• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.210-218
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• 2009

A gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) method was developed and validated for simultaneous determination of amphetamine derivatives and norketamine in human hair. Preparation of hair involves external decontamination, mechanical pulverization, incubation and extraction prior to instrumental analysis. The samples were derivatized using heptafluorobutyric anhydride, and analyzed by GC-MS/MS. The linear ranges were 0.05-20.0 ng/mg for the analytes except for 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine, with good coefficients of determination ($r^2$ >0.998). The intra-day and inter-day precisions were within 10.7% and 8.5%, respectively. The intra-day and inter-day accuracies were between -1.6 and 17.0% and -2.6 and 10.5%, respectively. The limits of detections for each analyte were lower than 0.007 ng/mg, while recoveries were 75.9-100.9%. When the method was applied to hair samples obtained from suspected drug abusers, the concentrations in hair samples were 0.97-19.30 ng/mg for methamphetamine and 0.14-2.56 ng/mg for amphetamine.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.41-47
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• 2008

Although liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) method has been used routinely for the analysis of amphetamine-like drugs (amphetamine; AP, methamphetamine; MA, 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine; MDA, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine; MDMA, 3,4-methylenedioxyethylamphetamine; MDEA), a solid-phase extraction (SPE) method, which can be automated, was applied for the simultaneous determination by GC/MS in human urine. Urine samples (3 mL) and 0.1 M phosphate buffer (1 mL, pH 7.0) were extracted by an automated SPE system. The eluent was evaporated, derivatized with trifluoroacetic anhydride (TFAA), and analyzed by GC/MS. The calibration curves was linear with correlation coefficient ($r^2$) above 0.994 in the ranges of 34.0 (AP), 28.0 (MDA)~1000.0 ng/mL for AP, MDA, and 50.0~2000.0 ng/mL for MA, MDMA, and MDEA. The limits of detection ranged from 4.0 to 10.0 ng/mL, and the limits of quantitation ranged from 12.0 to 34.0 ng/mL. The relative recoveries were 93.5~107.7 %. The precisions and accuracies were 1.9~14.8 % and -8.7~14.8 %, respectively. The present method was successfully applied to identify the MA or Ecstasy (MDMA) abusers in exact as well as rapid.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2002.04a
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• pp.134.2-135
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• 2002

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.21-27
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• 1971

The effects of 5 different drugs (amphetamine, caffeine, serotonin, sod. salicylate and pentazocine) on the duration of action of two barbiturates (thiopental and pentobarbital) and an intravenous anesthetic (propanidid) were determined in rats. Duration of action was determined by the time elapsing between loss and return of the righting reflexes. All drugs were injected intraperitoneally except propanidid which was administered by the intravenous route. Preliminary experiments indicated that at a dose of 40 mg/kg either of the two barbiturates or propanidid produced loss of the righting reflexes without death. At this dose, however, the duration of action of propanidid was extremely short. However, this dose was selected for subsequent studies. 1. At the dose employed amphetamine shortened the sleeping time of three compounds. 2. Caffeine and theophylline shortened the sleeping time of thiopental and prolonged the duration of action of pentobarbital. 3. Serotonin had no effect on duration of action of the barbiturates but prolonged the sleeping time produced by propanidid. 4. Sod. salicylate significantly prolonged the sleeping time of the barbiturates whereas pentazocine exhibited this effect only in relation to thiopental.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.425-431
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• 2018

Cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) peptide is a widely distributed neurotransmitter expressed in the central nervous systems. Previously, several reports demonstrated that nucleus accumbal-injected CART peptide positively modulated behavioral sensitization induced by psychostimulants and regulated the mesocorticolimbic dopaminergic pathway. It is confirmed that CART peptide exerted inhibitory effect on psychostimulant-enhanced dopamine receptors signaling, $Ca^{2+}$/calmodulin-dependent kinase signaling and crucial transcription factors expression. Besides modulation of dopamine receptors-related pathways, CART peptide also exhibited elaborated interactions with other neurotransmitter receptors, such as glutamate receptors and ${\gamma}$-aminobutyric acid receptors, which further account for attribution of CART peptide to inhibition of psychostimulant-potentiated locomotor activity. Recently, CART peptide has been shown to have anxiolytic functions on the aversive mood and uncontrolled drug-seeking behaviors following drug withdrawal. Moreover, microinjection of CART peptide has been shown to have an antidepressant effect, which suggests its potential utility in the mood regulation and avoidance of depression-like behaviors. In this review, we discuss CART pathways in neural circuits and their interactions with neurotransmitters associated with psychostimulant-induced depression.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.59-65
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• 2022

Phosphorylation levels of glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) negatively correlated with psychomotor stimulant-induced locomotor activity. Locomotor sensitization induced by psychomotor stimulants was previously shown to selectively accompany the decrease of GSK3β phosphorylation in the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) core, suggesting that intact GSK3β activity in this region is necessary for psychomotor stimulants to produce locomotor sensitization. Similarly, GSK3β in the NAcc was also implicated in mediating the conditioned effects formed by the associations of psychomotor stimulants. However, it remains undetermined whether GSK3β plays a differential role in the two sub-regions (core and shell) of the NAcc in the expression of drug-conditioned behaviors. In the present study, we found that GSK3β phosphorylation was significantly lower in the NAcc shell obtained from rats expressing amphetamine (AMPH)-induced conditioned locomotor activity. Further, we demonstrated that these effects were normalized by treatment with lithium chloride, a GSK3β inhibitor. These results suggest that the behavior produced by AMPH itself and a conditioned behavior formed by associations with AMPH are differentially mediated by the two sub-regions of the NAcc.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.419-425
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• 2008

A qualitative and quantitative analytical method was developed for detection of methamphetamine (MA) and its main metabolite amphetamine (AM) in oral fluid. Oral fluids of eleven drug abusers were provided by Police, specimens were collected by stimulation with a cotton swab treated with 20 mg of citric acid ($Salivette^{(R)}$; Sarstedt, USA). As the preliminary test, oral fluid samples were screened for amphetamines by Fluorescence Polarization Immunoassay (TDxFLx, Abbott Co.). Extraction for MA was performed using solid-phase extraction (SPE) by $RapidTrace^{TM}$ (Zymark, USA) with mixed mode cation exchange cartridge, CLEAN $SCREEN^{(R)}$ (130 mg/3 ml, UCT) after dilution with phosphate buffer. Samples were evaporated and derivatized by pentafluoropropionic acid anhydride (PFPA). Quantitation of MA and AM was performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) using selective ion monitoring (SIM), the quantitation ions were m/z 204 (MA), 208 (MA-$D_5$), 190 (AM) and 194 (AM-$D_5$). The selectivity, linearity of calibration, limit of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) within- and between day precision, accuracy and recoveries were examined as parts of the method validation. All oral fluid samples gave positive results to immunoassay for MA (cut-off level, 50 ng/ml as d-amphetamine). Concentrations of MA and AM by GC-MS in eleven samples were ranged 104.2${\sim}$4603.3 ng/ml and 32.4${\sim}$268.6 ng/ml, respectively. Extracted calibration curves of MA and AM were linear over the two concentration range of 1${\sim}$100 and 50${\sim}$1000 ng/ml with correlation coefficient of above 0.999. LOQ of MA and AM was 1 and 3 ng/ml, respectively. The intraand inter-day run precisions (CV) for MA and AM were less than 10%, and the accuracies (bias) for MA and AM were also less than 10% at the two different concentrations 5 and 100 ng/ml at low calibration range, 50 and 1000 ng/ml at high calibration range. The absolute recoveries of MA and AM at low and high calibration ranges were more than 82% and 75%, respectively. In this study the qualitative and quantitative analytical method of MA in oral fluid was established. Oral fluid testing may detect drug use in past hours because of its shorter detection window than urine, and be useful in post-accident situations. So oral fluids will be most useful for testing drug abuse in the driving under the influence of drug (DUID) as the alternative specimens of urine.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.761-766
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• 2020

Phenylamine derivatives are substances that have a biochemical action and are widely applied as psychotropic drugs. In particular, with regard to the quantitative analysis of substances such as ephedrine, amphetamine, pentermine, and dopamine, many previous studies such as electrochemical, vacuum ultraviolet method, and gas chromatography have been conducted. However, there have not been many studies on the structural characteristics of molecular units. Therefore, In this study, we used (HyperChem8.0's, HC) semi-empirical PM3 method to calculate the total energy, band gap, electrostatic potential, and net charge of ephedrine, amphetamine, pentamine and dopamine to investigate the chemical properties of each derivative according to the molecular structure change. The results showed that for total energy -43,171.8, -32,9538.3, -36,407.3 and -43,061.2 Kcal/mol, respectively, while for band gaps, 10.16379377, 9.9531666, 9.7878002 and 9.0589282 eV. Also, for electrostatic potentials, 1.301~-0.045, 1.694~0.299, 0.694~-0.158 and 1.587~-0.048 respectively. Finally, looking at the distribution of net charges, the oxygen atoms, nitrogen atoms and carbon atoms were -0.312~-0.242, -0.161~-0.051 and +0.13~-0.12 respectively. These results are expected to lead to chemical action centered on phenyl radicals and oxygen and nitrogen atoms common to phenethylamine derivatives.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.241-250
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• 2021

Calibration curves are essential in quantitative methods and for improving the accuracy of analyte measurements in biological samples. In this study, a statistical analysis model built in the R language (The R Foundation for Statistical Computing) was used to identify a set of weighting factors and regression models based on a stepwise selection criteria. An LC-MS/MS method was used to detect the presence of urinary methamphetamine, amphetamine, and 11-nor-9-carboxy-Δ⁹ -tetrahydrocannabinol in a sample set. Weighting factors for the calibration curves were derived by calculating the heteroscedasticity of the measurements, where the presence of heteroscedasticity was determined via variance tests. The optimal regression model and weighting factor were chosen according to the sum of the absolute percentage relative error. Subsequently, the order of the regression model was calculated using a partial variance test. The proposed statistical analysis tool facilitated selection of the optimal calibration model and detection of methamphetamine, amphetamine, and 11-nor-9-carboxy-Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol in urine. Thus, this study for the selection of weighting and the use of a complex regression equation may provide insights for linear and quadratic regressions in analytical and bioanalytical measurements.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.389-397
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• 2001

Cocaine-amphetamine regulated transcript (CART), a satiety factor regulated by leptin, is associated with food intake and motor behavior. In knock out studies, Leu34Phe mutation of human CART gene resulted in obese phenotype but mice carrying a targeted deletion of the CART gene exhibited no dramatic increase of body weight on normal fat diet. To establish a new transgenic mouse model for determining the function of CART on feeding behavior in vivo, we constructed the fusion gene, CART gene under the control of neurofilament light chain promoter, which regulates gene expression at the stage of neuronal differentiation. Transgenic mice were generated by microinjection method and screened by PCR and Southern blot analyses. In these transgenic mice, overexpression of CART was detected by in situ hybridization in spinal cords and brains at 13.5 days post-coitum embryos. At six weeks of age, RT-PCR analysis showed that exogenous CART mRNA was expressed strongly in brains and spinal cords, but not much in other tissues. Our results suggest that these transgenic mice provide a new model to investigate the function of CART gene in neuronal network associated with feeding behavior.