A choice in temporal discounting is often made on one preferred option between a sooner but smaller reward and a later but larger reward. In temporal discounting, a consumer undergoes an evaluation process concerning the trade-offs between time delay (i.e., a choice between sooner and later receipts) and the amount of reward (i.e., a choice between smaller and larger rewards). It has been evidenced that a surprisingly large number of consumers is inclined to choose a sooner option with a lower economic value. Those consumers tend to apply an excessive temporal discounting rate to the time delay and as a result, the sooner option with lower economic value stands out to be more attractive. However, there is another group of consumers who deliberately promote the long-term perspective in the evaluation process. Those consumers show a high tendency of choosing a later option with greater economic value. A key factor affecting the evaluation process is the sensitivity to time delay a consumer entails. The sensitivity to time delay could systematically affect the representations of hedonic pleasure being projected at different time delays and is the basis of individual differences in hedonic orientation. An anhedonia, a person with the ability to control physical pleasure, is likely to be less sensitive to time delay and apply a lower discounting rate for delayed rewards because he processes the presently available pleasure less intensively than do ordinary consumers. Thus, anhedonic consumers are more likely to choose a delay reward in temporal discounting choices. In a famous fable by Aesop, “The Ant and the Grasshopper” suggest a possible linkage between hedonic orientation and temporal discounting tendency. The story goes that the Grasshopper enjoys whatever is on its hands and does not give much thought to what is going to happen in the future, while the Ant takes on the hardship denying the current pleasure as he plans for the difficult winter time. We conducted an experiment to investigate the relationships among individual differences in hedonic orientation, and the behavioral choices in temporal discounting trials by examining the EEG theta (4-8 Hz) correlates. A hedonic orientation questionnaire was developed using twenty selected items from Physical Anhedonia Scale, Barratt Impulsiveness Scale and Impulsive Buying Scale. Using the questionnaire, the hedonic orientation of fifteen participants was analyzed. Among them, five participants were classified into anhedonia (Ant-like, AN) group and ten participants were into hedonic pleasure dependent (Grasshopper-like, GH) group. Participants conducted ten temporal discounting trials and, in each trial, a choice was made between two options, either a smaller reward today (the “now” option) or a greater reward to be received after a specified time delay (the “future-oriented” option). The absolute theta activations while viewing a future-oriented option in each trial were analyzed as the neural correlates of temporal discounting. The results indicated that the hedonic orientation of participants had a high prediction power of not only behavioral choices in temporal discounting but also EEG theta activations in the frontal brain region. In analyzing temporal discounting tendencies, the discounting rate of AN group was found to be lower than that of GH group. In addition, EEG theta analysis shows two interesting activation patterns in the frontal region. First, AN group showed higher frontal theta activations than GH group indicating its deliberate engagement to future-oriented options. Second, theta activations in the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (DLPFC), more specifically AF3 and AFz, were negatively correlated with the discounting rate of participants. Neuroscience researches often refer that DLPFC is associated with deliberate and analytic information processing. Therefore, the high theta activations in DLPFC could be considered as a distinctive neural indicator of high anhedonia traits and low temporal impulsivity.

The aim of the present research is to explore the neural features of intertemporal choice. Intertemporal choice concerns the phenomenon of temporal discounting which demonstrates consumers’ tendency to devalue a future reward as the receipt of money reward is delayed further distantly into the future. It is also called the ‘present bias,’ a special kind of attachment consumers place to immediate a cash reward which consumers are willing to take even at a discount, instead of saving it for the future. The urge to choose an immediate reward at some discounting rates, i.e., temporal impulsivity, is deeply embedded in our instinct. On the other hand, the choice for a delayed option is made as a result of effortful and deliberate cognitive control, by suppressing the urge for instant gratification and shifting focus to the long-term gain. Neuroscience researchers have found the prefrontal cortex as a key brain region behind deliberate and analytic decision-making such as reward delay. The experimental paradigm used in this study adopted from Kirby, Petry, & Bickel (1999). There were ten intertemporal investment choices representing six different levels of discounting rates. Participants (N=21) were given the two investment options, as “take it now” and a “save for later” options, and they were asked to indicate a preferred option. The brain waves were recorded using a 32 channel EEG system. We conducted noise control by using Independent Component Analysis (ICA) in EEGLAB and analyzed the Event-Related Potentials (ERP) particularly focusing on the phase when each participant was examining the future-oriented “save for later” option. The behavioral responses were divided into two groups, one in which the present option was selected and the other in which a future-oriented “save it for later” option was selected. Custom-written Matlab codes were used to compare the differences in ERPs between the two choice responses. A greater positive component of P3 after 300 milliseconds at the onset of the future option was observed in the fronto-parietal regions when the “save it for later” options were chosen compared to when the “take it now” choices were made. Hence, during intertemporal choice, the fronto-parietal regions are likely to play a key role in enabling the long-term perspective and consequently, precipitate the choice of a future-oriented deal. The P3 signal across the fronto-parietal regions may potentially be a proximal indicator of a future-oriented choice during intertemporal financial decision-making.

The Riptortus (stinkbug) has a specialized symbiotic organ, M4 midgut, to harboring symbiont Burkholderia. M4 midgut is located in abdomen and surrounded with insect hemolymph. Recently our group demonstrated that symbiotic Burkholderia showed different physiology after adapting in M4 gut compare with in vitro cultured Burkholderia. And population of symbiotic Burkholderia in the M4 midgut is regulated by special organ. However, the molecular mechanism to prevent spreading and migrating symbiont bacteria to other host tissues from symbiotic organ is not clear. Therefore, we assumed that symbiont Burkholderia are susceptible to host humoral immunity after established infection in M4 midgut to prevent spreading and migrating into the other host tissues through Riptortus hemolymph. To prove this assuming, we tested the susceptibility and survival rate of symbiont Burkholderia in hemolymph of Riptortus in vitro and in vivo. We also examined the susceptibility of symbiont Burkholderia using purified antimicrobial peptides (AMP), pyrrhocoricin-like, thanatin-like and defensin-like AMPs. Finally, we tested inducing ability for AMPs by systemic infection of symbiotic Burkholderia. Gene expression of purified AMPs was not different after systemic infection of both symbiont and in vitro cultured Burkholderia. Surprisingly, in vitro cultured Burkholderia resisted on bacteria injected hemolymph and purified AMPs but symbiont Burkholderia were highly susceptible in bacteria injected hemolymph and purified AMP. These results suggest that symbiont Burkholderia can't survive in the hemolymph after escaping symbiotic organ. Moreover, humoral immunity of host Riptortus is important to prevent spreading and migrating symbiont Burkholderia into the other host tissue or organ from symbiotic organ.

Most traditional genome sequencing projects involving infectious viruses include culturing and purification of the virus. This can present difficulties as an analysis of multiple populations from multiple locations may be required to acquire sufficient amount of high-quality DNA for sequence analysis. The electrophoretic method provides a strategy whereby the genomic DNA sequences of the Korean isolate of Pieris rapae granulovirus (PiraGV-K) were analyzed by purifying it from host DNA by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, thus simplifying sampling and labor time. The genomic DNA of infected P. rapae was embedded in agarose plugs, digested with a restriction nuclease and methylase, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was used to separate PiraGV-K DNA from the DNA of P. rapae, followed by mapping of fosmid clones of the separated viral DNA. The double-stranded circular genome of PiraGV-K encodes 120 open reading frames (ORFs), covering 92% of the sequenced genome. BLAST and ORF arrangement showed the presence of 78 homologs to other genes in the database. The mean overall amino acid identity of PiraGV-K ORFs was highest with the Chinese isolate of PiraGV (~99%), followed up with Choristoneura occidentalis ORFs at 58%. PiraGV-K ORFs were grouped, according to function, into 10 genes involved in transcription, 11 involved in replication, 25 structural protein genes, and 15 auxiliary genes. Genes for Chitinase (ORF 10) and cathepsin (ORF11), involved in the liquefaction of the host, were found in the genome. The recovery of PiraGV-K DNA genome by pulse-field electrophoretic separation from host genomic DNA had several advantages, compared with its isolation from particles harvested as virions or inclusions from the P. rapae host. We have sequenced and analyzed the 108,658 bp PiraGV-K genome purified by the pulsed field electrophoretic method. The method appears to be applicable to the analysis of genomes of large viruses. The chitinase, identified by PiraGV-K genome sequence, was functionally characterized by quantitative PCR, Western blot analysis, immunohistochemistry and transmission electron microscopy.

Abamectin, soil-born bacterial acaricides, has been intensively used to control Tetranychus urticae. Target site insensitivity and enhanced activity of detoxification enzymes have been considered as major resistance mechanisms. Here, we identified the differentially expressed genes after feeding sublethal dose of abamectin for 36 h by RNA-seq analysis. About 4.9 million reads (± 2,630,543 reads) were assembled into T. urticae. Among a total of 75 genes showing differential transcription, 18 and 14 genes were up- and down-regulated over two fold ratio, respectively. In the validation analysis, the calculated fold change of each genes between RNA-seq and qPCR were moderately correlated (r 2 = 0.661). A cuticular protein was shown as the highest up-regulated gene (192.3-fold) and a chitinase was revealed to be the highest down-regulated (-16.4-fold). Further study would be necessary to validate their roles in T. urticae adaptation to acaricides.

The purpose of this study is to analysis of muscle fatigue in the upper trapezius and splenius capitis muscles according to therapy table height variation. The subjects were consisted of 15 healthy adults(10 males, 5 females) who had no medical history of neurological and musculoskeletal problems. In experiment, wireless electrode EMG system was measured for each the upper trapezius and splenius capitis muscles during the treatment performed on table. the differences in the muscle fatigue was compared for 4 types of table height(-6cm, -3cm, 0, +3cm from elbow in 90° flexion position). Muscle fatigue according to therapy table height were significant difference except for left upper trapezius. And muscle fatigue of right upper trapezius and splenius capitis showed significant decrease in +3cm table height compared to -6cm table height(p<.05). Muscle fatigue of right upper trapezius and splenius capitis were the highest in -6cm table height, but those were the lowest in +3cm table height. This study propose to change therapy table height higher than +3cm from elbow in 90° flexion position, if you hope to reduce muscle fatigue.

Emergence of resistant two-spotted spider mite (TSSM) can induce the over usage of standard amount of acaricides and result in various side effects. Rapid resistance monitoring is essential step for the efficient management of resistant populations by enabling the selection of appropriate acaricides. Here, we evaluated the 10 acaricides to determine its suitability on residual contact vial bioassay (RCV) by using PyriF strain as standard. Five acaricides (Abamectin, monocrotophos, tebufenpyrad, bifenazate and cyflumetofen) revealed the dose-dependent mortality within 8 h, whereas other remaining acaricides (Fenbutatin oxide, fenpyroxymate, flufenoxuron, spiromesifen and etoxazole) did not. This finding suggests that the application of RCV method is limited depending on the mode of action and physicochemical properties of each acaricide. Resistance levels to five acaricides (Abamectin, monocrotophos, tebufenpyrad, bifenazate and cyflumetofen) were determined for four field populations of TSSM by using RCV diagnostic kit. All TSSM populations showed the highest sensitivity to cyflumetofen, indicating that it would be most effective in controling field populations. RCV diagnostic kit would enable to provide crucial information for choosing the most appropriate acaricides in the field.

Adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ASCs) are very interesting in several laboratory animals and humans because they are easy to harvest and expand to generate millions of cells from a small quantity of fat. ASCs are known as useful materials for clinical applications in human cell therapy and as a donor cell in somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). Here, we investigated if 1) minipig ASCs can be isolated, self-renewed and differentiated into multiple tissue lineages, 2) ASCs can be a suitable donor cell type for generation of cloned pig. In order to isolate ASC, adipose tissues were collected from inguinal region of a 6-year-old female minipig. The ASCs were attached to the culture dish with a fibroblast-like morphology. They expressed cell-surface marker characteristics of stem cell, underwent osteogenic, adipogenic, myogenic, neurogenic and chondrogenic differentiation when exposed to specific differentiation-inducing conditions. To investigate its potential as donor cell for cloning, we respectively carried out SCNT using ASC, adult skin fibroblast (ASF) and fetal fibroblast (FF) derived from same minipig. The ratio of blastocysts to 2-cell embryos and total cell number of blastocysts were monitored as experimental parameters. In results, cleavage and developmental competence to blastocysts rate showed no significant difference among the three groups. On the other hand, total cell numbers of blastocysts derived from ASC and FF were significantly higher than in ASF (89±7.9 and 105±5.5 vs. 57.5±5.2, respectively). Our results demonstrated that ASC have potential compared to ASF and FF in terms of the in vitro development and blastocyst formation ability. In further study, we will investigate the in vivo developmental ability of ASC as donor cell for pig cloning. * This study was supported by IPET (#311011-05-1-SB010), RNL Bio (#550-20120006), Institute for Veterinary Science, the BK21 program, TS Corporation and Optifarm Solution.

The resistance levels to carbamate (CB) and organophosphate (OP) insecticides were determined by topical application in 14 field strains of Nilaparvata lugens. The resistance levels to CB and OP were 1.3~47.5-fold and 1.4~14.4-fold higher than a susceptible strain, respectively. A quantitative sequencing (QS) protocol was established to determine the allele frequencies of four acetylcholinesterase point mutations putatively associated with CB and OP resistance. The allele frequencies of the four mutations (G119A, F/Y330S, F331H and I332L) in field strains ranged from ca. 0.0~51.7%, 0.0~88.9%, 2.5~47.7%, 5.1~56.0% and 6.7~57.3%, respectively. The F331H and I332L were tightly linked each other, suggesting these mutations may occur simultaneously. In the correlation analysis, G119A was not well correlated with actual resistance levels (r2= < 0.232), whereas F331H and I332L showed a better correlation with the resistance levels of benzofuranyl methylcarbamates (r2= 0.595). This finding indicates that F331H and I332L mutation frequencies may be used as molecular markers for detecting carbamate resistance in N. lugens. A QS protocol detecting the F331H and I332L mutation frequencies would be employed as a supportive tool for rapid monitoring of CB insecticide resistance levels in N. lugens

The screening of effective lethal genes was conducted via the systemic delivery of dsRNA for the RNA interference (RNAi)-based management of Tetranychus urticae. Four candidate genes (coatomer protein complex, T-COP; M1 metalloprotease, T-M1MP; Ribosomal protein S4, T-RPS4; A subunit of V-ATPase, T-VATPase) with a reference genes (EGFP) were tested for the experiment. Translocated dsRNA to the leaf disc (ca. 30 mm diameter) was detected at 12 h post-treatment, indicating that dsRNA could move through leaf veins. In the evaluation of mortality, the T-COP, T-RPS4 and T-VATPase exerted moderate levels of toxicity at 72 h post-treatment among four dsRNA tested. Knockdown of the target genes were confirmed by quantitative PCR, suggesting that RNAi of target genes was accomplished by feeding dsRNA. In summary, the dsRNA delivery via leaf disc was effective in screening lethal genes, and some genes, such as T-COP, T-M1MP, T-RPS4 and T-VATPase, can be applicable for establishing a RNAi-based control system against T. urticae.

Ag2O를 첨가한 압축 벤토나이트에 대하여 관통 확산법으로 요오드 이온의 이동 특성을 관찰하였다. Ag2O를 첨가하지 않은 압축 벤토나이트와 마찬가지로 Ag2O를 첨가한 압축 벤토나이트에서도 요오드 이온은 확산에 의하여 이동하는데, Ag2O를 첨가한 압축 벤토나이트는 Ag2O를 첨가하지 않은 압축 벤토나이트에 비하여 요오드 이온의 초기 누출 시간이 지연되는 것으로 나타났다. Ag2O를 첨가한 압축 벤토나이트에서 요오드 이온의 초기 누출 시간 지연은 확산 용액으로 순수 요오드 이온 수용액을 사용하였을 때 뿐만 아니라 0.1 M NaCl-요오드 이온 수용액을 사용하였을 때에도 관찰되었다. 또한 Ag2O를 첨가한 압축 벤토나이트의 겉보기 확산 계수는 Ag2O를 첨가하지 않은 압축 벤토나이트의 겉보기 확산 계수보다 낮은 값을 나타내었다. Ag2O를 첨가하지 않은 압축 벤토나이트의 유효 확산 계수는 기존 문헌에 보고된 값 과 거의 일치하는 결과를 얻었으며, Ag2O를 첨가한 압축 벤토나이트에서 요오드 이온의 유효 확산 계수는 Ag2O 첨가에 따라 대체적으로 감소하는 경향을 나타내었다.

This study aims to reveal how EA affects BAX and NF-kB involved in cell deaths from global ischemia, and to do this, observes the changes of BAX and NF-kB caused by EA application after transient global ischemia. The experimental method is to give rise to global ischemia and apply EA to 27 SD rats with the particulars of being six-week-old, male, around-300 gram-weighing, and adapted to laboratory environment for more than a week, and divide them into three groups, that is, GV20 EA group(n=9), L14 EA group(n=9), no-treatment GI group(n=9), and then observe their changes of BAX and NF-kB at the time lapse of 6 hours, 9 hours and 12 hours after ischemia, using western blotting. The numerical decrease of BAX expression at the time lapse of 9 hours after EA application, though not statistically significant, was observed in GV20 EA group and L14 EA group, and the NF-kB expression appeared statistically significant decrease in GV20 EA group and L14 EA group, but the expression was higher in the group with EA application. Therefore, EA application at the early phase of global ischemia is considered to affect BAX and NF-kB and play a positive role in decreasing apoptosis and cell deaths by inflammation.

백설기 원료인 쌀가루에 당 및 식이섬유의 함량이 높은 것으로 알려진 고구마가루를 5, 15, 25%(w/w, dry-weight basis) 비율로 첨가하여 원료 및 제품에서 나타나는 이화학적 품질과 제품의 관능특성, 및 저장성을 관찰하였다. 쌀가루에 대한 고구마가루 첨가량이 증가할수록 제품의 수분결합력, 팽윤도가 증가하였으며 외관에 있어서 적색도 및 황색도가 증가한 반면 전체적인 외관은 다소 어두워졌다. DSC(Differential Scanning Calorimeter)에 의한 열적특성의 분석결과 고구마가루의 H는 28.1 J/g으로서 19.1 J/g인 쌀가루에 비해 2배 정도로 높아 호화경향이 낮은 것으로 조사되었다. DSC thermogram에 나타난 전분의 노화도 경향은 고구마가루 첨가량이 증가할수록 감소하여 고구마가루 첨가량에 비례한 제품의 노화억제효과가 확인되었다. 제품의 경도, 응집성, 탄력성, 씹힘성 등은 고구마가루 첨가에 따라 감소하였으며 또한 경도증가율이 낮아져 고구마가루의 노화지연 효과가 확인되었다. 백설기 내의 고구마가루 첨가는 상대적으로 낮은 저장온도에서 제품의 경도증가를 억제하는 경향이 있었다. 그러나 제품의 경도변화의 폭은 저장온도 보다 고구마가루 첨가의 영향을 더 많이 받는 것을 알 수 있었다. 미생물적 특성에 있어서 제품을 실온에서 3일간 저장 시 고구마가루 첨가량에 따라 총 미생물수가 미첨가구에 비해 최고 1/10정도까지 낮게 유지되었다. 제품의 외관과 색을 제외한 전반적 기호특성은 고구마가루 첨가에 따라 향상되었으며 특히 15% 첨가구가 가장 좋은 평가를 받았다.

Cordycepin (3’-deoxyadenosin), a polyadenylation specific inhibitor, is the main functional component in Cordyceps militaris which is one of the top three famous traditional Chinese medicine. It has been shown to possess many pharmacological activities including immunologically stimulating, anti-cancer, anti-bacterial, and anti-virus, anti-infection effects. However, its anti-cancer molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. In this study, the apoptotic effects by cordycepin were investigates in human leukemia cells. Treatment of cordycepin significantly inhibited cells growth in a concentrationdependent manner by inducing apoptosis, as evidenced by morphological change and apoptotic cell death such as formation of apoptotic bodies, DNA fragmentation and increased populations of sub-G1. Induction of apoptosis by cordycepin was associated with modulation of Bcl-2 and inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAP) family expression. Cordycepin also increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, activation of casepase-3, caspase-8, caspase-9, cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), β-catenin and phospholipase C (PLC)-γ1 protein. The quenching of ROS generation by N-acetyl-L-cysteine administration, a scavenger of ROS, reversed the cordycepin-induced apoptosis effects. Theresults suggested that cordycepin may be a potential chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of leukemia patients [This work was supported by Blue-Bio Industry RIC at Dong-Eui University as a RIC (08-06-07) program of ITEP under Ministry of Knowledge Economy].