• Applied Microscopy
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.77-90
• /
• 1993

The mechanism by which blastocysts implant to uterine endometrium has not been clearly understood. In the present study, the following question was investigated: how are hormonal levels changed and how is uterine endometrium morphologically changed? Results obtained are as follows: Concentrations of serum estradiol and progesterone were significantly increased on day 4 and 5 of pregnancy. Uterine concentrations of PGE and $PGE_{2a}$ were sharply increased on day 1 and maintained similar concentrations thereafter, reaching the maximum on day 5. Both prostaglandins (PGs) concentrations were gradually decreased thereafter. Furthermore, concentrations of PGs in implant sites were greater than those in non-implant sites. PBR (pontamine blue reaction) in uterine endometrium was positive on day 6 of pregnancy, indicating that vascular permeability was increased. Edema and changes in structure of cell components were pronounced in stroma where PBR was developed. Moreover, these were more prominent in implant sites than non-implant sites. These results suggest that uterine PGs as well as steroid hormones increase during implantation in rats and these hormones might be involved in the process of implantation by modulating vascular permeability and the fine structures of uterine endometrial cells.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
• /
• v.6 no.1
• /
• pp.53-58
• /
• 2003

It is well known that the anode substrate of anode-supported type SOFC should have high electrical conductivity and high gas permeability to minimize the polarization loss of the cell performance during operation. In this study, we made anode substrates of SOFC with two different methods, which gave different anode microstructures, especially different pore structures with each other. We performed electrical and microstructural characterization of Ni/YSZ cermet anode via extensive measurements of its electrical conductivity and gas permeability combined with adequate image analysis based on quantitative stereological theory

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.26 no.12
• /
• pp.1102-1108
• /
• 2003

We studied the effects of phytolaccosides, saponins from Phytolacca americana, on the intestinal absorption of heparin in vitro and in vivo. The absorption enhancing activity of these compounds (phytolaccosides B, $D_2$, E, F, G and I) was determined by changes in transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) and the transport amount of heparin disaccharide, the major repeating unit of heparin, across Caco-2 cell monolayers. With the exception of phytolaccoside G, all of them decreased TEER values and increased the permeability in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner. In vitro, phytolaccosides B,$D_2$, and E showed significant absorption enhancing activities, while effects by phytolaccoside F and I were mild. In vivo, phytolaccoside E increased the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and thrombin time, indicating that phytolaccoside E modulated the transport of heparin in intestinal route. Our results suggest that a series of phytolaccosides from Phytolacca americana can be applied as pharmaceutical excipients to improve the permeability of macromolecules and hydrophilic drugs having difficulty in absorption across the intestinal epithelium.

• KIEE International Transactions on Electrophysics and Applications
• /
• v.5C no.4
• /
• pp.165-170
• /
• 2005

A series of inorganic-organic hybrid membranes were prepared with a systematic variation of titanium dioxide nanoparticle content. Their water uptake, methanol permeability and proton conductivity as a function of temperature were investigated. The results obtained show that the inorganic oxide network decreases the proton conductivity and water swelling. It is also found that increase in inorganic oxide content leads to decrease of methanol permeability. In terms of the morphology, membranes are homogeneous and exhibit good adhesion between inorganic domains and the polymer matrix. The properties of the composite membranes are compared with the standard nafion membrane.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
• /
• v.2 no.3
• /
• pp.213-227
• /
• 2010

Compacted layers of sand-bentonite mixtures have been proposed and used in a variety of geotechnical projects as engineered barriers for the enhancement of impervious landfill liners, cores of zoned earth dams and radioactive waste repository systems. This paper presents a study on the valorization of local materiel such as dune sand from Laghouat region and mine bentonite intended for the realization of liner base layers in the conception of insulation barriers for hazardous waste centers. In the practice we try to get an economical mixture that satisfies the hydraulic and mechanical properties specified by regulation rules. The effect of the bentonite additions on the mixture is reflected by its capability of clogging the matrix pores upon swelling. In order to get an adequate dune sand-bentonite mixture, an investigation on hydraulic and mechanical behaviours is carried out in this study for different mixtures. Using oedometer test, the adequate bentonite addition to the mixture, which satisfies the conditions on permeability, is found to be around 12% to 15%. These results are also confirmed by direct measurement using triaxial cell.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.88-93
• /
• 1987

Chitosan ($\beta$-D-glucosaminan) is chemically prepared from chitin (N-acetyl-$\beta$- D-glucosaminan) which is an unutilized natural resource. We now report on the suitability of the chitosan matrix for use as vehicles for the controlled release of drugs. Salicylic acid and aspirin were used as model drugs in this study. The permeation of salicylic acid in the chitosan membranes was determined in a glass diffusion cell with two compartments of equal volume. Drug release studies on the devices were conducted in a beaker containing 5% sodium hydroxide solution. Partition coefficient (Kd) value for acetate membrane (472) is much greater than that for fluoro-perchlorate chitosan membrane (282). Higher Kd value for acetate chitosan membrane appears to be inconsisstent with the bulk salicylic acid concentration. The permeability constants of fluoro-perchlorate and acetate chisotan membranes for salicylic acid were 3.139 ${\times}10^{-7}cm^2$ min up to 60 min and that of 30% aspirin in the devices was 4.739${\times}10^{-7}cm^2$sec upto 60 min. As the loading dose of aspirin in a chitosan device increased, water up-take of chitosan device increased, but in case of salicylic acid it decreased. The release rate increased with increase in the molecular volume of the drugs. Thses result suggest that the release mechanism may be controlled mainly by diffusion through pores.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.15 no.20
• /
• pp.8679-8684
• /
• 2014

CD133 was recently reported to be a cancer stem cell and prognostic marker. Quercetin is considered as a potential chemopreventive agent due to its involvement in suppression of oxidative stress, proliferation and metastasis. In this study, the expression of CD133/CD44 in esophageal carcinomas and Eca109/9706 cells was explored. In immunoflurorescence the locations of $CD133^+$ and multidrug resistance 1 $(MDR1)^+$ in the same E-cancer cells were coincident, mainly in cytomembranes. In esophageal squamous cell carcinomas detected by double/single immunocytochemistry, small $CD133^+$ cells were located in the basal layer of stratified squamous epithelium, determined as CSLC (cancer stem like cells); $CD44^+$ surrounding the cells appeared in diffuse pattern, and the larger $CD44^+$ (hi) cells were mainly located in the prickle cell layer of the epithelium, as progenitor cells. In E-cancer cells exposed to nanoliposomal quercetin (nLQ with cytomembrane permeability), down-regulation of NF-${\kappa}Bp65$, histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) and cyclin D1 and up-regulation of caspase-3 were shown by immunoblotting, and attenuated HDAC1 with nuclear translocation and promoted E-cadherin expression were demonstrated by immunocytochemistry. In particular, enhanced E-cadherin expression reflected the reversed epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) capacity of nLQ, acting as cancer attenuator/preventive agent. nLQ acting as an HDAC inhibitor induced apoptotic cells detected by TUNEL assay mediated via HDAC-NF-${\kappa}B$ signaling. Apoptotic effects of liposomal quercetin (LQ, with cytomembrane-philia) combined with CD133 antiserum were also detected by CD133 immunocytochemistry combined with TUNEL assay. The combination could induce greater apoptotic effects than nLQ induced alone, suggesting a novel anti-CSC treatment strategy.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
• /
• v.42 no.12 s.283
• /
• pp.827-832
• /
• 2005

In this study, thin electrolyte layer was prepared by 8YSZ ($8mol\%$ Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia) slurry dip and sol coating onto the porous anode support in order to reduce ohmic resistance. 8YSZ polymeric sol was prepared from inorganic salt of nitrate and XRF results of xerogel powder exhibited similar results $(99.2\pm1wt\%)$ compared with standard sample (TZ-8YS, Tosoh Co.). The dense and thin YSZ film with $1{\mu}m$ thickness was synthesized by coating of 0.7M YSZ sol followed by heat-treatment at $600^{\circ}C$ for 1 h. Thin film electrolyte sintered at $1400^{\circ}C$ showed no gas leakage at the differential pressure condition of 3 atm.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
• /
• v.20 no.6
• /
• pp.499-504
• /
• 2009

The effect of gas diffusion layer (GDL) compression caused by different stack clamping pressures on fuel cell performance was experimentally studied in a miniature 5-cell proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) stack. Three stacks with different GDL compressions, 15%, 35% and 50%, were prepared using SGL 10BC carbon fiber felt GDL and Gore 57 series MEA. The PEMFC stack performance and the stack stability were enhanced with increasing stack clamping pressure resulting in the best performance and stability for the stack with higher GDL compressions up to 50%. The excellent performance of the stack with high GDL compression was mainly due to the reduced contact resistance between GDL and bipolar plate in the stack, while reduced gas permeability of the excessively compressed GDL in the stack hardly affected the stack performance. The high stack clamping pressure also resulted in excessive GDL compression under the rib areas of bipolar plate and large GDL intrusion into the channels of the plate, which reduced the by-pass flow in the channels and increase gas pressure drop in the stack. It seems that these phenomena in the highly compressed stack enhance the water management in the stack and lead to the high stack stability.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.34-42
• /
• 2012

Gas diffusion layers (GDLs) of carbon composite type in polymer electrolyte fuel cells were prepared by simple and cheap manufacturing process. To obtain the carbon composite GDLs, carbon black with polymer binder was mixed in solvent, rolled to make sheet, and finally heat-treated at $340^{\circ}C$. The performance of fuel cell using composite GDLs was changed by PTFE content. The physical properties of composite GDLs for pore, conductivity and air permeability were analyzed to compare with the variation of fuel cell performance. The conductivity of composite GDLs was very similar to carbon paper as commercial GDL but pore properties and air flux were considerably different. The porosity, PTFE content and conductivity for composite GDLs did not have an influence on the cell performance much. The increase of pore diameter and air flux led to enhance cell performance.