• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Information and Commucation Sciences Conference
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• 2013.10a
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• pp.379-382
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• 2013

In conventional solar energy harvesting systems, continuous perturbation techniques of the duty cycle or switching frequency of a power converter have been used to implement MPPT(Maximum Power Point Tracking) control. In this paper, we propose a new MPPT technique to control the duty cycle of a power switch powering a power converter. The proposed circuit is designed in 0.35um CMOS process, and the designed chip area including pads is $770um{\times}800um$.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.815-826
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• 2014

An improved bridgeless interleaved boost power factor correction (PFC) rectifier to improve power efficiency and component utilization is proposed in this study. With combined conventional bridgeless PFC circuit and interleaved technology, the proposed rectifier consists of two interleaved and magnetic inter-coupling boost bridgeless converter cells. Each cell operates alternatively in the critical conduction mode, which can achieve the soft-switching characteristics of the switches and increase power capacity. Auxiliary blocking diodes are employed to eliminate undesired circulating loops and reduce current-sensing noise, which are among the serious drawbacks of a dual-boost PFC rectifier. Magnetic component utilization is improved by symmetrically coupling two inductors on a unique core, which can achieve independence from each other based on the auxiliary diodes. Through the interleaved approach, each switch can operate in the whole line cycle. A simple control scheme is employed in the circuit by using a conventional interleaved controller. The operation principle and theoretical analysis of the converter are presented. A 600 W experimental prototype is built to verify the theoretical analysis and feasibility of the proposed rectifier. System efficiency reaches 97.3% with low total harmonic distortion at full load.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Power Electronics
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.235-242
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• 2009

In this paper a new asymmetrical PWM bidirectional half bridge converter is proposed. The proposed converter has simple structure and wide duty cycle range, and therefore is suitable for applications such as fuel cells which have wide voltage variation. With the proposed asymmetrical PWM method the current rating of switch and transformer is significantly reduced compared to the conventional phase angle control method, and ZVZCS and synchronous rectification can also be achieved. This could result in high efficiency and high power density. The proposed converter is analytically compared to the conventional converter, and the proposed method was validated through the experiment.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.20-30
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• 2013

This paper presents a soft switching DC/DC converter for high voltage application. The interleaved pulse-width modulation (PWM) scheme is used to reduce the ripple current at the output capacitor and the size of output inductors. Two converter cells are connected in series at the high voltage side to reduce the voltage stresses of the active switches. Thus, the voltage stress of each switch is clamped at one half of the input voltage. On the other hand, the output sides of two converter cells are connected in parallel to achieve the load current sharing and reduce the current stress of output inductors. In each converter cell, a half-bridge converter with the asymmetrical PWM scheme is adopted to control power switches and to regulate the output voltage at a desired voltage level. Based on the resonant behavior by the output capacitance of power switches and the transformer leakage inductance, active switches can be turned on at zero voltage switching (ZVS) during the transition interval. Thus, the switching losses of power MOSFETs are reduced. The current doubler rectifier is used at the secondary side to partially cancel ripple current. Therefore, the root-mean-square (rms) current at output capacitor is reduced. The proposed converter can be applied for high input voltage applications such as a three-phase 380V utility system. Finally, experiments based on a laboratory prototype with 960W (24V/40A) rated power are provided to demonstrate the performance of proposed converter.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.218-221
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• 2015

Power MOSFETs (metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor) operate as energy control semiconductor switches. In order to reduce energy loss of the device during switch-on state, it is essential to increase its conductance. In this study we have investigated a structure to reduce the on-resistance characteristics of the MOSFET. We have a proposed MOSFET structure of active cells region buried under the gate pad. The measurement are carried out with a EDS to analyze electrical characteristics, and the proposed MOSFET are compared with the conventional MOSFET. The result of proposed MOSFET was 1.68[${\Omega}$], showing 10% improvement compared to the conventional MOSFET at 700[V].

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.10-15
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• 2013

Aluminum hydroxide (alum) is the most widely used adjuvant in human vaccines. Nevertheless, it is virtually unknown whether alum acts on B cells. In the present study, we explored the direct effect of alum on Ig expression by murine B cells in vitro. LPS-activated mouse spleen B cells were cultured with alum, and the level of isotype-specific Ig secretion, IgG1 secreting cell numbers, and Ig germ-line transcripts (GLT) were measured using ELISA, ELISPOT, and RT-PCR, respectively. Alum consistently enhanced total IgG1 production, numbers of IgG1 secreting cells, and $GLT{\gamma}1$ expression. These results demonstrate that alum can directly cause IgG1 isotype switching leading to IgG1 production.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.478-487
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• 2014

This study presents a new interleaved three-level zero-voltage switching (ZVS) converter for high-voltage and high-current applications. Two circuit cells are operated with interleaved pulse-width modulation in the proposed converter to reduce the current ripple at the input and output sides, as well as to decrease the current rating of output inductors for high-load-current applications. Each circuit cell includes one half-bridge converter and one three-level converter at the primary side. At the secondary side, the transformer windings of two converters are connected in series to reduce the size of the output inductor or switching current in the output capacitor. Based on the three-level circuit topology, the voltage stress of power switches is clamped at $V_{in}/2$. Thus, MOSFETs with 500 V voltage rating can be used at 800 V input voltage converters. The output capacitance of the power switch and the leakage inductance (or external inductance) are resonant at the transition interval. Therefore, power switches can be turned on under ZVS. Finally, experiments verify the effectiveness of the proposed converter.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.102-111
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• 2020

Nitric oxide (NO)-induced protein S-nitrosylation triggers mitochondrial dysfunction and was related to cell senescence. However, the exact mechanism of these damages is not clear. In the present study, to investigate the relationship between in vitro aging and NO-induced protein S-nitrosylation, oocytes were treated with sodium nitroprusside dihydrate (SNP), and the resultant S-nitrosylated proteins were detected through biotin-switch assay. The results showed that levels of protein S-nitroso thiols (SNO)s and expression of S-nitrosoglutathione reductase (GSNOR) increased, while activity and function of mitochondria were impaired during oocyte aging. Addition of SNP, a NO donor, to the oocyte culture led to accelerated oocyte aging, increased mitochondrial dysfunction and damage, apoptosis, ATP deficiency, and enhanced ROS production. These results suggested that the increased NO signal during oocyte aging in vitro, accelerated oocyte degradation due to increased protein S-nitrosylation, and ROS-related redox signaling.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2010.02a
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• pp.55-55
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• 2010

We use ab initio density functional theory to determine the effect of bundling on the equilibrium structure, electronic and magnetic properties of $Mo_6S_{9-x}I_x$nanowires with x = 0, 3, 4.5, 6. Each unit cell of these systems contains two $Mo_6S_{6-x}I_x$ clusters connected by S3 linkages to form an ordered linear array. Due to the bi-stability of the sulfur linkages, the total energy of the nanowires exhibits typically many minima as a function of the wire length. We find that nanowires can switch over from metallic to semiconducting by applying axial stress. Structural order is expected in bundles with x=0 and x=6, since there is no disorder in the decoration of the Mo clusters. In bundles with other stoichiometries, we expect structural disorder to occur. We find the optimum inter-wire distance to depend sensitively on the orientation of the wires, but only weakly on x. It is also found that the electronic properties of nanowires are affected strongly due to bundling of nanowires exhibiting very unusual Fermi surfaces. Furthermore, ferromagnetic behaviors are observed in selected stable and many more unstable atomic arrangements in nanowire bundles.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.200-205
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• 2023

DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs), a member of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-related kinase family is a well-known player in repairing DNA double-strand break through non-homologous end joining pathway. This mechanism has allowed us to understand its critical role in T and B cell development through V(D)J recombination and class switch recombination, respectively. We have also learned that the defects in these mechanisms lead to the severely combined immunodeficiency (SCID). Here we highlight some of the latest evidence where DNA-PKcs has been shown to localize not only in the nucleus but also in the cytoplasm, phosphorylating various proteins involved in cellular metabolism and cytokine production. While it is an exciting time to unveil novel functions of DNA-PKcs, one should carefully choose experimental models to study DNA-PKcs as the experimental evidence has been shown to differ between cells of defective DNA-PKcs and those of DNA-PKcs knockout. Moreover, while there are several DNA-PK inhibitors currently being evaluated in the clinical trials in an attempt to increase the efficacy of radiotherapy or chemotherapy, multiple functions and subcellular localization of DNA-PKcs in various types of cells may further complicate the effects at the cellular and organismal level.