• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.430-437
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• 2008

Optical diffuse reflectance sensing in visible and near-infrared wavelength ranges is one approach to rapidly quantify soil properties for site-specific management. The objectives of this study were to investigate effects of preprocessing of reflectance data and determine the accuracy of the reflectance approach for estimating physical and chemical properties of selected Missouri and Illinois, USA surface soils encompassing a wide range of soil types and textures. Diffuse reflectance spectra of air-dried, sieved samples were obtained in the laboratory. Calibrations relating spectra to soil properties determined by standard methods were developed using partial least squares (PLS) regression. The best data preprocessing, consisting of absorbance transformation and mean centering, reduced estimation errors by up to 20% compared to raw reflectance data. Good estimates ($R^2=0.83$ to 0.92) were obtained using spectral data for soil texture fractions, organic matter, and CEC. Estimates of pH, P, and K were not good ($R^2$ < 0.7), and other approaches to estimating these soil chemical properties should be investigated. Overall, the ability of diffuse reflectance spectroscopy to accurately estimate multiple soil properties across a wide range of soils makes it a good candidate technology for providing at least a portion of the data needed in site-specific management of agriculture.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.955-959
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• 2003

Rhizobium tropici CIAT 899 is capable of synthesizing inactive apo-glucose dehydrogenase (GDH). To become an active holo enzyme, the GDH requires a cofactor, PQQ. When R. tropici CIAT 899 was grown in a broth culture medium containing hydroxyapatite and pyrrolo quinoline quinone (PQQ), pH decreased while the concentration of soluble P increased. The solubilization of hydroxyapatite was associated with the production of gluconic acid and 2-ketogluconic acids. The organic acid production and P solubilization were greatly enhanced when the bacterium was grown with air supply. Effect of R. tropici CIAT 899 with (CI＋PQQ) and without PQQ (CI) on the common bean growth was examined. Shoot and root weight, and N and P contents in CI＋PQQ treatment, were significantly higher than those in control and CI treatment. Nodule weight and acetylene reducing activities were also significantly higher in CI＋PQQ treatment than in other treatments.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.21 no.12
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• pp.1306-1311
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• 2011

Recombinant Rhodopseudomonas palustris, harboring the carotenoid-metabolizing gene crtI (CrtIBS), and whose color changes from greenish yellow to red in response to inorganic As(III), was cultured in transparent microplate wells illuminated with a light emitting diode (LED) array. The cells were seen to grow better under near-infrared light, when compared with cells illuminated with blue or green LEDs. The absorbance ratio of 525 to 425 nm after cultivation for 24 h, which reflects red carotenoid accumulation, increased with an increase in As(III) concentrations. The detection limit of cultures illuminated with near-infrared LED was 5 ${\mu}g$/l, which was equivalent to that of cultures in test tubes illuminated with an incandescent lamp. A near-infrared LED array, in combination with a microplate, enabled the simultaneous handling of multiple cultures, including CrtIBS and a control strain, for normalization by the illumination of those with equal photon flux densities. Thus, the introduction of a near-infrared LED array to the assay is advantageous for the monitoring of arsenic in natural water samples that may contain a number of unknown factors and, therefore, need normalization of the reporter event.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.260-268
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• 2008

Optical diffuse reflectance sensing has potential for rapid and reliable on-site estimation of soil properties. For good results, proper calibration to measured soil properties is required. One issue is whether it is necessary to develop calibrations using samples from the specific area or areas (e.g., field, soil series) in which the sensor will be applied, or whether a general "factory" calibration is sufficient. A further question is if specific calibration is required, how many sample points are needed. In this study, these issues were addressed using data from 42 paddy fields representing 14 distinct soil series accounting for 74% of the total Korean paddy field area. Partial least squares (PLS) regression was used to develop calibrations between soil properties and reflectance spectra. Model evaluation was based on coefficient of determination ($R^2$) root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP), and RPD, the ratio of standard deviation to RMSEP. When sample data from a soil series were included in the calibration stage (full information calibration), RPD values of prediction models were increased by 0.03 to 3.32, compared with results from calibration models not including data from the test soil series (calibration without site-specific information). Higher $R^2$ values were also obtained in most cases. Including some samples from the test soil series (hybrid calibration) generally increased RPD rapidly up to a certain number of sample points. A large portion of the potential improvement could be obtained by adding about 8 to 22 points, depending on the soil properties to be estimated, where the numbers were 10 to 18 for pH, 18-22 for EC, and 8 to 22 for total C. These results provide guidance on sampling and calibration requirements for NIR soil property estimation.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.253-257
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• 2008

Acrolein is a highly electrophilic ${\alpha},{\beta}$-unsaturated aldehyde present in a number of environmental sources, especially cigarette smoke. It reacts strongly with the thiol groups of cysteine residues by Michael addition and has been reported to inhibit nuclear $factor-{\kappa}B$ ($NF-{\kappa}B$) activation by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The mechanism by which it inhibits $NF-{\kappa}B$ is not clear. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play a key role in sensing microbial components and inducing innate immune responses, and LPS-induced dimerization of TLR4 is required for activation of downstream signaling pathways. Thus, dimerization of TLR4 may be one of the first events involved in activating TLR4-mediated signaling pathways. Stimulation of TLR4 by LPS activates both myeloid differential factor 88 (MyD88)- and TIR domain-containing adapter inducing $IFN{\beta}$ (TRIF)-dependent signaling pathways leading to activation of $NF-{\kappa}B$ and IFN-regulatory factor 3 (IRF3). Acrolein inhibited $NF-{\kappa}B$ and IRF3 activation by LPS, but it did not inhibit $NF-{\kappa}B$ or IRF3 activation by MyD88, inhibitor ${\kappa}B$ kinase $(IKK){\beta}$, TRIF, or TNF-receptor-associated factor family member-associated $NF-{\kappa}B$ activator (TANK)-binding kinase 1 (TBK1). Acrolein inhibited LPS-induced dimerization of TLR4, which resulted in the down-regulation of $NF-{\kappa}B$ and IRF3 activation. These results suggest that activation of TLRs and subsequent immune/inflammatory responses induced by endogenous molecules or chronic infection can be modulated by certain chemicals with a structural motif that enables Michael addition.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.641-644
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• 2000

In vitro true digestibility of cup-plant (Silphium perfoliatum L.) is higher than other alternative forages and comparative to alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) even at the high neutral detergent fiber (NDF) concentration. This study was conducted to determine whether the digestion kinetic parameters of cup-plant could explain high in vitro true digestibility of cup-plant at the several NDF levels. Cup-plant and alfalfa were both collected in Arlington and Lancaster, Wisconsin to meet the NDF content within 40 to 50% range. The collected samples were incubated with rumen juice to investigate the digestion kinetics at 3, 6, 9, 14, 20, 28, 36, 48, and 72 h. Kinetics was estimated by the model $R=D_0\;e-k(t-L)+U$ where R is residue remaining at time t, and $D_0$ is digestible fraction, k is digestion rate constant, L is discrete lag time, and U is indigestible fraction. Parameters of the model were estimated by the direct nonlinear least squares (DNLS) method. Digestion rate and potential extent of digestion were not statistically different in either forage. However, alfalfa had shorter lag time (p<0.05). The indigestible fraction increased with maturation in alfalfa and in cup-plant (p<0.05). The ratio of indigestible fraction to acid detergent lignin (ADL) was higher in cup-plant than in alfalfa (p<0.05). From the results, alfalfa is probably digested more rapidly than cup-plant, however, cup-plant maintains higher digestibility with maturation due to a relatively slower increase of indigestible fraction in NDF.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.33-39
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• 2011

An optical sensing approach based on diffuse reflectance has shown potential for rapid and reliable on-site estimation of soil properties. Important sensing ranges and the resulting regression models useful for soil property estimation have been reported. In this study, a similar approach was applied to investigate the potential of reflectance sensing in estimating soil properties for Korean paddy fields. Soil cores up to a 65-cm depth were collected from 42 paddy fields representing 14 distinct soil series that account for 74% of the total Korean paddy field area. These were analyzed in the laboratory for several important physical and chemical properties. Using air-dried, sieved soil samples, reflectance data were obtained from 350 to 2500 nm on a 3 nm sampling interval with a laboratory spectrometer. Calibrations were developed using partial least squares (PLS) regression, and wavelength bands important for estimating the measured soil properties were identified. PLS regression provided good estimations of Mg ($R^2$ = 0.80), Ca ($R^2$ = 0.77), and total C ($R^2$ = 0.92); fair estimations of pH, EC, $P_2O_5$, K, Na, sand, silt, and clay ($R^2$ = 0.59 to 0.72); and poor estimation of total N. Many wavelengths selected for estimation of the soil properties were identical or similar for multiple soil properties. More important wavelengths were selected in the visible-short NIR range (350-1000 nm) and the long NIR range (1800-2500 nm) than in the intermediate NIR range (1000-1800 nm). These results will be useful for design and application of in-situ close range sensors for paddy field soil properties.

• Journal of Crop Science and Biotechnology
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.201-210
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• 2007

Soybean [Glycine max(L.) Merr.] oil is versatile and used in many products. Modifying the fatty acid profile would make soy oil more functional in food and other products. The ideal oil with the most end uses would have saturates(palmitic + stearic acids) reduced from 15 to < 7%, oleic acid increased from 23 to > 55%, and linolenic acid reduced from 8 to < 3%. Reduced palmitic acid(16:0) is conditioned by three or more recessive alleles at the Fap locus. QTLs for reduced palmitic acid have mapped to linkage groups(LGs) A1, A2, B2, H, J, and L. Genes at the Fad locus control oleic acid content(18:1). Six QTLs($R^2$=4-25%) for increased 18:1 in N00-3350(50 to 60% 18:1) explained four to 25% of the phenotypic variation. M23, a Japanese mutant line with 40 to 50% 18:1 is controlled by a single recessive gene, ol. A candidate gene for FAD2-1A can be used in marker-assisted breeding for high 18:1 from M23. Low linolenic acid(18:3) is desirable in soy oil to reduce hydrogenation and trans-fat accumulation. Three independent recessive genes affecting omega-3 fatty acid desaturase enzyme activity are responsible for the lower 18:3 content in soybeans. Linolenic acid can be reduced from 8 to about 4, 2, and 1% from copies of one, two, or three genes, respectively. Using a candidate gene approach perfect markers for three microsomal omega-3 desaturase genes have been characterized and can readily be used in for marker assisted selection in breeding for low 18:3.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.539-547
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• 1997

This study was carried out to identify how soybean seed protein concentration is influenced by climatic factors. Twelve lines selected for seed protein concentration were studied in 13 environments of North Carolina. Sensitivity of seed protein concentration, total seed protein, and seed yield to climatic variables was investigated using a linear regression model. Best response models were determined using two stepwise selection methods, Maximum R-square and Stepwise Selection. There were wide climatic effects in seed protein concentration, total protein and seed yield. The highest protein concentration environment was characterized by the most high temperature days(HTD) and the smallest variance of average daily temperature range (VADTRg), while the lowest protein concentration environment was distinguished by the fewest HTD and the largest VADTRg. For protein concentration, all lines responded positively to average maximum daily temperature(MxDT), HTD, and average daily temperature range(ADTRg) and negatively to ADRa, while they responded positively or negatively to average daily temperature(ADT), variance of average minimum daily temperature (VMnDT), and VADTRg, indicating that genotypes may greatly differ in degrees of sensitivity to each climatic variable. Eleven lines seemed to have best response models with 2 or 3 variables. Exceptionally, NC106 did not show a significant sensitivity to any climatic variable and thus did not have a best response model. This indicates that it may be considered phenotypically more stable. For total seed protein and seed yield, all the lines responded negatively to both ADTRg and VADRa, suggesting that synthesis of seed components may increase with less daily temperature range and less variation in daily rainfall.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Communications and Information Sciences
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• v.31 no.6A
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• pp.640-647
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• 2006

This paper describes a design of AES-based CCMP(Counter mode with CBC-MAC Protocol) core for IEEE 802.11i wireless LAN security. To maximize the performance of CCMP core, two AES cores are used, one is the counter mode for data confidentiality and the other is the CBC node for authentication and data integrity. The S-box that requires the largest hardware in ARS core is implemented using composite field arithmetic, and the gate count is reduced by about 27% compared with conventional LUT(Lookup Table)-based design. The CCMP core was verified using Excalibur SoC kit, and a MPW chip is fabricated using a 0.35-um CMOS standard cell technology. The test results show that all the function of the fabricated chip works correctly. The CCMP processor has 17,000 gates, and the estimated throughput is about 353-Mbps at 116-MHz@3.3V, satisfying 54-Mbps data rate of the IEEE 802.11a and 802.11g specifications.