In recent years, importance of blockchain systems has been grown after success of bitcoin. Distributed consensus algorithm is used to achieve an agreement, which means the same information is recorded in all nodes participating in blockchain network. Various algorithms were suggested to resolve blockchain trilemma, which refers conflict between decentralization, scalability, security. An algorithm based on Byzantine Agreement among Decentralized Agents (BADA) were designed for the same manner, and it used limited committee that enables an efficient consensus among considerable number of nodes. In addition, election of committee based on Proof-of-Nonce guarantees decentralization and security. In spite of such prominence, application of BADA in actual blockchain system requires further researches about performance and essential features affecting on the performance. However, performance assessment committed in real systems takes a long time and costs a great deal of budget. Based on this motivation, we designed and implemented a simulator for measuring performance of BADA. Specifically, we defined a simulation framework including three components named simulator Command Line Interface, transaction generator, BADA nodes. Furthermore, we carried out response surface analysis for revealing latent relationship between performance measure and design parameters. By using obtained response surface models, we could find an optimal configuration of design parameters for achieving a given desirable performance level.

The objectives of this study was to evaluate the degradability and digestibility of crude protein (CP), rumen undegradable protein (RUP), and individual amino acids (AA) on six by-product feedstuffs (BPF) (rice bran, RB; wheat bran, WB; corn gluten feed, CGF; tofu residue, TR; spent mushroom substrate from Pleurotus ostreatus, SMSP; brewers grain, BG) as ruminants feed. Three Hanwoo steers (40 months old, 520 ± 20.20 kg of body weight) fitted with a permanent rumen cannula and T-shaped duodenal cannula were used to examine of the BPF using in situ nylon bag and mobile bag technique. The bran CGF (19.2%) and food-processing residue BG (19.7%) had the highest CP contents than other feeds. The RUP value of bran RB (39.7%) and food-processing residues SMSP (81.1%) were higher than other feeds. The intestinal digestion of CP was higher in bran RB (44.2%) and food-processing residues BG (40.5%) than other feeds. In addition, intestinal digestion of Met was higher in bran RB (55.7%) and food-processing residues BG (44.0%) than other feeds. Overall, these results suggest that RB and BG might be useful as main raw ingredients in feed for ruminants. Our results can be used as baseline data for ruminant ration formulation.

Haemaphysalis longicornis (Hl) as members of the ixodid tick inhabits lots of grass thicket of field and mountain. Ticks are blood-feeding ectoparasites that can mediate a variety of diseases to human and animals, causing Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and human monocytic ehrlichiosis. Particularly, ticks can trigger an inflammatory response representing symptoms about swelling and itching in human. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of H. longicornis extract (HlE) on production of inflammatory cytokines and their mRNA in human monocytic THP-1 cells. In a time- and dose-dependent manner, human monocytic THP-1 cells was treated with HlE. Supernatants were analyzed for the production of cytokines using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). mRNA level in the culture cells was measured by a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). As a result of this study, HlE significantly induced secretion of IL-6, IL-8, and MCP-1 in THP-1 cells. These results suggest that HlE increase the release of proteins and mRNAs level of inflammatory cytokines in THP-1 cells. HlE may play a role in contributing to inflammatory diseases through stimulation of immune cells. Further research of H. longicornis is needed to better understand the elucidation of the pathogenic mechanism.

An experiment was conducted to study effects of abomasal infusions of casein, glucose or starch on milk production and blood metabolites in dairy cows. Four lactating cows (559±41.9kg) fitted with 100 mm ruminal cannulas were used in a 4 × 4 Latin square experiment. The cows were given access ad libitum to grass silage and received 6.2 kg dry matter (DM) of a mixture of rapeseed meal (5.3kg/d DM) and barley grain (0.9kg/d DM) as a basal diet (CON), the basal diet plus intra-abomasal infusions of 270 g sodium caseinate (CAS), 300 g of glucose (GLU) or 243 g of starch (STA) starting at 09:00 h each day. Abomasal infusion of different nutrients did not affect (p>0.05) grass silage intake and rumen fermentation parameters (rumen pH, ammonia N and volatile fatty acids). As unexpected, milk yield and composition data did not differ between CON and the treated groups (p>0.05). Most of plasma amino acids were not significantly (p>0.05) affected by the abomasal infusions of CAS, GLU or STA except for histidine, tryptophan and glycine. Although histidine, known as the first limiting amino acid in dairy cows fed grass silage based diets, was significantly (p=0.003) increased by CAS, we failed to result in a clear increase in milk yield and protein yield. This discrepancy between plasma AA profiles and milk production could be presumably explained by relatively high concentration of total amino acids in the present study (2,039μmol/l).

The two related species in the tribe Archipini, Adoxophyes paraorana and Pandemis heparana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), are insect pests of fruit trees in Korea. We investigated differences in pheromone system and seasonal flight of these two species. GC-MS analyses of pheromone gland extracts revealed that females of both species produce blends of Z11-14:OAc, Z9-14:OAc, and Z11-14:OH in similar ratios. The average ratio of three components in extracts was estimated to be 3:100:0.3 for A. paraorana and 3:100:2 for P. heparana. Field tests showed that Z11-14:OAc and Z9-14:OAc were essential for attraction of A. paraorana males and the presence of Z11-14:OH in primary binary blend did not induce any synergistic or inhibitory effect. For the attraction of P. heparana males, however, all three components, Z11-14:OAc, Z9-14:OAc and Z11-14:OH, were indispensable. These results suggest that male A. paraorana do not discriminate between conspecific females and those of P. heparana in the field. Comparison of the flight phenologies in apple and pear orchards showed that the two species are sympatric and overlap in flight periods. This finding eliminates pheromone specificity and seasonal separation as premating reproductive isolation mechanism between A. paraorana and P. heparana.

한국산 나선선충(Hoplolaimidae)을 조사하던 중 Helicotylenchus cavensessi Sher, 1966, Helicotylenchus paraplatyurus Siddiqi, 1972, Rotylenchus alius Van den Berg, 1986 그리고 Rotylenchus incultus Sher, 1965 등 4종이 우리나라 미기록종으로 확인되어 보고한다.