• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.247-254
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• 1997

The proteinase-activated receptor (PAR-2) belongs to the family of seven transmembrane region receptors, like the thrombin receptor, it is activated by specific proteolytic clea vage of its extracellular amino terminus and a synthetic peptide (SLIGRL). The earthworm protein fraction (EPF) extracted from Lumbricus rubellus elicted dose- and endothelium-dependent relaxations in phenylephrine-contracted rat thoracic aorta, whereas heat inactivated EPF (0.5 ${\mu}g$ /ml) had no effect. In the presence of the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor NG-methyl-L-arginine (1.8 micro M), EPF (0.5 ${\mu}g$ /ml)-induced relaxations were partially inhibited. Furthermore, EPF (0.5 ${\mu}g$ /ml) dramatically caused relaxation of thrombin-desenstized rat thoracic aorta. These results indicate that EPF activates PAR-2 in vascular endothelial cell. Intravenous injection of EPF (20 mg/kg, bolus) into anesthetized rats produced a marked depressor response. EPF (0 ~ 80 ${\mu}g$ /ml, gradient) was very effective on increasing of perfusion volume in rabbit ear vessel preparations. These results imply the usefulness of EPF as a vascular smooth muscle relaxant and indicate that the activation of PAR-2 may be a mechanism of EPF on hemokinetic improvement.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.149-155
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• 2003

The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of platycodin D and $D_3$, which are active components derived from the roots of Platycodon grandiflorum A. DC., on the contractile force of the i3olated rat aorta and blood pressure of the anesthetized rat, and also to elucidate its mechanism of action. Both phenylephrine (an adrenergic ${\alpha}1$-receptor agonist) and high potassium (a membranedepolarizing agent) caused great contractile responses in the isolated aortic strips. Platycodin D at high concentration $(24{\mu}g/ml)$ inhibited contractile responses induced by phenylephrine $(10^{-5}\;M)$ and high potassium $(5.6{\times}10^{-2}\;M)$, while low concentrations of platycodin D $(4{\sim}8{\mu}g/ml$) did not affect those responses. However, platycodin $D_3\;(8{\sim}32{\mu}g/ml)$ did not alter the contractile responses evoked by phenylephrine and high $K^+$. Interestingly, the infusion of platycodin $D_3$ (1.0 mg/kg/30 min) significantly reduced the pressor responses induced by intravenous norepinephrine. However, platycodin $D_3$ (1.0 mg/kg/30 min) did not affect them. Taken together, these results show that intravenously administered platycodin D depresses norepinephrine-induced pressor responses in the anesthetized rat, at least partly through the blockade of adrenergic ${\alpha}1$-receptors. Platycodin D also caused vascular relaxation in the isolated aortic strips of the rat via the blockade of adrenergic ${\alpha}1$-receptors, in addition to an unknown direct mechanism. However, platycodin $D_3$ did not affect both norepinephrine-induced pressor responses and the isolated rat aortic contractile responses evoked by phenylephrine and high potassium. Based on these results, there seems to be much difference in the mode of action between platycodin D and platycodin $D_3$.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.216-225
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• 2014

The present study was designed to investigate whether ethylacetate (EtOAc) fraction extracted from Rubus coreanum affect the contractility of the isolated thoracic aortic strips and blood pressure of normotensive rats. The EtOAc fraction ($400{\mu}g/mL$) significantly depressed both phenylephrine (PE, $10{\mu}M$)- and high $K^+$ (56 mM)-induced contractile responses of the isolated thoracic aortic strips in a concentration-dependent fashion. In the simultaneous presence of L-NAME (an inhibitor of NO synthase, $300{\mu}M$) and EtOAc ($400{\mu}g/mL$), both PE- and high $K^+$-induced contractile responses were recovered to the corresponding control level in comparison with inhibition of EtOAc-treatment alone. Moreover, in the simultaneous presence of EtOAc after pretreatment with 0.4% CHAPS, both PE- and high $K^+$-induced contractile responses were recovered to the corresponding control level compared to the inhibitory response of EtOAc-treatment alone. Also, in anesthetized rats, EtOAc fraction (0.3~3.0 mg/kg) injected into a femoral vein dose-dependently produced depressor responses. This hypotensive action of EtOAc fraction was greatly inhibited after treatment with phentolamine (1 mg/kg), chlorisondamine (1 mg/kg), L-NAME (3 mg/kg/30 min) or sodium nitroprusside ($30{\mu}g/kg/30 min$). Intravenous infusion of EtOAc fraction (1.0~10.0 mg/kg/30 min) markedly inhibited norepinehrine-induced pressor responses. Taken together, these results demostrate that EtOAc causes vascular relaxation in the isolated rat thoracic aortic strips as well as hypotensive action in anesthetized rats. These vasorelaxation and hypotension of EtOAc seem to be mediated at least by the increased NO production through the activation of NO synthase of vascular endothelium, and the inhibitory adrenergic modulation.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.191-198
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• 1999

Biofeedback training is one of physiological self control methods for patients who has psychological problem and rehabilitational problem. It has been used to control blood pressure, heart rate, peripheral temperature, respiration, electromyography (ENG), and other biological signals-ENG, respiration, heat rate, peripheral temperature, skin conductance level-was developed in house. We applied this system to alcohol dependent patients to perform biofeedback training. In this experiment, the relaxation biofeedback training for alcohol dependent patient was carried out and the tension state for the change of biological signals were estimated using the fuzzy theory after relaxation biofeenback training. Eight alcohol dependent patients were agreed to participate in this experiment. Result showed that 1) the tension degree of patients were higher than the tension degree of normal subject. 2) The tension degree of patients were decreased as the training numbers were increased.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.282-289
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• 2004

We have extensively characterized the fluorescence behavior of unsaturated polyester (UP) resin in the absence and presence of a 1,3-bis-(l-pyrenyl)propane (BPP) fluorescent probe at various dynamic and isothermal cure histories by means of a steady-state fluorescence technique using a front-face illumination equipment. In addition, we explored the effect of the fluorescence intensity on the relaxation of the fluorescent probe in the UP resin by resting the dynamically and isothermally cured resin at ambient temperature and pressure for 24 h. The monomer fluorescence intensity, which has two characteristic peaks at 376 and 396nm, changed noticeably depending on the cure temperature and time and provided important information with respect to the molecular and photophysical responses upon curing. The result of the fluorescence study indicates that the increased local viscosity and restricted molecular mobility of the UP resin surrounding the BPP probe after curing are both responsible for the enhancement of the monomer fluorescence intensity. Our results also demonstrate that once the BPP probe has enough time to rearrange and become isolated prior to fluorescence, a sufficient amount of fluorescence is emitted. Therefore, we note that the fluorescence behavior of this UP resin system is influenced strongly by the relaxation process of the fluorescent probe in the resin as well as process used to cure the resin.

• Ocean Systems Engineering
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.381-407
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• 2018

This paper presents a hybrid numerical approach, which combines a two-phase Navier-Stokes model (NS) and the fully nonlinear potential theory (FNPT), for modelling wave-structure interaction. The former governs the computational domain near the structure, where the viscous and turbulent effects are significant, and is solved by OpenFOAM/InterDyMFoam which utilising the finite volume method (FVM) with a Volume of Fluid (VOF) for the phase identification. The latter covers the rest of the domain, where the fluid may be considered as incompressible, inviscid and irrotational, and solved by using the Quasi Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian finite element method (QALE-FEM). These two models are weakly coupled using a zonal (spatially hierarchical) approach. Considering the inconsistence of the solutions at the boundaries between two different sub-domains governed by two fundamentally different models, a relaxation (transitional) zone is introduced, where the velocity, pressure and surface elevations are taken as the weighted summation of the solutions by two models. In order to tackle the challenges associated and maximise the computational efficiency, further developments of the QALE-FEM have been made. These include the derivation of an arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian FNPT and application of a robust gradient calculation scheme for estimating the velocity. The present hybrid model is applied to the numerical simulation of a fixed horizontal cylinder subjected to a unidirectional wave with or without following current. The convergence property, the optimisation of the relaxation zone, the accuracy and the computational efficiency are discussed. Although the idea of the weakly coupling using the zonal approach is not new, the present hybrid model is the first one to couple the QALE-FEM with OpenFOAM solver and/or to be applied to numerical simulate the wave-structure interaction with presence of current.

• 한국체육학회지인문사회과학편
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• v.57 no.1
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• pp.59-70
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• 2018

This study is aimed to examine what school sports club activities mean to middle school students. To attain this objective, this study first investigated what kinds of peer culture school sports club activities form, and second, what kind of time school sports club is for the students. For the research method, a qualitative research method was employed combining in-depth interview and participatory observation. The results showed that first, the students were creating the peer culture of games, communication, and relaxation through school sports club activities. Though fighting sometimes, the boy students were really enjoying sports games with their friends according to their own rules. On the other hand, girls were enjoying the relationship with friends, more focusing on communication and relaxation than on playing sports game itself. Second, the students thought of school sports club activities as an exit. Those students who lacked leisure time regarded school sports club activity as a time to play with friends, to escape from the pressure of good grades, and different from physical education.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.411-418
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• 2014

Vascular remodelling is an adaptive mechanism, which counteracts pressure changes in blood circulation. Nicotine content in cigarette increases the risk of hypertension. The exact relationship between nicotine and vascular remodelling still remain unknown. Current study was aimed to determine the effect of clinically relevant dosage of nicotine (equivalent to light smoker) on aortic reactivity, oxidative stress markers and histomorphological changes. Twelve age-matched male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into two groups, i.e.: normal saline as control or 0.6 mg/kg nicotine for 28 days (i.p., n=6 per group). On day-29, the rats were sacrificed and the thoracic aorta was dissected immediately for further studies. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) and pulse pressure (PP) of nicotine-treated vs. control were significantly increased (p<0.05). Nicotine-treated group showed significant (p<0.05) increase tunica media thickness, and decrease in lumen diameter, suggesting vascular remodelling which lead to prior hypertension state. The phenylephrine (PE)-induced contractile response in nicotine group was significantly higher than control group ($ED_{50}=1.44{\times}10^5M$ vs. $4.9{\times}10^6M$) (p<0.05~0.001). However, nicotine-treated rat showed significantly lower endothelium-dependent relaxation response to acetylcholine (ACh) than in control group ($ED_{50}=6.17{\times}10^7M$ vs. $2.82{\times}10^7M$) (p<0.05), indicating loss of primary vascular function. Malondialdehyde (MDA), a lipid peroxidation marker was significantly higher in nicotine group. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzymatic activity and glutathione (GSH) were all reduced in nicotine group (p<0.05) vs. control, suggesting nicotine induces oxidative imbalance. In short, chronic nicotine administration impaired aortic reactivity, probably via redox imbalance and vascular remodelling mechanism.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.1838-1843
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• 2014

Nanoimprint lithography (NIL) fabrication process is regarded as the main alternative to existing expensive photo-lithography in areas such as micro- and nano-electronics including optical components and sensors, as well as the solar cell and display device industries. Functional patterns, including anti-reflective moth-eye pattern, photonic crystal pattern, fabricated by NIL can improve the overall efficiency of such devices. To successfully imprint a nano-sized pattern, the process conditions such as temperature, pressure, and time should be appropriately selected. In this paper, a cavity-filling process of the moth-eye pattern during the thermal-NIL within the temperature range, where the polymer resist shows the viscoelastic behaviors with consideration of stress relaxation effect of the polymer, were investigated with three-dimensional finite element analysis. The effects of initial thickness of polymer resist and imprinting pressure on cavity-filling process has been discussed. From the analysis results it was found that the cavity filling can be completed within 100 s, under the pressure of more than 4 MPa.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.651-657
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• 2003

In order to examine if arsenic, one of environmental stresses, contributes to hypertension as one of cardiovas cular pathological factors, this study was perfarmed in vivo and in vitro, using intacted or pithed rats and aorta ring preparation, respectively. And also the relationship between expression of heat shock protein (HSP) 90 and vasoactives-induced contractile response was elucidated. To measure blood pressure, the carotid arterial pressure was recorded on physiograph(Grass Co. 79E) connected to strain gauge. On the other hand, contractile response of vascular ring preparation isolated from rat was determined in organ bath and was recorded on physiograph connected to isometric transducer. And HSP was detacted by Western blotting whole cell Iysis. Preganglionic nerve stimulation was increased by 26.0% in arterial pressure of rat treated with arsenic. Vascular contractile response was monitored and HSP were measured by Western blotting of whole Iysis prepared from samples exposed with 0, 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 mM of arsenic for 8 hours. The dose-vascular responses of potassium chloride were augmented by increasing dose of arsenic in the strips exposed to arsenic for 8 hours, and were not augmented for 1, 3, 5 hours. And the response of relaxation of rat aorta induced by histamine was not influenced by arsenic stress. The increase of HSP 90 expression in rat aorta was pronounced at 8 hours after 4 mM of arsenic treatment, but HSP 60 expression was not. Arsenic stress not only increased the expression of HSP 90 in the rat aorta, but also augmented contractions to potassium chloride. These results indicated that arsenic stress was sufficient to induce heat shock protein 90, resulting in increased vascular contractility in rat aorta.