Biological control has been tried for integrated pest management. It is often comparable, safe, and environment-friendly, making itself an alternative for chemical agents. Filamentous microorganisms, i.e., fungi and streptomystes, produce many kinds of useful metabolites, and some of them have been developed as a biocontrol agent. However, they still have a long way because of the concern of manufacturing cost. Therefore, process development was intensively studied to meet cost-effectiveness. Operating conditions of bioreactor, e.g., agitation and aeration, had an effect on biological and physiological responses such as mycelial morphology, oxygen and nutrient transfer. Understanding relationship between operating parameters and microbial responses in terms of growth, substrate and oxygen consumption, and production yield was critical for process development. This study dedicated to build strategies for mass production of biological control agent using aerobic filamentous microorganisms.

The present in vitro study was conducted to examine the effect of buffer solubility of eight protein feeds (coconut meal, distillers grain, sesame meal, perilla meal, soy source cake, rape seed meal, soybean meal and lupine) on the fermentation characteristics, degradability of dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP), and methane (CH4) production by rumen microbes. Buffer extraction increased pH (P<0.05 ~ p<0.001) of the culture solution but tended to lower ammonia- N concentration for all protein feeds. Total volatile fatty acids(VFAs) and each VFAs concentrations in all incubation was decreased by buffer extraction (P<0.01 ~ P<0.001). Also, molar proportion of acetate in 1h (P<0.001), 3h (P<0.01) and 12h (P<0.05) incubations and molar proportion of propionate in 1h (P<0.001), 3h (P<0.01), 6h (P<0.05) and 12h (P<0.05) were decreased by buffer extraction. But molar proportion of butyrate in 1h (P<0.001), 3h (P<0.01) and 6h (P<0.05) were increased by buffer extraction. The in vitro effective degradability of dry matter (P<0.001) and CP (P<0.001) was decreased by buffer extraction. The methane production (P<0.01~P<0.001) in all incubation was decreased by buffer extraction. The results from in the current study might be useful for diet formulation to improve the feed efficiency of the ruminant animals without massive loss of major nutrients.

농촌사회의 소득수준 및 생활수준 향상과 더불어 농촌 공공공간 및 시설향상에 대한 요구는 지속적으로 제기되어 왔으며 이에따라 정부도 최근 다양한 방식의 농촌개발과 예산지원을 추진해오고 있다. 그러나 이러한 농촌 공공공간 및 시설의 지원 시 시설의 종류 및 입지 선정이 적절하지 않아 시설의 중복투자, 이용부족으로 인한 시설방치 등 다양한 문제점들이 제기되고 있다. 본 연구는 농촌마을에 분포하고 있는 다양한 공공공간 및 시설의 분포를 분석하고 이들에 대한 농촌마을의 유형별 중요도를 이해하는데 그 목적이 있다. 주요 연구방법으로는 100명을 대상으로 한 전문가 설문과 AHP(Analytic Hierarchy Process)를 이용하였으며 이를 통해 세 개의 농촌마을 유형 즉 거점면, 권역, 마을단위의 유형별로 주요 공공시설들간의 상대적 중요도를 분석하였다. 50개 마을을 분석한 결과 농촌마을에서 가장 일반적으로 발견되는 공공시설은 마을회관, 쉼터, 체험센터, 마을진입부, 안내시설로 나타났다. AHP는 세 단계의 비교로 이루어졌는데 첫 번째 마을유형별간의 쌍대비교에서는 거점면, 권역, 마을 순으로 중요도가 나타났다. 농촌 공공공간과 마을유형간의 쌍대비교에서는 모든 마을유형에서 기초생활시설, 문화 복지시설, 농촌관광시설, 소득시설의 순으로 중요도가 나타났다. 마을유형과 공공공간, 공공시설 등 각각의 가중치를 종 합한 중요도에서는 거점면의 경우 공동주차장의 중요성이 가장 높은 것으로 나타났고 다음으로 상수도시설, 공동화장실, 마을회관 순으로 나타났다. 권역에서는 공동주차장의 중요성이 가장 높았으며 다음으로 상수도시설, 체험센터, 마을회관 의 순으로 나타났다. 마을단위에서는 버스정류장이 가장 중요한 시설로 평가되었으며 다음으로 저수지, 하수처리장, 체 험센터의 순으로 나타났다. 본 연구는 비록 마을의 독특한 사회문화적 환경을 고려한 공공시설의 중요도 평가에는 한계를 안고 있으나 농촌마을에서의 공공시설 계획 시 마을유형의 특성을 고려한 시설의 상대적 중요도를 이해하고 이를 바탕으 로 적절한 시설을 선정하는데 도움을 줄 것으로 기대된다

We present a color-magnitude (CM) diagram of M35, an open cluster. A DSLR camera was used for measuring the color index with the RGB channels. It is cost-effective and has relatively easy controls compared to astronomical CCDs for educational environments. The 8-inch refracting telescope was used at the Korea Science Academy of KAIST in Busan. The B-G color index was obtained from observations and the magnitudes from publications in order to draw CM diagram. The linear correlation of B-G to B-V is found. The RGB channel of the DSLR camera can be easily represented on the CM diagram for astronomical education with aid of easy controls.

Benzene was oxidized by binary oxidants composed of nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide at 80℃. The product obtained was analyzed with gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer. Eight high value compounds, 2-nitrophenol, 2-chloro-6-nitrophenol, 4-chloro-2- nitrophenol, 2-chloro-4-nitrophenol, 2,4-dinitrophenol, 4-nitrophenol, 2,6-dinitrophenol and 2-chloro-4,6-dinitro-phenol were found, which they have high contents in the range from 4.28% to 32.52%. These compounds are very widely used in organic synthesis. e.g., synthesizing dye, medicines and chemical reagents, pesticide, explosive, polymer, etc.

Proteinaceous insecticidal proteins, Cry proteins, from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) are insecticidal proteins that are highly active against several species of Lepidoptera. Thus, cry genes encoding these Cry proteins have been widely applied for construction of transgenic crops resistant to pest insects. In this study, through the 3D structure prediction and accompanying mutagenesis study for the Mod-Cry1Ac, 7 and 16 amino acid residues from domain I and II, respectively, responsible for its insecticidal activity against larvae of Spodoptera exigua and Ostrinia furnacalis were identified. We used site-directed mutagenesis to improve the insecticidal activity of Mod-Cry1Ac, resulted 31 mutant cry genes. These mutant cry genes encodes potent insecticidal proteins in the form of crystalline protoxins of 95 kDa. SDS-PAGE analysis of the recombinant polyhedra revealed that expressed Cry proteins was occluded into polyhedra and activated stably to 65 kDa by trypsin. When the insecticidal activities of these mutant Cry proteins against to larvae of P. xylostella, S. exigua and O. furnacalis were assayed, they showed higher or similar insecticidal activity compared to those of Cry1Ac and Cry1C. Especially, Mutant-N16 is considered to have the potential for the efficacious biological insecticide since it showed the highest insecticidal activity.

Crystals of proteinaceous insecticidal proteins, Cry proteins, produced by Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) have been generally used to control insect pests. In this study, through the 3D structure prediction and accompanying mutagenesis study for the Mod-Cry1Ac, 7 and 16 amino acid residues from domain I and II, respectively, responsible for its insecticidal activity against larvae of Spodoptera exigua and Ostrinia furnacalis were identified. To construct novel cry genes with enhanced insecticidal activity, we randomly mutated these 23 amino acid sequences by in vitro muti site-directed mutagenesis, resulting in totally 24 mutant cry genes. For further characterization, these mutant cry genes were expressed as a fusion protein with polyhedrin using baculovirus expression system. SDS-PAGE analysis of the recombinant polyhedra revealed that expressed Cry proteins was occluded into polyhedra and activated stably to 65 kDa by trypsin. When the insecticidal activities of these mutant Cry proteins against to larvae of P. xylostella and S. exigua were assayed, they showed higher or similar insecticidal activity compared to those of Cry1Ac and Cry1C. Especially, among them Mutant-N16 showed the highest insecticidal activity against to both of P. xylostella and S. exigua. Therefore, Mutant-N16 is considered to have the potential for the efficacious biological insecticide.

Artificial insemination (AI) has been performed widely in swine industry using fresh liquid sperm instead of frozen type of sperm. However fresh sperm are not able to preserve more than three days with optimal motility and other sperm parameters for the successful fertilization, since in vitro stored sperm has an oxidative stress that resulted increase of abnormality and acrosome reation. To overcome these major problems, novel preservative formulation is needed to neutralize the oxidative stress and to provide suitable physiological environment for sperm in in vitro. In this study, naturally derived substances such as Poncirus trifoliate (Trifoliate orange), Garcinia mangostana (Mangosteen), pig placenta and testis extracts were tested as sperm preservative agents. Placenta extracts (PE), trifoliate orange extracts (TOE), testes extracts (TE) and mangosteen extracts (ME) were applied to analyze specific parameters for sperm motion characteristics individually and combinatorial. Each individual extract treatment can accelerate the sperm motility but noticeably TOE, TE and ME treatments exhibited the considerable and significant preservation of sperm motility. PE, TE and ME showed a significant (p<0.05) increase in ALH after one week. Further we evaluated the five different combinations of these extracts on sperm motility and its motion characteristics. Surprisingly even after one week ME, TOE and TE combination significantly preserved the sperm motility about 75%. It is noteworthy that unlike individual extract treatment, combination of ME, TOE and TE simultaneously protect the sperm motility and its motion characteristics. Taken together these data conclude that addition of ME, TOE and TE can be effective for preservation of pig sperm.

Inter-granular Bright Points (igBPs) are small-scale objects in the Solar photosphere which can be seen within dark inter-granular lanes. We present a new algorithm to automatically detect and extract igBPs. Laplacian and Morphological Dilation (LMD) technique is employed by the algorithm. It involves three basic processing steps: (1) obtaining candidate "seed" regions by Laplacian; (2) determining the boundary and size of igBPs by morphological dilation; (3) discarding brighter granules by a probability criterion. For validating our algorithm, we used the observed samples of the Dutch Open Telescope (DOT), collected on April 12, 2007. They contain 180 high-resolution images, and each has a 85×68arcsec2 85×68arcsec2 field of view (FOV). Two important results are obtained: first, the identified rate of igBPs reaches 95% and is higher than previous results; second, the diameter distribution is 220±25km 220±25km , which is fully consistent with previously published data. We conclude that the presented algorithm can detect and extract igBPs automatically and effectively.

Varieties of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) crystal proteins, Cry proteins, have so far been found as one of the most successful biological control agents which are safe to natural environments for a long time. Recently, cry genes encoding these Cry proteins have been widely applied for construction of transgenic crops resistant to pest insects. In this study, through the 3D structure prediction and accompanying mutagenesis study for the Mod-Cry1Ac, 7 and 16 amino acid residues from domain I and II, respectively, responsible for its insecticidal activity against larvae of Spodoptera exigua and Ostrinia furnacalis were identified. To construct novel cry genes with improved insecticidal activity, we randomly mutated these 23 amino acid sequences by in vitro muti site-directed mutagenesis, resulting in totally 24 mutant cry genes. For further characterization, these mutant cry genes were expressed as a fusion protein with polyhedrin using baculovirus expression system. SDS-PAGE analysis of the recombinant polyhedra revealed that expressed Cry proteins was occluded into polyhedra and activated stably to 65 kDa by trypsin. In the further study, we plan to investigate their insecticidal activity against Plutella xylostella, S. exigua and O. furnacalis larvae.

Interferon induced transmembrane protein-1 (Ifitm-1) has been reported to have an important role in primordial germ cell formation, and it has expressed in female reproductive organ. In the present study, Ifitm-1 gene expression was identified in testes and all part of epididymis using western immunoblot and immunohistochemistry. Interestingly, Ifitm-1 expression was observed on the head of spermatozoa. To investigate the role of Ifitm-1 gene expression in behavior of spermatozoa after acrosome reaction, fresh sperm was incubated with calcium ionophore to induce acrosome reaction, whereas the expression of Ifitm-1 was not altered after the acrosome reaction. Then to identify the effect of Ifitm-1 in sperm motility and other seminal parameters, different concentration of Ifitm-1 antibody was incubated with spermatozoa, and seminal parameters were assessed using computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA). Interestingly, motility, progressive, and VAP were increased in the sperm with Ifitm-1 antibody treated compared to rabbit serum, however other parameters such as straightness were not changed. In order to identify the functional significance of Ifitm-1 in fertilization, capacitated spermatozoa were pre-incubated with anti- Ifitm-1 antibody and subsequently examined the ability to adhere to mouse oocytes. However, any defection or alteration in sperm-egg fusion was not found, Ifitm-1 antibody treated or non-treated spermatozoa showed a normal penetration. Although the precise role of Ifitm-1 in sperm motility and following fertilization need to be elucidated, this study suggests that the activation of Ifitm-1 on the sperm may enhance the motility of spermatozoa in mice.

SERPINB3 (also known Squamous cell carcinoma antigen 1, SCCA1) is involved in apoptosis, immune response, cell migration and invasiveness of cells. It has been investigated in various types of squamous cell carcinoma. Therefore we investigated the functional role of SERPINB3 gene in human epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) using laying hens, the most relevant animal model. In 136 laying hens, EOC was found in 10 (7.4%). We compared the expression and localization of SERPINB3 using RT-PCR, quantitative RT-PCR, in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry, and SERPINB3 activation was detected in chicken and human ovarian cancer cell lines using immunofluorescence microscopy. Thereafter, we examined the prognostic value of SERPINB3 expression in patients with EOC by multivariate linear logistic regression and Cox’ proportional hazard analyses. In present study, SERPINB3 mRNA was induced in cancerous ovaries (p< 0.01), and it was only expressed in the glandular epithelium(GE) of cancerous ovaries of laying hens. SERPINB3 protein was localized predominantly to the nucleus of glandular epithelium in cancerous ovaries of laying hens, and it was abundant in the nucleus of both chicken and human ovarian cancer cell lines. In 109 human patients with EOC, 15 (13.8%), 66 (60.6%) and 28 (25.7%) of those patients showed weak, moderate and strong expression of SERPINB3 protein, respectively. Strong expression of SERPINB3 protein was a prognostic factor for platinum resistance (adjusted OR, 5.94; 95% Confidence Limits, 1.21-29.15). Therefore SERPINB3 may play an important role in ovarian carcinogenesis and be a novel biomarker for predicting platinum resistance and a poor prognosis for survival in patients with EOC. This research was funded by the World Class University (WCU) program (R31-10056), Basic Science Research Program (2010- 0013078) through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology and by the Next-Generation BioGreen 21 Program (No.PJ008142), Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea.

Serpins are a superfamily of related protease inhibitors with common structural features and inhibitory mechanisms. However, SERPINA 14 in mammals does not have inhibitory activity against most known proteases. Rather, it may have an immunoregulatory role in mammals to prevent rejection of the fetal allograft by inhibiting lymphocyte proliferation and natural killer cell function. In the pig, SERPINA14 is involved in iron transport to the fetus by binding to and stabilizing the iron-binding protein uteroferrin (ACP5). In chickens, these very little known about serpins in chickens. Therefore, we investigated the expression patterns of serpin genes in the oviduct of adult hens and in the oviduct of 37-day-old chicks treated with an estrogen analogue, diethylstilbestrol (DES). Results indicated that SERPINB3 and SERPINB11 genes were highly expressed in oviducts of DES-treated chicks, but not in oviducts of control chicks. Both SERPINB3 and SERPINB11 transcripts were localized specifically to the gland-like areas of oviducts of DES-treated chicks. Immunohistochemical analyses confirmed that SERPINB3 and SERPINB11 proteins were present in the gland-like area and luminal epithelium of the oviducts of DES-treated chicks. Collectively, the results suggest that SERPINB3 and SERPINB11 are expressed in response to estrogens and they have distinct functions related to development and differentiation of the mature oviduct in hens.

S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase-like protein 1 (AHCYL1), also known as IP3 receptor- binding protein released with IP3 (IRBIT), is a member of the AHCY-like protein family. AHCYL1 protein regulates IP3-induced Ca2+ release in the cytoplasm of cells and, therefore, is likely to be an important gene regulating various biological processes in the oviduct of chickens. Inmammals, expression is greatest during activation of dendritic cells which are antigen presenting cells associated with immunoregulatory processes in blood and skin. However, the identification of the AHCYL1 gene in chickens has not been investigated. In the present study, we first used RT-PCR to demonstrate AHCYL1 gene expression in adult chicken organs and oviducts of immature chickens treated with DES (diethylstilbesterol, a synthetic estrogen agonist). The results indicated that AHCYL1 mRNA is expressed in chicken reproductive organs (testis, ovary and oviduct). Inaddition, expression of AHCYL1 mRNA increased in response to DES-treated immature oviducts compared to the non-treated control immature oviducts of chickens. Interestingly, AHCYL1 was abundant in the cytoplasm of luminal and glandular epithelia, but not in other cell-types such as stroma and connective tissues, of the chicken oviduct. These results suggest that AHCYL1 is a novel estrogen-stimulated gene associated with development of the chicken oviduct, as well as functions of oviductal glandular and luminal epithelia that may include activation of resident immune cells, such as dendritic cells.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of alcohol or cigarette smoking on seminal parameters in a large group of mice model. Nine groups (n=20/group) of mice were treated intensive noxious materials that abdominal injection of 21% (v/v) of ethanol, cigarette smoke (10, 20, 30 minutes/day), and combination of ethanol and 30 minutes of smoking. In addition, vitamin C and selenium were also treated to mice exposed to combination of alcohol and smoking to identify the recovering effect. Sperm viability and motility were significantly decreased in either alcohol consumption or smoking exposed group, and combination of both materials have additive detrimental effects on seminal parameters. Mice groups that exposed to alcohol and smoking showed statistically significant decrease in motility and increase of static spermatozoa. Moreover, combination of both treatments showed cumulative effect in increase of static spermatozoa. Treatments of either vitamin C or selenium dramatically recovered detrimental effects of alcohol and smoking on seminal quality, although combination of both antioxidant molecules did not show any additive effect. In conclusion, detrimental effects of alcohol and cigarette consumption on sperm quality and motility were identified in mice model, and these detrimental effects can be compensated to uptake of anti‐oxidant molecules.

Bioaerosols become a more noticed and important problem in indoor air quality (IAQ) control. In this study, we investigated antibacterial effects of silver nano-particles on Escherichia coli, the common Gram negative bacteria and Staphylococcus aureus, the well-mown Gram positive bacteria under aerosol conditions. The bioaerosols containing each bacterial culture were contacted with silver nano-particles sprayed in a closed chamber. Experimental results showed that the silver nano-particles had strong antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. aureus, respectively. As anticipated, high antibacterial activity was found at a high silver concentration and a long the contact time. It was also found that the bactericidal rate decreased with time due to the aggregation of silver nano-particles. Overall, the experimental finding suggested that silver nano-particles could be successfully applied to improve indoor air quality.

Thrombospondins (TSP-1, TSP-2) are secretory extracellular glycoproteins that are involved in a variety of physiological processes such as tumor cell adhesion, invasion, and metastasis. The present study was undertaken to elucidate the involvement of thrombospondins in the adhesion of osteoblast-like cells using the TSP-1 or TSP-2 antisense MG63 and MC3T3-E1 cell lines. For downregulation of TSPs expression, we prepared antisense constructs for TSP-1 and TSP-2 using the pREP4 an episomal mammalian expression vector, which be able to produce the specific antisense oligonucleotides around chromosome. MG63 and MC3T3-E1 osteoblast-like cells were transfected with the antisense constructs and nonliposomal Fugene 6, and then selected under hygromycin B (50 μM/mℓ) treatment for 2 weeks. Western blot analysis revealed that expression of the TSP proteins was downregulated in the antisense cell lines. The cell adhesion assay showed that adhesive properties of TSP-1 and TSP-2 antisense MG63 cells on the polystyrene culture plate were reduced to 17% and 21% of the control cells, respectively, and those of the TSP-1 and TSP-2 antisense MC3T3-E1 cells also decreased to 19% and 27% of control, respectively. Adhesion of TSP-1 and TSP-2 antisense MC3T3-E1 cells on Type I collagen-coated culture plate decreased to 27% and 76%, respectively. These results indicate that TSP-1 and TSP-2 proteins may have an important role in adhesion of osteoblast-like cells to extracellular matrix.