• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.1-7
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• 2013

Objective & Method : By investigating physiological function of tri-energizer, symptoms, and organ coordination, we obtained following conclusion. Tri-energizer is the membrane structure that surrounds the five visceral organs and six hollow organs, and filled with fluid. Tri-energizer acts as the passage for the flow of qi energy. Result & Conclusion : Therefore, dysfunction of the tri-energizer is caused by abnormal evaporation and metabolism. Upper-energizer regulates cardiopulmonary function, middle-energizer regulates spleen and stomach functions, and lower-energizer regulates liver, kidneys, small and large intestines, and bladder functions. Such a functional specialization is possible by receiving the source of qi through the wall wrapping around the internal organs. Tri-energizer represents the exterior and interior relationship by acting as the membrane structure supporting the five visceral organs and six hollow organs and at the same time, as the pericardium surrounding the heart.

• Interdisciplinary Bio Central
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.2.1-2.3
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• 2009

There is evidence that cholesterol in the brain plays an important role in the neurotransmitter release. A decrease of the cholesterol level severely hampers the activity of the membrane fusion machinery, thereby inhibiting the release. Meanwhile, the results from several clinical studies suggest that a low cholesterol level is linked to the dysfunction of some brain activities. Because the neurotransmitter release underlies the basic brain function, the combined results lead to a testable hypothesis that the cholesterol-lowering drugs may inhibit the neurotransmitter release at the synapse. Such inhibition of the release could result in impaired brain function for a limited group of people. A molecular basis for the hypothesis is discussed.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 2008.04a
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• pp.23-30
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• 2008

Mitochondria biogenesis requires a coordination of two genomes, nuclear DNA (nDNA) and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Disruption of mitochondria function leads to a loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP generating capacity and consequently results in chronic degenerative diseases including insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome and neurodegenerative diseases. Although PPAR-${\gamma}$ coactivator-$1{\alpha}$ (PGC-$1{\alpha}$) was discovered as a central regulator of mitochondria biogenesis and a transcriptional co-activator of nuclear respiratory factor (NRF) and mitochondrial transcription factor A (Tfam), the expressions of PGC-$1{\alpha}$, NRF and Tfam were not significantly altered in tissues showing abnormal mitochondria functions. This observation suggests that there should be another regulator(s) for mitochondria function. Here, we demonstrate microRNAs (miRNAs) can modulate mitochondria function. Overexpression of microRNA dissipated mitochondrial membrane potential and increased ROS production in vitro and in vivo. It will be discussed the target of microRNA and its role in metabolic syndrome.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.12-23
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• 2013

On the subject of river bed water in Seomjin river, it had accomplished the verifying experiment of membrane filtration pilot plant for evaluating the applicability of its process throughout the prediction of membrane fouling as a function of the pore size of membrane and the determination of optimum coagulant dosage. On the result of the experiment for the evaluation of the membrane fouling as a function of the pore size, a increasing rate of irreversible resistance of membrane pore size $0.1{\mu}m$ and $0.01{\mu}m$ was measured each $0.44{\times}10^{12}/m^2$ and $0.42{\times}10^{12}/m^2$, respectively. And on the result of Flux-test, it showed that the optimum coagulant dosage was measured lower than the it of the Jar-test. The result to be operated in a condition of a permeate flux $1.0{\sim}1.5m^3/m^2{\cdot}day$ without coagulation and a permeate flux $1.0{\sim}2.0m^3/m^2{\cdot}day$ with coagulation was maintained at stable trans-membrane pressure (TMP) value for 6 months up to. Therefore it showed that the stable operation without the coagulation was possible on permeate flux $1.0{\sim}1.5m^3/m^2{\cdot}day$ in the operation of membrane filtration process.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.151-158
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• 2010

This paper presents the synthesis of ampholyte immobilized hollow-fiber membranes and adsorption characteristic of metallic ions. This is prepared by radiation induced grafting polymerization of an epoxy group containing Glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) onto an existing polyethylene porous hollow-fiber membrane. Ampholyte ion-exchanged alkalic group, $-NH_2$ (amine function) of Taurine (TAU) is reacted with glycidyl of GMA for the synthesis of stable membrane. However, Sodium sulfite (SS) membrane is also prepared by making chemical bonds with GMA of porous hollow-fiber membrane for the comparison of adsorption characteristic of metallic ions. These are called as TAU and SS membranes, respectively. It is shown that TAU membrane shows a steady flux, 0.9 m/h regardless of the density of TAU, while the flux of SS membrane decreases rapidly as the density of $SO_3H$ group increases. SS membrane showed a negligible flux. TAU membrane with the density 0.8 mmol/g shows the amount of metallic ions adsorbed in the following order, Cu > Cd > Mg > Sb > Pb. In general, TAU membrane with high density and reaction time showed the high amount of metallic ions adsorbed and flux.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1996.04a
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• pp.286-286
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• 1996

In order to elucidate the mechanism of action of transdermal absorption-enhancing compounds, i.e., pyrrolidone derivatives (2-pyrrolidone, 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, 1-ethyl-2-pyrrolidone, 1,5-dimethyl-pyrrolidone and 5-methyl-2-pyrrolidone), multilamellar liposome was prepared from the simulated stratum corneum lipid and employed as a model system for the barrier function of the stratum corneum. The liposomal membrane of the stratum corneum lipid liposome (SCLL) behaves as an osmometer and has an excellent barrier function. In addition, its phase transition temperatures are similar to those of human stratum corneum intercellular lipid region. Therefore, SCLL seems to be a useful skin model. To estimate the barrier function of SCLL, the osmotic behavior of SCLL was measured in the presence of pyrrolidone derivatives and the effect on the phase transition temperature of SCLL was also investigated using differential calorimetry. Above a certain concentration (MLAC), enhances perturb the barrier function of the liposome. The relationship between MLACs and the partition coefficient of the pyrrolidone derivatives was observed; the greater the partition coefficients, the smaller the MLAC. This suggests that the more hydrophobic enhancers penetrate into the lipid layer more easily and reduce the barrier function of membrane more effectively. The results of differential scanning thermograms of the SCLL suggest that the pyrrolidone derivatives had incorporated into the lipid layer in the liposome and increased the fluidity of the lipid layer in the liposome. Such activity might have some correlation with the transdermal absorption-enhancing activity these compounds.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.83-92
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• 2009

This study was undertaken to examine the effect of oxidants on membrane transport function in renal epithelial cells. Hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$) was used as a model oxidant and the membrane transport function was evaluated by measuring $Na^+$-dependent phosphate ($Na^+$-Pi) uptake in opossum kidney (OK) cells. $H_2O_2$ inhibited $Na^+$-Pi uptake in a dose-dependent manner. The oxidant also caused loss of cell viability in a dose-dependent fashion. However, the extent of inhibition of the uptake was larger than that in cell viability. $H_2O_2$ inhibited $Na^+$-dependent uptake without any effect on $Na^+$-independent uptake. $H_2O_2$-induced inhibition of $Na^+$-Pi uptake was prevented completely by catalase, dimethylthiourea, and deferoxamine, suggesting involvement of hydroxyl radical generated by an iron-dependent mechanism. In contrast, antioxidants Trolox, N,N'-diphenyl-p-phenylenediamine, and butylated hydroxyanisole did not affect the $H_2O_2$ inhibition. Kinetic analysis indicated that $H_2O_2$ decreased Vmax of $Na^+$-Pi uptake with no change in the Km value. Phosphonoformic acid binding assay did not show any difference between control and $H_2O_2$-treated cells. $H_2O_2$ also did not cause degradation of $Na^+$-Pi transporter protein. Reduction in $Na^+$-Pi uptake by $H_2O_2$ was associated with ATP depletion and direct inhibition of $Na^+$-$K^+$-ATPase activity. These results indicate that the effect of $H_2O_2$ on membrane transport function in OK cells is associated with reduction in functional $Na^+$-pump activity. In addition, the inhibitory effect of $H_2O_2$ was not associated with lipid peroxidation.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.133-147
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• 2023

The random vibration of saddle membrane structures under wind load is studied theoretically and experimentally. First, the nonlinear random vibration differential equations of saddle membrane structures under wind loads are established based on von Karman's large deflection theory, thin shell theory and potential flow theory. The probabilistic density function (PDF) and its corresponding statistical parameters of the displacement response of membrane structure are obtained by using the diffusion process theory and the Fokker Planck Kolmogorov equation method (FPK) to solve the equation. Furthermore, a wind tunnel test is carried out to obtain the displacement time history data of the test model under wind load, and the statistical characteristics of the displacement time history of the prototype model are obtained by similarity theory and probability statistics method. Finally, the rationality of the theoretical model is verified by comparing the experimental model with the theoretical model. The results show that the theoretical model agrees with the experimental model, and the random vibration response can be effectively reduced by increasing the initial pretension force and the rise-span ratio within a certain range. The research methods can provide a theoretical reference for the random vibration of the membrane structure, and also be the foundation of structural reliability of membrane structure based on wind-induced response.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.115-120
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• 2023

The design theory for nanoporous filtration membranes needs to be established. The present study shows that the performance and technical advancement of nanoporous filtration membranes are determined by the fundamental parameter I (in the unit Watt^1/2) which is formulated as a function of the shear strength of the liquid-pore wall interface, the radius of the filtration pore, the membrane thickness, and the bulk dynamic viscosity of the flowing liquid. This parameter determines the critical power loss on a single filtration pore for initiating the wall slippage, which is important for the flux of the membrane. It also relates the membrane permeability to the power cost by the filtration pore. It is shown that for biological cellular membranes its values are on the scale 1.0E-8Watt^1/2, for mono-layer graphene membranes its values are on the scale 1.0E-9Watt^1/2, and for nanoporous membranes made of silica, silicon nitride or silicon carbonized its values are on the scale 1.0E-5Watt^1/2. The scale of the value of this parameter directly measures the level of the performance of a nanoporous filtration membrane. The carbon nanotube membrane has the similar performance with biological cellular membranes, as it also has the value of I on the scale 1.0E-8Watt^1/2.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.257-270
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• 1986

It has been reported that the luteal function may be regulated by the intracellular calcium in luteal cells (Higuchi et al, 1976; Dorflinger et at, 1984; Gore and Behrman, 1984) which is adjusted partially by $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ activities in luteal cell membranes (Verma and Pennistion, 1981). However, the physicochemical and kinetic properties of $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ in luteal membranes were not fully characterized. This study was, therefore, undertaken to partially characterize the physicochemical and kinetic properties of $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ system in luteal membranes and microsomal fractions, known as an one of the major $Ca^{++}$ storge sites (Moore and Pastan, 1978), from the highly luteinized ovary Highly luteinized ovaries were obtained from PMSG-hCG injected immautre female rats. Light membrane and heavy membrane fractions and microsomal fractions were prepared by the differential and discontinuous sucrose density gradient centrifugation method desribed by Bramley and Ryan (1980). Light membrane and heavy membrane fractions and microsomal fractions from highly luteinized ovaries are composed of the two different kinds of $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ system. One is the high affinity $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ which is activated in low $Ca^{++}$ concentration (Km, 10-30 nM), the other is low affinity $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ activated in higher $Ca^{++}$ concentration $(K_{1/2},\;40\;{\mu}M)$. At certain $Ca^{++}$ concentrations, activities of high and low affinity $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ are the highest in light membrane fractions and are the lowest in microsomal fractions. It appeares that high affinity $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ system have 2 binding sites for ATP (Hill's coefficient; around 2 in all membrane fractions measured) and the positive cooperativity of ATP bindings obviously existed in each membrane fractions. The optimum pH for high affinity $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ activation is around S in all membrane fractions measured. The lipid phase transition temperature measured by Arrhenius plots of high affinity $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ activity is around $25^{\circ}C$. The activation energies of high affinity $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ below the transition temperature are similar in each membrane fractions, but at the above transition temperature, it is the hightest in heavy membrane fractions and the lowest in microsomal fractions. According to the above results, it is suggested that intracellular $Ca^{++}$ level, which may regulate the luteal function, may be adjusted primarily by the high affinity $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ system activated in intracellular $Ca^{++}$ concentration range $(below\;0.1\;{\mu}M)$.