• 대한기계학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한기계학회 2007년도 춘계학술대회A
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• pp.405-408
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• 2007

Vestibular hair cells, the sensory receptors of vestibular organs, selectively amplify miniscule stimuli to attain high sensitivity. Such selective amplification results in compressive nonlinear sensitivity, which plays an important role in expanding dynamic range while ensuring robustness of the system. In this study, negative stiffness mechanism, a mechanism responsible for the selective amplification by vestibular hair cells, is applied to a simple mechanical system consisting of an array of inverted pendulums. The structure and working principle of the system have been inspired by gating spring hypothesis proposing that opening and closing of transduction channels contributes to the global stiffness of vestibular hair bundle. Parameter study was carried out to analyze the effect of each parameter on the compressive nonlinearity of suggested model.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제45권12호
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• pp.877-882
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• 2022

Taste sensation is the process of converting chemical identities in food into a neural code of the brain. Taste information is initially formed in the taste buds on the tongue, travels through the afferent gustatory nerves to the sensory ganglion neurons, and finally reaches the multiple taste centers of the brain. In the taste field, optical tools to observe cellularlevel functions play a pivotal role in understanding how taste information is processed along a pathway. In this review, we introduce recent advances in the optical tools used to study the taste transduction pathways.

• Journal of Photoscience
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.314-316
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• 2002

In halobacterial membrane, pharaonis phoborhodopsin (or pharaonis sensory rhdopsin II, psRII) forms a complex with its transducer pHtrII. Flash-photolyis of D75N mutant did not yield M-intermediate but an O-like intermediate is observed. We examined the interaction between D75N of ppR and t-Htr (truncated pHtrII). These formed a complex in the presence of n-dodecyl-$\beta$-D-maltoside, and the association accelerated the decay of the 0 of D75N from 15 to 56 s$\^$-1/. From the decay time constants under varying ratios of D75N and t-Htr, n, the molar ratio of D75N/t-Htr in the complex, and K$\_$D/, the dissociation constant, were estimated. The value of n was unity and K$\_$D/ was estimated to 146 nM. This K$\_$D/ value can be considered as the association between the photo-intermediate and t-Htr, which is deduced by the method of estimation. Previously we (Photochem. Photobiol. 74, 489-494 (2001)) reported K$\_$D/ of 15 $\mu$M for the interaction between the wild-type and t-Htr by means of the change of M-decay rates. Therefore, this value should be the K$\_$D/ value for the interaction between M of the wild-type and t-Htr.

• 환경생물
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• 제26권4호
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• pp.377-384
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• 2008

A cell is the product of a long period of evolution and can be represented as an optimized system (homeostasis). Stimuli from the outside environment are received by sensory apparatus on the surface of the cell and transferred through complicated pathways and eventually regulate gene expression. These signals affect cell physiology, growth, and development, and the interaction among genes in the signal transduction pathway is a critical part of the regulation. In this study, the interactions of deletion mutants and overexpression of the extracopies of the genes were used to understand their relationships to each other. Also, green fluorescent protein (GFP reporter gene) was fused to the regulatory genes to elucidate their interactions. Cooverexpression of the two genes in extracopy plasmids suggested that patS acts at the downstream of hetR in the regulatory network. The experiments using gfp fusion in different genetic background cells also indicated the epistasis relationships between the two genes. A model describing the regulatory network that controls cell development is presented.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• 제31권4호
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• pp.135-140
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• 2006

Temperature signaling can be initiated by members of transient receptor potential (thermo-TRP) channels. Hot and cold substances applied to teeth usually elicit pain sensation. Since odontoblasts constitute a well-defined layer between the pulp and the mineralized dentin, being first to encounter thermal stimulation from oral cavity, they may be involved in sensory transduction process, in addition to their primary function as formation of dentin. We investigated whether thermo-TRP channels are expressed in a odontoblast cell line, MDPC-23. The expressions of thermo-TRP channels were examined using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), immunohistochemistry, fluorometric calcium imaging. Analysis of RT-PCR revealed mRNA expression of TRPV1, TRPV2, TRPV4 and TRPM8, but no TRPV3, TRPA1. Immunohistochemical approach failed to detect TRPV1 expression. Whereas the application of 4-phorbol-12,13-didecanoate($10\;{\mu}M$, a TRPV4 agonist), menthol(1 mM, a TRPM8 agonist) and icilin($10\;{\mu}M$, a TRPM8 agonist) produced the enhancement of intracellular calcium concentration, capsaicin($1\;{\mu}M$, a TRPV1 agonist) did not. Our results suggest that subfamily of thermo-TRP channels expressed in odontoblasts may serve as thermal or mechanical transducer in teeth.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• 제29권2호
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• pp.43-49
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• 2011

The increasing number of analytes in concern and the alarming health and environmental consequences have required effective means of monitoring for safety control. Biosensors offer advantages as alternatives to conventional analytical methods because of their inherent specificity, simplicity, and quick response. Colorimetric biosensor, one of biosensor group, is one of the easiest and the most convenient methods because detection can be done using naked eye. Recently, a novel method for rapid detection and read-out of specific immunoassays with naked eye using polydiacetylene (PDA) was developed. Polydiacetylene has recently been in the limelight as a transducing materials because of its special features that allow optical transduction of sensory signals and inherent simplicity and ease of use in supramolecular chemistry. Various forms of PDA are used as a sensor platform for detection of various biological analytes such as viruses, DNA, proteins, bacteria and hazardous molecules.

• Journal of Audiology & Otology
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• 제24권4호
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• pp.174-179
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• 2020

Background and Objectives: The integration of auditory-visual speech information improves speech perception; however, if the auditory system input is disrupted due to hearing loss, auditory and visual inputs cannot be fully integrated. Additionally, temporal coincidence of auditory and visual input is a significantly important factor in integrating the input of these two senses. Time delayed acoustic pathway caused by the signal passing through digital signal processing. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of hearing loss and hearing aid digital delay circuit on sound-induced flash illusion. Subjects and Methods: A total of 13 adults with normal hearing, 13 with mild to moderate hearing loss, and 13 with moderate to severe hearing loss were enrolled in this study. Subsequently, the sound-induced flash illusion test was conducted, and the results were analyzed. Results: The results showed that hearing aid digital delay and hearing loss had no detrimental effect on sound-induced flash illusion. Conclusions: Transmission velocity and neural transduction rate of the auditory inputs decreased in patients with hearing loss. Hence, the integrating auditory and visual sensory cannot be combined completely. Although the transmission rate of the auditory sense input was approximately normal when the hearing aid was prescribed. Thus, it can be concluded that the processing delay in the hearing aid circuit is insufficient to disrupt the integration of auditory and visual information.

• Journal of Photoscience
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.106-109
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• 2002

Archaeal rhodopsins possess retinal molecule as their chromophores, and their light-energy and light-signal conversions are triggered by all-trans to 13-cis isomerization of the retinal chromophore. Relaxation through structural changes of protein then leads to functional processes, proton pump in bacteriorhodopsin (bR) and transducer activation in phoborhodopsin (pR). It is known that sensory rhodopsins can pump protons in the absence of their transducers. Thus, there should be common and specific features in their protein structural changes for function. In this paper, our r ecent studies on pR from Natronobacterium pharaonis (ppR) by means of low-temperature Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy are compared with those of bR. In particular, protein structural changes upon retinal photoisomerization are studied. Comparative investigation of ppR and bR revealed the similar structures of the polyene chain of the chromophore and water-containing hydrogen-bonding network, whereas the structural changes upon photoisomerization were more extended in ppR than in bR. Extended protein structural changes were clearly shown by the assignment of the C=O stretch of Asnl05. FTIR studies of a ppR mutant with the same retinal binding site as in bR revealed that the Schiff base region is important to determine their colors.

• Journal of Photoscience
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• 제7권1호
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• pp.1-4
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• 2000

The photosensory ciliates Blepharisma japonicum and Stentor coeruleus use the hypericin-derived pigments blepharismin and stentorin, respectively, as photoreceptor chromophores. Fluorescence quenching studies have shown that the first excited singlet state of hypericin and the purified chromophores blepharismin and stentorin can be deactivated by electron transfer to an acceptor molecule with a suitable reducing potential [1,2]. This paper reports the result of a series of photobehavioral experiments performed with the aim to ascertain if the same electron accepters which quench the photoreceptor pigment fluorescence in vitro may also compete with the native acceptor molecule in its natural physiological environment. Individual cell trajectories were examined before and after light stimulation, in the presence and in the absence of potential "in vivo" electron accepters, with a microvideo-recording apparatus. Our data, on Blepharisma cells, showed that as the negative reduction potential of the electron acceptor increases, a pronounced decrease in cell photoresponsiveness was detected. A dramatic effect on cell photoresponsiveness was noticed in the presence of 1,4-benzoquinone that has the lowest negative reduction potential. Such an effect on the percentage of photoreacting cells was moderate in the case of 1,4-naphthoquinone, with a relatively higher negative reduction potential. In the presence of benzophenone, which has the highest negative reduction potential, no significant effect on photoreacting cells was noticed. Our results can support the hypothesis that in the pigment granules such a light-induced charge transfer from excited blepharismin to a suitable electron acceptor triggers sensory transduction processes in B. japonicum.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.12-20
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• 2000

The memory of pain can be more damaging than its initial experience. Several factors arc related the directions of pain memory: current pain intensity, emotion, expectation of pain, and peak intensity of previous pain. The possible mechanisms behind the memory of pain are neuroplastic changes of nervous system via peripheral and central sensitization. Peripheral sensitization is induced by neurohumoral alterations at the site of injury and nearby. Biochemicals such as K+, prostaglandins, bradykinin, substance P, histamine and serotonin, increase transduction and produce continuous nociceptive input. Central sensitization takes place within the dorsal horn of spinal cord and amplifies the nociceptive input from the periphery. The mechanisms of central sensitization involve a variety of transmitters and postsynaptic mechanisms resulting from the activations of NMDA receptors by glutamate. and activation of NK-1 tachykinnin receptors by substance-P and neurokinnin. The clinical result of peripheral and central sensitization is hyperalgesia, allodynia, spontaneous pain, referred pain, or sympathetically maintained pain. These persistent sensory responses to noxious stimuli arc a form of memory. The hypothesis of preemptive analgesia is that analgesia administered before the painful stimulus will prevent or reduce subsequent pain and analgesic requirements in comparison to the identical analgesic intervention administered after the painful stimulus, by preventing or reducing the memory of pain in the nervous system. Conventionally, pain management was initiated following noxious stimuli such as surgery. More recently, however many have endorsed preemptive analgesia initiated before surgery. Treatments to control postsurgical pain are often best started before injury activates peripheral nociceptors and triggers central sensitization. Such preemption is not achieved solely by regional anesthesia and drug therapy but also requires behavioral interventions to decrease anxiety or stress. Although the benefit of preemptive analgesia may not be obvious in every circumstance, and in many cases may not sufficient to abolish central sensitization, it is an appropriate and human goal of clinical practice.