• 보건행정학회지
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• 제27권3호
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• pp.247-255
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• 2017

Background: South Korea has experienced problems with excessive pharmaceutical expenditures. In 2010, the South Korean government introduced an outpatient prescription incentive program to effectively manage pharmaceutical expenditures. Therefore, we examined the relationship between the outpatient prescription incentive program and pharmaceutical expenditures. Methods: We used data from the Korean National Health Insurance claims database, which included medical claims filed for 22,732 clinics from 2011-2014 to evaluate associated pharmaceutical expenditures. We performed multiple regression analysis and Poisson regression analysis using generalized estimating equation models to examine the associations between outpatient prescription incentives and the outcome variables. Results: The data used in this study consisted of 123,392 cases from 22,372 clinics (average 5.4 periods follow-up). Clinics that had received outpatient prescription incentives in the last period had better cost saving and Outpatient Prescribing Costliness Index (OPCI) (received: proportion of cost saving, ${\beta}=6.8179$; p-value < 0.0001; OPCI, ${\beta}=-0.0227$; p-value < 0.0001; reference = non-received). Moreover, these clinics had higher risk in the provision of outpatient prescription incentive (relative risk, 2.772; 95% confidence interval, 2.720 to 2.824). The associations were higher in clinics that had separate prescribing and dispensing programs, or had professional staff. Conclusion: The introduction of an outpatient prescription incentive program for clinics effectively managed problems with rapid increases of pharmaceutical expenditures in South Korea. However, the pharmaceutical expenditures still increased in spite of the positive impact of the outpatient prescription incentive program. Therefore, healthcare professionals and health policy makers should develop more effective alternatives (i.e., for clinics without separate prescribing and dispensing programs) based on our results.

• 고려인삼학회:학술대회논문집
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• 고려인삼학회 1990년도 Proceedings of International Symposium on Korean Ginseng, 1990, Seoul, Korea
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• pp.15-19
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• 1990

We have been isolating various physiologically active substances from non-saponin fraction of Korean Red Ginseng These are adenosine, gyro-glutamic acid, dencichine and acidic polysaccharide. Adenosine and gyro-glutamic acid are loom to inhibit epinephrine-induced lipolysis in fat cells and stimulate the insulin-mediated lipogenesis. In addition to these actions, adenosine was found to inhibit both norepinephrine- and histamine-induced aorta constriction, and pyre·glutamic acid inhibits angiotensin-converting enzyme. Dencichine stimulated histamine-induced aorta constriction. Finally, acidic polysaccharide was found to inhibit both lipolytic and anorexigenic actions of Toxohormone-L. Based on these experimental results, I presented a brief review on these compounds isolated from non- saponin fraction of Korea Red Ginseng. Keywords Panax ginseng, Korean red ginseng, adenosine, pyroglutamic acid, dencichine, acidic polysac- charide, lipolysis, lipogenesis, angiotensin-converting enzyme, toxohormone-L.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.157-161
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• 1990

We have been isolating various physiologically active substances from non-saponin fraction of Korean Red Ginseng. These are adenosine, pyre-glutamic acid, dencichine and acidic polysaccharide. Adenosine and pyre-glutamic acid are known to inhibit epinephrine-induced lipolysis in fat cells and stimulate the insulin-mediated lipogenesis. In addition to these actions, adenosine was found to inhibit both norepinephrine- and histamine-induced aorta constriction, and pyre·glutamic acid inhibits angiotensin-converting enzyme. Dencichine stimulated histamine-induced aorta constriction. Finally, acidic polysaccharide was found to inhibit both lipolytic and anorexigenic actions of Toxohormone-L. Based on these experimental results, I presented a briefreview on these compounds isolated from non-saponin fraction of Korea Red Ginseng.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• 제32권2호
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• pp.73-80
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• 2002

Cefuroxime axetil is a cephalosporin antibiotic having a high activity against a wide spectrum of Grampositive and Gram-negative microorganisms. It is a cephalosporin antibiotic which exist as 2 diastereoisomers: diastereoisomer A and B. It shows polymorphism of three forms: a crystalline form having a melting point of about $180^{\circ}C$, a substantially amorphous form having a high melting point of about $135^{\circ}C$ and a substantially amorphous form having a low melting point of about 70^{\circ}C$. The crystalline form of cefuroxime axetil is slightly soluble in water because diastereoisomer A has lower solubility than B in water. Substantially amorphous form of which there are no difference in solubility between diastereoisomer A and B has better solubility than crystalline form, but it forms a thicker gel than crystalline form upon contact with an aqueous medium. Based on this reason, cefuroxime axetil is not readily absorbable in the gastrointestinal tract, rendering its bioavailability on oral administration very low. The object of this study was to develop an improved non-crystalline cefuroxime axetil composition having a high physicochemical stability and bioavailability. A non-crystalline cefuroxime axetil solid dispersant showing no peak on a Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) scan is prepared by dissolving cefuroxime axetil and a surfactant in an organic solvent; suspending a water-insoluble inorganic carrier in the resulting solution; and spray drying the resulting suspension to remove the organic solvent, said solid dispersant having an enhanced dissolution and stability of cefuroxime axetil and being useful for the preparation of a pharmaceutical composition for oral administration. Tablet was formulated with this cefuroxime axetil solid dispersant, disintegrants and other ingredients. It disintegrated and dissolved easily and dynamically in dissolution medium, so showed a good dissolution profile.

• 보건행정학회지
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• 제31권3호
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• pp.244-254
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• 2021

The management of emerging infectious diseases cannot help but completely depend on non-pharmaceutical interventions in the early stages of the outbreak. Consequently, South Korea has developed and implemented the 3T (test-trace-treat) models, non-pharmaceutical infection prevention and control (IPC) measures, in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The IPC measures have gained global attention, rendering them to be essential in the development of a shareable, reusable, and applicable protocol for future pandemics. This study was conducted to identify the requirements necessary for standardizing the IPC measures. Three new work items of the 18 3T models were proposed to ISO/TC 304 (International Organization for Standardization/Technical Committee 304; healthcare organization management). Requirements for each IPC measure, identified by participating members (P-members) countries during the ISO ballots, were analyzed in this study. The three new work items were approved by the P-members countries after a 3-month ballot. There was a consensus that the three IPC measure models should be International Standards (IS). Other comments include (1) the models should include not only COVID-19 but also any respiratory pandemic; and (2) keep donning of level D protection at screening sites as an optional protocol, in consideration for the lack of personal protective equipment. Standardization is a systematic process of developing internationally agreed-upon wisdom and knowledge that consider and respect the diversity and universality of each country. It is expected that such standardized applicable IPC measure models contribute to global efforts to rapidly respond to a public health emergency of international concern during its early stages.

• 한국환경농학회지
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• 제39권4호
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• pp.305-311
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• 2020

BACKGROUND: The healthy food trend has encouraged the consumption of natural products, including berries. This trend is expected to increase the strawberry consumption. There has been a concern about the exposure of pesticides approved for use on strawberry. In this study, the dissipation patterns of systemic and non-systemic pesticides were evaluated in strawberry under plastic-covered greenhouse conditions. METHODS AND RESULTS: Cyflumetofen and dimethomorph were applied on strawberry in the critical GAP (Good Agricultural Practices). Strawberries were harvested at 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 and 10 days after final application of the pesticides. The analyses of the residual pesticides were performed by HPLC-DAD with C18 column. The limits of quantitation (LOQ) of cyflumetofen and dimethomorph were 0.04 and 0.02 mg/kg, respectively. The recovery of cyflumetofen and dimethomorph were 88.1 ~ 103.3% and 79.0 ~ 110.2% for the spiked two levels (LOQ and 10LOQ), respectively. The biological half-lives of cyflumetofen and dimethomorph werer 7.5 and 8.9 days, respectively. The dissipation rates in strawberry were calculated by the statistics method at a 95% confidence level. The distribution showed that pesticides with low log Pow were indicated by the decreased dissipation rate and pesticides with similar log Pow and low solubility also showed the decreased dissipation rate. CONCLUSION: The residues of cyflumetofen and dimethomorph in strawberry at time 0 after the final application were below the established MRL in Korea. The dissipation behavior of systemic and non-systemic pesticides in strawberry is affected by their log Pow and water solubility values.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• 제39권3호
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• pp.155-159
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• 2009

In vitro intestinal uptake of non-soluble polystyrene microspheres (NPMS) was visualized with and without oleic acid using a fluorescence microscopy. Fluorescent polystyrene latex microspheres with 1${\mu}$m larger size were used as models for nonspecifically absorbed nonbiodegradable particulates. The NPMS could not penetrate the enterocytes but a few NPMS could be penetrated via Peyer's patches. When the oleic acid was mixed with NPMS, the transporting efficiency of NPMS through enterocytes as well as Peyer's patches was significantly enhanced. The modification of the intestinal membrane permeability and surface feature of the NPMS in the presence of oleic acid might be a clue to the transport of NSPM although the detailed mechanism is still under investigation.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• 제37권3호
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• pp.131-135
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• 2007

A previous report recently demonstrated that ultrasound-induced hyperthermia (USHT:0.4 watts (W)/$cm^2$ at $41^{\circ}C$) could increase cellular uptake of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) substrates in P-gp expressing cancer cell lines. Since P-gp plays a major role in limiting drug permeability in the multi-drug resistant (MDR) cells, studies were conducted to elucidate the mechanism of USHT on cellular accumulation of P-gp and non-P-gp substrate in MDR cells. To accomplish this aim, we studied the effects of USHT on the accumulation of P-gp substrate, R123 and non-P-gp substrate, antipyrine in MDR cells. We demonstrated that USHT increased permeability of hydrophobic molecules (R123 and $[^{14}C]$-antipyrine). The enhanced permeability is reversible and size-dependent as USHT produces a much larger effect on cellular accumulation of $[^{14}C]$-antipyrine (MW 188) than that of R123 (MW 380.8). These results suggest that USHT could affect MDR cells more sensitive than BBMECs. Also, the present results point to the potential use of USHT to increase cellular uptake of P-gp recognized substrates, mainly anti-cancer agents into cancer cells.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제17권11호
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• pp.4917-4920
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• 2016

For advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cases, a platinum-based regimen is the first-line chemotherapy treatment. The excision repair cross-complementing group 1 (ERCC1) plays an important role in DNA repair and has been related to resistance to platinum chemotherapy. This study aimed to investigate the effects of the ERCC1 (C118T) polymorphism on treatment response in 26 Thai advanced NSCLC patients receiving first line platinum-based chemotherapy during January to July 2015 at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital (KCMH). DNA was extracted from peripheral blood lymphocytes and the single nucleotide polymorphism of ERCC1 was genotyped using a real-time PCR method with the TaqMan assay. The distribution of C/C, C/T and T/T genotypes was 57.7 %, 34.6 % and 7.7 %, respectively. The response rate to platinum-based chemotherapy in the wild type (C/C) of ERCC1 (C118T) was better than with the variant types (C/T and T/T) but the difference was not statistically significant (29.7% vs 9.1%, P=0.274). The results showed that a genetic polymorphism in ERCC1 might influence patient response to platinum-based chemotherapy. Further multicenter studies are now required to confirm the results of our study.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• 제24권10호
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• pp.952-959
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• 2023

Large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT have garnered considerable interest for their potential to aid non-native English-speaking researchers. These models can function as personal, round-the-clock English tutors, akin to how Prometheus in Greek mythology bestowed fire upon humans for their advancement. LLMs can be particularly helpful for non-native researchers in writing the Introduction and Discussion sections of manuscripts, where they often encounter challenges. However, using LLMs to generate text for research manuscripts entails concerns such as hallucination, plagiarism, and privacy issues; to mitigate these risks, authors should verify the accuracy of generated content, employ text similarity detectors, and avoid inputting sensitive information into their prompts. Consequently, it may be more prudent to utilize LLMs for editing and refining text rather than generating large portions of text. Journal policies concerning the use of LLMs vary, but transparency in disclosing artificial intelligence tool usage is emphasized. This paper aims to summarize how LLMs can lower the barrier to academic writing in English, enabling researchers to concentrate on domain-specific research, provided they are used responsibly and cautiously.