• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.1999-2002
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• 2012

Background: DNA polymerase is a single-copy gene that is considered to be part of the DNA repair machinery in mammalian cells. The encoded enzyme is a key to the base excision repair (BER) pathway. It is evident that pol beta has mutations in various cancer samples, but little is known about ovarian cancer. Aim: Identification of any variant form of $pol{\beta}$ cDNA in ovarian carcinoma and determination of association between the polymorphism and ovarian cancer risk in Indian patients. We used 152 samples to isolate and perform RT-PCR and sequencing. Results: A variant of polymerase beta (deletion of exon 4-6 and 11-13, comprising of amino acid 63-123, and 208-304) is detected in heterozygous condition. The product size of this variant is 532 bp while wild type pol beta is 1 kb. Our study of association between the variant and the endometrioid type shows that it is a statistically significant factor for ovarian cancer [OR=31.9 (4.12-246.25) with p<0.001]. The association between variant and stage IV patients further indicated risk (${\chi}^2$ value of 29.7, and OR value 6.77 with 95% CI values 3.3-13.86). The correlation study also confirms the association data (Pearson correlation values for variant/stage IV and variant/endometrioid of 0.44 and 0.39). Conclusion: Individuals from this part of India with this type of variant may be at risk of stage IV, endometrioid type ovarian carcinoma.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetic Resonance Society
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.106-111
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• 2015

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) survives in acidic and fluctuating pH conditions of the stomach. The pH effect on H. pylori proteins is important for the advanced understanding of its evolution and viability, although this bacterium has the molecular machinery that neutralizes the acidic condition. HP1492 is known as a conserved NifU-like protein from H. pylori. NifU is a nitrogen fixation protein that mediates the transfer of iron-sulfur (Fe-S) cluster to iron-sulfur proteins like ferredoxin. Commonly, the monomeric reduced state of NifU can be converted to the dimeric oxidized state by intermolecular disulfide bond formation. Because it remains unclear that HP1492 actually behaves as known NifU protein, we first found that this protein can adopt both oxidized and reduced forms using size exclusion chromatography. Circular dichroism experiment showed that HP1492 is relatively well-structured at pH 6.5, compared to other pH conditions. On the basis of the backbone resonance assignment of HP1492, we further characterized the residues that are sensitive to pH using NMR spectroscopy. These residues showing large chemical shift changes could be mapped onto the secondary structure of the protein. Our results could provide the foundation for structural and biophysical studies on a wide spectrum of NifU proteins.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.14-22
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• 1986

This study was carried out to find a method which can be used to measure the soil moisture content of the soil bin exactly and quickly. And gypsum block is used as an instrument in measuring soil moisture content in the field of green house farming, etc.. However the characteristics of gypsum block, or the guide line of making gypsum block is not well introduced in Korea. So the information about gypsum block such as the density of gypsum, type of electrode, dimension of electrode, distance between electrodes, density of surrounding soil were included in this study and their effects on the relationship between soil moisture content and electrical resistance were investigated. The results of this study are as follows; 1. The grid type electrode was quicker in accessing the equilibrium condition and showed more sensitive response to the change of soil moisture content than the plate type electrode. 2. The longer the distance between the electrodes, the larger the electrical resistance, and the distance of 3 to 5 mm was recommended. 3. The larger the width of the electrode, the smaller the electrical resistance. However, there was no significance between the levels designed in this study. Considering the size of the gypsum block itself, the adaptible range of width may be 4 to 8 mm. 4. The higher the density of gypsum, the smaller the electrical resistance. And the block of lower density was broken down in the soil of higy moisture content. The optimum ratio of gypsum to water was 7:5. 5. The measuring system used in this study allowed simultaneous, multi-data acquisition. So this system using A/D converter can be applied to the measurement of soil moisture content of soil bin.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.10-18
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• 2015

Purpose: The study was conducted to investigate the proper working conditions like the mesh size of the concave and the chaffer angle of the oscillating sieve, and the fan speed of the head-feeding rice combine for foxtail millet harvesting. Methods: The study aimed to determine the harvesting conditions for the rice combine harvester at a 0.5 m/s working speed and at $40^{\circ}$ and $55^{\circ}$ sieve chaffer angles. The harvesting loss of the foxtail millet based on the speed of the fan and the oscillating speed of the sieve was measured at three levels of fan speed and oscillating sieve speed. Results: The threshing rates of different foxtail millet varieties were 64.1~83.5% at a mesh size of 7 mm of the concave. In experimental foxtail millet harvesting, the optimal operating condition of the rice combine harvester included a $40^{\circ}$ sieve chaffer angle and a 4.8 Hz oscillating sieve (cleaning shoe) frequency. The grain loss was found to be lower at a $40^{\circ}$ than at a $55^{\circ}$ sieve chaffer angle. In field harvesting using the combine harvester, the lowest harvesting grain loss rate of the foxtail millet varieties ranged between 0.2~0.5% at a 7 mm mesh concave, $40^{\circ}$ chaffer angle, 4.8 Hz sieve frequency, and a 20 m/s fan speed at an engine speed of 2,000 revolutions per minute (RPM). Conclusions: Findings showed that foxtail millet could be harvested using the combine harvester.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.296-301
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• 2012

Purpose: Combustion and fuel qualities of the animal-fats biodiesel as a heating fuel for agricultural hot air heater were studied. Methods: Biodiesel (BD) was made from animal-fats by reacting with methanol and potassium hydroxide in the laboratory. The biodiesel made in the laboratory was tested for fuel and combustion qualities. Results: The kinematic viscosity and the calorific values of the biodiesels were measured. Kerosene based biodiesel, BD20 (K) showed 18 cSt at $-20^{\circ}C$. It seemed that BD100 was not suitable for a heating fuel under some temperature. As BD content increased, the calorific value decreased up to 40,000 J/g for BD100, while the calorific value of light oil was 45,567 J/g showing difference of 5,567 J/g, about 12% difference. Several different fuels including BD20 (biodiesel 20% + light oil 80%), BD50 (biodiesel 50% + light oil 50%), BD100 (biodiesel 100%), and light oil were tested for fuel combustion qualities for agricultural hot air heater, and their combustion performances were compared and analyzed. Flame dimensions of biodiesels and light oils were almost the same shape at the same combustion condition. Generally, the $CO_2$ amounts of BDs were greater than light oil. However, in this study the differences were minor, so there was no significant difference existed between the BDs combustion and light oil. Conclusions: It seemed that quality was good for heating oil for agricultural hot air heater because of showing no barriers for continuous combustion and proper exhaust gas temperature and $CO_2$ amount discharged. But, for fuel fluidity for higher BD content fuel could be a detrimental problem in situations where the outdoor temperature is lowered. As BD content increased, calorific value decreased up to 40,000 J/g for BD100. Calorific value difference between BD20 and light oil was about 1,360 J/g.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.177-183
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• 2016

Purpose: Mee (Madhuca longifolia) is an economically important tree growing throughout Sri Lanka. Its importance is mainly attributed to its oil with high nutritional and medicinal values. However, an inefficient extraction method limits its use. This study revealed the possibility of extracting oil from mee seeds by using a screw-type oil expeller. Methods: A popular screw-type oil expeller was used in the experiment. Extract bar clearance and speeds of the main spiral shaft were altered to increase the oil expelling efficiency of the machine. The quality of refined oil at the optimum oil yield was determined by measuring the refractive index, saponification value, iodine value, unsaponifiable matter, free fatty acid, and specific gravity. Results: An optimum yield of 35% oil was obtained when the machine capacity was 30 kg/h and energy consumption was 0.13 kWh/kg. This optimum machine condition was observed at an extract bar clearance of 0.5 mm and a main spiral shaft speed of 90 rpm. The refractive index, saponification value, iodine value, unsaponifiable matter, free fatty acid, and specific gravity of the oil were 1.4, 203, 59, 3.5%, 0.2%, and 0.907 g/cm3 respectively. Color of the mee oil was closer to yellow, which is revealed by the lightness value (L) of 24.93 and positive value (b) of 11.81. Conclusion: The screw-type oil expeller can be used for economically extracting mee oil on a commercial scale.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.152-159
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• 2014

Urea solution as a reductant of SCR has been widely used to reduce NOx emissions from diesel engine. But it has lots of problems which are freezing at low temperature due to liquid state, deposition of solid formation in the exhaust, dosing device, and complex package such as mixers for uniform concentration of ammonia. In order to overcome these obstacle, ammonium carbonate which is one of solid ammonium materials to produce ammonia gas directly by sublimation process is considered. Simple reactor with visible widow was designed to predict equilibrium temperature and pressure of ammonium carbonate. To simulate real operation conditions under automobile environment, several cycles of heating and cooling condition were settled, two different re-solidification materials were extracted from the reactor and visible window. Analytical study is performed to characterize these unknown materials by XRD(X-Ray Diffraction), FT-IR(Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy), and EA(Elemental Analyzer). From analytical results, re-solidification materials from heating and cooling cycles are very similar to original material of ammonium carbonate.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.37-44
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• 2017

A DE-side LBP tilting pad journal bearing of a 1-stage overhung heat-pump compressor in a propylene process exhibited abnormal high-temperature behavior. Its temperature had been relatively high at $78^{\circ}C$ from the beginning of operation. In 2014, after three years of operation, it increased suddenly and reached $103^{\circ}C$. Installing a varnish removal equipment and others managed to stabilize the temperature at $95^{\circ}C$. We undertook a troubleshooting approach for reviewing the comprehensive status and integrity of the temperature design of the bearing. We performed lubrication and heat-balance analysis, based on the design engineering data and documents supplied by the OEM. For the base design data of DE-side TPJB, evaluating the effects of key design variables on bearing metal temperature showed that firstly, increasing the bearing clearance and supply oil flow-rate, and next, changing the oil type, and finally, increasing the machined pad clearance and offset, are more effective in reducing the bearing metal temperature. Furthermore, a clarification meeting with the OEM revealed that an incorrect decision had been made to decrease the bearing clearance to eliminate the SSV harshness issue, while not maintaining a sufficient oil flow-rate. We conducted a detailed retrofit design analysis, wherein we increased the oil flow-rate and bearing clearance by decreasing the preload. We predicted that the bearing temperature would decrease to $63^{\circ}C$ from $75.7^{\circ}C$ even at the rerate condition. Finally, after installing and operating a retrofit replacement bearing in 2015, the bearing temperature stabilized at a low temperature of $65^{\circ}C$. Currently (January. 2017), two year later, the bearing metal temperature remains at $65^{\circ}C$. Therefore, we can conclude that the abnormal high-temperature behavior of the bearing has been resolved completely.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.155-161
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• 1996

For the condition monitoring of the journal bearing in rotating machinery, a system for their diagnosis by acoustic emission(AE) was developed. AE has been used to detect abnormal conditions in the bearing system. It was found from the field application study as well as the laboratory experiment using a simulated journal bearing system that AE RMS voltage was the most efficient parameter for the purpose of current study. Based on the above results, algorithms and judgement criteria for the diagnosis system was established. The system is composed of four parts as follows: the sensing part including AE sensor and preamplifier, the signal processing part for RMS-to-DC conversion to measure AE ms voltage, the interface part for transferring RMS voltage data into PC using A/D converter, and the software part including the graphic display of bearing conditions and the diagnosis program.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.15-21
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• 1991

Experiment was conducted on the image quality and exposure dose following replacement of $CaWO_4$ system screen BH-III and BX-III which have so far been used for high-voltage hard-radiation quality radiography, with rare earth system screen KO750, combined with high contrast film SRH, while additional filter was altered, Cu 0.8 mm+Al 1.4 mm(HVL : Al 8.8 mm), Cu 1.3 mm+Al 1.0 mm(HVL : Al 10.6 mm) and Cu 1.8 mm+Al 1.5 mm(HVL : Al 11.4 mm). AS a result, visual evaluation did not detect extreme changes in image quality under the respective condition(HVL : $Al\;8.8\;mm{\sim}Al\;11.4\;mm$). It was noted, however, that surface exposure dose declined with an increase in the thickness of the additional filter, as it was $18.9\;{\mu}Gy$ at HVL Al 8.8 mm, $17.5\;{\mu}Gy$ at Al 10.6 mm and $15.7\;{\mu}Gy$ at Al 11.4 mm. Considering the limited rating of X-ray equipment and wear of machinery, however, the range of $Cu\;1.3\;mm{\sim}1.8\;mm+Al\;1.0\;mm{\sim}1.5\;mm(1/16\;VL{\sim}1/32\;VL)$ seemed to be a limit.