• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.245-253
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• 2014

A fibrinolytic enzyme was produced by an edible mushroom of Pleurotus ostreatus using submerged culture fermentation. The enzyme was purified from the culture supernatant by applying a combination of freeze-thaw treatment, ammonium sulfate precipitation, hydrophobic interaction, and gel filtration chromatographies. The enzyme was purified by a 147-fold, with a yield of 7.54%. The molecular masses of the enzyme an determined by gel filtration and SDS-PAGE were 13.6 and 18.2 kDa, respectively. The isoelectric point of the enzyme was 8.52. It hydrolyzed fibrinogen by cleaving the ${\alpha}$ and ${\beta}$ chains of fibrinogen followed by the ${\gamma}$ chains, and also activated plasminogen into plasmin. The enzyme was optimally active at $45^{\circ}C$ and pH 7.4. The enzyme activity was completely inhibited by EDTA, whereas protease inhibitors of TPCK, SBTI, PMSF, aprotinin and pepstatin showed no inhibition on its activity. The partial amino acid sequences of the enzyme as determined by Q-TOF2 were ATFVGCSATR, GGTLIHESSHFTR, and YTTWFGTFVTSR. These sequences showed a high degree of homology with those of metallo-endopeptidases from P. ostreatus and Armillaria mellea. The purified enzyme can also be applied as a natural agent for oral fibrinolytic therapy or prevention of thrombosis.

• International Journal of Automotive Technology
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.375-382
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• 2007

The multi-driver off-road vehicle drive-line consists of many components, with close connections among them. In order to design and analyze the drive-line efficiently, a modular methodology should be taken. The aim of a modular approach to the modeling of complex systems is to support behavior analysis and simulation in an iterative and thus complex engineering process, by using encapsulated submodels of components and of their interfaces. Multi-driver off-road vehicles are comparatively complicated. The driving-line is an important core part to the vehicle, it has a significant contribution to the performance. Multi-driver off-road vehicles have complex driving-lines, so performance is heavily dependent on the driving-line. A typical off-road vehicle's driving-line system consists of a torque converter, transmission, transfer case and driving-axles, which transfers the power generated by the engine and distributes it effectively to the driving wheels according to the road condition. According to its main function, this paper proposes a modularized approach for design and evaluation of the vehicle's driving-line. It can be used to effectively estimate the performance of the driving-line during the concept design stage. Through an appropriate analysis and assessment method, an optimal design can be reached. This method has been applied to practical vehicle design, it can improve the design efficiency and is convenient to assess and validate the performance of a vehicle, especially of multi-driver off-road vehicles.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.249-270
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• 2014

Through comparing the mean wind profiles observed overland during the passages of four typhoons, and the gradient wind speeds calculated based on the sea level pressure data provided by a numerical model, the present paper discusses, (a) whether the gradient balance is a valid assumption to estimate the wind speed in the height range of 1250 m ~ 1750 m, which is defined as the upper-level mean wind speed, in a tropical cyclone over land, and (b) if the super-gradient feature is systematically observed below the height of 1500 m in the tropical cyclone wind field over land. It has been found that, (i) the gradient balance is a valid assumption to estimate the mean upper-level wind speed in tropical cyclones in the radial range from the radius to the maximum wind (RMW) to three times the RMW, (ii) the super-gradient flow dominates the wind field in the tropical cyclone boundary layer inside the RMW and is frequently observed in the radial range from the RMW to twice the RMW, (iii) the gradient wind speed calculated based on the post-landfall sea level pressure data underestimates the overall wind strength at an island site inside the RMW, and (iv) the unsynchronized decay of the pressure and wind fields in the tropical cyclone might be the reason for the underestimation.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.632-637
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• 2006

Oviduct-specific glycoprotein 1 (OVGP1) is implicated in playing a role in fertilization and early embryo development. In this study, we have obtained the sequence of intron 9 of OVGP1 gene in swine. Comparative sequencing of Meishan (a native Chinese breed) and Large White pig breeds revealed an A/T substitution at position 943. A PCR-EcoRI-RFLP assay was developed to detect this mutation. Polymorphism analysis in Qingping animals showed that pigs with BB genotype had lower number of piglets born alive (NBA) in multiple parities than pigs with AA (p<0.05) and AB genotype (p<0.01). In Large $White{\times}Meishan$ ($LW{\times}M$) $F_2$ offspring, the weight of both ovaries (OW) of the BB genotype was significantly lighter than that of AB (p = 0.05) and AA (p<0.01) genotypes. Analysis of the data also revealed that the mutation locus affected these two traits mostly by additive effects. These studies indicated that the polymorphism was associated with NBA and OW in two distinct populations and further investigations in more purebreds or crossbreds are needed to confirm these results.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.10
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• pp.1587-1593
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• 2007

A single factorial experiment was conducted to test the effects of three dietary levels of energy on mRNA expression of fatty acid synthase (FAS-mRNA) and hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL-mRNA) and their association with intramuscular fat in finishing pigs. 72 crossbred (Large $White{\times}Rongchang$) barrows with an average initial body weight of 20.71 (s.e. 0.1) kg, were randomly allotted to three dietary treatments (11.75, 13.05 and 14.36 MJ DE/kg) and fed until slaughtered at 100 or 101 kg. The diets were iso-nitrogenous and iso-essential amino acids. The growth performances including the duration of finishing were changed linearly (p<0.05) or quadratically (p<0.05) with increased dietary energy levels. The effects of dietary energy content on the percentage of external fat, intramuscular backfat and the fat thickness were linear (p<0.05). The content of dietary energy increased FAS-mRNA linearly or quadratically, while HSL-mRNA decreased linearly or quadratically in backfat and Longissmus dorsi muscle. Meanwhile, significant positive correlations (p<0.05) were found between energy level and intramuscular fat, FAS-mRNA or the ratio of FAS-mRNA to HSL-mRNA, between the ratio of FAS-mRNA to HSL-mRNA and intramuscular fat. However, the correlations between HSL mRNA and dietary energy or intramuscular fat were negative (p<0.05). The results indicated that dietary energy level regulates lipid accumulation, especially intramuscular fat, possibly by modulating the mRNA of FAS and HSL together rather than individually.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.587-601
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• 2013

During the last few decades, it has become evident that the compatibility of the yeast biochemical environment with the ability to process and translate the RNA transcript, along with its capacity to modify a translated protein, are relevant requirements for selecting this host cell for protein expression in several pharmaceutical and clinical applications. In particular, Pichia pastoris is used as an industrial host for recombinant protein and metabolite production, showing a powerful capacity to meet required biomolecular target production levels in high-throughput assays for functional genomics and drug screening. In addition, there is a great advantage to using P. pastoris for protein secretion, even at high molecular weights, since the recovery and purification steps are simplified owing to relatively low levels of endogenous proteins in the extracellular medium. Clearly, no single microexpression system can provide all of the desired properties for human protein production. Moreover, chemical and physical bioprocess parameters, including culture medium formulation, temperature, pH, agitation, aeration rates, induction, and feeding strategies, can highly influence product yield and quality. In order to benefit from the currently available wide range of biosynthesis strategies using P. pastoris, this mini review focuses on the developments and technological fermentation achievements, providing both a comparative and an overall integration analysis. The main aim is to highlight the relevance and versatility of the P. pastoris biosystem to the design of more cost-effective microfactories to meet the increasing demands for recombinant membrane proteins and clinical antibodies for several therapeutic applications.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.158-167
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• 1997

Objectives: This study was aimed to investigate the emotional state and personality characteristics of alopecia aerata patient and to determine whether these characteristics are similar with those of neurotic patient. Methods : 20 alopecia aerata patients, 20 neurotic patients, and 20 normal healthy controls were studied. Beck Depression Inventory(BDI), State and Trait Anxiety Inventory(STAI) and Korean standardized edition of Catell's 16 Personality factors Questionnaire(16PF) were used for assessment. Results: 1) Total score of BDI was higher in neurosis group than alopecia aerata group and normal control group(p<0.05). Inspire of statistical non-significance, total score of in alopecia aerata group was higher than normal control group. 2) Total scores of state anxiety and trait anxiety in alopecia aerata and neurosis group were significantly higher than normal control group(p<0.001). 3) In first-stratum source traits of 16PF, normal control group was significantly higher than alopecia aerata group and neurosis group in B-factor(intelligence) and C-factor(ego-strength)(p<0.05). Alopecia aerata group and neurosis group were significantly higher than normal control group in O-factor(guilt-proneness) and $Q_4-factor(tension,\;anxiety)$(p<0.001). 4) In second-stratum source traits of 16PF, alopecia aerata group and neurosis group were significantly higher than normal control group in ANX-factor(anxiety)(p<0.05). Conclusions : These results suggest that emotional state and personality characterstics of patients with alopecia aerata are a distinguishable different to compare with normal control, and are very similar with those of neurotic patients. The authors propose that psychiatric management in patient with alopecia aerata will be more benificial.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.190-201
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• 1998

Background : Medical equipments take a very important role in diagnosis and treatment of disease in modern medicine and effective maintenance of the equipments is a necessary to provide a good health care to the public. After developing a new QC program for effective maintenance of medical equipments and practicing it for a year, we report the results of the new program. Methods : The maintenance data of 9 equipments in 8 categories including a CT Scanner were analyzed with regard to the parts responsible for most frequent failure and cause of the failure. After learning the most frequent failure part and cause of the failure, we developed a new QC program that emphasizes preventive maintenance of the most frequent failure part. We compared the number of failure per year and active rate of each equipment before and after the adoption of the new QC program. Results : The average number of failure per year per equipment was 20.7 before and it decreased by 43% to 11.9 after adoption of the new QC program. The average active rate of the equipments was 92.6% before and it increased by 3.2% to 95.8% after adoption of the new program. Conclusions : The practice of the new QC program appears very useful as it decreased the failure rate and increased the active rate of the equipments.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.125-146
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• 2006

Stonecutters Bridge of Hong Kong is a cable-stayed bridge with two single-column pylons each 298 m high and an aerodynamic twin deck. The total length of the bridge is 1596 m with a main span of 1018 m. The top 118 m of the tower will comprise structural steel and concrete composite while the bottom part will be of reinforced concrete. The bridge deck at the central span will be of steel whilst the side spans will be of concrete. Stonecutters Bridge has adopted a twin-girder deck design with a wide clear separation of 14.3 m between the two longitudinal girders. Although a number of studies have been conducted to investigate the aerodynamic performance of twin-girder deck, the actual real life application of this type of deck is extremely limited. This therefore triggered the need for conducting the present studies, the main objective of which is to investigate the performance of Stonecutters Bridge against flutter at its in-service stage as well as during construction. Based on the flutter derivatives obtained from the 1:80 scale rigid section model experiment, flutter analysis was carried out using 3-D finite element based single parameter searching method developed by the second author of this paper. A total of 6 finite element models of the bridge covering the in-service stage as well as 5 construction stages were established. The dynamic characteristics of the bridge associated with these stages were computed and applied in the analyses. Apart from the critical wind speeds for the onset of flutter, the dominant modes of vibration participating in the flutter vibration were also identified. The results indicate that the bridge will be stable against flutter at its in-service stage as well as during construction at wind speeds much higher than the verification wind speed of 95 m/s (1-minute mean).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.278-285
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• 2012

Poultry products are an important source of Salmonella enterica. An effective way to reduce food poisoning due to Salmonella would be to breed chickens more resistant to infection. Unfortunately host responses to Salmonella are complex with many factors involved. To learn more about responses to Salmonella in young chickens of 2 wk old, a cDNA Microarray containing 13,319 probes was performed to compare gene expression profiles between two chicken groups under control and Salmonella infected conditions. Newly hatched chickens were orally infected with S. enterica serovar Enteritidis. Since the intestine is one of the important barriers the bacteria encounter after oral inoculation, intestine gene expression was investigated at 2 wk old. There were 588 differentially expressed genes detected, of which 276 were known genes, and of the total number 266 were up-regulated and 322 were down-regulated. Differences in gene expression between the two chicken groups were found in control as well as Salmonella infected conditions indicating a difference in the intestine development between the two chicken groups which might be linked to the difference in Salmonella susceptibility. The differential expressions of 4 genes were confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR and the results indicated that the expression changes of these genes were generally consistent with the results of GeneChips. The findings in this study have lead to the identification of novel genes and possible cellular pathways, which are host dependent.