• Title/Summary/Keyword: phase-contrast

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Development of New Reverse Micellar Microencapsulation Technique to Load Water-Soluble Drug into PLGA Microspheres

  • Kim Hyun Joo;Cho Mi Hyun;Sah Hong Kee
    • Archives of Pharmacal Research
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    • v.28 no.3
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    • pp.370-375
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    • 2005
  • The objective of this study was to develop a new reverse micelle-based microencapsulation technique to load tetracycline hydrochloride into PLGA microspheres. To do so, a reverse micellar system was formulated to dissolve tetracycline hydrochloride and water in ethyl formate with the aid of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide. The resultant micellar solution was used to dissolve 0.3 to 0.75 g of PLGA, and microspheres were prepared following a modified solvent quenching technique. As a control experiment, the drug was encapsulated into PLGA microspheres via a conventional methylene chloride-based emulsion procedure. The micro­spheres were then characterized with regard to drug loading efficiency, their size distribution and morphology. The reverse micellar procedure led to the formation of free-flowing, spherical microspheres with the size mode of 88 ~m. When PLGA microspheres were prepared follow­ing the conventional methylene chloride-based procedure, most of tetracycline hydrochloride leached to the aqueous external phase: A maximal loading efficiency observed our experimental conditions was below $5\%$. Their surfaces had numerous pores, while their internal architecture was honey-combed. In sharp contrast, the new reverse micellar encapsulation technique permitted the attainment of a maximal loading efficiency of 63.19 $\pm$$0.64\%$. Also, the microspheres had smooth and pore-free surfaces, and hollow cavities were absent from their internal matrices. The results of this study demonstrated that PLGA microspheres could be successfully prepared following the new reverse micellar encapsulation technique.

Deep neural network based prediction of burst parameters for Zircaloy-4 fuel cladding during loss-of-coolant accident

  • Suman, Siddharth
    • Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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    • v.52 no.11
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    • pp.2565-2571
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    • 2020
  • Background: Understanding the behaviour of nuclear fuel claddings by conducting burst test on single cladding tube under simulated loss-of-coolant accident conditions and developing theoretical cum empirical predictive computer codes have been the focus of several investigations. The developed burst criterion (a) assumes symmetrical deformation of cladding tube in contrast to experimental observation (b) interpolates the properties of Zircaloy-4 cladding in mixed α+β phase (c) does not account for azimuthal temperature variations. In order to overcome all these drawbacks of burst criterion, it is reasoned that artificial intelligence technique may be a better option to predict the burst parameters. Methods: Artificial neural network models based on feedforward backpropagation algorithm with logsig transfer function are developed. Results: Neural network architecture of 2-4-4-3, that is model with two hidden layers having four nodes in each layer is found to be the most suitable. The mean, maximum, and minimum prediction errors for this optimised model are 0.82%, 19.62%, and 0.004%, respectively. Conclusion: The burst stress, burst temperature, and burst strain obtained from burst criterion have average deviation of 19%, 12%, and 53% respectively whereas the developed neural network model predicted these parameters with average deviation of 6%, 2%, and 8%, respectively.

Suppression of Arsenic Trioxide-induced Apoptosis in HeLa Cells by N-Acetylcysteine

  • Han, Yong Hwan;Kim, Sung Zoo;Kim, Suhn Hee;Park, Woo Hyun
    • Molecules and Cells
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    • v.26 no.1
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    • pp.18-25
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    • 2008
  • Arsenic trioxide (ATO) can affect many biological functions such as apoptosis and differentiation in various cells. We investigated the involvement of ROS and GSH in ATO-induced HeLa cell death using ROS scavengers, especially N-acetylcysteine (NAC). ATO increased intracellular ${O_2}^{{\cdot}-}$ levels and reduced intracellular GSH content. The ROS scavengers, Tempol, Tiron and Trimetazidine, did not significantly reduce levels of ROS or GSH depletion in ATO-treated HeLa cells. Nor did they reduce the apoptosis induced by ATO. In contrast, treatment with NAC reduced ROS levels and GSH depletion in the ATO-treated HeLa cells and prevented ATO-induced apoptosis. Treatment with exogenous SOD and catalase reduced the depletion of GSH content in ATO-treated cells. Catalase strongly protected the cells from ATO-induced apoptosis. In addition, treatment with SOD, catalase and NAC slightly inhibited the G1 phase accumulation induced by ATO. In conclusion, NAC protects HeLa cells from apoptosis induced by ATO by up-regulating intracellular GSH content and partially reducing the production of ${O_2}^{{\cdot}-}$.

Effects of herbicide butachlor on Rhodospirillum rubrum KS-301 (Rhodospirillum rubrum KS-301에 미치는 제초제 butachlor의 영향)

  • 이경미;이현순
    • Korean Journal of Microbiology
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    • v.27 no.3
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    • pp.285-290
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    • 1989
  • The biololgical effect of the preemergence rice field herbicide, butachlor(commercial name, Machete) on purple nonsulfur photosynthetic bacterium Rhodospirillum rubrum KS-301 has been studied under cultural conditions. Bacterial growth showed a tendency to decline according to the degree of the concentration of butachlor until $10^{-3}$ M and slmost stopped at $10^{-2}$M. The growth inhibitory action at $10^{-3}$M of butachlor was evident (4.2-18.7% inhibition of growth rate) but had little effect in nitrogen fixation. Conversely, there was a little enhancement effect(1%) in pyruvate, dinitrogen gas growing cultures. At concentration of $10^{-3}$ M, instead of spiral form, rod shapes were observed through phase contrast microscope and instead of vesicular intracytoplasmic membrane, irregular tubular forms were observed through electron microscope. Alkaline pH value slightly reversed tha inhibitory action of butachlor.

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Enantiomeric Resolution of α-Amino Acid Derivatives on Two Diastereomeric Chiral Stationary Phases Based on Chiral Crown Ethers Incorporating Two Different Chiral Units

  • Kim, Hee-Jin;Choi, Hee-Jung;Cho, Yoon-Jae;Hyun, Myung-Ho
    • Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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    • v.31 no.6
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    • pp.1551-1554
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    • 2010
  • Two diastereomeric chiral stationary phases (CSPs) were applied to the liquid chromatographic resolution of various racemic ${\alpha}$-amino methyl esters, ${\alpha}$-amino N,N-diethylamides and ${\alpha}$-amino N-propylamides. The CSP incorporating (R)-3,3'-diphenyl-1,1'-binaphtyl and (R,R)-tartaric acid unit as chiral barriers did not show any chiral recognition. In contrast, the CSP incorporating (R)-3,3'-diphenyl-1,1'-binaphtyl and (S,S)-tartaric acid unit as chiral barriers was found to show excellent chiral recognition especially for the two enantiomers of ${\alpha}$-amino N-propylamides. Some of ${\alpha}$-amino methyl esters and ${\alpha}$-amino N,N-diethylamides were also resolved on the CSP incorporating (R)-3,3'-diphenyl-1,1'-binaphtyl and (S,S)-tartaric acid unit. From these results it was concluded that the two chiral units composing the diastereomeric CSPs can show "matched" or "mismatched" effect on the chiral recognition according to their absolute stereochemistry.

Structural and Optical Properties of SiO2 Thick Films by Aerosol Deposition Process (에어로졸 데포지션 법을 이용하여 제조한 SiO2 후막의 구조 및 광학 특성)

  • Jang, Chan-Ik;Koh, Jung-Hyuk
    • Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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    • v.26 no.1
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    • pp.6-12
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    • 2013
  • Aerosol deposition(AD) coating that enable fabricate films at low temperature have begun to be widely researched for the integration of ceramics as well to realize high-speed deposition rates. For application of ceramic thick film by AD to display and electronic ceramic industry, fabrication of dense structure with a no cracking is required. In this study, to fabricate dense ceramic thick film, the effect of crystal phase of starting powder was investigated. For this study, amorphous and crystalline $SiO_2$ powders were used as starting powders. Two types of $SiO_2$ powders were deposited on glass substrate by AD. In the case of amorphous $SiO_2$ powder, the deposited films had extremely incompact and opaque layer, irrespective of particle size. In contrast to amorphous powder, in the case of crystalline powder, porous structure layer and dense microstructure with no cracking layer were fabricated depending on the particle size. The optimized starting powder size for dense coating layer was $1{\sim}2{\mu}m$. The transmittance of film reached a maximum of 76% at 800 nm.

Apoptic and antimetastatic effects of ursolic acid isolated from Oldenlandia diffusae Herba (백화사설초(白花蛇舌草)로부터 분리(分離)한 ursolic acid의 자연살해효과(自然殺害效果)와 항전이작용(抗轉移作用))

  • Kim, Sung-Hoon
    • Journal of Haehwa Medicine
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    • v.5 no.2
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    • pp.523-533
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    • 1997
  • Ursolic acid(UA) was isolated from Oldenlandiae diffusae Herba, one of the commonly used medicinal herbs for the treatment of cancer. IC50 of UA against cancer cell lines as SNU-1, B16-Fo. SK-OV3, HCT15, XF498, SK-MEL and A549 was $6{\mu}g/ml$, 4$4.4{\mu}g/ml$, $4.5{\mu}g/ml$, $4.6{\mu}g/ml$ and $4.2{\mu}g/ml$ respectively suggesting cytotoxicity against cancer cells. DNA fragmentation was expressed from the concnetration of $5.5{\mu}g/ml$ of UA by agarose electrphoresis. In the observation of morphological changes by phase contrast microscope, SEM and TEM, cell injury and condensation of cytoplasm from nucleus began 4 hr after UA treatment. fragmentaion of nucleus and injury of cell membrane was shown 24 hr after UA treatmeilt with SNU-1 cells. Aurin tricarboxic acid as endonuclease inhibitor. and nicotinamide as poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor protected over 50% of cytotoxicity of UA against SNU-1 was at the concentrations of $3{\mu}M$ and $300{\mu}M$ respectively suggesting UA acts on nucleus. These results suggest that UA had antimetastatic effect and induced apoptosis.

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Relationship between Olfactory Preferences and Olfactory Event-Related Potentials

  • Lee, Gil-Hyun;Yoon, Hae-Gyung;Kim, Young-Sam;Hyun, Kyung-Yae
    • Biomedical Science Letters
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    • v.26 no.1
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    • pp.14-21
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    • 2020
  • Quantitative evaluation of the sense of smell is done by the olfactory event-related potential (OERP) test. OERP consists of N1, P1, N2, P2, and P3, of which N1 and P1 latency are known to be affected by the concentration of odor stimuli associated with the pre-sensory phase and P2 and P3 are the stages at which odors are perceived and are known to change by subjective evaluation of the stimulus. The purpose of this study was to clarify the correlation between the expression of OERP and the subjective evaluation of the object on the fragrance stimulus using various fragrances. Therefore, the study examined the relative waveform power ratio, preference for each scent stimulus, and finally the amplitude and latency change of the components of OERP, N1 and P2. In contrast, it was found that the late P2 response waveform was an effective aroma stimulus recognition waveform in OERP compared to the initial response waveforms.

Competitive Adsorption and Subsequent Desorption of Sulfate in the Presence of Various Anions in Soils

  • Hong, Byeong-Deok;Lee, Kyo-seok;Lee, Dong-Sung;Rhie, Ja-Hyun;Bae, Hui-Su;Seo, IL-Hwan;Song, Seung-Geun;Chung, Doug-Young
    • Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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    • v.49 no.5
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    • pp.541-547
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    • 2016
  • In this experiment we investigated the influence of various anions including oxalic acid encountered as solution phase in soil on the adsorption and desorption of sulfate in Chungwon Bt soil. The effect of chloride and nitrate on the adsorption of sulfate was not significant, suggesting that sulfate was better able to compete for adsorption sites at concentrations studied, in contrast to the large reduction in the amount of chloride adsorbed in the presence of sulfate. The results of competition for sorption sites between sulfate and anion showed that the simultaneous presence of two anions in solution was effective in reduction of competing anion at a maximum value of adsorption, due to the similar adsorption mechanism for anion competition. Therefore, the variation in the buffer power of the acids will produce a change in the strength and amount of adsorption and the competitive ability.

Distinctive pH Dependence and Substrate Specificity of Peptide Hydrolysis by Human Stromelysin-1 (Stromelysin-1에 의한 펩타이드 가수분해에서 pH와 기질특이성 연구)

  • ;Marianne V. Sorensen
    • Journal of Life Science
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    • v.10 no.2
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    • pp.210-217
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    • 2000
  • A kinetic profile of the catalytic domain of stromelysin-1 (SCD) using the fluorescent peptide substrate has been determined by the stopped-flow technique. The pH profile has a pH optimum of about 5.5 with an extended shoulder above pH 7. Three pKa values, 5.0, 5.7, and 9.8 are found for the free enzyme state and two pH independent Kcat/Km values of 4.1$\times$104 M-1 s-1 and 1.4$\times$104 M-1 s-1 at low and high pH, respectively. The profile is quite different in shape with other MMP family which has been reported, having broad pH optimum with two pKa values. The substrate specificity of SCD towards fluorescent heptapeptide substrates has been also examined by thin layer chromatography. The cleavage sites of the substrates have been identified using reverse-phase HPLC method.SCD cleaves Dns-PLA↓L↓WAR and Dns-PLA↓L↓FAR at two positions. However, the Dns-PLA↓LRAR, Dns-PLE↓LFAR, adn Dns-PLSar↓LFAR are cleaved exclusively at one bond. The double cleavages of Dns-PLALWAR and Dns-PLALFAR by SCD are in marked contrast to the close structurally related matrilysin. A notable feature of SCD catalysis agrees with the structural data that the S1' pocket of SCD is deeper than that of matriysin. The differences observed between SCD and matrilysin may form the basis of understanding the structural relationships and substrate specificities of the MMP family in vivo.

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