• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.14 no.2
• /
• pp.73-78
• /
• 2011

Vibrio parahaemolyticus possesses two flagella systems: polar and lateral flagella for swimming in liquid and swarming on solid surfaces or in viscous environments. To elucidate the pathogenic role of these dual flagella systems, we constructed single- and double-deletion mutants of the lafA and flhAB flagellum genes and investigated their biofilm formation, cell adhesion, and colonization of the small intestine of suckling mice. The double-mutant strain was more impaired in biofilm formation than either of the single-mutant strains. In addition, the lafA, flhAB, and double-mutant strains showed 40%, 45%, and 60%, respectively, lower adherence to HeLa cells than the wild-type strain. Moreover, the lafA, flhAB, and double-mutant strains exhibited 49%, 5.6 and 6.7 times, respectively, lower colonization in a competition assay than the wild-type strain. These findings indicated that polar flagella were more important than lateral flagella for the pathogenesis of V. parahaemolyticus.

• KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems (TIIS)
• /
• v.14 no.3
• /
• pp.1142-1166
• /
• 2020

Salp Swarm Algorithm (SSA) is a new nature-inspired swarm optimization algorithm that mimics the swarming behavior of salps navigating and foraging in the oceans. SSA has been proved to enable to avoid local optima and enhance convergence speed benefiting from the adaptive nonlinear mechanism and salp chains. In this paper, visual tracking is considered to be a process of locating the optimal position through the interaction between leaders and followers in successive images. A novel SSA-based tracking framework is proposed and the analysis and adjustment of parameters are discussed experimentally. Besides, the qualitative analysis and quantitative analysis are performed to demonstrate the tracking effect of our proposed approach by comparing with ten classical tracking algorithms. Extensive comparative experimental results show that our algorithm has good performance in visual tracking, especially for abrupt motion tracking.

• Journal of Communications and Networks
• /
• v.10 no.4
• /
• pp.422-429
• /
• 2008

Mobile peer-to-peer (P2P) systems have recently got in the limelight of the research community that is striving to build efficient and effective mobile content addressable networks. Along this line of research, we propose a new peer-to-peer file sharing protocol suited to mobile ad hoc networks (MANET). The main ingredients of our protocol are network coding and mobility assisted data propagation, i.e., single-hop communication. We argue that network coding in combination with single-hop communication allows P2P file sharing systems in MANET to operate in a more efficient manner and helps the systems to deal with typical MANET issues such as dynamic topology and intermittent connectivity as well as various other issues that have been disregarded in previous MANET P2P researches such as addressing, node/user density, non-cooperativeness, and unreliable channel. Via simulation, we show that our P2P protocol based on network coding and single-hop communication allows shorter file downloading delays compared to an existing MANET P2P protocol.

• Natural Product Sciences
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.172-180
• /
• 2019

Infections with Pseudomonas aeruginosa are difficult to treat not only because it is often associated with multidrug-resistant infections but also it is able to form biofilm. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antibiofilm and anti-Quorum Sensing (QS) activities of Thymbra capitata essential oils (EOs) against Beta Lactamase (BL) producing P. aeruginosa and the reference strain P. aeruginosa 10145. GC/MS analysis showed that thymol (23.25%) is the most dominant compound in T. capitata EOs. The MICs of T. capitata EOs against P. aeruginosa (BL) and P. aeruginosa 10145 were 1.11%. At sub MIC (0.041, 0.014 and 0.0046%), the EOs of T. capitata remarkably inhibited the biofilm formation of both strains tested and complete inhibition of the biofilm formation was reported at 0.041%. The EOs of T. capitata were found to inhibit the swarming motility, aggregation ability and hydrophobic ability of P. aeruginosa (BL) and P. aeruginosa 10145. Interestingly, the EOs of T. capitata reduce the production of three secreted virulence factors that regulated by QS system including pyocyanin, rhamnolipids and LasA protease. The potent antibiofilm and anti-QS activities of T. capitata EOs can propose it as a new antibacterial agent to control pseudomonas infections.

• KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems (TIIS)
• /
• v.15 no.6
• /
• pp.2225-2239
• /
• 2021

To assist in data collection, the use of a mobile sink has been widely suggested in the literature. Due to the limited sensor node's storage capacity, this manner to collect data induces huge latencies and drop packets. Their buffers will be overloaded and lead to network congestion. Recently, a new bio-inspired optimization algorithm appeared. Researchers were inspired by the swarming mechanism of salps and thus creating what is called the Salp Swarm Algorithm (SSA). This paper improves the sink mobility to enhance energy dissipation, throughput, and convergence speed by imitating the salp's movement. The new approach, named the Mobile Sink based on Modified Salp Swarm Algorithm (MSSA), is approved in a heterogeneous Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) data collection. The performance of the MSSA protocol is assessed using several iterations. Results demonstrate that our proposal surpass other literature algorithms in terms of lifespan and throughput.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• v.38 no.4
• /
• pp.355-365
• /
• 2022

Erwinia amylovora and E. pyrifoliae are the causative agents of destructive diseases in both apple and pear trees viz. fire blight and black shoot blight, respectively. Since the introduction of fire blight in Korea in 2015, the occurrence of both pathogens has been independently reported. The co-incidence of these diseases is highly probable given the co-existence of their pathogenic bacteria in the same trees or orchards in a city/district. Hence, this study evaluated whether both diseases occurred in neighboring orchards and whether they occurred together in a single orchard. The competition and virulence of the two pathogens was compared using growth rates in vitro and in planta. Importantly, E amylovora showed significantly higher colony numbers than E. pyrifoliae when they were co-cultured in liquid media and co-inoculated into immature apple fruits and seedlings. In a comparison of the usage of major carbon sources, which are abundant in immature apple fruits and seedlings, E. amylovora also showed better growth rates than E. pyrifoliae. In virulence assays, including motility and a hypersensitive response (HR), E. amylovora demonstrated a larger diameter of travel from the inoculation site than E. pyrifoliae in both swarming and swimming motilities. E. amylovora elicited a HR in tobacco leaves when diluted from 1:1 to 1:16 but E. pyrifoliae does not elicit a HR when diluted at 1:16. Therefore, E. amylovora was concluded to have a greater competitive fitness than E. pyrifoliae.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.55 no.10
• /
• pp.473-480
• /
• 2022

Neutrophils, the most abundant innate immune cells, play essential roles in the innate immune system. As key innate immune cells, neutrophils detect intrusion of pathogens and initiate immune cascades with their functions; swarming (arresting), cytokine production, degranulation, phagocytosis, and projection of neutrophil extracellular trap. Because of their short lifespan and consumption during immune response, neutrophils need to be generated consistently, and generation of newborn neutrophils (granulopoiesis) should fulfill the environmental/systemic demands for training in cases of infection. Accumulating evidence suggests that neutrophils also play important roles in the regulation of adaptive immunity. Neutrophil-mediated immune responses end with apoptosis of the cells, and proper phagocytosis of the apoptotic body (efferocytosis) is crucial for initial and post resolution by producing tolerogenic innate/adaptive immune cells. However, inflammatory cues can impair these cascades, resulting in systemic immune activation; necrotic/pyroptotic neutrophil bodies can aggravate the excessive inflammation, increasing inflammatory macrophage and dendritic cell activation and subsequent T_H1/T_H17 responses contributing to the regulation of the pathogenesis of autoimmune disease. In this review, we briefly introduce recent studies of neutrophil function as players of immune response.

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

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• v.36 no.2
• /
• pp.148-156
• /
• 2020

Pseudomonas syringae pv. tabaci 6605 has two multidrug resistance (MDR) efflux pump transporters, MexAB-OprM and MexEF-OprN. To understand the role of these MDR efflux pumps in virulence, we generated deletion mutants, ΔmexB, ΔmexF, and ΔmexBΔmexF, and investigated their sensitivity to plant-derived antimicrobial compounds, antibiotics, and virulence. Growth inhibition assays with KB soft agar plate showed that growth of the wild-type (WT) was inhibited by 5 μl of 1 M catechol and 1 M coumarin but not by other plant-derived potential antimicrobial compounds tested including phytoalexins. The sensitivity to these compounds tended to increase in ΔmexB and ΔmexBΔmexF mutants. The ΔmexBΔmexF mutant was also sensitive to 2 M acetovanillone. The mexAB-oprM was constitutively expressed, and activated in the ΔmexF and ΔmexBΔmexF mutant strains. The swarming and swimming motilities were impaired in ΔmexF and ΔmexBΔmexF mutants. The flood inoculation test indicated that bacterial populations in all mutant strains were significantly lower than that of WT, although all mutants and WT caused similar disease symptoms. These results indicate that MexAB-OprM extrudes plant-derived catechol, acetovanillone, or coumarin, and contributes to bacterial virulence. Furthermore, MexAB-OprM and MexEF-OprN complemented each other's functions to some extent.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
• /
• v.28 no.3
• /
• pp.215-224
• /
• 2016

Objectives This study aimed at proposing a hypothetical principle to add or abstract herbs for modifying Taeeumjowi-tang.Method Based on Jema Lee's literatures such as Dongyisusebowon and Dongyisasangsipyeon, we analyzed contents related to Taeeumjowi-tang and its modification. Moreover, we reviewed physiological and pathological pecularities of Taeeumin symptomatology and applied the theory to induce the principle of the modified Taeeumjowi-tang in Sasang medicine.Results and Conclusions 1) We have found 10 modified Taeeumjowi-tang from Dongyisasangsipyeon. 2) Mahwangjowi-tang (麻黃調胃湯), Gogijowi-tang (固氣調胃湯), Shingijowi-tang (腎氣調胃湯), Euiyiinjowi-tang (薏苡仁調胃湯), Gamijowi-tang (加味調胃湯), and Gyeongheomjowi-tang (經驗調胃湯) are modified for Taeeumin who have original symptoms of more severe cold tendency. Especially, Gogijowi-tang helps to circulate energy-fluid from esophagus to skin, while Shingijowi-tang directly aids the function of esophagus. 3) Seungjijowi-tang (升芷調胃湯), Seunggeumjowi-tang (升芩調胃湯), Seunggijowi-tang (承氣調胃湯), and Jowisokmyung-tang (調胃續命湯) are modified for Taeeumin who have originally cold symtoms, accompanied by heat tendencies. Especially, Seungjijowi-tang helps to eliminate mild heat existing throughout skin and flesh, while Seunggeumjowi-tang gets rid of severe heat swarming in the flesh parts. Seunggijowi-tang can take away the most severe heat symptoms in the whole body