• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.396-403
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• 2014

Ginseng (Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer) is an economically valuable pharmaceutical crop in Korea. In order to find promising biocontrol agents for soil-borne fungal pathogens which infect ginseng roots, we have isolated actinomycete, BK185 from soil. The isolate was investigated for the antifungal activity against to ginseng rot pathogens prior to testing genetic and chemical properties. The strain was identified as Streptomyces sp. using phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence. The most closely related species was S. sporoclivatus and S. geldanamycininus with high similarities (>99%). The isolate, BK185 showed positive reaction for PCR detection targeting biosynthetic gene clusters of PKS (Type-I polyketide synthase) and NRPS (Non-ribosomal polypeptide synthetase) genes. Major metabolite from the BK185 was analyzed by The LC/MS and identified to geldamycin, which was known to contained broad antibacterial, antifungal or anticancer activities. The results provide evidences that the strain, BK185 can be promising biocontrol agent for ginseng organic farming.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.96-116
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• 2006

To assess the economic value of pharmaceutical therapy with Kremezin, we investigated the maximum amount of willingness-to-pay (WTP) of patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) for a hypothetical effect of Kremezin in delaying the initiation of dialysis treatments. A face-to-face survey was carried out in a sample of 141 CRF patients from 2 dialysis centers, composed of 82 hemodialysis patients, 38 peritoneal dialysis patients, and 21 non-dialysis CRF patients. Using a bidding game method with a starting point of 320,000 Won, which is the average monthly out-of-pocket payment for dialysis treatment, we asked the study subjects how much they would pay per month to receive Kremezin therapy. The mean out-of-pocket monthly WTP for Kremezin was 310,000, 430,000, and 520,000 Won (p<0.05, repeated one-way ANOVA)) when Kremezin delays the initiation of dialysis treatments by 1, 2, and 4 years. Significant correlation between the respondent's WTP and income $(r=0.266{\sim}0.368,\;p<0.05)$ confirmed the construct validity of the WTP instrument. Regression results showed that patients with a higher education, with diabetes as a major causes of CRF, and undergoing hemodialysis treatments tended to express higher WTP for Kremezin. The economic value of WTP from the perspective of patients varied from 310,000 to 520,000 Won depending on the effect size of Kremezin. The mean WTP was higher than 32,000 Won, only when the hypothetical effect of Kremezin in delaying the initiation of dialysis is for 2 years. This implies that Kremezin might be the preferred choice of therapy by CRF patients if it delays the initiation of dialysis treatment for at least 2 years.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.159-165
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• 2005

A sensitive derivatization method by using the TFE/TFAA as derivative reagent is proposed for the determination of acidic herbicides in water, by using this method, method detection limits are improved by 10 times and sample volumes are decreased by 5 times compared with other methods such as U.S. EPA and SPEED 98. And also, in order to suggest higher creditable standard operating procedure (SOP), intra- and inter-lab validation test carried out by four laboratories include our lab. The results of intra and inter-lab validations in same experimental conditions show good linearity in given range of concentrations as a $0.1{\sim}10.0$ ng/ml, and range of accuracies and precisions show $-20.5{\sim}12.2$ bias%, $0.55{\sim}24.48%$ (for intra-lab validation) and $-6.66{\sim}0.80 bias%$, $1.92{\sim}13.86%$ (for inter-lab validation), respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.38-47
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• 2018

In this study, the antioxidant activities of hot water extracts of Rugosa rose (Rosa rugosa Thunb.) were evaluated. Total phenolic compounds (TPC) and total flavonoid compounds (TFC) were the highest in the leaf extracts at 107.29 mg/g and 24.28 mg/g, respectively. The DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and ABTS (2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt) radical scavenging activity was in the following order: flower extract > leaf extract > seed extract > fruit extract. The $IC_{50}$ values for DPPH and ABTS of the flower extract were $0.87mg/m{\ell}$ and $0.27mg/m{\ell}$, respectively. The amount of gallic acid was higher in the flower (4.51 mg/g) and leaf extracts (0.97 mg/g) than in the other extracts. Among the fraction (A-F) of each extract, antioxidant activity was the highest in the C fraction of flower extract. It is due to high TPC (3305.43 mg/g) and TFC (878.42 mg/g). Statistical analysis revealed a strong correlation between TFC (or TPC) and radical scavenging activity at p-value < 0.001. Collectively, these results suggest that the hot water extracts of rugosa rose have potential antioxidant effects, and can be used in food, cosmetics, and the pharmaceutical industries.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.783-786
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• 2015

Background: Utilizing geriatric screening tools for the identification of vulnerable older patients with cancer is important. The aim of this study is to evaluate the hospitalization risk of elderly hematologic cancer patients based on geriatric assessment and laboratory parameters. Materials and Methods: In this cross sectional study 61 patients with hematologic malignancies, age 65 years and older, were assessed at a hematology outpatient clinic. Standard geriatric screening tests; activities of daily living (ADL), instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), timed up and go test (TUG), geriatrics depression scale (GDS) were administered. Demographic and medical data were obtained from patient medical records. The number of hospitalizations in the following six months was then recorded to allow analysis of associations with geriatric assessment tools and laboratory parameters. Results: The median age of the patients, 37 being males, was 66 years. Positive TUG test and declined ADL was found as significant risk factors for hospitalization (p=0.028 and p=0.015 respectively). Correlations of hospitalization with thrombocytopenia, vitamin B12 and folic acid deficiency were statistically significant (p=0.004, p=0.011 and p=0.05 respectively). Conclusions: In this study, geriatric conditions which are usually unrecognized in a regular oncology office visit were identified. Our study indicates TUG and ADL might be use as predictive tests for hospitalization in elderly oncology populations. Also thrombocytopenia, and vitamin B12 and folic acid deficiencies are among the risk factors for hospitalization. The importance of vitamin B12 and folic acid vitamin replacement should not be underestimated in this population.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.245-254
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• 2009

In recent years, environmental pollution by phannaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in the aquatic environment is of great concern worldwide. Recent studies have been reported to occur in a variety of environmental organisms such as surface, drinking and ground water, soils, sediments and hospitals. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the occurrence and environmental behavior of fourteen human PPCPs in surface waters of Mankyung River in South Korea. We were conducted to field survey for water quality and PPCPs analysis at November, 2006. PPCPs were analyzed by liquid chromatograph coupled with a tandem mass spectrometer (HPLC-MS/MS). The concentration of COD was measured to be 2.37$\sim$19.71 mg/L, which was belong to 4$\sim$5 grade in water quality criteria of lake. Station 2 that there is no pollution in upper stream, was appeared to lower concentration. The concentration of TN and TP, that is cause matter of eutrophication, were found to be 7.78$\sim$35.42 mg/L and 0.08$\sim$0.95 mg/L, respectively, which were exceeding 5 grade in Lake water quality criteria. The 11 kind of PPCPs compounds except levofloxacin and triclosan were detected to Mankyung river. PPCPs concentrations of STP(Sewer Treatment Plant) effluents and aquatic environment in Mankyung river have been detected in the range from dozens of ng/L to hundreds of ${\mu}g/L$ that by order of atenolol, carbamazepine, propranolol, Ibuprofen, erythromycin, ifenprodil, clarithromycin, mefenamic acid, fluconazole, indomethacin, disopyramide. PPCPs concentration of Station 1 and 5, which was influenced by Jeonju STP and Wanju STP, was detected high values. Station 2 that there is no pollution, showed lower values. Station 3 which joined Gosan stream and Jeonju stream and station 4 which influenced by stock wastewater was detected to low values.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.255-261
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• 2010

Cefprozil is a broad-spectrum oral beta-lactam cephalosporin consisting of cis- and trans-isomeric mixture whose ratio is approximately 90:10. Cefprozil is used to treat certain infections caused by bacteria such as bronchitis and ear, skin, and throat infections. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the bioequivalence of two cefprozil tablets, $Cefzil^{(R)}$ tablet 250 mg (BMS Pharmaceutical Korea., Ltd.) and Procezil tablet 250 mg (Hanmi Pharm. Co., Ltd.), according to the guidelines of the Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA). The in vitro release of cefprozil from the two cefprozil formulations were tested using KP VIII Apparatus I method with water dissolution media. Thirty five healthy male subjects, $24.00{\pm}1.53$ years in age and $69.77{\pm}9.99$ kg in body weight, were divided into two groups and a randomized $2{\times}2$ cross-over study was employed. After four tablets containing 1000 mg as cefprozil were orally administered, blood samples were taken at predetermined time intervals and the concentrations of cefprozil in serum were determined using HPLC/UV detector. The dissolution profiles of two formulations were similar in water tested dissolution media. The pharmacokinetic parameters such as $AUC_t$, $C_{max}$ and $T_{max}$ on the basis of total-cefprozil were calculated, and computer program (K-BE Test 2002) was utilized for the statistical analysis of the parameters using logarithmically transformed $AUC_t$, $C_{max}$ and untransformed $T_{max}$. The results showed that the differences between two formulations based on the reference drug, $Cefzil^{(R)}$ tablets, were -0.81%, -3.00% and -6.83% for $AUC_t$, $C_{max}$ and $T_{max}$, respectively. There were no sequence effects between two formulations in these parameters. The 90% confidence intervals using logarithmically transformed data were within the acceptance range of log 0.8 to log 1.25 (e.g., log 0.9515~log 1.0454 and log 0.9613~log 1.0465 for $AUC_t$ and $C_{max}$, respectively). Thus, the criteria of the KFDA bioequivalence guideline were satisfied, indicating Procezil tablet was bioequivalent to $Cefzil^{(R)}$ tablet.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.180-185
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• 2015

Leaf discs from 'Yeobong' and 'Maehyang' strawberry plants were used as explants for transformation. The Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain EHA105 harboring the monellin gene under the control of the CaMV 35S promoter was used in co-cultivation experiments. The frequencies of callus formation and plant regeneration from leaf explants after co-cultivation in 'Yeobong' were higher than those of 'Maehyang'. These transgenic plants showed normal growth patterns and flowering. PCR and Southern hybridization confirmed that 1 to 2 copies of the monellin gene were integrated into genome of the transgenic strawberry plants. Northern blot analysis confirm that the transcripts were expressed in transgenic strawberry plants. Although long-term subcultured transgenic strawberry plants showed a phenomenon to escape the transgene, the transformation system established in this study provides new opportunities for genetic improvement of strawberry plants.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.542-549
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• 2020

A previous study reported that Ulmus macrocarpa Hance water extract (UME) can improve hyperlipid metabolism and the involvement of suppressed lipid synthesis through adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway regulation was suggested. Further exploration of the lipid metabolism between liver and peripheral tissue was necessary to confirm that work, and so this study aimed to extend the possibility that UME can regulate serum lipids. After a 6-week in vivo trial of oral administration of UME to rats with induced hyperlipidemia, serum levels of triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) were seen to decrease while HDL cholesterol increased. The UME administrations also decreased the TC and TG levels from the control in liver analysis. However, the suggestion that UME regulates the AMPK pathway to improve hyperlipid states through the suppression of hepatic lipogenesis seems to be only one part of the extract's effect. Indeed, serum concentrations of apolipoproteins A and B were returned to baseline levels of the control group in response to UME administration whilst the liver lipid content was much reduced; this cannot occur through the suggested suppression of hepatic lipogenesis alone. Therefore, a possible mechanism of UME could be that it improves blood circulation by modulating serum lipid levels through both the prior stimulation of lipid oxidation and the suppression of hepatic lipogenesis.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.11
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• pp.1298-1303
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• 2015

Machilus thunbergii (Lauraceae) is an evergreen tree cultivated in Korea and Japan. M. thunbergii has long been used as a traditional medicine in Korea, China, and Japan to treat various diseases, including edema, abdominal pain, and abdominal distension. In this study, dried stem bark of M. thunbergii extracted in methanol and extract was partitioned into n-hexane, CHCl₃, and BuOH. The CHCl₃-soluble extracts chromatographed on silica gel column using a CHCl₃/acetone and n-hexane/EtOAc mixture to afford Compound 1 and 2. Two dibenzylbutane lignans, macelignan (1) and meso-dihydroguaiaretic acid (2), were isolated from the CHCl₃-soluble extract of M. thunbergii stem bark. The structures of 1 and 2 were determined by ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR spectroscopic data analyses and a comparison with literature data. The tyrosinase inhibitory activity of the isolated compounds was evaluated. Among these compounds, Compound 2 strongly inhibited the monophenolase (IC₅₀=10.2 μM) activity of tyrosinase. A kinetic analysis showed that Compound 2 was a competitive inhibitor. The apparent inhibition constant (K_i) for Compound 2 binding to free enzyme was 4.8 μM. Based on these results, it can be concluded that meso-dihydroguaiaretic acid (2) is a potential candidate for the treatment of melanin biosynthesis-related skin diseases.