This study evaluated the effects of TMC (trace mineral-fortified microbial culture) supplementation on growth performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality parameters of Hanwoo steers during the last 4 months of finishing period. The TMC was a combination of 0.4% trace minerals, 20.0% Na-bentonite, and 79.6% feedstuffs, which was inoculated with a mixed microbial culture (Enterobacter ludwigii, Bacillus cereus, B. subtilis, Lactobacillus plantarum, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae). Twenty-four steers were blocked by initial BW (634 ± 16 kg) and randomly allocated to one of two treatments (control vs. 3.3% TMC). The effect of TMC supplementation on the growth performance was not significant. There was no incidence of urolithiasis in TMCfed steers. However 3 out 12 steers (25%) fed the control diet were observed to have urinary calculi. The carcass yield and meat quality parameters were not affected by TMC supplementation, however marbling score was increased in TMC-fed steers (P = 0.08). There was no effect of TMC treatment on the chemical composition of longissimus dorsi muscle (LM). The TMC supplementation increased concentrations of manganese (P < 0.01), cobalt (P = 0.02), iron, and copper (P = 0.06) in LM. In conclusion, TMC treatment did not negatively affect growth performance and meat quality parameters, and positively affected the trace minerals profile of LM.

Bee venom is a rich source of pharmacologically active substances. In this study, we identified a bumblebee (Bombus ignitus) venom Kunitz-type serine protease inhibitor (Bi-KTI) that acts as a plasmin inhibitor. Bi-KTI showed no detectable inhibitory effect on factor Xa, thrombin, or tPA. However, it strongly inhibited plasmin, although this inhibitory ability was two-fold weaker than that of aprotinin. The activities of B. ignitusvenom serine protease (Bi-VSP) and plasmin in the presence of Bi-KTI indicate that Bi-KTI targets plasmin more specifically than Bi-VSP. These findings demonstrate a novel mechanism for bee venom by which Bi-KTI acts as an antifibrinolytic agent, raising interest in Bi-KTI as a potential clinical agent.

Bee venom contains a variety of peptides and enzymes, including serine proteases. While the presence of serine proteases in bee venom has been demonstrated, the role of these proteins in bee venom has not been elucidated. Furthermore, there is currently no information available regarding the melanization response or the fibrin(ogen)olytic activity of bee venom serine protease, and the molecular mechanism of its action remains unknown. Here we show that bee venom serine protease (Bi-VSP) is a multifunctional enzyme. In insects, Bi-VSP acts as an arthropod prophenoloxidase (proPO)-activating factor (PPAF), thereby triggering the phenoloxidase (PO) cascade. Bi-VSP injected through the stinger induces a lethal melanization response in target insects by modulating the innate immune response. In mammals, Bi-VSP acts similarly to snake venom serine protease, which exhibits fibrin(ogen)olytic activity. Bi-VSP activates prothrombin and directly degrades fibrinogen into fibrin degradation products, defining roles forBi-VSP as a prothrombin activator, a thrombin-like protease, and a plasmin-like protease. These findings provide a novel view of the mechanism of bee venom in which the bee venom serine protease kills target insects via a melanization strategy and exhibits fibrin(ogen)olytic activity.

Classical swine fever virus (CSFV) envelope glycoprotein E2 is the main target for inducing neutralizing antibodies and protective immunity in swine. Here, we report a novel strategy forthe large-scale production of a CSFV E2 subunit vaccine that demonstrates a high immunogenic capability in the larvae of a baculovirus-infected silkworm, Bombyx mori. We constructed a recombinant B. mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) that expressed recombinant polyhedra together with the N-terminal 179 amino acids of CSFV E2 (CSFV E2ΔC). BmNPV-E2ΔC-infected silkworm larvae expressed an approximately 44-kDa fusion protein that was detected using both anti-polyhedrin and anti-CSFV E2 antibodies. Electron and confocal microscopy both demonstrated that the recombinant polyhedra were morphologically normal and contained CSFV E2ΔC. The CSFV E2ΔC antigen produced in BmNPV-E2ΔC-infected silkworm larvae reached 0.68 mg per ml of hemolymph and 0.53 mg per larva at 6 days post-infection. Mice that were immunized with the granule form of recombinant polyhedra or the soluble form of the fusion protein elicited CSFV E2 antibodies, which indicated that the recombinant polyhedra carrying CSFV E2ΔC were immunogenic. The virus neutralization test showed that the serum from mice that were treated with recombinant polyhedra or the soluble form of the fusion protein contained significant levels of virus neutralization activity. These results demonstrate that the present strategy can be used for the large-scale production of CSFV E2 antigen and that the recombinant polyhedra containing CSFV E2ΔC as a granule antigen can be used as a potential subunit vaccine against CSFV.

Bee venom contains a variety of toxic enzymes and peptides. One of the major components of bumblebee venom is bombolitin, which is the most abundant venom constituent and biologically similar to melittin. Here, we first show the molecular cloning and antimicrobial activity of the venom bombolitin from the bumblebee Bombus ignitus. The B. ignitus venom bombolitin gene consists of 2 exons, encoding 56 amino acid residues. The bombolitin purified from B. ignitus venom was the 2104 Da mature peptide with 18 amino acid residues, which are created by cleavage of the probombolitin domain between Ala38 and Leu39. We examined the pattern of bombolitin expression to confirm that it is a component of bumblebee venom. B. igniutus venom bombolitin exhibits venom gland-specific expression. We also investigated the venom bombolitin for antimicrobial properties against bacteria and fungi. The venom bombolitin showed high antibacterial activity against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Most interestingly, the venom bombolitin showed high antifungal activity against Fulvia falva, a leaf mold, and Alternaria radicia, a black rot. These antimicrobial profiles of B. ignitus venom bombolitin reported herein will be useful in the application for potential antimicrobial agents.

Insect nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are targets for insecticides. Despite the importance of the nAChR as a major target for insecticide action, modulators of nAChRs in insects remain unidentified. Here we describe the cloning and identification of a nAChR modulator gene in an insect. This gene was isolated by searching the firefly Pyrocoelia rufa cDNA library, and the geneitself encodes a protein 120 amino acids in length, named Pr-lynx1. Pr-lynx1 shares all the features, including a cysteine-rich consensus motif and common gene structure, of the Ly-6/neurotoxin superfamily. The recombinant Pr-lynx1, which is expressed as a 12-kDa polypeptide in baculovirus-infected insect Sf9 cells, is normally present at the cell surface asa GPI-anchored protein. Northern and Western blot analyses revealed that Pr-lynx1 is expressed in various tissues, such as the ganglion, brain, mandibular muscle, proventriculus, leg muscle, and epidermis. This expression pattern is similar to the distribution of nAChRs as assayed by α3 nAChR immunoreactivity. Co-expression of Pr-lynx1 in Xenopus oocytes expressing α3β4 nAChRs results in an increase in acetylcholine-evoked macroscopic currents, indicating a functional role of Pr-lynx1 as a protein modulator for nAChRs. This study on Pr-lynx1 is the first report of a modulator of nAChRs in an insect species.

Carbon molecular sieve (CMS) membranes were prepared by pyrolysis of polyimides having carboxylic acid groups and applied to the hydrogen separation. The polymeric membranes having carboxylic acid groups showed different steric properties as compared with polymeric membranes having other side groups (-CH3 and -CF3) because of the hydrogen bond between the carboxylic acid groups. However, the microporous CMS membranes were significantly affected by the decomposable side groups evidenced from the wide angle X-rat diffraction, nitrogen adsorption isotherms, and single gas permeation measurement. Furthermore, the gas separation properties of the CMS membranes were essentially affected by the pyrolysis temperature. As a result, the CMS membranes Prepared by Pyrolysis of polyimide containing carboxylic acid froups at 700℃ showed the H2 permeability of 3,809 Baller [1×10-10 H cm(STP)cm/cm2.s.cmHg], H2/N2, selectivity of 46 and H2/CH4 selectivity of 130 while the CMS membranes derived from polyimide showed the H2 permeability of 3,272 Barrer, H2/N2 selectivity of 136 and H2/CH4 selectivity of 177.

Polyvinylpyrrolidone을 포함하는 폴리이미드 전구체의 열분해 공정을 통해 탄소분자체막을 제조하였으며 열분해성 고분자를 포함하는 전구체를 통해 제조된 막의 구조 및 기체 투과 특성에 대해 연구 하였다. 열분해성 고분자를 포함하는 전구체의 열적 특성을 조사한 결과 열적으로 안정한 폴리이미드의 경우 550℃에서 분해되는 것을 확인할 수 있었으며 열분해성 고분자의 경우 400℃에서 분해가 시작되는 것을 TCA를 통해 확인하였다 제조된 탄소분자체막의 기체 투과 특성을 조사한 결과 최종 열분해 온도가 증가됨에 따라 기체 투과도는 감소하였으며 열분해성 고분자를 포함한 전구체로부터 제조된 탄소분자체막의 경우 기체 투과가 향상됨을 알 수 있었다. 열분해성 고분자를 함유하는 전구체로부터 550℃에서 열분해를 통해 제조된 탄소분자체막의 경우 O2 투과도 808 Barrer [10-10cm3 (STP)cm/cm2scmHg]과 O2/N2선택도 7을 나타내었다.

본 연구에서는 설폰기를 함유한 sulfosuccinic acid를 가교제로 사용하였다. 또한, 메탄을 투과도를 줄이기 위해 실리카를 졸-겔 방법을 사용하여 성장시킨 PVA/Silica 하이브리드막을 제조하여 수소 이온 전도도 및 메탄을 투과도에 관하여 연구하였다. 수소 이온 전도도 및 메탄을 투과도는 가교제 농도 및 친수성 SO3H의 함량에 영향을 받았으며, 제조된 막의 수소 이온 전도도는 10-3~10-2 S/cm 범위에 있었고, 메탄을 투과도는 10-8~10-7;cm2/s 를 갖는다.

Combining the luminosity functions of main sequence stars in 3 associations and 22 open clusters, the initial luminosity function and mass function for these clusters are derived. For stars of m > 0.6 m ⊙ , they are well consistent with those for the field stars.

The Wielen dip over the ragne of 6 < M υ < 9 in the luminosity function (LF) for the solar neighborhood stars could be explained by the combination of two different IMFs which yields the age of 13 billion years of the solar neighborhood. This smaller age than the Galactic age, 15 billion years indicates the slow collapse model of the Galaxy, solving the G-dwarf problem. Two different IMFs suggest two different mechanisms for star formation in the solar neighborhood.