• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.178-185
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• 2023

Objective: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, recurrent inflammatory skin disease. Both tralokinumab and dupilumab have been recommended in the European Guideline for the treatment of adult patients with severe AD. In Korea, dupilumab has been approved for patients with moderate to severe AD, and reimbursed for those with severe AD. Since there is no clinical trial directly comparing tralokinumab and dupilumab, we conducted indirect comparison to assess the clinical usefulness in patients with AD. Methods: We selected clinical trials for indirect comparison through a systematic literature review. Individual patient data were available for the tralokinumab clinical trial, and aggregated data were available for the dupilumab clinical trial. Therefore, we employed the Matching-Adjusted Indirect Comparison (MAIC) method. The treatment efficacy was assessed based on whether patients achieved a 75% reduction on the Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI 75) after drug administration. Results: The difference in the proportion of patients achieving EASI 75 between tralokinumab and dupilumab was 4.7% (95% CI: -7.9 to 17.3). Considering the non-inferiority margin for the EASI 75 achievement rate is -10%, tralokinumab is deemed non-inferior to dupilumab as the lower bound of the CI for the difference in the EASI 75 achievement rate between tralokinumab and dupilumab was within -10%. Conclusion: We conducted a MAIC analysis comparing tralokinumab and dupilumab based on EASI 75 achievement. The findings of this study show that tralokinumab is non-inferior to dupilumab and can be implemented in Korean clinical settings with a therapeutic position comparable to dupilumab.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.59-65
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• 2023

Sodium hydroxide solutions are often employed as sterilization agents in the pharmaceutical industry. Here, the chloride content is considered as a critical impurity. In this study, an electrochemical method was developed to remove chloride ions (Cl^-) through the oxidative deposition of AgCl on a Ag anode. The Cl^- content in the commercially available 50% w/w NaOH solution employed was approximately 100 mg Cl^-/kg NaOH. As the OH^- content is approximately 18,000 times higher than the Cl^- content, the formation of AgCl may be expected to be thermodynamically less favorable than the formation of Ag₂O. However, activation energies for AgCl and Ag₂O formation have been reported to be approximately 3.8 and 31.2 kJ/mol, respectively, and indicate that AgCl formation is favored. AgCl can be selectively produced by controlling the anode potential. Here, the Cl^- concentration was reduced to less than 50 mg Cl^-/kg NaOH when an anode potential of 0.18 or 0.19 V vs. Hg/HgO (reference electrode) was applied for one hour at 50℃. XRD analysis and visual monitoring of the Ag anode confirmed the oxidative deposition of AgCl on the anode surface as well as the electrochemical desalination of the concentrated NaOH solution.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.417-424
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• 2023

Parkinson's disease (PD) which has various pathological mechanisms, recently, it is attracting attention to the mechanism via microbiome-gut-brain axis. 6-Shogaol, a representative compound of ginger, have been known for improving PD phenotypes by reducing neuroinflammatory responses. In the present study, we investigated whether 6-shogaol and ginger attenuate degeneration induced by Proteus mirabilis (P. mirabilis) on the intestine and brain, simultaneously. C57BL/6J mice received P. mirabilis for 5 days. Ginger (300 mg/kg) and 6-shogaol (10 mg/kg) were treated by gavage feeding for 22 days including the period of P. mirabilis treatment. Results showed that 6-shogaol and ginger improved motor dysfunction and dopaminergic neuronal death induced by P. mirabilis treatment. In addition, they suppressed P. mirabilis-induced intestinal barrier disruption, pro-inflammatory signals such as toll-like receptor and TNF-α, and intestinal α-synuclein aggregation. Moreover, ginger and 6-shogaol significantly inhibited neuroinflammation and α-synuclein in the brain. Taken together, 6-shogaol and ginger have the potential to ameliorate PD-like motor behavior and degeneration of dopaminergic neurons induced by P. mirabilis in mice. Here, these findings are meaningful in that they provide the first experimental evidence that 6-shogaol might attenuate PD via regulating gut-brain axis.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.402-410
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• 2023

Long-term administration of levodopa (L-DOPA) to patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) commonly results in involuntary dyskinetic movements, as is known for L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia (LID). 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) has recently been shown to alleviate LID; however, no biochemical alterations to aberrant excitatory conditions have been revealed yet. In the present study, we aimed to confirm its anti-dyskinetic effect and to discover the unknown molecular mechanisms of action of 5-HTP in LID. We made an LID-induced mouse model through chronic L-DOPA treatment to 6-hydroxydopamine-induced hemi-parkinsonian mice and then administered 5-HTP 60 mg/kg for 15 days orally to LID-induced mice. In addition, we performed behavioral tests and analyzed the histological alterations in the lesioned part of the striatum (ST). Our results showed that 5-HTP significantly suppressed all types of dyskinetic movements (axial, limb, orolingual and locomotive) and its effects were similar to those of amantadine, the only approved drug by Food and Drug Administration. Moreover, 5-HTP did not affect the efficacy of L-DOPA on PD motor manifestations. From a molecular perspective, 5-HTP treatment significantly decreased phosphorylated CREB and ΔFosB expression, commonly known as downstream factors, increased in LID conditions. Furthermore, we found that the effects of 5-HTP were not mediated by dopamine1 receptor (D1)/DARPP32/ERK signaling, but regulated by AKT/mTOR/S6K signaling, which showed different mechanisms with amantadine in the denervated ST. Taken together, 5-HTP alleviates LID by regulating the hyperactivated striatal AKT/mTOR/S6K and CREB/ΔFosB signaling.

• Asia Marketing Journal
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.103-118
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• 2012

Although music is one of the most important attributes of broadcasting communications, few studies have examined the relationship between background music and the behavior of audiences, particularly in the context of TV home shopping programs, where purchase decisions are made while watching the show. The objective of this study is to examine whether certain characteristics of music in broadcasting communications can affect the audiences' purchase intentions or behaviors. Unlike previous studies on this issue, this study considers the impulse-inducing capability (IIC) of music as an important variable affecting consumers' purchase intension. A 2×3 (high/low involvement and high/low/no IIC music) between subjects design was used for the experiments in the study. The TV home shopping programs in the high or low involvement condition were identical except for the type of background music: high IIC music, low IIC music, and no music. A total of 188 undergraduate students at a college in Seoul, South Korea participated in the study. Their ages range from 20 to 25 (median age = 22), and nearly 60% were male. Our analysis showed that in the low involvement condition, high IIC music was more likely to have a positive effect on purchase intentions than low IIC (common) music or no music did. Meanwhile, there was not any significant relationship between music and purchase intentions in the high involvement condition. Given that previous studies have provided no clear evidence of the effects of music on consumers' purchase intentions or behaviors, this study makes an important contribution to the literature in this field. The result of this study provides implications to the practitioners in the market, too. Marketers need to reevaluate the value of music used in broadcasting communications and pay more attention to find the right music for their campaigns. Limitations of this study as well as directions for future studies are also discussed.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.117-117
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• 2020

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.82 no.3
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• pp.700-707
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• 2021

Hemangioblastomas are low-grade, highly vascular tumors that are usually associated with von Hippel-Lindau syndrome. Hemangioblastomas most commonly occur in the cerebellum, and intradural extramedullary hemangioblastoma of the cauda equina is very rare, especially in patients without von Hippel-Lindau syndrome. Herein, we report a case of intradural extramedullary hemangioblastoma of the cauda equina that was not associated with von Hippel-Lindau syndrome, with a focus on its imaging characteristics and differential diagnoses. We compared the clinical presentation and imaging features of our case with those of previously reported cases in the review of the literature.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.81 no.4
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• pp.965-971
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• 2020

Hibernoma is a rare benign tumor that arises from vestiges of brown fat. Spinal intraosseous hibernoma has only recently been described in the literature, and only 12 cases have been reported to date due to its extreme rarity. Here, we report the case of a patient who was incidentally diagnosed with an intraosseous hibernoma in the thoracic spine, following a diverse imaging work-up and pathologic confirmation. We correlate the clinical presentation and imaging features of our case with those of previously reported cases during our review of the literature.

• Journal of the FoodService Safety
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.5-11
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• 2024

For successful food safety education in kindergartens, enjoyable play is essential. However, Korea lacks food safety education materials that help teachers create play activity plans suited to specific situations. This study aimed to develop food safety education guideline based on the Ministry of Education's guidelines and the 2019 Revised Nuri Kindergarten Curriculum. We reviewed current guideline and conducted focus group interviews to create content aligned with these guidelines. In our research, we structured educational content on elements of 'food safety management practices', including 'hand washing habits', 'food poisoning management', and 'food labeling information'. Nutrition and early childhood education professionals designed objectives and activities suitable for 3-, 4-, and 5-year-old children. The resulting guidebook provides a comprehensive resource for planning annual, monthly, and weekly food safety education. Educational topics, content, examples of children's experiences, and related Nuri curriculum were summarized in the food safety education guidebook. Guidebooks were provided to kindergartens to facilitate the application of these activities. The guideline developed in our study will enable kindergartens to make structured plans for food safety education, ultimately contributing to children's health and the formation of safe eating habits.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.267-275
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• 2023

Background: Physical therapy (PT) plays an important role in the recovery of function following anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty (aTSA). While several PT protocols have been published for these patients, there is no standardized protocol for aTSA rehabilitation. This lack of standardization may lead to confusion between patients and physicians, possibly resulting in suboptimal outcomes. This study examines how PT protocols provided by academic orthopedic surgery programs vary regarding therapeutic goals and activities following aTSA. Methods: PT protocols for aTSA available online from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education accredited orthopedic surgery programs were included for review. Each protocol was analyzed to evaluate it for differences in recommendation of length of immobilization, range of motion (ROM) goals, start time for and progression of therapeutic exercises, and timing for return to functional activity. Results: Of 175 accredited programs, 25 (14.2%) had protocols publicly available, programs (92%) recommended sling immobilization outside of therapy for an average of 4.4±2.0 weeks. Most protocols gave recommendations on starting active forward flexion (24 protocols, range 1-7 weeks), external rotation (22 protocols, range 1-7 weeks), and internal rotation (18 protocols, range 4-7 weeks). Full passive ROM was recommended at 10.8±5.7 weeks, and active ROM was 13.3±3.9 weeks, on average. ROM goals were inconsistent among protocols, with significant variations in recommended ROM and resistance exercise start times. Only 13 protocols (52%) gave recommendations on resuming recreational activities (mean, 17.4±4.4 weeks). Conclusions: Publicly available PT protocols for aTSA rehabilitation are highly variable. Level of evidence: IV.