• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.35 no.9
• /
• pp.1127-1132
• /
• 2006

In our previous study, a novel herb mixture (HIM-I) of Angelica gigas radix, Cnidium officinale rhizoma, and Paeonia japonica radix was developed to protect the intestinal and immune systems and promote its recovery against radiation damage. A new herbal composition (HemoHIM) with the high immune modulating activity was developed from HIM-I. HIM-I was fractionated into ethanol fraction (HIM-I-E) and polysaccharide fraction (HIM-I-P). And HemoHIM was prepared by adding HIM-I-P to HIM-I. HemoHIM showed more effective than HIM-I in immune modulation as well as radioprotection. The present study is designed to investigate the protective effects of HIM-I, HIM-I-P, and HemoHIM on hydrogen peroxide $(H_2O_2)$ induced apoptosis of human promyelocytic leukemia (HL-60) cells. It was shown that $H_2O_2$ treatment reduced the viability of cells, and increased appearance of DNA ladders, hypodiploid (subG1) cells, and phosphatidylserine translocation level. Pretreatment of HemoHIM significantly reduced the cytotoxic effect induced by $H_2O_2$, associated with reducing the translocation of phosphatidylserine, hypodiploid cells and DNA ladders. HemoHIM appeared to be more protective than HIM-I against $H_2O_2$ induced apoptosis whereas, it exhibited similar activity to HIM-I-P. These results indicated that HemoHIM might be an useful agent for protection against oxidative stress $(H_2O_2)-induced$ apoptosis as well as immune modulation, especially since it is a relatively nontoxic natural product.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• v.34 no.3
• /
• pp.115-120
• /
• 2009

Since 1990s, some events - detection of a dirty bomb in a Russian nation park in 1995, 9/11 terrorist attack to WTC in 2001, discovery of Al-Qaeda's experimentation to build a dirty bomb in 2003 etc - have showed that nuclear or radiological terrorism relating to radioactive materials (hereinafter "radioactive materials" is referred to as "nuclear material, nuclear spent fuel and radioactive source") is not incredible but serious and credible threat. Thus, to respond to the new threat, the international community has not only strengthened security and physical protection of radioactive materials but also established prevention of and response to illicit trafficking of radioactive materials. In this regard, our government has enacted or revised the national regulatory framework with a view to improving security of radioactive materials and joined the international convention or agreement to meet this international trend. For the purpose of prevention of nuclear/radiological terrorism, this paper reviews physical characteristics of nuclear material and existing detection instruments used for prevention of illicit trafficking. Finally, national detection regime against nuclear/radiological terrorism based on paths of the smuggled radioactive materials to terrorist's target building/area, national topography and road networks, and defence-in-depth concept is suggested in this paper. This study should contribute to protect people's health, safety and environment from nuclear/radiological terrorism.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.27-39
• /
• 1990

Appreciable radiation exposures certainly were occurred in the reactor burn-up, the nuelear fall-out and the surroundings of nuclear installations with radioactive effluents. Therefore, radioactive nuclides is not only potentially hazardous to workers of nuclear power plants and related industrials, but also the wokers who handle radioactive nuclides in biochemical research and nuclear medicine diagnostics. And in the case of occurring the nuclear accidents, the early medical treatment of radiation injury should be necessary but little is established medical procedures to decontaminate the victims of internal contamination of radioactive nuclides in korea. Accordingly, to achieve the basic data for protective roles and medical treatment of radiation injury, the present studies were carrid out to evaluate the decontamination of uranium by the chemical drugs. The results observed were summarized as follows: 1. The combined treatmet group of sodium bicarbonate and saline with uranyl nitrate injection simultaneously and the dithiothreitol group that was administered 30 minutes after uranyl nitrate injection were increased significantly in the change of body weight than uranyl nitrate-only group (P<0.005). 2. All the experimental groups were increased the fluid intake and urine volume on the uranyl nitrate-induced acute renal failure. but the combined treatment group of sodium bicarbonate and saline with uranyl nitrate injection simultaneously and the dithiothreitol group that was administered 30 minutes after uranyl nitrate injection have the higher increment of fluid intake and urine volume (P<0.05). 3. When sodium bicarbonate and saline was treated with uranyl nitrate injection simultaneously. and dithiothreitol was administered 30 minutes after uranyl nitrate injection. there was significantly reduced in BUN concentration (P<0.01). 4. When dithiothreitol was administered 30 minutes after uranyl nitrate injection. there was reduced more significantly on the increment of serum creatinine concentration than that observed in uranyl nitrate-only group(P<0.01). but when the combined treatment of sodium bicarbonate and saline with uranyl nitrate simultaneously, there was still. albeit much less marked. decrease in serum creatinine concentration. 5. The sodium bicarbonate and saline was treated with uranyl nitrate simultaneously and dithiothreitol was administered at 30 minutes after uranyl nitrate were excreted markedly higher urine creatinine concentration than the uranyl nitrate-only group. 6. Uranyl nitrate has been used in experimental animals to produce hydropic degeneration and swelling of proximal tubules, disappearance of microvilli and brush border or necrosis in the kidney and centrilobular necrosis, congestion, and telangiectasia of the liver. When the sodium bicarbonate and saline was treated with uranyl nitrate simultaneously, and dithiothreitol was administered. 30 minutes after uranyl nitrate, there was more marked the protective effect than uranyl nitrate-only group. Finally, if the sodium bicarbonate and saline may administered as quickly as possible each time that some risk for internal contamination, with uranium, and dithiothreitol is administered 30 minutes after uranium contamination, there ameliorates the course of uranyl nitrate-induced acute renal failure.and this effect is assocciated with prevention of uranium (heavy metal)-induced alterations in BUN, serum creatinine, urine creatinine, fluid intake, urine volume and body weight.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
• /
• v.6 no.4
• /
• pp.281-290
• /
• 2012

The difference of radiation dose of MDCT due to different protocols between hospitals was analyzed by CTDI, DLP, the number of Slice and the number of DLP/Slice in 30 cases of the head, the abdomen and the chest that have 10 cases each from MDCT examination of the department of diagnostic imaging of three general hospitals in Gyeongsangbuk-do. The difference of image quality, CTDI, DLP, radiation dose in the eye and radiation dose in thyroid was analyzed after both helical scan and normal scan for head CT were performed because a protocol of head CT is relatively simple and head CT is the most frequent case. Head CT was significantly higher in two-thirds of hospitals compared to A hospital that does not exceed a CTDI diagnostic reference level (IAEA 50mGy, Korea 60mGy) (p<0.001). DLP was higher in one-third of hospitals than a diagnostic reference level of IAEA 1,050mGy.cm and Korea 1,000mGy.cm and two-thirds exceeded the recommendation of Korea and those were significantly higher than A hospital that does not exceed a diagnostic reference level (p<0.001). Abdomen CT showed 119mGy that was higher than a diagnostic reference level of IAEA 25mGy and Korea 20mGy in one-third. DLP in all hospitals was higher that Korea recommendation of 700mGy.cm. Among target hospitals, C hospital showed high radiation dose in all tests because MPR and 3D were of great importance due to low pitch and high Tube Curren. To analyze the difference of radiation dose by scan methods, normal scan and helical scan for head CT of the same patient were performed. In the result, CTDI and DLP of helical CT were higher 63.4% and 93.7% than normal scan (p<0.05, p<0.01). However, normal scan of radiation dose in thyroid was higher 87.26% (p<0.01). Beam of helical CT looked like a bell in the deep part and the marginal part so thyroid was exposed with low radiation dose deviated from central beam. In addition, helical scan used Gantry angle perpendicularly and normal scan used it parallel to the orbitomeatal line. Therefore, radiation dose in thyroid decreased in helical scan. However, a protocol in this study showed higher radiation dose than diagnostic reference level of KFDA. To obey the recommendation of KFDA, low Tube Curren and high pitch were demanded. In this study, the difference of image quality between normal scan and helical scan was not significant. Therefore, a standardized protocol of normal scan was generally used and protective gear for thyroid was needed except a special case. We studied a part of CT cases in the local area. Therefore, the result could not represent the entire cases. However, we confirmed that patient's radiation dose in some cases exceeded the recommendation and the deviation between hospitals was observed. To improve this issue, doctors of diagnostic imaging or technologists of radiology should perform CT by the optimized protocol to decrease a level of CT radiation and also reveal radiation dose for the right to know of patients. However, they had little understanding of the situation. Therefore, the effort of relevant agencies with education program for CT radiation dose, release of radiation dose from CT examination and addition of radiation dose control and open CT contents into evaluation for hospital services and certification, and also the effort of health professionals with the best protocol to realize optimized CT examination.