• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.267-272
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• 2011

Objective : Although iliac crest autograft is the gold standard for lumbar fusion, the morbidity of donor site leads us to find an alternatives to replace autologous bone graft. Ceramic-based synthetic bone grafts such as hydroxyapatite (HA) and b-tricalcium phosphate (b-TCP) provide scaffolds similar to those of autologous bone, are plentiful and inexpensive, and are not associated with donor morbidity. The present report describes the use of Polybone$^{(R)}$ (Kyungwon Medical, Korea), a beta-tricalcium phosphate, for lumbar posterolateral fusion and assesses clinical and radiological efficacy as a graft material. Methods : This study retrospectively analyzed data from 32 patients (11 men, 21 women) who underwent posterolateral fusion (PLF) using PolyBone$^{(R)}$ from January to August, 2008. Back and leg pain were assessed using a Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), and clinical outcome was assessed using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Serial radiological X-ray follow up were done at 1, 3, 6 12 month. A computed tomography (CT) scan was done in 12 month. Radiological fusion was assessed using simple anterior-posterior (AP) X-rays and computed tomography (CT). The changes of radiodensity of fusion mass showed on the X-ray image were analyzed into 4 stages to assess PLF status. Results : The mean NRS scores for leg pain and back pain decreased over 12 months postoperatively, from 8.0 to 1.0 and from 6.7 to 1.7, respectively. The mean ODI score also decreased from 60.5 to 17.7. X-rays and CT showed that 25 cases had stage IV fusion bridges at 12 months postoperatively (83.3% success). The radiodensity of fusion mass on X-ray AP image significantly changed at 1 and 6 months. Conclusion: The present results indicate that the use of a mixture of local autologous bone and PolyBone$^{(R)}$ results in fusion rates comparable to those using autologous bone and has the advantage of reduced morbidity. In addition, the graft radiodensity ratio significantly changed at postoperative 1 and 6 months, possibly reflecting the inflammatory response and stabilization.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.120-127
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• 2005

Conventional poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) bone cement has been widely used as an useful biopolymeric material to fix bone using artificial prostheses. However, many patients had to be reoperated, due to the poor mechanical and thermal properties of conventional PMMA bone cement, which are derived from the presence of unreacted MMA liquid, the shrinkage and bubble formation that occur during the curing process of the bone cement, and the high curing temperature ($above 100^{\circ}C$) which has to be used. In the present study, a composite PMMA bone cement was prepared by impregnating conventional PMMA bone cement with ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) powder, in order to improve its mechanical and thermal properties. The UHMWPE powder has poor adhesion with other biopolymeric materials due to the inertness of the powder surface. Therefore, the surface of the UHMWPE powder was modified with two kinds of silane coupling agent containing amino groups (3-amino propyltriethoxysilane ($TSL 8331^{R}$) and N-(2-aminoethyl)-3-(amino propyltrimethoxysilane) ($TSL 8340^{R}$)), in order to improve its bonding strength with the conventional PMMA bone cement. The tensile strengths of the composite PMMA bone cements containing $3 wt\%$ of the UHMWPE powder surface-modified with various ratios of $TSL 8331^{R}$ and $TSL 8340^{R}$ were similar or a little higher than that of the conventional PMMA bone cement. However, no significant difference in the tensile strengths between the conventional PMMA bone cement and the composite PMMA bone cements could be found. However, the curing temperatures of the composite PMMA bone cements were significantly decreased.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.281-287
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• 2011

Background: Biodegradable polymers have increasingly been recognized for various biological applications in recent years. Here we examined the immunostimulatory activities of the novel poly(aspartic acid) conjugated with L-lysine (PLA). Methods: PLA was synthesized by conjugating L-lysine to aspartic acid polymer. PLA-nanoliposomes (PLA-NLs) were prepared from PLA using a microfluidizer. The immunostimulatory activities of PLA-NLs were examined in mouse bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BM-DCs). Results: PLA-NLs increased the number of BM-DCs when added to cultures of GM-CSF-induced DC generation on day 4 after the initiation of cultures. Examination of the phenotypic properties showed that BM-DCs generated in the presence of PLA-NLs are more mature in terms of the expression of MHC class II molecules and major co-stimulatory molecules than BM-DCs generated in the absence of PLA-NLs. In addition, the BM-DCs exhibited enhanced capability to produce cytokines, such as IL-6, IL-12, TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-$1{\beta}$. Allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reactions also confirmed that the BMDCs were more stimulatory on allogeneic T cells. PLA- NL also induced further growth of immature BM-DCs that were harvested on day 8. Conclusion: These results show that PLA-NLs induce the generation and functional activities of BM-DCs, and suggest that PLA-NLs could be immunostimulating agents that target DCs.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.516-521
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• 2009

Techflex$^{(R)}$, a polypropylene-lined, multilayer infusion bag, was studied for its compatibility with diazepam, in comparison to the conventional infusion bag, Safeflex$^{(R)}$, which is comprised of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC). Diazepam was diluted in 0.9% sodium chloride isotonic solution and stored in the infusion bags for 24 h. To evaluate the sorption of diazepam into the infusion bags during storage, the concentration of the drug remaining in the bag was measured using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. The PVC bags exhibited a marked sorption of diazepam, with a drug loss reaching up to 90% of the initial concentration after 24 h of contact, whereas Techflex$^{(R)}$ inhibited the drug sorption, showing approximately 10%, under the same conditions. The differences in the sorption behaviors of the bags are discussed in terms of solubility parameters and crystallinities of the polymers.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.255-261
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• 2006

This study was Conducted to investigate the effect of ${\gamma}-PGA\;({\gamma}-poly\;glutamic\;acid)$ on Ca absorption and bone metabolism in rats. Weaned 4-week old male rats were fed Ca-deficient diets for 3 weeks after the adjustment period. Rats were divided into 6 groups and were fed experimental diets for four weeks. Experimental groups were basal (Ca deficient), control (Ca diet: Ca 0.45%), CP1(Ca 0.45%+casein phosphopeptide 1%), PG1(Ca 0.45%+gamma poly glutamic acid 1%), CPG (Ca 0.45%+casein phosphopeptide 1%+gamma poly glutamic acid 1%) and PG3(Ca 0.45%+gamma poly glutamic acid 3%). Though daily Ca intake and food intake of experimental groups showed no significant difference that of control group. The values of fecal Ca excretion and urinary Ca excretion in groups fed ${\gamma}-PGA$ were significantly lower than that in tile control group. The values of Ca absorption in groups fed ${\gamma}-PGA$ were significantly higher than that in the control group. The levels of femur Ca in ${\gamma}-PGA$ supplemented group were significantly increased compared to the control group. Also, breaking force of femur in ${\gamma}-PGA$ supplemented group showed about 40% increase compared to the control group. These results show that ${\gamma}-PGA$ supplement could be helpful to increase Ca absorption as well as to intensify the femur strength and to increase the Ca content of femur in rats.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.47-60
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• 1988

N-n-Propylacrylamide has been synthesized from acrylamide and n-propyl bromide. N -n Propylacrylamide was copolymerized with acrylamide at $60^{\circ}C$ in tetrahydrofuran using ${\alpha},{\alpha}'$-azobisisbutyronitrile as initiator. The synthesized monomer and copolymers have been identified by NMR and FT-lR spectrophotometer. The swelling properties of the crosslinked homopolymers were investigated at different temperatures. Three types of hydration layer around the back-bone structure of gels were determined. The thermal properties of copolymers were also measured by differential scanning calorimeter and thermogravimetry. As the amounts of N-n-propylacrylamide are increased, the enthalpic changes associated with endothermic transition and glass transition of the copolymers are decreased. As the amount of N-n-propylacrylamide is increased, the thermal stability is increased. The activation energies of thermal decomposition and dehydration for the poly (acrylamide-co-N -n-propylacrylamide) have been evaluated by Freeman and Carroll's method. As the amounts of N-n- propylacrylamide are increased, the activation energies of thermal decomposition and dehydration are increased.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.14-18
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• 2003

Grafting of glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) upon coralline hydroxyapatite in conjugation with demineralized bone matrix (CHA-DBM) using equal molar ratio of potassium persulfate/sodium metabisulfite redox initiating system was investigated in aqueous medium. The optimum reaction condition was standardized by varying the concentrations of backbone, monomer, initiator, temperature and time. The results obtained imply that the percent grafting was found to increase initially and then decrease in most of the cases. The optimum temperature and time were found to be 50 $^{\circ}C$ and 180 min, respectively, to obtain higher grafting yield. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) method were employed for the proof of grafting. The FT-IR spectrum of grafted CHA-DBM showed epoxy groups at 905 and 853 $cm^{-1}$ / and ester carbonyl group at 1731 $cm^{-1}$ / of poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (PGMA) in addition to the characteristic absorptions of CHA-DBM, which provides evidence of the grafting. The XRD results clearly indicated that the crystallographic structure of the grafted CHA-DBM has not changed due to the grafting reaction. Further, no phase transformation was detected by the XRD analysis, which suggests that the PGMA is grafted only on the surface of CHA-DBM backbone. The grafted CHA-DBM will have better functionality because of their surface modification and hence they may be more useful in coupling of therapeutic agents through epoxy groups apart from being used as osteogenic material.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.37 no.12
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• pp.1576-1582
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• 2008

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of administration of calcium supplementary food containing fermented product of Bacillus subtilis SE4 highly producing poly-$\gamma$-glutamic acid on the growthparameters of adolescent male rats. Four-week old male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were fed for 4 weeks and assigned to the following 4 groups: two groups administered orally with new calcium supplementary food (such as 150 mg/kg and 300 mg/kg) containing fermented product of B. subtilis SE4, one group administered with conventional calcium supplementary food product (150 mg/kg) and one saline group as control. Daily weight gain and daily food intake in the two new food product groups were higher than those of conventional food product group and control group. Especially, the content of serum IGF-I in the two new food product groups were significantly higher than those in conventional food product group and in control group (p<0.05). In addition, length and weight of longitudinal bone in the two new food product groups were longer and heavier than those of conventional food product group and control group. Therefore, the addition of fermented food product of B. subtilis SE4 into the conventional calcium supplementary food increased all the parameters examined for the growth of the adolescent male rats.

• Food Engineering Progress
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.233-241
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• 2017

Scaffolds of cell substrates are biophysical platforms for cell attachment, proliferation, and differentiation. They ultimately play a leading-edge role in the regeneration of tissues. Recent studies have shown the potential of bioactive scaffolds (i.e., osteo-inductive) through 3D printing. In this study, rice bran-derived biocomposite was fabricated for fused deposition modeling (FDM)-based 3D printing as a potential bone-graft analogue. Rice bran by-product was blended with poly caprolactone (PCL), a synthetic commercial biodegradable polymer. An extruder with extrusion process molding was adopted to manufacture the newly blended "green material." Processing conditions affected the performance of these blends. Bio-filament composite was characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Mechanical characterization of bio-filament composite was carried out to determine stress-strain and compressive strength. Biological behaviors of bio-filament composites were also investigated by assessing cell cytotoxicity and water contact angle. EDX results of bio-filament composites indicated the presence of organic compounds. These bio-filament composites were found to have higher tensile strength than conventional PCL filament. They exhibited positive response in cytotoxicity. Biological analysis revealed better compatibility of r-PCL with rice bran. Such rice bran blended bio-filament composite was found to have higher elongation and strength compared to control PCL.