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The general bone anabolic effect of photobiomodulation (PBM) is largely accepted. As a result, PBM therapy is expected to be beneficial in the medical fields of dentistry and bone healing. However, most of the previous in vitro studies on PBM and bone metabolism were performed with single-cell cultures of osteoclast-lineage cells or osteoblast-lineage cells. In the present study, the bone-modulating effects of PBM were evaluated in an in vitro osteoblast/osteoclast co-culture system. Mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMs) and mouse calvarial pre-osteoblasts cells were purified and used as precursor cells for osteoclasts and osteoblasts, respectively. The PBM effects on single-cell culture of osteoclasts or osteoblasts as well as co-culture were examined by 1.2 J/cm2 low-level Ga-Al-As laser (λ = 808 ± 3 nm, 80 mW, and 80 mA; spot size, 1cm2; NDLux, Seoul, Korea) irradiation for 30 s at daily intervals throughout culture period. At the end of culture, the osteoclast differentiation and osteoblast differentiation were assessed by TRAP staining and ALP staining, respectively. The expressions of osteoclastogenic cytokines were evaluated by RT-PCR and Western blot analyses. Under the single-cell culture condition, PBM enhanced osteoblast differentiation but had minor effects on osteoclast differentiation. However, in the co-culture condition, its osteoblastogenic effect was maintained, and osteoclast differentiation was substantially reduced. Subsequent RT-PCR analyses and western blot results revealed marked reduction in receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL) expression and elevation in osteoprotegerin (OPG) expression by PBM in co-cultured cells. More importantly, these alterations in RANKL/OPG levels were not observed under the single-cell culture conditions. Our results highlight the different effects of PBM on bone cells based on culture conditions. Further, our findings suggest the indirect anti-osteoclastogenic effect of PBM, which is accompanied by a decrease in RANKL expression and an increase in OPG expression.

Microarray technology represents a critical new advance in molecular cytogenetics. The de-velopment of this approach has provided fundamental insights into the molecular pathogenesis in clinical cytogenetics and has provided a clue to many unidentified or unexplained diseases. The approach allows a comprehensive investigation of thousands and millions of genomic loci simultaneously and enables the efficient detection of copy number alterations. The application of this technology has shown tremendous fluidity and complexity of the human genome, and has provided accurate diagnosis and appropriate clinical management in a timely and efficient manner for identifying genomic alterations. The clinical impact of the genomic alterations identified by microarrays is evolving into a diagnostic tool to identify high-risk patients better and predict patient outcomes from their genomic profiles. The transformation of conventional cytogenetics into an automated discipline will improve diagnostic yield significantly, leading to accurate diagnosis and genetic counseling. This article reviews cytogenetic technologies used to identify human chromosome alterations and highlights the potential utility of present and future genome microarray technology in the diagnosis.

Cell sheet engineering has attracted great attention because thin layers of tissue can be easily transplanted to defect sites. Wound-dressing materials are required to support fast re-epithelization, both with keratinocytes and fibroblasts, to enhance the prognosis and therapeutic outcomes. We prepared self-assembled cell sheets composed of adipocyte-derived stem cells (ADSCs) and surface-engineered nanofibrils (NFs). NFs were surface-engineered with multilayers of gelatin so that the cell sheets could spontaneously assemble within 3 days in cell culture plates. Dorsal wounds transplanted with the cell sheets exhibited higher wound-healing rates when a high concentration of gelatin was immobilized on the surfaces of the NFs. Histochemical staining revealed that those with gelatin-immobilized NFs showed a higher expression of cytokeratin and collagen in the re-epithelized epidermis. Keratinocytic differentiation of the epidermis was molecularly evidenced by the higher expression of keratinocyte-specific genes.

There is a growing demand for the development of a melt process-based nanocomposite manufacturing process capable of minimizing the incorporation of expensive carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by inducing a uniform dispersion of multi-walled CNTs (MWNTs). In this study, we proposed a nanocomposite manufacturing process that includes both physical particle mixing using high-speed rotation and anionic polymerization of e-caprolactam (CL) to induce a uniform dispersion of MWNTs. MWNTs were uniformly dispersed by powder mixing and then wrapped with polyamide 6 polymers by in-situ polymerization of CL. The synergistic effect of the two sub-processes resulted in an enhanced dispersion of MWNTs and prevented aggregation of the MWNTs. The composites fabricated by the proposed process exhibited electrical conductivities of 4.49 × 10−5 S/m and 1.45 × 10 S/m at 1 wt% and 3 wt% MWNTs, respectively, indicating that by applying the proposed process it is possible to incorporate a smaller amount of MWNT to achieve electrical conductivities applicable for electrostatic discharge (ESD) (>1 X 10−5 S/m) and electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness (EMI SE) (>10 S/m) applications. An ESD chip tray and EMI SE mobile phone case were fabricated using the prepared composite, and it was verified that the ESD and EMI SE performances can be realized.

세포 유전학적 분석은 인간에서의 다양한 종류의 질환을 연구하고 진단하는데 매우 유용하게 사용되고 있다. 지난 수년 동안 세포 유전학적 분석을 통해 매우 의미 있는 결과를 얻을 수 있었으며, 현재 임상검사실에서 일반적인 검사로 확대되어 질병을 진단하고 결과를 평가하는데 매우 유용하게 사용 되고 있다. Microarray는 분자 세포 유전학적인 방법과 기존의 세포유전학적 방법이 융합된 검사방법으로 기존 검사 방법의 단점을 보완하여 유전 관련 질환을 진단하는데 매우 유용하게 사용되고 있다. 따라서 본 논문은 유전질환 진단에 있어 기존의 일반적인 세포유전학적 방법에서 마이크로어레이를 통한 분자세포유전학적 방법으로 어떻게 전환되어 왔는지, 유전 진단을 하는데 앞으로 이 검사방법들이 얼마나 의미 있게 사용될 것인지에 관하여 고찰하였다.

Bilayered cell sheets were fabricated with coaxial hydro-nanofibrils for three-dimensional (3D) cultivation in a biomimetic environment. Polycaprolactone (PCL) was electrospun and hydrolyzed to release fragmented nanofibrils (NF) in an alkaline condition. Methacrylated gelatin (GelMA) was adsorbed and phototethered on the surface of the fibrils to prepare coaxial NF composed of hydrophilic shells and hydrophobic cores. GelMA layers on the NF were characterized by X-ray photoemission spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. The GelMA showed higher decoration level on NF compared to that on native gelatin. GelMA-decorated NF significantly enhanced cell proliferation rate and phenotypic expression of human dermal fibroblasts when spontaneous formation of cell sheets was observed for 7 days. HaCaT cells were layered on top of the fibroblast sheets and further cultivated in air-water interfaces to prepare bilayered skin sheets. After 21 days of incubation, the top layers of the bilayered sheets showed higher expression of pan-keratin, and the dermal cells showed higher proliferation in the GelMA-decorated NF.

A free-standing, antibacterial hydrogel was fabricated using silver-nanoparticle-immobilized cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) and alginate. Surface hydroxyl groups of CNFs were oxidized to carboxylate groups using (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)oxidanyl (TCNF), followed by the treatment with silver nitrate solution for surface adsorption of silver ions. In situ reduction of silver ions to produce silver nanoparticles was performed for the silver-adsorbed CNFs. Electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and spectroscopic analysis revealed that higher amounts of silver nanoparticles were immobilized on the surface of TCNF than on the surface of native CNF. Silver-nanoparticle-immobilized TCNF was embedded in alginate gels and silver ions from the matrix were slowly released for 7 days. Silver-nanoparticle-loaded alginate gels showed comparable antibacterial activity to silver-ions-loaded alginate gels, although the former showed a significantly lower cytotoxicity against animal cells. Thus, the antibacterial gels can potentially be applied to various skin surfaces to prevent bacterial infection while minimizing skin damage.

Sulfide-based lithium superionic conducting solid electrolytes for all-solid-state lithium batteries have received much attention due to their high safety, ionic conductivity, and compatibility. However, high-temperature treatment over a long time is needed to achieve high ionic conductivity. In this work, we have prepared the dual-halide-based Li7P2S8X type lithium superionic conductors by dry ball mill process and the high ionic conducting phase was achieved by low temperature (200℃) heat-treatment process. High ionic conducting halogen-halogen composition was arrived at through a series of optimization processes. Among the compositions tested, the Li7P2S8Br0.25I0.75 solid electrolyte exhibited a high ionic conductivity value of 6.16 mS cm−1, at room temperature. The ionic radius of the halogen element played an important role in the formation of the high ionic conducting phase. Further, the ionic conductivity of Li7P2S8I0.75Br0.25 solid electrolyte was improved by metal doping at P-site. The Sn-doped Li7P2S8I0.75Br0.25 solid electrolyte exhibited a high ionic conductivity value of 7.78 mS cm−1, at room temperature. The addition of large-sized Sn atoms extended the crystal lattice parameters and increased the Li-ions transport path. The partial substitution of Sn atoms at P-site was confirmed by NMR and Laser Raman analysis. The electrochemical stability of the prepared solid electrolyte was studied by cyclic voltammetry and DC charge-discharge analysis. The addition of a metal atom to the Li7P2S8Br0.25I0.75 solid electrolyte decreased the side reaction with the Li metals. Thus, low-temperature treated metal-doped Li7P2S8Br0.25I0.75 solid electrolytes are highly favourable for the fabrication of high-performance all-solid-state batteries. The fabricated all-solid-state battery using Sn doped Li7P2S8Br0.25I0.75 solid electrolyte exhibited the high specific capacity value of 170 mAh g−1 (0.1C), at room temperature.

Surface initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) documented a simple but efficient technique to grow a dense polymer layer on any surface. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) give a broad surface to immobilize sulfhyryl group-containing initiators for SI-ATRP, in addition, AuNPs are the major nanoparticulate carriers for delivery of anti-cancer therapeutics, since they are biocompatible and bioinert. In this work, AuNPs with a disulfide initiator were polymerized with sulfoethyl methacrylate by SI-ATRP to decorate the particles with anionic corona, and branched polyethyeleneimine (PEI) and siRNA were sequentially layered onto the anionic corona of AuNP by electrostatic interaction. The in vitro anti-cancer effect confirmed that AuNP with anionic corona showed higher degrees of apoptosis as well as suppression of the oncogene expression in a siRNA dose-dependent manner. The in vivo study of tumor-bearing nude mice revealed that mice treated with c-Myc siRNA-incorporated AuNPs showed dramatically decreased tumor size in comparison to those with free siRNA for 4 weeks. Furthermore, histological examination and gene expression study revealed that the decorated AuNP significantly suppressed c-Myc expression. Thus, we envision that the layer-by-layer assembly on the anionic brushes can be potentially used to incorporate nucleic acids onto metallic particles with high transfection efficiency.

In this paper, we mainly to evaluate the newly formed bone using the Calcium deficient hydroxyapatite (CDHA)/collagen-based bio-ceramic scaffold as Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2 (BMP-2) carrier in rat calvarial critical-sized bone defect. In the real-time PCR analysis, the CDHA/collagen scaffold loaded rhBMP-2 group showed significantly enhanced results of bone-related gene expression (p 0.05). In the in vivo study, the micro-CT showed that the main bone formation parameters of percent bone volume and trabecular number of the two experiment groups (CDHA/Collagen (CDHA) group, BV/TV: 14.21 ± 3.20, Tb.N: 2.37 ± 0.50; CDHA/Collagen/rhBMP-2(BMP) group, BV/TV: 14.51 ± 3.12, Tb.N: 2.75 ± 0.65) were significantly higher than those of the control (Blank, BV/TV: 3.25 ± 1.25, Tb.N: 0.57 ± 0.20) group (p 0.05). Although there was no significant difference between the two experimental groups, the BMP group results were slightly higher than those of the CDHA group (p 0.05). Moreover, the histological results also supported the micro-CT results. The scaffold of CDHA/collagen seems to be a suitable bio-ceramic carrier loaded rhBMP-2, and appears to enhance new bone formation and bone regeneration in bone defect after implantation.

Polypropylene-grafted-maleic anhydride (PP-g-MAH) is known as an excellent interface modifier that can improve the interface between carbon fiber (CF) and PP. In this study, the effect of PP-g-MAH content on the physical properties of PP composites containing long-fiber CFs was investigated. It was confirmed that PP-g-MAH acted as an interface modifier between the interface between CF and PP, and when an appropriate amount of 10 wt% was incorporated, the tensile strength, tensile modulus, Izod impact strength, and heat deflection temperature were improved by 110%, 50%, 86.7% and 12.7%, respectively. On the other hand, the blending effect of PP-g-MAH, which is a low molecular weight, was greater than the compatibilizing effect when the PP-g-MAH content was mixed above the appropriate content, thereby reducing the physical properties. Therefore, the content of PP-g-MAH as the interface modifier must be designed to be the optimum content considering the CF content to be mixed in order to optimize the physical properties of the composite material.

With the recent demand for miniaturization and integration of electronic devices, there has been a growing interest in device malfunction due to high temperature. In this study, a experimental and theoretical study on the composites with improved thermal conductivity by dispersing multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) in the thermoplastic resin was carried out. A micromechanical model was derived based on the ensemble volume-averaging method and the modified Eshelby’s tensor reflecting the interface properties. The effects of the waviness, interface, and orientation of fillers on the thermal conductivity of composites were numerically analyzed. A computational intelligence-based particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm was adopted to the proposed model for optimizing the model constants. The thermal conductivity of the polymerized cyclic butylene terephthalate (pCBT)/MWCNT composites was experimentally measured according to the content of MWCNT. Finally, the experimentally measured data were utilized in the PSO to improve the predictive capability of the proposed model.

There is growing interest in carbon fibre fabric reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites based on a thermoplastic matrix, which is easy to rapidly produce, repair or recycle. To expand the applications of thermoplastic CFRP composites, we propose a process for fabricating conductive CFRP composites with improved electrical and thermal conductivities using an in-situ polymerizable and thermoplastic cyclic butylene terephthalate oligomer matrix, which can induce good impregnation of carbon fibres and a high dispersion of nanocarbon fillers. Under optimal processing conditions, the surface resistivity below the order of 10+10 Ω/sq, which can enable electrostatic powder painting application for automotive outer panels, can be induced with a low nanofiller content of 1 wt%. Furthermore, CFRP composites containing 20 wt% graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) were found to exhibit an excellent thermal conductivity of 13.7 W/m·K. Incorporating multi-walled carbon nanotubes into CFRP composites is more advantageous for improving electrical conductivity, whereas incorporating GNPs is more beneficial for enhancing thermal conductivity. It is possible to fabricate the developed thermoplastic CFRP composites within 2 min. The proposed composites have sufficient potential for use in automotive outer panels, engine blocks and other mechanical components that require conductive characteristics.

The anisotropic development of thermal conductivity in polymer composites was evaluated by measuring the isotropic, in-plane and through-plane thermal conductivities of composites containing length-adjusted short and long multi-walled CNTs (MWCNTs). The thermal conductivities of the composites were relatively low irrespective of the MWCNT length due to their high contact resistance and high interfacial resistance to polymer resins, considering the high thermal conductivity of MWCNTs. The isotropic and in-plane thermal conductivities of long-MWCNT-based composites were higher than those of short-MWCNT-based ones and the trend can accurately be calculated using the modified Mori-Tanaka theory. The in-plane thermal conductivity of composites with 2 wt% long MWCNTs was increased to 1.27 W/m·K. The length of MWCNTs in polymer composites is an important physical factor in determining the anisotropic thermal conductivity and must be considered for theoretical simulations. The thermal conductivity of MWCNT polymer composites can be effectively controlled in the processing direction by adjusting the length of the MWCNT filler.

Dept. of Life Science, Chung-Ang University, KoreaABSTRACTThe purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of mustard, which contains allyl isothiocyanate, on ruminal fermentation and methane emission in vitro. To this end, diluted ruminal fluid(30ml) was incubated anaerobically at 39for 6, 12, and 24h with or without seeds or powdered mustard. Either mustard seed or powdered mustard was weighed and serially(0, 3.33, 5.00, 6.67, and 8.33g/L) mixed with ruminal fluid. Ammonia-N was increased(P

The objective of this study was to evaluate the in vitro effects of organic acids on methane emission and ruminal fermentation characteristics. We expected our methodology to result in a decrease of methanogens attached to the surface of rumen ciliate protozoa by addition of organic acids and in particular a decrease in methane emission. A fistulated Holstein cow of 650 kg body weight was used as a donor of rumen fluid. Organic acids (aspartic acid, fumaric acid, lactic acid, malic acid, and succinic acid) known to be propionate enhancers were added to an in vitro fermentation system and incubated with rumen fluid. The microbial population, including bacteria, protozoa, and fungi, were enumerated, and gas production, including methane and fermentation characteristics, were observed in vitro. Organic acids appeared to affect the rumen protozoan community. The rumen protozoal popuation decreased with the addition of aspartic acid, fumaric acid, lactic acid, and malic acid. In particular, the methane emission was reduced by addition of lactic acid. The concentration of propionate with all organic acids that were added appeared to be higher than that of the control at 12 h incubation. Addition of organic acids significantly affected rumen bacteria and microbial growth. The bacteria in added fumaric acid and malic acid was significantly higher (p

This study was conducted to evaluate effects of halogenated compounds on in vitro rumen fermentation characteristics and methane emissions. A fistulated Holstein cow of 650 kg body weight was used as a donor of rumen fluid. Five kinds of halogenated compounds (bromochloromethane (BCM), 2-bromoethane sulfonic acid (BES), 3-bromopropanesulfonic acid (BPS), chloroform (CLF), and pyromellitic diimide (PMDI) known to inhibit methyl-coenzyme M reductase activity were added to an in vitro fermentation incubated with rumen fluid. The microbial population including bacteria, protozoa, and fungi were enumerated, and gas production including methane and fermentation characteristics were observed in vitro. The pH values ranged from 6.25 to 6.72 in all the treatments, and these showed a similar level at 48 hr. The total gas production in the treatments showed a similar pattern with C at 48 hr, whereas methane production in the treatments was lower (p methane emissions by inhibiting methanogens in the rumen. Further studies on safety are needed.

The objectives of experiments were to compare directly the effects of synchrony of slowly fermented (corn and corn gluten meal; C-CGM) and of rapidly fermented ingredients (barley and soybean meal; B-SBM) in the rumen on starch disappearances in gastrointestinal tracts (Experiment 1) and growth performance (Experiment 2) of Hanwoo steers in the feedlot barn. In experiment 1, four Hanwoo steers (288 ± 21 kg) fitted with ruminal and "T" shaped duodenal cannula were placed in one pen with Calan gate and assigned randomly to a duplicate 2 × 2 Latin square design. In experiment 2, eight intact Hanwoo steers (311 ± 8 kg) were assigned randomly to one of two pens with Calan gate to evaluate the effect of the same diets as like in experiment 1 on growth performance. There were no differences in ruminal pH, ammonia and total VFA concentrations between treatments. Percentage of apparent ruminal starch disappearance was 33.3% unit lower (p

Fe-36Ni alloy nanopowder was prepared via electrical explosion of wire in DI water. The nanopowder was reduced in hydrogen at 500 degrees C for 30 min. Spark plasma sintering at 800 and 1000 degrees C for 10 min was used to obtain bulk samples from the hydrogen-reduced nanopowder. The sintered samples were annealed at 500 degrees C for 2 h. X-ray diffraction was used to analyze the phases of the nanopowder and sintered samples. The results showed that the sintered samples were formed in gamma-(Fe-Ni) solid solution. The particles sizes and morphologies of the as-synthesized and hydrogen-reduced nanoparticles were observed via transmission electron microscopy. The morphologies of the as-synthesized nanoparticles had spherical core-shell structures. Core was gamma-(Fe-Ni) and the shell was FeO. The nanoparticles of the as-synthesized and hydrogen reduced samples were found to be nearly spherical in shape, with average diameters of 32 and 70 nm, respectively. The hysteresis loops of the as-synthesized nanopowder, hydrogen reduced nanopowder, and sintered samples revealed ferromagnetic characteristics.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of saponin contained plant extracts on in vitro rumen fermentation characteristics and methane production. Ruminal fluid was collected from rumen cannulated Hanwoo steers fed rice straw and concentrate (5:5). Collected rumen fluids, corn starch and buffer including saponin contained plant extracts (ginseng, Ogapi, soapwort, tea plant and yucca; 0.5%/15 ml) were incubated at 39 for 24 h. All incubations were repeated five times. Rumen pH in all treatments was lower (p

Present experiment was carried out to determine maintenance energy requirements for growing Hanwoo steers. Six Hanwoo steers (BW = kg) were used in two 3 3 latin square design with three different energy intake levels; TDN 1.70 kg (Low), 2.05 kg (Medium), 2.80 kg (High), respectively, based on the Korean Feeding Standards. Each period lasted 18 days including a 14-day adaptation and a 4-day measuring period. The steers were in the head hood chamber system (one cattle per chamber) during each measuring time to measure heat and methane production for 1 day. Dry matter intake was 2,058, 3,256 and 3,881 g/day for Low, Medium and High TDN, respectively. Increase in energy intake did not affect digestibilities of dry matter, crude protein, crude fiber, crude fat, NDF, ADF and nitrogen-free extract. Gross energy intake averaged 180.21, 292.74 and 337.15 kcal/ for Low, Medium and High TDN, respectively. Energy loss was 28.7% in feces and 2.1% in urine of gross energy intake. Further, energy loss from methane produced during rumen fermentation was 6~8.3%, while body heat loss averaged 34~60%. Intercept of regression equation between ME intake and retained energy indicated that the energy requirement was 109.84 kcal ME/.

Gold colloids were prepared by electrical explosion of wire in various media: cold water (0 degrees C), room temperature water (25 degrees C), hot water (80 degrees C), 0.01 M polysorbate surfactant 20 (TW 20) solution, mixture of 0.01 M TW 20 and 0.01 M ascorbic acid. The size distribution of nanoparticles measured by transmission electron microscope was found to shift to a smaller size with a decrease of temperature and a presence of TW 20 surfactant. The multiple light scattering results showed that medium temperature and ambient medium of explosion process is much influence on the stability of colloid. The gold colloid prepared in cold water is unstable in comparison with one prepared in warm and hot water. The best stability of gold colloid obtained with explosion medium of TW 20 and ascorbic acid solution.

We prepared electrospun polymer nanofibers by the electrospinning method and investigated about their applications to dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Electrospun poly(vinylidenefluoride–co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF–HFP) and PVDF–HFP/polystyrene (PS) blend nanofibers were prepared and examined the uptake, the ionic conductivity, and the porosity by impedance measurement and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The best results of Voc, Jsc, FF, and efficiency of the DSSC devices using the electrospun PVDF–HFP/PS(3:1) blend nanofibers were 0.76 V, 11.8 mA/cm2, 0.66, and 5.75% under AM 1.5.

Synbiotics is the term used for a mixture of probiotics (live microbial feed additives that beneficially affects the host animal) and prebiotics (non-digestible food ingredients that beneficially affect the organism). This study investigated the effect of probiotics from anaerobic microflora with prebiotics on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, noxious gas emission and fecal microbial population in weaning pigs. 150 pigs with an initial BW of 6.80±0.32 kg (20 d of age) were randomly assigned to 5 dietary treatments as follows: i) US, basal diet+0.15% antibiotics (0.05% oxytetracycline 200 and 0.10% tiamulin 38 g), ii) BS, basal diet+0.2% synbiotics (probiotics from bacteria), iii) YS, basal diet+0.2% synbiotics (probiotics from yeast), iv) MS, basal diet+0.2% synbiotics (probiotics from mold), v) CS, basal diet+0.2% synbiotics (from compounds of bacteria, yeast and mold). The probiotics were contained in 10 9 cfu/ml, 10 5 cfu/ml and 10 3 tfu/ml of bacteria, yeast and molds, respectively. The same prebiotics (mannan oligosaccharide, lactose, sodium acetate and ammonium citrate) was used for all the synbiotics. Pigs were housed individually for a 16-day experimental period. Growth performance showed no significant difference between antibiotic treatments and synbiotics-added treatments. The BS treatment showed higher (p

We prepared poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) nanofibers by the electrospinning method and applied to the polymer matrix in polymer electrolytes for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The uptake, ionic conductivity, and porosity of the electrospun PVDF-HFP nanofiber films showed 653±50%, 4.53±1.3×10−3 S/cm, and 70±2.3%, respectively, regardless of the diameter and morphology of nanofibers. In addition, several DSSC devices using the electrospun PVDF-HFP nanofiber films as the polymer matrix were prepared to investigate the photovoltaic effect of iodine (I2) concentrations on DSSC devices. With an increase of I2 concentration in electrolyte solutions, the ionic conductivity increased, while the photocurrent density of DSSC devices decreased.

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were prepared with a poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) electrolyte using various metallophthalocyanines (MPcs) as an additive. The DSSC device using MPcs has higher power conversion efficiency than that without MPcs, due to decrease of electron transfer distance by the interface adsorption between TiO2 film and PEG electrolyte. The best result on power conversion efficiency was 4.18% in DSSC device using InOHPc. The open-circuit voltage (Voc) was 0.70 V, the short-circuit current density (Jsc) was 10.20 mA/cm2, and the Fill Factor (FF) was 0.58. The addition of MPcs as an additive is useful to improve the performances of DSSC devices such as Voc, Jsc, and power conversion efficiency.

In order to know the effects of scoria, germanium, charcoal, ginger, stevia, and CLA(Conjugated Linoleic Acid) as biologically active materials on pathogenic microbes and rumen anaerobic microbes, the growth rate of pathogens (including Escherichia coli O157, Salmonella paratyphi, Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus) and in vitro lumen microbial growth, gas production, ammonia concentration, carboxymethyl-cellulase (CMCase) activity, and microbial populations were investigated. The growth of pathogenic microbes was inhibited by the supplement of 0.10% ginger. Ginger had powerful antimicrobial properties on all the pathogens used in this experiments. Additionally in the antibacterial assay by paper disc method, we could observe the clear zone of similar area with the positive control(antibiotics) for E. coli as applied with the 10% stevia or the 10% CLA only. The supplements of ginger, stevia and CLA in vitro rumen fermentation inhibited populations of rumen bacteria and protozoa. Particularly supplement of ginger resulted in remarkable reduction of the protozoa population, which means it might serve as a source inhibiting material of methane creation in the rumen.

Symmetrically and unsymmerically substituted bis-dithiobenzil nickel complexes containing four substituted and unsubstituted methoxy groups were synthesized from a benzoin compound using phosphorous pentasulfide under the conventional thermal and microwave processing. The efficiency of microwave synthesis over the conventional thermal synthesis was illustrated by the yield of bisdithiobenzil nickel complex dyes. The samples were characterized by the means of elemental analyzer, 1HNMR, IR spectroscopy, Uv-vis spectroscopy and DSC.

Purpose Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) is commonly prescribed as a fixed-dose, co-formulated antiretroviral drug for HIV-1 infection. The major concern of long-term TDF use is renal dysfunction. However, little is known about the long-term patterns of changes in renal function in HIV-infected Koreans receiving TDF. Materials and methods We prospectively followed 50 HIV-infected Koreans, performing laboratory tests every 3 months during the first year and every 6 months for the next 2 years. Urine N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) and plasma cystatin-C were measured using samples collected in the first year. Data on renal function were retrospectively collected on HIV-infected patients receiving first-line TDF (n=40) and in antiretroviral therapy (ART)-naive patients (n=24) for 3 years. Renal function was evaluated as estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) from serum creatinine [Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD)] and cystatin-C. Results The eGFR (cystatin-C) showed significant changes from 0 to 48 wks (p=0.002), with the lowest levels at 24 wks (84.3±18.8 mL/min vs. 90.3±22.5 mL/min, p=0.021 by post hoc test). Urine NAG levels did not differ at 0, 12, 24, and 48 wks, although eGFR (MDRD) significantly decreased from 0 (98.7±18.9 mL/min/1.73 m²) to 144 wks (89.0±14.7 mL/min/1.73 m²) (p=0.010). The first-line TDF group had significantly lower eGFR (MDRD) than the ART-naive group at 144 wks (89.7 mL/min/1.73 m² vs. 98.4 mL/min/1.73 m², p=0.036). Thirteen (26%) participants experienced a decrease in renal impairment of 10 mL/min/1.73 m² in eGFR (MDRD) at 144 wks. Conclusion These data suggest that clinically meaningful renal injury can develop in HIV-infected Koreans receiving long-term TDF.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation of catechins and wheat bran on growth performance, carcass characteristics and meat color using forty-eight Hanwoo steers. Each steer was randomly assigned to one of four treatments. Treatments were as follows: control, catechins, wheat bran, and catechins+wheat bran (CW). At the end of the feeding trial, blood samples were collected for analysis of hemoglobin and iron concentration, and then steers were slaughtered at a commercial abattoir. Catechins, wheat bran, and CW had no effect on growth performance and carcass characteristics. Percentage of myoglobin in M. longissimus dorsi was not affected by treatments. Percentage of oxymyoglobin was increased (p

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) using organic liquid electrolytes have received significant attention because of their low production cost, simple structure and high power conversion efficiency [1-5]. Recently, the power conversion efficiencies of DSSCs using Ruthenium complex dyes, liquid electrolytes, and Pt counter electrode have reached 10.4 % (100 mW/cm2, AM 1.5) by Gratzel group [6]. However, the important drawback of DSSCs using liquid electrolyte is the less long-term stability due to the volatility of the electrolyte contained organic solvent. In the viewpoint for commercialize, durability is a crucial component. Then, gel electrolytes are being investigated to substitute the liquid electrolytes [7-10]. One way to make a gel electrolyte is to add organic or inorganic (or both) materials. In the past decades, many studies have been carried out on this kind of gel electrolyte, and great progress has been achieved [11-12]. The advantages of them include; limited internal shorting, leakage of electrolytes and non-combustible reaction products at the electrode surface existing in the gel polymer electrolytes [13-14]. However, because of their complicated preparing technology and poor mechanical strength, they cannot be used in commercial production [15-16]. To overcome this problem, the polymer membrane is soaked in an electrolyte solution that has been examined [17-19]. To prepare the polymer membrane for polymer electrolyte, a number of processing techniques such as drawing [20], template synthesis [21-22], phase separation [23], electrospinning [24], etc. have been used. Among of these, the electrospinning technology is a simple and low-cost method for making ultra-thin diameter fibers. This technique, invented in 1934, makes use of an electrical field that is applied across a polymer solution and a collector, to force a polymer solution jet out from a small hole [25]. When the diameters of polymer fiber materials are shrunk of micrometers to submicrons or nanometers, several amazing characteristics appear such as a very large surface area to volume ratio, flexibility in surface functionalities, and superior mechanical performance compared to any other known forms of this material [26]. In recent years, the electrospinning method has gained greater attention. A vastly greater number of synthetic and natural polymer solutions were prepared with electrospun fibers, such as poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) in distilled water [27], polyurethane in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) [28], poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL) in acetone [29], PVDF in acetone/ N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc) (7:3 by weight) [30], and regenerated cellulose in 2:1(w/w) acetone/DMAc [31].

The dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) devices using polymer electrolytes based on electrospun poly(vinylidene fluoride-hexafluoro propylene) (PVDF-HFP) nanofibers were fabricated and investigated the photovoltaic performances. The electrospun PVDF-HFP nanofibers were prepared by various parameters such as; polymer concentrations, applied voltages, and tip to collector distances (TCD) by the electrospinning method. The open circuit voltage (VOC), short circuit current (JSC), fill factor (FF), and overall power conversion efficiency (η) of DSSC devices using electrospun PVDF-HFP nanofibers were 0.7180–0.7420 V, 9.7200–10.8837 mA/cm2, 0.5610–0.6250, and 4.1700–5.0186%, respectively. When 15 wt% of polymer concentration, 14 kV of applied voltage, and 14 cm of TCD is applied to fabricate the PVDF-HFP nanofiber, the electrospun PVDF-HFP nanofiber should be the regular diameter of a nanofiber, the power conversion efficiency of the DSSC device reached 5.0186% as the best result.

In this study, we fabricated the electrospun poly(vinylidene fluoride-hexafluoro propylene) (PVDF-HFP) /LiClO 4 nanofibers by electrospinning method and applied as polymer membrane on the Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells. We have prepared the DSSC devices, using Ruthenium dye as a photosensitizer, sandwiched with TiO 2 -deposited and Pt-coated electrode as two electrodes. To compare with the effect of LiClO 4 in PVDF-HFP nanofibers on photovoltaic performance, we prepared electrospun PVDF-HFP nanofibers without LiClO 4 . Photovoltaic characteristics were measured by using Solar Simulator with a black mask under AM 1.5. The V oc of the DSSC device was 0.773 V, the J sc was 9.77 mA/cm2, and the overall power conversion efficiency achieved up to 4.19 %. The photovoltaic performances of the DSSC device using electrospun PVDF-HFP nanofibers without LiClO 4 were lower than that of device using electrospun PVDF-HFP/LiClO 4 nanofibers. To investigate the photovoltaic effect of different LiClO 4 concentrations in electrolyte solutions, the electrospun PVDF-HFP nanofibers without LiClO 4 were soaked into the electrolyte solution with different LiClO 4 concentrations. An increase of concentration of LiClO 4 in electrolyte solution results in a decrease of photocurrent and efficiency due to the desorption of dyes by LiClO 4 .