• Carbon letters
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• 제12권4호
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• pp.229-235
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• 2011

Isotactic polyacrylonitrile (PAN) with triad isotacticity of 0.53, which was determined by $^{13}C$ NMR, using dialkylmagnesium as an initiator, was successfully synthesized. Isothermal treatment of iso-PAN was conducted in air at 200, 220, 250 and $280^{\circ}C$. Structural evolutions and chemical changes were studied with Fourier transformation infrared and wide-angle X-ray diffraction during stabilization. A new parameter $CNF={I_{2240cm}}^{-1}/ ({I_{1595cm}}^{-1}+f^*{I_{1595cm}}^{-1})$ was defined to evaluate residual nitrile groups. Crystallinity and crystal size were calculated with X-ray diffraction dates. The results indicated that the nitrile groups had partly converted into a ladder structure as stabilization proceeded. The rate of reaction increased with treatment temperature; crystallinity and crystal size decreased proportionally to pyrolysis temperature. The iso-conversional method coupled with the Kissinger and Flynn-Wall-Ozawa methods were used to determine kinetic parameters via differential scanning calorimetry analysis with different heating rates. The active energy of the reaction was 171.1 and 169.1 kJ/mol, calculated with the two methods respectively and implied the sensitivity of the reaction with temperature.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 대한전기학회 2005년도 제36회 하계학술대회 논문집 C
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• pp.1924-1926
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• 2005

Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) is one of the promising representive of polymer gate dielectric for its high resistivity and sutible dielectric constant. PMMA (Mw=96700) films were prepared on p-Si by spin coating method. PMMA were coated compactively and flatly as observes by AFM. MIS(Al/PMMA/p-Si) structure was made and capacitance-voltage (C-V) and current-voltage (I-V) measurements were done with PMMA films for repeated annealing cycles at $100^{\circ}C$. 1-V measured at various delay times $(0{\sim}20sec)$ showed little change and the absence of hysteresis in the I-V characteristics with delay times, which eliminate the possibility of deep traps in the PMMA films. The observed thermal stability, smooth surfaces, dielectric constant, I-V behavior implies PMMA formed by spin coating can be used as an efficient gate dielectric layer in OTFTs.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제18권3호
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• pp.225-231
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• 2014

In this study we aim to extensively investigate the anti-influenza virus immune responses in human pharyngeal epithelial cell line (Hep-2) and evaluate the protective role of Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands in seasonal influenza A H1N1 (sH1N1) infections in vitro. We first investigated the expression of the TLRs and cytokines genes in resting and sH1N1 infected Hep-2 cells. Clear expressions of TLR3, TLR9, interleukin (IL)-6, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$ and interferon (IFN)-${\beta}$ were detected in resting Hep-2 cells. After sH1N1 infection, a ten-fold of TLR3 and TLR9 were elicited. Concomitant with the TLRs activation, transcriptional expression of IL-6, TNF-${\alpha}$ and IFN-${\beta}$ were significantly induced in sH1N1-infected cells. Pre-treatment of cells with poly I:C (an analog of viral double-stranded RNA) and CpG-ODN (a CpG-motif containing oligodeoxydinucleotide) resulted in a strong reduction of viral and cytokines mRNA expression. The results presented indicated the innate immune response activation in Hep-2 cells and affirm the antiviral role of Poly I:C and CpG-ODN in the protection against seasonal influenza A viruses.

• Membrane Journal
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• 제29권3호
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• pp.164-172
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• 2019

In this work, we demonstrate a facile process to prepare an electrolyte membrane for the supercapacitor based on a graft copolymer consisting of starch and poly(acrylonitrile) (PAN). The graft copolymer (starch-g-PAN) was synthesized via free radical polymerization initiated by ceric ions. The starch-g-PAN was dissolved in ionic liquid, i.e. 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium dicyanamide (EMIM DCA) without any organic solvents at room temperature. The gelation of polymer electrolyte membranes occurred by applying high temperature, i.e. $100^{\circ}C$ for 1 hour. The resultant electrolyte membrane was flexible and thus applied to flexible solid supercapacitors. The performance of the supercapacitor based on starch-g-PAN graft copolymer electrolyte reached 21 F/g at a current density of 0.5 A/g. The cell also showed high cyclic stability with 86% of retention rate within 10,000 cycles. The preparation of starch-g-PAN based polymer electrolyte membrane provides opportunities for facile fabrication of flexible solid supercapacitors with good performance.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제45권4호
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• pp.154-162
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• 2018

Objective: The fallopian tubes play a critical role in the early events of fertilization. The rapid innate immune defense is an important part of the fallopian tubes. Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3), as a part of the innate immune system, plays an important role in detecting viral infections. In this basic and experimental study, the effect of sex hormones on the function of TLR3 in the OE-E6/E7 cell line was investigated. Methods: The functionality of TLR3 in this cell line was evaluated by cytokine measurements (interleukin [IL]-6 and IL-1b) and the effects of sex hormones on TLR3 were tested by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. Additionally, TLR3 small interfering RNA (siRNA) and a TLR3 function-blocking antibody were used to confirm our findings. Results: The production of IL-6 significantly increased in the presence of polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C)) as the TLR3 ligand. Using a TLR3-siRNA-ransfected OE-E6/E7 cell line and function-blocking antibody confirmed that cytokine production was due to TLR3. In addition, 17-${\beta}$ estradiol and progesterone suppressed the production of IL-6 in the presence and absence of poly(I:C). Conclusion: These results imply that sex hormones exerted a suppressive effect on the function of TLR3 in the fallopian tube cell line when different concentrations of sex hormones were present. The current results also suggest that estrogen receptor beta and nuclear progesterone receptor B are likely to mediate the hormonal regulation of TLR3, as these two receptors are the main estrogen and progesterone receptors in OEE6/E7 cell line.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• 제24권1호
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• pp.11.1-11.14
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• 2023

Background: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) are commonly used to assess in vitro immune responses. However, PBMC isolation is a time-consuming procedure, introduces technical variability, and requires a relatively large volume of blood. By contrast, whole blood assay (WBA) is faster, cheaper, maintains more physiological conditions, and requires less sample volume, laboratory training, and equipment. Objectives: Herein, this study aimed to develop a porcine WBA for in vitro evaluation of immune responses. Methods: Heparinized whole blood (WB) was diluted (non-diluted, 1/2, 1/8, and 1/16) in RPMI-1640 media, followed by phorbol myristate acetate and ionomycin. After 24 h, cells were stained for interferon (IFN)-γ secreting T-cells followed by flow cytometry, and the supernatant was analyzed for tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. In addition, diluted WB was stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (poly I:C), reference strain KCTC3557 (RS), field isolate (FI), of heat-killed (HK) Streptococcus suis, and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV). Results: The frequency of IFN-γ⁺CD3⁺ T-cells and concentration of TNF-α in the supernatant of WB increased with increasing dilution factor and were optimal at 1/8. WB TNF-α and interleukin (IL)-10 cytokine levels increased significantly following stimulation with LPS or poly I:C. Further, FI and RS induced IL-10 production in WB. Additionally, PRRSV strains increased the frequency of IFN-γ⁺ CD4^-CD8⁺ cells, and IFN-γ was non-significantly induced in the supernatant of re-stimulated samples. Conclusions: We propose that the WBA is a rapid, reliable, and simple method to evaluate immune responses and WB should be diluted to trigger immune cells.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 한국진공학회 2015년도 제49회 하계 정기학술대회 초록집
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• pp.245-245
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• 2015

Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) 박막 태양전지는 높은 효율과 낮은 제조비용, 높은 신뢰성으로 인해 박막 태양전지 중 가장 각광받고 있다. 특히 유리기판 대신 가볍고 유연한 철강소재나 플라스틱 소재를 이용하여 발전분야 외에 건물일체형, 수송용, 휴대용등 다양한 분야에 적용이 가능하다. 이러한 유연 기판을 이용한 CIGS 태양전지의 개발을 위해서는 기판의 특성에 따른 다양한 공정개발이 선행되어야 한다. 특히 CIGS 태양전지에서는 Na의 역할이 매우 중요한데 유연기판의 경우 이러한 Na이 없을 뿐만 아니라 철강기판의 경우 Fe, Ni, Cr등의 불순물이 확산되어 흡수층의 특성을 저하시켜 효율을 감소시킨다. 따라서 이러한 철강 기판의 경우 불순물의 확산을 방지하는 확산방지막이 필수적이다. 또한 플라스틱기판의 경우 내열성이 낮아 저온에서 공정을 진행해야하는 단점이 있다. 이러한 유연기판의 특성을 고려하여 본 연구에서는 유연기판으로 STS 430 stainless steel과 poly-imide를 이용하여 특성 개선을 진행하였다. 먼저 stainless steel과 Poly-imide, soda-lime glass, coning glass의 기판을 이용하여 기판에 따른 흡수층의 특성을 비교 분석하였으며 stainless steel 기판을 이용하여 확산 방지막의 유무 및 두께에 따른 흡수층 및 소자의 특성을 분석하였다. 이때 확산 방지막은 기존 TCO 공정에서 사용되는 i-ZnO를 사용하였으며 RF sputter를 이용하여 50~200nm로 두께를 달리하며 특성 비교를 실시하였다. 이때 효율은 확산방지막을 적용하지 않았을 때 약 5.9%에서 확산 방지막 적용시 약 10.6%로 증가하였다. 또한 poly-imide 기판을 이용하여 $400^{\circ}C$이하에서 흡수층을 제조하여 특성평가를 진행하였으며 소자 제조 후 효율은 약 12.2%를 달성하였다. 모든 흡수층은 Co-Evaporation 방법을 이용하여 제조하였으며 제조된 흡수층은 SEM, XRF, XRD, GD-OES, PL, Raman등을 이용하여 분석하였으며 그 외 일반적인 방법을 이용하여 Mo, CdS, TCO, Al grid를 제조하였다. AR 코팅은 제외 하였으며 제조된 소자는 솔라 시뮬레이터를 이용하여 효율 특성 분석을 실시하였으며 Q.E. 분석을 실시하였다.

• Macromolecular Research
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• 제17권5호
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• pp.325-331
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• 2009

The synthesis and the characterization of crosslinked ABC triblock copolymer, i.e. polystyrene-b-poly (hydroxyethyl methacrylate)-b-poly(styrene sulfonic acid), (PS-b-PHEMA-b-PSSA) is reported. PS-b-PHEMA-b-PSSA triblock copolymer at 20:10:70 wt% was sequentially synthesized via atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The middle block was crosslinked by sulfosuccinic acid (SA) via the esterification reaction between -OH of PHEMA and -COOH of SA, as demonstrated by FTIR spectroscopy. As increasing amounts of SA, ion exchange capacity (IEC) continuously increased from 2.13 to 2.82 meq/g but water uptake decreased from 181.8 to 82.7%, resulting from the competitive effect between crosslinked structure and the increasing concentration of sulfonic acid group. A maximum proton conductivity of crosslinked triblock copolymer membrane at room temperature reached up to 0.198 S/cm at 3.8 w% of SA, which was more than two-fold higher than that of Nafion 117(0.08 S/cm). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis clearly showed that the PS-b-PHEMA-b-PSSA triblock copolymer is microphase-separated with a nanometer range and well developed to provide the connectivity of ionic PSSA domains. The membranes exhibited the good thermal properties up to $250^{\circ}C$ presumably resulting from the microphase-separated and crosslinked structure of the membranes, as revealed by thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA).

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 한국진공학회 2013년도 제44회 동계 정기학술대회 초록집
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• pp.473-473
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• 2013

전자종이, 입을 수 있는 디스플레이, 플렉서블 터치 스크린, 투과성 면 등과 같은 차세대 플렉서블 투명 전자소자는 기계적으로 유연하고 광학적으로 투명하며 무게가 가벼운 특성을 지녀야 할 것으로 예상된다. 현재까지는Indium tin oxide (ITO), zinc tin oxide (ZTO), carbon nano tube (CNT)와 polyimide 계열의 물질들이flexible, wearable, and transparent electronics (FWTEs) 소자의 electrode, active channel, dielectric layers로 제안되어 활발히 연구되었다. 최근에는 높은 이동도(~200,000 cm2/Vs) 및 유연성(fracture strain of 30%), 투명도 (97.5% for monolayer)와 같은 특성을 갖는 그래핀에 대한 연구가 활발히 진행되고 있다. 그러나 그래핀을 차세대 플렉서블 투명 전자소자 구현에 적용하기 위해서는 플렉서블하고 투명한 절연체의 확보 및 그래핀의 진성(intrinsic) 특성 유지 등과 같은 문제점들을 해결해야 한다. 따라서, 본 연구팀에서는 그래핀 기반 플렉서블 투명 전자소자의 게이트 절연층으로 적합한 poly-4-vinylphenol/poly (melamineco-formaldehyde) (PVP/PMF) 물질을 제시하고 이에 대한 전기적 재료적 분석을 수행하였다. 특히 다양한 PVP와 PMF의 비율 및 가열(annealing 혹은 curing) 온도에서 형성된 PVP/PMF 층의 화학 및 전기적 특성을 FT-IR, I-V, 그리고 C-V 측정을 통해 확인하였다. PVP/PMF는 유기절연 물질의 하나로서 높은 유연성과 투명도를 갖고 있을 뿐만 아니라 그래핀에 적용 시 그래핀의 진성 특성을 확보할 수 있다. 이는 PVP/PMF에 존재하는 hydroxyl (-OH) 그룹과 그래핀 상에서 정공(hole)을 공급하는 것으로 알려져 있는 -OH 그룹들간의 cross-linking 메커니즘에 의한 것으로 예상된다. 마지막으로 최적화된 PVP/PMF (낮은 hysteresis 전압)를 게이트 절연층에 적용하여 polyethylene terephthalate (PET) 기판 및 연구원의 손가락 위에 95.8%의 투명도 및 0에 가까운 Dirac point를 갖는 그래핀 기반 플렉서블 투명 전자소자를 성공적으로 집적하였다.

• Macromolecular Research
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• 제15권5호
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• pp.412-417
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• 2007

In the present study, crosslinked poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) membranes were prepared at different temperatures using poly(styrene sulfonic acid-co-maleic acid) (PSSA_MA) (PVA:PSSA_MA = 1:9). The hybrid mem-branes were prepared by varying the TEOS content between 5 and 30 wt%. The PSSA_MA was used both as a crosslinking agent and the hydrophilic group donor ($-SO_3H$ and/or-COOH). The proton conductivity increased with up to 20 wt% TEOS, but decreased above this level, although the water content decreased with increasing TEOS content. This result suggests that the silica doped into the membrane improved the formation of proton-conduction pathways due to the absorption of molecular water. The PVA/PSSA_MA/Silica containing TEOS 20% showed both high proton conductivity (0.026 S/cm at $90^{\circ}C$) and low methanol permeability ($5.55{\times}10^{-7}cm^2/s$).