• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.10
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• pp.4311-4317
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• 2014

Background: Nano-biotechnology is recognized as offering revolutionary changes in the field of cancer therapy and biologically synthesized gold nanoparticles are known to have a wide range of medical applications. Materials and Methods: Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) were biosynthesized with an aqueous extract of the red alga Corallina officinalis, used as a reducing and stabilizing agent. GNPs were characterized using UV-Vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive analysis (EDX) and Fourier transform infra-red (FT-IR) spectroscopy and tested for cytotoxic activity against human breast cancer (MCF-7) cells cultured in Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum, considering their cytotoxicty and effects on cellular DNA. Results: The biosynthesized GNPs were $14.6{\pm}1nm$ in diameter. FT-IR analysis showed that the hydroxyl functional group from polyphenols and carbonyl group from proteins could assist in formation and stabilization. The GNPs showed potent cytotoxic activity against MCF-7 cells, causing necrosis at high concentrations while lower concentrations were without effect as indicated by DNA fragmentation assay. Conclusions: The antitumor activity of the biosynthesized GNPs from the red alga Corallina officinalis against human breast cancer cells may be due to the cytotoxic effects of the gold nanoparticles and the polyphenolcontent of the algal extract.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.32 no.9
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• pp.3405-3410
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• 2011

We have investigated the cytotoxic potential of tellurium (Te) nanowires in BALB/3T3 fibroblast cells. Te nanowires were synthesized through an aqueous phase surfactant assisted method. Toxicological experiments, such as analysis of morphological changes, MTT assay, DAPI staining, and estimation of intracellular reactive oxygen species, were carried out to reveal the cytotoxic effects of Te nanowires. Te nanowires were found to be cytotoxic at all concentrations tested, in a dose-dependent manner. The UV/Vis spectra of Te nanowires suspended in a culture medium showed drastic changes and disappearance of two broad absorption peaks. The physicochemical properties such as, surface charge, size, and shape of Te nanowires were found to be altered during exposure of cells, due to the instability and agglomeration of nanowires in the culture medium. These results suggest that the chemical components of the DMEM medium significantly affect the stability of Te nanowires. In addition, TEM images revealed that necrosis was the basic pattern of cell death, which might stem from the formation of toxic moieties of tellurium, released from nanowire structures, in the bioenvironment. These observations thus suggest that Te nanomaterials may pose potential risks to environmental and human health.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.201-204
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• 2007

A novel self-humidifying composite membrane for the proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) at low humidity condition was developed. The $Pt/TiO_2 catalyst particles were synthesized via supercritical impregnation methods. Pt precursor was dissolved in supercritical carbon dioxide and impregnated onto $TiO_2$ particles. Pt precursors were platinum(II) acetylacetonate, Dimethyl(1,5-cyclooctadiene) platinum(II) and we controlled the ratio of Pt to $TiO_2$ The impregnated Pt precursor was converted to $TiO_2$ supported Pt nanoparticle under various reducing conditions. $TiO_2$ catalyst particles were dispersed uniformly into the Nafion solution, and then $Pt/TiO_2/Nafion$composite membrane was prepared using solution-cast method. The size, dispersion and content of the platinum had been characterized with Transmission Electron Micrograph (TEM), X-ray diffract ion (XRD) and Inductively Coupled Plasma - Atomic Emission Spectrometer (ICP-AES). The cell performance with the self-humidifying composite membrane was compared with a recast Nafion membrane under both humidified and dry conditions at 65 $^{\circ}C$.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.113-120
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• 2018

Chlorella, one single-cell green algae organism that lives autotrophically by photosynthesis, can directly suppress some plant diseases. The objective of this study was to determine whether pre-spraying with Chlorella fusca suspension could induce systemic acquired resistance (SAR) in cucumber plants against anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum orbiculare. In order to illustrate SAR induced by algae, infection structures in host cells were observed under a transmission electron microscope (TEM). Cytological changes as defense responses of host mesophyll cells such as accumulation of vesicles, formation of sheath around penetration hyphae, and thickness of cell wells adjoining with intracellular hyphae were demonstrated in cucumber leaves. Similar defense responses were also found in the plant pre-treated with DL-3-aminobutyric acid, another SAR priming agent. Images showed that defense response of host cells was scarcely observed in untreated leaf tissues. These cytological observations suggest that C. fusca could induce SAR against anthracnose in cucumber plants by activating defense responses of host cells.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2011.08a
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• pp.376-376
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• 2011

I-III-VI2 chalcopyrite compounds, particularly copper, indium, gallium selenide(Cu(InxGa1-x)Se2, CIGS), are effective light-absorbing materials in thin-film solar application. They are direct band-gap semiconductors with correspondingly high optical absorption coefficients. Also they are stable under long-term excitation. CIS (CIGS) solar cell reached conversion efficiencies as high as 19.5%. Several methods to prepare CIS (CIGS) absorber films have been reported, such as co-evaporation, sputtering, selenization, and electrodeposition. Until now, co-evaporation is the most successful technique for the preparation of CIS (CIGS) in terms of solar efficiency, but it seems difficult to scale up. CIS solar cells have been hindered by high costs associated with a fabrication process. Therefore, inorganic colloidal ink suitable for a scalable coating process could be a key step in the development of low-cost solar cells. Here, we will present the preparation of CIS photo absorption layer by a solution process using novel metal precursors. Chalcopyrite copper indium diselenide (CuInSe2) nanocrystals ranging from 5 to 20nm in diameter were synthesized by arrested precipitation in solution. For the fabrication of CIS photo absorption layer, the CuInSe2 colloidal ink was prepared by dispersing in organic solvent and used to drop-casting on molybdenum substrate. We have characterized the nanoparticless and CIS layer by XRD, SEM, TEM, and ICP.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.140-144
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• 2017

$CuSbS_2$ (CAS) and $CuSbSe_2$ (CASe) nanocrystals (NCs), which consist of earth-abundant elements, were synthesized by a mechanochemical method. Elemental precursors such as copper, antimony, sulfur, and selenium were used without adding any organic solvents or additives. The NCs were synthesized by milling for a few hours. The sudden phase changes occurred by self-ignition and propagation, as previously observed in other mechanochemical synthetic processes. The XRD, Raman, and TEM analysis were carried out to determine the crystallinity and secondary phase of the as-synthesized CAS and CASe NCs, confirming the phase-pure synthesis of CAS and CASe. Optical properties were investigated by UV-Vis spectroscopy and it was observed that the band gap energies were about 1.1 and 1.5 eV, respectively for CAS and CASe, suggesting the potential for the use as solar cell materials. The NC colloids dispersed in anhydrous ethanol were prepared and coated on Mo substrates by a facile doctor-blade method. The investigation on the solar cell properties of the as-synthesized materials is underway.

• Journal of Haehwa Medicine
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.273-297
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• 1996

Hexane fraction of Oldenlandiae diffusae Herba(ODH) which was being used for the treatment of caner in oriental medicine showed the best cytotoxicity against L1210 and A549 in the solvent fractions. Antitumor substance isolated from hexane fraction of ODH was identified as ursolic acid(UA) by photometric analysis. IC50 of UA against cancer cells as SNU-1, HCT15, XF498, SK-MEL2 and A549 was $13{\mu}g/m{\ell}$, $15{\mu}g/m{\ell}$, $12{\mu}g/m{\ell}$, $9{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ and $11{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ respectively. It significantly inhibited the metastasis to lungs and kidneys from pulmonary colonization assay and study on histological changes of organs and showed the enhancing effect on B cell dosage-dependently by FACS analysis. T/C % of UA against S-180 cells was 171 % and its cytotoxicity against SNU-1 iant was confirmed from the morphological changes by elctronic microscopes such as SEM and TEM that it induced undulated membrane 4 hr after UA treatment, and the breakdown of cell membrane and nucleus 24 hr after UA treatment.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.549-555
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• 2019

Electrocatalysis of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) using Pt nanoparticles or bimetal on carabon was studied. Currently, the best catalyst is platinum, which is a limited resource and expensive to commercialize. In this paper, we investigated the cheaper and more active electrocatalysts by making Pt nanoparticles and adding 3D transition metal such as copper. Electrocatalysts were obtained by chemical reduction based on ethylene glycol solutions. Elemental analysis and particle size were confirmed by XRD and TEM. The electrochemical surface area (ECSA) and activity of the catalyst were determined by electrochemical techniques such as cyclic voltammetry and linear sweep voltammetry method. The commercialized Pt support on carbon (Pt/C, JM), synthesis Pt/C and synthesis Pt3Cu1 alloy nanoparticles supported on carbon were compared. We confirmed that the synthesized Pt3-Cu1/C has high electrochemical performance than commercial Pt/C. It is expected to develop an electrocatalyst with high activity at low price by increasing the oxygen reduction reaction rate of the fuel cell.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.47-57
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• 1996

This study analysed the transport properties of bladder mucosa known as the typical system of 'tight epithelia' by using TEM observation with both rapid freeze-fracture electron microscopy and thin-section method and mainly analysed the cellular characteristics of turtle bladder epithelial cells. The bladder epithelium, like other tight epithelia, consists of a heterogenous population of cells. The majority of the mucosal cells are the granular cells and may function primarily in the process of active $Na^+$ reabsorption in turtle bladder. The remaining two types of cells are rich in mitochondria and is believed to be res-ponsible for a single major transport system, namely, $H^+$ transport by A-type of cell and urinary $HCO_{3}^-$ secretion by B-type of cell. As viewed in freeze-fracture electron micrograph, the tight junctions form a continuous tight seal around the epithelial cells, thus restricting diffusion in tight epithelia. In addition, the apical surface membranes have a population of rod-shaped intramembranous particles (IMPs). It is believed that these IMPs probably represent the components of the proton pump. However, it is likely that these characteristics of the apical transporter remain to be clarified in tight epithelial cells.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2010.02a
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• pp.317-317
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• 2010

This paper reports syntheses of $TiO_2$ nanocubes and theirs application to DSSC. We synthesized $TiO_2$ nanocubes via solvothermal method using titanium isopropoxide (TTIP) and tetramethylammoiumhydroxide (TMAH). By adding longer alkyl chain ammonium hydroxide that slowed down the growth rate of the crystal, $TiO_2$ nanocubes were obtained with average particle size in the range of 40 nm to 70 nm. By TEM investigation, each particle was found to be single crystal of anatase having six-faces of (001) and {100} crystallographic planes truncated by {101} series of planes, which are clearly distinguishable from spherical nanoparticles. Among various application, utilizing nanocubes as photo-electrode in dye-sensitized solar cell, we investigated photo-electron conversion performances in comparison with spherical shaped $TiO_2$ nanoparticles by I-V characteristics and IPCE measurements, etc.. Photocurrent-transient analysis revealed that $TiO_2$ nanocubes have a higher transient electron transfer rate by more than 10 times compared with spherical particles of similar size. Fast electron transport along the cube edges having small curvature was suggested as a plausible origin of high diffusion coefficient of electron in nanocube $TiO_2$.