• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
• /
• v.36 no.6
• /
• pp.851-856
• /
• 2004

Minerals separated from irradiated dried red pepper (whole) at 2.5 kGy or higher showed typical thermoluminescence (TL) glow curves ($TL_1$) at around $150^{\circ}C$, which increased with irradiation dose. The TL ratio ($TL_1/TL_2$) through re-irradiation step at 1 kGy enhanced reliability of TL identification results. DNA comet assay indicated that the intact cell was observed in non-irradiated pepper (seed), while some long tails were found in irradiated ones, showing relationship between irradiation dose and tail length. Log DEPT/APC values increased in proportion to irradiation doses in powdered and whole peppers. Based on overall results, irradiated dried red peppers could be screened using DNA comet assay or log DEFT/APC, and moreover the identification results were verified by TL analysis.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.71-77
• /
• 1997

The single cell gel electrophoressis(SCGE) assay, also known as the comet assay, is a rapid, simple, visual and sensitive technique for measuring and analysing DNA breakage in mammalian cells. The SCGE or comet assay is a promising test for the detection of DNA damage and repair in individnal cells. It has widespread potential applications in DNA damage and repair studies, genotoxicity testing and biomonitoring. In this microgel electrophoresis technique, cells are embedded in agarose gel on microscope slides, iysed and electrophoresed under alkaline conditions. Cells with increased DNA damage display increased migration of DNA from the nucleus towards the anode. The length of DNA migration indicates the amount of DNA breakage in the cell. The comet assay is also capable of identifying apoptotic cells which contain highly fragmented DNA. Here we review the development of the SCGE assay, existing protocols for the detection and analysis of comets, the relevant underlying principles determining the behaviour of DNA and the potential applications of the technique.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
• /
• v.37 no.1
• /
• pp.98.2-98.2
• /
• 2012

It has been speculated that there could be dormant or extinct comets in the list of known asteroids, which appear asteroidal but are icy bodies originating from outer solar system. However, little is known about the existence of such objects not only because of their complicated chaotic orbits but also because of the limited physical and chemical information. AKARI infrared space mission gave us brand-new albedo catalog of Near Earth Objects, which clues in a better understanding of dark asteroids using both albedo data and dynamical models could be possible. Dark Asteroids with low () albedos are thought to be dormant or extinct comet candidates due to its similar albedo values with comet nucleus. In addition to this, dynamical models indicate that candidate cometary objects have Tisserand parameter. Based on both observational and dynamical criteria, we obtained 196 dark asteroids lists. We numerically integrated backward their orbits using the N-body code Mercury6 (Chambers 1999) during 10 million years to track the past orbits of bodies. We picked out 14 comet candidates that show abnormal orbits in the past by analyzing orbital elements among 196 candidates. From the dynamical evolution simulations, we finally obtained 3 most-likely comet candidates; 944Hidalgo,2006QL39,andP/SidingSpring.Twoofthemareconsistent with past research; P/Siding Spring is a known comet and 944 Hidalgo is a most-likely comet candidate in asteroid populations. Since they all have stable orbits in nowadays although they have unstable orbit in the past, we could conclude that they may be not active comets but dormant or extinct comets.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
• /
• v.35 no.2
• /
• pp.52.2-52.2
• /
• 2010

107P/(4015) Wilson-Harrington is one of possible candidates of the dormant or inactive comet nuclei. It was discovered on a photographic plate exposed with the 48-inch Schmidt at Palomar Observatory on 1949 November 19 UT, displaying the faint extended cometary tail. No comet activity has not been after 1949 apparition. Here we present the optical observations of 107P/(4015) Wilson - Harrington during 2009/2010 apparition taken in search of low-level comet activity. Our photometric and spectroscopic data were collected 28 - 86 days after the perihelion passage on 2009 October 22 in a wide range of solar phase angle of 39-68 degree. A disk-integrated phase function was constructed, giving a geometric albedo of 0.055+/-0.012, phase integral of q=0.34, and Bond albedo of A_B=0.019. The photometric property shows profile similar to low albedo asteroids and comet nuclei. Any emission lines were found in our spectrum, giving a flat reflectance similar to low albedo asteroids. Although we could not find any evidence for the comet activity in our photometric and spectroscopic data, we found an upper limit of the fractional active area of 0.001%. We derived the upper limit of the optical depth of the dust trail and tail 7x10^{-10}. We conclude that 107P/(4015)Wilson-Harrington became completely dormant or inactive in 2009/2010 return.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
• /
• v.29 no.1
• /
• pp.23-30
• /
• 2011

In this study, the Comet assay (evaluation of DNA damage) used the fish hepatocellular carinoma cell, PLHC-1, was tried to the sediment extract obtained from freshwater to understand its applicability as a tool for monitoring sediment toxicity. In parallel, induced EROD (7-ethoxyresorufin- O-deethylase) activity and DNA damage (TEM values) in PLHC-1 cells were measured for establishing the tandem endpoints of the PLHC-1cell test to test the ecotoxicity of sediment. Among several study sites in a small river passed through downtown and industrial park area, one of them, site B, showed a higher level of EROD activity and DNA damage than other sites. It indicates that a tandem endpoints of PLHC-1 cells could be useful tools for assessing the toxicity of sediment. The sensitivity of Comet assay with PLHC-1 cells was a little higher than that with a blood cell of frog tadpoles to the solvent extract of sediment. According to the results, a PLHC-1 cell-Comet assay could be used as a useful tool for evaluating ecotoxicity of the freshwater sediment. In addition, more detailed studies are needed to the contaminated site.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
• /
• v.39 no.1
• /
• pp.67.2-67.2
• /
• 2014

Comet nucleus is a solid body consisting of dark dust grains and ice. Cometary volatiles sublimate from subsurface layer by solar heating, leaving behind large dust grains on the surface. Eventually, the appearance could turn into asteroidal rather than cometary. It is, therefore, expected that there would be "dormant comets" in the list of known asteroids. Our research group has undertaken the research on the population of dormant comets. We applied a brand-new asteroidal catalog compiled from data garnered by three infrared astronomical observatories, AKARI, IRAS and WISE. We extracted objects which have comet-like orbits on the basis of their orbital properties (Tisserand parameters with respect to Jupiter, TJ, and aphelion distance, Q). We found that (1) there are a considerable number (>100) of asteroids in comet-like orbits, and (2) 80% of them have low albedo consistent with comets. This result suggest that these low albedo objects could be dormant comets. One unanticipated finding is that 20% of asteroids in comet-like orbit have high albedo similar to S-type asteroids. It is difficult to explain the population of S-type asteroids in comet-like orbits by the classical mechanics theory. We further found that these high-albedo objects are small (D < 2 km) bodies distributed in near-Earth space. We suggest that such high-albedo, small, near-Earth asteroids are susceptible to Yarkovsky effect and injected into comet-like orbits.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
• /
• v.5 no.2
• /
• pp.126-132
• /
• 2009

The usage and types of chemicals are advancing, specializing, large-scaled increasing, and new chemical exposed workers are concerning to occupational disease. The generation of reactive oxygen in the body from carcinogen, mutation and DNA damage in cancer is protected by natural antioxidants (phytochemicals) with antimutagenic effect. There were many reports of ginsenoside Rb$_1$, Rg$_1$ grievances of the genetic mutation to suppress the effect confirm the genetic toxicity test with chromosomal aberration test and the Comet (SCGE) assay confirmed the suppression effect occurring chromosomal DNA damage. We had wanted to evaluate the compatibility and sensitivity between the chromosomal aberration (CA) test and the Comet assay. We used the CA test and Comet assay to evaluate the anti-genotoxicity of ginsenoside Rb$_1$ and Rg$_1$, in CHO-K1 (Chinese hamster ovary fibroblast) cell in vitro, composed negative control (solvent), positive control (benzo[a]pyrene), test group (carcinogen+variety concentration of ginsenoside) group. The positive control was benzo[a]pyrene (50 $\mu$M), well-known carcinogen, and the negative control was the 1 % DMSO solvent. The test group was a variety concentration of ginsenoside Rb$_1$, Rg$_1$ with 10$^{-8}$%, 10$^{-6}$%, 10$^{-4}$%, 10$^{-2}$%, 1%, 10%. In chromo-somal aberration test, we measured the number of cells with abnormally structured chromosome. In Comet assay, the Olive tail moment (OTM) and Tail length (TL) values were measured. The ratio of cell proliferation was increased 8.3% in 10$^{-8}$%, 10$^{-6}$%, 10$^{-4}$%, 10$^{-2}$%, 1%, 10% Rb$_1$ treated groups, and increased 10.4% in 10$^{-10}$%, 10$^{-8}$%, 10$^{-6}$%, 10$^{-4}$%, 10$^{-2}$%, 1% Rg$_1$ treated groups. In the CA test, the number of chromosomal aberration was decreased all the Rb$_1$ and Rg$_1$ treated groups. In the Comet assay, the OTM values were decreased in all the Rb$_1$ and Rg$_1$ treated groups. To evaluate the compatibility between CA and Comet assay, we compared the reducing ratio of chromosomal abnormalities with its OTM values, it was identified the antimutagenicity of ginsenoside, but it was more sensitive the CA test than the Comet assay. Ginsenoside Rb$_1$ and Rg$_1$ significantly decrease the number of cells with chromosomal aberration, and decrease the extent of DNA migration. Therefore, ginsenoside Rb$_1$, Rg$_1$ are thought as an antioxidant phytochemicals to protect mutagenicity. The in vitro Comet assay seems to be less sensitive than the in vitro chromosomal aberration test.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.30 no.6
• /
• pp.1076-1081
• /
• 2001

Gamma-irradiated peanuts, Korean and Chinese origins, were investigated on detection properties by thermoluminescence (TL), electron spin resonance (ESR), and DNA comet assay (single cell gel electrophoresis). TL measurement showed that the non-irradiated sample revealed a glow curve with low intensity at about 25$0^{\circ}C$, while the irradiated samples showed higher intensity around at 18$0^{\circ}C$. TL ratio (TL$_1$/TL$_2$) of area for TL$_1$ glow curve to TL$_2$ was below 0.05 for the non-irradiated sample and 0.2 or more for the irradiated ones, thus identifying each other. ESR spectroscopy for the irradiated peanuts using outer skin showed negligible signals induced by irradiation, indicating ESR is little applicable to the detection of irradiated peanuts. In DNA comet assay, the non-sample had no or very short tails, whereas the irradiated samples revealed the cells with long tails. Significance in the increase of their lengths depending on irradiation dose (r=0.761/Korean, r=0.768/Chinese) was also found. There was no remarkable difference in detection properties by origins of samples in all determinations, It is concluded that TL analysis or DNA comet assay is suitable for detection of irradiated peanuts and a combined method is recommendable for enhancing the reliability of detection results.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
• /
• v.24 no.3
• /
• pp.227-234
• /
• 2007

A comet that passes extremely close to the Sun at perihelion is called a sungrazing comet (of sungrazer). Around 1270 sungrazing comets have been discovered on coronagraph images from the SOHO (SOlar and Heliospheric Observatory) spacecraft since 1996 up to April, 2007. The major groups orbiting around the Sun in similar orbits are named as Kreutz, Meyer, Marsden, and Kracht 1&2 families. About 85% of SOHO comets belong to the Kreutz family with perihelion on distances of less than about $2{\sim}3R_{\bigodot}$. The distributions of perihelia and the orbital elements of SOHO sungrazing comets are analyzed. We investigated closely spaced pairs and clusters in the orbital element space. Here, we suggest three prospective groups of the sungrazing cornets: [(C/2000 Y6, C/2000 Y7), (C/2000 V4, C/2001 T5), (C/2003 H6, C/2003 H7)].

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.29 no.6
• /
• pp.1025-1029
• /
• 2000

This study was conducted to investigate whether a DNA comet assay could be applied for identifying irradiated pork and beef. Pork and beef were irradiated with Co-60 gamma rays at 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 and 1.0 kGy, and stored in a freezer Cells separated from the samples were embedded in agarose gel on a slide, dissolved in a lysis solution, and electrophoresed at 2 V/cm for 2.0 min by horizontal electrophoesis. The cells were then stained with a silver staining in order to visualize the DNA using a micro-scope. The DNA fragments of the irradiated cells stretched or migrated out of the cells and formed tails towards the anode, giving the appearance of comets, while unirradiated cells formed very short or no tails. The distance of DNA migration increased with irradiation dose. Since the statistical analysis showed a significant correlation between tail length and irradiation dose, a DNA comet assay could provide not only identification but also estimation of the irradiation dose for irradiated beef and pork.