• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제45권1호
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• pp.11-18
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• 2007

Recent in vitro studies have revealed that a certain Mycobacterium can survive and multiply within free-living amoebae. It is believed that protozoans function as host cells for the intracellular replication and evasion of Mycobacterium spp. under harmful conditions. In this study, we describe the isolation and characterization of a bacterium naturally observed within an amoeba isolate acquired from a contact lens storage case. The bacterium multi-plied within Acanthamoeba, but exerted no cytopathic effects on the amoeba during a 6-year amoebic culture. Trasnmission electron microscopy showed that the bacteria were randomly distributed within the cytoplasm of trophozoites and cysts of Acanthamoeba. On the basis of the results of 18S rRNA gene analysis, the amoeba was identified as A. lugdunensis. A 16S rRNA gene analysis placed this bacterium within the genus Mycobacterium. The bacterium evidenced positive reactivity for acid-fast and fluorescent acid-fast stains. The bacterium was capable of growth on the Middlebrook 7H11-Mycobacterium-specific agar. The identification and characterization of bacterial endosymbionts of free-living protozoa bears significant implications for our understanding of the ecology and the identification of other atypical mycobacterial pathogens.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• 제23권5호
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• pp.73.1-73.8
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• 2022

Background: Lumpy skin disease (LSD), a disease transmitted by direct and indirect contact with infected cattle, is caused by the Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV). The disease affects cattle herds in Africa, Europe, and Asia. The clinical signs of LSD range from mild to the appearance of nodules and lesions in the skin leading to severe symptoms that are sometimes fatal with significant livestock economic losses. Objectives: This study aimed to characterize LSDV strains in the blood of infected cattle in Thailand based on the GPCR gene and determine the phylogenetic relationship of LSDV Thailand isolates with published sequences available in the database. Methods: In total, the blood samples of 120 cattle were collected from different farms in four provinces in the northeastern part of Thailand, and the occurrence of LSDV was examined by PCR based on the P32 antigen gene. The genetic diversity of LSDV based on the GPCR gene was analyzed. Results: Polymerase chain reaction assays based on the P32 antigen gene showed that 4.17% (5/120) were positive for LSDV. All positive blood samples were amplified successfully for the GPCR gene. Phylogenetic analysis showed that LSDV Thailand isolates clustered together with LSDVs from China and Russia. Conclusions: The LSD outbreak in Thailand was confirmed, and a phylogenetic tree was constructed to infer the branching pattern of the GPCR gene from the presence of LSDV in Thailand. This is the first report on the molecular characterization of LSDV in cattle in Thailand.

• 상하수도학회지
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• 제21권4호
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• pp.395-407
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• 2007

Disinfection by-products(DBPs) are formed through the reaction between chlorine and natural organic matter(NOM) in water treatment. For reducing the formation of chlorinated DBPs in the drinking water treatment, there is a need to evaluate the behavior of NOM fractions and the occurrence of DBPs for each fraction. Among the six fractions of NOM, the removal of HPOA and HPIN got accomplished through coagulation and sedimentation processes. Advanced water treatment processes were found to be most significant to remove the HPOA and HPON. It was found that HPOA made the most THMFP level than any other fractions and HPIA and HPOA formed higher HAAFP. The fraction of NOM with MW less than 1k Da was 32.5~54.3% in intake raw water. Mostly the organic matter with MW more than 1k Da was removed through coagulation and sedimentation in the drinking water treatment processes. In case of advanced water treatment processes, the organic matter with MW 1k~100k Da decreased by means of ozone oxidation for high molecular weight substances. As the result low molecular organic matter increased. In the BAC and GAC processes, the organic matter with MW less than 100k Da decreased.

• Mycobiology
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• 제31권2호
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• pp.74-80
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• 2003

Isolates of Trichoderma spp. collected from Pleurotus ostreatus and P. eryngii beds, which included loosened substrate compactness and development of green colour, were grouped into three species. The occurrence of different species of Trichoderma was as T. cf. virens(70.8%), T. longibrachiatum(16.7%) and T. harzianum(12.5%). The conidia of Trichoderma spp. were ellipsoidal, obovoid and phialides were bowling pins, lageniform and the length of phialides was $3.5{\sim}10.0{\times}1.3{\sim}3.3{\mu}m$. Phialides of T. cf. virens and T. harzianum were tending clustered, but it was solitary disposition in T. longibrachiatum. T. cf. virens was characterized by predominantly effuse conidiation, sparingly branched, and fertile to the apex and it was penicillate type. RAPD analysis could detect variability amongst three different species of Trichoderma using two newly designed URP-primers. However, intra-specific variation could not be detected in all the isolates except for rDNA sequence data classified Trichoderma isolates into three distinct groups representing three species. The profiles of rDNA sequences of isolates representing a species showed high similarity in T. cf. virens and T. harzianum. However, there was a variation in rDNA sequences of isolates representing T. longibrachiatum. The results of present study reveals that molecular techniques of RAPD and rDNA sequencing can greatly aid in classification based on morphology and precise identification of fast evolving species of Trichoderma.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• 제19권4호
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• pp.939-952
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• 2015

In this paper, brake pad performance of two organic matrix composites namely, Sample 1 (contains no brass filler) and Sample 2 (contains 1.5% brass filler), is studied based on tribological and squeal noise behavior. In the first stage, a pin-on-disc tribometer is used to evaluate the frictional behavior of the two pads. On the following stage, these pads are tested on squeal noise occurrence using a drag-type brake dynamometer. From the two type of tests, the results show that; (i) brass fillers play a dual role; firstly as reinforcing element of the brake pad providing primary contact sites, and secondly as solid lubricant by contributing to the formation of a layer of granular material providing velocity accommodation between the pad and the disc; (ii) brass fillers contribute to friction force stabilization and smooth sliding behavior; (iii) the presence of small weight quantity of brass filler strongly contributes to squeal occurrences; (iv) there is close correlation between pin-on-disc tribometer and brake dynamometer tests in terms of tribological aspect.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• 제36권4호
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• pp.364-377
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• 2020

Sugarcane is an important sugar crop contributes more than 80% of world sugar production. Mosaic, leaf fleck, and yellow leaf (YL) are the major viral diseases affecting sugarcane, amongst YL occurrence is widely reported in all the sugarcane growing countries. It is caused by Sugarcane yellow leaf virus (SCYLV) and detailed works were done on complete genome characterization, transmission, and management. However, in countries like Egypt, South Africa, Cuba, Mauritius and Hawaii, the disease was reported to the cause of sugarcane yellow leaf phytoplasma (SCYP) and/or SCYLV as single/combined infections. Hence, we have investigated in detail to identify the exact Candidatus phytoplasma taxon associated in Indian cultivars affected with YL. The sequencing results and the restriction fragment length polymorphism pattern of the PCR products using the universal phytoplasma primers confirmed presence of sugarcane grassy shoot (SCGS) phytoplasma (16SrXI group) in the YL-affected plants. Mixed infection of SCYLV and SCGS phytoplasma was estimated as 32.8% in YL affected plants. Evolutionary genetic relationship between SCYP and SCGS phytoplasma representatively taken from different countries showed that SCYP from South Africa and Cuba were diverged from others and had a highest similarity with SCGS phytoplasma. Although we wanted to identify SCYP from YL affected Indian sugarcane cultivars, the study clearly indicated a clear absence of SCYP in YL affected plants and we found SCYLV as the primary cause for the disease.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• 제18권E3호
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• pp.129-142
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• 2002

This paper provides a long-term perspective for ozone concentrations at 20 national air quality monitoring sites in Seoul from 1989 to 1998, which were managed by the Korean Ministry of Environment. Ozone episodes occurred more frequently in the east areas (Bangi, Guui, Seongsu, and Ssangmun) than in the west area (Guro and Oryu). When an ozone episode happened, hourly ozone concentrations over 80 ppb continued for an average of 4.0 hours at all sites. Annual variations in daily mean and maximum oBone concentrations showed broadly consistent upward trends at Ssangmun and Gwanaksan. Monthly mean ozone concentrations were the highest from May to June and the 99$^{th}$ and 95$^{th}$ percentile levels appeared higher during June, July, and August. The diurnal patterns of hourly mean ozone levels in urban areas showed typical photochemical formation and destruction, while the flat diurnal shape before 1996 at Gwanaksan indicated few significant photochemical reactions due to a lack of precursors of ozone. The occurrence of ozone over 80 ppb was ascribed to meteorological conditions such as high temperature, strong solar radiation, low relative humidity, and low wind speed with winds most frequently in a westerly direction.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제11권1호
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• pp.50-55
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• 2001

Different polluted water samples were collected from a wastewater treatment plant, agricultural drainage canals, the River Nile, and irrigation canals. The samples were examined for the enumeration of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the Sohag area, Egypt over a period of one year. A total of 240 isolates were collected and tested for their resistance to 12 common antibiotics and 6 heavy metals. The isolates were found to be less resistant to norfloxacin(1.7%), ofloxacin(4.6%), amikacin(9.6%), tobramycin (10.4), carbenicillin (15.4), and gentamycin (41.3%), yet more sensitive to rifampicin (75%), kanamycin (89.6%), ampicillin (90.8%), chloramphenicol (91.7%), streptomycin (92.9%), and tetracyclin(96.3%). In contrast, 7.1%, 12.9%, 25.4%, and 53.7% of the isolates were resistant to lead, cadmium, mercury, and zinc, respectively. None of the isolates had developed a resistance to silver or molybdenum. The high frequency of metal-antibiotic double resistance existed between lead and amikacin (56.5%), cadmium and ofloxacin (72.7%), zinc and norfloxacin (100%), and mercury and carbenicillin (94.6%). The high occurrence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in natural water could be related to the widespread use of antibiotics, with possible public health hazard.

• 산업기술연구
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• 제25권A호
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• pp.157-162
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• 2005

In this study, the fabrication of PZT films was performed from a multilayer structure comprising $TiO_2$, $ZrO_2$ and PbO thin films prepared by rapid themal chemical vapor deposition(RTMOCVD). $TiO_2$, $ZrO_2$ and PbO are the component layers of oxide multilayer system for a single phase PZT thin film. The composition control of PZT thin film was done by the thickness control of individual component layer. The composition ratio of Pb:Ti:Zr with thickness were 1:0.94:0.55. Occurrence of a single-phase of PZT was initiated at around $550^{\circ}C$ and almost completed at $750^{\circ}C$ under the fixed time of 1hr. As the concentration of Pb increased, the roughness and crystallization in the film increased. From the as result of using XPS and TEM, the single phase formation through annealing is evident. The electrical properites of the prepared PZT thin film(Zr/Ti=40/60, 300 nm) on a Pt-coated substrate were as follow: dielectric constant ${\varepsilon}_r=475$, coercive field Ec=320 kV/cm, and remanant polarization $P_r=11{\mu}C/cm^2$ at an applied voltage of 18 V.

• 한국재료학회지
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• 제19권12호
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• pp.680-685
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• 2009

Using a polyurethane foam replica method, porous hydroxyapatite scaffolds (PHS) were fabricated using conventional and microwave sintering techniques. The microstructure and material properties of the PHS, such as pore size, grain size, relative density and compressive strength, were investigated at different sintering temperatures and holding times to determine the optimal sintering conditions. There were interconnected pores whose sizes ranged between about 300 ${\mu}m$ and 700 ${\mu}m$. At a conventional sintering temperature of 1100$^{\circ}C$, the scaffold had a porous microstructure, which became denser and saw the occurrence of grain growth when the temperature was increased up to 1300$^{\circ}C$. In the case of microwave sintering, even at low sintering temperature and short holding time the microstructure was much denser and had smaller grains. As the holding time of the microwave sintering was increased, higher densification was observed and also the relative density and compressive strength increased. The compressive strength values of PHS were 2.3MPa and 1.8MPa when conventional and microwave sintering was applied at 1300$^{\circ}C$, respectively.