• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.297-304
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• 2011

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are a class of "brominated" (bromine containing) man-made chemicals used as flame retardant additives in plastics, foams, and textiles. PBDEs are found in various environmental contaminants in air, soil, sediment, and water, and 209 individual forms (congeners) of PBDE exist. Among these, 2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47) is the dominant congener found in the environment. Exposure to BDE-47 is now worldwide, and levels of BDE-47 have been detected in the blood of animals, including humans. BDE-47 can adversely affect the developmental system in both humans and animals. BDEs have structural similarities to polychlorinated biphenyls and thyroid hormones. However, recent studies have shown that BDEs may act as hormonal disrupting chemicals with detrimental effects. Therefore, a reliable assessment of BDE-47 toxicological action is required to understand the detrimental impacts of BDE-47 on human health. In this review, we overview recent studies on the distribution and potential toxicological effects of BDE-47 in humans and animals.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.459-465
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• 2015

We tested biomarker systems [enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunochromatography assay (ICG) kits] for the screening of endocrine-disrupting chemicals in contaminated environments using antibodies resulting from $17{\beta}$-Estradiol-induced vitellogenin (Vtg) in the wild scorpion fish Sebastiscus marmoratus. Monoclonal antibodies of two clones (S28 and S15) were used as capture and tracer antibodies for ELISA and ICG assays. ELISA detected Vtg at levels greater than $0.1{\mu}g/mL$, while ICG detected Vtg at levels greater than $1{\mu}g/mL$. However, the ICG system was able to detect antibodies from $17{\beta}$-Estradiol-induced Vtg serum that had been diluted 1,000 times. Our results suggest that previously developed biomarker assays can be used as detection systems to detect known endocrine-disrupting chemicals in contaminated environments, and to measure their activity.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.20-32
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• 1995

Adult diapause in insects is characterized by suppression of reproductive development. It is induced by environmental cues such as photoperiod, temperature, food availability, and other conditions Diapause-inducing environment is recognized and analyzed by the brain of the insects. The interpreted information is conveyed via endocrine system to target tissues such as ovaries, fat body, and other tissues. From this signal hierarchy of a brain-endocrine-target tissue axis, several factors are involved to express a diapause trait in a quantitative mode, even though the insects show a binomial phenotye between being in diapause or not. Recent works estimated that the number of the factors is relatively small by a series of crossing trials between high and low diapause lines. Heritability of the diapause is quite high (ca. 70%) in some species. Epistasis, sex-linkage, pleiotropism, and other nongenetic components also affect diapause inheritance. Most physiological studies have been focused on control mechanisms of the juvenile hormone (JH) synthesis in corpora allata (CA) because JH level in hemolymph of teneral adults is critical to decide a later developmental mode. Allatostatin, an antagonizer of JH synthesis, has been believed to be a potent brain message to CA for adult diapause induction.

• Journal of Korean Dental Science
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2017

There is increasing evidence that the environmental hormones may adversely affect the human body. The human reproductive system misrecognizes some of these endocrine disruptors with consequences to reproductive cell differentiation. Therefore, studies on the safety of these substances have been widely carried out to develop the science to create effective legislation to limit or prevent their use or require the development of inert, alternative substances. A few studies have reported that the oral cavity is the pathway for absorption of these substances released from plastic products or environmental hormone substances. This review suggests that the oral environment is vulnerable to exposure to environmental hormones and introduces supporting literature.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.215-222
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• 1999

Nonylphenol (NP) is a widespread environmental pollutant that has been shown to exert both toxic and estrogenic effects on mammalian cells. As the effects of NP on the reproductive system of adult male vertebrates are virtually unknown, we investigated not only the changes of reproductive hormone secretion in serum after chronic exposure to NP but also, in order to identify the site of its action, the reproductive hormone secretion in serum 48 hours after microinfusion of NP within hypothalamic preoptic area (POA). In the chronic exposure, the luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), and testosterone in serum were decreased but prolactin (PRL) concentrations were increased. The LH, FSH, and testosterone in serum were decreased through the direct infusion of NP into POA, while there was no difference in mean serum prolactin between NP and control groups. These observations suggest that NP as endocrine disruptor has modulatory effects on hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal axis and that the site of action of NP could be hypothalamic POA.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Toxicology Conference
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• 2005.05a
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• pp.184-184
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• 2005

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.251-259
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• 2016

Background: Estrogen signaling pathways are modulated by exogenous factors. Panax ginseng exerts multiple activities in biological systems and is classified as an adaptogen. Zearalenol is a potent mycoestrogen that may be present in herbs and crops arising from contamination or endophytic association. The goal of this study was to investigate the impact of P. ginseng, zearalenol and estradiol in tests on spermatozoal function. Methods: The affinity of these compounds for estrogen receptor (ER)-alpha and beta ($ER{\alpha}$ and $ER{\beta}$)-was assessed in receptor binding assays. Functional tests on boar spermatozoa motility, movement and kinematic parameters were conducted using a computer-assisted sperm analyzer. Tests for capacitation, acrosome reaction (AR), and chromatin decondensation in spermatozoa were performed using microscopic analysis. Results: Zearalenol-but not estradiol ($E_2$)- or ginseng-treated spermatozoa-decreased the percentage of overall, progressive, and rapid motile cells. Zearalenol also decreased spontaneous AR and increased chromatin decondensation. Ginseng decreased chromatin decondensation in response to calcium ionophore and decreased AR in response to progesterone ($P_4$) and ionophore. Conclusion: Zearalenol has adverse effects on sperm motility and function by targeting multiple signaling cascades, including $P_4$, $E_2$, and calcium pathways. Ginseng protects against chromatin damage and thus may be beneficial to reproductive fitness.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.132-139
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• 2017

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) interfere with endocrine system in organisms, and have different mode of actions compared to conventional chemicals. Therefore, EDCs specific ecotoxicity tests and assessments have been globally developed by some organizations such as OECD, ASTM, and USEPA. In Korea, researches on EDCs and monitoring of EDCs in domestic environments were also continued. However, Korean ecotoxicity test guidelines for EDCs are not suggested till date. The purpose of this study is to review and analyze international ecotoxicity test guidelines for EDCs and the compare ecotoxicity methods and toxicity endpoints among standard test guidelines. We found that there are very limited EDCs specific soil ecotoxicity test guidelines (only in ASTM) compared to aquatic ecotoxicity test guidelines. Currently, fish, amphibian, waterflea, copepoda, earthworm, white worm, springtail, nematode, mite, and midge are suggested as standard ecotoxicity test species for EDCs. Reproduction, hormones, growth, vitellogenin, sex retio and development were proposed as endpoints for EDCs ecotoxicity. This study provided the comparison of EDCs specific ecotoxicity methods and endpoints between standard test guidelines, and suggested the further research to develop the method for assesseing ecotoxicity of EDCs.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.54-62
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• 1999

2,4-Dichlorophenol was known pollutants caused by the endocrine disruptor into the refractory substances of environment and this is difficult to be degradable by conventional methods. Therefore, a considerable interest has been devoted to developing new process where 2,4-Dichlorophenol can easily decomposed. In this study, the series of ultrasonic irradiation for removal of 2,4-Dichlorophenol has been selected as a model reaction in the batch reactor system in order to obtain the basic data investigate the influence of various experimental parameters such as concentration, pH, reaction temperature, acoustic intensity. The products obtained form the ultrasonic irradiation were analysed by GC/MS and HPLC. The formation of $H_2O_2$, a well-known the strong oxidant was found proportionally to increase with irradiation time. The intermediates of ultrasonic irradiation of 2,4-Dichlorophenol were identified as HCl, catechol, hydroquinone, o,p-benzoquinone, muconic acid, and maleic acid. The final products of this was $CO_2$ and $H_2O$. As the decomposition of 2,4-Dichlorophenol proceeds by the ultrasonic irradiation, the pH of 2,4-Dichlorophenol containing aqueous solution increases slowly, The decomposition of 2,4-Dichlorophenol was found to be occured fast in the basic medium. In general, the rate of reaction is proportional to the reaction temperature obeying the Arrhenius' law. However, in the ultrasonic irradiation, this suggests as the reaction temperature increase the decomposition rate of the reactant decreases. This result meant that the increase of reaction temperature due to the increase of vapor pressure of water accelerated the decrease of acoustic intensity which was can be proportional to the decomposition rae of these compounds. It was found that more than 80% of phenol solution was removed within hours in all reaction conditions. The reaction order in the degradation of the 2,4-Dichlorophenol compounds was verified as the Pseude-first order. From the fore-mentioned results, it can be concluded that the refractory organic compounds caused by endocrine disruptor as 2,4-dichlorophenol could be removed by the ultrasonic irradiation with radicals, such as $H{\;}{\cdot}{\;}and{\;}OH{\;}{\cdot}$ radical causing the high increase of pressure and temperature. Finally, it apeared that the technology using ultrasonic irradiation can be applied to the treatment of refractory substances caused by endocrine disruptor which are difficult to be decomposed by the conventional methods.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.323-333
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• 2009

Parabens are alkyl esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid, which are widely used in foods, cosmetics, and pharmaceutic products as preservatives. Absorbed parabens are metabolized fastly and excreted. Actually human body is exposed to complex mixture of parabens. Safety assessment at various toxicological end points revealed parabens have a little acute, subacute and chronic toxicities. Some reports have argued that as parabens have estrogenic activity, they are associated with the incidence of breast cancer through dermal absorption by cosmetics. There is an inference that antiandrogenic activity of parabens may give rise to a lesion of male reproductive system, but also there is an contrary. At cellular level, parabens may inhibit mitochondrial function of sperms and androgen production in testis, but also there is an contrary. Parabens seem to have little or no toxicity in embryonic development. Parabens can cause hemolysis, membrane permeability change in mitochondria and apoptosis, suggesting cellular toxicity of parabens. Parabens evoked endocrine disruption in several fish species and have toxic effect on small invertebrates and microbes. Therefore, the toxicity of parabens should be considered as a potentially toxic chemical in the freshwater environment. In conclusion, though parabens may be considered as a low toxic chemical, more definite data are required concerning the endocrine disrupting effect of parabens on human body and aquatic animals according to route and term of exposure as well as the residual concentration of parabens.