• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.131-144
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• 1990

It is well known that the atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) has a prepro-hormone of 151 amino-acids which loses their hydrophobic signal peptide to form 126 amino acid prohormone. The whole prohormone is released and then cleaved by proteases into more than one circulating forms. Recently, Winters et al. (1988a, b) reported that high concentrations of N-terminal fragments of prepro-ANP $(26{\sim}55),\;(56{\sim}92)\;and\;(104{\sim}123)$ were detected in human plasma. However, their physiological roles have not been established. The present study was conducted to determine whether the N-terminal fragments of pro-ANP have any effect on the renal function and to compare the effect with those of G-terminal fragments of pro-ANP The results indicate that intrarenal arterial infusions of prepro-ANP $(26{\sim}41),\;(26{\sim}55),\;(56{\sim}92)\;and\;(104{\sim}123)$ induced no significant changes in renal function. Whereas ${\alpha}-human$ ANP $(prepro-ANP,\;124{\sim}151)$ and pro-ANP caused a significant increase in urine volume, renal plasma flow, glomerular filtration rate, urinary excretions of sodium, chloride and potassium, and fractional excretion of sodium. These results suggest that the N-terminal fragments of pro-ANP are ineffective, while the C-terminal fragments retain the natriuretic and diuretic activities.

• KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems (TIIS)
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.269-286
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• 2018

Signal detection in symmetric alpha-stable ($S{\alpha}S$) distributed noise is a challenging problem. This paper proposes a detector based on a decreasing exponential function (DEF). The DEF detector can effectively suppress the impulsive noise and achieve good performance in the presence of $S{\alpha}S$ noise. The analytical expressions of the detection and false alarm probabilities of the DEF detector are derived, and the parameter optimization for the detector is discussed. A performance analysis shows that the DEF detector has much lower computational complexity than the Gaussian kernelized energy detector (GKED), and it performs better than the latter in $S{\alpha}S$ noise with small characteristic exponent values. In addition, the DEF detector outperforms the fractional lower order moment (FLOM)-based detector in $S{\alpha}S$ noise for most characteristic exponent values with the same order of magnitude of computational complexity.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.71-77
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• 1982

According to the star formation rate and metal enrichment rate given by the disk-halo model of Lee and Ann (1981), the two different forms of time-dependent initial mass function (IMF) and the present day mass function (PDMF) of nearby stars have been examined. It was shown that the constraint for the initial rapid metal enrichment requires the time-dependence of IMF at the very early phase ($t{\lesssim}5{\times}10^8$ yrs) of the solar neighborhood. The computed PDMF's show that the PDMF is nearly independent of any specific functional form of IMF as long as the latter includes a Gaussian distribution of log m. This result is due to the very small fractional mass $({\times}5%)$ of stars formed at the very early period during which the IMF is time-dependent. The computed PDMF suggests the presence of more numerous low mass stars than shown in Miller and Scalo's (1979) PDMF, supporting the possibility of the existence of low-velocity M dwarfs. According to the number distribution of stars with respect to [Fe/H], the mean age of these low mass star must be very old so as to yield the mean metal abundance $\bar{[Fe/H]}{\approx}-0.15$ for the stars in the solar neighborhood.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.92-103
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• 1984

The action of debrisoquine on renal function in rabbits was studied. 1. When debrisoquine was given into ear vein, it did not affect on renal functin with smaller doses of 0.1 or 0.3mg/kg, while with higher dose of 1.0mg/kg it elicited the significant decrease of urine flow, renal plasma flow and glomerular filtration rate, and the increase of filtration fraction, and at the same time sodium excreted in urine, FENa (fractional excretion of sodium) and osmolar clearance were significantly decreased, and then it exhibited the increase of $K^+/Na^+$ ratio and no changes of $T^cH_2O$. 2. Debrisoquine (1.0mg/kg), when injected repeatedly into a vein, produced a more marked decrease of urine flow. 3. Debrisoquine induced-antidiuretic action was not affected by pretreatment with phentolamine (2mg/kg, i.v.), alpha-sympathetic blocking agent. 4. Debrisoquine given intracerebroventricularly did not produce a significant change on renal function in dose of 0.1mg/kg. These results suggest that debrisoquine produce the antidiuretic effect in rabbit, and the mechanism of its action is due to dual actions that are the decrease of hemodynamic effect and the facilitation of reabsorption of sodium in renal tubules.

• Proceedings of the IEEK Conference
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• 2001.06d
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• pp.155-158
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• 2001

A new method for simultaneous multiple transmit focusing using orthogonal weighted FM chirp is proposed. Weighted chirp signals focused at different depths are transmitted at the same time. These chirp signals are mutually orthogonal in the approximate sense that the autocorrelation function of each signal has a narrow mainlobe width and low sidelobe levels, and the crosscorrellation function of any pair of the signals has smaller values than the sidelobe levels of each autocorrelation function. This means that each weighted chirp signal can be separately compressed into a short pulse, focused individually and combined with other focused beams to form a frame of image. Theoretically, any two chirp signals defined in two nonoverlapped frequency bands are mutually orthogonal. In the present work, however, a fractional overlap of adjacent frequency bands, by up to 25%, were permitted to design more chirp signals within a given transducer bandwidth. The crosscorrelation values due to the frequency overlap could be reduced by alternating the direction of frequency sweep of the adjacent chirp signals. The simulation results show that this method can improve the lateral resolution of image without sacrifice in the frame rate compared with the conventional pulse system.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.229-244
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• 2015

H-infinity norm relates to the maximum in the frequency response function and H-infinity control method focuses on the case that the vibration is excited at the fundamental frequency, while 2-norm relates to the output energy of systems with the input of pulses or white noises and 2-norm control method weighs the overall vibration performance of systems. The trade-off between the performance in frequency-domain and that in time-domain may be achieved by integrating two indices in the mixed vibration control method. Based on the linear fractional state space representation in the modal space for a piezoelectric flexible structure with uncertain modal parameters and un-modeled residual high-frequency modes, a mixed dynamic output feedback control design method is proposed to suppress the structural vibration. Using the linear matrix inequality (LMI) technique, the initial populations are generated by the designing of robust control laws with different H-infinity performance indices before the robust 2-norm performance index of the closed-loop system is included in the fitness function of optimization. A flexible beam structure with a piezoelectric sensor and a piezoelectric actuator are used as the subject for numerical studies. Compared with the velocity feedback control method, the numerical simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed method.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.61 no.2
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• pp.59-63
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• 2018

Purpose: Cardiomyopathy is becoming the leading cause of death in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy because mechanically assisted lung ventilation and assisted coughing have helped resolve respiratory complications. To clarify cardiopulmonary function, we compared cardiac function between the home ventilator-assisted and non-ventilator-assisted groups. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy from January 2010 to March 2016 at Gangnam Severance Hospital. Demographic characteristics, pulmonary function, and echocardiography data were investigated. Results: Fifty-four patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy were divided into 2 groups: home ventilator-assisted and non-ventilator-assisted. The patients in the home ventilator group were older ($16.25{\pm}1.85years$) than those in the nonventilator group ($14.73{\pm}1.36years$) (P=0.001). Height, weight, and body surface area did not differ significantly between groups. The home ventilator group had a lower seated functional vital capacity ($1,038{\pm}620.41mL$) than the nonventilator group ($1,455{\pm}603.2mL$). Mean left ventricular ejection fraction and fractional shortening were greater in the home ventilator group, but the data did not show any statistical difference. The early ventricular filling velocity/late ventricular filling velocity ratio ($1.7{\pm}0.44$) was lower in the home ventilator group than in the nonventilator group ($2.02{\pm}0.62$. The mitral valve annular systolic velocity was higher in the home ventilator group (estimated ${\beta}$, 1.06; standard error, 0.48). Patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy on a ventilator may have better systolic and diastolic cardiac functions. Conclusion: Noninvasive ventilator assistance can help preserve cardiac function. Therefore, early utilization of noninvasive ventilation or oxygen may positively influence cardiac function in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.45-57
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• 2006

Objective : This study was undertaker to determine if Juglandis Semen herbal acupuncture (JSA) exerts protective effect against alterations in membrane transport function in rabbits with mercury-induced acute renal failure. Methods : Nephrotoxicity was induced by subcutaneous administration of Hg(a single dose of 10mg/kg) and JSA was performed at both sides of Shenshu($(BL_{23})$, Sinsu) for 7 days. Results: The administration of Hg at a subcutaneous single dose of 10 mg/kg caused a reduction in GFR to 12% of the basal value and an increase in fractional $Na^+$ excretion to 8.9-fold, indicating generation of acute renal failure. When JSA were given for 7 days prior to Hg administration, such changes were significantly attenuated. The fractional excretion of glucose and phosphate was increased to approximately 102- and 35-fold, respectively, in rabbits treated with Hg alone. The increase in rabbits treated with Hg following ISA are significantly lower than that in animals treated with Hg alone. Uptakes of glucose and phosphate in purified isolated brush-border membrane and $Na^+-K^+-ATPase$ activity in microsomal fraction were inhibited in rabbits treated with Hg alone, suggesting that impairment in proximal reabsorption of glucose and phosphate is resulted from a direct damage of membrane transport carriers and disruption of the normal $Na^+$ gradient. Such changes were prevented by JSA. Conclusion These results indicate that the administration of Hg causes impairment in reabsorption of solutes in the proximal tubule via the generation of reactive oxygen species. JSA provides the protection against the Hg-induced impairment in proximal reabsorption, and its effect may be resulted from its antioxidant action.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.25-33
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• 1985

Renal arterial infusion of renotropic agents has been a very useful technique in the renal function studies. This type of experiments have usually been conducted in the large animals such as dogs and sheep. In these animals a catheter can be placed in the site without much disturbances of renal blood flow. Rabbits as an experimental model, however, caused a disturbances of renal blood flow by a catheterization of renal artery by its properties. Therefore we have developed a new technique that allows a simple and selective access to one side of renal arteries and the other as a control, without any disturbances of renal function. The distance between the both bifurcations of renal arteries on abdominal aorta is about 7 mm. To locate the tip of catheter on one side renal artery, ascending cannulation performed via femoral artery was done. We did an experiment with the technique to clarify the effect of calmodulin inhibitor on the renal function. One of the phenothiazine derivatives, trifluoperazine known as a powerful calmodulin inhibitor. Trifluoperazine, actual dose ranges of $2.76-5.20\;ug\;{\cdot}\;kg^{-1}\;{\cdot}\;min^{-1}$, increased urine volume and glomerular filtration rate significantly. Significant increases in urinary excretion of sodium, chloride and potassium were found. Fractional excretion of sodium and free water clearance increased significantly. These data suggest that this new technique is very useful in field of renal physiology and that striking effect of trifluoperazine on the renal function may be caused by increasing the renal hemodynamics, and by the inhibition of sodium, chloride and potassium reabsorption in the renal tubules.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.685-693
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• 2020

Objectives: Recent data indicate that sensitization to mold contributes to the severity and persistence of asthma. The aim of this study was to investigate relationships between indoor mold concentrations and pulmonary function parameters in asthmatic children with mold sensitization. Methods: Asthmatic subjects who had a positive result in skin-prick testing to more than one mold allergen, such as Alternaria, Aspergillus, or Penicillium, were enrolled. Their pulmonary function and methacholine challenge test results were collected. Measurements of blood eosinophil, serum IgE, and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) were taken. Indoor levels of VOC, CO2, PM10 and PM2.5 in each subject's house were measured. We counted mold and bacteria colonies from the subjects' house air samples. Results: The mean levels of FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC, and FEF25-75 were 82.8±19.7, 87.3±17.9, 85.8±8.3, and 82.3±28.9%, respectively. The mean FeNO level was 19.8±11.2 ppb and the geometric mean (range of one SD) of methacholine PC20 was 3.99 mg/mL (0.67-23.74 mg/mL). The average indoor air pollutant levels were below the recommended levels set by the Ministry of Environment for multiplex buildings. Indoor mold levels showed a significant inverse correlation with methacholine PC20, but not with the baseline pulmonary function parameters. Conclusion: Indoor mold concentrations are a risk factor for increased bronchial hyperresponsiveness among asthmatic children with mold sensitization. Targeted environmental intervention should be considered for selected asthmatic children with mold sensitization for avoiding severe airway hyperresponsiveness.