• BMB Reports
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.446-451
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• 2001

The interaction of cytochrome c with binary phospholipid mixtures was investigated by solid-state $^2H$- and $^{31}P$-NMR. To examine the effect of the interaction on the glycerol backbones, the glycerol moieties of phosphatidylcholine (PC), and cardioliph (CL) were specifically deuterated. On the binding of cytochrome c to the binary mixed bilayers, no changes in the quadrupole splittings of each of the components were observed for the PC/PG, PE/CL and PE/PG liposomes. In contrast, the splittings of CL decreased on binging of protein to the PC/CL liposomes, although those of PC did not change at all. This showed that cytochrome c specifically interacts with CL in PC/CL bilayers, and penetrates into the lipid bilayer to some extent so as to perturb the dynamic structure of the glycerol backbone. This is distinctly different from the mode of interaction of cytochrome c with other binary mixed bilayers. In the $^{31}P$-NMR spectra, line broadening and a decrease of the chemical shift anisotropy were observed on the binding of cytochrome c for all binary mixed bilayers that were examined. These changes were more significant for the PC/CL bilayers. Furthermore, the line broadening is more significant for PC than for CL in PC/CL bilayers. Therefore, it can be concluded that with the polar head groups, not only CL but also PC are involved in the interaction with cytochrome c.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.804-810
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• 1999

There is a possibility that carvone, a monoterpene from spearmint (Mentha spicata), could induce the bph degradative pathway and genes in Alcaligenes eutrophus H850, which is a known Gram-negative PCB degrader with a broad substrate specificity that was thoroughly investigated with Arthrobacter sp. BIB, a Gram-positive PCB degrader. The strains BIB and H850 were unable to utilize and grow on the plant terpene [(R)-(-)-carvone] (50ppm) to be recognized as a sole carbon source. Nevertheless, the carvone did induce 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl 1,2-dioxygenase (encoded by bphC) in the strain B lB, as observed by a resting cell assay that monitors accumulation of a yellow meta ring fission product from 4,4'-dichlorobiphenyl (DCBp). The monoterpene, however, did not appear to induce the meta cleavage pathway in the strain H850. Instead, an assumption was made that the strain might be using an alternative pathway, probably the ortho-cleavage pathway. A reverse transcription (RT)-PCR system, utilizing primers designed from a conserved region of the bphC gene of Arthrobacter sp. M5, was employed to verify the occurrence of the alternative pathway. A successful amplification (182bp) of mRNA transcribed from the N-terminal region of the bphC gene was accomplished in H850 cells induced by carvone (50ppm) as well as in biphenyl-growth cells. It is, therefore, likely that H850 possesses a specific PCB degradation pathway and hence a different substrate specificity compared with B1B. This study will contribute to an elucidation of the dynamic aspects of PCB bioremediation in terms of roles played by PCB degraders and plant terpenes as natural inducer substrates that are ubiquitous and environmentally compatible.

• Composites Research
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.1-7
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• 2001

The studies on the formulation and curing behaviors of Kevlar/Epoxy prepreg for NOSE CONE of aircraft were presented in this paper. Dielectrometer and differential scanning calorimeter were used in order to check the curing behaviors. This prepreg showed the lowest ionic viscosity around $120^{\circ}C$, and then the ionic viscosity was gradually increased up to $200^{\circ}C$. This indicated that the curing reaction of this prepreg started at $120^{\circ}C$ and the molecular weight was increased by the accelerated thermal cross-linking reaction. The loss factor and tan $\delta$ values were also measured and discussed. The loss factor behaviors of Kevlar/Epoxy prepreg, which is related to the fluidity of matrix, were fecund to be similar with that of ionic viscosity. The thermal reaction properties of this prepreg were also studied by differential scanning calorimeter.

• Korea-Australia Rheology Journal
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.205-217
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• 2001

This review article summarizes results of recent viscoelastic and dielectric studies for entangled cis-polyisoprene (PI) chains. The PI chains have the so-called type-A dipoles parallel along the chain backbone, and their slow viscoelastic and dielectric relaxation processes reflect the same global chain motion. However, this motion is differently averaged in the viscoelastic and dielectric properties, the former representing the isochronal orientational anisotropy of individual entanglement segments while the latter detecting the orientational correlation of the segments at two separate times (0 and t). On the basis of this difference, the viscoelastic and dielectric data of the entangled PI chains were compared to elucidate detailed features of the chain dynamics. Specifically, the molecular picture of dynamic tube dilation (DTD) incorporated in recent models was tested for linear and star PI chain. The comparison revealed that the DTD picture was valid for linear PI chains but failed for the star PI chains in the dominant part of the terminal relaxation. The failure for the star chains was related to the pre-requisite for the DTD process, rapid equilibration of successive entanglement segments through their constraint release (CR) motion: For the star chains, the dilated tube diameter expected in the terminal regime was considerably large because of a broad distribution of motional modes of the chains, so that the CR-equilibration required for DTD could not occur in time. The terminal relaxation of the star chain appeared to occur through the CR process before the expected DTD process was completed. The situation was different for the linear chain exhibiting narrowly distributed motional modes. The dilated tube expected for the linear chain was rather thin and the required CR-equilibration occurred in time, resulting in the success of the DTD picture. These detailed features of the chain dynamics was revealed only when the viscoelastic and dielectric properties were compared, demonstrating the importance of this comparison.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.136-146
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• 1996

Studies on normal human embryos and on malformed human hearts have been two main sources of the information on the developmental cardiology, Recent advances in the biological technology has opened a new era and descriptive embryology is being shifted into dynamic developmental biology. In this review, we discuss the current understanding on the cardiac embryology relevant to clinical practices of pediatric cardiology. Classical cardiac embryology starts with understanding on five segments of a straight heart tube : the sinus venosus, the primitive atria, the embryonic left ventricle, the embryonic right ventricle and the truncus arteriosus. Key steps in the normal morphogenetic process are the complex spiral septation of ventriculoarterial junction and two jumping connections : between the embryonic right atrium and embryonic right ventricle, and between the embryonic left ventricle and the aorta. Only after these two steps are successfully completed, the third fetal stage tak s place, when myocardial growth and remodeling take place There are two outstanding progresses on the cardiac embryology during recent five-year period. One is immunohistochemical mapping of the conduction system in the developing heart and the other is the understanding on the neural crest cell migration followed by molecular detection of the microdeletion of chromosome 22. A balanced progress of classical morphological studies, modern biological technics and advanced clinical medicine is an urgent task for doctors and scientists dealing with children with sick hearts.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.15 no.3 s.70
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• pp.427-433
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• 2005

With the completely discovery of the Drosophila genome sequence, the next great challenge is to extract its biological information by systematic expression and to perform functional analysis of the gene. Here we reported a proteome analysis of D. melanogaster with two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometer (MALDI-TOF-MS). The cell extracts of D. melanogaster, $200{\mu}g$ were resolved to more than 400 silver-stained spots by 2-DE. The most abundant protein spots were ranged from 4.0-7.5 of pI and from 15-90 kDa of molecular weight. The excised spots were destained and in-gel digested by trypsin. The masses of the resulting peptide mixtures were measured by MALDI-TOF-MS. Identified proteins were compared with measured peptide mass and a dynamic peptide searching database which is accessible via the internet. The results revealed that identified proteins were produced by 59 genes derived from 65 protein spots.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.595-602
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• 2005

A one-step real-time quantitative RT-PCR assay in combination with automated RNA extraction was evaluated for routine testing of HCV RNA in the laboratory. Specific primers and probes were developed to detect 302 bp on 5'-UTR of HCV RNA. The assay was able to quantitate a dynamic linear range of $10^7-10^1$ HCV RNA copies/reaction ($R^2=0.997$). The synthetic HCV RNA standard of $1.84{\pm}0.1\;(mean{\pm}SD)$ copies developed in this study corresponded to 1 international unit (IU) of WHO International Standard for HCV RNA (96/790 I). The detection limit of the assay was 3 RNA copies/reaction (81 IU/ml) in plasma samples. The assay was comparable to the Amplicor HCV Monitor (Monitor) assay with correlation coefficient r=0.985, but was more sensitive than the Monitor assay. The assay could be completed within 3 h from RNA extraction to detection and data analysis for up to 32 samples. It allowed rapid RNA extraction, detection, and quantitation of HCV RNA in plasma samples. The method provided sufficient sensitivity and reproducibility and proved to be fast and labor-saving, so that it was suitable for high throughput HCV RNA test.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.273-277
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• 2012

The vacuum drying process for drying of paper in current transformers was modeled with an aim to develop an understanding of the drying mechanism involved and also to predict the water collection rates. A molecular as well as macroscopic approach was adopted for the prediction of drying rate. Ficks law of diffusion was adopted for the prediction of drying rates at macroscopic levels. A steady state and dynamic mass transfer simulation was performed. The bulk diffusion coefficient was calculated using weight loss experiments. The accuracy of the solution was a strong function of the relation developed to determine the equilibrium moisture content. The actually observed diffusion constant was also important to predict the plant water removal rate. Thermo gravimetric studies helped in calculating the diffusion constant. In addition, simulation studies revealed the formation of perpetual moisture traps (loops) inside the CT. These loops can only be broken by changing the temperature or pressure of the system. The change in temperature or pressure changes the kinetic or potential energy of the effusing vapor resulting in breaking of the loop. The cycle was developed based on this mechanism. Additionally, simulation studies also revealed that the actual mechanism of moisture diffusion in CT's is by surface jumps initiated by surface diffusion balanced against the surrounding pressure. Every subsequent step in the cycle was to break such loops. The effect of change in drying time on the electrical properties of the insulation was also assessed. The measurement of capacitance at the rated voltage and one third of the rated voltage demonstrated that the capacitance change is within the acceptance limit. Hence, the new cycle does not affect the electrical performance of the CT.

• Journal of Adhesion and Interface
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.21-28
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• 2004

In this work, glass fiber/nylon 6 and woven glass fiber/nylon 6 composites have been fabricated using glass fiber reinforcements sized with 3-chloropropyltrimethoxysilane(CTMS) having a chloropropyl organo-functional group in the molecular chain end. The interfacial shear strength of glass fiber/nylon 6 composite was measured using a single fiber microbonding test and the interlaminar shear strength and the storage modulus of woven glass fabric/nylon 6 composites were measured using a short-warn shear test and a dynamic mechanical analysis, respectively, informing the effect of the concentration of CTMS on the properties. With increasing CTMS concentration, the interfacial properties of the composites were improved. The results on the interfacial shear strength, interlaminar shear strength, interlaminar failure pattern, and storage modulus with varying the CTMS concentration agree with each other.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.567-577
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• 2017

Obesity is known to induce inhibition of glucose uptake, reduction of lipid metabolism, and progressive loss of skeletal muscle function, which are all associated with mitochondrial dysfunction in skeletal muscle. Mitochondria are dynamic organelles that regulate cellular metabolism and bioenergetics, including ATP production via oxidative phosphorylation. Due to these critical roles of mitochondria, mitochondrial dysfunction results in various diseases such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. Obesity is associated with impairment of mitochondrial function (e.g., decrease in $O_2$ respiration and increase in oxidative stress) in skeletal muscle. The balance between mitochondrial fusion and fission is critical to maintain mitochondrial homeostasis in skeletal muscle. Obesity impairs mitochondrial dynamics, leading to an unbalance between fusion and fission by favorably shifting fission or reducing fusion proteins. Mitophagy is the catabolic process of damaged or unnecessary mitochondria. Obesity reduces mitochondrial biogenesis in skeletal muscle and increases accumulation of dysfunctional cellular organelles, suggesting that mitophagy does not work properly in obesity. Mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress are reported to trigger apoptosis, and mitochondrial apoptosis is induced by obesity in skeletal muscle. It is well known that exercise is the most effective intervention to protect against obesity. Although the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which exercise protects against obesity-induced mitochondrial dysfunction in skeletal muscle are not clearly elucidated, exercise training attenuates mitochondrial dysfunction, allows mitochondria to maintain the balance between mitochondrial dynamics and mitophagy, and reduces apoptotic signaling in obese skeletal muscle.