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Biomedical subjects

D Shin

Publications and source records attributed to D Shin.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Alkene/diamond liquid/solid interface characterization using internal photoemission spectroscopy.

The photochemical attachment of 10-amino-dec-1-ene molecules protected with a trifluoroacetic acid group (TFAAD) on hydrogen-terminated single-crystalline chemical vapor deposited (CVD) diamond is characterized by total photoyield spectroscopy (TPYS), conductivity, Hall-effect, spectrally resolved photoconductivity (SPC), optical transmission experiments, and, for the first time, by in situ internal photoemission (IPE) spectroscopy applied in the spectral regime from 4 to 6 eV on the alkene/diamond (liquid/solid) heterostructures. These experiments are performed on undoped, (100) oriented, single-crystalline CVD diamond films, which contain no grain boundaries and have negligible bulk and surface defect densities. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is used to investigate the chemical bonding of alkene molecules to diamond. The spectroscopic set of data shows that the photochemical reaction window of H-terminated diamond is shifted below the optical gap of diamond because of the negative electron affinity. In situ IPE experiments reveal electron emission between 4.5 and 5.2 eV. A model is introduced and discussed in which valence-band electrons are optically excited into empty hydrogen-induced surface states of diamond from where they tunnel into empty pi states of alkene molecules. We theoretically discuss the fastest attachment time to achieve a saturated TFAAD layer of about 2 x 10(14) cm(-)(2) on diamond, which is experimentally detected to be 7 h. In the case of direct optical electron excitations from diamond, the bonding efficiency will be one TFAAD molecule attachment arising from about 1600 emitted electrons.

Alkenes↗

Combustion characteristics of paper mill sludge in a lab-scale combustor with internally cycloned circulating fluidized bed.

After performing a series of batch type experiments using a lab-scale combustor, consideration was given to the use of an internally cycloned circulating fluidized bed combustor (ICCFBC) for a paper mill sludge. Operation parameters including water content, feeding mass of the sludge, and secondary air injection ratio were varied to understand their effects on combustion performance, which was examined in terms of carbon conversion rate (CCR) and the emission rates of CO, C(x)H(y) and NO(x). The combustion of paper mill sludge in the ICCFBC was compared to the reaction mechanisms of a conventional solid fuel combustion, characterized by kinetics limited reaction zone, diffusion limited reaction zone, and transition zone. The results of the parametric study showed that a 35% water content and 60 g feeding mass generated the best condition for combustion. Meanwhile, areal mass burning rate, which is an important design and operation parameter at an industrial scale plant, was estimated by a conceptual equation. The areal mass burning rate corresponding to the best combustion condition was approximately 400 kg/hm(2) for 35% water content. The secondary air injection generating swirling flow enhanced the mixing between the gas phase components as well as the solid phase components, and improved the combustion efficiency by increasing the carbon conversion rate and reducing pollutant emissions.

Air Pollutants↗

Vasovasostomy.

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Humans↗

Selective amperometric detection of dopamine using OPPy-modified diamond microsensor system.

Highly boron-doped diamond microfiber electrodes (BDDMF) were fabricated and characterized by the use of Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry. Amperometric detection of dopamine (DA), a neurotransmitter was achieved at pH 7.0, using BDDMF electrodes. The interferences from ascorbic acid (AA) and DOPAC were efficiently eliminated by using overoxidized polypyrrole-modified BDDMF electrodes, which also increased the sensitivity for the detection of dopamine. The limit of detection (S/N = 3) for dopamine was 0.1 nM, which is one order lower than that observed for carbon microfiber electrodes (CMFE), and the linear dynamic range was obtained from 0.5 nM to 100 microM (r2 = 0.997). The amperometric response for 0.5 nM dopamine has shown high stability with an RSD of 5.4% (n = 5). Highly reproducible results were obtained with an RSD of 6.2% for 10 measurements of 1 nM DA taken during 10 h and also remained the same, during measurements for 7 days, with no variation in efficiency for rejection of AA and DOPAC.

Cardiotonic Agents↗

Combined simulation of combustion and gas flow in a grate-type incinerator.

Computational fluid dynamic (CFD) analysis of the thermal flow in the combustion chamber of a solid waste incinerator provides crucial insight into the incinerator's performance. However, the interrelation of the gas flow with the burning waste has not been adequately treated in many CFD models. A strategy for a combined simulation of the waste combustion and the gas flow in the furnace is introduced here. When coupled with CFD, a model of the waste combustion in the bed provides the inlet conditions for the gas flow field and receives the radiative heat flux onto the bed from the furnace wall and gaseous species. An unsteady one-dimensional bed model was used for the test simulation, in which the moving bed was treated as a packed bed of homogeneous fuel particles. The simulation results show the physical processes of the waste combustion and its interaction with the gas flow for various operational parameters.

Algorithms↗

Structure-based design: potent inhibitors of human brain memapsin 2 (beta-secretase).

Memapsin 2 (beta-secretase) is one of two proteases that cleave the beta-amyloid precursor protein (APP) to produce the 40-42 residue amyloid-beta peptide (Abeta) in the human brain, a key event in the progression of Alzheimer's disease. On the basis of the X-ray crystal structure of our lead inhibitor (2, OM99-2 with eight residues) bound to memapsin, we have reduced the molecular weight and designed potent memapsin inhibitors. Structure-based design and preliminary structure-activity studies have been presented.

Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases↗

Structure of the Ba-induced Si(111)- (3 x 2) reconstruction.

The Ba/Si(111) surface, previously known as a 3 x 1 phase, is found to have a 3 x 2 periodicity and a semiconducting band gap. The substrate reconstructs into the honeycomb chain-channel (HCC) structure with Ba atoms in the channel, as in the alkali-metal-induced Si(111)-(3 x 1). However, the metal coverage is determined to be 1/6 monolayers, half the alkali-metal coverage. We propose that the structure and the metal coverage determined for the Ba adsorbate is universal for other alkaline-earth-metal adsorbates. With the alkali-metal-induced 3 x 1 case, our results lead to a rule that one donated electron per 3 x 1 surface unit is necessary to stabilize the HCC reconstruction of Si.

Journal Article↗

Peripheral T cells become sensitive to glucocorticoid- and stress-induced apoptosis in transgenic mice overexpressing SRG3.

Immature double-positive thymocytes are sensitive to glucocorticoid (GC)-induced apoptosis, whereas mature single-positive T cells are relatively resistant. Thymocytes seem to acquire resistance to GCs during differentiation into mature single-positive thymocytes. However, detailed knowledge concerning what determines the sensitivity of thymocytes to GCs and how GC sensitivity is regulated in thymocytes during development is lacking. We have previously reported that the murine SRG3 gene (for SWI3-related gene) is required for GC-induced apoptosis in a thymoma cell line. Herein, we provide results suggesting that the expression level of SRG3 protein determines the GC sensitivity of T cells in mice. SRG3 associates with the GC receptor in the thymus, but rarely in the periphery. Transgenic overexpression of the SRG3 protein in peripheral T cells induces the formation of the complex and renders the cells sensitive to GC-induced apoptosis. Our results also show that blocking the formation of the SRG3-GC receptor complex with a dominant negative mutant form of SRG3 decreases GC sensitivity in thymoma cells. In addition, mice overexpressing the SRG3 protein appear to be much more susceptible to stress-induced deletion of peripheral T cells than normal mice, which may result in an immunosuppressive state in an animal.

Animals↗

Heat shock RNA polymerase (E sigma(32)) is involved in the transcription of mlc and crucial for induction of the Mlc regulon by glucose in Escherichia coli.

Mlc is a global regulator of carbohydrate metabolism. Recent studies have revealed that Mlc is depressed by protein-protein interaction with enzyme IICB(Glc), a glucose-specific permease, which is encoded by ptsG. The mlc gene has been previously known to be transcribed by two promoters, P1(+1) and P2(+13), and have a binding site of its own gene product at +16. However, the mechanism of transcriptional regulation of the gene has not yet been established. In vitro transcription assays of the mlc gene showed that P2 promoter could be recognized by RNA polymerase containing the heat shock sigma factor final sigma(32) (E sigma(32)) as well as E sigma(70), while P1 promoter is only recognized by E sigma(70). The cyclic AMP receptor protein and cyclic AMP complex (CRP.cAMP) increased expression from P2 but showed negative effect on transcription from P1 by E sigma(70), although it had little effect on transcription from P2 by E sigma(32) in vitro. Purified Mlc repressed transcription from both promoters, but with different degrees of inhibition. In vivo transcription assays using wild type and mlc strains indicated that the level of mlc expression was modulated less than 2-fold by glucose in the medium with concerted action of CRP.cAMP and Mlc. A dramatic increase in mlc expression was observed upon heat shock or in cells overexpressing final sigma(32), confirming that E sigma(32) is involved in the expression of mlc. Induction of ptsG P1 and pts P0 transcription by glucose was also dependent on E sigma(32). These results indicate that E sigma(32) plays an important role in balancing the relative concentration of Mlc and EIICB(Glc) in response to availability of glucose in order to maintain inducibility of the Mlc regulon at high growth temperature.

Bacterial Proteins↗

Expression of ephrinB2 identifies a stable genetic difference between arterial and venous vascular smooth muscle as well as endothelial cells, and marks subsets of microvessels at sites of adult neovascularization.

The transmembrane ligand ephrinB2 and its receptor tyrosine kinase EphB4 are molecular markers of embryonic arterial and venous endothelial cells, respectively, and are essential for angiogenesis. Here we show that expression of ephrinB2 persists in adult arteries where it extends into some of the smallest diameter microvessels, challenging the classical view that capillaries have neither arterial nor venous identity. EphrinB2 also identifies arterial microvessels in several settings of adult neovascularization, including tumor angiogenesis, contravening the dogma that tumor vessels arise exclusively from postcapillary venules. Unexpectedly, expression of ephrinB2 also defines a stable genetic difference between arterial and venous vascular smooth muscle cells. These observations argue for revisions of classical concepts of capillary identity and the topography of neovascularization. They also imply that ephrinB2 may be functionally important in neovascularization and in arterial smooth muscle, as well as in embryonic angiogenesis.

Animals↗

The Escherichia coli glucose transporter enzyme IICB(Glc) recruits the global repressor Mlc.

In addition to effecting the catalysis of sugar uptake, the bacterial phosphoenolpyruvate:sugar phosphotransferase system regulates a variety of physiological processes. Exposure of cells to glucose can result in repression or induction of gene expression. While the mechanism for carbon catabolite repression by glucose was well documented, that for glucose induction was not clearly understood in Escherichia coli. Recently, glucose induction of several E.coli genes has been shown to be mediated by the global repressor Mlc. Here, we elucidate a general mechanism for glucose induction of gene expression in E.coli, revealing a novel type of regulatory circuit for gene expression mediated by the phosphorylation state-dependent interaction of a membrane-bound protein with a repressor. The dephospho-form of enzyme IICB(Glc), but not its phospho-form, interacts directly with Mlc and induces transcription of Mlc-regulated genes by displacing Mlc from its target sequences. Therefore, the glucose induction of Mlc-regulated genes is caused by dephosphorylation of the membrane-bound transporter enzyme IICB(Glc), which directly recruits Mlc to derepress its regulon.

Bacterial Proteins↗

Postoperative pain management using intravenous patient-controlled analgesia for pediatric patients.

Pain control is an important consideration after any surgical procedures. Especially in children, more attention and care are needed during the period of postoperative pain control, which must be both sufficiently safe and effective. In this respect, intravenous patient-controlled analgesia provides improved titration of analgesic drugs, thereby maintaining optimal analgesic status with few side effects. Thirty pediatric patients were randomly divided into two groups: the intravenous patient-controlled analgesia group (with nalbuphine HCl and ketorolac tromethamine) and the conventional pethidine HCl intramuscular group. The degree of analgesia was assessed every 4 hours until the second postoperative day. The intravenous patient-controlled analgesia group had significantly lower pain scores and took less time until they were able to walk to the bathroom, but as many side effects as the control group. We concluded that intravenous patient-controlled analgesia is safe and effective for pediatric patients who have moderate to severe pain after operations such as rib cartilage graft, iliac bone graft, and large flap surgeries.

Analgesia, Patient-Controlled↗

Srg3, a mouse homolog of yeast SWI3, is essential for early embryogenesis and involved in brain development.

Srg3 (SWI3-related gene product) is a mouse homolog of yeast SWI3, Drosophila melanogaster MOIRA (also named MOR/BAP155), and human BAF155 and is known as a core subunit of SWI/SNF complex. This complex is involved in the chromatin remodeling required for the regulation of transcriptional processes associated with development, cellular differentiation, and proliferation. We generated mice with a null mutation in the Srg3 locus to examine its function in vivo. Homozygous mutants develop in the early implantation stage but undergo rapid degeneration thereafter. An in vitro outgrowth study revealed that mutant blastocysts hatch, adhere, and form a layer of trophoblast giant cells, but the inner cell mass degenerates after prolonged culture. Interestingly, about 20% of heterozygous mutant embryos display defects in brain development with abnormal organization of the brain, a condition known as exencephaly. Histological examination suggests that exencephaly is caused by the failure in neural fold elevation, resulting in severe brain malformation. Our findings demonstrate that Srg3 is essential for early embryogenesis and plays an important role in the brain development of mice.

Animals↗

Statistical optimization of bioluminescence of Photobacterium phosphoreum KCTC2852.

In this study, media optimization by statistically designed experiments stimulated an increase in the intensity and stability of bioluminescence of Photobacterium phosphoreum KCTC 2852 during continuous cultivation. The Plackett-Burman design method selected two components (NaCl, yeast extract) among nine components of the seawater complete (SC) medium. The response-surface design method calculated the optimum concentration of NaCl (31.1 g/l) and yeast extract (5.1 g/l). In the optimized medium, bioluminescence per cell increased twofold. During continuous cultivation in a stirred tank reactor, bioluminescence decreased rapidly in the SC medium, whereas the optimized medium could maintain bioluminescence for more than 80 h, resulting in an increased bioluminescence. Upon contact with 0.1 ppm Hg2+, a sharp decrease in bioluminescence was observed, which was reproducible in the measuring chamber. This shows the possibility that P. phosphoreum could be cultivated continuously with enhanced bioluminescence stability and that on-line water toxicity could be monitored continuously.

Journal Article↗

Regulatory effect of experimental diabetes on the expression of endothelin receptor subtypes and their gene transcripts in the rat adrenal gland.

Endothelins (ETs) mediate paracrine control of vascular tone and secretion of steroids and catecholamines in the adrenal gland through two ET receptor subtypes, ETA and ETB. The differential distribution and function of these subtypes are responsible for the multiplicity of endothelin actions in this tissue. This study examines the regulatory effects of experimental diabetes on the gene expression, subtype specificity and localization of ET receptor subtypes, ET isopeptides, and endothelin-converting enzyme-1 (ECE-1) in the rat adrenal gland. The densities, pharmacological properties and distribution of ET receptor subtypes ETA and ETB in adrenal glands from streptozotocin-induced diabetic, insulin-treated diabetic and age-matched control rats were investigated, using radioligand receptor binding and autoradiographic techniques. The gene expression of ETA and ETB receptors ET-1, ET-3 and ECE-1 was evaluated using relative multiplex reverse transcription/PCR. The induction of diabetes caused a marked reduction in body weight but no significant change in adrenal gland size. The density of ET receptors was significantly increased in the diabetic rat adrenal gland, mainly because of an increase in the expression of ETB receptors. Insulin treatment normalized the diabetes-induced changes in the expression levels of ET receptor subtypes to control levels. The expression level of ET-1 mRNA was up-regulated, whereas ET-3 mRNA was down-regulated in the diabetic adrenal gland compared with the controls. The ECE-1 mRNA level in the adrenal gland was not altered by the induction of diabetes. Autoradiographic studies showed that ETA and ETB are the predominant receptor subtypes in the adrenal medulla and cortex respectively. These results suggest that ETA and ETB receptors are differentially distributed and regulated in the diabetic rat adrenal gland.

Adrenal Glands↗

Clinical features of vivax malaria.

Plasmodium vivax malaria reemerged in the Republic of Korea in 1993 near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). We reviewed clinical features of 101 symptomatic patients with vivax malaria. Of the patients, 77 patients (76.3%) were veterans who had served near the DMZ; their median age was 23 years. The duration of the minimum latent period was > 6 months in 66.2% (51 of 77) of the patients (median, 278 days). Tertian fever developed in 69 patients (68.3%). Severe thrombocytopenia with platelet counts < 60,000/microL was common (29.6% of patients). The parasite densities ranged 32-52,127 parasites per microliter of blood (geometric mean, 1,287). The only complication was a splenic rupture in one patient. All patients responded promptly to chloroquine therapy. Our data suggest that the clinical features of reemerging vivax malaria may be similar to those of Korean vivax malaria reported in the past.

Adolescent↗

Adjunctive therapy with brinzolamide 1% ophthalmic suspension (Azopt) in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension maintained on timolol therapy.

This prospective, multicenter, double-masked, placebo-controlled study evaluated the safety and efficacy of brinzolamide 1% ophthalmic suspension (Azopt) when used adjunctively with open-label timolol maleate 0.5% (Timoptic). One-hundred-thirty-two patients requiring an adjunctive therapy to timolol 0.5% for the treatment of open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension were randomized to receive brinzolamide or placebo three times daily (t.i.d.) in addition to timolol 0.5% twice daily (b.i.d.) for 3 months. Qualifying intraocular pressure (IOP) on timolol 0.5% b.i.d. was 24-36 mm Hg in at least one eye at 8:00 A.M. and 21-36 mm Hg at 10:00 A.M., with no greater than a 5-mm Hg difference between eyes, during two eligibility visits separated by at least 7 days. Treatments were compared using a repeated-measures analysis of variance. Adjunctive therapy with brinzolamide resulted in clinically and statistically significant reductions in IOP from the timolol baseline at all visits. IOP changes from a diurnal baseline ranged from -3.3 mm Hg to -4.1 mm Hg for brinzolamide (N = 53) compared with -0.9 mm Hg to -2.5 mm Hg for placebo (N = 55). Abnormal taste (7.7%) and transient blurred vision (6.2%) were the most frequently reported adverse events. No clinically significant differences in the incidence or severity of ocular signs, visual acuity, cup/disk ratio, or parameters studied on dilated fundus examination were observed between treatment groups. Brinzolamide 1% t.i.d., used adjunctively with timolol 0.5% b.i.d., is safe and well tolerated, and produces clinically and statistically significant additional IOP reductions.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗