• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.141-148
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• 2012

The objective of this study is to remove arsenate from artificially contaminated wastewater using CaAl-ettringite and CaAl-monosulfate which were synthesized in laboratory. The study was carried on the basis of solidification/stabilization of waste using cement. Monosulfate and ettringite are constituents of cement paste. The CaAl-ettringite has a chemical formula of $Ca_6Al_2O_6(SO_4)_3{\cdot}32H_2O$ and has a needle like morphology. Whereas CaAl-monosulfate $Ca_4Al_2O_6(SO_4){\cdot}12H_2O$ has layered double hydroxide structure (LDH) in which the mainlayer consists of Ca and Al and S as interlayer. Ettringite and monosulfate were synthesized by reaction of tricalcium aluminate and gypsum and hydrating this mixture at elevated temperature. The synthesized mineral were characterized by PXRD and FESEM to ensure purity. It was found that concentrations of As(V) in contaminated water were reduced from initial concentration of 1.335 mmol/L to 0.054 mmol/L and 0.300 mmol/L by CaAl-monosulfate and CaAl-ettringite respectively. The post experimental results of PXRD and FESEM analysis indicate that arsenate removal was by ion exchange.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.223-228
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• 2013

The calcium-activated $K^+$ ($BK_{Ca}$) channel is one of the potassium-selective ion channels that are present in the nervous and vascular systems. $Ca^{2+}$ is the main regulator of $BK_{Ca}$ channel activation. The $BK_{Ca}$ channel contains two high affinity $Ca^{2+}$ binding sites, namely, regulators of $K^+$ conductance, RCK1 and the $Ca^{2+}$ bowl. Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA, 1-radyl-2-hydroxy-sn-glycero-3-phosphate) is one of the neurolipids. LPA affects diverse cellular functions on many cell types through G protein-coupled LPA receptor subtypes. The activation of LPA receptors induces transient elevation of intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ levels through diverse G proteins such as $G{\alpha}_{q/11}$, $G{\alpha}_i$, $G{\alpha}_{12/13}$, and $G{\alpha}s$ and the related signal transduction pathway. In the present study, we examined LPA effects on $BK_{Ca}$ channel activity expressed in Xenopus oocytes, which are known to endogenously express the LPA receptor. Treatment with LPA induced a large outward current in a reversible and concentration-dependent manner. However, repeated treatment with LPA induced a rapid desensitization, and the LPA receptor antagonist Ki16425 blocked LPA action. LPA-mediated $BK_{Ca}$ channel activation was also attenuated by the PLC inhibitor U-73122, $IP_3$ inhibitor 2-APB, $Ca^{2+}$ chelator BAPTA, or PKC inhibitor calphostin. In addition, mutations in RCK1 and RCK2 also attenuated LPA-mediated $BK_{Ca}$ channel activation. The present study indicates that LPA-mediated activation of the $BK_{Ca}$ channel is achieved through the PLC, $IP_3$, $Ca^{2+}$, and PKC pathway and that LPA-mediated activation of the $BK_{Ca}$ channel could be one of the biological effects of LPA in the nervous and vascular systems.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.620-625
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• 2006

In this investigation, an ICP-DRC/MS method to measure arsenic with ultra-trace concentration without any interference by the compounds such as $^{40}Ar^{35}Cl^+\;and\;^{40}Ca^{35}Cl^+$, which disturb the precise measurement of arsonic was described. Thus, the oxgen was introduced into the dynamic reaction cell as reaction gas and reacted with arsenic ion created in plasma gas, $AsO^+$ was formed and detected with m/z of 91 by ICP-MS. It resulted in better detection limit than the old method with m/z of 75($As^+$). The optimum condition for oxygen supply as the reaction gas was 0.5 mL/min. The analytical features of the method are as follows: detection limit of $0.02{\mu}g/L$, precision(RSD) of 3.4%, and recovery of 96%. Arsenic in the water samples from the tributary streams to the Han River and the main stream of Paldang were analyzed with this method to identify the characteristics in its distribution. The concentration of As ranged from 0.53 to $1.26{\mu}g/L$. We could measure As with very low concentration, less than $1.0{\mu}g/L$, with excellent reproducibility. The method developed is expected to be applied to analyze As of the samples from sea water, food, and domestic and industrial waste water which have high concentration of Cl and/or Ca.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.3-12
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• 2001

This study conducted to Investigate the movement of fertilized nutrients in a volcanic ash soil in Jeju using by the pressure-vacuum soil water sampler. The percolated water to measure the ion concentration of leachates was taken from a lysimeter at depths of 20, 40, 60, 80, 100 and 120 cm in the soil in where a corn and potato were cultivated as a preceding and succeeding crop, respectively. Fertilizers of N-$P_2$O$_{5}$-$K_2$O were applied at the rate of 36-30-30 kg $10a^{-1}$ for the corn and 28-22-24 kg $10a^{-1}$ for the potato prior to planting of both crops. The highest concentrations of Cl , $NO_3$-N, $Ca^{+2}$ and $K^+$ in percolates were showed at 20cm and 40cm in soil depth at one month after fertilizing, and then gradually moved and reduced into below soil depths. At 5.5 months after fertilization, the concentrations in all soil depths were similar with the value of before fertilization. At depth of 120cm, the concentration of NO$_3$-N and the other cations in leachate was highest 1 to 1.5 months after fertilization. pH in percolated water was negatively correlated with NO$_3$-N concentration while the concentration of $NO_3$-N showed positive correlation between Cl, $Ca^{+2}$ and $Mg^{+2}$ concentrations. This result indicated that those cations can be leached out by accompanied with $NO_3$-N.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.57-68
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• 1995

Precipitation samples were collected by a wet-only automatic acid precipitation sampler at Kangwha island on the western coast in Korea, through January until December 1992. pH, electric conductivity and the concentrations of major water-soluble ion components such as N $H_{4}$$^{+}$, $Ca^{2+}$, $K^{+}$, $Mg^{2+}$, N $a^{+}$, N $O_{3}$$^{[-10]}$ , S $O_{4}$$^{2-}$ and C $l^{[-10]}$ were measured. From the result of checking the validity for assesment of pollution level of precipitation samples by pH using correlation analysis between pH and major components, and t-test of chemical composition between acid rain and non-acid rain, pH proved to be not satisfactory for its pillution level. A more comprehensive method is therefore required. In order to estimate the monthly analytical result of chemical composition of precipitation samples comprehensively, a cluster analysis was used among the various multivariate statistical analysis. As a result of making a cluster analysis for separating the monthly precipitation samples into homogeneous patterns by setting the concentrations of nine major water-soluble ion components as a variable, three homogeneous patterns were obtained. The first pattern was a group of months having average ion concentrations, the second a guoup of months having low ion concentration, and the third a group of months having high ion concentrations. Thus, it was indicated that the pollution level of precipitation was higher on February and lower on May, June, August and September than the other months. As a result, this analysis method could be estimated the chemical coposition of precipitation regionally as well as monthly.monthly.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.789-804
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• 2017

This study was conducted to investigate the growth and physiologycal activitis of Aruncus dioicus var. kamtschaticus (Maxim.) H. Hara under the NaCl treatment conditions (0, 100, 200, 300 mM). After 30 days treatment, the growth and physiologycal activitis were investigated. In the growth of plants, the plant height, leaf width, leaf length and ion level were reduced at NaCl treatments of more than 100 mM. The total polyphenol content was decreased by NaCl in a concentration-dependent manner compared to the control group. The contents of total flavonoids did not show any difference at the concentration of 200 mM and 300 mM. However, the content of total flavonoid decreased compared with that of control. In antioxidant activity, the DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity and reducing power activity were decreased by NaCl concentration compared to the control. When changes in the content of NO production was monitored by ELISA, production inhibitory effect was 94.5%, 70%, 63%, 56.9% in NaCl concentration of 0, 100, 200, 300 mM, respectively. The growth, ion level, antioxidant and anti-inflammation activity of Aruncus dioicus var. kamtschaticus was reduced at NaCl treatments of more than 100 mM.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.105-116
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• 1992

The present study was examined to clarify the role of calcium ion as a factor for the maturation of mouse oocytes. Follicles and cumulus-enclosed oocytes were isolated with two sharp needles under a stereomicroscope from female mouse (ICR) ovaries which were treated PMSG 5 IU 45-46 hours previously. Isolated follicles and cumulus-enclosed oocytes were cultured for 14-16 hours in an organ culture system at $37^{\circ}C$, 5% $CO_2$ in air and 100% humudified in incubator. MHBS was the basic medium used from which A23187, verapamil, $NiCl_{2.}$ $6H_2O$ and $LaCl_{3.}$ $7H_2O$ were added depending on the experimental groups. In follicle- or cumulus-enclosed oocytes wre cultured in these differently treated media. Following results were obtained from the present study. 1. The calcium ionophore A23187 directly or indirectly seems to stimulate GVBD of follicle-enclosed mouse oocytes. Increasing concentration of ionophore A23187 1ed to an increase in oocytes degeneration from the cumulus-enclosed mouse oocytes. 2. The organic $Ca^{++}$ channel blocker, verapamil does not induce GVBD of follicle-enclosed mouse oocytes. Specially, higher dose of 1 mM verapamil induced GVBD of follicle-enclosed mouse oocytes. However, cytoplasm of GVBD oocytes in 1 mM verapamil treated groups appeared shrunk. In the cumulus-enclosed oocytes, polar body formation was reduced in verapamil treated groups and degeneration increased. Verapamil inhibit oocyte maturation (polar body formation). 3. The $Ca^{++}$ inhibitor, Nickel ($NiCl_{2.}$ $6H_2O$) inhibits maturation of the follicle-enclosed oocytes. In the cumulus-enclosed oocytes the progression to MII (PB formation) was reduced and degeneration of mouse oocytes increased as the concentration of $Ni^{++}$ increase. The results indicates that nickel act as an inhibitor of calcium. 4. The $Ca^{++}$ inhibitors, Lanthanum ($LaCl_{3.}$ $7H_2O$) has shown different effect from that of nickel. In follicle-enclosed oocytes, 0.01mM lanthanum induced maturation of mouse oocytes. Polar body formation was reduced in the cumulus-enclosed oocytes all lanthanum treated group.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.13-29
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• 1988

In order to elucidate the regulatory mechanism of intracellular calcium ion concentrations, contractions or contractures induced by $Na^{+}-removal$, calcium-application or ouabain-treatment as an index of $Na^+/Ca^{2+}$ exchange activity were studied in atrial muscle or vascular smooth muscle (aorta and renal artery) of the rabbit. The magnitude of low sodium contractures in atrial trabeculae increased with sigmoid shape when external sodium concentrations were reduced to sodium-free condition, whereas that of calcium contracture intensified in a parabolic pattern when external calcium concentrations were elevated to 8 mM. $Na^{+}-removal$ contractures were induced in a duration-dependent manner to $K^{+}-free$ exposure and same findings were observed with ouabain treatment. $Na^{+}-free$ contractures were not affected by verapamil treatment, but stimulated by $100{\mu}M\;Mn^{2+}$ and inhibited by high concentrations of $Mn^{2+}\;(2{\sim}8mM)$ in a dose-dependent manner. Ryanodine which is known to suppress the release of calcium from internal store abolished spontaneous twitch contractions induced by $K^{+}-free$ solution, but had no effect on the development $Na^{+}-free$ contractures. Na-free contractures were not always induced in vascular smooth muscle preparations. Contractures by $O\;mM\;Na^+$ were usually seen in aorta, but not often in renal artery.$50\;mM\;K^+$, noradrenaline (NA) and angiotensin II (AII) always evoked very large contraction in all preparations of vascular smooth muscle. Contractures developed by $O\;mM\;Na^+$ were not sensitive to verapamil treatment as in atrial trabeculae, but were abolished by $100{\mu}M\;Mn^{2+}$. In contrast to $Na^{+}-free$ contractures, $Mn^{2+}(100{\mu}M)$ had no effect on the contractures induced by NA or 50 mM$K^+$. Caffeine in the concentration of 10 mM evoked transient contracture in the distal renal artery. The rate of spontaneous relaxation in caffeine contracture was dependent upon the concentrations of external sodium, and had double component of relaxation when the rate of relaxation was plotted in the semilogarithmic scale of relative tension versus time. Especially late components of relaxation had more direct relation to $Na^+$ concentrations. It could be concluded that $Na^+/Ca^{2+}$ exchange mechanism in the heart has a large capacity, inhibited by $Mn^{2+}$ but not by verapamil and ryanodine, while $Na^+/Ca^{2+}$ exchange system in vascular smooth muscle has a very low capacity especially in small artery, inhibited by low concentration of $Mn^{2+}\;(100{\mu}M)$ but not affected by verapamil and ryanodine.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.550-555
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• 2012

TRPA1 and TRPV1 are members of the TRP superfamily of structurally related, nonselective cation channels. TRPA1 and TRPV1 are often co-expressed in sensory neurons and play an important role in somatosense such as cold, pain, and irritants. The first leaves of Kalopanax pictus Nakai (Araliaceae) have long been used as a culinary ingredient in Korea because of their unique chemesthetic flavor. In this study, we observed the intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ response to cultured cells expressing human TRPA1 (hTRPA1) and human TRPV1 (hTRPV1) by $Ca^{2+}$ imaging analysis to investigate the ability of the first leaves of K. pictus to activate the hTRPA1 and hTRPV1. An 80% ethanol extract of K. pictus (KPEx) increased intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ influx in a response time- and concentration-dependent manner via either hTRPA1 or hTRPV1. KPEx-induced response to hTRPA1 was markedly attenuated by ruthenium red, a general blocker of TRP channels, and HC-030031, a specific antagonist of TRPA1. In addition, the intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ influx attained with KPEx to hTRPV1 was mostly blocked by ruthenium red, and capsazepine, a specific antagonist of TRPV1. These results indicate that KPEx selectively activates both hTRPA1 and hTRPV1, which may provide evidence that the first leaves of K. pictus primarily activate TRPA1 and TRPV1 to induce their unique chemesthetic sense.

• Proceedings of the Korean Biophysical Society Conference
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• 2003.06a
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• pp.46-46
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• 2003

Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix has been used for treatment of cardiovascular diseases in oriental medicine. To investigate the possible involvement of cardiac ion channel in this effect, we examined electrophysiological effects of the extract of Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix on action potentials and ionic currents in rat ventricular myocytes. The extracts of Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix were fractionated into nine fractions, and the effect of each fraction on action potential was tested. The fraction containing monomethyl lithospermic acid-A (LSA-A) induced a significant prolongation of action potential duration (APD). LSA-B which is a major component of Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix, however, did not cause a significant effect. In voltage clamp experiments, the effects of LSA-A on K currents, Ca currents and Na currents were tested. Neither K currents nor L-type Ca currents were affected by LSA-A. On the contrary, LSA-A significantly slowed down the inactivation kinetics of the Na current with no effect on the fast component of the inactivation process. The amplitude of the peak current and the voltage-dependence of activation were not changed by LSA-A. The effect of LSA-A on Na current was abolished when high concentration of $Ca^{2+}$ buffer (10 mM BAPTA) was included in the pipette solution or when Ca2+ current was blocked by nicardipine (1 $\mu$M) in the bath solution.n.