Multiple interferon tau (IFNT) genes exist in bovine. An antiluteolytic substance secreted by the bovine conceptus and primarily responsible for maternal recognition of pregnancy is bovine trophoblast protein 1 (bIFNT1), a new type I interferon tau (IFNT) genes. The objectives of this research were to investigate whether multiple, distinct gene encode bIFNT1 and other type I bIFNT gene in the bovine genome and to examine expression of bIFNT1 and other bIFNTc1 mRNAs during conceptus development. These transcrips could be regulated through caudalrelatedhomeobox-2 (CDX2) and ETS2 and/or AP1 (JUN) expression, a transcription factor implicated in the control of cell differentiation in the trophectoderm. The presence of mRNAs encoded by bIFNT1 and type I bIFNTc1 genes were examined quantitatively via reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis of total cellular RNA (tcRNA) extracted from on day 17, 20 and 22 bovine conceptuses. The expression level of bIFNT1 was higher on day 17 transcripts were gradually weakly detectable on day 20 and 22. However, the other bIFNTc1 gene examined transcripts was highly expressed on day 20 and transcripts were weakly detectable on day 17 and 22 bovine conceptuses. Furthermore, human choriocarcinoma JEG3 was co-transfected with an -1kb-bIFNT1/c1-Luc constructs and several transcription factor expression plasmids. Compared to each -1kb-bIFNT1/c1-Luc increased when this constructs were co-transfected with, ETS2, AP1(JUN), CREBBP and/or CDX2. Also, bIFNTc1 gene was had very effect on activity by alone ETS2, and AP1 (JUN) expression factors in choriocarcinoma JEG3 cell. However, bIFNT1 gene expression of the upstream region was not identified. We demonstrated that the activities of bIFN genes are regulated by differential, tissue-specific and developmental competence during pregnancy.

(-)-Epicatechin gallate (ECG) is a polyphenol compound of green tea exhibiting biological activities, such as antioxidant and anticancer effects. To examine the effect of ECG on porcine oocytes during in vitro maturation (IVM), oocytes were treated with 0-, 5-, 15-, and 25 μM ECG. After maturation, we investigated nuclear maturation, intracellular glutathione (GSH) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and subsequent embryonic development after parthenogenetic activation (PA) and in vitro fertilization (IVF). After 42 hours of IVM, the 5 μM group exhibited significantly increased (p< 0.05) nuclear maturation (89.8%) compared with the control group (86.1%). However, the 25 μM group observed significantly decreased (p< 0.05) nuclear maturation (83.5%). In intracellular maturation assessment the 5-, 15-, and 25 μM groups had significantly increased (p< 0.05) GSH levels and decreased ROS levels compared with the controls. The 5- and 15 μM group showed significantly increased (p< 0.05) embryo formation rates and total cell number of blastocysts after PA (18% and 68.9, 15% and 85.1 vs. 12% and 59.5, respectively) compared with controls. Although the 25 μM group observed significantly lower blastocyst formation rates after PA (27.6% vs. 23.2%) than control group, the 5 μM group showed significantly increased blastocyst formation rates after PA (37.2% vs. 23.2%) compared to the control group. Furthermore, the 5 μM group measured significantly increased blastocyst formation rates (20.7% vs. 8.6%) and total cell number after IVF (88.3±1.5 vs. 58.0±3.6) compared to the control group. The treatment of 5 μM ECG during IVM affectively improved the porcine embryonic developmental competence by regulating intracellular oxidative stress during IVM.

Interferon-tau (IFNT) is regarded, generally, to be the conceptus protein that signals maternal recognition of pregnancy in ruminants. Although the discovery was made over two decades ago, the molecular mechanisms that regulate IFNT expression are not well understood. Previous studies demonstrated that transcription factors, caudal-related homeobox- 2 (CDX2), JUN, ETS2 and a transcriptional coactivator CREB binding protein (CREBBP) positively influenced IFNT gene expression, while OCT4 may exhibit negative regulation. We and others have observed that both CDX2 and OCT4 coexist during early stages of conceptus elongation but as development proceeds, OCT4 expression diminishes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the stimulatory and inhibitory effects of CDX2 and OCT4, respectively, on IFNT gene transcription when evaluated with other transcription factors. Human choriocarcinoma JEG3 cells were co-transfected with an ovine IFNT (-654 base pair)-luciferase reporter (-654-oIFNT-Luc) construct and several transcription factor expression plasmids. When the reporter construct was co-transfected with either CDX2, ETS2 or CJUN, transcription of -654-oIFNT-Luc increased about two-fold compared to -654-oIFNT-Luc alone. When -654-oIFNT-Luc was co-transfected with both c-jun and Ets-2, activity of -654-oIFNT-Luc was increased about four-fold; cotransfection with JUN, ETS2 and CDX2 increased -654-oIFNT-Luc expression 12X, indicating that the stimulatory activity of the transcription factors was additive. OCT4, when cotransfected with -654-oIFNT-Luc, reduced expression of the later about 40% when compared to -654-oIFNT-Luc alone. When co-transfected with JUN and/or ETS2, OCT4 abolished the stimulatory effect of these transcription factors. OCT4 also inhibited the stimulatory activity of CDX2 alone, but not when CDX2 was combined with JUN and/or ETS2. Therefore, when combined with the other transcription factors, CDX2 over the transcriptional inhibitory activity of OCT4. Conversely, when cells were transfected initially with OCT4 (0h) followed by transfection with CDX2, ETS2 and JUN 24 h later, -654-oIFNT-Luc expression was reduced to control (-654-oIFNT-Luc, alone) levels. Not surprisingly, 12S E1A, an inhibitor of transcriptional coactivator CREBBP, reduced stimulation of -654- oIFNT-Luc expression by CDX2, ETS2 and JUN, in combination, by about 40%, indicating that proper transcription complex formation is required for maximum expression. In conclusion, it is suggested that prior to conceptus elongation, pre-existing OCT4 may inhibit IFNT expression, but as elongation proceeds, IFNT expression increases, resulting from incremental increases in CDX2 expression, diminished OCT4 expression, and possibly proper transcription factor complex formation. Key words) Interferon-tau, CDX2, OCT4, transcription

The effects of angiogenesis inhibitor from the extract libraries of Korean and Chinese medicinal plants were investigated using a protein microarray chip. Protein chip was constructed by immobilization of integrin α5β1 on protein chip base plates and employed far screening active extracts that inhibit the integrin-fibronectin interaction from the extract libraries. The 100 extracts of medicinal plants were obtained from extract bank of National Institute of Crop Science, RDA. The 14 extracts among 100 extract libraries were shown efficient inhibition activity for the interaction between integrin-fibronectin. The medicinal plants of 14 extracts were Vitex negundo var. incisa (Lam.) C.B. Clarke, Epimedium koreanum Nakai, Cedrela sinensis A. Juss, Ipomea aquatica Forsk, Schisandra chinensis Baill, Pulsatilla koreana Nakai, Paeonia lactiflora Pall. var.hortensis Makino, Oenothera odorata, Allium chinense, Allium victorialis var. platyphyllum MAKINO, Polygonatum odoratum Druce var. pluriflorum Ohwi, Hosta lancifolia, Agrimonia pilosa L. var. japonica Nakai and Potentilla chinensis SER. The Paeonia lactiflora, Oenothera, and Agrimonia pilosa from these 14 extracts libraries were shown strong inhibition activity of integrin α5β1.

Gunsan-Janghang Harbor is located at the mouth of Gum River, on the central west coast of Korea The harbor and coastal boundaries are protected from the effects of the open ocean by natural coastal islands and shoals due to depositions from the river, and two breakwaters. The navigation channel commences at the gap formed by the outer breakwater and extends through a bay via a long channel formed by an isolated jetty. For better understanding and analysis of wave transformation process where a wide coastline changes appear due to on-going reclamation works, we applied the spectral wave model including wind effect to the related site, together with the energy balance models. This paper summarizes comparisons of coastal responses predicted by several numerical wave predictions obtained at the coastal waters near Gunsan-Janghang Harbor. Field and numerical model investigations were initially conducted for the original navigation channel management project. We hope to contribute from this study that coastal engineers are able to use safety the numerical models in the area of port and navigational channel design.

Introduction of wave model, considered the effect of shoaling, refraction, diffraction, partial reflection, bottom friction, breaking at the coastal waters of complex bathymetry, is a very important factor for most coastal engineering design and disaster prevention problems. As waves move from deeper waters to shallow coastal waters, the fundamental wave parameters will change and the wave energy is redistributed along wave crests due to the depth variation, the presence of islands, coastal protection structures, irregularities of the enclosing shore boundaries, and other geological features. Moreover, waves undergo severe change inside the surf zone where wave breaking occurs and in the regions where reflected waves from coastline and structural boundaries interact with the incident waves. Therefore, the application of mild-slope equation model in this field would help for understanding of wave transformation mechanism where many other models could not deal with up to now. The purpose of this study is to form a extended mild-slope equation wave model and make comparison and analysis on variation of harbor responses in the vicinities of Ulsan Harbor and Ulsan New Port, etc. due to construction of New Port in Ulsan Bay. We also considered the increase of water depth at the entrance channel by dredging work up to 15 meters depth in order to see the dredging effect. Among several model analyses, the nonlinear and breaking wave conditions are showed the most applicable results. This type of trial might be a milestone for port development in macro scale, where the induced impact analysis in the existing port due to the development could be easily neglected