• 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 Life Science
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.42-49
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• 2016

The retinoic acid (RA) plays an important role in the growth and development of many cells, and bioactive RA concentration is regulated by several enzymes, including CYP26A1. The expression of the CYP26A1 gene is regulated by RA, and the CYP26A1 gene is one of the candidates for RA-responsive genes. Although CYP26A1 genes are cloned from several animals, cloning of the CYP26A1 gene from cows has not been reported yet. The promoter region of CYP26A1 from cows was cloned by PCR and analyzed by sequence alignment with human and mouse CYP26A1. The RA-responsive element (RARE), DR-5 (ttggg), was located in this region and was perfectly conserved. The promoter region of bovine CYP26A1, which contains DR-5, was ligated to the luciferase reporter gene on transient transfection assays. The expression of CYP26A1-Luc promoter was activated by ATRA treatment in lung-derived mtCC cells. Co-transfection with RAR-α or -β with ATRA significantly activates the expression of CYP26A1-Luc promoter; however, it was less effective with either RAR-γ or RXR-γ. In addition, the endogenous gene expressions measured by Q-RT-PCR in mtCC cells were not significantly affected by ATRA treatment for 2 days; however, the expression of the endogenous CYP26A1 gene was diminished sharply at day 3 with ATRA treatment. In conclusion, the promoter region of bovine CYP26A1 contains conserved DR-5 RARE, which functions as a binding site for RAR-α or -β, and it is involved in the regulation of CYP26A1 gene expression and the control of RA signaling in mtCC cells.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.7-12
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• 2011

Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) is a biodegradable synthetic polymer with acceptable mechanical strength and well-controlled degradation rate. Also, it can be easily fabricated into many shapes. Silk fibroin contains powerful bioactive molecules. We fabricated natural/synthetic hybrid films using 0, 10, 20, 40 and 80 wt% of silk fibroin. Schwann cells (SCs) were seeded on PLGA/silk fibroin hybrid films and confirmed the effects of adhesion and proliferation on SCs according to the content of silk fibroin. In this study, we confirmed PLGA/silk fibroin hybrid film containing 40% and 80% of silk fibroin interrupted adhesion and proliferation of SCs. Films containing 10% and 20% of silk, however, provided suitable environment for growth and proliferation of SCs. These results suggest that silk fibroin provides suitables surface to neural cells and its proper content provides proper culture conditions to improve cell adhesion and proliferation.

• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.243-248
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• 2019

The respiratory tract is an essential part of the respiratory system involved in the process of respiration. However, if stenosis occurs, it interferes with breathing and can even lead to death. Asthma is a typical example of a reversible cause of airway narrowing, and the number of patients suffering from acute exacerbation is steadily increasing. Therefore, it is important to detect airway narrowing early and prevent the patient's condition from worsening. Optical coherence tomography (OCT), which has high resolution, is suitable for observing the microstructure of tissues. In this study we developed an endoscopic OCT system. We combined a 1300-nm OCT system with a servo motor, which can rotate at a high speed. A catheter was pulled back using a linear stage while imaging with 360° rotation by the motor. The motor was selected considering various requirements, such as torque, rotational speed, and gear ratio of pulleys. An ex vivo rabbit tracheal model was used as a sample, and the sample and catheter were immobilized by acrylic structures. The OCT images provided information about the structures of the mucosa and submucosa. The difference between normal and stenosed parts in the trachea was confirmed by OCT. Furthermore, through a three-dimensional (3-D) reconstruction process, it was possible to identify and diagnose the stenosis in the 3-D image of the airway, as well as the cross-sectional image. This study would be useful not only for diagnosing airway stenosis, but also for realizing 3-D imaging.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.201-205
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• 2007

Biodegradable polymers such as polylactide, polyglycolide and poly (lactide- co-glycolide) (PLGA) have been extensively investigated because of easily controlled drug release rate, completely degradable materials without the toxic by-product, and good biocompatibility. But, according to the bulk erosion property of PLGA in vitro test, it had the disadvantage that first-order release reduced releasing amount slowly after excessive initial burst. In this study we used PLGA powder obtained through recrystallization to revise bulk erosion property of PLGA. The PLGA used in this study was prepared by vacuum drying method and to estimate release profiles of BCNU loaded PLGA wafer. We also evaluated the release profile of drug with the water soluble additive. It was found that the drug loaded PLGA recrystallized by vacuum drying method exhibited the initial burst and the constant rate of drug release compared to that prepared by a conventional method.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.102-106
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• 2006

Magnetic nanoparticles can be used for a variety of biomedical applications. They can be used in the targeted delivery of therapeutic agents in vivo, in the hyperthermic treatment of cancers. in magnetic resonance (MR) imaging as contrast agents and in the biomagnetic separations of biomolecules. We have synthesized magnetite $(Fe_3O_4)$ nanoparticles using chemical coprecipitation technique with sodium oleate as surfactant. Nanoparticle size can be varied from 2 to 8nm by controlling the sodium oleate concentration. Magnetite phase nanoparticles could be observed from X-ray diffraction. Magnetic colloid suspensions containing particles with sodium oleate and chitosan have been prepared. Nanoparticles, both oleate-coated and chitosan-coated, have been characterized by several techniques. Atomic farce microscope (AFM) was used to image the coated nanoparticles. Magnetic hysteresis measurement were performed using a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer at room temperature to investigate the magnetic properties of the magnetite nanoparticles. The SQUID measurements revealed superparamagnetism of nanoparticles.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.170-175
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• 1998

This study was conducted to determine the effect of seminal sections of tuber and staking methods on growth and yield of a chinese yam (Dioscorea batatas Decne). Tuber was divided into top head, head, median and tail which were used as seminal sections of tuber. The emergence of shoots was delayed in median and tail sections by 15 days as compared with top head and head sections. Sections from head and tail exhibited yield increase as high as 16 and 15%, respectively, compared to top head sections. Although flowering and bubil setting occurred almost at the same time in all staking methods, fresh weight of stem and leaves was higher in ${\wedge}-$, I-type stake supporting net than in the conventional stake. In the cultivar, 'Dan-ma', tuber yield didn't show a meaningful increase statistically by all staking methods. But ${\wedge}-$ and I-type stake supporting net increased the yield of the cultivar, 'Jang-ma', as high as 11 and 8%, respectively, compared to conventional stake. Also I-type stake was ideal supportor of net, considering the cost of management.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.53-57
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• 2013

In here, we investigated the quantitative analysis method of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) with liquid chromatography-mass/mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) or gas chromatography-MS. Two ways of clean-up process were investigated for LC-MS/MS instrumental analysis of IAA, but both a simple dilution and hydrophile-lipophile balance (HLB) solid phase extraction (SPE) were not met the optimal recovery rates for quantitative analysis. On the other hand, the clean-up method for GC-MS was finally optimized through HLB-SPE from 250-folds diluted sample and methylation with trimethylsilyl chloride in methanol for 4 h. The limit of detection for methyl ester of IAA and IBA were both 1.4 mg/L, and recovery rates showed 93-107% from the concentrated liquid fertilizer.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.364-370
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• 2014

The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) plays an important role in maintaining a healthy retina and the degeneration of RPE caused a number of retinal diseases. The transplantation of RPE has recently become a possible therapeutic modality for retinal degeneration. To transplant RPE cells securely, substrates are essential, and then as a substrate, we fabricated films using silk that has unique mechanical properties and biocompatibility. After the FTIR spectra, contact angle and biodegradation of silk films were confirmed, RPE cells were seeded and the influence of RPE cells on silk films was examined. We measured the cell adhesion, cell viability, morphology and specific mRNA expression by MTT assay, SEM, immunofluorescence and RT-PCR. In this study, we confirmed that attachment, proliferation and phenotype maintenance of RPE cells cultured on silk films were great, and thereby we were able to confirm the potential applications of silk films as tissue engineering carrier for regeneration of retina.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.475-479
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• 2011

Chitosan is a natural polymer that has many physicochemical(polycationic, reactive OH and $NH_2$ groups) and biological(bioactive, biocompatible, and biodegradable) properties. In this study, chitosan nanoparticles were prepared using poly-${\gamma}$-glutamic acid(${\gamma}$-PGA) as gelling agent. Nanoparticles were formed by ionic interaction between carboxylic groups in ${\gamma}$-PGA and amino groups in chitosan. Chitosan(0.1~1 g) was dissolved in 100 ml of acetic acid (1% v/v) at room temperature and stirred overnight to ensure a complete solubility. An amount of 0.1 g of ${\gamma}$-PGA was dissolved in 90 ml of distilled water at room temperature. Chitosan solution was dropped through needle into beaker containing ${\gamma}$-PGA solution under gentle stirring at room temperature. The average particle sizes were in the range of 80~300 nm. The prepared chitosan/${\gamma}$-PGA nanoparticles were used to examine their removal of several heavy metal ions($Cd^{2+}$, $Pb^{2+}$, $Zn^{2+}$, $Cu^{2+}$, and $Ni^{2+}$) as adsorbents in aqueous solution. The heavy metal removal capacity of the nanoparticles was in the order of $Cu^{2+}$ > $Pb^{2+}$ > $Cd^{2+}$ > $Ni^{2+}$ > $Zn^{2+}$.