• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.202-207
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• 2024

This study examines a manufacturing process for the photoelectrode material of dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) intending to increase efficiency through the surface plasmon resonance phenomenon of nanoparticles with a composite structure made of Ag and TiO₂. This invention involves the use of Ag and TiO₂ nanoparticles in the solar cell. These nanoparticles cause surface plasmon resonance, which amplifies and scatters incident solar energy, enhancing the dye's rate of light absorption. It also makes it possible to absorb energy in wavelength ranges that were previously difficult to do, which increases efficiency. Centrifugal separation and heat synthesis are used to create the composite metal structures, and certain combinations are used to decide the particle morphologies. To increase the efficiency of organic solar cells and DSSC, the Ag/TiO₂ composite structure is therefore quite likely to be used.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.9
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• pp.1195-1208
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• 2022

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have potential applications in medicine, photocatalysis, agriculture, and cosmetic fields due to their unique physicochemical properties and strong antimicrobial activity. Here, AgNPs were synthesized using actinobacterial SL19 strain, isolated from acidic forest soil in Poland, and confirmed by UV-vis and FTIR spectroscopy, TEM, and zeta potential analysis. The AgNPs were polydispersed, stable, spherical, and small, with an average size of 23 nm. The FTIR study revealed the presence of bonds characteristic of proteins that cover nanoparticles. These proteins were then studied by using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and identified with the highest similarity to hypothetical protein and porin with molecular masses equal to 41 and 38 kDa, respectively. Our AgNPs exhibited remarkable antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The combined, synergistic action of these synthesized AgNPs with commercial antibiotics (ampicillin, kanamycin, streptomycin, and tetracycline) enabled dose reductions in both components and increased their antimicrobial efficacy, especially in the case of streptomycin and tetracycline. Furthermore, the in vitro activity of the AgNPs on human cancer cell lines (MCF-7, A375, A549, and HepG2) showed cancer-specific sensitivity, while the genotoxic activity was evaluated by Ames assay, which revealed a lack of mutagenicity on the part of nanoparticles in Salmonella Typhimurium TA98 strain. We also studied the impact of the AgNPs on the catalytic and photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange (MO). The decomposition of MO was observed by a decrease in intensity of absorbance within time. The results of our study proved the easy, fast, and efficient synthesis of AgNPs using acidophilic actinomycete SL19 strain and demonstrated the remarkable potential of these AgNPs as anticancer and antibacterial agents. However, the properties and activity of such particles can vary by biosynthesized batch.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2018.04a
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• pp.94-94
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• 2018

The gold (LC-AuNPs) and silver (LC-AgNPs) nanoparticles were rapidly synthesized by fruit extract of Lycium chinense within 1.15 and 25 min respectively in an eco-friendly way. The synthesized nanoparticles confirmed by relevant surface plasmon resonance peaks for gold and silver nanoparticles at 536 and 480 nm, respectively. FE-TEM results revealed that LC-AuNPs were 20-50 nm and LC-AgNPs were 50-100 nm. The maximum distribution of gold, silver elements and the crystallographic nature of synthesized were confirmed using EDX, elemental mapping and XRD. LC-AgNPs showed inhibitory activity against pathogenic microorganisms such as E. coli and S. aureus, whereas LC-AuNPs did not show inhibitory activity. The LC-AgNps nanoparticles exhibited significant cytotoxicity to human breast cancer MCF7 cell line and less cytotoxicity to non-diseased RAW264.7 (murine macrophage) cells whereas LC-AuNps showed minimal toxicity to both cell lines. In-depth research on this rapid, facile and greenery nanoparticles may play a potential role in biomedical applications.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.662-668
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• 2021

The aim of the present study was to design ascorbyl glucoside (AG) loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) to improve skin penetration of AG. AG loaded SLNs were prepared using double emulsion method. The prepared AG loaded SLNs investigated particle characteristics (particle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, loading capacity). Skin penetration study was carried out using SkinEthic RHE as one of the reconstructed human epidermis models. The mean particle size and zeta potential of SLNs were 172.65 - 347.19 nm and -22.90 - -41.20 mV, respectively. The loading capacity of AG loaded SLNs demonstrated that loading efficiency and loading amount were ranged from 44.18% to 57.77% and 12.83% to 16.15%, respectively. The results of penetration showed that all SLNs enhanced the skin penetration of AG and the amount of AG from SLNs were approximately 3.7 - 7.4 times higher than that from AG solution. Therefore, AG loaded SLN might be a promising topical drug delivery system.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2014

Here we report improved photo-catalytic effect of $Ag_2S$ under visible light using carbon nano-tubes (CNT) modified with $Ag_2S$ nanoparticles. The optical properties, structural properties and compositional analysis, as well as the photo-electrochemical properties of the prepared composites were investigated. It was found that the photocurrent density, and the photo-catalytic effect, was increased by modification of CNT in this way. Compared with the separate effects of $Ag_2S$ and CNT nanoparticles, the photocatalytic effect of CNT-modified-with-$Ag_2S$ composites, increased significantly due to a synergistic effect between the CNT and the $Ag_2S$ nanoparticles.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.19-24
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• 2012

In the present study, toxicity of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) was investigated in the nematode, Caenohabditis elegans focusing on the upstream signaling pathway responsible for regulating oxidative stress, such as mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades. Formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was observed in AgNPs exposed C.elegans, suggesting oxidative stress as an important mechanism in the toxicity of AgNPs towards C. elegans. Expression of genes in MAPK signaling pathways increased by AgNPs exposure in less than 2-fold compared to the control in wildtype C.elegans, however, those were increased dramatically in sod-3 (gk235) mutant after 48 h exposure of AgNPs (i.e. 4-fold for jnk-1 and mpk-2; 6-fold for nsy-1, sek-1, and pmk-1, and 10-fold for jkk-1). These results on the expression of oxidative stress response genes suggest that sod-3 gene expression appears to be dependent on p38 MAPK activation. The high expressions of the pmk-1 gene 48 h exposure to AgNPs in the sod-3 (gk235) mutant can also be interpreted as compensatory mechanisms in the absence of important stress response genes. Overall results suggest that MAPK-based integrated stress signaling network seems to be involved in defense to AgNPs exposure in C.elegans.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.263-270
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• 2016

Recent Engineered nanoparticles were increasingly exposed to environmental system with the wide application and production of nanomaterials, concerns are increasing about their environmental risk to soil and groundwater system. In order to assess the transport behavior of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), a saturated packed column experiments were examined. Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry and a DLS detector was used for concentration and size measurement of AgNPs. The column experiment results showed that solution chemistry had a considerable temporal deposition of AgNPs on the porous media of solid glass beads. In column experiment, comparable mobility improvement of AgNPs were observed by changing solution chemistry conditions from salts (in both NaCl and $CaCl_2$ solutions) to DI conditions, but in much lower ionic strength (IS) with $CaCl_2$. Additionally, the fitted parameters with two-site kinetic attachment model form the experimental breakthrough curves (BTCs) were associated that the retention rates of the AgNPs aggregates were enhanced with increasing IS under both NaCl and $CaCl_2$ solutions.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.297-302
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• 2016

Ag nanoparticles are extensively studied and utilized due to their excellent catalysis, antibiosis and optical properties. They can be easily synthesized by chemical reduction methods and it is possible to prepare particles of uniform size and high purity. These methods are divided into vapor methods and liquid phase reduction methods. In the present study, Ag particles are prepared and analyzed through two chemical reduction methods using solvents containing a silver nitrate precursor. When Ag ions are reduced using a reductant in the aqueous solution, it is possible to control the Ag particle size by controlling the formic acid ratio. In addition, in the Polyol process, Ag nanoparticles prepared at various temperatures and reaction time conditions have multiple twinned and anisotropic structures, and the particle size variation can be confirmed using field emissions scanning electron microscopy and by analyzing the UV-vis spectrum.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.649-655
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• 2021

Nanotechnology is widely considered a major technology of the twenty-first century. Nanoparticles (NPs) has been shown to pass through reproductively significant biological barriers such as the blood-testicle and placental barriers. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine the effect of silver Nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) on sperm-egg interaction and spermatozoa quality parameters in quail spermatozoa. Semen was suspended in Ringer solution containing Ag-NPs levels at 5.5 × 106 sperm/ml (0, 0.01, 0.1, 1 and 10 ppm). The results indicated that when sperm were counted at 0.1 ppm, the number of holes formed on the inner perivitelline layer was significantly increased compared to the control. The 10 ppm group had a significant reduction in sperm viability. At 0.1 and 1 ppm, the membrane integrity was significantly decreased (P < 0.05). All treatments (except 0.01 ppm Ag-NPs) had a significant (P < 0.05) effect on the percentage of spermatozoa with an intact acrosome when compared to the control group. At 0.1, 1, and 10 ppm Ag-NPs, morphological defects in the acrosome were observed. As a result, Ag-NPs is likely capable of destroying the acrosome membrane. This research indicates that Ag-NPs may be cytotoxic to spermatozoa by impairing sperm functionality and increasing sperm mortality.

• Mycobiology
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.27-34
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• 2012

Fifty three fungi isolated from soils of different microhabitats of eastern Himalayan range (3,400-3,600 msl) were screened for mycosynthesis of silver nanaoparticles (AgNPs) and their efficacy as antimicrobials were assessed in combination with commonly used antibiotics. Three isolates $Aspergillus$ $terreus$ SP5, $Paecilomyces$ $lilacinus$ SF1 and $Fusarium$ sp. MP5 identified based on morphological and 18S rRNA gene sequences were found to synthesize AgNPs. These nanoparticles were characterized by visual observation followed by UV-visible spectrophotometric analysis. The AgNPs synthesized by $Aspergillus$ $terreus$ SP5, $Paecilomyces$ $lilacinus$ SF1 and $Fusarium$ sp. MP5 showed absorbance maxima at 412, 419, and 421 nm respectively in the visible region. Transmission electron microscopy micrograph showed formation of spherical AgNPs of 5-50 nm size. The antimicrobial activity of the mycosynthesized nanoparticles were investigated alone and in combination with commonly used antibiotics for analysis of growth inhibition zone against test organisms, namely, $Staphylococcus$ $aureus$ MTCC96, $Streptococcus$ $pyogenes$ MTCC1925, $Salmonella$ $enterica$ MTCC735 and $Enterococcus$ $faecalis$ MTCC2729. The mycosynthesized nanoparticles showed potent antibacterial activity and interestingly their syngergistic effect with erythromycin, methicillin, chloramphenicol and ciprofloxacin was significantly higher as compared to inhibitions by AgNPs alone. The present study indicates that silver nanoparticles synthesized using soil borne indigenous fungus of high altitudes show considerable antimicrobial activity, deserving further investigation for potential applications.