• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.132-139
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• 2017

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) interfere with endocrine system in organisms, and have different mode of actions compared to conventional chemicals. Therefore, EDCs specific ecotoxicity tests and assessments have been globally developed by some organizations such as OECD, ASTM, and USEPA. In Korea, researches on EDCs and monitoring of EDCs in domestic environments were also continued. However, Korean ecotoxicity test guidelines for EDCs are not suggested till date. The purpose of this study is to review and analyze international ecotoxicity test guidelines for EDCs and the compare ecotoxicity methods and toxicity endpoints among standard test guidelines. We found that there are very limited EDCs specific soil ecotoxicity test guidelines (only in ASTM) compared to aquatic ecotoxicity test guidelines. Currently, fish, amphibian, waterflea, copepoda, earthworm, white worm, springtail, nematode, mite, and midge are suggested as standard ecotoxicity test species for EDCs. Reproduction, hormones, growth, vitellogenin, sex retio and development were proposed as endpoints for EDCs ecotoxicity. This study provided the comparison of EDCs specific ecotoxicity methods and endpoints between standard test guidelines, and suggested the further research to develop the method for assesseing ecotoxicity of EDCs.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.117-124
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• 2008

The efficient strategies to cope with unpredictable and/or harmful environmental changes have been developed by every organism in order to ensure its survival and continuity of it's own species. As a results, all living things on earth maintain dynamically internal stability via a process termed 'homeostasis' among physiological parameters despite of external environment changes. Stress is an emotional and physical response to threat homeostasis. Stress may have not only transient but rather permanent effect on the organism; recent evidence clearly show that prenatal stress could organize or imprint permanently physiological systems without any change in genetic codes, a process known as 'epigenetic programming'. In this review, a series of reproduction-associated events occurred in prenatally stressed male rats such as alteration in the structure of sexually dimorphic brain regions, modification of neurotransmitter metabolism, changes in reproductive endocrine status, and finally, disorders of sexual behavior will be introduced. The fetal brain is highly sensitive to prenatal programming and glucocorticoids in particular have powerful brain-programming properties. The chronic hyperactivation of fetal brain by maternal stress-induced glucocorticoid input will provide new program via increasing the neuroplasticities. This 'increased neuroplasticities' will be the basis for the 'increased phenotypic plasticities' rendering the organism's better adaptation to environmental challenges. In conclusion, organism who experienced 'harsh' environment in his fetal life seems to give up a certain portion of reproductive competence to make good chance of survival in his future life by epigenetic (re)programming.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.209-212
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• 2007

To evaluate the estrogenic activities of di-ethyl hexyl phthalate (DEHP) and di-butyl phthalate (DBP), two phthalates known as endocrine disrupters, we used MCF-7 human breast cancer cell line. As results, DBP and DEHP had estrogenic effects. In brief, the concentration of maximal MCF-7 cell proliferation was $10^{-7}M\;and\;10^{-8}M$ for DEHP and DBP, respectively. The ratio of maximal cell yield of the test compounds to that of $17{\beta}-estradiol$ was 87.5% for DEHP and 73.4% for DBP. In summary, both DEHP and DBP had cell proliferation potencies in the MCF-7 cell. Potencies ranged from approximately 10 to 100 times less than 17beta-estradiol. DBP was stronger than DEHP in the concentration of maximal efficacy. However, DEHP was stronger than DBP in the MCF-7 cell proliferation. Results from this study suggested that DEHP and DBP may play an important role in the estrogenic activity. Therefore, it is suggested that DEHP and DBP are estrogenic.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.323-333
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• 2009

Parabens are alkyl esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid, which are widely used in foods, cosmetics, and pharmaceutic products as preservatives. Absorbed parabens are metabolized fastly and excreted. Actually human body is exposed to complex mixture of parabens. Safety assessment at various toxicological end points revealed parabens have a little acute, subacute and chronic toxicities. Some reports have argued that as parabens have estrogenic activity, they are associated with the incidence of breast cancer through dermal absorption by cosmetics. There is an inference that antiandrogenic activity of parabens may give rise to a lesion of male reproductive system, but also there is an contrary. At cellular level, parabens may inhibit mitochondrial function of sperms and androgen production in testis, but also there is an contrary. Parabens seem to have little or no toxicity in embryonic development. Parabens can cause hemolysis, membrane permeability change in mitochondria and apoptosis, suggesting cellular toxicity of parabens. Parabens evoked endocrine disruption in several fish species and have toxic effect on small invertebrates and microbes. Therefore, the toxicity of parabens should be considered as a potentially toxic chemical in the freshwater environment. In conclusion, though parabens may be considered as a low toxic chemical, more definite data are required concerning the endocrine disrupting effect of parabens on human body and aquatic animals according to route and term of exposure as well as the residual concentration of parabens.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.307-322
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• 1996

The corpus luteum (CL) is formed by the action of a surge of luteinizing hormone (LH) on the pre-ovulatory follicle. Luteal cells derived from granulosa and theca interna cells continue to secrete progesterone for about two weeks. LH in domestic animals is essential for the normal secretion of progesterone at all stages of the luteal phase. For this process in the rodents, 20$\alpha$-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (20$\alpha$-HSD) is indispensable. 20$\alpha$-HSD is an enzyme to be a biologically inactive steroid. This enzyme plays a critical role in the regulation of the rat luteal function and reported to be present in steroid-producing tissues such as the testis and adrenal gland. We have purified 20$\alpha$-HSD and found two distinct 20$\alpha$-HSD molecules (HSD-1 and HSD-2). Their molecular weights are both estimated to be 33kd.The amino acid compositions of HSD-1 and HSD-2 are mostly similar, but there is a slight difference in the content of lysine. We demonstrated that 1) CL of previous generations contribute more to whole ovarian 20$\alpha$-HSD activity, 2) newly formed corpora lutea contain only 20$\alpha$-HSD-1 activity, and 3) old CL express activities of each HSD isozyme as shown in the luteal tissue of cycling rats on the day of diestrus where only degenerating old CL exist. The increase in 20$\alpha$-HSD activity identified seems to be related to the increase in the numbers of 20$\alpha$-HSD-positive cells. Interestingly, 20$\alpha$-HSD-1 activities were strongly found in the follicle fluids and theca interna cells by immunohistochemical study. Thus, the activity of 20$\alpha$-HSD may be related to a survival mechanism of those luteal cells and follicles remaining in the ovaries. Luteal cells arise from two sources. The small luteal cells are all of theca cell origin, while the large luteal cells are mainly of granulosa cell origin. CL of Korean Native Cattle, as those of other animal species, contains two morphologycally and functionally distinct luteal cell populations, such as small and large luteal cells as well as nonluteal cells. In all reproductive states except in the late luteal phase, the bovine CL also contained more small luteal cells than large luteal cells. Luteal tissue secretes a variety of growth factors (proteins) and the pattern of secretion changes during all stages of the luteal phase. These growth factors could be important in regulating the function of the bovine corpus luteum and may act in a potential endocrine autocrine and paracrine mechanisms. Therefore, further work has to be done to elucidate the role of growth factors in the ovary, especially in the corpus luterum. Interest should be focussed on interaction of these growth factors in the regulation of luteal cell and the localization of cytokine synthesis in differnet luteal cells.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.3-19
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• 1995

Numerous investigators have conducted extensive investigation in the search for biological markers in psychiatric illness. There are, as a test of q biological approach to the diagnosis of the psychiatric illness, tests for the neurotransmitters, their metabolites, and related enzymes, the neurotransmitter receptors, the neuroendocrine output and response, the membrane transport, peptides and eletrolytes. They are called the biological markers, and they are helpful for the diagnosis or differential diagnosis, choice of treatment or drugs, symptom improvement, predictor of recurrence and anticipation of suicidal attempt. These studies are among the main purposes that are pursued in the neuroscience and based on the potential utility of the biological markers mentioned above. Since 1970's, lots 01 biological markers' studies for the diagnosis, differential diagnosis or subtypes differentiation have been done but varieties of different opinions have been drawn since then through they could explain the charaters of main psychiatric illness(especially schizophrenia and mood disorder). But, the search for biological markers, including displines of neuroendoclinology and neurochemistry(neurotransmitter and thair metabolite), has yielded a number of putative trait merkers and state markers for psychayric illness. This paper aims to anticipate or evaluate the good response to the therapy(Therpeutic response) with lots of markers. Acoording to the diagnosis of lots of diseases or subtypes, we are going to review the papers, mainly concern with 'Is there any Marker' or 'Is any test possible to detect the improvement clinically?' 'Is it possible to predict the recurrence or good prognsis?' or 'Is it possible to select any drug or therapy to bring the good response?' The biological tests to review are mainly the metabolites of catecholamine neurotransmitter, and especially neuroendocrine test based on the knowledge that hormons of the adenohypophysis are influenced by activity of the cerebral or limbic neurons as well as the hypothalamus ones. Among them, author introduced some clinically available tests that are DST, TRH stimulation test(TRHST), GH stimulation test, and the urine MHPG test that can give us the evaluation of the treatment response, the predictor for recurrence or choice of drug that can bring a good response. So author discussed thair potential utility in clarifying, therapeutic, and prognostic issues in psychatric illness. We hope they'll be used and look forward to more active study on the different opinion.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.78-82
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• 2014

Purpose The physiological and biochemical responses of healthy men and women to life stress were measured in order to investigate the correlation between these two responses under the normal situation. Materials and Methods The population of the research is some randomly chosen health college students located in Daejeon City during the period from August to September 2014, and the sample of 94 students. Heart rate variability (HRV), blood pressure (BP) were selected as physiological stress indices and serum cortisol level was used as a biochemical stress biomaker. The data which is collected used SPSS19.0 programs and frequency and percentage and T-test, correlation. Results Male showed the significant higher value of serum cortisol level (p<0.05), BP (p<0.05), and LF/HF ratio of HRV (p<0.05) than female. The difference of BP between correlated significantly with serum cortisol level (p<0.05). The LF/HF ratio of HRV also correlated significantly with serum cortisol level (p<0.05) Conclusion We suggest that LF/HF ratio of HRV and BP may be good indices for the assessment of life stress.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.421-430
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• 2000

The regional distribution and relative frequency of the pancreatic polypeptide (PP)-immunoreactive cells in the pancreas of the Korean native goat (Capra hircus) were studied by immunohistochemical methods (PAP methods) using specific antisera against to PP during developmental stage, fetus, neonate, 1-month-old, 6-month-old and adult. The different regional distribution and relative frequency of PP-immunoreactive cells in the pancreas of Korean native goat were observed during development. In the exocrine portions, they were detected in the all ages and distributed in the interacinar regions. PP-immunoreactive cells were increased from neonate to 1-month-old but thereafter decreased with developmental stage. In the pancreatic duct, PP-immunoreactive cells were demonstrated from 1-month-old but they were decreased with developmental stages in these regions. These cells were observed in the subepithelial connective tissue of the pancreatic duct with a few frequencies in 1-and 6-month-old. However, they were located in the interepithelial cells of the pancreatic duct in the adult with rare frequency. In the endocrine portion (pancreatic islets), PP-immunoreactive cells were observed from neonate, and the regional distribution of PP-immunoreactive cells from 1-month-old was divided into two patterns : dispersed 1) in the marginal regions of the pancreatic islets with moderate or a few frequencies, and 2) in the whole pancreatic islets (in a case of 1-month-old) or in the central cores (in a case of 6-month-old and adult) with numerous frequency. In conclusion, the different regional distribution and relative frequency of PP-immunoreactive cells in the pancreas of the Korean native goat were observed during development. It is suggested that the changing of feeding habits and physiological conditions during different developmental stages may cause these differences.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.339-347
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• 2003

The regional distribution and relative frequency of some endocrine cells in the pancreas of the Korean aucha perch, Coreoperca herzi Herzenstein belonging to the family Serranidae in order Perciformis, were observed using specific mammalian antisera against serotonin, insulin, glucagon, somatostatin and human pancreatic polypeptide (hPP) by peroxidase antiperoxidase (PAP) method. The pancreas was divided into four portions (principal and secondary islets, exocrine and pancreatic duct regions). In addition, the pancreatic islet regions were further subdivided into three regions (central, mantle and peripheral regions). Spherical to spindle or occasionally round to oval immunoreactive (IR) cells were demonstrated in the pancreatic islets and exoccrine portions, but no cells were detected in the pancreatic duct portions. In the principal islets, serotonin-IR cells were not detected but most of insulin-IR cells were located in the central regions and they were also demonstrated in the mantle and peripheral regions in moderate and rare frequencies, respectively. Glucagon- and hPP-IR cells were mainly situated in the mantle regions but the cells were also demonstrated in the peripheral regions in relatively lower frequency. Somatostatin-IR cells were evenly distributed in the central and mantle regions in a few frequency and cells were also demonstrated in the peripheral regions in rare frequency. Cell clusters were consisted of hPP-IR cells that were situated in the peripheral to mantle regions. In the secondary islet portions, serotonin-IR cells were randomly distributed throughout the whole pancreatic islet regions but lower frequency was detected in the peripheral regions compared to that in central and mantle regions where cells were detected in a few frequency, respectively. Insulin-IR cells were restricted to the central regions in numerous frequency and glucagon-IR cells were evenly distributed in the mantle and peripheral regions in moderate frequencies, respectively. Somatostatin-IR cells were observed in the central and mantle regions in moderate and a few frequencies, respectively. In addition, hPP-IR cells showed similar distributional patterns to those of glucagon-IR cells except cells were also located in the central regions in rare frequency. In the exocrine portions, only glucagon- and hPP-IR cells were demonstrated in rare and a few frequencies, respectively. In conclusion, the regional distribution and relative frequency of pancreatic endocrine cells of the Korean aucha perch showed general patterns, which were observed in other teleost. However, some species-dependent different distributional patterns and/or relative frequencies were also demonstrated especially to serotonin-IR cells. In pancreas of the Korean aucha perch, insulin-IR cells were the most predominant cell type followed by glucagon-, somatostatin-, hPP- and serotonin-IR cells.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.22
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• pp.47-53
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• 2004

Among the phthalic esters, di-butyl phthalate (DBP) and di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), which are categorized endocrine disrupting chemicals, account toy up to 80％ of the world production. Nine phthalic esters were quantitatively determined in water and in sediment samples from Gawngyang Bay and Seomjin River estuary. This might be the first report in contamination of phthalates in the marine environment of Korea. DBP and DEHP were detected with the high concentration and high frequency, while the other phthnlic compounds were below the detection limits. The aveyage concentyations of DBP and DEBP in sediment from Gawngyang Bay were 33.8 ng g$\^$-1/ and 67.4 ng g$\^$-1/ on a dry weight basis, respectively. The concentrations in surface watey from Seomjin River estuary were in the range of 62.7∼333.8 ng L$\^$-1/ for DBP and 25.6 ng L$\^$-/∼116.1 ng L$\^$-1/ for DBHP. In sediments from Seomjin River estuary, DBP ranged 9.1∼149.3 ng g$\^$-1/, and DEHP 46.3∼156.3 ng g$\^$-1/. Phthalic esters concentrations found in Seomjin River estuary were much less than those in other rivers in Korea. Distribution pattern of DBP and DEHP concentrations in Seonliin River estuary indicates that both compounds aye introduced to Gwangyang Bay through run-off.