Aquaporin (AQP) 3, a facilitated transporter of water and glycerol, expresses in placenta and fetal membranes, but the detailed localization and function of AQP3 in placenta remain unclear. To elucidate a role of AQP3 in placenta, we defined the expression and cellular localization of AQP3 in placenta and fetal membranes, and investigated the structural and functional differences between wild-type and AQP3 null mice. Gestational sacs were removed during mid-gestational period and amniotic fluid was aspirated for measurements of volume and composition. Fetuses with attached placenta and fetal membranes were weighed and processed for histological assessment. AQP3 strongly expressed in basolateral membrane of visceral yolk sac cells of fetal membrane, the syncytiotrophoblasts of the labyrinthine placenta and fetal nucleated red blood cell membrane. Mice lacking AQP3 did not exhibit a significant defect in differentiation of trophoblast stem cells and normal placentation. However, AQP3 null fetuses were smaller than their control litter mates in spite of a decrease in litter size. The total amniotic fluid volume per gestational sac was reduced, but the amniotic fluid-to-fetal weight ratio was increased in AQP3 null mice compared with wild-type mice. Glycerol, free fatty acid and triglyceride levels in amniotic fluid of AQP3 null mice were significantly reduced, whereas lactate level increased when compared to those of wild-type mice. These results suggest a role for AQP3 in supplying nutrients from yolk sac and maternal blood to developing fetus by facilitating transport of glycerol in addition to water, and its implication for the fetal growth in utero.

Background : Achyranthes japonica Nakai (AJ) is a perennial herb with a wide distribution in East Asia including Korea, China, and Japan, and it is mainly used as a medicinal plant. In Korea, AJ has been widely used to control pain and improve symptoms in OA patients. AJ contains several important phytochemicals such as saponins, inokosterone, ecdysterone, and oleanolic acid bisdesmoside. Methods and Results : The aim of this work was to investigate the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of fermented and ethanol extracts of Achyranthes japonica Nakai (AJ). The extracts showed strong reductive power and nitrite scavenging, hydroxyl radical scavenging, superoxide radical scavenging, and DNA damage prevention activities. Treatment of RAW 264.7 macrophages with AJ inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced NO secretion and iNOS expression without affecting cell viability. AJ also inhibited cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) expression, leading to the suppression of COX-2-derived prostaglandin E2 production. These inhibitory effects of AJ were accompanied by reduced production of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukins (IL)-1β, -6, and -10. Furthermore, AJ suppressed LPS-induced phosphorylation of extracellular signal regulated kinase, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, and p38. Moreover, AJ inhibited malondialdehyde production and myeloperoxidase activity in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Conclusion : The antioxidant activity of plants is closely related to their medicinal properties and is widely used as a parameter to determine the bioavailability of medicinal plants. The antioxidant and biological activities of AJ extracts might be due to the synergistic actions of multiple bioactive compounds. It can be concluded that AJ extracts are a potential source of biologically important drug candidates.

Recently, detection of esophageal diverticula by neck ultrasonography has been increasing. In particular, esophageal diverticula near the thyroid gland can be diagnosed as thyroid nodule on ultrasonography. To date, 13 cases of ultrasonographic features of Killian-Jamieson (K-J) diverticula have been reported. We report on four cases of K-J diverticula and discuss clinical characteristics, including ultrasonographic findings, in comparison with previously reported cases. Awareness of ultrasonographic finding of esophageal diverticula, a hypoechoic nodule containing echogenic foci found in the posterolateral aspect of the thyroid, is most important for making a differential diagnosis of K-J diverticulum from a thyroid nodule.

A new soybean cultivar for soy-paste, “Mansu”, was developed from the cross between ‘Suwon 192’, which was tolerant to disease, late maturing and high yielding, and ‘Suwon 196’ which was early maturing and large seed by soybean breeding team in the Yeongnam Agricultural Research Institute (YARI) to make new variety having large seed and high yielding. A promising line, SS97213-2B-3SSD-39-1-1, was selected and designated as the name of ‘Suwon 236’. It was characterized by regional yield trials (RYT) for three years from 2004 to 2006 and released as the name of “Mansu”. It has a determinate growth habit, purple flower, grey pubescence, pale green seed coat, yellow cotyledon, large spherical seed (26.5 grams per 100 seeds). Maturity date is 4 days later than the check cultivar, Taekwang. The average yield of Mansu was 2.93 ton per hectare in the regional yield trials (RYT) carried out for three years from 2004 to 2006 which was 7 percent higher than that of the check cultivar, Taekwang.