This study aimed to examine the effect of a mild elevation in serum cholesterol level in a porcine coronary overstretch restenosis model using a balloon angioplasty catheter or drug-eluting coronary stent. Pigs were divided into two groups and were fed a commercial normal diet (CND, n = 4) or a high-fat diet (HFD, n = 4) for 5 weeks. Coronary overstretch injury by balloon angioplasty or stent implantation was induced in the left anterior descending and left circumflex artery after 1 week of feeding. Histopathological analysis was performed at 4 weeks after coronary injury. During the experiment, the total cholesterol level in the HFD group increased by approximately 44.9% (from 65.9 ± 3.21 mg/dL at baseline to 95.5 ± 9.94 mg/dL at 5 weeks). The lumen area in the CND group was reduced in comparison with that in the HFD group after balloon angioplasty. After stent implantation, the injury score showed no significant difference. There were significant differences in the neointimal area (2.7 ± 0.33 mm2 in the CND group vs. 3.3 ± 0.34 mm2 in the HFD group, p<0.05), lumen area (2.6 ± 0.54 mm2 in the CND group vs. 2.0 ± 0.33 mm2 in the HFD group, p<0.05), and percent area stenosis (52.0 ± 7.96% in the CND group vs. 62.4 ± 5.15% in the HFD group, p<0.05). Body weight change was not different between the two groups. Increased serum cholesterol level activated vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation in the porcine coronary overstretch model.

Cryopreservation of bovine embryos is used to efficiently implant surrogate mothers. It has been widely accepted that high lipid content in the oocyte interrupts its survival during freeze-thaw cycles. Serum component in the culture medium is thought to increase the embryo`s lipid contents. Conversely, L-carnitine stimulates lipid metabolism by transporting long chain fatty acids into the mitochondria. Objective of this study was to analyze the effect of L-carnitine supplementation in IVM medium and defined IVC medium on the development, lipid contents and the cryosurvival of bovine IVF embryos. 0.0, 1.5, 3.0 and 6.0 mM L-carnitine was supplemented in IVM medium, respectively (IVM-LC 0.0, LC 1.5, LC 3.0 and LC 6.0). Development rate from the 2cell to the morula stages was higher in IVM-LC 3.0 groups than those of IVM-LC 6.0 (p<0.05). But there were no significant differences among the other groups in the blastocyst rates and lipid content results. When 0.0, 1.5, 3.0 and 6.0 mM L-carnitine were supplemented in IVC medium (IVC-LC 0.0, LC 1.5, LC 3.0 and LC 6.0), development competence was not significantly different between those embryos. Lipid contents of embryos treated L-carnitine (IVC-LC 1.5, 3.0 and 6.0) were significantly lower than embryos of non-treated group. L-carnitine was supplemented 0.0, 1.5, 3.0, 6.0 mM during IVM and 3.0 mM during IVC (LC 0.0 - 3.0, LC 1.5 – 3.0, LC 3.0 – 3.0, LC 6.0 – 3.0) and cryosurvival of blastocysts confirmed after freezing-thawing. There were no significant differences on development, but LC 3.0 – 3.0 was significantly lower lipid contents than other groups. And LC 3.0 – 3.0 had better survival rates and hatched rates of blastocysts than LC 0.0 – 0.0. In conclusion, supplementation of L-carnitine in defined IVC medium decreases lipid contents. And L-carnitine supplementation improves cryosurvival and developmental ability of bovine IVF embryos.

The early-onset familial Alzheimer's disease (EOFAD/ FAD), the less common type of Alzheimer's disease (AD) currently affects a vast number of individuals worldwide. This type is being inherited as an autosomal dominant fashion. Missense mutations on Amyloid precursor protein (APP) and Presenilins 1 and 2 (PSEN1 & PSEN2) are known as major genetic factors in FAD. Conversely, missense mutations on microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT) are also thought to involve. Up to date, several triple-transgenic animal models with muted forms of the human APP, PSENs and MAPT have been reported. Compared to other animals, canines are more emotional and their disease signs can be easily diagnosed. This attempt was to develop a triple transgenic canine model for the AD. We have obtained the coding sequences of APP, PSEN1 and MAPT from Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center DNA resource core at HMS and incorporated several common AD mutations. The transgenic construct is composed of hNSE (ENO2) promoter-driven three AD genes fused together with modified 2A sequences. It was transfected into the canine fetal fibroblasts which were then used to perform somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). The viable transgenic embryos were obtained after in vitro culture and the GFP was detected. In this study, we have successfully produced viable triple transgenic canine cloned embryos using SCNT technique. These transgenic canine embryos will be further developed into canines with FAD. The transgenic canines will be a good candidate in the AD research field.

The objective of this research was to evaluate the effects of two different feeding systems on blood metabolites in Holstein heifers and analyze the economic impacts of the feeding systems. The following two experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of feeding system on blood metabolite changes in Holstein heifers and analyze the economic impacts of the two systems. In experiment 1, the effects of two different feeding systems on cortisol, progesterone, and estradiol in Holstein heifers were examined. In experiment 2, the effects of two different feeding systems on the body weights of Holstein heifers and profitability of the two feeding systems were studied. Results showed that the pasture-raised heifers showed significantly decrease in the levels of blood cortisol (p<0.05) and increases in the levels of progesterone and estradiol (p>0.05) when compared with heifers raised in indoor feeding system. The average daily gain was significantly higher (p<0.05) in indoor-raised heifers (0.73 kg/day) as compared to pasture-raised heifers (0.58 kg/day). Also, 25.2% more profits were obtained from the pasture feeding system as compared to the indoor feeding system. These results together would be useful in the investigation of feeding system and growth performance in dairy cattle.

Supposing that somatotype evaluation results would have significant differences between the public group with less amounts of exercises and the special group with intensive exercises for three to four times a day, this study aimed at comparing the mutual consistency between the results determined by somatotype evaluation tools such as visually calculated index(VCI), Rohrer's Index(RI) and Body Mass Index(BMI). The public, taekwondo players and judo players groups were com˗ posed of fifty persons, taekwondo players and judo players passed through VCI determination, respectively. Their height and weight were examined and analyzed with somatotype evaluation tools. Comparison of somatotype dispersion of RI and VCI showed that most women were determined by VCI as lean type but were deter˗ mined by RI as normal type. And that women were determined by VCI as fat type but were determined by RI as normal type. Therefore both men and women showed significant differences in VCI and RI. Comparison of somatotype dispersion of VCI and BMI showed that both men and women were overestimated or underestimated by VCI rather than by BMI. Comparison of somatotype dispersion of RI and BMI showed that men were less determined by BMI as lean type compared with women; both men and women less determined by BMI rather than by RI as normal type; and both men and women, in particular, were more determined by BMI as fat type but men were more determined by BMI rather than by RI as fat type. Total somatotype consistency by tools showed that VCI has the greatest possibility of determining the public group, compared with other groups as lean type and that the consistency of the three tools were relatively higher for the taekwondo players and judo players groups, compared with the public.