• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.187-206
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• 1993

Since the advent of recombinant DNA technology coupled with other biotechnology a variety of therapeutically effective proteins and peptides have been extensively invesitigated and many of them are now on clinical trial. They, however, suffer from some problems such as immunogenicity, antigenicity, instability and short half-life in circulation due to their proteinous natures. These drawbacks can be overcome successfully by conjugating proteins and peptides with hydrophilic polymers such as polyethylene glycol (PEG), albumin or dextran. The resulting soluble conjugates showed reduced antigenicity and immunogenicity, increased circulatory half-life, enhanced stability against proteolytic degradation. Comparing with the unmodified proteins and peptides, the therapeutic potential of conjugates is greatly enhanced. Clinical applications of these conjugates have shown promising results for the future use.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.323-337
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• 2015

Membrane Fouling was considered as major drawback in various industrial applications. Thus, this paper reviews the surface modification of polyethersulfone (PES) membranes for antifouling performance. Various modification techniques clearly indicate that hydrophilicity has to improve on the PES membrane surface. Moreover, the mechanism of fouling reduction with corresponds to various modification methods is widely discussed. Incorporation of hydrophilic functional groups on PES membrane surface enhances the surface free energy thereby which reduces the fouling. Characterization techniques adopted for the surface modified membranes was also discussed. These studies might be useful for the other researchers to utilize the modification technique for the applications of waste water treatment, chemical process industry and food industry.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.407-411
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• 2004

New formulations of amlodipine maleate tablet have been investigated to enhance the stability of the drug against light and humidity. Three kinds of amlodipine maleate tablets were prepared. One is prepared by previously known formulation (formulation C), the others were by new formulations using hydrophilic polymer $(Opadry^{\circledR})$ coated granules (formulations A and B). Amlodipine maleate powder was coated with $Opadry^{\circledR}$ to produce the coated granules and it was mixed with other excipients to produce the tabletting mass of new formulations A and B. Dissolution rate of newly formulated tablets was over 80% within 10 minutes in 0.01 M HCl medium, and its dissolution pattern was similar to that of $Norvasc^{\circledR}$ tablet. After 6 months storage under accelerated conditions, residual drug contents of tested formulations (A and B) were not significantly different from formulation C, ranging from 96.2 to 100.4%. Meanwhile, dissolution amount of formulation C was significantly reduced compared to that of formulation A (p<0.05), showing formulation A was more stable than unprotected formulation C at the accelerated conditions. Results of appearance, hardness and disintegration remained unchanged during stability study. In conclusion, it showed that the new formulations had enhanced the stability characteristics and hydrophilic coating technique was an alternative and promising method to improve the stability of amlodipine maleate tablet.

• Proceedings of the Polymer Society of Korea Conference
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• 2006.10a
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• pp.268-268
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• 2006

Due to their multipotency, stem cells can differentiate into a variety of specialized cell types, such as chondrocytes, osteoblasts, myoblasts, and nerve cells. As an alternative to mature tissue cells, stem cells are of importance in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Since interactions between scaffold and cells play an important role in the tissue development in vitro, synthetic oligopeptides have been immobilized onto polymeric scaffolds to improve specific cell attachment and even to stimulate cell differentiation. In this study, chondrogenic differentiation of stem cells was evaluated using surface-modified PLLA scaffolds, i.e., either hydrophilic acrylic acid (AA)-grafted PLLA or RGD-immobilized one. Porous PLLA scaffolds were prepared using a gas foaming method, followed by plasma treatment and subsequent grafting of AA to introduce a hydrophilicity (PLLA-PAA). This was further processed to fix RGD peptide to make an RGD-immobilized scaffold (PLLA-PAA-RGD). Stem cells were seeded at $1{\times}10^{6}$ cells per scaffold and the cell-PLLA constructs were cultured for up to 4 weeks in the chondrogenic medium. Using these surface-modified scaffolds, adhesion, proliferation, and chondrogenic differentiation of stem cells were evaluated. The surface of PLLA scaffolds turned hydrophilic (water contact angle, 45 degrees) with both plasma treatment and AA grafting. The hydrophilicity of RGD-immobilized surface was not significantly altered. Cell proliferation rate on the either PLLA-PAA or PLLA-PAA-RGD surface was obviously improved, especially with the RGD-immobilized one as compared to the control PLLA one. Chondrogenic differentiation was clearly identified with Safranin O staining of GAG in the AA- or RGD-grafted PLLA substrates. This study demonstrated that modified polymer surfaces may provide better environment for chondrogenesis of stem cells.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.293-298
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• 2014

We prepared hydrophilic porous supporters for the reinforced composite fuel cell membrane by radiation grafting of acrylonitrile (AN) and hydrophilic sodium allylsulfonate (SAS) into a porous polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) supporter. The physicochemical properties of the supporters prepared under various reaction conditions such as molar ratio of SAS/AN, monomer concentration, and irradiation dose were evaluated. FTIR was utilized to confirm the successful introduction of SAS/AN copolymer chains into the porous PTFE. The pores of the porous PTFE film were found to be decreased with an increase in the degree of grafting by using FE-SEM and gurley number. Furthermore, by analyzing the degree of grafting, contact angle, and TBO (toluidine blue O) uptake, the hydrophilicity of the prepared supporters was found to increase with an increase in the degree of grafting.

• Journal of Adhesion and Interface
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.23-29
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• 2000

Surface modification of hydrophobic polymeric materials to be hydrophilic or to have specific functional groups is of great importance for a diversity of applications of the materials. In this study, polyethylene (PE) film surfaces were modified by vapor phase photografting of hydrophilic vinyl monomers with different functional groups. The functional monomers were introduced on PE films by introducing the monomers in vapor phase using a vapor phase photografting apparatus designed by our laboratory. Functional monomers used were acrylic acid (negatively chargeable), acrylamide and allylalcohol (neutral), and allylamine and N,N-dimethyl aminopropyl acryamide (positively charged). The functional monomer-grafted PE film surfaces were characterized by the measurement of water contact angles and the attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The vapor phase photografting seems to be effective means for introduction of various functional groups onto polymeric substrates.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.385-391
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• 2007

Block copolymer micelles are generally formed via the self-assembly of amphiphilic block copolymers in an aqueous medium. The hydrophilic and hydrophobic blocks form shell and core micelles, respectively. The block copolymers of methoxy poly(ethylene glycol) (MPEG)-b-poly(2-diisopropylamino)ethyl methacrylate (PDPA) were synthesized via atom transfer radical polymerization, with the macro initiator synthesized by the coupling of 2-bromoisobutyryl bromide with MPEG in the presence of a triethyl amine base catalyst. The atom transfer radical polymerization of 2-diisopropylamino)ethyl methacrylate was performed in conjunction with an N,N,N',N",N"-pentamethyl-diethylenetriamine/copper bromide catalyst system, in DMF, at $70^{\circ}C$. The pH induced micellization/demicellization was studied using fluorescence, with a pyrene probe. Furthermore, the pH dependent micellization was confirmed using the microviscosity method, with a dipyme fluorescence probe. The pH dependant micelle size distribution was studied using dynamic light scattering. The characterization of the synthesized polymers was established using gel permeation chromatography and from the $^1H-nuclear$ magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.6 no.5
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• pp.351-363
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• 2015

To increase the surface hydrophilicity of PVDF membranes, in this paper, an electric enhancing method was adopted to treat PVDF nascent membranes during the phase inversion process. It was found that when PEG 600 was taken as the additive, the surface water contact angle of the PVDF membrane treated under 2 kV electric field was decreased from $84.0^{\circ}$ to $65.7^{\circ}$. The reason for the surface elements change of the PVDF membranes prepared under the electric field was analyzed in detail with the dielectric parameters of the polymer dope solutions. Results from BSA adsorption experiment showed that the antifouling ability of the external electric field-treated membranes was distinctly enhanced when compared with that of the untreated membranes. The amount of BSA adsorbed by the treated membranes was lower by 38-43%. Compared with the common chemical reaction methods to synthesize hydrophilic additives or membrane materials, the electric field-assisted processing method did not involve any additional chemical synthesis process and it was capable of realizing better hydrophilicity.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.267-271
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• 2006

Polyelectrolyte complex films were prepared with two compounds, chitosan and poly(ethylene glycol)-monosuccinate, using a casting in order to synthesize a polyelectrolyte complex film with various mole ratios of chitosan and poly(ethylene glycol)-monosuccinate. The solution properties of isolated PEC were investigated for the effects of FTIR, pH value, Brookfield viscosity and cell viability assay using MTT staining. The PEC films were evaluated for mechanical properties by typical stress-strain curve, far thermal properties by DSC and TGA and for surface morphology Properties by SEM. Furthermore, the surface resistance, moisture regain and water content of the films were characterized. The solution properties were affected by several factors including the chitosan content in the PEC, the mixing ratio of PEG and chitosan, and pH. Several PEC in acidic conditions exhibited film formation under appropriate conditions of mixing ratio and chitosan concentration in the mixing process. These PEC films were found to have sufficiently flexible and stable properties due to their hydrophilic structure, which was farmed by the oppositely charged interaction between PEG-MS and chitosan matrix. The results showed the potential applicability of chitosan and poly(ethylene glycol)-monosuccinate films as a biocompatible polymer.

• Journal of Adhesion and Interface
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.44-52
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• 2002

Composite materials are created by combining two or more component to achieve desired properties which could not be obtained with the separate components. The use of reinforcing fillers, which can reduce material costs and improve certain properties, is increasing in thermoplastic polymer composites. Currently, various inorganic fillers such as talc, mica, clay, glass fiber and calcium carbonate are being incorporated into thermoplastic composites. Nevertheless, lignocellulose fibers have drawn attention due to their abundant availability, low cost and renewable nature. In recent, interest has grown in composites made from lignocellulose fiber in thermoplastic polymer matrices, particularly for low cost/high volume applications. In addition to high specific properties, lignocellulose fibers offer a number of benefits for lignocellulose fiber/thermoplastic polymer composites. These include low hardness, which minimize abrasion of the equipment during processing, relatively low density, biodegradability, and low cost on a unit-volume basis. In spite of the advantage mentioned above, the use of lignocellulose fibers in thermoplastic polymer composites has been plagued by difficulties in obtaining good dispersion and strong interfacial adhesion because lignocellulose fiber is hydrophilic and thermoplastic polymer is hydrophobic. The application of lignocellulose fibers as reinforcements in composite materials requires, just as for glass-fiber reinforced composites, a strong adhesion between the fiber and the matrix regardless of whether a traditional polymer matrix, a biodegradable polymer matrix or cement is used. Further this article gives a survey about physical and chemical treatment methods which improve the fiber matrix adhesion, their results and effects on the physical properties of composites. Coupling agents in lignocellulose fiber and polymer composites play a very important role in improving the compatibility and adhesion between polar lignocellulose fiber and non-polar polymeric matrices. In this article, we also review various kinds of coupling agent and interfacial mechanism or phenomena between lignocellulose fiber and thermoplastic polymer.