• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.243-248
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• 2017

Antioxidants have been added to cryoprotectant or in vitro culture medium for sperm to reduce the detrimental damage, such as reactive oxygen species. However, curcumin, an antioxidant, shows dual effect on the viability and progressive motility of bovine sperm exposed to hydrogen peroxide. Low concentration of curcumin increases sperm viability and progressive motility, whereas high concentration of curcumin reduces them. This study was performed to identify whether TREK-1 channel is related to low sperm viability and motility induced by high concentration of curcumin. Curcumin reduced TREK-1 channel activity in a dose-dependent manner. TREK-1 channel was expressed in sperm obtained from Korean native bull. Treatment with TREK-1 channel blockers, such as curcumin, fluoxetine, $GdCl_3$, and spadin, significantly reduced sperm viability and motility (p < 0.05). However, TREK-1 channel activators showed different effect; linoleic acid showed an increase in sperm viability and motility, and wogonin did not affect them. These results show that TREK-1 channel is involved in the regulation of sperm viability and motility. In particular, high concentration of curcumin might reduce sperm viability and progressive motility of Korean native bull through blockage of TREK-1 channel.

• Journal of Korean Society for Quality Management
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.665-684
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• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to test and verify on the interrelationship among Service Quality, and Customer Satisfaction and Customer Loyalty in the Humidifier Goods industry. Especially, we study on the relative importance of each CS variables by distribution channel. Nowadays, most of manufacturing companies are proceeding the product servitization, which is combined service contents with product characteristics in the field of manufacturing industries. Methods: We surveyed humidifier purchaser about the some of CS variables and analyzed it using SPSS 21.0 and AMOS 21.0 as a statistical analysis tool. We use the frequency analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, multi-regression analysis and structural equation modeling analysis for our empirical study. Results: As the result of study, we find that Service Quality(SQ) influence Customer Satisfaction(CS) and CS influence Customer Loyalty(CL). Also, we verify that CS works mediate interaction on the effects between SQ and CL. And there are the significant relative effect of SQ to Customer Satisfaction in some of distribution channel. Conclusion: Finally, we make certain that the market size of the Humidifier goods industry will be increased rapidly. And the distribution channe l is more important to medium and small-sized enterprise. So, we have to pay attention to the study on the distribution channel of the Humidifier goods industry. And then, we expect more researches and studies on Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction in the field of manufacturing industries.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.143-150
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• 1994

The whole-cell mode of the patch clamp technique was used to study $Ca^{2+}-activated\;Cl^-\;current$ $(I_{Cl_{Ca}})$ in gastric antral myocytes. Extracellular application of caffeine evoked $Ca^{2+}-activated\;current$. In order to isolate the chloride current from background current, all known systems were blocked with specific blockers. The current-voltage relationship of caffeine-induced current showed outward rectification and it reversed at around $E_{Cl^-}$. The shift of reversal potential upon the alteration of external and internal chloride concentrations was well fitted with results which were calculated by the Nernst equation. Extracellular addition of N-phenylanthranilic acid and niflumic acid which are known anion channel blockers abolished the caffeine induced current. Intracellular application of a high concentration of EGTA also abolished this current. Application of c-AMP, c-GMP, heparin, or $AIF^-_4$ made no remarkable changes to this current. Sodium replacement with the impermeable cation N-methylglucamine or with $Cd^{2+}$ rarely affected this current. From the above results it is suggested that the caffeine induced current was a $Cl^-$ current and it was activated by intracellular $Ca^{2+}$.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.221-227
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• 2015

In this study, Multi-Array Electrodes (MAE) and Programmable Multi-channel Electrical Stimulator (PMES) were implemented for firing Trigger Points (TPs) of the patient with Myofascial Pain Syndrome (MPS). MAE has 25 Ag/AgCl electrodes arranged in the form of array ($5{\times}5$) fabricated with flexible pad, which are applicable to be easy-attached to curved specific region of the human body. PMES consisted of 25 channels. Each channel was to generate various electric stimulus patterns (ESPs) by changing the mono-phasic or bi-phasic of ESP, On/Off duration of ESP, the interval between ESP, and amplitude of ESP. PMES hardware was composed of Host PC, Stimulation Pattern Editing Program (SPEP), and Multi-channel Electrical Stimulator (MES). Experiments were performed using MAE and PMES as the following. First experiment was performed to evaluate the function for each channel of Sub- Micro Controller Unit (SMCU) in MES. Second experiment was conducted on whether ESP applied from each channel of SMCU in PMES was focused to the electrode set to the ground, after applying ESP being output from each channel of SMCU in PMES to MAE.

• Proceedings of the Korean Biophysical Society Conference
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• 1997.07a
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• pp.17-17
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• 1997

We investigated the relationship between the voltage-operated calcium channel current and the corresponding [Ca$^{2＋}$]i change (Ca$^{2＋}$-transient) in guinea-pig gastric myocyte. Fluorescence microspectroscopy was combined with conventional whole-cell patch clamp technique and fura-2 (80 $\mu$M) was added into the CsCl-rich pipette solution.(omitted)

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.280-289
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• 1998

Voltage-sensitive ion channels contribute to establishment of the cell excitablity and the generation of the cellular function. At hamster oocytes in the primitive stage during developing process, an inward current elicited by voltage pulses was found to be carried mainly by $Ca^{2+}$. Even at present, $Ca^{2+}$ channels serve as the most probable route to pass this inward current but there is no evidence of the presence of this channels in eggs. To date, both the characteristic properties and the physiological role in the early stage of development remain unclear. Here we examined the characteristic properties of the inward current and changes in this currents at unfertilized oocytes, fertilized zygotes and two-cell embryos using whole-cell voltage clamp technique. The inward current carried reportedly by $Ca^{2+}$ was remained following removing external $Ca^{2+}$ but completely abolished by further replacement of impermeants such as tetramethylammonium ion ($TMA^+$) or $choline^+$ instead of $[Na^+]_0$. Tetrodotoxin did not affect on this inward current remained at $[Ca^{2+}]_0$-free condition. Removal of $Na^+$ ion out of the experimental solution clearly decreased the current. After adding 2mM $Ca^{2+}$ to the $Na^+$-free media, the inward current was restored. Interestingly, this current carried by either $Ca^{2+}$ or $Na^+$ was decreased by the reduction of intracellular $Cl^-$ concentration, or by $Cl^-$ channel blockers such as niflumic acid, DIDS and SITS. When $Cl^-$ concentration was lowered without changes in other ionic components, this inward current was reduced. At fertilized oocytes and two-cell embryos, the inward current carried by $Ca^{2+}$ and $Na^+$ was severely reduced. Also $Cl^-$ component could not be observed. From these results, the inward current is composed of $Ca^{2+}$, $Na^+$ and $Cl^-$ component, suggesting that the channel carrying this inward current is not selective specifically to $Ca^{2+}$. During early stage of development, the voltage-sensitive ion current seems not to contribute essentially to the cell cleavage and differentiation. The loss of $Cl^-$ component after fertilization suggests that $Cl^-$ may play a role in maintaining the viability of unfertilized ova.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.57-66
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• 1996

To investigate properties of Ca-release channel in the reptile skeletal muscle, electrophoretical analysis, purification of RyR, $[^3H]ryanodine$binding study, and $^{45}Ca-release$ were carried out in the SR vesicles prepared from the snake skeletal muscle. The snake SR vesicle has the single high molecular weight protein band on SDS-PAGE, and its mobility was similar with that of rat skeletal SR vesicles. The high molecular weight band on SDS-PACE was found in the $[^3H]ryanodine$ peak fractions $(Fr_{5-7})$ obtained from the purification step of the RyR. Maximal binding site and Kd of the snake SR RyR were 6.36 pmole/mg protein and 17.62 nM, respectively. Specific binding of $[^3H]ryanodine$ was significantly increased by calcium and AMP (P<0.05), but not or slightly inhibited by tetracaine, ruthenium red (5.4%), or $MgCl_2$ (21%). $^{45}Ca-release$ from the SR vesicles loaded passively was significantly increased by the low concentration of calcium $(1{\sim}10{\mu}M)$ and AMP (5 mM)(P<0.05), but significantly decreased by the high concentration $(300{\mu}M)$ of calcium, tetracaine (1 mM), ruthenium red $(10{\mu}M)$, and $MgCl_2$ (2 mM)(P <0.05). From the above results, it is suggested that snake SR vesicles also have the RyR showing the similar properties to those of mammalian skeletal RyR with the exceptions of no or slight inhibition of $[^3H]ryanodine-binding$ by tetracaine, ruthenium red, or $MgCl_2$.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.87-95
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• 2005

Cadmium is well known as a toxic metal and has insulin mimicking effects in rat adipose tissue. This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of CdCl₂ on glucose transport and its mechanism in 3T3 - L1 adipocytes. CdCl₂ exhibits respectively 2.2 and 2.8 fold increases in the 2-deoxyglucose uptake when exposed to 10 and 25 μM of CdCl₂ for 12 hr. To investigate the stimulating mechanism of glucose transport induced by CdCl₂. Wortmannin and PD98059 were used respectively as PI3K inhibitor and MAPK inhibitor, which did not affect 2-DOG uptake. This results suggest that induced 2-deoxy-(l-3H)-D-glucose (2-DOG) uptake by CdCl₂ may not be concerned with the insulin signalling pathway. Whereas nifedipine, a calcium channel blocker inhibited the 2- DOG uptake stimulated by CdCl₂. In addition, we also measured the increased production of Reactive oxygen substances (ROS) and glutathione (GSH) level in 3T3-L1 adipocytes to investigate correlation between the glucose uptake and increased production of ROS with H2DCFDA. CdCl₂ increased production of ROS. Induced 2-DOG uptake and increased production of ROS by CdCl₂ were decreased by N-acetylcystein (NAC). And L-buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) a potent inhibitor of γ-GCS, decreased of 2-DOG uptake. Also NAC and BSO changed the cellular GSH level, but GSH/GSSG ratio remained unchanged at 10, 25 μM of CdCl₂.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Telematics and Electronics D
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• v.35D no.4
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• pp.78-83
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• 1998

A small size cartrideg for FET type electrolyte sensor is designed and faricated with much simplified process by using micromachining tenchiques such as silicon etching andglass bonding. Size of the whole cartideg is 2.4cm*2.5cm, and the dead volume of a micro flow-channel in the cartrideg is only 8.5.mu.l. The photosensitive polymer(THB 30) is used to define a micropool and to encapsulate the sensor surface for standardizationof electrolyte sensors. To miniaturize micro flow-channel conventional reference electrode(Ag/AgCl) a differential amplification is introduced using REFET and quasi reference electrode. Refet was fabricated using photosensitive polymer(OMR 83). The fabricated cartridge with built-in pH-ISFET showed good operational characteristics such as linearity and high sensitivity (55.4mV/pH) in a wide pH range(pH2-pH12).

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.142-147
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• 2017

Improvement of the enthalpy exchange element's energy efficiency is of current interest from anenergy-saving viewpoint. In this study, a LiCl-impregnated spacer was devised as a means to improve the performance of the enthalpy exchange element. Two samples were tested : one with and one without impregnated spacers of $338{\times}338{\times}380mm$ sizes with 2.0 mm channel spacing. The results showed that the temperature efficiencies of the two samples were approximately the same. The humidity efficiency, however, was strongly affected by the LiCl impregnation. The impregnated sample yielded a 9% higher humidity efficiency under cooling and the difference increased to 14% under aheating condition. It was anticipated that more moisture would beadsorbed on the LiCl-impregnated spacers, which was delivered to their roots and eventually to the air in neighboring channels. Separate moisture adsorption tests revealed that both the adsorption rate and the amount of the adsorbed moisture are higher for the LiCl-impregnated specimen.