• Clean Technology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.55-60
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• 2021

Antibiotics are compounds broadly used to treat patients with infectious diseases and to enhance productivity in agriculture, fisheries, and livestock industries. However, due to the overuse of antibiotics and their low biodegradability, a substantial amount of antibiotics is leaking into the sewer, subsequently resulting in pollution and the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. This study explores biodegradable serum albumin's potential as an adsorbent to remove antibiotics from water. Serum albumin is a natural blood protein that transports various metabolites and hormones to all tissues' extravascular spaces. While serum albumin is highly water-soluble, it has intrinsic binding sites which readily accommodate ionic, hydrophilic, or hydrophobic molecules, rendering it a good building block for a nano-adsorbent. To induce coacervation, a desolvating agent, ethanol, was added dropwise into the aqueous albumin solution, resulting in dehydration and liquid-liquid phase separation of albumins into albumin nanoparticles within a size range of 150 ~ 170 nm. The addition of glutaraldehyde as a cross-linker improved the size stability and homogeneity of albumin nanoparticles. Adsorption of amoxicillin antibiotics on albumin nanoparticles was dependent upon glutaraldehyde concentration used in desolvation and pH during adsorption. The maximum adsorption capacity measured by spectrophotometry was found to be 12.4 micrograms of amoxicillin per milligram of albumin nanoparticle. These results demonstrate serum albumin's potential as a building block for fabricating a natural nano-adsorbent to remove antibiotics from water.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.202-210
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• 2024

Background: Panax ginseng Meyer polysaccharides exhibit various biological functions, like antagonizing galectin-3-mediated cell adhesion and migration. Galectin-8 (Gal-8), with its linker-joined N- and C-terminal carbohydrate recognition domains (CRDs), is also crucial to these biological processes, and thus plays a role in various pathological disorders. Yet the effect of ginseng-derived polysaccharides in modulating Gal-8 function has remained unclear. Methods: P. ginseng-derived pectin was chromatographically isolated and enzymatically digested to obtain a series of polysaccharides. Biolayer Interferometry (BLI) quantified their binding affinity to Gal-8, and their inhibitory effects on Gal-8 was assessed by hemagglutination, cell migration and T-cell apoptosis. Results: Our ginseng-derived pectin polysaccharides consist mostly of rhamnogalacturonan-I (RG-I) and homogalacturonan (HG). BLI shows that Gal-8 binding rests primarily in RG-I and its β-1,4-galactan side chains, with sub-micromolar K_D values. Both N- and C-terminal Gal-8 CRDs bind RG-I, with binding correlated with Gal-8-mediated function. Conclusion: P. ginseng RG-I pectin β-1,4-galactan side chains are crucial to binding Gal-8 and antagonizing its function. This study enhances our understanding of galectin-sugar interactions, information that may be used in the development of pharmaceutical agents targeting Gal-8.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.23 no.9
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• pp.911-920
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• 2022

Objective: ⁶⁸Ga-NGUL is a novel prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-targeting tracer based on Glu-Urea-Lys derivatives conjugated to a 1,4,7-triazacyclononane-N,N',N''-triacetic acid (NOTA) chelator via a thiourea-type short linker. This phase I clinical trial of ⁶⁸Ga-NGUL was conducted to evaluate the safety and radiation dosimetry of ⁶⁸Ga-NGUL in healthy volunteers and the lesion detection rate of ⁶⁸Ga-NGUL in patients with prostate cancer. Materials and Methods: We designed a prospective, open-label, single-arm clinical trial with two cohorts comprising six healthy adult men and six patients with metastatic prostate cancer. Safety and blood test-based toxicities were monitored throughout the study. PET/CT scans were acquired at multiple time points after administering ⁶⁸Ga-NGUL (2 MBq/kg; 96-165 MBq). In healthy adults, absorbed organ doses and effective doses were calculated using the OLINDA/EXM software. In patients with prostate cancer, the rates of detecting suspicious lesions by ⁶⁸Ga-NGUL PET/CT and conventional imaging (CT and bone scintigraphy) during the screening period, within one month after recruitment, were compared. Results: All 12 participants (six healthy adults aged 31-32 years and six prostate cancer patients aged 57-81 years) completed the clinical trial. No drug-related adverse events were observed. In the healthy adult group, ⁶⁸Ga-NGUL was rapidly distributed, with the highest uptake in the kidneys. The median effective dose coefficient was calculated as 0.025 mSv/MBq, and cumulative activity in the bladder had the highest contribution. In patients with metastatic prostate cancer, 229 suspicious lesions were detected using either ⁶⁸Ga-NGUL PET/CT or conventional imaging. Among them, ⁶⁸Ga-NGUL PET/CT detected 199 (86.9%) lesions and CT or bone scintigraphy detected 114 (49.8%) lesions. Conclusion: ⁶⁸Ga-NGUL can be safely applied clinically and has shown a higher detection rate for the localization of metastatic lesions in prostate cancer than conventional imaging. Therefore, ⁶⁸Ga-NGUL is a valuable option for prostate cancer imaging.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.309-315
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• 2024

Silicon and carbon composite (SiC) is considered one of the most promising anode materials for the commercialization of Si-based anodes, as it could simultaneously satisfy the high theoretical capacity of Si and the high electronic conductivity of carbon. However, SiC active material undergoes repeated volumetric changes during charge/discharge processes, leading to continuous electrolyte decomposition and capacity fading, which is still considered an issue that needs to be addressed. To solve this issue, we suggest a 4,4'-Methylenebis(cyclohexyl isocyanate) (H₁₂MDI)-based waterborne polyurethane binder (HPUD), which forms a 3D network structure through thermal cross-linking reaction. The cross-linked HPUD (denoted as CHPU) was prepared using an epoxy ring-opening reaction of the cross-linker, triglycidyl isocyanurate (TGIC), via simple thermal treatment during the SiC anode drying process. The SiC anode with the CHPU binder, which exhibited superior mechanical and adhesion properties, not only demonstrated excellent rate and cycling performance but also alleviated the volume expansion of the SiC anode. This work implies that eco-friendly binders with cross-linked structures could be utilized for various Si-based anodes.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.15-20
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• 2008

Purpose : Large exon deletions in the DMD gene are found in about 60% of DMD/BMD patients. Multiplex PCR has been employed to detect the deletion mutation, which frequently generates noise PCR products due to the presence of multiple primers in a single reaction as well as the stringency of PCR conditions. This often leads to a false-negative or false-positive result. To address this problematic issue, we introduced the dual primer oligonucleotide (DPO) system. DPO contains two separate priming regions joined by a polydeoxyinosine linker that results in high PCR specificity even under suboptimal PCR conditions. Methods : We tested 50 healthy male controls, 50 patients with deletion mutation as deletion-positive patient controls, and 20 patients with no deletions as deletion-negative patient controls using DPO-multiplex PCR. Both the presence and extent of deletion were verified by simplex PCR spanning the promoter region (PM) and 18 exons including exons 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 13, 17, 19, 43-48, 50-52, and 60 in all 120 controls. Results : DPO-multiplex PCR showed 100% sensitivity and specificity for the detection a deletion. However, it showed 97.1% sensitivity and 100% specificity for determining the extent of deletions. Conclusion : The DPO-multiplex PCR method is a useful molecular test to detect large deletions of DMD for the diagnosis of patients with DMD/BMD because it is easy to perform, fast, and cost-effective and has excellent sensitivity and specificity.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.17-25
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• 2013

The thermotolerant methylotrophic yeast Hansenula polymorpha is an attractive model organism for various fundamental studies, such as the genetic control of enzymes involved in methanol metabolism, peroxisome biogenesis, nitrate assimilation, and resistance to heavy metals and oxidative stresses. In addition, H. polymorpha has been highlighted as a promising recombinant protein expression host, especially due to the availability of strong and tightly regulatable promoters. In this study, we investigated the possibility of employing human serum albumin (HSA) as the fusion tag for the secretory expression of heterologous proteins in H. polymorpha. A set of four expression cassettes, which contained the methanol oxidase (MOX) promoter, translational HSA fusion tag, and the terminator of MOX, were constructed. The expression cassettes were also designed to contain sequences for accessory elements including His8-tag, $2{\times}(Gly_4Ser_1)$ linkers, tobacco etch virus protease recognition sites (Tev), multi-cloning sites, and strep-tags. To determine the effects of the size of the HSA fusion tag on the secretory expression of the target protein, each cassette contained the HSA gene fragment truncated at a specific position based on its domain structure. By using the Green fluorescence protein gene as the reporter, the properties of each expression cassette were compared in various conditions. Our results suggest that the translational HSA fusion tag is an efficient tool for the secretory expression of recombinant proteins in H. polymorpha.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.333-343
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• 2002

Purpose: A new linker, hydrazino nicotinamide (HYNIC), was recently introduced for labelling of liposome with $^{99m}Tc$. In this study we synthesized HYNIC derivatized PEG (polyethylene glycol)-liposomes radiolabeled with $^{99m}Tc$. Materials and Methods: In order to synthesize HYNIC-DSPE (distearoyl phosphatidyl ethanolamine) which is a crucial component for $^{99m}Tc$ chelation, first of all succinimidyl 6-BOC-hydrazinopyridine-3-carboxylic acid was synthesized from 6-chloronicotinic acid by three sequential reactions. A DSPE derivative of succinimidyl 6-BOC-hydrazinopyridine-3-carboxylic acid was transformed into HYNIC-DSPE by HCI/dioxane. HYNIC-PEG-liposomes were prepared by hydration of the dried lipid mixture of EPC (egg phosphatidyl choline): PEG-DSPE : HYNIC-DSPE:cholesterol (1.85:0.15:0.07:1, molar ratio). The HYNIC-PEG-liposomes were labeled with $^{99m}Tc$ in the presence of $SnCl_2{\cdot}2H_2O$ (a reducing agent) and tricine (a coligand). To investigate the level of in vivo transchelation of $^{99m}Tc$ in the liposomes, the $^{99m}Tc$-HYNiC-PES-liposomes were incubated with a molar excess of DTPA, cysteine or glutathione solutions at $37^{\circ}C$ for 1 hour. The radiolabeled liposomes were also incubated in the presence of human serum at $37^{\circ}C$ for 24 hours. Results: 6-BOC-hydrazinopyridine-3-carboxylic acid was synthesized with 77.3% overall yield. The HYNIC concentration in the PEG-coated liposome dispersion was 1.08 mM. In condition of considering the measured liposomal size of 106 nm, the phospholipid concentration of $77.5\;{\mu}mol/m{\ell}$ and the liposomal particle number of $5.2{\times}10^{14}$ liposomes/ml, it is corresponded to approximate 1,250 nicotinyl hydrazine group per liposome in HYNIC-PEG-liposome. The removal of free $^{99m}Tc$ was not necessary because the labeling efficiency were above 99%. The radiolabeled liposomes maintained 98%, 96% and 99%, respectively, of radioactivity after incubation with transchelators. The radiolabeled liposomes possessed above 90% of the radioactivity in serum. Conclusion: These results suggest that the HYNIC can be synthesized easily and applied in labelling of PEG-liposomes with $^{99m}Tc$.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.185-198
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• 2019

Human tissue undergoes aging by the oxidant damage via structural change and its physical properties. The skin aging process is well known and many evaluations have been conducted. However, studies on hair aging were relatively few and thus care for aging hair is difficult. This study aims to fabricate an aging hair and identify anti-aging effect with known ingredient in anti-aging. First of all, physical properties of aging hair of age 60s by physiologically intrinsic factors were compared to those of the hair made by various extrinsic factors such as several chemical reactions and iteration numbers of the treatments. The extrinsic aging hair of this study relates to the less amount of lipid and to the hair of perm treated once accordingly, wherein several physical properties, preferably comprise roughness and tensile strength, present a novel concept of the intrinsic aging hair. The penetration of peptide into the aging hair was leading the extrinsic hair towards more structurally directed a younger hair. In addition to the structural change, the penetration of the peptide enhanced texture and tensile strength of the aging hair. These patterns have been also found in addition of propolis. For the first time, these qualitative studies exhibit that indeed our extrinsic aging hair well describes the anti-aging efficacy as a receptor for a cross-linker and the ingredients of human hair.