• Title/Summary/Keyword: Scorpion

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A Study of the Personal Ornaments and Make-up of Maroccan (모로코인(人)의 장신구(裝身具)와 화장(化粧)에 관(關)한 연구(硏究))

  • Lee, Soon-Hong
    • Journal of Fashion Business
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    • v.5 no.2
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    • pp.15-34
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    • 2001
  • Ornaments are accessories for the decoration of the body or dress. They aren't unavoidably required one, but serve to make one's dress perfect as decorative industrial art objects. In Morocco, ornaments were initially used as a sign of social position or the class or an incantatory symbol. In effect, they were originally employed to adjust one's dress, not just for decoration, and they were of use for household economy. Gold, silver and handcraft available for exchange were a means of increasing one's property and an indication of social standing and wealth. In particular, the dress and jewelry of a bride was a measure of her family's wealth, regarded as a symbol of her chastity and value. The ornaments symbolically back up people's faith in supernatural power, and their real value is based on implicit form or way of decoration, not the external shape. Specifically, there is a tendency to use the form of animal as a protector, not one to frighten people. In the artistic tradition of Morocco, fish pattern stands for water and rain, and eagle and bird are considered to be related to fate. Scorpion and lizard are depicted as an inquirer of sun, and snake is a symbol of abundance and sexual instinct, being viewed to have an ability to cure disease. Turtle pattern is a symbol of saint because it protects one from the evil. The ornaments are made of gold, silver, amber, clam, garnet, glass, nielle, enamel, glaze, coral or tree, and symbolic patterns are used, including hand(a symbol of five numerals), turtle, lizard, scorpion, eye, triangle, bird and eggs. They are very big and diverse, being categorized into ornaments for the head or the chest, neckless, fibula, earring, bracelet and ring. For Moroccans, make-up is a sort of instinctive behavior to meet aesthetic and sexual desire. They also wear make-up for practical purpose of protection, intentionally inflict a wound on the skin for ceremonial or religious purpose, paint the skin with pigment, or have the part of the body tattooed for incantatory purpose. All this actions are regarded as make-up. The raw material of cosmetics is aker, a vegetable dye. They get the lips or cheeks turn red and paint eyebrows with yellow saffran powder to have a bad devil lose its strength. Tattooing is mainly done by women and viewed as a sign of their value or social organization they belong to. Sometimes that is used to represent a woman's being old enough to marry or getting married already or the frequency of marriage. Besides, tattoo is believed to prevent or remedy loose bowels or cough, depending on its location or pattern, and they often change tattoo according to the change of beauty art.

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Production and Characterization of vitellogenin monoclonal antibody on the Scorpion fish Sebastiscus marmoratus (쏨뱅이, Sebastiscus marmoratus의 vitellogenin 단클론 항체생산 및 특성에 관한 연구)

  • Kim, Young-Ju;Lim, Yoon-Kyu;Yeo, In-Kyu
    • Journal of fish pathology
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    • v.26 no.3
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    • pp.241-254
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    • 2013
  • In order to establish bio-marker systems for the screening of endocrine-disrupting chemicals contaminated in various environment, Vitellogenin(Vtg) bio-marker have been developed to detect Scorpion fish's(Sebastiscus marmoratus) Vtg. Vtg has been induced by administration of estradiol into S. marmoratus, and purified by gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography from serum of the fish. After immunization of the purified Vtg into BALB/c mouse, hybridomas secreting anti-Vtg antibodies have been produced. The size of induced Vtg in the serum was about 440 kDa by gel filtration using Sepharose CL-6B. By SDS-PAGE analysis, the main band of Vtg, however, was at 175 kDa, and several minor bands have been detected with the main band. Eight different monoclonal antibodies have been produced from established hybridomas and the antibodies did not cross-react with sera from different species of fishes tested in this study except with that of Sebastes hubbsi. These results suggested that the monoclonal antibody of S28 and S15 can used as capture and tracer antibodies for ELISA and ICG assays. The detection systems developed in this study can be used as Bio-marker assays to check endocrine disrupting activity of various chemicals as well as to detect known endocrine disrupting chemicals contaminated in environment.

Molecular Cloning, Gene Structure, Expression, and Enzyme Activity of a Serine Protease from Water Scorpion, Laccotrephes japonensis (Hemiptera: Nepidae)

  • Park, Kwan Ho;Choi, Young Cheol;Nam, Seong Hee;Hwang, Jae Sam;Nho, Si Kab
    • International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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    • v.25 no.2
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    • pp.187-193
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    • 2012
  • Serine proteases are major insect enzymes involved in the digestion of dietary proteins and in the process of blood meal digestion. In this study, cDNA was constructed using the whole body of Laccotrephes japonensis. The flanking sequences of the 5- and 3- end of this gene were characterized by RACE-PCR. Sequence analysis showed that this gene contained a 963-bp ORF encoding 320 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence showed 62% identity with the Creontiades dilutus serine protease, 58% with the Lygus lineolaris trypsin precursor, and 54% with the Triatoma infestans salivary trypsin. To assess the expression of the L. japonensis serine protease (JGsp), the JGsp gene was cloned into a baculovirus transfer vector, pBac-1, and expressed in Sf9 cells (Spodoptera frugiperda). SDS-PAGE and western blot analysis have shown that the JGsp recombinant protein was a monomer with a molecular weight of about 32 kDa. Recombinant JGsp has shown activity in the protease enzyme assay using gelatin as a substrate.

Micropropagation of Aristolochia elegans(Mast.)

  • Lidia, Osuna T.;Alejandro, Mora I.;Elsa, Ventura Z.;Enrique, Jimenez F.;Crescencio, Bazaldua M.;Antonio, Jimenez A.
    • Journal of Crop Science and Biotechnology
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    • v.10 no.3
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    • pp.141-146
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    • 2007
  • The roots of Aristolochia elegans Mast.(Aristolochiaceae) are widely used in Mexican traditional medicine as a remedy for scorpion venom. Current experimental evidence supports its purported antidote properties. However, collection from the wilderness has lead to local extinction of natural populations. In order to contribute to species preservation, cultivation, and standardization of morphological and pharmacological properties, a micropropagation method was developed. This includes in-vitro germination of seeds to produce aseptic plantlets, induction of multiple budding, and acclimatization. The treatment with benzylamino purine(10 ${\mu}M$) induced the highest number of buds(3.1 on average) in both types of explants. On the other hand, indolebutyric acid(1.5 ${\mu}M$) caused the highest root index(11.8) per explant. One hundred percent of the micropropagated plantlets developed vigorously after the acclimatization process.

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Effects of Insect Crude Drugs on Blood Coagulation and Fibrinolysis System

  • Ahn, Mi-Young;Hahn, Bum-Soo;Ryu, Kang-Sun;Cho, Sung-Ig
    • Natural Product Sciences
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    • v.8 no.2
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    • pp.66-70
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    • 2002
  • The in vitro anticoagulant and fibrinolytic activities of crude extracts from insects were evaluated in order to find effective therapeutic drugs for the treatment of myocardial and cerebral thrombosis. We prepared three types of extracts (water, methanol and ethylacetate) from 28 insects for use as raw materials for the activity assays. The fibrinolytic activity was tested using the fibrin plate method and the activated partial thromboplastin time and thrombin time were measured for blood clotting activity. With regards to the fibrinolytic system, water extracts of six kinds of insects displayed a remarkable level of activity with a plasmin-like action. The water extracts of [Catharsius molossus, Eupolyphaga sinensis, Huechys sanguinea, Mantidis $o\ddot{o}theca$, Mimela splendens, and Polistes mandarinus (Vespae Nidus)] exhibited the activity. On the other hand, the methanol extracts did not display any fibrinolytic activity. In terms of the coagulation system, an aqueous extract of silkworm Tongchunghacho (Paecilomyces japonica), Oxya japonica japonica and Buthus martensi (Scorpion) increased the clotting time significantly longer (181 times) than the control. These results suggest that crude drugs from insects are useful sources for the development of new drugs for use in treatments involving blood coagulation and fibrinolysis.

Galleria mellonella 6-Tox Gene, Putative Immune Related Molecule in Lepidoptera

  • Lee, Joon-Ha;Park, Seung-Mi;Chae, Kwon-Seok;Lee, In-Hee
    • International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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    • v.21 no.1
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    • pp.127-132
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    • 2010
  • We have characterized full-length cDNA encoding Gall-6-tox protein, which was cloned from the fat body of the immunized Galleria mellonella larvae. The cloned cDNA of Gall-6-tox consists of 1301 nucleotides and contained an open reading frame of 891 nucleotides corresponding to a protein of 296 residues that includes a putative 16-residue signal sequence and a 280-residue mature peptide with a calculated mass of 30,707.73 Da. The deduced mature peptide contains conserved tandem repeats of six cysteine-stabilized alpha beta ($Cs{\alpha}{\beta}$) motifs, which was detected in scorpion toxins and insect defensins. In the sequence homology search, mature Gall-6-tox showed 34% and 28% amino acid sequence homology with Bomb-6-tox from Bombyx mori and Spod-11-tox from Spodoptera frugiperda, respectively. Gall-6-tox orthologs were only found in Lepidopteran species, indicating that this new immune-related gene family is specific to this insect order. RT-PCR analysis revealed that Gall-6-tox was expressed primarily in the larval fat bodies, hemocytes, and midgut against invading bacteria into hemocoel. Moreover, the expression time course of Gall-6-tox was examined up to 24 h in the fat bodies and midgut after injection of E. coli. Altogether, these results suggest that Gall-6-tox is derived from defensins and Gall-6-tox may play a critical role in Lepidoptera immune system.

Molecular Cloning of Two cDNAs Encoding an Insecticidal Toxin from the Spider, Araneus ventricosus, and Construction of a Recombinant Baculovirus Expressing a Spider Toxin

  • Chung, Eun-Hwa;Lee, Kwang-Sik;Han, Ji-Hee;Je, Yeon-Ho;Chang, Jin-Hee;Roh, Jong-Yul
    • International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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    • v.4 no.1
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    • pp.43-49
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    • 2002
  • We have cloned cDNAs encoding toxin from the spider, Araneus ventricosus, and constructed a recombinant baculovirus expressing the insecticidal toxin. The cDNAs encoding toxin were cloned from the cDNA library of A. ventricosus. Sequence analysis of the cDNAs encoding the toxin of A. ventricosus revealed that the 240 bp cDNA for AvTox-1 and 192 bp cDNA for AvTox-2 have an open reading frame of 80 and 64 amino acid residues, respectively. The deduced protein sequence of the toxin genes of AvTox-1 and AvTox-2 was aligned to that of the snack Anemonia sulcata and scorpion Centruroides limpidus limpidus, respectively. Northern blot analysis indicated that AvTox-2 toxin gene showed a fat body-spe-cific expression pattern at the transcriptional level. Furthermore, we have explored the possibility of improving baculovirus by incorporating the A. vontricosus toxin gene into Bombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus genome under the control of polyhedrin promoter, The AvTox-2 toxin gene was expressed as approximately 5.8 kDa band in the recombinant baculovirus-injected silkworm larvae. Bioassays with the recombinant virus expressing AvTox-2 on 5th instar silkworm larvae demonstrated a decrease in the time to kill $(LT_{50} days)$ compared to wild-type BmNPV-Kl $(LT_{50} 6.72 days)$ in the injection of 10 viruses. These results indicate that A. ventricosus toxin is a novel member of the spider toxin family, suggesting that the toxin gene can be used in recombinant baculoviruses to reduce insect feeding damage and increase the speed of insect kill.

Isolation, Purification, and Enzymatic Characterization of Extracellular Chitosanase from Marine Bacterium Bacillus subtilis CH2

  • Oh, Chul-Hong;Zoysa, Mahanama De;Kang, Do-Hyung;Lee, Young-Deuk;Whang, Il-Son;Nikapitiya, Chamilani;Heo, Soo-Jin;Yoon, Kon-Tak;Affan, Abu;Lee, Je-Hee
    • Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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    • v.21 no.10
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    • pp.1021-1025
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    • 2011
  • A Bacillus subtilis strain was isolated from the intestine of Sebastiscus marmoratus (scorpion fish) that was identified as Bacillus subtilis CH2 by morphological, biochemical, and genetic analyses. The chitosanase of Bacillus subtilis CH2 was best induced by fructose and not induced with chitosan, unlike other chitosanases. The strain was incubated in LB broth, and the chitosanase secreted into the medium was concentrated with ammonium sulfate precipitation and purified by gel permeation chromatography. The molecular mass of the purified chitosanase was detected as 29 kDa. The optimum pH and temperature of the purified chitosanase were 5.5 and $60^{\circ}C$, respectively. The purified chitosanase was continuously thermostable at $40^{\circ}C$. The specific acitivity of the purified chitosanase was 161 units/mg. The N-terminal amino acid sequence was analyzed for future study.

Evaluation of Anti-venom effect of Tiryaq-e-arba in rabbit models

  • Ahsan, Mohd. Tarique;Rani, Seema
    • CELLMED
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    • v.10 no.4
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    • pp.30.1-30.4
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    • 2020
  • Background: Tiryaq-e-arba is a polyherbal Unani antidote/antivenom formulation used in the management of poisoning due to snake bite, scorpion bite as well as in cold poisons since time immemorial. Objectives: Tiryaq-e-arba was not evaluated scientifically before this study carried out, therefore it was studied for antivenom activity by testing on plasma fibrinogen level in Russell's Viper envenomation in rabbits. Material &Methods: The anti-venom activity of the test drug was studied by observing its effect on plasma fibrinogen level in Russell's Viper envenomation in rabbits by the method of Netelson. Results: The plasma fibrinogen level was found to be 171±665.04 mg/100 ml of blood, 36.18±1.12 mg/100 ml of blood, 33.14±0.52 mg/100 ml of blood and 17.9±1.65 mg/100 ml of blood at 0, 1, 3 and 6 hours respectively in control animals while in the test animal it was found to be 157.13±3.44 mg/100 ml of blood, 41.13±2.69 mg/100 ml of blood, 62.09±1.65 mg/100 ml of blood and 54.39±0.73 mg/100 ml of blood respectively. The test showed that though the plasma fibrinogen level in the test lower at 0 hour but it was greater in the control animals at 1, 3 and 6 hours. The increase in plasma fibrinogen level in the test animals at 3 and 6 hours was statistically significant (P<0.001). Conclusions: The finding of the present study was that Tiryaq-e-arba possesses antivenom activity which scientifically support the Unani claim that it is Dafe-Sumoom-al-Hevan (Antivenom or Antidote) and the use of this preparation in corresponding diseases.

Monitoring Methylmercury in Abyssal Fish (심해성 어류 중 메틸수은 모니터링)

  • Kim, Seong-Cheol;Jang, Jin-Wook;Kim, Hyun-Ah;Lee, Sang-Ho;Jung, Young-Ji;Kim, Ji-Yeon;Ahn, Jong-Hoon;Park, Eun-Hye;Ko, Yong-Seok;Kim, Dong-Sul;Kim, Sang-Yub;Jang, Young-Mi;Kang, Chan-Soon
    • Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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    • v.42 no.4
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    • pp.383-389
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    • 2010
  • The aim of this study was to determine the methylmercury (MeHg) levels in abyssal fish species. The MeHg in the fishes was extracted with hydrochloric acid and toluene and then purified using an L-cysteine solution. The extract was analyzed with a gas chromatography-electron capture detector (GC-${\mu}ECD$) with a thermon Hg-capillary column. The detection limit and the recovery of the method were 0.002 and 84.2-98.5% (mean, 93.4%), respectively. The MeHg content in 492 abyssal fishes ranged from 0.037 to 2.009 mg/kg. The levels of MeHg [range, mg/kg (mean)] were significantly dependent on fish species and presented as the following; 0.157-2.009 (0.546) in Scalloped hammerhead shark, 0.211-0.878 (0.501) in Blue shark, 0.121-0.993 (0.482) in Spiny dogfish, 0.243-0.658 (0.397) in Salmon shark, 0.074-1.958 (0.353) in Blacktip shark, 0.038-0.807 (0.302) in Southern hake, 0.099-0.511 (0.300) in Scorpion fish, and 0.037-0.133 (0.067) in Ling. The monitoring results showed that the estimated weekly intake of MeHg from sharks, Southern hake, and Ling were lower than the provisional tolerable weekly intake recommended by the Joint FAO/WHO expert committee on food additives.