• Animal Bioscience
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• v.37 no.4_spc
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• pp.755-774
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• 2024

The main objective of this study was to present data on the current situation and future trends of pig meat production in the European Union-27 (EU). Pig production has played an important social and economic role for centuries in many states of the EU. In 2022, pig meat production in the EU reached 23 M tons, which represented 21% of total production worldwide. The two key reasons that justify such amount of pork produced, are the acceptance and high consumption of the meat by the local population and the high quality of the meat produced which facilitated pork export. However, current data show a reduction in pork production for the last three years, as a consequence of a series of events that include i) problems with the chain of ingredients supply, ii) uncontrolled increase in African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreaks, iii) fast recovery of pig production in China, iv) increasing concerns by the rural population on the high cost to meet future requirements of the EU legislation on farm management, environmental sustainability and animal welfare, v) increased cost of all inputs involved in pig production and vi) limited interest of the new farmer generation to work on the pig sector. Consequently, pork production is expected to decrease in the EU for the next years, although sales will be maintained at a relative high level because pork is the meat preferred by local consumers in most EU countries. In order to maintain the favourable position of the pork industry in the near future, strategies to implement include: i) maintain the quality of the meat destinated to export markets, ii) improve the control of outbreaks of ASF and other swine diseases, iii) implementation of technological innovations to improve working conditions making more attractive to work in the pork sector of the food chain to the new generation of farmers and workers.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.867-874
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• 2011

This paper describes the results of a survey aimed at characterizing smallholder pig production systems in northern Lao PDR. A total of 341 households from five Northern provinces were interviewed in the survey. Village meetings and individual interviews, using a semi-structured questionnaire, were used to collect information. Three main pig rearing systems, free-scavenging, semi-scavenging and confinement (enclosures and pens), were found in the survey areas. These systems were practiced differently by smallholders depending on the level of intensity of crop production, ethnicity and purpose of keeping pigs. The confinement system was mainly practiced by Lao-Tai and Tibeto-Burman groups, who mainly bought piglets and fattened these pigs for sale. In contrast, the Mon-Khmer and Hmong-Mien reared pigs in free-scavenging and semi-scavenging systems, and usually keep sows for piglet production. The main factors that affected the changes in rearing systems were found to be level of intensity of crop production, local regulations and outbreaks of disease. The main constraints found in smallholder systems were outbreaks of disease, high mortality of piglets and the slow growth rate of fattening pigs.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.173-177
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• 1996

The Pneumococcus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, has an ample polysaccharide (PS) capsule that is highly antigenic and is the main virulence factor of the organism. The capsular PS is the source of PS vaccine. This investigation was undertaken to optimize the culture conditions for the production of capsular PS by type 4 pneumococcus. Among several culture media, brain heart infusion (BHI) and Casitone based medium were found to support luxuriant growth of pneumococcus type 4 at the same level. Therefore in this study, the Casitone based medium was used to study optimization of the culture condition because of BHI broth's high cost and complex nature. The phase of growth which accomodated maximum PS production was exponential phase. Concentrations of glucose greater than 0.8% did not enhance growth or PS production. Substitution of nitrogen sources with other resources or supplementation of various concentrations of metal ion (with the exception of calcium, copper, and magnesium ions) had adverse effects on growth and PS production. On the other hand, low level aeration and supplementation of 3 mg/l concentration of asparagine, phenylalanine, or threonine were beneficial for increased PS production. The synergistic effect of all the favorable conditions observed in pneumococcal growth assays provided a two-fold cumulative increase in capsular PS production.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.7
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• pp.948-956
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• 2000

The effect of high and low level of feed intakes on nutrient digestibility, nutrient losses through methane, energy and protein utilization by goats fed on alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) pellets based diets was investigated in this study. Twelve castrated Japanese goats were employed in two subsequent digestion and metabolism trials. The goats were divided into three groups, offered three diets. Diet 1 consisted of 100% alfalfa pellet, Diet 2 was 70% alfalfa pellet and 30% corn, and Diet 3 was 40% alfalfa pellet and 60% corn. The two intake levels were high (1.6 times) and low (0.9 times) the maintenance requirement of total digestible nutrients (TON). Rumen ammonia nitrogen ($NH_3$-N) level of Diet 1 was lower (p<0.001) compared to Diets 2 and 3, but the values were always above the critical level (I50 mg/liter), The pH values of rumen liquor ranged from 6.02 to 7.30. Apparent digestibility of nutrient components did not show differences (p>0.05) between the two intake levels but inclusion of corn significantly altered the nutrient digestibility. Diet 3 had highest (p<0.001) dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), ether extract (EE) and nitrogen fee extract (NFE) digestibility followed by the Diet 2 and Diet 1. The crude protein (CP) digestibility values among the three diets were in a narrow range (70.1 to 70.8%). Crude fiber (CF) digestibility for Diet 3 was slight higher (p>0.05) than that for other two diets. When alfalfa was replaced by corn, there were highly significant (p<0.001) increases in DM, OM, EE and NFE apparent digestibility and a slight increase in the CF digestibility (p>0.05). There were no differences (p>0.05) in energy losses as methane ($CH_4$) and heat production among the diets but energy loss through urine was higher for the Diet 1. The total energy loss as $CH_4$ and heat production were higher for the high intake level but the energy loss as $CH_4$ per gram DM intake were same (0.305 kcal/g) between the high and low intake level. Retained energy (RE) was higher for Diet 3 and Diet 2. Nitrogen (N) losses through feces and urine were higher (p<0.001) for Diet 1. Consequently, N retention was lower (p>0.05) for Diet 1 and higher in Diets 3 and 2. It is concluded that inclusion of corn with alfalfa increased the metabolizable energy (ME) and RE, and retained N through reducing the energy and N losses. The high level of intake reduced the rate of nutrient losses through feces and urine.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.77-83
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• 1996

Platelet-activating factor(PAF) is a phospholipid mediator of pulmonary inflammation, and immunologic reaction. In this study, the role of PAF on tumor necrosis factor$(TNF_{-{\alpha}})$ production by rat alveolar macrophages(AM) was examined. When PAF $(10^{-12}{\sim}10{-16}\;M)$ alone was added to AM culture, $(TNF_{-{\alpha}})$ production was not significantly increased above the resting level. In contrast, the combined addition of PAF $(10^{-6}\;M)$ and muramyl dipeptide(MDP) $(1.0\;{\mu}g\ml)$ to AM cultures markedly enhanced $(TNF_{-{\alpha}})$ production with 8.2 fold increase compared with AM culture in resting state. This potentiative effect was 313% above the sum of the separate effects of PAF and MDP. To characterize MDP effects on $(TNF_{-{\alpha}})$ production, the dose-response of AM cultured with various concentrations of MDP was tested. High level of MDP $(10\;{\mu}g\ml)$ could not significantly enhance the potentiation effect on $(TNF_{-{\alpha}})$ production compared with AM cultures with low level of MDP $(0.1\;{\mu}g\ml)$, i.e. 112.5% vs 107.8%, respectively when $10^{-10}$ M of PAF was simultaneously added to the cell culture. These data support that the potentiation of TNF. g production in AM culture is mediated by PAF rather than MDf It was also evaluated whether the similar result was obtained in silica, respirable toxic particle-treated AM culture. $(TNF_{-{\alpha}})$ production was also significantly enhanced in the PAF $(10^{-6}\;M)$ and silica $(50\;{\mu}g\ml)$-added cell cultures with 4.7 fold above the value of silica alone-stimulated cells. These results indicate that PAF can potentiate $(TNF_{-{\alpha}})$ production by MDP-or silica- stimulated AM and suggest that PAF may play a potent role in lung inflammation and disease associated with microbe and occupational dust exposures.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.301-305
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• 2001

The co-expression of the arg U gene in a double-vector expression system of recombi-nant Escherichia coli BL22(DE3)[pET-IEN2a+pAC-argU] significantly enhanced the production level of reconminant human interferon -$\alpha$2a(rhIFN-$\alpha$2a) in high cell density cultures, compared to a recombinant E. coli culture containing only the single expression vector, pET-IEN2a. The dry cell mass concentration increased to almost 100 g/L, and more than 4 g/L of rhIFN-$\alpha$2a was accumu-lated in the culture broth. Evidently, the synthesis of rhIFN-$\alpha$2a was strongly dependent on the pre-induction growtih rate and more efficient at a higher specific growth rate. The additional sup-ply of tRN $A^{Arg(AGG/AGA)}$ enhanced the expression level of the rhIFN-$\alpha$2a gene in the early stage of the post-induction phase, yet thereafter the specific production rate of rhIFN-$\alpha$2a rapidly de-creased due to severe segregational instability of plasmid vector pET-IEN2a. It would appear that the plasmid instability with only occurred to pET-IEN2a in the double vector system, was re-lated to the effect of translational stress due to the over expression of rhIFN-$\alpha$2a.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.291-298
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• 2014

Plastic film houses are directly associated with increases in plant growth and yield of vegetable crops through a year round cultivation, however, at the same time temperature stresses are one of fates which are difficult to avoid during crop growth. The objective of this study was to examine the translocation and distribution of minerals (N, P, K) and carbohydrates as well as seasonal fluctuation of mineral uptake and carbohydrate production in cucumber plant grown under moderately high temperature. The temperature treatments consisted of 2-layers film houses (optimal temp.) and 3-layers (high temp.). Shoot growth of cucumber plants were linearly increased until 14 weeks after transplanting (WAT) without any significant difference between both temperatures, and the slowdown was observed from 16 WAT. The level of soluble sugar and starch was slightly greater in optimal temperature compared to the high. Cumulative accumulation of soluble sugar was significantly different before and after 12 WAT in both treatments, whereas starch level represented a constant increase. Monthly production of soluble sugar reached the peak between 12 to 16 WAT, and starch peaked between 4 to 8 WAT and 12 to 16 WAT. Total uptake of N, P and K in optimal and high temperature conditions was $18.4g\;plant^{-1}$ and 17.6 for N, 4.7 and 5.1 for P, and 37.7 and 36.2 for K, respectively, and the pattern of monthly N uptake between optimal and high temperatures was greater in early growth stage, whereas was greater in mid growth stage in both P and K. Thus, this study suggests that moderately high temperature influences much greater to photosynthesis and carbohydrate production than plant biomass and mineral uptake. On the basis of the present result, it is required to indentify analysis of respiration rates from plant and soil by constantly increasing temperature conditions and field studies where elevated temperatures are monitored and manipulated.

• Journal of Agricultural Extension & Community Development
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.175-184
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• 2018

There are two main types of agricultural extension projects in Korea, the impacts and routes of each type on farm income are different. This paper empirically studies the impact of agricultural extension to farms' income, using Multi-level production function considering time lag. It is found that direct type of extension has positive effect to farms' income. Also indirect type on income is significant only when the level of education is high. Due to the characteristics of Korean agricultural structure, the technical level of farm is greatly influenced by the government's R&D investment and technology guidance. The result implies that indirect type of extension that take into account the educational level of farms should be emphasized for long-term technological advances.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.130-138
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• 1971

In order to investigate the production of aflatoxin in various conditions such as pH, moisture and temperature, 27 smaples were inoculated with Aspergillus flavus, and in addition 3 smaples were inoculated with the mixture of Aspergillus flavus and Bacillus subtilis and cultured under the conditions such as 20.deg.C and 30% moisture contents. The following results were obtained : 1) Aflatoxin production was the highest at pH 5.0 and relatively high at pH 7.0. Its production was decreased significantly when pH reached 9.0. 2) The yield of aflatoxin was shown comparatively high level at 30% moisture contens. The higher moisture contents was, the lower aflatoxin production was. 3) The highest level of aflatoxin production was at 20.deg,C, and comparatively high level was at 30.deg.C. However, its production was fairly low at 40.deg.C. 4) The highest crude aflatoxin production was 5,093ppm (B$_{1}$, 1.912ppm ; B$_{2}$, and the lowest one 2.197 ppm (B$_{1}$, 0.793 ppm : B$_{2}$, 0.185 ppm : G$_{1}$ ,0.102 ppm G$_{2}$, 0.381ppm) at 63% moisture, pH 9.0 and 40.deg.C. 5) When Aspergillus flavus and Bacillus subilis were cultured together under the conditions such as 20.deg.C and 30% moisture, aflatoxin production was decreased by 27% comparing with the culture of Aspergillus flavus alone.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.156-163
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• 2014

We investigated the effects of a high-protein diet and resveratrol supplementation on immune cells changes induced by abdominal irradiation in rats. Female Wistar rats were divided into 5 groups: 1) control diet, 2) control diet with irradiation 3) 30% high-protein diet with irradiation, 4) normal diet with resveratrol supplementation and irradiation, and 5) 30% high-protein diet with resveratrol supplementation and irradiation. We measured blood protein and albumin concentrations, lipid profiles, white blood cell (WBC) counts, proinflammatory cytokine production, and splenocyte proliferation in rats that had been treated with a 17.5 Gy dose of radiation 30 days prior. A high-protein diet affected plasma total cholesterol and very low density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels, which were increased by the radiation treatment. In addition, the lymphocyte percentage and immunoglobulin M (IgM) concentration were increased, and the neutrophil percentage was decreased in rats fed a high-protein diet. Resveratrol supplementation decreased the triglyceride (TG) level, but increased the IgM concentration and splenocyte proliferation. Proinflammatory cytokine production was lower in rats fed a high-protein diet supplemented with resveratrol than in rats fed a control diet. The results of the present study indicate that high-protein diets, with or without resveratrol supplementation, might assist with recovery from radiation-induced inflammation by modulating immune cell percentages and cytokine production.