• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.685-709
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• 2014

Carbon nanotubes are due to their outstanding mechanical properties destined for a wide range of possible applications. Since the knowledge of the material behavior is vital regarding the possible applications, experimental and theoretical studies have been conducted to investigate the properties of this promising material. The aim of the present research is the calculation of mechanical properties and of the mechanical behavior of single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). The numerical simulation was performed on basis of a molecular mechanics approach. Within this approach two different issues were taken into account: (i) the nanotube geometry and (ii) the modeling of the covalent bond. The nanotube geometry is captured by two different approaches, the roll-up and the exact polyhedral model. The covalent bond is modeled by a structural molecular mechanics approach according to Li and Chou. After a short introduction in the applied modeling techniques, the results for the Young's modulus for several SWCNTs are presented and are discussed extensively. The obtained numerical results are compared to results available in literature and show an excellent agreement. Furthermore, deviations in the geometry stemming from the different models are given and the resulting differences in the numerical findings are shown. Within the investigation of the deformation mechanisms occurring in SWCNTs, the basic contributions of each individual covalent bond are considered. The presented results of this decomposition provide a deeper understanding of the governing deformation mechanisms in SWCNTs.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.266-272
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• 2002

Although the reptational model of Doi and Edwards gives a successful description of viscoelasticity of flexible linear polymers, the success is restricted to the terminal region./sup 1/ There have been several attempts to modify the Doi-Edwards model to describe wider range of time or frequency./sup 2-6/ This paper suggests a simple phenomenological model which can describe wider range of molecular weight than such molecular models can. Although our model is a phenomenological one, it is practical and convenient to predict the effect of molecular weight distribution on linear viscoelastic data because of its simple mathematical form.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.1212-1220
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• 2013

The human coagulation factor XI (FXI) is a serine protease that plays a significant role in blocking of the blood coagulation cascade as an attractive antithrombotic target. Selective inhibition of FXIa (an activated form of factor XI) disrupts the intrinsic coagulation pathway without affecting the extrinsic pathway or other coagulation factors such as FXa, FIIa, FVIIa. Furthermore, targeting the FXIa might significantly reduce the bleeding side effects and improve the safety index. This paper reports on a docking-based three dimensional quantitative structure activity relationship (3D-QSAR) study of the potent FXIa inhibitors, the chloro-phenyl tetrazole scaffold series, using comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA) and comparative molecular similarity analysis (CoMSIA) methods. Due to the characterization of FXIa binding site, we classified the alignment of the known FXIa inhibitors into two groups according to the docked pose: S1-S2-S4 and S1-S1'-S2'. Consequently, highly predictive 3D-QSAR models of our result will provide insight for designing new potent FXIa inhibitors.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.30 no.11
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• pp.2723-2728
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• 2009

The conformational properties of oligosaccharides are important to understand carbohydrate-protein interactions. A trimannoside, methyl 3,6-di-O-($\alpha$-D-Man)-$\alpha$-D-Man (TRIMAN) is a basic unit of N-linked oligosaccharides. This TRIMAN moiety was further modified by GlcNAc (BISECT), which is important to biological activity of N-glycan. To characterize the trimannoside and its bisecting one we performed a molecular dynamics simulation in water. The resulting models show the conformational transition with two major and minor conformations. The major conformational transition results from the $\omega$ angle transition; another minor transition is due to the $\psi$ angle transition of $\alpha$ (1 $\rightarrow$ 6) linkage. The introduction of bisecting GlcNAc on TRIMAN made the different population of the major and minor conformations of the TRIMAN moiety. Omega ($\omega$) angle distribution is largely changed and the population of gt conformation is increased in BISECT oligosaccharide. The inter-residue hydrogen bonds and water bridges via bisecting GlcNAc residue make alterations on the local and overall conformation of TRIMAN moiety. These changes of conformational distribution for TRIMAN moiety can affect the overall conformation of N-glycan and the biological activity of glycoprotein.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.12
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• pp.2121-2132
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• 2018

Abnormal melanin synthesis results in several hyperpigmentary disorders such as freckles, melanoderma, age spots, and other related conditions. In this study, we investigated the anti-melanogenic effects of an extract from the microalgae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (CE) and potential mechanisms responsible for its inhibitory effect in B16F10, normal human epidermal melanocyte cells, and human skin-equivalent models. The CE extract showed significant dose-dependent inhibitory effects on ${\alpha}$-melanocyte-stimulating, hormone-induced melanin synthesis in cells. Additionally, the CE extract exhibited suppressive effects on the mRNA and protein expression of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor, tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein-1, and tyrosinase-related protein-2. The CE extract also inhibited the phosphorylation of protein kinase A and extracellular signal-related kinase, which function as upstream regulators of melanogenesis. Using a three-dimensional, reconstructed pigmented epidermis model, the CE-mediated, anti-pigmentation effects were confirmed by Fontana-Masson staining and melanin content assays. Taken together, CE extract can be used as an anti-pigmentation agent.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.66.4-66.4
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• 2019

NGC 6822 is a dwarf irregular galaxy whose metal abundance is lower than of the Large Magellanic Cloud. Hubble V is the brightest HII complex where molecular clouds surround the core cluster of OB stars. Because of its proximity (d = 500 kpc), we can resolve the star-forming regions on parsec scales (1 arcsec = 2.4 pc). Using the high-resolution (R = 45,000) near-infrared spectrograph, IGRINS, we observed molecular hydrogen emission lines from photo-dissociation regions (PDRs) and $Br{\gamma}$ emission line from ionized regions. In this presentation, we compare our data PDR models in order to derive the density distribution of the molecular clouds on parsec scales and to estimate the total mass of the clouds.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.27 no.8
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• pp.677-692
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• 2007

In this study, university students were provided with repeated opportunities to represent their ideas graphically, and to examined via their drawings the extent to which they could visualize macroscopic phenomena microscopically. These drawings provided insight into the students' basic understanding of solution chemistry, revealing three conceptual models: the Undifferentiated Symbolic Model, the Particulate Model, and the Symbolic Ionic Model. Generally speaking, students who had poor conceptual understanding tended to exhibit the Undifferentiated Symbolic Model, whereas students with deeper understanding tended to employ the Symbolic Ionic Model. Students' conceptual comprehension was predictable from their graphical representations, which better elucidated what they actually comprehended about the phenomena, as opposed to their ambiguous verbal descriptions alone. The results of this study demonstrated a lack of development in university students' conceptions of solutions. Their weakness in understanding at the molecular-level became more obvious when they were asked to represent their ideas in drawings. Few students exhibited expert knowledge, and several common misconceptions were found, which indicated typical difficulties students have perceiving common phenomena at the molecular level. The findings of this study illustrate how eliciting graphical representations can be used to assess students' conceptual understandings.

• BMB Reports
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.114-119
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• 2023

Liver fibrosis is caused by chronic liver damage and results in the aberrant accumulation of extracellular matrix during disease progression. Despite the identification of the HAT enzyme p300 as a major factor for liver fibrosis, the development of therapeutic agents targeting the regulation of p300 has not been reported. We validated a novel p300 inhibitor (A6) on the improvement of liver fibrosis using two mouse models, mice on a choline-deficient high-fat diet and thioacetamide-treated mice. We demonstrated that pathological hall-marks of liver fibrosis were significantly diminished by A6 treatment through Masson's trichrome and Sirius red staining on liver tissue and found that A6 treatment reduced the expression of matricellular protein genes. We further showed that A6 treatment improved liver fibrosis by reducing the stability of p300 protein via disruption of p300 binding to AKT. Our findings suggest that targeting p300 through the specific inhibitor A6 has potential as a major therapeutic avenue for treating liver fibrosis.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.15-24
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• 2015

Fatty acid synthase (FASN, EC 2.3.1.85), is a multi-enzyme dimer complex that plays a critical role in lipogenesis. This lipogenic enzyme has gained importance beyond its physiological role due to its implications in several clinical conditions-cancers, obesity, and diabetes. This has made FASN an attractive pharmacological target. Here, we have attempted to predict the theoretical models for the human enoyl reductase (ER) and ${\beta}$-ketoacyl reductase (KR) domains based on the porcine FASN crystal structure, which was the structurally closest template available at the time of this study. Comparative modeling methods were used for studying the structure-function relationships. Different validation studies revealed the predicted structures to be highly plausible. The respective substrates of ER and KR domains-namely, trans-butenoyl and ${\beta}$-ketobutyryl-were computationally docked into active sites using Glide in order to understand the probable binding mode. The molecular dynamics simulations of the apo and holo states of ER and KR showed stable backbone root mean square deviation trajectories with minimal deviation. Ramachandran plot analysis showed 96.0% of residues in the most favorable region for ER and 90.3% for the KR domain, respectively. Thus, the predicted models yielded significant insights into the substrate binding modes of the ER and KR catalytic domains and will aid in identifying novel chemical inhibitors of human FASN that target these domains.

• Composites Research
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.260-264
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• 2015

In this paper, molecular dynamics (MD) simulation was carried to predict thermo-mechanical behaviors for carbon nanotube (CNT) reinforced epoxy composites and to analyze the trends. Total of six models having the volume fractions of CNT from 0 to 25% in epoxy were constructed. To predict thermal behaviors, temperature was increased constantly from 300 to 600 K, and the glass transition temperature ($T_g$) and coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) analyzed using the relationship between temperature and specific volume. The elastic moduli that represented to the mechanical behaviors were also predicted by constant strain. Additionally, the effects of functionalization of CNT on mechanical behaviors of composite were analyzed. Models were constructed to represent CNTs functionalized by nitrogen doping and COOH groops, and interfacial behaviors and elastic moduli were analyzed. Results showed that the agglomerations of CNTs in epoxy cause by perturbations of thermo-mechanical behaviors, and the functionalization of CNTs improved the interfacial response as well as mechanical properties.