• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.617-623
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• 2017

The vascular actions and mechanisms of taurine were investigated in the isolated human radial artery (RA). RA rings were suspended in isolated organ baths and tension was recorded isometrically. First, a precontraction was achieved by adding potassium chloride (KCl, 45 mM) or serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT, $30{\mu}M$) to organ baths. When the precontractions were stable, taurine (20, 40, 80 mM) was added cumulatively. Antagonistic effect of taurine on calcium chloride ($10{\mu}M$ to 10 mM) -induced contractions was investigated. Taurine-induced relaxations were also tested in the presence of the $K^+$ channel inhibitors tetraethylammonium (1 mM), glibenclamide ($10{\mu}M$) and 4-aminopyridine (1 mM). Taurine did not affect the basal tone but inhibited the contraction induced by 5-HT and KCl. Calcium chloride-induced contractions were significantly inhibited in the presence of taurine (20, 40, 80 mM) (p<0.05). The relaxation to taurine was inhibited by tetraethylammonium (p<0.05). However, glibenclamide and 4-aminopyridine did not affect taurine -induced relaxations. Present experiments show that taurine inhibits 5-HT and KCl -induced contractions in RA, and suggest that large conductance $Ca^{2+}$-activated $K^+$ channels may be involved in taurine -induced relaxation of RA.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.477-488
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• 2009

A slip critical joint has various values to adopt the proper slip coefficient in various conditions of faying surfaces in the following codes: AISC, AIJ and Eurocode 3. However, the Korean Building Code still regulates the unique slip coefficient, 0.45, regardless of the diverse faying conditions. In this study, the slip resistance test, including five kinds of surface treatments were conducted to obtain the proper slip coefficients available to steel plate KS SM490A. The faying surfaces were comprised of a clean mill, rust, red lead paint, zinc primer, and shot blast treatment. The candidates for high strength bolts were torque-shear bolts, torque-shear bolts with zinc coating, and ASTM A490 bolts. Based on the test results, the specimens with a shot blasted surface and rusted surface exhibited $k_s$, 0.61, and 0.5, respectively. It is recommended that the specimens with zinc primer exhibit $k_s{\geq}0.40$. The clean mill treated surface had prominently lower values, 0.27. For red lead painted treatment, the thickness of the coating affects the determinant of slip coefficient, so it is necessary to establish a minimum $k_s$ of 0.2, with a coating thickness of 65 ${\mu}m$. During 1,000 hours of relaxation, the uncoated surfaces exhibited the loss of clamping force behind 3%, while the coated surfaces within a certain limited thickness exhibited the loss of clamping within a range of 4.71% and 8.37%.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.220-227
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• 2005

Although ketamine has been used in the field of anesthetic medicine for its safety and favourable respiratory effects, the cardiovascular effects of ketamine is still controversial. To clarify the action and mechanism of ketamine upon cardiovascular system, arterial blood pressure, tension of aortic ring, left ventricular developed pressure and heart rate were measured in rats, Ketamine produced two types of effects on arterial blood pressure in anesthetized rats; monophasic effect (blood pressure lowering) and biphasic effect (initial transient blood pressure increasing following sustained lowering), The ketamine-induced lowering of aterial blood pressure showed a concentration-dependent manner, inhibited by the pretreament of $MgCl_2$ and potentiated by the pretreatment of $CaCl_2$. The ketamine-induced lowering of aterial blood pressure was suppressed by the pretreatment of nifedipine, verapamil or lidocaine. In phenylephrine-precontracted endothelium intact (+E) aortic rings, ketamine sometimes caused a small enhancement of contraction ($112.5{\pm}3.6{\%}$). However, in many experiments, ketamine produced a concentration-dependent relaxation in +E aortic rings precontracted with either phenylephrine or KCl. Ketamine-induced relaxation was significantly greater in KCl-precontracted strips than phenylephrine-precontracted strips. In phenylephrine-precontracted +E aortic rings, the ketamine-induced vasorelaxation was not suppressed by endothelium removal or by the pretreatment of a nitric oxide synthase inhibitors, L-$N^G$-nitro-arginine and a guanylate cyclase inhibitors, methylene blue, suggesting that the ketamine-induced vasorelaxation is not dependent on the endothelial function. In addition, ketamine elicited an increase in left ventricular developed pressure in perfused hearts accompanied by decrease in heart rate. These results suggest that ketamine could evoke a hypotension due to vasorelaxation and decrease in heart rate in rats. The inhibitory effect of cardiovascular system might be associated with modulation of $Ca^{2+}$ homeostasis.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.61-67
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• 1995

The extract of Ginkgo bibloba (EGb) is a complex mixture of natural products from the Ginkgo leaves and clinically used for the treatment of cerebral and peripheral circulatory disturbances due to its combined activity of several vasoactive principles. In this study we investigated the action of EGb and its mechanism in isolated rabbit corporal smooth muscle to evaluate the possibility of using this material as a pharmacoerecting agent. Strips of rabbit corpus cavernosum were mounted in organ chambers to measure isometric tension. EGb began to exert an relaxing effect at 1 mg/ml in the submaximally precontracted muscle strips with phenylephrine $(PHE,\;5{\times}10^{-6}\;M)$; causing concentration-dependent relaxation with maximal effect at $3{\sim}5\;mg/ml$. That relaxation was partially inhibited by removal of the smooth muscle endothelium or by pretreatment with a NO scavenger, pyrogallol $(10^{-4}\;M)$ or the guanylate cyclase inhibitor, methylene blue $(10^{-4}\;M)$. Pretreatment with EGb (3 mg/ml) inhibited PHE- $(5{\times}10^{-6}\;M)$ or KCI- (20 and 40 mM) induced contraction of muscle strip. In calcium-free high potassium solution EGb depressed the basal tone of the depolarized muscle strip and inhibited calcium-induced contraction when $CaCl_2$ $(10^{-4}\;M)$ was added. These results suggest that EGb relaxes rabbit corpus cavernosal smooth muscle through multiple action mechanisms that include increasing the release of nitric oxide from the corporal sinusoidal endothelium, sequestration of intracytosolic calcium, and maybe a hyperpolarizing action.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.197-204
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• 1993

Abstract The effects of the hole size and the specimen width on the fracture behavior of several fabric composite plates are experimentally investigated in tension. Tests are performed on plain woven glass/ epoxy, plain woven carbon/epoxy and satin woven glass/polyester specimens with a circular hole. It is shown in this paper that the characteristic length according to the point stress criterion depends on the hole size and the specimen width. An excellent agreement is found between the experimental results and the analytical predictions of the modified failure criterion. The notched strength increase with an increase in the damage ratio, which is explained by a stress relaxation due to the formation of damage zone. When the unstable fracture occurred, the critical crack length equivalent for the damage zone is about twice the characteristic length. The critical energy release rate $G_c$ is independent of hole size for the same specimen width. The variation of $G_c$ according to the material system, fiber volume fraction and specimen width relates to the notch sensitivity factor. $G_c$ increases with a decrease in the notch sensitivity factor, which can be explained by a stress relaxation due to the increase of damage zone.

• Experimental and Molecular Medicine
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• v.50 no.12
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• pp.11.1-11.9
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• 2018

Estrogen has diverse effects on cardiovascular function, including regulation of the contractile response to vasoactive substances such as serotonin. The serotonin system recently emerged as an important player in the regulation of vascular tone in humans. However, hyperreactivity to serotonin appears to be a critical factor for the pathophysiology of hypertension. In this study, we examined the modulatory mechanisms of estrogen in serotonin-induced vasoconstriction by using a combinatory approach of isometric tension measurements, molecular biology, and patch-clamp techniques. $17{\beta}$-Estradiol (E2) elicited a significant and concentration-dependent relaxation of serotonin-induced contraction in deendothelialized aortic strips isolated from male rats. E2 triggered a relaxation of serotonin-induced contraction even in the presence of tamoxifen, an estrogen receptor antagonist, suggesting that E2-induced changes are not mediated by estrogen receptor. Patch-clamp studies in rat arterial myocytes showed that E2 prevented Kv channel inhibition induced by serotonin. Serotonin increased Src activation in arterial smooth muscle required for contraction, which was significantly inhibited by E2. The estrogen receptor-independent inhibition of Src by E2 was confirmed in HEK293T cells that do not express estrogen receptor. Taken together, these results suggest that estrogen exerts vasodilatory effects on serotonin-precontracted arteries via Src, implying a critical role for estrogen in the prevention of vascular hyperreactivity to serotonin.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.309-317
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• 2008

For this study, the Chuna Manual Relaxation Therapy, a therapeutic procedure in Oriental Medicine was carried out on patients suffering from insomnia following hospitalization. If a patient with no prior medical history in insomnia should suffer from insomniac symptoms, the following procedure was carried out on thos patients showing 15 points on the Insomnia Severity Index starting on the day when the patient first complains of symptoms associated with insomnia, stages 1, 2 & 3 of the 'JS Cervical Shinyoun Therapy' in accordance with the Korea Chuna medical Index standard was carried out on the patient's bed from 8pm to 9pm everyday for 1 week. After the 1 week procedure, a medical examination by interview was carried out the following day, and the Insomnia Severity Index measured again. (1 being when the patient's state of sleep is at its worst, and 10 being when it is the most satisfactory. In case of 5 patients, Insomnia is disappeared, and the quality of sleep improved. In regards to insomnia suffered after hospitalization, Stage 1,2 and 3 of "JS Cervical Shinyoun Therapy" for relaxing tension showed effective results to the patient.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.57-62
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• 2013

A crack in a solid propellant increases the area of burning surface, which leads to excessive burning that causes motor failure. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate fracture toughness of solid propellants. However, it is very difficult to measure fracture toughness of solid propellants because of the nonlinear mechanical behavior. In this study, evaluation of fracture toughness on a solid propellant was carried out under the assumption that the solid propellant is a linear viscoelastic material. Actual displacements from fracture toughness tests using CCT specimens were converted into pseudo-elastic displacements by using stress relaxation characteristics and fracture toughness was evaluated using ASTM E399 standard. Also, effects of test temperature and speed on the fracture toughness were considered.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.224-231
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• 2021

Recently, the waterproofing performance of high-voltage connectors in automotive vehicles has attracted increased interest. In this study, an optimal cross-sectional shape was derived to obtain uniform contact pressure and strain by considering stress relaxation problems caused by initial tension when mounting a seal. A high strain of 52.1 was distributed in the round region, owing to excessive initial tension. The finite element method (FEM) analysis indicated that the strain corresponding to the optimal initial tensile was 11. We adopted six design factors to optimize the seal cross-section and three factors as the main design factors. An orthogonal arrangement table was prepared using Minitab. FEM analyses of 16 study models were conducted to determine the optimized model. The contact pressure of the optimization model is the most evenly distributed while satisfying the waterproof performance of 0.47 MPa. Compared to the initial model, the difference in strain decreases from 35.5% to 19.6%. Finally, the derived cross-sectional shape can reduce the strain of the round region by 33.8% and the differences in the contact pressure at the upper and lower surfaces by 42% and 76%, respectively.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.8-14
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• 2021

Post-tensioned prestressed concrete members experience immediate prestress losses as well as time-dependent prestress losses such as creep, dry shrinkage and relaxation. In addition, the stress of the upper and lower parts of the member changes due to the change in dead load due to the replacement of the upper slab and/or pavement. Such changes in fiber stress may affect the safety of the member, and it is necessary to adjust the prestressing force. Therefore, in this study, a screw type of re-tensioning post-tension kit is proposed, and it is verified that the safety against load and the stability against strain are satisfied through the load transfer test specified in EAD160004 and KCI-PS101.