This study aimed to investigate the perception, consumption, and acceptability of convenience mealsin low-income female elderly attending a lunch program at a community well fare center. Using in-depth interviews, qualitative data were collected 11 elderly females (62.5±11.2y) living in Seoul. Participants tried to eat various foods in small-portionsat home, although they ate out what they were offered. Elderly females preferred lunch box-type meals containing a bowl of rice served with toppings, gruel, or Bibimbop due to the growing unavailability of cooking or preparing a meal. Side-dish type convenience mealswere also preferred among elderly females since boiled rice can be easily prepared according to individual preferences. In addition, participants preferred healthy foods. Convenience meal planning and production, appropriate kinds of foods, cooking methods, menus, and packaging should be selected based on the elderly's functional atrophy in chewing, swallowing,digestion, and metabolic diseases. Furthermore, food preferences and comfort foods among the elderlyneed to be identified and characterized. Therefore, more information, including bite size, cutting size, and food texture, should be provided to understand and develop convenience meals for the elderly.

BACKGROUND Ca2+ oscillations during fertilization induce eggs activation and embryonic development in mammalian eggs.. The type 1 inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (IP3R1) is in charge of Ca2+ oscillations for the release of stored Ca2+ from the endoplasmic reticulum. The capacity of this oscillation is obtained during egg maturation and corresponds with an increase in the sensitivity of the IP3R1 and their localization in cytoplasm. Cluster formation of IP3R1 in the egg cortex is important to initiation of Ca2+ oscillations during egg and sperm fusion. In this study, we investigated that cell cycle–coupled redistribution of IP3R1 and Ca2+- oscillatory activity in mouse zygotes. MATERIALS AND METHODS Metaphase II arrested eggs were collected from ICR female mouse after super ovulation induction. At 14 hr post hCG, MII eggs were collected, and artificially activated in Ca2+ free CZB medium with 10 mM SrCl2 for 2 hrs. Pronuclear zygotes (PN) were collected from Strontium activated eggs at 8 hr post activation, and the first mitotic eggs were collected at 16~17 hr post activation. To identify cell cycle coupled IP3R1 redistribution, MII eggs, zygotes, and first mitotic eggs were collected, and fixed for immunostaining with anti-IP3R1antibody (CT-1) and observed on CLSM. Ca2+-oscillatory activity was monitored with fluorescence microscope mounted SimplePCI program (Hamamatsu) after injection of cRNA of mouse phospholipase C zeta (mPLCZ). RESULT IP3R1 were shown clusters, 1~2 um in diameter, in cortex of ovulated MII eggs with high Ca2+ oscillatory activity by mPLCZ injection. These eggs represent more than 6 spikes per 60 min. However, IP3R1 clusters were disappeared in PN eggs and these eggs showed very low Ca2+- oscillatory activity by mPLCZ. In mitosis I stage eggs, clusters of IP3R1 were appeared and Ca2+-oscillatory activity was reactivated slightly (2 spikes per 60 min). CONCLUSIOINS This study introduced the redistribution of IP3R1 clusters were occurred in egg activation according to cell cycle dependent manner. Also, functional modification of IP3R1 including protein phosphorylation was associated with cortical clustering of IP3R1 in cell cycle coupled Ca2+ oscillatory activity.

The impermeable seed coat is valuable trait in soybean because impermeable seed retain viability for longer period than permeable seed under adverse conditions such as delayed harvest or prolonged storage. Soybean seeds of various size showing different seed hardness were examined for their water absorption and seed viability under adverse storage conditions. Of one hundred thirty nine genotypes, eight types of seeds having different seed hardness and seed size were used as material. Soybean genotypes showing high hard seed rate, GSI13125 (89%), GSI10715 (54%), and GSI10284 (42%), were slow in water absorption and low in the electroconductivity of seed leachate in distilled water. Germination of GSI10284 and GSI13125 that have higher hard seed rate was less affected by CSVT and artificial aging treatment indicating higher seed storability. The higher storing ability of both collections was confirmed by electroconductivity test for leachate. GSI10122 showed low seedling emergence when the seeds were artificially aged. This genotype was considered as to having a poor storing ability based on difference of electroconductivity before and after artificial aging. Among tests conducted in the experiment, CSVT could be used for determining storage life in legumes. In conclusion, water absorption property of seed was strongly related to the hardness that is directly related to the seed viability and storing ability in soybean seed.