Adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder is a common cause of pain that occurs during shoulder movement, thereby restricting shoulder rotation in clinical practice. Although most patients respond to pain relief treatment (NSAID or corticosteroids) by improving their range of motion, it remains poorly understood without any definitive treatment algorithm. In addition to immune cells, synoviocytes, chondrocytes and osteoblasts in the joint are known to produce pro-inflammatory mediators such as reactive oxygen species (ROS), inflammatory cytokines and lipid mediators, presumably contributing to the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA) and adhesive capsulitis. Although inflammation and also fibrosis are proposed to be the basic pathological changes of a frozen shoulder, there is a lack of information regarding the downstream targets of the pro-inflammatory ROS signaling pathway in the synoviocytes and also how these ROS targets are modulated at the transcription level by a corticosteroid - dexamethasone. In this study, we used human fibroblast like synoviocytes (HFLS) to characterize the signaling targets of ROS by employing a human DNA microarray tool and studied the role of dexamethasone in this process. Our data suggest that several genes such as FOS, FOSB and NFkBIZ, which are known to be involved in pro- or anti- inflammation response, are modulated at the transcription level by ROS and dexamethasone.

An assessment was made of the biological control potential of mud loaches, Misgurnus mizolepis, toward Culex pipiens molestus, in laboratory condition and septic tank and rainwater storage tank (RST) systems. Results were compared with those of temephos 20% emulsifiable concentrate (EC) and Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (BTI). In the laboratory tests, all M. mizolepis survived on waters from the settling tank of aerobic septic tank (AST), sump tank of AST, and RST. However, all M. mizolepis died within 3 h after introduction in the settling tank and sump tank waters of anaerobic septic tank (AnAST). Gill or dorsal fin inflammation was detected in the dead mud loaches. M. mizolepis consumed an average of 968–1087, 901–986, and 993–1087 of 1500 third instars of Cx. p. molestus in AST settling tank, AST sump tank, and RST waters, respectively. In the AST and RST systems, predation of Cx. p. molestus by mud loaches at a release rate of 900 larvae/fish resulted in complete mosquito control from the first wk after treatment through the end of the survey period for 16 wk. The average mosquito reduction rates by temephos 20% EC and BTI treatments were 28.6 and 2.1% 2 wk post-treatment, respectively. Mud loaches merit further study as a potential biological control agent for the control of mosquito populations in light of global efforts to reduce the level of highly toxic synthetic insecticides in the aquatic environment.

Background : Some of invasive plants, which were introduced from foreign countries, have caused problems in Korea. Invasion of these invasive plants in the ecosystem threatens the habitat of endemic species, reducing biodiversity, and causing a disturbance in the ecological system. Hypochaeris radicata L. (Asteraceae), the most invasive plants in Korea, particularly in Jeju Island, invade farmland, and autochthonous forest, establishing monocultures and modifying the ecosystem structure. This invasive species has become a serious environmental problem because they displace the indigenous plant species. This study was conducted to evaluate the antioxidantive effects of ethanolic extracts from different parts (root, stem, seed and leaf) of the invasive exotic species Hypochaeris radicata L. Methods and Results : The aim of present study was to estimate the total phenolic and flavonoid contents and to investigate in vitro antioxidant potential of ethanolic leaf, root, seed, and stem extracts of the Hypochaeris radicata. Antioxidant activity was assessed by using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) assay, reducing power activity, [2,2-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid)] ABTS+ assay and ferrous ion chelating activity. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents were also determined and expressed in gallic acid and quercetin equivalent respectively. The results of the study indicate that the ethanolic extracts of the leaf, root, seed, and stem of H. radicata posses significant scavenging activity against DPPH (21.25% for leaf, 34.98% for root, 60.76% for seed and 45.25% for stem at 250 μg/ml each) and ABTS+ radical scavenging activity (14.85% for leaf, 17.40% for root, 35.91% for seed and 24.70% for stem at 250 μg/ml each), reducing power activity (0.178 absorbance at 300 μg/ml for leaf, 0.211 absorbance at 300 μg/ml for root, 0.447 absorbance at 300 μg/ml for seed, 0.276 absorbance at 300 μg/ml for stem). The free radical scavenging and antioxidant activities may be attributed to the presence of adequate phenolic (gallic acid content is 361.92.98 μg/g in leaf, 356.59μg/g in root, 719.72 μg/g in seed and 512.08 μg/g stem) and flavonoid compounds (219.52 μg/g in leaf, 75.67μg/g in root, 281.39 μg/g in seed and 215.66 μg/g stem). This study revealed that the ethanolic extracts of both leaf, root, seed and stem of H. radicata has demonstrated significant antioxidant activity. Conclusion : In conclusion, the present study has demonstrated that Hypochaeris radicata seed ethanol extracts are rich in phenolics and have a strong antioxidant activity and a radical-scavenging action in all of the tested methods. This suggests that Hypochaeris radicata is a good source of natural antioxidants.

A new mungbean cultivar Soseon (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek) was derived from the cross between KM9003-2B-783 and V2939 at the Jeollanam-do Agricultural Research & Extension Services (JARES) in 2003. “Soseon” has erect growth habit, heart leaf, green hypoc

A new mungbean variety Samgang (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek) was improved from the cross between Keumseongnogdu and V2939 at the Jeollanam-do Agricultural Research & Extension Services (JARES) in 2002. Samgang has erect growth habit, lobed leaflet, green h

Fifty-four Korean native and 28 foreign rice varieties harvested in 1998 and 1999 were examined for antioxidative activity that is measured to a chemiluminescence and superoxide radical intensity, by the flow injection chemiluminescence (FI-CL) system and an electron spin resonance (ESR) spectrophotometer, respectively. In the chemiluminescence measurement by FI-CL, radical scavenger activity did not differ significantly among rice varieties between origin types of rice varieties, and between storage periods. GinSun and Hongchoengdo, colored rice exhibited high electron scavenging effect by ESR. Therefore, these results indicate that the pigments of rice varieties may play important antioxidative roles and that it may be possible to breed rice varieties with higher antioxidative potentials.