Multi-walled carbon nanotube-poly methyl methacrylate (MWNT/PMMA) nanocomposite has been prepared by in situ polymerization of MMA dispersed with MWNTs. The MWNTs were functionalized by nitric acid and sulfuric acid treatment, and this was confirmed by FTIR spectrometer. The solution mixture of MWNTs and MMA was partially polymerized at 80℃, followed by the addition of AIBN and polymerization at 50℃. The MWNT-PMMA composite was prepared by casting the pre-polymer on the glass plate, and the optical properties have been studied using UV-vis spectrometer. The acid treated MWNTs were well dispersed in MMA with fairly good dispersion stability, while flocculation and sedimentation was observed from raw MWNTs in MMA.

The present study was conducted to investigate gelatinolytic activities in HAM and to determine whether there are any changes in gelatinolytic activity profiles when the cells are cultured in hepatogenic medium. Placenta was obtained during caesarean section of the volunteers, with informed consent. HAM were isolated from amniotic membrane using collagenase type A HAM were cultured in hepatogenic medium for 3 weeks and the conditioned media were obtained at day 7, 14 and 21. The zymographic pattern of gelatinolytic activity of the HAM did not undergo a change during passages. When the HAM were cultured in a fibronectin-coated dishes in a hepatogenic medium, there was no significant difference of the gelatinase pattern between before and after culture. However, when bFGF was added to the culture, a dramatic increase of 62kDa and 59kDa gelatinases was observed. Interestingly, when ITS instead of FN was present, HAM-conditioned medium also showed a similar increase of both gelatinases. Immunoblotting analysis demonstrated that both 62kDa and 59kDa gelatinases were the active form of MMP-2 resulting from the turnover of MMP-2 proform. Futher study will be necessary to determine the relationship between bFGF and active MMP-2 during hepatogenesis of HAM.

The H2S 22,0 - 21,1 line emission is observed to be strongly localized toward Sgr B2(M), and emissions from other positions in the more extended SgrB2 region are almost negligible. H2S is thought to form effectively by the passage of the C-type shocks but to be quickly transformed to SO2 or other sulfur species (Pineau des Forets et al. 1993). Such a shock may have enhanced the H2S abundance in Sgr B2(M), where massive star formation is taking place. But the negligible emission of H2S from other observed positions may indicate that these positions have not been affected by shocks enough to produce H2S, or if they have experienced shocks, H2S may have transformed already to other sulfur-containing species. The SO2 222,20 - 221,21 line was also observed to be detectable only toward the (M) position. The line intensity ratios of these two molecules appear to be very similar at Sgr B2(M) and IRAS 16239-2422, where the latter is a region of low-mass star formation. This may suggest that the shock environment in these two star-forming regions is similar and that the shock chemistry also proceeds in a similar fashion in these two different regions, if we accept shock formation of these two species.

This study was carried out to investigate the general characteristics and viability of sperm after freezing and thawing and the pregnancy rates after artificial insemination with thawed semen. The rates of viable sperm after slow and rapid freezing were 87.4±3.85% and 70.8±4.45%, respectively which were significantly lower than that of fresh semen control (91.7±3.45%). The mean concentration of epididymal sperm after dilution in 1.0 ml saline and. 3.0 ml extender in a various concentrations of cryoprotectants was 124.5±48.3 x 10/sup 6/ (range of 45 x 10/sup 6/ to 280 X 10/sup 6/ /ml). There was a significant difference not in the percentage of acrosome-reacted sperm, but in the percentage of capacitated sperm, between fresh and frozen-thawed epididymal semen. When frozen-thawed after diluting with tris-buffer extender containing glycerol, DMSO and ethylene glycol with concentration of 2 to 6%, the rates of epididymal sperm exposed to different cryoprotectants ranged from 14.4±4.7% to 20.7±5.8%, 17.8±5.2% to 36.5±4.9%, and 14.4±4.6% to 18.5±5.3%, respectively which were lower compare to fresh semen control. The pregnancy rate after artificial insemination with frozen semen was 70.6%, whereas that with fresh semen was 90.0% in dogs with naturally induced estrus.