Maca has been reported to alleviate male menopause symptoms in humans and experimental animals; however, its mechanism of action in improving male menopause has not been clearly identified. This study aimed to investigate the mechanism of action of gelatinized maca in improving male menopause by analyzing serum testosterone, testicular androgen receptor (AR) expression, and testicular oxidation-antioxidation balance. Gelatinized maca was administered orally to aged male C57BL/6 mice at three doses (500, 1,000, and 1,500 mg/kg/day) for 28 consecutive days. Serum biochemical analysis showed an increase in serum hydroxysteroid 17-beta-dehydrogenase 13 (HSD17β13) concentration at 1,500 mg/kg/day and a decrease in serum sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) concentration at ≥ 1,000 mg/kg/day. Gelatinized maca administration also resulted in the increased expression levels of testicular AR and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) response element binding protein (CREB) at 1,500 mg/kg/day. Oxidative stress analysis showed an increase in testicular superoxide dismutase and glutathione reductase activities and a decrease in testicular malondialdehyde at 1,500 mg/kg/day. In conclusion, gelatinized maca administration to aged male mice increased HSD17β13, AR and CREB expression, and antioxidant capacity and decreased serum SHBG. The results of the present study suggest that gelatinized maca may be a useful substance that can help alleviate male menopause symptoms.

Background: This study focused on reproductive traits in Hanwoo cattle, specifically the environmental factors affecting gestation length and birth weight. Methods: The records of 1,540 cows calved at the Hanwoo Research Institute from 2015 to 2023 were examined. This study analyzed two populations, linebreeding Hanwoo (LBH) and general Hanwoo (GH), with all cows undergoing estrus synchronization and artificial insemination. The R software was used to compare the differences between the two populations and analyze the environmental factors affecting each trait. Results: The results showed that the average gestation length for LBH was 283.28 ± 5.93 days, which was significantly shorter than that of the GH, which had an average of 285.63 ± 6.21 days (p < 0.001). The average birth weight of LBH calves was 25.10 ± 3.69 kg, significantly lighter than GH calves, which weighed 27.26 ± 4.11 kg on average (p < 0.001). Analysis of environmental factors revealed significant differences in the gestation length of LBH based on dam parity, year, and season of calving. However, no significant differences were observed based on calf sex. For LBH, birth weight showed significant differences based on dam parity, year of calving, and sex of the calf, but not the season of calving. In GH, gestation length varied with dam parity and calving season, but not with calving year or calf sex. The GH birth weight showed differences based on dam parity, year of calving, and calf sex, but not the season of calving. Conclusions: Reproductive traits in the Hanwoo cattle industry are economically vital but are heavily influenced by environmental factors due to their low heritability. An accurate evaluation of the genetic potential of these traits requires an analysis of the environmental factors affecting them. The results of this study serve as foundational data for predicting the potential for genetic improvement in the gestation length and birth weight of Hanwoo cattle.

Hypertension is characterized by excessive renin-angiotensin system activity, leading to blood vessel constriction. Several synthetic compounds have been developed to inhibit renin and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE). These drugs often have adverse side effects, driving the exploration of plant protein-derived peptides as alternative or supplementary treatments. This study assessed the phenolic compound and amino acid content and the antioxidant and antihypertensive activity of 5 South Korean staple crops. Sorghum had the highest phenolic compound content and exhibited the highest antioxidant activity. Millet grains, particularly finger millet (38.86%), showed higher antihypertensive activity than red beans (14.42%) and sorghum (17.16%). Finger millet was found to contain a large proportion of branched-chain, aromatic, and sulfur-containing amino acids, which are associated with ACE inhibition. In particular, cysteine content was positively correlated with ACE inhibition in the crops tested (r=0.696, p<0.01). This study confirmed that the amino acid composition was more correlated with the antihypertensive activity of grains than the phenolic compound content. Finger millet mainly contained amino acids, which have higher ACE inhibitory activity, resulting in the strongest antihypertensive activity. These findings underscore the antihypertensive potential of select crops as plant-based food ingredients, offering insight into their biological functions.

본 연구는 주변 환경의 차이에 따른 화분매개곤충의 유입 특성을 파악하기 위하여 국립수목원 내 진화속을걷 는정원과 부추속전문전시원에 식재된 울릉산마늘의 화분매개곤충을 조사하였다. 2023년 5월 22일부터 6월 2일 까지 꽃이 70% 이상 개화하였을 때 포충망을 활용하여 8일간 곤충을 채집하였고, 각 전시원 별 식생(피도), 기후 (온도·습도·조도)를 조사하였다. 조사 결과 진화속을걷는정원에서 피도 60% 온도 26.4℃, 습도 31.5%, 조도 40953.6lx, 화분매개곤충 20과 450개체, 부추속전문전시원은 피도 90%, 온도 25.6℃, 습도 31.6%, 조도 6387lx, 화분매개곤충 15과 196개체로 나타났다. 온도와 조도가 상대적으로 높은 진화속을걷는정원이 채집된 곤충의 다양성과 방문 빈도가 높았다. 시간대별 곤충의 방문 빈도를 비교해본 결과 온도와 조도는 개체수가 증가할 때 같이 증가하는 경향을 보였으며, 습도는 반대의 경향을 보였다.

한-아프리카 농식품 기술협력 협의체 (KAFACI)는 아프리카 농업 공통현안을 연구과제를 통하여 해결하고자 2010년에 출범하여 현재 한국 포함 20개국으로 구성되었다. 본 논문은 지난 10년간 회원국에서 수행한 결과를 바탕으로 KAFACI 회원 국과 비회원국 간의 양자 무역 흐름에 대한 국제 기술 협력의 영향을 분석하였다. 분석은 UN 상품 무역 통계 데이터베이스에서 2000년에서 2018년 동안 45 개 아프리카 국가 간의 양 자 무역 패널 데이터를 이용하였으며 국제 무역 중력 모델을 적용하였다. 또한, 내생성, 표본 선택 편의, 패널내의 상관관계 를 통제하는 표본 선택 기법을 적용한 핵크만 랜덤 효과 회귀 모형을 사용하였다. 분석결과 경험적 결과는 국제 기술 협력이 KAFACI 회원국과 비회원 국 간의 양자 무역 흐름에 긍정적인 영향을 미친다는 것을 보여준다. 이러한 연구 결과 이 외에도 KAFACI는 회원국과 아프리카 이외의 주요 무역 파트 너 간의 양자 무역 흐름을 크게 늘렸을 가능성이 있지만 여기서는 다루지 않았다. 또한 KAFACI 회원국의 기술 채택 수준과 비율은 무역을 잠금 해제하기 위해 경제의 공급 측면에 영향을 미치는데 중요하지만 여기에서는 다루지 않았다.

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.

2018년 현재까지 농림축산검역본부 호남지역본부로 수입된 식물은 220종 17,030건으로 우드펠렛(18%), 주정박(8%), 페스큐 건초(8%), 알파파건초(8%), 귀리건초(6%), 혼합건초(5%), 티모시건초(5%), 라이그래스건초(5%), 목화씨(사료용)(4%), 소나무원목(3%) 등의 순이다. 이와 같이 호남지역은 비재식 사료류(건초 등) 수입비중이 높으며 이는 전국 수입 건수의 약 67%에 달한다. 검역해충은 795건 검출되었으며 이 중 관리해충 294건, 잠정규제해충 146건, 비검역해충 307건 등이다. 관리해충 중 Carpophilus obsoletus가 210건(72%), 잠정규제해충 중 Cryptoletes ferrugineus가 56건(39%)으로 높은 검출율을 보였다. 또한 호남지역으로 수입 된 재식용 구근류는 생강 및 생강구근, 마늘구근이며 전국 수입 건수의 약 42%를 차지한다. 수입 된 생강 및 생강구근 91건 중 37건에서 해충(선충)을 발견하였고 Meloidogyne sp.(잠정규제해충) 검출로 9건이 폐기·반송되었다. 수입된 마늘구근 34건 중 29건에서 해충을 발견하였고 Carpophilus obsoletus(관리해충) 18건, Cryptoletes ferrugineus(잠정규제해충) 11건이 검출되어 소독하였다.

There are three kinds of Pleurotus eryngii : P. eryngii var. eryngii (P. eryngii), P. eryngii var. ferula (P. ferula : A-Wei-Mo) P. eryngii var. nebrodensis (P. nebrodensis : Bai-Ling-Gu). We bred P. ferula using Di-Mon mating and physiological assay and selected as follow (1) ‘Beesan No.1’ produced high yields, (2) ‘Beesan No.2’ was excellent morphological shape and anti-adipogenic Activit, (3) ‘Ergo’ included high ergothioneine such as anto-oxidant material, (4) ‘GW10-45’ included highest ergothioneine such as anto-oxidant material, (5) ‘Maeksong’ included high ergothioneine and effect of anti-inflammatory. We suggest that there are able to food-medicine materials.

Fe-6.5 wt.% Si alloys are widely known to have excellent soft magnetic properties such as high magnetic flux density, low coercivity, and low core loss at high frequency. In this work, disc-shaped preforms are prepared by spark plasma sintering at 1223 K after inert gas atomization of Fe-6.5 wt.% Si powders. Fe-6.5 wt.% Si sheets are rolled by a powder hot-rolling process without cracking, and their microstructure and soft magnetic properties are investigated. The microstructure and magnetic properties (saturation magnetization and core loss) of the hot-rolled Fe-6.5 wt.% Si sheets are examined by scanning electron microscopy, electron backscatter diffraction, vibration sample magnetometry, and AC B–H analysis. The Fe-6.5 wt.% Si sheet rolled at a total reduction ratio of 80% exhibits good soft magnetic properties such as a saturation magnetization of 1.74 T and core loss (W5/1000) of 30.7 W/kg. This result is caused by an increase in the electrical resistivity resulting from an increased particle boundary density and the oxide layers between the primary particle boundaries.

Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) is the technique which generates embryos by transferring diploid nucleus into an enucleated oocyte, it has produced specific animals successfully in a variety of species. However, the developmental capacity of SCNT embryos is still relatively lower than that of embryos produced in vivo. Oocyte is a kind of lipid rich cells, its quality limits the efficiency of embryo production. L-carnitine is a co-enzyme facilitating the transportation of long chain fatty acids across the inner mitochondria membrane where fatty acids are used for generating adenosine triphosphate (ATP) via beta-oxidation. It also has antioxidant actions which may protect mitochondrial membranes and DNA against damage induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Whether L-carnitine is functional in bovine SCNT embryos are unknown. Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine the effects of L-carnitine on oocyte maturation and developmental competence of subsequent SCNT embryos. L-carnitine was supplemented during IVM, then intracellular ROS and GSH levels, mitochondrial activity, gene expression of COCs were analyzed at the end of IVM. SCNT embryos were produced subsequently, apoptosis detection and gene expression evaluation were performed in blastocysts. In the results, treatments with 1.5 mM and 3 mM L-carnitine significantly improved maturation rates (P<0.05). Treatments with 3 mM L-carnitine effectively induced improvement in nuclear maturation, intracellular GSH levels and mitochondrial activity, as well as a reduction in intracellular ROS levels (P<0.05). mRNA levels of CPT1A, ACAA1, ACAA2, AREG, EREG, SOD1, GPX4, GLUT1 and CDC2 transcripts were effectively up-regulated by 3 mM L-carnitine treatments (P < 0.05). Similarly, 3mM L-carnitine induced an increase in blastocyst developmental rates and an improvement in blastocyst quality (P<0.05). Our study indicates that L-carnitine treatment during IVM improves oocyte nuclear maturation and subsequent SCNT embryo development.

A recent study reported that Pleurotus ostreatus has the potential to be used as a β-glucan-based cream for supportive complementary therapy of atopic dermatitis. KH054 is a new herbal prescription consisting of P. ostreatus and Panax ginseng. The effects of atopic dermatitis-induced materials on the expression of cytokine genes in human monocytes (THP-1, EoL- 1) have been examined. Some reports demonstrated that P. ginseng augments the activity of natural killer cells, which plays an important role in innate immunity against infection and tumor development. Monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1), interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-8 have important roles in mediating the infiltration of various cells into the skin of atopic dermatitis and psoriasis. The present study investigated whether KH054 on induced IL-6, IL-8, and MCP-1 secretion by house dust mite (Dermatophagoides pteronissinus) in THP-1 (human acute monocytic leukemia) and EoL-1(Human eosinophilic leukemia) cell. D. pteronissinus functions in the pathogenesis of allergic diseases, including atopic dermatitis and asthma. The inhibitory effect of KH054 on the induction of IL-6, IL-8, and MCP-1 secretion by D. pteronissinus extract in THP-1 and EoL-1 cells was examined. KH054 potently suppressed the elevated production of IL-6 and IL-8 induced by D. pteronissinus treatment in THP-1 and EoL-1 cells. Based on the present results, KH054 may be useful for developing functional foods to treat atopic dermatitis.

본 연구는 양이온 불균질막을 제조하기 위해 PVDF matrix에 상용 양이온교환수지와 sulfonated poly(phenylene oxide)(SPPO)를 배합하여 제조, 이온 흡착 특성에 관하여 연구하였다. 연구결과 PVDF-IER 불균질막과 PVDF-SPPO 불균질 막 PVDF-SPPO-IER과 비교하였을 때 고분자 매트릭스의 비율이 30% 이하일 경우 이온교환용량, 전기저항에서 우수한 물성 을 가지고 있는 것을 확인할 수 있었다. 인장강도의 경우 PVDF resin의 약한 내구성에도 불구하고 상용화 불균질막과 비교하 여 최대 5배 이상의 강인한 모습을 보이고 있는 것으로 확인할 수 있었다. 따라서 화학적 특성과 기계적 특성을 고려했을 때 PVDF와 이온교환분말과 SPPO의 혼합 최적 비율은 30 : 70이며 이때의 전기저항은 3~5 Ω⋅cm2, 이온교환 용량은 0.6~1.0 meq/g으로 측정되었고 기계적 강도는 12~15 kgf/cm2으로 측정되었다.