• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.99-105
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• 2000

Lithium, a simple monovalent cation, is the mainstay in the treatment of manic-depressive illness, but despite extensive research, its mechanism of action remains to be elucidated. Because lithium requires chronic administration for therapeutic efficacy and because its beneficial effects last well beyond its discontinuation, it has been postulated that lithium may exert major effects at the genomic level. We have previously shown that Yungmijihwangwon (YM) increase TH protein expression through antioxidant activity and unknown effects in vivo. In the pressent study, we have sought to determine if lithium in herbal medicine also increases the expression of endogenous gene known to be regulated by AP-1 and have therefore investigated the effects of herbal medicine on tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) levels. Male mice were treated with LiCl and herbal medicine for 30 days, and TH levels and dopamine level were measured in striatum using immunoblotting and ECD-HPLC. Herbal medicine treatment resulted in statistically nonsignificant increase in TH levels in mouse striatum. The precise therapeutic relevance of these effects is presently unknown.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.18-23
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• 2011

The electrokinetic transport characteristics of salts were investigated using nitrate and sulfate accumulated saline greenhouse soil. Within 8 days, 95% of nitrate was removed from the soil, while sulfate removal was 19% for 8 days. The low removal of sulfate came from adsorption reaction on the soil particles or organic matter and precipitation with calcium. Divalent cations such as calcium and magnesium were transported toward cathode via electromigration, and most monovalent cation such as potassium was removed. The pattern of residual electrical conductivity was similar with that of sulfate. Based on the results, electrokinetic technique is effective to restore nitrate-accumulated saline soil, but is not effective to restore sulfate-accumulated soil.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.155-164
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• 2013

The main purpose of this research was to examine the adsorption/ion exchange characteristics of radioactive species such as cesium and strontium onto synthetic Na-birnessite (sodium-birnessite). As part of efforts to investigate the sorption behavior of cesium and strontium onto synthetic Na-birnessite, batch isotherm tests were performed under different experimental conditions. Na-birnessite was synthesized by the oxidation of $Mn^{2+}$ ions in sodium hydroxide solution. The synthetic Na-birnessite was characterized by powder x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area analysis. Cesium and strontium concentrations were determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). The removal efficiency of strontium by Na-birnessite was around 95 % which was much higher than that of cesium (~ 32 %). The results imply that strontium has a higher affinity for Na-birnessite than cesium because strontium, divalent cation leads to larger electrostatic attraction than monovalent cesium.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.214-220
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• 2010

Three-dimensional(3D) structure of specific DNA can be changed between two conformations under an external environmental transition such as pH and salt concentration variations. We have experimentally observed the conformational transitions of i-motif DNA using AFM cantilever bioassay. It is shown that pH change of a solvent induces the bending defleciton change of a cantilever functionalized by i-motif DNA. This indicates that cantilever bioassay enables the label-free detection of DNA structural changes upon pH change. It is implied that cantilever bioassay can be a de novo route to quantitatively understand the conformational transitions of biological molecules under environmental changes.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.114-124
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• 1984

Various methods for measuring cation exchange capacity (CEC) of soil were compared and the contributions of ionic strength, pH and replacing cations to the CEC were investigated on Kangweon soils (Pyeongchang soils derived from lime stone : Chuncheon, Weonseong soils from alluvium : Cheolweon soils from basalt). The results were as follows : 1. The CEC measuring method using shaker and centrifuge at saturating, washing and replacing precesses, which are common in determining CEC of soils, appeared to be superior to the other methods using column, filter, or Brown method. 2. For all soil samples, the higher the ionic strength, the higher CEC value was obtained with the fewer saturating processes. However, using monovalent saturating ion on Anmi series soil derived from lime stone, the CEC value decreased when the ionic strength and the number of saturating process increased. 3. The CEC value generally increased with increasing pH. But, Chuncheon soil (Gyuam series from alluvium) having higher Al content showed the abrupt increases of CEC from pH 5.5 to pH 7.5. 4. About 70% of CEC of Kangweon soils were attributed to organic matter. 5. In determining CEC of soils, saturating with 0.5M divalent cation solution 2 to 3 times for Pyeongchang and Weonseong soil, 3 to 4 times for Cheolweon soil, and replacing with 0.25M divalent cation solution about 3 times are thought to be recommendable.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.9
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• pp.2616-2622
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• 2013

A novel zwitterionic monomer 3-[(2-acrylamido)dimethylammonio]propanesulfonate (DMADAS) was designed and synthesized in this study. Then it was polymerized with acrylamide (AM) by free radical polymerization in 0.5 mol/L NaCl solution with ammonium persulfate ($(NH_4)_2S_2O_8$) and sodium sulfate ($NaHSO_3$) as initiator. The structure and composition of DMADAS and acrylamide-3-[(2-acrylamido)-dimethylammonio]propanesulfonate copolymer (P-AM-DMADAS) were characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy, $^1H$ NMR and elemental analyses. Isoelectric point (IEP) of P-AM-DMADAS was tested by nanoparticle size and potential analyzer. Solution properties of copolymer were studied by reduced viscosity. Antipolyelectrolyte behavior was observed and was found to be enhanced with increasing DMADAS content in copolymer. The results showed that the viscosity of P-AM-DMADAS is 5.472 dl/g in pure water. Electrolyte was added, which weakened the mutual attraction between sulfonic acid group and quaternary ammonium group. The conformation became loose, which led to the increase of reduced viscosity. The ability of monovalent and divalent cation influencing the viscosity of zwitterionic copolymer obeyed the following sequence: $Li^+$ < $Na^+$ < $K^+$, $Mg^{2+}$ < $Ca^{2+}$ < $Ba^{2+}$, and that of anion is in the order: $Cl^-$ < $Br^-$ < $I^-$, $CO{_3}^{2-}$ > $SO{_3}^{2-}{\approx}SO{_4}^{2-}$.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.41 no.8
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• pp.587-594
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• 1998

The objective of this research was to characterize effects of Cu or Cd additions on chemistry of soil quality indices, such as pH, EC, cation distribution and buffering capacity. Metals were added at rates ranging from 0 to 400 mg $kg^{-1}$ of soil. Soil solution was sequentially extracted from saturated pastes using vacuum. Concentrations of Cu or Cd remaining in soil solutions were very low as compared to those added to the soils, warranting that most of the added metals were recovered as nonavailable fractions. Adsorption of the added metals released cations into soil solution causing increases of ionic strength of soil solution. At metal additions of $200{\sim}400\;mg\;kg^{-1}$, EC of soil solution increased to as much as $2{\sim}4\;m^{-1}$; salinity levels considered high enough to cause detrimental effects on plant production. More divalent cations than monovalent cations were exchanged by Cu or Cd adsorption. The nutrient buffering capacity of soils was decreased due to the metal adsorption and release of cations. pH of soil solution decreased linearly with increasing metal loading rates, with a decrement of up to 1.3 units at 400 mg Cu $kg^{-1}$ addition. Influences of Cu on each of these soil quality parameters were consistently greater than those of Cd. These effects were of a detrimental nature and large enough in most cases to significantly impact soil productivity. It is clear that new protocols are needed for evaluating potential effects of heavy metal loading of soils.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.7
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• pp.949-956
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• 2002

There are several physiological and pharmacological evidences indicating that opening of voltage dependent $Ca^{2+}$ channels play a critical role in induction of acrosome reaction in mammalian sperm. We determined the intracellular free $Ca^{2+}$ concentration in ejaculated goat sperm using a fluorescent, $Ca^{2+}$-specific probe, Fura2/AM, after the suspension of sperm in KRB medium, capable of sustaining capacitation and the acrosome reaction. We used nifedipine, D-600 and diltiazem, the $Ca^{2+}$ channel antagonists belonging to the classes of dihydropyridines, phenylalkylamines and benzothiazepines, to investigate the possibility that L-type voltage gated $Ca^{2+}$ channels play a role in the progesterone-stimulated exocytotic response. Progesterone promoted a rise in intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ in goat sperm and addition of nifedipine (100 nM) just prior to progesterone induction, significantly inhibited both intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ rise and exocytosis suggesting that $Ca^{2+}$ channels are involved in the process. However, the intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ increase during the process of capacitation was not affected with the addition of nifedipine suggesting a role of focal channel for $Ca^{2+}$ during capacitation. Studies using monensin and nigericin, two monovalent cation ionophores showed that an influx of $Na^+$ also may play a role in the opening of $Ca^{2+}$ channels. These results strongly suggests that the entry of $Ca^{2+}$ channels with characteristics similar to those of L-type, voltage-sensitive $Ca^{2+}$ channels found in cardiac and skeletal muscle, is a crucial step in the sequence of events leading to progesterone induced acrosome reaction in goat sperm.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.87-93
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• 1999

The possible role of Na$^{+}$/H$^{+}$ antiporter in both the capacitation and the acrosome reaction (AR) was examined in mouse epididymal spermatozoa. Spontaneous acrosome reaction was inhibited by dimethyl amiloride (DMA), a specific inhibitor of Na$^{+}$/H$^{+}$ antiporter, with dose dependent manner. Follicular fluid- or A23l 87-induced acrosome reaction was not inhibited by DMA. It suggests that change in pH$_{i}$ by monovalent cation transport through the Na$^{+}$/H$^{+}$ antiporter is possibly engaged in the capacitation and that agonist- as well as A23l87-induced AR in capacitated sperm might be independent from the Na$^{+}$/H$^{+}$ antiporter. Conclusively, changes in pH$_{i}$ through the Na$^{+}$/H$^{+}$ antiporter might be important for sperm capacitation and it virtually occurs upstream of the $Ca^{2+}$ influx which precedes the acrosome reaction in mouse epididymal spermatozoa.pididymal spermatozoa.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 1984

Soils in Cheju Island, derived mostly from volcanic ashes, were collected for chemical analysis to determine the effect of land utilization pattern on soil chemical characteristics. The coastal area has long been used for intensive farming and some of the mid-mountain region were recently reclaimed for agricultural crop production. The cation exchange capacity and the organic matter in the soils increased in the order of coastal area < mid-mountain belt < upper mountain area, while pH, base saturation, available phosphorus and exchangeable bases decreased with the elevation. Generally, the organic matter, the cation exchange capacity and the exchangeable bases of the Cheju soils were found to be considerably higher than the Korean mainland soils. However, the base saturation and the available phosphorus were far below the mainland average. The ratio of monovalent basic cations to total exchangeable bases showed the highest in the soils of the mountain belts and the lowest in the coastal area soils. These data suggest that a higher soil pH in the coastal area as compared to the mountainous slopes has resulted not from the sea water but from continuous application of alkaline fertilizers and times.