• Molecules and Cells
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.26-32
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• 2022

Living cells generate, sense, and respond to mechanical forces through their interaction with neighboring cells or extracellular matrix, thereby regulating diverse cellular processes such as growth, motility, differentiation, and immune responses. Dysregulation of mechanosensitive signaling pathways is found associated with the development and progression of various diseases such as cancer. Yet, little is known about the mechanisms behind mechano-regulation, largely due to the limited availability of tools to study it at the molecular level. The recent development of molecular tension probes allows measurement of cellular forces exerted by single ligand-receptor interaction, which has helped in revealing the hitherto unknown mechanistic details of various mechanosensitive processes in living cells. Here, we provide an introductory overview of two methods based on molecular tension probes, tension gauge tether (TGT), and molecular tension fluorescence microscopy (MTFM). TGT utilizes the irreversible rupture of double-stranded DNA tether upon application of force in the piconewton (pN) range, whereas MTFM utilizes the reversible extension of molecular springs such as polymer or single-stranded DNA hairpin under applied pN forces. Specifically, the underlying principle of how molecular tension probes measure cell-generated mechanical forces and their applications to mechanosensitive biological processes are described.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.425-431
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• 2018

Composite particles of porous silica and cerium oxide nanoparticles blocking UV/blue light were prepared through a dry coating process. Various composite particles were prepared by varying conditions such as the mixing ratio of cerium oxide and silica, and the chamber rotating speed of mechano fusion system. The surface morphology of the composite particles was observed with SEM and the composition was analyzed using X-ray fluorescence (XRF). When the cerium oxide/silica composite particles were dispersed in water, the transparency and dispersion stability of the colloidal solution were improved. In addition, the fluidity and spreadability of the particle powder were enhanced by making composite particles. These results show that cerium oxide/silica composite particles can be used as functional cosmetic ingredients for UV/blue light protection.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.279-287
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• 2013

Oxide Dispersion Strengthened (ODS) Fe with $Al_2O_3$ dispersoid was successfully produced by reactive milling with a mixture of Fe, $Fe_3O_4$ (Magnetite), $Fe_2O_3$ (Hematite) and Al reactants at cryogenic temperature. The milled powders were consolidated by Vacuum Hot Press (HP) at 1323 K, and the consolidated materials were characterized by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM), and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS); the yield strength and the hardness of the consolidated materials were determined by compressive test and Vickers hardness test at room temperature. The grain size of the materials was estimated by X-ray Diffraction technique using the scherrer's formula. The TEM observations showed that the microstructure was comprised with a mixture of nanocrystalline Fe matrix and $Al_2O_3$ nano-dispersoids with a bimodal size distribution; the 0.2% off-set yield strength of the materials was as high as $758{\pm}29$ MPa and the Vickers hardness was $358{\pm}2$. The effect of the cryogenic milling and addition of extra Fe powder was discussed on the suppression of MSR (Mechanically induced Self-sustaining Reaction) for the desired microstructural evolution of ODS alloys.