• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.68-77
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• 2021

Cannabis is one of the most abused drugs in Korea. The main psychoactive component in cannabis, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, is metabolized to 11-nor-9-carboxy-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THCCOOH) and THCCOOH-glucuronide (THCCOOH-glu) in the human liver, whereby the amount of THCCOOH-glu found in urine is twice as high as that of THCCOOH. The analytical process adapted by the majority of urine drug-testing programs involves a two-step method consisting of an initial immunoassay-based screening test followed by a confirmatory test if the screening test result is positive. In this study, a qualitative gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method was developed and validated for the detection of THCCOOH in human urine, where THCCOOH-glu was converted into THCCOOH by alkaline hydrolysis. For purification of the urine extract prior to instrumental analysis, high-speed centrifugation was used to minimize interference. In addition, an injection-port derivatization method using ethyl acetate and N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)-trifluoroacetamide containing 1 % trimethylchlorosilane was employed to reduce the time required for derivatization, and an aliquot of the final solution was injected into the GC-MS. The method was validated by measuring the selectivity, limit of detection (LOD), and repeatability. The sensitivity, specificity, precision, accuracy, Kappa, F-measure, false positive, and false negative rate were determined by comparing the GC-MS results with those obtained using the immunoassay. The LOD was determined to be 0.32 ng/mL, while the repeatability was within 9.1 % for THCCOOH. Furthermore, a comparison study was carried out, whereby the screening immunoassay exhibited a sensitivity of 86.4 % and a specificity of 100 % compared to GC-MS. The applicability of the developed method was examined by analyzing spiked urine and forensic urine samples obtained from suspected cannabis abusers (n = 221).

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.413-427
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• 2017

Objectives : This report describes 75 studies related to the use of Zingiberis siccatum Rhizoma mainly blended from Dongeuibogam. Methods : The 75 Prescriptions of Consumptive part in DonguiBogam analysed frequency of basic prescriptions, symptoms of prescriptions and the pathology. Results : Prescriptions that Zingiberis siccatum Rhizoma was taken as a monarch drug are utilized for 25 therapeutic purposes, for example, cold disease, stool disease, cough disease. In particular, 16.0% of prescriptions appear in the chapter of cold. Prescriptions that utilize Zingiberis siccatum Rhizoma as the main component are used in the treatment of cold, stool and cough disease. Zingiberis siccatum Rhizoma is used in pathogenic factors such as weakness cold and cold strength and used in pathology related to the spleen and stomach system. The dosage of Zingiberis siccatum Rhizoma is 5pun(about 1.88g) to 4nyang(about 150.4g), however 1don(about 3.75g) has been taken the most for clinical application. Ijungtang is the most useful base prescriptions which use the Zingiberis siccatum Rhizoma as the main ingredient. Conclusions : As a result of Study on Analysis all Prescriptions of Zingiberis siccatum Rhizoma in DonguiBogam. We can understand more about basic prescriptions, symptoms of prescriptions and the pathology that are using for Zingiberis siccatum Rhizoma.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.195-200
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• 2017

This study was conducted to examine the inhibitory effects of meso-dihydroguaretic acid (MDGA, 1) and its synthetic derivatives (compound 2 and 3) against NO production. MDGA is a lignan component isolated from the bark of Machilus thunbergii Sieb. et Zucc. We synthesized dimethylated MDGA (2), diacetylated MDGA (3) and compared NO inhibition of two derivatives with that of MDGA (1). MDGA (1) and compound 3 showed suppressive effects against the generation of NO in LPS-activated macrophages. RT-PCR analysis suggested that MDGA (1) and compound 3 inhibited NO production through the suppression of iNOS mRNA expression. From these results, diacetylated MDGA (3) can be used as a pro-drug for MDGA.

• Journal of Korean Neuropsychiatric Association
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.89-97
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• 2017

Objectives The Behavioral Activation of Depression Scale (BADS) has been reported to be a valid tool for assessing the different behavioral aspects of depression, such as activation, rumination or avoidance, and functional impairment. The aim of this study was to assess the reliability and validity of the Korean version of BADS (K-BADS). Methods A sample of 196 outpatients completed the K-BADS and the data were analyzed for internal consistency and factor structures. An additional 51 outpatients re-filled the K-BADS after two weeks for the test-retest reliability. To test for the validity, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Working Alliance Inventory (WAI), Drug Attitude Inventory-10 (DAI-10), and Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) were administered. Results Internal consistency of K-BADS was good (Cronbach's alpha=0.843) and principal component factor analysis revealed the four-factor structure. The K-BADS showed a reasonable test-retest reliability (r=0.863, p<0.001). The total score of K-BADS correlated significantly with the total scores of the HADS depression (r=-0.694) and HADS anxiety (r=-0.681). No correlations were found between the K-BADS and the K-WAI (r=0.170) and between the K-BADS and the K-DAI-10 (r=0.311). Conclusion The K-BADS is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring the behavioral activation for depression in Korean patients with depressive symptoms.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.301-310
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• 2021

Background: Trust is a key component for the good relationship between patients and healthcare professionals but trust for community pharmacists has not been studied much. Objectives: This study aimed to measure public trust in community pharmacists and to investigate variables that affect trust level in South Korea. Methods: A total of 25 questions, including 13-items for three dimensions of trust (pharmacists' behavior/attitude, technical competence, communication skills) and 1-item for overall trust were developed. The survey was conducted online and the data from 416 respondents were analyzed with a t-test, an ANOVA and a multiple linear regression analysis. Results: The average scores (mean ± standard deviation) for the three dimensions of trust in community pharmacists were 3.47±1.05 (out of 5 points) for pharmacists' behavior/attitude, 3.67 ± 0.99 for technical competence, and 3.66±0.99 for communication skills. The average of the 13 items incorporating all parameters was 3.56±1.02 and the overall trust level was 7.16±1.62 (out of 10 points). The total sum of the 13 items differed significantly by age group (p=0.02) and frequency of pharmacy visits (p=0.04). Each dimension had an independent impact on the trust level, and pharmacists' behavior/attitude had the greatest impact on trust levels. Conclusions: This study showed that pharmacists' behavior/attitude had the most significant impact on the trust level. However, the level of trust in pharmacists' behavior/attitude is not yet sufficiently satisfactory, and further improvements are required to increase trust in community pharmacists.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.202-215
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• 2022

The androgen receptor (AR) is an important therapeutic target for treating prostate cancer (PCa). Moreover, there is an increasing need for understanding the AR-independent progression of tumor cells such as neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC). Menin, which is encoded by multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1), serves as a direct link between AR and the mixed-lineage leukemia (MLL) complex in PCa development by activating AR target genes through histone H3 lysine 4 methylation. Although menin is a critical component of AR signaling, its tumorigenic role in AR-independent PCa cells remains unknown. Here, we compared the role of menin in AR-positive and AR-negative PCa cells via RNAi-mediated or pharmacological inhibition of menin. We demonstrated that menin was involved in tumor cell growth and metastasis in PCa cells with low or deficient levels of AR. The inhibition of menin significantly diminished the growth of PCa cells and induced apoptosis, regardless of the presence of AR. Additionally, transcriptome analysis showed that the expression of many metastasis-associated genes was perturbed by menin inhibition in AR-negative DU145 cells. Furthermore, wound-healing assay results showed that menin promoted cell migration in AR-independent cellular contexts. Overall, these findings suggest a critical function of menin in tumorigenesis and provide a rationale for drug development against menin toward targeting high-risk metastatic PCa, especially those independent of AR.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.63-71
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• 2014

Objectives : Lonicerae japonicae Flos(LJF) has been reported to exhibit anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-rheumatoid properties. However, it is still largely unknown whether LJF inhibits the ultraviolet(UV)B-induced oxidative damage in human HaCaT keratinocytes. Therefore in this paper, we investigated the anti-oxidative capacity and protective effect of LJF against UVB-induced oxidative demage in human HaCaT keratinocytes. Methods : To evaluate the anti-oxidative activity of LJF extracts, we measured total phenolic contents, total flavonoid contents, antioxidant capacity, and superoxide scavenging activity. To give an oxidative stress to HaCaT cells, UVB was irradiated with $200mJ/cm^2$ to HaCaT cells. To detect the protective effect of LJF against UVB, we measured cell viability, DNA fragmentation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. In addition, we performed high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis to find a major component of LJF. Results : LJF contained phenolic and flavonoid contents, and showed the anti-oxidant and superoxide scavenging activity. The UVB-induced oxidative conditions led to the cell death, DNA fragmentation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. However, pretreatment with LJF reduced oxidative conditions, including inhibition of cell death, DNA fragmentation and ROS production. In addition, we found out chlorogenic acid as major component of LJF. Conclusions : These results could suggest that LJF contained anti-oxidative contents and exhibited protective effects against UVB on human HaCaT keratinocytes. And the effective compound of LJF which could show protective activities against UVB is chlorogenic acid. Thus, LJF and chlorogenic acid would be useful for the development of drug or cosmetics treating skin troubles.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.85-92
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• 2021

The stratum corneum is formed from keratinocytes and intercellular lipids, with ceramide as the main component of intercellular lipids. Ceramides are one of the important components of the intercellular lipids to form a lamellar structure, but they are insoluble and therefore are not suitable for direct application to the skin. Thus, it was intended to apply ceramide to the formulation of pluronic lecithin organogel (PLO gel), which received constant attention among drug delivery systems. A suitable oil for formulation was selected and a PLO gel containing ceramide was manufactured. Liquid crystal formation and variation were observed using polarized microscopes, and viscoelastic analysis was performed to find out the viscoelastic behavior of the PLO gel. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) analysis were performed to confirm the structures in the formulation. Results showed that the size and stability of the liquid crystal differed depending on the content ratio of ceramide and lecithin in the PLO gel containing ceramide. Furthermore, viscoelastic analysis showed the stability of the formulation, and SAXS/WAXS analysis confirmed that the PLO gel without ceramide had hexagonal structure of the quadrilateral system array, and the PLO gel with ceramide had the lamellar structure of the quadrilateral system array.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.766-778
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• 2019

In this study, Poria cocos bark were extracted by supercritical process, and anti-inflammatory, whitening, and antioxidant effects were measured in comparison with ethanol extract. Also, An effective percutaneous permeation method using a selected formulation of the extract and a drug delivery peptide was proposed. Pachymic acid, known as the anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory compound of the ventricle, is an indicator component and the HPLC analysis shows that the supercritical extract of the pericardium is more than twice that of the Poria cocos bark extract. In order to confirm antioxidative effect of Bombyx mori, DPPH scavenging ability and ABTS scavenging ability test showed that the ethanol extract of Poria cocos Back had lower concentration than the supercritical extract of Poria cocos back. However, RAW 264.7 Measurements of Nitric oxide (NO) production in cells showed lower NO production at the same concentration than the Poria cocos back ethanol extract. In addition, after 72 hours of processing of $20{\mu}g/mL$ of the Poria cocos back extract in B16 melanoma cells, both the intracellular and extracellular melanin extract were effective and the supercritical extract was lower melanin content. No toxicity was observed at the concentration of $800{\mu}g/mL$ in RAW 264.7 cells used in NO production experiments. However, in B16 melanoma cells, even at $50{\mu}g/mL$, both Poria cocos back ethanol extract and supercritical extract showed a survival rate of less than 60%. The liposome formulation and drug delivery peptides were shown to be useful for percutaneous permeation of Supercritical Extract of Poria cocos back using a liposome formulation and a drug delivery peptide. it is expected that there will be great potential for development as a variety of cosmetic materials for Poria cocos back.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.258-264
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• 2009

The principal objective of this study was to estimate the measurement uncertainty associated with determination of deoxynivalenol (DON), a mycotoxin generated by Fusarium strain, in food. In service of this goal, wheat as a food matrix was analyzed via high performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet (HPLC-UV) detection using an immunoaffinity column for clean-up. The uncertainty sources in the measurement process were identified by sample weight, final volume, and sample concentration in extraction volume with components including standard stock solution, working standard solution, 5 standard solutions, calibration curve, matrix, and instrument. The expanded uncertainty for DON at a concentration of 300 ${\mu}g/kg$ was estimated as 71.62 ${\mu}g/kg$ using a coverage factor of two, which provides a confidence level of approximately 95%. The most influential component in the uncertainty sources was the recovery of the wheat matrix, followed by the calibration curve. These results indicate that all efforts may be directed toward reducing the uncertainties of the recovery of the wheat matrix and the calibration curve to obtain a reliable HPLC-UV method for DON analysis in wheat.