• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.97-108
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• 1996

A new type of passive samplers were designed and produced by authors. After evaluating the quality of activated carbon by measuring recovery rate of organic vapors and steadiness of sampling rate, activated carbon with 30 - 35 mesh produced by Company S in Korea was selected. In each passive sampler, an amount of 400 mg of the activated carbon was filled in 25-mm cassette and covered by fixed screen (or wire screen with 100 mesh). In addition to the fixed screen, a wind screen (or wire screen with 300 mesh) was also attached at outer face. The sampling rate of the new Korean passive samplers was estimated Conclusions obtained in the study are as follows. 1. Sampling rates of the newly developed Korean passive samplers were affected by sampling time. For n-hexane, sampling rates of 15- and 60-minute samples were 70.92 and 37.45 ml/min, respectively. Sampling rate of both 200- and 450-minute samples was 25.96 ml/min. It is concluded that, when passive samplers are used for measuring organic vapors, samples be collected longer than 60 minutes. 2. Sampling rate of the passive samplers was also affected by airborne concentration of organic vapors. Lower sampling rates were determined at level of 1/2 threshold limit values (TLVs) recommended by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH). It is recommended that sampling rate of the passive samplers be obtained at site by measuring concentrations using both the NIOSH Method and passive samplers simultaneously. 3. When the passive samplers, which collected organic vapors, were exposed to clean air for five hours, there was no significant loss of organic vapors due to reverse diffusion. 4. When samples were stored at room temperature ($21.8{\pm}0.7^{\circ}C$) and refrigerator ($3.8{\pm}0.7^{\circ}C$), there was no significant difference in the accuracy of results. For trichloroethylene and n-hexane, accuracies were within 25 % at both temperatures until seven days. However, poor accuracy exceeding 25 % was indicated in toluene from the first day. It is recommended that samples be stored at freezing temperature below $0^{\circ}C$. 5. Sampling efficiency was significantly affected by direction of the passive samplers. Results of samplers facing wind and down, respectively, were compared. Lower amount of organic vapors were collected when the sampler was oriented down. It is recommended that, when air velocity is low in plants, the passive samplers be oriented to the wind. However, when air velocity is high, the passive samplers be oriented down.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.99-111
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• 1992

Permissive action of thyroid hormone at the level of Ca channel and responsible mechanisms underlying thyroid hormone-induced change in myocardial contractile state and $T_3-induced$ arrhythmias were investigated in rabbit ventricular or atrial myocytes using whole cell patch clamp technique. Single cells were isolated by Langendorff perfusion with collagenase. Cardiac myocytes were incubated in $low-Cl^-,$, $high-K^+$ medium containing $1_{\mu}M\;L-triiodothyronine\;(T_3)$ at $4^{\circ}C$ for 2.10 hours. The calcium currrent $(I_{Ca})$ was increased in $T_3$ loaded cells, however, the shape of current voltage curve and reverse potential did not altered. Cyclic AMP, cyclic GMP, isoprenaline and 3-isobutyl-1-methyl-xanthine increased $I_{Ca}$ in euthyroid and hyperthyroid conditions, and acetylcholine blocked the increase of $I_{Ca}\;in\;T_3$ loaded cells. The amplitude of $I_{Ca}$ was much larger after perfusing cGMP than cGMP in both conditions, whereas the degree of increase of $I_{Ca}$ was greater after perfusing cAMP than cGMP in $T_3$ loaded cells. The degree of increase of $I_{Ca}$ after perfusing isoprenaline or IBMX also was greater in $T_3$ loaded cells than in control cells. Background current induced by isoprenaline also increased in $T_3$ loaded cells. The Ca release dependent inward current was increased in amplitude but its activation and inactivation time course was not changed in $T_3$ loaded cells. Activation of Na pump current was not changed in $T_3$ loaded cells. From the above results it is suggested that thyroid hormone induced increase in the contractile state of cardiac myocytes are accompanied by augmented $I_{Ca}$ and the increase of Ca release from sarcoplasmic reticulum and the permissive action of thyroid hormone to catecholamines could induce arrhythmias through the increase of $I_{Ca}$ and background current.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.11-22
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• 2013

Objectives: The present investigation aimed at examining if post-cancer treatment with a potentized homeopathic drug, Condurango 30C, which is generally used to treat oesophageal cancer, could also show an ameliorating effect through apoptosis induction on lung cancer induced by benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) in white rats (Rattus norvegicus). Methods: Lung cancer was induced after four months by chronic feeding of BaP to rats through gavage at a dose of 50 mg/kg body weight for one month. After four months, the lung-cancer-bearing rats were treated with Condurango 30C for the next one ($5^{th}$), two ($5^{th}-6^{th}$) and three ($5^{th}-7^{th}$) months, respectively, and were sacrificed at the corresponding time-points. The ameliorating effect, if any, after Condurango 30C treatment for the various periods was evaluated by using protocols such as histology, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), annexinV-FITC/PI assay, flow cytometry of the apoptosis marker, DNA fragmentation, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), immunohistochemistry, and western blot analyses of lung tissue samples. Results: Striking recovery of lung tissue to a near normal status was noticed after post-cancerous drug treatment, as evidenced by SEM and histology, especially after one and two months of drug treatment. Data from the annexinV-FITC/PI and DNA fragmentation assays revealed that Condurango 30C could induce apoptosis in cancer cells after post-cancer treatment. A critical analysis of signalling cascade, evidenced through a RT-PCR study, demonstrated up-regulation and down-regulation of different pro- and anti-apoptotic genes, respectively, related to a caspase-3-mediated apoptotic pathway, which was especially discernible after one-month and two-month drug treatments. Correspondingly, Western blot and immunohistochemistry studies confirmed the ameliorative potential of Condurango 30C by its ability to down-regulate the elevated epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression, a hallmark of lung cancer. Conclusion: The overall result validated a positive effect of Condurango 30C in ameliorating lung cancer through caspase-3-mediated apoptosis induction and EGFR down-regulation.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.37-43
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• 2017

This review investigates the basic principle of physical interactions and failure mechanisms introduced in the materials and inner parts of semiconducting components under electromagnetic pulses (EMPs). The transfer process of EMPs at the semiconducting component level can be explained based on three layer structures (air, dielectric, and conductor layers). The theoretically absorbed energy can be predicted by the complex reflection coefficient. The main failure mechanisms of semiconductor components are also described based on the Joule heating energy generated by the coupling between materials and the applied EMPs. Breakdown of the P-N junction, burnout of the circuit pattern in the semiconductor chip, and damage to connecting wires between the lead frame and semiconducting chips can result from dielectric heating and eddy current loss due to electric and magnetic fields. To summarize, the EMPs transferred to the semiconductor components interact with the chip material in a semiconductor, and dipolar polarization and ionic conduction happen at the same time. Destruction of the P-N junction can result from excessive reverse voltage. Further EMP research at the semiconducting component level is needed to improve the reliability and susceptibility of electric and electronic systems.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.108-121
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• 2013

Objective This study was designed to investigate the effects of Gamiygin-tang (GY) extract (GYE) and fermented solution (GYF) on body weight, serum lipid level and adipocyte differentiation in high fat diet-fed obese mice. Materials and Methods High fat diet-fed obese mice and 3T3-L1 adipocytes mice were treated with GYE and GYF and obesity related markers were assessed. A cytotoxicity assay was carried out by MTS assay. Inhibitory effects of GYE and GYF on adipocyte differentiation were carried out by Oil Red O staining. The effects of GYE and GYF on the expression of adipocyte differentiation regulatory factors, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma ($PPAR{\gamma}$) and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein alpha (CEBP-${\alpha}$) were measured by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. The effects of GYE and GYF on the expression of adipocyte differentiation regulatory factors were also determined in relation to protein production/protein levels by western blotting. The anti obesity effects of GYE and GYF were measured in high fat-diet induced obese mice. Various factors were measured from the serum of the high fat-diet mice. Results Though GYE did not show toxicity at the concentration of 1mg/ml, GYF showed toxicity at the concentration of 1mg/ml. The GYE at 0.1 and 1mg/ml inhibited the differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells, and the GYF also inhibited the differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells. The effect of GYE on adipocyte differentiation factors including PPAR-${\gamma}$ and CEBP-${\alpha}$ was investigated and compared to the corresponding concentration levels of GYF. GYE and GYF both suppressed the RNA and protein levels of adipocyte differentiation factors. In the animal test both GYE and GYF reduced weight gain. GYE and GYF reduced blood cholesterol, TG and LDL levels. GYF better reduced blood cholesterol levels. Conclusions These results demonstrate that GYE and GYF exerts anti-obesity effect in 3T3-L1 cells and obese mice induced by high-fat diet.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.416-420
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• 2009

An experiment of one-year duration was conducted on sixteen adult male German Angora rabbits under sub-temperate Himalayan conditions, to assess the effect of seasons on their body weight, wool production and quality, plane of nutrition and the digestibilities of nutrients. The daily meteorological attribute viz. minimum and maximum temperature; relative humidity and rainfall were recorded during winter (October to March), summer (April to June) and rainy (July to September) seasons. Biological parameters viz. body weight at the time of shearing, wool yield of individual rabbit, quality attributes of wool, fortnightly dry matter intake, chemical composition of feed and fodder and digestibilities of nutrients were recorded. Average minimum and maximum ambient temperature during winter, summer and rainy seasons were 4.6${\pm}$1.9 and 21.4${\pm}$2.8; 13.6${\pm}$2 and 30.3${\pm}$2; and 20.0${\pm}$1.4 and $31.0{\pm}1.8^{\circ}C$, respectively. The average relative humidity and total rainfall during winter, summer and rainy season were 69.5${\pm}$2.9% and 74.7${\pm}$21.8 mm; 58.6${\pm}$2.2% and 38.1${\pm}$18.1 mm; and 69${\pm}$4.2% and 104.0${\pm}$43.7 mm, respectively. The body weight of rabbits increased during all seasons, however, the maximum average daily weight gain of 3.47${\pm}$0.1 g was observed during the rainy season. The wool yield differed significantly (p$\leq$0.05) among different seasons with highest (140.4${\pm}$10 g) and lowest (108.5${\pm}$6.9 g) during winter and summer, respectively. The wool yield during the rainy season was 123.3${\pm}$5.2 g. The wool quality attributes revealed non-significant differences for staple length, fiber diameter, medulation percent, percent pure fibers and percent guard hairs. Plane of nutrition revealed significant (p$\leq$0.05) differences for concentrate intake. The concentrate intake was highest during winter (124.4${\pm}$2.6 g) followed by summer (86.8${\pm}$8.9 g) and rainy (80.7${\pm}$11.8 g) seasons. The reverse trend was observed in roughage intake with significantly (p${\leq}$0.05) lower intake during winter and highest during summer months. As a result total dry matter intake during different seasons was similar. Significant differences (p${\leq}$0.05) were observed for digestibilities of crude protein, crude fiber, ether extract, acid detergent fiber and cellulose. Digestibility of crude protein was highest during winter whereas the digestibilities of crude fiber, ether extract, acid detergent fiber and cellulose remained higher during the rainy season. During the winter season, the dry matter used for producing 100 g of wool was substantially lower than during other seasons and was concluded to be the best season for production of Angora wool under subtemperate Himalayan conditions.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.12
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• pp.4809-4813
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• 2014

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have been reported to interfere with estrogen signaling. Exposure to these chemicals decreases the immune response and causes a wide range of diseases in animals and humans. Recently, many studies showed that licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) root extract (LRE) commonly called "gamcho" in Korea exhibits antioxidative, chemoprotective, and detoxifying properties. This study aimed to investigate the mechanism of action of LRE and to determine if and how LRE can alleviate the toxicity of EDCs. LRE was prepared by vacuum evaporation and freeze-drying after homogenization of licorice root powder that was soaked in 80% ethanol for 72 h. We used 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) as a representative EDC, which is known to induce tumors or cancers; MCF-7 breast cancer cells, used as a tumor model, were treated with TCDD and various concentrations of LRE (0, 50, 100, 200, $400{\mu}g/mL$) for 24, 48, and 72 h. As a result, TCDD stimulated MCF-7 cell proliferation, but LRE significantly inhibited TCDD-induced MCF-7 cell proliferation in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The expression of TCDD toxicity-related genes, i.e., aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), AhR nuclear translocator, and cytochrome P450 1A1, was also down-regulated by LRE in a dose-dependent manner. Analysis of cell cycle distribution after treatment of MCF-7 cells with TCDD showed that LRE inhibited the proliferation of MCF-7 cells via G2/M phase arrest. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis also revealed that LRE dose-dependently increased the expression of the tumor suppressor genes p53 and p27 and down-regulated the expression of cell cycle-related genes. These data suggest that LRE can mitigate the tumorigenic effects of TCDD in breast cancer cells by suppression of AhR expression and cell cycle arrest. Thus, LRE can be used as a potential toxicity-alleviating agent against EDC-mediated diseases.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.65-79
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• 2015

Objectives : In this study, effects of haepyoijintang (HIJ) on the increase in airway epithelial mucosubstances of rats and ATP-, PMA-, EGF- or TNF-${\alpha}$-induced MUC5AC mucin production and gene expression from human airway epithelial cells were investigated. Methods : Hypersecretion of airway mucus was induced by exposure of rats to $SO_2$ during 3 weeks. Effect of orally-administered HIJ during 2 weeks on increase in airway epithelial mucosubstances from tracheal goblet cells of rats was evaluated using histopathological analysis after staining the epithelial tissue with PAS-alcian blue. Possible cytotoxicity of HIJ was evaluated by examining the potential damage of kidney and liver functions by measuring serum GOT/GPT activities and serum BUN and creatinine concentrations of rats and the body weight gain during experiment, after administering HIJ orally. At the same time, the effect of HIJ on ATP-, PMA-, EGF- or TNF-${\alpha}$-induced MUC5AC mucin production and gene expression from human airway epithelial cells (NCI-H292) were investigated. Confluent NCI-H292 cells were pretreated for 30 min in the presence of HIJ and treated with ATP ($200{\mu}M$), PMA (10 ng/ml), EGF (25 ng/ml) or TNF-${\alpha}$ (0.2 nM) for 24 hrs, to evaluate the effect of HIJ both on ATP-, PMA-, EGF- or TNF-${\alpha}$-induced MUC5AC mucin production using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and on gene expression by the same inducers using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results : (1) HIJ decreased the amount of intraepithelial mucosubstances of trachea of rats. (2) HIJ did not show renal and hepatic toxicities and did not affect body weight gain of rats during experiment. (3) HIJ significantly inhibited ATP-, PMA-, EGF-, and TNF-${\alpha}$-induced MUC5AC mucin productions from NCI-H292 cells. (4) HIJ significantly inhibited ATP-, PMA-, EGF-, and TNF-${\alpha}$-induced MUC5AC mucin gene expression from NCI-H292 cells. Conclusions : The result from the present study suggests that HIJ might control the production and gene expression of airway mucin observed in various respiratory diseases accompanied by mucus hypersecretion and do not show in vivo toxicity to liver and kidney functions after oral administration. Effect of HIJ with their diverse components should be further investigated using animal experimental models that can reflect the pathophysiology of airway diseases through future studies.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.97-104
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• 2013

Methyl alcohol is one of the basic intermediates in the chemical industry and is also being used as a fuel additive and as a clean burning fuel. In this study, conversion of carbon dioxide to methyl alcohol was investigated using catalytic chemical methods. Ceramic monoliths (M) with $400cell/in^2$ were used as catalyst supports. Monolith-supported CuO-ZnO catalysts were prepared by wash-coat method. The prepared catalysts were characterized by using ICP analysis, TEM images and XRD patterns. The catalytic activity for carbon dioxide hydrogenation to methyl alcohol was investigated using a flow-type reactor under various reaction temperature, pressure and contact time. In the preparation of monolith-supported CuO-ZnO catalysts by wash-coat method, proper concentration of precursors solution was 25.7% (w/v). The mixed crystal of CuO and ZnO was well supported on monolith. And it was known that more CuO component may be supported than ZnO component. Conversion of carbon dioxide was increased with increasing reaction temperature, but methyl alcohol selectivity was decreased. Optimum reaction temperature was about $250^{\circ}C$ under 20 atm because of the reverse water gas shift reaction. Maximum yield of methyl alcohol over CuO-ZnO/M catalyst was 5.1 mol% at $250^{\circ}C$ and 20 atm.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.543-547
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• 2015

We investigated the combined moisturizing effect of liposomal serine and a cosmeceutical base selected in this study. Serine is a major amino acid consisting of natural moisturizing factors and keratin, and the hydroxyl group of serine can actively interact with water molecules. Therefore, we hypothesized that serine efficiently delivered to the stratum corneum (SC) of the skin would enhance the moisturizing capability of the skin. We prepared four different cosmeceutical bases (hydrogel, oil-in-water (O/W) essence, O/W cream, and water-in-oil (W/O) cream); their moisturizing abilities were then assessed using a $Corneometer^{(R)}$. The hydrogel was selected as the optimum base for skin moisturization based on the area under the moisture content change-time curves (AUMCC) values used as a parameter for the water hold capacity of the skin. Liposomal serine prepared by a reverse-phase evaporation method was then incorporated in the hydrogel. The liposomal serine-incorporated hydrogel (serine level=1%) showed an approximately 1.62~1.77 times greater moisturizing effect on the skin than those of hydrogel, hydrogel with serine (1%), and hydrogel with blank liposome. However, the AUMCC values were not dependent on the level of serine in liposomal serine-loaded hydrogels. Together, the delivery of serine to the SC of the skin is a promising strategy for moisturizing the skin. This study is expected to be an important step in developing highly effective moisturizing cosmeceutical products.