Antimicrobial peptides represent an essential alternative first line of defense. Naturally occurring molecules associated with the innate immune system in disease-bearing vectors such as mosquito, tick could be the target for searching more potent and effective agents to combat against the pathogens resistant to conventionally used antibiotics. Recently, we explored expression of a defensinlike peptide, longicin from the hard tick Haemaphysalis longicornis. Longicin and one of its synthetic partial analog (P4) displayed antimicrobial/fungicidal/parasiticidal activity and, therefore, proposed to be a chemotherapeutic compounds against tick-borne disease organisms. Structural characterization of antimicrobial peptides is very important to understand the peptide activity. In addition, harmful side effects such as lysis of red blood cells or cytotoxicity towards mammalian host cells commonly associated with antimicrobial peptides as potential therapeutic agent should also be elucidated. In this study, we analyzed some structural features using bioinformatics tool, CD Spectroscopy, and also determined cytolytic activity of P4 peptide. According to the chemicophysical characteristics, the P4 is suggested to be a cationic peptide with hydrophobic and amphipathic character. The predicted secondary structure indicated the existence of β-sheet which was also observed in modelled tertiary structure. CD spectroscopy results also revealed the existence of a β-sheet and changes of helical content in the presence of membrane-mimic condition. These structural observations on P4 suggest that the antimicrobial activity could be due to the well developed β-sheet. In addition, sequence homology search showed that antimicrobial molecule identified in other ticks and in organisms have the P4 analogous domain at their C-terminal, which indicates P4 as a conserved antimicrobial domain. The peptide P4 also showed less cytolytic activity against various cell lines or erythrocytes of various species. The data presented here strongly suggests that the peptide P4 could be developed as future therapeutic agent against tick-borne microorganisms.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a clinically approved and ra pidly developing cancer treatment regimen, It is a minimally invasive procedure that requires the administration of a photosens iti zer foll owed by the illumination of the tumor with Iigh t of an appropriate wavelength, In the presence of molecular oxygen, cytotoxic intermedi a ries a re produced‘ thus damaging cellular structures containing the photosensitizer , In the present study. we exa mined the effectiveness of newly d evelped chlorin e6- induced PDT on malignant animal tumor model of 3prague-Da wley (3D) ra t Three-week-old male 3D rats we re inocula ted s ,c, on the right f1 ank with our previously esta blished k- ras-trans formed RK3E cell line (RK3E- ras. tota l, 5xl07 cell s) , The experiments were carried out 1 week after inoculation of tumor cell s , by which time the tumors had r eached about 0,7 mm to 1.0 cm in diameter, L3-chlorin e6 (L8 Pharm Co" Gwa ngju, Korea) was admin istrated intravenous ly by the tail vein of 3D rat at a dosage of 10 mg/kg after inhalation a nesthesia of ether, Twenty- four hours a fter L8-chlorin e6 ad ministration, PDT was pe rfol‘med using a laser diode (Geumgwang Co ‘ Ltd‘’ Daejeon, Korea) a t a light dose of 100 J /cm2 and wavelength of 664 nm, A..nimals were monitered daily and tumor volume was measured by calipel The tumor t reated with PDT using Ce6 had significant reduction in tumor s ize examined by gross tumor volume , softex x- ray image, molecular imaging a nalysis, respectively, PCNA immunostaining and TUNEL assay revealed that the treat ed tu mor caused signifi cant inlübition of tumor formati on with decreased tumor cell proliferation a nd increased a poptosis , Our dat a showed Ce6-induced PDT effecti vely arrested the tumor growth by inhibi t ing cell proliferation a nd inducing a poptosis , These findings provide the potential value of Ce6- induced PDT as an a lternative candidate for a nt i- tumor therapy, Furthel bi ochemical and cellular studies will reveal the precise molecul ar mecha ni sm of cell death induced by PDT

Silicon carbide whiskers (SiCw) having the diameter in the range of 20-80 nm were synthesised from coconut fibres through sol-gel process. The coconut fibres were impregnated with tetraethoxysilane and methyltriethoxysilane derived sol and pyrolyzed at 1400℃ in argon. X-ray of the pyrolyzed samples showed the formation of β-SiC.

WC-TiC-TaC binderless cemented carbide was oxidized under low partial pressure of oxygen (50ppm) at 873K for 1 to 20 h. Surface roughness was measured using atomic force microscope, and effect of TiC amount on oxidation behavior of the carbide was investigated. WC phase was oxidized more easily than WC-TiC-TaC solid solution phase. With an increase in TiC amount, WC-TiC-TaC phase increased and the oxidation resistance of the carbide increased.

The effect of TiC content on oxidation behavior of the sintered WC-TiC-TaC alloys with 2 mass% TaC and different TiC amounts of 3-45 mass% was investigated through oxidation tests in air at 973K. As a result of the tests, it was revealed that with increasing TiC content in the alloys, mass changes caused by oxidation and thickness of the scale decreased. Thus, it is considered that the main component of the scales changed gradually from to with increasing TiC content in the alloys, and oxygen diffusion through the scale to the alloys was inhibited gradually.

High hardness of P/M parts can be obtained in the cooling section of the sintering furnace by using sinter hardenable materials, thus the post-sintering heat treatment can be eliminated. However, the sinter hardened materials would have difficulties in secondary machining if it is required, which will limit the applications of sinter hardenable materials in the machined parts. Recent development in warm compaction technology can enable us not only to achieve the high green density up to , but also the high green strength which is needed for green machining. Therefore by using warm compaction technology, the green machining can be applied to sinter hardenable materials for the high density, strength and hardness P/M parts. In the present study, a pre-alloyed steel powder, ATOMET4601, was used by mixing with 2.0% copper, 1.0% nickel, 0.9% graphite and a proprietary lubricant using a binder treatment process - FLOMET. The specimens were compacted and green machined with different machining parameters. The machined surface finish and part integrity were evaluated in selecting the optimal conditions for green machining. The possibility of applying the green machining to the high-density structural parts was explored.

Laser pyrolysis is a very suitable method for the synthesis of a wide range of nanoparticles. A pilot unit based on this process has been recently developed at CEA. This paper reports results showing the possibility to produce SiC and nanoparticles at rates of respectively 1 and 0.2 kg/h and also the possibility to adjust the mean grain size of the particles and their structure by changing the laser intensity and reactants flow rates. First tests of liquid recovery have been also successfully performed to limit the risks of nanoparticles dissemination in the environement during their recovery.

We have studied the effect of C/Ti atomic ratio of TiCx (x=0.5, 0.75 and 1.0) raw powder on the properties of the Ti-Mo-WTiC sintered hard alloy. The decrease of C/Ti atomic ratio accelerated the densification in the sintering process. The hardness was remarkably improved up to 1350HV with decreasing the C/Ti atomic ratio because of increase of TiCx phase volume content and its fine dispersion. From the results of electro-chemical tests in acid and 3% NaCl solutions, it was obvious that every alloy had excellent corrosion resistance, which meant about 200 times better than that of WC-Co cemented carbide.

Room temperature kinetics of degradation of nerve agent simulants and sarin, an actual nerve agent at the surface of different carbon based adsorbent materials such as active carbon grade 80 CTC, modified whetlerite containing 2.0 and 4.0 % NaOH, active carbon with 4.0 % NaOH, active carbon with 10.0 % Cu (II) ethylenediamine and active carbon with 10.0 % Cu (II) 1,1,1,5,5,5-hexafluoroacetylacetonate were studied. The used adsorbent materials were characterized for surface area and micropore volume by N2 BET. For degradation studies solution of simulants of nerve agent such as dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP), diethyl chlorophosphate (DEClP), diethyl cyanophosphate (DECnP) and nerve agent, i.e., sarin in chloroform were prepared and used for the uniform adsorption on the adsorbent systems using their incipient volume at room temperature. Degradation kinetics was monitored by GC/FID and was found to be following pseudo first order reaction. Kinetics parameters such as rate constant and half life were calculated. Half life of degradation with modified whetlerite (MWh/NaOH) system having 4.0 % NaOH was found to be 1.5, 7.9, 1206 and 20 minutes for DECnP, DEClP, DMMP and sarin respectively. MWh/NaOH system showed maximum degradation of simulants of nerve agents and sarin to their hydrolysis products. The reaction products were characterized using NMR technique. MWh/NaOH adsorbent was also found to be active against sulphur mustard.