• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.6 no.5
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• pp.326-331
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• 2001

With the aim of developing of pH-sensitive controlled drug release system, a poly(Llysine) (PLL) based cationic semi-interpenetrating polymer network (semi-IPN) has been synthesized. This cationic hydrogel was designed to swell at lower pH and de-swell at higher pH and therefore be applicable for achieving regulated drug release at a specific pH range. In addition to the pH sensitivity, this hydrogel was anticipated to interact with an ionic drug, providing another means to regulate the release rate of ionic drugs. This semi-IPN hydrogel was prepared using a free-radical polymerization method and by crosslinking of the polyethylene glycol (PEG)-methacrylate polymer through the PLL network. The two polymers were penetrated with each other via interpolymer complexation to yield the semi-IPN structures. The PLL hydrogel thus prepared showed dynamic swelling/de-swelling behavior in response to pH change, and such a behavior was influenced by both the concentrations of PLL and PEG-methacrylate. Drug release from this semi-IPN hydrogel was also investigated using a model protein drug, streptokinase. Streptokinase release was found to be dependent on its ionic interaction with the PLL backbones as well as on the swelling of the semi-IPN hydrogel. These results suggest that a PLL semi-IPN hydrogel could potentially be used as a drug delivery platform to modulate drug release by pH-sensitivity and ionic interaction.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.95-99
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• 2005

Mucoadhesive microspheres were prepared by interpolymer complexation of chitosan with poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and solvent evaporation method to increase gastric residence time. The chitosan-PAA complex formation was confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry and swelling study. The DSC thermogram of chitosan-PAA microspheres showed two exothermic peaks for the decomposition of chitosan and PAA. The swelling ratio of the chitosan-PAA microspheres was dependent on the pH of the medium. The swelling ratio was higher at pH 2.0 than at neutral pH. The results indicated that the microspheres were formed by electrostatic interaction between the carboxyl groups of PAA and the amine groups of chitosan. The effect of various process parameters on the formation and morphology of microspheres was investigated. The best microspheres were obtained when 1.5% of the high molecular weight chitosan and 0.3% of PAA were used as an internal phase. The optimum internal phase volume was 7%. The com oil was used as the external phase of emulsion, and span 80 was used as the surfactant. The prepared microspheres had spherical shape.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.23-31
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• 1992

A novel O-diethylaminoethyl chitosan (DEAE-chitosan) was synthesized via Schiff's reaction between chitosan and benzaldehyde. $C_2$ amino group was protected via Schiffs base reaction with benzaldehyde to form N-benzylidene chitosan. After reaction with diethylaminoethyl chloride, Schiffs base was removed by reacting O-diethylaminothyl-N-benzylidene chitosan and hydrochloric acid. Tensile strength of DEAE-chitosan was improved due to the incorporation of bulky side group in $C_6$ position of chitosan. DEAE-chitosan showed a pH-dependent swelling characteristics. Release rate of riboflavin was dependent on the water content of DEAE-chitosan that is a function of crosslinking degrees.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.558-564
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• 2011

The biocompatibility and biodegradability of poly(amino acid) make them ideal candidates for many bio-related applications. Poly(aspartic acid), PASP, is one of synthetic water-soluble polymers with proteinlike structure, and has been extensively explored for the potential industrial and biomedical applications due to its biodegradable, biocompatible and pH-responsive properties. In this work, amino acid-conjugated PASPs were prepared by aminolysis reaction onto polysuccinimide (PSI) using ${\gamma}$-aminobutylic acid(GABA) and ${\beta}$-alanine methyl ester and a subsequent hydrolysis process. Their chemical gels were prepared by crosslinking reaction with ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (EGDE). The hydrogels were investigated for their basic swelling behavior, hydrolytic degradation and morphology. The crosslinked gels showed a responsive swelling behavior, which was dependent on pH and salt concentration in aqueous solution, and relatively fast hydrolytic degradation.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.23-30
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• 1988

The sustained-release micropellets containing rifampicin were prepared by spray congealing micropelleting technique using gelatin as the embedding matrix, and hardened by treating with the formalin-isopropanol mixture. Dissolution of rifampicin from micropellets was significantly retarded, and greatly dependent on formalin concentration, hardening time and pH of the dissolution medium. It was found that this prolongation was more distinguished in pH 1.2 dissolution medium rather than pH 7.4, which might be attributed to the swelling characteristics of gelatin used in the dissolution medium. In-vitro dissolution kinetics indicated that the drug release followed the first-order process.

• Carbon letters
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.173-177
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• 2012

A drug delivery system (DDS) was prepared with a temperature and pH-responsive hydrogel. Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/poly(acrylic acid) (PAAc)/poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm)/multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) nanocomposites were prepared by radical polymerization for the temperature and pH-responsive hydrogels. MWCNTs were employed to improve both the thermal conductivity and mechanical properties of the PVA/PAAc/PNIPAAm/MWCNT nanocomposite hydrogels. Various amounts of MWCNTs (0, 0.5, 1 and 3 wt%) were added to the nanocomposite hydrogels. PVA/PAAc/PNIPAAm/MWCNT nanocomposite hydrogels were characterized with a scanning electron microscope. The mechanical properties were measured with a universal testing machine. Swelling and releasing properties of nanocomposite hydrogels were investigated at various temperatures and pHs. Temperature and pH-responsive release behavior was found to be dependent on the content of MWCNTs in nanocomposite hydrogels.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.612-618
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• 2005

A mucoadhesive microsphere was prepared by an interpolymer complexation and solvent evaporation method, using chitosan and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA), to prolong the gastric resid ence time of the delivery system. The Fourier transform infrared results showed that microspheres were formed by an electrostatic interaction between the carboxyl groups of the PAA and the amine groups of the chitosan. X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry analysis showed that the enrofloxacin in the chitosan-PAA microsphere was molecularly dispersed in an amorphous state. Scanning electron microscopy of the surface and the quantity of mucin attached to the microspheres indicated that chitosan-PAA microspheres had a higher affinity for mucin than those of chitosan alone. The swelling and dissolution of the chitosan-PAA microspheres were found to be dependent on the pH of the medium. The rate of enrofloxacin released from the chitosan-PAA microspheres was slower at higher pH; therefore, based on their mucoadhesive properties and morphology, the chitosan-PAA microspheres can be used as a mucoadhesive oral drug delivery system.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.49-54
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• 2014

Background: Hydrogels are a class of polymers that can absorb water or biological fluids and swell to several times their dry volume, dependent on changes in the external environment. In recent years, hydrogels and hydrogel nanocomposites have found a variety of biomedical applications, including drug delivery and cancer treatment. The incorporation of nanoparticulates into a hydrogel matrix can result in unique material characteristics such as enhanced mechanical properties, swelling response, and capability of remote controlled actuation. Materials and Methods: In this work, synthesis of hydrogel nanocomposites containing magnetic nanoparticles are studied. At first, magnetic nanoparticles ($Fe_3O_4$) with an average size 10 nm were prepared. At second approach, thermo and pH-sensitive poly (N-isopropylacrylamide -co-methacrylic acid-co-vinyl pyrrolidone) (NIPAAm-MAA-VP) were prepared. Swelling behavior of co-polymer was studied in buffer solutions with different pH values (pH=5.8, pH=7.4) at $37^{\circ}C$. Magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles ($Fe_3O_4$) and doxorubicin were incorporated into copolymer and drug loading was studied. The release of drug, carried out at different pH and temperatures. Finally, chemical composition, magnetic properties and morphology of doxorubicin-loaded magnetic hydrogel nanocomposites were analyzed by FT- IR, vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results: The results indicated that drug loading efficiency was increased by increasing the drug ratio to polymer. Doxorubicin was released more at $40^{\circ}C$ and in acidic pH compared to that $37^{\circ}C$ and basic pH. Conclusions: This study suggested that the poly (NIPAAm-MAA-VP) magnetic hydrogel nanocomposite could be an effective carrier for targeting drug delivery systems of anti-cancer drugs due to its temperature sensitive properties.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.363-369
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• 2011

The present study elucidated the effect of the selective inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) inhibitor $N^6$-(1-iminoethyl)-L-lysine (L-NIL) on monosodium urate (MSU) crystal-induced inflammation and edema in mice feet. L-NIL (5 or 10 mg/kg/day) was administered intraperitoneally 4 h before injection of MSU (4 mg) into the soles of mice hindlimb feet. Twenty-four hours after MSU injection, foot thickness was increased by 160% and L-NIL pretreatment reduced food pad swelling in a dose dependent manner. Pretreatment of 10 mg/kg/day L-NIL significantly suppressed the foot pad swelling by MSU. Plasma level of nitric oxide (NO) metabolites and gene expression and protein level of iNOS in feet were increased by MSU, which was suppressed by L-NIL pretreatment. Similar pattern of change was observed in nitrotyrosine level. MSU increased the gene expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$ and interleukin (IL)-$1{\beta}$ and L-NIL pretreatment suppressed MSU-induced cytokines expression. The mRNA levels of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase1 were increased by MSU and L-NIL pretreatment normalized the gene expression. Phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 and p38 was increased by MSU, which was suppressed by L-NIL pretreatment. The mRNA levels of iNOS, TNF-${\alpha}$, and IL-$1{\beta}$ were increased by MSU in human dermal fibroblasts, C2C12 myoblasts, and human fetal osteoblasts in vitro, which was attenuated by L-NIL in a dose dependent manner. This study shows that L-NIL inhibits MSU-induced inflammation and edema in mice feet suggesting that iNOS might be involved in MSU-induced inflammation.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.275-289
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• 2002

The objective of this study was to develop an in vitro assessment of sperm fertilizing capacity of bulls and investigate the factors influencing sperm function and characteristics of frozen-thawed bovine spermatozoa. in vitro fertilization (IVF), the evaluation of motility and normal morphology, HOST (hypoosmotic swelling test), Ca-ionophore induced acrosome reaction, luminol and lucigenin-dependent chemiluminescence for the measurement of reactive oxygen species (ROS), the measurement of malondialdehyde formation for the analysis of lipid peroxidation (LPO), and the evaluation of DNA fragmentation using the method of 747-mediated nick end labelling (TUNEL) by flow cytometry were performed in frozen-thawed bovine spermatozoa. Correlations between the rates of fertilization, blastocyst formation after IVF and the values of respective assays were investigated. 1. IVF rate and blastocyst formation rate averaged 64.4% and 34.3% for spermatozoa from high -fertility bull group and averaged 18.5% and 6.2% for spermatozoa from low-fertility bull group, respectively. There were significantly different between two bull groups. Sperm motility and percentage acrosome reaction averaged 79.0% and 66.2% for spermatozoa from high-fertility bull group and averaged 40.7% and 22.9% for spermatozoa from low-fertility bull group, respectivitely. There were not different between two bull groups. 2. Luminol depenent chemiluminescence, LPO and DNA fragementation averaged 6.4, 2.0 nmol and 2.6% from spermatozoa from high-fertility bull group and averaged 6.5, 3.1 nmol and 7.4% for spermatozoa from low-fertility bull group, respectively. There were significantly different between two bull groups. There was no significant difference in lucigenin dependent chemiluminescence between two bull groups. 3. Fertilization rate was positively correlated with motility and the rate of Ca-ionophore induced acrosome reaction, but negatively correlated with the frequency of luminol-dependent chemiluminescence, the rate of LPO, and the percentage of sperm with DNA fragmentation. There was no correlation between fertilization rate and the percentage of swollen spermatozoa, normal morphology, and the frequency of lucigenin-dependent chemiluminescence. 4. Blastocyst formation rate was positively correlated with the rate of Ca-ionophore induced acrosome reaction, but negatively correlated with the frequency of luminol-dependent chemiluminescence, the rate of LPO, and the percentage of sperm with DNA fragmentation. There was no correlation between blastocyst formation rate and motility, the percentage of swollen spermatozoa, normal morphology, and the frequency of lucigenin-dependent chemiluminescence. In conclusion, these data suggest that ROS significantly impact semen quality. The assays of this study may provide a basis fur improving in vitro assessment of sperm fertilizing capacity.