• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.614-618
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• 2001

Low-threshold T-type $Ca^{2+}$ channels are distinctive voltage-operated gates for external $Ca^{2+}$ entry around a resting membrane potential due to their low voltage activation. These phenomena have already been extensively studied due to their relevance in diverse physiological functions. Recently, three T-type $Ca^{2+}$ channel ${\alpha}$$_1$subunits were cloned and their biophysical properties were characterized after expression in mammalian expression systems. In this study, ${\alpha_IG} and {\alpha_IH}$ low-threshold $Ca^{2+}$ channels were expressed and characterized in Xenopus oocytes after adding 5' and 3'untranslated portions of a Xenopus ${\beta}$ globin to improve their expression levels. The added portions dramatically enhanced the expression levels of the ${\alpha_IG} and {\alpha_IH}$ T-type channels. When currents were recorded in 10 mM $Ba^{2+}$ as the charge carrier, the activation thresholds were about -60 mV, peak currents appeared at -20 mV, and the reversal potentials were between +40 and +45. The activation time constants were very similar to each other, while the inactivation time constants of the ${\alpha_IG}$ currents were smaller than those of ${\alpha_IH}$. Taken together, the electrophysiological properties of the ${\alpha_IG} and {\alpha_IH}$ channels expressed in Xenopus oocytes were similar to the previously reported characteristics of low-threshold $Ca^{2+}$ channel currents.

• JSTS:Journal of Semiconductor Technology and Science
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2005

This paper presents the development of a microsystem for whole blood purification and electrophysiological analysis of the purified cells. Magnetophoresis using continuous diamagnetic capture (DMC) was utilized for whole cell purification and electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was utilized for electrophysiological analysis of the purified cells. The system was developed on silicon and plastic substrates utilizing conventional microfabrication technologies and plastic microfabrication technologies. Using the magnetophoretic microseparator, white blood cells were purified from a sample of whole blood. The experimental results of the DMC microseparator show that 89.7% of the red blood cells (RBCs) and 72.7% of the white blood cells (WBCs) could be continuously separated out from a whole blood using an external magnetic flux of 0.2 T. EIS was used as a downstream whole cell analysis tool to study the electrophysiological characteristics of purified cells. In this work, primary cultured bovine chromaffin cells and human red blood cells were characterized using EIS. Further analysis capabilities of the EIS were demonstrated by successfully obtaining unique impedance signatures for chromaffin cells based on the whole cell ion channel activity.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.763-770
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• 2014

The effect of $CO_2$ on the opening of stomata in the intact leaf of Commelina communis has been investigated. Full opening of stomatal apertures(around $18{\mu}m$) was achieved in the intact leaf by addition of $CO_2$($900{\mu}mol\;mol^{-1}$). At 90 minutes, the stomatal apertures of leaves treated with $CO_2$ free air were reduced. In contrast, stomata opened most widely with the treatment of $CO_2$ air at 90 minutes. The effects of light, $CO_2$ air and $CO_2$ free air on the change of membrane potential difference(PD) were measured. Fast hyperpolarization of guard cell membrane PD was recorded reaching up to -12 mV in response to light. If $CO_2$ free air was given firstly, there was no response. When light was given after $CO_2$ free air, the light effect was very clear. At the onset of $CO_2$ air, the PD showed a dramatic hyperpolarization to about -25 mV. Changes in the pH of apoplast in intact leaves in response to $CO_2$ air were observed. $CO_2$ air caused a change of 0.4 pH unit. Therefore, it can be hypothesized that $CO_2$ flowing could stimulate proton efflux which is a necessary precursor of stomatal opening.

• The Journal of the Society of Korean Medicine Diagnostics
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.46-53
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• 2006

Magnetocardiography provides non-invasive three-dimensional electroanatomical imaging of cardiac electrophysiology. The aim of this study is to find the index for using the indicator of magnetocardiography. An object of this study is 214 papers registered on www.pubmed.com. The index used in magnetocardiography is the interval, morphology, amplitude and integrals of QRS complex, P wave, T wave. The current density and electric field map are used, too. A new try of the index is LAS, W-HEAD, Relative Smoothness index(RS index) etc.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.58-61
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• 2008

Sj$\ddot{o}$gren's syndrome (SS) is an autoimmune disease characterized by keratoconjunctivitis sicca and xerostomia. About thirty percent of patients with Sj$\ddot{o}$gren's syndrome experience nervous system involvement such as myelopaty, optic neuropathy, and peripheral neuropathy. The most common pattern of peripheral nerve involvement is axonal polyneuropathy. We present a case of demyelinating polyneuropathy in a patient with Sj$\ddot{o}$gren's syndrome, which had been proven by electrophysiology and pathology.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.256-263
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• 2007

P300 is widely used as a neurophysiological indicator of cognitive processing, which is known as reflecting controlled processing. MMN (mismatch negativity), early response prior to P300, is known as reflecting an early stage of information processing and having involuntary attention and automatic awakening or sensory memory. This study for normal people shows that electric potential of P300 and MMN are in close correlation (r=-0.673, p<0.05). That is, it is observed that the higher negative value electric potential of MMN measured at cerebral forehead-center has, the higher value electric potential of P300 measured at cerebral center-vertex has. This fact implies that working memory for temporary storage and operation of stimuli, and involuntary attention which constitute automatic information processing, an early stage of information processing, play a crucial role in efficient information processing. On the other hand, considering that MMN of cerebral forehead-center and P300 of cerebral center-vertex are in close correlation, it is necessary to pursue further study of cerebral parts which generate P300 and MMN in information processing.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.107-113
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• 1995

It is well known that multipoint and computerized intraoperative mapping systems improve the results of surgery for Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and show tremendous potential for opening an entirely new era of surgical intervention for the more common and lethal types of supraventricular tachyarrhythmias such as atrial flutter and atrial fibrillation. In addition, the ability to map and ablate the sometimes fleeting automatic atrial tachycardia is greatly enhanced by computerized mapping systems. In this study, we have developed 64 channel computerized data analysis system using microcomputer (Macintosh ${II}_{x}$) for basic research of electrophysiology and electrical propagation. The bipolar electrogram information is acquired from 64 cardiac sites simultaneously at a sampling rate of 1 ksampls/sec with continuous and total data storage of up to 30 seconds. When the reference electrogram is selected and reference point is picked up, delay time from the reference point is displayed on two dimensional diagram of the heart. System design permits easy expansion to almost 256 simultaneous sites. this system is expected to enable us to study pathophysiology of cardiac arrhythmia and to improve the result of diagnosis and surgical treatment for cardiac arrhythmia.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.117-122
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• 2015

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Curcumin, a major component of the Curcuma species, contains antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Although it was found to induce apoptosis in cancer cells, the functional role of curcumin as well as its molecular mechanism in anti-inflammatory response, particularly in intestinal cells, has been less investigated. The intestine epithelial barrier is the first barrier and the most important location for the substrate coming from the lumen of the gut. SUBJECTS/METHODS: We administered curcumin treatment in the human intestinal epithelial cell lines, T84 and Caco-2. We examined endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response by thapsigargin, qPCR of XBP1 and BiP, electrophysiology by wild-type cholera toxin in the cells. RESULTS: In this study, we showed that curcumin treatment reduces ER stress and thereby decreases inflammatory response in human intestinal epithelial cells. In addition, curcumin confers protection without damaging the membrane tight junction or actin skeleton change in intestine epithelial cells. Therefore, curcumin treatment protects the gut from bacterial invasion via reduction of ER stress and anti-inflammatory response in intestinal epithelial cells. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, our data demonstrate the important role of curcumin in protecting the intestine by modulating ER stress and inflammatory response post intoxication.

• International Journal of Vascular Biomedical Engineering
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.23-29
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• 2005

We developed a three dimensional cardiac tissue model based on human cardiac cell and mono-domain approximation for action potential propagation. The human myocyte model proposed by ten Tusscher et al. (TNNP model) (2004) for cell electrophysiology and a mono-domain method for electric wave propagation are used to simulate the cardiac tissue propagation mechanism using a finite element method. To delineate non-homogeneity across cardiac tissue layer, we used three types of cardiac cell models. Ansiotropic effect of action potential propagation is also considered in this study. In this 3D anisotropic cardiac tissue with three cell layers, we generated a reentrant wave using S1-S2 protocol. Computational results showed that the reentrant wave was affected by the anisotropic properties of the cells. To test the reentrant wave under pathological state, we simulated a hypertopic model with non-excitable fibroblasts in stochastic manner. Compared with normal tissue, the hypertropic tissue result showed another center of reentrant wave, indicating that the wave pattern can be more easily changed from regular with a concentric focus to irregular multi-focused reentrant waves in case of patients with hypertrophy.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.185-191
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• 2010

Background: This study investigated effective posture for gluteus medius rehabilitation training and effects of isometric muscle activity by electrophysiology through EMG while performing dynamic isotonic behavior of weight placed differently on upper limbs. Method: 16 healthy male subjects 20 to 29 years of age volunteered for the study. Lateral stabilizer right gluteus medius activity was assessed using EMG while the right lower extremity maintains single limb support, and the left upper extremity elevation movement maintains 5 seconds without load, 1RM to 1 repetition, 5RM to 5 times, 10RM to 10 times, 5RM and 10RM maintain 5sec. Results: Comparison of the mean value of EMG data showed a statistically more significant difference in upper extremity elevation movement on opposite upper extremity added weight than one that was not added on a single limb weight bearing posture(p>.05). Weight supported side gluteus medius activity for 1RM, 5RM, 10RM weight difference and movement repetition did not differ(p>.05). Comparison in maximum value showed statistically significant differences in not adding weight on upper limb elevation exercise and 1RM, 5RM, 10RM repeated behavior. Elevation behavior and repetition appeared over 70% of MVIC. Conclusion: Unilateral weight bearing stance added weight in the opposite upper limb elevation movement was an indirect exercise to effectively stimulate gluteus medius activity. Applying various added weight will have effective exercise on the early stages of rehabilitation because activity gluteus medius did not differ through added weight.