• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.922-931
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• 2000

Background : It has been well known that bronchia1 asthma is a chronic airway inflammatory disorder. Recently, sputum induced with hypertonic saline was introduced as a simple and useful nonivasive medium to investigate airway inflammation and symptom severity in patients with asthma. We examined the eosinophil, eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), interleukin(IL)-3, IL-5, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating facta (GM-CSF), and nitric oxide (NO) derivatives in induced sputum from patients with bronchia1 asthma in order to determine the role of NO and various inflammatory cytokines as a useful markers of airway inflammation or changes in pulmonary function tests and symptoms. Methods : A total 30 patients with bronchia1 asthma received oral prednisolone 30 mg daily for 2 weeks. Forced expiratory volume in one second ($FEV_1$), total blood eosinophil count and induced sputum eosinophil count, ECP, IL-3, IL-5, GM-CSF, and NO derivatives were determined before and after the administration of prednisolone. Results : Of the 30 patients, 13 (43.3%) were male and 17 (56.7%) were female. The mean age of patients was 41.8 years (range 19-64 years). Two patients could not produce sputum at the second study and 3 could not be followed up after their first visit. Two weeks after the prednisolone administration, there was a significant increase in $FEV_1$ (% of predicted value) from 78.1$\pm$20.6 % to 90.3$\pm$ 18.3 % (P<0.001). The eosinophil percentages in induced sputum were significantly decreased after treatment with prednisolone, with values of 56.1$\pm$27.2 % versus 29.6$\pm$21.3 % (P<0.001), and ECP were $134.5\pm68.1\;{\mu}g/L$ versus $41.5\pm42.4\;{\mu}g/L$ (P<0.001) respectively. After the prednisolone treatments, the eotaxin concentration also showed a decreasing tendency from 26.7$\pm$12.8 pg/ml to 21.7$\pm$8.7 pg/ml. There was a decreasing tendency but no significant differences in total blood eosinophil count (425.7$\pm$265.9 vs 287.7$\pm$294.7) and in the concentration of NO derivatives ($70.4\pm44.6{\mu}mol/L$ vs $91.5\pm48.3\;{\mu}mol/L$) after the prednisolone treatments. IL-3, IL-5, GM-CSF were undetectable in the sputum of most subjects either before the prednisolone treatments or after the treatments. Before the prednisolone treatments, a significant inverse correlation was observed between FEV1 and sputum ECP (r=-D.364, P<0.05) and there was a significant correlation between sputum eosinophils and eotaxin (r=0.369, P<0.05) Conclusion : The eotaxin and ECP concentration in induced sputum may be used as markers of airway inflammation after treatments in bronchia1 asthma. In addition, the measurement of sputum eosinophil percent ages is believed to be a simple method displaying the degree of airway inflammation and airway obstruction before and after the prednisolone treatment in bronchia1 asthma. However, unlike exhaled NO, the examination of NO derivatives with Griess reaction in induced sputum is considered an ineffective marker of changing airway inflammation and obstructing symptoms.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.597-604
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• 2020

Exposure to heat stress (HS) has negative effects on pig production and health. Plasma concentrations of amino acids (AAs) can be used as indicators of HS. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the effect of acute HS on feed intake, water drink, and plasma AAs in pigs. A total of 6 growing pigs (n = 6, 3 boars and 3 gilts) were raised in thermal neutral (TN; 25℃) conditions for the 5-d adaptation period as a control. After the adaptation, pigs were exposed to HS at 33℃ (HS33) for 24 h. All the pigs were fed the same diet formulated to meet or exceed predicted requirements during the whole experimental period. Blood samples were collected after the adaptation and heat treatment to verify the AAs. Measurements were the average daily feed intake (ADFI), average daily water intake (ADWI), water loss, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, nitrate, total nitric oxide, and AAs in the plasma samples. Data were analyzed using the PROC GLM of SAS. HS33 had a lower ADFI (p < 0.05) and a tendency for an increased ADWI and water loss compared to TN. The level of TNF-α was significantly decreased (p < 0.05) in HS33. HS33 had a lower concentration of histidine and sarcosine compared to TN; however, there were no differences in the levels of nitrates and total nitric oxide. In conclusion, the results of this study show the differential effect of HS on the plasma concentration of AAs. We expect that the changed AAs could be potential indicators of HS.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.13-22
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• 2002

In Korea, 2,320 tonnes of acetanilide were mostly wed as intermediates for synthesis in phar-maceuticals or additives in synthesizing hydrogen peroxide, varnishes, polymers and rubber. Only small amount of 120 kg were wed as a stabilizer for hydrogen peroxide solution for hair colouring agents in 1998. Readily available environmental or human exposure data do not exist in Korea at the present time. However, potential human exposures from drinking water, food, ambient water and in work places are expected to be negligible because this chemical is produced in the closed system in only one company in Korea and the processing factory is equipped with local ventilation and air filtering system. Acetanilide could be distributed mainly to water based on EQC model. This substance is readily biodegradable and its bioaccumulation is low. Acute toxicity of acetanilide is low since the L $D_{50}$ of oral exposure in rats is 1,959 mg/kg bw. The chemical is not irritating to skin, but slightly irritating to the eyes of rabbits. horn repeated dose toxicity, the adverse effects in rats were red pulp hyperplasia of spleen, bone marrow hyperplasia of femur and decreased hemoglobin, hematocrit and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration. The LOAEL for repeated dose toxicity in rats was 22 mg/kg/day for both sexes. Acetanilide is not considered to be genotoxic. In a reproductive/developmental toxicity study, no treatment-related changes in precoital time and rate of copulation, impregnation, pregnancy were shown in all treated groups. The NOAELs for reproduction and developmental toxicity (off-spring toxicity) are considered to be 200 mg/kg bw/day and 67 mg/kg bw/day, respectively. Ecotoxicity data has been generated in a limited number of aquatic species of algae (72 hr- $E_{b}$ $C_{50}$; 13.5 mg/l), daphnid (48hr-E $C_{50}$ > 100 mg/l) and fish (Oryzias latipes, 96hr-L $C_{50}$; 100 mg/l). Form the acute toxicity values, the predicted no effect concentration (PNEC) of 0.135 mg/1 was derived win an assessment factor of 100. On the basis of these data, acetanilide was suggested as currently of low priority for further post-SIDS work in OECD.in OECD.D.

• Journal of Marine Life Science
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.43-50
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• 2020

The aim of this study is toxicity assessment using two types of sea urchins (H. pulcherrimus, M. nudus) that can representative primary consumers in potential coastal environments pollutants, Zinc undecylenate (ZU), which is used for various purposes, such as pharmaceutical agents and anti-bacterial and anti-fungi. The Fertilization rate and normal embryogenesis rate of H. pulcherrimus and M. nudus were concentration-dependent decreased. Besides, EC₅₀ of fertilization rate with H. pulcherrimus and M. nudus were 11.27 mgl^-1 and 1.48 mgl^-1, and EC₅₀ of normal embryogenesis were 0.94 mgl^-1 and 3.78 mgl^-1. NOEC of normal embryogenesis were 0.20 and 0.78 mgl^-1, respectively. In addition, to find the safety criteria of the ZU on the marine environment. PNEC value was 0.0094 mgl^-1, calculated using the toxicity values of two species of sea urchin derived from this study and the acute toxicity results of the coastal area through literature research. The above results will be used as basic data for establishing environmental protection strategies for marine environmental pollutants.

• Ocean Science Journal
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.195-208
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• 2008

This paper evaluates whether a thermodynamic ocean-carbon model can be used to predict the monthly mean global fields of the surface-water partial pressure of $CO_2$ ($pCO_{2SEA}$) from sea surface salinity (SSS), temperature (SST), and/or nitrate ($NO_3$) concentration using previously published regional total inorganic carbon ($C_T$) and total alkalinity ($A_T$) algorithms. The obtained $pCO_{2SEA}$ values and their amplitudes of seasonal variability are in good agreement with multi-year observations undertaken at the sites of the Bermuda Atlantic Timeseries Study (BATS) ($31^{\circ}50'N$, $60^{\circ}10'W$) and the Hawaiian Ocean Time-series (HOT) ($22^{\circ}45'N$, $158^{\circ}00'W$). By contrast, the empirical models predicted $C_T$ less accurately at the Kyodo western North Pacific Ocean Time-series (KNOT) site ($44^{\circ}N$, $155^{\circ}E$) than at the BATS and HOT sites, resulting in greater uncertainties in $pCO_{2SEA}$ predictions. Our analysis indicates that the previously published empirical $C_T$ and $A_T$ models provide reasonable predictions of seasonal variations in surface-water $pCO_{2SEA}$ within the (sub) tropical oceans based on changes in SSS and SST; however, in high-latitude oceans where ocean biology affects $C_T$ to a significant degree, improved $C_T$ algorithms are required to capture the full biological effect on $C_T$ with greater accuracy and in turn improve the accuracy of predictions of $pCO_{2SEA}$.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.129-136
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• 2012

In this century, scientists realized that carbon dioxide gas in the atmosphere cause a greenhouse effect which affects the planet's temperature. Therefore lots of attempts have carried out to decrease the discharge of carbon dioxide gas in the field. The dissolved carbon dioxide flotation (DCF) process was developed as an alternative of DAF process to decrease the discharge and reuse of carbon dioxide as well as to save energy consumption. To investigate the particle separation characteristics and the flotation efficiency of carbon dioxide, SCC model was employed in the DCF process which has been applied extensively for the evaluation and simulation in the DAF process. The simulation results by the SCC model revealed the predicted curve of flotation efficiency became decreased gradually over the optimal pressure range of saturator about 1.6 atm in accordance with the experiment results of the DCF pilot plant and the size distribution and the bubble volume concentration of $CO_{2}$ bubbles depending on the operation pressure of saturator. The findings through the simulation results led to the conclusion that there was no significant difference between $CO_{2}$ bubbles and air bubbles, affecting on the practical flotation efficiency, in terms of the initial collision and attachment efficiency.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.715-721
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• 2007

In this study, the sphericity of calcium alginate gel beads was optimized using response surface methodology. The optimum conditions for bead sphericity were a concentration of 2.24% sodium alginate, a flow rate of 0.059 mL/sec for the sodium alginate solution, and a 459 rpm rotation for the calcium chloride solution. The predicted and experimental bead sphericities under the optimum conditions were 94.5 and 96.7%, respectively, showing close agreement. We also investigated the processing condition effects for the physical properties of the optimized calcium alginate gel beads. Immersion in hot water slightly decreased bead size and rupture strength. NaCl treatment increased bead size and decreased rupture strength. While the pH of the calcium chloride solution had little effect on bead sphericity, the bead sizes and gel strengths decreased with longer times in each pH solution. The beads coated with pectin and glucomannan showed no significant changes in sphericity, but their sizes decreased with time. The coated beads showed higher rupture strengths than the uncoated beads.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.548-555
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• 2018

Objectives: We conducted ecological risk assessment for cadmium, a heavy metal and carcinogen, to identify safety standards by environmental media and to determine its impact on ecosystems by estimating and evaluating exposure levels. Methods: Species sensitivity distributions (SSDs) were generated using ECOTOX DB. A hazardous concentration of 5% (HC5) protective of most species (95%) in the environment was estimated. Using this estimate, predicted no effect concentrations (PNECs) were calculated for aquatic organisms. Based on the calculated PNECs for aquatic organisms, PNEC values for soil and sediment were calculated using the partition coefficient. Predicted exposure concentrations (PECs) were also calculated from environmental monitoring data with hazard quotients (HQs) calculated using PNECs for environmental media. Results: Chronic toxicity data were categorized into four groups and 11 species. In species sensitivity distribution (SSD) analysis, HC5 was $0.340{\mu}g/L$. Based on this value, the PNEC value for aquatic organisms was calculated as $0.113{\mu}g/L$. PNEC values for soil and sediments using a partition coefficient were calculated as 15.02 mg/kg and 90.61 mg/kg, respectively. In an analysis of environmental monitoring data, PEC values were calculated as $0.017{\mu}g/L$ for water, 1.01 mg/kg for soil, and 0.521 mg/kg for sediment. Conclusions: HQs were 0.150, 0.067 and 0.006 for water, soil and sediment, respectively. HQs of secondary toxicity were 0.365 for birds and 0.024 for mammals. In principle, it is judged that an HQ above 1 indicates a high level of risk concern while an HQ less than 1 indicates an extremely low level of risk concern. Therefore, with HQs of cadmium in the environment being <1, its risk levels can be considered low for each media.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.45-64
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• 2020

Objectives: Limited information is available on the presence and associated ecological risks of pharmaceutical residues in aquatic environments near pharmaceutical manufacturing areas in Korea. In this study, we investigated the current state of pharmaceutical contamination and its associated ecological risks in streams near a pharmaceutical manufacturing complex. Methods: Seven pharmaceuticals (acetaminophen, clarithromycin, diclofenac, diphenhydramine, ibuprofen, mefenamic acid and roxithromycin) were measured in water samples collected from the streams near a pharmaceutical manufacturing complex. A predicted no-effect concentration (PNEC) was derived using either the assessment factor method or species sensitivity distribution method. In addition, a hazard quotient for each pharmaceutical was calculated by dividing its measured environmental concentration by its PNEC. Results: Samples collected downstream from the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) had higher concentrations of pharmaceuticals than those collected from the reference site (upstream). Moreover, pharmaceutical concentrations were greater in ambient water than in the final effluent from the WWTP, which suggested that non-point sources were contributing to the contamination of the ambient water environment. Some of the target pharmaceuticals exhibited a hazard quotient >1, indicating that their potential ecological effects on the aquatic environment near the pharmaceutical industrial area should not be ignored. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the pharmaceutical manufacturing area was contaminated with residual drugs, and that there was a possible non-point source near the WWTP effluent discharge area. The results of this study will aid in the development of management plans for pharmaceuticals, particularly in hotspots such as pharmaceutical industrial sites and their vicinities.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.141-154
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• 1984

An analysis is presented of key phenomena and scenario which imply some general trends for beyond design-basis-accident in Kori-1 PWR dry containment. The study covers a wide range of severe accident sequences initiated by small break LOCA. The MARCH computer code, with KAERI modifications was used in this analysis. The major emphasis of the paper are two folds, 1) the phenomenologic understanding of severe accident and 2) a study of H2 combustion and debris/ water interactions in a specific small break LOCA for Kori-1 plant. The sensitivity studies for the specific plant data and thermal interaction modelings used in the SASA were performed. The results show that if hydrogen burning does occur at low concentration, the resulting peak pressure does not exceed the design value, while the lower concentration assumption results in repeated burning due to the continuing H$_2$ generation. For debris/water interaction, the particle size has no effect on the magnitude of peak pressure for the amount of water assumed to be in the reactor cavity. But, the occurrence of peak pressure is considerably delayed in case of using the dryout correlation. The peak containment pressure predicted from the hydrogen combustion and steam pressure spite during full core meltdown scenario does not present a severe threat to the containment integrity.