• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
• /
• v.23 no.1 s.178
• /
• pp.145-151
• /
• 2006

Wheel bearing unit has been exclusively applied to car wheel supporting device. The seal for wheel bearing is required to have both high sealing effects and low reaction forces because wheel bearing are operated on adverse environmental conditions such as mud and splash water. High sealing effects are for the protection of bearing ball wear from dust influx. In order to ensure high sealing effects, it is a easiest way to increase contact force which are affected by geometric characteristics, material properties and interferences between seal and inner bearing but induces higher wear phenomena. Interferences in all variables are most important factor to determine the performance of wheel bearing. In this study, optimization of interference amount was performed with finite element analysis with commercial code ABAQUS. For the sake of finite element analysis, tensile tests of rubber material were conducted and governing equation of nonlinear behavior was achieved. Hock-up bearing was manufactured with optimized interference amount. Results of torque and mud spray tests using this bearing unit are performed. Less torque and moisture influx of bearing with optimized interference amount is evidence to validity of this study.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
• /
• v.28 no.3
• /
• pp.265-276
• /
• 2014

In this study, we suggested 4 plans to reduce non-point pollutant sources in Dongcheon and analyzed their controlling effects by water quality modeling, XP-SWMM. To do this we identified the influx of non-point pollutant sources to the initial rainwater through the water quality survey in the river and analyzed the causes of them at major locations, and suggested 4 kinds of plans reducing non-point pollutant sources. Plans reducing the non-point pollutant sources through cleaning the industrial road around the river(plan A), through a separate treatment facilities like the gutter(plan B), through installing treatement facilities(plan C), or through combing plan B and C(plan D) were analyzed using XP-SWMM model. The analysis showed that plan A, B, C and D reduced non-point pollutant sources average 21.7 %, 24.7 %, 49.3 %, 56.7 % respectively. Therefore, the water quality pollution in Dongcheon due to the influx of non-point pollutant sources is considered to be reduced effectively though cleaning the road, installed at the exits of paddy or factory basins, invasion type facilities or equipment-type facilities.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.25 no.5
• /
• pp.497-503
• /
• 2017

Recent reports claimed that glucosylsphingosine (GS) is highly accumulated and specifically evoking itch-scratch responses in the skins of atopic dermatitis (AD) patients. However, it was unclear how GS can trigger itch-scratch responses, since there were no known molecular singling pathways revealed yet. In the present study, it was verified for the first time that GS can activate mouse serotonin receptor 2a (mHtr2a) and 2b (mHtr2b), but not 2c (mHtr2c) that are expressed in HEK293T cells. Specifically, effects of GS on all mouse serotonin receptor 2 subfamily were evaluated by calcium imaging techniques. The GS-induced intracellular calcium increase was dose-dependent, and antagonists such as ketanserin (Htr2a antagonist) and RS-127445 (Htr2b antagonist) significantly blocked the GS-induced responses. Moreover, the proposed GS-induced responses appear to be mediated by phospholipase C (PLC), since pretreatment of a PLC inhibitor U-73122 abolished the GS-induced responses. Additionally, the GS-induced calcium influx is probably mediated by endogenous TRPC ion channels in HEK293T cells, since pretreatment of SKF-96365, an inhibitor for TRPC, significantly suppressed GS-induced response. In conclusion, the present study revealed for the first time that GS can stimulate mHtr2a and mHtr2b to induce calcium influx, by utilizing PLC-dependent pathway afterwards. Considering that GS is regarded as a pruritogen in AD, the present study implicates a novel GS-induced itch signaling pathway.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.14 no.3
• /
• pp.520-524
• /
• 2004

A protein that exhibited a high similarity to a major serine transporter of Escherichia coli, SdaC, was found in Haemophilus injluenzae Rd. Also, $Na^+$-stimulated serine transport activity was detected in the cells. The sdaC of H. injluenzae was cloned and the properties of the transporter were investigated. The activity of serine transport was stimulated by $Na^+$. Uptake of $Na^+$ elicited by L-serine influx into cells was also observed, which supports the idea that L-serine is transported by a mechanism of $Na^+$serine symport. No uptake of $H^+$ elicited by L-serine influx was detected. This result was not consistent with that obtained with the homologous protein, SdaC of E. coli, which uses $H^+$as a coupling cation. The serine transport via the SdaC of H. influenzae was not inhibited by other amino acids such as threonine or D-serine like the SdaC of E. coli. Thus, the SdaC of H. influenzae is a $Na^+$-dependent L-serine specific symporter and an unusual natural mutant. The $K_m$ and the $V_{max}$, value for the serine transport in the SdaC of H. influenzae were $7.6\mu$M and 22.9 nmol/min/mg protein, respectively.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
• /
• v.12 no.1_2
• /
• pp.1-5
• /
• 1978

In an attempt to explore the effect of Ginseng on the permeability of the biological membrane to cations we have investigated the effect of Ginseng-alcohol extract on the transport of $Na^+$ human red blood cell preprations. The $Na^+$ influx was measured in intact red cells using $^{22}Na$ as a tracer and the efflux in reseated red cells using $^{24}Na$ as a tracer. 1. The influx of $Na^+$ was not apparently changed by the Ginseng-alcohol extract of 20mg% in the incubation medium. 2. Similarly, 20mg% Ginseng-alcohol extract in the cellular space did not alter the efflux of $Na^+$ from the cell. However, 50mg% of Ginseng-alcohol extract in the cell resulted in a significant increase in the $Na^+$ efflux and this effect was magnified when the cell was suspended in the medium containing the Ginseng-alcohol extract in a concentration of 20mg %. The results suggest that Ginseng-alcohol extract over 50mg% increase permeability of red blood cell membrane to $Na^+$ by altering the membrane integrity.

• Journal of Fisheries and Marine Sciences Education
• /
• v.27 no.1
• /
• pp.49-62
• /
• 2015

As methods reducing damages by jellyfish which enter the coastal areas of Korea, attaching cutting devices to towing nets of otter trawls or pair trawls and/or using a canvas type of cutting nets of small fishing boats have been widely utilized. In order to reduce shut-down damages of power plants in coastal areas due to the mass influx of marine organisms including jellyfish, a possible improvement of the traveling water screen system and various jellyfish influx blocking devices were suggested in this study. The results could be utilized as an important index for reducing damages by jellyfish bloom which cause on a massive scale in summer in Korea.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.15 no.4
• /
• pp.273-279
• /
• 2009

Cordycepin (3'-deoxyadenosine) is an adenosine analogue isolated from Cordyceps militaris, and it has been used as an anti-cancer and anti-inflammation ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine. We investigated the effects of cordycepin on human platelet aggregation induced by thapsigargin, and determined the cytosolic free $Ca^{2+}$ levels ($[Ca^{2+}]_i$), an aggregation-stimulating factor. Cordycepin significantly inhibited thapsigargin-induced platelet aggregation. Its inhibitory effect was continually sustained at the maximal aggregation concentration of thapsigargin. The thapsigargin-induced $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ were clearly reduced by cordycepin in the presence of exogenous $CaCl_2$ or extracellular $Ca^{2+}$-chelator (EDTA). These results suggest that cordycepin inhibited thapsigargin-induced $Ca^{2+}$-influx from extracellular domain and thapsigargin-induced $Ca^{2+}$-mobilization from intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ storage. Accordingly, our data demonstrated that cordycepin may have a beneficial effect on platelet aggregation-mediated thrombotic diseases by inhibiting a $[Ca^{2+}]_i$-elevation.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.315-319
• /
• 1998

Gastric smooth muscle of cats was used to investigate the involvement of protein kinase in vanadate-induced contraction. Vanadate caused a contraction of cat gastric smooth muscle in a dose-dependent manner. Vanadate-induced contraction was totally inhibited by 2 mM EGTA and 1.5 mM $LACI_3$ and significantly inhibited by $10\mu$M verapamil and $1\mu$M nifedipine, suggesting that vanadate-induced contraction is dependent on the extracellular $Ca^{2+}$ concentration, and the influx of extracellular $Ca^{2+}$ was mediated through voltage-dependent $Ca^{2+}$ channel. Both protein kinase C inhibitor and tyrosine kinase inhibitor significantly inhibited the vanadate-induced contraction and the combined inhibitory effect of two protein kinase inhibitors was greater than that of each one. But calmodulin antagonists did not have any influence on the vanadate-induced contraction. On the other hand, both forskolin ($1\mu$M) and sodium nitroprusside ($1\mu$M) significantly inhibited vanadate-induced contraction. Therefore, these results suggest that both protein kinase C and tyrosino kinase are involved in the vanadate-induced contraction which required the influx of extracellular $Ca^{2+}$ in cat gastric smooth muscle, and that the contractile mechanism of vanadate may be different from that of agonist binding to its specific receptor.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.19 no.2
• /
• pp.181-186
• /
• 2011

Beta-amyloid (A${\beta}$) is considered as one of the major causes of Alzheimer's disease. This study examined the neuroprotective effects of chlorogenic acid, a naturally occurring polyphenol which is distributed widely in plants, fruits and vegetables, against A${\beta}$-induced toxicity. A${\beta}$ decreased significantly the viability of PC12 cells. This was accompanied by an increase in the intracellular calcium levels and cleaved caspase-3. In addition, A${\beta}$ induced an increase in Bax, and a decrease in Bcl-2 compared to the controls. However, a pre-treatment with chlorogenic acid rescued the PC12 cells from A${\beta}$ by attenuating the elevated intracellular calcium levels and reducing the levels of the apoptosis related proteins, including caspase-3, Bcl-2 and Bax. These results suggest that the protective effects of chlorogenic acid are, at least in parts, by attenuating the intracellular calcium influx and reducing apoptosis induced by A${\beta}$.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.47 no.2
• /
• pp.69-79
• /
• 2014

$Ca^{2+}$ release from intracellular stores and influx from extracellular reservoir regulate a wide range of physiological functions including muscle contraction and rhythmic heartbeat. One of the most ubiquitous pathways involved in controlled $Ca^{2+}$ influx into cells is store-operated $Ca^{2+}$ entry (SOCE), which is activated by the reduction of $Ca^{2+}$ concentration in the lumen of endoplasmic or sarcoplasmic reticulum (ER/SR). Although SOCE is pronounced in non-excitable cells, accumulating evidences highlight its presence and important roles in skeletal muscle and heart. Recent discovery of STIM proteins as ER/SR $Ca^{2+}$ sensors and Orai proteins as $Ca^{2+}$ channel pore forming unit expedited the mechanistic understanding of this pathway. This review focuses on current advances of SOCE components, regulation and physiologic and pathophysiologic roles in muscles. The specific property and the dysfunction of this pathway in muscle diseases, and new directions for future research in this rapidly growing field are discussed.