Brucellosis is an important and re-emerging zoonotic disease worldwide. The prevention of human infection is achieved predominantly through the control of brucellosis in agricultural animals, which in turn depends on accurate diagnosis and vaccination. However, conventional serological diagnosis of brucellosis has several limitations, and currently available vaccines for animals have several drawbacks, including the ability to cause infection in humans. Phosphoglycerate kinase (Pgk) is one of the specific proteins reactive with mouse sera in the early stage of Brucella infection, and deletion of the pgk gene in B. abortus strain 2308 resulted in extreme attenuation of this strain in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, the B. abortus pgk mutant has been used as a live vaccine, and in challenge experiments, it induced protection that was superior to that conferred by commercial strains. In this study, the pgk gene from Brucella abortus 544 was successfully amplified and cloned into a maltose binding protein fusion protein expression vector (pMAL). The recombinant protein was expressed in Escherichia coli DH5α and purified. The immunogenicity of purified recombinant B. abortus 544 Pgk (rPgk) was evaluated by western blot analysis using Brucella-positive mouse sera. rPgk could be used as an antigenic component for future serological tests and potential vaccine development.

Brucellosis is a notorious zoonotic disease with global implications. Efforts to control the spread of the disease have been restricted to the agricultural livestock. Increasing incidences of accidental human infection have motivated researches to start working on alternative vaccines. At present, live attenuated vaccines are the only accepted type of vaccines used in developed countries for the prevention of brucellosis. Although serodiagnosis is occasionally unreliable, some countries have already claimed to have eradicated the disease, based on this testing. Live attenuated vaccines are not suitable for use in pregnant and immune-depressed animals. Moreover, these vaccines are not tolerated in humans. Therefore, many researches have been striving to discover alternative methods of vaccination. Most research has focused on the generation of subcellular, subunit, and DNA vaccines that are as efficient as the live attenuated vaccines. At present, none of the available vaccines has been able to replace the live attenuated vaccines. Therefore, additional research is necessary in order to discover a new brucellosis vaccine that is suitable for human use.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the use of an immunochromatographic test (ICT) strip using recombinant MPB70 (rMPB70) protein as a complementary tool for the diagnosis of naturally occurring tuberculosis in cattle. The study was performed on 249 cattle from populations known to be free from Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis) and 119 cattle with M. bovis infection, confirmed postmortem. Compared to reference standards (culture isolation and/or visible lesion), the sensitivity of ICT was 94.12% (95% CI: 89.89∼98.35%) while the specificity was 96.80% (95% CI; 94.62∼96.82%). The findings indicate that the ICT strip is efficient for diagnosing bovine tuberculosis in cattle from Korea.

Experts of medicine, philosophy and psychology found that human somatotypes were related to personality or physical characteristics and classified somatotypes into various forms. This study explored the changes and types of somatotyping methods from Before Christ to present day and identified the status of studies of somatotypes in the area of physical therapy. This study covered the methods applied in various majors with a focus on those provided in books and papers of Heath BH. and Carter JEL. Based on the results, there are officially twelve assessment methods. Currently, the method of Heath & Carter is most widely applied. Somatotypes are studied in many areas. It is actively explored in the area of pain physical therapy, thermotherapy and integumentary physical therapy. Also, the soft tissue physical therapy area seeks interdisciplinary studies. This study found that there were various assessment methods in diverse areas. It is likely that continuous studies will develop new assessment methods. It is hoped that in the area of physical therapy, somatotypes shall be applied more amply.

When two raters assign discrepant ratings in writing assessments, a method of resolving the differences should be applied to improve the accuracy of scores reported to examinees (operational scores). The present study, in an attempt to locate the most effective resolution method for the current context where not only experienced but also novice raters participate in assessment, examined tertium quid method as compared to averaged original scores of experienced and novice raters. The results of paired t-tests and interrater reliability estimates for seven pairs of raters showed that the ratings of experienced and novice raters were significantly different from each other. To investigate the accuracy of averaged and tertium quid scores, Pearson correlation was conducted by correlating the two resolved scores with criterion score (standard for decision making). Tertium quid scores correlated much higher with the criterion than the averaged scores across seven sets of scores for all six categories (Content, Organization, Style and Quality of Expression, Language Use, Mechanics, and Fluency), thereby providing a positive evidence for tertium quid method as score resolution. The study suggests for future research that it is not sufficient enough to test the efficacy of resolution methods without considering sources of rater variability.

This study examines the effects of lightemitting diode (LED) light and temperature on lettuce growth. For plant growth, we used an LED bar composed of red, white and blue LEDs (4:1:2). Six types of cultivation equipment were used to measure the temperature. To compare their effects, the heights of the lettuces and the water temperatures were measured. The results demonstrated that the lettuce growth was optimal at 25ºC.

Previous studies indicated that Matsumuraeses phaseoli and M. falcana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) are separate species since a few differences were observed in genitalia morphology and female sex pheromone composition. A clear difference was detected in the DNA sequences of cytochrome oxidase I of the two species separately collected in different plants and regions. A hybridization test also showed that a post-zygotic reproductive isolation occurred between the species. In field monitoring, however, both species have been caught simultaneously and together in the separate sex pheromone traps installed for the two species around neighboring soybean and red bean fields. Molecular marker-assisted identification with several adults sampled from the trapped insects showed that only ca. 40% of M. phaseoli adults identified as the species by genitalia morphology was the M. phaseoli, while ca. 97% of M. falcana adults identified as the species was the M. falcana. The result indicated that the observation of genitalia did not make a decisive criterion for classification of the insects. Conclusively, it suggested that the sex pheromones of the two species should be studied more precisely although there is a possibility that the two species are hybridized in fields as in laboratory, and speciation is under process.

Using thirty-one essential oils with different manufactured T-tube olfactometers, attraction and repellent efficacy were proved against ggot-mae-mi, Lycorma delicatula. Among tested essential oils, spearmint was selected to have attraction efficacy (94.1%; P<0.001). Spearmint was also showed attraction efficacy in 10 and 2.5 ul, but did not showed in 1 ul. GC analyzed chemical constituents of spearmint were tested with different concentations (10, 5, 2.5, 1 ul). Carvone were showed activity in 10 and 5 ul, but limonene did not showed the activity. When mixing two compounds were showed activity in 10, 5, 2.5 ul as 78.8, 73.5, and 69.7%, respectively. Lavender was selected to have repellent efficacy (86.7%; P<0.001). Lavender was also showed repellency in 10 and 2.5 ul, but did not showed in 1ul. GC analyzed chemical constituents of lavender were tested with different concentrations, results have the activity linalool and terpinen-4-ol in 10 and 5 ul, but linalyl acetate and caryophyllene oxide did not have the activity. Spearmint and lavender showing attraction and repellency, respectively, were keep in lure during 24 hr for penetration with different concentration(30, 20, 10 ul), and attached to the center of Fly catcher, fly sticky trap. The trap was set in the field that founded frequently the L. delicatula. The number of L. delicatula caught in the traps were counted after 5, 10, and 15 days. In attraction efficacy of 20 ul concentration wㄷre high attracted the insect(P<0.001). 30 ul concentration were also have the high attraction (P<0.01). We are now tested the control efficacy in grapevine orchard using these materials.

This study was performed to compare the host preference, survivorship and feeding behavior using EPG against ggot-mae-mi, Lycorma delicatula against seven plants such as Ailanthus altissima, Vitis vinifera, Malus pumila, Pyrus calleryana, Hibiscus syriacus, and Pinus densiflora. In host preference. L. delicatula was most preferred the Ailanthus altissima, Vitis vinifera and was not preferred the other plants. Survival rate of 3rd Nymph was recorded from Ailanthus altissima, Vitis vinifera as 15.0, and 15.4 days, respectively, it showed longest period. However, Malus pumila, Pyrus calleryana, Hibiscus syriacus, were survived within 6 days and Pinus densiflora was within 5 days. Moreover, L. delicatula was survived within 2 days to the three kinds of fruits. Ecdysis rate from 3rd to 4th nymph also high from Ailanthus altissima, Vitis vinifera as 63.3, 63.0 % and the order was followed as Malus pumila(17.7%) > Pyrus calleryana(9.3%) > Hibiscus syriacus(7.8%) > Pinus densiflora(5.9%). Especially, ecdysis rate was recorded 0% to the three kinds of fruits. Feeding behavior was analyzed using EPG and compared the differences their waveform from seven kinds of plants and three kinds of fruits. Non-probing time was short in host plants, reversely, Phloem-feeding time was recorded longer in Ailanthus altissima, Vitis vinifera as 45.7 and 13.7 min, respectively. And other plants and fruits were not showed feeding behavior.

A novel beetle antimicrobial protein from stimulated Copris tripartitus and the corresponding gene were isolated in parallel through differential display-PCR and expression in Escherichia coli. To find cDNA clones responsible for bacteria resistance, the suppression subtractive hybridization and GeneFishing differentially expressed genes system were employed in the dung beetle, Copris tripartitus immunized with lipopolysaccaride. One cDNA clone from eight subtracted clones was selected through dot blot analysis and confirmed by northern blot analysis. The 516-bp, selected cDNA clone was determined by 5' and 3'rapid amplication of cDNA ends and cloned into the GST fusion expression vector pGEX-4T-1 for expression of the protein. The expressed protein was predicted 14.7 kDa and inhibited the growth of gram-negative bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. These results implied that the expressed protein is related to immune defense mechanism against microorganism.

To find some antibacterial peptides responsible for bacterial resistance, we performed differential hybridization with total cDNA probes which synthesized from normal and immunized larvae. Thirteen individual cDNA transcripts were expressed differentially in a total 1,862 random cDNA clones. One of upregulated genes is a novel member of the insect defensin-like peptide(Coprisin), a family of antibacterial peptide. Northern blot analysis showed that Coprisin was up-regulated at 4h and reached the highest point level at 16h after injection of E.coli. The deduced amino acid sequence of Coprisin was composed of 80 amino acids with predicted molecular weight of 8.6 kDa and PI of 8.72. Comparison of the deduced amino acid mature portion of Coprisin with defensin-like peptide of other insect indicated that it has 79.1% and 67.4% identity with Anomala cuprea and Allomyrina dichotoma, respectively. To find antibacterial active region of Coprisin, we synthesized four peptides corresponding to amino acid residues 1V-43N-NH2(CopN1), 5-16(CopN2), 19-30(CopN3) and 31-43(CopN4) of coprisin having amidated amino acid residues at their Cterminal. A 12-mer amidated at its C-terminus, ACALHCIALRKK-NH2 (Ala19-Lys30-NH2) was synthesized based on the deduced amino acid sequence, assumed to be an active site sequence. This peptides showed antibacterial activity against E.coli, Staphylococcus aureus, MRSA, Psedomonas syringae, and Pectobacterium carotovorium. Modified 9-mer peptide, LRCIALRKK-NH2, showed strong antibacterial activity than mellitin peptide used as a positive control against gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. This peptide showed no haemolytic activity and quite stable at 100℃ for several hours of incubation and in a wide pH range(pH2-12). Therefore, this peptide may be a good candidate for the development of new drug with potent antibacterial activity without cytotoxicity.