The composite photocatalysts of a Fe-modified carbon nanotube (CNT)-TiO2 were synthesized by a two-step sol-gel method at high temperature. Its chemical composition and surface properties were investigated by BET surface area, scanning electron microscope (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy. The results showed that the BET surface area was improved by modification of Fe, which was related to the adsorption capacity for each composite. Interesting thin layer aggregates of nanosized TiO2 were observed from TEM images, probably stabilized by the presence of CNT, and the surface and structural characterization of the samples was carried out. The XRD results showed that the Fe/CNT-TiO2 composites contained a mix of anatase and rutile forms of TiO2 particles when the precursor is TiOSO4·xH2O (TOS). An excellent photocatalytic activity of Fe/CNT-TiO2 was obtained for the degradation of methylene blue (MB) under visible light irradiation. It was considered that Fe cation could be doped into the matrix of TiO2, which could hinder the recombination rate of the excited electrons/holes. The photocatalytic activity of the composites was also found to depend on the presence of CNT. The synergistic effects among the Fe, CNT and TiO2 components were responsible for improving the visible light photocatalytic activity.

Custom is a source of Islamic law in general and Siyar (Islamic international law) in particular. Islamic jurists have set out the elements and conditions of customs for general jurisprudential purpose. However, no one has, to the authors’knowledge, formulated them from Siyar perspective. This paper is an attempt to fill this gap by tracing two important elements of an international custom, namely frequent and dominant general practice of States, and acceptance of that practice as law. These two will constitute a valid custom provided they fulfill certain conditions, most importantly that the custom must not conflict with Shari’ah or the spirit of Shari’ ah.

Time series exhibiting linear and periodic trends is analyzed Detailed method of extracting nested periods and resulting periodic components, finding the best fit ARMA model for non-linear and non-periodic component, and setting up control boundary are presented. The concept of time scale is introduced to better understand periodic dynamic.

The porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) has three major structural proteins which designated as GP4, GP5, and M. They have been considered very important to arouse the humoral and cellular immune responses against PRRSV infection and proposed to be the excellent candidate proteins in the design of PRRS bioengineering vaccine. However, the PRRSV structural proteins are produced in low levels in the infected cells because it forms insoluble protein and possesses several transmembrane regions. To overcome this problem, we fused the GP4, GP5, and M with SUMO (Small ubiquitin-related modifier), and expressed the fused gene in Bm5 cells and silkworm larvae. Expression of the proteins were analyzed by 12% SDS-PAGE and western blotting using 6xHis tag and porcine anti-PRRSV antibodies. In results, SUMO fused proteins were expressed at a high level in Bm5 cells. The levels of protein using the silkworm larvae is higher than that using Bm5 cells. The fused protein was purified by Ni-NTA affinity chromatography. This study demonstrated that SUMO, when fused with PRRSV structural proteins, was able to promote its soluble expression. This may be a better method to produce PRRSV structural proteins for vaccine development.

Bacillus thuringiensis (B. t.) strains are important microorganism because they produced a large amount of δ-endotoxin protein per bacterial cell and their toxins are highly toxic to Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, and Diptera depending on B. t. To date, more than a hundred Cry proteins have been identified and classified into 195 holotypes, based on the amino acid sequence identity. The Cry proteins or cry genes from the Korean native B. t. isolates in this study were not identified yet. The electrospray ionization of quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (ESI Q-TOF MS) was used to get the internal amino acid sequences of the endotoxin-spore culture mixtures of B. t. isolates, for which polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques were unable to detect the cognate genes. Most of Cry proteins seperated, excized, and extracted from the one dimensional - polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (1D-PAGE), instead of 2D-PAGE, were matched with protein databases using MS-MASCOT search program. The internal amino acid sequences which were submitted to protein BLAST (basic local alignment search tool) had partially homology with the Cry protein databases. Hence, present data strongly suggest that the de novo amino acid sequencing and ESI Q-TOF/MS analysis along with MASCOT search could be used as a simple and rapid method for detection of novel Cry toxins from B. t. isolates and identification of B. t. isolates.

Peptidoglycan recognition proteins (PGRPs) are pattern recognition molecules of the innate immune system that recognize peptidoglycan, a unique cell wall component of bacteria. Here we cloned and characterized PGRP-S from the bumblebee Bombus ignitus (BiPGRP-S). The BiPGRP-S gene consists of four exons encoding 194 amino acid residues. Comparative analysis indicates that the predicted amino acid sequence of BiPGRP-S shares high identity with enzymatically active PGRP-S proteins and contains the amino acids required for amidase activity. BiPGRP-S in B. ignitus worker bees is constitutively expressed in boththe fat body and epidermis, and it is secreted into the hemolymph. Quantitative real-time PCR assays revealed that in both the fat body and epidermis, the BiPGRP-S gene is highly induced by an injection of Bacillus thuringiensis. In addition, recombinant BiPGRP-S expressed as a 19-kDa protein in baculovirus-infected insect cells can bind to B. megaterium and B. thuringiensis but not to Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli or Beauveria bassiana. Consistent with these data, BiPGRP-S shows antibacterial activity against B. megaterium and B. thuringiensis. These results indicate that BiPGRP-S is an inducible protein that may be involved in the immune response against bacterial infection of the genus Bacillus as an amidase-type PGRP-S.

Bee venom contains a variety of peptides and enzymes, including serine proteases. Here we describe the molecular cloning and characterization of a serine protease (Bt-VSP) isolated from the venom of the bumblebee Bombus terrestris. The Bt-VSP gene consists of six exons encoding a 358-amino acid protein. The form of Bt-VSP detected in bee venom was the 34-kDa mature protein, which is created by cleavage of the catalytic domain of Bt-proVSP between Arg111 and Val112. Bt-VSP activates prothrombin and directly degrades fibrinogen into fibrin degradation products, defining roles for Bt-VSP as a prothrombin activator, a thrombin-like protease, and a plasmin-like protease. The finding that Bt-VSP acts as a fibrin(ogen)olytic enzyme is similar to a previous finding that Bi-VSP, a venom serine protease of B. ignitus, exhibits fibrin(ogen)olytic activity. We also compared major venom components in honeybee and bumblebee, and found that bumblebee venom contains a larger amount of serine protease. Furthermore, unlike bumblebee venom, which exhibits fibrin(ogen)olytic activity owing to the presence of a serine protease, it is likely that honeybee venom lacks fibrin(ogen)olytic activity.

On the development and reproduction of four major agricultural insect pests including B. tabaci, M. persicae, P. xylostella and T. urticae, electron-beam was irradiated with different doses of 30, 50, 70, and 100 Gy. The effect of electron beam was investigated with respect to the longevity, egg hatching, emergence, and fecundity. Eggs hatching of B. tabaci, P. xylostella and T. urticae were more inhibited as increased irradiation doses. Especially B. tabaci and T. urticae eggs were perfectly inhibited to hatch at a dose of 100 Gy. However, these pests showed no lethal effect on the nymph/larva, pupa, and adult stages. When irradiated on the eggs of B. tabaci, P. xylostella and T. urticae, the emergence was inhibited from nymphs/larvae to adults. Individually, B. tabaci emerged adult did not lay eggs at a dose of 70 Gy. Besides, fecundity of P. xylostella emerged adult decreased at a dose of 100 Gy. On the contrary, irradiation did not affect the longevity of P. xylostella adult. When irradiated on B. tabaci, P. xylostella, Myzus persicae and T. urticae nymphs/larvae, emergence was inhibited at doses of 70 and 100 Gy, and decreased the fecundity and inhibited the hatching of laid eggs. However, the longevity of adults did not affect

This study was performed to investigate attraction effect of six plant essential oils and to confirm their electrophysiological response against Lycorma delicatula. Among the tested oils, spearmint oil (94.1%) significantly attracted L. delicatula at a dose of 1.25㎕/cm2 by using an olfactometer. In dose response to spearmint oil, a dose of 2.5㎕/cm2 was very effective. GC-MS analysis revealed that the active components responsible for the effective attraction effect of spearmint oil were carvone (70.6%) and limonene (54.8%). Of the two active components, carvone was more significant than limonene with reference to attraction activity against L. delicatula. Analysis by GC-EAD showed, major components of spearmint oil that elicited response in L. delicatula antennae, indicating the potential role of the essential oil as attractant that determine the choice of the attraction material. In the field test, spearmint oil exhibited attraction effect up to 5 days. This effect was different in accordance with test places and treatment dose.

To control pest of Brassicaceae leafy vegetable(leaf broccoli, Red Mustard Leaf, Tatsoi) which grows at vinyl house in IKSAN, Jeollabuk-do, the non-treatment was set as negative control, and treatment was divided into Parasitic natural treatment group and general treatment group. And incidence density of pest was surveyed and control effect was analyzed. As a result, in case of spring plants, the leaf damage ratio was decreased by 31% in Leaf broccoli, 30% in Red mustard leaf and 27% in Tatsoi compared to untreatment. In case of autumn plants, it was decreased by 32%, 41% and 17% respectively. The key pests were Plutella xylostella, Pieris rapae, Myus persicae Sulzer, Thrips palmi and Striped cabbage flea-beetle. Compared with the untreatment, the incidence density of each was significantly controlled. Other pests include Spodoptera exigua, Macdunnoughia purissima, Macdunnoughia purissima which showed high incidental density sometimes. In case of spring plants, the number by treatment was increased by 117% in Leaf broccoli, 85% in Red mustard leaf and 1,000% in Tatsoi. In autumn plants, it was increased by 132%, 257% and 1,077% respectively. The used Parasitic natural and eco-friendly materials were Cotesia glomerata, lacewing, ladyburg, Orius laevigatus, Encarsia formosa, Entomopathogenic nematode, Chungjigi and Togkaki. During early development of each pest, the Parasitic naturals were grazed 2~3 times at the interval of 7~10days. During the peak time, eco-friendly materials were sprayed 1~2 times. Based on this, comprehensive management model was drafted by period for each Brassicaceae vegetables pest.