• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.105-111
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• 2005

End-stage renal disease is a fatal and devastating disease that is caused by progressive and irreversible loss of functioning nephrons in the kidney. Dialysis and renal transplantation are the common treatments at present, but these treatments have severe limitations. The present study investigated the possibility of reconstructing renal tissues by transplantation of renal precursor cells to replace the current treatments for end-stage renal disease. Embryonic renal precursor cells, freshly isolated from metanephroi of rat fetus at day 15 post-gestation, were seeded on biodegradable polymer scaffolds and transplanted into peritoneal cavities of athymic mice for three weeks. Histologic sections stained with hematoxylin & eosin and periodic acid-Schiff revealed the formation of primitive glomeruli, tubules, and blood vessels, suggesting the potential of embryonic renal precursor cells to reconstitute renal tissues. Immunohistochemical staining for proliferating cell nuclear antigen, a marker of proliferating cells, showed intensive nuclear expression in the regenerated renal structures, suggesting renal tissue reconstitution by transplanted embryonic renal precursor cells. This study demonstrates the reconstitution of renal tissue in vivo by transplanting renal precursor cells with biodegradable polymer scaffolds, which could be utilized as a new method for partial or full restoration of renal structure and function in the treatment of end-stage renal disease.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.691-709
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• 2007

Concerns on environmental waste problems caused by non-biodegradable petrochemical-based plastic packaging materials as well as consumer's demand for high quality food products has caused an increasing interest in developing biodegradable packaging materials using annually renewable natural biopolymers such as polysaccharides and proteins. However, inherent shortcomings of natural polymer-based packaging materials such as low mechanical properties and low water resistance are causing a major limitation for their industrial use. By the way, recent advent of nanocomposite technology rekindled interests on the use of natural biopolymers in the food packaging application. Polymer nanocomposites, especially natural biopolymer-layered silicate nanocomposites, exhibit markedly improved packaging properties due to their nanometer size dispersion. These improvements include increased mechanical strength, decreased gas permeability, and increased water resistance. Additionally, biologically active ingredients can be added to impart the desired functional properties to the resulting packaging materials. Consequently, natural biopolymer-based nanocomposite packaging materials with bio-functional properties have huge potential for application in the active food packaging industry. In this review, recent advances in the preparation and characterization of natural biopolymer-based nanocomposite films, and their potential use in food packaging applications are addressed.

• Proceedings of the Polymer Society of Korea Conference
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• 2006.10a
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• pp.357-357
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• 2006

Many industrial sources of proteins can be used as raw materials to produce films, molded materials, and various hollow items either by "casting" techniques or by "thermoplastic processing". Combining proteins with natural fibbers, paper or biodegradable polyesters is very promising to form biodegradable composites witch take advantage of the barrier and mechanical properties of each component. Using nano-fillers to form nanocomposites has also been shown to be interesting to improve properties. Production, with low transformation cost, of protein based materials to form biodegradable materials with controlled functional properties for food uses, medical uses, packaging, agriculture, controlled release systems, etc. is discussed.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.1697-1699
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• 2008

The purpose of tissue engineering is to repair or replace damaged tissues or organs by a combination of cells, scaffold, suitable biochemical and physio-chemical factors. Among the three components, the biodegradable scaffold plays an important role in cell attachment and migration. In this study, we designed 3D porous scaffold by Rapid Prototyping (RP) system and fabricated layer-by-layer 3D structure using Polycarprolactone (PCL) - one of the most flexible biodegradable polymer. Furthermore, the physical and mechanical properties of the scaffolds were evaluated by changing the pore size and the strand diameter of the scaffold. We changed nozzle diameter (strand diameter) and strand to strand distance (pore size) to find the effect on the mechanical property of the scaffold. And the surface morphology, inner structure and storage modulus of PCL scaffold were analyzed with SEM, Micro-CT and DMA.

• Polymer Science and Technology
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.450-457
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• 2007

• Polymer Science and Technology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.13-18
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• 1994

• Polymer Science and Technology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.207-214
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• 1999

• Polymer Science and Technology
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• v.2 no.5
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• pp.341-354
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• 1991

• Polymer Science and Technology
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• v.5 no.6
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• pp.551-557
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• 1994

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2013.05a
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• pp.575-576
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• 2013