• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.305-314
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• 2005

Diabetes mellitus is associated with vascular complications, including an impairment of vascular function and alterations in the reactivity of blood vessels to vasoactive substances in various vasculature. In the present study, the authors have observed endothelin-B ($ET_B$) receptor agonist-induced relaxation in precontracted mesenteric arterial segments from streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats, which was not shown from control rats or in other arterial segments from diabetic rats. Accordingly, the goal of this study was to investigate in what way STZ-induced diabetes altered reactivity of the mesenteric arterial bed and to examine the causal relaxation, if any, between this $ET_B$ receptor-mediated relaxation and endothelial paracrine function, especially nitric oxide (NO) production. The relaxation induced by $ET_B$ agonists was not observed in mesenteric arteries without endothelium. The relaxation to $ET_B$ agonists was completely abolished by pretreatment with BQ788, but not by BQ610. $N_{\omega}-nitro-L-arginine$ methyl ester and soluble guanylate cyclase inhibitors, methylene blue or LY83583 significantly attenuated the relaxant responses to $ET_B$ agonists, respectively. When the expression of eNOS and iNOS was evaluated on agarose gel stained with ethidium bromide, the expression of eNOS mRNA in diabetic rats was significantly decreased, but the expression of iNOS was increased compared with control rats. Furthermore, the iNOS-like immunostaining was densely detected in the endothelium and slightly in the arterial smooth muscle of diabetic rats, but not in control rats. These observations suggest that $ET_B$ receptor may not play a role in maintaining mesenteric vascular tone in normal situation. However, the alterations in $ET_B$ receptor sensitivity were found in diabetic rats and lead to the $ET_B$ agonist-induced vasorelaxation, which is closely related to NO production. In the state of increased vascular resistance of diabetic mesenteric vascular bed, enhanced NO production by activation of iNOS could lead to compensatory vasorelaxation to modulate adequate perfusion pressure to splanchnic area.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.615-624
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• 2003

Vascular smooth muscle relaxation is modulated by an increase in cGMP subsequent to nitric oxide (NO) production by endothelial cells. The effects of cAMP and cGMP phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitors were investigated in phenylephrine-precontracted rat aorta rings by using the specific inhibitors of PDE I, III, IV and V as relaxing agents (calmodulin-activated PDE inhibitors, IBMX and $W_7$, type I; cAMP-specific PDE inhibitors, milrinone, type IV; Ro 20-1724, type III and cGMP-specific PDE inhibitor, zaprinast, type V). All the PDE inhibitors produced a concentration-dependent relaxation in the ring with intact endothelium (+E). Except for milrinone, all the PDE inhibitors-induced relaxations were inhibited by removal of extracellular $Ca^{2+}$, $N^G$-nitro-L-arginine, $N^G$-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, methylene blue (MS) or nifedipine. The specific PDE I and PDE IV inhibitors both produced endothelium-independent relaxations which were inhibited by MS in -E rings. However, zaprinast had no effect in -E rings. Except for milrinone, sodium nitroprusside (a NO donor)-induced relaxation was significantly augmented by all PDE inhibitors in +E rings. The results suggest that I) the vasorelaxant properties of IBMX, $W_7$, Ro 20-1724 and zaprinast are dependent on endothelium or on interaction with $Ca^{2+}$ regulation, 2) each PDE is differently distributed in vascular tissues (endothelial and smooth muscle cells), 3) the vasodilations of PDE inhibitors are due to the increase of cAMP and cGMP formation through inhibition of cAMP- and cGMP-PDE and 4) the vasodilation action of milrinone does not involve in endothelial-cyclic nucleotide system.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.597-606
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• 2003

Although the antidepressant effects of imipramine (IMI) have been well known in several studies, the effects on cardiovascular system, particularly the vasorelaxant effects, have not known clearly. We hypothesis that IMI-induced vasorelaxation involves NO (nitrie oxide), activation of guanylate cyclase (GC) and $Ca^{2+}$ channel. The possible roles of the endothelium and $Ca^{2+}$ in IMI-induced responses were investigated using isolated rings of rat thoracic aorta and anesthesized rats. In KCl-precontracted rings. IMI produces endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent relaxations in intact (+E) as well as endothelium-denuded (-E) rat aorta in a concentration-dependent manner. In phenylephrine (PE)-precontracted rings, the IMI-induced relaxation was significantly greater in +E rings. The IMI-induced relaxations were suppressed by nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitors, N(G)-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA), N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) and aminoguanidine, a non-selective GC inhibitor, methylene blue, $Na^+$ channel blockers, lidocaine and procaine, or $Ca^{2+}$ channel blockers, nifedipine and verapamil, in PE-precontracted +E rings, but not in PE-precontracted -E rings. These relaxations were also suppressed by lidocaine or procaine in -E aortic rings. However, IMI-induced relaxations were not inhibited by a PLC inhibitor 2-nitro-4-carboxyphenyl-n,n-diphenylcarbamate (NCDC), an inositol monophosphatase inhibitor, lithium, indomethacin and dexamethasone in +E and -E rings. In vivo, infusion of IMI elicited significant decrease in arterial blood pressure. After intravenous injection of saponin, NOS inhibitors. MB and nifedipine, infusion of IMI inhibited the IMI-lowered blood pressure markedly. These findings suggest that the endothelium-dependent relaxation induced by IMI is mediated by activation of NO/cGMP signaling cascade or inhibition of $Ca^{2+}$ entry through voltage-gated channel, and this mechanism may contribute to the hypotensive effects of IMI in rats.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.38-45
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• 1983

Aziridine derivatives were utilized for the formation of aziridine N-oxides at low temperature, which were subject to easy decomposition and/or rearrangement like the protonated aziridines at room temperature. t-Butyl nitroso compound formed by the decomposition of N-oxide is easily characterized by its blue color and it is the major product in case that no branched alkyl groups are substituted on the carbon atoms of the aziridine ring and the stationary groups on the nitrogen are inert to rearrange the oxide such as the t-butyl group. The oxidative rearrangement products, however, are mainly formed when the substituents are methyl or ethyl group on the carbon atoms. It is interesting to see that the sigmatropic rearrangement of 2-ethyl aziridine gave only cis olefinic compound selectively in case that t-butyl group was substituted on the nitrogen, whereas N-hydroxy aziridine compounds were formed exclusively when t-butyl group was replaced with ethyl group.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.218.2-218.2
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• 2014

그래핀은 높은 전기 전도도와 열전도도, 기계적 강도를 가지고 있고 동시에 높은 전자이동도($200,000cm^2{\cdot}V{\cdot}^1{\cdot}s{\cdot}^1$) 특성을 갖는 물질로써 차세대 소재로 각광받고 있다. 하지만 그래핀을 소자에 응용하기 위해서는 전사공정과 lithography 공정 과정에서 발생되는 PMMA(Poly methyl methacrylate) residue를 완벽하게 제거해야 하는 문제점이 있다. 특히, lithography 공정 중 완벽하게 PMMA residue 가 제거되지 않고 잔류해 있을 경우에 소자의 life time, performance에 악영향을 준다는 보고가 있다. 이와같은 문제를 해결하기 위해 화학적 cleaning, 열처리를 통한 cleaning, 전류 인가에 의한 cleaning과 같은 방법들을 이용하여 그래핀의 PMMA residue를 제거하는 공정들이 보고되고 있지만, 화학적 cleaning 방법의 경우 chloroform 이라는 독성물질 사용으로 인해 산업적으로 응용이 어렵고, 열처리 방법은 전극 등의 금속이 $200^{\circ}C$ 이상의 높은 온도에서 장시간 노출될 경우 쉽게 손상을 입으며, 전류 인가에 의한 cleaning 방법은 국부적으로만 효과를 볼 수 있기 때문에 lithography 공정 후 PMMA residue를 효과적으로 제거하기에는 한계를 보이고 있다. 본 연구에서는 Ar을 이용하는 Ion beam 시스템을 통해 beam energy를 제어함으로써 PMMA residue를 효과적으로 제거하는 연구를 진행하였다. 최적화된 플라즈마 발생 조건을 찾기 위해 QMS(Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer)를 이용하여 입사하는 ion energy와 flux 양을 컨트롤 하였고, 250 W에서 최적화된 ion energy distribution 영역이 존재한다는 것을 확인할 수 있었다. 또한, 25 Gauss 정도의 electro-magnetic field를 이용하여 Ar의 ion energy를 10 eV 이하로 낮추어 damage를 최소화함으로써 효과적으로 그래핀을 cleaning 할 수 있었다. Cleaning과정에서 ion bombardment에 의해 발생한 damage는 $250^{\circ}C$에서 6시간 동안 annealing 공정을 거치면서 회복되는 것을 Raman spectroscopy의 D peak ($1335cm{\cdot}^1$) / G peak ($1572cm{\cdot}^1$) ratio 로 확인할 수 있었고, PMMA residue의 cleaning 여부는 G peak ($1580cm{\cdot}^1$)의 blue shift와 2D peak ($2670cm{\cdot}^1$)의 red shift를 통해 확인하였다. 그리고 AFM (Atomic Force Microscopy)을 이용하여 cleaning 공정과정에서 RMS roughness가 4.99 nm에서 2.01 nm로 감소하는 것을 관찰하였다. 마지막으로, PMMA residue의 cleaning 정도를 정량적으로 분석하기 위해 XPS (X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy)를 이용하여 sp2 C-C bonding이 74.96%에서 87.66%로 증가함을 확인을 할 수 있었다.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.507-515
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• 2005

Melatonin, the principal hormone of the vertebral pineal gland, participates in the regulation of cardiovascular system in vitro and in vivo. However, the effects of melatonin on vascular tissues are still vague. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between phospholipase C (PLC) and nitric oxide synthase (NOS)/cyclic guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cGMP) signaling cascade in the relaxatory action of melatonin in isolated rat aorta. Melatonin induced a concentration-dependent relaxation in phenylephrine (PE)- and KCl-precontracted endothelium intact (+E) aortic rings. In KCl-precontracted +E aortic rings, the melatonin-induced vasorelaxation was not inhibited by endothelium removal or by pretreatment with NOS inhibitors, L-$N^G$-nitor-arginine (L-NNA) and L-$N^G$-nitor-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), guanylate cyclase (GC) inhibitors, methylene blue (MB) and 1H-[1,2,4] oxadiazolo-[4,3-a] quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ). In PE-precontracted +E aortic rings, the melatonin-induced vasorelaxation was inhibited by endothelium removal or by pretreatment with L-NNA, L-NAME, MB, ODQ and 2-nitro-4-carboxyphenyl-n,n-diphenylcarbamate (NCDC). Moreover, in without endothelium (-E) aortic rings and in the presence of L-NNA, L-NAME, MB and ODQ in +E aortic rings, the melatonin-induced residual relaxations and residual contractile responses to PE were not affected by NCDC, a PLC inhibitor. It is concluded that melatonin can evoke vasorelaxation due to inhibition of PLC pathway through the protein kinase G activation of endothelial NOS/cGMP signaling cascade.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.15 no.8
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• pp.543-547
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• 2005

Organic electroluminescence devices were made from 1,4-bis-(9-anthrylvinyl)benzene (AVB) and 1,4-bis-(9-aminoanthryl)benzene (AAB) anthracene derivatives. Device structure was ITO/AVB/PANI(EB)/Al (multi-layer device) and ITO/AAB:DCM/Al(single-layer device). In these devices, AVB, polyaniline(emeraldine base) (PANI(EB)) and AAB were used as the emitting material. 4-(dicyanomethylene)-2-methyl-6-p-(dimethylamino)styryl-4H -pyran(DCM) was used as red fluorescent dopant. We studied change of fluorescence wavelength with concentration of DCM doped in AAB. The ionization potential (IP) and optical band gap (Eg) were measured by cyclic voltammetry and UV-visible spectrum. We compared with difference of emitting wavelength between photoluminescence and electroluminescence spectrum. In case of the multi-layer device, PANI and AVB EL spectra have similar wave pattern to each PL spectrum and when PAM and AVB were used at the same time, and multi-layer device showed that a balanced recombination and radiation kom PANI and AVB. In case of the single-layer device, with the increase of DCM concentration, the blue emission decreases and red emission increases. This indicates that DCM was excited by the energy transfer from AAB to DCM or the direct recombination at the dopant sites due to carrier trapping, or both. The device with $1.0wt\%$ DCM concentration gave white light.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.389-397
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• 2004

The therapeutic efficacy of xylamine in the field of psychological medicine has been recognized for years and the drug is used to treat depression and some other conditions, but little is known about its mechanism of action on vascular system. Therefore, the present study was designed to investigate the influence of xylamine on the contractile responses of isolated rat thoracic arteries to phenylephrine(PE) and potassium chloride(KCl). Xylamine produced a concentration-dependent relaxation in PE-precontracted endothelium intact(+E) rat aortic rings, but not in a KCl-precontracted aortic rings. Also, xylamine inhibited the PE-induced contraction in concentration-dependent manner, but not in the high KCl-induced contraction in +E rings. This concentration-dependent inhibition was suppressed by the removal of the endothelium (-E). The inhibitory effects of xylamine($0.3{\mu}M$) on the PE-induced contractions were suppressed by N(G)-nitro-L-arginine(L-NNA), N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester(L-NAME), aminoguanidine, dexamethasone, methylene blue, 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo [4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one(ODQ), indomethacin, ryanodine, tetrabutylammonium(TBA), lidocaine, procaine and 0 mM extracellular $Na^+$, but not by 2-nitro-4-carboxyphenyl-n,n-diphenylcarbamate(NCDC), lithium, nifedipine, verapamil, 0 mM extracellular $Ca^{2+}$, glibenclamide and clotrimazole. These findings suggest that xylamine could act as a vasorelaxant and direct inhibitor of arterial contraction. This vasorelaxation involves an endothelial nitric oxide (NO)/cGMP (guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate) pathway or cyclooxygenase system, and an interference with $Ca^{2+}$ release, TBA-sensitive $Ca^{2+}$-activated $K^+$ channels and $Na^+$$ channels.

• Carbon letters
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.203-209
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• 2008

The objective of this work is to study the feasibility of the preparation of the activated carbon (AC) from coconut tree flowers using high temperature fluidized bed reactor (HTFBR). The activating agent used in this work is steam. The reactor was operated at various activation temperature (650, 700, 750, 800 and $850^{\circ}C$) and activation time (30, 60, 120 and 240 min) for the production of AC from coconut tree flowers. Effect of activation time and activation temperature on the quality of the AC preparation was observed. Prepared AC was characterized in-terms of iodine number, methylene blue number, methyl violet number, ethylene glycol mono ethyl ether (EGME) surface area and SEM photographs. The best quality of AC from coconut tree flowers (CFC) was obtained at an activation temperature and time of $850^{\circ}C$ and 1 hr restectively. The effectiveness of carbon prepared from coconut tree flowers in adsorbing crystal violet from aqueous solution has been studied as a function of agitation time, carbon dosage, and pH. The adsorption of crystal violet onto AC followed second order kinetic model. Adsorption data were modeled using both Langmuir and Freundlich classical adsorption isotherms. The adsorption capacity $q_m$ was 277.78 mg/g., equilibrium time was found to be 180 min. This adsorbent from coconut tree flowers was found to be effective for the removal of CV dye.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.463-472
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• 2020

Direct reprogramming, also known as a trans-differentiation, is a technique to allow mature cells to be converted into other types of cells without inducing a pluripotent stage. It has been suggested as a major strategy to acquire the desired type of cells in cell-based therapies to repair damaged tissues. Studies related to switching the fate of cells through epigenetic modification have been progressing and they can bypass safety issues raised by the virus-based transfection methods. In this study, a protocol was established to directly convert fully differentiated fibroblasts into diverse mesenchymal-lineage cells, such as osteoblasts, adipocytes, chondrocytes, and ectodermal cells, including neurons, by means of DNA demethylation, immediately followed by culturing in various differentiating media. First, 24 h exposure of 5-azacytidine (5-aza-CN), a well-characterized DNA methyl transferase inhibitor, to NIH-3T3 murine fibroblast cells induced the expression of stem-cell markers, that is, increasing cell plasticity. Next, 5-aza-CN treated fibroblasts were cultured in osteogenic, adipogenic, chondrogenic, and neurogenic media with or without bone morphogenetic protein 2 for a designated period. Differentiation of each desired type of cell was verified by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction/western blot assays for appropriate marker expression and by various staining methods, such as alkaline phosphatase/alizarin red S/oil red O/alcian blue. These proposed procedures allowed easier acquisition of the desired cells without any transgenic modification, using direct reprogramming technology, and thus may help make it more available in the clinical fields of regenerative medicine.