• Molecules and Cells
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.60-66
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• 2005

Low density lipoproteins (LDL) play important roles in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Diabetes is associated with accelerated atherosclerosis leading to cardiovascular disease in diabetic patients. Although LDL stimulates the proliferation of arterial smooth muscle cells (SMC), the mechanisms are not fully understood. We examined the effects of native LDL and glycated LDL on the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway. Addition of native and glycated LDL to rat aorta SMCs (RASMCs) stimulated ERK phosphorylation. ERK phosphorylation was not affected by exposure to the $Ca^{2+}$ chelator BAPTA-AM but inhibition of protein kinase C (PKC) with GF109203X, inhibition of Src kinase with PP1 ($5{\mu}M$) and inhibition of phospholipase C (PLC) with U73122/U73343 ($5{\mu}M$) all reduced ERK phosphorylation in response to glycated LDL. In addition, pretreatment of the RASMCs with a cell-permeable mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) inhibitor (PD98059, $5{\mu}M$) markedly decreased ERK phosphorylation in response to native and glycated LDL. These findings indicate that ERK phosphorylation in response to glycated LDL involves the activation of PKC, PLC, and MEK, but is independent of intracellular $Ca^{2+}$.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.46-55
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• 2008

This study assesses the formaldehyde and TVOC emissions from bio-composites with attached fancy veneer manufactured using wood flour and polypropylene (PP) measured using the Field and Laboratory Emission Cell (FLEC) method and 20 L small chamber method. To determine and compare the effects of the adhesive, samples were prepared with different manufacturing methods. In the FLEC result, the formaldehyde emission level of the bio-composites with attached veneer by hot-press was the lowest than pure bio-composite and bio-composite attached veneer using adhesive. The TVOC emission levels are similar to the formaldehyde emission. The TVOC emission level is very low in all of the samples except fancy veneer that is attached with bio-composites using adhesive. The TVOC emission varies depending on how attaching fancy veneer. The results of the 20 L small chamber method were very similar to those obtained with the FLEC, but the correlation was not perfect. However, the FLEC method requires a shorter time than the 20 L small chamber method to measure the formaldehyde and TVOC emissions. The internal bonding strength exceeded the minimum value of $0.4N/mm^2$ specified by the KS standard. All of the bio-composites with attached veneer satisfied the KS standard.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.293-303
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• 1999

The influences of specific protein phosphatase and protein kinase inhibitors on the ATP-sensitive $K^+\;(K_{ATP})$ channel-opening effect of pinacidil were investigated in single rat ventricular myocytes using patch clamp technique. In cell-attached patches, pinacidil $(100\;{\mu}M)$ induced the opening of the $K_{ATP}$ channel, which was blocked by the pretreatment with H-7 $(100\;{\mu}M)$ whereas enhanced by the pretreatment with genistein $(30\;{\mu}M)$ or tyrphostin A23 $(10\;{\mu}M)$. In inside-out patches, pinacidil $(10\;{\mu}M)$ activated the $K_{ATP}$ channels in the presence of ATP (0.3 mM) or AMP-PNP (0.3 mM) and in a partial rundown state. The effect of pinacidil $(10\;{\mu}M)$ was not affected by the pretreatment with protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B $(PTP1B,\;10\;{\mu}g\;ml^{-1}),$ but blocked by the pretreatment of protein phosphatase 2A $(PP2A,\;1\;U\;ml^{-1})$. In addition, pinacidil $(10\;{\mu}M)$ could not induce the opening of the reactivated $K_{ATP}$ channels in the presence of H-7 $(100\;{\mu}M)$ but enhanced it in the presence of ATP (1 mM) and genistein $(30\;{\mu}M).$ These results indicate that the $K_{ATP}$ channel-opening effect of pinacidil is not mediated via phosphorylation of $K_{ATP}$ channel protein or associated protein, although it still requires the phosphorylation of serine/threonine residues as a prerequisite condition.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.347-355
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• 2016

An exo-β-D-glucosaminidase (AorCsxA) from Aspergillus oryzae FL402 was heterologously expressed and purified. The deduced amino acid sequence indicated that AorCsxA belonged to glycoside hydrolase family 2. AorCsxA digested colloid chitosan into glucosamine but not into chitosan oligosaccharides, demonstrating exo-β-D-glucosaminidase (CsxA) activity. AorCsxA exhibited optimal activity at pH 5.5 and 50℃; however, the enzyme expressed in Pichia pastoris (PpAorCsxA) showed much stronger thermostability at 50℃ than that expressed in Escherichia coli (EcAorCsxA), which may be related to glycosylation. AorCsxA activity was inhibited by EDTA and most of the tested metal ions. A single amino acid mutation (F769W) in AorCsxA significantly enhanced the specific activity and hydrolysis velocity as revealed by comparison of V_max and k_cat values with those of the wild-type enzyme. The three-dimensional structure suggested the tightened pocket at the active site of F769W enabled efficient substrate binding. The AorCsxA gene was heterologously expressed in P. pastoris, and one transformant was found to produce 222 U/ml activity during the high-cell-density fermentation. This AorCsxA-overexpressing P. pastoris strain is feasible for large-scale production of AorCsxA.

• JSTS:Journal of Semiconductor Technology and Science
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.495-502
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• 2014

Fast recovery diodes (FRDs) were developed using the $p^{{+}{+}}/n^-/n^{{+}{+}}$ epitaxial layers grown by low temperature epitaxy technology. We investigated the effect of electrostatic discharge (ESD) stresses on their electrical and switching properties using current-voltage (I-V) and reverse recovery time analyses. The FRDs presented a high breakdown voltage, >450 V, and a low reverse leakage current, < $10^{-9}$ A. From the temperature dependence of thermal activation energy, the reverse leakage current was dominated by thermal generation-recombination and diffusion, respectively, at low and high temperature regions. By virtue of the abrupt junction and the Pt drive-in for the controlling of carrier lifetime, the soft reverse recovery behavior could be obtained along with a well-controlled reverse recovery time of 21.12 ns. The FRDs exhibited excellent ESD robustness with negligible degradations in the I-V and the reverse recovery characteristics up to ${\pm}5.5$ kV of HBM and ${\pm}3.5$ kV of IEC61000-4-2 shocks. Likewise, transmission line pulse (TLP) analysis reveals that the FRDs can handle the maximum peak pulse current, $I_{pp,max}$, up to 30 A in the forward mode and down to - 24 A in the reverse mode. The robust ESD property can improve the long term reliability of various power applications such as automobile and switching mode power supply.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.67-74
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• 2004

Cells consistently face stressful conditions, which cause them to modulate a variety of intracellular processes and adapt to these environmental changes via regulation of gene expression. Hyperosmotic and oxidative stresses are significant stressors that induce cellular damage, and finally cell death. In this study, oligonucleotide microarrays were employed to investigate mRNA level changes in cells exposed to hyperosmotic or oxidative conditions. In addition, since heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) is one of the most inducible stress proteins and plays pivotal role to protect cells against stressful condition, we performed microarray analysis in HSP70-overexpressing cells to identify the genes expressed in a HSP70-dependent manner. Under hyperosmotic or oxidative stress conditions, a variety of genes showed altered expression. Down­regulation of protein phosphatase1 beta (PP1 beta) and sphingosine-1-phosphate phosphatase 1 (SPPase1) was detected in both stress conditions. Microarray analysis of HSP70-overexpressing cells demonstrated that diverse mRNA species depend on the level of cellular HSP70. Genes encoding Iysyl oxidase, thrombospondin 1, and procollagen displayed altered expression in all tested conditions. The results of this study will be useful to construct networks of stress response genes.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.162-167
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• 2012

Surface modification of macromolecules renders a progressive and favorable method to enhance the properties of polymeric materials and improves conductivity, wettability, stability, adhesion, antibacterial properties, etc. of polymeric surfaces without deterioration of the polymer bulk properties. Polyolefins such as polyethylene and polypropylene were grafted with maleic anhydride(MAH) as a functional monomer in solution. Evidence for grafting was shown with FTIR measurement. The grafting ratio was determined from chemical titration. The higher MAH loading, the lower contact angle(${\theta}$) was obtained. With the increasing content of MAH, melting temperature($T_m$) of maleic anhydride grafted polymer decreased while decomposition temperature($T_d$) of maleic anhydride grafted polymer increased.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.140-145
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• 2002

The 5.8 kb pMMH1, rolling-circle replication (RCR) plasmid of the wild type soil Bacillus mesentericus was developed into a novel secretion vector system in Bacillus subtilis. The pMMHl turned out to have a replication origin and two open reading frames (ORFs) of the putative γ-GTP and type I signal peptidase (sipP). To characterize the regions necessary for plasmid stability and high copy number, five vectors (pPS, pPP, pEN, pMN, pME) were constructed by disruption or deletion of each region in pMMH1. Like pMMHl all constructed vectors were stable over 100 generations In a non-selective medium. Since pPS was the smallest (2.3 kb)of all, it was selected for the construction of a navel secretion vector, Using the $\alpha$-amylase promoter/signal sequence of B. subtilils the novel plasmid pJSN was constructed. When $\beta$-glucosidase was expressed using pJSN, we found $\beta$-glucosidase activity in the medium. This result strongly suggested that plasmid pJSN can be used for the production of bioactive peptides in B. subtilis.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Electromagnetic Engineering and Science
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• v.23 no.7
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• pp.784-790
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• 2012

In this paper, an all-digital CMOS ultra-wideband(UWB) pulse generator for high band(6~10 GHz) frequency range is presented. The pulse generator is designed and implemented with extremely low power and low complexity. It is designed to meet the FCC spectral mask requirement by using Gaussian pulse shaping circuit and control the center frequency by using CMOS delay line with shunt capacitor. Measurement results show that the center frequency can be controlled from 4.5 GHz to 7.5 GHz and pulse width is 1.5 ns and pulse amplitude is 310 mV peak to peak at 10 MHz pulse repetition frequency(PRF). The circuit is implemented in 0.13 um CMOS process with a core area of only $182{\times}65um^2$ and dissipates the average power of 11.4 mW at an output buffer with 1.5-V supply voltage. However, the core consumes only 0.26 mW except for output buffer.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.71-82
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• 2008

W. S. CHAE, Ground Reaction Force Charateristics During Forward and Backward Walking Over 20 Degree Ramp. Korean Journal of Sport Biomechanics, Vol. 18, No. 3, pp. 71-82, 2008. The purpose of this study was to compare GRF characteristics during forward and backward walking over 20 degree ramp. Temporal parameters, GRFs, displacement of center of pressure (DCP), and loading and decay rates were determined for each trial. The results showed that the vertical GRF in BD during RTO was significantly greater than those found in FU. This reults indicated that GRF patterns may be changed by different walking conditions and altering position of ankle, knee, and center of mass throughout the walking cycle. The DCP during $RHC_2$-LHC in antero-posterior direction for downward was smaller than the corresponding value for upward condition. It' seems that the ankle and knee joints are locked in an awkward fashion at the toe contact to compensate for imbalance. Reducing the magnitude of loading rate can be achieved by walking in the backward direction. Accordingly, the results can be a benefit if one is suffering from an impact-type injury.