• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.1203-1208
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• 2007

Feathers are produced in huge quantities as a waste product at commercial poultry processing plants. Since feathers are almost pure keratin protein, feather wastes represent an alternative to more expensive dietary ingredients for animal feedstuffs. Generally they become feather meal used as animal feed after undergoing physical and chemical treatments. These processes require significant energy and also cause environmental pollutions. Therefore, biodegradation of feather by microorganisms represents an alternative method to prevent environment contamination. The aim of this study was to investigate cultural conditions affecting keratinolytic protease production by Bacillus pumilus RS7. We also assessed the nutritive value of microbial and alkaline feather hydrolysates, The composition of optimal medium for the keratinolytic protease was fructose 0.05%, yeast extract 0.3%, NaCl 0.05%, K2HPO4 0.03%, KH2PO4 0.04% and MgCl2 6H2O 0.01%, respectively. The optimal temperature and initial pH was $30^{\circ}C$ and 9.0, respectively. The keratinolytic protease production under optimal condition reached a maximum after 18 h of cultivation. Total amino acid content of feather hydrolysates treated by NaOH and B. pumilius RS7 was $113.8\;{\mu}g/ml$ and $504.9\;{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. Essential amino acid content of feather hydrolysates treated by NaOH and B. pumilius RS7 was $47.2\;{\mu}g/ml$ and $334.0\;{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. Thus, feather hydrolysates have the potential for utilization as an ingredient in animal feed.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.45-63
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• 2019

In view of the growing industrial use of Bacterial cellulose (BC), and taking into account that it might become airborne and be inhaled after industrial processing, assessing its potential pulmonary toxic effects assumes high relevance. In this work, the murine model was used to assess the effects of exposure to respirable BC nanofibrils (nBC), obtained by disintegration of BC produced by Komagataeibacter hansenii. Murine bone marrow-derived macrophages ($BMM{\Phi}$) were treated with different doses of nBC (0.02 and 0.2 mg/mL, respectively 1 and $10{\mu}g$ of fibrils) in absence or presence of 0.2% Carboxymethyl Cellulose (nBCMC). Furthermore, mice were instilled intratracheally with nBC or nBCMC at different concentrations and at different time-points and analyzed up to 6 months after treatments. Microcrystaline $Avicel-plus^{(R)}$ CM 2159, a plant-derived cellulose, was used for comparison. Markers of cellular damage (lactate dehydrogenase release and total protein) and oxidative stress (hydrogen peroxidase, reduced glutathione, lipid peroxidation and glutathione peroxidase activity) as well presence of inflammatory cells were evaluated in brochoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluids. Histological analysis of lungs, heart and liver tissues was also performed. BAL analysis showed that exposure to nBCMC or CMC did not induce major alterations in the assessed markers of cell damage, oxidative stress or inflammatory cell numbers in BAL fluid over time, even following cumulative treatments. $Avicel-plus^{(R)}$ CM 2159 significantly increased LDH release, detected 3 months after 4 weekly administrations. However, histological results revealed a chronic inflammatory response and tissue alterations, being hypertrophy of pulmonary arteries (observed 3 months after nBCMC treatment) of particular concern. These histological alterations remained after 6 months in animals treated with nBC, possibly due to foreign body reaction and the organism's inability to remove the fibers. Overall, despite being a safe and biocompatible biomaterial, BC-derived nanofibrils inhalation may lead to lung pathology and pose significant health risks.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.61 no.4
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• pp.216-224
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• 2019

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of hot melt extrusion (HME) nano-iron as an alternative for the common ferrous sulfate on iron (Fe) bioavailability, growth performance, nutrient digestibility, intestinal morphology, and intestinal microbiota of weanling pigs. A total of 200 piglets (Landrace ${\times}$ Yorkshire ${\times}$ Duroc) were randomly allotted to seven treatments on the basis of initial body weight (BW) and sex. Treatments were the INO100 (100 ppm Fe as $FeSO_4$), HME-Fe levels (50, 75, and 100 ppm nano-Fe as $FeSO_4$). ORG100 (100 ppm Fe as iron methionine). In phase 1, the HME50 pigs showed the lowest Fe content in feed and feces. Plasma Fe concentration was increased in HME100 and ORG100 pigs. In phase 2, there were significantly lower concentration of Fe in feed and feces of HME50 pigs (p < 0.01). A lower Fe concentration in the plasma and liver were observed in HME50 pigs compared with HME100 pigs. Concentration of red blood cell (RBC) was the lowest (p < 0.01) for HME50 pigs. During phase 2, the HME100, HME75, and ORG100 pigs showed a higher RBC and hemoglobin values compared with HME50 pigs. Digestibility of gross energy (GE) and crude protein (CP) were significantly higher in HME100 pigs compared with HME50 pigs. There was an increased (p < 0.01) villus height in the duodenum and jejunum of HME100 pigs compared with HME50 pigs. It is concluded that dietary Fe does not improve growth performance of weanling pigs; however, increasing the dietary iron concentration in weanling piglets increased the RBC and hemoglobin. In addition, the potential ability of HME to be used at a lower level (HME75) was observed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.26 no.7
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• pp.904-914
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• 2020

Through the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy, South Korea is trying to support the "Building Project for Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) Bunkering Ship," centered on the Korea Gas Corporation, while the Ministry of Maritime Af airs and Fisheries is pushing to construct an LNG bunkering terminal at Busan New Port. LNG bunkering ships are essential for supplying LNG fuel from the terminal to the ships, resulting in the need for safety operation procedures. Therefore, in this study, the stability of a coastal LNG bunkering ship operating from Busan New Port to the anchorage in Busan Port was assessed to investigate the need for operational procedures for coastal LNG bunkering ships. Seakeeping analysis of the LNG bunkering ship was performed for each significant wave height by combining the response amplitude operator from the ship motion analysis under the potential flow theory with the actual observed sea data for five years and Texel, Marsen, and Arsloe (TMA) spectrum suitable for the Busan coast. The results showed that the roll and horizontal acceleration were the main risks that affected the navigation seakeeping performance above a significance wave height of 2 m. The operational periods of the LNG bunkering ship ranged from 83.3% to 99.9% of the total observation period.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.121-132
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• 2021

Green facade has a significant impact on building's energy performance by controlling the absorption of solar radiation and improving outdoor thermal comfort through shading and evapotranspiration. In particular, since high-density building does not enough green space, green facade, and rooftop greening using artificial ground plants are highly utilized. However, the level of cooling effect according to plant traits and irrigation control is different. Therefore, in this study, the cooling effect analyzed for a total of 4 cases by controlling the irrigation condition based on hedera and spurge. Although hedera under sufficient water had the highest cooling effect(-2℃~-4℃), had the lowest cooling effect under non-irrigation(+1.1℃~+4.4℃). In addition, hedera under sufficient water had cooling effect than hedera under non-irrigation(-1℃~-8.1℃) and in the case of spurge, it had cooling effect(-0.3℃~-7.8℃) more than non-irrigation. As a result of measuring the amount of transpiration according to the light intensity (PAR) and carbon dioxide concentration conditions, transpiration of hedera was higher than the spurge (respectively 0.63204mmolm^-2s^-1, 0.674367mmolm^-2s^-1). The difference in the cooling effect of the green facade under irrigation condition was significant. But the potential cooling effect of green facade according to plants species was different. Therefore, in order to maximize and continuously provide the cooling effect of green facade in urban areas, it is necessary to consider the characteristics of plants and the control of water supply through the irrigation system.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.135-146
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• 2022

Obesity is closely associated with profound dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, and fatty liver disease. Recent reports have suggested that alterations in gut microbiota can be linked to diet-induced obesity. In this study, the anti-obesity effects of Weissella confusa WIKIM51 isolated from kimchi were investigated, as evidenced by: i) reduced lipid accumulation and downregulated adipogenesis-related genes in 3T3-L1 adipocytes; ii) suppressed gains in body weight and epididymal fat mass; iii) reduced serum lipid levels, for example, triglyceride and total cholesterol; iv) increased serum adiponectin levels and reduced serum leptin levels; v) downregulated lipogenesis and upregulated β-oxidation-related genes in the epididymal fat; and vi) altered microbial communities. The collective evidence indicate the potential value of W. confusa WIKIM51 as a functional food supplement for the prevention and amelioration of obesity.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.8
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• pp.1190-1198
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• 2023

Objective: To our knowledge, there are few studies on the correlation between internal structure of fermented products and nutrient delivery from by-products from coffee processing in the ruminant system. The objective of this project was to use advanced mid-infrared vibrational spectroscopic technique (ATR-FT/IR) to reveal interactive correlation between protein internal structure and ruminant-relevant protein and energy metabolic profiles of by-products from coffee processing affected by added-microorganism fermentation duration. Methods: The by-products from coffee processing were fermented using commercial fermentation product, called Saus Burger Pakan, consisting of various microorganisms: cellulolytic, lactic acid, amylolytic, proteolytic, and xylanolytic microbes, for 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days. Protein chemical profiles, Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System crude protein and CHO subfractions, and ruminal degradation and intestinal digestion of protein were evaluated. The attenuated total reflectance-Ft/IR (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy was used to study protein structural features of spectra that were affected by added microorganism fermentation duration. The molecular spectral analyses were carried using OMNIC software. Molecular spectral analysis parameters in fermented and non-fermented by-products from coffee processing included: Amide I area (AIA), Amide II (AIIA) area, Amide I heigh (AIH), Amide II height (AIIH), α-helix height (αH), β-sheet height (βH), AIA to AIIA ratio, AIH to AIIH ratio, and αH to βH ratio. The relationship between protein structure spectral profiles of by-products from coffee processing and protein related metabolic features in ruminant were also investigated. Results: Fermentation decreased rumen degradable protein and increased rumen undegradable protein of by-products from coffee processing (p<0.05), indicating more protein entering from rumen to the small intestine for animal use. The fermentation duration significantly impacted (p<0.05) protein structure spectral features. Fermentation tended to increase (p<0.10) AIA and AIH as well as β-sheet height which all are significantly related to the protein level. Conclusion: Protein structure spectral profiles of by-product form coffee processing could be utilized as potential evaluators to estimate protein related chemical profile and protein metabolic characteristics in ruminant system.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.11
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• pp.1666-1684
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• 2023

Objective: Our objective was to examine the relationships of supplemental rumen-protected lysine (RPL) or lysine + methionine (RPLM) on lactational performance, plasma amino acids (AA) concentration, and nitrogen use efficiency of lactating dairy cows by using a meta-analysis approach. Methods: A total of 56 articles comprising 77 experiments with either RPL or RPLM supplementation were selected and analyzed using a mixed model methodology by considering the treatments and other potential covariates as fixed effects and different experiments as random effects. Results: In early lactating cows, milk yield was linearly increased by RPL (β₁ = 0.013; p<0.001) and RPLM (β₁ = 0.014; p<0.028) but 3.5% fat-corrected milk (FCM) and energy-corrected milk (ECM) (kg/d) was increased by only RPL. RPL and RPLM did not affect dry matter intake (DMI) but positively increased (p<0.05) dairy efficiency (Milk yield/DMI and ECM/DMI). As a percentage, milk fat, protein, and lactose were unchanged by RPL or RPLM but the yield of all components was increased (p<0.05) by feeding RPL while only milk protein was increased by feeding RPLM. Plasma Lys concentration was linearly increased (p<0.05) with increasing supplemental RPL while plasma Met increased (p<0.05) by RPLM supplementation. The increase in plasma Lys had a strong linear relationship (R² = 0.693 in the RPL dataset and R² = 0.769 in the RPLM dataset) on milk protein synthesis (g/d) during early lactation. Nitrogen metabolism parameters were not affected by feeding RPL or RPLM, either top-dress or when supplemented to deficient diets. Lactation performance did not differ between AA-deficient or AA-adequate diets in response to RPL or RPLM supplementation. Conclusion: RPL or RPLM showed a positive linear relationship on the lactational performance of dairy cows whereas greater improvement effects were observed during early lactation. Supplementing RPL or RPLM is recommended on deficient-AA diet but not on adequate-AA diet.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.66 no.2
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• pp.310-325
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• 2024

Glyconutrients help in the body's cell communication. Glyconutrients and synbiotics are promising options for improving immune function. Therefore, we hypothesized that combining synbiotics and glyconutrients will enhance pig nutrient utilization. 150 pigs (Landrace × Yorkshire × Duroc), initially weighing 58.85 ± 3.30 kg of live body weight (BW) were utilized to determine the effects of synbiotics-glyconutrients (SGN) on the pigs' performance, feed efficiency, gas emission, pork traits, and composition of fatty acids. The pigs were matched by BW and sex and chosen at random to 1 of 3 diet treatments: control = Basal diet; TRT1 = Basal diet + SGN 0.15%; TRT2 = Basal diet + SGN 0.30%%. The trials were conducted in two phases (weeks 1-5 and weeks 5-10). The average daily gain was increased in pigs fed a basal diet with SGN (p = 0.036) in weeks 5-10. However, the apparent total tract digestibility of dry matter, nitrogen, and gross energy did not differ among the treatments (p > 0.05). Dietary treatments had no effect on NH₃, H₂S, methyl mercaptans, acetic acids, and CO₂ emissions (p > 0.05). Improvement in drip loss on day 7 (p = 0.053) and tendency in the cooking loss were observed (p = 0.070) in a group fed basal diets and SGN at 0.30% inclusion level. The group supplemented with 0.30% of SGN had higher levels of palmitoleic acid (C16:1), margaric acid (C17:0), omega-3 fatty acid, omega-6 fatty acid, and ω-6: ω-3 ratio (p = 0.034, 0.020, 0.025, 0.007, and 0.003, respectively) in the fat of finishing pigs. Furthermore, group supplemented with 0.30% of SGN improved margaric acid (C17:0), linoleic acid (C18:2n6c), arachidic acid (C20:0), omega 6 fatty acid, omega-6 to omega-3 ratio, unsaturated fatty acid, and monounsaturated fatty acid (p = 0.037, 0.05, 0.0142, 0.036, 0.033, 0.020, and 0.045, respectively) in the lean tissues of finishing pigs compared to pigs fed with the control diets. In conclusion, the combination of probiotics, prebiotics, and glyconutrients led to higher average daily gain, improved the quality of pork, and more favorable fatty acid composition. Therefore, these results contributed to a better understanding of the potential of SGN combinations as a feed additive for pigs.

• 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.