As a part of the effort to improve post-transfer survival rate of embryos in Korean black goats, a technique for laparoscopic uterine transfer of blastocysts was carried out. A total of 26 transferrable embryos (morula to expanded blastocysts) were transferred to 13 recipient goats via transabdominal laparoscopic method. In consequence of our hormone protocol, 65% of the recipients (13/20) were found to have synchronized estrus. After confirmation of corpus luteum in each recipient goat, a Babcock laparoscopic forceps was inserted into the lower abdominal cavity to hold a uterine horn and fasten it near the peritoneum without causing injury. Then 7.5cm long 16G IV catheter was inserted directly into the uterine lumen through the abdominal wall. After removal of the stylet of the IV catheter, the embryo transfer tube (identical in size to the stylet and loaded with blastocysts) was inserted into the uterine lumen through the catheter to unload the embryos. Of the 13 estrus synchronized recipients, 9 were transferred blastocysts and 4 were transferred molurae (2 embryos in each recipient) in uterine ipsilateral to the ovary with corpus luteum. Four of the 9 recipients which blastocysts were transferred using this method has been confirmed pregnant (44.4% pregnancy rate).

Prostatic calculi are common finding in radiographic examination, however, the true incidence and the clinical significance are not clearly known. We investigated the prevalence of prostatic calculi and the relationship between prostatic calcification and urolithiasis. From a database, 305 consecutive subjects older than 30 years of age who had undergone regular health checks in our hospital from January 2007 to July 2009 were enrolled in this study. Prostatic calculi and urinary stones were confirmed by non-enhanced CT. According to the presence of prostatic calculi, they were divided into two groups and the relationship with urolithiasis was determined using statistical analysis. Among 305 male subjects, prostatic calculi were found in 97 (31.9%), which revealed a linear trend with aging (r=0.928, p=0.023), while asymptomatic upper urinary tract stones were found in 45 subjects (14.9%). A significant difference was observed in mean age (p<0.001), however, no difference was observed in prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension (HT), and body mass index (BMI). In the prostatic calculi group, 24 (24.7%) subjects had previously unknown urolithiasis, while only 21 subjects (10.1%) in the non-prostatic calculi group had urinary stones. The prevalence of urolithiasis was significantly higher in men with prostatic calcification than in those without prostatic calcification (OR=2.92, 95% CI: 1.53-5.58, p=0.001). No significant differences in serum chemistry were observed between the two groups. Among the 45 patients with urolithiasis, no significant differences were observed in the mean stone size according to the presence of prostatic calcification. Our data showed that prostatic calcification was prevalent up to approximately 31.9% and was frequently combined with upper urinary tract stones. These results indicate that evaluation for urolithiasis might be needed in patients with incidentally detected prostatic calcification.

In order to investigate 95% retained critical current of Bi-2223/Ag tapes under various stress-strain conditions, load cell attached tension and bending apparatus was used. The critical current of stress-strained tape was degraded below 95% retained critical current when tension and bending was simultaneously applied together. But only one of this tension or bending did not degrade the tape below 95% retained critical current. Deformation temperature was important to maintain the 95% retained Ic of Bi-2223/Ag tapes after bending or tension deformation because mechanical strength of tapes can be changed drastically between room temperature and 77 K.

Five kinds of double stacked 385 (55 x7) filamentary Bi2212/Ag round wires and 55 filamentary tapes with different Ag ratios (silver area/superconductor area) have been fabricated via PIT method, and the effects of Ag ratio and processing factors on critical current density were studied. The effects of the maximum temperature and average filament diameter on critical current density were also studied. The wire of 0.74 mm diameter having Ag ratio 3.7 showed critical current density of at 4.2 K, 0 T.

The representative research institutes in North Korea are the Academy of Science and the laboratories of major universities. The National Academy of Science consists of headquarters, Academy of Medicinal Science, Academy of Forestry Science, and Academy of Agricultural Science. Under the authority of the National Academy of Science, Central Information Agency for Science and Technology (CIAST) has built up a database system integrating all the science technology data to provide scientific and technological information. The major universities of North Korea include Kim Il-sung University, Kim Chaek University of Technology, Pyongyang Agricultural College, and Wonsan Agricultural College, and an agricultural college is situated in each province. Out of 3,860 plant species in North Korea, 158 species which amounts to approximately 4% of the total are rare and endangered, and deforestation is under a critical situation. The Oriental Medicine (Koryo Medicine) has been well developed using medicinal plants, and practical researches on biotic pesticide are largely conducted as an alternative to tackle the shortage of farming materials. Hereafter, a South-North joint research on the amount of plant resources and the methods of its conservation is needed and the North Korean research areas of biotic pesticide are worth adopting to the South Korean eco-friendly organic agriculture.

The present study examined the effects of Schizandra chinensis extract on the serum lipid composition and the antioxidant of rats in which obesity was induced through high fat diet. Fifty male Sprague-Dawely rats weighing 163.91±4.17g on the average were adjusted to basic diet and laboratory environment and were fed with high fat diet freely for 6 weeks to induce obesity. Forty rats, the final weight of which was 400g, were selected and were divided into a control group(C), treated groups(T I ; body weight of 100mg/kg, TII ; 150mg/kg and TIII ; 200mg/kg), 10 heads of similar weight for each, and test breeding was performed for 4 weeks. During the test breeding, all treated groups were fed with basic diet and difference in intake among the treated groups were maintained to be less than 5%. According to the result, the quantity of Triglyceride in serum was lower in all of the groups treated with Schizandra chinensis than the control group, but the difference was not significant except the treated group of 200mg (P〉0.05). The quantity of Total cholesterol in serum was significantly lower in all the groups treated with Schizandra chinensis than in the control group (P〈0.05) but differences according to the quantity of Schizandra chinensis applied were not observed. The quantity of HDL-cholesterol was not significantly different among all the groups including the control group (P〈0.05) and no regular tendency of change in the quantity was observed according to the quantity of Schizandra chinensis applied. The quantity of LDL-cholesterol was lower in all the groups treated with Schizandra chinensis, but the treated group of 100mg was not significantly different from the control group. The quantity of TBARS in serum was lower in all the groups treated with Schizandra chinensis than in the control group (P〈0.05), but no regular tendency of change in the quantity was observed according to the quantity of Schizandra chinensis applied. The quantity of liver TBARS was not significantly different among all the treated groups (P〉0.05). The levels of glutathione peroxidase activity (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase activity (SOD) and catalase activity were higher in all the groups treated with Schizandra chinensis treated group than in the control group (P〈0.05), and the treated group of 200mg showed the highest activity among the treated groups.