• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제23권5호
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• pp.407-413
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• 2015

Paraquat dichloride (N,N-dimethyl-4-4'-bipiridinium, PQ) is an extremely toxic chemical that is widely used in herbicides. PQ generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) and causes multiple organ failure. In particular, PQ has been reported to be an immunotoxic agrochemical compound. PQ was shown to decrease the number of macrophages in rats and suppress monocyte phagocytic activity in mice. However, the effect of PQ on macrophage cell viability remains unclear. In this study, we evaluated the cytotoxic effect of PQ on the mouse macrophage cell line, RAW264.7 and its possible mechanism of action. RAW264.7 cells were treated with PQ (0, 75, and $150{\mu}M$), and cellular apoptosis, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and intracellular ROS levels were determined. Morphological changes to the cell nucleus and cellular apoptosis were also evaluated by DAPI and Annexin V staining, respectively. In this study, PQ induced apoptotic cell death by dose-dependently decreasing MMP. Additionally, PQ increased the cleaved form of caspase-3, an apoptotic marker. In conclusion, PQ induces apoptosis in RAW264.7 cells through a ROS-mediated mitochondrial pathway. Thus, our study improves our knowledge of PQ-induced toxicity, and may give us a greater understanding of how PQ affects the immune system.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제45권2호
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• pp.254-263
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• 2021

Background: A chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) model has been proposed as relevant to stress-induced behavioral change in humans. In this study, we examined the effect of Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) on CSDS-induced mood disorders and protein expression in an animal model. Methods: To evaluate the effect of KRG on social defeat stress, test mice were exposed in the resident aggressor's home cage compartment for 14 days beginning 1 h after KRG treatment (10, 20, and 40 mg/kg, per oral (p.o.)). After the exposure, behavioral tests to measure anxiety, social interaction, and depression-like behavior were performed. To investigate the underlying mechanism, N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor expression levels in CSDS-induced mice were evaluated using Western blot analysis. Results: CSDS induced anxiety-like behaviors by decreasing central activity in the open-field test and open-arm approach in the elevated plus maze test and led to social avoidance behavior in the social interaction test. CSDS mice showed upregulated NR1, NR2A, and NR2B expression in the hippocampus. KRG 20 and 40 mg/kg ameliorated anxiety-like activities and KRG 20 mg/kg alleviated social avoidance by decreasing time in the corner zone. KRG treatment recovered CSDS-induced NR1, NR2A, and NR2B protein levels in the hippocampus. Conclusion: These results indicate that KRG has a therapeutic effect on CSDS-induced mood disorder by alleviating N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor overexpression in the hippocampus.

• 약학회지
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• 제53권4호
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• pp.173-178
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• 2009

This study aimed to analyze the master's and doctoral theses in social pharmacy field over the past 10 years in Korea. Theses were searched based on the Korean National Assembly Digital Library System, and descriptive analyses were conducted using SAS. Among 669 theses, pharmacy/pharmacist accounted for 24.8%, followed by drug misuse with 16.9%, and pharmaceuticals industry related theses with 16.6%. Graduate school of pharmacy was responsible for a share of 27.2%, suggesting that approximately a quarter of the entire social pharmacy related theses are studies at the school of pharmacy.

• 한국임상약학회지
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• 제10권3호
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• pp.130-139
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• 2000

This study is intended to set the criteria for the classification of prescription and non-prescription drugs, and classify hospital pharmacy formulations according to the criteria. 717 hospital pharmacy formulations were collected ken the Center for review and evaluation of health insurance, and national provincial offices. Hospital pharmacy formulations were evaluated based on the 'Guidelines on the Hospital Pharmacy Formulations (Notification No. 2000-46)'by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Drug classification advisory committee was composed of twelve medical and pharmaceutical specialists, and suggested opinions on the drug classification. Among 717 formulations, 651 drugs $(90.8\%)$ satisfied the basic conditions for the hospital pharmacy formulations. 312 formulations $(43.5\%)$ were classified as drugs for the disinfection and tests. For the rest of them, 231 formulations were classified as prescription drugs whereas 108 drugs were as non-prescription drugs. 56 non-prescription drugs were included as hospital formulations, because there were no therapeutic alternatives. Iu sum 599 drugs $(83.5\%)$ were suggested as hospital pharmacy formulations. The study also recommends pharmaceutical companies to produce drugs of limited commercial value, and doctors to change their unique prescribing behavior in order to prevent the abuse of hospital pharmacy formulations.

• 한국임상약학회지
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• 제31권4호
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• pp.293-300
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• 2021

Background: This study aims to determine whether the new 6-year pharmacy curriculum is designed to help students in their career path based on the employment status of the current 2+4 pharmacy school graduates. Methods: An online survey was conducted to the pharmacists who graduated from Woosuk University College of Pharmacy between 2015 and 2021. The survey questions included the current employment status of the graduates and their feedback on the clinical pharmacy curriculum at Woosuk University. Results: There were a total of 104 graduates who responded to the survey out of 312 graduates of whom the school had current contact information. Most of the graduates are currently working in a community pharmacy (63.5%), followed by hospital pharmacy (27.9%) and pharmaceutical industry (4.8%). Although most graduates were satisfied with clinical pharmacy courses at our college, many thought there needs to be a reinforcement or improvement in the curriculum, including pharmacotherapy and pharmacy practice experiences as well as social pharmacy courses. Conclusion: Based on our study, clinical and social pharmacy are the courses that teach the knowledge and skills required in community and hospital pharmacy and yet, are most in need of improvement. As most graduates work in a community or hospital pharmacy, it is necessary to improve our pharmacy curriculum so that they can learn and demonstrate their clinical skills effectively.

• 보건의료기술평가
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• 제6권2호
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• pp.133-141
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• 2018

Objectives: In the past, the pharmaceutical drug heparin was mostly used as the anticoagulant for continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), but the duration time is long to have the risk of a bleeding adverse effect, and in that case the drug therapy Nafamostat mesilate was utilized instead, as it is more safe in this case, with a short half-life and is increasing in use to permit lower concerns for bleeding incidents. However, there are insufficient number of large-scale studies on the comparison of Nafamostat mesilate and heparin. Methods: In this study, a systematic review are used to compare the bleeding risk of Nafamostat mesilate and Heparin, as subjected to patients and procedures for measuring risks performed with a CRRT, and the filter life span is to be evaluated as well in this patients. Results: As a result of literature review search, a total of 6 studies were included in systematic review. The reducing risk of bleeding and filter life span was analyzed. The retrospective cohort studies confirm that Nafamostat mesilate is less at risk of bleeding than heparin. And a cohort study confirms that Nafamostat mesilate is longer filter lifespan than heparin and randomized controlled trial studies show that Nafamostat mesilate is longer filter lifespan than not using the anticoagulants. Conclusion: Nafamostat mesilate is considered to be a good therapeutic option because it has a longer filter life span as well as the advantage of reducing bleeding.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권8호
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• pp.3345-3350
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• 2015

Background: Evaluation of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in cervical cancer patients is important in order to design the interventions for improving patient outcomes. Reports of HRQOL among cervical cancer patients in Indonesia are limited. Moreover, measurement using EQ-5D-3L is to our best knowledge has hitherto not been performed. This study aimed to examine the HRQOL of cervical cancer patients in Indonesia using EQ-5D-3L. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted by interviewing cervical cancer patients using the EQ-5D-3L questionnaire. Percentages of patients who reported having problems in each dimension of EQ-5D as well as EQ-5D index score (utility) were calculated. Results: Our findings indicated that the most frequent reported problems were pain/discomfort (67.8%) followed by anxiety/depression (57.5%). The mean of EQ-5D VAS was 75.8 (SD=17.0). The mean (SD) utility scores were 0.85 (0.19), 0.76 (0.20), 0.71 (0.21), and 0.77 (0.13) for cervical cancer patients in stage I, II, III, and IV, respectively. Conclusions: Cervical cancer significantly affects patient HRQOL. Efforts should be made to improve the quality of life of cervical cancer patients especially in terms of pain /discomfort and anxiety/depression reduction.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제32권3호
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• pp.309-318
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• 2024

Compared to other organs, the brain has limited antioxidant defenses. In particular, the hippocampus is the central region for learning and memory and is highly susceptible to oxidative stress. Glial cells are the most abundant cells in the brain, and sustained glial cell activation is critical to the neuroinflammation that aggravates neuropathology and neurotoxicity. Therefore, regulating glial cell activation is a promising neurotherapeutic treatment. Quinic acid (QA) and its derivatives possess anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Although previous studies have evidenced QA's benefit on the brain, in vivo and in vitro analyses of its anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in glial cells have yet to be established. This study investigated QA's rescue effect in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced behavior impairment. Orally administering QA restored social impairment and LPS-induced spatial and fear memory. In addition, QA inhibited proinflammatory mediator, oxidative stress marker, and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation in the LPS-injected hippocampus. QA inhibited nitrite release and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation in LPS-stimulated astrocytes. Collectively, QA restored impaired neuroinflammation-induced behavior by regulating proinflammatory mediator and ERK activation in astrocytes, demonstrating its potential as a therapeutic agent for neuroinflammation-induced brain disease treatments.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권8호
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• pp.3319-3323
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• 2015

Background: Community pharmacists play an important role in tobacco control and adequate training on smoking cessation is essential. Materials and Methods: A quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test design was used. A one-day workshop on smoking cessation organized by Indonesian Pharmacists Association as part of PCE program was offered to 133 community pharmacists. The workshop consisted of a 3-hour lecture and a 3-hour role-play session. Pre-training and post-training surveys assessed the impact of training on parameters including knowledge, perceived role and self-efficacy with respect to smoking cessation counseling practices. Intention and ability to perform counseling using the 5A framework was assessed after training only. Results: After PCE, knowledge score significantly increased from $24.9{\pm}2.58$ to $35.7{\pm}3.54$ (p<0.001). Perceived role and self-efficacy in smoking cessation counseling also significantly increased from $25.8{\pm}2.73$ to $28.7{\pm}2.24$, and $27.6{\pm}4.44$ to $32.6{\pm}3.63$, respectively (p<0.001). After the workshop, most participants were willing to ask, advise, and assess patients who ready to quit, but were still less likely to assist in quitting plans and arranging follow up counseling. More than 75% pharmacists were able to perform cessation counseling and 65% of them can completely perform a 5A brief intervention. Conclusions: PCE can enhance pharmacists' knowledge, perceived role, self-efficacy in cessation counseling practices, and create willingness and ability to perform cessation counseling. Future training is recommended to improve skills in assisting quitting plans and arranging follow up.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제14권5호
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• pp.3017-3021
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• 2013

Background: Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) is an important aspect in identifying cancer patients' perceptions of being diagnosed with cancer and the assessment of treatment outcomes. The present study aimedto assess the profile and predicators of HRQoL of Malaysian oncology patients. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study adopting the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) was conducted. All cancer patients attending Penang General Hospital between August-November 2011 were approached. Descriptive statistics were used to assess demographic and disease related characteristics of the patients. All analyses were performed using SPSS v 16.0. Results: Three hundred and ninety three cancer patients met the inclusion criteria and were enrolled in the study. The mean age was 53.9 ($SD{\pm}13$) years. The cohort was dominated by females (n=260, 66.2%). Nearly half (n=190, 48.3%) of the participants were of Malay ethnicity, practicing Islam as their religion (n=194, 494%). Two hundred and ninety six (n=296, 75.3%) had beene diagnosed with cancer within six months to 3 years previously. The most common primary cancer site was breast (n=143, 36.4%). The mean Global Health Status (GHS) score was 60.7 (SD=21.3). Females (mean GHS score of 62.3, p=0.035) with Malay ethnicity (mean GHS score of 63.8, p=0.047), practicing Islam as their religion (mean GHS score of 63.0, p=0.011) had better GHS scores. Patients having medical insurance had good scores (mean 65.6, p-0.021). Marital status was significantly associated with GHS scores (p=0.022). Bone cancer patientshad the lowest mean GHS score of 49.2 (p=0.044). Patients at very advanced stages of cancer featured a low GHS mean score of 52.2 (p<0.001). Conclusions: The present study identified many demographic and disease related factors which may contribute to the HRQoL of cancer patients, pointing to the necessity for improved management of disease symptoms and provision of psychological and financial support.