• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.169-174
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• 2015

$LiGd_9(SiO_4)_6O_2:Ce^{3+}$ phosphors were synthesized by solid-state reaction method. The structural characteristic was investigated by X-ray powder diffraction analysis. The emission and excitation spectra of the $Ce^{3+}$ ions doped $LiGd_9(SiO_4)_6O_2$ phosphors were obtained under the UV excitation. The emission spectra of $LiGd_9(SiO_4)_6O_2:Ce^{3+}$ shows the band at 410 nm corresponding to the $^2F_{5/2}$ and $^2F_{7/2}$ states of $Ce^{3+}$. The red shift of $Ce^{3+}$ emission is found as the $Ce^{3+}$ concentration increases, which could be explained by the change in crystal-field symmetry and strength with increasing $Ce^{3+}$ concentration. Fluorescence decay time of $Ce^{3+}$ was about 20 ns. When the concentration of $Ce^{3+}$ increases life time was slightly reduced.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.439-445
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• 2018

T-type calcium channels are low voltage-activated calcium channels that evoke small and transient calcium currents. Recently, T-type calcium channels have been implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder and neural tube defects. However, their function during embryonic development is largely unknown. Here, we investigated the function and expression of T-type calcium channels in embryonic neural progenitor cells (NPCs). First, we compared the expression of T-type calcium channel subtypes (CaV3.1, 3.2, and 3.3) in NPCs and differentiated neural cells (neurons and astrocytes). We detected all subtypes in neurons but not in astrocytes. In NPCs, CaV3.1 was the dominant subtype, whereas CaV3.2 was weakly expressed, and CaV3.3 was not detected. Next, we determined CaV3.1 expression levels in the cortex during early brain development. Expression levels of CaV3.1 in the embryonic period were transiently decreased during the perinatal period and increased at postnatal day 11. We then pharmacologically blocked T-type calcium channels to determine the effects in neuronal cells. The blockade of T-type calcium channels reduced cell viability, and induced apoptotic cell death in NPCs but not in differentiated astrocytes. Furthermore, blocking T-type calcium channels rapidly reduced AKT-phosphorylation (Ser473) and $GSK3{\beta}$-phosphorylation (Ser9). Our results suggest that T-type calcium channels play essential roles in maintaining NPC viability, and T-type calcium channel blockers are toxic to embryonic neural cells, and may potentially be responsible for neurodevelopmental disorders.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.257-266
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• 1999

Ivermectin is a widely used broad spectrum antiparasitic agent in veterinary medicine. In this work, we examined the pharmacokinetic parameters and the tissue residue profile of a new injectable formulation of ivermectin developed for pigs. The plasma ivermectin levels reached the peak at about 9 and 2 hours after the administrations in young and adult pigs, respectively. But the elimination half-life (3-3.5 days) and the $C_{max}$ values (24~28 ng/ml) were not significantly different between young and adult pig groups. When compared to the reference formulation, the $C_{max}$ of test formulation was higher and $T_{1/2}$ values were shorter than those of the reference formulation, respectively. The tissue residue levels were dose- and time-dependent and were higher in the liver and fat, than in the other tissues such as the injection sites, the kidney, intestine, muscle, plasma (4~74 ng/g) at the 7th day after the administration of both formulations of ivermectin. Then, the mean tissue ivermectin levels at the 21st day after the administration in all the tissues decreased to 7.4 and 25% of the 7th day levels in the test and reference formulations, respectively. In general, the tissue levels of ivermectin in the animals treated with the test formulation decreased more rapidly than those with the reference formulation. The tissue to plasma distribution ratio (T/P ratio) of ivermectin was higher in the liver and fat than other tissues. The T/P ratio in the liver of animals treated with the test formulation was somewhat higher than that in the animals treated with the reference formulation. Taken together, the results of pharmacokinetic and tissue residue studies indicate that the test formulation of ivermectin for subcutaneous injection is comparable to the reference formulation, but unique in that it has higher peak plasma concentrations, shorter elimination half-life and higher T/P ratio in the liver than the reference formulation.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.110-117
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• 1995

Tc-99m Labeled hexamethylenepropyleneamineoxime ([$^{99m}Tc$]-HMPAO) is a famous amino-oxime compound and is widely used to construct SPECT images of cerebral blood flow. To investigate the relationship between chemical structure and radiolabeling in these kind of diamine-oxime compounds, we synthesized seven compounds by Schiff's base formation and successive reduction with sodium borohydride. They were (RR/SS )-4,8-diaza-3,6,6,9-tetramethylundecane-2,10-dione bisoxime (2), (RR/SS/meso)-4,8-diaza-3,9-dimethy-lundecane-2,10-dione bisoxime (4), (RR/SS/meso)-4,8-diaza-3,10-dimethyldodecane-2,11-dione bisoxime (5), (RR/SS/meso)-4,7-diaza-3,6,6,8-tetramethyldecane-2,9-dione bisoxime (8), (RR/SS/meso)-4,7-diaza-5,6-cyclohexyl-3,8-dimethyldecane-2,9-dione bisoxime (10), (RR/SS/meso)-3,4-bis(1-aza-2-methyl-3-oxime-1-butyl)-benzoic acid (12), and (RR/SS/ meso)-2,3-bis(1-aza-2-methyl-3-oxime-1-butyl) benzophenone (14). Chemical structures of all the synthesized compounds were identified by taking $^1H$ spectrum. Among them, 2 and 4 are propyleneamine oxime (PnAO), 6 is butyleneamine oxime (BnAO) and 8, 10, 12 and 14 are ethyleneamine oxime (EnAO). Each compound (0.5 mg) was incubated with stannous chloride (0.5 g - 8 g), carbonate-bicarbonate buffer (final concentration = 0.1 M, pH 7 - pH 10) and Tc-99m-pertechenate (1 ml). Tc-99m labeling of these compounds were checked by ITLC (acetone), ITLC (normal saline), reverse phase TLC (50 % acetonitrile) and ITLC (ethyl acetate). According to the results, EnAO's were not labeled by Tc-99m in any of above condition. About 11 % of maximum labeling efficiency was obtained with BnAO. However, 4 (PnAO) was labeled with Tc-99m to 85 % which is similar to the labeling efficiency of 2 (HMPAO). Hydrophilic impurity (9 % ) was the most significant problem with the labeling of 4, however, pertechnetate (3 % ) and colloid (3 %) were minor problem. In conclusion, we synthesized seven diamine blsoxlme compounds. Among them, four EnAO compounds were not labeled by Tc-99m. A BnAO was labeled poorly and two PnAO's were labeled well. These labeling can be explained by tertiary structure of their Tc-99m chelate.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.37-42
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• 2013

Gaucher disease is a lysosomal storage disease caused by deficiency of glucocerebrosidase (GBA). This condition is characterized by accumulation of glucocerebrosidase in liver, spleen, lung, skeletal system, and central nervous system. Gaucher disease is the prototype of disease in which efficacy of enzyme replacement therapy has been established. However, because recombinant enzyme is not able to enter the central nervous system, its efficacy is limited to the non-neurological manifestations of Gaucher disease. Importantly, approximately a half of Korean patients with Gaucher disease suffer from neurological manifestations. In addition, Korean Gaucher disease patients exhibit distinct mutation spectrum from those in other populations. Common mutations in Korean patients with Gaucher disease are also associated with neurological phenotype. Therefore, therapeutic strategies tailored to Korean patients were necessary. Interestingly, a chemical chaperone, ambroxol, has been known to increase residual enzymatic activities of the select mutant GBAs encoded by mutations prevalent in Korean patients. One promising aspect of this drug is that it can cross blood-brain barrier, and enhance the enzyme activity in the brain. In vitro study suggested this chemical chaperone as one of new therapeutic agents in Gaucher disease, and a well-designed human trial is required to confirm its efficacy.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.109-115
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• 2005

Beidellite, a member of the smectite group, was synthesized hydrothermally from dickite. Physical and chemical properties of the synthetic Na-beidellite were characterized by the analytical methods of XRD, IR, TG, DTA, EDS, XRF and ICP. The result of Greene-Kelly test indicates that the synthesized smectite is Na-beidellite. IR spectrum of synthesized beidellite exhibited Al-O-H bending vibration at $818\;cm^{-1}\;and\;770\;cm^{-1}$ which was observed particularly in pure beidellite. TGA analysis revealed that the synthesized Na-beidellite comprises $16\;wt\%$ of water. DTA curve showed an endothermic peak at $117^{\circ}C$ due to dehydration reaction and peaks at $482^{\circ}C$ and $685^{\circ}C$ due to dehydroxylation reaction. The clay mineral was transformed to mullite and cristobalite at the temperature of $1028^{\circ}C$. The CEC value, Methylene Blue test and swelling capacity was determined to be $116\~118\;cmol/kg,\;84\~91\%,\;29\~32\;mL/2g$, respectively. The chemical composition of the synthesized phase was identified as $Na_{0.5}Al_{2.5}Si_{3.5}O_{10}(OH)_2$ from EDS and XRF analyses.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.151-164
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• 2011

Mineralogical and petrological characteristics were investigated on matrix of dense gray, vesiculate gray, brown and black pumice in Ulleung Island by using XRD, FT-IR, XRF, SEM and thermal analysis. According to the analysis, most of pumice matrix are amorphous and include very small amount of sanidine and anorthoclase. Since the adsorption moistures, which commonly observed as O-H peak in FT-IR spectrum, are not identified in thermal analysis, it seems reasonable to conclude that content of the adsorption moisture has very low level. Although pumice has a large specific surface area, with long time elapsed after eruption, pumice matrix shows very low degree of hydration alteration due to the low level of water content. In SEM images, most surfaces of pumice show morphological characteristics such as various shapes of vesicle with wrinkled and thin walls resulted from ductile coalescence. Dense gray pumice formed in the initial stage includes small vesicles less than $15{\mu}m$ in size with subangular to angular shapes, free of ovoid vesicle. These characteristics are interpreted to have related to the hydrous environment derived from phreato-plinian eruption. Submicron particles observed as amorphous alumina silicate assemblages in vesicle surface are considered as particles sticked to the matrix surface through rapidly cooling process during ascent of alkali phonolitic magma. It indicates that these particles coexisted partly with crystallized alkali feldspar.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.423-431
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• 2006

Among 53 Acinetobacter baumannii isolates collected in 2004, nine imipenem-resistant isolates were obtained from clinical specimens taken from patients hospitalized in Busan, Korea. Nine carbapenemase-producing isolates were further investigated in order to determine the mechanisms underlying resistance. These isolates were then analyzed via antibiotic susceptibility testing, microbiological tests of carbapenemase activity, pI determination, transconjugation test, enterobacterial repetitive consensus (ERIC)-PCR, and DNA sequencing. One outbreak involved seven cases of infection by A. baumannii producing OXA-23 ${\beta}-lactamase$, and was found to have been caused by a single ERIC-PCR clone. During the study period, the other outbreak involved two cases of infection by A. baumannii producing IMP-1 ${\beta}-lactamase$. The two clones, one from each of the outbreaks, were characterized via a modified cloverleaf synergy test and an EDTA-disk synergy test. The isoelectric focusing of the crude bacterial extracts detected nitrocefin-positive bands with pI values of 6.65 (OXA-23) and 9.0 (IMP-1). The PCR amplification and characterization of the amplicons via direct sequencing showed that the clonal isolates harbored $bla_{IMP-1}$ or $bla_{oxA-23}$ determinants. The two clones were characterized by a multidrug resistance phenotype that remained unaltered throughout the outbreak. This resistance encompassed penicillins, extended-spectrum cephalosporins, carbapenems, monobactams, and aminoglycosides. These results appear to show that the imipenem resistance observed among nine Korean A. baumannii isolates could be attributed to the spread of an IMP-lor OXA-23-producing clone. Our microbiological test of carbapenemase activity is a simple method for the screening of clinical isolates producing class D carbapenemase and/or class B $metallo-{\beta}-lactamase$, in order both to determine their clinical impact and to prevent further spread.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.63 no.1
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• pp.29-33
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• 2020

The objective of this study was to develop a fast and accurate method of variety discrimination and geographical discrimination origin of Korean angelica (Korean variety, Angelica gigas Nakai) by using TDU-GC/MS. Two peaks of decursin and decursinol, which are coumarin derivatives were identified in the range of Total Ion Chromatogram (TIC) RT 26.9-27.2 of the Korean angelica by GC/MS analysis at the time of condensation in a refrigerated condensation system after thermal desorption of sample extracts. In case of Chinese angelica (Chinese variety), ligustilide peak was detected at the RT 17.2. In order to investigate the difference of volatile components according to the geographical origin of Korean variety, the mass spectra were measured by TDU-GC/MS at the range of m/z 40-400 amu. The TIC of domestic cultivation and Chinese cultivation of the Korean variety, Angelica gigas Nakai showed the same tendency as a whole. However, in partial scans of TIC, two peaks detected at 15.54 and 16.05 of RT showed different peak patterns between Korean angelica (Korean variety) cultivated in Korea and in China. The ratio of Peak A (RT 15.54) and B (RT 16.05) was 0.0-0.2 for domestic cultivation and 0.5-2.8 for Chinese cultivation, confirming the possibility of discriminating origin by comparing the TIC peak pattern of TDU-GC/MS.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.1041-1051
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• 2003

Neutron induced prompt gamma activation analysis (PGAA) offers a nondestructive, sensitive and relatively rapid method for the determination of trace and major elements and is proven to be convenient for online analysis of minerals, metals, coal, cement, petrochemical, coating, paper as well as many other materials and products. The technique has found many uses in medicine, industry, research, security and the detection of contraband items. This report reviews the present status and future trends of the PGAA techniques. Requirements for the system are neutron source, high resolution HPGe detectors with a high-voltage power supply, an amplifier, analog-to-digital converter, and a multichannel analyzer for the detection and measurement of prompt ${\gamma}$-ray emit form the neutron capture elements. Introducing a ${\gamma}$-${\gamma}$ coincidence system also improves the quality of the ${\gamma}$-ray spectrum by suppressing the background created from the Compton scattering of high energy prompt ${\gamma}$-rays. A PGAA system using a $^{252}Cf$ neutron source is currently under construction for the on-line measurement of several elements in aqueous samples at KAERI. The system can be applied for the detection of chemical weapons and explosives as well as various narcotics.