In this study, the aim was to determine the effect of 12 hours delay and time advancement of Bombyx mori larvae transfer to spinning frames on the economic traits of harvested cocoons. Our experience focused on the transfer of three lots of silkworm mature larvae to cocoon frames with 12 hours delay or advancement from usual spinning time. Commercial silkworm eggs were obtained and thr...

The silk of silkworm consists of fibroin fiber coated by sericins. In addition, some nonprotein components were also identified in the sericin fraction. The presence of nonprotein components in the silk has not been well explained. In the present study, methods based on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry were used to identify the metabolites in the cocoon silk from a wild silkworm and two dom...

Background: Abdominal cocoon is a rare disease where small intestine is enclosed in a membrane and commonly presents with features of bowel obstruction. Case Reports: We present two cases: one 28 years old male presented with abdominal pain and was diagnosed as abdominal cocoon at laparotomy; and another 81 years old female, a case of sigmoid cancer, was diagnosed at laparotomy as abdominal coc...

Cocoon silks are composed of two silk proteins: sericin and fibroin. Fibroin is a semi crystalline polymer of natural fibrous protein mainly consisting of highly β-sheet crystals and noncrystalline part (micro voids and amorphous structures). Sericin is amorphous acting as an adhesive binder to maintain the fine filaments of fibroin core and the overall structural integrity of cocoon [1]. Silk ...

Five Iranian native silkworm groups: Baghdad, Khorasan Orange, Guilan Orange, Khorasan Pink, Khorasan Lemon, and 107 and 110 commercial lines (12 families from each breed) were randomly selected and reared during 2003-2005 (five generations in spring and autumn). In each family, 30 male and 30 female cocoons were individually recorded for weight, shell weight and shell ratio. From among the nat...

Silk cocoons are composed of fiber proteins (fibroins) and adhesive glue proteins (sericins), which provide a physical barrier to protect the inside pupa. Moreover, other proteins were identified in the cocoon silk, many of which are immune related proteins. In this study, we extracted proteins from the silkworm cocoon by Tris-HCl buffer (pH7.5), and found that they had a strong inhibitory acti...

Four new leaf mining Oecophyllembiinae (Gracillariidae) species are described from China and Japan: Metriochroa symplocosella sp. nov. (host plants: Symplocos anomala, S. sumuntia, Symplocaceae) from China, Guttigera schefflerella sp. nov. (host plant: Schefflera octophylla, Araliaceae), Eumetriochroa araliella sp. nov. (host plants: Dendropanax trifidus, Evodiopanax innovans, Eleutherococcus s...

Biological materials are hierarchically organized complex composites, which embrace multiple practical functionalities. As an example, the wild silkworm cocoon provides multiple protective functions against environmental and physical hazards, promoting the survival chance of moth pupae that resides inside. In the present investigation, the microstructure and thermal property of the Chinese tuss...

BACKGROUND Intestinal obstruction remains a common problem encountered in the surgical emergency, and usually occurs secondary to adhesions, obstructed herniae or tubercular strictures. However, at times, rare causes of obstruction can also be encountered. METHODS A 24-year-old male patient presented with recurrent episodes of intestinal obstruction that was found to be secondary to an abdomi...