• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.77-79
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• 2004

To investigate whether BF-7, extracted from Bombyx mori, improved learning and memory of ordinary people, K-WAIS (Korean version of Wechsler adult intelligence scale) was performed in 4 normal students. Treatment with 400 mg of BF-7 increased mean IQ from 103 to 114. To know how BF-7 plays such a positive role, we measured the blood flow to brain, especially for the area concerned with learning and memory, with Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography(SPECT). Our result showed that the blood flow to parahippocampal gyrus and medial temporal area was increased. Also, our results showed the image representing the increase of blood supply in this area. So, our results suggest that BF-7 effectively help to use brain concerning with learning and memory.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.142-146
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• 2013

The fluorescent proteins are generally denatured by heat treatment and thus lose their color. The normal reeling method includes processing by drying and cooking the cocoons near $100^{\circ}C$ before reeling. Therefore, the usual processing method cannot be used for making colored fluorescent silks. To develop a method that is applicable to producing transgenic silk without color loss, we develop reeling methods adequate for a recombinant fluorescence cocoons. It was found that the fluorescence cocoons keep their native color when dried at temperatures lower than $60^{\circ}C$ for 15 h. Also, a new cooking method to soften the fluorescent cocoons was developed: the cocoons were soaked in a solution of 0.2% sodium carbonate ($Na_2CO_3$)/0.1% nonionic surfactant (Triton X100) at $60^{\circ}C$ and then placed under vacuum. The repeated vacuum treatments enabled complete penetration of the solution into the cocoons, and the cocoons were thus homogenously softened and ready for reeling. In this state, the cooked cocoons can be reeled by an automated reeling machine. Our results suggest that drying and cooking of the cocoons at low temperature enables the subsequent reeling of the colored fluorescent silks by an automatic reeling machine without color loss and can produce silks that can be used for making higher value-added silk materials.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.8
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• pp.1249-1253
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• 2010

Sericin is a type of high molecular weight water-soluble glycoprotein surrounding fibroin (silk protein) that has been used as a cell culture supplement and accelerates cell proliferation in various serum-free media. The purpose of this study was to investigate the enhancing effect of thyroglobulin (Tg) secretion by sericin in thyrocytes, FRTL-5 cells. While Tg-mRNA expression was not enhanced, a secreted form of Tg was obviously increased by sericin. In this status, expression of both endoplasmic reticulum (ER) molecular chaperones (Bip & calreticulin) and ER membrane proteins (IRE1, PERK & ATF6) was enhanced. The proximal step of IRE1, XBP1 mRNA splicing was slightly detected however, the proximal step of PERK, phosphorylation of $eIF2{\alpha}$, was changeless. In addition, sericin enhanced cell viability by the MTT assay. The above results showing the ability of sericin to promote protein production demonstrated its potential usefulness as a new biomaterial.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.6-9
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• 2003

This experiment was done to know developmental characteristics of Sericin jam. Incubation periods were 10 day 2 hr, and 10 day 1 hr. 11 day 1 hr for Nd-s jam, N $d^{H}$ jam, and Baegok jam, respectively. Hatching rates were 83.9, 83.3 and 96.0% for Nd-s jam, N $d^{H}$ jam, and Baegok jam. Larval periods were, 20 days 1 hr for Nd-s jam, 20 days 5 hrs for N $d^{H}$ jam, and 22 days 12 hrs for Baegok jam. Death rate of larvae was highest in N $d^{H}$ iam, followed by Nd-s jam and Baegok jam. Pupation rate was highest in Baegok Jam followed by Nd-s jam and that of N $d^{H}$ jam was the lowest among the three. Cocoon weight was 1.39, 1.08, and 2.01 g for Nd-s jam, N $d^{H}$ jam, and Baegok jam, respectively. Shell weight were 13, 3, and 48 cg for Nd-s jam, N $d^{H}$ jam, and Baegok jam. Cocoon shell ratios were 9.0% for Nd-s jam, 2.8% for N $d^{H}$ jam and 23.9% for Baegok jam. Cocoon sizes were 30.6${\times}$15.8 mm for Nd-s jam, 24.7${\times}$14.9 mm for N $d^{H}$ jam and 35.8 ${\times}$ 20.5 mm(1${\times}$w) for Baegok jam.w) for Baegok jam.