• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.277-286
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• 1994

The contents of major elements were determined in current-year and previous-year needles and fine roots of pitch pine (Pinus yzgida) at 33 sites in Seoul and its vicinity. Contrary to Ca and Al in needles, N, P, Mg and K contents in current-year needles were higher than those in previous-year needles. The N, P, K and Al contents in current-year needles in Seoul were not significantly different from those in rural areas. In contrast, Ca and Mg contents in needles in Seoul were significantly lower than those in suburbs and rural areas. The N /Ca and N /Mg ratios in needles in urban Seoul were higher than those in rural areas. Mg contents in fine roots in soil of 0-5 cm depth increased along with distance from the center of Seoul, while Al contents in fine root in soil of 5-10 cm depth decreased along with distance from the center of Seoul. Al contents in fine roots in soil layer in Seoul and suburbs were higher than those in rural areas. Al contents in fine roots in litter layer were 1 /3 - 1 /2 times lower than those in soil layer for all areas. A1 content in fine roots in deep soil was higher than that in top soil. Therefore growth decline of pitch pine in Seoul and suburbs was thought to be caused by Ca and Mg deficiency in plant tissues and Al toxicity to fine roots. Abnormal vertical distribution of fine roots of pitch pine in Seoul and its vicinity were interpreted as the result of growth reduction of fine roots by Al toxicity in deep layer of acid soil.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers C
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• v.50 no.10
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• pp.504-508
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• 2001

The$(Sr_{1-x}Ca_x)TiO_3$(SCT) thin films are deposited on Pt-coated electrode $(Pt-TiN /SiO_2Si)$ using RF sputtering method at various deposition temperature. The crystallinity of thin films was increased with increased of deposition temperature n the temperature range of 200~500 $[^{\circ}C]$. The capacitance changes almost linearly in temperature ranges of -80~+90$[^{\circ}C]$. All SCT thin films used in the study the phenomena of dielectric relaxation with the increase of frequency, and the relaxation frequency is observed above 200[kHz]. V-I characteristics of SCT thin films show the increasing leakage current with the increases of deposition temperature.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.131-135
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• 2005

Potassium channels in human skin fibroblast have been studied as a possible site of Alzheimer disease pathogenesis. Fibroblasts in Alzheimer disease show alterations in signal transduction pathway such as changes in $Ca^{2+}$ homeostasis and/or $Ca^{2+}-activated$ kinases, phosphatidylinositol cascade, protein kinase C activity, cAMP levels and absence of specific $K^+$ channel. However, little is known so far about electrophysiological and pharmacological characteristics of large-conductance $Ca^{2+}$-activated $K^+$ ($BK_{Ca}$) channel in human fibroblast (CRL-1474). In the present study, we found Iberiotoxin- and TEA-sensitive outward rectifying oscillatory current with whole-cell recordings. Single channel analysis showed large conductance $K^{+}$ channels (106 pS of chord conductance at +40 mV in physiological $K^+$ gradient). The 106 pS channels were activated by membrane potential and $[Ca^{2+}]_i$, consistent with the known properties of $BK_{Ca}$ channels. $BK_{Ca}$ channels in CRL-1474 were positively regulated by adenylate cyclase activator ($10{\mu}M$ forskolin), 8-Br-cyclic AMP ($300{\mu}M$) or 8-Br-cyclic GMP ($300{\mu}M$). These results suggest that human skin fibroblasts (CR-1474) have typical $BK_{Ca}$ channel and this channel could be modulated by c-AMP and c-GMP. The electrophysiological characteristics of fibroblasts might be used as the diagnostic clues for Alzheimer disease.

• Progress in Superconductivity
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.41-44
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• 2001

We report the current transport properties of a normal metal/organic conductor/ superconductor tunnel junction as a novel high- $T_{c}$ superconducting three terminal device. The organic copper (II) phthalocyanine (Cu-Pc) layer was used far a polaronic quasiparticle (QP) injector. The injection of polaronic QP from the Cu-Pc interlayer into a superconductor $Bi_2$$Sr_2$$CaCu_2$ $O_{8+}$ $\delta$/(BSCCO) thin film generated a substantially larger nonequilibrium effect as compared to the normal QP injection current. The tunneling spectroscopy of an Au/cu-PC/BSCCO junction exhibited a zero bias conductance peak which may be due to Andreev reflection at a Cu-Pc/d-wave superconductor junction.n..

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.14 no.12
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• pp.857-862
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• 2004

Production of titanium powder directly from tantalum oxides ($TiO_2$) pellet through an electronically mediated reaction (EMR) by calciothermic reduction has been investigated. Feed material ($TiO_2\;pellet$) and reductant (Ca-Ni alloy) were charged into electronically isolated locations in a molten calcium chloride ($CaCl_2$) bath at $950^{\circ}C$. The current flow through an external circuit between the feed (cathode) and reductant (anode) locations was monitored during the reduction of $TiO_2$. The current approximately 3.2A was measured during the reaction in the external circuit connecting cathode and anode location. After the reduction experiment, pure titanium powder with low nickel content was obtained even though Ca-Ni alloy was used as a reductant. These results demonstrate that titanium powder can be produced without direct physical contact between the feed and reductant. In certain experimental conditions, pure titanium powder with approximately $99.5\;mass\%$ purity was successfully obtained.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.173-177
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• 2008

We have developed the transparent passivation layer for top emission organic light emitting diodes using CsCl thin film by the thermal evaporation method. The CsCl film was deposited on the Ca/Ag semitransparent cathode. The optical transmittance of Ca/ Ag/CsCl triple layer is higher than that of Ca/Ag double layer in the visible range. The device with a structure of glass/Ni/2-TNATA/a-NPD/Alq3:C545T/BCP/Alq3/Ca/Ag/CsCl results in higher efficiency than the device without CsCl passivation layer. The device without CsCl thin film shows a current efficiency of 7 cd/A, whereas the device passivated with CsCl layer shows an efficiency of 10 cd/A. This increase of efficiency isresulted from the increased optical extraction by the CsCl passivation layer.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.139-146
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• 2001

L-type $Ca^{2+}$ channels play an important role in regulating cytosolic $Ca^{2+}$ and thereby regulating hormone secretions in neuroendocrine cells. Since hormone secretions are also regulated by various kinds of protein kinases, we investigated the role of some kinase activators and inhibitors in the regulation of the L-type $Ca^{2+}$ channel currents in rat pituitary $GH_3$ cells using the patch-clamp technique. Phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu), a protein kinase C (PKC) activator, and vanadate, a protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) inhibitor, increased the $Ba^{2+}$ current through the L-type $Ca^{2+}$ channels. In contrast, bisindolylmaleimide I (BIM I), a PKC inhibitor, and genistein, a protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) inhibitor, suppressed the $Ba^{2+}$ currents. Forskolin, an adenylate cyclase activator, and isobutyl methylxanthine (IBMX), a non-specific phosphodiesterase inhibitor, reduced $Ba^{2+}$ currents. The above results show that the L-type $Ca^{2+}$ channels are activated by PKC and PTK, and inhibited by elevation of cyclic nucleotides such as cAMP. From these results, it is suggested that the regulation of hormone secretion by various kinase activity in $GH_3$ cells may be attributable, at least in part, to their effect on L-type $Ca^{2+}$ channels.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.353-359
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• 1998

In gastrointestinal smooth muscle, muscarinic stimulation by carbachol (CCh) activates nonselective cation channel current ($I_{CCh}$) which is facilitated by intracellular [$Ca^{2+}$] increase. Caffeine is widely used in experiments to mobilize $Ca^{2+}$ from intracellular stores. This study shows a strong inhibitory effect of caffeine on $I_{CCh}$ in guinea-pig gastric myocyte. In this study, the underlying mechanism of the inhibitory effect of caffeine was investigated. $I_{CCh}$ was completely suppressed by the addition of caffeine (10 mM) to the superfusing solution. Inhibition of $I_{CCh}$ by caffeine was not related to the intracellular cAMP accumulation which was expected from the phosphodiesterase-inhibiting effect of caffeine. The blockade of $InsP_3-induced$ $Ca^{2+}$ release by heparin had no significant effects on the activation of $I_{CCh}$. When the same cationic current had been induced by intracellular dialysis of $GTP[{\gamma}S]$ in order to bypass the muscarinic receptor, the inhibitory effect of caffeine was significantly attenuated. The results of this study indicate that both intracellular signalling pathways for $I_{CCh}$, proximal and distal to G-protein activation, are suppressed by caffeine. A major inhibition was observed at the proximal level.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 1996.05a
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• pp.252-255
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• 1996

Superconducting current lead is one of the promising applications of the oxide high-Tc superconductors, because they have the advantage of decreasing heat conduction to low temperature region, comparing with a conventional cooper alloy lead. High critical current density is a key factor for the applications such as current lead. (Bi,Pb)$_2$Sr$_2$Ca$_2$Cu$_3$O$\_$x/ high Tc superconductor haute been investigated in terms of critical current density. Bi-2223 superconducting current lead made by CIP and solid state sintering process. Bi-2223 current lead that heat treated at 836$^{\circ}C$ for 240 h in 1/13 P$\_$O$_2$/ had over 150 A/$\textrm{cm}^2$ of critical current density at 77K. We knew that the superconducting properties of tube type current leads were better than rods type of them. And we investigated the relation of Bi-2223 formation and heat treatment condition by XRD and SEM analysis.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.223-228
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• 2013

The calcium-activated $K^+$ ($BK_{Ca}$) channel is one of the potassium-selective ion channels that are present in the nervous and vascular systems. $Ca^{2+}$ is the main regulator of $BK_{Ca}$ channel activation. The $BK_{Ca}$ channel contains two high affinity $Ca^{2+}$ binding sites, namely, regulators of $K^+$ conductance, RCK1 and the $Ca^{2+}$ bowl. Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA, 1-radyl-2-hydroxy-sn-glycero-3-phosphate) is one of the neurolipids. LPA affects diverse cellular functions on many cell types through G protein-coupled LPA receptor subtypes. The activation of LPA receptors induces transient elevation of intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ levels through diverse G proteins such as $G{\alpha}_{q/11}$, $G{\alpha}_i$, $G{\alpha}_{12/13}$, and $G{\alpha}s$ and the related signal transduction pathway. In the present study, we examined LPA effects on $BK_{Ca}$ channel activity expressed in Xenopus oocytes, which are known to endogenously express the LPA receptor. Treatment with LPA induced a large outward current in a reversible and concentration-dependent manner. However, repeated treatment with LPA induced a rapid desensitization, and the LPA receptor antagonist Ki16425 blocked LPA action. LPA-mediated $BK_{Ca}$ channel activation was also attenuated by the PLC inhibitor U-73122, $IP_3$ inhibitor 2-APB, $Ca^{2+}$ chelator BAPTA, or PKC inhibitor calphostin. In addition, mutations in RCK1 and RCK2 also attenuated LPA-mediated $BK_{Ca}$ channel activation. The present study indicates that LPA-mediated activation of the $BK_{Ca}$ channel is achieved through the PLC, $IP_3$, $Ca^{2+}$, and PKC pathway and that LPA-mediated activation of the $BK_{Ca}$ channel could be one of the biological effects of LPA in the nervous and vascular systems.