• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.10
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• pp.1458-1468
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• 2002

There is increasing interest in exploiting natural products as feed additives to solve problems in animal nutrition and livestock production. Essential oils and saponins are two types of plant secondary compounds that hold promise as natural feed additives for ruminants. This paper describes recent advances in research into these additives. The research has generally concentrated on protein metabolism. Dietary essential oils caused rates of NH$_3$ production from amino acids in ruminal fluid taken from sheep and cattle receiving the oils to decrease, yet proteinase and peptidase activities were unchanged. Hyper-ammonia-producing (HAP) bacteria were the most sensitive of ruminal bacteria to essential oils in pure culture. Essential oils also slowed colonisation and digestion of some feedstuffs. Ruminobacter amylophilus may be a key organism in mediating these effects. Saponin-containing plants and their extracts appear to be useful as a means of suppressing the bacteriolytic activity of rumen ciliate protozoa and thereby enhancing total microbial protein flow from the rumen. The effects of some saponins seems to be transient, which may stem from the hydrolysis of saponins to their corresponding sapogenin aglycones, which are much less toxic to protozoa. Saponins also have selective antibacterial effects which may prove useful in, for example, controlling starch digestion. These studies illustrate that plant secondary compounds, of which essential oils and saponins comprise a small proportion, have great potential as 'natural' manipulators of rumen fermentation, to the potential benefit of the farmer and the environment.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.278-285
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• 1998

The microdilution assay recommended by NCCLS (National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards) is one of the standardized methods of antibiotic susceptibility test. This method has been widely used clinically to obtain MIC values of antibiotics on pathogenic microorganisms. It is more convenient, rapid and simple to test many samples than other test methods such as agar diffusion assay and broth macrodilution assay. The screening of antimicrobial agents from microbial extracts is too laborious in its process. Therefore, a number of screening methods having more simple procedure have been developed. In our laboratory, we applied microdilution assay for screening the antimicrobial agents. This assay showed dose-response results and was more sensitive than disc diffusion assay in our system. We tested 200 samples of microbial extracts originated from 100 microbial strains and selected several samples as potential candidates. In this report, we show that the microdilution assay is more convenient method in screeing of antibiotic susceptibility than those previously reported.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.8
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• pp.1084-1093
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• 2000

An in vitro gas production system was used to investigate the influence of various substrate mixtures on a natural mix of rumen microbes by measurement of fermentation end-products. The treatments were combinations of cassava (15.0, 30.0 and 45.0%) with different roughage sources (ruzi grass, rice straw or urea treated rice straw). Microbial biomass, net $^{15}N$ incorporation into cells, volatile fatty acid production, gas volume and rate of gas production increased linearly with increasing levels of cassava inclusion. There was also an effect of roughage source, with rice straw being associated with the lowest values for most parameters whilst similar values were obtained for ruzi grass and urea treated rice straw. The results suggest that microbial growth and fermentation rate increase as a function of readily available carbohydrate in the substrate mixture. A strong linear relationship between $^{15}N$ enrichment, total volatile fatty acid production and gas production kinetics support the suggestion of the use of the in vitro gas production system as a tool for screening feedstuffs as an initial stage of feed evaluation.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.139-148
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• 2010

This study was conducted to restore our traditional Cheongtaejeon tea and to develop the special products. We inoculated Cheongtaejeon tea with lactobacilli (Lactobacillus plantarum CHO 25) and the mixed microbial strains (L. plantarum CHO 25 + Saccharomyces cerevisiae + Bacillus amyloliquefaciens CHO 104). We also examined the sensuous characteristics and physiological activity of Cheongtaejeon tea which was produced by the inoculation of microbial strains. The external appearance of Cheongtaejeon teas were not significant among the teas which were produced with or without the inoculation of L. plantarum CHO 25 and the mixed microbial strains. The taste of the tea increased most in Cheongtaejeon tea which was produced without the inoculation of microbial strains. The taste and liking of Cheongtaejeon tea which was inoculated with Aspergillus oryzae and Aspergillus niger decreased significantly, and it was not suitable to drink. Total phenolics compound contents, total flavonoid contents and DPPH ($\alpha,\alpha$-diphenyl-$\beta$-picryl-hydrazyl) radical scavenging activity of Cheongtaejeon tea extracts increased much more in the order of that produced with the inoculation of L. plantarum CHO 25, control and that with the mixed microbial strains. However, nitrite radical scavenging activity in 1,000 mg/L Cheongtaejeon tea hot water extracts were in the order of the control (94.4%), the inoculation of L. plantarum CHO 25 (93.6%) and the mixed microbial strains (91.1%). Overall results indicated that the sensuous characteristics increased most in Cheongtaejeon tea which was produced without the inoculation of microbial strains, and those physiological activities in tea with the inoculation of L. plantarum CHO 25.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.107-112
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• 2003

Probabilistic exposure assessment has been recognized as an important tool in microbial risk assessment, because of obtained the desired results to characterize of variability and uncertainty associated with the microbial hazards. In addition, it will be provided much more actuality information than the point-estimate approaches. In this study, we present methodology using mathematical probability distribution in exposure assessment and estimating of contamination level of Listeria monocytogenes in meat and meat products as a case study. The result of estimation contaminatin level was mean ($50^{th}$ percentile) -4.08 Log CFU/g minimum ($5^{th}$ percentile) -4.88 Log CFU/g, maximum ($95^{th}$ percentile) -3.56 Log CFU/g.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.17-23
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• 2024

Background: Honey bees play a crucial role in pollination and ecological balance. Apis mellifera L. colonies, especially those located in specific geographic regions, such as the palm garden in Eastern Thailand, are susceptible to potential threats from microbial contaminants. Understanding and detecting microbial organisms in these beehives is essential for the preservation of bee health, honey production, and the broader ecosystem. However, the problem of microbial infection and antibiotic-resistant bacteria is more severe and continuously increasing, resulting in a health, economic, and social crisis. The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of microorganisms in A. mellifera beehives in palm gardens in Rayong province, Eastern Thailand. Results: Ten swabs in transport media were swabbed and obtained from different parts of each beehive (1 swab per beehive), for a total of 10 hives. Traditional microbial culture-based methods, biochemical tests, and antimicrobial susceptibility (disc-diffusion) tests were used to detect microbial organisms and antibiotic resistance in bacteria. The swab tests from nine beehives resulted in the detection of Gram-positive bacteria (63.64%), Gram-negative bacteria (27.27%), and fungi/yeast (9.09%). These microorganisms are classified as a group of coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp. and made up 40.91% of the bacteria discovered. Other bacteria found were Coryneform bacteria (13.64%), Pantoea spp. (13.64%), Bacillus spp. (9.09%), yeast (9.09%), glucose non-fermentative Gram-negative bacilli (9.09%), and Pseudomonas spp. (4.55%). However, due to the traditional culture-based and 0biochemical tests usually used to identify the microbial organisms in clinical specimens and the limitation of identifying some environmental microbial species, the results of the antimicrobial susceptibility test cannot reveal if the organism is resistant or susceptible to the drug. Nevertheless, drug-sensitive inhibition zones were formed with each antibiotic agent. Conclusions: Overall, the study supports prevention, healthcare, and public health systems. The contamination of microorganisms in the beehives may affect the quality of honey and other bee products or even the health of the beekeeper. To avoid this kind of contamination, it is therefore necessary to wear personal protective equipment while harvesting honey and other bee products.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.119-129
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• 2013

Thirteen different Streptomyces isolates were evaluated for their ability to produce keratinase using chicken feather as a sole carbon and nitrogen sources under solid state fermentation (SSF). Streptomyces sp. NRC 13S produced the highest keratinase activity [1,792 U/g fermented substrate (fs)]. The phenotypic characterization and analysis of 16S rDNA sequencing of the isolate were studied. Optimization of SSF medium for keratinase production by the local isolate, Streptomyces sp. NRC13S, was carried out using the one-variable-at-a-time and the statistical approaches. In the first optimization step, the effect of incubation period, initial moisture content, initial pH value of the fermentation medium, and supplementation of some agro-industrial by-products on keratinase production were evaluated. The strain produced about 2,310 U/gfs when it grew on chicken feather with moisture content of 75% (w/w), feather: fodder yeast ratio of 70:30 (w/w), and initial pH 7 using phosphate buffer after 8 days. Based on these results, the Box-Behnken design and response surface methodology were applied to find out the optimal conditions for the enzyme production. The corresponding maximal production of keratinase was about 2,569.38 U/gfs.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.197-203
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• 2014

Various parameters such as solvent selection, concentration, solid/liquid ratio, soaking time, temperature, stationary, shaking conditions, and repeated extractions were investigated in order to determine the optimum extraction conditions of ${\beta}$-glucosidase from bagasse fermented by mixed culture of Aspergillus niger NRC 7A and Aspergillus oryzae NRRL 447. Among various solvents tested, non ionic detergents gave the best results than the inorganic or organic salt solutions and distilled water. The optimum conditions for extraction of ${\beta}$-glucosidase were 30 min soaking time at $40^{\circ}C$ under shaking condition at 150 rpm, with solid/liquid ratio 1:15 (w/v), which yielded $2882.74{\pm}95.52U/g$ fermented culture (g fc) of enzyme activity. With repeated washes under the above optimum conditions, the results showed that enzyme extracted in the $1^{st}$ and $2^{nd}$ washes represents about 90% of the total activity.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.149-156
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• 2012

The effects of solvent type and concentration, solid/liquid ratio, extraction time and repeated extraction on recovery of keratinase from solid-state fermentation (SSF) of chicken feather by a local Streptomyces sp. NRC 13S were investigated in order to establish the experimental conditions for keratinase yield. Among solvents tested, 0.5% (v/v) glycerol was the best. Box-Behnken design was used to investigate the effect of relevant variables on keratinase recovery. The factors investigated were solid/liquid ratio (1:1.66-1:6.66 g/mL), glycerol concentration (0.5-5% v/v) and repeated extraction (1-5 cycle). The results showed that the maximum recovery of keratinase (6933.3 U/gfs) was obtained using 0.5 (v/v) glycerol as extracting solvent, in a solid/liquid ratio of 1:5 and three extraction cycles.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.213-217
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• 2005

Microbial hydrogel was prepared with poly(${\gamma}$-glutamic acid) produced from Bacillus subtilis BS62 using crosslinking reagent, ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (EGDE), and its physico-chemical characteristics were examined. Hydrogel which prepared from 10 grams of 10% PGA solution with $600\;{\mu}l$ of EGDE at $50^{\circ}C$ for 17 h swelled 4,320 times its dry weight, and time to reach swelling equilibrium in deionized water at 4 to $45^{\circ}C$ range was about 20 h. Swollen hydrogel shrunk in ionic solutions, and rate of shrinkage was higher in calcium chloride solution than sodium chloride solution. Swelling rate of hydrogel increased 1.3-fold of initial swelling rate for 30 min at $80^{\circ}C$.