Dermanyssus gallinae is parasitic to chicken, and they cause many damages such as disturbing sleep reducing for body weight and egg production by blood-sucking. To develop acaricide against D. gallinae, The acaricidal activity of 40 species plant extract were examined. Cnidium officinale extracted by Me-OH showed 82.0% acaricidal activity after treated 48 hrs at 4,000 ppm. The hexane fraction showed 92.4% mortality against D. gallinae at 48 hrs at 2,000 ppm. Purification of the biologically active constituents from the hexane extraction with acaricidal activity was done using silica gel open column chromatography and HPLC. H1122 fraction gave 80.9% mortality to D. gallinae at 400 ppm after treated 48 hrs. H1122 fraction was analyzed by GC-MS and NMR.

Anthricin (Deoxypodophyllotoxin), a naturally occurring flavolignan, has well known anti-cancer properties in several cancer cells, such as prostate cancer, cervical carcinoma and pancreatic cancer. However, the effects of Anthricin are currently unknown in oral cancer. We examined the anticancer effect and mechanism of action of Anthricin in human FaDu hypopharyngeal squamous carcinoma cells. Our data showed that Anthricin inhibits cell viability in a dose- and time-dependent manner (IC50 50 nM) in the MTT assay and Live & Dead assay. In addition, Anthricin treated FaDu cells showed marked apoptosis by DAPI stain and FACS. Furthermore, Anthricin activates anti-apoptotic factors such as caspase-3, -9 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), suggesting that caspase-mediated pathways are involved in Anthricin- induced apoptosis. Anthricin treatment also leads to accumulation of the pro-apoptotic factor Bax, followed by inhibition of cell growth. Taken together, these results indicate that Anthricn-induced cell death of human FaDu hypopharyngeal squamous carcinoma cells is mediated by mitochondrial-dependent apoptotic pathway. In summary, our findings provide a framework for further exploration on Anthricin as a novel chemotherapeutic drug for human oral cancer.

최근 이온 교환 고분자 전해질 막을 활용한 고효율 에너지 전환 및 저장 장치에 대한 연구가 활발히 이루어지고 있다. 고분자 전해질 연료전지, 레독스 흐름전지 및 역전기투석 등 다양한 에너지 시스템에서 에너지 효율 향상을 위해 이온 교환 전해질 막의 양/음이온의 선택적 수송 거동이 중요시되고 있다. 본 총설은 각각의 고효율 전해질 전지 시스템에 따라 요 구되는 다양한 이온 교환막의 선택적 양/음이온 투과 거동의 한계점을 고찰하고, 한계를 극복하기 위한 다양한 구조의 고분 자 이온 교환 복합막의 장점 및 단점을 정리하였다. 고분자 가교법 및 다공성 지지체 복합막 이외에 다양한 구조의 신규다공 성 무기 나노입자를 유-무기 이온교환 복합막에 도입하는 시도가 이루어지고 있는 동시에, 이온 선택도 향상을 위한 다양한 형태의 표면 개질 방법이 개발되고 있으며, 이를 통해 이온 교환 복합막의 선택적 양/음이온 거동의 한계를 극복하는 전략을 제시하고 있다.

This paper presents a landscape planning proposal based on rural ecotourism at the giant miscanthus Field in Iksan Jeollabuk-do. The recently developed giant miscanthus (“Goedae Uksae 1”) is a promising bio-energy crop, and several plantation fields will be constructed nationally. Since the site is 184ha and located near the Geumgang river, its ecological and landscape potential is very high. The utilization of the site’s tourism resources is focused in the four directions of giant miscanthus landscaping, regional resource networking, ecotourism, and bio-energy planning. The main concept of the planning is “Living Landscape and Breathing Cultures,” and the site is divided into the six spaces of plantation field, riverside, Yongan eco-park, energy avenue, bio-energy center, and special-landscaping area through the river bank. The main facilities of these spaces comprise a reed maze, an observatory, boardwalks, energy campgrounds, and landscape lighting. Special and eye-catching landscapes with the themes of giant miscanthus, harmony, opening, closing, and sequence were adopted and suggested at the major points of the site. To produce various open, closed, and winding landscapes, eye-view focused planting patterns of centralizing, scattering, and mixing of various similar species were adopted to stimulate curiosity and draw attention.

The bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) mainly contributes to the structural integrity, survival and protection barrier against harsh environments. Therefore, the early stages in LPS or lipid A biosynthesis are attractive targets in the identification and development of inhibitors which would be effective against infections caused by Gram-negative bacteria. The bacterial outer membrane proteins (OMPs) meanwhile function as maintenance for structure, adhesion to other cells and substances, as well as development of resistance to antimicrobials. The LPS and LPS-related molecules, and OMPs are important immunogenic components of several important pathogens including Brucella, which have been extensively used in immunological studies and in the diagnosis of diseases. Here we review the importance, structure, functions and immunogenic aspects of LPS and OMPs particularly of Brucella which can be targeted for the prevention and diagnosis of brucellosis.

To date, most serodiagnostic methods for brucellosis screening are based on antibodies against lipopolysaccharides of Brucella spp. However, this approach has the drawback of yielding false-positive results due to cross-reactivity with lipopolysaccharides of other related pathogens, especially Yersinia enterocolitica O:9. In this study, Brucella abortus AspC was cloned and expressed by PCR amplification into a pCold TF expression system to obtain recombinant AspC (rAspC). The immunogenicity of rAspC was confirmed by western blotting of Brucella-positive bovine serum. rAspC-based ELISA was performed to determine whether rAspC could be used in the serodiagnosis of bovine brucellosis. rAspC reacted strongly with anti-Brucella antibodies in positive sera in the tube agglutination test (TAT), but did not show strong reaction with most negative samples. In particular, the average OD492 value at the highest TAT titer showed a 1.4-fold increase with respect to the cutoff value. The accuracy, specificity, and sensitivity of rAspC were 71.88%, 78.33%, and 68%, respectively. These findings suggest that rAspC might be valuable for the serological diagnosis of bovine brucellosis.

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.

Salsola komarovi Iljin is a halophyte and herbaceous annual native to the sand dunes and beaches of Japan, northern China, Sakhalin, and Korea. The plants have been known as an ecologically important species for enhancing formation of sand dunes in Korea. The purpose of this study was to examine the anti-gastric ulcer effect of Salsola komarovi Iljin halophyte in an HCl-ethanol-induced gastritis model. SD rats (7-weeks-old) were divided into normal (I, n=10), control (II, 60% HCl-ethanol + water, n=10), 60% HCl-ethanol + Ranitidine 300 mg/kg (III, n=10), 60% HCl-ethanol + Salicornia herbacea L. 500 mg/kg (IV, n=10), 60% HCl-ethanol + 50% alcohol extract of Salsola komarovi Iljin 500 mg/kg (V, n=10), and 60% HCl-ethanol + water extract of Salsola komarovi Iljin 500 mg/kg (VI, n=10) groups. Salsola komarovi Iljin significantly suppressed gastric lesions and ulcers in the 60% HCl-ethanol-induced gastric model. Especially, 500 mg/kg of 50% alcohol extract of Salsola komarovi Iljin showed significant inhibitory effects against gastritis. Especially, 50% alcohol extract of Salsola komarovi Iljin 500 mg/kg showed a significantly inhibitory effect, which was more potent than that of 300 mg/kg of Ranitidine. In histopathological analysis of the animal model, Salsola komarovi Iljin attenuated gastric ulcer formation. Our results suggest that Salsola komarovi Iljin has inhibitory effects against gastritis and gastric ulcers and could be developed as a new anti-gastric ulcer agent.

In the present study, lichen(Parmelia sp.) extract showed insecticidal activity against Aedes albopictus, and the effect of growth inhibiting activity was investigated. Acetone and methanol extracts of the lichen against larvae of Aedes albopictus were showed high insecticidal activities in low lethal concentration. 50% lethal concentration of the acetone extractof the lichen is 0.13% and the 50% lethal concentration of methanol extract of lichen is 0.15% respectively. This experiment that used acetone and methanol extracts of the lichen were observed for 24, 48 and 72 hours. As a result, the higher concentration and the longer exposure time is increased mortality against Aedes albopictus. Pupation time took more time as the higher concentration of acetone extract of lichen. Consequently, the lichen extract is effect in inhibiting the growth of Aedes albopictus larvae. In this experiment indicates that lichen extract has activity against Aedes albopictus and is available as the natural insecticide.

The spotted-wing drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae), was originally observed in a few Asian countries, but is now found even in North America and Europe. Genetic information on geographic variation and relationship may broaden our understanding of origin and migration. As a first step, in this study, a portion of mitochondrial COI gene was sequenced to understand genetic relationship and diversity in Korea. Sequencing of 104 individuals provided 57 haplotypes, with the maximum sequence divergence of 1.5%, suggesting high haplotype diversity and moderate sequence divergence. Comparison to GenBankregistered D. suzukii haplotypes (possibly from Spain, Portugal, USA) has shown 100% sequence identity to most of the haplotypes found in this study, but two USA sequences were found to be independent haplotypes, with the sequence divergence ranging from 0.5% ~ 1.4% from our samples in the 553-bp comparison. Phylogenetically, no separable group was found, but, population genetically, the only Chinese population, Sandong, was significantly differentiated (p < 0.05) from all Korean populations, without sharing any haplotype. Among 28 pairwise comparisons of Korean populations only two comparisons showed a significant genetic differentiation, indicating that no population in Korea is completely isolated. Geographically, one haplotype (SWDBA06) was relatively widespread (five among nine localities) and a few haplotypes were found in more than one locality, but most haplotypes were restricted in a locality as a single individual. Overall, high rate of per generation female migration (Nm = 0.75 ~ infinite) and low level of geographic separation (FST=0~0.40) among localities were characteristic. Current data is limited mainly to Korean localities, thus, an expanded study may provide further scrutinized analysis for the fly.

The Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Psyllidae), is the most important citrus pest, because it serves as a vector of “Candidatus Liberibacter” species that cause huanglongbing disease. Thus, when exporting Rutaceae (citrus), exporting countries put them into quarantine. However, as the size of an imago is so small that only skilled experts can identify it using morphology-based species identification. A PCR-based assay was developed for monitoring psyllids using a rapid, using the DNA extraction from psyllid bodies and PCR amplification. Thus, this study aims to develop a DNA marker system with high species specificity and discrimination power that helps identifying psyllid. We analyzed the base sequence of mitocondria DNA. Based on this sequence, restriction sites were determined and a species particularity primer was made. Several polymorphic regions of mitochondrial DNA of both species were sequenced and used for developing specific restriction sites and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers. Also, species-specific PCR primers were devised to develop diagnostic PCR method for identifying the internal feeders. Base sequence results from PCR, which used psyllid species-specific primers, was analyzed by the Mealign program of the CLC Main Workbench analysis software, and used to develop a phylogenic tree. After analyzing this, Hemiptera proved to be allied species.

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.