We investigated the effect of a synthetic complement peptide C3a on the outcome of Brucella abortus 544 infection in a murine macrophage cell line RAW264.7 cell. First, we determined the highest non-cytotoxic concentration of the peptide in the cell line. We also found that the peptide significantly increased the growth of the bacteria at 8 and 24 h. Although the number of bacterial CFU was also elevated at 48 and 72 h, the increases were not significant as compared to controls. We further investigated the effect of C3a peptide on the growth of Brucella by pre-incubating the peptide at various temperatures and found that the effect was reversed at 24 h post-incubation suggesting that incubation of peptide at high temperatures including 65°C or 95°C could inactivate its action. This also could indicate the beneficial effect of high temperature during infection. Although several studies reported the inhibitory effect of different antimicrobial peptides including C3a, the present study preliminarily revealed that it had no positive contribution on the control of B. abortus 544 infection in vitro and indirectly to its receptor, CD88, which belongs to GPCR. Moreover, the encouraged further exploration of the effect of other similar peptides would be performed for the purpose of finding Brucella-host cell interaction for the control of disease progression.

A new free-living marine nematode species of the genus Belbolla Andrássy, 1973 belonging to the family Enchelidiidae is described based on specimens collected from the sediment of a subtidal benthic environmental habitat in the East Sea, Korea. Belbolla wonkimi sp. nov. differs from its congeners by the combination of the following characteristics: a relatively long body (3263-3396 μm), the absence of ocelli, nine oesophageal bulbs in the posterior pharynx, well-developed two winged precloacal supplements, longer spicule length (115-130 μm, 1.6-1.8 anal body diameter long), and a triangle-shaped shorter gubernacular apophysis (17-18 μm). Comparative tables on the biogeographical and morphological characteristics of Belbolla species are presented. A DIC (differential interference contrast) photomicrograph of the new species is also provided. This is the first taxonomic report on the genus Belbolla from Korean waters.

We investigated the cytotoxic potential of three different commercially available absorbent feminine hygiene products and one transdermal patch using direct contact and extract exposure methods. Two different cell lines were used – mouse fibroblast L929 and normal human skin fibroblast CCD-986sk cell lines. The test samples were extracted using three different methods in accordance to International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Viability of cells was analyzed using MTT assay and morphology of the cells were also observed using phase contrast microscopy. Overall, the direct contact method using L929 cells showed that all the test samples had no toxic effect when exposed to extracts for 1 h. For the exposure method, no toxic effect was observed in both L929 and CCD986sk cells incubated with all the test samples regardless of the extraction methods used.

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.

본 연구는 종부한 다음에 개별 스톨에서 사육하고 3주 후 임신진단을 하여 임신을 한 경산돈을 개별 스톨 시설과 Shoulder length barrier 시설에서 각각 계절별 30두씩 12주 동안 사육한 후 분만 1주일 전에 분만사의 분만틀 시설로 옮겨 4주 동안 사육하고 산자수, 생시체중, 이유두수, 이유체중 및 체평점 등을 평가함으로써, 임신돈사의 개별 스톨 시설과 Shoulder length barrier 시설이 분만모돈의 분만성적에 미치는 영향을 규명하고자 수행되었다. 그 결과 동일 계절에서 시설 간의 분만모돈의 생산성은 차이가 없었으나(p>0.05), 봄, 가을 및 겨울에 비하여 여름에 더위 스트레스로 인하여 산자수와 이 유두수가 낮은 경향이 나타났다. 결론적으로 임신기간 동안 임신돈을 사육하는 개별 스톨 시설과 Shoulder length barrier 시설이 분만모돈의 분만성적에 영향을 미치지 않는 것으로 나타났다.

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.

본 연구는 국내에 보급되어 있는 여러 형태의 이유자돈사에 대하여 CFD(Computational Fluid Dynamics) 컴퓨터 시뮬레이션을 통해 가상으로 모델화하여 특성을 비교 분석하고 실제 돈사에서 각종환경요인과 이유자돈의 증체율 및 폐사율을 비교 분석함으로써 우리나라의 기후 조건에 적합한 모델을 제시하기 위하여 수행되었다. 실험돈사로는 복도-더그매 예열 음압환기방식 무창이유자돈사(Model-1), 더그매 예열 음압환기방식 무창이유자돈사(Model-2), 그리고 윈치커튼형 음압환기방식 개방이유자돈사(Model-3)가 이용되었다. 시뮬레이션 결과 Model-1이 Model-2와 Model-3에 비하여 전체적으로 낮은 풍속과 균일한 풍속분포도를 나타냈으며 모델간의 평균 온도, 평균 상대습도 및 평균 암모니아 농도가 차이가 없었으나(p>0.05) Model-1과 Model-3의 종료체중과 일당증체량이 Model-2에 비해 높았다(p<0.001). 따라서 Model-1이 Model-2와 Model-3에 비하여 우리나라의 기후 조건에 적합한 것으로 판단되었다.

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.

Brucellosis is an important bacterial zoonotic infection worldwide responsible for economic losses in livestock industries which represents a considerable and increasing public health burden. The disease is caused by Brucella which possess the ability to invade and replicate within phagocytes and may result to chronic infection, leading to difficulty in medical therapy of the disease. The treatment for brucellosis employs conventional principles that have been applied for a long time and a combination of antibiotics is currently used due to low efficacy of monotherapies. However, vital effects with respect to health and safety are neglected. Nevertheless, the preventive methods and treatments for brucellosis using traditional medicine have not yet been thoroughly studied, hence, alternative therapies such as the use of natural plant extracts as traditional medicine that are safe, efficient and economical should be explored in order to identify candidates that eliminate complications due to brucellosis. Coptis chinensis Franch (Huanglian) is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb and its extract has been known to possess strong antibacterial activity. In this study, the antibacterial effects of C. chinensis Franch extracts, and the major components of the herb namely berberine and palmatine, were investigated on B. abortus. The C. chinensis Franch ethanol extracts (CCFE) showed bactericidal effects at 1,000 μg/ml concentration and berberine at 100 μg/ml concentration. However, C. chinensis Franch and its components did not affect invasion and intracellular growth of B. abortus in RAW 264.7 cells. In conclusion, C. chinensis Franch ethanol extracts, water extract and its major components such as berberine and palmatine would be a beneficial antimicrobial agent without affecting phagocytic pathway within macrophages, and further study for the precise mechanisms of antibacterial effect would be necessary.

Brucella spp. are facultative intracellular pathogens that have the ability to survive and multiply in professional and nonprofessional phagocytes and cause abortion in domestic animals and undulant fever in humans. Brucella species can survive in a variety of cells, including macrophages and their virulence and chronic infections are thought to be due to their ability to avoid the killing mechanisms within macrophages. Inhibition of phagosome-lysosome fusion has been proposed as a mechanism for intracellular survival of Brucella in professional and nonprofessional phagocytes. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are part of a skillful system for detection of invasion by microbial pathogens. Recognition of microbial components by TLRs triggers signaling pathways that promote expression of genes and regulate innate immune responses. Recent studies for the interaction between TLRs-Brucella have indicated the importance of control of Brucella infection. Here, we review selected aspects of TLRs-Brucella interaction, which may be helpful to understanding the mechanism of Brucella pathogenesis.

Brucellosis is an important bacterial zoonosis in humans and domestic animals. Brucella spp. are taken up, and survive within non-professional and professional phagocytes. In common belief, diabetes mellitus increases susceptibility to pathogenic infection. In this study, Brucella (B.) abortus was inoculated into a diabetic animal model, db/db mice, in order to show the course of brucellosis in diabetic state. The liver proliferation, bacterial burden of the liver, level of cytokines in serum and macrophage migration into liver, were investigated at 14 days post-infection. In comparison with the uninfected control mice, the results revealed that the weight of the liver of infected db/db mice was higher but with lower bacterial load in this organ. The level of MCP-1 mRNA expression in the liver was lower, the levels of IL-12p70, IL-10, TNF-α and IFN-γ in serum was significantly higher and the macrophages migration was significantly lower in infected mice than in the control group. In conclusion, this present study suggested that MCP-1 suppression by B. abortus infection may inhibit the macrophages migration, and consequently may induce to abrogate the bacterial survival in db/db mouse liver. Furthermore, the increased inflammatory cytokines may contribute to inhibition of B. abortus proliferation in diabetic mice.

Avian influenza (AI) and Newcastle disease (ND) distress a variety of avian species, especially domestic poultry. Severe syndromes are caused by highly virulent specific virus strains termed highly pathogenic AI and velogenic ND viruses, which are potential agrobioterrorism agents. This outbreak emphasizes the need for continuing cooperation between public health and veterinary medical communities in controlling AI and ND when it has a zoonotic potential. Up to date, the stamping out and burying system were applied for controlling methods against these highly infectious diseases in the ordinary way, however these methods had many environmental problems, including leachat and effluvium. Thus, we assessed that sterilization effect of AI and ND virus dependent on several treatment conditions, such as autoclaving time and cutting types of chicken. As a result, we found that the cutting type of chicken meat revealed a reduced HA titer (20) against both of AI and ND virus after 10 min of autoclaving, while whole chicken showed same titer after 30 and 60 min. Therefore, we propose that the conditions of treatment on infected chicken should be developed for convenient, affordable, and effective prevention methods against for AI and ND.

본 시험은 무궁화과에 속하는 초본 식물인 Kenaf를 경상대학교 시험농장에서 2010년 6월 1일 파종하 여 같은 해 11월 18일 수확하여 건조 한 후, 축산분뇨의 수분조절제로서의 가치를 평가하였다. 건조된 Kenaf를 다시 bast, core, leaf으로 분류하여 분쇄를 하였으며, 각각의 분쇄물에 대한 수분 흡수율, 수 분 증발률, pH변화, 용적중, C/N비를 측정하였다. 분석 결과 수분흡수율은 대조군으로 사용된 왕겨 및 톱밥과 비하여 높은 수분 흡수율과 증발률을 보였고, pH는 Kenaf의 시료 별 증류수와 72시간 반응 후 측정해 본 결과 pH 2.8±0.01 - 4.34±0.02 범위로 톱밥 (pH 5.28±0.01) 및 왕겨 (pH 6.3±0.02)에 비해 다소 낮게 나타났다. C/N비 분석결과 Kenaf의 core가 649, bast 204, leaf 70 순으로 나타나 대 조군으로 사용된 톱밥 (789.1) 보다는 다소 낮았으나 왕겨 (132) 보다는 높은 비율을 보였다. 용적중 시 험에서는 Kenaf는 각 시료의 입경에 따라 A(≥ 4 cm), B(≤ 4 cm, ≥ 0.25 cm) 및 C 군(≤ 0.25 cm) 으로 구분하였고, 시험 결과 bast, core 및 leaf의 경우 입경이 큰 A 군과 B 군은 톱밥 및 왕겨와 비슷 한 용적중을 보였으며, 입경의 크기가 작은 C 군의 경우 다소 높은 용적중을 보였고, 특히 leaf C 군의 경우 톱밥 및 왕겨에 비해 5배 이상의 높은 용적중을 보여 입경이 작을수록 용적중이 높은 것으로 나타 났다. 본 연구는 축산분뇨의 퇴비화를 위해 Kenaf를 이용 수분조절제로서 활용 가능성을 제시하였고, 이러한 결과는 농가의 비용감소, 축산분뇨로 인한 환경오염 예방은 물론 친환경적 처리가 가능 할 것으 로 사료된다.

Salmonellosis is the commonest zoonosis worldwide that generally causes enterocolitis and foodborne poisoning which represents a considerable public health burden. Salmonella spp. are potential enteric pathogens and intracellularly replicates in host cells resulting in chronic infections. The medical treatments for salmonellosis have been difficult yet and had a serious problem including the increasing emergence of antibiotic resistance. The present report was designated to investigate the antibacterial effects of Saururus chinensis Baill ethanol extract (SCEE) on pure culture and infection with Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. typhimurium) in murine derived macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. In determination of antibacterial activity of SCEE against S. typhimurium, bacterial viability was markedly decreased compared to the control. Also, SCEE significantly induced morphological change (p<0.05) of RAW 264.7 cells. In infection assay of S. typhimurium in RAW 264.7 cells pretreated with 100㎍/㎖ of SCEE, which is a non-cytotoxic concentration, bacterial uptake ability of macrophage was increased corresponding with morphological change, whereas bacterial survival rates within macrophage were markedly reduced compared with untreated control. Furthermore, nitric oxide (NO) production in SCEE-treated cells was slightly increased until 2 h but showed a tendency of decrease after 4 h until 24 h post infection compared with untreated control with S. typhimurium infection. Taken together, these findings demonstrated that SCEE has the antibacterial activity for S. typhimurium and the protective effects against S. typhimurium infection through activating murine macrophage independent on NO, suggesting that SCEE may be beneficial on the disease caused by intracellularly replicating pathogens as a safe alternatives of conventional chemotherapies.