한국에 있어서 한우는 경제 동물일 뿐 만 아니라 중요한 유전자원 중 하나이다. 그러나 현재 한우의 번식 능력 개량을 위한 연구는 매우 미흡한 실정이다. 한우의 번식 능력에 대한 기초 자료를 확보하기 위해 전북지역(정읍시)에서 인공수정 된 암소 총 33,281두에 대한 105,017개의 번식기록(2010-2017)을 이용하여 임신기간(GP), 분만 후 첫 종부기간(CFSI), 분만 후 임신간격(CCI), 수태당 종부회수(NAIPC), 첫 종부 임신율 (FSCR)을 계산하여 분석에 활용하였다. 전체적으로 GP 는 287.602±4.797일, CFSI와 CCI는 각각 77.513±34.417 및 88.433±42.194일 이였다. 또한 FSCR는 62.365%였으며, NAIPC 는 1.411회로 나타났다. 2017년의 FSCR과 NAIPC는 각각 67.497% 및 1.344회로 2013년 62.366% 및 1.402에 비해 유의적으로 증가하였다(p<0.05). 가을과 겨울에는 번식기간이 더 길었으며, NAIPC는 봄과 여름에 비해 유의적으로 증가하는 것으로 나타났다(p<0.05). 3~7산차 암소의 경우 NAIPC가 1.323±0.669~1.339±0.689회로 다른 그룹에의 1.401±0.772~1.446±0.854회 보다 우수한 것으로 나타났다. 반면, 1산차 암소의 경우 FSCR와 NAIPC가 각각 60.217% 및 1.506±0.937회로 가장 저조한 것으로 나타났다. 본 연구 결과 한우의 번식효율은 산차에 따라, NAIPC는 계절에 따라 영향 받는 것으로 나타났으며, 전체적인 번식효율은 과거에 비해 지속적으로 향상되고 있는 것으로 나타났다.

Morphology of cumulus-oocyte-complexes (COCs) at germinal vesicle (GV) stage as one of the evaluation criteria for oocyte maturation quality after in vitro maturation (IVM) plays important roles on the meiotic maturation, fertilization and early embryonic development in pigs. When cumulus cells of COCs are insufficient, which is induced the low oocyte maturation rate by the increasing of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in porcine oocyte during IVM. The ROS are known to generate including superoxide and hydrogen peroxide from electron transport system of mitochondria during oocyte maturation in pigs. To regulate the ROS production, the cumulus cells is secreted the various antioxidant enzymes during IVM of porcine oocyte. Our previous study showed that Mito-TEMPO, superoxide specific scavenger, improves the embryonic developmental competence and blastocyst formation rate by regulating of mitochondria functions in pigs. However, the effects of Mito-TEMPO as a superoxide scavenger to help the anti-oxidant functions from cumulus cells of COCs on meiotic maturation during porcine oocyte IVM has not been reported. Here, we categorized experimental groups into two groups (Grade 1: G1; high cumulus cells and Grade 2: G2; low cumulus cells) by using hemocytometer. The meiotic maturation rate from G2 was significantly (p < 0.05) decreased (G1: 79.9 ± 3.8% vs G2: 57.5 ± 4.6%) compared to G1. To investigate the production of mitochondria derived superoxide, we used the mitochondrial superoxide dye, Mito-SOX. Red fluorescence of Mito-SOX detected superoxide was significantly (p < 0.05) increased in COCs of G2 compared with G1. And, we examined expression levels of genes associated with mitochondrial antioxidant such as SOD1, SOD2 and PRDX3 using a RT-PCR in porcine COCs at 44 h of IVM. The mRNA levels of three antioxidant enzymes expression in COCs from G2 were significantly (p < 0.05) lower than COCs of G1. In addition, we investigated the anti-oxidative effects of Mito-TEMPO on meiotic maturation of porcine oocyte from G1 and G2. Meiotic maturation and mRNA levels of antioxidant enzymes were significantly (p < 0.05) recovered in G2 by Mito-TEMPO (0.1 μM, MT) treatment (G2: 68.4 ± 3.2% vs G2 + MT: 73.9 ± 1.4%). Therefore, our results suggest that reduction of mitochondria derived superoxide by Mito-TEMPO may improves the meiotic maturation in IVM of porcine oocyte.

Mitochondrion is an organelle for regulating calcium (Ca2+) homeostasis. Mitochondrial Ca2+ plays important roles on oocyte maturation, fertilization and embryonic development for ATP production. Low quality oocytes have mitochondrial dysfunction, which lead to overloaded Ca2+ in mitochondria. Recently, Rhod-2 is well known as a mitochondrial derived Ca2+ indicator. However, the changes of Rhod-2 in matured or fertilized porcine oocytes have not been reported. Therefore, the aim of study was to identify the effects of mitochondrial Ca2+ using Rhod-2 on quality assessment of matured oocyte and zygotes in pigs. Thus, we classified two groups (group 1: G1, compact COCs and group 2: G2, uncompact COCs) according to differences of cumulus cells amount and cytoplasm morphology in germinal vesicle (GV) stage of porcine COCs. Therefore, we investigated number of Rhod-2 spots in matured and fertilized oocytes from G1 and G2 groups. The Rhod-2 spot numbers were separated into four parts; n<10, 10≤ n < 20, 20 ≤ n < 30, and 30 < n. The Rhod-2 spots number of G2 group had greater than G1 group in part of 20 ≤ n. Additionally, we investigate mean number of Rhod-2 spots from G1 and G2 groups in matured and fertilized oocytes. As a result, we confirmed that average number of Rhod-2 spots in G2 group increased than that of G2 group. Finally, we also measured the Rhod-2 intensity in matured and fertilized oocytes of G1 and G2 groups. Interestingly, the Rhod-2 intensity in G2 group was higher than that of G1 group. (oocyte: p < 0.001 and fertilized oocyte: p < 0.05). These results demonstrated that changes in Rhod-2 spots and intensity were increased in low quality of matured and fertilized oocytes. Therefore, our results suggest that the differences in mitochondrial calcium level are associated with morphological quality of porcine COCs.

Milled carbon fiber (mCF) was prepared by a ball milling process, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) diffractograms were obtained by a 2θ continuous scanning analysis to study mCF crystallinity as a function of milling time. The raw material for the mCF was polyacrylonitrile- based carbon fiber (T700). As the milling time increased, the mean particle size of the mCF consistently decreased, reaching 1.826 μm at a milling time of 18 h. The XRD analysis showed that, as the milling time increased, the fraction of the crystalline carbon decreased, while the fraction of the amorphous carbon increased. The (002) peak became asymmetric before and after milling as the left side of the peak showed an increasingly gentle slope. For analysis, the asymmetric (002) peak was deconvoluted into two peaks, less-developed crystalline carbon (LDCC) and more-developed crystalline carbon. In both peaks, Lc decreased and d002 increased, but no significant change was observed after 6 h of milling time. In addition, the fraction of LDCC increased. As the milling continued, the mCF became more amorphous, possibly due to damage to the crystal lattices by the milling.

Through the short-period variability survey program, we obtained time-series BV CCD images for 1.5° X 1.0° region around the young open cluster NGC 457. As a result, we have detected 61 variable stars including 31 new ones after checking light curves of all stars by eyes. The 61 variable stars were included 14 δ Scuti variable stars, a β Cephei variable star, 10 variable Be and slowly pulsating B stars, 13 eclipsing binary stars, 21 semi-long periodic or slow irregular variables and an RR Lyrae variable star, respectively. Many variable B-type stars were known through a well-defined zero-age main sequence to the β Cepheid region of NGC 457. Most of the variable B-type stars found this paper were known variable stars. But, 11 out of 14 δ Scuti variable stars were newly discovered. The new variable stars except for δ Scuti stars were 4 variable B-type stars, 5 eclipsing binaries and 11 semi-long periodic or slow irregular variables. We have performed frequency analysis for all δ Scuti stars, a β Cepheid star and an RR Lyrae star.

Staphylococcus (S.) aureus is commonly found on the skin and mucous membranes of animals. Moreover, some isolates producing staphylococcal enterotoxins (SE) are also responsible for food poisoning. This study was conducted to explore the prevalence of S. aureus enterotoxin from slaughtered pigs and cattle. A total of 202 carcass swabs were collected from slaughterhouses: 102 samples were taken from slaughtered pigs and 100 were taken from cattle, respectively. Among them, 16 (7.9%) from slaughtered pigs were found to contain S. aureus, while S. aureus was not isolated from any of the slaughtered cattle samples. Additionally, six (37.5%) of the S. aureus isolates contained genes that encode staphylococcal enterotoxin type A. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the management of food-borne pathogens based on differences in the process by which pigs and cattle are slaughtered.

A composite material was prepared for the bipolar plates of phosphoric acid fuel cells(PAFC) by hot pressing a flake type natural graphite powder as a filler material and a fluorine resin as a binder. Average particle sizes of the powders were 610.3, 401.6, 99.5, and 37.7 μm. The density of the composite increased from 2.25 to 2.72 g/cm3 as the graphite size increased from 37.7 to 610.3 μm. The anisotropy ratio of the composite increased from 1.8 to 490.9 as the graphite size increased. The flexural strength of the composite decreased from 15.60 to 8.94MPa as the graphite size increased. The porosity and the resistivity of the composite showed the same tendencies, and decreased as the graphite size increased. The lowest resistivity and porosity of the composite were 1.99 × 10−3 Ωcm and 2.02 %, respectively, when the graphite size was 401.6 μm. The flexural strength of the composite was 10.3MPa when the graphite size was 401.6 μm. The lowest resistance to electron mobility was well correlated with the composite with lowest porosity. It was possible the flaky large graphite particles survive after the hot pressing process.