• Membrane Journal
• /
• v.32 no.1
• /
• pp.33-42
• /
• 2022

Growing industrialization leads to severe water pollution. Organic effluents from pharmaceuticals and textile industries released in wastewater adversely affect the environment and human health. Presence of antibiotics used for antibacterial treatment in wastewater leads to the growth of drug resistance bacteria, which is very harmful for human being. Various small organic molecules are used for the preparation of organic dye molecules in the textile industries. These molecules hardly degrade, which is present in the wastewater effluents from printing and dyeing industries. In order to address these problems, photoactive catalyst is embedded in the membrane and wastewater are passed through it. Through this process, organic molecules are photodegraded and at the same time, the degraded compounds are separated by the membrane. Titanium dioxide (TiO₂) is a semiconductor which behave as excellent photocatalyst. Photocatalytic ability is enhanced by the making its composite with other transition metal oxide and incorporated into polymeric membrane. In this review, the degradation of dye and drug molecules by photocatalytic membrane are discussed.

• Interdisciplinary Bio Central
• /
• v.3 no.1
• /
• pp.3.1-3.16
• /
• 2011

Investigation of the genetic functions in complex biological systems is a challenging step in recent year. Hence, several valuable and interesting research projects have been developed with novel ideas to find out the unknown functions of genes or proteins. To validate the applicability of their novel ideas, various approaches are built up. To date, the most promising and commonly used approach for discovering the target proteins from biological system using small molecule is well known a forward chemical genetics which is considered to be more convenient than the classical genetics. Although, the forward chemical genetics consists of the three basic components, the target identification is the most challenging step to chemical biology researchers. Hence, the diverse target identification methods have been developed and adopted to disclose the small molecule bound protein. Herein, in this review, we briefly described the first two parts chemical toolbox and screening, and then the target identifications in forward chemical genetics are thoroughly described along with the illustrative real example case study. In the tabular form, the different biological active small molecules which are the successful examples of target identifications are accounted in this research review.

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.38-42
• /
• 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 Information Display
• /
• v.4 no.3
• /
• pp.1-5
• /
• 2003

Laser-Induced Thermal Imaging (LITI) is a laser addressed patterning process and has unique advantages such as high-resolution patterning with over all position accuracy of the imaged stripes of within 2.5 micrometer and scalability to large-size mother glass. This accuracy is accomplished by real-time error correction and a high-resolution stage control system that includes laser interferometers. Here the new concept of hybrid system that complement the merits of small molecule and polymer to be used as an OLED; our system can realize easy processing of light emitting polymers and high luminance efficiency of small molecules. LITI process enables the stripes to be patlerned with excellent thickness uniformity and multi-stacking of various functional layers without having to use any type of fine metal shadow mask. In this study, we report a full-color hybrid OLED using the multi-layered structure consisting of small molecules and polymers.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.40 no.8
• /
• pp.587-597
• /
• 2017

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are essential small RNA molecules that regulate the expression of target mRNAs in plants and animals. Here, we aimed to identify miRNAs and their putative targets in Hibiscus syriacus, the national flower of South Korea. We employed high-throughput sequencing of small RNAs obtained from four different tissues (i.e., leaf, root, flower, and ovary) and identified 33 conserved and 30 novel miRNA families, many of which showed differential tissuespecific expressions. In addition, we computationally predicted novel targets of miRNAs and validated some of them using 5' rapid amplification of cDNA ends analysis. One of the validated novel targets of miR477 was a terpene synthase, the primary gene involved in the formation of disease-resistant terpene metabolites such as sterols and phytoalexins. In addition, a predicted target of conserved miRNAs, miR396, is SHORT VEGETATIVE PHASE, which is involved in flower initiation and is duplicated in H. syriacus. Collectively, this study provides the first reliable draft of the H. syriacus miRNA transcriptome that should constitute a basis for understanding the biological roles of miRNAs in H. syriacus.

• Interdisciplinary Bio Central
• /
• v.4 no.4
• /
• pp.13.1-13.6
• /
• 2012

The advanced glycation endproducts receptor (AGER) is a multiligand signal transduction receptor. One of its ligands, S100b molecules activates vascular smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells via its receptor, thus triggering activation of signaling cascades and generation of cytokines and proinflammatory molecules. Ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme Ubc9 is an E2 conjugating enzyme that transfers the activated small ubiquitin-related modifier to protein substrates, and thus it plays a critical role in SUR-Mylation-mediated cellular pathways. Previous studies have shown that both AGE-R and Ubc9 play roles in diverse cellular signaling pathways. However, until recently, little attention has been paid to interactions between AGE-R and Ubc9. In this study, sequence database searches allowed us to identify a potential interaction motif between AGE-R and Ubc9. The subsequent biochemical and molecular biological analysis suggested that there may be specificity in AGE-R and Ubc9 complex signaling in atherosclerosis and cancer cells in a cell-type specific manner. Although the determinant for specificity in AGE-R and Ubc9 complex signaling in cancer cells and atherosclerosis is yet to be determined, this study provides the basis to develop a specific therapeutic application of AGE-R, SURM (small ubiquitin-related modifier)-1, and Ubc9 complex activation pathways in atherosclerosis, diabetes, cancer and inflammatory diseases.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.27 no.5
• /
• pp.878-895
• /
• 2017

Phosphorylation, a critical mechanism in biological systems, is estimated to be indispensable for about 30% of key biological activities, such as cell cycle progression, migration, and division. It is synergistically balanced by kinases and phosphatases, and any deviation from this balance leads to disease conditions. Pathway or biological activity-based abnormalities in phosphorylation and the type of involved phosphatase influence the outcome, and cause diverse diseases ranging from diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and numerous cancers. Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) are of prime importance in the process of dephosphorylation and catalyze several biological functions. Abnormal PTP activities are reported to result in several human diseases. Consequently, there is an increased demand for potential PTP inhibitory small molecules. Several strategies in structure-based drug designing techniques for potential inhibitory small molecules of PTPs have been explored along with traditional drug designing methods in order to overcome the hurdles in PTP inhibitor discovery. In this review, we discuss druggable PTPs and structure-based virtual screening efforts for successful PTP inhibitor design.

• Mass Spectrometry Letters
• /
• v.3 no.4
• /
• pp.87-92
• /
• 2012

In this study, we explored a new approach for generating ions of organics and biomolecules using contactless atmospheric pressure ionization (C-API). That is, a tapered capillary (~20 cm) was connected to a syringe, which was coupled to a syringe pump for providing a given flow rate to introduce sample solution to the proximity of a mass spectrometer. The gas phase ions derived from analytes were readily formed in the capillary outlet, which was very close to the mass spectrometer (~1 mm). No external electric connection was applied on the capillary emitter. This setup is very simple, but it can function as an ion source. This approach can be readily used for the analysis of small molecules such as amino acids and large molecules such as peptides and proteins. The limit of the detection of this approach was estimated to be ~10 pM when using bradykinin as the sample. Thus, we believe that this approach should be very useful for being used as an alternative ion source because of its low cost, high sensitivity, simplicity, and ease of operation.

• Mass Spectrometry Letters
• /
• v.6 no.3
• /
• pp.65-70
• /
• 2015

N-Alkyl/benzyl substituted isatin derivatives are intermediates and synthetic precursors for the preparation of biological active heterocycles. N-alkyl/benzyl isatins have showed various biological activities, such as cytotoxicity, antiviral, caspase inhibition, cannabinoid receptor 2 agonists for the treatment of neuropathic pain, etc. In this study, N-alkyl/benzyl isatin derivatives were synthesized from isatin and alkyl/benzyl halides in presence of K₂CO₃ in DMF and excellent to quantitative yields (~95%) were obtained. Isatins and benzyl-isatins were condensed with fluorescein hydrazide to form fluorescein hydrazone. All the compounds were subjected to their fragmentation behavior study using LC/MSⁿ. N-Alkyl substituted isatin derivatives fragmented at nitrogen-carbon (N-C) bond, hence gave daughter ion as [RN+H]⁺. Whereas, N-benzyl substituted isatin derivatives fragmented at carbon-carbon (C-C) bond of alkyl chain which linked with nitrogen molecules, therefore gave N-methyl fragments [RNCH₂]⁺. This study demonstrated that, isatin moiety present in a small/large molecule or in a matrix of reaction mixture with/without N-alkyl/benzyl substituents can be identified by mass spectroscopic fragmentation behavior study.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.22 no.9
• /
• pp.969-974
• /
• 2001

Model calculations for small molecules Li2, F2, LiF and BF have been performed at the Dirac-Fock level of theory using Dirac-Coulomb and Dirac-Coulomb-Magnetic Hamiltonians with various basis sets. In order to understand what may happen when the relativity becomes significant, the value of c, speed of light, is varied from the true value of 137.036 a.u. to 105 (nonrelativistic case) and also to 50 and 20 a.u. (exaggerated relativistic cases). Qualitative trends are discussed with special emphasis on the effect of the magnetic part of the Breit interaction term. The known relativistic effects on bonding such as the bond length contraction or expansion are demonstrated in this model study. Total energy, $\pi-orbital$ splitting, bond length, bond dissociation energy and dipole moment are calculated, and shown to be modified in a uniform direction by the effect of the magnetic term. Inclusion of the magnetic term raises the total energy, increases the bond length, reduces the $\pi-orbital$ splitting, increases the bond dissociation energy, and mitigates the changes in dipole moment caused by the Dirac term.