Mesocrystals are macroscopic structures formed by the assembly of nanoparticles that possess distinct surface structures and collective properties when compared to traditional crystalline materials. Various growth mechanisms and their unique features have promise as material design tools for diverse potential applications. This paper presents a straightforward method for metal–organic coordination-based mesocrystals using nickel ions and terephthalic acid. The coordinative compound between Ni2+ and terephthalic acid drives the particle-mediated growth mechanism, resulting in the mesocrystal formation through a mesoscale assembly. Subsequent carbonization converts mesocrystals to multidirectional interconnected graphite nanospheres along the macroscopic framework while preserving the original structure of the Ni-terephthalic acid mesocrystal. Comprehensive investigations demonstrate that multi-oriented edge sites and high crystallinity with larger interlayer spacing facilitate lithium ion transport and continuous intercalation. The resulting graphitic superparticle electrodes show superior rate capability (128.6 mAh g− 1 at 5 A g− 1) and stable cycle stability (0.052% of capacity decay per cycle), certifying it as an advanced anode material for lithium-ion batteries.

The optimization of a prevention program utilizing a novel trivalent inactivated Salmonella bacterial vaccine to protect poultry from Salmonella infections was evaluated in this study. A total of 50 brown nick layers were divided into 5 groups, A to E, each containing 10 hens. Group B hens were immunized with the SG9R vaccine, group C chickens were immunized with the trivalent inactivated Salmonella bacterial vaccine, and group D hens were primed with SG9R and boosted with the trivalent inactivated Salmonella bacterial vaccine. Group E hens were injected with sterile PBS. All hens in groups B to E were orally challenged with a mixture of wild-type S. Enteritidis, S. Typhimurium, and S. Gallinarum (approximately 6×10⁹ CFU/ 0.2 ml/bird). Serum IgG titers, CD3+CD4+ T-cell levels, and CD3+CD8+ T-cell levels in group D were significantly higher than those in group A. Additionally, all animals in groups A to D showed no clinical symptoms and survived after the virulent challenges, whereas all chickens in group E died following the challenge. The challenge strains of S. Enteritidis, S. Typhimurium, and S. Gallinarum were not isolated from the liver, spleen, cecum, and cloaca of group D chickens. These findings indicate that priming with SG9R and boosting with a trivalent inactivated Salmonella bacterial vaccine can be an effective approach for preventing Salmonella infections by inducing robust protective humoral and cellular immune responses in chickens.

2022년부터 2023년까지 제주도내 키위 시설재배지를 대상으로 계절 초기 볼록총채벌레 발생 경향을 확인하 기 위해서 토양 표면의 잡초, 토양 표면 상단으로부터 60cm, 키위나무를 유인한 덕 상단 15cm에서 10일 간격으로 발생 조사하였다. 하우스 내부에서 발생하는 잡초 10종을 채집하여 조사한 결과, 갈퀴덩굴, 광대나물, 개불알풀, 별꽃, 뽀리뱅이, 황새냉이 6종에서 볼록총채벌레가 지속적으로 관찰되었다. 계절 초기 월동 성충의 비산시기를 확인하기 위해 토양 표면 60cm 위쪽에 설치한 황색 끈끈이트랩에서 2월 하순~3월 중순부터 볼록총채벌레의 발생을 확인하였다. 시설하우스 내부(덕 상단 15cm)와 외부(측장 높이)에 설치한 황색 끈끈이트랩을 비교해보면 시설 내·외부의 볼록총채벌레의 밀도가 증가하고 감소하는 시기가 유사하였다. 종합적인 고찰을 통하여, 발생 양상을 고려한 적절한 방제전략 수립이 요구된다.

In order to understand biological phenomena accurately, single molecule techniques using a physical research approach to molecular interactions have been developed, and are now widely being used to study complex biological processes. In this review, we discuss some of the single molecule methods which are composed of two major parts: single molecule spectroscopy and manipulation. In particular, we explain how these techniques work and introduce the current research which uses them. Finally, we present the oral biology research using the single molecule methods.

노로바이러스는 전세계적으로 모든 연령에게 급성 장염을 일으키는 주요 원인체이다. 본 연구는 국내 식품업계의 식품종사자를 대상으로 무증상 노로바이러스 감염의 유행성을 조사하였다. 2,729명의 식품종사자에서 29명 (1.06%)이 무증상 노로바이러스로 확인되었고 이 중 5명 (17.24%)은 노로바이러스 GI 양성이었고 24명(82.76%)은 노로바이러스 GII 양성이었다. 특히 유전자 염기서열 분석과 계통 분석에서 GII-4 유전자형이 가장 유행성이 높은 것으로 나타났으며 많은 수의 무증상 식품종사자는 노로바이러스 GII-4 에 감염되어있었다. 따라서 본 연구의 결과는 무증상 식품종사자가 노로바이러스 감염에 잠재적인 전파 원인일 가능성이 있음을 보여준다. 또한 이러한 결과는 노로바이러스 예방에 대한 식품업체의 교육의 필요성을 강조한다. 무증상 노로바이러스 감염에 더 많은 주 의를 기울여야 할 것이다.

As climate change and the increase of international trade, the possibility of infectious disease inflow is increasing into Republic of Korea (ROK). Nine of total 16 cases overseas travel related Zika virus disease and 140 of 314 cases in dengue fever occurred during mosquito season throughout ROK in 2016, which increase importance on the studies of disease vectors for effective control and monitoring. However, the vector resources for the studies are not enough to support the studies by private research institutes and universities. Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) has secured and maintained the disease vectors, comprised of 5 genus and 15 species in an insectarium system. KCDC has supported the disease vector resources through the system wherever to request them. In this presentation, the insectarium systems will be introduced.

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.

Multiple starters consisting of two Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strains (MJ1-4 and EMD17), Pichiafarinosa SY80, and Rhizopus oryzae were used for Doenjang making. Bacillus strains were selected based on their abilities to inhibit toxinogenic fungi and Bacillus cereus, fibrinolytic activity, and their ability to confer good flavor to Cheonggukjang. P. farinosa SY80 and R. oryzae, previously isolated from soy sauce, were selected because they were not inhibited by two bacilli. Doenjang was prepared by inoculation of multiple starters (A1 Doenjang). Control Doenjang was prepared by inoculation of B. subtilis KACC 16750 (Natto strain) and Aspergillus oryzae KCCM 60166 (A2 Doenjang). Another control (A3 Doenjang) was prepared by inoculation of microorganisms present in rice straw. Doenjang samples were fermented for 70 days at 20℃. pH of 3 samples decreased from the initial value of 6.4 to 5.8~6.0 and titratable acidity (TA) increased from 0.6 to 1.1~1.3. The amount of amino-type nitrogen increased during fermentation. There were slight differences in moisture, crude-protein, and crude-fat contents after 70 days. Contamination of fungi was observed only in A3 Doenjang and B. cereus was not detected from all 3 samples. A1 Doenjang showed the highest fibrinolytic activity and A2 Doenjang the second. These results indicate that Doenjang made with carefully selected starters was functionally improved and microbially more safe.

A positional scanning synthetic peptide combinatorial library (PS-SCL) was screened in order to identify antimicrobial peptides against the cariogenic oral bacteria, Streptococcus mutans. Activity against Streptococcus gordonii and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans was also examined. The library was comprised of six sub-libraries with the format O(1-6)XXXXX-NH2, where O represents one of 19 amino acids (excluding cysteine) and X represents equimolar mixture of these. Each sub-library was tested for antimicrobial activity against S. mutans and evaluated for antimicrobial activity against S. gordonii and A. actinomycetemcomitans. The effect of peptides was observed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Two semi-mixture peptides, RXXXXN-NH2 (pep-1) and WXXXXN-NH2 (pep-2), and one positioned peptide, RRRWRN-NH2 (pep-3), were identified. Pep-1 and pep-2 showed significant antimicrobial activity against Gram positive bacteria (S. mutans and S. gordonii), but not against Gram negative bacteria (A. actinomycetemcomitans). However, pep-3 showed very low antimicrobial activity against all three bacteria. Pep-3 did not form an amphiphilic α-helix, which is a required structure for most antimicrobial peptides. Pep-1 and pep-2 were able to disrupt the membrane of S. mutans. Small libraries of biochemically-constrained peptides can be used to generate antimicrobial peptides against S. mutans and other oral microbes. Peptides derived from such libraries may be candidate antimicrobial agents for the treatment of oral microorganisms.