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In order to attain heavier live weight without impairing pork or sensory quality characteristics, carcass performance, muscle fiber, pork quality, and sensory quality characteristics were compared among the heavy weight (HW, average live weight of 130.5 kg), medium weight (MW, average weight of 111.1 kg), and light weight (LW, average weight of 96.3 kg) pigs at time of slaughter. The loin eye area was 1.47 times greater in the HW group compared to the LW group (64.0 and 43.5 cm(2), p0.001), while carcass percent was similar between the HW and MW groups (p0.05). This greater performance by the HW group compared to the LW group can be explained by a greater total number (1,436 vs. 1,188, ×10(3), p0.001) and larger area (4,452 vs. 3,716 μm(2), p0.001) of muscle fibers. No significant differences were observed in muscle pH45 min, lightness, drip loss, and shear force among the groups (p0.05), and higher live weights did not influence sensory quality attributes, including tenderness, juiciness, and flavor. Therefore, these findings indicate that increased live weights in this study did not influence the technological and sensory quality characteristics. Moreover, muscles with a higher number of medium or large size fibers tend to exhibit good carcass performance without impairing meat and sensory quality characteristics.

The conductive nanomaterials applicable to unconventional printing techniques have attracted a great deal of attention, and in particular, cost-effective copper-based electrode materials have been recognized as viable candidates for replacement of the expensive silver counterpart. In this study, we synthesize newly designed Cu/Cu10Sn3 core/shell nanoparticles, as an additive material for overcoming the critical drawbacks in Cu nanoparticle-based electrodes, in combination with a large-area processable, continuous photonic sintering process on a time scale of 10–3 s. By virtue of the low-melting point nature of the Cu10Sn3 phase, the facile electrode fabrication process is easily triggered, yielding resistivities of 27.8 and 12.2 μΩ cm under energy dose conditions of 0.97 and 1.1 J/cm2, respectively, at which highly conductive electrodes cannot be obtained from phase-pure Cu nanoparticles. The suspension mixture of Cu and Cu/Cu10Sn3 nanoparticles permits roll-to-roll processable, highly uniform Cu-based el...

Background: Recent animal studies demonstrated that regulating the microRNA (miRNA) in granulosa cells (GCs) modulates the meiotic competence of oocytes. However, the difference in expression profiles of miRNAs in human GCs according to the maturity of the oocyte still remains to be elucidated. Objective: This observational study investigated whether the miRNA profile of human GCs differs according to the maturity of the retrieved oocyte after controlled ovarian stimulation for in vitro fertilization (IVF). Methods: Ten women who underwent ovarian stimulation cycles with GnRH agonist long protocols were recruited. The follicular fluid (FF) from dominant follicles was individually aspirated at oocyte retrieval. Oocytes were divided into two groups according to oocyte maturity (“mature group” vs. “immature group”). GCs were collected from the FF and miRNA was analyzed using real-time PCR. Results: Mean number of MII oocytes in the mature group was 1.6 ± 0.9 with none in the immature group (p = 0.008). Mean number of MI oocytes was 5.6 ± 2.1 in the mature group and 1.0 ± 0.0 in the immature group (p = 0.008). The total number of retrieved oocytes was 8.8 ± 1.9 in the mature group and 2.0 ± 1.2 in the immature group (p = 0.008). The GCs of the mature group showed a significantly lower expression of hsa-let-7b compared to the GCs of the immature group (p

Laser direct processing is a promising approach for future flexible electronics because it enables easy, rapid, scalable, and low-temperature fabrication without using expensive equipment and toxic material. However, its application for nanomaterials with high chemical susceptibility, such as representatively Cu, is limited because severe oxidation occurs under ambient conditions. Here, we report the methodology of a transversally extended laser plasmonic welding process, which outstandingly improves the electrical performance of a Cu conductor (4.6 μΩ·cm) by involving the spatially concurrent laser absorption to the surface oxide-free Cu nanoparticles (NPs). Physical/chemical properties of fabricated Cu conductors are fully analyzed in perspectives of the mechanism based on the thermo-physical-chemical interactions between photon energy and pure Cu NPs. The resultant Cu conductors showed an excellent durability in terms of bending and adhesion. Furthermore, we successfully demonstrated a single layer Cu-...

Regulation of immune cell function is an important in the field of hormone-related tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. In this sense, hormonal regulation of immune cell function is a critical issue to be solved. It has been known that ovarian sex hormone play an important roles in immune function, however, little has been known whether estrogen affects T-lymphocyte function. Human Jurkat T cells were treated with estradiol (E2) at concentrations of 0, 10, 100, 1000 ng/mL, and calcium response was evaluated. Intracellular calcium concentrations after Fura-2 acetoxymethyl ester treatment show an increasing trend at higher E2 concentrations although these alterations did not reach a statistical significance. The expression of calcium channel-related gene CACNA1C did not show any significant changes according to the concentration of E2. Taken together, estrogen has an implication as a possible hormonal regulator of intracellular calcium release in human Jurkat T cells via non-genomic pathway. Further studies are necessary to investigate the combined effects of sex hormones and cytokines in both T- and B-lymphocytes.

The objective of this study was to investigate the nutritional composition and antioxidant activity of a mixture of rice bran and bodies of Sparassis crispa fermented with lactic acid bacteria (LAB). LAB-fermented S. crispa mixture had higher water, crude lipid and crude ash content than that of S. crispa. Insoluble dietary fiber contents of the dried powder of S. crispa and LAB-fermented S. crispa mixture were 46.13% and 33.46%, respectively. β-glucan was higher in dried S. crispa (38.03%) than in LAB-fermented S. crispa mixture (5.44%). Dried S. crispa contained mainly fructose and glucose instead of containing sucrose in LAB-fermented S. crispa mixture. No significant differences in the total polyphenol contents were found in between dried S. crispa and LAB-fermented S. crispa mixture. Total flavonoid content was significantly higher in LAB-fermented S. crispa mixture than in dried S. crispa. No significant differences were found in the DPPH radical scavenging activity and in the antioxidant index between dried S. crispa and LAB-fermented S. crispa mixture. Finally, ABTS radical scavenging activity of LAB-fermented S. crispa mixture was significantly higher than that of dried S. crispa. These results may provide the basic data for future studies for a better understanding of the biological activities of LAB-fermented S. crispa mixture.

Introduction: Several studies have found anesthetic agents including propofol in ovarian follicular fluid. However, little is known about the effect of anesthetic agents on ovarian function. We aimed to investigate whether there were differences in the postoperative levels of sex hormones when propofol was used as the anesthetic agent. Methods: A retrospective review was done of 80 patients who underwent ovarian surgery, with 72 infertile women serving as controls. Patients were included in the study if their serum estradiol (E2) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) levels were measured during their first postoperative menstrual cycle. Results: Patients were grouped according to the use or non-use of propofol as follows: propofol group (n = 39) and non-propofol group (n = 41). The control group did not undergo surgery. Postoperative E2 levels did not differ between the three groups, but FSH levels were significantly higher in the patients who had undergone surgery compared to controls (p

OBJECTIVE The number of assisted reproductive technology (ART) clinics, ART cycles, clinical pregnancy rate (CPR), and number of newborns conceived using ART have steadily increased in South Korea. This aim of this study was to describe the status of ART in South Korea between January 1 and December 31, 2011. METHODS A localized online survey was created and sent to all available ART centers via email in 2015. Fresh embryo transfer (FET) cases were categorized depending on whether standard in vitro fertilization, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), or half-ICSI procedures were used. Thawed embryo transfer (TET) and other related procedures were surveyed. RESULTS Data from 36,990 ART procedures were provided by 74 clinics. Of the 30,410 cycles in which oocytes were retrieved, a complete transfer was performed in 91.0% (n=27,683). In addition, 9,197 cycles were confirmed to be clinical pregnancies in the FET cycles, representing a pregnancy rate of 30.2% per oocyte pick-up and 33.2% per ET. The most common number of embryos transferred in the FET procedures was three (38.1%), followed by two (34.7%) and one (14.3%). Of the 8,826 TET cycles, 3,137 clinical pregnancies (31.1%) were confirmed by ultrasonography. CONCLUSION While the overall clinical pregnancy rate for the TET cycles performed was lower than the rate reported in 2010 (31.1% vs. 35.4%), the overall CPR for the FET cycles was higher than in 2010 (33.2% in 2011 and 32.9% in 2010). The most common number of embryos transferred in FET cycles was three, as was the case in 2010.

This study empirically validate the impacts of WOM information characteristics on the WOM effect in accordance with SNS media due to the increased the WOM role under SNS. The key results showed that the more vivid, negative, and objective WOM information was, the more positive impacts on the intention to adopt information. In addition, the intention to adopt information had a positive impact on the re-WOM intention. Second, there was no significant difference between Facebook and Blog groups regarding the impacts of the WOM information characteristics on the WOM effect. This can be inferred from the fact that consumers recognize all SNS media as a single online medium regardless of their characteristics in the process of accepting and spreading information. Based on these results, this research drew the following implications. It conceptualized the information characteristics factors that influence the online information acceptance process and the relationship with WOM effects by focusing on SNS and high-tech products that are rapidly emerging. This study is also significant because it attempted to expand the characteristics of WOM information and WOM effects to Facebook and blogs, which are SNS media, and proposed a future research direction.

Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) have been routinely cultured on mouse embryonic fibroblast feederlayers with a medium containing animal materials. For clinical application of hESCs, animal-derived products from the animal feeder cells, animal substrates such as gelatin or Matrigel and animal serum are strictly to be eliminated in the culture system. In this study, we performed that SNUhES32 and H1 were cultured on human amniotic fluid cells (hAFCs) with KOSR XenoFree and a humanized substrate. All of hESCs were relatively well propagated on hAFCs feeders with xeno-free conditions and they expressed pluripotent stem cell markers, alkaline phosphatase, SSEA-4, TRA1-60, TRA1-81, Oct-4, and Nanog like hESCs cultured on STO or human foreskin fibroblast feeders. In addition, we observed the expression of nonhuman N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5GC) molecules by flow cytometry, which was xenotransplantation components of contamination in hESCs cultured on animal feeder conditions, was not detected in this xeno-free condition. In conclusion, SNUhES32 and H1 could be maintained on hAFCs for humanized culture conditions, therefore, we suggested that new xenofree conditions for clinical grade hESCs culture will be useful data in future clinical studies.

The Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin Tursiops aduncus commonly inhabits the coastal waters of Jeju Island, Korea. An investigation was conducted using data from vessel sightings and point sightings from land. During 40 days of vessel sighting surveys between 2007 and 2010, a total of 18 dolphin groups were encountered. The overall sighting rate was 0.01 group/n.m. Most Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins were sighted within 500 m of the northern coast of Jeju Island during surveys. Also, dolphin groups were observed 47 times during 109 days of shore-based surveys conducted between 2011 and 2015. The results of a dolphin distribution survey conducted in 2011 were generally similar to the results of previous surveys. However, there were no dolphin sightings from 2012 in Hanllim-eup, in the north-western part of the island, where dolphins were sighted frequently until 2011, whereas dolphin observations increased in the southern part of the island. The mean group size was 35.4 (SD=18.08) individuals. The most frequently sighted group size was 36-40 individuals. To conserve resident dolphins off Jeju Island, long term sighting surveys and environmental assessment are required to monitor their distribution patterns.

A novel on-board hydrogen generation concept using Al coil with NaOH was investigated. The reaction rate was successfully controlled by introducing a pumping system for the NaOH solution. The time for the flow to develop fully was mainly dependent on the solution temperature, and the fastest start time recorded was 60 sec at a solution temperature of 70°C. The maximum H2 generation rate was 200 L min–1 with a prototype design of the on-board hydrogen generation system 1/8 times the size of a full-size reactor. The H2 generation process coupled with the solution pumping system was simulated with three-dimensional fluid dynamic software, and the calculated H2 flow and temperature rise of the system were validated with experimental data.

This study investigated the effects of searing process before sous-vide (SV) treatment on quality traits, visual attributes, palatability, and storage stability of SV cooked pork patties. Patties were seared on each side by pan-frying for 0 (control), 30 (S30), 60 (S60), 90 (S90), or 120 (S120) s in a stainless-steel pan, and all patties were then vacuum-packed and cooked under thermally controlled conditions at 75 &deg, C for 2 h. Marked differences were observed in quality properties between the control and searing groups, and the S120 group exhibited greater brown surface color and cooking loss compared to the other groups (p &lt, 0.001) due to the additional heating process. Patties from the S60 group showed greater appearance and tenderness acceptability scores compared to patties from the S30 and S120 groups (p &lt, 0.001). On another note, the effects of searing on storage stability were somewhat limited, as they were measured by 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substance, volatile basic nitrogen, total aerobic bacterial count, and coliforms during 49 d of cold storage. Therefore, searing process before SV treatment can improve the visual attributes and palatability of cooked pork patties, and the optimum searing condition was for 60 s, without impairing the storage stability.

OBJECTIVES: Soy isoflavones are one of the best studied secondary plant metabolites for the last 30 years and associated with potential health benefits such as prevention of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and menopausal symptoms. The study aimed to identify isoflavone conjugated metabolites from human plasma and urine after dietary soybean meals using a targeted metabolomic approach and to investigate the effect of fermentation on bioavailability of soy isoflavones. METHODS: In the cross-over intervention design with 10 candidates (6 women and 4 men), standardized meals with fermented soybean (FS, Cheonggukjang, by Bacillus subtilis) and non-fermented soybean (NFS) were served over two weeks in two randomized groups. Flavonoid derivatives in each freeze-dried tested meal and isoflavone conjugated metabolites in plasma and urine collected before and after the consumption of each meal were evaluated by UPLC-DAD-QToF/MS. RESULTS: Twenty-two isoflavones, including genistein, daidzein, glycitein, and its glycosides, were identified in both tested meals. In particular, 6”-O-succinoyldadizin and 6”-O-succinoylgenistin produced newly as acylated forms with succinic acid in fermented process. Also, in levels of simple glycosidic forms (e.g., daidzin and genistin), the FS meal showed higher than NFS meal, which might be explained by the degradation of malonylglucosides during the fermentation. Fourteen metabolites conjugated with glucuronic acid and sulfuric acid were identified in plasma and urine, among them, genistein 4’,7-di-O-glucuronide and daidzein 7-O-glucuronide were confirmed as major metabolites in plasma and urine, respectively. The bioavailability was differentiated by personal characteristics after intake soy isoflavones, and it was considered that genistein class was more excellent as well as FS meal was more effective when compared to NFS meal on bioavailability. CONCLUSIONS: The results may contribute to not only understanding the potential health effects of fermented foods by modifying the bioavailability of soybean bioactive components but also application of other traditional foods related with fermentation. FUNDING SOURCES: This work was supported by the National Institute of Agricultural Science of Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea.

The pH-responsive polymers, such as polyacrylamide (PAM), show distinct conformational states according to the pH of their environmental groundwater. Therefore, the interactions between clay&ndash, polymer and polymer&ndash, water molecules, which determine the yield stress of bentonite&ndash, polymer composites, can be affected by the pH of groundwater. This study aims to evaluate the effect of pH variation on the yield stress of calcium bentonite treated with PAM. The yield stresses (&tau, y) of untreated and PAM treated clays were measured with varying volume fractions of solid (VF = 10&ndash, 23%) and under varying pH conditions (pH = 7.6&ndash, 9.6). In addition, the zeta potential was measured for both untreated and treated clays to figure out the change in the surface charge of the mineral surface due to PAM treatment. The results of this study demonstrate that &tau, y for treated clay is higher than that for untreated clay at a given VF, because van der Walls attraction dominates electrostatic repulsion in the case of treated clay. Due to the change in conformational states of PAM and the consequent change in surface charge that comes with varying pH, the pH-dependent change in &tau, y of treated clay is significantly different from that of untreated clay.

Owing to the quick response, compact structure, high precision, huge blocking force generation, and ease of operation, piezoelectric actuators are urgently being adopted in the field of advanced dispensing for jetting performance improvement and fulfillment of precision requirements in microelectronics packaging, adhesive bonding, and miniaturization industry. This research focuses on the fundamental design and development of a piezo-electrically driven compact fluid dispenser using the principle of a class-one lever for amplification of needle displacement, and enhancement of application areas of the developed jet dispenser. Using fundamental lever principle, geometry-based modelling is carried out to fabricate a working prototype of a normally closed hinge-lever type dispenser. Preliminary experiments are carried out to witness the workability of the fabricated dispenser to deliver 100 dots of working fluid per second that will provide a novel device for dispensing of various fluids, and the proposed amplification mechanism suits various other piezoelectric applications as well.

The anionic redox chemistries of layered cathode materials have been in focus recently due to an intriguing phenomenon that cannot be described by the number of electrons of transition metal ions. However, even though several studies have investigated the anionic redox chemistry of layered materials in terms of the charge compensation, the relationship between the origin of the structural behavior and anionic redox chemistry in layered materials remains poorly understood. In addition, a simultaneous redox process of transition metal ions could occur through the d bands interaction. Here, it is demonstrated that the anionic redox chemistry is associated with the anisotropic structural behavior of the layered cathode materials albeit without providing additional capacities exceeding the theoretical values. These findings will provide a foundation of a new chapter in the understanding of the properties of materials.

Purpose This study was performed to investigate the effect of the interval between the start of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) and the start of chemotherapy on ovarian protection in patients with breast cancer. Methods This was a prospective observational cohort study that included 136 patients with breast cancer below 40 years who received GnRHa during chemotherapy for fertility preservation. Plasma anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) levels were measured before chemotherapy (baseline) and after chemotherapy. Subjects were divided into 3 groups according to the interval between the start of GnRHa and the start of chemotherapy for analysis: 1-6 days, 7-13 days, and ≥ 14 days. The ratio of the post-chemotherapy AMH value to the baseline AMH (pcAMH) at each time point were compared among the 3 groups. Ranked analysis of covariance was used for statistical analysis, adjusted for age, body mass index (BMI), and the existence of polycystic ovaries (PCOs). In addition, recovery of ovarian function (AMH ≥ 1 ng/mL) at 12 months was evaluated. Results The median age of the patients was 32 years. There was no difference in the baseline AMH levels among the 3 groups (mean ± standard error: 5.0 ± 0.4 ng/mL [1-6 days], 5.3 ± 0.7 ng/mL [7-13 days], and 8.1 ± 1.3 ng/mL [≥ 14 days]; p = 0.250). The pcAMH at 3, 6, 12, 24, and 36 months were not significantly different among the 3 groups (p-values were 0.332, 0.732, 0.830, 0.148, and 0.393, respectively). In multivariate analysis, young age (p = 0.024), low BMI (p = 0.013), and the existence of PCO (p = 0.015) were predictors for AMH ≥ 1 ng/mL at 12 months. Conclusion There was no difference in the ovarian protective effect according to the difference in the timing of administration of GnRHa.

The objective of this study was to investigate the correlations of marbling characteristics, including marbling score, intramuscular fat (IMF) content, and fleck traits, with meat quality traits and histochemical characteristics of the longissimus thoracis muscle from Hanwoo steers. Marbling fleck characteristics, especially area, number, and fineness (F) index, measured by computerized image analysis were strongly correlated with marbling score and IMF content (p

Wireless electronic devices require small, rechargeable batteries that can be rapidly designed and fabricated in customized form factors for shape conformable integration. Here, we demonstrate an integrated design and manufacturing method for aqueous zinc-ion batteries composed of polyaniline (PANI)-coated carbon fiber (PANI/CF) cathodes, laser micromachined zinc (Zn) anodes, and porous separators that are packaged within three-dimensional printed geometries, including rectangular, cylindrical, H-, and ring-shapes. The PANI/CF cathode possesses high surface area and conductivity giving rise to high rate (∼600 C) performance. Due to outstanding stability of Zn-PANI batteries against oxygen and moisture, they exhibit long cycling stability in an aqueous electrolyte solution. As exemplar, we demonstrated rechargeable battery packs with tunable voltage and capacity using stacked electrodes that are integrated with electronic components in customized wearable devices.

The aim of this study was to compare the intramuscular fat (IMF) content and marbling fleck characteristics measured by computerized image analysis among the eight grades of Korean beef marbling standard (BMS). Additionally, this study examined the effects of the marbling fleck characteristics on objective tenderness parameters and sensory quality characteristics in high-marbled Hanwoo steers (BMS grades 7 to 9). Marked differences were observed in marbling fleck characteristics among the BMS grades (P .05), whereas the coarseness was similar in high-marbled beef (P .05). Due to a greater extent of coarse marbling fleck, coarse marbled steaks from high-marbled cattle were assigned higher scores of tenderness attributes, including softness, initial tenderness, and chewiness, as well as mouth coating, but were assigned lower acceptability ratings for IMF content and overall impression compared to fine marbled steaks (P .05). Taken together, considering the marbling fleck traits can be an effective tool for improving the accuracy of beef grading systems.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between ovarian volume-related parameters and in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes in order to establish an accurate and reliable method of determining ovarian response or IVF outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: A total of 142 women undergoing controlled ovarian stimulation with gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist were retrospectively analyzed. In each ovary, diameters in 2 perpendicular planes were measured and calculated by applying the formula for an ellipsoid: (D1xD2x(D1+D2/2)xπ/6). The total basal ovarian volume (BOV) was calculated as the sum of the bilateral ovarian volume. Total follicular volume (TFV) was defined as sum of bilateral follicular volume. The study subjects were grouped by TFV/BOV and by TFV/BOV/stimulation days. RESULTS: A significantly higher number of oocytes was retrieved in the participants with a higher TFV/BOV (p=0.002). The patients with higher TFV/BOV/stimulation days also demonstrated a significantly higher serum estradiol level on the hCG day and a higher number of retrieved oocytes (p=0.04 and 0.02, respectively). In a multivariate analysis, the TFV/BOV/stimulation days had a significant independent effect on the number of transferred embryos (p=0.01). CONCLUSION: Ovarian volume-related dynamic parameters play an important role in predicting ovarian response and IVF outcomes.

The recent exploit of strain sensor devices that can readily monitor human body action, has gained tremendous attention, in the field of various wearable electronics and human-machine interfaces applications. In this study, we report a facile way of forming transparent, piezoresistive composite thin-films from a mixture of conductive polymer, elastomeric polymer and surfactnat. Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS), thermoplastic polyurathene (TPU), and capstone 30 are used as a conductive polymer, elastomer and surfactant, respectively. The piezoresistive performances are regulated depending on a compositon of surfactant in PEDOT:PSS-TPU composite thin films. A resistance change as high as 86.5 are obtained when the stretchable composite thin-films are stretched with a strain ranging 0.1 to 0.35, with a transparency of 89.1 % at 550 nm.

Aberrant apoptosis at the trophoblast-maternal interface and abnormal expression of Fas and Fas ligand (FasL) have been reported in complicated pregnancies with recurrent pregnancy losses (RPL) and preeclampsia. We assessed the prevalence of Fas and FasL genetic polymorphisms in Korean women with RPL and in fertile controls. In total, 306 women with RPL and 298 fertile controls were enrolled. Genotype distributions of Fas and FasL in RPL patients versus fertile controls were examined under the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Fas -670 A/G genotype (AA versus AG versus GG

Objective To prospectively evaluate the efficacy and safety of a fixed early gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist protocol compared to a conventional midfollicular GnRH antagonist protocol and a long GnRH agonist protocol for in vitro fertilization (IVF) in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Methods Randomized patients in all three groups (early antagonist, n=14; conventional antagonist, n=11; long agonist, n=11) received 21 days of oral contraceptive pill treatment prior to stimulation. The GnRH antagonist was initiated on the 1st day of stimulation in the early antagonist group and on the 6th day in the conventional antagonist group. The GnRH agonist was initiated on the 18th day of the preceding cycle. The primary endpoint was the number of oocytes retrieved, and the secondary endpoints included the rate of moderate-to-severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) and the clinical pregnancy rate. Results The median total number of oocytes was similar among the three groups (early, 16; conventional, 12; agonist, 19; p=0.111). The early GnRH antagonist protocol showed statistically non-significant associations with a higher clinical pregnancy rate (early, 50.0%; conventional, 11.1%; agonist, 22.2%; p=0.180) and lower incidence of moderate-to-severe OHSS (early, 7.7%; conventional, 18.2%; agonist, 27.3%; p=0.463), especially among subjects at high risk for OHSS (early, 12.5%; conventional, 40.0%; agonist, 50.0%; p=0.324). Conclusion In PCOS patients undergoing IVF, early administration of a GnRH antagonist may possibly lead to benefits due to a reduced incidence of moderate-to-severe OHSS in high-risk subjects with a better clinical pregnancy rate per embryo transfer. Further studies with more subjects are required.

Correction for ‘3D polymer objects with electronic components interconnected via conformally printed electrodes’ by Yejin Jo, et al., Nanoscale, 2017, 9, 14798–14803.

Objective The balance of apoptosis and proliferation is an important part in the embryonic development during pregnancy. It has been reported that the p53 gene plays a significant role in angiogenesis and placental development, namely in reproduction and is suggested as a potential mediator of pregnancy. This study was performed to investigate whether the genetic polymorphism of the p53 gene is associated with idiopathic recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). Study design We conducted a case–control study in the Korean population. Study subjects consisted of 294 patients with idiopathic RPL and 300 postmenopausal controls. The genotyping for the p53 codon 72 polymorphism was performed using a Taqman assay. Continuous variables were compared using Student's t test and the χ 2 test was used to evaluate differences in the genotype distributions between the RPL and the controls. Results There were no significant differences in the genotype distributions or allele frequencies of the p53 codon 72 polymorphism between the RPL and control group. There was also no significant association between the p53 codon 72 polymorphism and RPL risk in both recessive (Pro/Pro vs. Arg-carriers, p =0.314) and dominant model (Pro-carriers vs. Arg/Arg, p =0.383: data not shown). Conclusion The codon 72 polymorphism in the p53 gene did not show any correlation with idiopathic RPL in Korean women, implying that it may not be susceptible allelic variants or be insufficient to cause RPL.

Vitamin K1 (phylloquinone) content of commonly consumed foods in Korea were determined by solvent extraction followed by reversed-phase liquid chromatography using post-column derivatization and fluorescence detection. Samples were obtained in the years of 2013 and 2015. In this study, 46 vegetables, 14 fruits, and 6 legumes were analyzed. Relatively higher amounts of vitamin K1 were found in sweet potato leaves, green kiwi, and mung beans among vegetables, fruits, and legumes, respectively. The content of vitamin K1 in vegetables including spinach, broccoli, and potato ranged from non-detectable (ND) to 1,467.3 μg/100 g. The content of vitamin K1 in fruits ranged from ND to 42.7 μg/100 g. The content of vitamin K1 in legumes, including soybeans, mung beans and peas ranged from 1.7 to 63.4 μg/100 g. In addition, the analytical method validation parameters including recovery, reproducibility, repeatability, peak purity, and linearity were calculated to ensure the method's validity. The results showed high linearity with a correlation coefficient of 0.9999. Overall recovery was close to 100% (n=5). This study revealed reliable vitamin K content in commonly consumed foods in Korea for a nutritional information and food composition database.

동해는 동아시아와 일본에 둘러싸인 반폐쇄구조의 대륙 주변 해로서, 총 면적이 1.01×106 km2이고 수심은 평균 1,350 m, 최 대 3,700 m이다. 동해의 북쪽은 폭이 좁은 대륙붕에서 급경사 대륙사면이 형성되어 심해저로 연결되지만, 남쪽은 북쪽에 비 해 넓은 대륙붕이 형성되어 있으며 대한해협을 지나 동쪽으로 평균 수심 120 m 정도의 평탄한 지형으로 이루어져 있다(Lee and Kim, 2007). 동해는 북한한류가 대륙붕 연안을 따라 남하 하다가 대한해협을 통해 유입되는 고온고염의 대마난류와 약 37°N 부근에서 강한 수온전선을 형성하는데, 이 해역은 기초생 산력이 높고 다양한 먹이 생물이 번식하여 동해 수산자원의 중 요한 어장과 성육장의 역할을 한다(Choi et al., 2008; Gong et al., 2010). 또한 수온에 따라 다양한 한류성, 난류성, 온대성 어 종들이 서식하고 회유나 생활사에 따라 연안 정착성, 심해성, 회 유성 어종들이 함께 출현하고 있어, 생물다양성의 측면에서도 매우 중요한 곳이다(Kim and Nam, 2003). 우리나라에 서식하는 전체 해산어류는 약 947종이고, 이 중 동해구외끌이중형저인망에 의한 동해 중남부 해역 저어류의 종조성 및 군집구조 손명호·박정호*·윤병선·최영민·김진구

In the past decade, hybrid materials for highly stretchable, conductive electrodes have received tremendous attention in the fields of emerging wearable electronic, optoelectronic, and sensing devices. Here, we present a previously unrecognized aqueous route to producing stretchable conductors composed of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) embedded in a polyurethane (PU) matrix, in contrast to ones dispersed in toxic organic solvents reported to date. The intact chemical interaction between one-dimensional SWNTs, for endowing the capability of establishing conductive pathways even in stretching conditions, and AgNPs, for enabling high conductivity of the composites, is achieved in an aqueous medium with an anionic polyelectrolyte, poly(acrylic acid), that undergoes pH-dependent conformational evolution. With this aqueous approach, we demonstrate that AgNP–SWNT–PU composites supported on PDMS substrates have the conductivities of 620 and 120 S cm–1 in unstrained and 90%...

One of the distinguishing features of volcanic beach sand compared to typical silica sand can be found in its relatively high iron content; however, studies on the effect of iron content on the engineering properties of volcanic beach sand have been very limited until now. Consequently, this experimental investigation quantifies the effect of iron content on the engineering properties of Ulleung volcanic beach sands, including small strain stiffness, compressibility, friction angle, and cone tip resistance. Various geotechnical experiments were performed, and test results demonstrate that the small strain stiffness increases with an increase in iron content because of the increased interparticle contact stiffness. In addition, the elastic deformation of soil particles decreases with an increase in iron content because of the greater elastic modulus of iron compared to that of silica. In contrast, the effects of iron content on the intermediate strain constrained modulus and on the large strain friction an...

The current study was designed to estimate the pork quality traits using metabolites from exsanguination blood and postmortem muscle simultaneously under the Korean standard pre- and post-slaughter conditions. A total of 111 Yorkshire (pure breed and castrated male) pigs were evaluated under the Korean standard conditions. Measurements were taken of the levels of blood glucose and lactate at exsanguination, and muscle glycogen and lactate content at 45 min and 24 h postmortem. Certain pork quality traits were also evaluated. Correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis including stepwise regression were performed. Exsanguination blood glucose and lactate levels were positively correlated with each other, negatively related to postmortem muscle glycogen content and positively associated with postmortem muscle lactate content. A rapid and extended postmortem glycolysis was associated with high levels of blood glucose and lactate, with high muscle lactate content, and with low muscle glycogen content during postmortem. In addition, these were also correlated with paler meat color and reduced water holding capacity. The results of multiple regression analyses also showed that metabolites in exsanguination blood and postmortem muscle explained variations in pork quality traits. Especially, levels of blood glucose and lactate and content of muscle glycogen at early postmortem were significantly associated with an elevated early glycolytic rate. Furthermore, muscle lactate content at 24 h postmortem alone accounted for a considerable portion of the variation in pork quality traits. Based on these results, the current study confirmed that the main factor influencing pork quality traits is the ultimate lactate content in muscle via postmortem glycolysis, and that levels of blood glucose and lactate at exsanguination and contents of muscle glycogen and lactate at postmortem can explain a large portion of the variation in pork quality even under the standard slaughter conditions.

Hyperplastic growth and hypertrophic growth within adipose tissue is tightly associated with cell cycle activity. In this study, CCNG2 and CDKN2C were found to be correlated with cell cycle inhibition during fat cell differentiation, whereas CCND3, CCNA1, and ANAPC5 were positively associated with cell cycle activity during fat cell proliferation after selection based on GEO datasets available on the NCBI website. The findings were validated through comparison of expressions of these genes among different tissues/fractions in broiler chickens and time points during primary cell culture using quantitative real-time PCR. Development of broiler subcutaneous adipose tissue was investigated on embryonic days 15 and 17 and on post-hatch days 0, 5, 11, and 33 using H&E staining and PCNA immunostaining with DAPI counter stain. In addition, mRNA expressions of five cell cycle regulators as well as precursor cell and adipocyte markers were measured at those time points. The results suggest that cellular proliferation activity decreased as the fat pad grows, but a population of precursor cells seemed to be maintained until post-hatch day 5 despite increasing differentiation activity. Hypertrophic growth gradually intensified despite a slight cessation on post-hatch day 0 due to increased energy expenditure during hatching and delayed food access. From post-hatch day 5 to day 11, most of the precursor cells may become differentiated. After post-hatch day 11, hyperplastic growth seemed to slow, while hypertrophic growth may become dominant. This study provides further understanding about broiler fat tissue development which is imperative for effective control of fat deposition.

Vitamin D contents in agricultural products and foods were quantified by high performance liquid chromomatography (HPLC) with a UV/Vis detector, using external standard methods. The results were confirmed with liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). After homogenization, samples were hydrolyzed by direct alkali saponification. Thereafter, fat-soluble components were extracted with n-hexane containing 0.01% butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). Vitamin D contents in cereals were found to be in the range of 1.882~4.856 μg/100 g. Juda's ear and oak mushroom contained high amounts of vitamin D, at 363.85 and 199.42 μg/100 g of edible portion, respectively. Key words: vitamin D, agricultural products and foods, food composition table Corresponding author: Young-Gook Kim, Dasan Institute of Life & Science Co., Ltd., Gwangju 506-812, Korea. Tel: +82-62- 942-6600, Fax: +82-62-942-6691, E-mail: kyg5336@naver.com 비타민 D는 골격 성장 및 유지, 칼슘의 항상성 유지에 필수적인 영양소이며, 골다공증의 예방과 치료뿐만 아니라, 골격계이외의 조직에서도 중요한 역할을 한다(Chung YS 2009). 또한 세포의 증식 및 분화의 조절, 면역에 관여하며, 비타민 D의 영양상태 불량 시 심혈관계 질환, 당뇨병, 일부 암 등 만성질환의 발병 위험이 증가하는 것으로 보고되어 비타민 D에 대한 관심이 증대되고 있다(Kim & Kang 2012). 근래에 보고된 비타민 D의 기능에는 암세포의 증식을 저하시키고, 암을 예방하며, 면역기능에 관여하는 단백질 합성을 촉진시켜서 염증관련 질병을 예방할 수 있는 기능과 심혈관계 질병을 예방할 수 있도록 단백질들의 합성을 촉진시켜서 심혈관계 질병 및 고혈압 예방을 할 수 있는 기능 그리고 항당뇨병성 기능 등 여러 연구결과들이 보고되고 있다(Shin & Kwun 2012). 그러나 비타민 D의 중요성에도 불구하고, Choi 등(2011a)의 연구에 의하면 청소년, 성인, 노인의 비타민 D 결핍 비율과 불충분 비율이 모두 높은 것으로 보고하였으며, 최근 수행된 많은 연구에서 비타민 D 부족의 우려가 제기되고 있다(Choi 등 2011b; Lee 등 2011; Kim 등 2012; Lim 등 2012; Rhee 등 2012; Nam 등 2014).비타민 D는 식물성 식품에 존재하는 비타민 D

In this study, we suggest the chemical methodology that allows for the facile controllability of phase transformation between face-centered cubic and hexagonal close-packed structures for Ni nanoparticles with a 0.4–2 nm thick shallow surface oxide layer, resulting in a maximum saturation magnetization of 33.2 emu g−1. As a first proof-of-concept of the potential for the formation of flexible, printed magnetic devices on cost-effective polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and paper substrates, it is demonstrated that the resulting Ni nanoparticles, prepared in the form of magnetic fluids, are transformed into bulk-like patterned Ni architectures via air-brush printing and instant photonic annealing in a timescale of 10−3 s, exhibiting highly flexible properties under the harsh conditions of 10 000 times repeated bending tests.

Acute aortic syndrome complicated by both ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and spinal ischemia is exceedingly rare. We herein report the case of a 66-year-old man who presented with paraparesis after primary percutaneous coronary intervention for STEMI. He was found to have an intramural hematoma of the ascending aorta and a severe dissection in the descending aorta, which led to both STEMI and paraparesis.

The nutrient contents of pumpkins depend on many factors, including the species, climate, soil type, and plant part. The nutritional compositions of five pumpkin cultivars (red boujjang, mini hong, mini gold, boujjang, and yakhobak) were investigated. To analyze the nutrient contents of the edible parts, the other parts (seeds, skin, and stem) of each pumpkin were removed. The results showed that the proximate compositions of the edible parts of the pumpkins ranged from 74 to 87 g per 100 g for moisture, 1.6 to 3.2 g per 100 g for crude protein, 10.1 to 20.7 g per 100 g for carbohydrate content, and 2.0 to 3.4 g per 100 g for total dietary fiber. The proximate contents of the pumpkin samples were not significantly different. The thiamine contents of the pumpkins, except for red boujjang, varied from 0.03 to 0.15 mg per 100 g, but that of red boujjang had the highest level (0.60 mg per 100 g). The vitamin C contents of the pumpkins, except for boujjang, ranged from 13.0 to 14.0 mg per 100 g, but that of boujjang was the highest (49.0 mg per 100 g). In particular, yakhobak showed the highest total carotenoid and folate levels (279.5 and 74.0 μg per 100 g, respectively). These results will be useful for coming up with better pumpkin varieties through breeding, and established the nutrient compositions of pumpkins.

This work aimed to investigate the changes in the nutrient contents and antioxidant activity of Peucedanum japonicum Thunb. by ripening stage, growing condition, and blanching. The crude protein content of the young leaves (3.6~4.3%) was higher than that of the mature leaves (3.1~3.9%). Higher calcium contents were observed in the greenhouse-cultivated samples (225.9~259.2 mg/100 g) compared to the field-cultivated samples (178.5~199.5 mg/100 g). The vitamin C and folate contents (18.1~83.8 and 175.8~220.2 mg/100 g, respectively) of the field-cultivated samples were significantly (p

The relationship between serum anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) with vitamin D (25OH-D) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) risk was evaluated in healthy, late reproductive-age (35–49 years) women with regular menstrual cycles. Among the 291 participants (mean age = 42.5 years), most (76.6%, n = 223) were serum vitamin D insufficient (

We report the fabrication of 3D polymer objects that contain electrical components interconnected by conductive silver/carbon nanotube inks printed conformally onto their surfaces and through vertical vias. Electrical components are placed within internal cavities and recessed surfaces of polymer objects produced by stereolithography. Conformally printed electrodes that interconnect each electrical component exhibit a conductivity of ∼2 × 104 S cm−1 upon annealing at temperatures below 100 °C. Multiple 3D objects were created to demonstrate this hybrid additive manufacturing approach, including those with an embedded circuit operated by an air-suspended switch and a 3D circuit board composed of microcontroller unit, resistor, battery, light-emitting diode and sensor.

The main objective of this study was to compare the eating quality among the groups categorized by the Korean beef quality grade and texture feature of exposed muscle surface assessed by extent of dented areas and firmness. Additionally, this study also investigated the effects of fiber and bundle characteristics on texture feature to establish the cause of differences in muscle surface texture. Significant differences were observed in the sensory quality characteristics among the quality grades mainly determined by marbling score (P 0.05). However, the coarse texture group with a dented surface required a higher initial force to penetrate meat (P 0.001), was more difficult to break meat into fragments (P 0.001), and had a higher amount of perceptible residue in the mouth (P 0.01) compared to the fine texture group. These differences in the surface texture features between the fine and coarse groups could be explained by bundle area and fiber number per each bundle.

Crosstalk between adipocytes and macrophages has been suggested to play a crucial role in metabolic disorders such as obesity, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of nobiletin on the interaction between adipocytes and macrophages. The results showed that nobiletin significantly and dose-dependently inhibited the secretion of inflammatory mediators, such as nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), and monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1, in a coculture of adipocytes and macrophages. The expression of adipogenic transcription factors, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein α (C/EBPα), in differentiated 3T3-L1 cells cocultured in transwell system was blocked by nobiletin. Nobiletin also downregulated the expression of inducible NO synthase in cocultured differentiated RAW264.7 cells. Furthermore, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) was significantly induced by nobiletin treatment in both cell types, and small interfering (si) RNA-mediated knockdown of HO-1 significantly recovered the inhibitory effects of nobiletin on the NO production in cocultured cells. These results suggest that nobiletin exerts anti-inflammatory effects on the crosstalk between adipocytes and macrophages by inducing HO-1. Nobiletin may have potential for the prevention of obesity-related metabolic diseases.