Bentonite has been considered as a buffer material in a deep geological repository for high-level radioactive waste (HLW). Bentonite may come into contacted with various chemical solutions during the long-term storage. In particular, solutions containing K+ can affect stability of bentonite (e.g., illitization). The bentonite can be gradually saturated with the inflow of groundwater, and the temperature can rise simultaneously due to the decay of HLW. This study aimed to evaluate the bentonite stability in contacted with very highly concentrated K+ solutions with different pHs at 150°C. Batch reaction tests using KJ-II bentonite were performed for 30–150 days in teflon-stainless steel reactors. De-ionized (DI) water (pH = 6.0) and 1 M KCl (pH = 6.0), and 1 M KOH (pH = 12.5) solutions were used as reaction solutions. After completing batch reaction tests, the reacted samples were analyzed using various analytical techniques. For DI water, chemical, mineralogical, and physicochemical properties of reacted samples were similar to those of unreacted samples. For 1 M KCl solutions, cation exchage for Ca by K and slight changes in mineralogical properties of reacted samples were observed, but there are no significant changes in the physicochemical properties. In contrast, for 1 M KOH solutions, changes in chemical, mineralogical, and physicochemical properties of reacted samples were observed. Results of X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis indicated dissolution of montmorillonite and formation of zeolite minerals, which were confirmed by thermogravimetricdifferential thermal analysis (TGA-DTA) and fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis. These results suggest that highly concentrated K+ (1 M) solution combined with high pH (12.5) and high temperate (150°C) may affect bentonite alteration. These prelimiary experiments were intended to qualitatively evaluate the mechanism and influncing factors of the buffer material alteration under extreme experimental conditions, and it is revealed that the conditions do not reflect the actual repository environment.

K+ channels are key components of the primary and secondary basolateral Cl- pump systems, which are important for secretion from the salivary glands. Paroxetine is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) for psychiatric disorders that can induce QT prolongation, which may lead to torsades de pointes. We studied the effects of paroxetine on a human K+ channel, human ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG), expressed in Xenopus oocytes and on action potential in guinea pig ventricular myocytes. The hERG encodes the pore-forming subunits of the rapidly-activating delayed rectifier K+ channel (IKr) in the heart. Mutations in hERG reduce IKr and cause type 2 long QT syndrome (LQT2), a disorder that predisposes individuals to lifethreatening arrhythmias. Paroxetine induced concentrationdependent decreases in the current amplitude at the end of the voltage steps and hERG tail currents. The inhibition was concentration-dependent and time-dependent, but voltageindependent during each voltage pulse. In guinea pig ventricular myocytes held at 36℃, treatment with 0.4 μM paroxetine for 5 min decreased the action potential duration at 90% of repolarization (APD90) by 4.3%. Our results suggest that paroxetine is a blocker of the hERG channels, providing a molecular mechanism for the arrhythmogenic side effects of clinical administration of paroxetine.

Na+/K+-ATPase is a membrane protein and plays a key role in osmotic regulation in living organisms. In the present study, a cDNA sequence encoding the Na+/K+-ATPase alpha subunit from the monogonont rotifer, Brachionus koreanus was cloned by rapid amplification of cDNA ends technique. To investigate the role of this enzyme in osmotic stress, enzymatic activities of Na+/K+-ATPase were measured after exposure to different salinities for 48 h. The full-length Bk Na+/K+-ATPase cDNA was 3069 bp-long, encoding a 1022-amino acid polypeptide. Bk Na+/K+- ATPase possesses eight membrane spanning regions and five conserved domains. Phylogenetic analysis showed that Bk Na+/K+-ATPase had high identity with those of other species, and was closely clustered with other Brachionus sp. These findings indicate that this protein was conserved both structurally and functionally. B. koreanus Na+/K+-ATPase activity was stimulated in both hyposaline (6 psu) and hypersaline (32 psu) conditions, suggesting that this protein may play a role in osmoregulation. This study would provide better understanding of the physiology of B. koreanus and this enzyme may be useful as a molecular marker for evaluation of osmotic stress in aquatic environment.

Programmed cell death or apoptosis is associated with changes in K+ concentration in many cell types. Recent studies have demonstrated that two-pore domain K+ (K2P) channels are involved in mouse embryonic development and apoptotic volume decrease of mammalian cells. In cerebellar granule neurons that normally undergo apoptosis during the early developmental stage, TASK-1 and TASK-3, members of K2P channels, were found to be critical for cell death. This study was performed to identify the role of K+ channels in the H2O2-induced or cryo-induced cell death of mouse and bovine embryos. Mouse and bovine two-cell stage embryos (2-cells) exposed to H2O2 for 4 h suffered from apoptosis. The 2-cells showed positive TUNEL staining. Treatment with high concentration of KCl (25mM) inhibited H2O2-induced apoptosis of 2-cells by 19%. Cryo-induced death in bovine blastocysts showed positive TUNEL staining only in the cells near the plasma membrane. Cryoprotectant supplemented with 25 mM KCl reduced apoptosis slightly compared to cryoprotectant supplemented with 5 mM KCl. However, the combination of antioxidants (β-mercaptoethanol) with 25 mM KCl significantly decreased the rate of H2O2-induced and cryo-induced apoptosis compared to treatments with only antioxidants or 25 mM KCl. These results show that blockage of K+ channel efflux for a short-time reduces H2O2- and cryo-induced apoptosis in mouse and bovine embryos. Our findings suggest that apoptosis in mouse and bovine embryos might be controlled by modulation of K+ channels which are highly expressed in a given cell type.

Na+/K+-ATPase, an energy-transducing ion pump, is responsible for maintenance of relatively high concentrations of potassium ions but low concentrations of sodium ions in the cell by transport of these ions across the plasma membrane and participates in transport of various nutrients including glucose, amino acids. and ions. Na+/K+-ATPase consists of α, β, and FXYD subunits, but only α and β subunits are needed for basic functions. FXYD subunit is an auxiliary protein for αβ complex of Na+/K+-ATPase. Our recent study has shown that α (ATP1A1-4) and β (ATP1B1-3) subunits of Na+/K+-ATPase are expressed in the uterine endometrium during the estrous cycle and pregnancy in pigs. In this study, we further determined expression of FXYD (FXYD1-7) subunits of Na+/K+-ATPase in the uterine endometrium during the estrous cycle and pregnancy in pigs. Real-time RT-PCR analysis showed that mRNAs for all subtypes of FXYD subunit were expressed in the uterine endometrium during the estrous cycle and pregnancy in a pregnancy status- and stage-specific fashion. In situ hybridization analysis exhibited that transcripts of all subtypes of FXYD subunit were primarily localized to luminal (LE) and glandular epithelia (GE) during the estrous cycle and early pregnancy and to chorionic membrane (CM) during mid to term pregnancy. RT-PCR analysis showed that FXYD subunits were expressed in conceptuses on D12 and D15 of pregnancy. These results indicate that all subtypes of FXYD subunit are expressed in the uterine endometrium and conceptuses during the estrous cycle and pregnancy in a pregnancy status- and stagespecific manner. These suggest that FXYD may be involved in the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy by regulating the activity of Na+/K+-ATPase in nutrient transport at the maternal-fetal interface in pigs. * This work was supported by the Next Generation BioGreen 21 program (#PJ007997), RDA and the National Research Foundation (NRF #2010-0012304) funded by the Korean Government, Republic of Korea.

Na+/K+-ATPase, an energy-transducing ion pump, is responsible for maintenance of relatively high concentrations of potassium ions but low concentrations of sodium ions in the cell by transport of these ions across the plasma membrane. Na+/K+-ATPase consists of α, β, and γ subunits, but only α and β subunits are needed for basic functions. Na+/K+-ATPase is also involved in regulation of intracellular calcium ion concentration by coupling with Na+/Ca2+ exchanger involved in intracellular calcium extrusion. Our previous study showed that calcium regulatory molecules including Na+/Ca2+ exchanger are expressed in the uterine endometrium during the estrous cycle and pregnancy in pigs, however, expression of Na+/K+-ATPase in the uterine endometrium has not been determined. Thus, we examined expression of α1 (ATP1A1) and β1 (ATP1- B1) subunits of Na+/K+-ATPase in the uterine endometrium during the estrous cycle and pregnancy in pigs. Real-time RT-PCR analysis showed that levels of ATP1A1 m- RNA in the uterine endometrium during the estrous cycle and early pregnancy were higher than those during mid and term pregnancy, and that levels of ATP1B1 mRNA were highest on day (D) 12 of the estrous cycle. In situ hybridization analysis revealed that ATP1A1 and ATP1B1 mRNAs were localized to luminal (LE) and glandular epithelia (GE) in the endometrium. During mid to term pregnancy, localization of ATP1A1 mRNA was confined to LE, GE, and chorionic membrane (CM) of areolae and ATP1- B1 mRNA was localized to LE, GE and CM with the strongest intensity in LE of areolae. Signal intensity of ATP1B1 mRNA in LE was slightly stronger than that in GE. RT-PCR analysis showed that ATP1A1 and ATP1B1 mRNAs were expressed in conceptuses on D12 and D15 of pregnancy. These results showed that ATP1A1 and ATP1B1 were expressed in the uterine endometrium and conceptuses during the estrous cycle and pregnancy in a pregnancy status- and stage-specific manner. These suggest that Na+/K+-ATPase may play a key role in the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy by regulating intracellular concentrations of various ions including calcium at the maternal-fetal interface in pigs.

열적, 기계적, 화학적 안정성이 우수한 제올라이트 분리막의 물/에탄올 선택도를 이온교환 실험을 통해 더욱 효과적으로 높이고자 하였다. KA형 제올라이트 분리막을 직접 합성하는 것은 용이하지 않으므로 NaA형 제올라이트 분리막을 합성한 후 이를 다시 이온교환 하여 KA형 제올라이트 분리막을 제조하였다. 공급되는 에탄올의 농도 변화 및 투과 증발실험 온도의 변화가 투과플럭스와 물 선택도에 미치는 영향을 고찰하였다. 이온교환 실험 후 전체 투과플럭스는 감소하였고 물 선택도는 증가함을 관찰할 수 있었다.

마죠람과 오레가노 수경재배시에 생육과 정유함량에 미치는 양액내 Ca2+ : K+의 적정비율을 구명하고자 시험을 수행하였다. 양액은 유럽채소연구소의 0.5배액을 사용하였다. Ca2+ : K+의 비율은 3.5;13, 4.5:11(표준용액), 5.5:9, 6.5:7 mM·L-1 4가지 농도로 처리하였다. 그 결과 마죠람의 생육은 5.5:9와 6.5:7 mM·L-1구에서 우수하였다. 비타민 C는 6.5:7구에서 그리고 정유함량(%)과 정유수량은 5.5:9구에서 높았다. 오레가노의 경우는 생육과 비타민 C의 함량은 5.5:9와 6.5:7구에서, 정유성분과 수량은 6.5:7구에서 높았다. 따라서 마죠람은 5.5:9 그리고 오레가노는 6.5:7로 조절하여 가꾸는 것이 생육과 수량 그리고 정유 생산량을 증가시킬 수 있다고 본다.

본 실험은 전남대학교 농과대학 연구온실에서 무등산수박의 건묘 생산에 있어 묘의 소질을 결정하는 NO31, K＋ 및 Ca＋＋을 농도별(Total-N=94, 106, 112, 206, 406ppm; K＋= 100, 150, 200, 400ppm; Ca＋＋= 80, 150, 200, 320ppm)로 처리하여 분석한 결과 배양액의 N 농도를 증가시킬수록 초장, 엽면적, 엽수, 지상부의 생체중 및 건물중이 증가하였다. 그러나 K 농도를 증가시켰을 경우 수박 유묘의 초장은 200ppm까지는 약간 증가하지만 200ppm 이상으로 증가시키면 엽면적, 엽수, 엽장, 생체중 및 건물중이 감소하였다. Ca처리의 경우도 농도의 증가에 따른 엽면적과 엽생체중 및 건물중의 감소가 현저하였다. N의 농도를 206ppm으로 증가시킨 경우 무등산수박 묘의 엽병내 N, K 및 Mg의 함량은 증가하였지만 P 및 Ca의 함량은 차이를 보이지 않았다. K의 농도를 150ppm으로 증가시킨 경우 수박유묘의 엽병내 N, K 및 Mg의 함량이 증가한 반면 200ppm이상으로 증가시킨 경우에는 N와 Mg의 감소가 나타났으며 P 및 Ca의 함량은 차이를 보이지 않았다. 그러나 배양액에 Ca의 농도를 증가시킨 경우 엽병내 N, K, Ca 및 Mg의 농도가 증가하는 반면 200ppm 이상에서는 N의 감소가 관찰되었다.