The popularity of succulents as ornamental plants has increased in recent years. This is primarily because of their unique geometric shapes, which form a rosette, coupled with their ability to retain high levels of moisture. These features make ornamental succulents suitable as landscape plants as they can withstand extreme conditions and as potted plants for indoor spaces as they require minimal watering. Appropriate propagation techniques are important to increase production rates and plant quality in the shortest time possible. These ornamental plants may be propagated in various ways, both sexually, via seeds, and vegetatively, through a number of methods, such as stem cuttings, leaf cuttings, and micropropagation. In this review, methods for the propagation of ornamental succulents are described, including post-propagation care and management. Propagation aspects on which limited information is available are also highlighted. Potential areas for research required to produce data to further improve techniques, conservation, and rapid propagation efforts are discussed.

본 연구는 청국장 제조 시 Bacillus subtilis HJO-2, 18-9와HJ25-8의 3가지 균주를 starter로 접종하여 발효시킨 청국장의품질특성과 Isoflaveone의 함량을 측정하였다. 환원당을 유리하는데 관여하는 α-amylase 효소활성의 경우 Bacillus subtiliHJO-2와 HJ18-9 접종구에서 대조구보다 높은 활성을 보였다.청국장의 단백질을 분해하여 특유의 구수한 맛 성분을 유리는 protease 활성의 경우 Bacillus subtilis HJO-2, 대조구,HJ25-8, HJ18-9의 순으로 높은 활성을 나타내었다. 아미노태질소와 암모니아태질소의 함량은 Bacillus subtilis HJO-2 접종구에서 높았으며, 청국장 isoflavone 비배당체 함량은 Bacillussubtilis HJ18-9과 HJ25-8접종구에서 187.00±2.85, 210.77 ±11.75 μg/g으로 높았다. 이러한 결과로 본 연구를 통해 선별한균주를 스타터로 접종하여 구수한 맛에 관련된 protease, 아미노태질소, 환원당의 높은 값을 기대하기 위해서는 Bacillussubtilis HJO-2를 접종하여 청국장을 제조해야 하며, 체내이용률이 높은 isoflavone aglycone의 값을 기대하기 위해서는Bacillus subtilis HJ18-9과 Bacillus subtilis HJ25-8등으로 제조하는 것이 바람직하다. 청국장 제조에 알맞은 균주를 개발,평가하여 가공품으로 개발의 기초연구가 되고자 하였다.

The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR associated protein (Cas9) system can be applied to produce transgenic pigs. Therefore, we applied CRISPR/Cas9 system to generate FoxN1-targeted pig parthenogenetic embryos. Using single guided RNA targeted to pig FoxN1 genes was injected into cytoplasm of in vitro matured oocyte before electrical activation. In results, regardless of the concentrations of vector, the cleavage rate were significantly (p<0.05) decreased (4 ng/μl, 51.24%; 8 ng/μl, 40.88%; and 16 ng/μl; 45.22%) compared to no injection group (70.44%). The blastocyst formation rates were also decreased in vector injected 3 groups (4 ng/μl, 7.96%; 8 ng/μl, 6.4%; and 16 ng/μl; 9.04%) compared to no injection group (29.07%). In addition, the blastocyst formation rates between sham injected group (13.51%) and no injection group (29.07%) also showed significant difference (p<0.05). The mutation rates were comparable between groups (4 ng/μl, 18.4%; 8 ng/μl, 12.5%; and 16 ng/μl; 20.0%). The sequencing analysis showed that blastocysts derived from each group were successfully mutated in FoxN1 loci regardless of the vector concentrations. However, the deletion patterns were higher than the patterns of point mutation and insertion regardless of the vector concentrations. In conclusion, we described that cytoplasmic microinjection of FoxN1-targeted CRISPR/Cas9 vector could efficiently generate transgenic pig parthenogenetic embryos in one-step.

This study purposed to provide a scientific base for understanding the effect of therapeutic intervention using motivation on chronic stroke patients’balance and determining whether it is applicable as a new therapeutic intervention. For this study, we sampled 38 chronic stroke patients, and divided them randomly into a motivation training group(n=20) and a control group(n=18). To the control group was applied neurological physiotherapy 5 times a week, and 30 minutes each time, and to the motivation training group was applied neurological physiotherapy and then, additionally, a Nintendo Wii-Fit program 3 times a week, and 30 minutes each time. Before and after the experiment, the subjects’dynamic balance was measured with functional reach test(FRT), timed up & go test(TUG), and 10m gait test, and their static balance was measured with the Romberger Test. When dynamic balance ability was compared between before and after the experiment and between the motivation training group and the control group, significant difference was observed in the results of FRT, TUG, and 10m walking test between before and after the intervention(p<.05). As to static balance, in addition, body balance movement distance was not significantly different. Therapeutic intervention using dynamic motivation was found to be more effective than the control group in improving dynamic balance.

The larvae of Asian rhinoceros beetle, Trypoxylus [Allomyrina] dichotoma (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) feed on decaying organic matter and can be found in compost heaps or old dead logs. Mass rearing of this insect with a sawdust-based diet has made it popular commercial pet in many countries of Asia. Recently, lignocellulose, or biomass has been focused as renewable and sustainable resources for energy and many chemical products. It is well-known that gut symbiotic microbes in consortia are inevitable for the lignocellulose digestion in many insects. The cellulase and xylanase activity of the crude extracts from each gut contents and tissues, feces, and blood as a control from Asian rhinoceros beetle were analyzed with the overlaid agar-plate assay and spectrophotometric reduced sugar determination. In the plate assay, the highest activity of cellulase and xylanase was observed from midgut tissue extracts, and next from midgut contents, and minor activity from feces. Whereas no enzyme activity was detected from the samples from blood, crop, and hind gut. Similar results were confirmed from the reducing sugar assay with substrates of Avicell and xylan from birchwood, respectively. Further research on the biochemical and genetic property of symbiotic microbes and their enzymes relating on the lignocellulose degradation is planned.

Wild rices are an important source of useful genes for resistance to diseases, insect pests, tolerance for abiotic stresses and yield increase. O. minuta (BBCC), a tetraploid wild rice having 48 chromosomes, was used for the cross with japonica rices. Fer