The vector mosquito surveillance is important when recommending prevention and control measures. The surveillance of the vectors were conducted at a total of 7 locations with light emitting diode (LED traps) and BG-Sentinel traps from March to November, 2023 in Gyeongnam province. In the surveillance, a total of 13 species belonging to seven genera were collected in a total of 6,537 females and 51.9/trap/night (Trap Index; TI) in 2023. Among the collection sites, Gangseo-gu at the pigsty in Busan with a LED trap recorded the highest TI 60.6 (Species Ratio; SR 65.6%) for Culex tritaeniorhynchus females in 2023. Each one of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus female was firstly collected for 2023 at Eulsukdo in Busan at 22th March. In the results of isolation of viral RNA, Flavivirus were positive in one pool (Chaoyang virus; 30 individuals) of Aedes vexans and negative in 341 pools (4,152 individuals) of 12 mosquito species including Cx. tritaeniorhynchus, Cx. pipiens, Aedes vexans, Ae. albopictus, and Ochlerotatus togoi in 2023.

목적 : 항산화 기능을 가지는 하이드로겔 콘택트렌즈(Hy)를 제조하기 위해 갈릭산(Gallic acid: GA)을 Hy에 상 분리 없이 도입시키는 방법에 관해 연구하고, 갈릭산이 첨가된 렌즈의 물리적 특성 및 항산화 효과를 살펴보고 자 한다. 방법 : 하이드로겔 콘택트렌즈는 실험실에서 열중합방법으로 제조하였다. 갈릭산과의 결합을 위해 사용된 Chitosan(Cs) 은 100~300 kDa(CL), 600~800 kDa(CH) 분자량을 가진 두 종류를 사용하였으며, Hy에 IPN(Interpenetrating polymer network) 방법으로 첨가하였다. 광 투과율은 300~800 nm 파장 범위에서 측정하였으며, 함수율은 중량 법으로 측정하였다. 키토산과 갈릭산 간의 amide bonding은 FT-IR을 이용하여 확인하였으며, 첨가된 갈릭산의 양 은 298 nm에서 측정한 UV 흡광도 값으로 정량하였다. 렌즈의 항산화 효과는 DPPH radical 소거능 분석 방법을 사용하였다. 결과 : 광 투과율은 Hy에서 95%, Hy-CL-GA와 Hy-CH-GA에서 91%를 보였다. 함수율은 Hy에서 50.5±1.2%, Hy-CL-GA에서 52.4±0.7%, Hy-CH-GA에서 55.6±0.6%로 나타났다. 렌즈에 결합된 갈릭산의 양은 Hy-CLGA와 Hy-CH-GA에서 0.30, 0.37 mmol/cm2로 각각 나타났으며, 항산화 효과는 Hy-CL-GA에서 48.23%, Hy- CH-GA에서는 58.32%로 나타나 갈릭산을 첨가한 두 렌즈에서 매우 높은 항산화 기능을 확인할 수 있었다. 결론 : 키토산과 갈릭산을 활용하여 광 투과율과 함수율이 높고 항산화 효과를 가진 기능성 하이드로겔 콘택트 렌즈를 제조하였다. 렌즈에 결합된 갈릭산의 양이 증가함에 따라 함수율과 항산화 효과가 증가하였다. 콘택트렌즈 에 다당류와 폴리페놀류의 화합물을 첨가하는 방법을 제시함으로써 단백질 억제, 습윤성 향상, 항산화 기능 등을 함유한 다 기능성 렌즈 제조에 기여할 것으로 본다.

Cancer is the result of damage to the genetic system, i.e., dysfunction of the DNA repair system, resulting in dysregulated expression of various molecules, leading to cancer formation, migration, and invasion. In cancer progression, several proteases play a critical role in metastasis; however, their biological mechanism in cancer metastasis is not clearly understood. Among these proteases, cathepsins are a family of lysosomal proteases found in most animal cells. Cathepsins have an important role in protein turnover of mammalian, and are classified into 15 types based on their structure as serine (cathepsin A and G), aspartic (cathepsin D and E), and cysteine cathepsins (cathepsin B, C, F, H, K, L, O, S, V, X, and W). Cysteine cathepsins appear to accelerate the progression of human and rodent cancers, which can be a biomarker of the potency of malignancy or metastasis in mammalian. Overexpression of cyteine cathepsins causes the activation of angiogenesis promoting factor, whereas their downregulation reduces the angiogenesis of cancer progression. Under physiological conditions, cysteine cathepsins are essential in inflammation, infection, and cancer development. Activity of cysteine proteases, i.e., cathepsin B, is required for cancer progression or metastasis. Elevation of cysteine cathepsin is associated with cancer metastasis, angiogenesis, and immunity. Therefore, in this review, we suggest that cysteine cathepsin may be an anticancer target of strong clinical interest, although the exact mechanism of cathepsins in cancer metastasis is under investigation.

We fabricated Bi-2212/ composite superconductors and evaluated the effects of the powder mixing method and melting temperature on their microstructure and superconducting properties. The Bi-2212 powders were mixed with by hand-mixing (HM) and planetary ball milling (PBM) and then the powder mixtures were melted at , solidified, and annealed. We found that the powder mixture prepared by PBM was finer and more homogeneously mixed than that prepared by HM, resulting in more homogeneous microstructure and smaller and second phases after annealing.

Background & Objectives : Nonylphenol (NP), a member of alkylphenols, has been widely used in manufacturing antioxidants, The present study was undertaken to examine whether short-term exposure to NP can alter the onset of puberty and associated reproductive parameters such as hormone receptor expressions in prepubertal female rats. Methods : NP (0.1, 1, 10 mg/kg BW) was administered orally at 10:00 from postnatal day 25 (PND 25) through the PND 35. The control group was administered orally each day 200 uL of the sesame oil. At PND 36, all groups were sacrificed at 18:00. The first vaginal opening (V.O.) day was monitored, and the weights of reproductive tissues were measured. Ovaries and uteri were used for analysis of mRNA levels, protein levels and histology. The transcriptional activities of the ovaries (StAR, P405scc, 3β-HSD, 17β-HSD, Aromatase and LH-R) and uteri(ER) were measured using quantitative RT-PCRs. The uterine proteins were used for the ER western blotting. Histological analysis of the reproductive organs was carried out. Results: Administration of NP induced early V.O. when compared to control. The ovarian weights of 1 mg group (0.164±0.010 mg/g BW) was significantly higher than those of control group (0.116±0.007 mg/g BW). Among the steroidogenesis-related genes, mRNA levels of the ovarian P450scc, 3β-HSD and Aromatase are increased significantly in all NP-treated groups. The mRNA levels of StAR and 17β- HSD were unchanged. NP administration (1 mg group) significantly increased the LH-R transcript level. Among the steroid hormone receptor genes, the mRNA level of ER-alpha was significantly elevated in 1mg NP group, while the mRNA levels of ER-beta and PR were unchanged in all NP-treated groups. Interestingly, wetern blotting data for uterine steroid hormone receptors revealed the complete disagreement with the transcriptional activities. Histological status of ovaries and uteri also exerted the occureence of advanced maturation in NP-treated groups. Conclusion: The present study demonstartes that the short-term administration of NP accelerates V.O. and maturation of reproductive organs such as ovary and uterus.

Platycodon grandiflorum, commonly known as Doraji in Korea, has a wide range of pharmacologic properties, such as reducing adiposity and hyperlipidemia, and antiatherosclerotic effects. However, the mechanisms underlying these effects remain unclear. In order to profile proteins from the nodal segment, callus, root and shoot, high throughput proteome approach was executed in the present study. Two dimensional gels stained with CBB, a total of 84 differential expressed proteins were confirmed out of 839 protein spots using image analysis by Progenesis SameSpot software. Out of total differential expressed spots, 58 differential expressed protein spots (≥ 2-fold) were analyzed using MASCOT search engine according to the similarity of sequences with previously characterized proteins along with the UniProt database. Out of 58 differential expressed protein, 32 protein spots were up-regulated such as ribulose- 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase, endoplasmic oxidoreductin-1, heat stress transcription factor A3, RNA pseudourine synthase 4, cysteine proteinase, GntR family transcriptional regulator, E3 xyloglucan 6-xylosyltransferase, while 26 differential protein spots were down-regulated such as L-ascorbate oxidase precursor, late embryogenesis abundant protein D-34, putative SCO1 protein, oxygen-evolving enhancer protein 3. However, frequency distribution of identified proteins using iProClass databases, and assignment by function based on gene ontology revealed that the identified proteins from the explants were mainly associated with the nucleic acid binding (17%), transferase activity (14%) and ion binding (12%). In that way, the exclusive protein profile may provide insight clues for better understanding the characteristics of proteins and metabolic activity in various explants of the economically important medicinal plant Platycodon grandiflorum.

Platycodon grandiflorum is a perennial flowering plant, known as Chinese bell flower, widespread in northeast Asia. The roots of this species are used for centuries to treat diseases, and have extensive pharmacological effects such as reducing adiposity, hyperlipidemia as well as anti-atherosclerotic disorder. In this study, systematical and targeting proteome analysis were executed from the 3, 4 and 5 months aged diploid and tetraploid roots of Platycodon grandiflorum and the proteins were separated by 2-DE and stained by CBB. In diploid roots, a total of 30 protein spots (≥ 2-fold) were analyzed using MASCOT search engine according to the similarity of sequences with previously characterized proteins along with the UniProt database. Among the 30 differentially expressed proteins, 21 proteins sopts were identified as up-regulated and 9 proteins were identified as down-regulated. In contrary, a total of 40 differentially expressed proteins were confirmed from tetraploid roots whereas 28 protein spots were confirmed as up-regulated and 12 proteins were identified as down-regulated. However, the differentially expressed proteins from diploid and tetraploid roots were classified into 12 and 14 possible functional categories respectively using Protein Information Resources. The results revealed that the identified proteins from diploid and tetraploid roots were mainly involved in oxidoreductase activity, nucleotide binding, transferase activity and catalytic activity in bellflower roots. In conclusion, the exclusive proteins from diploid and tetraploid roots may provide insight clues for better understanding the characteristics and functions of proteins and metabolic activity of Platycodon grandiflorum.