• BMB Reports
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.295-304
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• 2013

Extracellular acidification occurs not only in pathological conditions such as inflammation and brain ischemia, but also in normal physiological conditions such as synaptic transmission. Acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) can detect a broad range of physiological pH changes during pathological and synaptic cellular activities. ASICs are voltage-independent, proton-gated cation channels widely expressed throughout the central and peripheral nervous system. Activation of ASICs is involved in pain perception, synaptic plasticity, learning and memory, fear, ischemic neuronal injury, seizure termination, neuronal degeneration, and mechanosensation. Therefore, ASICs emerge as potential therapeutic targets for manipulating pain and neurological diseases. The activity of these channels can be regulated by many factors such as lactate, $Zn^{2+}$, and Phe-Met-Arg-Phe amide (FMRFamide)-like neuropeptides by interacting with the channel's large extracellular loop. ASICs are also modulated by G protein-coupled receptors such as CB1 cannabinoid receptors and 5-$HT_2$. This review focuses on the physiological roles of ASICs and the molecular mechanisms by which these channels are regulated.

• 유체기계공업학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.12a
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• pp.244-249
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• 2005

Flow distribution and pressure drop analysis for an inlet plenum of a Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) have been performed using Computational Fluid Dynamics. Three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations have been solved in conjunction with $k-{\epsilon}$ model as a turbulence closure. Non-uniformity in flow distribution is assessed for the reference case and parametric studies have been performed for rising channels diameter, Reynolds number and angle between the inlet ports. Also, two different shapes of the inlet plenum namely, rectangular shape and oval shape, have been analysed. The relative flow mal-distribution parameter shows that the flow distribution in the rising channels for the reference case is strongly non-uniform. As the rising channels diameter decreases, the uniformity in the flow distribution as well as the pressure drop inside the inlet plenum increases. Reynolds number is found to have no effect on the flow distribution in the rising channels for both the shapes of the inlet plenum. The increase in angle between the inlet ports makes the flow distribution in the rising channels more uniform.

• Journal of Photoscience
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.23-30
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• 1997

Leaf movements in nyctinastic plants are produced by changes in the turgor of extensor and flexor cells, collectively called motor cells, in opposing regions of the leaf movement organ, the pulvinus. In Samanea saman, a tropical tree of the legume family, extensor cells shrink and flexor cells swell to bend the pulvinus and fold the leaf at night, whereas extensor cells swell and flexor cells shrink to straighten the pulvinus and extend the leaf in the daytime. These changes are caused by ion fluxes primarily of potassium and chloride, across the plasma membrane of the motor cells. These ion fluxes are regulated by exogenous light signals and an endogenous biolgical clock. Inward-directed K$^+$ channels are closed in extensor and open in flexor cells in the dark period, while these channels are open in extensor and closed in flexor cells in the light period. Blue light opens the closed K$^+$ channels in extensor and closes the open them in flexor cells during darkness. Illumination of red light followed by darkness induces to open the closed K$^+$ channels in flexor and to close the open K$^+$ channels in extensor cells in the light. The dynamics of K$^+$ channels in motor cells that are controlled by light signals are consistent with the behavior of the pulvini in intact plants. Therefore, these cell types are an attractive model system to elucidate regulations of ion transports and their signal transduction pathways in plants. This review is focused on light-controlled ion movements and regulatory mechanisms involved in phosphoinositide signaling in leaf movements in nyctinastic plants.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.37-55
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• 2001

This study put its major concern in consumer behavior during a purchase of fashion products through the Internet marketing channels. Therefore, it investigated the Internet shopping and tried to find the reasons why clothes shopping through the Internet marketing channels is not popular enough. Then, alternative marketing strategies would be suggested which is accessible from the relationship marketing approach. The study adopted a qualitative research method to implement those purposes. In-depth interviews were conducted with the interviewees who had an experience of buying a fashion merchandise through the Internet or who had such an intention. And the information on stages of decision-making process and actual purchase was obtained by participating in and observing the process. The results revealed stages of decision-making in purchasing a fashion product through the Internet channels, the process of relationship development, and the elements of relationship marketing which affect purchase intention. The elements of relationship marketing to promote a purchase of a clothing product via the Internet marketing channels included convenience; communication and socal experience; sensual information; risk acknowledgement and pursuit for safety; and usage of complexed marketing channels. Based on these, a few strategic points such as remote reality, database of communication basis, strengthening individualized services, and development of complex marketing channels were suggested.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2006

The present study was aimed to explore the role of sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves in the regulation of sodium transporters and water channels in the salivary gland. Rats were denervated of their sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves to the submandibular gland, and the glandular expression of sodium transporters and water channels was determined by Western blot analysis. The expression of either ${\alpha}1$ or ${\beta}1$ subunit of Na, K-ATPase was not significantly affected either by the sympathetic or by the parasympathetic denervation. The expression of subunits of epithelial sodium channels was significantly increased both in the denervated and contralateral glands either by the sympathetic or by the parasympathetic denervation. Neither the sympathetic nor the parasympathetic denervation significantly altered the expression of aquaporin-1 (AQP1). Nor was the expression of AQP4 affected significantly by the parasympathetic or the sympathetic denervation. On the contrary, the expression of AQP5 was significantly increased not only by the parasympathetic but also by the sympathetic denervation. These results suggest that sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves have tonic regulatory effects on the regulation of certain sodium transporters and AQP water channels in the salivary gland.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.51 no.8
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• pp.1886-1896
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• 2019

Modern small modular nuclear reactors can be built on a barge in ocean, therefore, their flow characteristics depend upon the ocean motions. In the present research, effect of rolling motion on flow and friction characteristics of laminar flow through vertical and horizontal narrow channels has been studied. A computer code has been developed using MPS method for two-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations with rolling motion force incorporated. Numerical results have been validated with the literature and have been found in good agreement. It has been found that the impact of rolling motions on flow characteristics weakens with increase in flow rate and fluid viscosity. For vertical narrow channels, the time averaged friction coefficient for vertical channels differed from steady friction coefficient. Furthermore, increasing the horizontal distance from rolling pivot enhanced the flow fluctuations but these stayed relatively unaffected by change in vertical distance of channel from the rolling axis. For horizontal narrow channels, the flow fluctuations were found to be sinusoidal in nature and their magnitude was found to be dependent mainly upon gravity fluctuations caused by rolling.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.627-636
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• 2007

The present work is aimed at further discussing the effectiveness of dimensionless parameters recently proposed for the analysis of flow stability in heated channels with supercritical fluids. In this purpose, after presenting the main motivations for the introduction of these parameters in place of previously proposed ones, additional information on the theoretical bases and on the consequences of this development is provided. Stability maps, generated by an in-house program adapted from a previous application to boiling channels, are also shown for different combinations of the operating parameters. The maps are obtained as contour plots of an amplification parameter obtained from numerical discretization and subsequent linearization of governing equations; as such, they provide a quantitatively clear perspective of the effect of different boundary conditions on the stability of heated channels with supercritical fluids. In order to assess the validity of the assumptions at the basis of the in-house model, supporting calculations have been performed making use of the RELAP5/MOD3.3 computer code, detecting the values of the dimensionless parameters at the threshold for the occurrence of instability for a heated channel representative of SCWR proposed core configurations. The obtained results show reasonable agreement with the maps, supporting the applicability of the proposed scaling parameters for describing the dynamic behaviour of heated channels with supercritical fluids.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.31 no.4
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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.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.132-138
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• 2011

In the present article, we investigate numerically turbulent flow of air through compound rectangular channels. Large eddy simulation(LES) is employed for unsteady turbulence modeling. LES gives better predictions for the axial mean velocity distribution than those of other turbulent models. Strong large-scale quasi-periodic flow oscillations are observed in most of the geometries investigated. Such large-scale flow oscillations in compound rectangular channels are similar to the quasi-periodic flow pulsation through the gaps between fuel rod bundle in nuclear reactor. It exists in any longitudinal connecting gap between two flow channels. The frequency of this flow oscillation is determined by the geometry of the gap. The large scale cross motions through the rectangular compound channels induce significant heat transfer enhancement of the compound channel flow.

• Journal of Communications and Networks
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2004

In this paper, we investigate the properties and performance of space-time bit-interleaved coded modulation (STBICM) systems in fast Rayleigh fading channels. We first show that ST-BICM with QPSK signaling in fast fading channels possesses the uniform distance property, which makes performance analysis tractable. We also derive the probability distribution of the squared Euclidean distance between space-time symbols assuming uniform bit-interleaving. Based on the distribution, we show that the diversity order for each codeword pair becomes maximized as the frame length becomes sufficiently long. This maximum diversity order property implies that the bit-interleaver transforms an ST-BICM system over transmit diversity channels into an equivalent coded BPSK system over independent fading channels. We analyze the performance of ST-BICM in fast fading channels by deriving an FER upper bound. The derived bound turns out very accurate, requiring only the distance spectrum of the binary channel codes of ST-BICM. Numerical results demonstrate that the bound is tight enough to render an accurate estimate of performance of ST-BICM systems.