• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.285-290
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• 2008

Effects of titanium dioxide nanoparticles on blood coagulation and platelet aggregation were investigated using diluted whole blood and platelet rich plasma (PRP) solution prepared from human and rat blood, respectively. Blood coagulation was monitored by using a whole blood impedance aggregometer and titanium dioxide nanoparticle (10, 20, and 40 ppm) did not show any effect on the coagulation both in human and in rat blood. When platelet aggregation was measured by turbidometric method after addition of titanium dioxide nanoparticles to PRP solution with final concentrations of 1, 5 and 10 ppm. no aggregation was observed.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.424-430
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• 2010

Immuno-modulatory activities of peptides from Asterias amurensis were investigated using a nano-encapsulation process. The molecular weights of the peptides in the range of 5-7 kDa were separated using Sephadex G-75 gel filtration. Eighty-five percent of the nano-particles were in the 300 nm range using dynamic light scattering. The cytotoxicity of the A. amurensis nano-particles against CCD-986sk human dermal fibroblast cells was 11.64% after adding 1.0 mg/mL of the samples, which was lower than that from the control (13.28% collagen). The secretion of $NO^-$ from macrophages was estimated as $40\;{\mu}M$ after adding 1.0 mg/mL of gelatin nano-particles, which was higher than the others. Prostaglandin $E_2$ production from UV-induced human skin cells decreased greatly to 860 pg/mL after adding 1.0 mg/mL of the samples. Confocal microscopy revealed that nano-particles effectively penetrated the cells within 1 hour. From these results, we consider that nano-encapsulation of the peptides from A. amurensis can improve their biological functions.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.43-48
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• 2017

Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery are major methods to treat cancer. However, current cancer treatments report severe side effects and high recurrences. Recent studies about engineering nanoparticles as a drug carrier suggest possibilities in terms of specific targeting and spatiotemporal release of drugs. While many nanoparticles demonstrate lower toxicity and better targeting results than free drugs, they still need to improve their performance dramatically in terms of targeting accuracy, immune responses, and non-specific accumulation at organs. One possible way to overcome the challenges is to make precisely controlled nanoparticles with respect to size, shape, surface properties, and mechanical stiffness. Here, we demonstrate $500{\times}200nm$ discoidal polymeric nanoconstructs (DPNs) as a drug delivery carrier. DPNs were prepared by using a top-down fabrication method that we previously reported to control shape as well as size. Moreover, DPNs have multiple payloads, poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA), polyethylene glycol (PEG), lipid-Rhodamine B dye (RhB) and Salinomycin. In this study, we demonstrated a potential of DPNs as a drug carrier to treat cancer.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.496-507
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• 2018

Immunization has been performed for centuries and is generally accepted as a sustainable method of controlling bacteria, viruses, and mediated and infectious diseases. Despite many studies having been performed on animal subjects to demonstrate the importance of toxin immunity, the use of toxoid vaccines in humans and animals has been limited for a long time. Recently, the development of the toxoid antigen delivery system has been facilitated using novel nano-medicinal technology. The micro/nano-carrier has been used to improve vaccination coverage as well as reduce vaccine costs. A micro/nano-carrier is a micro/nano-sized material that delivers immune cargo, including recombinant or peptide toxoid antigens. These toxoid antigens are either encapsulated in the interior or displayed on the surface of micro/nano-carriers as a way to protect them from the cellular machinery. In particular, the combination of toxoid antigens and micro/nano-carriers can induce phagocytosis through the specific interactions between GCs and macrophages; thus, the toxoid antigens can be delivered easily into the macrophages. This paper reviews recent achievements of micro/nano-carriers in the field of vaccine delivery systems such as microbial ghost cells (GCs, Bacterial ghost cells and Yeast ghost cells), gene-manipulated outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) and biocompatible, polymer-based nanoparticles (NPs, NP-Carrier and NP-Cage). Finally, this review shows various aspects in terms of the hosts' immune responses.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.164-171
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• 2014

A highly sensitive and selective non-enzymatic glucose sensor has gained great attention because of simple signal transformation, low-cost, easily handling, and confirming the blood glucose as the representative technology. Until now, glucose sensor has been developed by the immobilization of glucose oxidase (GOx) on the surface of electrodes. However although GOx is quite stable compared with other enzymes, the enzyme-based biosensors are still impacted by various environment factors such as temperature, pH value, humidity, and toxic chemicals. Non-enzymatic sensor for direct detecting glucose is an attractive alternative device to overcome the above drawbacks of enzymatic sensor. Many efforts have been tried for the development of non-enzymatic sensors using various transition metals (Pt, Au, Cu, Ni, etc.), metal alloys (Pt-Pb, Pt-Au, Ni-Pd, etc.), metal oxides, carbon nanotubes and graphene. In this paper, we show that Ni-based nano-particles (NiNPs) exhibit remarkably catalyzing capability for glucose originating from the redox couple of $Ni(OH)_2/NiOOH$ on the surface of ITO electrode in alkaline medium. But, these non-enzymatic sensors are nonselective toward oxidizable species such as ascorbic acid the physiological fluid. So, the anionic polymer was coated on NiNPs electrode preventing the interferences. The oxidation of glucose was highly catalyzed by NiNPs. The catalytically anodic currents were linearly increased in proportion to the glucose concentration over the 0~6.15 mM range at 650 mV versus Ag/AgCl.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.08a
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• pp.185-185
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• 2012

중공 발광 나노 물질은 특유의 구조적 특성(낮은 밀도, 높은 비표면적, 다공성 물질, 낮은 열팽창계수 등)과 광학적 성질을 이용하여 디스플레이 패널, 광결정, 약물전달체, 바이오 이미징 라벨 등의 다양한 적용이 가능하다. 이러한 적용에 있어 균일한 크기와 형태의 중공 입자는 필수 조건으로 여겨진다. 지금까지 합성된 중공 발광 입자에는 BaMgAl10O17 : Eu2+-Nd3+, Gd2O3 : Eu3+, $EuPO_4{\cdot}H_2O$과 같은 것들이 있으나 크기 조절이 어렵고, 그 균일성이 확보되지 못하였다. 균일한 크기의 중공 발광 입자를 만들기 위해 SiO2나 emulsion을 템플릿으로 이용하여 황화카드뮴, 카드뮴 셀레나이드 중공 입자를 합성한 예가 있으나, 양자점의 독성으로 인하여 바이오분야 응용에는 적합하지 않다. YAG는 모체로써 형광체에서 가장 많이 이용되는 물질로, 화학적 안정성과 낮은 독성, 높은 양자 효율 등 많은 장점을 갖고 있다. 특히 세륨이 도핑된 YAG형광체의 경우 WLED, 신틸레이터, 바이오산업에 적용이 가능하다. 그러나 지금까지 중공 YAG:Ce3+형광체를 합성한 예가 없었다. 본 연구에서는 단분산 수화 알루미늄 (Al(OH)3) 입자 위에 세륨이 도핑 된 이트륨 베이직 카보네이트 ($Y(OH)CO_3$)를 균일하게 코팅한 후 열처리를 하여 균일한 크기의 Y3Al5O12:Ce3+(YAG) 중공 입자를 합성하였다. 열처리 온도에 따른 고분해능 투과 전자 현미경(HRTEM), X-선 회절(XRD), 고분해능 에너지 분광법(HREDX) 분석결과, 중공 YAG: Ce3+입자는 Kirkendall 효과에 의해 형성됨을 확인하였다. 전계방사형 주사 전자 현미경(FE-SEM) 측정을 통해, 열처리 후에도 입자의 크기와 형태가 균일함을 확인하였으며, 공초점 현미경 관찰을 통해 중공 형태를 명확히 확인 할 수 있었다. Photoluminescence (PL) 분광법과 형광 수명 이미징 현미경(FLIM)을 이용한 광 특성 분석결과, 합성된 입자는 400-500 nm에서 흡수 파장 (456 nm에서 최대 강도)과 500-700 nm 범위의 발광 파장(544 nm에서 최대 강도)을 나타냈고, 상용 YAG: Ce3+(70 ns)에 준하는 74 ns의 잔광 시간(decay time)이 측정되었다. 단분산 수화 알루미늄 입자의 크기를 조절하여 최종 합성된 YAG: Ce3+의 크기를 조절할 수 있었다. 지름 약 600 nm의 Al(OH)3를 사용한 경우, $1,300^{\circ}C$에서 열처리를 한 후 평균 지름 590 nm의 중공입자를 합성하였고, 약 170 nm의 Al(OH)3를 이용하여, 더 낮은 온도인 $1,100^{\circ}C$에서의 열처리를 통해 평균지름 140 nm의 중공 YAG: Ce3+입자를 합성하였다. 본 연구를 통하여 합성된 균일한 크기의 YAG 중공입자는 LED와 같은 광전변환 소자 및 다기능성 바이오 이미징 등의 나노바이오 소자 분야에 활용될 수 있음이 기대된다.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.352.1-352.1
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• 2016

양자점은 나노미터 크기의 반도체 결정으로 밴드갭에 따라 광학적, 전기적 성질이 달라지는 독특한 성질을 가지는 형광물질으로 활발히 연구되고 있다. 중금속을 기반으로 한 양자점은 높은 발광효율과 광안전성을 가지며, 가시광선 영역에서 빛을 내는 특징을 가지고 있다. 그러나 중금속을 사용하기 때문에 독성이 있어 인체나 환경에 유해하여 응용 연구에 제한적이다. 반면에, 탄소 기반의 양자점은 중금속 기반의 양자점과 비슷한 성질을 가질 뿐만 아니라, 높은 용해도와 낮은 독성으로 인해 생체적합성이 높다는 장점이 있다. 이를 이용하여 발광다이오드(LEDs), 태양전지, 광촉매 뿐만 아니라 바이오이미징, 바이오센서 등 생물학분야에도 응용 될 수 있다. 본 연구에서는 Bottom-up 합성 방법으로 유기전구체를 이용하여 질소를 함유하고 있는 양친매성 탄소 양자점(N-GQDs)을 합성하였다. 합성에 사용한 유기전구체는 기존에 보고된 유기전구체와 다르게 반응 진행 중에도 pH 측정 결과 중성을 나타내며, 반응 온도($225^{\circ}C$)와 유사한 온도에서도 pH 값은 여전히 6.0 이상의 값을 나타냈다. 중성을 띄는 특징으로 인해 추가적인 산제거 과정이나 표면안정화 과정이 필요 없다는 장점을 가지고 있다. 합성된 N-GQDs는 높은 결정성의 원형구조를 가지며, 원자힘현미경(AFM) 분석을 통해 높이가 ~ 1.5 nm 미만으로 3층 이하의 두께로 형성되었음을 확인하였다. 또한, 적외선 분광법(FT-IR) 분석을 통해 O-H기, 방향족 고리의 C = C (또는 C = N)기 및 C-N기가 각각 ~3250, ~1670과 ~1140 cm-1에서 확인할 수 있다. 합성된 양자점을 유기태양전지의 active layer에 소량(2 wt%) 첨가하여 양자점의 광학적, 전기적 성질을 확인하였다. 비교군 유기태양전지보다 N-GQDs가 첨가된 유기태양전지의 외부양자효율(PCE)이 7.3%에서 8.4%로 약 20%가 증가하는 것을 보였다. 이는 양자점이 상대적으로 흡수가 약한 단파장 영역의 빛을 흡수하고 PL을 내어 active layer로 에너지 트랜스퍼 현상이 일어나 전자전달을 원활하게 해 주기 때문이다. 앞으로 본 연구의 가능성과 추가적인 연구를 통해 더 많은 분야에 응용되기를 기대한다.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.105-108
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• 2008

In the recent years, increasing interests are being focused on the rational functionalization of the CNTs by some creative methods. However, the considerable toxicity of CNT is still a controversialissue and limits its biological application. To improve the biocompatibility of CNT, in this work we prepared CNT-$TiO_2$ nanocomposites with CNT and organic titanium precursors. Our observations demonstratethat the modified interface could accelerate the heterogeneous electron transfer rates and thusenhance the relevant detection sensitivity, suggesting its potential application as the new strategy for the development of the biocompatible and multi-signal responsive biosensors for the early diagnosis of cancers.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.333-339
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• 2009

In this study, we investigated the biological toxicity of nano-scale Zn (0.1, 0.5, and 1 mol%)-doped $TiO_2$ and pure $TiO_2$ nanoparticles using zebrafish embryogenesis as our model organism. Zn-doped $TiO_2$ nanoparticles were prepared using a conventional hydrothermal method for the insertion of zinc into the $TiO_2$ framework. The characters of Zn-doped $TiO_2$ (0.1%, 0.5%, 1%Zn) and pure $TiO_2$ were about 7~8 nm. These sizes were smaller than 100~200 nm of $TiO_2$ was prepared using the sol-gel method. Particularly, in this study, we found no significant biological toxicity in the hatching rate and abnormal rate under expose pure $TiO_2$ and Zn-doped $TiO_2$ nanoparticles were prepared using a conventional hydrothermal method of zebrafish. It was different from the biological damage under $TiO_2$ nanoparticles were prepared using sol-gel method. We assessed that the damage was not linked to the particle's nanometer size, but rather due to the prepare method. Moreover, $TiO_2$ nanoparticles were prepared using a hydrothermal method were not shown to cause cytotoxic effects, like apoptosis and necrosis, that are the major markers of toxicity in organisms exposed to nanomaterials. Therefore, there is some relationship with biological toxicity of nanoparticles and the prepare method of nanometer size particles.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.257-265
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• 2008

Nanotechnology is emerging as one of the key technologies of the 21 st century and is expected to enable one to broaden the applicability across a wide range of sectors that can benefit public and improve industrial competitiveness. Already, consumer products containing nanomaterials are available in markets including coatings, computers, clothing, cosmetics, sports equipment and medical devices. Recently, Institute of Occupational Medicine in UK reported an occupational hygiene review for nanoparticles in the viewpoint of nanotoxicity. They reported that the exposure control is very important issues in workplace for exposure assessment, but no proper methods are available to measure the extent of exposures to nanoparticles in the workplace. Therefore, for the estimation of exposure of nanomaterials, we have to approach the material-balance methodology, which similarly carried out in TRI (toxic release inventory) for hazardous chemicals. In order to use this methodology, the exposure source of nanomaterials should be determined firstly. Therefore, herein we investigated the main sources and processes for the exposure to nanomaterals by conducting the survey. The results could be used to define and assess nanohazard sources.