Estrogen receptor 2 (ESR2) is involved in oestrogen-related apoptosis in cell cycle spermatogenesis but their effects have not yet confirmed in pig. Therefore, this study was performed to investigatetheir association with semen motility and kinematic characteristics. DNA samples from 126 Duroc pigs with records of sperm motility and kinematic characteristics [Total motile spermatozoa (MOT), Curvilinear velocity(VCL), Straight-line velocity(VSL), the ratio between VSL and VCL(LIN), Amplitude of Lateral Head displacement(ALH)] were used in present study. A single nucleotide polymorphism (g.35547A>G) was associated with MOT, VCL, VAP and ALH in Duroc population (p < 0.05). Therefore, we suggest that the porcine ESR2 may be used as a molecular marker for Duroc boar semen quality, although its functional effect was not clear yet. These results will improve the understanding of the functions of the ESR2 in spermatogenesis within the reproductive tracts, and will shed light on ESR2 as a candidate gene in the selection of good sperm quality boars.

Ampelopsis brevipedunculata (Maxim.) Trautv., also known as porcelain berry, has been used for many years as herbal folk medicine to treat liver diseases. This study was conducted to assess the influence of various factors on the rooting of hardwood stem cuttings of this plant species, collected from Jeju Island (Korea). Three experiments were conducted: (1) Stems of three diameters (≤ 4.5, > 4.5 – < 6.5, or ≥ 6.5 mm), (2) four types of rooting media [rockwool cubes, perlite, peat moss + perlite (3:1, v/v), or vermiculite] and (3) indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) at four treatment concentrations (0, 100, 200, or 400 mg·L-1). For the IBA concentration experiments, cuttings of the various diameters were inserted to a depth of 2 cm in a commercial propagation medium in 72-cell plug trays. The planted stem cuttings were initially placed on a fog bench for 16 days at 95% ± 5% relative humidity at a temperature of 25°C ± 3°C under 95% shade. The stem cuttings were then transferred to a greenhouse bench under ambient light and fed a nutrient solution on a daily basis for 2 weeks. Among the tested stem diameters, cuttings with a stem diameter ≥ 6.5 mm produced the largest stem diameter (2.6 mm) of new shoot, but without root growth. Initial stem diameter significantly affected the length of the new shoot, and the longest shoot length (67.8 mm) was observed in cuttings with an initial stem diameter of ≥ 6.5 mm. Cuttings inserted in vermiculite produced the largest diameter of new shoot (2.4 mm), whereas cuttings grown in rockwool cubes produced the shortest, stem diameter of new shoot growth (1.9 mm). No significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) were observed in the length of new shoot growth among the various rooting media and IBA concentrations. Furthermore, all tested IBA concentrations failed to induce rooting. Collectively, these results suggest that porcelain berry cuttings with an initial diameter of ≥ 6.5 mm have higher survival and bud break, but they did not produce rooting. Further studies are needed to optimize the protocol for the rooting of hardwood stem cuttings of A. brevipedunculata (Maxim.) Trautv.

Euzophera batangensis (Lepidotera: Pyralidae) is seriously damaging trunks or branches of persimmon tree (Diospyros sp.). We tested the attractiveness of (Z)-9-tetradecen-1-ol (Z9-14OH) and (Z9,E12)-tetradeca- 9,12-dien-1-ol (Z9,E12-14OH) with single or blended baits at southern parts of Korea in 2014 and 2015. The monoene was not attractive at all at three places during the two years. In 2014, diene was equally or more attractive than the mixture in Jinju and Suncheon, respectively. In 2015 too, the attractiveness of diene and mixture was not different in Jinju and Munsan. Monitoring of the seasonal occurrence of E. batangesis with the sex pheromone components revealed that it occurred three times a year; the first occurrence from early April to mid May, the second from early Jun to mid July, and the third from late August to late September.

The effects of seed soaking treatment with the solutions of plant growth regulators IAA, GA3 and BAP on seed germination and shoot and bulb growth of Allium victorialis var. platyphyllum (Korean wild garlic) were determined. A significant variation in the seed germination rate was recorded at all treatments for various soaking periods. Maximum seed germination was obtained when seeds were soaked in IAA or GA3 solution at 200 mg L-1. The MAP treated seeds started to germinate after 3 months. Among treatments, IAA was found to be most effective in improving seed germination, but further seedling growth was not correlated to the soaking time. Seed soaking in IAA or GA3 solution enhanced further growth of seedlings compared with water control treatment. Shoot and bulb growth was highest in GA3 treatments.

We have used bulked segregant analysis to screen the strain-specific DNA marker associated thermophilic strain of Pleurotus eryngii. Bulked genomic DNAs of Pleurotus eryngii were amplified by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) using OP-A, OP-B, OP-L, OP-P, OP-R and OP-S primers to screen the strain-specific DNA marker. A unique DNA fragment of 500 bp was amplified with OP-A11 primer from the psychrophilic strain and sequenced. A sequence characterized amplified region (SCAR) marker was designed on the basis of the determined sequence and named as OP-A11-1. The PCR analysis with the OP-A11-1 primer showed that this SCAR marker clearly distinguish the psychrophilic strains from the control strains.

After pine wilt disease (PWD) at Korean pine, Pinus koraiensis has been first reported in the middle area of South Korea in 2006, it spread rapidly to the nearest area. However, it is difficult to predict the spread of damage and set up the proper control strategy specific to P. koreaiensis because the pathology and the biology of PWD in P. koraiensis are not the same with PWD in P. densiflora and P. thunbergii distributed in middle southern area. So, we selected 25 of dead P. koraiensis in PWD damaged area and analyzed the inner-tree distribution of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus and the entrance holes of Monochamus saltuarius. There was no statistical significance between height or direction of wood extracted and the distribution of B. xylophilus among 25 dead pines. The entrance holes of M. saltuarius were concentrated on 7 dead pines without leaves and the maximum number of entrance holes in individual tree was 543. It indicates that the event of spawning of M. saltuarius adult and entrance of hatched M. saltuarius larvae to wood may be dependent on the time of death of host. The entrance holes were frequently found in a southward direction. These result shows that M. salutuarius larvae prefer relatively weak woody parts to enter easily. However, the relation between the thickness of bark of P. koraiensis and the frequencies of entrance holes of M. saltuarius was not observed.

The mannanase, cellulase and xylanase-producing thermophilic bacteria, designated EJ3, was isolated from fresh spent mushroom (Pleurotus eryngii) substrates taken from the DOJUN farm located in Keyongnam, Korea. The isolate EJ3 was facultatively anaerobic and grew at temperature ranging from 20℃ to 60℃ with an optimal temperature of 37℃. The DNA G+C content of the isolate EJ3 was 45 mlo%. The major fatty acids were anteiso-15:0 (38.9%), 17:0 (7.4%), and iso-15:0 (38.2%). The 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity between the isolate EJ3 and other Bacillus strains varied from 97% to 99%. In the phylogenetic analysis based on these sequences, the isolate EJ3 and Bacillus subtilis clustered within a group and separated from other species of Bacillus. Based on the physiological and molecular properties, the isolate EJ3 was classified within the genus Bacillus as Bacillus subtilis EJ3. The optimal growth condition of B. subtilis EJ3 were pH 6.0 and 55℃, respectively.

This study was conducted to evaluate the feeding value of the spent mushroom (Pleurotus eryngii) substrates (SMS) in laying hens (Hy-Line Brown). The fresh spent mushroom (Pleurotus eryngii) substrates collected from the DOJUN farm were fermented with Bacillus subtilis EJ3 for 2 weeks. A total of twenty-four laying hens were fed corn-soy based experimental diets containing 0% (control), 5% (T1), 10% (T2) and 15%(T3) fermented SMS for 7 weeks. There were no significant differences among the treatments in egg production, egg weight, egg mass, feed conversion and viability during the experimental period. Feed intake was significantly lowered in control (118.3 g) than T1 (121.9 g), T2 (120.3 g) and T3 (122.4 g). There were no significant differences among the treatments eggshell breaking strength, thickness and haugh unit, whereas the yolk color of T1, T2 and T3 were significantly heavy than T0. The palatability of boiled meat was significantly better in the T3 laying hens than in the T0 laying hens. In conclusion, fermented SMS can be used as resource of feed in laying hen feed at 5.0-15% level without effect on performance and egg qualify.

This study was conducted to investigate the insecticidal capacity of several recombinant baculoviruses to P. xylostella and S. exigua larvae. NeuroBactrus was constructed as follows: the cry1-5 of Bacillus thuringiensis 2385-1 was inserted into Autographa californica multicapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) genome by fusion of polyhedrin-cry1-5-polyhedrin under the control of polyhedrin gene promoter, and insect-specific neurotoxin from the scorpion Androctonus australis (AaIT) under the control of early promoter from Cotesia plutellae bracovirus was introduced by fusion of orf603 partial fragment in the opposite direction of polyhedrin gene, respectively. Other recombinant baculoviruses derived from the NeuroBactrus - NBt-DelA (deleted AaIT), NBt-Del5 (deleted cry1-5), and NBt-DelA5 (deleted AaIT and cry 1-5) - were manufactured in serial passages in vitro. The data were analyzed by SPSS. The value of LC50 was lower when P. xylostella larvae fed on cabbage coated with NeuroBactrus (4068.4) than when it fed on cabbage coated with AcMNPV (4.5x106). Survival time (ST50) of P. xylostella larvae (2.54days) was shorter when it fed on cabbage coated with NeuroBactrus than when it fed on cabbage coated with other recombinant baculoviruses (7.54days, 7.68days, and 8.26days) and AcMNPV (9.67days). S. exigua larvae presented the same results.

Germinated rough rice (GRR) has many healthy effects such as antioxidant activity, inhibition of chronic inflammatory disease and prevention of vascular disease. In this study, germinated Korean rice sample which was planted in 2008 from Korean Rural Development Administration was used. The purpose of this study was to recognize the effect of the ethanol extract of GRR on the ischemic damage of skeletal muscle. Right femoral artery ligation was performed to induce ischemic condition in mice and the mixed basal diet with the ethanol extract of GRR at various levels (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg diet) was given for 2 weeks. After the mice were sacrificed, the hind limb muscle samples of the mice were fixed, sectioned, stained with Haematoxylin-Eosin (H&E), Masson’s trichrome, and performed for Immunohistochemistry (IHC) for caspase-3. In histopathological findings of H&E and Masson’s trichrome stain, the treatment of GRR at the level of 400 mg/kg diminished fibrosis and necrosis in the muscle compared to the control. The expression of caspase-3 protein was also decreased by the treatment of GRR at the level of 400 mg/kg compared to the control. These results suggest that the ethanol extract of GRR may have a protective effect against muscle damage during the ischemia in skeletal muscle of hindlimb.

Intracellular reactive oxygen species(ROS) produced in a various pathologic state was known to intermediate many cellular response such as inflammation. Recently, low level light irradiation by HeNe laser used in many clinical field could improve inflammatory state by scavenging intracellular ROS through photo-detachment/dissociation process. The purpose of this study is to investigate the differential effects of blue and red light irradiation on ROS scavenging effects. Immortalized human oral keratinocyte HaCat cells were used. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate(PMA) was treated for inflammation. Red(635nm) and blue(470nm) light irradiation was carried out. To asses the intracellular ROS by light irradiation, confocal microscopic and flow cytometric assay with DCF fluorescence for total ROS and ESR spectrometry of DMPO-O2 - for superoxide anion were caried out. And microarray was performed for mRNA expression level. Released intracellular total ROS in PMA treated HaCat cell lines was dissociated efficiently by red light irradiation, while blue light irradiation did not. Rather, blue light irradiation increased ROS formation. For superoxide anion generated the first synthetic form of ROS, red light irradiation reduced its amount but blue light irradiation did not. In the mRNA expression in line with cyclooxygenase(COX) pathway, prostagrandin endoperoxide synthase 1(PTGS 1), prostagrandin endoperoxide synthase 2(PTGS 2) and phospholipase A2(PLA2) were increased by both light irradiation and they were decreased as time flows. And genes associated with ROS releasing, mRNA expressions of tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) and interleukin 1beta(IL1B) were increased by 1 hour red light irradiation but did not by blue light irradiation. As a result, red and blue light irradiation showed different response in affecting the level of ROS. These findings indicate that red light rather than blue light is more useful for anti-inflammation in clinical field

The phytochemicals of many plants suggest their potential use as dietary supplements in cancer chemoprevention and chemotherapy. In the present study, antitumor activity of Cudrania tricuspidata, a plant native to East Asia, was investigated. Cell growth inhibition of the extract on HT-29 colorectal adenocarcinoma using MTT colorimetric assay was determined. Apoptosis on HT-29 cells was performed by DNA fragmentation analysis. PGE2 release was measured by enzyme immunoassay, because PGE2 is a key protumorigenic prostanoid in many human cancers. For the ROS scavenging activity, ROS level was detected by laser scanning confocal microscope. It was found that methanol extract of leaves inhibits cell viability by inducing apoptosis as evidenced by DNA fragmentation. Stem bark decreases synthesis of PGE2, inflammatory mediator. Fruits exhibited pronounced ROS scavenging activity. Taken together, these results suggest that Cudrania tricuspidata exerts growth inhibition and anti-oxidation on HT-29 cells through apoptosis, ROS scavenging respectively that it may have anti-cancer properties.

한국의 고준위폐기물 기준 처분 시스템의 공학적 방벽에서의 T-H-M(Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical) 거동 실증을 위한 KENTEX(KAERI Engineering-scale T-H-M Experiment for Engineered Barrier System)실험 장치를 대상으로 열-수리-역학 연동현상 해석을 하여 온도, 포화도 및 응력의 변화를 예측하였다. 그리고 이들 변수와 열-수리-역학의 연동현상에 사용된 세물성법칙인 탄성물성법칙, 공극탄성 물성법칙 및 공극탄성-소성 물성법칙과의 관계를 분석하였다. 열-수리-역학 연동현상을 계산하는 데는 상용 유한요소 코드인 ABAQUS를 사용하였다. 열 계산에서 벤토나이트 내 온도는 히터 가열 후 초기에는 급격히 증가하다가 얼마의 시간이 경과한 후에는 거의 일정한 값에 도달하였다. 이 도달시간은 약 37.5일로 반경방향의 모든 지점(H=0.68m 일때)에서 정상상태에 도달한 것을 알 수 있었다. 즉, 히터와 벤토나이트 경계면에서는 , 벤토나이트와 외부 셀 경계면에서는 약 를 유지하였다. 열-수리-역학 연동현상 계산에서 시간에 따른 벤토나이트 포화도는 탄성 물성법칙, 공극탄성 물성법칙 및 공극탄성-소성 물성법칙의 세 경우 모두 거의 차이가 없었다. 열-수리-역학 계산 결과와 수리-역학 계산 결과의 비교에서 온도의 증가는 탄성 물성법칙 및 공극탄성 물성법칙 각각에 대해 시간이 경과함에 따라 포화도가 증가함을 초래해 포화가 빨리 진행됨을 알 수 있었다. 특히 히터에 가까운 쪽에서는물이 침투하고 있는 쪽 보다 포화도 증가가 큰 것으로 나타나 벤토나이트가 물로 포화되기 전의초기상태가 온도의 영향을 많이 받는 것을 알 수 있었다. 또한 응력은 세 물성 법칙 모두 시간의 경과에 따라 증가하는 경향을 보이나 탄성 물성법칙의 경우가 다른 두 경우보다 현저한 변화를 보이는데 이는 변형율이 탄성한계를 넘어서도 계속 작용하여 공극비 변화를 고려한 다른 두 물성법칙과 차이가 있음을 나타내고 있다. 그러나 공극탄성 물성법칙 및 공극탄성-소성 물성법칙의 경우에 열-수리-역학 계산 결과와 수리-역학 계산 결과를 비교하면 시간이 경과함에 따라 응력은 증가하지만 온도의 변화에 따른 서로의 응력의 차이는 작은 것을 알 수 있다. 즉 온도변화의 영향보다는 시간에 따른 포화도 변화의 영향이 더 큰 것으로 생각된다. 따라서 벤토나이트의 열-수리-역학 연동현상 해석에서 벤토나이트는 온도의 증가로 포화가 빨라지고, 포화도 증가는 응력을 증가시키는 결과를 보이므로 공극비, 열팽창 및 팽윤압 등의 영향을 받고 있는 것으로 이해된다. 그래서 벤토나이트의 열-수리-역학 연동현상 해석에서 벤토나이트는 공극비, 열팽창 및 팽윤압 등의 영향을 받으므로 탄성과 소성을 동시에 고려할 수 있는 물성법칙을 선택하는 것이 바람직하다.

Honey used as conventional medicine has various pharmacological properties. In the honey and anti-inflammatory effect, Gelam honey and Manuka honey has been reported to exert anti-inflammatory activity. However, the anti-inflammatory effect and potential mechanisms of acacia honey (AH) are not well understood. In this study, we investigated anti-inflammatory activity and mechanism of action of AH in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. AH attenuated NO production through inhibition of iNOS expression in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. AH also decreased the expressions of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α as pro-inflammatory cytokines, and MCP-1 expression as a pro-inflammatory chemokine. In the elucidation of the molecular mechanisms, AH decreased LPS-mediated IκB-α degradation and subsequent nuclear accumulation of p65, which resulted in the inhibition of NF-κB activation in RAW264.7 cells. AH dose-dependently suppressed LPS-mediated phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and p38 in RAW264.7 cells. In addition, AH significantly inhibited ATF2 phosphorylation and nuclear accumulation of ATF2 in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. These results suggest that AH has an anti-inflammatory effect, inhibiting the production of pro-inflammatory mediators such as NO, iNOS, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β and MCP-1 via interruption of the NF-κB and MAPK/ATF2 signaling pathways.