• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.373-382
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• 2003

Magnesium ion ($Mg^{2+}$) is a vasodilator, but little is known about its mechanism of action on vascular system. In vitro, extracellular magnesium sulfate ($MgSO_4$) produced relaxation in phenylephrine (PE) or high KCl-precontracted isolated rat thorocic aorta with (+E) or without (-E) endothelium in a concentration-dependent manner. The $MgSO_4$-induced relaxations were not affected by removal of the endothelium. Pretreatment of +E or -E aortic rings with nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitors ($20{\mu}M$ L-NNA, $100{\mu}M$ L-NAME, $1{\mu}M$ dexamethasone and $400{\mu}M$ aminoguanidine), cyclooxygenase inhibitor ($10{\mu}M$ indomethacin), guanylate cyclase inhibitors ($10{\mu}M$ ODQ and $30{\mu}M$ methylene blue) and $Ca^{2+}$ transport blocker ($10{\mu}M$ ryanodine) did not affect the relaxant effects of $MgSO_4$. $Ca^{2+}$ channel blockers ($0.3{\mu}M$ nifedipine and $0.5{\mu}M$ veropamil) completely decreased the relaxant effects of $MgSO_4$ in +E and -E aortic rings. However, in $Ca^{2+}$-free medium, $MgSO_4$-induced vasorelaxation was potentiated and this response was inhibited by nifedipine. Protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors ($1.0{\mu}M$ staurosporine, $0.5{\mu}M$ tamoxifen and $0.1{\mu}M$ H7) or PLC inhibitor ($100{\mu}M$ NCDC) markedly decreased the relaxant effects of $MgSO_4$ in +E and -E aortic rings. In vivo, infusion of $MgSO_4$ elicited significant decreases in arterial blood pressure. After intravenous injection of nifedipine ($150{\mu}g/kg$) and NCDC (3 mg/kg), infusion of $MgSO_4$ inhibited the $MgSO_4$-lowered blood pressure markedly. However, after introvenous injection of saponin (15 mg/kg), L-NNA (3 mg/kg), L-NAME (5 mg/kg), indomethacin (2 mg/kg), methylene blue (15 mg/kg) and aminoguanidine (10 mg/kg) failed to inhibit it. These results suggest that endothelial NQ-cGMP or prostaglandin pathway is not involved in vasorelaxant or hypotensive action of $Mg^{2+}$ and that these effects are due to the inhibitory action of $Mg^{2+}$ on the $Ca^{2+}$ channel or PLC-PKC pathway, and are due to the competitive influx of $Mg^{2+}$ and $Ca^{2+}$ through the $Ca^{2+}$ channel.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.330-336
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• 2015

Photocatalytic degradation of bisphenol A (BPA) in aqueous solution was investigated using $TiO_2$ nanoparticles (Degussa P25) in this study. After a 3 hr photocatalytic reaction (${\lambda}=365nm$ and $I=3mW\;cm^{-2}$, $[TiO_2]=2.0g\;L^{-1}$), 98% of BPA ($1.0{\times}10^{-5}M$) was degraded and 89% of the total organic carbon was removed. In addition, BPA degradation by photolytic, hydrolytic and adsorption reactions was found to be 2%, 5% and 13%, respectively. The reaction rate of BPA degradation by photocatalysis decreased with increasing concentration of methanol that is used as a hydroxyl radical scavenger. This indicates that the reaction between BPA and hydroxyl radical was the key mechanism of BPA degradation. The pseudo-first-order reaction rate constant for this reaction was determined to be $7.94{\times}10^{-4}min^{-1}$, and the time for 90% BPA removal was found to be 25 min. In addition, acute toxicity testing using Daphnia magna neonates (< 24 h old) was carried out to evaluate the reduction of BPA toxicity. Acute toxicity (48 hr) to D. magna was decreased from 2.93 TU (toxic unit) to non-toxic after photocatalytic degradation of BPA for 3 hr. This suggests that there was no formation of toxic degradation products from BPA photocatalysis.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.689-698
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• 2013

The production and characterization of an active recombinant N-acetylgalactosamine-6-sulfate sulfatase (GALNS) in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) has been previously reported. In this study, the effect of the signal peptide (SP), inducer concentration, process scale, and operational mode (batch and semi-continuous) on GALNS production were evaluated. When native SP was presented, higher enzyme activity levels were observed in both soluble and inclusion bodies fractions, and its removal had a significant impact on enzyme activation. At shake scale, the optimal IPTG concentrations were 0.5 and 1.5 mM for the strains with and without SP, respectively, whereas at bench scale, the highest enzyme activities were observed with 1.5 mM IPTG for both strains. Noteworthy, enzyme activity in the culture media was only detected when SP was presented and the culture was carried out under semi-continuous mode. We showed for the first time that the mechanism that in prokaryotes recognizes the SP to mediate sulfatase activation can also recognize a eukaryotic SP, favoring the activation of the enzyme, and could also favor the secretion of the recombinant protein. These results offer significant information for scaling-up the production of human sulfatases in E. coli.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.73-80
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• 2015

An investigation on the removals of tetracycline (TTC), which is a family of antibiotics widely founded in the environment, from the aqueous solution by birnessite(${\delta}-MnO_2$)-mediated oxidative transformation was described. This study also examined the potential effect of the naturally occurring substances, humic acid (HA) on the oxidative transformation. The experiment was carried out in various conditions (reaction time, Mn oxide loadings, pH) and in the presence of HA as a batch test. The removals of TTC followed pseudo-first order reactions, and rate constants (k, $hr^{-1}$) for the removals of TTC were constantly increased with decreasing pH from 0.98 (pH 9) to 2.97 (pH 3). The rate constants also increased about 1.3 times when the birnessite loading increased from 1 to 2 g/L. Presence of HA (5 mg-C/L, at $pH{\geq}6$) caused some enhancement in the removals of TTC as compared to the control, and also showed the removal efficiencies of TTC in the birnessite mediated systems (TTC=0.25 mM, ${\delta}-MnO_2=2.0g/L$, pH 6) increased with increasing HA concentrations (1~10 mg-C/L). The results obtained from the oxidative transformation of TTC and the effect of HA were discussed in terms of reaction characteristics and mechanism.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.339-344
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• 2011

Ulmus davidiana var. japonica Rehder (Urticales: Ulmaceae) (UD) is a tree widespread in northeast Asia. It is traditionally used for anticancer and anti-inflammatory therapy. The present study investigated the effect of an ethanol extract of UD on vascular tension and its underlying mechanism in rats. The dried root bark of UD was ground and extracted with 80% ethanol. The prepared UD extract was used in further analysis. The effect of UD on the cell viability, vasoreactivity and hemodynamics were investigated using propidium iodide staining in cultured cells, isometric tension recording and blood pressure analysis, respectively. Low dose of UD ($10{\sim}100{\mu}g/ml)$ did not affect endothelial cell viability, but high dose of UD reduced cell viability. UD induced vasorelaxation in the range of $0.1{\sim}10{\mu}g/ml$ with an $ED_{50}$ value of $2{\mu}g/ml$. UD-induced vasorelaxation was completely abolished by removal of the endothelium or by pre-treatment with L-NAME, an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase. UD inhibited calcium influx induced by phenylephrine and high $K^+$ and also completely abolished the effect of L-NAME. Intravenous injection of UD extracts (10~100 mg/kg) decreased arterial and ventricular pressure in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, UD extracts reduced the ventricular contractility (+dP/dt) in anesthetized rats. However, UD-induced hypotensive actions were minimized in L-NAME-treated rats. Taken together, out results showed that UD induced vasorelaxation and has antihypertensive properties, which may be due the activation of nitric oxide synthase in endothelium.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.145-145
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• 2008

High-k materials have been paid much more attention for their characteristics with high permittivity to reduce the leakage current through the scaled gate oxide. Among the high-k materials, $ZrO_2$ is one of the most attractive ones combing such favorable properties as a high dielectric constant (k= 20 ~ 25), wide band gap (5 ~ 7 eV) as well as a close thermal expansion coefficient with Si that results in good thermal stability of the $ZrO_2$/Si structure. During the etching process, plasma etching has been widely used to define fine-line patterns, selectively remove materials over topography, planarize surfaces, and trip photoresist. About the high-k materials etching, the relation between the etch characteristics of high-k dielectric materials and plasma properties is required to be studied more to match standard processing procedure with low damaged removal process. Among several etching techniques, we chose the inductively coupled plasma (ICP) for high-density plasma, easy control of ion energy and flux, low ownership and simple structure. And the $BCl_3$ was included in the gas due to the effective extraction of oxygen in the form of $BCl_xO_y$ compounds. During the etching process, the wafer surface temperature is an important parameter, until now, there is less study on temperature parameter. In this study, the etch mechanism of $ZrO_2$ thin film was investigated in function of $Cl_2$ addition to $BCl_3$/Ar gas mixture ratio, RF power and DC-bias power based on substrate temperature increased from $10^{\circ}C$ to $80^{\circ}C$. The variations of relative volume densities for the particles were measured with optical emission spectroscopy (OES). The surface imagination was measured by scanning emission spectroscope (SEM). The chemical state of film was investigated using energy dispersive X-ray (EDX).

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.372-380
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• 2004

Cleidocranial dysplasia(CCD) is a congenital disorder of skeletal and dental abnormality, which is mesodermal dysfunction influencing many tissues and organs. Skeletal abnormalities in CCD are delayed closure of cranial suture and fontanelle, presence of wormian bone and clavicle aplasia. And CCD has an effect on the long bones, phalanges, spine, pelvis, muscles, and central nervous system. Dental manifestations include retention of deciduous teeth, multiple supernumerary teeth, delayed or absent eruption of permanent teeth and formation of cysts around nonerupted teeth. But as a result in common with a lack of medical and physical disability patient may have no substantive complaint, there are many masticatory and psychological problem by absent eruption of permanent teeth after exfoliation of deciduous teeth. For this reason CCD is necessary fo early diagnosis and must be improvement of the patient's appearance as well as provision of a functioning masticatory mechanism by treatment of surgical removal of supernumerary teeth, followed orthodontically eruption of the natural permanent teeth at adequate time.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.456-463
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• 2009

Cleidocranial dysplasia(CCD) is a congenital disorder of skeletal and dental abnormality, which is a mesodermal dysfunction influencing many tisssues and organs. Skeletal abnormalities in CCD are delayed closure of cranial suture and fontanelle, presence of wormian bone and clavicle aplasia. CCD also has an effect on long bones, phalanges, spine, pelvis, muscles, and central nervous system. Dental manifestations include retention of deciduous teeth, multiple supernumerary teeth, delayed eruption or impaction of permanent teeth and formation of cysts around nonerupted teeth. However, due to lack of any substansive medical or physical disability, diagnosis is often late, thereby causing masticatory and psychological problems caused by delayed eruption of permanent teeth after exfoliation of deciduous teeth. For this reason, CCD requires early diagnosis, and the patient's appearance must be improved. Also, provision for a functional masticatiory mechanism by treatment of surgical removal of supernumerary teeth followed by orthodontic eruption of the natural permanent teeth at an adequate time is necessary.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.84 no.2
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• pp.198-206
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• 1995

The objective of this study was to determine the rate of nitrogen mineralization at clearcut and uncut in oak(Quercus rubra L.) and pine(Pinus resinosa Ait.) stands. The study sites were located in northern Lower Michigan, U.S.A. Nitrogen mineralization rates in the top 15cm of mineral soil were examined during the 1991 and 1992 growing seasons(May-October) using an in situ buried tag technique. diet nitrogen mineralization in oak stands over the course of both growing seasons was 67kg/ha in the clearcut and 30kg/ha in the uncut stands. In contrast, net nitrogen mineralization in pine stands was 27kg/ha and 13kg/ha for the same treatments. Total net nitrogen mineralization rates were always higher in oak stands than in pine stands. Extractable $NO_3^-$ before and after one month soil incubation in both oak and pine stands was generally not detectable in the uncut stands, but in the pine clearcut treatment(nitrification over the course of both growing seasons : 3.3kg/ha). The results indicated that : 1) substantial increases in the amount of available soil nitrogen occurred following clearcuts in both stands : and 2) the loin rates of nitrification may be an important mechanism for retention of nitrogen in both oak and pine stands.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.483-488
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• 1998

We previously found that a potent gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist, buserelin, decreases GnRH promoter activity together with GnRH mRNA level, providing evidence for an autoregulatory mechanism operating at the level of GnRH gene transcription in immortalized GT1-1 neuronal cells. To examine whether agonist-induced decrease in GnRH mRNA level requires the continuous presence of buserelin, we performed a pulse-chase experiment of buserelin treatment. Short-term exposure (15 min) of GT1-1 neuronal cells to buserelin ($10{\mu}M$) was able to decrease GnRH mRNA levels when determined 24 h later. When GT1-1 cells were treated with buserelin ( $10{\mu}M$) for 30 min and then incubated for 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, and 48 h after buserelin removal, a significant decrease in GnRH mRNA levels was observed after the 12 h incubation period. These data indicate that inhibitory signaling upon buserelin treatment may occur rapidly, but requires a long time (at least 12 h) to significantly decrease the GnRH mRNA level. To examine the possible involvement of de novo synthesis and/or mRNA stability in buserelin-induced decrease in GnRH gene expression, actinomycin D ($5{\mu}m/ml$), a potent RNA synthesis blocker, was co-treated with buserelin. Actinomycin D alone failed to alter basal GnRH mRNA Revel, but blocked the buserelin-induced decrease in GnRH mRNA level at 12 h of post-treatment. These data suggest that buserelin may exert its inhibitory action by altering the stability of GnRH mRNA. Moreover, a polvsomal RNA separation by sucrose gradient centrifugation demonstrated that buserelin decreased the translational efficiency of the transcribed GnRH mRNA. Taken together, these results clearly indicate that GnRH agonist buserelin acts as an inhibitory signal at multiple levels such as transcription mRNA stability, and translation.