• BMB Reports
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.825-831
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• 2007

Tumor cell invasion and metastasis are often associated with matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), among which MMP-2 and MMP-9 are of central importance. We previously showed that H-Ras, but not N-Ras, induced invasion of MCF10A human breast epithelial cells in which the enhanced expression of MMP-2 was involved. MMP-2 is produced as a latent pro-MMP-2 (72 kDa) to be activated resulting the 62 kDa active MMP-2. The present study investigated if H-Ras and/or N-Ras induces pro-MMP-2 activation of MCF10A cells when cultured in two-dimensional gel of type I collagen. Type I collagen induced activation of pro-MMP-2 only in H-Ras MCF10A cells but not in N-Ras MCF10A cells. Induction of active MMP-2 by type I collagen was suppressed by blocking integrin ${\alpha}2$, indicating the involvement of integrin signaling in pro-MMP-2 activation. Membrane-type (MT)1-MMP and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-2 were up-regulated by H-Ras but not by N-Ras in the type I collagen-coated gel, suggesting that H-Ras-specific up-regulation of MT1-MMP and TIMP-2 may lead to the activation of pro-MMP-2. Since acquisition of pro-MMP-2 activation can be associated with increased malignant progression, these results may help understanding the mechanisms for the cell surface matrix-degrading potential which will be crucial to the prognosis and therapy of breast cancer metastasis.

• BMB Reports
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.219-224
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• 2001

To identify the antioxidative peptides in the gelatin hydrolysate of bovine skin, the gelatin was hydrolyzed with serial digestions in the order of Alcalase, pronase E, and collagenase using a three-step recycling membrane reactor. The second enzymatic hydrolysate (hydrolyzed with pronase E) was composed of peptides ranging from 1.5 to 4.5 kDa, and showed the highest antioxidative activity, as determined by the thiobarbituric acid method. Three different peptides were purified from the second hydrolysate using consecutive chromatographic methods. This included gel filtration on a Sephadex G-25 column, ion-exchange chromatography on a SP-Sephadex C-25 column, and high-performance liquid chromatography on an octadecylsilane chloride column. The isolated peptides were composed of 9 or 10 amino acid residues. They are: Gly-Glu-Hyp-Gly-Pro-Hyp-Gly-Ala-Hyp (PI), Gly-ProHyp-Gly-Pro-Hyp-Gly-Pro-Hyp-Gly (PII), and Gly-ProHyp-Gly-Pro-Hyp-Gly-Pro-Hyp (PIII), as characterized by Edman degradation and fast-atom bombardment mass spectrometry. The antioxidative activities of the purified peptides were measured using the thiobarbituric acid method, and the cell viability with a methylthiazol tetrazolium assay The results showed that PII had potent antioxidative activity on peroxidation of linoleic acid. Moreover, the cell viability of cultured liver cells was significantly enhanced by the addition of the peptide. These results suggest that the purified peptide, PII, from the gelatin hydrolysate of bovine skin is a natural antioxidant, which has potent antioxidative activity.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.125.2-126
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• 2003

Human tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFa) is a key pro-inflammatory cytokine produced by activated monocytes and macrophage as a part of the self-defence machinery. TNF-a converting enzyme (TACE) is the metalloproteinase that processes the membrane bound precursor of TNFa to the soluble component. (omitted)

• The KSFM Journal of Fluid Machinery
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.61-65
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• 2013

Water is an integral part of energy production because it is used directly in many power generation systems such as hydroelectric power plants and thermoelectric power plants. Water is also used extensively in energy-resource extraction, oil, natural gas, and alternative fuels refining and processing. Recently, osmotic power systems using seawater and freshwater has been also investigated to produce electricity in a sustainable way. This study focused on the use of RO and PRO for the mutual conversion of water and energy. This system allows the production of water from seawater if there is not enough water. It can also generate electricity from salinity gradient of brine water and fresh water if there is not enough energy. To demonstrate the feasibility of this technology, a set of laboratory-scale experiments were carried out using a specially-designed RO/PRO system. The efficiency of energy conversion was theoretically estimated based on the results from the experiments. The results indicated that water and energy could be easily converted using a single device. Nevertheless, a lack of optimum membrane for this purpose was identified as a major barrier for practical application.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.20 no.9
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• pp.1078-1084
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• 1999

A synthetic cecropin A(1-13)-melittin(1-13) [CA-ME] hybrid peptide was known to be an antimicrobial peptide having strong antibacterial, antifungal and antitumor activity with minimal cytotoxic effect against human erythrocyte. Analogues were synthesized to investigate the influences of the flexible hinge region of CA-ME on the antibiotic activity. Antibiotic activity of the peptides was measured by the growth inhibition against bac-terial, fungal and tumor cells and vesicle-aggregating or disrupting activity. The deletion of Gln-Gly-Ile (P1) or Gly-Gln-Gly-Ile-Gly (P3) from CA-ME brought about a significant decrease on the antibiotic activities. In contrast, Gly-Ile-Gly deletion (P2) from CA-ME or Pro insertion (P5) instead of Gly-Gln-Gly-Ile-Gly of CA-ME retained antibiotic activity. This result indicated that the flexible hinge or β-bend structure provided by Gly-Gln-Gly-Ile-Gly, Gln-Gly, or Pro in the central region of the peptides is requisite for its effective antibiotic activity and may facilitate easily the hydrophobic C-terminal region of the peptide to penetrate the lipid bilayers of the target cell membrane. In contrast, P4 and P6 with Gly-Gln-Gly-Pro-Gly or Gly-Gln-Pro in the central region of the peptide caused a drastic reduction on the antibiotic activities. This result suggested that the con-secutive β-bend structure provided by Gly-Gln-Gly-Pro-Gly or Gly-Gln-Pro in the central hinge region of the peptide seems to interrupt the ion channel/pore formation on the target cell membranes.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.50-54
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• 1999

Feasibility study of the application of a developed annealed austenitic stainless steel at cryogenic temperature has been performed for membrane tank of LNG ship. Chemical properties of developed stainless steel are compared with a domestic commercial stainless steel and a foreign stainless steel which are used for LNG ships. Tensile properties at cryogenic temperature and fatigue strength at room temperature are measured for but and lap joints which are TIG welded specimens. Developed stainless steel having a small amount of titanium component shows the finest grain size in the HAZ, compared with the other stainless steel studied. Tensile strength, elongation and fatigue strength of the developed stainless steel are equal to those of the foreign stainless steel studied and are higher than the domestic commercial stainless steel studied.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.11 no.10
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• pp.815-819
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• 1998

The silicon-nirtide membrane structure for IR sensor was fabricated through the etching and the direct bonding. The PRO($PbTiO_3$ ) layer for a IR detection was coated on the membrane and its characteristics were measured. The a attack of PTO layer during the etching of silicon wafer as well as the thermal isolation of the IR detection layer were eliminated through the method of bonding/etching of silicon wafer. The surface roughness of the membrane was measured by AFM, the micro voids and the non-contacted area were inspected by the PTO layer were measured, too.

• BMB Reports
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.541-547
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• 2000

Fluorescence polarization of 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH) was used to evaluate the effects of chlorpromazine HCl on the range of the rotational mobility of bulk bilayer structure of the synaptosomal plasma membrane vesicles (SPMV) isolated from a bovine brain. In a dose-dependent manner, chlorpromazine HCl increased the anisotropy (r), limiting anisotropy ($r_{\infty}$) and order parameter (S) of DPH in the membranes. Cationic 1-[4-(trimethylammonio)-phenyl]-6-phenylhexa-1,3,5-hexatriene (TMA-DPH) and anionic 3-[p-(6-phenyl)-1,3,5-hexatrienyl]-phenylpropionic acid (PRO-DPH) were utilized to examine the range of transbilayer asymmetric rotational mobility of the neuronal membranes. The anisotropy (r) of TMA-DPH in the inner monolayer was 0.034 greater than the value of PRO-DPH in the outer monolayer of the membranes. Both cationic TMA-DPH and anionic PRO-DPH were also used to examine the transbilayer asymmetric effects of chlorpromazine HCl on the range of rotational mobility of the membranes. Chlorpromazine HCl have a decreasing effects on the rotational mobility of the bulk bilayer structures and have a greater decreasing effect on the mobility of the inner monolayer as compared to the outer monolayer of the membranes. It has been proven that chlorpromazine HCl exhibit a selective rather than nonselective fluidizing effect within the transbilayer domains of the SPMV.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.90-96
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• 2024

In this paper, a new technology to obtain electronic grade, highly pure carbon dioxide by using membrane and liquefied natural gas (LNG) cold heat assisted cryogenic distillation has been proposed. PRO/II with PROVISION release 2023.1 from AVEVA company was used, and Peng-Robinson equation of the state model with Twu's alpha function to predict pure component vapor pressure versus temperature more accurately was selected for the modeling of the membrane and cryogenic distillation process. Advantage of using membrane separation instead of selecting absorber-stripper configuration for the concentration of carbon dioxide was the reduction of carbon dioxide capture cost.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.33 no.9
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• pp.1411-1420
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• 2020

Objective: The aim of study was to investigate the effects of season and single layer centrifugation (SLC) before cryopreservation on post-thaw bull sperm quality in Thailand. Methods: Semen was collected from 6 bulls (Bos indicus) in summer, rainy season and winter 2014 through 2016. Semen characteristics, sperm morphology, sperm kinematics, viability, chromatin structure and mitochondrial membrane were evaluated. Meteorological data were available from the local meteorological station; Results: Season had an effect on semen characteristics in the raw ejaculate, with higher proportions of normal spermatozoa and lower abnormalities in winter than in the other two seasons. Sperm kinematics, viability, DNA fragmentation index, and mitochondrial membrane potential were not different between seasons. Sperm samples selected by SLC had greater normal morphology and a lower proportion with bent tails than controls and higher values of progressive motility (PRO), beat cross frequency, linearity, straightness, wobble (WOB), and lower values of slow motility, velocity average path (VAP), velocity curved line, and amplitude of lateral head displacement than controls. In addition, SLC-selection had a favorable effect on PRO, VAP, and WOB that differed among seasons. Conclusion: Our results suggested that these bulls were well adapted to their location, with season having an effect on sperm morphology. Moreover, SLC could be used prior to cryopreservation, regardless of season, to enhance normal morphology and kinematics of bull sperm samples without adversely affecting other parameters of sperm quality. However, there was considerable variation among bulls in DNA fragmentation index, mitochondrial membrane potential and sperm viability. In addition, SLC had a positive effect on sperm morphology and sperm kinematics, which could be expected to influence fertility.