Hyobong Hong

Electrical properties of Au/Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3-BaTiO3/n-GaN metal?insulator?semiconductor (MIS) structure

We investigated the electrical properties of solution processed high-k Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3(BNT)-BaTiO3(BT) on n-GaN with Au electrode. Higher barrier height is obtained for Au/BNT-BT/n-GaN structure compared to Au/n-GaN structure. Thin interfacial layer is formed in between BNT-BT and n-GaN confirmed by TEM results. The interface state density of Au/BNT-BT/n-GaN structure is lower than that of Au/n-GaN structure due to the existence of interfacial layer (Ga-O) at the interface. It is observed that the frequency dispersion is decreased in the Au/BNT-BT/n-GaN structure. Poole?Frenkel mechanism is found to dominate the reverse leakage current in both Au/n-GaN and Au/BNT-BT/n-GaN structures.

Detection of two different influenza A viruses using a nitrocellulose membrane and a magnetic biosensor.

Here we describe a new analytical method for the detection of two influenza A viruses by nitrocellulose membrane and magnetic sensors that employ a special frequency mixing technique. The combination of the nitrocellulose membrane and magnetic bead detection permits a rapid assay procedure and excludes two steps (the development of color and the stop reaction) required for usual immunochemical detection methods such as ELISA. Quantitative virus detection was performed using magnetic beads conjugated with secondary antibody. The results were compared with conventional assay methods and with a dot-blot assay with fluorescence compound (FITC). Under optimum conditions, our new assay procedure is capable of detecting picograms of virus per well. This new method combining the nitrocellulose membrane and magnetic bead detection reduces analytical time and allows stable and repeatable analyses of samples in point-of-care applications.

Magnetic particle imaging with a planar frequency mixing magnetic detection scanner

We present the first experimental results of our planar-Frequency Mixing Magnetic Detection (p-FMMD) technique to obtain Magnetic Particles Imaging (MPI). The p-FMMD scanner consists of two magnetic measurement heads with intermediate space for the analysis of the sample. The magnetic signal originates from the nonlinear magnetization characteristics of superparamagnetic particles as in case of the usual MPI scanner. However, the detection principle is different. Standard MPI records the higher order harmonic response of particles at a field-free point or line. By contrast, FMMD records a sum-frequency component generated from both a high and a low frequency magnetic field incident on the magnetically nonlinear particles. As compared to conventional MPI scanner, there is no limit on the lateral dimensions of the sample; just the sample height is limited to 2 mm. In addition, the technique does not require a strong magnetic field or gradient because of the mixing of the two different frequencies. In this study, we acquired an 18 mm × 18 mm image of a string sample decorated with 100 nm diameter magnetic particles, using the p-FMMD technique. The results showed that it is feasible to use this novel MPI scanner for biological analysis and medical diagnostic purposes.

In situ measurement of superoxide and hydroxyl radicals by frequency mixing detection technique

Frequency mixing magnetic detection (FMMD) was used to detect superoxide from hypoxanthine and xanthine reaction and to detect hydroxyl radical from the Fenton reaction. FMMD was also applied to measure the reactive oxygen species (ROS) level released from microglial cells. We could assess the formation and extinction of the free radicals without a spin trap reagent. The FMMD signal amplitude scaled with the concentration of the radicals. It was verified that no signals are obtained from the substrates and reagents. Based on the observations and on previous research, we suggest that the FMMD signals originate from superoxide and hydroxyl radicals, indicating that FMMD can be used to detect O-centered radicals. Subsequent analysis of free radicals generated from living microglial cells showed that there were significant differences between the activated microglial cells and resting ones. The results of this research are promising regarding the applications of FMMD for in situ measurement of free radicals from various sources, including the cell.

In situ analysis of free radicals from the photodecomposition of hydrogen peroxide using a frequency-mixing magnetic detector

We present an analytical method for the real-time detection of free radicals from the photodecomposition (ultraviolet radiation, λ = 254 nm) of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) using frequency-mixing magnetic detection. We monitored the free radicals in situ without catalysts or probe molecules. Both water and H2O2 produced frequency-mixing signals under UV radiation, but the water signal was much weaker. The root mean square amplitude of the frequency-mixing signal was found to depend on the initial H2O2 concentration. Considering the physical properties of the reactants, the frequency-mixing signal is attributed to the generation of paramagnetic free radicals by the photodecomposition of H2O2.

Is the biotransformation of chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins by Sphingomonas wittichii RW1 governed by thermodynamic factors?

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were used to explore the relationship between the biotransformation of dibenzo-p-dioxin and selected chlorinated derivatives by resting cells of Sphingomonas wittichii RW1 and measuring the thermodynamic properties of the biotransformation substrates. Sphingomonas wittichii RW1 can aerobically catabolize dibenzo-p-dioxin as well as 2,7-dichloro-, 1,2,3-trichloro-, 1,2,3,4-tetrachloro-, and 1,2,3,4,7,8-hexachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin; however, neither the 2,3,7-trichloro- nor the 1,2,3,7,8-pentachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin was transformed to its corresponding metabolic intermediate. The experimental biotransformation rates established were apparently governed by the selected thermodynamic properties of the substrates tested.

Magnetic immunoassay based on frequency mixing magnetic detection and magnetic particles of different magnetic properties

A novel analytical system is presented that employs two different types of magnetic particles (MPs) with frequency mixing magnetic detection (FMMD). A model experiment with MPs and FMMD demonstrates that this method significantly reduces the steps involved in common immunobiological assays and enables repetition of the measurement without signal decay.

Frequency Mixing Magnetic Detection Scanner for Imaging Magnetic Particles in Planar Samples

The setup of a planar Frequency Mixing Magnetic Detection (p-FMMD) scanner for performing Magnetic Particles Imaging (MPI) of flat samples is presented. It consists of two magnetic measurement heads on both sides of the sample mounted on the legs of a u-shaped support. The sample is locally exposed to a magnetic excitation field consisting of two distinct frequencies, a stronger component at about 77 kHz and a weaker field at 61 Hz. The nonlinear magnetization characteristics of superparamagnetic particles give rise to the generation of intermodulation products. A selected sum-frequency component of the high and low frequency magnetic field incident on the magnetically nonlinear particles is recorded by a demodulation electronics. In contrast to a conventional MPI scanner, p-FMMD does not require the application of a strong magnetic field to the whole sample because mixing of the two frequencies occurs locally. Thus, the lateral dimensions of the sample are just limited by the scanning range and the supports. However, the sample height determines the spatial resolution. In the current setup it is limited to 2 mm. As examples, we present two 20 mm × 25 mm p-FMMD images acquired from samples with 1 µm diameter maghemite particles in silanol matrix and with 50 nm magnetite particles in aminosilane matrix. The results show that the novel MPI scanner can be applied for analysis of thin biological samples and for medical diagnostic purposes.

Fast magnetic field simulation with linear system approach

In this research, we propose a noble methodology for modeling and simulation of the intensity and direction of the magnetic fields generated by coils in a limited 3-dimensional region. This method was strictly based on the Biot-Savarts law determining the magnetic fields induced by currents flowing through the coils. We also used Finite Element Method (FEM), a numerical technique for finding a solution for each subdivision of a whole domain within the regions of interest. Based on the introduction of rotational transform method for an arbitrary axis, this method possesses a strong analysis capability for the magnetic fields in the vicinity of the coil at an arbitrary position in 3-dimensional region. In addition, a linear calculation system adopted in the simulation process was able to carry on high-performance analysis for the magnetic fields generated by even multiple coils. We strongly propose that this noble method would be a powerful simulation tool for the design of a system that can generate magnetic fields within a 3-dim region of interest considering both the intensity and direction.

Novel measurement of blood velocity profile using translating-stage optical method and theoretical modeling based on non-Newtonian viscosity model

Detailed knowledge of the blood velocity distribution over the cross-sectional area of a microvessel is important for several reasons: (1) Information about the flow field velocity gradients can suggest an adequate description of blood flow. (2) Transport of blood components is determined by the velocity profiles and the concentration of the cells over the cross-sectional area. (3) The velocity profile is required to investigate volume flow rate as well as wall shear rate and shear stress which are important parameters in describing the interaction between blood cells and the vessel wall. The present study shows the accurate measurement of non-Newtonian blood velocity profiles at different shear rates in a microchannel using a novel translating-stage optical method. Newtonian fluid velocity profile has been well known to be a parabola, but blood is a non-Newtonian fluid which has a plug flow region at the centerline due to yield shear stress and has different viscosities depending on shear rates. The experimental results were compared at the same flow conditions with the theoretical flow equations derived from Casson non-Newtonian viscosity model in a rectangular capillary tube. And accurate wall shear rate and shear stress were estimated for different flow rates based on these velocity profiles. Also the velocity profiles were modeled and compared with parabolic profiles, concluding that the wall shear rates were at least 1.46-3.94 times higher than parabolic distribution for the same volume flow rate.