• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.14 no.12
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• pp.1093-1102
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• 2005

Effects of abscisic acid(ABA) and temperature on the anthocyanin accumulation and phenylalanine ammonia Iyase(PAL) activity were investigated in seedlings of Arabidopsis thaliana. In time course study, exogenous application of ABA $(50-1000\;{\mu}M)$ led to a noticeable increase in anthocyanin pigments which persisted over the following 5 days. Anthocyanins increased in concert with the chlorophyll loss. The activity of PAL, a key enzyme in the phenylpropanoid pathway, increased on exposure to ABA and reached maximum on the 4th day, This result shows that anthocyanin synthesis and PAL activity have a close physiological relationships. In the effects of temperatures ($10^{\circ}C,\;17^{\circ}C,\;25^{\circ}C$and $30^{\circ}C$) on anthocyanin accumulation and PAL activity in seedlings, a moderate-low temperatures ($17^{\circ}C$) enhanced both anthocyanin content and PAL activity, whereas elevated temperatures ($30^{\circ}C$) showed low levels of anthocyanin and PAL activity, suggesting a correlation between temperature-induced anthocyanin synthesis and the accumulation of PAL mRNA. Simultaneous application of ABA with temperatures Induced higher anthocyanin synthesis and PAL activity in seedlings than ABA or temperature stress alone. Moderate-low temperature with ABA exposure elicited the maximal induction of anthocyanin synthesis and PAL activity. Therefore, ABA treatment significantly increased thermotolerance in .A. thalinan seedlings. Ethephon and ABA showed similar mode of action in physiological effects on anthocyanin accumulation and PAL activity. Our data support that anthocyanins may be protective in preventing damage caused by environmental stresses and play an important role in the acquisition of freezing tolerance.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.7
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• pp.994-1002
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• 2012

An experiment was carried out to determine the effect of age and caponization on the development blood and bone characteristics development in male country chickens in Taiwan. A total of two hundred 8-wk-old LRI native chicken cockerels, Taishi meat No.13 from LRI-COA, were used as experimental animals. Cockerels were surgically caponized at 8 wks of age. Twelve birds in each group were bled and dressed from 8 wks to 35 wks of age at 1 to 5 wk intervals. The results indicated that the plasma testosterone concentration was significantly (p<0.05) lower in capons after 12 wks of age (caponized treatment after 4 wks) than that of the intact males. The relative tibia weight, bone breaking strength, cortical thickness, bone ash, bone calcium, bone phosphorus and bone magnesium contents were significantly (p<0.05) higher in intact males, while capons had higher (p<0.05) plasma ionized calcium, inorganic phosphorus and alkaline phosphatase concentration. The plasma testosterone concentration, relative tibia weight, tibia length, breaking strength, cortical thickness, bone ash, calcium, and phosphorus contents of intact males chickens increased significantly (p<0.05) with the advance of age. In addition, the relative tibia weight of capons peaked at 18 wks of age, and declined at 35 wks of age. The bone ash, calcium and phosphorus content increased most after 14 wks of age in male native chickens in Taiwan. Also, tibia length and cortical thickness peaked at 22 wks of age. However, the peak of bone strength was found at 26 wks of age. These findings support the assertion that androgens can directly influence bone composition fluxes in male chickens. Caponization caused a significant increase in bone loss at 4 wks post treatment, which reflected bone cell damage, and demonstrated reductions in the relative tibia weight, breaking strength, cortical thickness, bone ash, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium contents, and increases in plasma ionized calcium, inorganic phosphorus and alkaline phosphatase concentration.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.399-406
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• 2004

Glass-like carbon precursors shrink significantly during curing and carbonization, which leads to crack formation and bending. Cured furan resin powder and ethanol were added to furan resin to diminish the weight loss, to suppress the shrinkage and bending, and to readily release the gases evolved during polymerization and curing. Curing and carbonization were controlled by pressure and slow heating to avoid damage to the samples. The effect of the filler and ethanol on the fabrication process was examined by measuring the properties of the glass-like carbon, such as the specific gravity, bending strength, electrical resistivity, and microstructural change. The specific gravities of the filler-added glass-like carbons were higher than those of the ethanol-added samples because of the formation of macropores from the vaporization of ethanol during the curing and polymerization processes. Although the ethanol-added glass-like carbons exhibited lower bending strengths after carbonization than did the filler-added samples, the opposite result was observed after aging at 2,600$^{\circ}C$. We found that the macropores created from ethanol were contracted and removed upon heat treatment. The electrical resistivity of the glass-like carbon aged at 2,600$^{\circ}C$ was lower than those of the samples carbonized at 1,000$^{\circ}C$. We attribute this phenomenon to the fact that aging at high temperature led to well-developed microstructures, the removal of macropores, and the reduction of the surface area.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.8
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• pp.1088-1097
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• 2021

Grouper nervous necrosis virus (GNNV) infection causes mass grouper mortality, leading to substantial economic loss in Taiwan. Traditional methods of controlling GNNV infections involve the challenge of controlling disinfectant doses; low doses are ineffective, whereas high doses may cause environmental damage. Identifying potential methods to safely control GNNV infection to prevent viral outbreaks is essential. We engineered a virus-binding bacterium expressing a myxovirus resistance (Mx) protein on its surface for GNNV removal from phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), thus increasing the survival of grouper fin (GF-1) cells. We fused the grouper Mx protein (which recognizes and binds to the coat protein of GNNV) to the C-terminus of outer membrane lipoprotein A (lpp-Mx) and to the N-terminus of a bacterial autotransporter adhesin (Mx-AIDA); these constructs were expressed on the surfaces of Escherichia coli BL21 (BL21/lpp-Mx and BL21/Mx-AIDA). We examined bacterial surface expression capacity and GNNV binding activity through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; we also evaluated the GNNV removal efficacy of the bacteria and viral cytotoxicity after bacterial adsorption treatment. Although both constructs were successfully expressed, only BL21/lpp-Mx exhibited GNNV binding activity; BL21/lpp-Mx cells removed GNNV and protected GF-1 cells from GNNV infection more efficiently. Moreover, salinity affected the GNNV removal efficacy of BL21/lpp-Mx. Thus, our GNNV-binding bacterium is an efficient microparticle for removing GNNV from 10‰ brackish water and for preventing GNNV infection in groupers.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.41-48
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• 2021

In cold regions, the integrity of the infrastructures built on weak soils can be extensively damaged by weathering actions due to the cyclic freezing and thawing. This damage can be mitigated by exploiting soil stabilization techniques. Generally, ordinary Portland cement (OPC) is the most commonly used binding material for investigating the chemo-hydromechanical behavior. However, due to the environmental issue of OPC producing a significant amount of carbon dioxide emission, calcium sulfoaluminate (CSA) cement can be used as one of the eco-sustainable alternatives. Although recently several studies have examined the strength development of CSA treated sand, no research has been concerned about CSA cement-stabilized sand affected by cyclic freeze and thaw. This study aims to conduct a comprehensive laboratory work to assess the effect of the cyclic freeze-thaw action on strength and durability of CSA cement-treated sand. For this purpose, unconfined compressive strength (UCS) and ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) tests were performed on the stabilized soil specimens cured for 7 and 14 days which are subjected to 0, 1, 3, 5, and 7 freeze-thaw cycles. The test results show that the strength and durability index of the samples decrease with the increase of the freeze-thaw cycles. The loss of the strength and durability considerably decreases for all soil samples subjected to the freeze-thaw cycles. Overall, the use of CSA as a stabilizer for sandy soils would be an eco-friendly option to achieve sufficient strength and durability against the freeze-thaw action in cold regions.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.146-155
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• 2021

This study observed the anti-inflammatory effect of the polysaccharide derived from the mycelium of Tremella fuciformis in mice with colitis induced with dextran sulfate sodium (DSS). The experimental groups were normal, DSS, DSS-TFL50, DSS-TFH100, and suflasalazine. Body weights, colon lengths, and organ weights were measured, and the plasma level of pro-inflammatory cytokine and mRNA and protein expression in colon tissue were analyzed. Body weight loss, a symptom of DSS-induced colitis, was suppressed by DSS-TF and the speed of weight recovery proceeded rapidly. In addition, DSS-TF showed a significant inhibitory effect on the decrease of colon length typically caused by colon damage. TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β cytokine levels in plasma were reduced in DSS-TF and positive control groups. TNF-α, COX-2 and IL-1β mRNA expression in colon tissue were inhibited in DSS-TF and positive control, and it was significantly different from that of the DSS group. The protein expression of inflammation-related genes (IL-6, TNF-α and COX-2) in the colon tissue was significantly increased by DSS compared to that of the normal group, but by DSS-TFL50, DSS-TFH100 and sulfasalarin decreased. In conclusion, the polysaccharide derived from the mycelium of Tremella fuciformis showed the anti-inflammatory effect on DSS-induced colitis in mice.

• International Journal of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.22-32
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• 2019

On offshore platforms, oil and gas leaks are apt to be the initial events of major accidents that may result in significant loss of life and property damage. To prevent accidents induced by leakage, it is vital to perform a case-specific and accurate risk assessment. This paper presents an integrated method of Ddynamic Qquantitative Rrisk Aassessment (DQRA)-using the Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL)-Bayesian Network (BN)-for evaluation of the system vulnerabilities and prediction of the occurrence probabilities of accidents induced by leakage. In the method, three-level indicators are established to identify factors, events, and subsystems that may lead to leakage, fire, and explosion. The critical indicators that directly influence the evolution of risk are identified using DEMATEL. Then, a sequential model is developed to describe the escalation of initial events using an Event Tree (ET), which is converted into a BN to calculate the posterior probabilities of indicators. Using the newly introduced accident precursor data, the failure probabilities of safety barriers and basic factors, and the occurrence probabilities of different consequences can be updated using the BN. The proposed method overcomes the limitations of traditional methods that cannot effectively utilize the operational data of platforms. This work shows trends of accident risks over time and provides useful information for risk control of floating marine platforms.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.498-509
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• 2021

Background: A wide range of environmental factors, such as diseases, nutritional deficiencies, ageing, hormonal imbalances, stress, and ultraviolet (UV) radiation, may affect the structure and function of the skin that covers the entire surface of the human body. In this study, we investigated roles of red ginseng oil (RGO) in enhancing skin functions, including hair growth and skin protection, using mouse models. Methods: For hair growth experiment, shaved dorsal skins of C57BL/6 mice were topically applied with vehicle, RGO, RGO's major compounds, or minoxidil for consecutive 21 days and skin tissues were examined the hair growth promoting capacity. For skin protection experiment, SKH-1 hairless mice were topically applied with vehicle or RGO twice a day for three days prior to exposure to UVC radiation at 20 kJ/cm². Skin tissues were collected to evaluate skin protective effects of RGO. Results: Topical application of RGO to C57BL/6 mice effectively promoted hair regeneration by inducing early telogen-to-anagen transition and significantly increasing the density and bulb diameter of hair follicles. Major compounds, including linoleic acids and β-sitosterol, contributed to RGO-promoted hair growth. Treatment with RGO as well as its major components upregulated expression of hair growth-related proteins. Furthermore, in SKH-1 hairless mice, RGO had a protective effect against UVC-induced skin damage by inhibiting inflammation and apoptosis, as well as inducing cytoprotective systems. Conclusion: These data suggest that RGO may be a potent agent for improving skin health and thereby preventing and/or treating hair loss and protecting skin against UV radiation.

• Medical Lasers
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.22-30
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• 2021

Background and Objectives Ocular alkali burns cause severe damage to the ocular tissues and vision loss. Solcoseryl is a standardized calf blood extract that normalizes the metabolic disturbance and aids in maintaining the chemical and hormonal balance and has been used to treat burns in various tissues. This study examined the effects of Solcoseryl on a rat corneal alkali burn model. Materials and Methods Twenty rats were assigned randomly to four equal groups, including alkali burn, hyaluronic acid, Solcoseryl eyedrop, and Solcoseryl gel. A corneal alkali burn was induced by a NaOH-soaked paper disc. The treatments were given twice a day, every day. The wound area was measured after 24 and 48 hours, and the degree of neovascularization and corneal opacity were scored every week. The rats were sacrificed after three weeks for immunohistochemistry (IHC) to compare the level of inflammatory cytokines, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α. The thickness of the retinal layers was compared to observe any changes in the retina. Results The use of Solcoseryl on corneal alkali burn accelerated wound healing with less neovascularization, greater opacity, and less cataract. IHC showed that the inflammation of the cornea was controlled by both the hyaluronic acid and Solcoseryl treatments. On the other hand, the inflammation had spread to the retina. When the dosage forms were compared, eyedrops were more effective on corneal inflammation, while the gel-type had a greater effect on retinal inflammation. Conclusion Solcoseryl was effective in accelerating the wound healing rate on a corneal alkali burn but could not prevent the spread of inflammation from the cornea to the retina. Eyedrops were more effective on inflammation in the cornea, and the gel was more effective in the retina.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.181-193
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• 2022

This study presents a mission management technique that is a key component of underwater docking system used to expand the operating range of autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). We analyzed the docking scenario and AUV operating environment, defining the feasible initial area (FIA) level, event level, and global path (GP) command to improve the rate of docking success and AUV safety. Non-holonomic constraints, mounted sensor characteristic, AUV and mission state, and AUV behavior were considered. Using AUV and docking station, we conducted experiments on land and at sea. The first test was conducted on land to prevent loss and damage of the AUV and verify stability and interconnection with other algorithms; it performed well in normal and abnormal situations. Subsequently, we attempted to dock under the sea and verified its performance; it also worked well in a sea environment. In this study, we presented the mission management technique and showed its performance. We demonstrated AUV docking with this algorithm and verified that the rate of docking success was higher compared to those obtained in other studies.