• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.173-179
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• 2004

In this study, the influence of heat treatment and Ca contents on the electrochemical behavior was investigated. Mg-Ca alloys, i.e., Mg-0.22wt%Ca, Mg-0.56wt%Ca, Mg-1.31wt%Ca are prepared by ingot metallurgy. As-cast Mg-Ca alloys exhibited better electrochemical properties than pure Mg. Especially, Mg-0.22wt%Ca alloy improves its anode efficiency up to 62% and lowers the OCP up to -1.72VSCE. Microstructure and XRD patterns of Mg-Ca alloys show that additive Ca element is mainly solid-solutioned. While, the others show the microstructure and XRD pattern with large $Mg_2Ca$ at grain boundary. To assess the effect of heat treatment on the as-cast Mg-alloy, the specimens were heat treated at $200^{\circ}C$ for 2 hours under $CO_2$ gas atmosphere. Although corrosion properties of Mg-Ca alloys are somewhat deteriorated by heat treatment at $200^{\circ}C$ Mg-0.22wt%Ca alloy with uniformly distributed nano-sized $Mg_2Ca$ phase in ${\alpha}$-Mg matrix show still better corrosion properties than pure Mg specimen.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.11 no.3 s.32
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• pp.17-22
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• 2004

The microwave dielectric properties of $CaZrO_3$ ceramics with addition of $CaTiO_3$ were studied. The effect of glass addition on the low-temperature sintering and microwave dielectric properties of $CaZrO_3-CaTiO_3$ ceramics were also evaluated to develop the materials for functional substrates of low-temperature co-fired ceramics. When $10-20 wt\%$ of lithium borosilicate glass was added, the sintering temperature of the $CaZrO_3-CaTiO_3$ ceramics decreased from $1450^{\circ}C$ to below $900^{\circ}C$. As the $T_f$ of glass frits and $CaZrO_3$ are slightly negative and that of $CaTiO_3$ is significantly positive, zero $T_f$ could be realized by mixing an appropriate amount of $CaTiO_3$ with $CaZrO_3$. The $CaZrO_3-CaTiO_3$ ceramics sintered at $875^{\circ}C$ with $15wt\%$ glass frits showed the relative density of $98\%$, permittivity of 23, quality factor of 2500 GHz, and temperature coefficient of resonant frequency of $ -3 ppm/^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.59-64
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• 2009

$Ca^{2+}$ and calmodulin (CaM), a key $Ca^{2+}$ sensor in all eukaryotes, have been implicated for defense responses of plants. Eukaryotic CaM contains four structurally and functionally similar $Ca^{2+}$ domains named I, II, III and IV. Each $Ca^{2+}$ binding loop consists of 12 amino acid residues with ligands arranged spatially to satisfy the octahedral symmetry of $Ca^{2+}$ binding. To investigate the altered gene expression and the role of CaM in ginseng plant defense system, cDNA clone containing a CaM gene, designated PgCaM was isolated and sequenced from Panax ginseng. PgCaM, which has open reading frame of 450 nucleotides predicted to encode a precursor protein of 150 amino acid residues. Its sequence shows high homologies with a number of other CaMs, with more similarity to CaM of Daucus carota (AAQ63461). The expression of PgCaM in different P. ginseng organs was analyzed using real time PCR. The results showed that PgCaM expressed at different levels in young leaves, shoots, and roots of 3-week-old P. ginseng. In addition, the expressions of PgCaM under different abiotic stresses were analyzed at different time intervals.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.2 no.5
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• pp.611-616
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• 1998

Although the $Ca^{2+}-activated\;K^+\;(I_{K,Ca})$ channel is known to play an important role in the maintenance of resting membrane potential, the regulation of the channel in physiological condition is not completely understood in vascular myocytes. In this study, we investigated the role of cytoplasmic $Mg^{2+}$ on the regulation of $I_{K,Ca}$ channel in pulmonary arterial myocytes of the rabbit using the inside-out patch clamp technique. $Mg^{2+}$ increased open probability (Po), but decreased the magnitude of single channel current. $Mg^{2+}-induced$ block of unitary current showed strong voltage dependence but increase of Po by $Mg^{2+}$ was not dependent on the membrane potential. The apparent effect of $Mg^{2+}$ might, thus, depend on the proportion between opposite effects on the Po and on the conductance of $I_{K,Ca}$ channel. In low concentration of cytoplasmic $Ca^{2+},\;Mg^{2+}$ increased $I_{K,Ca}$ by mainly enhancement of Po. However, at very high concentration of cytoplasmic $Ca^{2+},$ such as pCa 5.5, $Mg^{2+}$ decreased $I_{K,Ca}$ through the inhibition of unitary current. Moreover, $Mg^{2+}$ could activate the channel even in the absence of $Ca^{2+}.\;Mg^{2+}$ might, therefore, partly contribute to the opening of $I_{K,Ca}$ channel in resting membrane potential. This phenomenon might explain why $I_{K,Ca}$ contributes to the resting membrane potential where membrane potential and concentration of free $Ca^{2+}$ are very low.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.229-233
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• 2011

BACKGROUND: Soil acidification, which is known to be one of the reasons of forest decline, is associated with decreases in exchangeable Ca and increases in Al concentration, leading to low Ca/Al ratio in soil solution. As tree rings are datable archives of environmental changes, Ca/Al ratios of annual growth ring may show decreasing pattern in accordance with the progress of soil acidification. This study was conducted to investigate Ca/Al pattern of Pinus densiflora tree ring in an attempt to test its usefulness as an indicator of historical soil acidification. METHODS AND RESULTS: Three P. densiflora tree disks were collected from P. densiflora forests in Jeonnam province, and soil samples (0-10, 10-20, and 20-30 cm in depth) were also collected from the tree locations. Soils were analyzed for pH and exchangeable Ca and Al concentrations, and Ca/Al was calculated. Annual growth rings formed between 1969 and 2007 were separated and analyzed for Ca/Al. Soil Ca/Al was positively (P<0.01) correlated with soil pH, suggesting that soil acidification decreased Ca while increasing Al availability, lowering Ca/Al in soil solution. The Ca/Al of tree rings also showed a decreasing pattern from 18.2 to 5.5 during the period, and this seemed to reflect historical acidification of the soils. CONCLUSION(s): The relationship between soil pH and Ca/Al and the decreasing pattern of Ca/Al of tree ring suggest that Ca/Al of tree ring needs to be considered as a proxy of the progress of soil acidification in P. densiflora forest in southern Korea.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.202-208
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• 2013

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of delayed controlled atmosphere (CA) storage on fruit quality and the incidence of storage disorders during CA storage of 'Fuji' apples (Malus x domestica Borkh.). In the first year of experiment, 'Fuji' apples showed 40% of watercore disorder at the commercial harvest time (Oct. 22). Twenty days delayed CA storage caused to develop the incidence of flesh browning while 30 days delayed CA storage did not. In the second year of experiment, watercore was increased with delaying harvest time. As the estabilishment of delayed CA storage was delayed, the incidence of flesh browning increased at 10 to 30 days delayed CA storage but 40 days delayed CA storage did not have any flesh browning incidence. Respiration rate increased with extending the storage duration. Delayed CA storage reduced respiration rate but was not different compared to the rapid CA. Ethylene production rate was lower in delayed CA storage than in cold storage but higher in delayed CA storage, compared to rapid CA storage. Titratable acidity was lower in delayed CA storage as CA storage progressed. Firmness was not different between rapid CA storage and delayed CA storage after 8 months of CA storage. Therefore, the results indicate that delayed CA storage should be a promising approach to reduce the risk development of flesh browning and watercore during CA storage of 'Fuji' apples.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.25-30
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• 2006

Lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), which accumulates in atherosclerotic arteries, has been reported to inhibit endothelium-dependent relaxation (EDR) in many different species. However, the underlying mechanism of LPC-induced inhibition of EDR is still uncertain. In the present study, we measured simultaneously both isometric tension and cytosolic free $Ca^{2+}$ ($[Ca^{2+}]_i$) in rabbit carotid strips, and examined the effect of LPC on tension and $[Ca^{2+}]_i$. In carotid strips with intact-endothelium, high $K^+$ (70 mM) increased both tension and $[Ca^{2+}]_i$, and cumulative addition of acetylcholine (ACh) from 0.1 to $10{\mu}M$ induced dose dependent increase of $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ with concomitant relaxation. In the presence of L-NAME (0.1 mM), ACh increased $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ without affecting the amplitude of high $K^+-induced$ tension. These ACh-induced change of $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ and tension was abolished by removal of endothelium or 10 nM 4-DAMP (muscarinic receptor antagonist) pretreatment. Pretreatment of LPC ($10{\mu}M$) inhibited ACh ($10{\mu}M$)-induced change of tension and $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ in endothelium-intact carotid artery. On the other hand, LPC had no effect on ACh-induced change of tension and $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ in endothelium denuded artery. In $Ca^{2+}$-free external solution, ACh transiently increased $[Ca^{2+}]_i$, and pretreatment of LPC significantly inhibited ACh-induced transient $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ change. Based on the above results, it may be concluded that LPC inhibits the ACh-induced $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ change through inhibition of $Ca^{2+}$ mobilization in vascular endothelial cells, resulting in decreased production of NO and concomitant inhibition of endotheliumdependent vascular relaxation.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.198-207
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• 1997

To explore the action mechanism of Ijintang in the brain, the authors investigated the effects of Ijintang fractions on MgNaK ATPase and MgCa ATPase in rat brain synaptosomes prepared from cerebral cortex. The activities of MgNaK ATPase and MgCa ATPase were assayed by the level of inorganic phosphate liberated from the hydrolysis of ATP. Fraction WH-95-7 at the concentration of $10^{-2}%$ decreased the activity of MgNaK ATPase about 34.1% and also reduced the activity of MgCa ATPase about 49.3% But, other fractions (WB-95-7, WC-95-7, MB-95-7, MC-95-7, MH-95-7) did not significantly changed the activities of the MgNaK ATPase and MgCa ATPase The decreased activity of MgNaK ATPase by WH-95-7 will decrease the rate of $Ca^{2+}$ efflux, probably via an Na-Ca exchange mechanism and will increase the rate of $Ca^{2+}$ entry by the depolarization of nerve terminals. The reduced activity of MgCa ATPase by WH-95-7 will result in the decreased efflux of $Ca^{2+}$. As a conclusion, it can be speculated that lithium elevates the intrasynaptosomal $Ca^{2+}$ concentration via inhibition of the activities of MgNaK ATPase and MgCa ATPase. and this increased $[Ca^{2+}]i$ will cause the release of neurotransmitters.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.313-322
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• 1998

In a myocyte freshly isolated from rabbit cerebral artery, the characteristics of $Ca^{2+}$ release by histamine or caffeine were studied by microspectrofluorimetry using a $Ca^{2+}-binding$ fluorescent dye, fura-2. Histamine (5 ${\mu}M$) or caffeine (10 mM) induced a phasic rise of cytoplasmic free $Ca^{2+}$ concentration $([Ca^{2+}]_C)$ which could occur repetitively with extracellular $Ca^{2+}$ but only once or twice in $Ca^{2+}-free$ bathing solution. Also, the treatment with inhibitor of sarcoplasmic reticulum $Ca^{2+}-ATPase$ suppressed the rise of $[Ca^{2+}]_C$ by histamine or caffeine. In $Ca^{2+}-free$ bathing solution, short application of caffeine in advance markedly attenuated the effect of histamine, and vice versa. In normal $Ca^{2+}-containing$ solution with ryanodine (2 ${\mu}M$), the caffeine-induced rise of $[Ca^{2+}]_C$ occurred only once and in this condition, the response to histamine was also suppressed. On the other hand, in the presence of ryanodine, histamine could induce repetitive rise of $[Ca^{2+}]_C$ while the amplitude of peak rise became stepwisely decreased and eventually disappeared. These results suggest that two different $Ca^{2+}-release$ mechanisms (caffeine-sensitive and histamine-sensitive) are present in rabbit cerebral artery myocyte and the corresponding pools overlap each other functionally. Increase of $[Ca^{2+}]_C$ by histamine seems to partially activate ryanodine receptors present in caffeine-sensitive pool.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.167-181
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• 1991

The present study was an attempt to investigate the effect of forskolin on secretion of catecholamines (CA) evoked by Ach, excess $K^+$, DMPP, McN-A-343 and caffeine from the isolated perfused rat adrenal glands and to elucidate its mechanism of action. The perfusion with forskolin (1.0 uM) for 1 min into the adrenal vein enhanced markedly the secreation of CA evoked by Ach (50 ug), excess $K^+$ (56 mM) DMPP (100 uM) and by caffeine (0.3 mM) but did not that by McN-A-343. Forskolin alone did not potentiate the CA secretion. Moreover, forskolin augmented the CA release evoked by the above same stimulation even in the absence of extracellular calcium. The 1 min perfusion of 300 uM-dibutyryl cyclic AMP (DBcAMP), which is known to increase cyclic AMP levels, led to enhancement of Ca secretion evoked by Ach, excess $K^+$ and DMPP but did not that by McN-A-343 and caffeine. DBcAMP by itself also did not augment the CA secretion. In the calcium-free medium DBcAMP significantly enhanced the CA secretion by the same stimulation, except for the case of McN-A-343. These experimental results suggest that forskolin activates adenylate cyclase, resulting the elevation of cyclic AMP which may potentiate cholinergic nicotinic receptor-mediated and also depolarization-dependent CA secretion and that it may alter the intracellular calcium homeostasis in the rat adrenal glands.