaT cells. To definethe underlying mechanisms of action, tumor necrosis factorα/IFNγ-activated human keratinocytes model was used. Mushroomsignificantly inhibited the expression of cytokines in HaCaT cells. Taken together, the results demonstrate that mushroom inhibitedinflammtion, suggesting that mushroom (DW extract: Grifola frondosa Cordyceps militaris), (Ethanol extract: Ganoderma lucidum,Lentinus edodes, Cordyceps militaris, Flammulina velutipes) might be a candidate for the treatment of skin inflammation.