• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
• /
• v.20 no.9
• /
• pp.42-47
• /
• 2021

A one-touch descending lifeline that can easily be installed and rapidly evacuated in the event of a fire accident in high-rise buildings was proposed to overcome difficulties of conventional descending lifeline such as complex installation methods and procedures. However, this lifeline exhibits limitations such as restrictions in installation location and large apparatus size. Therefore, this paper proposes a sliding-type descending lifeline, which has a similar operation to that of current one-touch descending lifeline and solves the aforementioned limitations. A double square link mechanism including a sliding four-bar linkage is proposed and the descending lifeline support is redesigned to unfold in two different planes, allowing 3D movement. Additionally, the shape of the support frame is designed to obtain two attachment surfaces that can be attached to a wall, irrespective of the angle between the window and the inner wall. FEA analysis using ABAQUS is performed to ensure that the robustness of the presented support complies with the Fire Control Act Enforcement Decree. Finally, the feasibility of the proposed sliding one-touch descending lifeline is verified through fabrication.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.9 no.4
• /
• pp.195-201
• /
• 2005

High extracellular glucose concentration was reported to suppress intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ clearing through altered sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) function. In the present study, we attempted to elucidate the effects of pyruvate and fatty acid on SR function and reveal the mechanistic link with glucose-induced SR dysfunction. For this purpose, SR $Ca^{2+}$-uptake rate was measured in digitonin-permeabilized H9c2 cardiomyocytes cultured in various conditions. Exposure of these cells to 5 mM pyruvate for 2 days induced a significant suppression of SR $Ca^{2+}$-uptake, which was comparable to the effects of high glucose. These effects were accompanied with decreased glucose utilization. However, pyruvate could not further suppress SR $Ca^{2+}$-uptake in cells cultured in high glucose condition. Enhanced entry of pyruvate into mitochondria by dichloroacetate, an activator of pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, also induced suppression of SR $Ca^{2+}$-uptake, indicating that mitochondrial uptake of pyruvate is required in the SR dysfunction induced by pyruvate or glucose. On the other hand, augmentation of fatty acid supply by adding 0.2 to 0.8 mM oleic acid resulted in a dose-dependent suppression of SR $Ca^{2+}$-uptake. However, these effects were attenuated in high glucose-cultured cells, with no significant changes by oleic acid concentrations lower than 0.4 mM. These results demonstrate that (1) increased pyruvate oxidation is the key mechanism in the SR dysfunction observed in high glucose-cultured cardiomyocytes; (2) exogenous fatty acid also suppresses SR $Ca^{2+}$-uptake, presumably through a mechanism shared by glucose.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.117-142
• /
• 2011

This paper is about the emotional factors in Chiljeongsang(七情傷). To specify the collective term into specific categories, an examination of the meaning of emotion of the East and West was primarily undertaken. The importance of emotion lies in the fact that it provides a link between the individual and the outside world. Emotion was perceived as reflections of the human nature and mental activity by philosophers and psychiatrists throughout history. In the views of psychologists, the focus was on not emotion itself, but rather the emotional experience in human, and its psychological and physiological mechanism. In Traditional Medicine, problematic emotion is called Chiljeong(七情). The term Chiljeongsang(七情傷), which is a compound word of 'Chiljeong(七情)' and 'Sang(傷)' meaning 'damage', is used in referring to illness related to unhealthy emotions. It is used to describe illness caused by Chiljeong(七情) and mental disorders that result in emotional symptoms. It also refers to illness where Chiljeong(七情) plays a role in creating a more direct cause of illness in the larger pathogenic process. In the contents of Chiljeongsang(七情傷) in Traditional Medicine, emotion as causation of Gi(氣) disorder could be found the most, while explanation on the psychological process related to the creation of Chiljeong(七情) was insufficient. This tendency is related to the philosophical basis of Traditional Medicine. Out of the two patterns suggested, the mind-based Chiljeongsang(七情傷) pattern includes the psychological aspects of damage, in which key focus is on the cause that arouses problematic emotion, its process and the meaning this emotion entails. To explain this, concepts from psychiatry, especially Jung's theory on neurosis was adopted. In treating a Chiljeongsang(七情傷) patient, mere knowledge of the physiological changes of the body in terms of Gi(氣) is insufficient. This is because mental factors play a large role in Chiljeongsang(七情傷), and the more a condition is 'mental', the more complex it becomes and the more it influences life as whole. Therefore, the doctor must approach the patient with not only medical knowledge, but also overall knowledge on all aspects of human life.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.50 no.6
• /
• pp.445-466
• /
• 2017

Yeongdong area is located in the contact zone between central southeastern Ogcheon belt and Yeongnam massif, in which Cretaceous Yeongdong basin exists. Therefore, the study area has complex geological environment of various geological age and rock types such as Precambrian metamorphic rocks, age-unknown Ogcheon Supergroup, Paleozoic/Mesozoic sedimentary rocks, Mesozoic igneous rocks and Quaternary alluvial deposits. This study focuses on the link between the various geology and water type, and discussed the source of some major ions and their related water-rock interaction. For this study, the field parameters and ion concentrations for twenty alluvial/weathered and eighty bedrock aquifer wells were used. Statistical analysis indicates that there was no significant differences in groundwater quality between wet and dry seasons. Although various types were observed due to complex geology, 80 to 84 % of samples showed $Ca-HCO_3$ water type. Some wells placed in alluvial/weathered aquifers of Precambrian metamorphic and Jurassic granitic terrains showed somewhat elevated $NO_3$ and Cl concentrations. $Mg-HCO_3$ typed waters prevailed in Cretaceous Yeongdong sedimentary rocks. The deeper wells placed in bedrock aquifers showed complicated water types varying from $Ca-HCO_3$ through $Ca-Cl/SO_4/NO_3$ to $Na-HCO_3$ and Na-Cl type. Groundwater samples with $Na-HCO_3$ or Na-Cl types are generally high in F concentrations, indicating more influences of water-rock interaction within mineralized/hydrothermal alteration zone by Cretaceous porphyry or granites. This study revealed that many deep-seated aquifer had been contaminated by $NO_3$, especially prominent in Jurassic granites area. Based on molar ratios of $HCO_3/Ca$, $HCO_3/Na$, Na/Si, it can be inferred that Ca and $HCO_3$ components of most groundwater in alluvial/weathered aquifer wells were definitely related with dissolution of calcite. On the other hand, Ca and $HCO_3$ in bedrock aquifer seem to be due to dissolution of feldspar besides calcite. However, these molar ratios require other mechanism except simple weathering process causing feldspar to be broken into kaolinite. The origin of $HCO_3$ of some groundwater occurring in Cretaceous Yeongdong sedimentary rock area seems to be from dissolution of dolomite($MgCO_3$) or strontianite($SrCO_3$) as well.

• Animal cells and systems
• /
• v.3 no.2
• /
• pp.103-113
• /
• 1999

Many in-depth reviews related to regulations of prolactin secretion are available. We will, therefore, focus on controversial aspects using personal opinion in this review. The neuroendocrine control of prolactin secretion from the anterior pituitary gland involves multiple factors including prolactin-release inhibiting factor (PIF) and prolactin releasing factor (PRF). The PIF exerts a tonic inhibitory control in the physiological conditions. The PIF should be able to effectively inhibit prolactin release or a lifetime, but the inhibitory action of dopamine cannot be sustained for a long period of time. Perifusion of a high concentration of dopamine (l ,000 nM) could not sustain inhibitory action on prolactin release but when a small amount of ascorbic acid (0.1 mM) is added in a low concentration of dopamine (3 nM) solution, prolactin release was inhibited for a long period. Ascorbate is essential for dopamine action to inhibit prolactin release. We have, therefore, concluded that the PIF is dopamine plus ascorbate. The major transduction system for dopamine to inhibit prolactin release is the adenylyl cyclase system. Dopamine decreases cyclic AMP concentration by inhibiting adenylyl cyclase, and cyclic AMP stimulates prolactin release. However, the inhibitory mechanism of dopamine on prolactin release is much more complex than simple inhibition of CAMP production. The dopamine not only inhibits cyclic AMP synthesis but also inhibits prolactin release by acting on a link(s) after the CAMP event in a chain reaction for inhibiting prolactin release. Low concentrations of dopamine stimulate prolactin release. Lactotropes are made of several different subtypes of cells and several different dopamine receptors are found in pituitary. The inhibitory and stimulatory actions induced by dopamine can be generated by different subtype of receptors. The GH$_4$ZR$_7$ cells express only the short isoform (D$_{2s}$) of the dopamine receptor, as a result of transfecting the D$_{2s}$ receptors into GH$_4$C$_1$ cells which do not express any dopamine receptors. When dopamine stimulates or inhibits prolactin release in GH$_4$ZR$_7$ cells, it is clear that the dopamine should act on dopamine D$_{2s}$ receptors since there is no other dopamine receptor in the GH$_4$ZR$_7$. Dopamine is able to stimulate prolactin release in a relatively low concentration while it inhibits in a high concentration in GH$_4$ZR$_7$. These observations indicate that the dopamine D$_2$ receptor can activate stimulatory and/or inhibitory transduction system depending upon dopamine concentrations.

• Development and Reproduction
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.1-5
• /
• 2005

The hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal hormone axis is centrally controlled by a complex regulatory network of excitatory and inhibitory signals, that is dormant during infantile and juvenile periods and activated at puberty. The kisspeptins are the peptide products of the KiSS-1 gene and the endogenous agonists for the G protein-coupled receptor 54(GPR54). Although KiSS-1 was initially discovered as a metastasis suppressor gene, a recent evidence suggests the KiSS-1/GPR54 system is a key regulator of the reproductive system. Yet the actual role of the KiSS-1/GPR54 system in the neuroendocrine control of gonadotropin secretion remains largely unexplored, the system could be the first missing link in the reproductive hormonal axis. Central or peripheral administration of kisspeptin stimulates the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, increasing circulating gonadotropin levels in rodents, sheep, monkey and human models. These effects appear likely to be mediated via the hypothalamic GnRH neuron system, although kisspeptins may have direct effects on the anterior pituitary gland. The loss of function mutations of the GPR54(GPR54-/-) have been associated with lack of puberty onset and idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism(IHH). So kisspeptin infusion may provide a novel mechanism for HPG axis manipulation in disorders of the reproductive system.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.26 no.6
• /
• pp.541-556
• /
• 2022

Myocardial fibrosis is a key link in the occurrence and development of diabetic cardiomyopathy. Its etiology is complex, and the effect of drugs is not good. Cardiomyocyte apoptosis is an important cause of myocardial fibrosis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of gaseous signal molecule sulfur dioxide (SO₂) on diabetic myocardial fibrosis and its internal regulatory mechanism. Masson and TUNEL staining, Western-blot, transmission electron microscopy, RT-qPCR, immunofluorescence staining, and flow cytometry were used in the study, and the interstitial collagen deposition, autophagy, apoptosis, and changes in phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT pathways were evaluated from in vivo and in vitro experiments. The results showed that diabetic myocardial fibrosis was accompanied by cardiomyocyte apoptosis and down-regulation of endogenous SO₂-producing enzyme aspartate aminotransferase (AAT)_1/2. However, exogenous SO₂ donors could up-regulate AAT_1/2, reduce apoptosis of cardiomyocytes induced by diabetic rats or high glucose, inhibit phosphorylation of PI3K/AKT protein, up-regulate autophagy, and reduce interstitial collagen deposition. In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that the gaseous signal molecule SO₂ can inhibit the PI3K/AKT pathway to promote cytoprotective autophagy and inhibit cardiomyocyte apoptosis to improve myocardial fibrosis in diabetic rats. The results of this study are expected to provide new targets and intervention strategies for the prevention and treatment of diabetic cardiomyopathy.