• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2011

${\gamma}$-PGA(poly-${\gamma}$-glutamic acid) is an unusual anionic polypeptide that is made of D- and L-glutamic acid units connected by amide linkages between ${\alpha}$-amino and ${\gamma}$-carboxylic acid groups. ${\gamma}$-PGA has been isolated from many kinds of organisms. Many Bacillus strains produce ${\gamma}$-PGA as a capsular material of an extracellular viscous material. It is safe for eating as a viscosity element of fermented soybean products such as Chungkookjang and Natto. It is biodegradable, edible and nontoxic toward humans and the environment and its molecular weight varies from ten thousand to several hundred thousand depending on the kinds of strains used. Therefore, potential applications of ${\gamma}$-PGA and its derivatives have been of interest in the past few years in a broad range of industrial fields such as food, cosmetics, medicine, water-treatment, etc. In this study, a bacterium, Bacillus subtilis GS-2 isolated from the Korean traditional seasoning food, Chungkookjang could produce a large amount of ${\gamma}$-PGA with high productivity and had a simple nutrient requirement. Based on carbon utilization pattern and partial 16S rRNA sequence analysis, the GS-2 strain was identified as B. subtilis. The determination of purified ${\gamma}$-PGA was confirmed with thin layer chromatography (TLC), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra, and $^1H$-nuclear magnetic resonance ($^1H$-NMR) spectroscopy.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.43-52
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• 1988

To elucidate the mechanism of action of local anesthetics, the effects of local anethetics on the microenvironment of the lipid bilayers of synaptosomal plasma membrane vesicles (SPMV) isolated from bovine brain and dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) multilamellar liposomes were investigated employing the intermolecular excimer fluorescence technique and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The relative intensities of excimer and monomer fluorescence of pyrene are a simple linear function of the viscosity of a homologous series of solvents. The microviscosity(${\eta}$)of the hydrocarbon region of SPMV was measured by this method and the value was $57.3{\pm}5.3\;cP$ at $37^{\circ}C$. In the presence of lidocaine-HCl and procaine-HCl, the values decreased to $46.5{\pm}5.1\;cP$ and $54.7{\pm}4.8\;cP$, respectvely. The differential scanning thermograms of DMPC multilamellar liposomes showed that local anesthetics significantly lowered the phase transition temperature, broadened the thermogram peaks, and reduced the size of the cooperative unit. These results indicate that local anesthetics have significant fluidizing effects on biomembranes and perturbation of membrane lipids may produce some, but not all, of their pharmacological actions.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.216-221
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• 2017

Reducing optical reflection in the visible light range, in order to increase the share of transmitted light and avoid the formation of ghost images in imaging, is important for polymer lens applications. In this study, polymer lenses with refractive indices of n=1.56, 1.60, and 1.67 were fabricated by the injection-molding method with a polymer lens monomer, dibutyltin dichloride as the catalyst and an alkyl phosphoric ester as the release agent. To investigate their anti-reflection (AR) effects, various AR coating structures, viz. a multi-layer AR coating structure, tri-layer AR coating structure with a discrete approximation Gaussian gradient-index profile, and tri-layer AR coating structure with a quarter-wavelength approximation, were designed and coated on the polymer lens by an E-beam evaporation system. The optical properties of the polymer lenses were characterized by UV-visible spectrometry. The material properties of the thin films, refractive index and surface roughness, were analyzed by ellipsometry and AFM, respectively. The most effective AR coating structure of the polymer lens with low refractive index, n=1.56, was the both side coating of multi-layer AR coating structure. However, both side coating of the tri-layered discrete approximation Gaussian gradient-index profile AR coating structure gave comparable results to the both side coating of the multi-layer AR coating structure for the polymer lens with a high refractive index of n=1.67.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.231-236
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• 2014

Sawdust, produced as an wood by-product, is usable biomass as liquid fuels if decomposed to monomer unit, because the chemical structure are similar to high octane materials found in gasoline. In this study, parameters of thermochemical degradation by acetone-solvolysis reaction of sawdust such as the effect of reaction temperature, reaction time and type of solvent on conversion yield and degradation products were investigated. The liquid products by acetone-solvolysis from sawdust produced various kind of ketone, phenol and furan compounds. The optimum sawdust conversion was observed to be 88.7% at $350^{\circ}C$, 40min. Combustion heating value of liquid products from thermochemical conversion processes was as high as 7,824 cal/g. The energy yield and mass yield in acetone-solvolysis of sawdust was 60.8% and 36.4 g-oil/100g-sawdust after 40 min of reaction at $350^{\circ}C$, respectively. The major components of the acetone-solvolysis products, that could be used as liquid fuel, were 4-methyl-3-pentene-2-one, 1,3,5-trimethylbezene, 2,6-dimethyl-2,5-heptadiene-4-one, 3-methyl-2-cyclopenten-1-one as ketone compounds.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.243-251
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• 2000

In order to provide a basis for studying the molecular mechanism of pharmacological action of local anesthetics and to develop a fluorescence spectroscopic method which can detect the microviscosity of native and model membranes using intramolecular excimerization of 1,3-di(l-pyrenyl)propane (Py-3-Py), we examined the effect of lidocaine HCl on the microviscosity of model membranes of phosphatidylcholine fraction extracted from synaptosomal plasma membrane vesicles (SPMVPC). The excimer to monomer fluorescence intensity ratio (I'/I) of Py-3-Py in liquid paraffin was a simple linear function of $T/{\eta}.$ Based on this calibration curve, the microviscosity values of the direct probe environment in SPMVPC model membranes ranged from $234.97{\pm}48.85$ cP at $4^{\circ}C$ to %19.21{\pm}1.11$ cP at $45^{\circ}C.$ At $37^{\circ}C,$ a value of $27.25{\pm}0.44$ cP was obtained. The lidocaine HCl decreased the microviscosity of SPMVPC model membranes in a concentration-dependent manner, with a significant decrease in microviscosity value by injecting the local anesthetic even at the concentration of 0.5 mM. These results indicate that the direct environment of Py-3-Py in the SPMVPC model membranes is significantly fluidized by the lidocaine HCl. Also, the present study explicitly shows that an interaction between local anesthetics and membrane lipids is of importance in the molecular mechanism of pharmacological action of lidocaine HCl.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 1997

We determined the microviscosity of synaptosomal plasma membrane vesicles (SPMV) isolated from bovine cerebral cortex and liposomes of total lipids (SPMTL) and phospholipids (SPMPL) extracted from SPMV. Changes in the microviscosity induced by the range and rate of lateral diffusion were measured by the intramolecular excimerization of 1, 3-di(1-pyrenyl)propane (Py-3-Py). The microviscosity values of the direct probe environment in SPMV, SPMTL and SPMPL were 38.17, 31.11 and 27.64 cP, respectively, at$37^{\circ}C$and the activation energies $(E_a)$ of the excimer formation of Py-3-Py in SPMV, SPMTL and SPMPL were 8.236, 7.448 amd 7.025 kcal/mol, respectively. Probe location was measured by polarity and polarizability parameters of the probe Py-3-Py and probe analogues, pyrene, 1-pyrenenonanol and 1-pyrenemethyl-3${\beta}$-hydroxy-22, 23-bisnor-5-cholenate (PMC), incorporated into membranes or solubilized in reference solvents. There existed a good linear relationship between the first absorption peak of the $^1_a$ band and the polarizability parameter $(n^{2}-1)/(2n^{2}+1)$.The calculated refractive index values for SPMV, SPMTL and SPMPL were close to 1.50, which is higher than that of liquid paraffin (n=l.475). The probe location was also determined by using a polarity parameter $(f-1/2f^{I})$. Here f=$({\varepsilon}-1)/(2{\varepsilon}+1)$ is the dielectric constant function and $f^I=(n^2-1)/(2n^2+1)$ is the refractive index function. A correlation existed between the monomer fluorescence intensity ratio and the solvent polarity parameter. The probes incorporated in SPMV, SPMTL, and SPMPL report a polarity value close to that of 1-hexanol $({\varepsilon}=13.29)$. In conclusion, Py-3-Py is located completely inside the membrane, not in the very hydrophobic core, but displaced toward the polar head groups of phospholipid molecules, e.g., central methylene region of aliphatic chains of phospholipid molecules.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.230-237
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• 2006

Copolymers(HSA-98-20, HSA-98-0, HSA-98+20) which we acrylic resin containing 80% solid content were synthesized by the reaction of monomers, including methyl methacrylate, n-butyl acrylate, and 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate with a functional monomer, acetoacetoxyethyl methacrylate (AAEM), which nay give improvements in cross-linking density and physical properties of films. The physical properties of prepared acrylic resins, containing AAEM, are as follows viscosities, $1420\sim5760cps$ ; number average molecular weight, $2080\sim2300g/mol$; polydispersity index, $2.07\sim2.19$ ; and conversions, $88\sim93%$. In the next step, high-solid coatings (HSA-98-20C, HSA-98-0C, HSA-98+20C) were prepared by the curing reaction between acrylic resins containing 80% solid content and isocyanate at room temperature. Various properties were examined on the film coated with the prepared high-solid coatings. The introduction of AAEM to the coatings enhanced the abrasion resistance and solvent resistance, which indicated the possible use of high- solid coatings for top-coating materials of automobile. Since the curing by viscoelastic measurement occurred in sequence of HSA-98+20C > HSA-98-0C > HSA-98-20C, it was concluded that the curing rates became faster with incresing $T_g$ values.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.275-280
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• 2012

Poly(amic acid)s were successfully synthesized from 1,4-bis(4-aminophenoxy)benzene (1,4-APB) or 2,2-bis[4-(4-aminophenoxy)phenyl]hexafluoropropane (HFBAPP) with pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA), 3,3'-4,4'-benzopenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride (BPDA) and $p$-phenylenediamine ($p$-PDA) and then they were effectively converted into polyimide films by thermal imidization. The chemical structure and thermo-mechanical properties of polyimide films were examined using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermo-gravimetric analyzer (TGA), thermo-mechanical analyzer, dynamic mechanical analyzer (DMA) and universal tensile machine (UTM). The moisture absorption, thermal and mechanical properties of polyimide films decreased with increasing the amount of 1,4-APB and HFBAPP. The polyimide films using HFBAPP showed lower properties than that of 1,4-APB at the same ratio, but it displayed better thermal properties and lower moisture absorption at the similar coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) with a copper. On the basis of our finding, it is concluded that 4-component polyimide films could be utilized for base films for flexible copper clad laminates (FCCL) of flexible printed circuit boards.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.142-150
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• 2010

A series of anion exchange composite membranes were prepared and characterized for electrodialysis processes used in the removal of nitrate nitrogen and ions in groundwater. The membranes were prepared as follows; first, fabric substrates were fully impregnated with monomer mixtures of vinylbenzylchloride (VBC), divinylbenzene (DVB), Styrene (ST) and $\alpha,\alpha$-Azobis(isobutyronitrile) (AIBN). Second, they were thermally polymerized to yield crosslinked poly (VBCST- DVB)/fabric composite membranes. Finally, the membranes were treated with trimethylamine (TMA) / acetone to give $-N^+(CH_3)_3^-$-containing poly(VBC-ST-DVB)/fabric membranes. The basic membrane properties such as ion exchange capacity (IEC), electric resistance and water content of the resulting membranes were measured as a function of VBC/DVB and TMA/Acetone content. As a result, the composite membranes showed lower electric resistance and higher IEC than commercial anion exchange membranes (AMX, Astom). Electrodialysis tests using the prepared membranes were carried out for the removal of various ions such as $NaNO_3$, $MgSO_4$ and NaF for 60 minutes. The results showed that the ions were removed below 1 mg/L within about 15 minutes which indicates that the anion exchange membranes prepared here could be applied to the electrodialysis process. as can be seen in the following that the ion conductivity values were almost no change after 15 minutes electrodialysis.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.282-293
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• 2008

Partially sulfonated poly(aryl ether sulfone) membranes were prepared from the sulfonated sulfone monomer, which was synthesized by a nucleophilic substitution, non-sulfonated monomers and potassium carbonate by a direct polymerization method and a subsequent solution casting technique with mixed solvents of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) and dimethylacetamide (DMAc). To investigate the effect of mixed solvent, the volume ratios of NMP and DMAc were varied in the range of $0{\sim}100%$ and the degrees of sulfonation of the copolymers were fixed as 50%. The surface properties of the resulting membranes were examined by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM), and a comparative study of the morphology changes and the physicochemical properties such as proton conductivity and methanol permeability was achieved. It was found that proton conductivities depend on the volume ratio of NMP-DMAc mixed solvents, and the proton conductivity determined at the condition of $25^{\circ}C$ and 100% relative humidity was $1.38{\times}10^{-1}\;S/cm$ for the membrane prepared in the 50:50 v/v-% of NMP : DMAc mixed solvent.