• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.25-31
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• 2010

Polymer core and metal shell composite particles have been prepared by the electroless nickel plating on the surface of monodisperse polystyrene microspheres. Various sizes of polystyrene particles with highly monodisperse state could be synthesized by controlling the dispersion medium in dispersion polymerization. Electroless nickel plating was performed on the polystyrene particle with diameter of $3.4\;{\mu}m$. The morphology of polystyrene/nickel composite particles was investigated to see the effect of the plating conditions, such as the $PdCl_2$ and glycine concentrations and the dropping rate of nickel plating solution, on nickel deposition. With $PdCl_2$ and glycine concentrations at more than 0.4 g/L and 1 M, respectively, more uniform nickel layer and less precipitated nickel aggregates were formed. At the given plating time of 2 h, the same amount of plating solution was introduced by varying the dropping rate. Though the effect of dropping rate on particle morphology was not noticeable, the dropping rate of 0.15 mL/min for 60 min showed rather uniform plating.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.599-605
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• 2016

Recently, photodynamic and photothermal therapies have received increasing attention as an effective cancer treatment. In this study, a gold nanorod (AuNR) colloidal solution was synthesized as a hyperthermia agent for photothermal therapy and also modified with photosensitizer (PS) for photodynamic therapy. PEG (polyethylene glycol) and FA (folic acid) ligand were also introduced into AuNR for the long circulation in human body and efficient targeting of cancer cells, respectively and AuNRs were modified with FA-PEG and poly-${\beta}$-benzyl-L-aspartate (PBLA) block copolymers through a 3,4-dihydroxy hydrocinnamic acid (HCA) linker. A series of AuNRs with various aspect ratios were synthesized by controlling the feeding ratio of $AgNO_3$. The physicochemical property and morphology of synthesized AuNR100 and FA-PEG-$P(Asp)_{50}$-HCA-AuNR100 were analyzed by UV-visible spectrophotometer, $^1H$ NMR, XPS measurements, TEM. The surface modified AuNR carrier with biocompatibility could be applied for the effective diagnosis as well tumor phototherapy.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.41 no.7
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• pp.518-527
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• 2004

In this study, SiC whiskers were grown in porous alumina substrate in order to enhance the filtering efficiency, performance, and durability by controlling pore morphology. This experiment was performed by Chemical Vapor Infiltration (CVI) in order to obtain the whiskers on the inside of pores as well as on the surface of porous the A1$_2$O$_3$ substrate. The deposition behavior was changed remarkably with the deposition position, temperature, and input gas ratio. First, the mean diameter of whisker was decreased as the position of observation moved into the inside of substrate due to the reactant gas depletion effect'. Second, the deposition temperature caused the changes of the deposition type such as debris, whiskers and films and the change in morphology affect the various properties. When SiC films were deposited. the gas permeability and the specific surface area decreased. However, the whisker showed the opposite result. The whiskers increase not only the specific surface area and minimizing pressure drop but also mechanical strength. Therefore it is expected that the porous alumina body which deposited the SiC whisker is the promising material for the filter trapping the particles.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.191-197
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• 2013

The one of the cathode material, $Li(Ni_{0.5}Co_{0.2}Mn_{0.3})O_2$, was synthesized by the precursor, $Ni_{0.5}Co_{0.2}Mn_{0.3}(OH)_2$, from the co-precipitation method and the morphologies of the primary particle of precursors were flake and needle-shape by controlling the precipitation parameters. Identical powder properties, such as particle size, tap density, chemical composition, were obtained by same process of lithiation and heat-treatment. The relation between electrochemical performances of $Li(Ni_{0.5}Co_{0.2}Mn_{0.3})O_2$ and the primary particle morphology of precursors was analyzed by SEM, XRD and EELS. In the $Li(Ni_{0.5}Co_{0.2}Mn_{0.3})O_2$ cathode from the needle-shape precursor, the primary particle size was smaller than that from flake-shape precursor and high Li concentration at grain edge comparing grain center. The cycle and rate performances of the cathode from needle-shape precursor shows superior to those from flake-shape precursor, which might be attributed to low charge-transfer resistance by impedance measurement.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.9-16
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• 2003

Ipriflavone (IP) stimulates proliferation and differentiation of osteoblast and also enhances calcitonin secretion in the presence of estrogen. Poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLCA) due to its controllable biodegradability and relatively good biocompatibility is one of the most significant candidates for the study of drug controlled release system. In this study, IP-loaded PLGA microspheres (MSs) was prepared by using conventional O/W solvent evaporation method. The size of MSs was in the range of 5~200 $mu extrm{m}$. The morphology of MSs was characterized by SEM. And, in vitro release amounts of IP were analyzed by HPLC. The highest encapsulation efficiency were obtained by using gelatin and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as emulsifiers. The morphology, size distribution, and in vitro release pattern of MSs were changed by several preparation parameters such as molecular weights (8, 20, 33 and 90 kg/mol), polymer concentrations (2.5, 5, 10 and 20%), emulsifier types (PVA, gelatin and Tween 80), initial drug loading amount (5, 10, 20 and 30%) and stirring speed (250, 500 and 1000 rpm). The release of IP in vitro was more prolonged over 30 days, with close to zero-order pattern by controlling the preparation parameters. The physicochemical properties of IP-loaded PLGA MSs were investigated by XRD and DSC.

• International Journal of Stem Cells
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.123-134
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• 2023

Objective: The heart contains a pool of c-kit⁺ progenitor cells which is believed to be able to regenerate. The differentiation of these progenitor cells is reliant on different physiological cues. Unraveling the underlying signals to direct differentiation of progenitor cells will be beneficial in controlling progenitor cell fate. In this regard, the role of the mitochondria in mediating cardiac progenitor cell fate remains unclear. Specifically, the association between changes in mitochondrial morphology with the differentiation status of c-kit⁺ CPCs remains elusive. In this study, we investigated the relationship between mitochondrial morphology and the differentiation status of c-kit⁺ progenitor cells. Methods and Results: c-kit⁺ CPCs were isolated from 2-month-old male wild-type FVB mice. To activate differentiation, CPCs were incubated in α-minimal essential medium containing 10 nM dexamethasone for up to 7 days. To inhibit Drp1-mediated mitochondrial fragmentation, either 10 μM or 50 μM mdivi-1 was administered once at Day 0 and again at Day 2 of differentiation. To inhibit calcineurin, either 1 μM or 5 μM ciclosporin-A (CsA) was administered once at Day 0 and again at Day 2 of differentiation. Dexamethasone-induced differentiation of c-kit⁺ progenitor cells is aligned with fragmentation of the mitochondria via a calcineurin-Drp1 pathway. Pharmacologically inhibiting mitochondrial fragmentation retains the undifferentiated state of the c-kit⁺ progenitor cells. Conclusions: The findings from this study provide an alternative view of the role of mitochondrial fusion-fission in the differentiation of cardiac progenitor cells and the potential of pharmacologically manipulating the mitochondria to direct progenitor cell fate.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.541-548
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• 2015

We study the structural and functional characteristics of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures that are grown on carbon nanotube (CNT) constructs via step-wise chemical vapor deposition (CVD). First, we optimize the CVD process to directly grow ZnO nanostructures on CNTs by controlling the growth temperature below $600^{\circ}C$, where CNTs can be sustained in a ZnO-growing oxidative atmosphere. We then investigate how the morphology and areal density of ZnO nanostructures evolve depending on process parameters, such as pressure, temperature, and gas feeding composition, while focusing on the effect of underlying CNT topology on ZnO nucleation and growth. Because various types of ZnO nanostructures, including nanowires, nanorods, nanoplates, and polycrystalline nanocrystals, can be conformally formed on highly conductive CNT platforms, this electrically addressable three-dimensional hybrid nanoarchitecture may better meet a wide range of nanoelectronic application-specific needs.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.131-142
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• 2008

Magnaporthe oryzae, the causal agent of the rice blast disease, poses a worldwide threat to stable rice production. The large-scale functional characterization of genes controlling the pathogenicity of M. oryzae is currently under way, but little is known about heat shock protein 40 (Hsp40) function in the rice blast fungus or any other filamentous plant pathogen. We identified 25 genes encoding putative Hsp40s in the genome of M. oryzae using a bioinformatic approach, which we designated M. oryzae heat shock protein forty (MHF 1-25). To elucidate the roles of these genes, we characterized the functions of MHF16 and MHF21, which encode type ill and type n Hsp40 proteins, respectively. MHF16 and MHF21 expression was not significantly induced by heat shock, but it was down-regulated by cold shock. Knockout mutants of these genes $({\Delta}$mhf16 and ${\Delta}$mhf21) were viable, but conidiation was severely reduced. Moreover, sectoring was observed in the ${\Delta}mhf16$ mutant when it was grown on oatmeal agar medium. Conidial germination, appressorium formation, and pathogenicity in rice were not significantly affected in the mutants. The defects in conidiation and colony morphology were fully complemented by reintroduction of wild type MHF16 and MHF21 alleles, respectively. These data indicate that MHF16 and MHF21 play important roles in conidiation in the rice blast fungus.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.387-389
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• 2011

A previous study of ours indicated that Citrus auranifoli oil possesses antifungal activity against Malassezia furfur and Malassezia pachydermatis. In this study, we evaluated the anti-M. furfur and M. pachydermatis activities of limonene, which is a major component of C. aurantifolia oil, using the disk diffusion method. We also examined cytotoxicity against human normal epithelial (Beas-2B) cells using the cytopathic effect reduction (CPE) method. The results revealed that the minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) value of limonene is lower than the value for itraconazole. The MFC value of limonene was seen to be 7.81 ${\mu}g$/mL against M. furfur and 3.90 ${\mu}g$/mL against M. pachydermatis. MFC values of itraconazole against M. furfur and M. pachydermatis were 62.50 ${\mu}g$/mL and 31.25 ${\mu}g$/mL, respectively. In addition, it was noted that limonene was not toxic to Beas-2B cells with normal morphology at a concentration of 100 ${\mu}g$/mL. However, itraconazole exhibited weak toxicity at the same concentration. Therefore, our results indicate that limonene could potentially be effective at controlling M. furfur and M. pachydermatis infections with no cytotoxicity.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.14-17
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• 2011

$TiO_2$ nanopowders with anatase structure were firstly prepared by controlling the pH value of a precursor solution without any heat-treatment at room temperature. The prepared $TiO_2$ nanopowders were hydrothermally treated in 10M NaOH solution at $170^{\circ}C$. Then, the samples were washed in DI water or 0.1M HCl. The $TiO_2$ nanotubes were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The gas sensitivity of $TiO_2$ nanotubes for toluene gas was also investigated. The results show that $TiO_2$ nanotubes can be prepared by hydrothermal treatment. The morphology of $TiO_2$ nanotubes prepared by 0.1M HCl washing is destroyed to some extent. $TiO_2$ nanotubes with DI water washing show better sensitivity than that with 0.1M HCl washing.