• Journal of Photoscience
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.335-337
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• 2002

Blue light (BL) induces stomatal opening through activation of H$^{+}$ pump, which creates electrical gradient across the plasma membrane for $K^{+}$ uptake into guard cells. The pump is the plasma membrane H$^{+}$ -ATPase and is activated via phosphorylation of the C-terminus with concomitant binding of the 14-3-3 protein. The opening is initiated by the perception of BL through phototropin (phot), which are recently identified as BL receptors in stomatal guard cells. In this study, we provide the biochemical evidence for phots as BL receptors in stomatal guard cells. vfphot was phosphorylated reversibly by BL, and phosphorylation levels of vfphot increased earlier than those of the plasma membrane W-ATPase. BL-dependent phosphorylations of vfphot and H$^{+}$-ATPase showed similar fluence dependency. Staurosporin, an inhibitor of serine/threonine protein kinase, and diphenyleneiodonium chloride (DPI), an inhibitor of flavoprotein, inhibited BL-dependent phosphorylations of vfphot and H$^{+}$ -ATPase. These results indicate that vfphot acts as a BL-receptor mediating stomatal opening.l opening.

• Journal of Photoscience
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.376-378
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• 2002

Role of cl$^{[-10]}$ in photosynthetic oxygen-evolving complex was studied by light-induced Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. cl$^{[-10]}$ depletion resulted in the suppression of amide I and amide II IR modes upon S$_1$ to S$_2$ transition. Br$^{[-10]}$ , 1$^{[-10]}$ and N0$_3$$^{[-10]}$ substituted FTIR difference spectra were very similar to that in cl$^{[-10]}$ reconstitution. F$^{[-10]}$ and $CH_3$COO$^{[-10]}$ substituted spectra were largely distorted. We succeeded in detecting the structural change of N0$_3$ $^{[-10]}$ in the cl$^{[-10]}$ site upon the S$_1$ to S$_2$ transition from $^{14}$ N0$_3$$^{[-10]}$ /$^{15}$ N0$_3$$^{[-10]}$ difference spectrum.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• 제26권6호
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• pp.298-305
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• 2016

In this work, recent progress on graphene/metal oxide composites as advanced materials for $HgCl_2$ and $CO_2$ capture was investigated. Density Functional Theory calculations were used to understand the effects of temperature on the adsorption ability of $HgCl_2$ and water vapor on $CO_2$ adsorption on CaO (001) with reinforced carbon-based nanostructures using B3LYP functional. Understanding the mechanism by which mercury and $CO_2$ adsorb on graphene/CaO (g-CaO) is crucial to the design and fabrication of effective capture technologies. The results obtained from the optimized geometries and frequencies of the proposed cluster site structures predicted that with respect to molecular binding the system possesses unusually large $HgCl_2$ ($0.1-0.4HgCl_2g/g$ sorbent) and $CO_2$ ($0.2-0.6CO_2g/g$ sorbent) uptake capacities. The $HgCl_2$ and $CO_2$ were found to be stable on the surface as a result of the topology and a strong interaction with the g-CaO system; these results strongly suggest the potential of CaO-doped carbon materials for $HgCl_2$ and $CO_2$ capture applications, the functional gives reliable answers compared to available experimental data.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 한국전기전자재료학회 2009년도 하계학술대회 논문집
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• pp.49-49
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• 2009

Nanocomposites of gold nanoparticles and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) were prepared by electrostatic interaction. Gold nanopartic1es were stabilized by polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and poly(sodium-4-styrenesulfonate) (PSS) in aqueous medium, and MWNTs were modified by poly(diallyldimethylammonium)chloride (PDDA) in water. The as-perpared Au-MWNT nanocomposites were structurally and electrically characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV/Vis spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and cyclo voltammetry (CV). UV/Vis spectra of Au-MWNT nanocomposites showed the characteristic surface plasmon bands in the range of ~515nm, depending on the stabilizers. There is only slight change on the band shape with variation of stabilizing agents for gold nanoparticles. Through FE-SEM and TEM images, the distribution of gold, nanoparticles on the sidewalls of MWNTs was deliberately investigated on Au-MWNT nanocomposites treated with different stabilizers. XPS and CV showed redistribution of electron densities and changes in the binding energy states of nanopartic1es in nanocomposite respectively.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• 제27권1호
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• pp.112-117
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• 2013

We studied the modulation of pacemaker activities by Samchulkunbi-tang (SCKB) in cultured interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) from murine small intestine with the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. Externally applied SCKB produced membrane depolarization in the current-clamp mode. The pretreatment with $Ca^{2+}$-free solution and thapsigargin, a $Ca^{2+}$-ATPase inhibitor in endoplasmic reticulum, abolished the generation of pacemaker potentials and suppressed the SCKB-induced action. The application of flufenamic acid (a nonselective cation channel blocker) abolished the generation of pacemaker potentials by SCKB. However, the application of niflumic acid (a chloride channel blocker) did not inhibit the generation of pacemaker potentials by SCKB. In addition, the membrane depolarizations were inhibited by not only GDP-${\beta}$-S, which permanently binds G-binding proteins, but also U-73122, an active phospholipase C inhibitor. These results suggest that SCKB modulates the pacemaker activities by nonselective cation channels and external $Ca^{2+}$ influx and internal $Ca^{2+}$ release via G-protein and phospholipase C-dependent mechanism. Therefore, the ICC are targets for SCKB and their interaction can affect intestinal motility.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• 제19권3호
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• pp.261-269
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• 2004

Although the biological functions of metallothioneins (MTs) are still being investigated, they have been suggested to be involved in detoxification of heavy metals, scavenging of free radicals, and protection against alkylating agents. MTs have been reported to be induced in most of animal tissues by heavy metals such as zinc, copper, mercury and cadmium, and the proteins have binding affinities to the metals. However, the presence or induction of MTs was reported not to be clear in leydig cells, which produce testosterone for the maturation of spermatozoa in male testes. In this study, we investigated the inducibility of metallothionein isomers by cadmium in cultured mouse leydig cells. Total RNA was extracted from the near confluent grown leydig cells and RT-PCR was Performed using the Primers which were synthesized on the basis of MT-1, 2, 3 and 4 cDNA from GenBank database. As results, MT-1 and MT-2 mRNA were found to be expressed in cadmium non-treated control cells and MT 1 mRNA expression was dose-dependent when leydig cells were treated with cadmium chloride. But MT-3 which is known to be brain specific and MT-4 which is another isoform of metallothionein, were not expressed. Other genes induced or depressed in cadmium treated leydig cells were also identified by microarray techniques.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제24권1호
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• pp.37-44
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• 2003

We examined the effect of polyether-type nonionic surfactants (Brij 35, Triton X-100, Tween 20 and Tween 80) on the potentiometric properties of sodium-, potassium- and calcium-selective membranes which are prepared with widely used ionophores and four kinds of polymer matrices [poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), polyurethane (PU), PVC/PU blend, and silicone rubber (SR)]. It was found that the PVC-based membranes, which provide the best performance among all other matrix-based membranes in the absence of nonionic surfactants, exhibited larger change in their potentiometric properties when nonionic surfactants are added to the sample solution. On the other hand, the sodium-selective SR-based membrane with calix[4]arene, potassium-selective PVC/PU- or SR-based membrane with valinomycin, and the calcium-selective SR-based membrane with ETH 1001 provide almost identical analytical performance in the presence and absence of Tween 20 or Tween 80 surfactants. The origin of nonionic surfactants effect was also investigated by interpreting the experimental results obtained with various matrices and ionophores. The results suggest that the nonionic surfactant extracted into the membrane phase unselectively form complexes with the primary and interfering ions, resulting in increased background potential and lower binding ability for the ionophore. Such effects should result in deteriorated detection limits, reduced response slopes and lower selectivity for the primary ions.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제25권10호
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• pp.1465-1470
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• 2004

A short and efficient synthesis, solvent extraction and potentiometric measurements of new thiazole-containing naphtho-crown ethers are reported. The naphthalene moiety enhances the ammonium ion selectivity over potassium ion. The selectivity of ${NH_4}^+/K^+$ follows the trend $3\;{\approx}\;2\;>\;1$, indicating that the differences in conformational changes of 2 and 3 in forming ammonium complexes affect little on the resulting ammonium/potassium extraction selectivity ratio. The ammonium ion-selective electrodes were prepared with noctylphenyl ether plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) membranes containing 1-4 the effect of one naphthalene unit introduced on either right (2) or left (3) side of thiazolo-crown ether on their potentiometric properties (e.g., ammonium ion selectivity over other cations, response slopes, and detection limits) were not apparent. However, the ammonium ion selectivity of 1, 2 and 3 over other alkali metal and alkaline earth metal cations is 10-100 times higher than that of nonactin.

• ALGAE
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• 제31권1호
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• pp.73-84
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• 2016

Marine organisms are frequently used to be harmful and have lower side effects than synthetic drugs. The cognitive improving efficacy of gamma aminobutyric acid-enriched fermented Saccharina japonica (FSJ) on the memory deficient rats, which were induced by trimethyltin chloride (TMT), was investigated by assessing the Morris water maze test and by performing choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), cAMP response element binding protein (CREB), and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) immunohistochemistry. The neurite outgrowth of Neuro2a cells was assessed in order to examine the underlying mechanisms of the memory enhancing effects of FSJ. Treatment with FSJ tended to shorten the latency to find the platform in the acquisition test of the Morris water maze at the second and fourth day compared to the control group. In the probe trial, the FSJ treated group increased time spent in the target quadrant, compared to that of the control group. Consistent with the behavioral data, these treatments recovered the loss of ChAT, CREB, and BDNF immunepositive neurons in the hippocampus produced by TMT. Treatment with FSJ markedly stimulated neurite outgrowth of the Neuro2a cells as compared to that of the controls. These findings demonstrate that FSJ may be useful for improving the cognitive function via regulation of neurotrophic marker enzyme activity.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• 제44권1호
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• pp.35-41
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• 2006

The unique gene encoding thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) was previously cloned and characterized from the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, and its expression was induced by oxidative stress. To elucidate tbe regulatory mechanism of the S. pombe TrxR gene, three fusion plasmids were generated using polymerase chain reaction: pYUTR20, pYUTR30, and pYUTR40. Plasmid pYUTR20 has an upstream region of 891 base pairs, pYUTR30 has 499 in this region, and pYUTR40 has an 186 bp upstream region. Negatively acting sequence is located between $-1,526\;\~\;-891bp$ upstream of the gene. The upstream sequence, responsible for the induction of TrxR by menadione (MD), is situated on the $-499\;\~\;-186bp$ region, which is also required for TrxR induction by mercuric chloride. The same region also appeared to be required for Pap1-mediated transcriptional regulation of the TrxR gene, which contains the two plausible Papl binding sites, TTACGAAT and TTACGCGA. Consistently, basal and inducible expression of the TrxR gene was markedly lower in the Pap1-negative TP108-3C cells than in wild-type yeast cells. In summary, up-regulation of the S. pombe TrxR gene is mediated by Pap1 via the transcriptional motif(s) located on the $-499\;\~\;-186bp$ region.