• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.151-156
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• 2013

Crystallization of $CaCO_3$ is practiced on a polymethylsiloxane (PDMS) - based microfluidic system. Liquid- liquid reaction was investigated by mixing calcium chloride ($CaCl_2$) and sodium carbonate ($Na_2CO_3$) solution to crystallize $CaCO_3$. Aspartic acid (Asp) was added to investigate the morphology change such as vaterite and calcite. Suitable ratio of $Na_2CO_3$ and $CaCl_2$ was searched for initial seed formation. Christmas tree model was used as microfluidic device to form concentration gradient of $Na_2CO_3$ and $CaCl_2$. After observing microfluidic channel by using optical microscope, we found that seeds of $CaCO_3$ were formed under the condition that the ratio of $Na_2CO_3$ and $CaCl_2$ was 2:1. Morphology of crystals were also observed as $CaCO_3$ crystals grow. When Asp was added, vaterite crystal was more frequently found in two morphologies (vaterite and calcite) and seed formation and crystal growth were inhibited.

• ALGAE
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.191-203
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• 2018

Fragilariopsis cylindrus is one of the most successful psychrophiles in the Southern Ocean. To investigate the molecular mechanism of biomineralization in this species, we attempted to synchronize F. cylindrus growth, since new cell wall formation is tightly coupled to the cell division process. Nutrient limitation analysis showed that F. cylindrus cultures rapidly stopped growing when deprived of silicate or light, while growth continued to a certain extent in the absence of nitrate. Flow cytometry analysis indicated that deprivation of either silicate or light could effectively arrest the cell cycle of this diatom species at the G1 phase, suggesting that synchrony can be established using either factor. Fluorescence labeling of new cell walls was faintly detectable as early as approximately 6 h after silicon repletion or light irradiation, and labeling was markedly intensified by 18 h. It is revealed that the synthesis of girdle bands begins before valve synthesis in this species, with active valve synthesis occurring during the G2 / M phase. Expression profiling revealed that selective member(s) of the F. cylindrus SIT genes (FcSIT) respond to silicate and light, with a different set of genes being responsive to each factor. The Si / light double depletion experiments demonstrated that expression of one FcSIT gene is possibly correlated to transition to G2 / M phase of the cell cycle, when the valve is actively formed.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.29-36
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• 2016

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the ability of two new calcium silicate-based pulp-capping materials (Biodentine and BioAggregate) to induce healing in a rat pulp injury model and to compare them with mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA). Materials and Methods: Eighteen rats were anesthetized, cavities were prepared and the pulp was capped with either of ProRoot MTA, Biodentine, or BioAggregate. The specimens were scanned using a high-resolution micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) system and were prepared and evaluated histologically and immunohistochemically using dentin sialoprotein (DSP). Results: On micro-CT analysis, the ProRoot MTA and Biodentine groups showed significantly thicker hard tissue formation (p < 0.05). On H&E staining, ProRoot MTA showed complete dentin bridge formation with normal pulpal histology. In the Biodentine and BioAggregate groups, a thick, homogeneous hard tissue barrier was observed. The ProRoot MTA specimens showed strong immunopositive reaction for DSP. Conclusions: Our results suggest that calcium silicate-based pulp-capping materials induce favorable effects on reparative processes during vital pulp therapy and that both Biodentine and BioAggregate could be considered as alternatives to ProRoot MTA.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.55-64
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• 2012

Peroxiredoxin II (Prdx II; a typical 2-Cys Prdx) has been originally isolated from erythrocytes, and its structure and peroxidase activity have been adequately studied. Prdx II has been reported to protect a wide range of cellular environments as antioxidant enzyme, and its dysfunctions may be implicated in a variety of disease states associated with oxidative stress, including cancer and aging-associated pathologies. But, the precise mechanism is still obscure in various aspects of aging containing ovarian aging. Identification and relative quantification of the increased proteins affected by Prdx II deficiency may help identify novel signaling mechanisms that are important for oxidative stress-related diseases. To identify the increased proteins in Prdx $II^{-/-}$ mice, we performed RBC comparative proteome analysis in membrane fraction and cytosolic fractions by nano-UPLC-$MS^E$ shotgun proteomics. We found the increased 86 proteins in membrane (32 proteins) and cytosolic (54 proteins) fractions, and analyzed comparative expression pattern in healthy RBCs of Prdx $II^{+/+}$ mice, healthy RBCs of Prdx $II^{-/-}$ mice, and abnormal RBCs of Prdx $II^{-/-}$ mice. These proteins belonged to cellular functions related with RBC lifespan maintain, such as cellular morphology and assembly, cell-cell interaction, metabolism, and stress-induced signaling. Moreover, protein networks among the increased proteins were analyzed to associate with various diseases. Taken together, RBC proteome may provide clues to understand the clue about redox-imbalanced diseases.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.431-439
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• 2014

The purposes of this research were to investigate the enrichment of metal-reducing bacteria from KURT groundwater and the identification of the microbial diversity by 16S rRNA as well as to examine microbial Fe(III)/Mn(IV) reduction and to analyze morphological features of interactions between microbes and precipitates and their mineralogical composition. To cultivate metal-reducing bacteria from groundwater sampled at the KURT in S. Korea, different electron donors such as glucose, acetate, lactate, formate, pyruvate and Fe(III)-citrate as an electron accepter were added into growth media. The enriched culture was identified by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis for the diversity of microbial species. The effect of electron donors (i.e., glucose, acetate, lactate, formate, pyruvate) and electron acceptors (i.e., akaganeite, manganese oxide) on microbial iron/manganese reduction and biomineralization were examined using the 1st enriched culture, respectively. SEM, EDX, and XRD analyses were used to determine morphological features, chemical composition of microbes and mineralogical characteristics of the iron and manganese minerals. Based on 16S rRNA gene analysis, the four species, Fusibacter, Desulfuromonas, Actinobacteria, Pseudomonas sp., from KURT groundwater were identified as anaerobic metal reducers and these microbes precipitated metals outside of cells in common. XRD and EDX analyses showed that Fe(III)-containing mineral, akaganeite (${\beta}$-FeOOH), reduced into Fe(II)/Fe(III)-containing magnetite ($Fe_3O_4$) and Mn(IV)-containing manganese oxide (${\lambda}-MnO_2$) into Mn(II)-containing rhodochrosite ($MnCO_3$) by the microbes. These results implicate that microbial metabolism and respiratory activities under anaerobic condition result in reduction and biomineralization of iron and manganese minerals. Therefore, the microbes cultivated from groundwater in KURT might play a major role to reduce various metals from highly toxic, mobile to less toxic, immobile.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.33 no.11
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• pp.812-820
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• 2011

This study was conducted to characterize $CO_2$ biomineralization on several minerals (i.e., CaO, MgO, $SiO_2$) by bottle test in an aqueous solution and solidified sludge using different aerobic bacterial strains like Bacillus megaterium and Bacillus pasteurii by batch test. These bacteria promote the formation of microenvironments that facilitate the precipitation of mineral phases that were unsaturated in the bulk solution. For one type of mineral solely amended, the $CO_2$ was reduced at the highest of 4.0 mmol for MgO while it was not that much lower for CaO and $SiO_2$ showing 1.1 and 0.3 mmol $CO_2$2, respectively. For two types of minerals simultaneously amended, the $CO_2$ was reduced at the greater extent for both Ca + Mg and Mg + Si showing 2.7 and 2.3 mmol, respectively whereas it was less for Ca + Si at 1.8 mmol. For solidified sludge, the $CO_2$ reduction rate changed depending on the volume of solidified sludge placed in the medium and the input $CO_2$ concentration.. The reduction rate of $CO_2$ was increased with increasing the volume of solidified sludge. Results of XRD analysis indicate that $CaCO_3$ (Calcite) was dominantly formed among others (e.g., Aragonite, Dolomite). SEM analysis showed that the sample with Bacillus pasteurii, could more form minerals rather than control. As demonstrated in this study, $CO_2$ would be effectively sequestered in biomineralization process.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.32-42
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• 1999

Microbial mats, the yellow and reddish brown deposits formed from the mine drainage, occur on the bottom of drain and mine tailing pond of the Ilkwang mine in Pusan, Korea. The constituents of microbial mats and their biomineralization were studied by using XRD, IR, and SEM-EDX. The upper part of the microbial mat is yellow-colored and composed of tube-shaped and small spheroid bacterial materials, which are mainly made up of amorphous and poor-crystalline iron-oxide minerals. The shape and composition of bacterial materials suggest that they are probably belong to iron-oxide mineral aggregates. The iron-oxide minerals of the yellow microbial mats are mainly goethite, but those of the reddish brown microbial mats contain abundant hematite along with goethite. This implies that with the evolution of biomats, goethite may be transformed to hematite.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.707-714
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• 2013

Microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICCP) is a naturally occurring biological process that has various applications in remediation and restoration of a range of building materials. In the present investigation, five ureolytic bacterial isolates capable of inducing calcium carbonate precipitation were isolated from calcareous soils on the basis of production of urease, carbonic anhydrase, extrapolymeric substances, and biofilm. Bacterial isolates were identified as Bacillus megaterium, B. cereus, B. thuringiensis, B. subtilis, and Lysinibacillus fusiformis based on 16S rRNA analysis. The calcium carbonate polymorphs produced by various bacterial isolates were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy, X ray diffraction, and Fourier transmission infra red spectroscopy. A strain-specific precipitation of calcium carbonate forms was observed from different bacterial isolates. Based on the type of polymorph precipitated, the technology of MICCP can be applied for remediation of various building materials.

• Proceedings of the Petrological Society of Korea Conference
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• 2009.05a
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• pp.4-6
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• 2009

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.298-302
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• 2013

In this study, the effect of sericin on synthesis of the silica was investigated. Using the mixture of sericin solution and tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), it was confirmed that silica could be synthesized in the presence of sericin, which was verified by thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier-transformed infrared spectrometer (FT-IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer (NMR) analysis. The TGA and FT-IR data revealed that silica-sericin complex was formed as a final product. Based on the TGA result, the content of silica and sericin in the complex would be 87 and 13%, respectively. The degree of silica condensation was higher than the natural biosilica. It could be concluded that sericin can induce the synthesis of silica directly from TEOS, which is similar to silicatein from marine sponges.