• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.614-618
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• 2001

Low-threshold T-type $Ca^{2+}$ channels are distinctive voltage-operated gates for external $Ca^{2+}$ entry around a resting membrane potential due to their low voltage activation. These phenomena have already been extensively studied due to their relevance in diverse physiological functions. Recently, three T-type $Ca^{2+}$ channel ${\alpha}$$_1$subunits were cloned and their biophysical properties were characterized after expression in mammalian expression systems. In this study, ${\alpha_IG} and {\alpha_IH}$ low-threshold $Ca^{2+}$ channels were expressed and characterized in Xenopus oocytes after adding 5' and 3'untranslated portions of a Xenopus ${\beta}$ globin to improve their expression levels. The added portions dramatically enhanced the expression levels of the ${\alpha_IG} and {\alpha_IH}$ T-type channels. When currents were recorded in 10 mM $Ba^{2+}$ as the charge carrier, the activation thresholds were about -60 mV, peak currents appeared at -20 mV, and the reversal potentials were between +40 and +45. The activation time constants were very similar to each other, while the inactivation time constants of the ${\alpha_IG}$ currents were smaller than those of ${\alpha_IH}$. Taken together, the electrophysiological properties of the ${\alpha_IG} and {\alpha_IH}$ channels expressed in Xenopus oocytes were similar to the previously reported characteristics of low-threshold $Ca^{2+}$ channel currents.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.347-355
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• 1992

The precise mechanism of the Excitation-Contraction Coupling is still uncertain. But the concept that Ca2+ induced Ca2+ release [CICR] from the Ryanodine receptor in the sarcoplasmic reticulum [foot structure] may play a major role in E-C coupling has been widely accepted since 1970`s. It is believed that increased cytosolic Ca2+ followed by CICR is main contributor for E-C coupling of striated muscle. Resulting phenomena of ischemic /post-reperfusion myocyte is increased cytosolic Ca2+, even to the absence of Ca2+ in reperfusate. So intracellular inhibitor to CICR might prevent the ischemic and reperfusion damage of myocardial cells. The relatively purified foot protein, especially heavy sarcoplasmic reticulum rich, of the skeletal muscle was incorporated into the black lipid bilayer [Phosphatidyl ethanolamine: Phosphatidyl serine=l: 1]. Under the steady state of membrane potential [+20 mV], ionic current through Ryanodine receptor was measured with Cs+ as charge carrier. In the cis chamber [Cytoplasmic side], Mg2+ strongly inhibited CICR of Ryanodine receptor[Kd=6.2 nM]. In conclusion, naturally existing intracellular free Mg2+ can inhibit CICR from intracellular Ca2+ reservior [heavy SR]. So post-ischemic or post-reperfusing myocardium could be preserved using additional free Mg2+ in cardioplegic solution or reperfusate, otherwise the optimal concentration is undetermined.

• Journal of Photoscience
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.87-95
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• 2000

As sunlight not always optimized for every terrestrial plant in terms of light quality, quantity and duration, some plants suffer detrimental effects of sunlight exposure under certain conditions. Photoinhibition of photosynthesis is a typical phenomenon representing harmful light effects, commonly observed in many photosynthetic organisms. It is generally accepted that functional, structural loss of photosystem II complex(PSII) is the primary event of photoinhibition. Accumulating data also suggest that singlet oxygen($^1$O$_2$) is the main toxic species directly involved in it. There are two different views on the specific site and mechanism of $^1$O$_2$ production in the photosynthetic membrane. One of them favors the PSII reaction center, where the primary charge pairs recombination occurs as a prerequisite for the generation of $^1$O$_2$, and the other inclines to photosensitized $^1$O$_2$ formation by a substance located outside PSII. This article describes how we, as the advocators of the latter concept, have arrived at the conclusion that $^1$O$_2$ immediately involved in PSII photodamage is largely generated from the Rieske center of the cytochrome b$_{6}$/f complex and diffuses into PSII, attacking the reaction center subunits.s.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2014

Among semi-quantitative or fully quantitative lateral flow assay readers, an image sensor-based instrument has been widely used because of its simple setup, cheap sensor price, and compact equipment size. For all previous approaches, monochrome CCD or CMOS cameras were used for lateral flow assay imaging in which the overall intensities of all colors were taken into consideration to estimate the analyte content, although the analyte related color information is only limited to a narrow wavelength range. In the present work, we introduced a color CCD camera as a sensor and a color decomposition method to improve the sensitivity of the quantitative biosensor system which utilizes the lateral flow assay successfully. The proposed setup and image processing method were applied to achieve the quantification of imitatively dispensed particles on the surface of a porous membrane first, and the measurement result was then compared with that using a monochrome CCD. The compensation method was proposed in different illumination conditions. Eventually, the color decomposition method was introduced to the commercially available lateral flow immunochromatographic assay for the diagnosis of myocardial infarction. The measurement sensitivity utilizing the color image sensor is significantly improved since the slopes of the linear curve fit are enhanced from 0.0026 to 0.0040 and from 0.0802 to 0.1141 for myoglobin and creatine kinase (CK)-MB detection, respectively.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.10
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• pp.1386-1394
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• 2013

In our previous study, the 25-mer antimicrobial peptide pleurocidin (Ple) had been thought to induce apoptosis in Candida albicans. This study demonstrated that reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was a major cause of Ple-induced apoptosis. Four truncated analogs were synthesized to understand the functional roles in the N- and C-terminal regions of Ple on the apoptosis. Ple, Ple (4-25), Ple (1-22), and Ple (1-19) produced ROS, including hydroxyl radicals, on the order of [Ple > Ple (1-22) > Ple (4-25) > Ple (1-19)], whereas Ple (7-25) did not induce any ROS production. The results suggested that the N-terminal deletion affected the ROS-inducing activities much more than that of the C-terminal deletion, and net hydrophobicity [Ple > Ple (1-22) > Ple (4-25) > Ple (1-19) > Ple (7-25)] was related to ROS generation rather than other primary factors like net charge. Hence, we focused on the N-terminal-truncated peptides, Ple (4-25) and Ple (7-25), and examined other apoptotic features, including mitochondrial membrane depolarization, caspase activation, phosphatidylserine externalization, and DNA and nuclear fragmentation. The results also confirmed the disappearance of apoptotic activity of Ple (7-25) by the truncation of the N-terminal region (1-6) and the specific activity patterns between Ple and analogs. In conclusion, the N-terminal region of Ple played an important role in apoptosis.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.422-431
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• 2007

Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell(PEMFC) is very interesting power source due to high power density, simple construction and operation at low temperature. But it has problems such as high cost, improvement of performance and effect of temperature. These problems can be approached to be solved by using mathematical models which are useful tools for analysis and optimization of fuel cell performance and for heat and water management. In this paper, the present work is to develop an electrochemical model to examine the electrochemical process inside PEM fuel cell. A complete set of considerations of mass, momentum, species and charge is developed and solved numerically with proper account of electrochemical kinetics. When depth of gas channel becomes thinner, diffusion of reactant makes well into gas diffusion layer(GDL) and the performance increases. Although at low current region there is little voltage difference between experimental data of PEM fuel cell and numerical data. When the porosity size of gas diffusion layer for PEM fuel cell is bigger, oxygen diffusion occurs well and oxygen mass fraction appears high in catalyst layer.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.543-550
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• 2011

Various concentrations of whey protein isolate (WPI), such as 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 2.5, and 5.0%(w/v), containing 1.0%(w/v) eugenol were prepared by high speed homogenization to formulate nanoemulsions (NEs) and to investigate their antimicrobial activity. The results showed that particle size decreased according to increases in WPI concentration. Similarly, the ${\zeta}$-potential value was reduced to a negative charge when using WPI concentrations >0.1%(w/v). In contrast, no significant differences in particle size were observed during 1 mon of storage, except for the 0.1%(w/v) WPI NE. The ${\zeta}$-potential value depended on the increase in WPI concentration and storage duration, except for NE1 and NE5, suggesting that a low or high concentration of emulsifier was not effective for maintaining the droplet form of the eugenol NE. The results of an antibacterial effect investigation indicated that the growth of Escherichia coli was inhibited based on an increase in eugenol concentration in all NE formulations. Moreover, a membrane permeability study showed that total leakage content increased according to incubation time.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.370-374
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• 1993

In transportation the amount of metal ion by crown ethers, dibenzo-18-crown-6 were investigated using ultraviolet spectrometer. Transported the amount of one valence metal ion as $K^+ and Li^+}$ was not so much. On the other hand, two valence metal ion increased by dibenzo-18-crown-6, which means that the ionic charge and hydration of two valence metal ion affected the carrying ability of crown ethers. The carrying ability of dibenzo-18-crown-6 was, therefore, adequate for two valence metal ion as $Ca^{2+}$ and $Ba^{2+}$. It was also suggested that transport metal ion by crown ethers, which is related rather the catching ability than the selectivity of metalion.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.31 no.12
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• pp.3740-3744
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• 2010

A typically designed 'Peptide Lego' has two distinct surfaces: a hydrophilic side that contains the complete charge distribution and a hydrophobic side. In this article, we describe the fabrication of a unique lego-type peptide with the AEAEYAKAK sequence. The novel peptide with double amphiphilic surfaces is different from typical peptides due to special arrangement of the residues. The results of CD, FT-IR, AFM and DLS demonstrate that the peptide with the random coil characteristic was able to form stable nanostructures that were mediated by non-covalent interactions in an aqueous solution. The data further indicated that despite its different structure, the peptide was able to undergo self-assembly similar to a typical peptide. In addition, the use of hydrophobic pyrene as a model allowed the peptide to provide a new type of potential nanomaterial for drug delivery. These efforts collectively open up a new direction in the fabrication of nanomaterials that are more perfect and versatile.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.539-548
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• 2010

Potassium ($K^+$) is one of the most abundant cations in higher plant. It comprises about 10% of plant dry weight and it plays roles in numerous functions such as osmo- and turgor regulation, charge balance of plasma membrane and control of stomata and organ movement. Several potassium transporters and potassium channels regulate $K^+$ homeostasis in response to $K^+$ uptake systems. In this review, we describe the biological, biochemical and physiological characteristics of shaker like potassium channels in higher plant. Especially, we searched the rice genome databases and analysized expressed genes, genome structures and protein domain characteristics of shaker like potassium channels.