• BMB Reports
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.783-790
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• 2007

Receptor binding plays an important role in determining host specificity of the Bacillus thuringiensis Cry $\delta$-endotoxins. Mutations in domains II and III have suggested the participation of certain residues in receptor recognition and insect specificity. In the present study, we expressed the cloned domain II-III fragment of Cry4Ba and examined its binding characteristics to mosquito-larval midgut proteins. The 43-kDa Cry4Ba-domain II-III protein over-expressed in Escherichia coli as inclusion bodies was only soluble when carbonate buffer, pH 10.0 was supplemented with 4M urea. After renaturation via stepwise dialysis and subsequent purification, the refolded domain II-III protein, which specifically reacts with anti Cry4Ba-domain III monoclonal antibody, predominantly exists as a $\beta$-sheet structure determined by circular dichroism spectroscopy. In vitro binding analysis to both histological midgut tissue sections and brush border membrane proteins prepared from susceptible Aedes aegypti mosquito-larvae revealed that the isolated Cry4Ba-domain II-III protein showed binding functionality comparable to the 65-kDa full-length active toxin. Altogether, the data present the 43-kDa Cry4Ba fragment comprising domains II and III that was produced in isolation was able to retain its receptor-binding characteristics to the target larval midgut proteins.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.95-107
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• 2012

As BTX-A, which has been known to be the most effective treatment for ADSD, is not effective in treating vocal tremors, voice assessment must be employed to perform differential diagnosis of SD and vocal tremor in an accurate fashion. In this study, the characteristics of vocal changes after botulinum toxin injection were compared by analyzing the voice characteristics resulting from the presence of vocal tremors using objective analysis devices, with the aim of helping to provide prognoses and to determine remedial effects in clinical cases comprising patients with adductor spasmodic dysphonia accompanied by voice tremors. Respiratory function tests, aerodynamic analysis, electroglottography (EGG), acoustic analysis, auditory perception tests, and K-VHI had been conducted at intervals of four, eight, and twelve weeks before and after injection, targeting a group of 17 ADSD female patients (a ADSD group of four with vocal tremor and a ADSD group of 13 without voice tremor). For average FVC and FEV1, the T group showed statistically significant low averages compared with the NT group, whereas the T group showed statistically significant high average ATRI compared with the NT group. In addition, the T group showed a statistically significant Fatr, lower than that of the NT group. For the ADSD group of patients with voice tremor, their vocal tremor remained unchanged despite noticeable decrease in wringing voices. In other words, as the vocal tremor and wringing voices are two distinctive features, there is a need for the two features to be targeted separately for differential diagnosis.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.138-145
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• 2013

This study was conducted to evaluate the microbiological contamination on commonly used hand towels in the child care centers and to investigate the toxin gene and toxin production ability of food-borne pathogens. A total of 22 commonly used hand towels including 7 for before use and 15 for during use were tested. The average number of total aerobic bacteria and fungi were 6.2 log CFU/100 $cm^2$ and 4.1 log CFU/100 $cm^2$. Coliform bacteria were detected in 4 out of 7 before used towels (57.1%) and all of during used towels (100%). These results showed that the sanitary conditions of hand towels in the child care centers should be improved promptly. Among the pathogenic bacteria, Staph. aureus and B. cereus without Salmonella spp. were detected in 5 (22.7%) and 11 (50.0%) out of 22 hand towels. All of Staphy. aureus isolated in this study did not possess any toxin genes and did not produce enterotoxin. The detection rate of hblC, hblD, and hblA toxin genes in B. cereus was 72.7, 72.7, and 54.5% respectively. The possession rate of nheA, nheB, and nheC toxin genes showed 81.8, 72.7, and 54.5% respectively. The cytK and entFM toxin genes were presented at 45.5 and 90.0% in B. cereus. The HBL was detected in 8 out of 11 B. cereus isolates (72.7%) and 5 B. cereus isolates produced NHE (45.5%). Ten out of eleven B. cereus isolates (90.9%) produced one or more enterotoxin such as HBL and NHE. From the results, using a private hand towel or paper towel is required to prevent the cross-contamination between commonly used hand towel and children's hands in the child care center.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.939-945
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• 2006

The physiological characteristics and function of the exopolysaccharide (EPS) produced by Lactobacillus rhamnosus ATCC 9595 were determined. The total quantity of EPS was rapidly increased to 496$\pm$20 mg/l during the exponential phase, and then maintained steadily during the stationary phase. During the exponential phase (18 h), the total EPS consisted of 61% cell-bound EPS (cb-EPS) and 39% released EPS (r-EPS), whereas the relative proportion of EPS during the stationary phase (48 h) was convered to 23% cb-EPS and 77% r-EPS. On gel permeation chromatography, cb-EPS was fractionated as a single peak of 8.6$\times10^6$ Da, whereas r-EPS was fractionated as two peaks with average molecular weights of 4.3$\times$10$^4$ and 8.6$\times10^6$ Da. Interestingly, both EPS species exhibited anticancer properties and cholera toxin-binding activities. Our results suggest that the EPS generated by L. rhamnosus ATCC 9595 might be suitable for use as a functional food or food supplement.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.419-427
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• 1993

Thirteen strains of Clostridium perfringens were isolated from the pigs with hemorrhagic enteritis. The characteristics of the outbreaks, clinical signs and lesions were examined. The biochemical properties, type of toxin and susceptibility to antimicrobial agents of the isolates were investigated. The results could be summarized as follows ; 1. Almost of the pigs affected with hemorrhagic enteritis, 17 cases examined from 1989 to 1992, were piglets less than 7 day old. 2. The average mortality rate of piglet less than 7 day old affected with hemorragic and necrotic enteritis was 48.5%. 3. The clinical signs of pigs with hemorrhagic enteritis were depression, hemorrhagic diarrhea, anemia and dehydration. Necropsy of the infected pigs showed typical hemorrhage of upper intestine and necrosis of mucosal membrane. 4. The characteristic biochemical properties of the isolates were 2-band hemolysis, positive reaction of reverse CAMP test and formation of LV precipitate in egg yolk medium. 5. The toxin type of the 13 isolates, investigated by mouse inoculation test, was all type C strains of Clostridium perfringens. 6. In susceptibility test to antimicrobial agents, 13 isolates of Clostridium perfringens were highly sensitive to ampicillin, enrofloxacin(Baytril), cephalothin, penicillin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.79-87
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• 1997

To determine the cause of Vibrio septicemia by understanding the characteristics endotoxin from Vibrio vulnificus, lethal dose, heat resistance and vascular permeability enhancing activity were svaluated using vegestative cell and cell homogenate and the result is as follows: 1. Vibrio vulnificus CDC B3547 of patient origin did not exihibit any significant difference in toxicity compared to Vibrio vulnificus B57 of enviroment origin. 2. Strong toxicity was observed when viable cell count of Vibrio vulnificus CDC B3547 was more than 10$^{7}$/ml. 3. Toxicity of cell homogenate was completely inactivited upon geating at 80$^{\circ}$C for 20min. 4. Cell homogenate did not show hemolyic activity but was acknowleged to have cytotoxicity. 5. Major lethal toxin against mouse was existed in Vibrio vulnificus CDC B3547; however, separation of LPS and LPS-protein complex was not successful using the current technique.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.143-149
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• 2021

Purpose: Oromandibular dystonia is a neurological disorder that affects the jaw and lower face muscles, often resulting in abnormal repetitive movement of the jaw and perioral structures. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of surface electromyography (EMG) in evaluating the treatment outcome of oromandibular dystonia. Methods: Based on a retrospective review of medical records, we analyzed the data of four patients who received medication or botulinum toxin injection, as well as surface EMG of the jaw muscles before and after treatment. We assessed the patients' clinical characteristics and the results of surface EMG before and after treatment. Results: The case series included one female and three males, and the age range was 65-78 years. Based on the clinical features, two subjects were classified as jaw deviation and the remaining two were as jaw closing. Dystonic patterns revealed by surface EMG varied, including phasic, tonic, and mixed contraction patterns. EMG amplitude after treatment was lower than pre-treatment value in all four subjects, suggesting improved clinical signs and symptoms. One subject who received clonazepam and another who received botulinum toxin injection showed a remarkable reduction in EMG amplitude within a normal range. Conclusions: Surface EMG can be used to effective evaluate treatment outcomes in patients with oromandibular dystonia. It could be considered as an adjunctive diagnostic tool in managing patients with dystonia.

• Proceedings of the Korean Biophysical Society Conference
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• 1998.06a
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• pp.34-34
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• 1998

Tolaasin is a channel forming bacterial toxin produced by Pseudomonas tolaasii and causes a brown blotch disease on cultivated oyster mushrooms. When tolaasin molecules form channels in the membranes of mushroom cells, they destroy cellular membrane structure, known as 'colloid osmotic lysis'. In order to understand the molecular mechanisms forming membrane channels by tolaasin molecules, we have investigated the electrophysiological characteristics of tolaasin-induced channels in lipid bilayer.(omitted)

• BMB Reports
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.773-782
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• 2007

Different isolates of the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis produce multiple crystal (Cry) proteins toxic to a variety of insects, nematodes and protozoans. These insecticidal Cry toxins are known to be active against specific insect orders, being harmless to mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles. Due to these characteristics, genes encoding several Cry toxins have been engineered in order to be expressed by a variety of crop plants to control insectpests. The cotton boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, and the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, are the major economically devastating pests of cotton crop in Brazil, causing severe losses, mainly due to their endophytic habit, which results in damages to the cotton boll and floral bud structures. A cry1Ia-type gene, designated cry1Ia12, was isolated and cloned from the Bt S811 strain. Nucleotide sequencing of the cry1Ia12 gene revealed an open reading frame of 2160 bp, encoding a protein of 719 amino acid residues in length, with a predicted molecular mass of 81 kDa. The amino acid sequence of Cry1Ia12 is 99% identical to the known Cry1Ia proteins and differs from them only in one or two amino acid residues positioned along the three domains involved in the insecticidal activity of the toxin. The recombinant Cry1Ia12 protein, corresponding to the cry1Ia12 gene expressed in Escherichia coli cells, showed moderate toxicity towards first instar larvae of both cotton boll weevil and fall armyworm. The highest concentration of the recombinant Cry1Ia12 tested to achieve the maximum toxicities against cotton boll weevil larvae and fall armyworm larvae were 230 ${\mu}g/mL$ and 5 ${\mu}g/mL$, respectively. The herein demonstrated insecticidal activity of the recombinant Cry1Ia12 toxin against cotton boll weevil and fall armyworm larvae opens promising perspectives for the genetic engineering of cotton crop resistant to both these devastating pests in Brazil.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.158-164
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• 2015

A total of 509 rice panicle samples were collected at harvest time from fields in 8 provinces from 2010 to 2014. One hundred five grains per sample were plated on potato dextrose agar and 6,658 Fusarium isolates were obtained; among them, 67 were identified as Fusarium armeniacum by sequencing the translation elongation factor $1{\alpha}$ ($EF-1{\alpha}$) and confirmed by their morphological and cultural characteristics. Considerable variation in conidial size, colony color and $EF-1{\alpha}$ sequences was observed among the fungal isolates. The ability of 24 F. armeniacum isolates to produce T-2 and HT-2 toxin in potato sucrose agar was determined using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Twenty one isolates produced T-2 and HT-2 toxin, resulting in varying toxin levels among the isolates. The results show that Korean isolates of F. armeniacum have diversity with respect to morphological, cultural, genetic, and toxigenic properties.