• Toxicological Research
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• 제25권4호
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• pp.217-224
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• 2009

Inhaled inorganic dusts such as coal can cause inflammation and fibrosis in the lung called pneumoconiosis. Chronic inflammatory process in the lung is associated with various cytokines and reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation. Expression of some cytokines mediates inflammation and leads to tissue damage or fibrosis. The aim of the present study was to compare the levels of blood cytokines interleukin (IL)-$1\beta$, IL-6, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-$\alpha$ and monocyte chemoatlractant protein (MCP)-1 among 124 subjects (control 38 and pneumoconiosis patient 86) with category of chest x-ray according to International Labor Organization (ILO) classification. The levels of serum IL-8 (p= 0.003), TNF-$\alpha$ (p=0.026), and MCP-1 (p=0.010) of pneumoconiosis patients were higher than those of subjects with the control. The level of serum IL-8 in the severe group with the small opacity (ILO category II or III) was higher than that of the control (p=0.035). There was significant correlation between the profusion of radiological findings with small opacity and serum levels of IL-$1\beta$(rho=0.218, p<0.05), IL-8 (rho=0.224, p<0.05), TNF-$\alpha$ (rho=0.306, p<0.01), and MCP-1 (rho=0.213, p<0.01). The serum levels of IL-6 and IL-8, however, did not show significant difference between pneumoconiosis patients and the control. There was no significant correlation between serum levels of measured cytokines and other associated variables such as lung function, age, BMI, and exposure period of dusts. Future studies will be required to investigate the cytokine profile that is present in pneumoconiosis patient using lung specific specimens such as bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), exhaled breath condensate, and lung tissue.

• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제15권4호
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• pp.309-317
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• 2009

Occupational exposure to inorganic dusts such as coal and silica has been identified as a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) risk factor. This risk factor causes lung inflammation and protease-antiprotease imbalance. This abnormal inflammatory response of the lung induces parenchymal tissue destruction and leads to progressive airflow limitation that is characteristics of COPD. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship of proteases such as neutrophil elastase (NE) and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 and antiproteases such as alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1 with lung function. The study population contained 223 retired workers exposed to inorganic dusts. We performed lung function test, including percent of forced expiratory volume in one second ($%FEV_1$) predicted and $%FEV_1$/forced vital capacity (FVC). We analyzed serum MMP-9, AAT, TIMP-1 and plasma NE concentrations by sandwich enzyme immunoassay. NE, AAT, and TIMP-1 concentrations in workers, who had $%FEV_1$<80% predicted, were higher than those of workers who had $%FEV_1{\geq}80%$ (P<0.05). Both AAT and TIMP-1 concentrations in workers with airflow limitation were higher than those of workers with normal airflow (P<0.05). $%FEV_1$ predicted showed significant negative correlation with AAT (r=-0.255, P<0.0l), TIMP-1 (r=-0.232, P<0.01), and NE (r=-0.196, P<0.01). $%FEV_1$/FVC predicted showed significant negative correlation with NE (r=-0.172, P<0.05). From the results of stepwise multiple regression analysis about $%FEV_1$ and $%FEV_1$/FVC, significant independents were NE (r=-0.135, P=0.001) and AAT (r=-0.100, P=0.013) in $%FEV_1$, and NE (r=-0.160, P=0.014) in $%FEV_1$/FVC. In the present study, there were significant correlations between airflow limitation and protease concentration and between airflow limitation and antiprotease concentration. Serum protease and antiprotease concentrations, however, may be affected by the biological and inflammatory responses. It is necessary to evaluate specimens more reflected the effects of proteases and antiproteases in the lung such as lung tissue, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and exhaled breath condensate (EBC).

• 분석과학
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• 제27권6호
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• pp.357-363
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• 2014

아이소프렌은 자연기원의 휘발성 유기화합물 (BVOCs) 중의 하나로 대류권 오존 생성 및 포름알데히드의 근원으로 알려져 있다. 또한, 아이소프렌은 호흡가스에 포함된 미량 성분으로 폐암과 같은 질병의 진단마커로 사용되기도 하기 때문에 대기 중 아이소프렌의 정확한 측정을 위해 신뢰성 있는 가스 표준물질이 요구되고 있다. 본 연구에서는 아이소프렌 측정용 일차표준가스의 개발을 위해 중량법에 의한 제조 및 특성평가를 수행하였다. 독립적으로 제조한 일차표준가스들의 농도를 가스크로마토그래프-불꽃이온화검출기(GC-FID)로 비교하여 0.01%의 순도를 포함한 중량법에 의한 제조 불확도와 0.08% 수준의 제조 재현성을 확인하였다. 제조한 일차표준가스는 14개월간 동안 1.3% 수준의 안정성을 보였다. 원료의 순도, 질량측정(질량값), 제조 재현성, 흡착성 및 장기 안정성을 모두 고려하여 결정한 $10{\mu}mol/mol$ 수준 아이소프렌 일차표준가스 인증값의 상대 확장불확도는 2.8%(95%의 신뢰수준, k=1.96)이었다.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• 제17권3호
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• pp.197-205
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• 2002

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are an important public health problem throughout the world. Many important questions remain to be addressed in assessing exposure to these compounds. Because they are ubiquitous and highly volatile, special techniques must be applied in the analytical determination of VOCs. Personal exposure measurements are needed to evaluate the relationship between microenvironmental concentrations and actual exposures. It is also important to investigate exposure frequency, duration, and intensity, as well as personal exposure characteristics. In addition to air monitoring, biological monitoring may contribute significantly to risk assessment by allowing estimation of absorbed doses, rather than just the external exposure concentrations, which are evaluated by environmental and personal monitoring. This study was conducted to establish the analytic procedure of VOCs in air, blood, urine and exhaled breath and to evaluate the relationships among these environmental media. The subjects of this study were selected because they are occupationally exposed to high levels of VOCs. Environmental, personal, blood, urine and exhalation samples were collected. Purge ＆ trap, thermal desorber, gas chromatography and mass selective detector were used to analyze the collected samples. Analytical procedures were validated with the“break through test”, 'quot;recovery test for storage and transportation”,“method detection limit test”and“inter-laboratory QA/QC study”. Assessment of halogenated compounds indicted that they were significantly correlated to each other (p value < 0.01). In a similar manner, aromatic compounds were also correlated, except in urine sample. Linear regression was used to evaluate the relationships between personal exposures and environmental concentrations. These relationships for aromatic and halogenated are as follows: Halogen $s_{personal}$ = 3.875+0.068Halogen $s_{environmet}$, ($R^2$= .930) Aromatic $s_{personal}$ = 34217.757-31.266Aromatic $s_{environmet}$, ($R^2$= .821) Multiple regression was used to evaluate the relationship between exposures and various exposure deter-minants including, gender, duration of employment, and smoking history. The results of the regression model-ins for halogens in blood and aromatics in urine are as follows: Halogen $s_{blood}$ = 8.181+0.246Halogen $s_{personal}$+3.975Gender ($R^2$= .925), Aromatic $s_{urine}$ = 249.565+0.135Aromatic $s_{personal}$ -5.651 D.S ($R^2$ = .735), In conclusion, we have established analytic procedures for VOC measurement in biological and environmental samples and have presented data demonstrating relationships between VOCs levels in biological media and environmental samples. Abbreviation GC/MS, Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometer; VOCs, Volatile Organic Compounds; OVM, Organic Vapor Monitor; TO, Toxic Organicsapor Monitor; TO, Toxic Organics.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제59권4호
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• pp.361-367
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• 2005

배 경 : 림프구성 흉막염의 감별 진단은 매우 중요하나, 적절한 검사 후에도 감별이 되지 않는 예가 있다. NO는 급성 염증반응 시 혈청, 객담, 호기 응축액 등에서 증가하는 것으로 알려져 있으며, 활동성 폐결핵 환자의 객담 및 호기에서도 증가하고 적절한 치료 후 감소하는 것으로 보고된 바 있어, 결핵성 흉막염에서도 증가 할 가능성이 있으나, 결핵성 흉막염에서 NO에 대해서는 연구된 바가 없다. 이에 림프구성 흉막염 중 결핵성 흉막염의 감별진단에 있어서 NO의 유용성에 대해 알아보고자 하였다. 대상 및 방법 : 2004년 4월부터 2005년 4월까지 한양대 구리병원에 급성 흉막염으로 입원하여 흉수 검사 결과 림프구성 흉막염 소견을 보였던 환자를 대상으로 흉수 및 혈청 NO를 측정하였으며, 대상 환자는 27명으로, 남:여 각각 14:13명이었고, 평균 연령은 48세였다. 최종진단은 결핵성 흉막염 17명, 악성 흉수 10명이었다. 결 과 : 흉수 NO는 결핵성 흉막염 $540.1{\pm}116.4{\mu}mol$, 악성흉수 $383.7{\pm}71.0{\mu}mol$이며, 혈청 NO는 결핵성 흉막염 $624.7{\pm}142.0{\mu}mol$, 악성 흉수 $394.4{\pm}90.4{\mu}mol$이었고, 각 군에서 통계학적으로 유의한 차이를 보이지 않았다. 또한, 흉수 NO는 흉수 호중구수, 흉수/혈청 단백질비, 흉수/혈청 알부민비와 유의한 상관관계를 보였다(p<0.05). 결핵성 흉막염군과 악성 흉수막염군의 비교에서 흉수 단백질양, 흉수 백혈구 수 및 림프구수는 결핵성 흉막염에서 유의하게 높았다(각 p<0.05). 결 론 : NO는 림프구성 흉막염의 감별 진단에 있어서는 유용성이 적으며, 흉수 NO는 흉강 내 호중구의 모집 및 단백 누출과 관련될 가능성이 있으나, 추후 다수를 대상으로 한 연구가 필요하겠다.