• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.18
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• pp.8191-8196
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• 2016

Inhibition of EGFR-EGF interactions forms an important therapeutic rationale in treatment of non-small cell lung carcinoma. Established inhibitors have been successful in reducing proliferative processes observed in NSCLC, however patients suffer serious side effects. Considering the narrow therapeutic window of present EGFR inhibitors, the present study centred on identifying high efficacy EGFR inhibitors through structure based virtual screening strategies. Established inhibitors - Afatinib, Dacomitinib, Erlotinib, Lapatinib, Rociletinib formed parent compounds to retrieve similar compounds by linear fingerprint based tanimoto search with a threshold of 90%. The compounds (parents and respective similars) were docked at the EGF binding cleft of EGFR. Patch dock supervised protein-protein interactions were established between EGF and ligand (query and similar) bound and free states of EGFR. Compounds ADS103317, AKOS024836912, AGN-PC-0MXVWT, GNF-Pf-3539, SCHEMBL15205939 were retrieved respectively similar to Afatinib, Dacomitinib, Erlotinib, Lapatinib, Rociletinib. Compound-AGN-PC-0MXVWT akin to Erlotinib showed highest affinity against EGFR amongst all the compounds (parent and similar) assessed in the study. Further, AGN-PC-0MXVWT brought about significant blocking of EGFR-EGF interactions in addition showed appreciable ADMET properties and pharmacophoric features. In the study, we report AGN-PC-0MXVWT to be an efficient and high efficacy inhibitor of EGFR-EGF interactions identified through computational approaches.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.12
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• pp.1791-1801
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• 2013

Diketopiperazine is produced by various organisms, including bacteria, fungi, and animals, and has been suggested as a novel signal molecule involved in the modulation of genes with various biological functions. Vibrio vulnificus, which causes septicemia in humans, produces cyclo($\small{L}$-phenylalanine-$\small{L}$-proline) (cFP). To understand the biological roles of cFP, the effect of the compound on the expression of the total mRNA in V. vulnificus was assessed by next-generation sequencing. Based on the transcriptomic analysis, we classified the cFP-regulated genes into functional categories and clustered them according to the expression patterns resulted from treatment with cFP. From a total of 4,673 genes, excepting the genes encoding tRNA in V. vulnificus, 356 genes were up-regulated and 602 genes were down-regulated with an RPKM (reads per kilobase per million) value above 3. The genes most highly induced by cFP comprised those associated with the transport and metabolism of inorganic molecules, particularly iron. The genes negatively regulated by cFP included those associated with energy production and conversion, as well as carbohydrate metabolism. Noticeably, numerous genes related with biofilm formation were modulated by cFP. We demonstrated that cFP interferes significantly with the biofilm formation of V. vulnificus.

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.38-42
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• 2016

We investigate the solution coating process of organic small molecules that are easily recrystallized in a solvent. The spin-coated films of small molecule N,N'-diphenly-N,N'-bis(1,1'-biphenyl)-4,4'-diamine (NPB) exhibit many aggregations on the surface and thus poor surface morphology. To tackle it, we have added a chain-entangled polymer poly(N-vinylcarbazole) (PVK) into the NPB solution. It is found that a small amount of PVK indeed prohibits the recrystallization of NPB in a solvent. By the addition of PVK (30 wt%), the peak-to-peak roughness of the films is reduced from 262 nm down to 2.7 nm, which is even lower than that (~5.1 nm) of the polymer film. It is also demonstrated that OLED with the PVK-mixed NPB film shows higher current and power efficiencies, compared to OLED with the NPB or PVK film. It is attributed that the addition of PVK into NPB suppresses the occurrence of leaky channels induced by the recrystallization phenomenon.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.331-338
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• 1975

The distribution of $^{51}Cr\;and\;^{128}I$ recoil species following radiative-neutron capture in chromates, dichromates, iodates and periodates has been investigated by using paper-electrophoresis. In view of the effective recoil energy and the effect of the internal conversion, it is unlikely that an atom which has captured a neutron can remain bound in its original molecule. It is also unlikely that the energy of the recoil atom is dissipated in heating a small region of the crystal. However, the results of paper-electrophoresis separation of recoil $^{51}Cr\;and\;^{128}I$ indicated that many more of the recoil atoms were bound in the parent molecule. The disorder model for the reaction was proposed from observations of retention. In considering cations, the greater their radii, the higher is the probability of the recoil atom breaking through the secondary cage. In ammonium salt, the ammonium ion behaved as a reducing agent in the disorder zone and resulted in low retention. Crystal structures with their greater free space have shown low retention.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.72-78
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• 2002

Background: The precise mechanism by which CTLA-4 regulates T cell immune responses is still not fully understood. Previously we proposed that CTLA-4 could downregulate T cell function by modulating a signaling cascade initiated from the T cell receptor complex. The evidence for this notion comes from our findings that CTLA-4 associated with the T cell receptor zeta (TCR zeta) chain, and hence regulated TCR zeta phosphorylation by co-associated SHP-2 tyrosine phosphatase (1). In this report, we investigated whether any other signaling molecules could be involved in the CTLA-4 signaling pathway. Methods: We have taken biochemical approaches, such as immunoprecipitation followed by autoradiography or immunoblotting, to identify the molecules associated with CTLA-4. To perform these assays, we used activated primary T cells and ectopically transfected 293 cells. Various truncation mutants of CTLA-4 were used to map the interaction site on CTLA-4. Results: We found that in addition to TCR zeta and SHP-2, a recently cloned small adaptor molecule, SAP (SLAM-associated protein), was also able to associate with CTLA-4. We identified the domain of SAP association in CTLA-4 being a motif involving GVYVKM. This motif has been previously found to bind SHP-2 through its phosphorylated tyrosine interaction with SH-2 domain of SHP-2. Indeed, co-expression of SAP and SHP-2 reduced their binding to CTLA-4 significantly, suggesting that SAP and SHP-2 compete for the common binding site, GVYVKM. Thus, by blocking SHP-2 recruitment SAP could function as a negative regulator of CTLA-4. Conclusion: Taken together, our data suggest the existence of complicate signaling cascade in regulating CTLA-4 function, and further provide evidence that SAP can act either as a positive or negative regulator depending on the nature of the associating receptors.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.97-102
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• 2005

NO adsorption can be used in synthesizing oxynitride thin films which have potential application in nanodevices. However, it is very difficult to understand the oxynitridation Process since too many factors are involved in it. In this paper, we present our first-principles molecular dynamics calculation of the NO molecule adsorption on the Si(001) surface as the initial stage of the oxynitridation process. The previous first-principles calculation has argued the NO molecule is dissociated with a very small activation barrier, 0.07eV, which acutally corresponds to 1.60eV considering thermodynamics. This is in clear contrast to the observation that NO is dissociated at temperatures as low as 20K From extensive searches of NO on the Si(001) surface, we have found the new dissociation processes that have the much lower activation energies, less than 0.01 eV. We also present the dissociation and penetration processes with the corresponding activation energies and discuss their experimental implications.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.281-285
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• 2002

The photophysical properties and the singlet oxygen generation efficiencies of meso-tetraphenyl-trithiasapphyrin $(S_3TPS)$ and meso-tetmkis(p-methoxy phenyl)-trithiasapphy rin ((p-MeO)-$S_3TPS$) have been investigated, utilizing steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopic methods to elucidate the possibility of their use as photosensitizers for photodynamic therapy (PDT). The observed photophysical properties were compared with those of other porphyrin-like photosensitizers in geometrical and electronic structural aspects, such as extended ${\pi}$ conjugation, structural distortion, and internal heavy atoms. The steady-state electronic absorption and fluorescence spectra were both red-shifted due to the extended ${\pi}$-conjugation. The fluorescence quantum yields were measured as very small. Even though intersystem crossing rates were expected to increase due to the increment of spin orbital coupling, the triplet quantum yields were measured as less than 0.15. Such characteristics can be ascribed to the more enhanced internal conversion rates compared with the intersystem crossing rates. Furthermore, the triplet state lifetimes were shortened to -1.0 ${\mu}s$ as expected. Therefore, the singlet oxygen quantum yields were estimated to be near zero due to the fast triplet state decay rates and the inefficient energy transfer to the oxygen molecule as well as the low triplet quantum yields. The low efficiencies of energy transfer to the oxygen molecule can be attributed to the lower oxidation potential and/or the energetically low lying triplet state. Such photophysical factors should be carefully evaluated as potential photosensitizers that have extended ${\pi}$-conjugation and heavy core atoms synthesized for red-shifted absorption and high triplet state quantum yields.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.9
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• pp.3817-3825
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• 2015

Background: The human protein methyl-transferase DOT1L catalyzes the methylation of histone H3 on lysine 79 (H3K79) at homeobox genes and is also involved in a number of significant processes ranging from gene expression to DNA-damage response and cell cycle progression. Inhibition of DOT1L activity by shRNA or small-molecule inhibitors has been established to prevent proliferation of various MLL-rearranged leukemia cells in vitro, establishing DOT1L an attractive therapeutic target for mixed lineage leukemia (MLL). Most of the drugs currently in use for the MLL treatment are reported to have low efficacy, hence this study focused on various natural compounds which exhibit minimal toxic effects and high efficacy for the target receptor. Materials and Methods: Structures of human protein methyl-transferase DOT1L and natural compound databases were downloaded from various sources. Virtual screening, molecular docking, dynamics simulation and drug likeness studies were performed for those natural compounds to evaluate and analyze their anti-cancer activity. Results: The top five screened compounds possessing good binding affinity were identified as potential high affinity inhibitors against DOT1L's active site. The top ranking molecule amongst the screened ligands had a Glide g-score of -10.940 kcal/mol and Glide e-model score of -86.011 with 5 hydrogen bonds and 12 hydrophobic contacts. This ligand's behaviour also showed consistency during the simulation of protein-ligand complex for 20000 ps, which is indicative of its stability in the receptor pocket. Conclusions: The ligand obtained out of this screening study can be considered as a potential inhibitor for DOT1L and further can be treated as a lead for the drug designing pipeline.

• Proceedings of the Korean Magnestics Society Conference
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• 2011.12a
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• pp.14-14
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• 2011

Limited understanding of the surface properties of $Pt_3Ni$ for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) has motivated the study of magnetic properties and electronic structures of Pt segregated $Pt_3Ni$ (111) surface during adsorption of oxygen molecule on it. The first principle method based on density functional theory (DFT) is carried out. Nonmagnetic Pt has induced magnetic moment due to strong hybridization between Ni 3d and Pt 5d. It is found that an oxygen molecule prefers bridge site with Pt rich subsurface environment for adsorption on the surface of Pt segregated $Pt_3Ni$ (111). It is seen that there is very small charge transfer from $O_2$ to Pt. The curve of energy versus magnetic moment of the oxygen explains the magnetic moments in transition states. We found the dissociation barrier of 1.07eV significantly higher than dissociation barrier 0.77eV on Pt (111) suggesting that the dissociation is more difficult on Pt segregated $Pt_3Ni$ (111) surface. The spin polarized densities of states are presented in order to understand electronic structures of Pt and $O_2$ during the adsorption in detail.

• Applied Science and Convergence Technology
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.151-155
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• 2015

The interfacial electronic structure between zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) and aluminumdoped zinc oxide (AZO) substrates has been evaluated by ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy and angle-dependent x-ray absorption spectroscopy to understanding the molecular orientation of a ZnPc layer on the performance of small molecule organic photovoltaics (OPVs). We find that the ZnPc tilt angle improves the ${\pi}-{\pi}$ interaction on the AZO substrate, thus leading to an improved short-circuit current in OPVs based on phthalocyanine. Furthermore, the molecular orientation-dependent energy level alignment has been analyzed in detail using ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy. We also obtained complete energy level diagrams of ZnPc/AZO and ZnPc/indium thin oxide.