• 대한기계학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 대한기계학회 2008년도 추계학술대회B
• /
• pp.2688-2691
• /
• 2008

This study addresses a microfluidic method to uniformly form diacetylene (DA) liposomes and control their size. DA liposomes are biochemical sensor materials with a unique property such that when they are polymerized to polydiacetylene (PDA) they exhibit non-fluorescent blue to fluorescent red phase transition upon chemical or thermal stress. The liposome size and distribution are important because they significantly affect the phase transition. So far, DA Liposomes, have been prepared by mixing of bulk phases leading to heterogeneous, polydisperse distribution in size. Therefore, additional post-processes are required such as sonication or membrane extrusion to obtain an appropriate size of liposomes. Here, we report a novel strategy using a microfluidic chip and hydrodynamic focusing to form DA liposomes and control their size. Preliminary results obtained by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) show that the microfluidic strategy generates more monodispersed liposomes than a bulk method.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• 제37권5호
• /
• pp.386-388
• /
• 2005

The authors present a case in which an organized chronic subdural hematoma(CSDH) was incidentally found in a 9-year-old boy with no significant medical history after a pedestrian traffic accident. Preoperative magnetic resonance(MR) imaging showed calcification on the inner membrane and an irregular heterogeneous structure in the hematoma cavity. The findings from the preoperative brain computed tomogram(CT) and MR image were very useful for making the preoperative diagnosis and surgical decision. In choosing the proper surgical strategy for removing the organized CSDH, it was thought that burr hole trephination would present unnecessary difficulties. Thus, craniotomy was selected and the organized CSDH was successfully removed with no complications.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• 제20권6호
• /
• pp.519-524
• /
• 1997

Steroid $9{\alpha}$-hydroxylase is an enzyme found in nocardioform microorganisms which can utilize steroids as a sole carbon source. After fractional centrifugation of the cell homogenates, the enzyme activity in Nocardia and Rhodococcus was found in cytoplasmic membrane fraction. On the contrary, Mycobacterium had its 9.alpha.-hydroxylation activity in cytosolic fraction. To characterize the enzyme in these microorganisms, several potential inhibitors of 9.alpha.-hydroxylase were tested and the cofactor requirement for the same enzyme was also examined. The inhibitory effect of ferrous ion chelators indicated involvement of iron containing proteins in the 9.alpha.-hydroxylase system. On the other hand, metyrapone, an inhibitor known to be specific for cytochrome P450 interfered with the enzyme in Mycobacterium, but didn't inhibit the enzyme activity in Nocardia and Rhodococcus. While the $9{\alpha}$-hydroxylase system in Nocardia and Rhodococcus required NADPH, NADH was required as an election donor in Mycobacterium.

• 대한수의학회지
• /
• 제61권4호
• /
• pp.31.1-31.4
• /
• 2021

A 15-year-old Schnauzer, showing right exophthalmos, was diagnosed as adenocarcinoma originated from the third eyelid gland. On computed tomography, a normal right third eyelid gland was not observed. Instead, a heterogeneous cystic mass invaded the retrobulbar space and displaced the eye globe dorsolaterally. In addition, lysis of the bony nasolacrimal duct was found, which was considered the tumor invasion. These findings indicated that third eyelid gland adenocarcinoma should be considered when a retrobulbar mass is found ventromedial to the globe without observation of the normal third eyelid and accompanies osteolysis of the bony nasolacrimal duct in dogs showing exophthalmos.

• 멤브레인
• /
• 제27권1호
• /
• pp.1-42
• /
• 2017

금속유기구조체(metal-organic framework)는 유기물와 무기물로 구성된 나노다공성 결정물질로서 일정한 세공 구조를 가지고 있다. 합성시 유기 리간드의 다양한 선택이 가능함으로 인해 다양한 세공 사이즈와 물리적/화학적 성질들을 나타내는 금속유기구조체가 가능하다. 이러한 특성들로 인해 다공성 금속유기구조체는 새로운 기체분리용 막 재료로 각광받고 있다. 그러나 고품질의 다결정 금속유기구조체막을 재조하는 것은 상당히 어려운 일인데, 이것은 지지체 표면에 금속유기구조체 결정을 자라게 하는 것이 쉽지 않기 때문이다. 지난 이십여 년 동안 마이크로 전자파를 이용한 물질 합성에 대한 연구가 상당히 진행되었는데 특히 마이크로 전자파를 이용하면 전통적인 합성법에 비해 금속유기구조체 분리막을 제조하는 과정에서의 어려움들을 극복할 수 있다. 마이크로 전자파를 이용한 다결정 분리막 제조 공정은 단시간 합성, 복잡한 구조체 합성 및 나노 결정체 합성 등의 장점이 있다. 본 총설에서는 금속유기구조체 분리막 제조 및 기체 분리에 관한 최근 연구성과들을 살펴보고 특히 마이크로 전자파를 이용한 분리막 제조 공정을 중심으로 정리한다.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• 제50권10호
• /
• pp.931-937
• /
• 2007

The hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is a rare disease of microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, low platelet count and renal impairment. HUS usually occurs in young children after hemorrhagic colitis by shigatoxin-producing enterohemorrhagic E. coli (D+HUS). HUS is the most common cause of acute renal failure in infants and young children, and is a substantial cause of acute mortality and morbidity; however, renal function recovers in most of them. About 10% of children with HUS do not reveal preceding diarrheal illness, and is referred to as D- HUS or atypical HUS. Atypical HUS comprises a heterogeneous group of thrombomicroangiopathy (TMA) triggered by non-enteric infection, virus, drug, malignancies, transplantation, and other underlying medical condition. Emerging data indicate dysregulation of alternative complement pathway in atypical HUS, and genetic analyses have identified mutations of several regulatory genes; i.e. the fluid phase complement regulator Factor H (CFH), the integral membrane regulator membrane cofactor protein (MCP; CD46) and the serine protease Factor I (IF). The uncontrolled activation of the complement alternative pathway results in the excessive consumption of C3. Plasma exchange or plasma infusion is recommended for treatment of, and has dropped the mortality rate. However, overall prognosis is poor, and many patients succumb to end-stage renal disease. Clinical presentations, response to plasma therapy, and outcome after renal transplantation are influenced by the genotype of the complement regulators. Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), another type of TMA, occurs mainly in adults as an acquired disease accompanied by fever, neurologic deficits and renal abnormalities. However, less frequent cases of congenital or hereditary TTP associated with ADAMTS-13 (a disintegrin and metalloprotease, with thrombospondin 1-like domains 13) gene mutations have been reported, also. Recent advances in molecular genetics better allow various HUS to be distinguished on the basis of their pathogenesis. The genetic analysis of HUS is important in defining the underlying etiology, predicting the genotype-related outcome and optimizing the management of the patients.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• 제4권2호
• /
• pp.81-90
• /
• 2000

The types of $K^+$ channel which determine the pattern of spontaneous action potential (SAP) were investigated using whole-cell variation of patch clamp techniques under current- and voltage-clamp recording conditions in rat clonal pituitary $GH_3$ cells. Heterogeneous pattern of SAP activities was changed into more regular mode with elongation of activity duration and afterhyperpolarization by treatment of TEA (10 mM). Under this condition, exposure of the class III antiarrhythmic agent E-4031 $(5\;{\mu}M)$ to $GH_3$ cells hardly affected SAP activities. On the other hand, the main $GH_3$ stimulator thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) still produced its dual effects (transient hyperpolarization and later increase in SAP frequency) in the presence of TEA. However, addition of $BaCl_2$ (2 mM) in the presence of TEA completely blocked SAP repolarization process and produced membrane depolarization in all tested cells. This effect was observed even in TEA-untreated cells and was not mimicked by higher concentration of TEA (30 mM). Also this barium-induced membrane depolarization effect was still observed after L-type $Ca^{2+}$ channel was blocked by nicardipine $(10\;{\mu}M).$ These results suggest that barium-sensitive current is important in SAP repolarization process and barium itself may have some depolarizing effect in $GH_3$ cells.

• 대한의생명과학회지
• /
• 제23권1호
• /
• pp.1-7
• /
• 2017

It is known that acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous blood cancer, which is enormously propagated by self-renewing leukemia stem cells (LSCs). The persistence of LSCs after chemotherapy can contribute to minimal residual disease and relapse by LSCs can be evoked promptly. Elucidating special molecules and cellular activity of LSCs is an extremely important to eliminate AML. Despite an increasing understanding of the origin of LSCs by incessant study, AML still remains a notorious disease with high mortality. An exact identification of the LSCs that sustain the proliferation of neoplastic clone is a fundamental issue in AML treatment. CD34+CD38- conventional phenotype is overall regarded as LSCs, but it has a limitation that is still hard to demarcate exactly due to similarity with normal hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Not all primary blasts and progenitors have equal function, thus a bona fide marker for identifying LSCs from HSCs is needed in hematologic malignancy, especially in AML. These findings have direct important implications in both in mechanistic study of LSCs as well as in the strategies of more effective therapies. In this review, I briefly summarized current advances in LSCs biology, focusing on membrane markers and a functional behavior of LSCs in AML treatment with monoclonal antibodies. Ultimately, it may be helpful in overviewing the status of LSC research, while expecting the clinic benefits of target therapy by specific inhibition.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• 제20권3호
• /
• pp.315-324
• /
• 2005

Pain is an unpleasant sensation experienced when tissues are damaged. Thus, pain sensation in some way protects body from imminent threat or injury. Peripheral sensory nerves innervated to peripheral tissues initially respond to multiple forms of noxious or strong stimuli, such as heat, mechanical and chemical stimuli. In response to these stimuli, electrical signals for conducting the nociceptive neural signals through axons are generated. These action potentials are then conveyed to specific areas in the spinal cord and in the brain. Sensory afferent fibers are heterogeneous in many aspects. For example, sensory nerves are classified as $A{\alpha}$, $-{\beta}$, $-{\delta}$ and C-fibers according to their diameter and degree of myelination. It is widely accepted that small sensory fibers tend to respond to vigorous or noxious stimuli and related to nociception. Thus these fibers are specifically called nociceptors. Most of nociceptors respond to noxious mechanical stimuli and heat. In addition, these sensory fibers also respond to chemical stimuli [Davis et al. (1993)] such as capsaicin. Thus, nociceptors are considered polymodal. Recent advance in research on ion channels in sensory neurons reveals molecular mechanisms underlying how various types of stimuli can be transduced to neural signals transmitted to the brain for pain perception. In particular, electrophysiological studies on ion channels characterize biophysical properties of ion channels in sensory neurons. Furthermore, molecular biology leads to identification of genetic structures as well as molecular properties of ion channels in sensory neurons. These ion channels are expressed in axon terminals as well as in cell soma. When these channels are activated, inward currents or outward currents are generated, which will lead to depolarization or hyperpolarization of the membrane causing increased or decreased excitability of sensory neurons. In order to depolarize the membrane of nerve terminals, either inward currents should be generated or outward currents should be inhibited. So far, many cationic channels that are responsible for the excitation of sensory neurons are introduced recently. Activation of these channels in sensory neurons is evidently critical to the generation of nociceptive signals. The main channels responsible for inward membrane currents in nociceptors are voltage-activated sodium and calcium channels, while outward current is carried mainly by potassium ions. In addition, activation of non-selective cation channels is also responsible for the excitation of sensory neurons. Thus, excitability of neurons can be controlled by regulating expression or by modulating activity of these channels.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• 제58권3호
• /
• pp.249-255
• /
• 2020

Toxoplasma gondii, a ubiquitous, intracellular parasite of the phylum Apicomplexa, infects an estimated one-third of the human population as well as a broad range of warm-blooded animals. We have observed that some tyrosine kinase inhibitors suppressed the growth of T. gondii within host ARPE-10 cells. Among them, afatinib, human epithermal growth factor receptor 2 and 4 (HER2/4) inhibitor, may be used as a therapeutic agent for inhibiting parasite growth with minimal adverse effects on host. In this report, we conducted a proteomic analysis to observe changes in host proteins that were altered via infection with T. gondii and the treatment of HER2/4 inhibitors. Secreting proteins were subjected to a procedure of micor basic reverse phase liquid chromatography, nano-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and ingenuity pathway analysis serially. As a result, the expression level of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K, semaphorin 7A, a GPI membrane anchor, serine/threonine-protein phosphatase 2A, and calpain small subunit 1 proteins were significantly changed, and which were confirmed further by western blot analysis. Changes in various proteins, including these 4 proteins, can be used as a basis for explaining the effects of T. gondii infections and HER2/4 inhibitors.