The two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae, is one of the most important pests of crops. However, chemical acaricides are not always effective and their continuous use has resulted in resistance among two-spotted spider mite populations. To reduce or replace use of chemical acaricides, the entomopathogenic fungi having acaricidal activity were investigated. As results, 12 isolates could be selected from 342 isolates of fungi against two-spotted spider mite. To show the multiple roles of entomopathogenic fungi against plant pathogen, the antimicrobial activity of selected 12 isolates were evaluated to plant pathogenic bacterium Ralstonia solanacearum and fungus Botrytis cinerea. Various antimicrobial activities were observed against these plant pathogens. Consequently, these entomopathogenic fungi would be offered an alternative for dual control agents against the two-spotted spider mite and plant diseases.

Honeybees have faced many diseases which treaten bee colony including a serious population decline phenomenon called Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). Nosema ceranae is a pathogen cause nosemosis, which is now wide spread around the world. According to the genome sequencing for N. ceranae, it has been identified that the presence of machinery for RNA silencing. Microsporidia N. ceranae that are obligated intracellular parasites depend on their host for energetic and metabolic needs. Here we selected the several genes from mitosome of N. ceranae to develop RNAi for the control of Nosema. Especially, TOM40, FNR1, FNR2 and Nar1 were chosen. After infection of N. ceranae, the Honeybee were treated with RNAi either by using only one or combining two or more. The infection rate and specific gene silecing in Nosema were analyzed.

The effects of some essential oils and Sopophora extract on Frankliniella occidentalis adults, Myzus persicae adults, Plutella xylostella larvae, and Spodoptera exigua larvae were investigated. Insecticidal and phytotoxicity activities of emulsion in water formulations containing the active essential oils as active ingredients under laboratory and pot conditions were also tested. Based on these results, NRS-13 and NRS-24 formulations were selected to further assess as follows; the GC and GC-MS analysis on the active essential oils, the quantity analysis of the major components contained in the formulations, their insecticidal activities under pot and field conditions, and their oral, dermal, skin and eye irritation, and fish toxicities. Thus, the NRS-13 (BaechooSaferTM) and NRS-24 (JindiOutTM) formulations could be considered as insecticides for pest control.

Cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii Gloever is one of the major pests on a wide range of economically important crops in the world. The sustained use of chemical insecticides to control the aphid has led to the emergence of resistant strains to numerous used insecticides. As an alternative strategy entomopathogenic fungi have been used as part of integrated pest management program to control aphid, especially insecticide-resistance population. In particular, Beauveria bassiana-based commercial bio-insecticide has been used to reduce the pest population under greenhouse conditions in various countries. In this study, we investigated the control efficacy of a prototype of commercial mycopesticide using an B. bassiana (wettable powder) against cotton aphid on potted cucumber plant in greenhouse conditions.

Broccoli, one of Brassica vegetables, has been known to possess various health beneficial activities including anti-inflammation, anti-oxidation and anti-cancer etc. Various metabolites were indicated as active compounds in broccoli. Glucosinolates such as glucoraphanin, glucobrassicin, glucoerucin and isothiocyanates, i.e. sulforaphane, which is produced through the enzymatic action of myrosinase are getting focus as their bioactivities. In this study, we treated broccoli with pulsed electric field (PEF) processing and the metabolite profiles were investigated based on the metabolomics analysis. PEF process was applied to stem and floret of broccolis with three different levels; 500, 1000, 1500 pulses with 2 kV/cm, then metabolites were extracted with 70% methanol. Metabolomic analysis was carried out with mass spectrometry through multivariate statistical analysis based on the OPLS-DA model. Significant changes of metabolite profiles were observed by PEF treatment and specific metabolites were affected as dose dependent manner. Content of major glucosinolates compounds such as glucoerucin, glucoiberin, glucoraphanin, glucobrassicin, 4-hydroxy glucobrassicin, and 4-methoxy glucobrassicin were significantly reduced, while sulforaphane was distinctively increased in PEF treated broccolis. The results implied that myrosinase released from vacuole by PEF processing transformed glucosinolate into isothiocyanate, which would be useful findings for enhancing bioactivity of broccoli by simple PEF treatment.

Arsenic (As) is a toxic element that easily taken up by plants root. Several toxic forms of As disrupt plant metabolism by a series of cellular alterations. In this study, we applied annealing control primer (ACP)-based reverse transcriptase PCR (polymerase chain reaction) technique to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in alfalfa roots in response to As stress. Two-week-old alfalfa seedlings were exposed to As treatment for 6 hours. DEGs were screened from As treated samples using the ACP-based technique. A total of six DEGs including heat shock protein, HSP 23, plastocyanin-like domain protein162, thioredoxin H-type 1 protein, protein MKS1, and NAD(P)H dehydrogenase B2 were identified in alfalfa roots under As stress. These genes have putative functions in abiotic stress homeostasis, antioxidant activity, and plant defense. These identified genes would be useful to increase As tolerance in alfalfa plants.

Copper (Cu) is a necessary microelement for plants. However, high concentrations of Cu are toxic to plants that change the regulation of several stress-induced proteins. In this study, an annealing control primer (ACP) based approach was used to identify differentially expressed Cu-induced genes in alfalfa leaves. Two-week-old alfalfa plants (Medicago sativa L.) were exposed to Cu for 6 h. Total RNAs were isolated from treated and control leaves followed by ACP-based PCR technique. Using GeneFishing ACPs, we obtained several genes those expression levels were induced by Cu. Finally, we identified several genes including UDP-glucuronic acid decarboxylase, transmembrane protein, small heat shock protein, C-type cytochrome biogenesis protein, mitochondrial 2-oxoglutarate, and trans-2,3-enoyl-CoA reductase in alfalfa leaves. These identified genes have putative functions in cellular processes such as cell wall structural rearrangements, transduction, stress tolerance, heme transport, carbon and nitrogen assimilation, and lipid biosynthesis. Response of Cu-induced genes and their identification in alfalfa would be useful for molecular breeding to improve alfalfa with tolerance to heavy metals.

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in men and women who consume a Western diet. We investigated the inhibitory effect of selenium (sodium selenite, Na2SeO3) and selenium nanoparticles (nano-Se) on experimental colon carcinogenesis in ICR mice. After a 1-week acclimation, 6-week-old mice received three intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections (experimental week 0-2) of azoxymethane (AOM, 10 mg/kg body weight, b.w.), followed by 2% dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-containing drinking water for the next 1 week. The three groups (10 mice/group) were orally administered either distilled water (control), selenium (1.7 ppm), or nano-Se (1.7 ppm) daily for 8 weeks. The numbers of aberrant crypt foci (ACF), aberrant crypt (AC), and tumorous lesions were measured in colonic mucosa. Se and nano-Se treatments significantly decreased the number of ACF, AC, and tumorous lesions compared with the control. However, there was no significant difference between the selenium and nano-Se groups. The glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity in the liver and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity in serum, were high in the selenium and nano-Se groups, while thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) level was low in both Se and nano-Se groups when compared with that in the control group. These findings indicate that selenium and nano-Se showed similar protective effects against colon carcinogenesis by inhibiting the development of ACF and tumorous lesions in mice.

Iron-overload can cause harmful effects such as cancer and aging via promoting the production of free radicals. The effect of orally administered nano-Fe overload with ascorbic acid on colon carcinogenesis was investigated in male ICR mice. After a 1-week acclimation, 5-week-old mice received three intraperitoneal injections (experimental week 0-2) of azoxymethane (AOM, 10 mg/kg body weight) weekly, followed by 2% dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) in drinking water for the next 1 week to induce aberrant crypt foci (ACF). Animals were divided into four groups; carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) alone (control), CMC + ascorbic acid (AA), CMC + nano-Fe (NFe), and CMC + NFe + AA groups. Animals were fed an AIN-76A purified rodent diet and daily administrated oral doses of 450 ppm each of nano-Fe and AA combination for 6 weeks. The colonic mucosa was stained with 0.5% methylene blue, and then the ACF and polyps were counted. Lipid peroxidation in the serum and liver was evaluated using the thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) assay. Iron concentration in the liver was measured using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometer (ICP-OES). Iron concentration in the liver of the NFe-overloaded groups was higher than that of the control (p<0.05). AA treatment increased the iron concentration in the liver. The number of ACF was not significantly different among all the groups. The number of polyps in all the NFe-treated groups was slightly higher than that in the control group and AA only-treated group. The serum TBARS was not significantly different among all the groups, but that in the liver was higher in all the NFe-treated groups than it was in the control group (p<0.05). These results indicate that the additional NFe treatment did not affect the experimental colon carcinogenesis in mice regardless of the presence of ascorbic acid.

Microalgae are of significant importance for future biotechnological applications. Many microalgae banks or laboratories attempt to maintain various microalgae for further research purposes. Cryopreservation has been preferred to reduce a labor-intensive and costly routine sub-culturing. Cryopreservation can also diminish the genetic drift risk. However, cryopreservation as a long term storage of microalgae method are still in developing progress because it cannot be generalized for all microalgae. Microalgae types, cryoprotectant agents (CPAs) types, freezing and thawing methods are the most important factors that should be considered for cryopreservation. In this short review the basic principles and the current advanced of microalgae cryopreservation methods are discussed with a suggested starting parameters for microalgae cryopreservation.

A powder injection molding process is developed and optimized for piezoelectric PAN-PZT ceramics. Torque rheometer experiments are conducted to determine the optimal solids loading, and the rheological property of the feedstock is evaluated using a capillary rheometer. Appropriate debinding conditions are chosen using a thermal gravity analyzer, and the debound specimens are sintered using sintering conditions determined in a preliminary investigation. Piezoelectric performance measures, including the piezoelectric charge constant and dielectric constant, are measured to verify the developed process. The average values of the measured piezoelectric charge constant and dielectric constant are 455 pC/N and 1904, respectively. Powder injection molded piezoelectric ceramics produced by the optimized process show adequate piezoelectric performance compared to press-sintered piezoelectric ceramics.

Various insect pests and plant disease can outbreak in a field. For the effective control of pests and plant diseases during crop cultivation, farmers simultaneously or sequentially spray various eco-friendly agricultural materials (EFAM), chemical pesticides and microbial control agents on the same fields. It was reported that many agrochemicals are harmful to entomopathogenic fungi, especially some fungicides with broad spectrum activity that are routinely applied for the control of plant diseases. In addition, some pesticides may antagonize the potential insecticidal activity and efficiency of entomopathogenic fungi. Therefore, sometimes the utilization of fungal entomopathogen in forestry and agricultural production is limited because of the undesirable interference from some fungicides and pesticides. There is little research that examines the compatibility of these EFAMs with entomopathogenic fungi and the influence of EFAMs on the control efficacy of mycopesticides. We conducted a study of influence of pretreated eco-friendly agricultural materials on control efficacy of Isaria javanica isolate against sweet potato whitefly.

As ubiquitous organisms entomopathogenic fungi may natually occur within environment including phylloplanes and soil or deposite and survive for a while after spraying a fungal suspension to control insect pest. The existence of pathogenic fungi is a threat to arthropods foraging for food and oviposition sites. The detection and avoidance of pathogens is important for host survival, longevity and ultimate fitness. Although entomopathogenic fungi are ubiquitous worldwide and act as common natural enemies of many invertebrate species, very few studies have conducted abiut the detection and avoidance of pathogenic fungi by insect pest. We have studied that an insect pest can recognize a high virulence fungi on crop surface, avoid oviposition and don’t enter the field treated their pathogen.

Entomopathogenic fungus is a useful control agent to sucking type insect such as whitefly and aphid. The fungi are influenced by some environmental factors such as relative humidity, temperature and UV and cause slow and fluctuation in pest control efficacy. Especially, UV kills conidia or spores of entomopathogenic fungi and a mycopesticide using fungi has short control period in field. UV intensity changes from season to season. Survival rate of entomopathognic fungi treated may differ from seasons and will show different control efficacy. Therefore, we conducted a study to estimate the persistence of an Isaria javanica isolate, which was already reported as sweet potato whitefly control agent, in potted greenhouse soil planted different crops. The number of survival spore decreased gradually and differ from seasons.

Entomopathogenic fungi are natural enemies of insect pests and contribute to the natural regulation of their host populations. These fungal group are often used as active ingredients for microbial insect pest control. In addition, the potential antimicrobial effect by entomopathogenic fungi including Beauveria bassiana, Lecanicillium spp., and Isaria fumosorosea have recently been reported against fungal plant pathogens. Dual microbial control effects with entomopathogenic fungi against both aphids and cucumber powdery mildew had reported in Canada. In our previous studies we conducted bioassay with entomopathogenic fungi to develop dual microbial control agent which can control both aphid and fungal plant disease. We selected an Beauveria bassiana isolate which has high dual control effects against both cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii and sclerotinia rot, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. In this study, we have tested the dual control efficacy of the B. bassiana isolate against cotton aphid and sclerotinia rot on whole potted cucumber plants. We found that the B. bassiana isolate protected the plant from cotton aphid and sclerotinia rot under laboratory condition.

In the present study, the general characteristics, job stress, working conditions, and aspects of pain of some industrial workers working in Changwon-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, were surveyed. In analyzing the relationship between job stress and the existence of pain, the variables “working speed” and“ opportunities to develop abilities” were shown to have statistically significant relationships with the existence of pain (p≤.05). Regarding the relationship between working conditions and the existence of pain, the variables“ amount of work per hour,“” amount of work per day,“” number of parts handled during work,“” work production per person,” and“ inconvenient postures or motions during work” were shown to have statistically significant relationships with the existence of pain(P≤.05). Regarding aspects of pain“, within 1~3 years” was the most common answer to time of occurrence of symptoms, with a percentage of 27.6%“; appear almost always” was the most common answer to frequency of symptoms, with a percentage of 37.1%;“ slight pain” was the most common answer to degree of pain, with a percentage of 50.5%; and“ moderate” was the most common answer to encumbrance caused by pain to living and work, with a percentage of 41.2%. The aim of the present study was to determine the factors that affect pain due to musculoskeletal diseases in industrial workers and to define the aspects of pain in order to provide basic data for the preparation of measures to prevent musculoskeletal diseases. To control pain due to musculoskeletal diseases, factors that affect pain, as well as the aspects of pain, should be recognized early, and efforts should be made to supplement and improve systems for preventing recurrence.