• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.578-592
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• 2015

To investigate characteristics and seasonal variations of carbonaceous species for $PM_{2.5}$ in Seoul metropolitan area, Korea, we measured organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) from January 2014 to December 2014 using a semi-continuous OC/EC Analyzer (Model-4, Sunset Lab.). Mean concentrations of OC and EC were estimated $4.1{\pm}2.7{\mu}g/m^3$ and $1.6{\pm}1.0{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively. The annual averaged OC/EC ratio was $2.9{\pm}2.7$. Concentrations of OC and EC comprised 13% and 5% of $PM_{2.5}$ and the mass fraction of both was the highest in fall. OC and EC showed similar trend in seasonal variations. Concentrations of those showed a clear seasonal variation with the highest in winter and the lowest in summer. The correlations between the two were the best during the winter ($r^2=0.88$). As results of carbonaceous species analysis, the dominant factor in view of fine particle ($PM_{2.5}$) is primary emission source such as mobile, fossil fuel combustion during commute time(08:00~10:00 or 17:00~21:00) and winter season. Continuous monitoring of atmospheric carbonaceous species is essential to provide the science-based data to policy-maker establishing the air quality improvement policy.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.35-44
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• 2009

Naphthalene and TNT (2,4,6-trinitrotoluene) are defined by U.S. EPA as possible carcinogenic compounds known to have detrimental effects on the aquatic ecosystem and human body. There are, however, few researches on methods of analyzing micro-levels of naphthalene and TNT dissolved in groundwater. This study introduces and evaluates the newly developed analytical methods of measuring naphthalene and TNT in groundwater by using HPLC-FLD (Fluorescence detector) and MSD (Mass detector). The MDL, LOQ and salt effect of these methods, respectively, are compared with those of conventional methods which use HPLC-UV. For the analysis of naphthalene, HPLC-FLD was set in the maxima wavelength (Ex: 270 nM, Em: 330 nM) obtained from 3D-Fluorescence to be compared with HPLC-UV in 266 nM wavelength. The MDL ($0.3\;{\mu}g/L$) and LOQ ($2.0\;{\mu}g/L$) of naphthalene by using HPLC-FLD were approximately 80 times lower than those analyzed by HPLC-UV (MDL: $23.3\;{\mu}g/L$, LOQ: $163.1\;{\mu}g/L$). HPLC-MSD were used in comparison with HPLC-UV in 230 and 254 nM wavelength for the analysis of TNT. The MDL ($0.13\;{\mu}g/L$) and LOQ ($0.88\;{\mu}g/L$) of TNT analyzed by using HPLC-MSD were approximately 130 times lower than those obtained by using HPLC-UV in 230 nM (MDL: $16.8\;{\mu}g/L$, LOQ: $117.5\;{\mu}g/L$). The chromatogram of TNT analyzed by using HPLC-UV in 230 nM displayed elevated baseline as the concentration of ${NO_3}^-$ increases beyond 21 mg/L, while the analysis using HPLC-MSD did not demonstrate any change in baseline in presence of ${NO_3}^-$ of 63.7 mg/L which is 3.5 times higher than average concentration in groundwater. In conclusion, HPLC-FLD and HPLC-MSD may be used as suitable methods for the analysis of naphthalene and TNT in groundwater and drinking water. These methods can be applied to the monitoring of naphthalene and TNT concentration in groundwater or drinking water.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.135-143
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• 1994

Background: The cell mediated immunity has an important role in the pathogenesis of tuberculosis. sIL-2R has been known as a sensitive marker of T lymphocyte activation Elevated serum levels of sIL-2R have been found in patients with lymphoproliferative disorders, organ transplantation, autoimmune diseases, and various granulomatous diseases. Elevated levels of sIL-2R have been also found in the serum and pleural fluid of the patients with tuberculosis. To evaluate the diagnostic value of sIL-2R in the differentiation of tuberculous pleurisy and nontuberculous pleurisy. We measured the level of sIL-2R in the sera and pleural fluids of 12 patients with tuberculous pleurisy and 32 patients with nontuberculous pleurisy. Method: Samples of pleural fluid and serum were centrifuged at 2500 rpm for 10 min to remove cell pellets. Soluble IL-2R was measured with a sandwitch enzyme immunoassay using the Cellfree(r) Interleukin-2 Receptor Test kit(T-cell science,Inc. Cambridge, MA). Results: The results obtained were as follows: 1) The sIL-2R level in pleural fluid of the patients with tuberculous pleurisy was higher than that of patients with nontuberculous pleurisy(P<0.005). 2) When the sIL-2R level above 5,000 u/ml in pleural fluid was used as the cut-off value to diagnose tuberculous pleurisy, it had a sensitivity of 84.6% and a specificity of 90.9%. 3) The sIL-2R level in the sera of the patients with tuberculous pleurisy was higher than that of patients with bacterial pleural effusions and normal control group(P<0.05) and there was no difference of levels compared with malignant pleural effusions and transudative pleural effusions(P>0.05). 4) In patients with tuberculous pleurisy, the mean concentration of sIL-2R in pleural fluid was higher than that in serum(P<0.005). Conclusion: These findings suggest that the measurement of elevated levels of pleural fluid sIL-2R in tuberculous pleurisy may be useful in the differential diagnosis between patients with tuberculous pleurisy and nontuberculous pleurisy.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.66 no.2
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• pp.110-115
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• 2009

Background: A forceps-biopsy is performed to acquire tissue from patients with an endobronchial carcinoma using a flexible bronchoscope. Recently, a cryo-biopsy has also been used to acquire tissue samples. Cryo-biopsy is the diagnostic application of extreme cold for the local destruction of abnormal living tissue. This technique is safe, with no radiation danger, no risk of electrical accidents, and a little risk of bleeding. This study compared a forceps-biopsy with a cryo-biopsy using a flexible bronchoscope, and examined the chemosensitivity and level of VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) in the specimens obtained from the cryo-biopsy. Methods: We present a prospective study of 30 consecutive patients who underwent a forceps-biopsy between January 2007 and October 2007 with a mean age of 62.1 years and a male:female ratio of 5 : 1. A flexible bronchoscope was inserted to the area of the abnormal lesions, and a cryo-probe was then applied through the working channel of the flexible bronchoscope. A temperature of approximately -h80 was delivered to the tumor site for 8 seconds. The cryo-biopsy was performed after destroying the tumor mass. Results: The mean size of the tissue from the forceps-biopsy and cryo-biopsy were 2.0${\pm}$1.2 mm and 6.0${\pm}$3.0 mm. A chemosensitivity test was performed on 5 specimens obtained using cryo-biopsy and the level of VEGF was examined in 2 specimens obtained from a cryo-biopsy. There were no side effects in either group. Conclusion: Cryo-biopsy using a flexible bronchoscope is a safe and effective technique for acquiring tissue samples.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.65 no.6
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• pp.471-475
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• 2008

Background: In order to achieve a maintenance level and to prevent hemorrhagic complications, regular monitoring of the INR is mandatory for patients on oral anticoagulation therapy (OAT). A point-of-care instrument for INR monitoring is convenient for users, but the accuracy of the results has been controversial, and so this calls for exact evaluation of the point-of-care instrument that is used for INR monitoring. Methods: From Aug 2007 through Feb 2008, 85 patients on OAT among the all the patients who were admitted to Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital were involved in this study. Parallel measurements of the PT INR were performed using a CoaguChek-XS and, a CA-7000 laboratory reference instrument and the results were analyzed. In addition, the patients' clinical data, including the diagnosis and the frequency and interval of the INR measurements, were also analyzed. Results: Of the 85 patients, 25 were admitted more than once to undergo INR testing and the mean interval between testing was 8.6 weeks with 39% and 38% of the tests being less than INR 2 units with using the CoaguChek-XS and the reference method, respectively. The coefficients of variation of CoaguChek-XS were 4.50 and 2.45 for the high and low INR patients, respectively. An excellent correlation was found between the two methods with a $R^2$ of 0.966 (p<0.001). Through Bland-Altman analysis, the mean INR difference between the two methods was 0.13 with the limit of agreement being -0.47~+0.72 with a 95% confidence interval. CoaguChek-XS was shown to overestimate the INR value for patients with an increasing INR, as compared to the reference method. Conclusion: CoaguChek-XS demonstrated great precision and accuracy for patients on OAT when compared to the laboratory INR results. Accordingly, the instrument should help to monitor the INR in the patients on OAT.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.34 no.9
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• pp.1350-1356
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• 2005

Osteoporosis that is associated with estrogen deficiency in menopause is by far the most common cause of age-related bone loss. Since isoflavone had been reported as a natural substance that minimizes bone loss, we have begun this study to examine the effect of the substance on bone metabolism in ovariectomized rats. Five week-old (n=22) and 25 week-old (n=22) Sprage-Dawley female rats were classified into young (Y) and adult (A) groups. Each group consisted of three subgroups : sham operated group (SH), ovariectomized group (OVX), and isoflavone supplemented group (OVX+ISO 80 mg/kg B.W.). They were fed chow for 9 weeks. The result showed that body weight gain was increased in YOVX in comparison to YSH group, (p<0.05) serum osteocalcin concentration and urinal deoxypyridinoline (DPD) excretion had significantly increased in YOVX more than in YSH group, and significantly decrease in OVX+ISO than in YOVX group (p<0.05). We concluded that soy isoflavones may decrease bone turnover in young rats. However, isoflavone supplement didn't show significant influence on bone metabolism of adult rats.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.38-55
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• 2018

Hourly measurements of $PM_{2.5}$ mass, organic and elemental carbon (OC and EC), and water-soluble ionic species were made at the air quality intensive monitoring stations in Baengryeongdo (BR) and Seoul (SL) during the winter (December 01~31, 2013) and summer (July 10~23, 2014) periods, to investigate the increase of $PM_{2.5}$ and secondary ionic species and the reasons leading to their increase during the two seasons. During winter, $PM_{2.5}$ and its major chemical species concentrations were higher at SL than at BR. Contribution of organic mass to $PM_{2.5}$ was approximately 1.7 times higher at BR than at SL, but the $NO_3{^-}$ contribution was two times higher at SL. Total concentration of secondary ionic species ($SO{_4}^{2-}$, $NO_3{^-}$, and $NH_4{^+}$) at BR and SL sites accounted for 29.1 and 40.1% of $PM_{2.5}$, respectively. However, during summer, no significant difference in chemical composition of $PM_{2.5}$ was found between the two sites with the exception of $SO{_4}^{2-}$. Total concentration of the secondary ionic species constituted on average 43.9% of $PM_{2.5}$ at BR and 53.0% at SL. A noticeable difference in chemical composition between the two sites during summer was attributed to $SO{_4}^{2-}$, with approximately twofold concentration and 10% higher contribution in SL. Low wind speed and high relative humidity were important factors in secondary formation of water-soluble ionic species during winter at SL, resulting in $PM_{2.5}$ increase. While the secondary formation during summer was attributed to strong photochemical processes in daytime and high relative humidity in nighttime hours. The increase of $PM_{2.5}$ and its secondary ionic species during the winter haze pollution period at SL was mainly caused either by long-range transport (LTP) from the eastern Chinese regions, or by local pollution. However, the increased $SO{_4}^{2-}$ and $NO_3{^-}$ during summer at SL were mainly caused by LTP, photochemical processes in daytime hours, and heterogeneous processes in nighttime hours.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.299-306
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• 2009

Aflatoxin (AF) and Ochratoxin A (OTA) are carcinogenic and possible carcinogenic mycotoxins respectively produced by Aspergillus spp or Penicillium spp. The study for contamination survey and proposal for reduction of mycotoxin in red pepper were carried out. 192 samples were collected at such various stages and markets as pre/post-harvest stages, internet shopping mall /super-market and small stakeholder mill/geographically indicated company. As only 2 samples were positive for aflatoxin, so contamination rate was 1.04%. In the meanwhile, contamination rate for ochratoxin A was 21.88% and a various amount of OTA was detected in 42 positive samples. 6 samples were found to be contaminated at higher level than $5\;{\mu}gkg^{-1}$ for ochratoxin A, which was established recently as a maximum permissible limit in korea. There was no difference in degree of contamination with regard to cultivation type because any mycotoxin was not found at all in both organically and conventionally grown red pepper. But, there was statistically significant difference in the process of manufacturing. Finished products were OTA-contaminated at a level of $2.32\;{\pm}\;6.54\;{\mu}gkg^{-1}$(mean ${\pm}$ SD), even though OTA was not detected in deep frozen red peppers right after long term storage. And contamination for OTA was a level of $0.33\;{\pm}\;0.91\;{\mu}gkg^{-1}$(mean ${\pm}$ SD) in red paprika powder after uv sterilization, while the contamination for OTA was $2.78\;{\pm}\;4.49\;{\mu}kg^{-1}$(mean ${\pm}$ SD) in non-uv sterilized powder. In addition, our investigation shows that higher OTA contamination occurred in some of famous brand products sold in super-market and domestic products than products collected through on-line shopping or from small stakeholder mills and imported products respectively, however, difference was not statistically significant.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.66-75
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• 2014

This study aims to understand environmental factors that determine spatial distribution of macrozoobenthic community in the southern area (ca 100-500 m depth) of East Sea, Korea, known as a candidate site for carbon storage under the seabed. From sixteen locations sampled in the summer of 2012, a total of 158 species were identified, showing density of $843indiv/m^2$ and biomass of $26.2g\;WW/m^2$, with increasing faunal density towards biologically higher diverse locations. Principal component analysis showed that a total of 33 environmental parameters were reduced to three principal components (PC), indicating sediment, bottom water, and depth, respectively. As sand content was increasing, number of species increased but biomass decreased. Six dominant species including two bivalve species favored high concentrations of ${\Omega}$ aragonite and ${\Omega}$ calcite, indicating that the corresponding species can be severely damaged by ocean acidification or $CO_2$ effluent. Cluaster analysis based on more than 1% density dominant species classified the entire study area into four faunal assemblage (location groups), which were delineated by characteristic species, including (A) Ampelisca miharaensis, (B) Edwardsioides japonica, (C) Maldane cristata, (D) Spiophanes kroeyeri, and clearly separated in terms of geography, bottom water and sediment environment. Overall, a discriminant function model was developed to predict four faunal assemblages from five simply-measured environmental variables (depth, sand content in sediment, temperature, salinity and pH in bottom water) with 100% accuracy, implying that benthic faunal assemablages are closed linked to certain combinations of abiotic factors.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.157-163
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• 1986

Synthesis and accumulation pattern of Weender components in orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) cv. Potomac and Baraula, perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) cv. Reveille and Semperweide and meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis Huds.) cv. Cosmos 11 and N.F.G. were studied under different growth environments and cutting managements. The field experiments were conducted as a split plot design with three cutting regimes of 6-7 cuts at grazing stage, 4-5 cuts at silage and 3 cuts at hay stage from 1975 to 1979 in Korea and West Germany. The results obtained are summarized as follows: 1. Air temperature, rainfalls and solar radiation were found to be an important meteorological factors influenced to synthesis and accumulation of Weender components. Under high temperature and strong solar radiation during summer season in Korea, accumulation of crude fiber and cell-wall constituents (NDF) in the plants, as average of all grass species and cutting regimes, were increased to about 30.1% and 48.7% from 27,9% and 42.9% in spring, respectively, while total nonstructural carbohydrates (TNC) were decreased to 1.52% in summer from 4.01% in spring. In West Germany, the concentration of Weeder components showed little seasonal variation. 2. Crude fiber and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) were shown higher concentration in orchardgrass than those of perennial ryegrass and meadow fescue, but N-free extractions and TNC as well as net energy value were less accumulated in orchardgrass. Orchardgrass contained lower net energy contents with 534 StE. 431 StE and 575 StE/kg for Suweon, Cheju and Freising, respectively, as compared with 624 StE (Suweon), 491 StE (Cheju) and 657 StE/kg (Freising) in meadow fescue.