• Solar Energy
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.22-30
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• 1989

Since the energy storage method by means of the thermochemical reaction has no heat loss by separating the reactants under the storage period, it is remarked as one of promising means particularly for long-term heat storage. In this study, the heat-storage/-release characteristics of the reversible chemical reaction cycle, $Ca(OH)_2/CaO$, is numerically analysed by a mathematical modelling. As a result, the effectiveness of the heat exchanger by the chemical heat storage method is considerably higher than that by the sensible heat storage method. It is found that the major parameters, which determines the effectiveness of the heat exchanger, are the mass flow rate and inlet temperature of fluid, the residence time, etc.. The heat-storage/-release period can be controlled by changing the operation conditions. It is expected that the results obtained here will supply useful informations in designing a regenerative heat exchanger utilizing the thermochemical reaction.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.411-417
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• 1998

The role of phospholipase ($A_2\;PLA_2$) in tumor cell growth was investigated using SK-N-MC human neuroblastoma cells. 4-Bromophenacyl bromide (BPB) and mepacrine (Mep), known $PLA_2$ inhibitors, suppressed growth of the tumor cells in a dose-dependent manner without a significant cytotoxicity. Melittin (Mel), a $PLA_2$ activator, enhanced the cell growth in a concentration-dependent fashion. The growth-enhancing effects of Mel were significantly reversed by the co-treatment with $PLA_2$ inhibitors. In addition, Mel induced intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ release from internal stores like as did serum, a known intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ agonist in the tumor cells. Intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ release induced by these agonists was significantly blocked by $PLA_2$ inhibitors at growth-inhibitory concentrations. Arachidonic acid (AA), a product of the $PLA_2-catalyzed$ reaction, induced cell growth enhancement and intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ release. These effects of AA were significantly blocked by BAPTA/AM, an intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ chelator. Taken together, these results suggest that the modulation of $PLA_2$ activity may be one of the regulatory mechanisms of cell growth in human neuroblastoma cells. Intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ may act as a key mediator in the $PLA_2-induced$ growth regulation.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.508-513
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• 2006

The effect of acteoside, a phenylpropanoid glycoside isolated from Clerodendron trichotomum Thunberg, on histamine and arachidonic acid release was investigated in RBL 2H3 cells. Histamine was dose-dependently released from RBL 2H3 cells by melittin, arachidonic acid and thapsigargin. In extracellular $Ca^{2+}-free$ solution, basal secretion of histamins increased by two fold. The response of histamine release to melittin and thapsigargin in $Ca^{2+}-free$ solution was significantly decreased, whereas the response to arachidonic acid was significantly increased as compared with those in normal solution. Acteoside inhibited histamine release induced by melittin, arachidonic acid and thapsigargin in a dose-dependent manner in the presence or absence of extracellular $Ca^{2+}$. However, the inhibitory activity of acteoside was more potent in normal solution than that in $Ca^{2+}-free$ solution. These data suggest that inhibitory mechanism of acteoside on histamine release may be related to extracellular $Ca^{2+}$. On the other hand, acteoside significantly inhibited arachidonic acid release and prostaglandin $E_2$ production Induced by $0.5\;{\mu}M$ melittin. It is possible that acteoside may be developed as an anti-inflammatory agent.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.511-520
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• 2019

This study was investigated to improve the phosphorus release and water quality by transformation of sedimentary P fraction for application of $CaO_2$. For the experiment, 0.5% (w/w) of $CaO_2$ was homogenized in the sediment and incubated with the control for 20 days. The analytical results showed that pH increased with $CaO_2$ and redox potential (ORP) was improved in the sediment of the reactor. The growth rate of chlorophyll-a was lower in the $CaO_2$ reactor and Dissolved Oxygen (DO) of overlying water maintained higher than that of the control. Total phosphorus (T-P) concentration in the overlying water increased from the initial concentration to 0.304mg/L in the control at 20 days. The reactor of $CaO_2$ was lowered by 29.3%. Ex-P, Fe-P and Ca-P in sediment P fraction were increased with the $CaO_2$. The formation of bound Fe-P and Ca-P in the sediments seemed to control the release of P by removing the Soluble Reactive Phosphorus (SRP) presented in the pore water. From the result, this indicated that the reduction of P release from the sediments seems to be effective in suppressing the eutrophication of P and improving the oxygen condition in the water quality with the application of $CaO_2$.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.333-339
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• 1998

Sambutoxin, a newly purified mycotoxin in Koea, caused hemorrhage in the stomach and intestine of rats. To elucidate the mechanism of hemorrhage, effects of sambutoxin on rabbit platelet aggregation were investigated. First of all, the effects of sambutoxin on the platelet aggregation response and ATP release from platelet by various appregating factors were investigated. And then the role of $Ca^{2+}$ on the platelet aggregation was investigated by flow cytometer. Finally, morphological effect of sambutoxin on platelet ultrastructure was examined by transmission electron microscope. Sambutoxin inhibited aggregation induced by ADP, collagen, thrombin, and arachidonic acid and decreased platelet activating factor-induced disaggregation time in a dose dependent manner. Sambutoxin also decreased thrombin and arachidonic acid-induced ATP release, but increased all factors induced $Ca^{2+}$ release. Sambutoxin showed severe ultrastructural changes of platelet such as appearance of disorganization debri of cellular organelle in intercellular space. Our results indicate that sambutoxin inhibitis rabbit platelet aggregation, and it may be party due to the decrease of ATP release. However, it is not clear whether the antiaggregating effect of sambutoxin is related to $Ca^{2+}$ increase.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.303-307
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• 2003

Tributyltin (TBT) used world-wide in antifouling paints toy ships is a wide-spread environmental pollutant. At low doses, antiproliferative modes of action have been shown to be involved, whereas at higher doses apoptosis seems to be the mechanism of toxicity in reproductive organs by TBT. In this study, we investigated that the mechanisms underlying apoptosis induced by TBT in R2C cell. Effects of TBT on intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ level and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were investigated in R2C cells by fluorescence detector. TBT significantly induced intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ level in a time-dependent manner. The rise in intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ level was followed by a time-dependent generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) at the cytosol level. Simultaneously, TBT induced the release of cytochrome c from the mitochondrial membrane into the cytosol. Furthermore, ROS production and the release of cytochrome c were reduced by BAPTA, an intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ chelator, indicating the important role of $Ca^{2+}$ in R2C during these early intracellular events. In addition, Z-DEVD FMB, a caspase -3 inhibitor, decreased apoptosis by TBT. Taken together, the present results indicated that the apoptotic pathway by TBT might start with an increase in intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ level, continues with release of ROS and cytochrome c from mitochondria, activation of caspases, and finally results in DNA fragmentation.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.73-80
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• 2005

The effect of capsaicin on apoptotic cell death was investigated in HepG2 human hepatoma cells. Capsaicin induced apoptosis in time- and dose-dependent manners. Capsaicin induced a rapid and sustained increase in intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ concentration, and BAPTA, an intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ chelator, significantly inhibited capsaicin-induced apoptosis. The capsaicin-induced increase in the intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ and apoptosis were not significantly affected by the extracellular $Ca^{2+}$ chelation with EGTA, whereas blockers of intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ release (dantrolene) and phospholipase C inhibitors, U-73122 and manoalide, profoundly reduced the capsaicin effects. Interestingly, treatment with the vanilloid receptor antagonist, capsazepine, did not inhibit either the increased capsaicin-induced $Ca^{2+}$ or apoptosis. Collectively, these results suggest that the capsaicin-induced apoptosis in the HepG2 cells may result from the activation of a PLC-dependent intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ release pathway, and it is further suggested that capsaicin may be valuable for the therapeutic intervention of human hepatomas.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.27 no.12
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• pp.1245-1252
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• 2004

Although ascorbate (vitamin C) has been shown to have anti-cancer actions, its effect on human hepatoma cells has not yet been investigated, and thus, the exact mechanism of this action is not fully understood. In this study, the mechanism by which ascorbate induces apoptosis using HepG2 human hepatoblastoma cells is investigated. Ascorbate induced apoptotic cell death in a dose-dependent manner in the cells, was assessed through flow cytometric analysis. Contrary to expectation, ascorbate did not alter the cellular redox status, and treatment with antioxidants (N-acetyl cysteine and N,N-diphenyl-p-phenylenediamine) had no influence on the ascorbate-induced apoptosis. However, ascorbate induced a rapid and sustained increase in intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ concentration. EGTA, an extracellular $Ca^{2+}$ chelator did not significantly alter the ascorbate-induced intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ increase and apoptosis, whereas dantrolene, an intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ release blocker, completely blocked these actions of ascorbate. In addition, phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitors (U-73122 and manoalide) significantly suppressed the intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ release and apoptosis induced by ascorbate. Collectively, these results suggest that ascorbate induced apoptosis without changes in the cellular redox status in HepG2 cells, and that the PLC-coupled intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ release mechanism may mediate ascorbate-induced apoptosis.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.1 no.5
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• pp.573-580
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• 1997

In this report, the inhibitory action of eupatilin was investgated by using leukotriene $D_4$ in the human neutrophils and Kato III cells (Gastric adenoma cells as a substitute for gastric mucosal cells) stimulated by Helicobacter pylori. Leukotriene $D_4$ ($LTD_4$) was released from both neutrophils and Kato III cells when these cells were incubated with H. pylori. The release of $LTD_4$ increased time-dependently and the maximum release of $LTD_4$ was $2.3{\sim}2.5$ pmol. But in the presence of eupatilin, the release of $LTD_4$ from these cells was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner. In the neutrophils, the release of $LTD_4$ was suppressed to 70% and 50% of the control levels when neutrophils was incubated with 0.01 and 0.1 mM of eupatilin. In the Kato III cells, the release of $LTD_4$ was suppressed to 59% and 27% of the control levels by adding 0.01 and 0.1 mM of eupatilin. We estimated the intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ levels when Kato III cells and neutrophils were stimulated by H. pylori using $^{45}Ca$. But the suppressive effect of eupatilin on $Ca^{2+}$ influx into these cells was not significant. We also obtained the results that H. pylori induced $Ca^{2+}$ influx into these cells by confocal microscopy, however there was no differences in the dose level of eupatilin. These results were confirmed by 1H Nuclear Magnetic Resonance(NMR) spectroscopy. The NMR patterns of eupatilin in the absence of $Ca^{2+}$ was changed compare with when $Ca^{2+}$ was present, but its effect was not strong.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.36-48
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• 2013

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of several fractions obtained from methylene chloride ($CH_2Cl_2$) extract of self-fermented pine needle (SFPNE) on the acetylcholine (ACh)-evoked CA release from the isolated perfused model of the rat adrenal medulla and to establish the mechanism of the most active fraction (Fr.)-induced inhibitory action on the CA release. We obtained 6 fractions from $CH_2Cl_2$ extract of self-fermented pine needle. For the ACh (5.32 mM)-evoked CA release, the following rank order of inhibitory potency was obtained: Fr.4-5 > Fr.8-11 ${\gg}$ Fr.3 > Fr.6 = Fr.7 > Fr.1-2. Fr. 4 - 5 (60 ${\mu}g/mL$) perfused into an adrenal vein for 90 min produced relatively time-dependent inhibition of the CA secretory responses to ACh (5.32 mM), DMPP (100 ${\mu}M$), McN-A-343 (100 ${\mu}M$) and high $K^+$ (56 mM). Fr. 4 - 5 itself did not affect basal CA secretion. Also, in the presence of Fr. 4 - 5 (60 ${\mu}g/mL$), the CA secretory responses to angiotensin II (AngII, 0.1 ${\mu}M$), veratridine (50 ${\mu}M$), Bay-K-8644 (10 ${\mu}M$), and cyclopiazonic acid (10 ${\mu}M$) were significantly reduced, respectively. In the simultaneous presence of Fr. 4 - 5 (60 ${\mu}g/mL$) and L-NAME (30 ${\mu}M$), the inhibitory responses of Fr. 4 - 5 on the CA secretion evoked by ACh, DMPP, high $K^+$, AngII, Bay-K-8644 and veratridine were considerably recovered to the extent of the corresponding control secretion compared with that of Fr. 4 - 5-treatment alone. The level of NO released from adrenal medulla after the treatment of Fr. 4 - 5 (60 ${\mu}g/mL$) was greatly elevated compared with the basal level. Taken together, these results demonstrate that Fr. 4 - 5 inhibits the CA secretion from the isolated perfused rat adrenal medulla evoked by stimulation of cholinergic receptors as well as by direct membrane-depolarization. It seems that this inhibitory effect of Fr. 4 - 5 is mediated by blocking the influx of $Ca^{2+}$ and $Na^+$ into the adrenomedullary chromaffin cells as well as by inhibition of $Ca^{2+}$ release from the cytoplasmic calcium store, which is evoked at least partly through the increased NO production due to the activation of NO synthase. Based on these results, it is also thought that Fr. 4 - 5 isolated from $CH_2Cl_2$ extract of pine needle may contain beneficial antihypertensive components to prevent or treat hypertension.