• Title/Summary/Keyword: Reduction rates

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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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The Study of Spontaneous Developmental Abnormalities and Toxicology of Benomyl and Its Metabolite on Salamander, Hynobius leechii.

  • Park, Yong-Uk
    • Proceedings of the Korea Society of Environmental Biology Conference
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    • 2005.12a
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    • pp.38-45
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    • 2005
  • The egg bags of Korean salamander(Hynobius leechii) were collected from farmlands in Gyeongsangnam-do area. The assumed breeding time, numerical variation of embryos in each egg bag, mortality and the rates of abnormalities were investigated. The toxicity of benomyl, the metabolite carbendazim and BIC which were frequently spread in agricultural area and caused spontaneous embryonic malformation was investigated. The assumed breeding time between the end of February and the end of March has the difference about a month because of a habitat and it takes about 2 or 3 weeks from laying eggs to hatching. The length of each egg bag and the number of embryos were very varied in each area. It is due to geographical variation. Among egg bags in total study area, only 406 of egg bags(17.70% of total egg bags) developed all of embryos to normal larvae, and 78.49% of total embryos were normally developed. The patterns of spontaneous embryonic malformation were 26 species from A to Z and the abnormal patterns in individual were 8 species and above. the geographical differences about the abnormal pattern were identified and 11 habitats categorized 4 groups. The most frequent abnormality in Gyeongsangnam-do area is the dysplasia of external gill. The caudal dysplasia, abdominal blister and dysplasia of fin were also frequently observed. Individuals showing severe external defect were histologically studied and they showed retinal hypo-pigmentation, thyroid carcinoma, somatic muscular dysplasia, degeneration of cephalic neuron and various organ dysplasia. Benomyl and carbendazim were treated by 10pM$^{\sim}$10uM and BIC was treated by 1$^{\sim}$40ppm to know the effect of toxicity about toxic substance of salamander. After benomyl was treated, a survival rate was sharply dropped from 2 to 8 days. $LC_{100}$ identified in $1{\mu}M$, $LC_{50}$ identified between 100nM and $1{\mu}M$. $EC_{50}$ was assumed between 10nM and 100nM. The prevalent external malformation was abdomen swelled abnormally and histo-pathological effects were abdomen, neural tube and lens hernia. This suggests that benomyl is the toxicitic substance which inhibits the development of digestive system and nervous system. The result of treated carbendazim was similar to that of the treated benomyl. The survival rate is sharply dropped between 2 and 6 days. $LC_{100}$ was identified $1{\mu}M$ and $LC_{50}$ was identified between 10nM and 100nM. This shows that cabendazim has stronger lethal toxicity than benomyl. Ventral blister, eye dysplasia and cephalic dysplasia in the individual of external malformation mean that cabendazim affected nervous system much more than benomyl. Because the toxicity of BIC affected less in the beginning but affected more in the near hatching period, the period causing toxicity is somewhat different. $LC_{100}$ identified near 40ppm and $LC_{50}$ identified near 25ppm. The external defect shows mainly ventral blister and histo-pathological results show intestinal deformities. This result suggests the BIC inhibited strongly the development of digestive system. These abnormal developments may be caused by antimitotic action, inhibition of tubulin complex, destruction of microtubule, inhibitions of neurulation and closing of neural fold, and by the inhibition of movement of neural crest cells of benomyl. These abnormal developments may be caused by the rupture of epithelium, the loss of microtubule, the reduction of spindle size, the inhibition of spindle assembly formation, the destruction of spindle poles of carbendazim. These abnormal developments may be caused cytotoxicity by inhibition of the synthesis of a number of macromolecules and similar reaction the inhibition of benomyl.

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Relationship of Antioxidant Enzyme Activity, Lipid Oxidation, and Aroma Pattern of Hanwoo (Korean Cattle) Beef under Oxidation-promoted Condition (산화 촉진 조건에서 한우육의 항산화효소 활성, 지방산화 및 향기패턴의 관계)

  • Kang, Sun-Moon;Muhlisin, Muhlisin;Kim, Gur-Yoo;Cho, Soo-Hyun;Park, Beom-Young;Jung, Seok-Geun;Lee, Sung-Ki
    • Food Science of Animal Resources
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    • v.32 no.3
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    • pp.346-353
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    • 2012
  • This study was carried out in order to investigate the relationship of antioxidant enzyme activity, lipid oxidation, and aroma pattern of Hanwoo (Korean cattle) beef for 8 d at $15^{\circ}C/RH$ 100% under 0% $O_2$/20% $CO_2/80%\;N_2$, 25% $O_2$/20% $CO_2/55%\;N_2$, 50% $O_2$/20% $CO_2/30%\;N_2$, and 75% $O_2$/20% $CO_2/5%\;N_2$-conditions. The reduction of $O_2$ and the induction of $CO_2$ were shown in the 25-75% $O_2$-groups during storage and total change rates of $O_2$ and $CO_2$ were followed in order: 25%>50%>75%. Catalase activity was not significantly different among all groups. During storage, glutathione peroxidase activity decreased by increasing the $O_2$ concentration and was followed at 8 d in order: 0%>25%>50%>75% (p<0.05). From 2 d of storage, TBARS content had significant (p<0.05) differences in order: 0%>25%>50%>75%. The CIE $L^*$ value was higher (p<0.05) in the 25-75% $O_2$-groups, compared with the 0% $O_2$-group. During the first time, the CIE $a^*$ value was higher (p<0.05) in order: 0%<25%<50%<75% but was lower (p<0.05) in the 25-75% $O_2$-groups from 2 d of storage than in the 0% $O_2$-group. The CIE $b^*$ value was higher (p<0.05) in the 25-75% $O_2$-groups than in the 0% $O_2$-group and had significant (p<0.05) differences at 0 and 8 d in order: 0%<25%<50%<75%. Aroma patterns with the electronic nose were clearly discriminated between the 0% $O_2$-groups and the 25-75% $O_2$-groups at 8 d of storage. Therefore, high oxygen reduced stabilities of antioxidant enzymes, lipid oxidation, and color in Hanwoo beef. Furthermore, antioxidant enzyme activities and lipid oxidation could affect aroma patterns.

Comparative efficacy of 5% EMLA cream and 20% Benzocaine gel during topical anesthesia (5% EMLA cream과 20% Benzocaine gel의 도포마취 효능 비교)

  • Lee, Dae-Woo;Baik, Byeong-Ju;Kim, Jae-Gon;Yang, Yeon-Mi;So, Yu-Ryeo
    • Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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    • v.38 no.1
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    • pp.1-8
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    • 2011
  • The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of topical 5% EMLA cream versus 20% Benzocaine gel in reducing pain from intra oral needle insertion alone as well as injection of anesthetic. The 2 topical anesthetics were tested against each other bilaterally using a randomized, controlled, single blinded, split mouth design. Phase I was conducted to find out the rapidity of onset action of the two agents on anterior/posterior vestibules and anterior/posterior palatal mucosa. Phase II was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of the two topical anaesthetic agents in reducing the pain of intraoral injections. The agents were left in anterior/posterior vestibules and anterior/posterior palatal mucosa for the amount of time recorded in phase I. Subjects recorded pain on a 100-mm modified visual analog scale(VAS). A pulse oximeter was used to recorded the preoperative and postoperative pulse rates. In phase I of the study, two topical agents showed the longer onset of action at anterior part and vestibules than posterior part and palatal mucosa. EMLA cream showed the rapidest onset of action compared to benzocaine gel except on anterior palatal mucosa. In phase II of the study, the VAS grading of the pain for anesthetic administration showed EMLA cream was significantly(P<.05) better in elimination or reducing the pain on the anterior/posterior palatal mucosa. In conclusion, EMLA cream showed the rapidest onset of action compared to benzocaine gel except on anterior palatal mucosa. EMLA cream was found to be superior to Benzocaine gel with regards to pain reduction for anesthetic administration especially on anterior and posterior palatal mucosa.

Effect of Synagis (palivizumab) prophylaxis on readmission due to respiratory syncytial virus in very low birth weight infants (극소 저체중 출생아에서 Synagis (palivizumab) 접종이 respiratory syncytial virus 감염으로 인한 재입원에 미치는 영향)

  • Park, Soo Kyoung;Jung, Yu Jin;Yoo, Hye Soo;Ahn, So Yoon;Seo, Hyun Joo;Choi, Seo Hui;Kim, Myo Jing;Jeon, Ga Won;Koo, Soo Hyun;Lee, Kyung-Hoon;Chang, Yun Sil;Park, Won Soon
    • Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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    • v.53 no.3
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    • pp.358-364
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    • 2010
  • Purpose : The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of $Synagis^{(R)}$ (palivizumab) in reducing the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) readmission rate in very low birth weight infants (VLBWI ) and the subgroup that showed the most effective vaccination. Methods : We enrolled 350 VLBWI who had been discharged alive from the neonatal intensive care unit of Samsung Medical Center from January 2005 to December 2007 and were followed up for at least one year. A retrospective study based on medical records was performed for a period of one year after discharge. RSV readmission rate was investigated according to BPD (bronchopulmonary dysplasia, requiring oxygen at postnatal day 28) and $Synagis^{(R)}$ prophylaxis. We categorized the subgroups by the severity of BPD gestational age, and birth weight and compared the RSV readmission rates between subgroups. Results : Eleven VLBWI were readmitted. $Synagis^{(R)}$ prophylaxis resulted in a 86% reduction in the rate of readmission due to RSV infection (prophylaxis group, 0.7% and no prophylaxis group, 5.0%; P =0.02). Readmission rate in BPD patients was also reduced in the prophylaxis group (0.7% in the prophylaxis group vs. 5.2% in the no prophylaxis group, P =0.03). The readmission rate in patients without BPD was reduced in the prophylaxis group (0% in the prophylaxis group vs. 4.9% in the no prophylaxis group, P =1.00), but this was not statistically significant.Conclusion : $Synagis^{(R)}$ prophylaxis was effective at reducing RSV readmission in VLBWI. Its efficacy was verified irrespective of BPD, gestational age, or birth weight.

The Effect on the Forest Temperature by Reduced Biomass Caused by Natural Forest Thinning (천연림 간벌에 기인한 산림생물량 감소가 산림 내부 온도에 미치는 영향 연구)

  • Kang, Rae-Yeol;Hong, Suk-Hwan
    • Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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    • v.32 no.3
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    • pp.303-312
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    • 2018
  • This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between the decrease of forest biomass by forest thinning and the change of temperature in the natural forest by measuring forest biomass and temperature before and after forest thinning in the Pusan National University forest where afforestation had been carried out. We intended to investigate the relationship between the forest biomass, estimated by calculating the Basal area, Crown area and Crown volume using the same formula to the same quadrat before and after forest thinning, and the forest temperature. Temperature measurement was carried out on April 20, 2016 through 28 before forest thinning, July 26, 2016 through November 4 around the time of forest thinning, and April 15, 2017 through May 8 after forest thinning. A temperature data logger was installed to point north at the height of 2.0 m above the ground in the center of the quadrat to record data every 10 minutes during the measurement periods. We used the AWS (Automatic Weather Station) data of the Dongnae-gu area located in the nearby city because it was difficult to set the control group since the whole forest was the subject to the forest thinning. The analysis of the relationship between forest biomass change and temperature showed that the change in temperature inside the forest was the greatest in the midday (12:00 - 15: 00) and was highly correlated with the Crown volume in the forest biomass. The temperature increase was much larger (average $1.91^{\circ}C$) 1 year after forest thinning than immediately after forest thinning (average $0.74^{\circ}C$). The comparison of the decrease rate of Crown volume and the increase in temperature showed that the Pitch pine community, which showed the highest decrease of Crown volume by 15.4%, recorded the highest temperature rise of $1.06^{\circ}C$ immediately after forest thinning and $2.49^{\circ}C$ 1 year after forest thinning. The Pitch pine-Korean red pine community, which showed the lowest Crown volume reduction rates with 5.0%, recorded no significant difference immediately after forest thinning but a temperature rise of $0.92^{\circ}C$ 1 year after forest thinning. The results confirmed that the decrease of forest biomass caused by forest thinning led to a rapid increase of the internal temperature. The fact that the temperature increase was more severe after 1 year than immediately after forest thinning confirmed that the microclimate changes due to the removed biomass cannot be recovered in a short time.

Effects of School Attendance Policy on Breakfast Eating, Sleep, and Physical Activity in Middle School Students (9시 등교정책이 중학생의 아침식사, 수면 및 신체활동에 미치는 영향)

  • Kim, Ha Na;Kim, Seong Yeong
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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    • v.46 no.11
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    • pp.1397-1407
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    • 2017
  • The aim of a school attendance policy (SAP) is to ensure breakfast time for school-aged adolescents. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of SAP on dietary behavior, particularly breakfast consumption, among adolescent middle school students (n=426) in the Ansan area of Gyeonggi-do. After implementation of the SAP, the response rates for eating breakfast every-day among boys (P>0.05) and girls (P<0.05) slightly increased by 44.6% and 35.8%, respectively, compared to before the SAP. Further, the degree of satisfaction with breakfast increased among both boys ('satisfied' and 'strongly satisfied'; 32.4% and 21.6%, respectively) (P<0.01) and girls ('satisfied' and 'strongly satisfied'; 32.8% and 14.2%, respectively) (P<0.001) compared to before the SAP. Moreover, boys (56.8%) and girls (53.9%) were aware that the SAP increased breakfast-eating frequency. Increases in deep sleep as a result of the SAP were high in both boys (39.2%) and girls (47.1%), and sleeping hours among boys (P<0.05) and girls (P<0.01) increased compared to before the SAP. The respondents were aware of the positive effects on physical function such as reduction of physical fatigue (boys 40.1%, girls 38.2%) and improvement of physical health (boys 36.5%, girls 32.8%). Thus, systematic and sustained political support at the national level is required to encourage healthy breakfast eating and physical activity in middle school students.

Eco-friendly and efficient in situ restoration of the constructed sea stream by bioaugmentation of a microbial consortium (복합미생물 생물증강법을 이용한 인공해수하천의 친환경 효율적 현장 수질정화)

  • Yoo, Jangyeon;Kim, In-Soo;Kim, Soo-Hyeon;Ekpeghere, Kalu I.;Chang, Jae-Soo;Park, Young-In;Koh, Sung-Cheol
    • Korean Journal of Microbiology
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    • v.53 no.2
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    • pp.83-96
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    • 2017
  • A constructed sea stream in Yeongdo, Busan, Republic of Korea is mostly static due to the lifted stream bed and tidal characters, and receives domestic wastewater nearby, causing a consistent odor production and water quality degradation. Bioaugmentation of a microbial consortium was proposed as an effective and economical restoration technology to restore the polluted stream. The microbial consortium activated on site was augmented on a periodic basis (7~10 days) into the most polluted site (Site 2) which was chosen considering the pollution level and tidal movement. Physicochemical parameters of water qualities were monitored including pH, temperature, DO, ORP, SS, COD, T-N, and T-P. COD and microbial community analyses of the sediments were also performed. A significant reduction in SS, COD, T-N, and COD (sediment) at Site 2 occurred showing their removal rates 51%, 58% and 27% and 35%, respectively, in 13 months while T-P increased by 47%. In most of the test sites, population densities of sulfate reducing bacterial (SRB) groups (Desulfobacteraceae_uc_s, Desulfobacterales_uc_s, Desulfuromonadaceae_uc_s, Desulfuromonas_g1_uc, and Desulfobacter postgatei) and Anaerolinaeles was observed to generally decrease after the bioaugmentation while those of Gamma-proteobacteria (NOR5-6B_s and NOR5-6A_s), Bacteroidales_uc_s, and Flavobacteriales_uc_s appeared to generally increase. Aerobic microbial communities (Flavobacteriaceae_uc_s) were dominant in St. 4 that showed the highest level of DO and least level of COD. These microbial communities could be used as an indicator organism to monitor the restoration process. The alpha diversity indices (OTUs, Chao1, and Shannon) of microbial communities generally decreased after the augmentation. Fast uniFrac analysis of all the samples of different sites and dates showed that there was a similarity in the microbial community structures regardless of samples as the augmentation advanced in comparison with before- and early bioaugmentation event, indicating occurrence of changing of the indigenous microbial community structures. It was concluded that the bioaugmentation could improve the polluted water quality and simultaneously change the microbial community structures via their niche changes. This in situ remediation technology will contribute to an eco-friendly and economically cleaning up of polluted streams of brine water and freshwater.

The Effect of Aging Treatment on the High Temperature Fatigue Fracture Behavior of Friction Welded Domestic Heat Resisting Steels (SUH3-SUS 303) (마찰용접된 국산내열 강 (SUH3-SUS303 )의 시효열처리가 고온피로강도 및 파괴거동에 미치는 영향에 관한 연구)

  • Lee, Kyu-Yong;Oh, Sae-Kyoo
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Fisheries and Ocean Technology
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    • v.17 no.2
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    • pp.93-103
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    • 1981
  • It is well-known that nowadays heat resisting and anti-corrosive materials have been widely used as the components materials of gas turbines, nuclear power plants and engines etc. In the fields of machine production industry. And materials for engine components, like as the exhaust valve of internal combustion engine, have been required to operate under the high temperature range of $700^{\circ}C$-$800^{\circ}C$ and high pressured gas with repeated mechanical load for the high performance of engines. For these components, friction welding for bonding of dissimilar steels can be applied for in order to obtain process shortening, production cost reduction and excellent bonding quality. And age hardening recently has been noticed to the heat resisting materials for further strengthening of high temperature strength, especially high temperature fatigue strength. However, it is difficult to find out any report concerning the effects of age hardening for strengthening high temperature fatigue strength to the Friction welded heat resisting and anti-corrosive materials. In this study the experiment was carried out as the high temperature rotary bending fatigue testing under the condition of $700^{\circ}C$ high temperature to the friction welded domestic heat resisting steels, SUH3-SUS303, which were 10hr., 100hr. aging heat treated at $700^{\circ}C$ after solution treatment 1hr. at $1, 060^{\circ}C$ for the purpose of observing the effects of the high temperature fatigue strength and fatigue fracture behaviors as well as with various mechanical properties of welded joints. The results obtained are summarized as follows: 1) Through mechanical tests and micro-structural examinations, the determined optimum welding conditions, rotating speed 2420 rpm, heating pressure 8kg/mm super(2), upsetting pressure 22kg/mm super(2), the amount of total upset 7mm (heating time 3 sec and upsetting time 2 sec) were satisfied. 2) The solution treated material SUH 3, SUS 303, have the highest inclination gradient on S-N curve due to the high temperature fatigue testing for long time at $700^{\circ}C$. 3) The optimum aging time of friction welded SUH3-SUS 303, has been recognized near the 10hr. at $700^{\circ}C$ after the solution treatment of 1hr. at $1, 060^{\circ}C$. 4) The high temperature fatigue limits of aging treated materials were compared with those of raw material according to the extender of aging time, on 10hr. aging, fatigue limits were increased by SUH 3 75.4%, SUS 303 28.5%, friction welded joints SUH 3-SUS 303 44.2% and 100hr. aging the rates were 64.9%, 30.4% and 36.6% respectively. 5) The fatigue fractures occurred at the side of the base matal SUS303 of the friction welded joints SUH 3-SUS 303 and it is difficult to find out fractures at the friction welding interfaces. 6) The cracking mode of SUS 303, SUH 3-303 is intergranular in any case, but SUH 3 is fractured by transgranular cracking.

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Reduced Ovarian Cancer Incidence in Women Exposed to Low Dose Ionizing Background Radiation or Radiation to the Ovaries after Treatment for Breast Cancer or Rectosigmoid Cancer

  • Lehrer, Steven;Green, Sheryl;Rosenzweig, Kenneth E
    • Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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    • v.17 no.6
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    • pp.2979-2982
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    • 2016
  • Background: High dose ionizing radiation can induce ovarian cancer, but the effect of low dose radiation on the development of ovarian cancer has not been extensively studied. We evaluated the effect of low dose radiation and total background radiation, and the radiation delivered to the ovaries during the treatment of rectosigmoid cancer and breast cancer on ovarian cancer incidence. Materials and Methods: Background radiation measurements are from Assessment of Variations in Radiation Exposure in the United States, 2011. Ovarian cancer incidence data are from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Standardized incidence ratios (SIR) of ovarian cancer following breast cancer and rectosigmoid cancer are from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data. Obesity data by US state are from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Mean ages of US state populations are from the United States Census Bureau. Results: We calculated standardized incidence ratios (SIR) from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data, which reveal that in 194,042 cases of breast cancer treated with beam radiation, there were 796 cases of ovarian cancer by 120+ months of treatment (0.41%); in 283, 875 cases of breast cancer not treated with radiation, there were 1,531 cases of ovarian cancer by 120+ months (0.54%). The difference in ovarian cancer incidence in the two groups was significant (p < 0.001, two tailed Fisher exact test). The small dose of scattered ovarian radiation (about 3.09 cGy) from beam radiation to the breast appears to have reduced the risk of ovarian cancer by 24%. In 13,099 cases of rectal or rectosigmoid junction cancer treated with beam radiation in the SEER data, there were 20 cases of ovarian cancer by 120+ months of treatment (0.15%). In 33,305 cases of rectal or rectosigmoid junction cancer not treated with radiation, there were 91 cases of ovarian cancer by 120+ months (0.27%). The difference in ovarian cancer incidence in the two groups was significant (p = 0.017, two tailed Fisher exact test). In other words, the beam radiation to rectum and rectosigmoid that also reached the ovaries reduced the risk of ovarian cancer by 44%. In addition, there was a significant inverse relationship between ovarian cancer in white women and radon background radiation (r = - 0.465. p = 0.002) and total background radiation (r = -0.456, p = 0.002). Because increasing age and obesity are risk factors for ovarian cancer, multivariate linear regression was performed. The inverse relationship between ovarian cancer incidence and radon background was significant (${\beta}=-0.463$, p = 0.002) but unrelated to age (${\beta}=-0.080$, p = 0.570) or obesity (${\beta}=-0.180$, p = 0.208). Conclusions: The reduction of ovarian cancer risk following low dose radiation may be the result of radiation hormesis. Hormesis is a favorable biological response to low toxin exposure. A pollutant or toxin demonstrating hormesis has the opposite effect in small doses as in large doses. In the case of radiation, large doses are carcinogenic. However, lower overall cancer rates are found in U.S. states with high impact radiation. Moreover, there is reduced lung cancer incidence in high radiation background US states where nuclear weapons testing was done. Women at increased risk of ovarian cancer have two choices. They may be closely followed (surveillance) or undergo immediate prophylactic bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. However, the efficacy of surveillance is questionable. Bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy is considered preferable, although it carries the risk of surgical complications. The data analysis above suggests that low-dose pelvic irradiation might be a good third choice to reduce ovarian cancer risk. Further studies would be worthwhile to establish the lowest optimum radiation dose.