• Molecules and Cells
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.253-257
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• 2008

Acrolein is a highly electrophilic ${\alpha},{\beta}$-unsaturated aldehyde present in a number of environmental sources, especially cigarette smoke. It reacts strongly with the thiol groups of cysteine residues by Michael addition and has been reported to inhibit nuclear $factor-{\kappa}B$ ($NF-{\kappa}B$) activation by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The mechanism by which it inhibits $NF-{\kappa}B$ is not clear. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play a key role in sensing microbial components and inducing innate immune responses, and LPS-induced dimerization of TLR4 is required for activation of downstream signaling pathways. Thus, dimerization of TLR4 may be one of the first events involved in activating TLR4-mediated signaling pathways. Stimulation of TLR4 by LPS activates both myeloid differential factor 88 (MyD88)- and TIR domain-containing adapter inducing $IFN{\beta}$ (TRIF)-dependent signaling pathways leading to activation of $NF-{\kappa}B$ and IFN-regulatory factor 3 (IRF3). Acrolein inhibited $NF-{\kappa}B$ and IRF3 activation by LPS, but it did not inhibit $NF-{\kappa}B$ or IRF3 activation by MyD88, inhibitor ${\kappa}B$ kinase $(IKK){\beta}$, TRIF, or TNF-receptor-associated factor family member-associated $NF-{\kappa}B$ activator (TANK)-binding kinase 1 (TBK1). Acrolein inhibited LPS-induced dimerization of TLR4, which resulted in the down-regulation of $NF-{\kappa}B$ and IRF3 activation. These results suggest that activation of TLRs and subsequent immune/inflammatory responses induced by endogenous molecules or chronic infection can be modulated by certain chemicals with a structural motif that enables Michael addition.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.41-46
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• 1996

The Pd/Pt gate MISFET type hydrogen sensors, for detecting dissolved hydrogen gas in the transformer oil, were fabricated and their characteristics were investigated. These sensors including diffused resister heater and temperature monitoring diode were fabricated on the same chip by a conventional silicon process technique. The differential pair plays a role in minimizing the intrinsic voltage drift of the MISFET. To avoid the drift of the sensors induced by the hydrogen, the gate insulators of both FETs were constructed with double layers of silicon dioxide and silicon nitride. In order to eliminate the blister formation on the surface of the hydrogen sensing gate metal, Pt and Pd double metal layers were deposited on the gate insulator. The hydrogen response of the Pd/Pt gate MISFET suggests that the proposed sensor can detect the dissolved hydrogen in transformer oil with 40mV/10ppm of sensitivity and 0.14mV/day of stability.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.181-186
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• 2013

We present nondestructive characterization for remanent life of advanced ferritic steels, next-gen energy facility materials by reversible permeability. The reversible permeability is based on the theory that the value of reversible permeability is the same differential of the hysteresis loop. The measurement principle is based on the foundation of harmonics voltage induced in a sensing coil using a lock-in amplifier tuned to the frequency of the exciting one. The peak interval of reversible permeability(PIRP), Vickers hardness, and tensile strength(TS) of the aged samples decreased with aging time. We could estimate the remanent life of advanced ferritic steel by using the relationship between the peak interval of reversible permeability and Larson-Miller parameter(LMP), non-destructively.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.187-192
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• 2009

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play an important role in host defense by sensing invading microbial pathogens. The stimulation of TLRs by microbial components triggers the activation of the myeloid differential factor 88 (MyD88)- and toll-interleukin-1 receptor domain-containing adapter inducing interferon-$\beta$ (TRIF)-dependent downstream signaling pathways. TLR/MyD88 signaling pathway induces the activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-${\kappa}B$) and the expression of inflammatory cytokine genes, including tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-12, and IL-$1{\beta}$. On the other hand, TLR/TRIF signaling pathway induces the delayed-activation of NF-${\kappa}B$ and interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3), and the expression of type I interferons (IFNs) and IFN-inducible genes. The divalent heavy metal cadmium (Cd) is clearly toxic to most mammalian organ systems, especially the immune system. Yet, the underlying toxic mechanism(s) remain unclear. Cd inhibits the MyD88-dependent pathway by ceasing the activity of inhibitor-${\kappa}B$ kinase. However, it is not known whether Cd inhibits the TRIF-dependent pathway. Presently, Cd inhibited NF-${\kappa}B$ and IRF3 activation induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid. Cd inhibited LPS-induced IRF3 phosphorylation and IFN-inducible genes such as interferon inducible protein-10 and regulated on activation normal T-cell expressed and secreted (RANTES). These results suggest that Cd can modulate TRIF-dependent signaling pathways of TLRs.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.320-326
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• 1999

A small cartridge, with a nozzle system for washing off the dirt from the surfaces of sensing gates, was fabricated. The proposed nozzle structure was designed for cartridge by using the simulation tool of fluid (CFD-ACE). Whole size of the fabricated cartridge by using micromachining techniques is about $2.6\;cm{\times}1.5\;cm$, the size of the washing nozzle is $0.2\;mm{\times}0.6\;mm$ and its dead volume is only about $20\;{\mu}l$. A micro-reference electrode was achieved by employing a differential system with ISFETs/QRE (quasi-reference electrode)/REFET (reference field-effect transistor). Metal electrodes was deposited at both ends of blowing channel were used to check the presence of bubble in the microchannel. The pH-ISFET was inserted into the fabricated cartridge and the washing effect of the nozzle system in cartridge was invested.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.65-78
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• 1992

When using a computer vision system for a measurement, the geometrically distorted input image usually restricts the site and size of the measuring window. A geometrically distorted image caused by the image sensing and processing hardware degrades the accuracy of the visual measurement and prohibits the arbitrary selection of the measuring scope. Therefore, an image calibration is inevitable to improve the measuring accuracy. A calibration process is usually done via four steps such as measurement, modeling, parameter estimation, and compensation. In this paper, the efficient error calibration technique of a geometrically distorted input image was developed using a neural network. After calibrating a unit pixel, the distorted image was compensated by training CMLAN(Cerebellar Model Linear Associator Network) without modeling the behavior of any system element. The input/output training pairs for the network was obtained by processing the image of the devised sampled pattern. The generalization property of the network successfully compensates the distortion errors of the untrained arbitrary pixel points on the image space. The error convergence of the trained network with respect to the network control parameters were also presented. The compensated image through the network was then post processed using a simple DDA(Digital Differential Analyzer) to avoid the pixel disconnectivity. The compensation effect was verified using known sized geometric primitives. A way to extract directly a real scaled geometric quantity of the object from the 8-directional chain coding was also devised and coded. Since the developed calibration algorithm does not require any knowledge of modeling system elements and estimating parameters, it can be applied simply to any image processing system. Furthermore, it efficiently enhances the measurement accuracy and allows the arbitrary sizing and locating of the measuring window. The applied and developed algorithms were coded as a menu driven way using MS-C language Ver. 6.0, PC VISION PLUS library functions, and VGA graphic functions.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.509-515
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• 2004

Pulmonary function tests are widely used to diagnose and determine patients' therapy in clinic. And it was also applied in the research of the physiology and dynamics for lung disease. Among the pulmonary function tests, spirometry is the most easy and economic test. Spirometers are medical instruments that measure the instantaneous rate of volume flow of respired Bas. The mechanical spirometer was mostly used in the past. Up to the present, the most popular method of spirometer is the differential pressure technique with which change in the volume of flow are transferred to change in pressure. This kind of instrument suffers from several limitations, pressure drop, difficulty in maintenance and short period of calibration. Therefore, this study has begun to implement ultrasound spirometer, which is free of pressure loss and has wide range, focusing on the flow measurement technique and diagnostic algorithm.

• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.1215-1220
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• 2003

People's Republic of China is one of the most rapidly developing countries in the world today. There is a great demand on highly actual and accurate spatial information of the whole country, especially of West China which becomes the focus of development of the Chinese government right now and in the next years, but where still not enough topographic maps are available. This raises great challenges to the surveying and mapping community in China. Facing the new challenges the Chinese Academy of Surveying and Mapping (CASM) started its pioneer work early 2002 to explore new techniques and technologies available today toward increasing the map productivity. With import of a CCNS/AEROcontrol system in November 2002 the first DGPS/IMU-based photogrammetric project in China was successfully accomplished jointly by CASM and the Germany-based companies IGI and Techedge. Two photogrammetric blocks of 1:4,000 and 1:20,000 photo scale, respectively, were flown in Anyang, China. Direct georeferencing and integrated sensor orientation were conducted. Results achieved were proven by using ground check points and compared with those of aerial triangulation. Orthophotos generated based on direct georeferencing shows the high efficiency and quality, and thus proved the promise of the new technology. Furthermore several DGPS/IMU-based photogammetric projects was accomplished one by one and a big project of more than 100,000 km2 in the Inner Mongolia will be started in August 2003. The paper presents experiences with DGPS/IMU-based photogrammetry in China. Results achieved in concrete projects are shown and evaluated. Politic and technical specialties in China are discussed. Conclusions outline the potential of DGPS/IMU-based photogrammetric production in China.

• Nano
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• v.13 no.11
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• pp.1850131.1-1850131.19
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• 2018

In this paper, an electrochemical sensor for epinephrine (EP), a neurotransmitter was developed by anchoring molecularly imprinted polymeric matrix (MIP) on the surface of gold-coated quartz crystal electrode of electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM) using starch nanoparticles (Starch NP) - reduced graphene oxide (RGO) nanocomposite as polymeric format for the first time. Use of EP in therapeutic treatment requires proper dose and route of administration. Proper follow-up of neurological disorders and timely diagnosis of them has been found to depend on EP level. The MIP sensor was developed by electrodeposition of starch NP-RGO composite on EQCM electrode in presence of template EP. As the imprinted sites are located on the surface, high specific surface area enables good accessibility and high binding affinity to template molecule. Differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and piezoelectrogravimmetry were used for monitoring binding/release, rebinding of template to imprinted cavities. MIP-coated EQCM electrode were characterized by contact angle measurements, AFM images, piezoelectric responses including viscoelasticity of imprinted films, and other voltammetric measurements including direct (DPV) and indirect (using a redox probe) measurements. Selectivity was assessed by imprinting factor (IF) as high as 3.26 (DPV) and 3.88 (EQCM). Sensor was rigorously checked for selectivity in presence of other structurally close analogues, real matrix (blood plasma), reproducibility, repeatability, etc. Under optimized conditions, the EQCM-MIP sensor showed linear dynamic ranges ($1-10{\mu}M$). The limit of detection 40 ppb (DPV) and 290 ppb (EQCM) was achieved without any cross reactivity and matrix effect indicating high sensitivity and selectivity for EP. Hence, an eco-friendly MIP-sensor with high sensitivity and good selectivity was fabricated which could be applied in "real" matrices in a facile manner.

• Journal of the Korean Physical Society
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• v.73 no.10
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• pp.1437-1443
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• 2018

In this work, $SnO_2$ modified with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) separately and combined sensitized by using the co-precipitation method and their sensing behavior toward ethanol vapor at room temperature were investigated. An interdigitated electrode (IDE) gold substrate is very expensive compared to a fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate; hence, we used the latter to reduce the fabrication cost. The structure and the morphology of the studied materials were characterized by using differential thermal analyses (DTA) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), transmission electron microscope (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area and Barrett-Joyner-Halenda (BJH) pore size measurements. The studied composites were subjected to ethanol in its gas phase at concentrations from 10 to 200 ppm. The present composites showed high-performance sensitivity for many reasons: the incorporation of $SnO_2$ and CNTs which prevents the agglomeration of rGO sheets, the formation of a 3D mesopourus structure and an increase in the surface area. The decoration with rGO and CNTs led to more active sites, such as vacancies, which increased the adsorption of ethanol gas. In addition, the mesopore structure and the nano size of the $SnO_2$ particles allowed an efficient diffusion of gases to the active sites. Based on these results, the present composites should be considered as efficient and low-cost sensors for alcohol.