• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.356-363
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• 2017

ARice is an important staple food in the world and rice yield is one of the main traits for rice breeding. Several genes involved in increasing the yield have been identified through map-based gene cloning within natural variations in rice. These identified genes are good targets for introducing a genetic trait in molecular breeding. Here, we chose five genes reported to be involved in increasing grain number per panicle in rice; Gn1a, dep1, Apo1, Ghd7, and Nal1. We developed In/Del markers for Gn1a, and dep1, Apo1, and applied the reported SNP markers for Ghd7 and Nal1. We were easily able to examine the genotype of each gene on agarose gel. We tested the genotypes on 479 rice resources that we held with evaluated molecular markers. According to the genotype of each gene, rice resources were divided into 13 haplotypes, and most of the Indica and Japonica varieties were included in haplotypes 1 and 13, respectively. When we examined the effect of each gene on grain number per panicle and panicle number per plant, panicle number per plant in the yield negative allele group for each gene was reduced by approximately 0.3 to 0.8 compared to that in the yield positive allele group. However, the number of yield positive alleles for each gene was higher by about 21 to 27 grains per panicle than that of yield negative alleles. Although most of the varieties were grouped in haplotypes 1 and 13, we believe that this genotype information with evaluated molecular markers will be useful in rice breeding for increasing the yield with grain number per panicle.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.45-57
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• 2020

This paper presents the experimental application of a new method for seismic vulnerability assessment of buildings recently introduced in literature, the SMAV (Seismic Model Ambient Vibration) methodology with reference to their operational limit state. The importance of this kind of evaluation arises from the civil protection necessity that some buildings, considered strategic for seismic emergency management, should retain their functionality also after a destructive earthquake. They do not suffer such damage as to compromise the operation within a framework of assessment of the overall capacity of the urban system. To this end, for the characterization of their operational vulnerability, a Structural Operational Index (IOPS) has been considered. In particular, the dynamic environmental vibrations of the two considered strategic buildings, the fire station and the town hall building of a small town in the South of Italy, have been monitored by positioning accelerometers in well-defined points. These measurements were processed through modern Operational Modal Analysis techniques (OMA) in order to identify natural frequencies and modal shapes. Once these parameters have been determined, the structural operational efficiency index of the buildings has been determined evaluating the seismic vulnerability of the strategic structures analyzed. his study aimed to develop a model to accurately predict the acceleration of structural systems during an earthquake.

• Journal of Computational Design and Engineering
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.385-397
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• 2016

Scaffolds are essential in bone tissue engineering, as they provide support to cells and growth factors necessary to regenerate tissue. In addition, they meet the mechanical function of the bone while it regenerates. Currently, the multiple methods for designing and manufacturing scaffolds are based on regular structures from a unit cell that repeats in a given domain. However, these methods do not resemble the actual structure of the trabecular bone which may work against osseous tissue regeneration. To explore the design of porous structures with similar mechanical properties to native bone, a geometric generation scheme from a reaction-diffusion model and its manufacturing via a material jetting system is proposed. This article presents the methodology used, the geometric characteristics and the modulus of elasticity of the scaffolds designed and manufactured. The method proposed shows its potential to generate structures that allow to control the basic scaffold properties for bone tissue engineering such as the width of the channels and porosity. The mechanical properties of our scaffolds are similar to trabecular tissue present in vertebrae and tibia bones. Tests on the manufactured scaffolds show that it is necessary to consider the orientation of the object relative to the printing system because the channel geometry, mechanical properties and roughness are heavily influenced by the position of the surface analyzed with respect to the printing axis. A possible line for future work may be the establishment of a set of guidelines to consider the effects of manufacturing processes in designing stages.

• Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.1-12
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• 2016

A control algorithm for a 100 kW wind turbine is designed in this study. The wind turbine is operating as a variable speed variable pitch (VSVP) status. Also, this wind turbine is a permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) Type. For the medium capacity wind turbine considered in this study, it was found that the optimum tip speed ratios to achieve the maximum power coefficients varied with wind speeds. Therefore a commercial blade element momentum theory and multi-body dynamics based program was implemented to consider the variation of aerodynamic coefficients with respect to Reynolds numbers and to find out the power and thrust coefficients with respect tip speed ratio and blade pitch angles. In the end a basic power controller was designed for below rated, transition and above rated regions, and a load reduction algorithm was designed to reduce tower vibration by the nacelle motion. As a result, damage equivalent Load (DEL) of tower fore-aft has been reduced by 32%. From dynamic simulations in the commercial program, the controller was found to work properly as designed. Experimental validation of the control algorithm will be done in the future.

• CELLMED
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.21.1-21.5
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• 2013

Cholesterol gallstones are a digestive disease of high prevalence that has many risk factors; for this reason, research has focused mainly on how to prevent it rather than how to treat it. Many molecules of the hepatic, bile and intestinal systems are involved in the pathophysiology of this disease, making it very difficult to find a therapeutic target. The pharmacological treatment is limited, so when gallstones generate symptoms, medical treatment indicates gallbladder removal. Ursodeoxycholic acid is used to dissolve cholesterol stones, and ezetimibe and statins are other drugs with possible applications in the treatment of this disease. Given the small number of drugs that have been developed for treating this disease, the research of natural products becomes of paramount importance. Resources such as black radish, glucosinolates, fenugreek, capsaicin, curcumin, garlic, and onion, have all shown significant effects in the prevention and treatment of cholesterol gallstones. In this review, we made a synthesis of the scientific reports that deal with these natural products and that can serve as antecedents for finding a way to treat the most common disease of the gallbladder.

• Neonatal Medicine
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.49-52
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• 2018

Arterial tortuosity syndrome (ATS) is a very rare autosomal recessive connective tissue disease characterized by generalized elongation and tortuosity of the medium- to large-sized arteries, and other systemic connective tissue manifestations. To date, this disease entity has not been reported in Korea. We report a case of ATS diagnosed in a neonate who presented with severe elongation and tortuosity of the aorta and its major branches, as well as the intracranial arteries. Additionally, the patient presented with a tortuous dilatation of the inferior vena cava, an aneurysmal dilatation of the extra-hepatic bile ducts, and an inguinal and sliding hiatal hernia. The diagnosis was confirmed using DNA sequencing analysis, and the patient demonstrated a compound heterozygosity for two novel mutations (c.738delG [p.Gln247Serfs*33] and c.362T>C [p.Ile121Thr]) in exon 2 of the SLC2A10 gene. Genetic analysis also confirmed that both parents were heterozygous carriers of the responsible mutations. Owing to such clinical manifestations, ATS is often misdiagnosed as other connective tissue diseases including Loeys-Dietz syndrome, Marfan syndrome, and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. In patients presenting with a high index of suspicion, thorough clinical evaluation and screening for ATS including computed tomography or magnetic resonance angiography and target gene analysis are necessary for early diagnosis and management.

• ALGAE
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.187-195
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• 2010

The genus Rosenvingea is well known in the tropics. Four species have been reported from Pacific Mexico: R. floridana, R. antillarum, R. intricata and R. sanctae-crucis. We collected a plant (Boca del Cielo, Chiapas) that we identified as Rosenvingea orientalis, a species not previously reported from Pacific Mexico. We were able to characterize the life cycle of this species for the first time in laboratory culture. It reproduced exclusively by plurilocular sporangia (plurangia). The mature plants were up to 6 cm long with cylindrical to compressed fronds (to 2 mm wide) with dichotomous branches in the upper half of the thallus. The medulla was hollow with 2-3 layers of large inflated colourless cells at the periphery. The cortex was comprised of 1 layer of small cells, each with a single chloroplast and pyrenoid. Linear plurangial sori with phaeophycean hairs formed along the mature fronds. Zoospore germlings developed into prostrate filamentous systems, each with a single phaeophycean hair that gave rise to a single erect shoot with multiple hairs arising near the tip. Molecular phylogeny using the psaA gene placed this isolate within the Scytosiphonaceae. It does not confirm the exact identification of R. orientalis, although its placement close to other Rosenvingea sequences was confirmed and morphological evidence supports its placement in R. orientalis. Our culture investigations indicated that it has an asexual life cycle. Further collections are needed to resolve the full generic and specific relationships of Rosenvingea and related taxa, and their reproductive patterns.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.8
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• pp.1116-1122
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• 2015

This study aimed to investigate the effect of sunflower seeds, either as whole or as oil, on rumen fermentation, milk production, milk composition and fatty acids profile in dairy goats. Fifteen lactating Damascus goats were divided randomly into three groups (n = 5) fed a basal diet of concentrate feed mixture and fresh Trifolium alexandrinum at 50:50 on dry matter basis (Control) in addition to 50 g/head/d sunflower seeds whole (SS) or 20 mL/head/d sunflower seeds oil (SO) in a complete randomized design. Milk was sampled every two weeks during 90 days of experimental period for chemical analysis and rumen was sampled at 30, 60, and 90 days of the experiment for ruminal pH, volatile fatty acids (tVFA), and ammonia-N determination. Addition of SO decreased (p = 0.017) ruminal pH, whereas SO and SS increased tVFA (p<0.001) and acetate (p = 0.034) concentrations. Serum glucose increased (p = 0.013) in SO and SS goats vs Control. The SO and SS treated goats had improved milk yield (p = 0.007) and milk fat content (p = 0.002). Moreover, SO increased milk lactose content (p = 0.048) and feed efficiency (p = 0.046) compared to Control. Both of SS and SO increased (p<0.05) milk unsaturated fatty acids content specially conjugated linolenic acid (CLA) vs Control. Addition of SS and SO increased (p = 0. 021) C18:3N3 fatty acid compared to Control diet. Data suggested that addition of either SS or SO to lactating goats ration had beneficial effects on milk yield and milk composition with enhancing milk content of healthy fatty acids (CLA and omega 3), without detrimental effects on animal performance.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.253-260
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• 2018

Background: One of the most frequent problems caused by diabetes is the so called painful diabetic neuropathy. This condition can be treated through numerous types of therapy. The purpose of this study was to analyze, as a meta-analysis, different treatments used to alleviate painful diabetic neuropathy, with the aim of generating results that help making decisions when applying such treatments to tackle this pathology. Methods: A search was conducted in the main databases for Health Sciences, such as PUBMED, Web of Science (WOS), and IME biomedicina (Spanish Medical Reports in Biomedicine), to gather randomized controlled trials about treatments used for painful diabetic neuropathy. The analyzed studies were required to meet the inclusion criteria selected, especially those results related to pain intensity. Results: Nine randomized controlled trials were chosen. The meta-analysis shows significant positive effects for those treatments based on tapentadol [g: -1.333, 95% CI (-1.594; -1.072), P < 0.05], duloxetine [g: -1.622, 95 % CI (-1.650; -1.594), P < 0.05], pregabalin [g: -0.607, 95% CI (-0.980; -0.325), P < 0.05], and clonidine [g: -0.242, 95 % CI (-0.543; -0.058), P < 0.05]. Conclusions: This meta-analysis indicates the effectiveness of the treatments based on duloxetine, gabapentin and pregabalin, as well as other drugs, such as tapentadol and topic clonidine, whose use is better prescribed in more specific situations. The results provided can help increase the knowledge about the treatment of painful diabetic neuropathy and also in the making of clinical practice guidelines for healthcare professionals.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.7
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• pp.2971-2974
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• 2015

TP53 is assumed to be a very important tumour suppressor gene, as illustrated by recent reports that have shown effects of its polymorphisms on breast cancer risk. Arg72Pro and PIN3(16bp duplication) polymorphisms are proposed to have an effective role in structural changes of p53 and have therefore attracted interest as a risk factor for breast cancer in different populations. The aim of this study was to examine and determine whether p53 codon 72 and PIN3 Ins16 bp may be associated with an increased risk for breast cancer in female patients from the northwest of Iran. Genotyping was performed by PCR-RFLP (polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism) method for a total of 100 women with breast cancer and 100 healthy women without any background of cancer, focusing on the TP53 Arg72Pro-16Del/Ins haplotypes and the combined genotypes. The results in this study established no statistical significant distinctions between the genotypes and a llele frequency were found for Arg72Pro and PIN3 Ins 16 bp polymorphisms between patients and controls.