• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.49-55
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• 2018

In this study, we investigated the cellular protective effects and mechanisms of nicotiflorin and its aglycone kaempferol isolated from Annona muricata. The protective effect of these components against $^1O_2$-induced cell damage was also studied by using L-ascorbic acid and (+)-${\alpha}$-tocopherol as controls. Kaempferol exhibited the most potent protective effect, followed by (+)-${\alpha}$-tocopherol and nicotiflorin. L-Ascorbic acid did not exhibit any cellular protective effects. To elucidate the mechanism underlying protective effects, the quenching rate constant of the singlet oxygen, free radical-scavenging activity, ROS-scavenging activity, and uptake ratio of the erythrocyte membrane were measured. The results showed that the cell membrane penetration is a key factor determining the cellular protective effect of kaempferol and its glycoside nicotiflorin. The result from L-ascorbic acid demonstrated that the cellular protective effect of a compound depends on its ability to penetrate the cell membrane and is independent of its antioxidant capacity. In addition, it is suggested that cellular protective effects of kaempferol and (+)-${\alpha}$-tocopherol depend not only on the cell permeability, but also on free radical- and ROS-scavenging activities. These results indicate that the cell permeability and free radical- and ROS- scavenging activities of antioxidants are major factors affecting the protection of cell membranes against the oxidative damage induced by photosensitization reaction.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.208-227
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• 2013

Twenty-seven bronze bowls excavated from the Goryo burial complex at Deobu-gol were examined for their microstructure and chemical composition to characterize the bronze technology practiced by commoners at the time. Results showed that the objects examined can be classified into four groups: 1) objects forged out of Cu-near 22%Sn alloys and then quenched; 2) objects cast from Cu-below 10% Sn alloys containing lead; 3) objects cast from Cu-10%~20% Sn alloys containing lead and then quenched; 4) objects forged out of Cu-10~20% Sn alloys containing lead and then quenched. This study revealed that the fabrication technique as determined by alloy compositions plays an important role in bronze technology. The use of lead was clearly associated with the selection of quenching temperatures, the character of inclusions and the color characteristics of bronze surfaces. It was found that the objects containing lead were quenched at temperatures of $520^{\circ}{\sim}586^{\circ}C$ while those without lead were quenched at the range of $586^{\circ}{\sim}799^{\circ}C$. The presence of selenium in impurity inclusions was detected only in alloys containing lead, suggesting that the raw materials, Cu and Sn, used in making the lead-free alloys for the first group were carefully selected from those smelted using ores without lead contamination. Furthermore, the addition of lead was found to have significant effects on the color characteristics of the surface of bronze alloys when they are subjected to corrosion during interment. In leaded alloys, corrosion turns the surface light green or dark green while in unleaded alloys, corrosion turns the surface dark brown or black. It was found that in fabrication, the wall thickness of the bronze bowls varies depending on the application of quenching; most of the quenched objects have walls 1mm thick or below while those without quenching have walls 1mm thick or above. Fabrication techniques in bronze making usually reflect social environments of a community. It is likely that in the late Goryo period, experiencing lack of skilled bronze workers, the increased demand for bronze was met in two ways; by the use of chief lead instead of expensive tin and by the use of casting suitable for mass production. The above results show that the Goryo bronze workers tried to overcome such a resource-limited environment through technological innovations as apparent in the use of varying fabrication techniques for different alloys. Recently, numerous bronze objects are excavated and available for investigation. This study shows that with the use of proper analytical techniques they can serve as a valuable source of information required for the characterization of the associated technology as well as the social environment leading to the establishment of such technology.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.33 no.9
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• pp.3055-3060
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• 2012

A simple, rapid and sensitive spectrofluorometric method was developed for the determination of folic acid (FA), based on its quenching effect on the fluorescence intensity of enoxacin (ENX)-europium ($Eu^{3+}$) complex as a fluorescent probe. Fluorometric interaction between ENX-$Eu^{3+}$ complex and FA was studied using UV-visible and fluorescence spectroscopy. The quenched fluorescence intensity at an emission wavelength of 614 nm was proportional to the concentration of FA. Optimum conditions for the determination of FA were investigated. Under optimal conditions, the reduced fluorescence intensity at 614 nm was responded linearly with the concentration of FA. The linearity was maintained in the range of $1.25{\times}10^{-9}$ to $1.50{\times}10^{-7}$ M (R = 0.9986) with the limit of detection ($3S_b/m$) (where $S_b$ is the standard deviation of blank and m is the slop of linear calibration curve) of $6.94{\times}10^{-10}$ M. The relative standard deviation (RSD) for 9 repeated measurements of $1.0{\times}10^{-9}$ M FA was 1.42%. This method was simple, cost effective, and relatively free of interference from coexisting substances. Successful determinations of FA in pharmaceutical formulation and biological samples with the developed method were demonstrated.

• Rapid Communication in Photoscience
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.70-72
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• 2014

Visible-light irradiation of MeCN solution containing di(hydroxo)metallo(tetraphenyl)porphyrin complex $(tppM(OH)_2$: 1a; $M=Sb(V)^+Br^-$, 1b; $M=P(V)^+Cl^-$, 1c; M=Ge(IV)) and 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME) as a substrate under aerated condition gave bis(2-hydroxyethyl)disulfide (2-HEDS) as an oxidative product of 2-ME. It is indicated that the oxidation of 2-ME should proceed with a photocatalytic process by 1, because the turn over number (TON) for the formation of 2-HEDS was over unit. The TON was determined to be 642 as a maximum value when 1a was used as a sensitizer. The formation of 2-HDES was extremely slow under argon atmosphere. The fluorescence of 1 was not quenched by 2-ME at all, and the free energy change (${\Delta}G$) with electron transfer (ET) from 2-ME to excited triplet state of $1(^31^*)$ was estimated as a negative value. The quenching rate constant ($k_r$) of $^31^*$ by 2-ME, obtained by the kinetics for the formation of 2-HEDS, strongly depends on ${\Delta}G$. These findings indicate that 1-sensitized oxidation was initiated by photoinduced ET from 2-ME to $^31^*$ to generate both radical cation of 2-ME ($2-ME^{+\bulle}$) and porphyrin radical anion ($1^{-\bulle}$), resulting that the formation of 2-HEDS can be proceeded by the dimerization of $2-ME^{+\bulle}$, and through a catalytic cycle due to returning to 1 by the ET from $1^{-\bulle}$ to molecular oxygen.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.722-729
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• 2005

With the aim to improve the specificity and to reduce the cytotoxicity of polyethylenimine (PEI), we have synthesized the conjugates of the branched PEI (25 kDa) with transferrin. The trans-ferrin-PEI (TP) conjugates with five compositions were synthesized using periodate oxidation method and confirmed by FT-IR spectroscopy and gel permeation chromatography. The free amine contents of TP conjugates, which were able to condense and deliver DNA, increased as the amount of PEI increased. TP/DNA polyplexes were characterized by measuring gel elec-trophoresis, ethidium bromide fluorescence quenching, particle size and zeta potential of complexes. Complete complexation of the polyplexes was observed above the N/P ratio of 5 in TP/DNA, and above 3 in PEI/DNA, respectively. The zeta potential of the complexes decreased as the amount of transferrin in TP conjugates increased. Transfection efficiency of TP conjugates was evaluated in HeLa cell and Jurkat cell systems. Among the five compositions of TP conjugates, TP-2 system mediated a higher $\beta$-galactosidase gene expression than PEI system in Jurkat cell which was known to express elevated numbers of transferrin receptors. From the results of the cell viability based on MTT assay, TP conjugates showed lower cytotoxicity com-pared with the PEI system. We expect that the TP conjugate can be used efficiently as a non-viral gene delivery vector.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.23 no.8
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• pp.430-434
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• 2013

Quantum dots(QDs) with their tunable luminescence properties are uniquely suited for use as lumophores in light emitting device. We investigate the microstructural effect on the electroluminescence(EL). Here we report the use of inorganic semiconductors as robust charge transport layers, and demonstrate devices with light emission. We chose mechanically smooth and compositionally amorphous films to prevent electrical shorts. We grew semiconducting oxide films with low free-carrier concentrations to minimize quenching of the QD EL. The hole transport layer(HTL) and electron transport layer(ETL) were chosen to have carrier concentrations and energy-band offsets similar to the QDs so that electron and hole injection into the QD layer was balanced. For the ETL and the HTL, we selected a 40-nm-thick $ZnSnO_x$ with a resistivity of $10{\Omega}{\cdot}cm$, which show bright and uniform emission at a 10 V applied bias. Light emitting uniformity was improved by reducing the rpm of QD spin coating.At a QD concentration of 15.0 mg/mL, we observed bright and uniform electroluminescence at a 12 V applied bias. The significant decrease in QD luminescence can be attributed to the non-uniform QD layers. This suggests that we should control the interface between QD layers and charge transport layers to improve the electroluminescence.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.810-814
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• 2013

The thermodynamic parameters for the intercalative interaction of structurally related well known intercalators, 9-aminoacridine (9AA) and proflavine (PF) were determined by means of fluorescence quenching study. The fluorescence intensity of 9AA decreased upon intercalation to DNA, poly[$d(A-T)_2$] and poly[$d(G-C)_2$]. A van't Hoff plot was constructed from the temperature-dependence of slope of the ratio of the fluorophore in the absence and presence of a quencher molecule with respect to the quencher concentration, which is known as a Stern-Volmer plot. Consequently, the thermodynamic parameters, enthalpy and entropy change, for complex formation was calculated from the slope and y-intercept of the van't Hoff plot. The detailed thermodynamic profile has been elucidated the exothermic nature of complex formation. The complex formation of 9AA with DNA, poly[$d(A-T)_2$] and poly[$d(G-C)_2$] was energetically favorable with a similar negative Gibb's free energy. On the other hand, the entropy change appeared to be unfavorable for 9AA-poly[$d(G-C)_2$] complex formation, which was in contrast to that observed with native DNA and poly[$d(A-T)_2$] cases. The equilibrium constant for the intercalation of PF to poly[$d(G-C)_2$] was larger than that to DNA, and was the largest among sets tested despite the most unfavorable entropy change, which was compensated for by the largest favorable enthalpy. The favorable hydrogen bond contribution to the formation of the complexes was revealed from the analyzed thermodynamic data.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.1297-1303
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• 2020

In this study, nuclear radiation shielding and rigidity parameters of Y (0.1-x)B0.6Bi1.8O3La2x glassy system were investigated in order to determine it's suitability for use as nuclear radiation shielding materials. Therefore, a group of bismuth borate glass samples with La₂O₃ additive were synthesized using the technique of melt quenching. According to the results, the increase of the La₂O₃ additive increases the density of the glass samples and the mass attenuation coefficient (μ_m) values, whereas the half-value layer (HVL) and mean free path (MFP) values decrease. The effective atomic number (Z_eff) is also enhanced with an increment of both mass removal cross section for neutron (Σ_R) and absorption neutron scattering cross section (σ_abs). In addition to the other parameters, rigidity parameter values were theoretically examined. The increase of La₂O₃ causes some other important magnitudes to increase. These are the average crosslink density, the number of bonds per unit volume, as well as the stretching force constant values of these glass samples. These results are in concordance with the increase of elastic moduli in terms of the Makishima-Mackenzie model. This model showed an increase in the rigidity of the glass samples as a function of La₂O₃.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.117-121
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• 2010

$SnO_2-(1-x)P_2O_5-xB_2O_3$ glass system were prepared by melt-quenching technique in the compositional series containing 50, 55 and 60 mol% of $SnO_2$. Local structure of the glasses was investigated by Raman and FT-IR measurements. A large glass-forming region was found at the phosphate side of the ternary system with homogeneous glasses containing up to 5~25 mol% of $B_2O_3$. According as content of $B_2O_3$ increases, theraml expansion coefficient of glass decreased but transition temperature and softening temperature increased. Because these phenomenon changed local structure of glass. According as content of $B_2O_3$ increases, quantity of bridging oxygen increased. Also, according as content of $SnO_2$ increases, confirmed that quantity of non-bridging oxygen increases.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.177-183
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• 2012

Interruption of blood flow through coronary arteries and its subsequent restoration triggers the generation of a burst of reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to myocardial cell death. In this study, we determined whether a methanol extract of Cassia mimosoides var. nomame Makino could prevent myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury. When radical scavenging activity of the extract was measured in vitro using its ${\alpha}$,${\alpha}$-diphenyl-${\beta}$-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical quenching ability, the extract showed an activity slightly lower than that of ascorbic acid. Three days after oral administration of the extract (400 mg/kg/day) to rats, myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury was generated by 30 min of ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD), followed by 3 hr reperfusion. Compared with the vehicle-treated group, administration of the extract significantly reduced infarct size (IS) (ratio of infarct area to area at risk) in the extract-treated group by 28.3%. Reduction in the cellular injury was mediated by attenuation of Bax/Bcl-2 ratio by 33.3%, inhibition of caspase-3 activation from procaspase-3 by 40%, and subsequent reduction in the number of apoptotic cells by 66.3%. These results suggest that the extract attenuates myocardial injury in a rat model of ischemia-reperfusion by scavenging ROS, including free radicals, and consequently blocking apoptotic cascades. Therefore, intake of Cassia mimosoides var. nomame Makino might be beneficial for preventing ischemic myocardial injury.