• Molecules and Cells
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• 제39권9호
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• pp.680-686
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• 2016

Uncoupling proteins (UCPs) are mitochondrial inner membrane proteins that function to dissipate proton motive force and mitochondrial membrane potential. One UCP has been identified in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), namely UCP-4. In this study, we examined its expression and localization using a GFP marker in C. elegans. ucp-4 was expressed throughout the body from early embryo to aged adult and UCP-4 was localized in the mitochondria. It is known that increased mitochondrial membrane protential leads to a reactive oxygen species (ROS) increase, which is associated with age-related diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases in humans. A ucp-4 mutant showed increased mitochondrial membrane protential in association with increased neuronal defects during aging, and the neurons of ucp-4 overexpressing animals showed decreased neuronal defects during aging. These results suggest that UCP-4 may be involved in neuroprotection during aging via relieving mitochondrial membrane protential. We also investigated the relationship between UCP-4 and innate immunity because increased ROS can affect innate immunity. ucp-4 mutant displayed increased resistance to the pathogen Staphylococcus aureus compared to wild type. The enhanced immunity in the ucp-4 mutant could be related to increased mitochondrial membrane protential, presumably followed by increased ROS. In summary, UCP-4 might have an important role in neuronal aging and innate immune responses through mediating mitochondrial membrane protential.

• 멤브레인
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• 제32권6호
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• pp.383-389
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• 2022

막 분리 공정은 다양한 응용 분야에서 사용되는 중요한 기술이다. 이러한 분리 공정은 농도 구배, 압력 또는 전위구배 등의 구동력에 의해 수행된다. 투과증발은 용액 메커니즘에 기초한 분리 과정 중 하나이다. 분리막을 투과한 쪽에서 압력은 진공에 의해 감소되고 분리는 압력차에 의해 구동된다. 다공성 제올라이트 분리막을 통한 탈수 공정에 의해 에탄올 또는 이소프로필 알코올과 같은 연료 및 화학 물질의 순도를 향상시킨다. 이러한 분리막들은 높은 열적, 화학적, 기계적 안정성을 가지고 있다. 이 총설에서는 제올라이트 분리막에 의한 에탄올 회수 및 바이오 오일 탈수라는 두 개의 섹션으로 나누어 소개한다.

• 멤브레인
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• 제32권2호
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• pp.91-99
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• 2022

모든 인구 계층에 저렴한 비용으로 깨끗한 물의 수요를 충족시키는 것은 해결해야 할 세계적인 문제이다. 막 분리 공정을 통한 해수 및 기수의 탈염은 효율이 높고 확립된 방법이다. 그러나 막 분리 공정은 막 오염, 제거된 오염물의 처리, 그리고 자본집약적 공정이라는 본질적인 문제가 있다. 전기투석은 전위차가 구동력인 막 기반 분리 공정이다. 전기투석막의 장점은 뛰어난 효율과 저렴한 운영 비용이다. 전기투석공정에서 사용되는 이온교환막은 장기간 효율을 잃지 않기 위해 내화학성과 내열성, 그리고 기계적 안정성이 필요하다. 이 때, 전기투석막의 이온교환용량은 이온교환막의 전도도에 따라 크게 달라진다. 본 리뷰에서는 이온 전도도과 안정성을 향상시키기 위한 양이온 교환막과 음이온 교환막의 개조를 중점적으로 논의하였다.

• 멤브레인
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• 제32권4호
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• pp.209-217
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• 2022

이온교환막(IEM)은 다양한 종류의 단가이온과 다가이온을 분리하기 위해 사용되는 막의 한 종류로, 배터리, 연료전지, 염화물-알칼리 공정 등에 사용된다. 이온교환막을 통한 막분리는 전기 구동력을 기반으로 한 녹색 분리 방식이며, 해수 담수화와 수처리 분야에서 떠오르는 방식이다. 전기투석(ED)은 양이온과 음이온이 이온교환막을 따라 선택적으로 이동하는 기술이다. 음이온 교환막(AEM)은 전기투석의 중요한 구성 요소 중 하나이며, 공정 효율을 향상시키는 데 상당한 역할을 한다. 이온교환막에 가교결합을 도입하면 자유 부피의 감소로 인해 이온 선택 분리 성능이 향상된다. 역삼투(RO) 공정을 통한 해수 담수화 시 RO 농축수에 용해된 염이 다량 존재한다. 따라서 1가 양이온 선택막으로 구성된 전기투석 공정은 오염을 줄이고 막 플럭스를 개선한다. 이 검토는 전기투석, 음이온 교환막, 그리고 양이온 교환막의 세 부분으로 나뉜다.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.71-83
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• 2014

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the flexible structure of parabolic shell using photostrictive actuators. The analysis is made to know its dynamic behavior and light-induced control forces for coupled parabolic shell. The effects of an actuator location as well as membrane and bending components under the control action have been analyzed considering the approximate spherical model. The parabolic membrane shell accuracy is being mathematically approximated and validated comparing the light induced control forces using approximate equivalent spherical shell model. The parabolic shell with kapton smart material and photostrictive actuators has been used to formulate the governing equation in the transverse direction. The Kirchhoff-Love assumptions are used to obtain the governing equation of shell with actuator. The mechanical membrane forces and bending moments for parabolic thin shell with actuator is used to analyze the dynamic effect. The results show that membrane control action is much more significant than bending control action. Photostrictive actuators oriented along circumferential direction (actuator-2) can give better control effect than actuators placed along longitudinal direction (actuator-1). The slight difference is observed between spherical and parabolic shell for a surface with focal length to the diameter ratio of 1.00 or more than unity. Space applications often have the shape of parabolical shells or shell of revolution, due to their required focusing, aiming, or reflecting performance. The present approach is focused that photostrictive actuators can effectively control the vibration of parabolical membrane shell. Also, the actuator's location plays an important role in defining the control force.

• Wind and Structures
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• 제36권2호
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• pp.133-147
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• 2023

The random vibration of saddle membrane structures under wind load is studied theoretically and experimentally. First, the nonlinear random vibration differential equations of saddle membrane structures under wind loads are established based on von Karman's large deflection theory, thin shell theory and potential flow theory. The probabilistic density function (PDF) and its corresponding statistical parameters of the displacement response of membrane structure are obtained by using the diffusion process theory and the Fokker Planck Kolmogorov equation method (FPK) to solve the equation. Furthermore, a wind tunnel test is carried out to obtain the displacement time history data of the test model under wind load, and the statistical characteristics of the displacement time history of the prototype model are obtained by similarity theory and probability statistics method. Finally, the rationality of the theoretical model is verified by comparing the experimental model with the theoretical model. The results show that the theoretical model agrees with the experimental model, and the random vibration response can be effectively reduced by increasing the initial pretension force and the rise-span ratio within a certain range. The research methods can provide a theoretical reference for the random vibration of the membrane structure, and also be the foundation of structural reliability of membrane structure based on wind-induced response.

• BMB Reports
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• 제38권4호
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• pp.468-473
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• 2005

The energetics of nitrate uptake by intact cells of the halotolerant cyanobacterium Aphanothece halophytica were investigated. Nitrate uptake was inhibited by various protonophores suggesting the coupling of nitrate uptake to the proton motive force. An artificially-generated pH gradient across the membrane (${\Delta}pH$) caused an increase of nitrate uptake. In contrast, the suppression of ${\Delta}pH$ resulted in a decrease of nitrate uptake. The increase of external pH also resulted in an enhancement of nitrate uptake. The generation of the electrical potential across the membrane ($\Delta\psi$) resulted in no elevation of the rate of nitrate uptake. On the other hand, the valinomycin-mediated dissipation of $\Delta\psi$ caused no depression of the rate of nitrate uptake. Thus, it is unlikely that $\Delta\psi$ participated in the energization of the uptake of nitrate. However, $Na^+$-gradient across the membrane was suggested to play a role in nitrate uptake since monensin which collapses $Na^+$-gradient strongly inhibited nitrate uptake. Exogenously added glucose and lactate stimulated nitrate uptake in the starved cells. N, N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide, an inhibitor of ATPase, could also inhibit nitrate uptake suggesting that ATP hydrolysis was required for nitrate uptake. All these results indicate that nitrate uptake in A. halophytica is ATP-dependent, driven by ${\Delta}pH$ and $Na^+$-gradient.

• 한국정밀공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국정밀공학회 2002년도 추계학술대회 논문집
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• pp.1029-1032
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• 2002

This paper describes a design of a tactile sensor, which can measure three components force and temperature due to thermal conductive. The bio-mimetic tactile sensor, alternative to human's finger, is comprised of four micro force sensors and four thermal sensors, and its size being 10mm$\times$10mm. Each micro force sensor has a square membrane, and its force range is 0.1N - 5N in the three-axis directions. On the other hand, the thermal sensor for temperature measurement has a heater and four temperature sensor elements. The thermal sensor is designed to keep the temperature. $36.5^{\circ}C$, constant, like human skin, and measure the temperature $0^{\circ}C$ to $50^{\circ}C$. The MEMS technology is applied to fabricate the sensing element of the tactile sensor.

• 폴리머
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• 제38권3호
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• pp.351-357
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• 2014

위장관 종양 조직이 스텐트 내로 성장하는 것을 방지하는 피막형 스텐트가 개발되어 널리 사용되고 있으나 위산에 의한 막의 분해로 인해 스텐트 폐쇄나 파손이 있다. 이에 본 연구에서는 위산 환경하에서 막의 성분과 재질 농도에 따른 피막형 스텐트의 물성 변화와 안정성을 살펴보고자 하였다. 스텐트 막의 재질은 실리콘과 폴리우레탄을 사용하였고, 각각의 농도를 15%, 18%, 20%로 하여 제작된 스텐트를 pH 1.2 산성 용액에서 18주 동안 3주 간격으로 변화를 관찰하였다. 피막을 분석한 결과 동일 농도에서 비교하였을 때 실리콘이 폴리우레탄보다 두껍고 균일하게 코팅되었다. 인공 위액에 의한 폴리우레탄 피막의 분해가 실리콘 피막에 비해 심하였다. 반경 방향 팽창력의 크기는 실리콘 피막이 폴리우레탄 피막에 비해 상대적으로 컸다. 반경 방향 팽창력과 변형 회복력 모두 인공 위액에서의 침잠 기간이 경과함에 따라 점차 감소하였고, 폴리우레탄 피막 스텐트에서 감소율이 더 컸다. 결론적으로 실리콘 피막이 폴리우레탄에 비해 위산에 대해 안정성이 높음을 알 수 있었다.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제37권4호
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• pp.401-413
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• 2011

The aerodynamic stability of orthotropic tensioned membrane structures with rectangular plane is theoretically studied under the uniform ideal potential flow. The aerodynamic force acting on the membrane surface is determined by the potential flow theory in fluid mechanics and the thin airfoil theory in aerodynamics. Then, based on the large amplitude theory and the D'Alembert's principle, the interaction governing equation of wind-structure is established. Under the circumstances of single mode response, the Bubnov-Galerkin approximate method is applied to transform the complicated interaction equation into a system of second order nonlinear differential equation with constant coefficients. Through judging the stability of the system characteristic equation, the critical divergence instability wind velocity is determined. Finally, from different parametric analysis, we can conclude that it has positive significance to consider the characteristics of orthotropic and large amplitude for preventing the instability destruction of structures.