• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.168-175
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• 2016

Influence of trace amount of Ca addition on the corrosion resistance was comparatively investigated in solutionized Mg-4%Zn and Mg-4%Zn-0.1%Ca alloys. In as-cast state, the alloys were characterized by primary ${\alpha}-(Mg)$ dendrite with MgZn intermetallic compound particles. After solution-treatment, both alloys consisted of single ${\alpha}-(Mg)$ phase by dissolution of the compound particles into the matrix. It was found from the immersion and electrochemical corrosion tests that the Mg-4%Zn alloy had better corrosion resistance than the Mg-4%Zn-0.1%Ca alloy. Morphological and compositional analyses on the surface corrosion products indicate that the incorporation of Ca oxide with low PBR value into the surface corrosion products would be responsible for the decreased corrosion resistance of the Ca-containing alloy.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.187-191
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• 2002

Tamoxifen, an antiestrogen, has previously been shown to induce apoptosis in HepG2 human hepatoblastoma cells through activation of the pathways independent of estrogen receptors, i.e., intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ increase and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, the mechanism of tamoxifen to link increased intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ to ROS generation is currently unknown. Thus, in this study we investigated the possible involvement of calmodulin, a $Ca^{2+}$ activated protein, and $Ca^{2+}$/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II in the above tamoxifen-induced events. Treatment with calmodulin antagonists (calmidazolium and trifluoroperazine) or specific inhibitors of $Ca^{2+}$/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (KN-93 and KN-62) inhibited the tamoxifen-induced apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, these agents blocked the tamoxifen-induced ROS generation in a concentration-dependent fashion, which was completely suppressed by intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ chelation. These results demonstrate for the first time that, despite of its well-known direct calmodulin-inhibitory activity, tamoxifen may generate ROS and induce apoptosis through indirect activation of calmodulin and $Ca^{2+}$/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II in HepG2 cells.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.74-80
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• 1998

CS-2l lymphoma cells that preferentially metastasize to lymph nodes after s.c. inoculation into BALB/c mice were grown in vitro in the presence of CA- 12 stromal cells isolated from lymph nodes. In order to obtain fundamental data on the identification and characterization of the soluble factors produced by CA-12 stromal cells, the conditioned medium of CA-12 stromal cells that inhibited apoptosis of CS-21 cells was examined. Various analytical treatments revealed that the soluble factors in CA-12 conditioned medium are very sensitive to heat treatment and trypsinization. Moreover CA-12 conditioned medium has an affinity with heparin but not with Con-A. In addition to these, the activity of CA-12 conditioned medium was blocked by H-7, a PKC inhibitor, but the conditioned medium could not induce the differentiation of thymocytes. We concluded that CA-12 conditioned medium contains stromal cell-derived apoptosis-inhibitory molecules that play an important role in proliferation of CS-2l cells by suppressing cell apoptosis.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.211-216
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• 2015

Nitric Oxide (NO) is an important signaling molecule in the nociceptive process. Our previous study suggested that high concentrations of sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a NO donor, induce a membrane hyperpolarization and outward current through large conductances calcium-activated potassium ($BK_{ca}$) channels in substantia gelatinosa (SG) neurons. In this study, patch clamp recording in spinal slices was used to investigate the sources of $Ca^{2+}$ that induces $Ca^{2+}$-activated potassium currents. Application of SNP induced a membrane hyperpolarization, which was significantly inhibited by hemoglobin and 2-(4-carboxyphenyl) -4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide potassium salt (c-PTIO), NO scavengers. SNP-induced hyperpolarization was decreased in the presence of charybdotoxin, a selective $BK_{Ca}$ channel blocker. In addition, SNP-induced response was significantly blocked by pretreatment of thapsigargin which can remove $Ca^{2+}$ in endoplasmic reticulum, and decreased by pretreatment of dentrolene, a ryanodine receptors (RyR) blocker. These data suggested that NO induces a membrane hyperpolarization through $BK_{ca}$ channels, which are activated by intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ increase via activation of RyR of $Ca^{2+}$ stores.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.411-417
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• 1998

The role of phospholipase ($A_2\;PLA_2$) in tumor cell growth was investigated using SK-N-MC human neuroblastoma cells. 4-Bromophenacyl bromide (BPB) and mepacrine (Mep), known $PLA_2$ inhibitors, suppressed growth of the tumor cells in a dose-dependent manner without a significant cytotoxicity. Melittin (Mel), a $PLA_2$ activator, enhanced the cell growth in a concentration-dependent fashion. The growth-enhancing effects of Mel were significantly reversed by the co-treatment with $PLA_2$ inhibitors. In addition, Mel induced intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ release from internal stores like as did serum, a known intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ agonist in the tumor cells. Intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ release induced by these agonists was significantly blocked by $PLA_2$ inhibitors at growth-inhibitory concentrations. Arachidonic acid (AA), a product of the $PLA_2-catalyzed$ reaction, induced cell growth enhancement and intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ release. These effects of AA were significantly blocked by BAPTA/AM, an intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ chelator. Taken together, these results suggest that the modulation of $PLA_2$ activity may be one of the regulatory mechanisms of cell growth in human neuroblastoma cells. Intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ may act as a key mediator in the $PLA_2-induced$ growth regulation.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.27 no.12
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• pp.1245-1252
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• 2004

Although ascorbate (vitamin C) has been shown to have anti-cancer actions, its effect on human hepatoma cells has not yet been investigated, and thus, the exact mechanism of this action is not fully understood. In this study, the mechanism by which ascorbate induces apoptosis using HepG2 human hepatoblastoma cells is investigated. Ascorbate induced apoptotic cell death in a dose-dependent manner in the cells, was assessed through flow cytometric analysis. Contrary to expectation, ascorbate did not alter the cellular redox status, and treatment with antioxidants (N-acetyl cysteine and N,N-diphenyl-p-phenylenediamine) had no influence on the ascorbate-induced apoptosis. However, ascorbate induced a rapid and sustained increase in intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ concentration. EGTA, an extracellular $Ca^{2+}$ chelator did not significantly alter the ascorbate-induced intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ increase and apoptosis, whereas dantrolene, an intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ release blocker, completely blocked these actions of ascorbate. In addition, phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitors (U-73122 and manoalide) significantly suppressed the intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ release and apoptosis induced by ascorbate. Collectively, these results suggest that ascorbate induced apoptosis without changes in the cellular redox status in HepG2 cells, and that the PLC-coupled intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ release mechanism may mediate ascorbate-induced apoptosis.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.282-287
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• 2008

The effect of CaO mold on the formation of reaction layer was investigated. CaO mold was prepared by mixing of Colloidal silica($NALCO^{(R)}$ 1130) and an $ZrO_2$, CaO at room temperature. The dried at $20{\pm}3^{\circ}C$, 75% humidity for 12hrs. Sample was prepared from the Cp-Ti(grade-2) and melted by high frequence induction melting system in the vacuum condition. The react ion layer of Ti was confirmed by optical microscopy, microhardness(Hv) and X-ray diffraction. Thickness of reaction layer using the CaO stabilized ZrO2 was thinner than the CaO added ZrO2. And thickness of reaction layer were decreased with decreasing pH of slurry. CaO addition in the slurry could not controlled reaction between molten Ti and investment mold. On the other hand, the CaO chemical bonded ZrO2 by stabilization treatment could controlled reaction between molten Ti and investment mold.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.334-338
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• 2009

Trifunctional epoxy resin triglycidyl paraaminophenol (TGPAP)/$CaCO_3$ nanocomposites were prepared using the melt blending method. The effects of nano-$CaCO_3$ content on the thermal behaviors, such as cure behavior, glass transition temperature ($T_g$), thermal stability, and the coefficient of thermal extension (CTE), were investigated by several techniques. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results indicated that the cure reaction of the TGPAP epoxy resin was accelerated with the addition of nano-$CaCO_3$. When the nano-$CaCO_3$ content was increased, the $T_g$ of the TGPAP/$CaCO_3$ nanocomposites did not obviously change, whereas the crosslinking density was linearly increased. The nanocomposites showed a higher thermal stability than that of the neat epoxy resin. This result could be attributed to the increased surface contact area between the nano-$CaCO_3$ particles and the epoxy matrix, as well as the high crosslinking density in the TGPAP/$CaCO_3$ nanocomposites. The CTE of the nanocomposites in the rubbery region was significantly decreased as the nano-$CaCO_3$ content was increased.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.480-491
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• 2018

Calcium phosphates (CaP) were prepared by a wet chemical method. Micro-crystalline dicalcium phosphate (DCPD) was precipitated at $37^{\circ}C$ and pH 5.0 using $Ca(OH)_2$ and $H_3PO_4$. The precipitated DCPD solution was kept at $37^{\circ}C$ for 96 h. Artificial bone cement was composed of DCPD, $Ca(H_2PO_4)_2{\cdot}H_2O$ (MCPM), and $CaSO_4{\cdot}1/2H_2O$, $H_2O$ and aqueous poly-phosphoric acid solution. The wet prepared CaP powder was used as a matrix for the bone cement recipe. With the addition of aqueous poly-phosphoric acid, the cement hardening reaction was started and the CaP bone cement blocks were fabricated for the mechanical strength measurement. For the tested blocks, the mechanical strength was measured using a universal testing machine, and the microstructure phase analysis was done by field emission scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The cement hardening reaction occurred through the decomposition and recrystallization of MCPM and $CaSO_4{\cdot}1/2H_2O$ added on the surface of the wet prepared CaP, and this resulted in grain growth in the bone cement block.

• BMB Reports
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• v.41 no.11
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• pp.771-777
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• 2008

Calmodulin (CaM) proteins, members of the EF-hand family of $Ca^{2+}$-binding proteins, represent important relays in plant calcium signals. Here, OsCam1-1 was isolated by PCR amplification from the rice genome. The gene contains an ORF of 450 base pairs with a single intron at the same position found in other plant Cam genes. A promoter region with a TATA box at position-26 was predicted and fused to a gus reporter gene, and this construct was used to produce transgenic rice by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. GUS activity was observed in all organs examined and throughout tissues in cross-sections, but activity was strongest in the vascular bundles of leaves and the vascular cylinders of roots. To examine the properties of OsCaM1-1, the encoding cDNA was expressed in Escherichia coli. The electrophoretic mobility shift when incubated with $Ca^{2+}$ indicates that recombinant OsCaM1-1 is a functional $Ca^{2+}$-binding protein. In addition, OsCaM1-1 bound the CaMKII target peptide confirming its likely functionality as a calmodulin.