Lidocaine, a commonly used local anesthetic, has recently been developed into a number of ointment products to treat hemorrhoids. This study examined its efficient delivery to the dermis through the pharmaceutical improvement of hemorrhoid treatment ointments. We attempted to increase the amount of skin deposition of lidocaine by forming a nanoemulsion through the self-nanoemulsifying effect that occurs when glycerol monostearate (GMS) is saturated with water. Using Raman mapping, the depth of penetration of lidocaine was visualized and confirmed, and the local anesthetic effect was evaluated via an in vivo tail-flick test. Evaluation of the physicochemical properties confirmed that lidocaine was amorphous and evenly dispersed in the ointment. The in vitro dissolution test confirmed that the nanoemulsifying effect of GMS accelerated the release of the drug from the ointment. At a specific concentration of GMS, lidocaine penetrated deeper into the dermis; the in vitro permeation test showed similar results. When compared with reference product A in the tail-flick test, the L5 and L6 compounds containing GMS had a significantly higher anesthetic effect. Altogether, the self-nanoemulsifying effect of GMS accelerated the release of lidocaine from the ointment. The compound with 5% GMS, the lowest concentration that saturated the dermis, was deemed most appropriate.

Objectives In this study, we looked at the relationship between executive function difficulty, intelligence, and academic performance in primary school children, and tried to verify whether this relationship showed a significant difference according to the elementary school grade group. Methods For the purpose of the study, a structural equation model analysis and multi-group analysis were conducted through the data of 1,365 of the Panel Study on Korean Children. Results First, it was found that the executive function difficulty of children had a significant negative effect on intelligence and academic performance, respectively, and intelligence had a positive effect on academic performance. Second, the mediating effect of intelligence was found in the effect of executive function difficulty on academic performance ability. Third, there was a significant difference in the influence of executive function difficulty on academic performance ability according to the elementary school grade group. Conclusions The results of this study suggest that educational interventions should be provided by considering cognitive factors that can help academic performance according to the child's developmental level.

The authors wish to make the following corrections to this paper [...]