• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.73-78
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• 2010

This research was conducted to assess applicability of photostimulated luminescence (PSL) and Thermoluminescence (TL) methods for investigation of infant and young children products, nut, seasoned dried fish, spice, dried fruits, fruit & vegetable, grain and marine products, which are not approved for irradiation in Korea. PSL results show that the photon counts of non-irradiated samples were lower than 700, while those of irradiated samples were higher than 700. In TL measurement, TL ratio of irradiated samples were higher than 0.1 or ones can decrease below 0.1 whereas the temperature range of TL Glow curve was between $150{\sim}250^{\circ}C$. Monitoring result about 8 class of 325 not approved to irradiated foods, photon counts of samples were less than 700, and after re-irradiation TL Ratio ($TL_1/TL_2$) through re-irradiation step at 1 kGy were higher than 0.1 for the all samples. Therefore, these results suggested that PSL and TL measurements were useful detection methods for 8 class food products not approved to irradiation in Korea and all sample (325 cases) were not irradiated when we analysed by PSL and TL methods.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.1-23
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• 2003

General drug prices involve three stages: shipment stage, wholesaler stage and retail stage. Policies on drug price differ from country to country. Shipment stage prices are tightly regulated in countries like France and Netherlands. They are free in only a minority of advanced countries, even if these include some major players such as the US, Germany and, in a very limited sense, Japan. The situation in the UK is very complex with a semi-free system, where drug companies are free to set their own prices but cannot exceed a predetermined profit ceiling. Mark-up at both wholesaler and retail stages is formally admitted in most countries observed. Apart from the general drug prices, reimbursement price of insured drugs has been major policy concerns. Most countries reviewed in this study has exerted some control over reimbursement prices, but differ both in the way how and in the extent to which prices are admitted or fixed. Price fixing has been used in France and Japan. Some countries have transformed their system over time, particularly to move to reference pricing in the last decade. This mechanism has empowered the customer, and improved price competition on the market. Referring to the drug price policies in the advanced countries, this study makes some suggestions for the redirection of Korean price policy for reimbursement drug in health insurance as follows: to match appropriate policy tools to each policy goal; to maximize market mechanism through effective reimbursement price fixing which admits mark-ups in wholesaler and retail prices; to introduce reference pricing system in order to redirect patient's demand with a financial incentive to choose the best-priced drugs and to save the finance of health insurance; and to strengthen surveillance and monitoring mechanism in the drug market.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.143-149
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• 2012

To prepare measures for practical policy utilization and the control of heavy metals, hazard control related institutions by country, present states of control by country, and present states of control by heavy metals were examined. Hazard control cases by heavy metals in various countries were compared and analyzed. In certain countries (e.g., the U.S., the U.K., and Japan), hazardous substances found in foods (e.g., arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury) are controlled. In addition, the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) recommends calculating the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) of individual heavy metals instead of the acceptable daily intake (ADI) to compare their pollution levels considering their toxicity accumulated in the human body. In Korea, exposure assessments have been conducted, and in other countries, hazardous substances are controlled by various governing bodies. As such, in Korea and other countries, diverse food heavy metal monitoring and human body exposure assessments are conducted, and reducing measures are prepared accordingly. To reduce the danger of hazardous substances, many countries provide leaflets and guidelines, develop hazardous heavy metal intake recommendations, and take necessary actions. Hazard control case analyses can assist in securing consumer safety by establishing systematic and reliable hazard control methods.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.758-771
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• 2020

This study was to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of antimicrobial-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) from 4,264 retail meat samples including beef, pork, and chicken in Korea between 2013 and 2018. A broth microdilution antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed for S. aureus. Molecular typing by multilocus sequence typing (MLST), spa typing, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), was performed on mecA-positive S. aureus strain. S. aureus was isolated at a rate of 18.2% (777/4,264), of which MRSA comprised 0.7% (29 strains). MLST analysis showed that 11 out of the 29 MRSA isolates were predominantly sequence type (ST) 398 (37.9%). In addition, ST72, ST692, ST188, ST9, and ST630 were identified in the MRSA isolates. The spa typing results were classified into 11 types and showed a high correlation with MLST. The antimicrobial resistance assays revealed that MRSA showed 100% resistance to cefoxitin and penicillin. In addition, resistance to tetracycline (62.1%), clindamycin (55.2%), and erythromycin (55.2%) was relatively high; 27 of the 29 MRSA isolates exhibited multidrug resistance. PFGE analysis of the 18 strains excluding the 11 ST398 strains exhibited a maximum of 100% homology and a minimum of 64.0% homology. Among these, three pairs of isolates showed 100% homology in PFGE; these results were consistent with the MLST and spa typing results. Identification of MRSA at the final consumption stage has potential risks, suggesting that continuous monitoring of retail meat products is required.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.131-139
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• 2023

In this study, we investigated pesticide residue levels in 535 domestically distributed agricultural products in South Korea using multi-residue analysis. Agricultural products from 13 regions, including Seoul, were pretreated using QuEChERS and d-SPE, and subsequently analyzed using LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS. Residual pesticides were detected in 288 (53.8%) out of the 535 samples, including 40 of apples, 40 of peppers, 33 of mandarins, 31 of peaches, and 144 other commodities. Furthermore, one sample of Korean cabbage exceeded the permitted maximum residue limit (MRL), diniconazole (0.18 mg/kg), detected at about twice the MRL. In total, 91 types of residual pesticides were detected, including fungicides (42), insecticides (48), and a nematicide. The most frequently detected pesticides were dinotefuran (91), carbendazim (75), tebuconazole (61), and pyraclostrobin (59). Our results showed that continuous monitoring of agricultural products is necessary.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.117-124
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• 2015

Genetically modified (GM) papaya line 55-1, which is resistant to PRSV infection, has been marketed globally. Prompt and sensitive protocols for specific detections are essential for the traceability of this line. Here, an event- and construct-specific real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method was established to detect 55-1. Qualitative detection was possible for fresh papaya fruit up to dilutions of 0.005% and 0.01% for the homozygous SunUp and heterozygous Rainbow cultivars, respectively, in non-GM papaya. The method was applied in the qualitative detection of 55-1 in eight types of commercially processed papaya products. Additionally, papaya products were monitored to distinguish GM papaya using the P35S and T-nos RT-PCR detection methods. As expected, detection capacity was improved via modified sample preparation and the established RT-PCR detection method. Taking these results together, it can be suggested that a suitable method for the extraction and purification of DNA from processed papaya products was established for the detection of GM papaya.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.214-223
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• 2013

BACKGROUND: This study focused on the development of an analytical method about dichlorprop (DCPP; 2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)propionic acid) which is a plant growth regulator, a synthetic auxin for agricultural commodities. DCPP prevents falling of fruits during their growth periods. However, the overdose of DCPP caused the unwanted maturing time and reduce the safe storage period. If we take fruits with exceeding maximum residue limits, it could be harmful. Therefore, this study presented the analytical method of DCPP in agricultural commodities for the nation-wide pesticide residues monitoring program of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. METHODS AND RESULTS: We adopted the analytical method for DCPP in agricultural commodities by gas chromatograph in cooperated with Electron Capture Detector(ECD). Sample extraction and purification by ion-associated partition method were applied, then quantitation was done by GC/ECD with DB-17, a moderate polarity column under the temperature-rising condition with nitrogen as a carrier gas and split-less mode. Standard calibration curve presented linearity with the correlation coefficient ($r^2$) > 0.9998, analysed from 0.1 to 2.0 mg/L concentration. Limit of quantitation in agricultural commodities represents 0.05 mg/kg, and average recoveries ranged from 78.8 to 102.2%. The repeatability of measurements expressed as coefficient of variation (CV %) was less than 9.5% in 0.05, 0.10, and 0.50 mg/kg. CONCLUSION(S): Our newly improved analytical method for DCPP residues in agricultural commodities was applicable to the nation-wide pesticide residues monitoring program with the acceptable level of sensitivity, repeatability and reproducibility.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.287-291
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• 2010

In this study, a simple and rapid pre-treatment method based on liquid extraction was applied for the simultaneous determination of three macrolides (spiramycin, tylosin, and tilmicosin) residues. In these studies, the stock farm products was used as a matrix sample. When the liquid extraction method was compared with the solid phase extraction (SPE) method, the former showed higher recovery percentages and simpler steps than the latter. The macrolids were separated using a reverse-phase C18 ($250\;mm{\times}4.6\;mm$, $5\;{\mu}m$) column and a gradient elution with mobile phases consisting of phosphate buffer (pH 2.5) and acetonitrile. Tylosin and tilmicosin were detected at 288 nm and spiramycin was detected at 232 nm. The average recovery percentage ranged between 83.0-90.2% for samples spiked with the three macrolids at 50 and 100 ng/g The validation results showed that the limit of detection (7 (spiramycin), 12 (tilmiconsin), 12 (tylosin) ng/g)) was under the regulatory tolerances and the linearity from calibration curves was satisfactory for determining the multi-residue of three macrolids in farm products. Monitoring samples were collected at the main cities in Korea as Seoul, Busan, Deajeon, Incheon, Deagu, and Gwangju. Microlide antibiotics were not detected in most samples.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.309-314
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• 2013

Glass micropipettes are widely used for drug injection in neurological studies. To enable these devices to monitor neural activity simultaneously with drug injection, an electrode such as Ag/AgCl must be located near or inserted into the glass micropipette to detect electrical signals in vivo. Here, we report carbon-nanotube-modified glass micropipettes (CNGs), which have excellent electrochemical properties such as low impedance and large electrochemical surface area suited for neural recording. In addition, using a standard pressure pump, CNGs can deliver drugs to the target region without bending. Because they are based on standard glass micropipettes, CNGs can readily be applied to traditional equipment, creating opportunities to monitor precisely the drug-injected area.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.102-107
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• 2007

Cimetidine, a substrate for P-glycoprotein (P-gp), is a well known drug interacting with a variety of drugs and results in alteration of pharmacokinetic parameters by concomitant administration. The aim of present study was to investigate whether cimetidine affects the transport of various quinolone antibiotics in human colorectal cancer cell line (Caco-2) system which has been typically used to investigate drug transport via P-gp. The apparent permeability coefficients (P$_{app}$) value of 9 quinolone antibiotics in the co-treatment with cimetidine was examined. Apical to basolateral (AP-to-BL) transport of fleroxacin in the co-treatment with cimetidine was increased to 1.5-fold (p<0.01) compared with that of fleroxacin alone, whereas basolateral to apical (BL-to-AP) transport of fleroxacin was decreased to 0.83-fold significantly (p<0.05). Ofloxacin was decreased to 0.8-fold (p<0.01) and 0.72-fold (p<0.01) significantly in AP-to-BL and BL-to-AP direction, respectively by cimetidine cotreatment. The P$_{app}$ values of gatifloxacin, moxifloxacin, ciprofloxacin and rufloxacin also were changed by cimetidine. These results have a potential that cimetidine influences on the pharmacokinetics of quinolone antibiotics. It suggests that careful drug monitoring and dosage adjustment may be necessary during the co-administration of quinolone antibiotics with cimetidine.