• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.125-130
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• 2005

Thrombin-induced platelet microbicidal proteins (tPMP) are antibacterial proteins released when platelets are stimulated by thrombin. It has been reported that tPMP has antibacterial activity against various bacterial species including causative agents of infective endocarditis. Most of the oral streptococci have resistance to the killing by tPMP and this fact may play an important role as a virulence factor in infective endocarditis. However, the susceptibility and resistance mechanism of oral streptococci for tPMP have not been revealed yet. In this study, the killing mechanism of tPMP for oral streptococci has been investigated. Streptococcus rattus BHT, a susceptible strain, and Streptococcus gordonii DL1, a resistant strain, have been used in this study. tPMP was isolated from platelet after stimulation with thrombin. Cell membrane depolarization was examined with 3,3'-dipropylthiodicarbocyanine iodide ($DiSC_3$), membrane potential-sensitive cyanine dye, by fluorescence spectrophotometry. The permeabilization of cell membrane by tPMP was investigated with propidium iodide (PI) by flow cytometry. tPMP susceptible S. rattus BHT showed the increase of the $DiSC_3$ fluorescence level meaning depolarization of cell membrane and increase of the uptake of PI which means permeabilization of cell membrane. However, tPMP resistant S. gordonii DLI did not show depolarization and permeabilization. These results indicate that the increasing depolarization and permeabilization of oral streptococcal cell membrane are associated with the bactericidal activity of tPMP.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.257-265
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• 2001

Placing a hydrogen conducting, methanol impermeable metallic barrier like palladium (Pd) is a well-known method for preventing methanol crossover through solid polymer electrolyte for direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC). Applying a bias potential between the anode and the barrier can further develop this concept so that the hydrogen transfer rate is enhanced. Since hydrogen diffuses in Pd as atomic form while it moves through nafion electrolyte as ion, it has to be reduced or oxidized whenever it passes the interface formed by Pd and the electrolyte. We performed experiments to measure the hydrogen transport through the Pd membrane placed in Nafion electrolyte of hydrogen/oxygen fuel cell (PEMFC). Applying a bias potential between the hydrogen electrode of the cell and the Pd membrane facilitated the hydrogen passage through the Pd membrane. The results show that the cell current measured with the Pd membrane placed reached almost 40 % the value measured with the cell without Pd membrane. It was found that the current flown through the bias path is only a few percent of the cell current.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.12
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• pp.1827-1834
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• 2020

Candida albicans is a major fungal pathogen in humans. In our previous study, we reported that an ethanol extract from Aucklandia lappa weakens C. albicans cell wall by inhibiting synthesis or assembly of both (1,3)-β-D-glucan polymers and chitin. In the current study, we found that the extract is involved in permeabilization of C. albicans cell membranes. While uptake of ethidium bromide (EtBr) was 3.0% in control cells, it increased to 7.4% for 30 min in the presence of the A. lappa ethanol extract at its minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC), 0.78 mg/ml, compared to uptake by heat-killed cells. Besides, leakage of DNA and proteins was observed in A. lappa-treated C. albicans cells. The increased uptake of EtBr and leakage of cellular materials suggest that A. lappa ethanol extract induced functional changes in C. albicans cell membranes. Incorporation of diphenylhexatriene (DPH) into membranes in the A. lappa-treated C. albicans cells at its MIC decreased to 84.8%, after 60 min of incubation, compared with that of the controls, indicate that there was a change in membrane dynamics. Moreover, the anticandidal effect of the A. lappa ethanol extract was enhanced at a growth temperature of 40℃ compared to that at 35℃. The above data suggest that the antifungal activity of the A. lappa ethanol extract against C. albicans is associated with synergistic action of membrane permeabilization due to changes in membrane dynamics and cell wall damage caused by reduced formation of (1,3)-β-D-glucan and chitin.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.245-250
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• 2009

Crosslinked membrane based on sulfonated polyimide was prepared by the introduction of crosslinkable monomer in polymerization process and crosslinking during membrane casting. Crosslinked membranes showed different properties from non-crosslinked membranes. Crosslinking decreased methanol crossover and therefore unit cell using crosslinked membrane showed increased open circuit voltage, 0.81 V, in comparison with unit cell using noncrosslinked membrane, 0.71 V. In addition, water uptake of crosslinked membrane, 40.5%, was lower than that of non-crosslinked membrane, 57.0%, and this resulted in improved dimensional stability. However, proton conductivity of crosslinked membranes showed rather low relative to non-crosslinked membrane due to reduced water uptake.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.11-17
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• 1969

Conidio spores of Aspergillus niger (strain No. NRRL 330) cultured on potato dextrose agar media were studied by electron microscopy, using the thin sectioning techniques. Conidio spores to be sectioned were fixed by triple methods with $K_2Cr_2O_7$, Glutaraldehyde and $OsO_4$. After dehydrated with alcohol, the specimens were embedded in metacrylate and epon resin media, and thinly sectioned by Porter-Blum MT-2. After sectioned these specimens were negative-stained with uranyl acetate and observed. by Hitachi HS-6 electron microscope. The results of this experiment were summarized as follows. 1. The structures of spore ,wall system seem to be formed 4 layers; exosporium, basal layer, spore coat and unit cell membrane. The protuberance of spore surface that was looked like hair appears to be protrusived from the basal layer. 2. The 3 layers of unit cell membrane was constituted outer layer membrane, inner layer membrane and inter-mediate light layer. 3. The structures of intra cytoplasmic membrane appear as spiral form which was consisted of 3 layers membrane system; outer membrane, inner membrane, and intermediate layer, which has pits. 4. The cement substance of spore coat and cortex may be changed quantitatively by physiological state in cell. 5. In some cases, we observed that the ribosome was transformed into poly ribosome group, and the storage materials and the protein crystals were changed variously. It. has been suggested that the morphological change of some cytoplasmic materials may be caused by some specialized function of the physiological stage.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.190-194
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• 1999

Etched Nafion membrane and electrode assemblies were fabricated and those performances were observed in PEMFC. Adhesion of membrane to electrode increased with abrasion of membrane surface. Membrane surface ething results in reduction of hot pressing temperature, as a consequence, in improving of cell performance. It was found that Nafion etching was effective in painting method. The optimum content of electrode catalyst should be selected according to etching intensity.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.192-200
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• 2004

It is an anaerobic germ that Lactobacillus cell concentrated using ceramic membrane has high stability and long lifetime as compared with polymeric membrane. The effects of operating pressure, temperature, crossflow velocity on cell harvesting have been studied. Also the variation of flux and transmembrane pressure (TMP) with increasing concentration ratio and the change of TMP at constant concentration ratio (volumetric concentration factor: VCF) regarding the optimization have been examined. It showed that the permeate flux increased gradually with the increasing of transmembrane pressure, crossflow velocity, and volumetric concentration factor. The higher initial flux was due to the reduction of viscosity at elevated temperature. However, as operating time progressed, the effect of temperature was negligible since the effect of viscosity became minor. As a result, that operate in a constant concentration ratio, decreased degree could know that become slowly although the flux decreases according as operating time progressed. The flux is a very stable in the condition of constant VCF range. The yield of Latobaciilus (PS 406) which was cultivated at $37^{\circ}C$ was concentrated about 4.9{\times}10^9$ after operation.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.9-18
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• 2004

Opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore has been recognized to be involved in cell death. The present study investigated the effect of ${\beta}$-carbolines (harmaline and harmalol) and deprenyl on the dopamine-induced change in the mitochondrial membrane permeability and cell death in differentiated PC12 cells. Cell death due to 250 4{\mu}$M dopamine was inhibited by caspase inhibitors (z-IETD.fmk, z-LEHD.fmk and z-DQMD.fmk) and antioxidants (N-acetylcysteine, ascorbate, superoxide dismutase, catalase and carboxy-PTIO). ${\beta}$-Carbolines prevented the dopamine-induced cell death in PCl2 cells, while deprenyl did not inhibit cell death. ${\beta}$-Carbolines decreased the condensation and fragmentation of nuclei caused by dopamine in PC12 cells. ${\beta}$-Carbolines inhibited the decrease in mitochondrial transmembrane potential, cytochrome c release, formation of reactive oxygen species and depletion of GSH caused by dopamine in PC12 cells, whereas deprenyl did not decrease dopamine-induced mitochondrial damage. ${\beta}$-Carbolines, deprenyl and antioxidants depressed the formation of nitric oxide and melanin in dopamine-treated PC12 cells. The results suggest that cell death due to dopamine PC12 cells is mediated by caspase-8, -9 and -3. Unlike deprenyl, ${\beta}$-carbolines may attenuate the dopamineinduced cell death in PC12 cells by suppressing change in the mitochondrial membrane permeability through inhibition of the toxic action of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.82-89
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• 2011

Differences in the frequency characteristic applied to a ripple current may shorten fuel cell life span and worsen the fuel efficiency. Therefore, this paper presents an experimental analysis of the ripple current applied variable frequency characteristic in a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). This paper provides the first attempt to examine the impact of ripple current through immediate measurements on a single cell test. After cycling for hours at three frequencies, each polarization and impedance curve is obtained and compared with those of a fuel cell. Through experimental results, it can be absolutely concluded that low frequency ripple current leads to long-term degradation of a fuel cell. Three different PEMFC failures such as membrane dehydration, flooding and carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning that lead to an increase in the impedance magnitude at low frequencies are simply introduced.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.59-62
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• 2008

This experiment was performed to study the effect of TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) on the expression of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) chaperones in the rat thyrocytes FRTL-5 cells. Although the expressions of ER membrane kinases (ATF6, IRE1 and PERK) were specially enhanced under absence of TSH, no remarkable up- or down regulations of ER chaperones (BiP, CHOP and Calnexin) were detected by TSH. We firstly report here that TSH by dose up-regulated expression of ER membrane kinases in FRTL-5 culture thyrocytes.