• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.58 no.3
• /
• pp.102-107
• /
• 2015

Purpose: Human parechovirus (HPeV) and enterovirus (EV) are causative agents of a sepsis-like illness in neonates and of infections of the central nervous system in young children. The objectives of this study were to assess the prevalence of HPeV3 and EV infection in young children with a sepsis-like illness or with meningitis in Jinju, Korea. Methods: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were collected from 267 patients (age range, 1 day to 5 years) and assessed for HPeV and EV by performing reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assay. Amplification products of the VP3/VP1 region of HPeV and of the VP1 region of EV were sequenced to identify the virus type. Results: HPeV and EV were detected in 3.4% and 7.5% of the total CSF samples assessed, respectively. The age distribution of EV-positive patients (median age, 1.4 months) had a significantly broader range than that of HPeV-positive patients (median age, 7.8 months). The peak seasons for HPeV and EV infection were spring and summer, respectively. The clinical symptoms for HPeV and EV infection were similar, and fever was the most common symptom. Pleocytosis was detected in 22.2% of HPeV-positive patients and 35.5% of EV-positive patients. The VP3/VP1 gene sequence of the nine Korean strains clustered most closely with the Japanese strain (AB759202). Conclusion: The data indicate that HPeV infection is predominant in young infants (<6 months) and that meningitis without pleocytosis was caused by both HPeV and EV infection in children.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.21 no.11
• /
• pp.1511-1517
• /
• 2011

We isolated a potent phenanthrene-degrading bacterium from oil-contaminated soils of Suzhou, China, and assessed the potential use of these bacteria for bioremediation of soils contaminated by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in a microcosm. Based on 16S rDNA sequencing, we identified this bacteria as Sphigobacterium sp. SW-09. By PCR amplification, we also identified catechol 2,3-dioxygenase genes (nahH genes) mediating PAH degradation. Staphylococcus sp. KW-07, which has been identified in our previous study, showed potential for use in bioremediation of oil-contaminated soils. In this experiment, we compared the rate of phenanthrene-degradation between Staphylococcus sp. KW-07 and Sphingobacterium sp. SW-09 in a microcosm condition. Newly isolated Sphingobacterium sp. SW-09 showed a higher phenanthrene-degradation rate than that of Staphylococcus sp. KW-07 in soil microcosms. Together, our results suggest that the Sphingobacterim sp. SW-09 strain isolated from the Suzhou area may also be useful in bioremediation of PAH-contaminated soils.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.39 no.6
• /
• pp.1151-1160
• /
• 1999

This study was conducted to detect the toxoplasma-specific DNA in peripheral blood collected from cats experimentally infected with Toxoplasma gondii (RH strain) and from domiciled cats by B1 gene-base polymerise chain reaction(PCR). The sensitivity of oligonucleotide primer, T-1 & T-2, designed from toxoplasma B1 gene amplification method was compared with parasite detection by mouse inoculation(MI). And also, latex agglutination test(LAT) and indirect fluorescent antibody test(IFAT) were conducted to detect the fluctuation of serum antibodies compared with the detection of toxoplasma by PCR and MI. Toxoplasma B1 gene PCR was shown consistently high sensitivity and the results obtained by PCR agreed completely with those from MI. All blood samples collected before infection with T gondii gave negative results by PCR and MI. Also, toxoplasma Bl gene PCR was not cross reaction with Neospora caninum DNA and normal cat leucocyte as controls. The toxoplasma-specific DNA was detected by PCR in blood of 5 cats experimentally infected with T gondii 6 days after infection and the detection of this specific-DNA was long lasted in blood for 64 days after infection. The detection of toxoplasma-specific DNA by PCR could be identified as few as 10 tachyzoites and the isolation of T gondii by MI could be isolated as few as 1 tachyzoite from tenfold serial dilution of T gondii with normal cat blood, respectively. In healthy domiciled cats, the toxoplasma-specific DNA and the parasite were detected and isolated in blood from 3 of 56(5.3%) cats by both PCR and MI, respectively. In the results of antibody test from the total 56 heads of healthy domiciled cats, the positive rates are 15(26.7%) by LAT and 19(33.9%) by IFAT. These results suggest that PCR detection of toxoplasma can be applied as a sensitive and specific diagnostic and research tool.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.35-45
• /
• 2012

Pseudo static analysis using the Mononobe-Okabe method and numerical analysis considering a small strain nonlinearity from the soil were performed to determine the bearing pressure changes of the inverted T-type retaining wall subjected to earthquake motions. In many cases, an inverted 'T' type retaining wall of more than 10 m shows bearing capacity failure under earthquake conditions, despite showing sufficient bearing capacity during normal conditions. The most important reason for this is the change of the effective base area during an earthquake. In this paper, the change of the effective base area of an inverted 'T' type wall is analyzed by using finite difference element code (FLAC). In addition, the effect of dynamic bearing capacity coefficients (which has been suggested by several researchers but not adopted in current design codes and procedures) was verified.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
• /
• v.11 no.3
• /
• pp.66-77
• /
• 2006

This review inquired the recently applied molecular biological and biochemical methods analyzing the microbial community structure of groundwater and, as a result, summarized the functional or taxonomic groups of active microorganisms with major contaminants in groundwater. The development of gene amplification through PCR has been possible to figure out microbial population and identification. Active microbial community structures have been analyzed using a variety of fingerprinting techniques such as DGGE, SSCP, RISA, and microarray and fatty acid analyses such as PLFA and FAME, and the activity of a specific strain has been examined using FISH. Also, this review included the dominant microflora in groundwater contaminated with fuel components such as n-alkanes, BTEX, MTBE, and ethanol and chlorinated compounds such as TCE, PCE, PCB, CE, carbon tetrachloride, and chlorobenzene.

• Journal of Mushroom
• /
• v.19 no.3
• /
• pp.251-255
• /
• 2021

The competitiveness of the mushroom industry can be increased by diversifying the domestic Lentinula edodes cultivar. Therefore, 'Chungheung 1ho' was cultivated by hybrid breeding method using strain 'E140025,' which was collected by the Chungheung Mushroom Farming Association. Regarding the morphological characteristics of the fruit, the cap of 'Chungheung 1ho' was smaller than that of the control cultivar, whereas, its stem was longer and thicker than that of the control cultivar. In addition, the weight of the individual fruits of the new cultivar was heavier than that of the control cultivar. The period for primordia formation was 24 days for the new cultivar, which was 16-20 days later than that of the control cultivar. Furthermore, it was found that the patterns of the PCR amplification band using six URP primers were different for 'Chungheung 1ho' than those of the mating strains.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.47 no.3
• /
• pp.381-389
• /
• 2019

Chlorella vulgaris was isolated from the Nile River, Qalubia Governorate, Egypt, for possible use in biodiesel production. BG-II nutrient growth media was used for isolation and laboratory growth. Identification was performed via 18S rRNA gene amplification, followed by sequencing. The alga was exposed to UV-C (254 nm) for 15, 30, and 45 s to improve dry weight accumulation and to increase the oil production. Daily measurements of dry weight ($g{\cdot}l^{-1}$) were performed; oil content and volumetric lipid productivity were also determined. UV-C exposure led to an increase in the volumetric lipid productivity by 27, 27.3, and $32.4mg{\cdot}l^{-1}{\cdot}d^{-1}$ with 15, 30, and 45 s, respectively, as compared with the control, which resulted in $18mg{\cdot}l^{-1}{\cdot}d^{-1}$. Of the examined mutants, the one with the highest productivity was re-irradiated by UV-C (254 nm) for 15, 30, 45, and 60 s. For 15 s of exposure time, the oil content increased to 34%, while it was 31% at 30 s; further, it decreased to 22% at 45 and 60 s exposures. The fatty acid methyl ester profile was 82.22% in the first mutant at 45 s, compared with the wild strain that contained a total of 66.01% of FAs. Furthermore, the highest levels of polyunsaturated fatty acid methyl ester were observed in the mutant exposed for 45 s, and it reached 11.41%, which reduced the cetane number to 71.3.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.32 no.8
• /
• pp.659-665
• /
• 2022

Chlorella vulgaris is an important freshwater alga that is widely used as a food source by humans and animals. Recently, Chlorella has received considerable attention with regard to its potential application in aquaculture and the production of biofuels, nutrients, and therapeutic proteins. Recently, our laboratory acquired a new strain of C. vulgaris, PKVL7422, characterized by fast growth, ease of culture, and cultivability under dark conditions. However, the genes involved in its nitrogen assimilation are unknown. In this work, we identified the nitrate reductase (NR) gene of C. vulgaris PKVL7422 using rapid amplification of cDNA ends and genome walking. The NR gene of C. vulgaris PKVL7422 is approximately 8 kb long and composed of 18 introns and 19 exons, which encode 877 amino acids. An alignment analysis of the NR gene showed that it possesses the five domains and several invariant residues found in plant NRs. These results provide new insight into the molecular organization of the NR gene in algae.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
• /
• v.21 no.6
• /
• pp.73.1-73.10
• /
• 2020

Background: Bovine papilloma is a neoplastic disease caused by bovine papillomaviruses (BPVs), which were recently divided into 5 genera and at least 24 genotypes. Objectives: The complete genome sequence of BPV type 15 (BPV Aks-02), a novel putative BPV type from skin samples from infected cows in Southern Xinjiang China, was determined by collecting warty lesions, followed by DNA extraction and amplicon sequencing. Methods: DNA was analyzed initially by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using the degenerate primers FAP59 and FAP64. The complete genome sequences of the BPV Aks-02 were amplified by PCR using the amplification primers and sequencing primers. Sequence analysis and phylogenetic analysis were performed using bio-informatic software. Results: The nucleotide sequence of the L1 open reading frame (ORF) of BPV Aks-02 was 75% identity to the L1 ORF of BPV-9 reference strain from GenBank. The complete genome consisted of 7,189 base pairs (G + C content of 42.50%) that encoded 5 early (E8, E7, E1, E2, and E4) and 2 late (L1 and L2) genes. The E7 protein contained a consensus CX₂CX₂₉CX₂C zinc-binding domain and a LxCxE motif. Among the different members of this group, the percentages of the complete genome and ORFs (including 5 early and 2 late ORFs) sequence identity of BPV Aks-02 were closer to the genus Xipapillomavirus 1 of the Xipapillomavirus genus. Phylogenetic analysis and sequence similarities based on the L1 ORF of BPV Aks-02 revealed the same cluster. Conclusions: The results suggest that BPV type (BPV Aks-02) clustered with members of the Xipapillomavirus genus as BPV 15 and were closely related to Xipapillomavirus 1.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
• /
• v.26 no.12
• /
• pp.61-70
• /
• 2010

A series of shaking table tests were conducted to estimate the seismic performance of soft ground deposits improved by stone column. The amplification of acceleration, shear strain, and shear wave velocity were evaluated to compare the seismic response of unimproved ground deposits with that of improved ground deposits. From the test results, it was shown that the stone column can prevent large shear deformation in ground deposits. However, it was also found that the acceleration of improved ground deposits may be amplified more than that of unimproved ground deposits when it was subjected to short periodic seismic wave. The results suggest that it is necessary to perform the ground response analysis with model experiments for both unimproved and improved ground deposits to evaluate the effect of stone column on the seismic performance of improved ground deposits.