• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.1299-1306
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• 2014

Background: Nano-biotechnology is recognized as offering revolutionary changes in various fields of medicine. Biologically synthesized silver nanoparticles have a wide range of applications. Materials and Methods: Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were biosynthesized with an aqueous extract of Pterocladiella (Pterocladia) capillacea, used as a reducing and stabilizing agent, and characterized using UV-VIS spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infra red (FT-IR) spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive analysis (EDX). The biosynthesized AgNPs were tested for cytotoxic activity in a human hepatocellular carcinoma ($HepG_2$) cell line cultured in Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum, 1% antibiotic and antimycotic solution and 2 mM glutamine. Bacterial susceptibility to AgNPs was assessed with Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis [Gram+ve] and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli [Gram-ve]. The agar well diffusion technique was adopted to evaluate the bactericidal activity of the biosynthesized AgNPs using Ampicillin and Gentamicin as gram+ve and gram-ve antibacterial standard drugs, respectively. Results: The biosynthesized AgNPs were $11.4{\pm}3.52$ nm in diameter. FT-IR analysis showed that carbonyl groups from the amino acid residues and proteins could assist in formation and stabilization of AgNPs. The AgNPs showed potent cytotoxic activity against the human hepatocellular carcinoma ($HepG_2$) cell line at higher concentrations. The results also showed that the biosynthesized AgNPs inhibited the entire panel of tested bacteria with a marked specificity towards Bacillus subtillus. Conclusions: Cytotoxic activity of the biosynthesized AgNPs may be due to the presence of alkaloids present in the algal extract. Our AgNPs appear more bactericidal against gram-positive bacteria (B. subtillus).

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.6363-6368
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• 2012

Objective: The study aim was to prepare poly-DL-lactide-poly (PELA) microspheres encapsulating recombinant tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) in an adenovirus to investigate its inhibition on the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma cells HepG2. Methods: Microspheres were prepared by encapsulating the recombinant TIMP-1 adenovirus into biodegradable PELA. The particle size, viral load, encapsulation efficiency and in-vitro release were measured. Microspheres were used to infect HepG2 cells, then infection efficiency was examined under a fluorescent microscope and ultrastructural changes assessed by TEM. Expression of TIMP-1 mRNA in HepG2 cells was examined by semi-quantitative RT-PCR and proliferation by MTT and cell growth curve assays. Results: We successfully prepared microspheres encapsulating recombinant TIMP-1 adenovirus with a diameter of $1.965{\mu}m$, an encapsulation efficiency of 60.0%, a viral load of $10.5{\times}10^8/mg$ and approximate 60% of virus release within 120 h, the total releasing time of which was longer than 240 h. The microspheres were confirmed to be non-toxic with blank microspheres. Infected HepG2 cells could stably maintain in-vitro expression of TIMP-1, with significantly effects on biological behaviour Conclusion: PELA microspheres encapsulating a recombinant TIMP-1 adenovirus can markedly inhibit the proliferation of HepG2 cells, which provides an experimental basis for polymer/chemistry-based gene therapy of hepatocellular carcinomas.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.268-274
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• 2021

One of the chronic problems in the issue of global warming is the emission of greenhouse gases. Carbon dioxide (CO₂), which accounts for the highest proportion of various greenhouse gases, has been continuously researched by humans to separate it. From this point of view, a poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)-based copolymer with acrylic acid monomer was utilized in a gas separation membrane in this study. We employed a free radical polymerization to fabricate PVA-g-PAA (VAA) graft copolymer. It was utilized in the form of a composite membrane on a polysulfone substrate. The proper amount of acrylic acid reduced the crystallinity of PVA and increased CO₂ solubility in separation membranes. In this perspective, we suggest the novel approach in CO₂ separation membrane area by grafting and solution-diffusion.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.205-208
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• 2004

Neutrophils are important effector cells against protozoan extracellular parasite Entamoeba histolytica, which causes amoebic colitis and liver abscess in human beings. Apoptotic cell death of neutrophils is an important event in the resolution of inflammation and parasite's survival in vivo. This study was undertaken to investigate the ultrastructural aspects of apoptotic cells during neutrophil death triggered by Entamoeba histolytica. Isolated human neutrophils from the peripheral blood were incubated with or without live trophozoites of E. histolytica and examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Neutrophils incubated with E. histolytica were observed to show apoptotic characteristics, such as compaction of the nuclear chromatin and swelling of the nuclear envelop. In contrast, neutrophils incubated in the absence of the amoeba had many protrusions of irregular cell surfaces and heterogenous nuclear chromatin. Therefore, it is suggested that Entamoeba-induced neutrophil apoptosis contribute to prevent unwanted tissue inflammation and damage in the amoeba-invaded lesions in vivo.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.224-231
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• 2003

The null pigmentation mutant (npgA1) of Aspergillus nidulans was previously characterized by its production of no pigment at any stage of its life cycle, its reduction in hyphal branching, and its delay in the asexual spore development. The chemical composition of the cell wall was also altered in npgA1 mutants that became more sensitive to Novozyme 234$\^$TM/, which is possibly due to a structural defect in the cell wall. To investigate the effects of the cell wall structure on these pleiomorphic phenomena, we examined the ultrastructure of the cell wall in the npgA1 mutant (WX17). Scanning electron micrographs (SEM) showed that after being cultured for six days, the outermost layer of the conidial wall of WX17 peeled off. Although this phenotype suggested that the cell wall structure in WX17 may be modified, examination using TEM of the fine structure of cross-sectioned hyphal wall of WX17 did not show any differences from that of FGSC4. However, staining for carbohydrates of wall layers showed that the electron-translucent layer of the cell wall was missing in WX17. In addition, the outermost layer H1 of the hyphal wall was also absent in WX17. The ultrastructural observation and cytochemical analysis of cell walls suggested that the pigmentation defect in WX17 may be attributed to the lack of a layer in the cell wall.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.25-29
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• 2006

Recent experiments have demonstrated high TMR ratios in MTJs with the MgO barrier [1,2]. The CoFeB/MgO/CoFeB junctions showed better properties than the CoFe/MgO/CoFe junctions because the MgO layer had a good crystalline structure with (001) texture and smooth and sharp interface between CoFeB/MgO [3]. The amorphous CoFeB with 20 at%B starts the crystallization at $340^{\circ}C$ [4] and this crystallization of the CoFeB helps obtaining the high TMR ratio. In this work, the compositional changes in the MgO barrier and at the interface of CoFeB/MgO/CoFeB after the CoFeB crystallization were studied in annealed MTJs. XPS depth profiles were utilized. TEM analyses showed that the MgO barrier had (100) texture on CoFeB in the junctions. B in the bottom CoFeB layer diffused into the MgO barrier and B-oxide was formed at the interface of CoFeB/MgO/CoFeB after the CoFeB crystallization.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.24 no.10
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• pp.565-571
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• 2014

Nitrogen-doped ZnO nanoparticle-carbon nanofiber composites were prepared using electrospinning. As the relative amounts of N-doped ZnO nanoparticles in the composites were controlled to levels of 3.4, 9.6, and 13.8 wt%, the morphological, structural, and chemical properties of the composites were characterized by means of field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). In particular, the carbon nanofiber composites containing 13.8 wt% N-doped ZnO nanoparticles exhibited superior catalytic properties, making them suitable for use as counter electrodes in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). This result can be attributed to the enhanced surface roughness of the composites, which offers sites for $I_3{^-}$ ion reductions and the formation of Zn3N2 phases that facilitate electron transfer. Therefore, DSSCs fabricated with 13.8 wt% N-doped ZnO nanoparticle-carbon nanofiber composites showed high current density ($16.3mA/cm^2$), high fill factor (57.8%), and excellent power-conversion efficiency (6.69%); at the same time, these DSSCs displayed power-conversion efficiency almost identical to that of DSSCs fabricated with a pure Pt counter electrode (6.57%).

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.101-104
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• 2008

GaN films were grown on the vertical and horizontal reactors by the hydride vapour phase epitaxy (HVPE). The structural and optical characteristics of the GaN films were investigated depending on the reactor-type. GaN epilayers were characterized by double crystal X-ray diffraction (DC-XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and photoluminescence (PL). Surface defects of two kinds of the GaN films were revealed by the wet chemical etching method, using $H_3PO_4$ acid at $200^{\circ}C$ for 8 minutes. Hexagonal etch pits were analyzed by optical microscopy and SEM. Etch pit densities were calculated to be approximately $1.4{\times}10^7$ and $1.2{\times}10^6\;cm^{-2}$ for GaN layers grown on horizontal and vertical reactors, respectively. Those results show GaN grown in the vertical reactor having a better quality of optical properties and crystallinity than that in the horizontal reactor.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.560-568
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• 1997

The dissolution behavior of secondary solidification phases in squeeze cast Al-3.9wt%Cu-1.5wt%Si-1.0wt%Mg has been studied using a combination of optical microscope, image analyzer, scanning electron microscope(SEM), energy dispersive spectrometer(EDS), X-ray diffractometer(XRD) and differential thermal analyzer (DTA). Special emphasis was placed on the investigation of the effects of the nonequilibrium heat treatment on the dissolution of the second solidification phases. Ascast microstructure consisted of primary solidification product of ${\alpha}-Al$ and secondary solidification products of $Al_2Cu$, $Mg_2Si$ and $Al_2CuMg$. Equilibrium and non-equilibrium solution treatments were carried out at the temperatures of $495^{\circ}C$, $502^{\circ}C$ and $515^{\circ}C$ for 3 to 5 hours. The amount of the dissolved secondary phases increased with increasing solution treatment temperature, for example, area fractions of $Al_2Cu$, $Mg_2Si$ and $Al_2CuMg$ were approximately 0%, 1.6% and 4.2% after solution treatment at $495^{\circ}C$ for 5hours, and were approximately 0%, 0.36% and 2% after solution treatment at $515^{\circ}C$ for 5hours. The best combination of tensile properties was obtained when the as-cast alloy was solution treated at $515^{\circ}C$ for 3hours followed by aging at $180^{\circ}C$ for 10 hours. Detailed DTA and TEM study showed that the strengthening behavior during aging was due to enhanced precipitation of the platelet type fine ${\theta}'$ phase.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.20-23
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• 2002

The local coercivity distribution of CoCrPt alloy films prepared by dc magnetron sputtering has been investigated by means of a magneto-optical microscope magnetometer (MOMM) capable of simultaneously measuring the local properties on 400 nm spatial resolutions. Serial samples of CoCrPt alloy films were prepared with the Pt composition of a range from 6 to 28 at. %. We find that the local coercivity distribution crosses over from Gaussian to non-Gaussian distribution in CoCrPt alloy films with increasing Pt composition, with increasing trends in the width of the distribution as well as the average local coercivity. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies reveal that our findings are closely correlated with the dependences of the grain size distribution and its average size on Pt concentration.