• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• v.39 no.1
• /
• pp.28-38
• /
• 2023

Plant viruses are responsible for worldwide production losses of numerous economically important crops. The most common plant RNA viruses are positivesense single-stranded RNA viruses [(+)ss RNA viruses]. These viruses have small genomes that encode a limited number of proteins. The viruses depend on their host's machinery for the replication of their RNA genome, assembly, movement, and attraction to the vectors for dispersal. Recently researchers have reported that chloroplast proteins are crucial for replicating (+)ss plant RNA viruses. Some chloroplast proteins, including translation initiation factor [eIF(iso)4E] and 75 DEAD-box RNA helicase RH8, help viruses fulfill their infection cycle in plants. In contrast, other chloroplast proteins such as PAP2.1, PSaC, and ATPsyn-α play active roles in plant defense against viruses. This is also consistent with the idea that reactive oxygen species, salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, and abscisic acid are produced in chloroplast. However, knowledge of molecular mechanisms and functions underlying these chloroplast host factors during the virus infection is still scarce and remains largely unknown. Our review briefly summarizes the latest knowledge regarding the possible role of chloroplast in plant virus replication, emphasizing chloroplast-related proteins. We have highlighted current advances regarding chloroplast-related proteins' role in replicating plant (+)ss RNA viruses.

• Transactions of the Society of Information Storage Systems
• /
• v.5 no.1
• /
• pp.47-52
• /
• 2009

Most hard disk drives that apply the ramp load/unload technology unload the heads at the outer edge of the disk while the disk is rotating. The load/unload includes the benefits as like an increased areal density, a reduced power consumption and an improved shock resistance. A lot of papers investigating the effects of the various load/unload parameters such as a suspension tab, a limiter, a ramp and air-bearing surface designs have been published. However, in previous researches, an effect of the suspension is not considered at each load/unload step. In this paper, we focus that a variation of the state matrix affects the load/unload performance on based on a state matrix that is a stiffness matrix of the suspension. Because the state matrix is related to the suspension at each load/unload step, to change the state matrix means the structural change of the suspension. Therefore, we investigated a range of a pitch static attitude(PSA) and a roll static attitude(RSA) for load/unload performance. We also analyzed an effect of the variation of the state matrix a range of load/unload velocity occurred a slider-disk contact. We determined the variation of the state matrix to improve the load/unload performance through comparison of each factor of state matrix.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.56 no.3
• /
• pp.880-885
• /
• 2024

For Safety Assisted Engineering works, real-time simulators have emerged as a mandatory tool among all the key actors involved in the nuclear industry (utilities, designers and safety authorities). EDF, Electricité de France, as the leading worldwide nuclear power plant operator, has a crucial need for efficient and updated simulation tools for training, operating and safety analysis support. This paper will present the work performed at EDF/DT to develop a new generation of engineering simulator to fulfil these tasks. The project is called SiRENE, which is the acronym of Re-hosted Engineering Simulator in French. The project has been economically challenging. Therefore, to benefit from existing tools and experience, the SiRENE project combines: - A part of the process issued from the operating fleet training full-scope simulator. - An improvement of the simulator prediction reliability with the integration of High-Fidelity models, used in Safety Analysis. These High-Fidelity models address Nuclear Steam Supply System code, with CATHARE thermal-hydraulics system code and neutronics, with COCCINELLE code. - And taking advantage of the last generation and improvements of instructor station. The intensive and challenging uses of the new SiRENE engineering simulator are also discussed. The SiRENE simulator has to address different topics such as verification and validation of operating procedures, identification of safety paths, tests of I&C developments or modifications, tests on hydraulics system components (pump, valve etc.), support studies for Probabilistic Safety Analysis (PSA). etc. It also emerges that SiRENE simulator is a valuable tool for self-training of the newcomers in EDF nuclear engineering centers. As a modifiable tool and thanks to a skillful team managing the SiRENE project, specific and adapted modifications can be taken into account very quickly, in order to provide the best answers for our users' specific issues. Finally, the SiRENE simulator, and the associated configurations, has been distributed among the different engineering centers at EDF (DT in Lyon, DIPDE in Marseille and CNEPE in Tours). This distribution highlights a strong synergy and complementarity of the different engineering institutes at EDF, working together for a safer and a more profitable operating fleet.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
• /
• v.49 no.1
• /
• pp.1-10
• /
• 2022

One hundred and twenty imprinting control region (ICR) mouse with initial body weights of 26 ± 2 g (5 weeks old) were assigned to six treatments for a two-week feeding trial to determine the effect of Pediococcus pentosaceus strains (PpS) which were isolated from three different types of Kimchi in ICR mice infected with Escherichia coli (Ec) or Salmonella Typhimurium (ST). Six groups constituted a normal control group without Ec or ST orally administrated (NC-; n = 20), a normal control group (NC+; n = 20), a group for which Lactobacillus plantarum was orally administrated (LP; n = 20), a group for which PpS A was orally administrated (PSA; n = 20), a group for which PpS B was orally administrated (PSB; n = 20), and a group for which PpS C was orally administrated (PSC; n = 20), the latter five groups constituted the Ec infected groups and the ST infected groups of 10 mice each. LP and PSC showed significantly (p < 0.05) improved growth performance compared to the other groups, except for NC- in the Ec infected mice group. NC+ showed significantly lower (p < 0.05) growth performance compared to the other groups, except for NC- in the ST infected mice groups. Regarding the Ec and Salmonella counts in the intestine, the LP and PSC groups had significantly lower (p < 0.05) counts than the NC+ and PSB groups. In conclusion, LP and PSC strains isolated from Kimchi can act as probiotics by inhibiting Ec and ST.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.40 no.4
• /
• pp.577-587
• /
• 2007

Single-copy chloroplast loci are used widely to infer phylogenetic relationship at different taxonomic levels among various groups of plants. To test the utility of chloroplast loci and to provide additional data applicable to hybrid evolution in Musa, we sequenced two introns, rpl16 and ndhA, and two intergenic spacers, psaA-ycf3 and petA-psbJ-psbL-psbF and combined these data. Using these four regions, Musa acuminata Cola(A)- and M. balbisiana Colla (B)-containing genomes were clearly distinguished. Some triploid interspecific hybrids contain A-type chloroplasts (the AAB/ABB) while others contain B-type chloroplasts (the BBA/BBB). The chloroplasts of all cultivars in 'Namwa' (BBA) group came from the same wild maternal origin, but the specific parents are still unrevealed. Though, average sequence divergences in each region were little (less than 2%), we propose that petA-psbJ intergenic spacer could be developed for diversity assessment within each genome. This segment contains three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and two indels which could distinguish diversity within A genome whereas this same region also contains one SNP and an indel which could categorize B genome. However, an inverted repeat region which could form hairpin structure was detected in this spacer and thus was omitted from the analyses due to their incongruence to other regions. Until thoroughly identified in other members of Musaceae and Zingiberales clade, utility of this inverted repeat as phylogenetic marker in these taxa are cautioned.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.20 no.11
• /
• pp.1534-1538
• /
• 2010

Fed-batch cultures of Hansenula polymorpha were studied to develop an efficient biosystem to produce recombinant human serum albumin (HSA). To comply with this purpose, we used a high-purity oxygen-supplying strategy to increase the viable cell density in a bioreactor and enhance the production of target protein. A mutant strain, H. polymorpha GOT7, was utilized in this study as a host strain in both 5-l and 30-l scale fermentors. To supply high-purity oxygen into a bioreactor, nearly 100% high-purity oxygen from a commercial bomb or higher than 93% oxygen available in situ from a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) oxygen generator was employed. Under the optimal fermentation of H. polymorpha with highpurity oxygen, the final cell densities and produced HSA concentrations were 24.6 g/l and 5.1 g/l in the 5-l fermentor, and 24.8 g/l and 4.5 g/l in the 30-l fermentor, respectively. These were about 2-10 times higher than those obtained in air-based fed-batch fermentations. The discrepancies between the 5-l and 30-l fermentors with air supply were presumably due to the higher contribution of surface aeration over submerged aeration in the 5-l fermentor. This study, therefore, proved the positive effect of high-purity oxygen in enhancing viable cell density as well as target recombinant protein production in microbial fermentations.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.423-427
• /
• 2012

Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae strains, the causal agents of bacterial canker on kiwifruit, were isolated from Korea and Italy in 2011. Among 87 isolates, a total of six representative strains, three from Korea and three from Italy, were identified on the basis of biochemical and physiological tests. Identities were confirmed by PCR using P. syringae pv. actinidiae-specific primers PsaF1/R2, which amplified a 280-bp DNA fragment. The strains isolated from Korea in this study displayed BOX-PCR patterns similar to those isolated from Italy but different from those isolated previously in Korea or the pathotype P. syringae pv. actinidiae strain. The effector hopA1 and hopH1 genes, which are known to be present in strains isolated recently from France and Italy, were also present in P. syringae pv. actinidiae strains, SYS1, SYS2 and SYS4, isolated from Korea in this work. However, no amplicons of the expected size were obtained from strains previously isolated from Korea and Japan. In addition, the Korean strains isolated in this work belonged to haplotype I for the cts gene identical to those strains isolated from recent outbreaks in Italy. These results suggest that P. syringae pv. actinidiae strains isolated from Korea and examined in this work are a new type of strain similar to those found from recent outbreaks in Italy. This is the first report on the occurrence of cts haplotype I strains of P. syringae pv. actinidiae affecting kiwifruit plants in Korea.

• ALGAE
• /
• v.38 no.2
• /
• pp.127-139
• /
• 2023

Cryptic stages of diverse macroalgae present in natural substrata, "the bank of microscopic forms", were isolated into clonal cultures and identified based on both morphological characteristics and DNA barcoding. Approximately 120 clonal isolates from 308 natural substratum samples were collected from the entire coastline of Kuwait. Amongst these isolates, 77 (64%) were identified through DNA barcoding using the nuclear ribosomal small subunit, RuBisCO spacer (ITS2, tufa, rbcL, psaA, and psbA) and sequencing. Twenty-six isolates (34%) were identified in the division Chlorophyta, 18 (23%) as Phaeophyceae, and 33 (43%) as Rhodophyta. For all DNA sequences in this study, species-level cut off applied was ≥98% homology which depend entirely on the markers used. Three putative new records of Chlorophyta new for the Arabian Gulf were made: Cladophora laetevirens (Dillwyn) Kützing, Ulva torta (Mertens) Trevisan and Ulvella leptochaete (Huber) R. Nielsen, C. J. O'Kelly & B. Wysor in Nielsen, while Cladophora gracilis Kützing and Ulva ohnoi M. Hiraoka & S. Shimada are new records for Kuwait. For Phaeophyceae, Ectocarpus subulatus Kützing and Elachista stellaris Areschoug were new records for the Gulf and Kuwait. In the Rhodophyta, Acrochaetium secundatum (Lyngbye) Nägeli in Nägeli & Cramer, Ceramium affine Setchell & N. L. Gardner, Gelidium pusillum var. pakistanicum Afaq-Husain & Shameel and Dasya caraibica Børgesen are new records for the Gulf and Kuwait, while the red alga Stylonema alsidii (Zanardini) K. Drew is a new record for Kuwait. Several isolates identified corresponded to genera not previously reported in Kuwait and / or the Arabian Gulf, such as Porphyrostromium Trevisan, a new genus from the Bangiales, and two unidentified species for the Planophilaceae Škaloud & Leliaert. The isolates cultivated from substrata enhance understanding of the marine macroalgal diversity in the region and confirmed that the Germling Emergence Method is suitable for determining the actual diversity of a given study area through isolation from cryptic life-history phases.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.16 no.15
• /
• pp.6615-6619
• /
• 2015

Background: The expression of HER-2 in prostate cancer has been linked to disease progression. We analysed the presence of HER-2 expression in primary tumors in men undergoing radical prostatectomy, its association with clinical and pathological findings, and its expression in secondary circulating prostate cells (CPCs) during follow up, as well as links with biochemical failure and the effects of androgen blockade. Materials and Methods: Consecutive men undergoing radical prostatectomy for histologically confirmed prostate cancer were analyzed. HER-2 expression in the primary tumor was assessed using the HercepTest(R), CPCs were identified from blood samples using standard immunocytochemistry with anti-PSA and positive samples with the HercepTest(R) to determine HER-2 expression. The influence of HER-2 expression on the frequency of biochemical failure and effects of androgen blockade was determined. Results: 144 men with a mean age of $64.8{\pm}10.3$ years participated, with a median follow up of 8.2 years. HER-2 was expressed in 20.8% of primary tumors; it was associated with vascular infiltration and older age, but not with other clinical pathological findings. Some 40.3% of men had secondary CPCs detected, of which 38% expressed HER-2. Men CPC (+) had a higher frequency of biochemical failure, but there was no difference in HER-2 expression of CPCs with the frequency of biochemical failure. After androgen blockade, men with HER-2 (+) positive secondary CPCs had a higher frequency of disease progression to castrate resistant disease. Conclusions: HER-2 plays a dual role in the progression of prostate cancer; firstly it may increase the potential of tumor cells to disseminate from the primary tumor via the blood by increasing vascular infiltration. In the presence of androgens, there is no survival advantage of expressing HER-2, but once biochemical failure has occurred and androgen blockade started, HER-2 positive cells are resistant to treatment, survive and grow leading to castration resistant disease.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.14 no.8
• /
• pp.4779-4783
• /
• 2013

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the baseline white blood cell (WBC), neutrophil, lymphocyte, monocyte, basophil, eosinophil count, total prostate-specific antigen (TPSA), free PSA (FPSA) level, neutrophilto- lymphocyte and neutrophil-to-monocyte ratios among patients with prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), as well as healthy individuals. Materials and Methods: 2005-2012 laboratory files of 160 patients with prostate cancer at Kayseri Training and Research Hospital, Oncology Outpatient Clinic, 285 patients who were pathologically diagnosed with BPH in Urology Outpatient Clinic and 200 healthy individuals who were admitted to Internal Medicine Outpatient Clinic were retrospectively analyzed. Baseline WBC, neutrophil, lymphocyte, monocyte, basophil, eosinophil count, TPSA, FPSA level, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and neutrophil-to-monocyte ratio were recorded and compared across groups. Results: Patients with prostate cancer had a lower lymphocyte level compared to the patients with BPH and healthy controls (p<0.001). The mean monocyte count, leukocyte-to-monocyte ratio, and leukocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio were higher in patients with prostate cancer, but without significance. The mean WBC and leukocyte count were lower in patients with prostate cancer, but again without statistical significance (p=0.130). The mean TPSA and FPSA were 39.4 and 5.67, respectively in patients with prostate cancer, while they were 5.78 and 1.28 in patients with BPH. There was a significant difference in the mean TPSA and FPSA levels between the patient groups (p<0.001). Conclusions: Our study results showed that patients with prostate cancer had a lower level of lymphocytes, neutrophils and WBCs and a higher level of monocytes with a significant difference in lymphocyte count, compared to healthy controls. We suggest that lymphocyte count may be used in combination with other parameters in the diagnosis of prostate cancer, thanks to its ease of assessment.