Maca has been reported to alleviate male menopause symptoms in humans and experimental animals; however, its mechanism of action in improving male menopause has not been clearly identified. This study aimed to investigate the mechanism of action of gelatinized maca in improving male menopause by analyzing serum testosterone, testicular androgen receptor (AR) expression, and testicular oxidation-antioxidation balance. Gelatinized maca was administered orally to aged male C57BL/6 mice at three doses (500, 1,000, and 1,500 mg/kg/day) for 28 consecutive days. Serum biochemical analysis showed an increase in serum hydroxysteroid 17-beta-dehydrogenase 13 (HSD17β13) concentration at 1,500 mg/kg/day and a decrease in serum sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) concentration at ≥ 1,000 mg/kg/day. Gelatinized maca administration also resulted in the increased expression levels of testicular AR and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) response element binding protein (CREB) at 1,500 mg/kg/day. Oxidative stress analysis showed an increase in testicular superoxide dismutase and glutathione reductase activities and a decrease in testicular malondialdehyde at 1,500 mg/kg/day. In conclusion, gelatinized maca administration to aged male mice increased HSD17β13, AR and CREB expression, and antioxidant capacity and decreased serum SHBG. The results of the present study suggest that gelatinized maca may be a useful substance that can help alleviate male menopause symptoms.

식물에 전기장을 처리하면 식물의 생장속도가 빨라지거나 영양학적으로 긍정적인 변화가 생긴다고 알려져 있다. 최근 음이온 처리 시 식물에 전기장을 처리한 것과 유사한 효과가 나타난다고 보고되었고 본 연구에서는 이러한 음이온을 온실해충인 점박이응애와 목화진딧물에 처리하여 방제효과 여부를 확인하였다. 그 결과 음이 온 처리 시 점박이응애와 목화진딧물에서 살충효과와 기피효과가 나타났다. 또한, 점박이응애 알에서도 음이온 처리가 부화율에 영향을 주는 것을 확인할 수 있었다. 이러한 시험 결과를 바탕으로 온실에서 밀도실험 결과, 700,000 ion/cm3 농도에서 무처리구에 비해 밀도가 감소함을 확인할 수 있었다. 따라서, 본 연구는 음이온 처리 시, 부가적인 효과로 온실해충(점박이응애, 목화진딧물)에 대해 친환경적 방제 가능성을 보여준다.

Acacetin, which is present in damiana (Turnera diffusa ) and black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia ), has several pharmacologic activities such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-proliferative effects on cancer cells. However, the effect of acacetin on head and neck cancers has not been clearly established. This study aimed to examine the effects of acacetin on cell growth and apoptosis induction in FaDu human pharyngeal carcinoma cells. These were investigated by 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, Live/Dead cell assay, 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole dihydrochloride staining, caspase-3 and caspase-7 activation assay, and immunoblotting in FaDu cells. Acacetin induced FaDu cell death in a dose-dependent manner, with an estimated IC50 value of 41.9 µM, without affecting the viability of L-929 mouse fibroblasts as normal cells. Acacetin treatment resulted in nuclear condensation in the FaDu cells. It promoted the proteolytic cleavage of procaspase-3, -7, -8, and -9 with increasing amounts of the cleaved caspase isoforms in FaDu cells. Acacetin-induced apoptosis in FaDu cells was mediated by the expression of Fas and activation of caspase-8, caspase-3, and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase. Immunoblotting showed downregulation of the anti-apoptotic mitochondrial proteins Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL, but upregulation of the mitochondria-dependent pro-apoptotic proteins Bax and Badin FaDu cells after acacetin treatment. These findings indicate that acacetin inhibits cell proliferation and induces apoptotic cell death in FaDu human pharyngeal carcinoma cells via both the death receptor-mediated extrinsic apoptotic pathway and the mitochondria-mediated intrinsic apoptotic pathway.

Japanese pine sawyer beetle, Monochamus alternatus Hope (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) is considered as a serious pest in pine trees. To develop an eco-friendly strategy to manage this forest insect, we collected entomopathogenic fungi from Korean soil and assessed their virulence against the adults of the insect in laboratory conditions. As a result, two isolates with conidial suspension (1.0×107conidia/ml), showed 87% and 90% mortality 12 days after fungal treatment, respectively. We assessed the potential of the fungi-derived destruxin and protease as additives to the fungal isolates, and they showed insecticidal activity via feeding and spraying treatments. Finally, we produced fungal conidia in massive solid cultures and formulated wettable powders, and now studying optimal conditions of oil-based formulation with two isolates. Based on these results, we are evaluating the control efficacy of the fungal agents against M. alternatus in field conditions.

The formation mechanism and photocatalytic properties of a multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)/TiO2- based nanotube (TNTs) composite are investigated. The CNT/TNT composite is synthesized via a solution chemical route. It is confirmed that this 1-D nanotube composite has a core-shell nanotubular structure, where the TNT surrounds the CNT core. The photocatalytic activity investigated based on the methylene blue degradation test is superior to that of with pure TNT. The CNTs play two important roles in enhancing the photocatalytic activity. One is to act as a template to form the core-shell structure while titanate nanosheets are converted into nanotubes. The other is to act as an electron reservoir that facilitates charge separation and electron transfer from the TNT, thus decreasing the electronhole recombination efficiency.

This experiment was carried out to find out the optimum variety of com hybrids and to find out alternative crops in the rice black-streaked dwarf virus(RBSDV) prevalent area. Productivity of 4 Korean improved and 6 introduced com hybrids and RBSDV infection rate were tested for 3 years in both Cheonan(middle part of Korea) and Gochang(southern part of Korea). Percentage of RBSDV diseased plants differed depending on the hybrid and region.

Inhibitory effect of colchicine on growth and gravitropic responses in Arabidopsis root was explored to find whether there was an involvement of ethylene production. It has been known that cytoskeleton components are implicated in sedimentation of statoliths to respond to gravitropism and growth. The root growth was inhibited by 25% and 40% over control for 8 hr treatment of colchicine at a concentration of 10-5 M and 10-7 M, respectively. The roots treated with colchicine at the concentration of 10-7 M showed the same pattern as control in 3 hr, however, gravitropic response was decreased in the next 5 hr. The colchicine treatment at the concentration of 10-5 M inhibited the gravitropic response resulting in 60° of curvature. In order to better understand the role of colchicine, the production of ethylene was measured with and without the treatment of colchicine. Colchicine increased the ethylene production by 20% when compared to control via the activation of ACC oxidase and ACC synthase activity. These results suggest that the inhibition of the growth and gravitropic responses of Arabidopsis roots by the treatment of colchicine could be attributed to the rearrangement of microtubule, and increase of ethylene production.

This study was performed to investigate the growth characteristics and inorganic components of Codonopsis lanceolata regarding regional differences. The plant height of Japanese Codonopsis lanceolata was 373.6 cm, so it’s revealed that it has more vigorous growth than Korean won. The flowering time of Korean Codonopsis lanceolata was 2 weeks faster than Japanese one. Total fresh weight of root was 41.0 g and 39.0 g for Korean and Japanese respectively, thus, no significance difference was found. However, regarding fresh weight, Korean one had a more fresh weight (35.4 g) of main root parts, but Japanese one had a more fresh weight (9.6 g) of the lateral root part. Each inorganic component was found more in the aboveground parts, regardless of the region and the content of K was the largest. Regarding the content of macroelements for each part of Codonopsis lanceolata, the content of Na, Mg, P, S, and Ca in Korean Codonopsis lanceolata was found the highest on the leaf, followed by stem and root. In the case of Japanese Codonopsis lanceolata, same result was found on the content of Mg and Ca, however, the highest content of Na and P was found in the stem.

This study was conducted to compare the growth, inorganic components, and proximate components of Codonopsis lanceolata grown in 10 regions of Korea for selecting superior species and breeding by crossing. Among the all tested lines, the shortest plant height (217.12 cm) was observed from the Ulleungdo region line (No. 4) while the longest (273.9 cm) was observed from Hwasun region line (No. 9). In addition, the lines of central and northern region (No. 1~No. 7) tend to have shorter plant height than those of southern region (No. 8~No. 9) except Jejudo region line (No. 10). Flowering tends to be late towards southern region, and lines in central and northern regions were started flowering about 2 weeks earlier than those in southern regions. However, the heaviest root weight was 13.1 g, found in only Jejudo line (No. 10) whereas there was no significant difference found in the other regions which have a range of 8.3~11.0 g. The inorganic components were varied in each line, however, proportion of macroelements, such as K, Ca, and P, was the largest for every line. Especially for Heongseong region line (No. 2), had larger proportion of macroelements than the others. There was a difference of proximate compositions of Codonopsis lanceolata, except the moisture content, among all regions, however, it was generally shown that the content of crude protein (1.31~3.76%) and crude fiber (2.18~3.12%) was the highest.

A new six-rowed naked waxy barley variety, ‘Saehanchal’, was developed by the barley breeding team of the National Institute of Crop Science (NICS), R.D.A. This variety was derived from a cross between ‘SB7803G-BC6-B-B-47-2’ and ‘Suwon262’ in 1989. The fi