• Applied Microscopy
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.101-104
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• 2017

In this investigation, synchrotron X-ray imaging was used to investigate the water distribution inside newly developed gas diffusion media in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. In-situ radiography was used to reveal the relationship between the structure of the microporous layer (MPL) and the water flow in a newly developed MPL equipped with randomly arranged holes. A strong influence of these holes on the overall water transport was found. This contribution provides a brief overview to some of our recent activities on this research field.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.183-188
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• 2010

It is necessary to develop an efficient and affordable cooling technology and apply the practical system to rural farmhouse, control to adequate growth environment by adjusting temperature of root zone. A study on managing medium temperature of the hydroponics for strawberry cultivation was conducted and feasible evaporative cooling system for the media cooling were as follows: Characteristics of temperature drop were investigated for the evaporative cooling devices using microporous film duct, felt mulching on media surface, and water permeable sheet in culture tank. The evaporative device with water permeable sheet in culture tank was the most efficient and economic on media cooling system.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.45-50
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• 2008

This study examined the swelling behavior and in vitro release of a model drug, tetracycline-HCl, from alginate and alginate-polyaspartate (Alg-PASP) composite gel beads. The alginate and Alg-PASP composite beads were prepared using an ionic crosslinking method with aqueous $Ca^{2+}$. Their microporous morphology was observed by scanning electron microscopy. The swelling ratio of the beads in different media varied according to their composition, cross-linking density ($Ca^{2+}$ concentration), and pH of the aqueous medium. The in vitro release experiment of the tetracycline-HCl encapsulated beads in different media suggests that the release of the drug is governed mainly by the swelling properties of the polymer network. The presence of PASP was found to significantly influence the swelling properties and drug release profile.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.509-518
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• 2010

Purpose: Major drawbacks of conventional bone marrow stromal cells (BSCs) transplantation method are mainly caused by direct transplanted cell to host cell interactions. We hypothesized that separation of the transplanted cells by a microporous membrane might inhibit most of the potential adverse effects and induce superior effect. The purpose of the study is to determine the optimal condition of the microporous membrane. Methods: First, BSCs were placed in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) transwell inserts with 3, 8, or $12{\mu}m$ pore size, and cultured in 24 well culture plates. After 5 days, bottoms of the plates were observed for presence of attached BSCs in monolayer and cell numbers were evaluated. Second, BSCs were placed PET, polycarbonate (PCT), and mixed cellulose esters (MCE) transwell inserts with 3 and $8{\mu}m$ pore size, and cultured in 24 well culture plates. After 3 days, the supernatants of the media left in culture plate were analyzed for collagen, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), platelet derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB), and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). Third, BSCs were placed in 15% and 70% of the PET membrane with $3{\mu}m$ pore size. All the experimental conditions and methods were same as the second study. Results: The optimal pore sizes to prevent BSC leakage were $3{\mu}m$ and $8{\mu}m$. The amounts of type I collagen and three growth factors tested did not show significant differences among PET, PCT, and MCE groups. However, the collagen, VEGF, and bFGF levels were much higher in the high (70%) density group than in the low (15%) density group. Conclusion: This study revealed that the optimal pore size of membrane to prevent direct BSC to recipient cell contact is in between $3{\mu}m$ and $8{\mu}m$. Membrane materials and pore sizes do not influence the collagen and growth factor passage through the membrane. The most striking factor for collagen and growth factor transport is pore density of the membrane.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.05a
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• pp.96.2-96.2
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• 2011

Water transport through the microporous membrane was modeled considering capillary condensation as well as capillary flow in porous media as a function of pore diameter and relative humidity at the surface. The present model was adopted by the numerical simulation of non-isothermal, non-homogenous flow in a shell and tube typed gas to gas membrane humidifier for PEMFC (proton exchange membrane fuel cell) and the result shows good agreement with experimental data.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.352-359
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• 2024

Environmental pollution from heavy metal ions (HMIs) is a global concern. Recently, biosorption methods using cellulose sorbents have gained popularity. The objective of this study was to assess the removal efficiency of Cu(II), Pb(II), and Hg(II) ions at low concentration levels (100-700 ppb) from aqueous solutions using three different cellulose fiber-based filter media. Sample A was pure cellulose fiber, Sample B was 10% activated carbon-cellulose fiber, and Sample C was cellulose fiber-glass fiber-30% activated carbon-20% amorphous titanium silicate (ATS). The samples were characterized by several physicochemical techniques. The porosity measurements using N₂ sorption isotherms revealed that Samples A and B are nonporous or macroporous materials, whereas the addition of 50% filler materials into the cellulose resulted in a microporous material. The Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area and pore volume of Sample C were found to be 320.34 m²/g and 0.162 cm³/g, respectively. The single ion batch adsorption experiments reveal that at 700 ppb initial metal ion concentration, Sample A had removal efficiencies of 7.5, 11.5, and 13.7% for Cu(II), Pb(II), and Hg(II) ions, respectively. Sample B effectively eliminated 99.6% of Cu(II) ions compared to Pb(II) (14.2%) and Hg(II) (31.9%) ions. Cu(II) (99.37%) and Pb(II) (96.3%) ions are more efficiently removed by Sample C than Hg(II) (68.2%) ions. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) wild survey spectrum revealed the presence of Cu(II), Pb(II), and Hg(II) ions in HMI-adsorbed filter media. The high-resolution C1s spectra of Samples A and B reveal the presence of -C-OH and -COOH groups on their surface, which are essential for HMIs adsorption via complexation reactions. Additionally, the ATS in Sample C facilitates the adsorption of Pb(II) and Hg(II) ions through ion exchange.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.67-79
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• 2019

High purity propylene (propene) is an octane-enhancing chemical and also feedstock to industrially important chemicals. Purification of propylene from propane mixture is technologically and financially challenging because of their close boiling points. ZIF-8 membrane has been increasingly researched due to its great potential to separate propylene from propane effectively by molecular sieving. The increasing interest in ZIF-8 membranes lies in the so called "gate opening" effect. The gate opening effect enlarges the membrane pores and preferentially allows propylene to permeate through the membrane pores, while retaining the larger and heavier propane molecules in the feed stream in order to effect high propylene separation from propylene/propane mixture. In this paper, the widely accepted methods of ZIF-8 membrane preparation and parameters affecting propylene permeation and selectivity in ZIF-8 membrane are identified and reviewed.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.199-218
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• 2005

Purpose of Study: Peripheral nerve regeneration depends on neurotrophism of distal nerve stump, recovery potential of neuron, supporting cell like Schwann cell and neurotrophic factors such as BDNF. Peripheral nerve regeneration can be enhanced by the conduit which connects the both sides of transected nerve. The conduit maintains the effects of neurotrophism and BDNF produced by Schwann cells which can be made by gene therapy. In this study, we tried to enhance the peripheral nerve regeneration by using calcium phosphate coated porous conduit and BDNF-Adenovirus infected Schwann cells in sciatic nerve of rats. Materials and Methods: Microporous filter which permits the tissue fluid essential for nerve regeneration and does not permit infiltration of fibroblasts, was made into 2mm diameter and 17mm length conduit. Then it was coated with calcium phosphate to improve the Schwann cell adhesion and survival. The coated filter was evaluated by SEM examination and MTT assay. For effective allogenic Schwann cell culture, dorsal root ganglia of 1-day old rat were extracted and treated with enzyme and antimitotic Ara-C. Human BDNF cDNA was obtained from cDNA library and amplified using PCR. BDNF gene was inserted into adenovirus shuttle vector pAACCMVpARS in which E1 was deleted. We infected the BDNF-Ad into 293 human mammary kidney cell-line and obtained the virus plaque 2 days later. RT-PCR was performed to evaluate the secretion of BDNF in infected Schwann cells. To determine the most optimal m.o.i of BDNF-Ad, we infected the Schwann cells with LacZ adenovirus in 1, 20, 50, 75, 100, 250 m.o.i for 2 hours and stained with ${\beta}$-galactosidase. Rats(n=24) weighing around 300g were used. Total 14mm sciatic nerve defect was made and connected with calcium phosphate coated conduits. Schwann cells$(1{\times}10^6)$ or BDNF-Ad infected Schwann cells$(1{\times}10^6)$ were injected in conduit and only media(MEM) was injected in control group. Twelve weeks after surgery, degree of nerve regeneration was evaluated with gait analysis, electrophysiologic measurements and histomorphometric analysis. Results: 1. Microporous Millipore filter was effective conduit which permitted the adhesion of Schwann cells and inhibited the adhesion of fibroblast. We could enhance the Schwann cell adhesion and survival by coating Millipore filter with calcium phosphate. 2. Schwann cell culture technique using repeated treatment of Ara-C and GDNF was established. The mean number of Schwann cells obtained 1 and 2 weeks after the culture were $1.54{\pm}4.0{\times}10^6$ and $9.66{\pm}9.6{\times}10^6$. 3. The mRNA of BDNF in BDNF-Ad infected Schwann cells was detected using RT-PCR. In Schwann cell $0.69\;{\mu}g/{\mu}l$ of DNA was detected and in BDNF-Adenovirus transfected Schwann cell $0.795\;{\mu}g/{\mu}l$ of DNA was detected. The most effective infection concentration was determined by LacZ Adenovirus and 75 m.o.i was found the most optimal. Conclusion: BDNF-Ad transfected Schwann cells successfully regenerated the 14mm nerve gap which was connected with calcium phosphate coated Millipore filter. The BDNF-Ad group showed better results compared with Schwann cells only group and control group in aspect to sciatic function index, electrophysiologic measurements and histomorphometric analysis.