• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.161-168
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• 2010

White-skinned sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) has been traditionally used for diabetes treatment and management in many countries. In this experiment, methanol extract of white-skinned sweet potato (WSPMe) at a dose of 100 or 200 mg/kg body weight was tested to evaluate its effect on renal damage in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Its efficacy was compared with that of insulin secretogogue, glimepiride ($50\;{\mu}g/kg$ body weight). Experimental diabetes was induced by a single dose of STZ (45 mg/kg, i.p.) injection. The WSPMe and glimepiride were administered orally for 14 days and the effects on glucose, renal markers including blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), lipid peroxide (LPO) level, antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathion-S-transferase (GST) activities in kidney were studied. An increase in BUN, creatinine, LDH, glucose, LPO levels and decrease in SOD, CAT, GPx and GST features were observed in diabetic control rats. Administration of WSPMe at a dose of 200 mg/kg body weight caused a significant improvement in blood glucose, LPO level, renal markers, lipid peroxidation markers and increased antioxidant levels in diabetic kidney. In conclusion, the WSPMe was found to be effective in reducing oxidative stress, thus confirming the ethnopharmacological use of I. batatas L. in protecting diabetes and its complications.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.10
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• pp.5995-6000
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• 2013

Background: Nausea and vomiting after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are common in clinical practice, but few studies have reported the incidence and risk factors of such events. Objective: The purpose of this study was to analyze the incidence and risk factors of nausea and vomiting after TACE for HCC. Methods: This study was a single-center retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained database. Between May 2010 and October 2012, 150 patients with HCC were analyzed for incidence and preprocedural risk factors. Results: The incidence of postembolization nausea and vomiting was 38.8% and 20.9%, respectively, in patients with HCC. Patients who developed nausea had lower levels (<100 IU/L) of serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) compared to those without nausea ($123.04{\pm}69.38$ vs. $167.41{\pm}138.95$, respectively, p=0.044). Female gender correlated to a higher incidence of nausea as well (p=0.024). Patients who developed vomiting, compared to those who did not, also had lower levels (<100 IU/L) of serum ALP ($112.52{\pm}62.63$ vs. $160.10{\pm}127.80$, respectively, p=0.010), and serum alanine transferase (ALT) ($35.61{\pm}22.87$ vs. $4.97{\pm}29.62$, respectively, p=0.045). There were no statistical significances in the incidences of nausea and vomiting between male patients over 50 years old and female patients who have entered menopause (p=0.051 and p=0.409, respectively). Multivariate analysis by logistic regression analysis demonstrated that female gender and ALP>100 IU/L were the most independent predictive factors of postembolization nausea (odds ratio (OR): 3.271, 95% CI: 1.176-9.103, p=0.023 and OR: 0.447, 95% CI: 0.216-0.927, p=0.030, respectively). ALP>100 IU/L was also the most independent predictive risk factor of postembolization vomiting (OR: 0.389, 95% CI: 0.159-0.952, p=0.039). Conclusions: Postembolizaiton nausea and vomiting are common in patients with HCC. Recognition of the risk factors presented above before TACE is important for early detection and proper management of postembolization nausea and vomiting. Nevertheless, future studies are required.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.54 no.5
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• pp.362-369
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• 2010

Despite the fact that the dissolution test can serve as an effective tool for drug quality control and prediction of in vivo drug performance, there are a number of drugs with no established dissolution specifications because they were developed quite a long time ago. Under this circumstances, KFDA started the new project that establishes dissolution method and specifications for drugs with no dissolution specifications listed in the Korea Pharmaceutical Codex (KPC). This project aims for promoting the appropriate management of oral solid dosage forms. Seoul regional KFDA selected 2 items, Nicametate citrate tablet and Norfloxacin capsule, for establishing dissolution specifications. We went through the following procedures to develop the dissolution method and specifications: (1) Validation of dissolution test equipment, (2) Purchase of test drugs, (3) Preliminary test with one of the test products (1 lot), (4) Validation of analysis methods (3 lots), (5) Final tests and cross tests among other laboratory to establish dissolution specifications, (6) Additional test with the other test drugs. The outcome of this study will be reflected in revision of the KPC. It is believed that the quality control and evaluation of oral solid dosage forms listed in KPC will be advanced with the revision which adds additional dissolution test and specifications for the drugs with no established dissolution specifications.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.11
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• pp.182-190
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• 2018

Many pharmaceutical companies operate the SFA system to support salespeople. The SFA system is used for various behaviors of salespeople. However, there is a lack of empirical analysis on the performance of SFA in Korea. The purpose of this study is to investigate the utilization of SFA system and the non - financial performance of SFA system. The subjects of the survey were 347 pharmaceutical community members who consisted of pharmaceutical salespeople and surveyed online for 18 days from March 13, 2018 to April 30, 2018. and the effective response rate was 23.1% (80/347). The analysis shows that the higher the level of SFA system utilization, the higher the non - financial performance. By type of company, the utilization level of multinational companies was higher than that of domestic companies. Among the SFA utilization level items, 1.47 points (3.65, 2.18) were higher than the domestic companies in terms of the support service items. Among the SFA performance items, foreign companies were 1.47 points (3.16, 1.69) Respectively. This suggests that the SFA development and operation method of the domestic company focuses on the management service rather than the support service for the salesperson and the customer satisfaction. Through this study, it is considered that domestic companies should strengthen sales person support and customer satisfaction information providing function when operating SFA system.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.12
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• pp.1118-1127
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• 2020

Alzheimer's disease causes progressive neuronal loss that leads to cognitive disturbances. It is not currently curable, and there is no way to stop its progression. However, since medical treatment for Alzheimer's disease is most effective in the early stages, early detection can provide the best chance for symptom management. Biomarkers for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease include amyloid β (Aβ) deposition, pathologic tau, and neurodegeneration. Aβ deposition and phosphorylated tau can be detected by cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis or positron emission tomography (PET). However, CSF sampling is quite invasive, and PET analysis needs specialized and expensive equipment. During the last decades, blood-based biomarker analysis has been studied to develop fast and minimally invasive biomarker analysis method. And one of the remarkable findings is the involvement of platelets as a primary source of Aβ in plasma. Aβ can be transported across the blood - brain barrier, creating an equilibrium of Aβ levels between the brain and blood under normal condition. Interestingly, a number of clinical studies have unequivocally demonstrated that plasma Aβ42/Aβ40 ratios are reduced in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. Together, these recent findings may lead to the development of a fast and minimally invasive early diagnostic approach to Alzheimer's disease. In this review, we summarize recent advances in the biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease, especially the involvement of platelets as a source of peripheral Aβ production and its potential as a blood-based biomarker.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.1033-1045
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• 2016

Objectives: This research was conducted to recognize dental health care employees' awareness of patient safety culture and to examine the association between awareness of patient safety culture and patient safety activities. Methods: The subject of this research includes the dental health care employees from 11 different dental hospitals in the nation, dental offices in the 6 different general hospitals in Seoul, and 4 different private dental offices in 2014. A self-reported questionnaire was completed by 485 dental health care employees from March 17 to April 3, 2014. Multiple regression models were used in the analysis. Results: First, the dental health employees' awareness of patient safety culture was 3.25 on average. The extent of patient safety activities was 2.75. The behavior of the supervisor/manager and the adequate explanation showed positive correlation with r=0.213 (p<0.001). The process of communication and the preventative inspection of the medical equipment showed negative correlation with r=-0.258 (p<0.001), and especially the awareness of patient safety culture and the infection control exercise showed the most significant correlation (r=0.293, p<0.001). Second, hospital environment factor of patient safety perceptions positively were related to most of patient safety management activities after controlling several covariates. Conclusions: The result of this research showed that most of the patient safety culture perceptions positively were correlated with patient safety activities. We also found that proper hospital environment, simple communication process, and positive perceptions for patient safety level were more likely to perform patient safety management activities after controlling several covariates. Improving the patient safety perceptions of dental hospital workers is an important consideration.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.31-36
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• 2001

A cDNA clone encoding the ribosomal protein S20 has been isolated from the Schizosaccharomyces pombe cDNA library by colony hybridization. The insert contained in the original plasmid pYJ10 was transferred intro shuttle vector pRS316 generate plasmid pYJll. The dDNA insert of plasmid pYJll, contains 484 nucleotides and encodes a protein of 118 amino acids with a calculated mass of 13,544 daltons. The deduced amino acid sequence of S. pombe ribosomal protein S20 is very homologous with fruit fly, rat, and budding yeast counterparts. It is also homologous with Xenopus S22 ribosomal protein. S. pombe ribosomal protein S20 appears to be relatively hydruphobic except the C-terminal region. The 728 bp upstream region of the S20 gene was amplified from chromosomal DNA and transferred into the BamHI/EcoRI site of the promoterles $\beta$-galactosidase gene of the vector YEp357R, which resulted in fusion plasmid pYS20. The synthesis of $\beta$-galactosidase from the fusion plasmid appeared to be the highest in the mid-exponential phase. The S. pombe cells with the fusion plasmid grown at 35$\^{C}$ gave lower $\beta$-galactosidase activity than the cells grown at 30$\^{C}$. Computer analysis showed the consensus sequence CAGTCACA in the upstream regions of various ribosomal protein genes in S. pombe, which would be involved in the coordinated expression of small ribosomal proteins.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.163-167
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• 2005

In this study, a novel analytical method has been developed for the rapid determination of L-carnitine in human plasma using electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. Free carnitine (FC) was analyzed after extraction with 80% methanol and total carnitine (TC) was analyzed after hydrolysis and extraction. Acyl carnitine (AC) was subtracted FC from TC. Analytical methods used multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) scan modes. A correlation coefficient of linear regression ($r^2$) was 0.9995, recovery was 97%, reproducibility was less than 10%, and limit of detection (LOD) was $0.0016{\mu}mol/L$. This method reduced sample preparation time and showed high resolution and good reproducibility compared to that with liquid chromatographic methods. Normal control showed AC was lower than FC. Clinical management of patients with inborn error of metabolism showed FC was lower than AC. Thus, carnitine fraction level was very important to monitoring patients with metabolic disorder.

• The KIPS Transactions:PartC
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• v.10C no.3
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• pp.281-286
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• 2003

Nowadays, a patient's private medical data which is exposed to the outside world has a severe effect on not only the patient's private life but also his/her social activities and environment. So, it is important to securely protect the patient's private medical data from the illegal manipulation. This paper studies the method to store the electronic prescription information in an IC card. For that, an access control for users, such as a doctor, a nurse, a medical institute member, a pharmacy, a pharmacist, or a patient, is proposed to access the data stored in an IC card. The certificate is issued using the Crypto API of a certificate management model supported by Windows 2000. The public/private key is created by the Cryptographic Service Provider program, and the electronic prescription is signed using the digital signature. The proposed system, therefore, can improve the quality of medical services by securing the safety and integrity of the electronic prescription, stored in an IC card.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.497-503
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• 2011

Objectives : To assess the effect of Bojungiki-tang for symptomatic management in stable asthmatic patients after initial treatment. Methods : Outcome measures of asthmatic patients were recorded using patient's charts and inquiry. Compared with the patient's state right after they got their treatment, "Excellent" was if it was almost the same state, "Good" was if the patient's state was maintained for almost 70%, "Fair" was for 50%, "Poor" was for under 50% or if the patient required another treatment. Results : Of 25 patients, 21 used Bojungiki-tang for more than one month and 20 maintained a stable state, that is, feeling more than 70% of symptom control compared with previous best status. Conclusions : Bojungiki-tang has a good effect for maintaining asthma after treatment.