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Genomic and Proteomic Analysis of Microbial Function in the Gastrointestinal Tract of Ruminants - Review -

  • White, Bryan A.;Morrison, Mark
    • Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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    • v.14 no.6
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    • pp.880-884
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    • 2001
  • Rumen microbiology research has undergone several evolutionary steps: the isolation and nutritional characterization of readily cultivated microbes; followed by the cloning and sequence analysis of individual genes relevant to key digestive processes; through to the use of small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) sequences for a cultivation-independent examination of microbial diversity. Our knowledge of rumen microbiology has expanded as a result, but the translation of this information into productive alterations of ruminal function has been rather limited. For instance, the cloning and characterization of cellulase genes in Escherichia coli has yielded some valuable information about this complex enzyme system in ruminal bacteria. SSU rRNA analyses have also confirmed that a considerable amount of the microbial diversity in the rumen is not represented in existing culture collections. However, we still have little idea of whether the key, and potentially rate-limiting, gene products and (or) microbial interactions have been identified. Technologies allowing high throughput nucleotide and protein sequence analysis have led to the emergence of two new fields of investigation, genomics and proteomics. Both disciplines can be further subdivided into functional and comparative lines of investigation. The massive accumulation of microbial DNA and protein sequence data, including complete genome sequences, is revolutionizing the way we examine microbial physiology and diversity. We describe here some examples of our use of genomics- and proteomics-based methods, to analyze the cellulase system of Ruminococcus flavefaciens FD-1 and explore the genome of Ruminococcus albus 8. At Illinois, we are using bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) vectors to create libraries containing large (>75 kbases), contiguous segments of DNA from R. flavefaciens FD-1. Considering that every bacterium is not a candidate for whole genome sequencing, BAC libraries offer an attractive, alternative method to perform physical and functional analyses of a bacterium's genome. Our first plan is to use these BAC clones to determine whether or not cellulases and accessory genes in R. flavefaciens exist in clusters of orthologous genes (COGs). Proteomics is also being used to complement the BAC library/DNA sequencing approach. Proteins differentially expressed in response to carbon source are being identified by 2-D SDS-PAGE, followed by in-gel-digests and peptide mass mapping by MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry, as well as peptide sequencing by Edman degradation. At Ohio State, we have used a combination of functional proteomics, mutational analysis and differential display RT-PCR to obtain evidence suggesting that in addition to a cellulosome-like mechanism, R. albus 8 possesses other mechanisms for adhesion to plant surfaces. Genome walking on either side of these differentially expressed transcripts has also resulted in two interesting observations: i) a relatively large number of genes with no matches in the current databases and; ii) the identification of genes with a high level of sequence identity to those identified, until now, in the archaebacteria. Genomics and proteomics will also accelerate our understanding of microbial interactions, and allow a greater degree of in situ analyses in the future. The challenge is to utilize genomics and proteomics to improve our fundamental understanding of microbial physiology, diversity and ecology, and overcome constraints to ruminal function.

Preparation of Functional Cosmetics Containing $\beta$-carotene Derived from Recombinant Escherichia coli and Evaluation of Anti-wrinkle Efficacy by Clinical Testing (재조합 대장균 유래 베타카로틴이 함유된 기능성 화장품 제조 및 이의 임상실험을 통한 주름개선 효능 평가)

  • Kim, You-Geun;Lee, Young-Hoon;Kang, Moon-Kook;Lee, Byung-Hak;Yun, Jun-Ki;Kim, Sung-Bae;Kim, Chang-Joon
    • Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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    • v.37 no.4
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    • pp.399-404
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    • 2009
  • This paper described the formulation of functional cosmetics and evaluation of anti-wrinkle efficacy in clinical test. Cosmetics were formulated with highly purified $\beta$-carotene obtained from the culture broth of recombinant E.coli cells. Edible oil for solubilizing $\beta$-carotene, vitamine E for long-term storage, detergent/stabilizer (2.0%) for the complete formation of oil/water emulsion, dimethicone (0.35%) for good skin care, and sorbitol for skin moisturizer were also added as ingredients. Physical or chemical degradation of formulated products stored at $0^{\circ}C$, $25^{\circ}C$, or $40^{\circ}C$ was not observed for 60-day testing period. In clinical test, 68% of applicants observed wrinkle decrease after 8-week treatment. This result indicates that newly formulated cosmetics have strong potential for improving wrinkle skin care.

Heterologous Expression and Characterization of Glycogen Branching Enzyme from Synechocystis sp. PCC6803

  • Lee, Byung-Hoo;Yoo, Young-Hee;Ryu, Je-Hoon;Kim, Tae-Jip;Yoo, Sang-Ho
    • Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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    • v.18 no.8
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    • pp.1386-1392
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    • 2008
  • A gene (sll0158) putatively encoding a glycogen branching enzyme (GBE, E.C. 2.4.1.18) was cloned from Synechocystis sp. PCC6803, and the recombinant protein expressed and characterized. The PCR-amplified putative GBE gene was ligated into a pET-21a plasmid vector harboring a T7 promoter, and the recombinant DNA transformed into a host cell, E. coli BL21(DE3). The IPTG-induced enzymes were then extracted and purified using Ni-NTA affinity chromatography. The putative GBE gene was found to be composed of 2,310 nucleotides and encoded 770 amino acids, corresponding to approx. 90.7 kDa, as confirmed by SDS-PAGE and MALDI-TOF-MS analyses. The optimal conditions for GBE activity were investigated by measuring the absorbance change in iodine affinity, and shown to be pH 8.0 and $30^{\circ}C$ in a 50 mM glycine-NaOH buffer. The action pattern of the GBE on amylose, an $\alpha$-(1,4)-linked linear glucan, was analyzed using high-performance anion-exchange chromatography (HPAEC) after isoamylolysis. As a result, the GBE displayed $\alpha$-glucosyl transferring activity by cleaving the $\alpha$-(1,4)-linkages and transferring the cleaved maltoglycosyl moiety to form new $\alpha$-(1,6)-branch linkages. A time-course study of the GBE reaction was carried out with biosynthetic amylose (BSAM; $M_p{\cong}$8,000), and the changes in the branch-chain length distribution were evaluated. When increasing the reaction time up to 48 h, the weight- and number-average DP ($DP_w$ and $DP_n$) decreased from 19.6 to 8.7 and from 17.6 to 7.8, respectively. The molecular size ($M_p$, peak $M_w{\cong}2.45-2.75{\times}10^5$) of the GBE-reacted product from BSAM reached the size of amylose (AM) in botanical starch, yet the product was highly soluble and stable in water, unlike AM molecules. Thus, GBE-generated products can provide new food and non-food applications, owing to their unique physical properties.

Development and Characterization of an Anti-Acne Gel Containing Siamese Crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis) Leukocyte Extract

  • Phupiewkham, Weeraya;Lu, Qiumin;Payoungkiattikun, Wisarut;Temsiripong, Threeranan;Jangpromma, Nisachon;Lai, Ren;Klaynongsruang, Sompong
    • Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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    • v.28 no.5
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    • pp.707-717
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    • 2018
  • Leukocytes are reportedly the first line of the innate immune defense and essential for the control of common bacterial infections. Therefore, in this work, the antibacterial activity of crocodile leukocyte extract against Propionibacterium acnes was evaluated, and we also characterized the related activity of skin infection. The leukocyte extract showed the minimum inhibitory concentration to be $100{\mu}g/ml$ to P. acnes. SEM imaging demonstrated that the leukocyte extract adversely affected P. acnes cell permeability in a concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, the crocodile leukocyte extract could significantly reduce proinflammatory markers and decrease inflammatory signs in infected mouse ears. The crude leukocyte extract was further purified using FPLC and RP-HPLC. The resulting fraction F5 was indicated as the anti-acne peptide-containing fraction. The molecular mass of the peptide contained in F5 was calculated to be 4,790.5 Da. N-Terminal sequencing revealed the amino acid sequence as GPEPVPAIYQ, which displays similarities to immunoglobulin A and leucine-rich repeat neuronal protein. This is the first reported amino acid sequence of a crocodile leukocyte extract that possesses anti-acne activity. To attempt to use it in a prototype cosmetic, an anti-acne gel containing crude crocodile leukocyte extract was formulated, resulting in seven gel formulations (G1, G2, G3, G4, G5, G6, and G7). The formulations G5, G6, and G7 exhibited 2-fold higher anti-acne activity than G1-G4. Investigation of accelerating stability studies of anti-acne gel formulations G5, G6, and G7 demonstrated that a low storage temperature ($4^{\circ}C$) is suitable for maintaining the physical properties and biological activity of the anti-acne gel products.

Development Process of Agriculture And Technology -A Case Study of Korea

  • Gajendra-Singh;Ahn, Duck-Hyun
    • Proceedings of the Korean Society for Agricultural Machinery Conference
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    • 1993.10a
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    • pp.109-118
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    • 1993
  • Development process of agricultural technology has been studied with a case study of Korean agriculture. Technological is considered as a transformer of inputs into outputs and hence technological appropriateness, an important aspect of agricultural development strategies, is considered as a dynamic concepts. Considering the concept of agricultural system as a delivery system for providing essential materials and services to producers and consumers, it has been divided into two major groups of dimensions vis. external challenge dimensions and internal response dimensions. Market, investment and agro-ecosystem constitute the external challenge dimensions : whereas trade , technology as well as production and resources allocation constitute internal response dimensions. The system manager is responsible for maintaining equilibrium in the mentioned six sub-systems. Two kinds of alternatives paths of technological development viz. land saving technology and labour saving technolog have been studied. Technology is considered as a combination of four basic components viz. facilities, abilities, facts and frameworks. Adoption of innovation in agriculture depends on profitability, awareness, risk aversion, financial capacity, institutional infrastructure, availability of physical inputs and adaptability to the local conditions. For a cast study of Korea, changes in the agricultural system through external challenge dimensions are investigated. The impacts of industrialization on agro-ecosystem reported are shift of labour from the agricultural sector to non-agricultural sectors and continuously increasing demand of farm the agricultural sector to non-agricultural sectors accompanied by increase in land prices. The impacts on the commodity market discussed are shift in demand from rice, barley and other cereals to meat , dairy products and vegetables : and increasing in supply capacity of agricultural inputs. The process of agricultural development from 1962 to 19 1 9 (i.e. from start of the first to the end of the sixth five year plan) are also discussed in details with several policy measures taken. The trend of agricultural income and productivity are also analyzed. The main cause of increase in the agricultural income is considered as increase in labour productivity. The study revealed that during the span of 1965-88, holding size has not changed significantly, but both the land and labour productivity increased and so did the agricultural income. R&D activities in Korea have changed over time in three stages vix. import of improved technology, localization by adaptive research and technological mastery. For the new technology to be made affordable to farmers, policy measures like fertilizer and food grain exchange system, dual price system in rice and barely and loan for machinery were strengthened.

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Risk Factors for Cervical Cancer in Rural Areas of Wuhan China: a Matched Case-control Study

  • Zhang, Bin;Zhou, Ai-Fen;Zhu, Chang-Cai;Zhang, Ling;Xiang, Bing;Chen, Zhong;Hu, Rong-Hua;Zhang, Ya-Qi;Qiu, Lin;Zhang, Yi-Ming;Xiong, Chao-Du;Du, Yu-Kai;Shi, Yu-Qin
    • Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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    • v.14 no.12
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    • pp.7595-7600
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    • 2013
  • Cervical cancer is a serious public health problem in developing countries. We investigated possible risk factors for cervical cancer in rural areas of Wuhan China using a matched case-control study with 33 women diagnosed with cervical cancer and 132 healthy women selected from the same area as matched controls. A questionnaire, which included questions about general demography conditions, environmental and genetic factors, the first sexual intercourse, first marriage age, age at first pregnancy, pregnancy first child's age, female personal health history, social psychological factors, dietary habits, smoking and alcohol status and other living habits was presented to all participants. At the same time, HPV infection of every participant was examined in laboratory testing. Results showed HPV infection (P<0.000, OR=23.4) and pregnancy first child's age (P<0.000, OR=13.1) to be risk factors for cervical cancer. Menopause (P=0.003, OR=0.073) was a protective factor against cervical cancer. However, there was no indication of associations of environmental (drinking water, insecticide, disinfectant) genetic (cancer family history), or life-style factors (smoking status, alcohol status, physical training, sleep quality), including dietary habits (intake of fruit and vegetable, meat, fried food, bean products and pickled food) or social psychological factors with cervical cancer. The results suggest that the risk of cervical cancer in Chinese rural women may be associated with HPV infection, menopause and the pregnancy first child's age.

Damage Characteristics of Korean Traditional Textiles by Formaldehyde (포름알데히드에 의한 전통직물의 손상 특성)

  • Kim, Myoung Nam;Lim, Bo A;Lee, Sun Myung
    • Journal of Conservation Science
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    • v.30 no.4
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    • pp.353-364
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    • 2014
  • Formaldehyde(HCHO) may have a damage effect on Korean traditional textiles, because concentration is high and occurrence frequency is frequent at the exhibition room and storage area. Total 20 specimens were prepared using 4 different materials (silk, cotton, ramie, hemp) after dyeing with 5 colors (undyed, red, yellow, blue, black). The specimens were exposed to HCHO gas in the test chamber. The gas acceleration test was conducted to identify the deterioration of Korean traditional textiles according to HCHO concentration(0.5, 1, 10, 100, 500ppm), to temperature-humidity condition at HCHO 500ppm, and deterioration conditions at HCHO 500ppm. Optical, chemical, and physical evaluation was carried out after the exposure. The results, color difference, grey scale rating, formate($HCO_2{^-}$) of some textiles increased at 500ppm, while pH decreased at 500ppm. Also, color difference, grey scale rating, formate($HCO_2{^-}$) of some textiles increased double damage at high temperatures & humidity, high humidity condition. But, damages of accelerated degradation textiles were slight, because of degradation degree and degradation products. The results suggest that determined the damage to the korean traditional textile, damage level, damage-weighted condition, damage to accelerated degradation textiles. In addition, formaldehyde damaged to yellowing of red textiles, bleaching of accelerated degradation textiles, formic acid damaged to bleaching of total 20 specimens.

The effects of store image components on consumers purchasing retailer brands in Korea

  • Chung, Lak-Chae;Cho, Young-Sang
    • Journal of Distribution Science
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    • v.9 no.4
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    • pp.15-27
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    • 2011
  • Although a huge number of academic researchers have paid considerable attention to exploring both the degree to which store image influences retailer brand customers and how to develop store personality, they have overlooked the contemporary retail context in which retailers have developed many different types of retailer brands, that is, price-oriented or quality-oriented retailer brands. Rather than focusing on the latter, much literature has looked at the former. Accordingly, even though there are many articles related to store image, a few authors have shown their interest in identifying the extent to which store personality affects customers purchasing retailer brands at lower prices. As a result, their efforts have been to illustrate the relationship between store image and consumer behaviours buying retailer brands. In that multiple retailers over the world such as E-Mart, Lotte-Mart, Tesco Korea and Tesco UK have actively introduced not only the quality-focused retailer brands that quality is better than, or equal to national brands, and prices are slightly higher than, or equal to them, but also price-focused retailer brands, academicians should make an effort to investigate how store image affects customers purchasing a quality-oriented retailer brand, comparing with previous research results. That is why the authors illustrate the extent to which store personality components influence retailer brand customers, including particularly quality-oriented retailer brand customers through an empirical research. By adopting a questionnaire method as a research technique to illuminate the relationship between store image components and retailer brand customers, research validity increases and further, data gathered through a field survey are analysed through a few statistic analysis methods, in order to minimise statistical deviations. Compared with the prior research concentrated on price-focused retailer brands, the authors have significantly shed light on customer behaviours purchasing retailer brand products with higher quality. When it comes to store personality components, the research suggests the following five items: merchandise attributes, services, physical facilities, promotions, and institutional image, considering the subcomponents mentioned by the previous research. Proposing the conceptual research model which those elements are differently hypothesised, according to retailer brand types: PR (Price-oriented Retailer brand) and QR (Quality-oriented Retailer brand), the research is proceeded. Through empirical research, the authors found that amongst the five items, only promotion influenced retailer brand customers in the Korean retailing marketplace, unlike other countries explored by many researchers, such as UK. Although much literature emphasises that those elements are closely related to retailer brand buying proneness, it is completely not fit to the Korean market. Also, research findings provide new insights into the degree of store image effects on retailer brand customers for academiciansand practitioners. Whether the retailer brand development program that a retailer has carried simultaneously both price-focused and quality-focused retailer brand types is practically profitable should be explored in the future.

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Preparation and Properties of Moisture-absorbing Film Impregnated with Polyacrylic Acid Partial Sodium Salt Material (폴리아크릴산 나트륨 염이 함침된 흡수성 고분자 복합 필름의 제조 및 특성 연구)

  • Lee, Youn Suk;Choi, Hong Yeol;Park, Insik
    • Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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    • v.52 no.4
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    • pp.530-537
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    • 2014
  • Moisture is a major factor causing the deteriorative physical change, microbial growth, and chemical reaction of the products. In this study, the moisture absorbing composite films have been prepared with moisture absorbing material of polyacrylic acid partial sodium salt (PAPSS) impregnated on LLDPE polymer for the functional packaging applications. The results showed that PAPSS impregnated film illustrated uniformly dispersed PAPSS particles in the LLDPE polymer matrix. The transparency of the PAPSS impregnated film decreased slightly at higher PAPSS concentrations. An increase in the PAPSS content for moisture-absorbing films showed a similar decrease in tensile strength, percent elongation at break, and tear strength. Their values of films impregnated with PAPSS of 0.5, 1, and 2% showed no significant difference. Meanwhile, 4% PAPSS films significantly decreased the values of mechanical properties compared to the films impregnated with different PAPSS levels. Values of the oxygen permeability and water vapor permeability for PAPSS impregnated films decreased significantly with greater PAPSS. The results indicate that 4% PAPSS impregnated in LLDPE films had high affinity of moisture absorbencies compared to the other films. The mathematical equation that best described the moisture sorption isotherm of each film sample was the GAB equation at $25^{\circ}C$. The crystallization and melting temperatures of PAPSS films were influenced by the addition of PAPSS material, but showed good thermal stability.

A Customization Method for Mobile App.'s Performance Improvement (모바일 앱의 성능향상을 위한 커스터마이제이션 방안)

  • Cho, Eun-Sook;Kim, Chul-Jin
    • Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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    • v.17 no.11
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    • pp.208-213
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    • 2016
  • In the fourth industrial revolution, customization is becoming a conversation topic in various domains. Industry 4.0 applies cyber-physical systems (CPS), the Internet of Things (IoT), and cloud computing to manufacturing businesses. One of the main phrases in Industry 4.0 is mass customization. Optimized products or services are developed and provided through customization. Therefore, the competitiveness of a product can be enhanced, and satisfaction is improved. In particular, as IoT technology spreads, customization is an essential aspect of smooth service connections between various devices or things. Customized services in mobile applications are assembled and operate in various mobile devices in the mobile environment. Therefore, this paper proposes a method for improving customized cloud server-based mobile architectures, processes, and metrics, and for measuring the performance improvement of the customized architectures operating in various mobile devices based on the Android or IOS platforms. We reduce the total time required for customization in half as a result of applying the proposed customized architectures, processes, and metrics in various devices.