• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.95-104
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• 2012

Objectives: The goal of this study was to investigate the relationships between proximity to an industrial complex and blood lead levels and urinary cadmium levels. Methods: We conducted a questionnaire survey and analyzed blood lead and urinary cadmium levels using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAs). Data was analyzed using logistic regression analysis. All statistical analyses were conducted with SAS software version 9.2. The distance between the residence and an industrial complex was calculated through a Geographical Information System (GIS). Results: A total of 967 residents living near a large petrochemical complex in Ulsan participated. The geometric mean levels of blood lead and urinary cadmium were $1.70{\mu}g/dl$ (male: $1.77{\mu}g/dl$, female: $1.67{\mu}g/dl$), and $0.72{\mu}g/g$ creatinine (male: $0.49{\mu}g/g$ cr. female: $0.89{\mu}g/g$ cr.), respectively. Blood lead and urinary cadmium levels both increased with age and were higher among smokers compared to never smokers. Both significantly showed a decreasing trend with rising income. Results from multiple logistic regression analysis showed that urinary cadmium levels for subjects aged less than 20 years old were negatively associated with distance from the industrial area to the residence. The results, however, indicated that the blood lead levels were positively associated with the distance. Conclusions: The results of this study support that proximity to an industrial complex is related to urinary cadmium values for children. A positive finding with blood lead can be explained by the ambiguity of lead exposure sources in the general environment.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.205-212
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• 2016

Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the distribution of blood lead concentrations of residents in the areas surrounding an industrial complex. Methods: During the three-month period from August to October 2012, informed consent was obtained from a total of 417 residents in Gwangyang and Yeosu. We collected blood samples from all subjects, and their demographic characteristics were acquired using a questionnaire. The blood samples were analyzed using an atomic absorption spectrometer and data analysis was conducted using IBM SPSS version 21.0. Results: The geometric mean concentration of blood lead in all subjects was $1.85{\mu}g/dL$. The highest (p<0.01) blood lead concentrations were in the current drinking group ($2.24{\mu}g/dL$). Blood lead concentrations in the smoking group ($0.59{\mu}g/dL$) were significantly (p<0.05) higher than those in the non-smoking group ($0.24{\mu}g/dL$). Risk assessment was performe using the Korean National Environmental Health Survey (KNEHS) as a reference. The hazard indices of blood lead in males and females were 0.65 and 0.52, respectively Conclusion: We provided baseline data for reference values of toxicity and heavy lead concentrations. Our results might be useful for further evaluation of risks due to exposure to heavy metals via oral, air, and percutaneous routes.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.25-32
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• 2011

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the dietary intake and blood concentrations for examination of exposure levels and exposure characteristics of Cd and Pb via food among college students aged 20 years living in Busan area. Methods: Food duplicate per a day and venous blood samples were accepted from healthy man and women college students. The samples were analyzed with graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Results: Dietary intake of Cd and Pb in the participants were $17.5{\mu}g\;Cd/day$, $21.7{\mu}g\;Pb/day$. Blood concentrations were $2.01{\mu}g\;Cd/L$, $4.32{\mu}g\;Pb/dL$, respectively. Conclusions: Smoking and drinking habits might be high influential factors in 20 years college students. Dietary intake of Cd and Pb, however, from food group of seaweed, or fish and shellfish in 20 years college students were lower than that in any other age group.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.28 no.10
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• pp.976-985
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• 1995

Changes in free amino acid concentrations is blood and various tissues were evaluated in cats adapted to the low-protein diet(20% protein, LPD) or the high-protein diet(60% protein, HPD) for 5 weeks. Cumulative body weigth gain for the 5 week period was 463$\pm$43g, and -128$\pm$40g for cats fed HPD and LPD, respectively. Feeding HPD significantly increased the size of liver and kidney. Cats adapted to HPD for 5 weeks have significantly elevated plasma concrntrations of essential amino acids (branched-chain amino acides, threonine, trytophan, phenylalanine and methoionine), whereas plasma levels of non-essential amino acids(alanine, asparagine, glycine, glutamine and serine) were significantly reduced in animals adapted to HPD(p<0.01, or p<0.001) compared to the values for the cats fed LPD. Changes in free amino acid concentratioks in whole blood induced by the variations in dietary level of protein closely reflect the pattern seen in plasma. Amino acids such as branched-chain amino acids, proline and threonine were most difficult to maintain homeostasis and consistantly elevated in lever, kidney, skeletal muscle and brain, as well as in blood of cats adapted to HPD(p<0.01 or p<0.001). All of the free amino acids in jejunum, excluding taurine and ornithine, were significantly elevated in animals adapted to HPD, most probably due to the rapid absorption of large amount of amino acids across the epithelium of small intestine.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.56-63
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• 2013

Children are particularly vulnerable to adverse health effects associated with heavy metal exposure. The goal of this study was to investigate the relationship between proximity to an industry complex and blood lead and urinary cadmium levels for children aged 7-13 who lived in Ulsan where a big petrochemical complex is located. We conducted a questionnaire survey to collect data including sociodemographics, daily habits, residential environment, etc. We also analyzed blood lead and urinary cadmium levels using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS). Data were analyzed using regression analysis. All statistical analyses were conducted with SAS software version 9.2. We calculated distance by using a Geographic Information System (ArcGIS version 10.0). The geometric mean blood lead level was 1.55 ${\mu}g/dL$ (boys: 1.59 ${\mu}g/dL$, girls: 1.51 ${\mu}g/dL$), and the geometric mean urinary cadmium level was 0.51 ${\mu}g/g$ creatinine (boys: 0.45 ${\mu}g/g$ creatinine, girls: 0.58 ${\mu}g/g$ creatinine). In the results of regression analyses, we found that urinary cadmium levels significantly decreased as distance between residence and industrial complex increased after adjusting for age, gender, income, passive smoking and the length of residence. This result was opposite to that for lead levels. Our observations support the hypothesis that urinary cadmium levels in children are related to their proximity to an industrial complex.

• Journal of Acupuncture & Meridian Studies
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.375-379
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• 2018

Background and aim: Heavy metals have been recognized as toxins for centuries. Cupping therapy has been shown to aid in the excretion of accumulated fluids and toxins from the interstitial fluid. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of wet cupping therapy on blood levels of heavy metals. Methods: Thirteen healthy male individuals [mean age ${\pm}$ standard deviation, $28.47{\pm}6.18$] participated in this study. Venous blood samples were collected 5 min before and 30 days after the wet cupping therapy. Five points of the posterior neck and bilateral perispinal areas of the neck and thoracic spine were selected for cupping therapy. The levels of aluminium (Al), zinc (Zn), and cadmium (Cd) were measured using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Results: The levels of heavy metals (Al, Zn, and Cd) after cupping therapy were significantly lower than the levels before therapy. Conclusions: These results suggest that wet cupping therapy has an excretory effect on the kidney. Wet cupping therapy may clear blood from excess heavy metals.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.441-450
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• 2022

This study explored the effects of milk flavor (MF) supplementation on growth efficiency, nutrient absorption, fecal score, and blood profiles in weaning piglets. A total of 80 (21 days old) crossbred ([Yorkshire × Duroc] × Landrace) healthy weaned piglets with an initial body weight (BW) of 7.05 ± 1.22 kg were randomly allotted to one of two nutritive treatments with 8 repetitions and five pigs (2 female and 3 male) per pen. The experiment was divided into 2 phases (d 0 - 21, and d 21 - 42), and the dietary treatments consisted of TRT1, basal diet, TRT2 and basal diet + 1.0 g·kg^-1 MF. At days 21 - 42 and the overall period, the average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) increased (p < 0.05) by receiving the MF added feed. However, MF inclusion did not impact (p > 0.05) the feed efficiency (G : F) throughout the entire experiment. Piglets consuming the MF supplemented diet showed that the apparent total tract digestibility of dry matter (DM), nitrogen (N) and energy (E) did not vary significantly (p > 0.05) between the treatments. All through the experiment, the fecal score and blood profile of the piglets fed the flavor diet also remained unaffected (p > 0.05). In conclusion, MF addition to the diet of the piglets increased their body weight and had no adverse effects on nutrient utilization, fecal score, and blood profile. Thus, MF addition could improve the performance outcomes of weaning piglets.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.23 no.3 s.31
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• pp.255-261
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• 1990

Taxi drivers are exposed to vehicular exhaust aerosols which are a mar source of atmospheric lead pollution in Korea where lead additives are incorporated in petrol. To investigate the blood lead concentration, their correlation factors and influences on taxi drivers, samples were collected from 90 taxi drivers who were living in the Taegu City, during August, 1989. Blood lead concentration was estimated by the atomic absorption spectrophotometer (IL.551) equipped with flameless furnace atomizer (IL.665). The results were analyzed statistically and compared with control group selected urban population. The mean blood lead concentration of taxi drivers and control group were $26.34{\pm}6.53{mu}g/dl\;and\;20.77{\pm}4.80{\mu}g/dl$ respectively (p<0.01). No significant correlation was observed between the blood lead concentration of taxi drivers and driver career (r=0.093). There were no difference of statistical significance in the blood lead concentration of smokers and nonsmokers.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.81-88
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• 1988

Experiments were conducted with chicks and pigs to determine whether the sparing effects of cobalt (Co) or nickel (Ni) on zinc (Zn) nutrition were due to an improved Zn availability. They included a Zn balance study with New Hampshire X Leghorn cross chicks, a $^{65}Zn$ absorption study with Ancona chicks and a $^{65}Zn$ balance study with pigs. The basal diet was a corn-soybean type diet high in calcium. In the Zn balance study with New Hampshire X Leghorn cross chicks, Zn retention percentages for basal, + 54 ppm Ni or + 54 ppm Co were 39.4, 40.4 and 48.3, respectively. In the $^{65}Zn$ absorption study with chicks, adding these levels of Ni or Co to the basal diet increased $^{65}Zn$ absorption from 12.8% to 14.0% and 15.1%, respectively. Supplemental Ni and Co increased the proportion of body $^{65}Zn$ found in liver and bone. With the pig experiment, $^{65}Zn$ retention percentages for basal, +54 ppm Co and + 60 ppm Zn groups were 20.0, 26.7 and 12.2, respectively; while Zn retention values (mg) in the body were 29.5, 45.1 and 60.5, respectively. In addition, supplemental Co increased $^{65}Zn$ concentration in the blood, liver, kidney and duodenum. These studies showed that supplementation of the basal diet with Co resulted in increased absorption of dietary Zn in chicks and pigs. The effect of Ni in chicks was less than that of Co. The ability of supplemental Co and to a lesser extent of Ni to improve weight gain as well as reduce other Zn-deficient signs in both species fed a practical corn-soybean type diet high in in calcium can be explained, at least in part by an associated increase in Zn absorption. The possible mechanism involved in these effects are discussed.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.65-77
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• 1986

To elucidate the effect of exercise on blood concentrations of ethanol, lactate and glucose in men who show facial flush after ethanol ingestion, 59 healthy male college students were studied. After 6 or more hours of fasting, the subjects were administered 3 ml of 25% ethanol solution(Soju) per liter of total body water. For control experiment Soju was replaced with the same dose of water. Exercise performed was vertical jumping on a rebounder for 3 min immediately after drinking. The subjects were classified into 6 groups: water ingestion(W), flushed (F) and non-flushed (N) groups after ethanol ingestion, water ingestion and exercise(WE), flushed(FE) and non-flushed (NE) groups after ethanol ingestion and exercise. Blood ethanol concentration in the exercise groups(NE, FE) was lower until 60 min after drinking than that in the non-exercise groups(N,F). Factor k representing the rate of ethanol absorption was markedly lower in the exercise groups than in the non-exercise groups. The flushed groups(F,FE) showed higher blood ethanol level than the non-flushed groups (N,NE) from 30 to 120 min after drinking. Blood lactate concentration in WE group was elevated immediately after exercise and returned to the resting level at 60 min after exercise. Ethanol increased blood lactate level from 30 to 120 min after ethanol drinking, Exercise after ethanol ingestion produced a sharp increase and then drop in blood lactate level which was stilled significantly higher than the resting level all the way through 120 min. Blood glucose concentration was decreased at 15 min after exercise. Ethanol-administered groups except F group showed a steady decrease in blood glucose level from 30 through 120 min. Heart rate was elevated by ethanol only in the flushed groups. Heart rate in F group was significantly increased at 4 min after ethanol and was maintained at high level until 120 min. In WE and NE groups, heart rate was significantly increased immediately after exercise and returned to the resting level at 60 min. The FE group, however, showed a consistently elevated heart rate throughout the 120-min experimental period. Taken together, the exercise alone produced a delayed ethanol absorption, a prompt increase in heart rate and blood lactate level and a decrease in blood glucose level early in the recovery period from exercise. After ethanol administration, blood lactate was elevated and blood glucose was lowered from 30 to 120 min. Flushed subjects showed rapid increase in heart rate after ethanol drinking and higher blood ethanol level than non-flushed ones from 30 to 120 min after drinking.