Brassica oleracea var. italica (broccoli) is a type of cabbage that contains vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. Consequently, it is used as a potential nutraceutical source for improving human health by reducing oxidative stress and inflammatory responses. Here, the effects of broccoli sprout extract (BSE) on the inflammatory response were investigated through lipopolysaccharide (LPS)- induced inflammatory mouse models. First, we found that the BSE obviously reduce NO production in RAW 264.7 cells in response to LPS stimulation in in vitro study. Pretreatment with BSE administration improved sperm motility and testicular cell survivability in LPS-induced endotoxemic mice. Additionally, BSE treatment decreased the levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-a, IL-1β, and IL-6, and COX-2 in testis of LPS-induced endotoxemic mice models. In conclusion, BSE could be a potential nutraceutical for preventing the excessive immune related infertility.

This research is taken from a classroom-based study on how the indirect approach in written corrective feedback (CF) differs from the direct approach in facilitating the learning of grammatical features in L2 writing. Eleven university students from a writing class were divided into three groups based on TOEIC scores. After writing narrative assignments, they were given three different types of feedback: direct, indirect, and metalinguistic. The participants were asked to revise their writings after receiving indirect CF and metalinguistic CF. Immediately after revising, they were also asked to answer an open-ended questionnaire on the feedback type. Their revisions and corrections were analyzed according to use of indefinite articles, and different feedback types showed slightly different reactions and attitudes. The highlevel students were not influenced much by the feedback type, while the mid- and low-level students favored the indirect approach for their thinking processes, and benefited from metalinguistic CF in the revision sessions. The indirect approach appeared to be more effective, if implemented appropriately, increasing working memory for self-regulated L2 writing processes.

Writing instruction has not been actively implemented in secondary schools in Korea, even though the National Curriculum suggests teaching all four communication skills in a balanced way. Taking the aforementioned into account in terms of continuity between secondary and higher education, this study explores college students' perceptions of writing in English through their actual writing experiences. Over fifty local area students who were advised to keep journals provided their ideas and thoughts on why English writing is hard for them. Data revealed that writing practice made the students aware of their lack of L2 knowledge, such as grammatical, syntactic, or lexical aspects. As the students developed their basic L2 knowledge, they recognized their need for L2 writing instruction. Some students revealed their anx iety through their writing. Others looked back on their learning in the past and reflected upon its shortcomings. Several attentive learners who showed interests in Engli sh learn ing provided their opinions on L2 writing. With the advent of the National Engli sh Ability Test (NEAT), the English education environment in Korea wi ll be changing. Thus, more output-oriented communicative activities and more opportunities for output need to be introduced in Korean English education arena for meaningful leallling process.

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), members of a large group of TGF-beta family, are important molecular regulators of morphogenesis of numerous tissues and organs, including bones and teeth. Most BMPs are capable of inducing bone formation in vivo and therefore are of considerable clinical interest for regenerating mineralized tissues. Recently, we have developed a method to culture cells from human cementum (human cementum-derived cells, HCDCs). HCDCs, when attached to synthetic hydroxyapatite/tricalcium phosphate (HA/TCP) ceramic and transplanted into immunodeficient mice, formed histologically identifiable cementum-like tissue. Since it is unclear to what extent BMPs are involved in cementogenesis, the aim of this study was to establish which BMPs are expressed by cementogenic HCDCs and whether the expression of BMPs is related to the degree of cellular differentiation in vitro. HCDCs were maintained in growth medium (DMEM/F12 supplemented with 10% FBS) until confluent (proliferation stage). Upon reaching confluence, cells were incubated in the differentiation medium (DMEM/F12 medium containing 10% FBS and 50 mg/ml ascorbic acid) for 14 days (differentiation stage). Next, HCDCs were incubated in mineralization medium (DMEM/F12, 50 mg/ml ascorbic acid, 2.5 mg/ml of ITS (insulin-transferrinselenium), 5 mM beta-glycerophosphate and 10­⁻8 Mdexamethasone) for another 14 days (mineralization stage). At the end of each differentiation stage, total RNA was isolated and evaluated for BMPs (2 through 8) expression by employing real time RT-PCR. HCDCs expressed most of BMPs examined except BMP-7 and BMP-8. Furthermore, on average, the highest levels of BMPs were expressed at the earlier differentiation stage, prior to the initiation of mineralization in vitro. These results indicate that several BMPs are expressed during cementoblastic differentiation and suggest that BMPs may be involved in the homeostasis of human cementum.

A rapid and simple method for the quantitative determination of volatile fatty acids (VFAs; propionic acid, n-butyric acid, i-valeric acid and n-valeric acid) and indoles (phenol, p-cresol, 4-ethyl phenol, indole and skatole) in pig slurry and dog excrement using solid-phase micro-extraction (SPME) coupled to gas chromatography was evaluated. 50/30 ㎛ DVB/CAR/PDMS (Divinylbenzene/Carboxen/Polydimethylsiloxane) fiber was used to extract the target compounds in aqueous media. Sample amount and adsorption time was standardized for the routine analysis. Detection limits were from 0.11 to 0.15 ㎍/L for VFAs and from 0.12 to 0.28 ㎍/L for indoles and the correlations observed (R2) were 0.975～1.000. This method was applied to the pig slurry, fertilizer, compost and dog excrement. In nearly all cases, the indoles were detected in concentrations of higher than their limits of detection (DOLs). But the VFAs in swine manure were below their DOLs.

The methanolic (MeOH) extract of A. fruticosa bark, which showed immune-regulatory activities, was separated to purify an active compared by means of a multi-stage column chromatography. This resulted in the isolation and characterization of an isoflavone glycoside named 4', 6-Dimethoxyisoflavone-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside. Immuno-regulatory activities of the crude extract of Amorpha fruticosa LINNE bark were compared with that of an isoflavone glycoside (4', 6-dimethoxyisoflavone-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside). The crude methanolic extract of A. fruticosa and purified single compound showed 16% of relatively low cytotoxicity at a maximum concentration of 1.0 g/L in cultivated normal human lung cell line (HEL299). Cell growth of human T cells was increased up to 15%, 0.5 g/L of the crude extract added group. This was higher than a single compound added one. On the other hand, specific production rates of IL-6 and TNF-α from T cell were higher in the purified compound treat group (0.82×10-4 pg/cell and 1.08×10-4 pg/cell, respectively), compared to 0.5 g/L of the crude extract added group (0.65×10-4 pg/cell and 0.84×10-4 pg/cell, respectively). In addition, the growth of NK-92MI cells incubated with the crude extract was higher up to 56% over the cells grown with a single compound (0.5 g/L). In overall, the crude extract showed relatively higher immuno-regulatory activities compared with a single compound, probably due to the synergic effect given by other substances existed in the crude extract. Even though the siolated compound stimulated higher secretion of cytokines from human T cells.