Kyungpook National University

About: Kyungpook National University is a education organization based out in Daegu, South Korea. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Large Hadron Collider. The organization has 20497 authors who have published 42107 publications receiving 834608 citations.

Adaptive image segmentation using a genetic algorithm

Abstract: We present the first closed loop image segmentation system which incorporates a genetic algorithm to adapt the segmentation process to changes in image characteristics caused by variable environmental conditions such as time of day, time of year, clouds, etc. The segmentation problem is formulated as an optimization problem and the genetic algorithm efficiently searches the hyperspace of segmentation parameter combinations to determine the parameter set which maximizes the segmentation quality criteria. The goals of our adaptive image segmentation system are to provide continuous adaptation to normal environmental variations, to exhibit learning capabilities, and to provide robust performance when interacting with a dynamic environment. We present experimental results which demonstrate learning and the ability to adapt the segmentation performance in outdoor color imagery.

Bacterial endophyte Sphingomonas sp. LK11 produces gibberellins and IAA and promotes tomato plant growth

Abstract: Plant growth promoting endophytic bacteria have been identified as potential growth regulators of crops. Endophytic bacterium, Sphingomonas sp. LK11, was isolated from the leaves of Tephrosia apollinea. The pure culture of Sphingomonas sp. LK11 was subjected to advance chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques to extract and isolate gibberellins (GAs). Deuterated standards of [17, 17-(2)H2]-GA4, [17, 17-(2)H2]-GA9 and [17, 17-(2)H2]-GA20 were used to quantify the bacterial GAs. The analysis of the culture broth of Sphingomonas sp. LK11 revealed the existence of physiologically active gibberellins (GA4: 2.97 ± 0.11 ng/ml) and inactive GA9 (0.98 ± 0.15 ng/ml) and GA20 (2.41 ± 0.23). The endophyte also produced indole acetic acid (11.23 ± 0.93 μM/ml). Tomato plants inoculated with endophytic Sphingomonas sp. LK11 showed significantly increased growth attributes (shoot length, chlorophyll contents, shoot, and root dry weights) compared to the control. This indicated that such phyto-hormones-producing strains could help in increasing crop growth.

Chlorinated persistent organic pollutants, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.

Abstract: Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are lipophilic compounds that travel with lipids and accumulate mainly in adipose tissue. Recent human evidence links low-dose POPs to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Because humans are contaminated by POP mixtures and POPs possibly have nonmonotonic dose-response relations with T2D, critical methodological issues arise in evaluating human findings. This review summarizes epidemiological results on chlorinated POPs and T2D, and relevant experimental evidence. It also discusses how features of POPs can affect inferences in humans. The evidence as a whole suggests that, rather than a few individual POPs, background exposure to POP mixtures-including organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls-can increase T2D risk in humans. Inconsistent statistical significance for individual POPs may arise due to distributional differences in POP mixtures among populations. Differences in the observed shape of the dose-response curves among human studies may reflect an inverted U-shaped association secondary to mitochondrial dysfunction or endocrine disruption. Finally, we examine the relationship between POPs and obesity. There is evidence in animal studies that low-dose POP mixtures are obesogenic. However, relationships between POPs and obesity in humans have been inconsistent. Adipose tissue plays a dual role of promoting T2D and providing a relatively safe place to store POPs. Large prospective studies with serial measurements of a broad range of POPs, adiposity, and clinically relevant biomarkers are needed to disentangle the interrelationships among POPs, obesity, and the development of T2D. Also needed are laboratory experiments that more closely mimic real-world POP doses, mixtures, and exposure duration in humans.

Link between isoprene and secondary organic aerosol (SOA): Pyruvic acid oxidation yields low volatility organic acids in clouds

Abstract: [1] Aqueous-phase oxidation (in clouds and aerosols) is a potentially important source of organic aerosol and could explain the atmospheric presence of oxalic acid. Methylglyoxal, a water-soluble product of isoprene, oxidizes further in the aqueous phase to pyruvic acid. Discrepancies in the literature regarding the aqueous-phase oxidation of pyruvic acid create large uncertainties in the in-cloud yields of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) and oxalic acid. Resolving the fate of aqueous-phase pyruvic acid is critical to understanding SOA formation through cloud processing of water-soluble products of isoprene, other alkenes and aromatics. In this work, aqueous-phase photochemical reactions of pyruvic acid and hydrogen peroxide at pH values typical of clouds were conducted and demonstrated that photochemical oxidation of pyruvic acid yields glyoxylic, oxalic, acetic and formic acids. Oxalic and glyoxylic acids remain mostly in the particle phase upon droplet evaporation. Thus isoprene is an important precursor of in-cloud SOA formation.