• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.75-85
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• 2023

The potential sources and spatial distribution of heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were investigated in the leaf plants of Al-Zubair city. A total of 14 samples of conocarpus lancifolius plant leaf were collected and analyzed for their heavy metals and PAHs content using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and a 7890 Agilent capillary gas chromatograph (GC) respectively. Bioaccumulation factor calculation revealed the highest pollution of heavy metals , due to the activity of a petrochemical in the area. The diagnostic ratio of Ant/(Phe+Ant), BaA/BaA+Chr), In/(In+BghiP), Flu/Pyr, FlA/FlA+Pyr), FlA/FlA+Pyr), ∑LMW/∑HMW are commonly used for determining the origin and source of PAHs in various environmental media. The diagnostic ratio indicated the anthropogenic origin. PAHs with five-to-six membered rings were dominant in the plant leaf, which likely results from anthropogenic activities. The leaves of C. lancifolius have a preponderance of high molecular weight PAHs compared to low molecular weight PAHs, indicating a combustion origin (car exhaust, petroleum emissions, and fossil fuel). C. lancifolius leaves are a reliable indication of atmospheric PAHs absorption. The background level of heavy metals in the city (or the near environment) is in the order of Fe > Cu > Ni > Cr. On the other hand, the bioaccumulation in plant leaves showed greater tendencies as follows: Co>Cd>Zn=As>Cu>Mn>Ni>Pb>Cr>Fe. Cobalt showed high bioaccumulation, indicating strong uptake of Co by plant leaves. These findings point to human activity and car emissions as the primary sources of roadside vegetation pollution in Al-Zubair city.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.33-41
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• 2009

The crushed fruiting body of Alaskan Porodaedalea pini (Brot.) Murrill (syn. Phellinus pini) was extracted in boiling water for 4 h with the yield of 20.5% in dry mass. This hot-water extract showed significant antiviral activity by inhibiting the plaque formation in HeLa cells by coxackievirus B3 (CVB3) and also showed highest inhibitory effect against neuraminidase activity among water extracts of various mushrooms. From the water extract, the ethanol precipitate (EP) and supernatant fraction (ES) were obtained through 75% ethanol precipitation with the yield of 43.3% and 28.3% in dry mass, respectively. Whereas ES did not show any detectable level of antiviral activity, EP showed significant dose-dependent inhibition of plaque formation by CVB3 in HeLa cells with an $EC_{50}$ (50% effective concentration) of 0.45 mg/mL. The cytotoxicity on HeLa cells by EP was relatively low with the $CC_{50}$ (50% cytotoxic concentration) of 2.25 mg/mL. EP also effectively inhibited neuraminidase activity in a dose-dependent manner showing up to 75% inhibition at 1.7 mg/mL. These results suggest that the hot-water extract and its EP of P. pini fruiting body can be a candidate for the development of a potent broad-range antiviral agent against influenza virus(Flu) as well as CVB3. The major active component of EP was shown to be a heteropolysaccharide-protein complex containing glucose as the main sugar residue with mole percentage of 79.8% and other sugars like galactose (19.2%), xylose (17%), mannose (5.8%), and fucose (4.6%) and a small portion (12.7%, in mass) of protein.

• Journal of Internet Computing and Services
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.69-76
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• 2013

The incidence of globally infectious and pathogenic diseases such as H1N1 (swine flu) and Avian Influenza (AI) has recently increased. An infectious disease is a pathogen-caused disease, which can be passed from the infected person to the susceptible host. Pathogens of infectious diseases, which are bacillus, spirochaeta, rickettsia, virus, fungus, and parasite, etc., cause various symptoms such as respiratory disease, gastrointestinal disease, liver disease, and acute febrile illness. They can be spread through various means such as food, water, insect, breathing and contact with other persons. Recently, most countries around the world use a mathematical model to predict and prepare for the spread of infectious diseases. In a modern society, however, infectious diseases are spread in a fast and complicated manner because of rapid development of transportation (both ground and underground). Therefore, we do not have enough time to predict the fast spreading and complicated infectious diseases. Therefore, new system, which can prevent the spread of infectious diseases by predicting its pathway, needs to be developed. In this study, to solve this kind of problem, an integrated monitoring system, which can track and predict the pathway of infectious diseases for its realtime monitoring and control, is developed. This system is implemented based on the conventional mathematical model called by 'Susceptible-Infectious-Recovered (SIR) Model.' The proposed model has characteristics that both inter- and intra-city modes of transportation to express interpersonal contact (i.e., migration flow) are considered. They include the means of transportation such as bus, train, car and airplane. Also, modified real data according to the geographical characteristics of Korea are employed to reflect realistic circumstances of possible disease spreading in Korea. We can predict where and when vaccination needs to be performed by parameters control in this model. The simulation includes several assumptions and scenarios. Using the data of Statistics Korea, five major cities, which are assumed to have the most population migration have been chosen; Seoul, Incheon (Incheon International Airport), Gangneung, Pyeongchang and Wonju. It was assumed that the cities were connected in one network, and infectious disease was spread through denoted transportation methods only. In terms of traffic volume, daily traffic volume was obtained from Korean Statistical Information Service (KOSIS). In addition, the population of each city was acquired from Statistics Korea. Moreover, data on H1N1 (swine flu) were provided by Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and air transport statistics were obtained from Aeronautical Information Portal System. As mentioned above, daily traffic volume, population statistics, H1N1 (swine flu) and air transport statistics data have been adjusted in consideration of the current conditions in Korea and several realistic assumptions and scenarios. Three scenarios (occurrence of H1N1 in Incheon International Airport, not-vaccinated in all cities and vaccinated in Seoul and Pyeongchang respectively) were simulated, and the number of days taken for the number of the infected to reach its peak and proportion of Infectious (I) were compared. According to the simulation, the number of days was the fastest in Seoul with 37 days and the slowest in Pyeongchang with 43 days when vaccination was not considered. In terms of the proportion of I, Seoul was the highest while Pyeongchang was the lowest. When they were vaccinated in Seoul, the number of days taken for the number of the infected to reach at its peak was the fastest in Seoul with 37 days and the slowest in Pyeongchang with 43 days. In terms of the proportion of I, Gangneung was the highest while Pyeongchang was the lowest. When they were vaccinated in Pyeongchang, the number of days was the fastest in Seoul with 37 days and the slowest in Pyeongchang with 43 days. In terms of the proportion of I, Gangneung was the highest while Pyeongchang was the lowest. Based on the results above, it has been confirmed that H1N1, upon the first occurrence, is proportionally spread by the traffic volume in each city. Because the infection pathway is different by the traffic volume in each city, therefore, it is possible to come up with a preventive measurement against infectious disease by tracking and predicting its pathway through the analysis of traffic volume.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.285-291
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• 2004

The soil bacterial community and some inoculated bacteria were monitored to assess the microbial responses to prescribed fire in their microcosm. An acridine orange direct count of the bacteria in the unburned control soil were maintained at a relatively stable level $(2.0\~2.7\times10^9\;cells/g^{-1}{\cdot}soil)$ during the 180 day study period. The number of bacteria in the surface soil was decreased by fire, but was restored after 3 months. Inoculation of some bacteria increased the number of inoculated bacteria sev­eral times and these elevated levels lasted several months. The ratios of eubacteria detected by a flu­orescent in situ hybridization (FISH) method to direct bacterial count were in the range of $60\~80\%$ during the study period, with the exception of some lower values at the beginning, but there were no definite differences between the burned and unburned soils or the inoculated and uninoculated soils. In the unburned control soil, the ratios of $\alpha-,\beta-\;and\;\gamma-subgroups$ of the proteobacteria, Cytophaga-Fla­vobacterium and other eubacteria groups to that of the entire eubacteria were 13.7, 31.7, 17.1, 16.8 and $20.8\%,$ respectively, at time 0. The overall change on the patterns of the ratios of the 5 subgroups of eubacteria in the uninoculated burned and inoculated soils were similar to those of the unburned con­trol soil, with the exception of some minor variations during the initial period. The proportions of each group of eubacteria became similar in the different microcosms after 6 months, which may indicate the recovery of the original soil microbial community structure after fire or the inoculation of some bac­teria. The populations of Azotobacter vinelandii, Bacillus megaterium and Pseudomonas fluorescens, which had been inoculated to enhance the microbial activities, and monitored by FISH method, showed similar changes in the microcosms, and maintained high levels for several months.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.19 no.spc
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• pp.193-206
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• 1986

A number of auriferous veins occur in the Precambrian metamorphic terrain from Chungju to Mugeug district. These gold (-silver) deposits consist mainly of the fissure-filling quartz veins intruding the Precambrian gneiss or schist and Jurassic or Cretaceous granite. These gold (-silver) deposits can be 'divided into two mineralization epochs, (a) gold-rich veins related to Daebo igneous activity, and (b) gold-silver veins related to Bulgugsa igneous activity. These two groups of ore deposits with different generation can be characterized by the mode of occurrence of ore vein and the ore mineral associations. The auriferous quartz veins of Taechang and Boryeon mines associated with late Jurassic igneous activity are massive in character, and show the simple mineral assemblages and low Ag/Au ratio in the ores, representing a single mineralization system. The ore minerals are predominantly quartz containing minor or trace amonts of pyrrhotite, sphalerite, galena, pyrite, chalcopyrite and electrum. Electrum is closely associated with pyrrhotite and has chemical compositions from 61.4 to 78.5 atomic % Au. Fluid inclusion data suggest that ore minerals were deposited at temperatures between 238 and $390^{\circ}C$ from $CO_2$-rich fluids. The gold and/or silver-bearing quartz veins of Geumwang mine related to middle Cretaceous igneous activity are characterized by the multistage history, diverse mineral assemblages with high Ag/Au ratio in the ores. The ores of Geumwang mine have two contrasting mineral assemblages (1) pyrite+galena+sphalerite+arsenopyrite+electrum+argentite, representing the higher gold mineralization, and (2) pyrite+chalcopyrite+ galena +sphalerite+ arsenopyrite+silver sulfosalts+ electrum+ native silver+argentite, representing the higher silver mineralization. Electrum is closely associated with pyrite and has chemical compositions from 11.2 to 49.9 atomic % Au. The depositional environment during the higher gold mineralization can be estimated as the range of both temperature and sulfur fugacity, T= $200{\sim}300^{\circ}C$, log f ($S_2$) = $10^{-10}{\sim}10^{-15}$. The higher silver mineralization may be interpreted to have formed a range of falling temperature ($150{\sim}200^{\circ}C$) and low sulfur fugacity($10^{-10}{\sim}10^{-15}$). These temperature data are consistent with homogenization temperatures of fluId inclusions in quartz. Thus, the gold veins related to the Daebo igneous activity may be formed by the environment of higher temperature and pressure than the gold-silver veins associated with the Bulgugsa igneous activity.

• Journal of Korean Society of Disaster and Security
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.93-101
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• 2016

In recent years, epidemics have raged with a 6-7 years period such as SARS (2002), Swine Flu (2009), MERS (2015). When an epidemic arises, the first advice is the isolation of infected patients and disease areas. Because it appears after a certain incubation period, the peoples worked with Infected (infection cause) staff and the place are largely exposed to the epidemic Risk. If you have an epidemic in the workplace, even if you close it, the business plan should be ready to continue the safety and protection measures for employees and the organization's core business. In this study We present the corresponding measures to protect the safety of the employees and to continue the core business during a pandemic outbreak and the introduction of BCP mainly corresponding practices of financial companies.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.327-337
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• 2017

A continuous low temperature ($510^{\circ}C{\sim}530^{\circ}C$) pyrolysis experiment in a pilot-scale of 85.3 kg/hr was carried out by the mixed feedstock of half dried digested sewage sludge and waste plastics. As a result, the amount of pyrolysis gas generated was maximum 68.3% of input dry mass and scored $40.9MJ/Nm^3$ of lower heating value (LHV), and the percentage of air inflow caused by continuous pyrolysis was 19.6%. The oil was produced 4.2% of the input dry mass, and the LHV was 32.5 MJ/kg. The sulfur and chlorine contents, which could cause corrosion of the facility, were found to be 0.2% or more respectively. The carbide generated was 27.5% of the input dry mass which shows LHV of 10.2 MJ/kg, and did not fall under designated waste from the elution test. The concentration of carbon monoxide, sulfur oxides and hydrogen cyanide of emitted flu gas from pyrolysis gas combustion was especially high, and dioxin (PCDDs/DFs) was within the legal standards as $0.034ng-TEQ/Sm^3$. Among the 47 water pollutant contents of waste water generated from dry flue gas condensation, several contents such as total nitrogen, n-H extract and cyanide showed high concentration. Therefore, the merge treatment in the sewage treatment plants after pre-treatment could be considered.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.266-272
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• 1999

Coccidioidomycosis is a fungal infection acquired by inhalation of the arthrospore of Coccidioides immitis, and endemic disease in specific geographic areas, such as south central California, south Arizona. Nevada, and New Mexico. Approximately 60 percent of infected people is asymptomatic and the remainders mostly exhibit respiratory complaints, from flu-like coughing to overt pneumonia. Usually the infection due to Coccidioides immitis is self-limited. Symptoms resolve within several weeks but radiographic abnormalities could be resolved more slowly. If the radiographic abnormalities persist more than 8 weeks, the term' chronic pulmonary coccidioidomycosis' is designated. They take forms of nodules, cavities or progressive pneumonia. When manifested as nodule(s), lung malignancy is suspected as a possible diagnosis and histologic confirmation is needed. Here, we report a case of chronic pulmonary coccidioidomycosis manifested as solitary pulmonary nodule in a Korean woman who has traveled in Arizona, which is diagnosed finally by lobectomy and histologic examination.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.709-717
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• 1999

Background & Method : Bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia(BOOP) is a specific clinicopathologic condition characterized by chronic inflammatory interstitial infiltrates. Cryptogenic form of BOOP presents subacute clinical course of flu-like illness, such as cough, fever, dyspnea with exertion and other constitutional symptoms. Pathologically it shows the presence of granulation tissue filling the lumen of terminal and respiratory bronchioles, extending into distal airspaces. Recently, we reviewed 24 cases of idiopathic type of BOOP, 5 cases of our hospital and another 19 cases on Korean literatures, and compared with reviewed data from foreign literatures. Results : Mean age was 54 years old and there was female preponderance in domestic reports. Their common presenting symptoms were dyspnea and cough, and mean duration of illness was 41 days. On chest examination, inspiratory crackle was a common finding. The laboratory findings were nonspecific except hypoxemia. Lung function studies revealed restrictive defect or combined obstructive and restrictive pattern in most patients. Bilateral patchy and nonsegmental alveolar opacities constituted characterized radiographic finding, highlighted on high resolution computed tomogram. It showed a favorable prognosis with an excellent responsiveness to corticosteroid therapy. The clinical features and laboratory findings were similar between domestic and foreign cases except female preponderance in Korean cases. Conclusion : If the clinical course is atypical or pregressive under proper treatment, clinicians should reevaluate clinical features and radiographic findings under the consideration of BOOP. Tissue confirmation would be recommended for the definitive diagnosis of BOOP.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.62 no.4
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• pp.314-317
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• 2007

The Inhalation of certain freshly formed metal oxides can cause metal fume fever, which is an acute, self-limiting, flu-like illness. The most common cause of this syndrome is the inhalation of zinc oxide. The inhalation of zinc oxide can lead to tracheobronchiolitis, chemical pulmonary edema or to respiratory failure and acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS). We encountered a 43-years-old man who developed severe dyspnea after inhaling of zinc oxide while working for 5 hours in a closed space. He was diagnosed with ARDS and was treated successfully with glucocorticoid. We report a case of ARDS caused by the inhalation of zinc fumes.