• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.76-83
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• 1998

The most remarkable aspect in the hormesis law is that dose of harmful agents can produce effect that are diametrically opposite to the effect found with high doses of the same agent. Minute quantities of a harmful agent bring about very small change in the organism and control mechanisms appear to subjugate normal processes to place the organism in a state of albert and repair. The stimulated organism in more responsive to changes in environmental factors than it did before being alerted. Routine functions, including repair and defense, have priority for available energy and matetial. The alerted organism utilizes nutrients more efficiently, grows faster, shows improved defense, and lives longer. Accelerated germination, sprouting, growth, development, blooming and ripening, and increased crop yield and resistance to disease are found in plants. Another concept supported by the data in that low doses of ionizing radiation provide increased resistance to subsequent high doses of radiation. The hormesis varies with subject plant, variety, state of seed, environmental and cultural conditions, physiologic function measured, dose rate and total exposure. The results of hormesis are less consistently found, probably due to the great number of uncontrolled variables in the experiments. The general dosage for radiation homlesis in about 100 (10 to 1,000) times ambient or 100 (10 to 1,000) times less than a definitely harmful dose, but these must be modified to the occasion. Although little is known about most mechanisms of homzesis reaction, overcompensation of repair mechanism is offered as one mechanism.

• Journal of the Korean Professional Engineers Association
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.8-19
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• 1996

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.69-89
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• 2006

Biological mechanisms for ionizing radiation effects are different at low doses than at high doses. Radiation hormesis involves low-dose-induced protection and high-dose-induced harm. The protective component is associated with a reduction in the incidence of cancer below the spontaneous frequency, brought about by activation of defensive and repair processes. The Linear No-Threshold (LNT) hypothesis advocated by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) and the Biological Effects of ionizing Radiation (BEIR) Report VII for cancer risk estimations Ignores hormesis and the presence of a threshold. Cancer incidences significantly less than expected have been found in a large number of epidemiological studies including, airline flight personnel, inhabitants of high radiation backgrounds, shipyard workers, nuclear site workers in scores of locations throughout the world, nuclear power utility workers, plutonium workers, military nuclear test site Participants, Japanese A-bomb survivors, residents contaminated by major nuclear accidents, residents of Taiwan living in $^{60}Co$ contaminated buildings, fluoroscopy and mammography patients, radium dial painters, and those exposed to indoor radon. Significantly increased cancer was not found at doses <200 $mSv^*$. Evidence for radiation hormesis was seen in both sexes for acute or chronic exposures, low or high LET radiations, external whole- or partial body exposures, and for internal radionuclides. The ubiquitous nature of the Healthy Worker Effect (HWE)-like responses in cellular, animal and epidemiological studies negates the HWE as an explanation for radiation hormesis. The LNT hypothesis is wrong and does not represent the true nature of the dose-response relationship, since low doses or dose-rates commonly result in thresholds and reduce cancer incidences below the spontaneous rate. Radiation protection organizations should seriously consider the cost and health implications of radiation hormesis.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.390-393
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• 1997

Hormetic effects of low dose radiation were analyzed in terms of growth stimulation in radish and three cultivars of chinese cabbage. Seeds irradiated with ${\gamma}$ radiation were planted in the green house and in the experimental field. Though it varied with cultivars of tested plants, hormetic effect of low dose ${\gamma}$ radiation on an early stage of growth were shown especially in germination rates and elongation of seedlings. The height of seedlings increased in 0.2 Gy irradiated group of Seolim cultivar and radish, in 1 Gy irradiated group of Konaenggi cultivar and in 4 Gy irradiated group of Ducksung cultivar, respectively, In case of plants grown in the experimental field, prominent were the height increase of radish and Seolim cultivar in 1 Gy irradiated group and the fresh weight increase of both radish and cabbage in 4 Gy irradiated group.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.515-520
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• 2001

To observe the stimulating effect of low dose ${\gamma}$ radiation on the dormancy breaking and growth, microtubers of two potato cultivars (Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Dejima and cv. Superior) were irradiated at the dose of 0.5-30 Gy. Though it varied with cultivars and storage duration, sprouting rate, plant growth and tuber yield were promoted by 2-8 Gy irradiation in microtuber of 'Dejima' stored at low temperature. On the other hand, in microtuber of 'Superior', sprouting rate was promoted by 2 and 4 Gy irradiation, and the growth and tuber yield by 4 Gy irradiation. These results suggest that low dose of ${\gamma}$ radiation could have stimulating effects on the dormancy breaking of microtuber and potato growth.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.107-114
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• 2007

Radiation at very low doses frequently has a stimulating or hermetic effect on growth of organism. Effects of growth and survival rate on various dose of gamma irradiation in the farm culture of juvenile abalone (Haliotis discus hannai) were determined in Hallim (Jeju) from February 2004 to January 2005. The initial shell length of abalone juveniles in this study was average $3.45{\pm}0.4cm$. A change of growth after irradiation $(0{\sim}20Gy)$ was observed for 48 weeks. The highest growth rate was observed in 4 Gy-irradiated group and the lowest growth rate was observed in 20 Gy-irradiated group. The additional research about biochemical changes on juvenile abalone after irradiation should be accomplished. Continuous study for gamma radiation-induced hormesis on growth and metabolism of juvenile abalone will further induce the creation of value in ocean industry.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.247-253
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• 2000

In order to investigate the stimulatory effect(hormesis) of low dose gamma-radiation on the seeding growth of old seeds with respect to antioxidant defense systems, various doses of gamma radiation to the 5-year-old dried seeds of Chinese cabbage (Brassica campestris L. cv Sulin eockaei). Compared to the new, 1-year- old seeds, old seeds irradiated by low does gamma radiation in the range of 1-2 Gy showed vigor growth as revealed by statistically significant increases both in the germination rates and the leaf size and fresh weight. Further, seedlings grown from seeds treated by low dose gamma radiation showed higher peroxidase and catalase activities than non-treated seedlings. These results suggest that the antioxidant defense systems could be closely related to the stimulatory effects of low dose radiation. [antioxidant enzyme, chinese cabbage, gamma radiation, germination rate, hormesis]

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.346-351
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• 1998

To investigate the hormetic effects of the low dose ${\gamma}-ray$ radiation on the germination rate, Welsh onion (Allium fistulosum L. cv. Eunchun and cv. Sukchangwoidae) seeds were irradiated at the dose of $0.5\;{\sim}24.0$ Gy with the ${\gamma}-ray$ radiation (Co-60). The germination rate of 'Eunchun' cultivar increased about 10% in the low dose ${\gamma}-ray$ irradiation group compared with that of the control. In the 'Sukchangwoidae' cultivar, the germination rate of the 4 Gy irradiation group increased 40% more than that of the control. Broadly, it seemed that the hormetic effects of the low-dose ${\gamma}-ray$ radiation were taken more promisingly in the uncultivated soil than in the fertile soil. The germination rate from the paper towel and filter paper based cultivation increased 10% and 16% more, respectively, in the 1 Gy irradiation group than that in the control group. And the electric conductivities of the above groups supposed to be taken hormetic effects of the ${\gamma}-ray$ radiation were lower than those of the control group. From the above results, it is suggested that the low dose ${\gamma}-ray$ radiation ranged from 1 Gy to 10 Gy could have the hormetic effects on the germination rate related characters in Welsh onion seeds.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.143-148
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• 2010

This study is to analyze effects of the growth of Chunhyang Young Radish (CYR) and Altari Radish (AR) according to the exposure for 31 days at low dose ${\beta}$-rays. This test has one contrast sample and eleven test samples each as to AR and CYR. The seeds from contrast and test sample were planted in the culture soil after 8 seeds were chosen from each with identical condition. The accumulated dose of test samples has been measured at consistent time on a daily basis for 31 days. The growing process and germination have been measured twice at consistent time in each week. The number of leaves, length of first leave and weight have been acquired average value by measuring for 20 and 25 days, respectively after being planted. The result of test sample in case of 25 days shows that 5% increase in length and 36% increase in weight for AR each at accumulated dose 0.01 Gy compared to the contrast sample. And the length of CYR has increased by 13~17% and 1% at accumulated dose 0.01~0.08 Gy and 0.3 Gy compared to the contrast sample. For the weight at accumulated dose 0.05 Gy and 0.23 Gy has increased by 36% and 2% compared to contrast sample. As to the number of leaves, AR has increased by 0~50% at accumulated dose 0.01-0.32 Gy compared to contrast sample. It also shows that the CYR has increased to 0~67% at accumulated dose 0.01-0.62 Gy compared to contrast sample. As a result of this study, it indicates that both AR and CYR has generally increased in their length, weight, and the number of leaves at low level accumulated dose part 0.01~0.2 Gy. The size of cell, area of nucleus and density of cell for test sample has been observed quite similar to the ones from contrast sample through microscope. In conclusion, AR and CYR irradiated by ${\beta}$-rays have estimated that they are achieved a rapid growth at low level accumulated dose region corresponding to its radiation hormesis theory. Further studies need to confirm the correlation between the radiation hormesis and the growth of the plants.

• FLOWER RESEARCH JOURNAL
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.119-125
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• 2011

Acorus calamus is an indigenous hydrophyte used as phytoremediation and water purification as well as medicinal herb. Irradiation of gamma ray was performed to investigate the effect on radioresistance of A. calamus on in vitro. Various doses (20-500 Gy) of gamma rays were irradiated to in vitro plantlets. The effect of irradiation was studied on survival rate, shoot formation and growth rate. The survival and multiplication rate was remarkably decreased with the increase of radiation dose. The growth of plantlets was significantly increased in comparison to the control at low doses. The hermetic effect of radiation was appeared in A. calamus. It was significantly decreased or interrupted above 250 Gy. The mean 50% lethal dose ($LD_{50}$) was extremely high as 240 Gy. We conclude that A. calamus had remarkably high radioresistance compared with other plant species.