Yoon S. Choi

Ectopic expression of the catalytic subunit of telomerase protects against brain injury resulting from ischemia and NMDA-induced neurotoxicity.

The catalytic subunit of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) protects dividing cells from replicative senescence in vitro. Here, we show that expression of TERT mRNA is induced in the ipsilateral cortical neurons after occlusion of the middle cerebral artery in adult mice. Transgenic mice that overexpress TERT showed significant resistance to ischemic brain injury. Among excitotoxicity, oxidative stress, and apoptosis comprising of routes of ischemic neuronal death, NMDA receptor-mediated excitotoxicity was reduced in forebrain cell cultures overexpressing TERT. NMDA-induced accumulation of cytosolic free Ca2+ ([Ca2+]c) was reduced in forebrain neurons from TERT transgenic mice, which was attributable to the rapid flow of [Ca2+]c into the mitochondria from the cytosol without change in Ca2+ influx and efflux through the plasma membrane. The present study provides evidence that TERT is inducible in postmitotic neurons after ischemic brain injury and prevents NMDA neurotoxicity through shift of the cytosolic free Ca2+ into the mitochondria, and thus plays a protective role in ameliorating ischemic neuronal cell death.

Study on the electrical properties of ITO films deposited by facing target sputter deposition

This study examined the mechanism for the change in the electrical properties (carrier concentration (n) and mobility (µ)) of tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) films deposited by magnetron sputtering in a confined facing magnetic field. The relationship between the carrier concentration and the mobility was significantly different from the results reported for ITO films deposited by other magnetron sputtering processes. The lowest resistivity obtained for ITO films deposited in a confined facing magnetic field at low substrate temperatures (approximately 120 ◦ C) was 4.26 × 10 −4 � cm at a power density of 3Wcm −2 . Crystalline ITO films were obtained at a low power density range from 3 to 5Wcm −2 due to the increase in the substrate temperature from 120 to 162 ◦ C. This contributed to the increased carrier concentration and decreased electrical resistivity. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed an increase in the concentration of the Sn 4+ states. This was attributed to the formation of a crystalline ITO film, which effectively enhanced the carrier concentration and reduced the carrier mobility.

Super-hydrophobic coatings with nano-size roughness prepared with simple PECVD method

A simple and conventional method to synthesize nearly flat super-hydrophobic coatings was studied. Conventional plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) was adopted to synthesize hydrophobic coatings on plastic and glass substrates at room temperature. Hexamethyldisilane was used as a precursor, and hydrogen gas was added to modulate the surface roughness and passivate defects, such as dangling bond and electrically uncovered polar sites rendering non-hydrophobicity. The static water contact angle (WCA) was controlled in the range 120°–160° by adjusting process parameters, especially the hydrogen flow rate and power. AFM showed that the film with a WCA of 145° has as small as 2.5 nm roughness in rms value. In the resistance test of salt water and cosmetics, this film showed excellent results owing to super-hydrophobicity and defect passivation which keeps the surface isolated from external agents. In order to exploit these results, Rare gas analysis was used to examine the process plasma and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) was used to analyse the chemical structures of the super-hydrophobic films. In the FTIR results, the remarkable increase in the modes of Si–Hx and Si–C bonds as well as Si–CH2–Si in the film was observed indicating the defect passivation and closely packed dense film structure.

Role of INK4a locus in normal eye development and cataract genesis

The murine INK4a locus encodes the critical tumor suppressor proteins, p16(INK4a) and p19(ARF). Mice lacking both p16(INK4a) and p19(ARF) (INK4a-/-) in their FVB/NJ genetic backgrounds developed cataracts and microophthalmia. Histopathologically, INK4a-/- mice showed defects in the developmental regression of the hyaloid vascular system (HVS), retinal dysplasia, and cataracts with numerous vacuolations, closely resembling human persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous (PHPV). Ocular defects, such as retinal fold and abnormal migration of lens fiber cells, were observed as early as embryonic day (E) 15.5, thereby resulting in the abnormal differentiation of the lens. We also found that ectopic expression of p16(INK4a) resulted in the induction of gammaF-crystallin, suggesting an important role of INK4a locus during mouse eye development, and also providing insights into the potential genetic basis of human cataract genesis.

Plasma Diagnostics and Characterizations of Al-Doped ZnO Films Deposited with Low Temperature Sputtering Process

Facing targets sputtering (FTS) is known to be one of the promising magnetron sputtering systems for low temperature processes, because of the significant reduction of damage in the film structure, by the suppression of impinging high energy particles. In this study, FTS was compared with conventional magnetron sputtering (CMS), by various plasma diagnostics methods and film analysis. The sputtering target used was ZnO:Al (2%). OES was used to study the emission spectroscopy of process plasma. Ion current densities and the temperatures on the substrate were measured, to compare FTS with CMS. A coplanar-type Fabry?Perot interferometer (FPI) was utilized to measure the gas temperatures of Zn atoms, by Doppler broadening of the corresponding emission lines. Gas temperatures of Zn of FTS were measured to be lower, in the range of 200?300 K, compared with those of CMS. Film analysis showed that quality films can be synthesized at low temperature with rf powered FTS.

Stable and high-quality Al-doped ZnO films with ICP-assisted facing targets sputtering at low temperature

FTS (facing targets sputtering) has been studied intensively for high-quality TCO films in low-temperature processes. In this study, we designed ICP-assisted FTS process for high-quality Al-doped ZnO film synthesis in a low temperature process. A one-turn ICP coil was installed a few cm above the upper target edge through which hydrogen was introduced and fully dissociated to the atomic radicals. The increase of ICP power caused heating and rarefaction of Ar gas and generated abundant hydrogen atoms and hydrogenated molecules. In FESEM analysis, the films synthesized with high ICP power showed high crystallinity. XPS was used to analyze the film structure. In O1s spectra, the low binding energy component located at ~530.3 ± 0.4 eV corresponding to O2− ions on the wurtzite structure of the hexagonal Zn2+ ion array increased with the ICP power, indicating good crystal quality. With increasing ICP power fixing while fixing the RF power at the cathode, the resistivity was observed to decrease to 5 × 10−4 Ω-cm. For thermal reliability tests, films were stored in an air-based chamber at 200 °C. The films synthesized without ICP showed rapid degradation in the electrical properties, while the films synthesized with high ICP power showed good stabilities with little change in the electrical properties after 30 h of storage in an oven. By adding hydrogen, the carrier concentration of the films increased, while the mobility did not change much. From these results, it is expected that hydrogen was incorporated into the film as a stable n-dopant by using an auxiliary ICP plasma source.

Hematopoietic malignancies associated with increased Stat5 and Bcl-x L expressions in Ink4a/Arf-deficient mice

The INK4a/ARF locus, which encodes the two distinct proteins p16(INK4a) and p14(ARF), is frequently altered in various hematological malignancies as well as in other types of cancers in humans. In this study, we surveyed tumors that had spontaneously developed in Ink4a/Arf-deficient mice with an inbred FVB/NJ genetic background. We found that an Ink4a/Arf-deficiency exerted more severe effects on the induction of hematopoietic malignancies in mice with an inbred FVB/NJ genetic background than in mice with a mixed genetic background. We also provided the evidence that this prevalence of hematopoietic malignancies in Ink4a/Arf-deficient mice is associated with the upregulated expressions of Stat5 and its transcriptional target, Bcl-x(L), both of which are involved in the regulation of hematopoiesis. These results suggest a possible implication of the Ink4a/Arf locus in the control of hematopoietic pathways by negatively regulating the Stat5-signalling pathways.

Generation of reversible Rb-knockdown mice

This study describes the generation of reversible Rb-knockdown mice using Tet-off system coupled with Rb-deficient mice currently available. Mice expressing pRB conditionally in Rb-/- background were generated by crossings P(hCMV)-tTA/TRE-Rb transgenic mice with conventional Rb+/- mice. Transgenic Rb was tightly controlled with reversibility and biologically effective as exemplified by cyclin E expression in a doxycycline-dependent manner in mouse embryonic fibroblasts. However, its ectopic expression was not sufficient to rescue the phenotypes of Rb-/- embryos at organismal level, suggesting the requirement of more sophisticated regulation of pRB. With all, these results demonstrate that our experimental strategy can be an alternative way to convert classical gene-disrupted mice into reversible conditional ones.