• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.412-425
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• 2018

The Hfq protein is a global small RNA chaperone that interacts with regulatory bacterial small RNAs (sRNA) and plays a role in the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. The roles of Hfq in the virulence and pathogenicity of several infectious bacteria have been reported. This study was conducted to elucidate the functions of two hfq genes in Burkholderia glumae, a causal agent of rice grain rot. Therefore, mutant strains of the rice-pathogenic B. glumae BGR1, targeting each of the two hfq genes, as well as the double defective mutant were constructed and tested for several phenotypic characteristics. Bacterial swarming motility, toxoflavin production, virulence in rice, siderophore production, sensitivity to $H_2O_2$, and lipase production assays were conducted to compare the mutant strains with the wild-type B. glumae BGR1 and complementation strains. The hfq1 gene showed more influence on bacterial motility and toxoflavin production than the hfq2 gene. Both genes were involved in the full virulence of B. glumae in rice plants. Other biochemical characteristics such as siderophore production and sensitivity to $H_2O_2$ induced oxidative stress were also found to be regulated by the hfq1 gene. However, lipase activity was shown to be unassociated with both tested genes. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to elucidate the functions of two hfq genes in B. glumae. Identification of virulence-related factors in B. glumae will facilitate the development of efficient control measures.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.91-96
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• 2014

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an important cause of occupational mortality in miners exposed to coal mine dust. Although the inflammatory mediators involved in COPD have not been defined, many studies have shown that inflammatory mediators such as reactive oxygen and nitrogen species are involved in orchestrating the complex inflammatory process in COPD. Methods: To investigate the relevance of exhaled biomarkers of oxidative and nitrosative stress in participants with COPD, we determined the levels of hydrogen peroxide, malondialdehyde (MDA), and 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT) in exhaled breath condensate (EBC) in 90 retired elderly coal miners (53 non-COPD and 37 COPD participants). Results: Mean levels of MDA (4.64 nMvs. 6.46 nM, p = 0.005) and 3-NT (3.51 nMvs. 5.50 nM, p = 0.039) in EBC were significantly higher in participants with COPD. The median level of MDA did show statistical difference among the COPD severities (p = 0.017), and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve forMDA (0.67) for the diagnostic discrimination of COPD indicated the biomarker. The optimal cutoff values were 5.34 nM (64.9% sensitivity and 64.2% specificity) and 5.58 nM (62.2% sensitivity and 62.3% specificity) forMDA and 3-NT, respectively. The results suggest that high levels ofMDA and 3-NT in EBC are associated with COPD in retired elderly miners. Conclusion: These results showed that the elevated levels of EBC MDA and EBC 3-NT in individuals with COPD are biomarkers of oxidative or nitrosative stress.

• Biomaterials and Biomechanics in Bioengineering
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.115-127
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• 2016

Shoulder pain, injury and discomfort are public health and economic issues world-wide. The function of these joints and the stresses developed during their movement is a major concern to the orthopedic surgeon to study precisely the injury mechanisms and thereby analyze the post-operative progress of the injury. Shoulder is one of the most critical joints in the human anatomy with maximum degrees of freedom. It mainly consists of the clavicle, scapula and humerus; the articulations linking them; and the muscles that move them. In order to understand the behavior of individual muscle during abduction arm movement, an attempt has been made to analyze the stresses developed in the shoulder muscles during abduction arm movement during the full range of motion by using the 3D FEM model. 3D scanning (ATOS III scanner) is used for the 3D shoulder joint cad model generation in CATIA V5. Muscles are added and then exported to the ANSYS APDL solver for stress analysis. Sensitivity Analysis is done for stress and strain behavior amongst different shoulder muscles; deltoid, supraspinatus, teres minor, infraspinatus, and subscapularies during adduction arm movement. During the individual deltoid muscle analysis, the von Mises stresses induced in deltoid muscle was maximum (4.2175 MPa) and in group muscle analysis it was (2.4127MPa) compared to other individual four rotor cuff muscles. The study confirmed that deltoid muscle is more sensitive muscle for the abduction arm movement during individual and group muscle analysis. The present work provides in depth information to the researchers and orthopedicians for the better understanding about the shoulder mechanism and the most stressed muscle during the abduction arm movement at different ROM. So during rehabilitation, the orthopedicians should focus on strengthening the deltoid muscles at earliest.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.28 no.6C
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• pp.349-358
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• 2008

In performing the reliability analysis for predicting the settlement with time of alluvial clay layer at Kobe airport, the uncertainties of geotechnical properties were examined based on the stochastic and probabilistic theory. By using Terzaghi's consolidation theory as the objective function, the failure probability was normalized based on AFOSM method. As the result of reliability analysis, the occurrence probabilities for the cases of the target settlement of ${\pm}10%,\;{\pm}25%$ of the total settlement from the deterministic analysis were 30~50%, 60%~90%, respectively. Considering that the variation coefficients of input variable are almost similar as those of past researches, the acceptable error range of the total settlement would be expected in the range of 10% of the predicted total settlement. As the result of sensitivity analysis, the factors which affect significantly on the settlement analysis were the uncertainties of the compression coefficient Cc, the pre-consolidation stress Pc, and the prediction model employed. Accordingly, it is very important for the reliable prediction with high reliability to obtain reliable soil properties such as Cc and Pc by performing laboratory tests in which the in-situ stress and strain conditions are properly simulated.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Fisheries and Ocean Technology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.61-65
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• 1987

In this study, the characteristics of TRC (tensile restraint crack) critical stress in the gravity type underwater wet welding process and in the in-air welding have been investigated for Y, y and 45$^{\circ}$r grooves using the KR Grade A-3 steel plates and the E4303 covered electrodes. The following results were obtained: (1) In the TRC tests, the initial critical stress of Y groove is higher than those of the 45$^{\circ}$r single bebel grooves in both in-air and underwater weldings, and the cold fracture sensitivity is higher in the underwater welding than in the in-air welding. (2) The hardness of underwater weld metal is the highest in heat affected zone is about Hk 365 in the in-air weld but Hk 670 in the underwater weld which is higher for cooling speed is more rapid, resulting in the lower critical stress by increase of fracture sensitivity. (3) The diffusible hydrogen quantity for 48 hours is about 18cc/100g-weld-metal in the in-air welding but 48cc/100g-weld-metal in the underwater welding. So that, in the case of underwater welding the diffusible hydrogen penetrates about 3 times more than that in the in-air welding.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Fisheries and Ocean Technology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.15-15
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• 1987

In this study, the characteristics of TRC (tensile restraint crack) critical stress in the gravity type underwater wet welding process and in the in-air welding have been investigated for Y, y and 45°r grooves using the KR Grade A-3 steel plates and the E4303 covered electrodes. The following results were obtained: (1) In the TRC tests, the initial critical stress of Y groove is higher than those of the 45°r single bebel grooves in both in-air and underwater weldings, and the cold fracture sensitivity is higher in the underwater welding than in the in-air welding. (2) The hardness of underwater weld metal is the highest in heat affected zone is about Hk 365 in the in-air weld but Hk 670 in the underwater weld which is higher for cooling speed is more rapid, resulting in the lower critical stress by increase of fracture sensitivity. (3) The diffusible hydrogen quantity for 48 hours is about 18cc/100g-weld-metal in the in-air welding but 48cc/100g-weld-metal in the underwater welding. So that, in the case of underwater welding the diffusible hydrogen penetrates about 3 times more than that in the in-air welding.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2000

This study was conducted to investigate the growth characteristics of four barley cultivars to NaCl stress of 100mM on 10 March (Tillering stage) and 10 April(Panicle formation stage). Plant grown in Wagner pot(1/5,000 a) with sand culture. Plant height, root length, leaf number and tillering number reduced by NaCl stress and tillering number was shorter than any other character. The reduction of those with NaCl treatment was more severe in 10 March treatment compared to in 10 April it. Leaf, root and straw weight were decreased with NaCl treatment and root weight was more sensitive than any others on 10 March and 10 April treatment. One hundred grain weight (g) in grain component was the most severe in 10 March treatment and panicle number per plant was the most severe in 10 April treatment. The result also varied depending on the cultivars and the time of NaCl stress. In terms of yield component, salt sensitivity was low in order of Bunong, Chalssalbori, Dongbori 1, and Neulssalbori in 10 March and Neulssalbori, Dongbori 1, Bunong and Chalssalbori in 10 April treatment by 100mM NaCl.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.21 no.3 s.61
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• pp.295-301
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• 2000

It is known that among many factors, relative micromotion at bone/implant interfaces can hinder bone ingrowth into surface pores of an implant. Loading conditions, mechanical properties of spinal materials, friction coefficients at the interfaces and geometry of spinal segments would affect the relative micromotion and spinal stability. A finite clement model of the human lumbar spine segments (L4-L5) was constructed to investigate the mechanical sensitivity at the interfaces between bone and cage. Relative micromotion. Posterior axial displacement. bone stress, cage stress and friction force were predicted in changes of friction coefficients, loading conditions. bone density and age-related material/geometric properties of the spinal segments. Relative micromotion (slip distance in a static loading means relative micromotion in routine activity) at the interfaces increased significantly as the mechanical properties of cancellous bone, annulus fibers or/and ligaments decrease or/and as the friction coefficient at the interfaces decreases. The contact normal force at the interfaces decreased as cancellous bone density decreases or/and as the friction coefficient increases A significant increase of slip distance at anterior annulus occurred with an addition of torsion to compressive preload. Relative micromotion decreased with an increase of disc area. In conclusion. relative micromotion, stress response. Posterior axial displacement and contact normal force are sensitive to the friction coefficient of the interfaces, bone density, loading conditions and age-related geometric/material changes.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.34 no.12
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• pp.1821-1828
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• 2010

Laser shock peening(LSP) is an innovative surface treatment technique, and it has been successfully used to improve the fatigue performance of metallic components. It is widely known, that cracks caused by metal fatigue occur only at the location where the metal is subject to tension, and not at the location where the metal is subjected to compression. Therefore, LSP can be employed to improve fatigue life because it generates a high-magnitude compressive residual stress on the surface and interior of metallic components. In this study, we analyzed the applicability of the LSP method in improving fatigue performance and evaluated the various parameters that influence the compressive residual stress. Further, we analyzed the change in the mechanical properties such as surface dynamic stress and the compressive residual stress on the surface and interior of metallic components.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.247-252
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• 2015

Exercise is one of the most common stressors in horses. Although various physiological parameters such as cortisol respond to exercise, there is no reliable parameter for the measurement of exercise-induced stress in sport horses. This study was performed to discover a new biomarker with high sensitivity for exercise-induced stress. The expression of fos mRNA was increased more than 10-fold in horse blood samples collected after an hour of exercise, as compared with before the exercise. The plasma cortisol levels were also increased after the exercise, but only by about two-fold. The fos mRNA levels were well-correlated with plasma cortisol concentrations. These findings suggest that fos mRNA expression in blood may be useful for the measurement of exercise-induced stress in horses.