• 의료법학
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• 제14권1호
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• pp.11-36
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• 2013

Korea has been recognized as a safe country about the substance abuse, but now is not safe country because there are over 10 thousand drug related offenses in a year since 1999. Seventy percent of them are drug abusers, so Korea government must have stronger political strategies about the prevention and the treatment of the drug abuse. Till now Korea government has focused on the imprisonment rather than the treatment for the drug abusers. So the relapse rates are over 40% among the incarcerated drug abusers. Now we need more treatment strategies and development of treatment methods to decrease the relapse rates. Substance abuse is a brain disease with a chronic relapsing nature and has a bio-psycho-social etiology. So treatment process has three steps, motivation enhancement treatment for substance-free lifestyle, rehabilitation aimed at maximizing multiple aspects of life functioning, and relapse prevention. To improving the treatment strategies the Government must execute the national survey about the substance abuse, enforce a law to operate the drug court and to sentence a treatment order with a probation, and establish a national addiction institute for study and education about the substance abuse.

• 한국직업건강간호학회지
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• 제24권3호
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• pp.245-257
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• 2015

Purpose: This study was performed to investigate the present condition of drug abuse and its association with depression, self-rated health and health behaviors by job status in Korean adults. Methods: Data were derived from the study on four addiction problem and suicide in 2014. Multiple logistic regression was used to analyze patterns of drug abuse according to depression, self-rated health and health behaviors. Results: The prevalence of drug abuse during the past year was 17.1% of the 4,018 subjects. About 3.3 times risk for drug abuse was found among individuals who had high depression scores. The risk of drug abuse was higher among those who were smoking (OR:1.46, 95% CI:1.17~1.83), drinking more frequently (OR:1.30, 95% CI:1.07~1.58), sleeping insufficiently (OR:1.31, 95% CI:1.03~1.67), eating irregularly (OR:1.45, 95% CI:1.19~1.76). Drug abuse problem was detected more seriously among employed than unemployed adults. Conclusion: Health-related behaviors, such as smoking, drinking, sleeping, eating should be considered simultaneously when designing strategies to deal with drug abuse problem, and it is important to understand the interaction between drug abuse and mental health. Furthermore, workplace based intervention can be effective in solving drug abuse problem.

• 한국콘텐츠학회논문지
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• 제22권9호
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• pp.712-726
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• 2022

이 연구는 신문의 뉴스 기사가 '마약 중독'에 대해 어떤 담론을 생산·유통하는지 알아보고, 그 담론의 지형과 의미를 밝히는데 목적이 있다. 이를 위해 국내 4개 일간지 신문의 뉴스기사를 대상으로 '마약', '마약 중독'을 키워드로 검색하여 자료를 수집하였다. 페어클로(Norman Fairclough)의 비판적 담론분석 방법을 활용하여 분석한 결과, 첫째, 텍스트 분석에서 마약 중독은 '범죄-처벌' 담론이 지배적이었다. 마약중독은 사회악이자 성범죄, 아동범죄, 폭력과 같은 중범죄이므로 엄격히 처벌해야 한다는 것이다. 둘째, 담론실천 분석에서 마약 중독은 치료가 필요한 '질병', 즉 정신질환이므로 국가에 의한 체계적 관리가 필요하다. 셋째, 사회문화적 실천 분석에서 마약 중독은 경제적 이익을 목적으로 한 돈벌이 수단이자, 정치권력의 부패와 관련이 있으며, 마약범죄가 국가의 근간을 위협하지 못하도록 강력히 통제해야 할 대상이다. 문화적으로 마약 중독은 쾌락 추구의 동기에서 비롯되며, 도덕적 타락의 결과이다. 이러한 분석을 통해 마약 중독의 지배 담론인 '범죄-처벌' 담론의 한계를 지적하고, '질병-치료' 담론으로의 전환과 치료·재활 중심의 약물정책을 대안으로 제시하였다.

• 한국임상약학회지
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• 제27권3호
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• pp.143-149
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• 2017

Background: L-asparaginase (L-ASP) is a critical agent for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia and lymphoma, which is associated with serious toxicities including hypersensitivity, pancreatitis and thrombosis. Methods: To evaluate the toxicity of L-ASP in real clinical settings, we included the patients with L-ASP adverse drug reactions (ADRs) reported in a regional pharmacovigilance center of Seoul St. Mary's hospital from January 2014 to December 2015. Results: A total of 83 cases of L-ASP related ADRs were reported in 54 patients. Of these 83 cases, 65 cases (78.3%, 65/83) were spontaneously reported and 18 cases (21.7%, 18/83) were detected by further medical records review. Of the patients with ADRs, pediatric patients accounted for 83.3% of the cases (45/54) and median age was 9 years. The most common clinical manifestations of ADRs were hematology manifestations (31.3%, 26/83), followed by hepatobiliary manifestations (18.1%, 15/83). Thirty-four serious ADRs were reported in 19 patients. The sserious ADR group showed significantly longer hospitalization and higher rate of discontinuation of L-ASP than the non-serious ADR group (p = 0.005, 0.03). The most common clinical manifestations of serious ADRs were hepatobiliary manifestations (41.2%, 14/34). In total, 8 cases (9.6%, 8/83) of unlabeled ADRs were identified. They were serious ADRs. Conclusion: We identified unlabeled serious ADRs of L-ASP. Also, correlations were observed between serious ADRs and length of hospitalization, discontinuation rate respectively. Further investigations and developed spontaneous ADR reporting systems are needed to evaluate these correlations.

• 대한한의학회지
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• 제42권3호
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• pp.44-55
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• 2021

Objectives: As the use of herbal medicinal products (HMPs) increases worldwide, systematic verification of the safety of HMPs is required. The induction of cardiotoxicity is one of the major factors in post-approval withdrawal of medicinal products, and drug-induced cardiotoxicity assessment is emerging as an important step in drug development. In the present study, we evaluated human ether-à-go-go-related gene (hERG) potassium channel-related cardiotoxicity to predict the risk of cardiac arrhythmia in thirteen herbal medicines known to have cardiac toxicity. Methods: We measured the inhibition rate of hERG potassium channel activity of 13 medicinal herbal extracts in hERG-expressing HEK 293 cells using an automated patch-clamping system. Quinidine was used as a positive control for inhibition of hERG activity. Results: Extracts of Evodiae Fructus, Strychni Semen, and Corydalis Tuber potently inhibited the activity of hERG, and IC₅₀ values were 3.158, 19.87, and 41.26 ㎍/mL, respectively. Cnidi Fructus, Ephedra Herba, Lithospermi Radix, Polygoni Multiflori Radix, Visci Ramulus et Folium, Asiasari Radix et Rhizoma, and Scolopendra weakly inhibited hERG activity, and the IC₅₀ value for each herbal medicine was more than 400 ㎍/mL. Aconiti Kusnezoffii Tuber and two types of Aconiti Lateralis Radix Preparata (Po and Yeom) had weak inhibitory activity against hERG, and the IC₅₀ values were more than 700 ㎍/mL. The IC₅₀ value of quinidine against hERG was 1.021 𝜇M. Conclusion: Evodiae Fructus, Strychni Semen, and Corydalis Tuber acted as potent inhibitors against hERG. These herbal medicines may cause cardiac arrhythmia through QT prolongation, so care should be taken when taking them.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제28권2호
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• pp.73-79
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• 2012

While the ability to develop nanomaterials and incorporate them into products is advancing rapidly worldwide, understanding of the potential health safety effects of nanomaterials has proceeded at a much slower pace. Since 2008, Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) started an investigation to prepare "Strategic Action Plan" to evaluate safety and nano risk management associated with foods, drugs, medical devices and cosmetics using nano-scale materials. Although there are some studies related to potential risk of nanomaterials, physical-chemical characterization of nanomaterials is not clear yet and these do not offer enough information due to their limitations. Their uncertainties make it impossible to determine whether nanomaterials are actually hazardous to human. According to the above mention, we have some problems to conduct the human exposure risk assessment currently. On the other hand, uncertainty about safety may lead to polarized public debate and to businesses unwillingness for further nanotechnology investigation. Therefore, the criteria and methods to assess possible adverse effects of nanomaterials have been vigorously taken into consideration by many international organizations: the World Health Organization, the Organization for Economic and Commercial Development and the European Commission. The object of this study was to develop risk assessment principles for safety management of future nanoproducts and also to identify areas of research to strengthen risk assessment for nanomaterials. The research roadmaps which were proposed in this study will be helpful to fill up the current gaps in knowledge relevant nano risk assessment.

• 한국임상약학회지
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• 제30권1호
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• pp.44-50
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• 2020

Background: Drug-drug interactions (DDIs) in patients using oral anticancer treatment are more common than in those using injectable anticancer agents. In addition, DDIs related to anticancer treatment are known to cause clinically significant outcomes, such as treatment failure and severe toxicity. To prevent these negative outcomes, significant DDIs are monitored and managed using the information provided in drug databases. We aimed to evaluate the consistency of information on clinically significant DDIs for tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) between representative drug databases. Methods: We selected clinically significant DDIs involving medications that are co-prescribed with TKIs and met the following criteria: the severity level of DDIs was equal or greater than "D" in Lexicomp^® or "major" in Micromedex^®. We then analyzed the consistency of the severity classification and evidence level between the drug databases. Spearman's correlation coefficient was used to identify the relationship between DDI information in the drug databases. Results: In total, 627 DDI pairs were identified as clinically significant; information on these was provided by Lexicomp^® and Micromedex^® for 571 and 438 pairs, respectively, and both drug databases provided information on 382 DDI pairs. There was no correlation between the severity and evidence level of DDIs provided in the two databases; Spearman's correlation coefficient for Lexicomp^® and Micromedex^® was -0.009 (p=0.861) and -0.064 (p=0.209), respectively. Conclusion: To judge the significance of DDIs, healthcare providers should consider that the information on DDIs may be different between drug information databases; hence, clinical factors must be considered concurrently.

• 한국학교보건학회지
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• 제19권2호
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• pp.89-104
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• 2006

Purpose： This study was to develop and verify the effects of drug misuse and abuse preventive program for middle school students. Methods：This research was a quasi experimental study under the nonequivalent control group with pretest-post test design which tried to protect children from the detrimental effect of drugs and develop a drug abuse prevention program for middle school students. Data was collected from October 10th to 21th, 2005. Subject consisted of 145 middle school students in Kyeonggi, experimental group-72, control group-73. Dick & Carey's(1996) educational system was applied, based on documents and materials online related to drug abuse in order to develop drug abuse prevention program. It's composed of 4 parts, 45 minute each. The evaluation instrument testing for the knowledge about drugs was a criterion of referenced test items modeled by Dick & Carey. The instrument for attitudes about drugs was modeled by Kim, Soyaja. A pre-test was taken on the knowledge and attitudes to drugs. The experimental students were given four sessions of drug abuse prevention education. A post-test similar to the pre-test questionnaire was given in 1 week, 4 weeks following the last session. Collected data was analyzed by using SAS 9.1 program. Results：Followings are the summarized result of study 1. The experimental group, that attended the drug abuse prevention program will have more knowledgable about drugs than the control group (F=27.31, p<.0001). 2. The experimental group, that attended the drug abuse prevention program displayed greater negativism attitude than the control group (F=0.58, p=0.4477). Conclusion：The results conclude that drug abuse prevention programs increase the knowledge of middle school students but doesn't change their attitude toward drugs. Therefore we need to offer them more systematic education to increase their knowledge so it will also improve their attitudes as well.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제28권3호
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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.

• BMB Reports
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• 제42권2호
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• pp.81-85
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• 2009

Early and accurate detection of drug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis can improve both the treatment outcome and public health control of tuberculosis. A number of molecular-based techniques have been developed including ones using probe molecules that target drug resistance-related mutations. Although these techniques are highly specific and sensitive, mixed signals can be obtained when the drug resistant isolates are mixed with drug susceptible isolates. In order to overcome this problem, we developed a new drug susceptibility test (DST) for one of the most effective anti-tuberculosis drug, isoniazid. This technique employed a microplate hybridization assay that quantified signals from each probe molecule, and was evaluated using clinical isolates. The evaluation analysis clearly showed that the microplate hybridization assay was an accurate and rapid method that overcame the limitations of DST based on conventional molecular techniques.