• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.397-403
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• 2015

Heavy metals reduce the photosynthetic efficiency and disrupt metabolic reactions in a concentration-dependent manner. Moreover, by replacing the metal ions in metalloproteins that use essential metal ions, such as Cu, Zn, Mn, and Fe, as co-factors, heavy metals ultimately lead to the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). These, in turn, cause destruction of the cell membrane through lipid peroxidation, and eventually cause the plant to necrosis. Given the aforementioned factors, this study was aimed to understand the physiological responses of rice to cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) toxicity and the effect of essential metal ions on homeostasis. In order to confirm the level of physiological inhibition caused by heavy metal toxicity, hydroponically grown rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. Dongjin) plants were exposed with $0-50{\mu}M$ cadmium (Cd, $CdCl_2$) and arsenic (As, $NaAsO_2$) at 3-leaf stage, and then investigated malondialdehyde (MDA) contents after 7 days of the treatment. With increasing concentrations of Cd and As, the MDA content in leaf blade and root increased with a consistent trend. At 14 days after treatment with $30{\mu}M$ Cd and As, plant height showed no significant difference between Cd and As, with an identical reduction. However, As caused a greater decline than Cd for shoot fresh weight, dry weight, and water content. The largest amounts of Cd and As were found in the roots and also observed a large amount of transport to the leaf sheath. Interestingly, in terms of Cd transfer to the shoot parts of the plant, it was only transported to upper leaf blades, and we did not detect any Cd in lower leaf blades. However, As was transferred to a greater level in lower leaf blades than in upper leaf blades. In the roots, Cd inhibited Zn absorption, while As inhibited Cu uptake. Furthermore, in the leaf sheath, while Cd and As treatments caused no change in Cu homeostasis, they had an antagonist effect on the absorption of Zn. Finally, in both upper and lower leaf blades, Cd and As toxicity was found to inhibit absorption of both Cu and Zn. Based on these results, it would be considered that heavy metal toxicity causes an increase in lipid peroxidation. This, in turn, leads to damage to the conductive tissue connecting the roots, leaf sheath, and leaf blades, which results in a reduction in water content and causes several physiological alterations. Furthermore, by disrupting homeostasis of the essential metal ions, Cu and Zn, this causes complete heavy metal toxicity.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.347-360
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• 2015

Trace metals(As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Pb and Zn) concentrations in surface sediments of Jinhae bay in August of 2013 were measured to investigate the characteristics of trace metals distribution and to evaluate the metal pollution. Assessment for metal pollution was carried out using the sediment quality guidelines(SQGs) such as threshold effects level(TEL) and probable effects level(PEL) proposed by the ministry of onceans and fisheries(MOF) in Korea and geochemical assessment techniques(enrichment factor(EF) and geoaccumulation index ($I_{geo}$)). The mean concentration of trace metals in the sediments are as follows: 11.1 mg/kg for As, 0.52 mg/kg for Cd, 14.1 mg/kg for Co, 69.8 mg/kg for Cr, 57.2 mg/kg for Cu, 3.7 % for Fe, 0.064 mg/kg for Hg, 600 mg/kg for Mn, 40.1 mg/kg for Pb, 167.2 mg/kg for Zn. The spatial distributions of As, Co, Cr and Fe were not distinguished clearly in whole area. However, Cd, Hg, Pb and Zn were high in northern area of bay, and Cu and Mn were high in southeastern and eastern area of bay, respectively. The distribution pattern of trace metals, correlation matrix and R-mode factor analyses results revealed that the distribution of trace metals were mainly effected by the sediment grain size(Co, Cr and Fe), redox condition of sediments(Mn) and anthropogenic factors(As, Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb and Zn). Comparing the concentrations of several trace metals(As, Cd, Cr, Hg and Pb) with SQGs from Korea(TEL and PEL), the concentrations of Hg, Cd and Pb in sediment of northern area of bay were higher than TEL. EF and $I_{geo}$ values of As, Cd, Cu, Hg, Mn, Pb and Zn showed that these metals in sediments are enriched by anthropogenic activities in some areas, and pollution status for Cd, Hg and Pb in northern area and Cu in southeastern area of bay were concerned about current level, although those for As, Mn and Zn were not.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.31-37
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• 1987

Mulberry leaf sprayed on at the various concentrations of cadmium (Cd) was fed on the just molted fifth instar through the 6th day of the fifth instar and content of cadmium and zinc in the feces, organs and tissues involved were analyzed by spectrophotometer. Along with the effect of those heavy metals on development of the relevant organs and tissues sexwise. 1. The residual content of cadmium on mulberry leaf was about 50% of the total cadmium and the weight of feces disposed from the cadmium fed larvae was less than the control. There was distinctive differences in female-wise disposal of feces between cadmium treatment and control ; cadmium treatment female larvae disposed less feces than female of control. 2. Fourteen percent of the total dry weight of the anterior plus the middle silkgland and of the posterior silkgland in cadmium 100ppm treatment was decreased in female but only 9% of the anterior plus middle silkgland in male was made, showing no decrease the weight of the posterior silkgland in male. 3. Decrease of the dry weight of the silkgland, fat body and hindgut was made in cadmium 100ppm treatment and contrarily the weight of midgut and malphihian tube were increased. The total larval weight of the female and male were decreasd in cadmium 100ppm treatment and the decreasing ratio was higher in famale. 4. There wasa no detection of cadmium in all of the organs and tissues of the control and in those of the cadmium treatment the high residual content was in order of the midgut, hindgut, malphighian tube and head. A slight accumulation of cadmium was shown in fat body and silkgland. 5. Cadmium accumulation in the midgut was higher than in female but in the fat body, malphighian tube, trachea and integument was contrarily high in the female than male. 6. The total zinc content of the larvae was below 60ppm in the control and 80ppm in cadmium 100ppm treantment. The increase of zinc content in cadmium treatment was made on silkgland, malphigian tube and midgut but contrarily the decrease of zinc content in fat body was resulted. 7. In cadmium treatment, much more cadmium accumulation took place in the female and zinc accumulation was made much more in the male.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.71-80
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• 2012

Vinca alkaloids produced from Catharanthus roseus are one of the most important natural product drugs in treatments of human cancers. These anticancer drugs are derived from coupling of the two monomeric indole alkaloids, catharanthine and vindoline. In order to investigate vindoline biosynthesis, tabersonine-$CD_3$ 1a is synthesized to use as a deuterium labeled precursor, which is distinguished clearly from the natural counterpart. We show that these deuterium labeled tabersonine 1a are successfully incorporated into the vindoline biosynthetic pathway to yield three deuterated vindoline intermediates. 16-Hydroxytabersonine-$CD_3$ (m/z 356) 2a, 16-Methoxytabersonine-$CD_3$ (m/z 370) 3a, 16-Methoxy-2,3-dihydro-3-hydroxytabersonine-$CD_3$ (m/z 388) 4a are produced from the cell suspension culture measured by UPLC/MS at 5 and 13 days after feeding tabersonine. The conversion rates from 1a to 2a and 2a to 3a are fast, whereas that from 3a to 4a is much slower. This indicates that the rate determining step among the first three vindoline biosynthesis is the last step. As a result of the slow conversion rate from 3a to 4a, the accumulation level of 16-Methoxytabersonine-$CD_3$ 3a is significantly increased up to 13 days. The accumulation ratio among 2a, 3a and 4a is 1, 2 and 0.1 at 5 days. However, the peaks of desacetoxyvindoline-$CD_3$ 5a, deacetylvindoline-$CD_3$ 6a and vindoline-$CD_3$ 7a are not found from the cell extracts even after 13 days of incubation which may indicate no presence of their corresponding enzymes.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetic Resonance Society
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.41-49
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• 1998

A linear undecapeptide, Substance P (SP) is involved in a wide variety of physiological processes such as pain, inflammation, salivation, and hypertension. Tertiary structure of SP in dodecylphosphocholine (DPC) micelles has been investigated by CD, NMR spectroscopy, and DGII calculation. CD spectrum of SP in the presence of 7.5 mM DPC micelles does not show any favorable secondary structure. The tertiary structure determined by NMR spectroscopy and DGII calculation shows that the Phe7-Phr8-Gly9-Leu10 region adopts a turn structure, while the N-terminal region is quite flexible. Both prolines in SP exist preferentially as the trans isoforms and the aromatic ring of Phe7 protrudes outward. Conformation of SP may be restrained by the contact of the Phe7 aromatic ring with the hydrophobic side chains of the DPC micelles and this interaction induces a turn structure. Structure of SP in aqueous solution in the presence of DPC micelles can represent a good model to study the conformation recognized by the receptor near neutral membrane.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.293-298
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• 2001

The toxicity values heavy metals were evaluated by immobilization and chronic reproduction impairment tests, using Daphnia magna. Acute tests were evaluated by the inhibition of their mobilization after 24hrs without food addition. The tests of reproductive impairment were investigated for 21 days by food addition and exchange or water. The effect of each concentration was assessed by Probit analysis and t-test. The results obtained from this study were as follows : 1) The change of pH and DO was not significant in the acute tests, while, in the reproductive tests, pH was increased by 0.3~1.4 and DO also increased. 2) The $E_iC_{50}$ values of immobilization to Daphnia magna in artificial fresh water were $0.030mg/{\ell}(Cu),\;0.054mg/{\ell}(Cd),\;0.12mg/{\ell};(Cr),\;0.74mg/{\ell}(Pb),\;3.4mg/ {\ell}(As)$ and the $NOE_iC$ values were $0.010mg/{\ell}(Cu),\;0.018mg/{\ell}(Cd),\;0.010mg/{\ell}(Cr),\;0.10mg/{\ell}(Pb),\;and\;$1.8mg/{\ell}(As)$. 3) The $E_rC_{50}$ values of reproductive impairment to Daphnia magna were $13.8\mu\textrm{g}/{\ell}(Cu),\;2.9\mu\textrm{g}/{\ell}(Cd),\;15.5\mu\textrm{g}/{\ell}(Cr),\;61.7\mu\textrm{g}/{\ell}(Pb),\;759\mu\textrm{g}/{\ell}(As)$, and $NOE_rC$ values were $0.95\mu\textrm{g}/{\ell}(Cu),\;$0.54\mu\textrm{g}/{\ell}(Cd),\;1.2\mu\textrm{g}/{\ell}(Cd),\;$7.4\mu\textrm{g}/{\ell}(Pb),\;110mu\textrm{g}/{\ell}(As)$. The results of tests using OECD artificial culture water were more sensitive than natural water for culturing. The presented data show that an artificial culture water is suitable in the experiment of bioassay for assessing the toxicity of marterials.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.14-18
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• 2004

This study was aimed at searching for the wintering Cd hyperaccumulators as the life cycle of existing hyperaccumulators were mostly from spring to early winter season. The wintering hyperaccumulators can be effective for saving time loss during the winter. A pot experiment was conducted to search for hyperaccumulators through out the native wintering plants. Seven species of native wintering plants were applied; Bromus catharticus, Oxatis corniculata, Festuca rubra, Thlaspi. arvense, Agastache rrgosa, Viola seoulensis, and Patrinia rapestris. Among them, Bromus catharticus and Thlaspi arvense were selected as Cd hyperaccumulators; the two plants accumulated 112.35 and $86.69mg\;kg^{-1}$ of Cd in the shoot, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.18 no.7
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• pp.379-383
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• 2008

We report on the light-emitting diode (LED) characteristics of core-shell CdSe/ZnS nanocrystal quantum dots (QDs) embedded in $TiO_2$thin films on a Si substrate. A simple p-n junction could be formed when nanocrystal QDs on a p-type Si substrate were embedded in ${\sim}5\;nm$ thick $TiO_2$ thin film, which is inherently an n-type semiconductor. The $TiO_2$ thin film was deposited over QDs at $200^{\circ}C$ using plasma-enhanced metallorganic chemical vapor deposition. The LED structure of $TiO_2$/QDs/Si showed typical p-n diode currentvoltage and electroluminescence characteristics. The colloidal core-shell CdSe/ZnS QDs were synthesized via pyrolysis in the range of $220-280^{\circ}C$. Pyrolysis conditions were optimized through systematic studies as functions of synthesis temperature, reaction time, and surfactant amount.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.7
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• pp.3043-3050
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• 2015

The tumor microenvironment (TME) includes numerous non-neoplastic cells such as leukocytes and fibroblasts that surround the neoplasm and influence its growth. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and cancerassociated fibroblasts (CAFs) are documented as key players in facilitating cancer appearance and progression. Alteration of the macrophage (CD68, CD163) and fibroblast (${\alpha}-SMA$, FSP-1) cells in Opisthorchis viverrini (Ov) -induced cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) was here assessed using liver tissues from an established hamster model and from 43 human cases using immunohistochemistry. We further investigated whether M2-activated TAMs influence CCA cell migration ability by wound healing assay and Western blot analysis. Macrophages and fibroblasts change their phenotypes to M2-TAMs (CD68+, CD163+) and CAFs (${\alpha}-SMA+$, FSP-1+), respectively in the early stages of carcinogenesis. Interestingly, a high density of the M2-TAMs CCA in patients is significantly associated with the presence of extrahepatic metastases (p=0.021). Similarly, CD163+ CCA cells are correlated with metastases (p=0.002), and they may be representative of an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) with increased metastatic activity. We further showed that M2-TAM conditioned medium can induce CCA cell migration as well as increase N-cadherin expression (mesenchymal marker). The present work revealed that significant TME changes occur at an early stage of Ov-induced carcinogenesis and that M2-TAMs are key factors contributing to CCA metastasis, possibly via EMT processes.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.97-103
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• 1990

For this study, I used the urine of 100 dental laboratroy technicians and 24 students in Chonbuk region. The purposes of this study were to investigate concentrations of cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni) and chromium (Cr) in the air of dental laboratories. The results were as follows: 1. The concentrations of Cd is 0.0115mg/m$^{3}$ in the porcelain part, 0.0090mg/m$^{3}$ in the polishing part, that of Ni is 0.2864mg/m$^{3}$ in the porcelain part, 0.3188mg/m$^{3}$ in the polishing part, that of Cr is 0.0448mg/m$^{3}$ in the porcelain part, 0.1032mg/m$^{3}$ in the polishing part. 2. The concentrations of Cd, Ni and Cr in the technicians urine are 3.06 $\mu$g/l, 44.55 $\mu$g/l and 14.58 $\mu$g/l. Those of students, urine as the control group are 1.93 $\mu$g/l, 19.05 $\mu$g/l and 7.48 $\mu$g/l. There is significant difference between experimental group and control group (P < 0.01). 3. Watching for age and working place, 31-40 years age group reveals the highest group in the concentrations of Cd. Over 41 year age group represents the highest group in the concentrations of Ni and Cr (P < 0.01) The concentration of Cd turns up the highest in the partial part and that of Ni and Cr appears the highest in the polishing part (P < 0.01). Looking into working age, over 7 year group is the highest group in the concentrations of all investigated (P < 0.05).