This study investigated the densification behavior of rhenium alloys including W-25 wt.%Re and Re-2W-1Ta (pure Re) during sintering. The dilatometry experiments were carried out to obtain the in-situ shrinkage in H2 atmo-sphere. The measured data was analyzed through shrinkage, strain rate and relative density, and then symmetricallytreated to construct the linearized form of master sintering curve (MSC) and MSC as a well-known and straightforwardapproach to describe the densification behavior during sintering. The densification behaviors for each material were ana-lyzed in many respects including apparent activation energy, densification parameter, and densification ratio. MSC witha minimal set of preliminary experiments can make the densification behavior to be characterized and predicted as wellas provide guideline to sinter cycle design. Considering the results of linearized form and MSC, it was confirmed thatthe W-25 wt.%Re compared to Pure Re is more easily densified at the relatively low temperature.

In the present work, WO3 and WO3-TiO2 were prepared by the chemical deposition method. Structural variations, surface state and elemental compositions were investigated for preparation of WO3-TiO2 sonocatalyst. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were employed for characterization of these new photocatalysts. A rhodamine B (Rh.B) solution under ultrasonic irradiation was used to determine the catalytic activity. Excellent catalytic degradation of an Rh.B solution was observed using the WO3-TiO2 composites under ultrasonic irradiation. Sonocatalytic degradation is a novel technology of treating wastewater. During the ultrasonic treatment of aqueous solutions sonoluminescence, cavitaties and "hot spot" occurred, leading to the dissociation of water molecules. In case of a WO3 coupled system, a semiconductor coupled with two components has a beneficial role in improving charge separation and enhancing TiO2 response to ultrasonic radiations. In case of the addition of WO3 as new matter, the excited electrons from the WO3 particles are quickly transferred to TiO2 particle, as the conduction band of WO3 is 0.74 eV which is -0.5 eV more than that of TiO2. This transfer of charge should enhance the oxidation of the adsorbed organic substrate. The result shows that the photocatalytic performance of TiO2 nanoparticles was improved by loading WO3.

This report describes a rare case of primary rectal mature teratoma in a 56-year-old woman. She was referred to the outpatient clinic with a large pedunculated rectal mass, which was found during a regular health check-up. Polypectomy was performed and microscopic findings showed various structures derived from all three germ cell layers. Epidermis, hair follicles, sebaceous glands, eccrine glands, and apocrine sweat glands, with some scattered melanophages and lymphocytes were present as ectodermal derivatives. Smooth muscle fibers, blood vessels, and fibrous and adipose tissues were found as mesodermal derivatives. In addition, thyroid follicles, mucinous glands, and bronchial respiratory epithelium with peribronchial glands were detected as endodermal derivatives. She is healthy and has shown no evidence of recurrence or distant metastasis for 25 months post-surgical resection. Primary rectal teratomas are generally benign and primarily affect women. Therefore, minimally invasive surgical procedures, such as endoscopic polypectomy for a pedunculated polyp and segmentectomy for a larger mass, are satisfactory in most cases. Induction of primary rectal teratomas has been suggested to occur mainly by errors in a single germ cell after the end of meiosis I; in addition, it has also been suggested that the difference in gender incidence may be associated with differences in sex chromosomes between males and females rather than with anatomical proximity between ovary and rectum.

The anti-proliferative efficacy of t,t-conjugated linoleic acid (t,t-CLA), c9,t11-CLA, and t10,c12-CLA was compared in several human cancer cell lines. Gastric NCI-N87, liver Hep3B, pancreas Capan-2, and lung NCI-H522 cancer cells were incubated with 50 μM CLA isomers over a period of 6 days. The t,t-CLA inhibited the growth of all cancer cell lines to different extents, but c9,t11-CLA and t10,c12-CLA inhibited or stimulated the growth of the cancer cell lines. NCI-N87 cells were the most sensitive to growth inhibition and apoptosis from all CLA isomers tested. In NCI-N87 cells, CLA isomers reduced the release of arachidonic acid (AA) via the inhibition of cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2 ) activity, consequently reducing the production of PGE2 through the inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). The efficacies of CLA isomers were in the following order (from most to least effective): t,t-CLA, t10,c12-CLA and c9,t11-CLA. Overall, these results imply that the anti-proliferative efficacy of t,t-CLA on cancer cells, especially NCI-N87 cells, was greater than other CLA isomers due to its induction of apoptosis through the inhibition of cPLA2 and COX-2 activities.

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are an important component of innate defense mechanisms with broad-spectrum activities against various pathogenic microorganisms, including Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Antibiotic resistance has become a pervasive and global health burden, resulting in the immediate need to develop a new class of antibiotic substances. We screened a 16-mer random peptide library using the yeast two-hybrid system with Beclin 1 as bait and found that two 16-mer peptides (named P4 and P30) appeared to interact with Beclin1 in the β-gal assay. The two candidate cDNAs were introduced into the yeast secretory system of Pichia pastoris and their expression induced in the presence of methanol. Spectrophotometric analysis and Disc clear zone assay using the supernatant of the yeast growth media showed that both of the two peptides had strong activities against Staphylococcus aureus, MRSA (methicillin resistance Staphylococcus aureus), MRSA2242, and MRSA-2250, but no effect on commensal Lactobacillus strains. PCR analysis of the genomic DNA of transformed Pichia pastoris using AOX1 primers revealed that the two cDNAs were integrated into the genome at the AOX1 locus. Our result suggests that these peptides could be developed as a useful alternative to classic chemical antibiotics.

Our previous research on sulfated polysaccharide purified from Ecklonia cava, a brown alga found in Jeju island, Korea, showed that sulfated polysaccharides modulate the apoptotic threshold of intestinal cells, thereby preventing intestinal damage caused by ionizing radiation. In this study, we investigated the ability of sulfated polysaccharide to augment restoration of small intestinal stem cells from γ-ray-induced damage. In our results, sulfated polysaccharide treatment increased the numbers of Ki-67-positive cells as well as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)-expressing cells in the small intestine compared with those of irradiated only mice. Meanwhile, exposure to irradiation increased the number of paneth cells, which are frequently associated with intestinal inflammation, whereas sulfated polysaccharide treatment reduced the number of paneth cells in the small intestinal crypt. Conclusively, our data suggest that reduction of iNOS-expressing cells and paneth cells in sulfated polysaccharide-treated mice contributes to the inhibition of radiation-induced intestinal inflammation.

Wide-field JHKs images obtained with the SIRIUS near-infrared camera of the IRSF 1.4m telescope are used to examine the tidal structures of the spatial stellar configuration around six metal-poor ([Fe/H]< −1.0) globular clusters located within 3 kpc from the Galactic center. The radial surface density profiles are obtained from the surface photometry of the cluster images and the star counting for the photometric data. For the star counting, candidates of cluster member stars are selected with an filtering algorithm in color-magnitude diagrams. We find that the six target clusters show tidal overdensity features in the radial surface density profiles. There is a break inside the tidal radius for each cluster, and the profile in the outer overdensity region is characterized by a power law. Two- dimensional density maps of all the clusters show distorted asymmetric stellar configurations in the outer region. In five out of the six target clusters, the overdensity features are likely to be associated with the effects of the Galaxy dynamical interaction and the cluster space motions. The observed tidal configurations of stars suggest that several metal-poor clusters in the Galactic bulge are possibly surviving remnants of mergers to build the old stellar system of the Galactic bulge.

오늘날 현대인들의 식생활방식 중 과다한 열량의 영양소 섭취로 인하여 초래되는 비만의 유발 원인 중의 하나로 알려진 고지혈증(hyperlipidemia)에 대한 예방효과가 있는 것으로 알려진 전통방식으로 제조된 고추장의 생리활성 기능성 효과를 분석하고자 하였다. 이 연구에서는 실험동물로서 Sprague-Dawley(SD)-Rat에 대해서 고추장 추출물의 건강증진 효과에 대해서 실험동물을 사용하여 직접 확인하고 시도하였다. 실험군은 실험동물용 일반사료만을 먹인 음성대조군 그룹(N-group)과 일반사료와 고추장 추출물을 동시에 먹인 시험그룹(K-group) 그리고 양성대조군으로 고콜레스테롤 사료만을 먹인 그룹(H-group)으로 구분하여 5주간 사육하면서 건강증진효과의 발현에 대해서 분석하 였다. 3그룹의 실험동물을 5주간의 사육 후 해부했을 때 H-group의 모든 동물(100%)에서 공통적으로 심한 지방간 (fatty liver) 소견이 관찰되었으나, N-group이나 K-group의 어떠한 동물에서도 지방간 소견은 관찰되지 않았다. 한편, 실험동물의 혈장성분에 대한 혈액생화학적 성적의 비교에서는 고지혈증의 예방에 유익한 성분으로 알려진 HDL의 경우, 고추장 추출물 투여 그룹(25±8.43 ㎎/㎗)은 H-group(22.6±4.16) 보다 다소간 상승된 수치를 보였으나, 특히 고지혈 증을 악화시키는 원인으로 알려진 LDL 경우에는 H-group (55.8± 44.8 ㎎/㎗)이 고추장 추출물 투여 그룹(8.6±1.52 ㎎/㎗)과 음성대조군인 N-group(9.8±2.39)의 성적보다도 유의적으로 높은 수치를 나타냈다. 결과적으로 이 연구에서 SD-Rat에 투여했던 고추장 추출물은 실험동물에서 건강기능 개선효과의 하나인 저지방혈증 효과를 발현한 것으로 사료되었다.

오징어 먹즙을 첨가하지 않은 저염 오징어 젓갈은 숙성 발효에 따라 숙성 초기에 젖산균 총수가 급속히 증가하고, Leuconostoc이 증가하여 숙성 적기에 최대량을 나타내고 이후 서서히 감소하였다. Lactobacillus는 숙성 적기 이후의 총 균수의 대부분을 차지할 만큼 균수가 많아지므로 숙성 적기 이후 품질에 관여하는 것으로 보인다. Streptococcus와 Pediococcus는 숙성 적기까지 완만하게 증가하다가 이후 급격히 감소하였다. Yeast는 숙성 중기 이후에 검출되고, 숙성 말기에 급격히 증가하므로 부패에 주로 관여하는 것으로 보인다. 오징어 먹즙을 첨가한 저염 오징어 젓갈의 숙성발효에 따른 젖산균의 변화를 보면 총 균수는 숙성 중반까지 증가하다가 중반 이후 약간 감소하였으나, 최대치에 도달하는 기간은 무 첨가군에 비하여 길었고, 젖산균 중 Leuconostoc, Streptococcus 및 Pediococcus는 숙성 후반까지 증가하였다가 후반에 감소하는 반면에, Lactobacillus는 숙성 후반까지 계속 증가하였다. Yeast는 숙성 초기에는 거의 증가하지 않다가 숙성 중반 이후 증가하였는데, 이러한 경향은 무 첨가군과 유사하였으나 젖산균의 수가 무 첨가군에 비하여 적었다. 오징어 먹즙을 첨가한 저염 오징어 젓갈에서 모든 균들의 수가 감소되어 오징어 먹즙이 균들의 성장 을 억제하는 것으로 확인되었다.

Precise, rapid and simple methods for species identification in animals are among the most important techniques in the livestock industry and research fields including meat classification. In this study, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based molecular identification using inter species polymorphisms were examined by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis for mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) cytochrome b (CYTB) gene sequences among four mammalian livestock animals (cattle, horse, goat and pig). The results from PCR-RFLP analysis using the AluI restriction enzyme were also provided for the species-specific band patterns among CYTB gene sequences in these four species. The AluI-digestion for CYTB genes provided interesting migration patterns differentially displayed according to each species. Cattle and horse had one AluI-recognition site at different nucleotide positions and their AluI-digested fragments showed different band patterns on the gels. Pig had two AluI-recognition sites within the amplified CYTB sequences and produced three bands on the gels. Goat had no AluI-recognition site and was located at the same position as the uncut PCR product. The results showed the species-specific band patterns on a single gel among the four livestock animal species by AluI-RFLP. In addition, the results from blind tests for the meat samples collected from providers without any records showed the identical information on the species recorded by observing their phenotypes before slaughter. The application of this PCR-RFLP method can be useful and provide rapid, simple, and clear information regarding species identification for various tissue samples originating from tested livestock species.

This review highlights the current status of Tunisian olive production, challenges facing the sector and opportunities available. Olive, a fruit tree native to Mediterranean countries, is the subject of increased international interest for olive oil production for the global food market. Olive and olive oil production in Tunisia are of great socio-economic importance, with more than 70 millions olive trees including a wide range of cultivars and represents the third important leg in fruit production. Tunisia is the 4th largest producer of olive oil in the world and oil exports represent 40% of the overall value of agronomic exports and 5.5 % of aggregate exports, making it the fifth largest source of foreign currency earnings for the country. However, the actual production of olive oil could be increased by the entire contributors in the sector and by the monitoring by government extension services. Almost 2 out of 3 farmers grow olives in the country. The crop is spread over areas from the northern to the southern regions, where a wide range of edaphon-climatic conditions prevail, from lower semi-arid to arid conditions and receiving annually less than 250 mm of rain-fall (IOOC, 2003). So far, most of the production has been done using traditional techniques and under rainfed conditions. This translates into extremely erratic production levels depending on the year. The major challenges for olive production and for Tunisian producers are to improve fruit and oil quality in order to maintain their competitiveness on the international oil market and to meet consumer demands. The major opportunity available to develop Tunisian olive sector is primarily the improvement of yields, the raising of productivity and oil quality and meet the recent boom in demand for olive oil and table olive around the world.

Cell-free fetal RNA has been highlighted as useful tools for the fetal sex determination or other genetic inherent disorder. However, there is no knowledge about the sex determination using cell free fetal RNA in bovine field. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the presence of transcripts of DDX3Y, USP9Y and ZRSR2Y genes in maternal plasma of pregnant cows to determine the sex of the fetus using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay, and verify its accuracy, sensitivity and specificity compared with the molecular testing and the calf sex at birth. Transcripts of USP9Y and DDX3Y genes were expressed in the all plasma of males and females both the control group and the experimental group. However, ZRSR2Y gene was matched up with the molecular testing and the true sex in control group and has an overall accuracy of 82.6%, a sensitivity of 75%, and a specificity of 100% in experimental group. Therefore, these results indicated that real time PCR technique, as a noninvasive and cost-efficient method, is possible to determination fetal sex in the bovine species using circulating cell free RNA in maternal plasma and especially ZRSR2Y gene could be a good candidate for the RNA based sex determination work.

The study was set for one year to measure the effects of concentrate supplementation on reproductive performances and semen quality in indigenous rams. The study was conducted at the Department of Surgery and Obstetrics, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh during the period from May 2011 to April 2012. Forteen ram lambs (4∼5 months) were randomly divided into two equal groups (n=7); supplemented vs control. The animals of control group were maintained on natural grazing. Along with natural grazing the supplemented group was on supplemented feeding. The concentrate supplementation (Wheat bran, Crushed maize, Soy bean meal, Fish meal, DCP powder, Vitamin mineral premix, Salt) was provided @ 300 g/head /day to the supplemented group. Body weight, scrotal circumference, BCS and libido index were measured weekly. Age, body weight and scrotal circumference at puberty were recorded. Semen was collected once in a weak using artificial vagina and chilled at 5℃ for 48h for evaluation. Concentrate supplementation did not influence (p>0.05) body condition score, age, weight, scrotal circumference at puberty and libido index. Final body weight (kg), growth rate (g/d), scrotal circumference (cm) and scrotal growth rate (mm/15d) were significantly (p<0.05) higher in supplemented group of rams compared to control. Volume, concentration, motility and membrane potentiality of spermatozoa were varied significantly (p<0.05) in supplemented and control groups. However, density, mass motility, viability and sperm with normal acrosome, midpiece and tail were not differed insignificantly (p>0.05) in different observation times. It was concluded that concentrate supplementation with free grazing improved weight and scrotal circumference gain and semen production with increased quality in indigenous ram.

A 11-year, 9-month-old female Shih-tzu was referred for evaluation of the body conditions. According to the physical examination and ultrasonography, the left ovarian mass was detected. For the removal of ovarian mass, an ovariohysterectomy was performed. Grossly, the ovarian mass was full of hairmatrix on the cut surface of the mass. Histopathological findings revealed a characteristic of teratoma, such as laminated keratines, hair, sebaceous glands, neuron tissue, differentiated bone and cartilage. The ovarian mass was well-differentiated components of 2 germ layers, and diagnosed as a mature teratoma.

In this study, poly(amic acid) was prepared via a polycondensation reaction of 3,3'-dihydroxybenzidine and pyromellitic dianhydride in an N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone solution; reduced graphene oxide/polybenzoxazole (r-GO/PBO) composite films, which significantly increased the electrical conductivity, were successfully fabricated. GO was prepared from graphite using Brodie's method. The GO was used as nanofillers for the preparation of r-GO/PBO composites through an in situ polymerization. The addition of 50 wt% GO led to a significant increase in the electrical conductivity of the composite films by more than sixteen orders of magnitude compared with that of pure PBO films as a result of the electrical percolation networks in the r-GO during the thermal treatment at various temperatures within the films.

Processed cheese is manufactured by mixing natural cheeses with emulsifying salts and other ingredients and heating under agitation to produce a homogeneous product. Processed cheese, processed cheese food, and processed cheese spread are classified in the US standards for processed cheese. The functional properties of processed cheese, such as firmness and meltability, are regarded as a quality indicator assessing overall cheese quality and consumer preference. Various analytical methods have been developed to determine the functional properties of processed cheese. In this review, the classification and functional properties of processed cheeses are described and analytical tools for evaluating the functional properties of processed cheese are discussed.

Five vapor-grown carbon nanofiber (VGCNF) reinforced vinyl ester (VE) nanocomposite configurations were fabricated, imaged, and mechanically tested in order to obtain information on the influence and the interactions of the role of the microstructure at lower length scales on the observed continuum level properties/response. Three independent variables (the nanofiber weight fraction and two types of nanofiber mixing techniques) were chosen to be varied from low, middle, and high values at equally spaced intervals. Multiple mixing techniques were studied to gain insight into the effect of mixing on the VGCNF dispersion within the VE matrix. The point count method was used for both lower length-scale imaging techniques to provide quantitative approximations of the magnitude and the distribution of such lower length-scale features. Finally, an inverse relationship was shown to exist between the stiffness and strength properties of the resulting nanocomposites under uniaxial quasistatic compression loading.

Chrysanthemum is one of the most popular and economically important ornamental plants due to its huge diversity in growing habits, wide range of colors, and different patterns of flower. In the present study, we conducted the karyotype analysis in four naturally occurring genotypes of Chrysanthemum boreale. Karyotype studies based on the fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using 5S and 45S rDNAs. Four chrysanthemum genoteyps showed an aneuploid chromosome number of 2n=18+2 (111016 and 111021) or a diploid of 2n=18 (121001 and 121002). All the genoteyps had the same karyotype formula of 14 metacentrics and 4 submetacentrics. In 111016, the chromosome length during somatic metaphase ranged from 3.11 ± 0.26 μm (shortest) to 3.94 ± 0.20 μm (longest), with a total length of 32.94 μm. The chromosome length at the mitotic metaphase ranged from 3.11 to 6.46 μm, with a total length of 32.94 μm in 111016 and 51.05, 32.81, and 46.00 μm in 111021, 121001, and 121002, respectively. The 5S rDNA and 45S rDNA signals recorded different in all four wildly grown genotypes of C. boreale. This information can be useful in cultivar improvement, as well as in elucidation of the evolution of the chrysanthemum.

We previously developed a novel attenuated Salmonella Typhimurium (S.Typhimurium) △lon△cpxR vaccine. This study was conducted in order to examine whether this vaccine could effectively protect growing piglets against Salmonella infection. Pregnant sows in group A were primed and boosted with the vaccine, whereas pregnant sows in group B received sterile PBS-sucrose. After farrowing, newborn piglets in groups A and B were challenged with a wild type virulent S. Typhimurium at three weeks of age. During the study, serum IgG titers of piglets in group A were significantly higher than those of piglets in group B (P<0.001). In addition, clinical signs were observed in 5.9% of piglets in group A during the entire experimental period after the challenge, while diarrhea was observed in 81.6% of piglets in group B. These results indicate that vaccination of the pregnant sows resulted in effective protection in piglets against Salmonella infection.