• Title/Summary/Keyword: Nuclear transport

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A Basic Study on the Radiological Characteristics and Disposal Methods of NORM Wastes (공정부산물의 방사선적 특성과 처분방안에 관한 기본 연구)

  • Jeong, Jongtae;Baik, Min-Hoon;Park, Chung-Kyun;Park, Tae-Jin;Ko, Nak-Youl;Yoon, Ki Hoon
    • Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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    • v.12 no.3
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    • pp.217-233
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    • 2014
  • Securing the radiological safety is a prerequisite for the safe management of the naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) which cannot be reused. This becomes a crucial focus of our R&D efforts upon the implementation of the Act on Protective Action Guidelines against Radiation in the Natural Environment. To secure the safety, the establishment of technical bases and procedures for securing radiological safety related to the disposal of NORM is required. Thus, it is necessary to analyze the characteristics, to collect the data, to have the radiological safety assessment methodologies and tools, to investigate disposal methods and facilities, and to study the effects of the input data on the safety for the NORM wastes. Here, we assess the environmental impact of the NORM waste disposal with respect to the major domestic and foreign NORM characteristics. The data associated with major industries are collected/analyzed and the status of disposal facilities and methodologies relevant to the NORM wastes is investigated. We also suggest the conceptual design concept of a landfill disposal facility and the management plan with respect to the major NORM wastes characteristics. The radionuclide pathways are identified for the atmospheric transport and leachate release and the environmental impact assessment methodology for the NORM waste disposal is established using a relevant code. The assessment and analysis on the exposure doses and excessive cancer risks for the NORM waste disposal are performed using the characteristics of the representative domestic NORM wastes including flying ash, phosphor gypsum, and redmud. The results show that the exposure dose and the excessive cancer risks are very low to consider any radiation effects. This study will contribute to development in the areas of the regulatory technology for securing radiological safety relevant to NORM waste disposal and to the implementation technology for the Act.

External Exposure Due to Natural Radionuclides in Building Materials in Korean Dwellings (건축자재내 포함된 천연방사성핵종에 의한 실내 공간의 방사선량 평가)

  • Cho, Yoon Hae;Kim, Chang Jong;Yun, Ju Yong;Cho, Dae-Hyung;Kim, Kwang Pyo
    • Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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    • v.37 no.4
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    • pp.181-190
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    • 2012
  • Naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) in building materials are main sources of external radiation exposure to the general public. The objective of this study was to assess external radiation dose in Korean dwellings due to NORM in concrete walls. Reference room model for dose assessment was made by analyzing room structure and housing scale of Korean dwellings. In addition, dose assessments were made for varying room sizes. Absorbed doses to air and effective dose rates were calculated using radiation transport code MCNPX. Assuming a reference room of $3{\times}4{\times}2.8m^3$, absorbed dose rates in air were 0.80, 0.97, 0.08 nGy $h^{-1}$ per Bq $kg^{-1}$ for uranium series, thorium series, and $^{40}K$, respectively. Effective dose rates were 0.57, 0.69, 0.058 nSv $h^{-1}$ per Bq $kg^{-1}$, respectively. Radiation dose resulting from concrete of ceiling and floor increased with room area while radiation dose from concrete of walls decreased with room area. Therefore, total radiation doses were almost the same for the varying room area from 5 to $30m^2$. Effective dose in Korean dwellings was calculated based on measurement data of NORM concentration in concrete and occupancy fraction of Korean population by location. Annual effective dose was 0.59 mSv assuming that indoor occupancy fraction was 0.89 and concentrations of uranium series, thorium series and $^{40}K$ were 26, 39, 596 Bq $kg^{-1}$, respectively. Finally, annual effective dose in Korean dwellings can be calculated by the following equation: Effective dose=indoor occupancy fraction${\times}8760\;h\;y^{-1}{\times}(0.57C_U+0.69C_{Th}+0.058C_K)$.

Temperature Dependence of Oxygen Diffusivity in the PVC Film on Gold Electrode Using Steady-State Rotating Disk Electrode Technique and Modulated Electrohydrodynamic Impedance Technique (정상상태 회전원판전극(RDE) 방법과 유체역학적 요동에 의한 전기화학적(EHD) 임피던스방법을 이용한 금전극표면에 형성된 PVC 피막내 산소확산계수의 온도의존성에 대한 연구)

  • Yeon Jei-Won;Pyun Su-Il;Lee Woo-Jin;Choi In-Kyu
    • Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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    • v.3 no.1
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    • pp.49-56
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    • 2000
  • In the present we.k, temperature dependence of oxygen diffusivity in the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) film $D_f$ formed on gold electrode was investigated using steady-state rotating disk electrode (RDE) technique and modulated electrohydrodynamic (EHD) impedance technique. Both the diffusion rate defined as the ratio of oxygen diffusivity in the PVC film to the film thickness $D_f/\delta_f$ and the time constant $\delta_f^2/D_f$ for oxygen diffusion through the PVC film were obtained from plot of the limiting current versus disk rotation speed and from filing the EHD impedance spectra experimentally measured to those theoretically calculated on the basis of the diffusion equation for mass transport through the non-conductive and porous film, respectively. By combining measured $D_f/\delta_f$ with $\delta_f^2/D_f$, we determined $\delta_f\;and\;D_f$ at room temperature separately. As temperature increased, it appeared that the $D_f$ value measured for the PVC film-covered gold RDE was enhanced more rapidly than that $D_s$ value in the solution measured for the PVC film-free gold RDE. This means that the pores glowing with increasing temperature act as effective diffusion paths within the film. The present in-situ steady-state and modulated EHD measurements prove to be effective for determining $\delta_f\;and\;D_f$, separately and at the same time the porosity of the PVC film at temperatures below glass temperature $T_g$ of the film.

External Auditing on Absorbed Dose Using a Solid Water Phantom for Domestic Radiotherapy Facilities (고체팬텀을 이용한 국내 방사선 치료시설의 흡수선량에 대한 조사)

  • Choi, Chang-Heon;Kim, Jung-In;Park, Jong-Min;Park, Yang-Kyun;Cho, Kun-Woo;Cho, Woon-Kap;Lim, Chun-Il;Ye, Sung-Joon
    • Radiation Oncology Journal
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    • v.28 no.1
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    • pp.50-56
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    • 2010
  • Purpose: We report the results of an external audit on the absorbed dose of radiotherapy beams independently performed by third parties. For this effort, we developed a method to measure the absorbed dose to water in an easy and convenient setup of solid water phantom. Materials and Methods: In 2008, 12 radiotherapy centers voluntarily participated in the external auditing program and 47 beams of X-ray and electron were independently calibrated by the third party’s American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) task group (TG)-51 protocol. Even though the AAPM TG-51 protocol recommended the use of water, water as a phantom has a few disadvantages, especially in a busy clinic. Instead, we used solid water phantom due to its reproducibility and convenience in terms of setup and transport. Dose conversion factors between solid water and water were determined for photon and electron beams of various energies by using a scaling method and experimental measurements. Results: Most of the beams (74%) were within ${\pm}2%$ of the deviation from the third party's protocol. However, two of 20 X-ray beams and three of 27 electron beams were out of the tolerance (${\pm}3%$), including two beams with a >10% deviation. X-ray beams of higher than 6 MV had no conversion factors, while a 6 MV absorbed dose to a solid water phantom was 0.4% less than the dose to water. The electron dose conversion factors between the solid water phantom and water were determined: The higher the electron energy, the less is the conversion factor. The total uncertainty of the TG-51 protocol measurement using a solid water phantom was determined to be ${\pm}1.5%$. Conclusion: The developed method was successfully applied for the external auditing program, which could be evolved into a credential program of multi-institutional clinical trials. This dosimetry saved time for measuring doses as well as decreased the uncertainty of measurement possibly resulting from the reference setup in water.

Iron chelating agent, deferoxamine, induced apoptosis in Saos-2 osteosarcoma cancer cells (Saos-2 골육종 세포에서 iron chelating agent, deferoxamine에 의한 apoptosis 유도)

  • Park, Eun Hye;Lee, Hyo Jung;Lee, Soo Yeon;Kim, Sun Young;Yi, Ho Keun;Lee, Dae Yeol;Hwang, Pyoung Han
    • Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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    • v.52 no.2
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    • pp.213-219
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    • 2009
  • Purpose:Iron is a critical nutritional element that is essential for a variety of important biological processes, including cell growth and differentiation, electron transfer reactions, and oxygen transport, activation, and detoxification. Iron is also required for neoplastic cell growth due to its catalytic effects on the formation of hydroxyl radicals, suppression of host defense cell activities, and promotion of cancer cell multiplication. Chronic transfusion-dependent patients receiving chemotherapy may have iron overload, which requires iron-chelating therapy. We performed this study to demonstrate whether the iron chelating agent deferoxamine induces apoptosis in Saos-2 osteosarcoma cells, and to investigate the underlying apoptotic mechanism. Methods:To analyze the apoptotic effects of an iron chelator, cultured Saos-2 cells were treated with deferoxamine. We analyzed cell survival by trypan blue and crystal violet analysis, apoptosis by nuclear condensation, DNA fragmentation, and cell cycle analysis, and the expression of apoptotic related proteins by Western immunoblot analysis. Results:Deferoxamine inhibited the growth of Saos-2 cell in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The major mechanism for growth inhibition with the deferoxamine treatment was by the induction of apoptosis, which was supported by nuclear staining, DNA fragmentation analysis, and flow cytometric analysis. Furthermore, bcl-2 expression decreased, while bax, caspase-3, caspase-9, and PARP expression increased in Saos-2 cells treated with deferoxamine. Conclusion:These results demonstrated that the iron chelating agent deferoxamine induced growth inhibition and mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis in osteosarcoma Saos-2 cells, suggesting that iron chelating agents used in controlling neoplastic cell fate can be potentially developed as an adjuvant agent enhancing the anti-tumor effect for the treatment of osteosarcoma.

Dosimetry of the Low Fluence Fast Neutron Beams for Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (붕소-중성자 포획치료를 위한 미세 속중성자 선량 특성 연구)

  • Lee, Dong-Han;Ji, Young-Hoon;Lee, Dong-Hoon;Park, Hyun-Joo;Lee, Suk;Lee, Kyung-Hoo;Suh, So-Heigh;Kim, Mi-Sook;Cho, Chul-Koo;Yoo, Seong-Yul;Yu, Hyung-Jun;Gwak, Ho-Shin;Rhee, Chang-Hun
    • Radiation Oncology Journal
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    • v.19 no.1
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    • pp.66-73
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    • 2001
  • Purpose : For the research of Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT), fast neutrons generated from the MC-50 cyclotron with maximum energy of 34.4 MeV in Korea Cancer Center Hospital were moderated by 70 cm paraffin and then the dose characteristics were investigated. Using these results, we hope to establish the protocol about dose measurement of epi-thermal neutron, to make a basis of dose characteristic of epi-thermal neutron emitted from nuclear reactor, and to find feasibility about accelerator-based BNCT. Method and Materials : For measuring the absorbed dose and dose distribution of fast neutron beams, we used Unidos 10005 (PTW, Germany) electrometer and IC-17 (Far West, USA), IC-18, ElC-1 ion chambers manufactured by A-150 plastic and used IC-l7M ion chamber manufactured by magnesium for gamma dose. There chambers were flushed with tissue equivalent gas and argon gas and then the flow rate was S co per minute. Using Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) code, transport program in mixed field with neutron, photon, electron, two dimensional dose and energy fluence distribution was calculated and there results were compared with measured results. Results : The absorbed dose of fast neutron beams was $6.47\times10^{-3}$ cGy per 1 MU at the 4 cm depth of the water phantom, which is assumed to be effective depth for BNCT. The magnitude of gamma contamination intermingled with fast neutron beams was $65.2{\pm}0.9\%$ at the same depth. In the dose distribution according to the depth of water, the neutron dose decreased linearly and the gamma dose decreased exponentially as the depth was deepened. The factor expressed energy level, $D_{20}/D_{10}$, of the total dose was 0.718. Conclusion : Through the direct measurement using the two ion chambers, which is made different wall materials, and computer calculation of isodose distribution using MCNP simulation method, we have found the dose characteristics of low fluence fast neutron beams. If the power supply and the target material, which generate high voltage and current, will be developed and gamma contamination was reduced by lead or bismuth, we think, it may be possible to accelerator-based BNCT.

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Genome-Wide Analysis of DNA Methylation before- and after Exercise in the Thoroughbred Horse with MeDIP-Seq

  • Gim, Jeong-An;Hong, Chang Pyo;Kim, Dae-Soo;Moon, Jae-Woo;Choi, Yuri;Eo, Jungwoo;Kwon, Yun-Jeong;Lee, Ja-Rang;Jung, Yi-Deun;Bae, Jin-Han;Choi, Bong-Hwan;Ko, Junsu;Song, Sanghoon;Ahn, Kung;Ha, Hong-Seok;Yang, Young Mok;Lee, Hak-Kyo;Park, Kyung-Do;Do, Kyoung-Tag;Han, Kyudong;Yi, Joo Mi;Cha, Hee-Jae;Ayarpadikannan, Selvam;Cho, Byung-Wook;Bhak, Jong;Kim, Heui-Soo
    • Molecules and Cells
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    • v.38 no.3
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    • pp.210-220
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    • 2015
  • Athletic performance is an important criteria used for the selection of superior horses. However, little is known about exercise-related epigenetic processes in the horse. DNA methylation is a key mechanism for regulating gene expression in response to environmental changes. We carried out comparative genomic analysis of genome-wide DNA methylation profiles in the blood samples of two different thoroughbred horses before and after exercise by methylated-DNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (MeDIP-Seq). Differentially methylated regions (DMRs) in the pre-and post-exercise blood samples of superior and inferior horses were identified. Exercise altered the methylation patterns. After 30 min of exercise, 596 genes were hypomethy-lated and 715 genes were hypermethylated in the superior horse, whereas in the inferior horse, 868 genes were hypomethylated and 794 genes were hypermethylated. These genes were analyzed based on gene ontology (GO) annotations and the exercise-related pathway patterns in the two horses were compared. After exercise, gene regions related to cell division and adhesion were hypermethylated in the superior horse, whereas regions related to cell signaling and transport were hypermethylated in the inferior horse. Analysis of the distribution of methylated CpG islands confirmed the hypomethylation in the gene-body methylation regions after exercise. The methylation patterns of transposable elements also changed after exercise. Long interspersed nuclear elements (LINEs) showed abundance of DMRs. Collectively, our results serve as a basis to study exercise-based reprogramming of epigenetic traits.

Role of Citrate Synthase in Acetate Utilization and Protection from Stress-Induced Apoptosis

  • Lee, Yong-Joo;Kang, Hong-Yong;Maeng, Pil Jae
    • Proceedings of the Microbiological Society of Korea Conference
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    • 2008.05a
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    • pp.39-41
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    • 2008
  • The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been shown to contain three isoforms of citrate synthase (CS). The mitochondrial CS, Cit1, catalyzes the first reaction of the TCA cycle, i.e., condensation of acetyl-CoA and oxaloacetate to form citrate [1]. The peroxisomal CS, Cit2, participates in the glyoxylate cycle [2]. The third CS is a minor mitochondrial isofunctional enzyme, Cit3, and related to glycerol metabolism. However, the level of its intracellular activity is low and insufficient for metabolic needs of cells [3]. It has been reported that ${\Delta}cit1$ strain is not able to grow with acetate as a sole carbon source on either rich or minimal medium and that it shows a lag in attaining parental growth rates on nonfermentable carbon sources [2, 4, 5]. Cells of ${\Delta}cit2$, on the other hand, have similar growth phenotype as wild-type on various carbon sources. Thus, the biochemical basis of carbon metabolism in the yeast cells with deletion of CIT1 or CIT2 gene has not been clearly addressed yet. In the present study, we focused our efforts on understanding the function of Cit2 in utilizing $C_2$ carbon sources and then found that ${\Delta}cit1$ cells can grow on minimal medium containing $C_2$ carbon sources, such as acetate. We also analyzed that the characteristics of mutant strains defective in each of the genes encoding the enzymes involved in TCA and glyoxylate cycles and membrane carriers for metabolite transport. Our results suggest that citrate produced by peroxisomal CS can be utilized via glyoxylate cycle, and moreover that the glyoxylate cycle by itself functions as a fully competent metabolic pathway for acetate utilization in S. cerevisiae. We also studied the relationship between Cit1 and apoptosis in S. cerevisiae [6]. In multicellular organisms, apoptosis is a highly regulated process of cell death that allows a cell to self-degrade in order for the body to eliminate potentially threatening or undesired cells, and thus is a crucial event for common defense mechanisms and in development [7]. The process of cellular suicide is also present in unicellular organisms such as yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae [8]. When unicellular organisms are exposed to harsh conditions, apoptosis may serve as a defense mechanism for the preservation of cell populations through the sacrifice of some members of a population to promote the survival of others [9]. Apoptosis in S. cerevisiae shows some typical features of mammalian apoptosis such as flipping of phosphatidylserine, membrane blebbing, chromatin condensation and margination, and DNA cleavage [10]. Yeast cells with ${\Delta}cit1$ deletion showed a temperature-sensitive growth phenotype, and displayed a rapid loss in viability associated with typical apoptotic hallmarks, i.e., ROS accumulation, nuclear fragmentation, DNA breakage, and phosphatidylserine translocation, when exposed to heat stress. Upon long-term cultivation, ${\Delta}cit1$ cells showed increased potentials for both aging-induced apoptosis and adaptive regrowth. Activation of the metacaspase Yca1 was detected during heat- or aging-induced apoptosis in ${\Delta}cit1$ cells, and accordingly, deletion of YCA1 suppressed the apoptotic phenotype caused by ${\Delta}cit1$ mutation. Cells with ${\Delta}cit1$ deletion showed higher tendency toward glutathione (GSH) depletion and subsequent ROS accumulation than the wild-type, which was rescued by exogenous GSH, glutamate, or glutathione disulfide (GSSG). Beside Cit1, other enzymes of TCA cycle and glutamate dehydrogenases (GDHs) were found to be involved in stress-induced apoptosis. Deletion of the genes encoding the TCA cycle enzymes and one of the three GDHs, Gdh3, caused increased sensitivity to heat stress. These results lead us to conclude that GSH deficiency in ${\Delta}cit1$ cells is caused by an insufficient supply of glutamate necessary for biosynthesis of GSH rather than the depletion of reducing power required for reduction of GSSG to GSH.

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Association of SNPs in the HNF4α Gene with Growth Performance of Korean Native Chickens (한국 재래계의 HNF4α 유전자 내 SNP와 성장과의 연관성 분석)

  • Yang, Song-Yi;Choi, So-Young;Hong, Min-Wook;Kim, Hun;Kwak, Kyeongrok;Lee, Hyojeong;Jeong, Dong Kee;Sohn, Sea Hwan;Hong, Yeong Ho;Lee, Sung-Jin
    • Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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    • v.45 no.4
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    • pp.253-260
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    • 2018
  • The hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha ($HNF4{\alpha}$) gene is related to lipid transport, including abdominal fat and growth, in chickens. Interestingly, the A543G SNP within the $HNF4{\alpha}$ gene has previously been reported to be associated with body weight in both broilers and Korean native chickens (KNCs). However, its exact position within the HNF4 is not yet reported. This study aimed to identify the position of the A543G SNP and to identify additional SNPs that can be used as genetic markers in KNCs. A total of 128 KNCs were used for the sequencing and analysis of these genetic associations. As a result, A543G SNP was located in intron 4 of the $HNF4{\alpha}$ gene; it is reported as rs731246957 in the NCBI database. Fourteen SNPs were detected in the sequenced portion of the $HNF4{\alpha}$ gene; three of these, rs731246957, rs736159604 and new SNP, intron 6 (249), were significantly related with growth in the chickens. In this study, the TT genotype of rs731246957, previously reported as A543G SNP, the GG genotype of rs736159604 and GT of new SNP have are highly associated with body weight from birth to 40 weeks of age in KNCs (P<0.01). These results suggest that rs736159604, rs731246957 and intron 6 (249) SNPs within the $HNF4{\alpha}$ gene could function as growth-related markers in the selective breeding of KNCs.