• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.640-646
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• 2009

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are typical probiotic microbes that are used in various industries including fermented foods, feed additives, and pharmaceuticals. The purpose of this study was to compare the ability of isoflavone biotransformation and antioxidative activity of 17 LAB. Six strains including the Lactobacillus species exhibited a 100% hydrolysis rate for daidzein during fermentation. The content of total genistein in soymilk fermented with these strains was $872-943\;{\mu}g/g$. The DPPH (1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging ability of the LAB was widely variable and ranged from 23-78%. A selected strain was isolated from kimchi and the strain was identified as Lactobacillus plantarum ssp. through the API carbohydrate fermentation pattern and 16S rDNA profile. The strain exhibited excellent acid tolerance in an artificial gastric solution. L. plantarum YS712 showed high $\beta$-glucosidase activity in fermentation. The concentration of genistein and daidzein in soymilk fermented with L. plantarum YS712 increased from 3.64 to $917.3\;{\mu}g/g$ and from 58.18 to $1062.17\;{\mu}g/g$, respectively. These results demonstrate the potential of L. plantarum YS712 as a probiotic culture that can be utilized in the manufacturing of fermentation foods and dietary supplements.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.373-382
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• 2000

Objectives : The most frequently cited health related slogan in North Korea is that socialistic medicine is preventive medicine. It implies that North Korea puts preventive medicine at the operational center of its national health care system. This study aimed at examining and comparing preventive medicine practices in North Korea with those of South Korea. Methods : Efforts have been made to obtain a textbook for analysis its contents. Many people have iassisted in the study by joining the interview. Some of these people are as follows : a former professor of PyongYang Medical School, NK physicians living in South Korea, WHO staffs, diplomatic officials, etc. The major items of analysis consisted of industrial medicine and hygiene, nutrition, school health, epidemiology, health statistics and heath policy & management. Results : Public health philosophy is finely noted and well integrated in the operation of the North Korean national health care system, particularly in the area of industrial medicine and hygiene. Preventive medicine with a strong health surveillance system spanning a number of broad social organizations is a major tool to improve the health of the people in North Korea. The emphasis on preventive medicine has a close relationship with the 'Juche Philosophy' and the shortage of pharmaceuticals and medical equipment. To cope with the shortage problem, North Korean health workers are encouraged to grow medicinal herbs. We have found that they put little effort into teaching newly emerging diseases, such as AIDS, VDT syndrome, hazards of EMF, and agricultural chemical poisonings. Of the subjects of the preventive medicine text, 78.9% coincide with those of South Korean industrial health manuals and 34.2% with South Korean epidemiology texts. However, an absolute difference was found to exist between the health policies and management systems. Conclusion : In North Korea, the concept of preventive medicine functions as the basic philosophic strategy of the national health care system. It differs greatly from the South Korean system in both practice and educational content. Its contribution to society is simply incomparable to that of South Korea. More communication and further study is called for in order to improve the preventive medicine practices in the future.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.408-417
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• 2013

Objectives: Phthalates are used as plasticizers in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastics. As phthalate plasticizers are not chemically bound to the PVC, they can leach, migrate or evaporate into indoor air and atmosphere, foodstuffs, other materials, etc. Therefore, humans are exposed through ingestion, inhalation, and dermal exposure over their entire lifetime, including during intrauterine development. In particular, university students have a great number of opportunities to contact products including phthalates during campus life (food packaging, body care products, cosmetic, lotions, aftershave, perfume etc.). The purpose of this study was to examine levels of phthalate exposure as undergraduate students begin to use pharmaceuticals and personal care products including phthalates. Methods: Phthalate metabolites, mono-ethyl phthalate (MEP), mono-n-butyl phthalate (MnBP), mono-isobutyl phthalate (MiBP), mono-2- ethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP), {(mono-(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP}, and mono-(2-ethlyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (MEOHP} were examined. 80 urine samples collected from university students were analyzed using LC/MS/MS(API 4000, Applied Bioscience) with on-line enrichment and columnswitching techniques. This study was carried out at Y university located in Gyonggi Province from 2008 to 2011. Results: The detection limit of phthalate metabolites were 0.03 ng/mL for MEP, 0.11 ng/mL for MnBP, 0.08 ng/mL for MiBP, 0.93 ng/mL for MEHP, 0.19 ng/mL for MEOHP and 0.16ng/mL for MEHHP. MnBP showed the highest urinary levels (median: 31.6 ug/L, 24.8 ug/g creatinine (cr)). Concentrations were also high for MEHHP (median: 24.1 ug/L, 19.0 ug/g cr), followed by MEOHP (median: 22.8 ug/L, 17.9 ug/g cr). In individual cases, the maximum level reached up to 348 ug/L, and 291 ug/g cr, respectively. The urinary and creatinine adjusted levels of MEP were lower than those for DBP and DEHP metabolites, but were higher in 95th percentiles. As a result, the mean daily DEP intake value was 2.3 ${\mu}g/kg$ bw/day, 3.5 ${\mu}g/kg$ bw/day for DEHP and 4.9 ${\mu}g/kg$ bw/day for DBP. Conclusion: These students' phthalate exposure levels were below the international safe level set by the EU, but higher than the 2012 KFDA survey of the age group from 3 to 18.

• BMB Reports
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.68-80
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• 2015

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are a large class of transmembrane receptors categorized into five distinct families: rhodopsin, secretin, adhesion, glutamate, and frizzled. They bind and regulate 80% of all hormones and account for 20-50% of the pharmaceuticals currently on the market. Hundreds of GPCRs integrate and coordinate the functions of individual cells, mediating signaling between various organs. GPCRs are crucial players in tumor progression, adipogenesis, and inflammation. Several studies have also confirmed their central roles in embryonic development and stem cell maintenance. Recently, GPCRs have emerged as key players in the regulation of cell survival, proliferation, migration, and self-renewal in pluripotent (PSCs) and cancer stem cells (CSCs). Our study and other reports have revealed that the expression of many GPCRs is modulated during the generation of induced PSCs (iPSCs) or CSCs as well as during CSC sphere formation. These GPCRs may have crucial roles in the regulation of self-renewal and other biological properties of iPSCs and CSCs. This review addresses the current understanding of the role of GPCRs in stem cell maintenance and somatic reprogramming to PSCs or CSCs.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.305-312
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• 2010

During a last decade, the introduced traits in commercialized GM crops have been diversified from a simple trait such as herbicide resistance gene or insectresistance gene which are related to the crop production into more complicated traits such as modification of fatty acid or essential amino acid composition, modified coloring pattern of flower. In addition, it was investigated that several other GM crops bearing more refined traits expected to lead next generation are also awaiting for risk assessment (RA) or under field test for the preparation of RA in the near future. These GM crops include abiotic stress resistance including drought or cold, increased biomass, production of bioethanol or diesel, production of pharmaceuticals or functional materials for industrial. In particular, in 2008 and 2009, it was reported that the highest number of GM crops for molecular farming are under developed in laboratory or green house level in all the world. Likewise, in Korea, 171 events from 49 plant species are under developed to introduce several important traits. At present, about 10 events are under field test to select elite lines for RA application. For the first time, herbicide resistance turfgrass developed by Korean research team has been submitted for RA and currently under requested for additional data. Moreover, GM rice resistant to leaf roll (folder) disease is expected as a next event to be submitted for RA application.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.664-676
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• 2018

This study used raw data from the Korea Medical Panel Survey for 2014 to analyze the factors affecting the cost of medicine expenditure. A total of 3,107 people with medical expenses were selected for the final analysis. Analysis methods were frequency analysis, crossover analysis, regression analysis and t-test. The significance level of all tests was p = .05. The prescription cost was 72.4%, the minimum cost was 84 won, the maximum cost was 270,653 won, and the highest amount was 'over 3,000 won~less than 10,000 won' (31.7%). The general pharmaceuticals cost was 81.8%, the minimum cost was 800 won, the maximum cost was 2,718,000 won, and the highest amount was 'less than 20,000 won' (31.4%). The herbal medicine cost was 9.4%, the minimum cost was 4,000 won, the maximum cost was 2,700,000 won, and the highest amount was 'over 100,000 won' (37.8%). The medicines expenditure was the maximum cost was 2,760,093 won, and the highest amount was 'over 100,000 won' (27.0%). Factors affecting medicine expenditure were gender, marital status, income quintile, easement, and subjective health status.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.223-229
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• 2002

Metformin is an oral antihyperglycemic agent used in the therapy of noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and does not cause hypoglycemia at the therapeutic dose. Its mechanism of action may involve an increased binding of insulin to its receptors and glucose uptake at the post-receptor level. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the bioequivalence of two metformin tablets, Glucophage (Daewoong Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.) and Glycomin (Ilsung Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd.), according to the guidelines of Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA). The metformin release from the two metformin tablets in vitro was tested using KP VII Apparatus II method with various dissolution media (pH 1.2, 4.0, 6.8 buffer solution and water). Twenty four normal male volunteers, $23.75{\pm}1.96$ years in age and $68.77{\pm}10.41\;kg$ in body weight, were divided into two groups with a randomized $2{\times}2$ cross-over study. After one tablet containing 500 mg as metformin was orally administered, blood was taken at predetermined time intervals and the concentrations of metformin in serum were determined using HPLC with UV detector. Besides, the dissolution profiles of two metformin tablets were very similar at 떠1 dissolution media. The pharmacokinetic parameters such as $AVC_t,\;C_{max}\;and\;T_{max}$ were calculated. The ANOVA test was performed for the statistical analysis of the logarithmically transformed $AVC_t\;and\;C_{max}$, untransformed $T_{max}$. The results showed that the differences in $AVC_t,\;C_{max}\;and\;T_{max}$ between two tablets based on the Glucophage were 0.09%, 6.09% and -8.22%, respectively. There were no sequence effects between two tablets in these parameters. The 90% confidence intervals using logarithmically transformed data were within the acceptance range of log(0.8) to log(1.25) $(e.g.,\;log(0.94){\sim}log(1.09)\;and \;log(1.01){\sim}log(1.15)$\;for\;AVC_t\;and\;C_{max},\;respectively)$, indicating that Glycomin tablet is bioequivalent to Glucophage tablet.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.145-149
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• 2003

Manufacturing facilities of the pharmaceuticals must meet certain level of the cleanness required so that foreign substances such as dust, moisture, heat, microorganism, or virus do not contaminate the product. In case of radiopharmaceuticals for medical treatment and diagnosis, not only should the operators and environment be protected from radiation but also need to be isolated from the foreign contaminant. Therefore, manufacturing facilities for radiopharmaceuticals must satisfy the design standards of both hot cell and clean room which are specified by GMP. However, standards of maintaining negative pressure for preventing spread of radioactive contaminant in isolated facilities conflict with the standards of maintaining positive pressure for keeping cleanness. To solve this problem, air pressure of hot cell was designed lower than in the adjacent area to meet standards of the radiation safety. To keep higher cleanness in certain part of the hot cell for filling, minimal relative positive pressure allows. In order to effectively maintain the cleanness that is required for production of Tc-99m generator, which takes 70% of whole demand of radiopharmaceuticals, the rooms placed in each side of production room are used as a buffer area and three lead hot cells are installed in production room. In this research, we established the appropriate engineered design concept for Tc-99m generator manufacturing facility, which satisfies both GMP cleanness standard for preventing particles, bacteria, other contaminants and the regulations of radiation safety for supervising and controlling the amount of radiation exposure and exhausted radioactivity. And the concept of multi-barrier buffer zones is introduced to apply negative air pressure for hot cell with first priority and to continue relative positive air pressure for clean room.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.215-221
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• 2002

Cephradine is a first generation cephalosporin and has broad spectrum antibacterial activity against gram-positive and gram-negative microorganisms, through inhibition of bacterial cell wall synthesis. Cephradine is useful for treatment of infections of the urinary and respiratory tract, skin and soft tissues. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the bioequivalence of two cephradine capsules, Cefradine Yuhan (YuHan Corporation) and Broadcef (Ilsung Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd.), according to the guidelines of Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA). The cephradine release from the two cephradine capsules in vitro was tested using KP VII Apparatus II method with various different kinds of dissolution media (pH 1.2, 4.0, 6.8 buffer solution and water). Twenty normal male volunteers, $23.10{\pm}2.90$ years in age and $67.69{\pm}8.04\;kg$ in body weight, were divided into two groups and a randomized $2{\times}2$ cross-over study was employed. After one capsule containing 500 mg as cephradine was orally administered, blood was taken at predetermined time intervals and the concentrations of cephradine in serum were determined using HPLC method with UV detector. The dissolution profiles of two cephradine capsules were very similar at all dissolution media. Besides, the pharmacokinetic parameters such as $AVC_t,\;C_{max}\;and\;T_{max}$ were calculated and ANOVA test was utilized for the statistical analysis of the parameters using logarithmically transformed $AVC_t\;and\;C_{max}$ and untransformed $T_{max}$. The results showed that the differences in $AVC_t,\;C_{max}\;and\;T_{max}$ between two capsules based on the Cefradine Yuhan were -2.87%, -0.96% and -4.85%, respectively. There were no sequence effects between two capsules in these parameters. The 90% confidence intervals using logarithmically transformed data were within the acceptance range of 1og(0.8) to log(1.25) $(e.g.,\;log(0.93){\sim}log(1.02)\;and\;log(0.88){\sim}log(1.13)\;for \;AVC_t\;and\;C_{max},\;respectively)$. The 90% confidence interval using untransformed data was within ${\pm}20%$ $(e.g., \;-17.54{\sim}7.78\;for\;T_{max})$. All parameters met the criteria of KFDA guideline for bioequivalence, indicating that Broadcef capsule is bioequivalent to Cefradine Yuhan capsule.

• Journal of Korea Technology Innovation Society
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.732-753
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• 2017

Recently, when evaluating the technology values in the fields of biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and medicine, we have needed more to estimate those values in consideration of the period and cost for the commercialization to be put into in future. The existing discounted cash flow (DCF) method has limitations in that it can not consider consecutive investment or does not reflect the probabilistic property of commercialized input cost of technology-applied products. However, since the value of technology and investment should be considered as opportunity value and the information of decision-making for resource allocation should be taken into account, it is regarded desirable to apply the concept of real options, and in order to reflect the characteristics of business model for the target technology into the concept of volatility in terms of stock price which we usually apply to in evaluation of a firm's value, we need to consider 'the continuity of stock price (relatively minor change)' and 'positive condition'. Thus, as discussed in a lot of literature, it is necessary to investigate the relationship among volatility, underlying asset values, and cost of commercialization in the Black-Scholes model for estimating the technology value based on real options. This study is expected to provide more elaborated real options model, by mathematically deriving whether the ratio of the present value of the underlying asset to the present value of the commercialization cost, which reflects the uncertainty in the option pricing model (OPM), is divided into the "no action taken" (NAT) area under certain threshold conditions or not, and also presenting the estimation logic for option values according to the observation variables (or input values).