• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.277-289
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• 2018

The exponential increase in the use of mobile communication has triggered public concerns about the potential adverse effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) emitted by mobile phones on the central nervous system (CNS). In this study, we explored the relationship between calcium channels and apoptosis or autophagy in the hippocampus of C57BL/6 mice after RF-EMF exposure with a specific absorption rate (SAR) of 4.0 W/kg for 4 weeks. Firstly, the expression level of voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs), a key regulator of the entry of calcium ions into the cell, was confirmed by immunoblots. We investigated and confirmed that pan-calcium channel expression in hippocampal neurons were significantly decreased after exposure to RF-EMF. With the observed accumulation of autolysosomes in hippocampal neurons via TEM, the expressions of autophagy-related genes and proteins (e.g., LC3B-II) had significantly increased. However, down-regulation of the apoptotic pathway may contribute to the decrease in calcium channel expression, and thus lower levels of calcium in hippocampal neurons. These results suggested that exposure of RF-EMF could alter intracellular calcium homeostasis by decreasing calcium channel expression in the hippocampus; presumably by activating the autophagy pathway, while inhibiting apoptotic regulation as an adaptation process for 835 MHz RF-EMF exposure.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.555-566
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• 2015

A TRIAC dimming LED driver that can control the brightness of LED arrays for a wide range of source voltage variations is proposed in this paper. Unlike conventional PWM LED drivers, the proposed LED driver adopts a TRIAC switch, which inherently guarantees zero current switching and has been proven to be quite reliable over its long lifetime. Unlike previous TRIAC type LED drivers, the proposed LED driver is composed of an LC input filter and a variable switched capacitance, which is modulated by the TRIAC turn-on timing. Thus, the LED power regulation and dimming control, which are done by a volume resistor in the same way as the conventional TRIAC dimmers, can be simultaneously performed by the TRIAC control circuit. Because the proposed LED driver has high efficiency and a long lifetime with a high power factor (PF) and low total harmonic distortion (THD) characteristics, it is quite adequate for industrial lighting applications such as streets, factories, parking garages, and emergency stairs. A simple step-down capacitive power supply circuit composed of passive components only is also proposed, which is quite useful for providing DC power from an AC source without a bulky and heavy transformer. A prototype 60 W LED driver was implemented by the proposed design procedure and verified by simulation and experimental results, where the efficiency, PF, and THD are 92%, 0.94, and 6.3%, respectively. The LED power variation is well mitigated to below ${\pm}2%$ for 190 V < $V_s$ < 250 V by using the proposed simple control circuit.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.131-138
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• 2011

Redox regulation is one of the ubiquitous mechanisms to modulate ion channels. We here investigated how 5,5'-dithio-bis (2-nitrobenzoic acid), a cysteine specific oxidizing reagent, modulates $Ca_v3.1$ and $Ca_v3.2$ T-type $Ca^{2+}$ channels expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Application of the reagent inhibited $Ca_v3.1$ and $Ca_v3.2$ currents in a dose-dependent manner. The oxidizing reagent (1 mM) reduced the peak amplitude of $Ca_v3.1$ and $Ca_v3.2$ currents by ~50% over 2-3 minutes and the decreased currents were fully recovered upon washout of it. The reagent slowed the activation and inactivation kinetics of $Ca_v3.1$, $Ca_v3.2$, and $Ca_v3.3$ channel currents. Notably, the reagent positively shifted both activation and steady-state inactivation curves of $Ca_v3.1$, while it did not those of $Ca_v3.2$. Utilizing chimeric channels from $Ca_v3.1$ and $Ca_v3.2$, we localized the domains III and IV of $Ca_v3.1$ responsible for the positive shifts of channel activation and steady-state inactivation. These findings provide hints relevant to the electrophysiological and molecular mechanisms accounting for the oxidative regulation of T-type channels.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.115-122
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• 2014

In this paper, reliability is secured by sensing a post-program resistance of several tens of kilo ohms and restricting a read current flowing over an unblown eFuse within $100{\mu}A$ since RWL driver and BL pull-up load circuits using a regulated voltage of V2V ($=2V{\pm}10%$) are proposed to have a wide operating voltage range for eFuse OTP memory. Also, when a comparison of a cell array of 1 row ${\times}$ 32 columns with that of 4 rows ${\times}$ 8 columns is done, the layout size of 4 rows ${\times}$ 8 columns is smaller with $187.065{\mu}m{\times}94.525{\mu}m$ ($=0.01768mm^2$) than that of 1 row ${\times}$ 32 columns with $735.96{\mu}m{\times}61.605{\mu}m$ ($=0.04534mm^2$).

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.31-36
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• 2009

The purpose of this study is to measure the tube voltage, the tube current/volume, exposure time and exposure dose of diagnostic X-ray unit in each doctor offices, hospitals and general hospitals for evaluating the performance of such device, to learn the method and technology of its measurement and to suggest its importance. Research subjects were total 30 X-ray units and divided into groups of 10 X-ray units each. The tube voltage, the tube current/volume, exposure time and exposure dose were measured using percentage average error, and then reproducibility of exposure dose was measured through calculating coefficient of variation. The results are like followings; The tube voltage correctness examination showed that incongruent devices among total 30 X-ray units were 5 devices (16.7%). The tube current correctness examination showed that incongruent X-ray units were 3 devices (10.0%). The tube current volume correctness examination showed that incongruent X-ray units were 4 devices (13.3%). Finally, according to exposure time correctness examination, incongruent X-ray units were 5 devices (16.7%) and according to reproducibility examination of exposure dose, incongruent X-ray units were 7 devices (23.3%). Above results showed serious problem in performance management based on management regulation of diagnostic X-ray unit; it means that regular checkout and safety management are required, and as doing so, patients will be able to receive good quality of medical service by the reduction of radiation exposure time, image quality administration, unnecessary retake and etc. Therefore, this study suggests that the performance of diagnostic X-ray units should be checked regularly.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.817-825
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• 2017

The AC-common bus microgrid system can overcome several weaknesses of the DC microgrid system by interconnecting the DC/AC inverters used for renewable energy with an AC network. Nevertheless, the unbalanced loads inherent in the electric power systems of island and small communities can deteriorate the performance of the AC microgrid system. This is because of the limited voltage regulation capability and mixed power flow in the voltage source inverter. In order to overcome the unbalanced load condition, this paper proposes a voltage and current control algorithm for the 4-leg inverter based on the single phase d-q control method, as well as the modeling of the voltage controller using Matlab/Simulink S/W. From the S/W simulation and experiment of the 250KW proto-type inverter, it is confirmed that the proposed algorithm is a useful tool for the design and operation of the AC microgrid system.

• The Journal of Korea Institute of Information, Electronics, and Communication Technology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.168-175
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• 2017

In this paper, a 5V small-area NMOS-diode eFuse OTP memory cell is proposed. This cell which is used in PMICs consists of a 5V NMOS transistor and an eFuse link as a memory part, based on a BCD process. Also, a regulated voltage of V2V ($=2.0V{\pm}10%$) instead of the conventional VDD is used to the pull-up loads of a VREF circuit and a BL S/A circuit to obtain a wider operational voltage range of the eFuse memory cell. When this proposed cells are used in the simulation, their sensing resistances are found to be $15.9k{\Omega}$ and $32.9k{\Omega}$, in the normal read mode and in the program-verify-read mode, respectively. Furthermore, the read current flowing through a non-blown eFuse is restricted to $97.7{\mu}A$. Thus, the eFuse link of a non-blown eFuse OTP memory cell is kept non-blown. The layout area of the designed 1kb eFuse OTP memory IP based on Dongbu HiTek's BCD process is $168.39{\mu}m{\times}479.45{\mu}m(=0.08mm^2)$.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.241-249
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• 2017

Plasma membrane hyperpolarization associated with activation of $Ca^{2+}$-activated $K^+$ channels plays an important role in sperm capacitation during fertilization. Although Slo3 (slowpoke homologue 3), together with the auxiliary ${\gamma}^2$-subunit, LRRC52 (leucine-rich-repeat-containing 52), is known to mediate the pH-sensitive, sperm-specific $K^+$ current KSper in mice, the molecular identity of this channel in human sperm remains controversial. In this study, we tested the classical $BK_{Ca}$ activators, NS1619 and LDD175, on human Slo3, heterologously expressed in HEK293 cells together with its functional interacting ${\gamma}^2$ subunit, hLRRC52. As previously reported, Slo3 $K^+$ current was unaffected by iberiotoxin or 4-aminopyridine, but was inhibited by ~50% by 20 mM TEA. Extracellular alkalinization potentiated hSlo3 $K^+$ current, and internal alkalinization and $Ca^{2+}$ elevation induced a leftward shift its activation voltage. NS1619, which acts intracellularly to modulate hSlo1 gating, attenuated hSlo3 $K^+$ currents, whereas LDD175 increased this current and induced membrane potential hyperpolarization. LDD175-induced potentiation was not associated with a change in the half-activation voltage at different intracellular pHs (pH 7.3 and pH 8.0) in the absence of intracellular $Ca^{2+}$. In contrast, elevation of intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ dramatically enhanced the LDD175-induced leftward shift in the half-activation potential of hSlo3. Therefore, the mechanism of action does not involve pH-dependent modulation of hSlo3 gating; instead, LDD175 may modulate $Ca^{2+}$-dependent activation of hSlo3. Thus, LDD175 potentially activates native KSper and may induce membrane hyperpolarization-associated hyperactivation in human sperm.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Illuminating and Electrical Installation Engineers
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.34-40
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• 2006

This paper proposed power system for new DC 49[V] telecommunication using forward three-phase PWM rectifier power factor and efficiency for improvement of ripple voltage. Proposed power system for DC 48[V] telecommunication that consists of power conversion devices including switch, inductor and condenser were made between each line, in power inverter device of each switch control turn-on in period of continuity time control to get power factor '1' of sine wave current and on-off of switch lessens peak current that was happened and got conversion efficiency 92.1[%] composing in PWM rectifier of forward form instead of general PWM rectifier. Also, harmonic input regulation value(IEC61000-3-2 Class-As) satisfy input current and reduce ripple factor of output voltage in state that distortion of three-phase supply is overlapped each other.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.99-114
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• 2003

This paper presents a feasible development on a highly accurate quick response adjustable speed drive implementation fur general purpose induction motor which operates on the basis of sensorless slip frequency type vector controlled sine-wave PWM inverter with an automatic tuning machine parameter estimation schemes. In the first place, the sensorless vector control theory on the three-phase voltage source-fed inverter induction motor drive system is developed in slip frequency based vector control principle. In particular, the essential procedure and considerations to measure and estimate the exact stator and rotor circuit parameters of general purpose induction motor are discussed under its operating conditions. The speed regulation characteristics of induction motor operated by the three-phase voltage-fed type current controlled PWM inverter using IGBT's is illustrated and evaluated fur machine parameter variations under the actual conditions of low frequency and high frequency operations for the load torque. In the second place, the variable speed induction motor drive system, employing sensorless vector control scheme which is based on three -phase high frequency carrier PWM inverter with automatic toning estimation schemes of the temperature -dependent and -independent machine circuit parameters, is practically implemented using DSP-based controller. Finally, the dynamic speed response performances for largely changed load torque disturbances as well as steady state speed vs. torque characteristics of this induction motor control implementation are illustrated and discussed from an experimental point of view.