• Physical Therapy Korea
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.35-41
• /
• 2019

Background: Obstacle training affects lower limb muscle activity, balance, reducing the risk of falls, and making gait more stable. Objects: This study aimed to investigate the effects of aquatic and ground obstacle training on balance and muscle activity in patients with chronic stroke. Methods: The study subjects included 30 patients with stroke, who were divided into aquatic ($n_1=15$) and ground ($n_2=15$) groups. Groups underwent obstacle training three times per week, 30 min per session, for six weeks that went as follows: walking over sites with the paralyzed leg, stepping onto and down from a box step, and walking over obstacles with the non-paralyzed leg. Results: The experimental results were obtained by comparing muscle activity. Activity of the rectus femoris, biceps femoris, tibialis anterior, and gastrocnemius were significantly increased in the aquatic group (p<.05). Activity of the biceps femoris and tibialis anterior were significantly increased in the ground group (p<.05); however, the rectus femoris and gastrocnemius were not significantly different. In the comparison of maximal distance regarding the limits of stability, it was significantly increased on the non-affected side, affected side, and anterior and posterior distance in the aquatic group (p<.05). It was significantly increased in the non-affected side and anterior and posterior distance the ground group (p<.05); however, maximal distance on the affected side distance was not significantly different. Conclusion: Gait training with aquatic and ground obstacles is effective for improving balance and gait ability of patients with stroke. However, it was more effective for the aquatic group than for the ground group.

• Development and Reproduction
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.43-54
• /
• 2019

We examined the effects of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress inhibitor treatment during the micromanipulation of porcine somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) on the in vitro development of SCNT embryos. ER stress inhibitors such as salubrinal (200 nM) and tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA; $100{\mu}M$) were added to the micromanipulation medium and holding medium. The expression of X-box binding protein 1 (Xbp1), ER-stress-associated genes, and apoptotic genes in SCNT embryos was confirmed at the one-cell and blastocyst stages. Levels of Xbp1 splicing and expression of ER-stress-associated genes in SCNT embryos at the one-cell stage decreased significantly with TUDCA treatment (p<0.05). The expression of ER-stress-associated genes also decreased slightly with the addition of both salubrinal and TUDCA (Sal+TUD). The expression levels of caspase-3 and Bcl2-associated X protein (Bax) mRNA were also significantly lower in the TUDCA and Sal+TUD treatments (p<0.05). At the blastocyst stage, there were no differences in levels of Xbp1 splicing, and transcription of ER-stress-associated genes and apoptosis genes between control and treatment groups. However, the blastocyst formation rate (20.2%) and mean blastocyst cell number ($63.0{\pm}7.2$) were significantly higher (p<0.05) for embryos in the TUDCA treatment compared with those for control (12.6% and $41.7{\pm}3.1$, respectively). These results indicate that the addition of ER-stress inhibitors, especially TUDCA, during micromanipulation can inhibit cellular damage and enhance in vitro development of SCNT embryos by reducing stress levels in the ER.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.42 no.10
• /
• pp.693-701
• /
• 2019

Plants monitor changes in day length to coordinate their flowering time with appropriate seasons. In Arabidopsis, the diel and seasonal regulation of CONSTANS (CO) protein stability is crucial for the induction of FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) gene in long days. FLAVIN-BINDING, KELCH REPEAT, F-BOX 1 (FKF1) and ZEITLUPE (ZTL) proteins control the shape of CO expression profile antagonistically, although regulation mechanisms remain unknown. In this study, we show that GIGANTEA (GI) protein modulates the stability and nuclear function of FKF1, which is closely related to the stabilization of CO in the afternoon of long days. The abundance of FKF1 protein is decreased by the gi mutation, but increased by GI overexpression throughout the day. Unlike the previous report, the translocation of FKF1 to the nucleus was not prevented by ZTL overexpression. In addition, the FKF1-ZTL complex formation is higher in the nucleus than in the cytosol. GI interacts with ZTL in the nucleus, implicating the attenuation of ZTL activity by the GI binding and, in turn, the sequestration of FKF1 from ZTL in the nucleus. We also found that the CO-ZTL complex presents in the nucleus, and CO protein abundance is largely reduced in the afternoon by ZTL overexpression, indicating that ZTL promotes CO degradation by capturing FKF1 in the nucleus under these conditions. Collectively, our findings suggest that GI plays a pivotal role in CO stability for the precise control of flowering by coordinating balanced functional properties of FKF1 and ZTL.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
• /
• v.28 no.3
• /
• pp.26-33
• /
• 2019

A comparison of CL 13% and 17% IBLOCA counterpart tests(CPTs) between the ATLAS and LSTF facilities was carried out and the behavior of peak cladding temperatures(PCTs) and related thermal hydraulic phenomena were investigated and discussed. There appeared quite a big difference in PCT behavior between the two CPTs and a further comparison of reactor coolant system design between the two facilities was performed. As a result, there was a difference in fuel alignment plate (FAP) design, e.g., one FAP in ATLAS, a combination of upper core plate and upper end box in LSTF, respectively. The FAP design mainly affects the reflux condensate behavior in IBLOCA tests and any difference in FAP design can be a possible reason for different PCT behavior between the two facilities. It should be a further study to find the reason of different PCT behvior between the two facilites.

• ALGAE
• /
• v.33 no.4
• /
• pp.291-304
• /
• 2018

Lyngbya C. Agardh ex Gomont is a nonheterocytous cyanobacterial genus whose evolutionary history is still poorly known. The traditionally defined Lyngbya has been demonstrated to be polyphyletic, including at least five distinct clades, some of which have been proposed as new genera. Intraspecific diversity is also clearly underestimated in Lyngbya due to the lack of unique morphological characters to differentiate species. In this study, we describe the new genus Capillus T. A. Caires, C. L. Sant'Anna et J. M. C. Nunes from benthic marine environments, including two new Brazilian species (here described as C. salinus T. A. Caires, C. L. Sant'Anna et J. M. C. Nunes, and C. tropicalis T. A. Caires, C. L. Sant'Anna et J. M. C. Nunes), and two species yet to be described, one of them from India (Capillus sp. 2.1), and the other from United States of America, based on strain PCC 7419. Capillus species presented cross-wise diagonal fragmentation, assisted or not by necridic cells, which has not been previously mentioned for Lyngbya. Ultrastructural analyses showed that C. salinus and C. tropicalis have numerous gas vesicles, which are rarely described for benthic marine species. The new genus formed a well-supported clade, and the D1-D1' and Box B secondary structures of internal transcribed spacer also supported the proposal of its new species. These findings help to clarify the diversity of species in the Lyngbya complex and the taxonomy of the group, and highlight the need of further floristic surveys in tropical coastal environments, which remain poorly studied.

• Smart Structures and Systems
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.99-117
• /
• 2015

The Stonecutters Bridge (SCB) in Hong Kong is the third-longest cable-stayed bridge in the world with a main span stretching 1,018 m between two 298 m high single-leg tapering composite towers. A Wind and Structural Health Monitoring System (WASHMS) is being implemented on SCB by the Highways Department of The Hong Kong SAR Government, and the SCB-WASHMS is composed of more than 1,300 sensors in 15 types. In order to establish a linkage between structural health monitoring and maintenance management, a Structural Health Rating System (SHRS) with relevant rating tools and indices is devised. On the basis of a 3D space frame finite element model (FEM) of SCB and model updating, this paper presents the development of an SHR-oriented 3D multi-scale FEM for the purpose of load-resistance analysis and damage evaluation in structural element level, including modeling, refinement and validation of the multi-scale FEM. The refined 3D structural segments at deck and towers are established in critical segment positions corresponding to maximum cable forces. The components in the critical segment region are modeled as a full 3D FEM and fitted into the 3D space frame FEM. The boundary conditions between beam and shell elements are performed conforming to equivalent stiffness, effective mass and compatibility of deformation. The 3D multi-scale FEM is verified by the in-situ measured dynamic characteristics and static response. A good agreement between the FEM and measurement results indicates that the 3D multi-scale FEM is precise and efficient for WASHMS and SHRS of SCB. In addition, stress distribution and concentration of the critical segments in the 3D multi-scale FEM under temperature loads, static wind loads and equivalent seismic loads are investigated. Stress concentration elements under equivalent seismic loads exist in the anchor zone in steel/concrete beam and the anchor plate edge in steel anchor box of the towers.

• Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society
• /
• v.35 no.1
• /
• pp.61-68
• /
• 2015

The advanced counties effort to the supplement of the zero energy buildings for the global building energy saving. In the middle of the development of passive technology, the government has to effort to the energy saving of buildings by enhanced performance of the window thermal insulation. By the method of enhanced performance of window thermal insulation, the use of vacuum double glazing saves the energy consumption in building. This glazing has low U-value(heat transmission coefficient) than normal double glazing. The vacuum glazing enhanced thermal insulation performance by vacuum space of between the glass and glass. For this vacuum glazing, pillar maintain the space between glass and glass. But this structure cause the raising the heat transmission coefficient in pillar approaching glass. This study confirmed the U-value by the test method of thermal resistance for windows and doors. Also this study confirmed the variation of heat transmission coefficient by the structure of vacuum glazing. And this study measured the surface temperature of the vacuum glazing about pillar approaching glass and vacuum space in cool chamber and hot box. That result, this study confirmed U-value of $0.422W/m^2{\cdot}K$ of vacuum glazing. Also this study confirmed U-value of $0.300{\sim}0.422W/m^2{\cdot}K$ by various the structure of vacuum glazing. And this study confirmed the heat flow in pillar approaching glass.

• Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society
• /
• v.37 no.4
• /
• pp.35-47
• /
• 2017

Energy efficiency solutions are being pursued as a sustainable approach to reducing energy consumption and related gas emissions across various sectors of the economy. Vacuum Insulation Panel (VIP) is an energy efficient advanced insulation system that facilitates slim but high-performance insulation, based on a porous core material evacuated and encapsulated in a barrier envelope. Although VIP has been applied in buildings for over a decade, it wasn't until recently that efforts have been initiated to propose and adopt a global standard on characterization and testing of VIP. One of the issues regarding VIP is its durability and aging due to pressure and moisture dependent increase of the initial low thermal conductivity with time; more so in building applications. In this paper, the aging of commercially available VIP was investigated experimentally; thermal conductivity was tested in accordance with ISO 8302 standard (guarded hot box method) and long-term durability was estimated based on a non-linear pressure-humidity dependent equation based on study of IEA/ECBCS Annex 39, with the aim of assessing durability of VIP for use in buildings. The center-of-panel thermal conductivity after 25 years based on initial 90% fractile with a confidence level of 90 % for the thermal conductivity (${\lambda}90/90$) ranged from 0.00726-0.00814 (W/m K) for silica core VIP. Significant differences between manufacturer-provided data and measurements of thermal conductivity and internal pressure were observed.

• Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society
• /
• v.38 no.3
• /
• pp.21-28
• /
• 2018

The objects of PV (Photovoltaic) monitoring system is to reduce the loss of system and operation and maintenance costs. In case of PV plants with configured of centralized inverter type, only 1 PV module might be caused a large loss in the PV plant. For this reason, the monitoring technology of PV module-level that find out the location of the fault module and reduce the system losses is interested. In this paper, a fault diagnosis algorithm are proposed using thermal and electrical characteristics of PV modules under failure. In addition, the monitoring system applied with proposed algorithm was constructed. The wireless sensor using LoRa chip was designed to be able to connect with IoT device in the future. The characteristics of PV module by shading is not failure but it is treated as a temporary failure. In the monitoring system, it is possible to diagnose whether or not failure of bypass diode inside the junction box. The fault diagnosis algorithm are developed on considering a situation such as communication error of wireless sensor and empirical performance evaluation are currently conducting.

• Journal of Korea Multimedia Society
• /
• v.22 no.10
• /
• pp.1168-1177
• /
• 2019

In order to diagnose and prevent Alzheimer's Disease (AD), it is becoming increasingly important to develop a CAD(Computer-aided Diagnosis) system for AD diagnosis, which provides effective treatment for patients by analyzing 3D MRI images. It is essential to apply powerful deep learning algorithms in order to automatically classify stages of Alzheimer's Disease and to develop a Alzheimer's Disease support diagnosis system that has the function of detecting hippocampus and CSF(Cerebrospinal fluid) which are important biomarkers in diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease. In this paper, for AD diagnosis, we classify a given MRI data into three categories of AD, mild cognitive impairment, and normal control according by applying 3D brain MRI image to the Faster R-CNN model and detect hippocampus and CSF in MRI image. To do this, we use the 2D MRI slice images extracted from the 3D MRI data of the Faster R-CNN, and perform the widely used majority voting algorithm on the resulting bounding box labels for classification. To verify the proposed method, we used the public ADNI data set, which is the standard brain MRI database. Experimental results show that the proposed method achieves impressive classification performance compared with other state-of-the-art methods.