Background : The young stem of Cinnamomum cassia (YSC) as traditional Chinese medicines has been reported to show a variety of pharmacological properties such as anti-allergy, insecticidal, antimicrobial, antiulcer, anti-inflammatory, immune-suppressive, and neuronal death prevention, tyrosinase inhibition and anticancer, antioxidant and free radical scavenging, as well as antidiabetic and aldose reductase inhibition activities. In this study, we elucidated apoptotic effect and potential molecular mechanism of hot water extracts from YSC (YSC-HW) against human colorectal cancer cells. Methods and Results : YSC-HW treatment increased ROS level and induced ROS-dependent DNA damage in human colorectal cancer cells. ROS generation mediated by YSC-HW induced DNA induced apoptosis and reduction of cell viability in human colorectal cancer cells. YSC-HW ROS-dependently induced NF-kB activation through p65 nuclear translocation via IkB-α degradation, which exerted the induction of apoptosis. In addition, YSC-HW activated ATF3 expression dependent on ROS, which resulted in apoptosis. Conclusion : Our results suggest that YSC-HW may induce apoptosis through ROS-activation of NF-kB and ATF3 in human colorectal cancer cells. From these findings, YSC-HW has potential to be a candidate for the development of chemoprevention or therapeutic agents for human colorectal cancer.

Background : Licorice has been used as a source of medicine and a food material in East-Asia. Recently, demand for licorice increased in market due to a growing interest in health. Thus we conducted breeding research to solve the problems associated with domestically cultivated licorice such as low productivity and low glycyrrhizin content. Methods and Results : We crossed European licorice (G. glabra L.; female parent) and Chinese licorice (G. uralensis Fisch; male parent) in the greenhouse in May 2007. In September 2007, crossed and germinated seeds were retrieved and sown in the greenhouse. In June 2008, stolons were separated from the F1 licorice seedlings and cultivated, resulting in 32 clonal lines of interspecific hybrids. Among them we selected good lines and then conducted the replicated yield trials (RYT) in 2012-2013 and local adaptability test (LAT) in 2014-2015. The results, GLYES9 showed that was elect of stem, oblong of leaf shape, red-brown of root color. Glycyrrhizin conten of GLYES9 (3.0%) was higher than G. uralensis (1.9%) at four regions from 2014 to 2015. GLYES9 was less than 10% in the desease of brown spot (G. uralensis was more than 30%). The root yield of GLYES9 was 4.31 ton per hectare, which was increased 193% compared with a check variety of G. uralensis. Therfore, we named GLYES9 as new cultivar ‘Dagam’. Conclusion : Depending on the above results, we have developed a new licorice cultivar ‘Dagam’ by the medicinal crop breeding team of National Institute of Horticulture and Herbal Science, RDA, in 2015. It showed brown spot disease resistant, high-glycyrrhizn content and high-yielding than colleted Glycyrrhiza spp.

Background : In the herbal medicine market, Angelica gigas, Angelica sinensis, and Angelica acutiloba are all called "Danggui" and used confusingly. We aimed to assess the genetic diversity and relationships among 14 Angelica species collected from different global seed companies. Toward this aim we developed DNA markers to differentiate the Angelica species. Methods and Results : A total of 14 Angelica species, A. gigas, A. acutiloba, A. sinensis, A. pachycarpa, A. hendersonii, A. arguta, A. keiskei, A. atropurpurea, A. dahurica, A. genuflexa, A. tenuissima, A. archangelica, A. taiwaniana, and A. hispanica were collected. The genetic diversity of all 14 species was analyzed by using five chloroplast DNA-based simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers and employing the DNA fragment analysis method. Each primer amplified 3 - 12 bands, with an average of 6.6 bands. Based on the genetic diversity analysis, these species were classified into specific species groups. The cluster dendrogram showed that the similarity coefficients ranged from 0.77 to 1.00. Conclusions : These findings could be used for further research on cultivar development by using molecular breeding techniques and for conservation of the genetic diversity of Angelica species. The analysis of polymorphic SSRs could provide an important experimental tool for examining a range of issues in plant genetics.

Background: This study determined the effects of mulching, an environment friendly organic cultivation method, on antioxidant compound contents and growth in Codonopsis lanceolata, commonly known as Deodeok. Methods and Results: C. lanceolata was treated by mulching with several different methods (a non-woven fabric, biodegradable film, or rice husks) and also treated with hand weeding. A non-treatment plot was used as a control. The growth and levels of weed control in C. lanceolata were better in plants cultivated under mulching treatments (non-woven fabric, biodegradable film, and rice husks) than in those under non-mulching treatments (hand weeding and non-treatment). The contents of antioxidant compounds, such as total flavonoids, phenolics, and anthocyanins, were highest under the biodegradable film treatment, followed by the nonwoven fabric treatment, rice husks treatment hand weeding, and non-treatment. There were identifiable differences in DPPH and ABTS activity in comparison to antioxidant compound content by solvent fractions. Mulching treatments resulted in higher DPPH scavenging activity in water and ethyl ether fractions and ABTS scavenging activity in n-butanol fractions than in other fractions, as opposed to hand weeding and non-treatment groups, although total activity of DPPH and ABTS did not increase with mulching treatments. Conclusions: Mulching C. lanceolata with biodegradable film and non-woven fabric is an effective method for improving plant growth and inhibiting the occurrence of weeds as well as for increasing antioxidant compound content and altering antioxidant activity.

Background : This study was conducted to determine the effects of mulching, an environmentally friendly organic cultivation method, on antioxidant compounds and growth in Codonopsis lanceolata. Methods and Results : C. lanceolata was treated by mulching with a non-woven fabric, biodegradable film, or rice husks, as well as hand weeding, and non-treatment. The growth and levels of weed control in C. lanceolata were better in plants cultivated under mulching treatments (non-woven fabric, biodegradable film, and rice husks) than under non-mulching treatments (hand weeding, non-treatment). The contents of antioxidant compounds, such as total flavonoids, phenolics, and anthocyanin, were highest under biodegradable film treatment, followed by non-woven fabric treatment, rice husks treatment, hand weeding, and non-treatment. DPPH and ABTS activity were able to identify to have differences their activity in comparison to antioxidant compounds content by solvent fractions. Mulching treatments produced a higher activity in water and ethyl ether fractions for DPPH scavenging activity and in n-butanol fractions for ABTS scavenging activity compared to other fractions, although total activity of DPPH and ABTS were not increased with mulching treatments. Conclusion : Mulching C. lanceolata with biodegradable film and non-woven fabric is an effective method for improving plant growth and inhibiting the occurrence of weeds as well as increasing antioxidant compound content and changing of antioxidant activity.

Background : This study was carried out to investigate the antioxidant activities and the contents of antioxidant compounds in extracts derived from 24 medicinal crops. Methods and Results : Dried plant materials were extracted by methanol. The extracts of each plant were evaporated under vacuum and stored in deep freeze at -20℃ until use. The levels of total phenolic compounds were much higher in Evening primrose, Houttuynia cordata, Chinaberry, Sumac, Gaeddongssuk, Giant knotweed and Dendropanax morbifera compared with other crops. On the other hand, the total phenolic compound levels in Safflower, Fleeceflower root, Gingko, Black nightshade, Saposhinikovia root, and Maize woody pith were relatively low. The total flavonoid contents were highest in Houttuynia cordata, followed byDendropanax morbifera, Gaeddongssuk, Aralia cordata and Evening primrose. DPPH activity was significantly higher in Gaeddongssuk, Sumac, Chinaberry, Dendropanax morbifera and Evening primrose, and ABTS activity was significantly higer in Sumac, Chinaberry, Evening primrose, Giant knotweed, Gaeddongssuk and Dendropanax morbifera than other plants. The antioxidant activities dertermined in all assays positively correlated with the total phenolic compoubds (0.619≤ r ≤0.895) and flavonoid contents (0.488≤ r ≤0.619) as well as among themselves (r=0.900). Conclusion : These results suggest that Evening primrose, Gaedongssuk, Sumac, Dendropanax morbifera, and Giant knotweed can be utilized as food additives and natural antioxidants due to their strong antioxidant activity.

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) involving two simultaneous vascular territories of acute transmural ischemia is known as a double or combined myocardial infarction. This well described but extremely rare phenomenon may be related to the fact that AMI with multiple vessel obstruction often causes extensive myocardial injury and death before hospitalization. We reported the first case of 45-year-old man with AMI occluded left anterior descending artery and right coronary artery simultaneously in Korea.

Foxglove aphid, Aulacorthum solani (Kaltenbach), is a Hemipteran insect that infected a wide variety of plants worldwide and caused serious yield losses in crops. The objective of this study was to identify the putative QTL for foxglove aphid resistance in wild soybean, PI 366121, (Glycine soja Sieb. and Zucc.). One hundred and forty one F2-derived F8 recombinant inbred lines developed from a cross of susceptible Williams 82 and resistant PI 366121, were used. The phenotyping of antibiosis and antixenosis was done through choice and no-choice assays with total plant damage (TPD) and primary infestation leaf damage (PLD); a genome-wide molecular linkage map was constructed with 504 single nucleotide polymorphism markers utilizing a GoldenGate assay. Using inclusive composite interval mapping analysis for foxglove aphid resistance, one major candidate QTL on chromosome 7 and 3 minor QTL regions on chromosome 3, 6 and 18 were identified. The major QTL on chromosome 7 showed both antixenosis and antibiosis resistance responses. However, the minor QTLs showed only antixenosis resistance response. The major QTL mapped to a different chromosome than the previously identified foxglove aphid resistance QTL, Raso1, from the cultivar Adams. Also, the responses to the Korea biotype foxglove aphid were different for Raso1, and the gene from PI 366121 against the Korea biotype foxglove aphid were different. Thus the foxglove aphid resistance gene from PI 366121 was determined to be an independent gene to Raso1 and designated to Raso2. This result could be useful in breeding for new foxglove aphid resistant soybean cultivars.

Foxglove aphid, Aulacorthum solani (Kaltenbach), is a Hemipteran insect that infected a wide variety of plants worldwide and caused serious yield losses in crops. The foxglove aphid resistance gene, Raso2 was previously mapped from PI 366121 (Glycine soja Sieb. and Zucc.) to a 26cM marker interval on soybean chromosome 7. The development of additional genetic markers, which are mapped closer to Raso2 were required to accurately position the gene to improve the effectiveness of marker assisted selection. The objective of this study was to narrow down the putative QTL region, which is responsible to foxglove aphid resistance in PI366121 using recently developed high-density 180K Axiom SoyaSNP genotyping array. One hundred and forty one F8-derived F12 recombinant inbred lines developed from a cross of susceptible Williams 82 and resistant PI 366121, were used to generate a fine map of Raso2 interval. The phenotyping of antibiosis and antixenosis was done through choice and no-choice assays with total plant damage (TPD) and primary infestation leaf damage (PLD). The composite interval mapping analysis showed that the physical interval between two flanking makers, which was corresponding to Raso2, was narrowed down to 500kb on the Williams 82 genome assembly (Glyma2.0), instead of 4Mb in the previous report using Goldengate assay. In the Raso2 interval, there are about 60 candidate genes, including 4 of NBS-containing putative R genes. This result could be useful in breeding for new foxglove aphid resistant soybean cultivars.

The depletion of stratospheric ozone has resulted in increased amount of ultraviolet-B radiation (UV-B: 280-320 nm) reaching the Earth’s surface and could cause significant biological effect in plants. In this study, putative quantitative trait loci (QTL), which is responsible to UV-B resistance in soybean, was identified using recently developed high-density 180K Axiom SoyaSNP genotyping array. A population of 115 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from a cross between susceptible Keunolkong and resistant Iksan 10 was analyzed. A total 8,970 polymorphic SNP markers were used to construct linkage map. The both parents and RILs were grown with supplemental UV-B radiation in a greenhouse condition. Three categories of UV-B induced morphological damage, degree of leaf chlorosis, leaf shape change, and total plant damage were evaluated. Using composite interval mapping analysis, one major QTL associated with all of the phenotypic traits was detected on 7.7cM of soybean chromosome 7 with 22 of LOD score accounting for about 60% of phenotypic variance. Also, the allele from Iksan 10 were responsible for the UV-B resistance. Thus, the UV-B resistance QTL on chromosome 7 from Iksan 10 was designated to qUVBR1, corresponding to 30kb on the Williams 82 genome assembly (Glyma2.0) including 7 candidate genes. This result could be useful in breeding for new foxglove aphid resistant soybean cultivars. In addition, these results provided useful information not only for marker-assisted selection for UV-B resistance soybean, but also for the future identification of putative candidate genes, responsible for UV-B resistance in soybean.

Diffuse involvement of the right pulmonary artery (PA) associated with fistula between the PA and coronary artery is report-ed in a woman with Takayasu’s arteritis. Both the subclavian arteries were totally occluded and drained by the meanderinged artery arising from both common carotid arteries. Lung perfusion scan revealed perfusion defect of right lung. Two fistulas were identified. A large fistula was between the right PA and left circumflex artery. A small fistula was between the right PA and left anterior descending artery. This is a rare case of Takayasu’s arteritis presenting with a coronary – pulmonary artery fistula that is secondary to a diffuse unilateral involvement of PA.

Cereal seeds, sorghum, foxtail millet, hog millet, adlay, and corn are traditionally used as health assistant as well as energy supplying food in Korea. While beneficial phytochemicals to human have revealed in cereals, the information on peptides from cereals is far less accumulated than major reserve protein. Here, we analyzed peptide profiles using surface enhanced laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (SELDI-TOF MS) in cereal seeds for construction of peptide information and attempted to develop peptide biomarkers for cereal identification. To optimize the analysis condition of SELDI-TOF MS, the effect of dilution factor on binding affinity to protein chips was tested using CM10 and Q10 arrays. Peptide clusters were significantly different at the level of 0.01 p-value. Peak spectra were the most stable in 1:50 of dilution factor in both chip arrays. Numbers of detected peak of 5 cereal seeds were 131 in CM10 and 74 in Q10 array. Each cereal was grouped as a cluster and well discriminated into different cluster in the level of 0.01 p-value. Numbers of potentially identified peptide biomarkers are 11, 13, 9, 5 and 12 in sorghum, foxtail millet, hog millet, adlay and corn, respectively. This study demonstrates that each cereal seed have own distinguishable specific peptides although their function are not identified yet in this study. In addition, the proteomic profiling using SELDI-TOF MS techniques could be a useful and powerful tool to discover peptide biomarker for discrimination and assess crop species, especially under 20 kDa.

“Hwanggeumchal”, a new covered waxy cultivar derived from the cross between “Chalssalbori” and “Milyang 65” with waxy endosperm and early maturing cultivars, respectively was developed at Honam Agricultural Research Institute (HARI), NICS, RDA, 2006. The origin of “Hwanggeumchal” is “Suwon 403” (SB942090-B-B-B-42-1). The initial cross was made in 1994 and the selected line showed a high yield and good quality characteristics under yield trial test in 2003. “Suwon 403” consistently performed well for three years (2004-2006) from the four locations of regional yield trial (RYT) in Korea and released as “Hwanggeumchal”. The characteristics of “Hwanggeumchal” were the following: rate I growth habit, green leaf and stem, compact spike and with long rough awns. The heading date was April 30 in upland and April 28 in paddy field, which was 1 and 4 days later than that with check cultivar, “Seodunchalbori”. The culm length was 81 cm which was 3 cm shorter than those with check cultivar. It showed spike length of 4.5 cm and 633 spikes per m2, 64 grains per spike, 27.6 g of 1,000-grain weight and 632 g of test weight. It showed stronger winter hardiness and higher resistance to barley yellow mosaic virus (BaYMV) than those with check cultivar. It had yellow aleurone and showed higher water absorption, expansion rate and total phenol content than those of check cultivar, but lower protein, β-glucan content and pearling rate. The average yield of the pearled grain in the RYT was 4.04 ton ha-1 in upland and 4.12 ton ha-1 in paddy field, which was 10% higher and 4% lower than that of the check cultivar, respectively. This cultivar would be suitable for the area above the daily minimum mean temperature of -8℃ in January in Korean peninsula.