• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.59 no.5
• /
• pp.501-505
• /
• 2021

The pathogenic free-living amoeba Naegleria fowleri causes primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, a fatal infection, by penetrating the nasal mucosa and migrating to the brain via the olfactory nerves. N. fowleri can induce host cell death via lytic necrosis. Similar to phosphorylation, O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) glycosylation (O-GlcNAcylation) is involved in various cell-signaling processes, including apoptosis and proliferation, with O-GlcNAc addition and removal regulated by O-GlcNAc transferase and O-GlcNAcase (OGA), respectively. However, the detailed mechanism of host cell death induced by N. fowleri is unknown. In this study, we investigated whether N. fowleri can induce the modulation of O-GlcNAcylated proteins during cell death in Jurkat T cells. Co-incubation with live N. fowleri trophozoites increased DNA fragmentation. In addition, incubation with N. fowleri induced a dramatic reduction in O-GlcNAcylated protein levels in 30 min. Moreover, pretreatment of Jurkat T cells with the OGA inhibitor PUGNAc prevented N. fowleri-induced O-deGlcNAcylation and DNA fragmentation. These results suggest that O-deGlcNAcylation is an important signaling process that occurs during Jurkat T cell death induced by N. fowleri.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
• /
• v.11 no.3
• /
• pp.166-170
• /
• 2002

Artificial $BaTiO_3$(BTO)/$SrTiO_3$(STO) oxide superlattice have been deposited on MgO (100) single crystal substrate by pulsed laser deposition(PLD) method. The stacking periodicity of BTO/STO superlattice structure was varied from $BTO_{1\;unit\; cell}/STO_{1\;unit\; cell}$ to $BTO_{125\;unit\; cell}/STO_{125 \;unit \;cell}$ thickness with the total thickness of 100 nm. The result of X-ray diffraction showed the characteristics of superlattice in the BTO/STO multilayer structure. we have also confirmed that there was no interdiffusion at the interface between BTO and STO layers by high resolution transmission electron microscopy(HRTEM). The dielectric constant of superlattice increased with decreasing stacking periodicity of the BTO/STO superlattice within the critical thickness. The dielectric constant of the BTO/STO superlattice reached a maximum i.e., 1230 at a stacking perioicity of $BTO_{2\;unit\; cell}/STO_{2\;unit\; cell}$ .

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
• /
• v.9 no.3
• /
• pp.195-201
• /
• 2018

To enhance the performance of cathodes at low temperatures, a Cu-coated cathode is prepared, and its electrochemical performance is examined by testing its use in a single cell. At $620^{\circ}C$ and a current density of $150mAcm^{-2}$, a single cell containing the Cu-coated cathode has a significantly higher voltage (0.87 V) during the initial operation than does that with an uncoated cathode (0.79 V). According to EIS analysis, the high voltage of the cell with the Cu-coated cathode is due to the dramatic decrease in the high-frequency resistance related to electrochemical reactions. From XPS analysis, it is confirmed that the Cu is initially in the form of $Cu_2O$ and is converted into CuO after 150 h of operation, without any change in the state of the Ni or Li. Therefore, the high initial cell voltage is confirmed to be due to $Cu_2O$. Because $Cu_2O$ is catalytically active toward $O_2$ adsorption and dissociation, $Cu_2O$ on a NiO cathode enhances cell performance and reduces cathode polarization. However, the cell with the Cu-coated cathode does not maintain its high voltage because $Cu_2O$ is oxidized to CuO, which demonstrates similar catalytic activity toward $O_2$ as NiO.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
• /
• v.43 no.4
• /
• pp.161-170
• /
• 2011

Quercetin is one of the most distributed flavonoids in the plant kingdom and occurs naturally in a wide range of fruits and vegetables. This study was undertaken to determine whether quercetin exerts beneficial effect against necrotic and apoptotic cell death induced by hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O2$) in intestinal cells using the human-derived cultured T84 colonic epithelial cell line. Necrotic cell death was induced by exposing cells to 0.5 mM $H_2O_2$ for 2 h and apoptosis was induced by incubating cells in normal culture medium for 18 h following exposure of cells to 0.5 mM $H_2O2$ for 2 h. Cell viability was evaluated by the trypan blue exclusion assay and apoptosis was assessed by Hoechst 33258 staining and flow cytometry. $H_2O_2$ induced necrotic cell death in a time and dose-dependent fashion. Both necrotic and apoptotic cell deaths were not prevented by the antioxidants N,N'-diphenyl-p-phenylenediamine(DPPD) and Trolox, whereas both cell deaths induced by the organic hydroperoxide t-butylhydroperoxide (tBHP) were prevented by DPPD, suggesting that $H_2O_2$ induces cell death through a lipid peroxidation-independent mechanism. $H_2O2$-induced necrotic death was prevented by deferoxamine and 3-aminobenzamide, while the apoptotic cell death was not affected by these agents. Quercetin prevented both necrotic and apoptotic cell deaths induced by $H_2O_2$ in a dose-dependent manner. $H_2O_2$ caused activation of poly (ADP-ribose) polmerase (PARP), which was inhibited by deferoxamine, 3-aminobenzamide, and quercetin, but not DPPD. These results indicate that quercetin inhibits both necroticand apoptotic deaths of T84 cells. The anti-necrotic effect of quercetin may be attributed to its iron chelator activity rather than a direct $H_2O_2$ scavenging capacity and antioxidant. The present study suggests that quercetin may play a therapeutic role in the treatment of human gastrointestinal diseases mediated by oxidants.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.8 no.4
• /
• pp.251-256
• /
• 2002

This study was undertaken to determine the underlying mechanisms of reactive oxygen species-induced cell injury in renal epithelial cells and whether there is a difference in the role of lipid peroxidation between freshly isolated renal cells and cultured renal cells. Rabbit renal cortical slices were used as a model of freshly isolated cells and opossum kidney (OK) cells as a model of cultured cells. Cell injury was estimated by measuring lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release in renal cortical slices and frypan blue exclusion in OK cells. $H_2O$$_2$ was used as a drug model of reactive oxygen species. $H_2O$$_2$ induced cell injury in a dose-dependent manner in both cell types. However, renal cortical slices were resistant to $H_2O$$_2$ approximately 50-fold than OK cells. $H_2O$$_2$-induced cell injury was prevented by thiols (glutathione and dithiothreitol) and iron chelators (deferoxamine and phenanthroline) in both cell types. $H_2O$$_2$-induced cell injury in renal cortical slices was completely prevented by antioxidants N,N-diphenyl-p -phenylenediamine and Trolox, but the cell injury was not affected by these antioxidants in OK cells. $H_2O$$_2$ increased lipid peroxidation in both cell types, which was completely inhibited by the antioxidants. These results suggest that $H_2O$$_2$ induces cell injury through a lipid peroxidation-dependent mechanism in freshly isolated renal cells, but via a mechanism independent of lipid peronidation in cultured cells.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
• /
• v.46 no.6
• /
• pp.1142-1147
• /
• 2008

Nano-structured porous carbon fiber(PCF) for the catalyst supports of the direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) were prepared from the mesophase pitch by using the nano-MgO powders. Specific surface area of the PCFs was $8{\sim}58m^2/g$ and surface pore structures had almost meso pore diameter of 10~20 nm which were depending on the amount of MgO spheres. Aqueous reduction method was used to load 60 wt% PtRu on the prepared PCF supports. The electro-oxidation activity and single cell performance of the 60 wt% Pt-Ru catalysts were measured by cyclic voltammetry and unit cell test. The performances of these catalysts increased by 5~10% compared with one of commercial catalyst.

• International Journal of Molecular Medicine
• /
• v.46 no.5
• /
• pp.1923-1937
• /
• 2020

It has been suggested that oxidative stress involving reactive oxygen species (ROS) induces granulosa cell apoptosis, leading to follicular atresia, and that T-lymphokine-activated killer cell-originated protein kinase (TOPK) suppresses cancer cell apoptosis induced by several stimuli. However, it remains to be determined whether TOPK affects oxidative stress-induced granulosa cell apoptosis. The present study demonstrates that TOPK inhibition increases human granulosa COV434 cell apoptosis induced by hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). Co-treatment with the TOPK inhibitor, OTS514, in combination with H₂O₂ increased p53 acetylation and its expression, whereas it decreased Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) expression, contributing to the promotion of apoptosis. In addition, the SIRT1 activator, resveratrol, or the SIRT1 inhibitor, Ex527, reduced or elevated H₂O₂-induced COV434 cell apoptosis, respectively. Furthermore, the p53 inhibitor, Pifithrin-μ, diminished the augmentation in poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage induced by OTS514 plus H₂O₂, while the Mdm2 antagonist, Nutlin 3, increased PARP cleavage. Moreover, OTS514 further decreased the SIRT1 transcriptional activity decreased by H₂O₂, but promoted the H₂O₂-induced p53 or p21 transcriptional activity. Notably, the expression of exogenous p53 reduced SIRT1 transcriptional activity. Taken together, the findings of the present study demonstrate that TOPK inhibition promotes p53-mediated granulosa cell apoptosis through SIRT1 downregulation in response to H₂O₂. Therefore, it can be concluded that TOPK suppresses H₂O₂-induced apoptosis through the modulation of the p53/SIRT1 axis, suggesting a potential role of TOPK in the regulation of human granulosa cell apoptosis, leading to the promotion of abnormal follicular development.

• 한국정보디스플레이학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2009.10a
• /
• pp.1200-1203
• /
• 2009

A solution processed polymer tandem cell has been fabricated by using the organic layer coated crystalline $TiO_2$ nanoparticle inter layer. The highly dispersive OL-$TiO_2$ has several advantages in terms of excellent film forming property, crystallinity, optical transparency, and well defined chemical composition. The surface morphology of the $TiO_2$ thin film was found to play a crucial role in the performance of the polymer tandem cell. The stability of the tandem cell, utilizing dense $TiO_2$ nanoparticles inter layer, was superior to the stability of the single junction cell.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
• /
• 2012.02a
• /
• pp.211-211
• /
• 2012

The electrical loss of the photo-generated carriers is dominated by the recombination at the metal- semiconductor interface. In order to enhance the performance of the solar cells, many studies have been performed on the surface treatment with passivation layer like SiN, SiO2, Al2O3, and a-Si:H. In this work, Al2O3 thin films were investigated to reduce recombination at surface. The Al2O3 thin films have two advantages, such as good passivation properties and back surface field (BSF) effect at rear surface. It is usually deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique. However, ALD process is a very expensive process and it has rather low deposition rate. In this study, the ICP-assisted reactive magnetron sputtering method was used to deposit Al2O3 thin films. For optimization of the properties of the Al2O3 thin film, various fabrication conditions were controlled, such as ICP RF power, substrate bias voltage and deposition temperature, and argon to oxygen ratio. Chemical states and atomic concentration ratio were analyzed by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). In order to investigate the electrical properties, Al/(Al2O3 or SiO2,/Al2O3)/Si (MIS) devices were fabricated and characterized using the C-V measurement technique (HP 4284A). The detailed characteristics of the Al2O3 passivation thin films manufactured by ICP-assisted reactive magnetron sputtering technique will be shown and discussed.

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
• /
• v.14 no.4
• /
• pp.45-49
• /
• 2015

Using a combined CVD and ALD equipment system, multi-layer quantum well structures of $Al_2O_3/a-Si/Al_2O_3$ were fabricated on silicon Schottky junction devices and implemented to quantum well solar cells, in which the 1~1.5 nm thicknesses of the aluminum oxide films and the a-Si thin film layers were deposited at $300^{\circ}C$ and $450^{\circ}C$, respectively. Fabricated solar cell was operated by tunneling phenomena through the inserted quantum well structure being generated electrons on the silicon surface. Efficiency of the fabricated solar cell inserted with multi-quantum well of 41 layers has been increased by about 10 times that of the solar cell of pure Schottky junction solar cell.