• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.8-13
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• 2010

This study aimed the role of gold nanoparticles (AuNP) in advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) induced migration and invasion in bovine retinal endothelial cells (BRECs). BRECs were isolated from the retina. Cell viability was confirmed by the MTT assay. In vitro wound migration assay was performed to investigate the migration of BRECs. In vitro tube formation was measured by on-gel system. Apoptosis induced by AuNP was confirmed by caspase-3 assay. AGE-bovine serum albumin (BSA) demonstrated increase of cell migration and proliferation in BRECs. In addition, AuNP regardless of the existence of AGE-BSA suppressed proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis. AuNP suppressed AGE-BSA induced migration and invasion, and induced apoptosis through caspase-3. As a results, AuNP have a potential anti-angiogenic effect for AGE-induced angiogenesis in vitro and offer possibility for the treatment of diabetic retinopathy.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.1343-1348
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• 2014

A cholesterol-bridge-naphthopyran dyad (NP-MCB) was designed and synthesized. NP-MCB can readily self-assemble into gels under ultrasound-radiation in several organic solvents and the formed gels easily transfer to solution by heat. This reversible process can be repeated many times. Scanning Electron Microscopy results showed that the morphologies of all formed xerogels in different solvents have fibrillar microstructure. The gels formation was due to energy and pressure afforded by the ultrasonic process, resulting in formation of molecular hydrogen bonding and molecular aggregation. NP-MCB displayed the normal photochromism both in solution and gel states. The kinetic results confirm that the colored merocyanine in gels show a slower fading speed than that in solution due to the compact aggregation of NP-MCB molecules in gels. The xerogel film formed in polar gelling solvent had large surface wettability than that in nonpolar gelling solvent.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.552-561
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• 2010

This study investigates the solubility of neptunium (Np) in the deep natural groundwater of the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute Underground Research Tunnel (KURT). According to a Pourbaix diagram (pH-$E_h$ diagram) that was calculated using the geochemical modeling program PHREEQC 2.0, the redox potential and the carbonate ion concentration both control the solubility of neptunium. The carbonate effect becomes pronounced when the total carbonate concentration is higher than $1.5\;{\times}\;10^{-2}$ M at $E_h$ = -200 mV and the pH value is 10. Given the assumption that the solubility-limiting stable solid phase is $Np(OH)_4(am)$ under the reducing condition relevant to KURT, the soluble neptunium concentrations were in the range of $1\;{\times}\;10^{-9}$ M to $3\;{\times}\;10^{-9}$ M under natural groundwater conditions. However, the solubility of neptunium, which was calculated with the formation constants of neptunium complexes selected in an OECD-NEA TDB review, strongly deviates from the value measured in natural groundwater. Thus, it is highly recommended that a prediction of neptunium solubility is based on the formation constants of ternary Np(IV) hydroxo-carbonato complexes, even though the presence of those complexes is deficient in terms of the characterization of neptunium species. Based on a comparison of the measurements and calculations of geochemical modeling, the formation constants for the "upper limit" of the Np(IV) hydroxo-carbonato complexes, namely $Np(OH)_y(CO_3)_z^{4-y-2z}$, were appraised as follows: log $K^{\circ}_{122}\;=\;-3.0{\pm}0.5$ for $Np(OH)_2(CO_3)_2^{2-}$, log $K^{\circ}_{131}\;=\;-5.0{\pm}0.5$ for $Np(OH)_3(CO_3)^-$, and log $K^{\circ}_{141}\;=\;-6.0{\pm}0.5$ for $Np(OH)_4(CO_3)^{2-}$.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.9
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• pp.1563-1572
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• 2018

Gold nanoparticles (AuNP) and their conjugates have been gaining a great deal of recognition in the medical field. Meanwhile, extended-spectrum ${\beta}$-lactamases (ESBL)-producing bacteria are also demonstrating a challenging problem for health care. The aim of this study was the biosynthesis of AuNP using Rosa damascenes petal extract and conjugation of ceftriaxone antibiotic (Cef-AuNP) in inhibiting ESBL-producing bacteria and study of in vitro anticancer activity. Characterization of the synthesized AuNP and Cef-AuNP was studied. ESBL-producing strains, Acinetobacter baumannii ACI1 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa PSE4 were used for testing the efficacy of Cef-AuNP. The cells of MCF-7 breast cancer were treated with previous AuNP and Cef-AuNP at different time intervals. Cytotoxicity effects of apoptosis and its molecular mechanism were evaluated. Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy established the formation of AuNP and Cef-AuNP. Transmission electron microscope demonstrated that the formed nanoparticles were of different shapes with sizes of 15~35 nm and conjugation was established by a slight increase in size. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of Cef-AuNP against tested strains were obtained as 3.6 and $4{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. Cef-AuNP demonstrated a decrease in the MIC of ceftriaxone down to more than 27 folds on the studied strains. The biosynthesized AuNP displayed apoptotic and time-dependent cytotoxic effects in the cells of MCF-7 at a concentration of $0.1{\mu}g/ml$ medium. The Cef-AuNP have low significant effects on MCF-7 cells. These results enhance the conjugating utility in old unresponsive ceftriaxone with AuNP to restore its efficiency against otherwise resistant bacterial pathogens. Additionally, AuNP may be used as an alternative chemotherapeutic treatment of MCF-7 cancer cells.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.186-196
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• 2020

Pillared clays with Zr and Fe/Cu/Zr polycations have been prepared from natural clays found in large deposits of Kazakhstan and assessed as catalysts for the catalytic wet peroxide oxidation (CWPO), using 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) as model compound. The performance of the catalysts was followed by measuring the concentration of 4-NP, H₂O₂ and the total organic carbon (TOC), considering C_4-NP = 5 g L^-1, $C_{H_2O_2}$ = 17.8 g L^-1, C_cat = 2.5 g L^-1, initial pH = 3.0 and T = 50℃. At those selected conditions, the pillared clays showed higher activity than natural clays in the CWPO of 4-NP. The conversion of the model pollutant was complete when Fe/Cu/Zr-PILCs were used, with the TOC removal reaching 78.4% after 24 h with the best Fe/Cu/Zr-PILC. The H₂O₂, 4-NP and TOC time-evolution was well described by a kinetic model based on TOC lumps in three blocks, considering the initial TOC (corresponding to 4-NP), the production of oxidizable intermediates and the formation of refractory products.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.69-76
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• 1992

The effects of $Ca_{2+}$ ion on the formation of micelle colloid of nonionic surfactants, nonylphenol-(ethylene oxide)n [NP-(EO)n: n= 11, 40, 100) were investigated by the iodine solubilization method. The characteristics of spectra depended on the concentration of $Ca_{2+}$ ion and the number of EO unit. Above CMC(critical micelle concentration), the intensity of the CT (charge transfer) band by the addition of $Ca_{2+}$ ion for the NP-(EO)11 and NP-(EO)40 increased and when decreased and for the NP-(EO)In continuously increased. The increase in the intensity of CT band were attributed to the compactness of micelle in the presence of $Ca_{2+}$ ion. These phenomena may be explained by the fact that the linear ethylene oxide (EO) chain, relatively free to assume various configuration in aqueous solution, could form a pseudo-crown ether structures capable of forming complexes with $Ca_{2+}$ ion.

• Clean Technology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.223-231
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• 2021

In order to address many issues associated with large volume changes of silicon, which has very low electrical conductivity but offers about 10 times higher theoretical capacity than graphite (Gr), a silicon nanoparticles/hollow carbon (SiNP/HC) composite having bimodal-mesopores was prepared using silica nanoparticles as a template. A control SiNP/C composite without a hollow structure was also prepared for comparison. The physico-chemical and electrochemical properties of SiNP/HC were analyzed by X-ray diffractometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, nitrogen adsorption/desorption measurements for surface area and pore size distribution, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, galvanostatic cycling, and cyclic voltammetry tests to compare them with those of the SiNP/C composite. The SiNP/HC composite showed significantly better cycle life and efficiency than the SiNP/C, with minimal increase in electrode thickness after long cycles. A hybrid composite, SiNP/HC@Gr, prepared by physical mixing of the SiNP/HC and Gr at a 50:50 weight ratio, exhibited even better cycle life and efficiency than the SiNP/HC at low capacity. Thus, silicon/carbon composites designed to have hollow spaces capable of accommodating volume expansion were found to be highly effective for long cycle life of silicon-based composites. However, further study is required to improve the low initial coulombic efficiency of SiNP/HC and SiNP/HC@Gr, which is possibly because of their high surface area causing excessive electrolyte decomposition for the formation of solid-electrolyte-interface layers.

• IE interfaces
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.1-13
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• 1997

The problem of the formation of machine-part cells in FMS is a very important issue at the planning and operating stages of FMS. This problem is inherently a combinatorial optimization problem, proven to be NP-complete(or, NP-hard). Among the several kinds of approaches which have been applied to solve the combinatorial optimization problems, the Simulated Annealing(SA) algorithm, a technique of random search type with a flexibility in generating alternatives, is a powerful problem solving tool. In this paper, the SA algorithm is used to solve machine cell-part family formation problems. The primary purpose of the study is to find the near-optimal solution of machine cell-part family formation problem, whare the product volume and number of operations are prespecified, that can minimize the total material handling cost caused by exceptional elements and intercell moves as much as possible. The results show that the SA algorithm is able to find a near-optimal solution for practical problems of the machine cell-part family formation.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.231-239
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• 2011

Diethyl phthalate (DEP) and nonylphenol (NP) are widely spread in the natural environment as an endocrine disruption chemicals (EDs). Therefore, in this study, ultrasound (US) and ultraviolet (UVC), including $TiO_2$, as advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) were applied to a DEP and NP contaminated solution. When only the application of US, the optimum frequency for significant DEP degradation and a high rate of hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$) formation was 283 kHz. We know that the main mechanism of DEP degradation is radical reaction and, NP can be affected by both of radical reaction and pyrolysis through only US (sonolysis) process and combined US+UVC (sonophotolysis) process. At combined AOPs (sonophotolysis/sonophotocatalysis) such as US+UVC and US+UVC+$TiO_2$, significant degradation of DEP and NP were observed. Enhancement effect of sonophotolysis and sonophotocatalysis system of DEP and NP were 1.68/1.38 and 0.99/1.17, respectively. From these results, combined sonophotocatalytic process could be more efficient system to obtain a significant DEP and NP degradation.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.293-299
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• 2001

The nucleocapsid(NP) protein of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) and its derivative (NP$\sub$cfus)containing the myc region and six histidine residues fused to its C-terminus were pcpressed aboundantly in Escherichia coli. The proteins were purified by sucrose gradient centrifugation. Both the NP and NP$\sub$cfus/ proteins self-assem- bled into ring-like particles stacked together to from nucleocapsid-like structure which are heterogeneous in length with a diameter of 20${\pm}$2 nm and central holow of 5${\pm}$1 nm. Only a very small amount of the monomers in the particles was linked by inter-molecular disulfide bonds. Fusion of the C-terminal end to 29 amino acids inclusive of the myc epitope and His tag did not impair ring assembly buy inhibited the formation of the long herringbone structures. Immunogold lableing of the particles with the anti-myc antibody showed that the C-terminus of the NP$\sub$cfus/ protein is exposed on the surface of these ring-like particles.