Chonbuk National University

About: Chonbuk National University is a education organization based out in Jeonju, South Korea. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Apoptosis & Nanofiber. The organization has 14820 authors who have published 28884 publications receiving 554131 citations.

Uric Acid–Induced C-Reactive Protein Expression: Implication on Cell Proliferation and Nitric Oxide Production of Human Vascular Cells

Abstract: Recent experimental and human studies have shown that hyperuricemia is associated with hypertension, systemic inflammation, and cardiovascular disease mediated by endothelial dysfunction and pathologic vascular remodeling Elevated levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) have emerged as one of the most powerful independent predictors of cardiovascular disease In addition to being a marker of inflammation, recent evidence suggests that CRP may participate directly in the development of atherosclerotic vascular disease For investigating whether uric acid (UA)-induced inflammatory reaction and vascular remodeling is related to CRP, the UA-induced expression of CRP in human vascular smooth muscle cells (HVSMC) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) was examined, as well as the pathogenetic role of CRP in vascular remodeling It is interesting that HVSMC and HUVEC expressed CRP mRNA and protein constitutively, revealing that vascular cells are another source of CRP production UA (6 to 12 mg/dl) upregulated CRP mRNA expression in HVSMC and HUVEC with a concomitant increase in CRP release into cell culture media Inhibition of p38 or extracellular signal-regulated kinase 44/42 significantly suppressed UA-induced CRP expression, implicating these pathways in the response to UA UA stimulated HVSMC proliferation whereas UA inhibited serum-induced proliferation of HUVEC assessed by 3H-thymidine uptake and cell counting, which was attenuated by co-incubation with probenecid, the organic anion transport inhibitor, suggesting that entry of UA into cells is responsible for CRP expression UA also increased HVSMC migration and inhibited HUVEC migration In HUVEC, UA reduced nitric oxide (NO) release Treatment of vascular cells with anti-CRP antibody revealed a reversal of the effect of UA on cell proliferation and migration in HVSMC and NO release in HUVEC, which suggests that CRP expression may be responsible for UA-induced vascular remodeling This is the first study to show that soluble UA, at physiologic concentrations, has profound effects on human vascular cells The observation that UA alters the proliferation/migration and NO release of human vascular cells, mediated by the expression of CRP, calls for careful reconsideration of the role of UA in hypertension and vascular disease

Electrospun nanofibrous polyurethane membrane as wound dressing.

Abstract: Produced via electrospinning, polyurethane membrane, which has a unique property, has been of interest in medical fields. Electrospinning is a process by which nanofibers can be produced by an electrostatically driven jet of polymer solution. Electrospun fibers are collected in the form of membranes. The porous structured electrospun membrane is particularly important for its favorable properties: it exudates fluid from the wound, does not build up under the covering, and does not cause wound desiccation. The electrospun nanofibrous membrane shows controlled evaporative water loss, excellent oxygen permeability, and promoted fluid drainage ability, but still it can inhibit exogenous microorganism invasion because its pores are ultra-fine. Histological examination indicates that the rate of epithelialization is increased and the dermis becomes well organized if wounds are covered with electrospun nanofibrous membrane. This electrospun membrane has potential applications for wound dressing based upon its unique properties.

Structural health monitoring for a wind turbine system: a review of damage detection methods

Abstract: Renewable energy sources have gained much attention due to the recent energy crisis and the urge to get clean energy. Among the main options being studied, wind energy is a strong contender because of its reliability due to the maturity of the technology, good infrastructure and relative cost competitiveness. In order to harvest wind energy more efficiently, the size of wind turbines has become physically larger, making maintenance and repair works difficult. In order to improve safety considerations, to minimize down time, to lower the frequency of sudden breakdowns and associated huge maintenance and logistic costs and to provide reliable power generation, the wind turbines must be monitored from time to time to ensure that they are in good condition. Among all the monitoring systems, the structural health monitoring (SHM) system is of primary importance because it is the structure that provides the integrity of the system. SHM systems and the related non-destructive test and evaluation methods are discussed in this review. As many of the methods function on local damage, the types of damage that occur commonly in relation to wind turbines, as well as the damage hot spots, are also included in this review.