Cytogenetic and hematological analysis was performed in peripheral blood obtained from pigs bred in the high background radiation areas (HBRA) (Cheongwon-gun and Boeun-gun) and a control area. The frequencies of gamma-ray induced micronuclei (MN) in the cytokinesis-blocked (CB) lymphocytes at several doses were measured in three pigs. An estimated dose of radiation was calculated by a best fitting linear-quadratic model based on the radiation-induced MN formation from the swine lymphocytes exposed in vitro to radiation over the range from 0 mGy to 1,969 mGy.

This study was carried out to investigate the morphological development of the tongue in the 60-, 90- and 120-day-old fetuses and neonates of Korean native goats by light microscopy. In 60-day-old fetuses, the tongue tissues were differentiated into epithelium, lamina propria, and muscle layer. The primordia of filiform, conical, lentiform, fungiform, and vallate papillae appeared by this time, and rudiments of taste buds were observed in the epithelia of the primordia gustatory papillae. The dorsal lingual epithelia were PAS positive.

Melatonin, the principal hormone of the vertebral pineal gland, participates in the regulation of cardiovascular system in vitro and in vivo. However, the effects of melatonin on vascular tissues are still vague. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between phospholipase C (PLC) and nitric oxide synthase (NOS)/cyclic guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cGMP) signaling cascade in the relaxatory action of melatonin in isolated rat aorta. Melatonin induced a concentration-dependent relaxation in phenylephrine (PE)- and KCl-precontraceted endothelium intact (+E) aortic rings.

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detection of antibodies to reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV) at single serum dilution was standardized. REV HI, one of the Korean field isolates, was inoculated into chicken embryo fibroblast (CEF) cells and was harvested from the culture fluids and cells after 10 to 12 days. Viruses were purified by centrifugation at the 107,000×g for 12 hours on 20, 30, 45% (W/V) sucrose gradient. Virus specific fraction was collected and used as ELISA antigen. To standardize ELISA, the optimal concentration of coating antigen (1 ㎍/well) and conjugate (1/1000) was determined by corrected OD (OD value of positive serum-OD value of negative serum) and P/N ratio (OD value of positive serum/OD value of negative serum).

The purpose of this study is to establish the analgesic effects of electroacupuncture for Korean native goat. Electroacupuncture was applied to the 6 Korean native goats. In 3 of them, rumenotomy was performed, and in the other 3, laparotomy was done. The analgesic induction time was 15 to 30 minutes. The acupoints used were Tian-ping (Celestial Peace, GV-5), Bai-hui (Hundred Meetings, GV-20), left 13th thoracic nerve and left 3rd lumbar nerve. Electroacupuncture was performed in lateral recumbency. Needles were inserted 1-2 cm deep, and connected to the electroacupuncture apparatus. The electrical stimulation condition was 30 Hz and 2-6 volts.

5371 This review focuses on the status of infectious diseases that are serious for animal health and have adverse economic effects in Mongolia. Data presented here are limited due to the lack of published or other easily available documents. Foot-and-mouth disease continues to cause substantial economic losses as exemplified by the outbreak of infection with serotype O PanAsia lineage virus. In the case of the 2001 outbreak, a 65%reduction in export revenues was recorded. In order to ascertain the free status of Mongolia from rinderpest, sero-epidemiological surveillance has been carried out since 2001. In 2004, Mongolia was certified free from rinderpest by Office Interna-tional des Epizooties (OIE). A sharp rise in both animal and human brucello-sis incidence has become a serious problem. Rabies and anthrax remain endemic with occasional human cases. Other prevailing infectious diseases are contagious pustular dermatitis, contagious agalactia, enterotoxemia and ¡pas-teurellosis. The current programs for the control of infectious diseases in livestock in Mongolia lack a definite policy that would enable rapid implementation. A large-scale surveillance of infectious diseases in animals and management of appropriate preventive measures are urgently required in Mongolia.

The consumption of fruits and vegetables is associated with a reduced risk of various ailments, including cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Carotenoids, such as lycopene and beta-carotene, are natural constituents of edible plants and may protect against disease. In this study, the influence of lycopene and beta-carotene on DNA damage caused by catechol-estrogens in vitro is examined. One possible mechanism by which catechol estrogens such as 4- hydroxyestradiol (4-OHE2) and 2- hydroxyestradiol, which cause DNA damage in naked plasmid DNA as well as in cells, contributing to the process of carcinogenesis, is through the generation of reactive oxygen species. It was found that both carotenoids at concentrations ranging from 0.25 to 10 MicroM significantly inhibit strand breakage induced by 4- OHE2/copper sulphate by up to 90%in plasmid DNA with beta-carotene being slightly more effective. No pro-oxidant or cytotoxic effects were observed at the concentrations tested. These carotenoids had a similar, though reduced effect on DNA damage as measured by the comet assay, in Chinese hamster lung fibroblasts. The results obtained show that both lycopene and beta-carotene, most probably and mainly through their potent antioxidant properties, are able to inhibit catecholestrogen-mediated DNA damage.

A cDNA clone encoding a prohibitin-like protein (Toprh) was isolated from a piroplasm cDNA library of Theileria orientalis and its nucleotide sequence was determined. An open reading frame, encoding a polypeptide of 278 amino acid residues, was found in Toprh cDNA sequence. An intron of 89 bp was identified when this cDNA clone was compared with the Toprh gene in the genome of T. orientalis. The deduced amino acid sequence of Toprh shares 93.8, 93.1 and 69.1% identities with the prohibitins of T. parva (from chromosome 1), T. annulata (from chromosome 1), and Plasmodium falciparum, (from chromosome 10), respectively. By Western blot analysis, Toprh was found to be expressed in the piroplasm stage of the parasites.

In the present study, we demonstrated that heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) was present in both canine reticulocytes and mature erythrocytes, and that the canine Hsp 70 in reticulocytes was decreased along with the maturation of the cells into erythrocytes. These results suggest that the Hsp 70 in canine reticulocytes might act as a chaperone to remove unnecessary proteins during reticulocyte maturation. We also demonstrated that Hsp 70 was present in exosomes from reticulocytes during their maturation in in vitro culture. Furthermore, the concentration of Hsp 70 in reticulocyte membranes was increased in proportion to an increase of the protein in exosomes until 48 hours after the incubation of reticulocytes in vitro. At 96 hours of the incubation, however, only a trace amount of Hsp 70 was detected in the membrane, while a large amount of the protein was present in the exosomes. These results suggest that Hsp 70 in canine reticulocytes might play an important role for exosome formation in reticulocytes, resulting in the maturation of the cells.

The CKH-Jsr (jumbled spine and ribs) mouse was found as a spontaneous mutant with malformation of vertebrae, that is, a short trunk and kinky tail. We examined Lunatic Fringe (Lfng and Uncx4. 1 expression in the presomitic mesoderm (PSM) and somites of Jsr-mutant (CKH-Jsr/+) embryos to elucidate pathogenesis of the Jsr mutation. Expression pattern of Lfng in the PSM of Jsr-mutant embryos was similar to that of the normal (C57BL/6) embryos. However, expression pattern of Uncx4. 1 in the somites of Jsr-mutant embryos was impaired to be irregular and mosaic, suggesting that the anterior-posterior (A-P) polarity is disordered in the Jsr mutant. These results indicate that the Jsr mutation disrupts the A-P polarity of somites during the somitogenesis without altering Lfng expression pattern in the PSM.