• Advances in environmental research
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.9-17
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• 2013

Urine is a widely used matrix in biomonitoring studies on the assessment of human exposure to environmental chemicals such as phthalate esters and bisphenol A (BPA). In addition to the need to apply valid analytical techniques, assurance of specimen integrity during collection and storage is an important prerequisite for the presentation of accurate and precise analytical data. One of the common issues encountered in the analysis of non-persistent contaminants is whether shipping and storage temperature and time since collection have an effect on sample integrity. In this study, we investigated the stability of phthalate metabolites and BPA in spiked and unspiked urine samples stored at room temperature ($20^{\circ}C$) or at $-80^{\circ}C$ for up to 8 weeks. Concentrations of phthalate metabolites declined, on average, by 3% to 15%, depending on the compounds, and BPA declined by ~30% after 4 weeks of storage of spiked urine samples at $20^{\circ}C$. In a test of 30 unspiked urine samples stored at $20^{\circ}C$ and at $-80^{\circ}C$ for 8 weeks, the concentrations of phthalate metabolites and BPA decreased by up to 15% to 44%, depending on the compound and on the samples. It was found that the small reduction in phthalate concentrations observed in urine, varied depending on the samples. In a few urine samples, concentrations of phthalate metabolites and BPA did not decline even after storage at $20^{\circ}C$ for 8 weeks. We found a significant relationship between concentrations of target analytes in urine stored at $20^{\circ}C$ and at $-80^{\circ}C$ for 8 weeks. We estimated the half-lives of phthalate metabolites and BPA in urine stored at $20^{\circ}C$. The estimated half-life of monoethyl phthalate (mEP) and mono (2-ethyl-5-carboxyphentyl) phthalate (mECPP) in urine stored at $20^{\circ}C$ was over two years, of mono (2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (mEOHP) and monobenzyl phthalate (mBzP) was approximately one year, and of other phthalate metabolites was approximately 6 months. The estimated half-life of BPA in urine stored at $20^{\circ}C$ was approximately 3 months, which is much longer than that reported for aquatic ecosystems.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.8
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• pp.3339-3344
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• 2015

Background: This case-control study aimed to determine if there were any associations between the two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in Gc, rs7041 (Asp416Glu) and rs4588 (Thr420Lys) and 3 common cancers (breast, lung and colorectal) in Thai patients. Materials and Methods: Two hundred and eighty two colorectal, 101 breast and 113 lung cancer patients were recruited from one institute during 2011-2013. The controls were age-matched volunteers who had a negative history of index cancers. In addition, vitamin D levels were compared among different genotypes in the 2 SNPs. Results: The minor allele frequencies of rs7041 (G) and rs4588 (A) were 0.32 and 0.24, respectively. Under the dominant model, the study found significant associations between minor-allele genotypes of the SNP rs7041 (TG/GG) and lung cancer (odds ratio [OR] 1.78, 95% CI 1.05-3.03). When subgroup analysis was performed according to sex and age at diagnosis, the study found that the minor-allele genotypes of rs7041 (TG/GG) were significantly associated with colorectal cancer in patients whose age at diagnosis was more than 60 years (OR 1.67, 95%CI 1.06-2.61) and the minor-allele genotypes of rs4588 (CA/AA) were significantly associated with colorectal cancer in males aged 60 years or less (OR 2.34, 95%CI 1.25-4.37). When SNP combinations (rs7041-rs4588) were examined, the TT-CA combination had a significant protective association with lung cancer (OR 0.44, 95% CI 0.22-0.85). On evaluation of serum 25(OH)D levels in 205 individuals without cancer (males 144, females 61), the proportion of subjects with low serum vitamin D (< 20 ng/ml) in those harboring CA or AA genotypes of rs4588 (41.7%) was significantly higher than the CC genotype (15.5%, p-value < 0.01). Conclusions: Genetic polymorphisms in Gc were associated with lung and colorectal cancers in Thai patients. Lower serum 25(OH)D in minor variants of rs4588 may explain this association.

• THE INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE & LAW REVIEW
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• v.31
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• pp.3-25
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• 2006

This study focus on interest for arrears and filling of the gaps left in Article 78 of CISG. In the case of CISG, Article 78 provides for interest any time a payment under a contract is untimely, but does not specify a particular rate of interest or a method to determine such a rate. This issue did not cause any uncertainty under ULIS, the CISG's antecedent, since Article 83 of ULIS provided for 1%p above the official discount rate in the creditor's country. Lacking any CISG general principle as well as any indication by the very same CISG, one can only conclude that the matter must be deferred to the domestic rule of private international law. Actually, resorting to private international law is not only admissible, but expressly required by Article 7(2). In the interpretation and filling of the gaps left in Article 78, there is a considerable difference of opinion especially amongst commentators on whether the gap is a lacuna praeter legem, i.e., one being governed by, but not expressly settled in the CISG, or whether it is an issue falling outside the scope of application of the CISG, i.e. a lacuna intra legem. The protagonists of the former view lay emphasis on the overall objective of the CISG, namely to create a uniform law, whereas the supporters of the latter view refer to the legislative history of Article 78 as the dominant principle in interpreting Article 78. Some authors believe that the issue of determining the rate of interest is not dealt with by CISG and it is, therefore, governed by the applicable domestic law, which is the subsidiary law applicable to the sales contract, since "no special connecting points seem to have developed for the entitlement to interest." In the light of the relevant case law, it seems correct to conclude that the interest rate is not determined by CISG and that courts normally determine it according to their own rules of private international law. While CISG Article 78 expressly does not deal with this issue, PICC Article 7.4.9 and PECL Article 9.508, on the other hand, set forth a precise method for computing interest. Although a method like the one set by PICC may be useful and may encourage uniformity, it still cannot be used under the CISG. The PICC or PECL formula may, however, be a very good starting point in a de jure condendum analysis when a new Article 78 will be drafted, if an interest rate method will ever be embodied in the text of an international convention.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.95 no.4
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• pp.443-452
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• 2006

This study was conducted to investigate the site and growth characteristics of Mackia amurensis stand in natural forest of Mt. Joongwang, Pyongchang-Gun, Gangwon-Do, Korea. The 28 sample plots ($30m{\times}30m$) were established to examine the vegetation and site characteristics for M. amurensis stand. Stem analysis was performed on two sample trees for each of the 5 plots situated at intervals of 100 m by altitude. M. amurensis trees were mainly distributed at the ridge and the slope facing north, with altitudes ranging from 790 to 1,170 m. The M. amurensis grew at relatively deep A-layer of soil with high moisture but infertile. Dominant species with M. amurensis were Quercus mongolica, Fraxinus rhynchophylla, Acer pseudo-sieboldianum, A. pictum subsp. mono, Ulmus davidiana var., japonica, Tilia amurensis, and Populus davidiana. TWINSPAN classified four communities in Mt. Joongwang area; M. amurensis-P. davidiana community (xeric type), M. amurensis-U. davidiana var. japonica community (xeric type), M. amurensis-T. amurensis community (moist type), and M. amurensis-Styrax obassia community (moist type). According to the community type, trees per ha were more abundant in the area of the moist types than the xeric types. Height growth of M. amurensis increased with increasing ages until 10 years, and then decreased thereafter, especially at altitude of 1,020m. M. amurensis showed rapid early growth of height and volume, indicating possible high biomass production under enough light. Growth of M. amurensis increased greatly at about 40 years if released from severe competitions. The rotation age of natural M. amurensis stand was expected for above 50 years.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.24
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• pp.10659-10663
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• 2015

Background: Rapamycin is an effective anti-angiogenic drug. However, the mode of its action remains unclear. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to elucidate the antitumor mechanism of rapamycin, hypothetically via apoptotic promotion, using MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Materials and Methods: MCF-7 cells were plated at a density of $1{\times}10^5$ cells/well in 6-well plates. After 24h, cells were treated with a series of concentrations of rapamycin while only adding DMEM medium with PEG for the control regiment and grown at $37^{\circ}C$, 5% $CO_2$ and 95% air for 72h. Trypan blue was used to determine the cell viability and proliferation. Untreated and rapamycin-treated MCF-7 cells were also examined for morphological changes with an inverted-phase contrast microscope. Alteration in cell morphology was ascertained, along with a stage in the cell cycle and proliferation. In addition, cytotoxicity testing was performed using normal mouse breast mammary pads. Results: Our results clearly showed that rapamycin exhibited inhibitory activity on MCF-7 cell lines. The $IC_{50}$ value of rapamycin on the MCF-7 cells was determined as $0.4{\mu}g/ml$ (p<0.05). Direct observation by inverted microscopy demonstrated that the MCF-7 cells treated with rapamycin showed characteristic features of apoptosis including cell shrinkage, vascularization and autophagy. Cells underwent early apoptosis up to 24% after 72h. Analysis of the cell cycle showed an increase in the G0G1 phase cell population and a corresponding decrease in the S and G2M phase populations, from 81.5% to 91.3% and 17.3% to 7.9%, respectively. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that rapamycin may potentially act as an anti-cancer agent via the inhibition of growth with some morphological changes of the MCF-7 cancer cells, arrest cell cycle progression at G0/G1 phase and induction of apoptosis in late stage of apoptosis. Further studies are needed to further characterize the mode of action of rapamycin as an anti-cancer agent.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.40-53
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• 1976

This study was designed to comparse the metabolic effects of Korean diet pattern which contained all-polished rice and 70% polished rice, and to compare dietary restriction. The results were as follows. 1. Food intake survey to catch the Korean diet pattern The calory intake showed women took much more than men and farm village was higher than city, However, protein intake showed men were higher than women and decrease gradually from city, fishing village, and farm village. Calcium intake showed Seoul was the first rank of all, but was merely 70% of recommended quantities. Fe intake was greatly short especially in women and vitamin C also showed same situation. In the view of food group intake, grains and potatoes were 70.06%, vegetables and fruits 13.05%, meats fishes and beans 11.99%, respectivelly. Oil and fat intake showed lowest percentage as 0.77%. 2. Nutritional experiments albino rats have been fed for 7 weeks with three different diet: all-polished rice diet, 70% polished rice diet, and the standard diet for contral group. Dietary restriction were at 4 levels: 5% , 10%, 15%, 20% in 70% polished rice det. Body weight of 70% polished rice group gained value compare to all polished rice group. In the final organ weight all-polished rice group and 70% polished rice group and 70% polished rice group revealed similar results, but organ weight almost decreased dued to dietary restriction and statistical data showed significant differences between dietary restriction group and none-restriction group. In the femur length, 70% polished rice group was longer than all polished rice group but there was no significant differences. The nitrogen content of liver and muscle of 70% polished rice group was higher than all-polished rice group. Furthermone there was significant differences in the female (P<0.1). In the 10% restriction group(female) and 15% restriction group(male), nitrogen retention was higher than 0% restriction group. The other biochemical analysis such as liver lipid, serum cholesterol, glucose of urine, feces and serum were not revealed any significant differences. As a result of studying, it seems clear that 70% polished rice intake influenced much nourshment to white rat growth than all-porished rice intake, and there is no significant influence to animal growth and metabolic effect even if it was restricted $5{\sim}10%$ of diet.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.189-195
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• 2008

When a homothallic ascomycete Aspergillus nidulans is exposed to visible light, cleistothecial development is inhibited. The light response of development in A. nidulans implies the existence of delicate regulation process including reception and translocation of light signaling and determination of development. Previously, mutants that could develop cleistothecia even in the presence of relatively intensive visible light were isolated and several complementation groups were identified. A gene that was able to complement the silA98 mutation, which was responsible for preferred cleistothecia development under visible light, was isolated from AMA-NotI genomic library. The silA gene retained in the 4.3 kb recovered genomic library DNA has an open reading frame (ORF) consisted of 2,388 bp nucleotides, interrupted by 3 introns and consequently encoding 795 amino acids. The putative SilA carries a ${Zn_2}{Cys_6}$ binuclear cluster motif at N terminus and shows high amino acid sequence similarity to Aro80p of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Deletion mutants of silA showed a strong induction of sexual development under visible light, indicating that SilA is involved in the negative regulation of sexual development in response to the light.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.35-43
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• 1995

For several years lots of attempts have been made to establish the liquid membrane-based techniques for separations of gas mixtures especially containing carbon dioxide. A more effective system to separate $CO_{2}$ from flue gases, a circulatory hollow-fiber membrane absorber(HFMA) consisting of absorption and desorption modules with vacuum mode, has been considered in this study. Gas-liquid mass transfer has been modeled on a membrane module with non-wetted hollow-fibers in the laminar flow regime. The influence of an absorbent flow rate on the separation performance of the circulatory HFMA can be predicted quantitatively by obtaining the $CO_{2}$ concentration profile in a tube side. The system of $CO_{2}/N_{2}$ binary gas mixture has been studied using pure water as an(inert) absorbent. As the absorbent flow rate is increased, the permeation flux(i.e., defined as permeation rate/membrane contact area) also increases. The enhanced selectivity compared to the previous results, on the other hand, shows the decreasing behavior. It has been found obviously that the permeation flux depends on the variations of pressure in gas phase of desorption module. From an accurate comparison with the results of conventional flat sheet membrane module, the advantageous permeability of this circulatory HFMA can be clearly ascertained as expected. Our efforts to the theoretical model will provide the basic analysis on the circulatory HFMA technique for a better design and process.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.19 no.4 s.50
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• pp.259-264
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• 2006

This work carried out to analyze the physicochemical properties and investigate the assessment of heavy metal contamination of stream sediments of the Yudeung and the Gab streams in the Daejeon area. The pH of stream sediments of the Yudeung stream shows the range of weak acid and weak alkaline. Most of stream sediments contain about 80% sand grain and have low water and cation retention capacity. Hence the stream sediments are not suitable fur various plans to grow up. The analysis of heavy metals in the stream sediments shows that the concentration of Pb, Cr and Cd increases from upstream to down stream. It is likely that the trend has a relationship with the water. Contamination of stream water. The authors recommend that clay materials be replenished in the stream sediments to increase the self-purification capacity and to make the suitable condition for growing up of various plants, and that water quality of the stream which can Influence into the contamination of stream sediments be monitored.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.501-513
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• 2004

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of etching time on shear bond strength of four resin cements to IPS Empress 2 ceramic. Material and Methods: Forty rectangular shape ceramic specimens ($10{\times}15{\times}3.5mm$ size) were used for this study. The ceramic specimens divided into four groups and were etched with 10% hydrofluoric acid for 0, 10, 30, 60, 180, 300, 420, 600, and 900 seconds respectively. Etched surfaces of ceramic specimens were coated with ceramic adhesive system and bonded with four resin cement (Variolink II, Panavia F, Panavia 21, Super-Bond C&B) using acrylic glass tube. All cemented specimens were tested under shear loading untill fracture on universal testing machine at a crosshead speed 1mm/min: the maximum load at fracture (kg) was recored. Shear bond strengh data were analyzed with oneway analysis of variance and Tukey HSD tests (p<.05). Etched ceramic surfaces (0-, 60-, 300-, and 600-seconds etching period) and fracture surfaces after shear testing were examined mophologically using scanning electron microscopy. Results : Ceramic surface treatment with 10% hydrofluoric acid improved the bond strength of three resin cement except for Super-Bond C&B cement. Variolink II (41.0$\pm$2.4 MPa) resin cement at 300-seconds etching time showed statistically higher shear bond strength than the other resin cements (Panavia F: 28.3$\pm$2.3 MPa, Panavia 21: 21.5$\pm$2.2 MPa, Super-Bond C&B: 16.7$\pm$1.6 MPa). Ceramic surface etched with 10% hydrofluoric acid for 300 seconds showed more retentive surface texture. Conclusion: Within the limitation of this study, Variolink II resin cement are suitable for cementation of Empress 2 all-ceramic restorations and etching with 10% hydrofluoric acid for 180 to 300 seconds is required to enhance the bond strength.