• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.14-21
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• 2019

Objective: The usual seminal profile has been customarily used for diagnosing male infertility based on an examination of semen samples. However, sperm DNA fragmentation has also been causally linked to reproductive failure, suggesting that it should be evaluated as part of male infertility assessments. To compare the ability of the five most widely utilized methodologies of measuring DNA fragmentation to predict male infertility and reactive oxygen species by Oxisperm kit assay. Methods: In this case-control study, which received ethical committee approval, the participants were divided into fertile and infertile groups (50 patients in each group). Results: The alkaline comet test showed the best ability to predict male infertility, followed by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL) assay, the sperm chromatin dispersion (SCD) test, and the sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA), while the neutral comet test had no predictive power. For our patient population, the projected cut-off point for the DNA fragmentation index was 22.08% using the TUNEL assay, 19.90% using SCSA, 24.74% using the SCD test, 48.47% using the alkaline comet test, and 36.37% using the neutral comet test. Significant correlations were found between the results of the SCD test and those obtained using SCSA and TUNEL (r = 0.70 and r = 0.68, respectively; p< 0.001), and a statistically significant correlation was also found between the results of SCSA and the TUNEL assay (r = 0.77, p< 0.001). Likewise, the results of the alkaline comet test showed significant correlations with those of the SCD, SCSA, and TUNEL tests (r = 0.59, r = 0.57, and r = 0.72, respectively; p< 0.001). Conclusion: The TUNEL assay, SCSA, SCD, and the alkaline comet test were effective for distinguishing between fertile and infertile patients, and the alkaline comet test was the best predictor of male infertility.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.906-911
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• 1999

This study was to determine whether DNA 'Comet Assay' can be applied to the detection of grains irradiated with low doses of Co-60 gamma radiation. Sesame, perilla, wheat, barley and rice were exposed to different doses of 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 and 1.0 kGy. The cells isolated from the samples were embedded in a agarose gel on a microscope slide, lysed in lysis solution, and subjected to electrophoresis. DNA and its fragments migrated in the gel produced the characteristic pattern of DNA comet, of which the tail length was measured in a microscope. All the samples irradiated at 0.3 kGy and higher were applicable to detect post-irradiation by the tail length of their comets. Irradiated samples showed comets with long tails and their tail length increased with the dose, while unirradiated samples showed no or very short tails. Especially, sesame, perilla and wheat irradiated at 0.1 kGy could be distinguished from unirradiated samples by visual inspection of the slide in a microscope. Thus, DNA 'Comet Assay' might be applied to the detection of irradiated grains as a simple, inexpensive and rapid screening test.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.79-84
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• 2004

Three synthetic chemicals, benzoyl chloride, 2-propyn-l-ol, and 2-phenoxy ethanol were selected for genotoxicity testing, based on production quantity and available genotoxic data. In our previous report, benzoyl chloride induced chromosomal aberrations in Chinese hamster lung (CHL) fibroblast in vitro with and without metabolic activation, while 2-propyn-l-ol and 2-phenoxy ethanol induced only with metabolic activation. To compare the genotoxicity of chromosome aberration assay, the single cell gel electrophoresis (comet) assay subjected using CHL cells. As a result, statistically significant differences of tail moment values of benzoyl chloride, 2-propyn-1-ol, and 2-phenoxy ethanol were observed compared with control values on almost all concentrations with S9 or without S9 metabolic activation system. This results suggest that genotoxic results of the comet assay and the chromosome aberration assay show correlationship of genotoxicity in the CHL fibroblast. In summary, the positive result of chromosome aberration of benzoyl chloride, 2-propyn-l-ol, and 2-phenoxy ethanol was also induced DNA damages in comet assay with same cell line. Consequently, comet assay will be useful and more accurate tool to detect and to confirm the genotoxicity especially DNA damages in CHL fibroblast.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.440-447
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• 2004

In this study the in vitro protective effects of several antioxidant vitamins (vitamin C, $\alpha$-tocopherol, $\beta$-carotene), fruits and vegetables (strawberry, tangerine, orange and 100％ orange juice, carrot juice), on the levels of isolated human lymphocyte DNA damage was measured using Comet assay. Comet assay has been used widely to assess the level of the DNA damage in the individual cells. Lymphocytes were pre-treated for 30 minutes with antioxidant vitamins (10, 50, 100, 500 $\mu$M) or fruits$.$vegetables (10, 100, 500, 1000 $\mu$g/ml), an4 then oxidatively challenged with 100 $\mu$M $H_2O$$_2$ for 5 min at 4$^{\circ}C$. The protective effect of antioxidant vitamins against DNA damage at a concentration of 50 $\mu$M were 50％ in vitamin C, 32％ in $\alpha$-tocopherol, whereas, fJ-carotene showed a 55％ protection at a dose as low as 10 $\mu$M. The inhibitory effects of DNA damage by strawberry, tangerine, orange, orange juices, carrot juices were 50 - 60％ with wide ranges of doses. The results of the present study indicate that most the antioxidant vitamins and fruits$.$vegetables juices produced a significant reduction in oxidative DNA damage.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.70.1-70.1
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• 2017

We reexamine the Goryeosa (History of the Goryeo Dynasty, A.D. 918-1392) account that Halley's Comet was seen during the daytime on September 9, 1222. To verify whether the referenced "daytime" refers to twilight or daylight (i.e., when the Sun is above horizon), we determine the absolute magnitude and heliocentric power-law exponent for Halley's Comet using observations made around the perihelion in 1986 and a formula considering the brightness enhancement by forward-scattering. We then apply the results to estimate the light curve of Halley's Comet in the 1222 event and find that the total visible magnitude could reach a maximum of -1.7 on September 8, one day before the Goryeosa's account. Therefore, we think that Halley's Comet with a coma of -1.7 mag and tail-length of about $20^{\circ}$ was actually observed during the day on September 9 because the observational conditions on that day were so good that Venus was visible in daylight. Furthermore, we think that the event might have been witnessed in the morning sky because the contents of Venus's culmination (occurred around September 9.07 TT) continue on the same day account.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.196-201
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• 2003

Sessile organisms such as the oyster Crassostrea gigas have been given much attention as a potential biomonitoring indicator to assess the impact of toxicants on aquatic organism. In this study, we exposed cells isolated from gill of oyster (Crassostrea gigas) to hydrogen peroxide in vitro. In addition oysters were in vivo exposed to pyrene and benzo(a)pyrene at various concentrations for 2 weeks. Comet assay was used to detect DNA single strand breaks and to investigate the application of this technique as a tool for aquatic biomonitoring. Hydrogen peroxide increased DNA single strand break with increasing concentration after 30 minutes exposure in vitro. Pyrene and benzo(a)pyrene caused DNA damage only at very high concentration (100 $\mu\textrm{g}$/L or 1000 $\mu\textrm{g}$/L) at two week exposure in vivo. DNA damage was relatively higher at hemocyte than at gill. It suggested that metabolized PAHs are transferred to hemolymph from digestive gland which have a relatively high enzyme activity, and attacked the DNA of hemocyte, while gill accumulated PAHs without degrading them to their metabolites due to low enzyme activity at gill. Both in vitro and in vivo exposure experiments showed that the comet assay is an effective tool on screening whether the organism are exposed to genotoxic contaminants.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.57-72
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• 1989

A total of 80 photographs on 29 nights and another total of 44(22 each in B and V) photoelectric observations on 6 nights are secured for P/Halley(1982 ⅰ) for seven months before and after the perihelion passage. The photographic observations have been mode at different places depending on the position of the comet and the development of the tail, while the photoelectric observations were made only with 61-cm reflector at Yonsei University Observatory(YUO). Four most representative photographs are presented only to illustrate the remarkable features of the comet. The second one of these shows a coma with a possible flash activity on 1985 SEPT. 18.56 UT. The third one shows the largest tail recorded among our plates, and the last one prepresents unusual record made on northern hemisphere at a latitude as high as about $33^{circ}$12' N on the occasion of the comet's second perigee on 1976 APR. 11.6 UT. Photoelectric observations, on the other hand, determine the V and B-V of the total and the coma of the comet before its perihelion passage, and exhibit the light variations of 0m.6 in V in an hour and a half. Two new sets of m and n, one before and the other after the perihelion passage, determined based on the collected data, but the values are dissimilar one another significantly.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.67.1-67.1
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• 2014

Comets are mysterious travelers from outer Solar System. It is considered that comets loose their subsurface ice once they were injected into a snow-line of the solar system, at the same time, develop adiathermic dust layers on the surface in a time scale of ~10,000 years. They eventually become inactive (see also the presentation by Yoonyoung Kim et al.). Optical similarity between comets and asteroids in comet-like orbits suggests the existence of such dormant or inactive comets supporting the evolutionary scenario. However, unforeseen accidents cast a misgiving to modify the stereotype. A periodic comet, 17P/Holmes, is known as comet with very low activity before 2007. However, the comet suddenly exhibited an outburst in 2007 October, which is known as the most energetic cometary outburst since the beginning of modern astronomy. On the other hand, another periodic comet, P/2010 V1, was not known before 2010 November probably because of low activity and discovered while it experienced outburst. We investigated the time-evolution of the magnitudes and the morphological developments based on the dynamical theory of dust grains, and derived the energy per unit mass of ~10,000 J/kg. From these observational evidences, we suggest that crystallization of buried amorphous ice (even in low-activity comets) can be responsible for the dramatic cometary outbursts.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.45.1-45.1
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• 2019

Comet 46P/Wirtanen is a Jupiter-family comet whose orbital period is of approximately 5.44 years and perihelion lying at about 1.06 au. The comet is known for being a primary target of the Rosetta space mission prior to it being rescheduled to 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. In its 2018 apparition, comet 46P approached Earth within ~0.08 au, which made possible its study with relatively small telescopes. We used this rare opportunity to conduct a comprehensive study of the 46P polarization from November 16, 2018, about a month prior to its perihelion passage December 12, until January 17, 2019. Over this two-month time period, weather conditions were favorable on 13 nights. Observations were made with the 22-cm telescope located at the Ussuriysk Astrophysical Observatory (code C15), which operates within the International Scientific Optical Network (ISON). We will report our findings at the conference.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.323-326
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• 2002

Ionizing radiation can be used to sanitize herbs contaminated by various microorganisms. However, health concerns related to irradiation damage to complex molecules in plants necessitate that methods be developed to monitor such damage. To elucidate DNA damage of herbs caused by irradiation, the DNA comet assay was used for Astragalus membranaceus Bunge and Havenia dulcis Thumb, irradiated at 1, 5, 7, and 10 kGy. With increasing irradiation doses, the tails of comets became longer with average tail length increasing from 17 (non-irradiated) to 124 (10 kGy) $\mu$m in Astragalus membranaceus Bunge. Above 7 kGy, some of the tails were separated from the heads of comets. Distribution patterns of the tail length of In comets selected randomly in the irradiated herbs were analyzed to quantify the DNA damage. These results clearly suggest that the DNA comet assay is an effective and inexpensive tool for the detection of irradiation damage to DNA in herbs.