• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.137-141
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• 2005

This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of [$D-Ala^2$, D-Leu^5$]-enkephalin (DADLE) on the spontaneous activity of medial vestibular nuclear neurons of the rat. Sprague-Dawley rats, aged 14 to 16 days, were anesthetized with ether and decapitated. After enzymatic digestion, the brain stem portion of medial vestibular nuclear neuron was obtained by micropunching. The dissociated neurons were transferred to a recording chamber mounted on an inverted microscope, and spontaneous action potentials were recorded by standard patch-clamp techniques. The spontaneous action potentials were increased by DADLE in 12 cells and decreased in 3 cells. The spike frequency and resting membrane potential of these cells were increased by DADLE. The depth of afterhyperpolarization was not affected by DADLE. The potassium currents were decreased in 20 cells and increased in 5 cells. These results suggest that DADLE increases the neuronal activity of the medial vestibular nuclear neurons by altering resting membrane potential.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.109-126
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• 2013

Surface modification by low-pressure ammonia ($NH_3$) plasma on commercial thin-film composite (TFC) membranes was investigated in this study. Surface hydrophilicity, total surface free energy, ion exchange capacity (IEC) and zeta (${\zeta}$)-potentials were determined for the TFC membranes. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of the membrane surface chemistry were conducted by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR FT-IR) spectroscopy. Results showed that the $NH_3$ plasma treatment increased the surface hydrophilicity, in particular at a plasma treatment time longer than 5 min at 50 W of plasma power. Total surface free energy was influenced by the basic polar components introduced by the $NH_3$ plasma, and isoelectric point (IEP) was shifted to higher pH region after the modification. A ten (10) min $NH_3$ plasma treatment at 90 W was found to be adequate for the TFC membrane modification, resulting in a membrane with better characteristics than the TFC membranes without the modification for water treatment. The thin-film chemistry (i.e., fully-aromatic and semi-aromatic nature in the interfacial polymerization) influenced the initial stage of plasma modification.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.184-191
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• 1986

Membrane potential of cells in the isolated rabbit coronary sinus was measured by conventional glass microelectrode and investigated the effect of $[K^+]_0$ variation in control, 20 mM and Ach-containing Tyrode solution. The results obtained were as follows: 1) The resting membrane potential exposed to normal Tyrode solution containing 3 mM $K^+\;was\;about\;-60{\sim}\;-65mV$. At extracellular $K^+$ concentrations from 1 to 30 mM the resting Potential was reasonably well described by Goldman -Hodgkin -Katz equation on the assumption that $[K^+]_1$ was 150 mM and that the ratio of membrane permeability coefficient for $Na^+\;and\;K^+,\;P_{Na}/P_K\;({\alpha})$ was 0.07. 2) In 20 mM Na-Tyrode solution (replacing by equimolar Tris) the resting membrane potential was hyperpolarized by 15 to 20 mV and showed slightly deviated to depolarized direction compared to the predicted value by Goldman-Hodgkin -Katz equation. 3) In the presence of $10^{-6}M$ Ach, the resting potentials at $[K^+]_0$ levels from 1 to 30 mM were well fitted with the predicted value on the assumption that $P_{Na}/P_K$ was 0.0144. It could be concluded that the low resting membrane potential of coronary sinus cells reflects a relatively high ratio $P_{Na}/P_K$ of about 0.07.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.7-15
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• 2004

Nitric oxide (NO) system has been implicated in a wide range of physiological functions in the nervous system. However, the role of NO in regulating the neural activity in the gustatory zone of nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) has not been established. The present study was aimed to investigate the role of NO in the gustatory NTS neurons. Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing about 50 g, were used. Whole cell patch recording and immunohistochemistry were done to determine the electrophysiological characteristics of the rostral gustatory nucleus of the tractus solitaries and distribution of NO synthases (NOS). Neuronal NOS (nNOS) immunoreactivity was strongly detected along the solitary tract extending from rostral to caudal medulla. Resting membrane potentials of NTS neurons were $-49.2{\pm}2\;mV$ and action potential amplitudes were $68.5{\pm}2\;mV$ with a mean duration measured at half amplitude of $1.7{\pm}0.3\;ms$. Input resistance, determined from the response to a 150 ms, -100 pA hyperpolarizing current pulse, was $385{\pm}15\;M{\Omega}$, Superfusion of SNAP or SNP, NO donors, produced either hyperpolarization (68%), depolarization (5%), or no effect (27%). The hyperpolarization was mostly accompanied by a decrease in input resistance. The hyperpolarization caused by SNAP or SNP increased the time to initiate the first action potential, and decreased the number of action potentials elicited by current injection. SNP or SNAP also markedly decreased the number of firing neural discharges of the spontaneous NTS neural activity under zero current. Superfusion of L-NAME, a NOS inhibitor, slightly depolarized the membrane potential and increased the firing rate of NTS neurons induced by current injection. ODQ, a soluble guanylate cyclase inhibitor, ameliorated the SNAP-induced changes in membrane potential, input resistance and firing rates. 8-Br-cGMP, a non-degradable cell-permeable cGMP, hyperpolarized the membrane potential and decreased the number of action potentials. It is suggested that NO in the gustatory NTS has an inhibitory role on the neural activity of NTS through activating soluble guanylate cyclase.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.573-576
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• 2009

We present a passive flow-rate regulator, capable to compensate inlet pressure variation and to maintain a constant flow-rate for precise liquid control. Deflection of the parallel membrane valves in the passive flowrate regulator adjusts fluidic resistance according to inlet fluid pressure without any external energy. Compared to previous passive flow-rate regulators, the present device achieves precision flow regulation functions at the lower threshold compensation pressure of 20kPa with the simpler structure. In the experimental study, the fabricated device achieves the constant flow-rate of $6.09{\pm}0.32{\mu}l/s$ over the inlet pressure range of $20{\sim}50$ kPa. The present flow-rate regulator having simple structure and lower compensation pressure level demonstrates potentials for use in integrated micropump systems.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.96-103
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• 2012

Kv 4.2 ion channel protein has an ability to open at subthreshold membrane potentials and to recover quickly from inactivation. That is very important for neuronal signal transmission in vertebrate brain. In order to purify Kv 4.2 protein, the novel purification methods were experimented. The purification procedure utilized chromatography on DE-52 ion exchange column and affinity chromatography on a WGA-Sepharose 4B, and Kv 4.2 affinity column chromatography. It was found that 0.5% (wt./vol.) Triton X-100 detergent in lysis buffer worked well for Kv 4.2 protein solubilization from rat brain membrane. Protein quantitative determination was conducted by BCA method at 562 nm for each purification step to avoid determination interference of protein at 280 nm by detergent. The confirmation of Kv 4.2 existence and amount is performed using by SDS-PAGE/immunoblotting or 96-well dot blotting. The Kv 4.2 without interacting protein that contains carbohydrate, was purified from novel biochemical 3-steps purification method for further research.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Agricultural Machinery Conference
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• 2000.11b
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• pp.219-226
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• 2000

The study was executed for development of sensing elements of electronic tongue which could discriminate taste of liquid and semi-liquid foods. Five polymeric membranes which were composed of polymer, plasticizer, electro-active materials were prepared. After each polymeric membranes were mounted in an electrode body, membrane potentials due to electrochemical reaction with taste stimuli were measured. The experimental results were interpreted in view of the membrane's non-selective responses to stimuli.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.44 no.4 s.140
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• pp.373-378
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• 2006

To evaluate whether iron concentration in TYM medium influence on hydrogenosomal enzyme gene expression and hydrogenosomal membrane potential of Trichomonas vaginalis, trophozoites were cultivated in iron-depleted, normal and iron-supplemented TYM media. The mRNA of hydrogenosomal enzymes, such as pyruvate ferredoxin oxidoreductase (PFOR), hydrogenase, ferredoxin and malic enzyme, was increased with iron concentrations in T. vaginalis culture media, measured by RT-PCR. Hydrogenosomal membrane potentials measured with $DiOC_6$ also showed similar tendency, e.g. T. vaginalis cultivated in iron-depleted and iron-supplemented media for 3 days showed a significantly reduced and enhanced hydrogenosomal membrane potential compared with that of normal TYM media, respectively. Therefore, it is suggested that iron may regulate hydrogenosomal activity through hydrogenosomal enzyme expression and hydrogenosomal membrane potential.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.95-100
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• 1998

The conductance change evoked by step depolarization was studied in primarily cultured rat adrenal chromaffin cells using patch-clamp and capacitance measurement techniques. When we applied a depolarizing pulse to a chromaffin cell, the inward calcium current was followed by an outward current and depolarization-induced exocytosis was accompanied by an increase in conductance trace. The slow inward tail current which has the same time course as the conductance change was observed in current recording. The activation of slow tail current was calcium-dependent. Reversal potentials agreed with Nernst equation assuming relative permeability of $Cs^+\;to\;K^+$ is 0.095. The outward current and tail current were blocked by apamin (200 nM) and d-tubocurarine (2 mM). The conductance change was blocked by apamin and did not affect membrane capacitance recording. We confirmed that conductance change after depolarization comes from the activation of the SK channel and can be blocked by application of the SK channel blockers. Consequently, it is necessary to consider blocking of the SK channel during membrane capacitance recording.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.55-66
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• 2002

fouling phenomena of ion exchange membranes were reviewed for improved design and operation of electodialysis. The membrane fouling index for electrodialysis (EDMFI) was defined for the quantitative analysis of fouling potential as an analogy to the pressure-driven membrane process. fouling phenomena were compared in the electrodialysis experiments with inorganic foulant (silica sol) and organic foulants (humate and bovine serum albumin (BSA)), and their fouling potentials were analyzed using the fouling index. The comparison showed that the EDMFI could be used as a quantitative measure of the fouling tendency in electrodialysis processes. As a novel fouling mitigation method, square wave power was reported to be effective in electrodialysis with organic foulants. The square wave powers having the pulsed electric field enabled to reduce the membrane fouling significantly at an optimal frequency.