• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.112-122
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• 2023

We assessed the pesticide residues in the medicinal agricultural products distributed in Korea. Pesticide residues in 72 samples were analyzed using the QuECheRS method for 339 pesticides, using GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS. The pesticide residues were below the maximum residues limit (MRL) in 42 samples (58.3%); however, they exceeded the MRL in 5 samples (6.9%). These included 43 types of pesticides; 20 fungicides and 23 insecticides were detected 75 times and 58 times, respectively. Tebuconazole and carbendazim were the most detected fungicides, each 11 times. The levels of acetamiprid, cadusafos, chlorpyrifos, flubendiamide, fluopyram, and triazophos exceeded the MRL in Gogi berry, Omija, and Reishi mushroom. All of them were positive list system (PLS) items that lacked pesticide residue standards. Therefore, authorities should monitor the distributed medicinal agricultural products.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.227-234
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• 2003

2-Bromopropane (2-BP), a halogenated propane analogue, is a substitute for chlorofluorocarbones (CFCs) which have a great potential to destroy the ozone layer and to warm the earth's environment. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the potential adverse effects of 2-BP on pregnant dams and embryo-fetal development after maternal exposure during the gestational days (GD) 6 through 17 in ICR mice. The test chemical was administered subcutaneously to pregnant mice at dose levels of 0, 313, 625 or 1,250 mg/kg/day. All dams were subjected to caesarean section on GD 18 and their fetuses were examined for external, visceral and skeletal abnormalities. In the 1,250 mg/kg group, maternal toxicity included an increase in the incidence of abnormal clinical signs and a decrease in the maternal body weight, body weight gain, and corrected body weight. Developmental toxicity included a decrease in the fetal body weight, a reduction in the placental weight, an increase in the fetal skeletal variation and ossification delay. There were no adverse effects on either pregnant dams or embryo-fetal development in the 313 and 625 mg/kg groups. These results suggest that a 12-day subcutaneous dose of 2-BP is embryotoxic at a maternally toxic dose (i.e., 1,250 mg/kg/day) in ICR mice. In the present experimental condition, the no-observed-adverse-effect level of 2-BP is considered to be 625 mg/kg/day for dams and embryo-fetuses, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.197-205
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• 2013

Background: Many factors including drugs, dietary supplements, and food intake can affect the development and organ formation of fetuses. Because of this, subject tends to avoid consuming things like coffee, alcohol, or cigarettes due to the risks they pose during pregnancy. Therefore, analysis of drugs and favorite food consumption is needed and important to ensure safe health management for subject. Purpose: This study was conducted domestically to analyze these factors in South Korea. Method: The survey was conducted from pregnancy-related online communities for six days and the survey results were received via email for analysis. Result: A total of 127 subjects answered the questionnaire via email; the characteristics of subjects are widely varied in their ages, education levels, job statuses, and residences. The questionnaire included the intake of dietary supplements during pregnancy including vitamins and the result showed that the subjects took 2.23 different kinds of supplements on average. In order of highest frequency, 101 subjects took multivitamins; 79 subjects took an iron supplement; 30 subjects took analgesics; 20 subjects took prescribed antipyretic and medication for upper respiratory diseases; 12 subjects took antibiotics; 7 subjects took antiemetics. Their compliances were different in each medication categories. Only 8% of subjects answered that they had asked a pharmacist for medication information during pregnancy. In addition, 78% of subjects answered that they never counseled with anyone about pregnancy related medication use. Conclusion: In conclusion, many subjects took medication including dietary supplements. The role of pharmacists should be actively developed to improve subject care such as education about subject's medication uses and their food consumption behavior.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.39-45
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• 2017

A cyclotron is a kind of particle accelerator that produces a beam of charged particles for the production of medical, industrial, and research radioisotopes. More than 30 cyclotrons are operated in Korea to produce $^{18}F$, an FDG synthesis at hospitals. A 30-MeV cyclotron was installed at ARTI (Advanced Radiation Technology Institute, KAERI) mainly for research regarding isotope production. In this study, we analyze and estimate the items of risk such as the problems in the main components of the cyclotron, the loss of radioactive materials, the leakage of coolant, and the malfunction of utilities, fires and earthquakes. To estimate the occurrence frequency in an accident risk assessment, five levels, i.e., Almost certain, Likely, Possible, Unlikely, and Rare, are applied. The accident consequence level is classified under four grades based on the annual permissible dose for radiation workers and the public in the nuclear safety law. The analysis of the accident effect is focused on the radioactive contamination caused by radioisotope leakage and radioactive material leakage of a ventilation filter due to a fire. To analyze the risks, Occupation Safety and Health Acts is applied. In addition, action plans against an accident were prepared after a deep discussion among relevant researchers. In this acts, we will search for hazard and introduce the risk assessment for the research 30-MeV cyclotron facilities of ARTI.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.178-187
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• 2001

A study has been performed to estimate the average and high (90th percentile of consumers-only) daily intakes of sorbates by age-sex groups (> 3 years old) in Korea. The estimation of daily intakes was based on individual-based dietary intake data in ‘National Health and Nutrition Survey in 1998’and the contents of sorbates from samples. The estimated daily intakes (EDI) of sorbates for average consumers ranged from 0.09 mg/kg/bw/day to 0.51 mg/kg bw/day corresponding to 0.4-2.1% of acceptable daily intake (ADI). For high consumers, the range of EDI of sorbates was 3.42-14.65 mg/kg bw/day corresponding to 13.7-58.6% of ADI. Foods that contributed most to the daily intakes of sorbates for all age-sex groups were processed fish products, processed meat products, and salted floods. There was an inverse relationship between age and the consumption of sorbates for average and high consumers, whereas no marked pattern was emerged by sex categories. The intake levels of sorbates even among high consumers were below the ADI in Korea.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.262-269
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• 2019

The porcine myeloid antimicrobial peptide (PMAP), one of the cathelicidin family members, contains small cationic peptides with amphipathic properties. We used a putative lysozyme originated from the bacteriophage P22 (P22 lysozyme) as a fusion partner, which was connected to the N-terminus of the PMAP36 peptide, to markedly increase the expression levels of recombinant PMAP36. The PMAP36-P22 lysozyme fusion protein with high solubility was produced in Escherichia coli. The final purified yield was approximately 1.8 mg/L. The purified PMAP36-P22 lysozyme fusion protein exhibited antimicrobial activity against both Gram-negative and Grampositive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Bacillus subtilis). Furthermore, we estimated its hemolytic activity against pig erythrocytes as 6% at the high concentration ($128{\mu}M$) of the PMAP36-P22 lysozyme fusion protein. Compared with the PMAP36 peptide (12%), our fusion protein exhibited half of the hemolytic activity. Overall, our recombinant PMAP36-P22 lysozyme fusion protein sustained the antimicrobial activity with the lower hemolytic activity associated with the synthetic PMAP36 peptide. This study suggests that the PMAP36-P22 lysozyme fusion system could be a crucial addition to the plethora of novel antimicrobials.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.474-482
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• 2018

The aim of this study was to determine and analyze probiotic contents, pH, and acidity of 120 samples of health functional and processed foods containing lactic acid bacteria distributed in 2017. The changes due to the preservation methods were also determined and analyzed in five probiotic products. Two samples of the 85 health functional food products had lactic acid bacteria at lower levels than the marked amount required to meet Korean food standards, whereas the 35 processed products were all suitable for distribution. The averages for probiotic contents, pH, and acidity were $1.2{\times}10^{10}CFU/g$, 5.35, and 1.29%, respectively. The average count of lactic acid bacteria in the 17 samples with marked amount among the 35 processed foods was $5.8{\times}10^8CFU/g$. The effects of preservation temperature ($-20^{\circ}C$, $4^{\circ}C$, $20^{\circ}C$, and $40^{\circ}C$) and storage period (1, 3, and 6 months) on probiotic content, pH, and acidity were determined for 5 probiotic products. After 1 to 6 months, the average reduction in probiotic content was by 59%; the lowest reduction occurred at $4^{\circ}C$ and the highest reduction occurred at $40^{\circ}C$. In addition, 3 of the 5 products showed a rapid decrease in probiotic content by more than 70% at $40^{\circ}C$ after a storage period of 1 to 3 months. Therefore, from this study results, it is recommended that products containing lactic acid bacteria should be refrigerated and consumed shortly after purchase.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.401-405
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• 2012

The dual effectiveness of Opuntia ficus indica extracts for browning inhibition and microbial inactivation on fresh-cut apples was investigated. Prepared apple slices were treated with 25, 50, 100, 200 mg/mL Opuntia ficus indica extracts, packaged in polyethylene bags, and stored for 10 days at 4, $21^{\circ}C$. Results indicate that Opuntia ficus indica extracts significantly (P < 0.05) inhibited the browning reaction of fresh-cut apples. This treatment also reduced peroxidase activities. The populations of Staphylococcus aureus significantly decreased with increasing extract concentration (p < 0.05). In particular, S. aureus was reduced to non-detectable levels after 2 days in 100 mg/mL treatment at $4^{\circ}C$ and $21^{\circ}C$. Opuntia ficus indica extracts therefore have antibacterial and antibrowning effects. The results suggest that Opuntia ficus indica extracts could be useful as a natural food preservative.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.181-186
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• 1969

The concentration of Strontium-90 in liquid whole milk produced in Korea were measured during past four years. The samples of milk were purchased from dairies in Seoul. Strontium-90 was analysed radiochemically and the amount of stable calcium was also determined. Radioactivity of Yttrium-90 was counted in low background beta counter which has the background of 1.38 cpm. The concentrations of Strontium-90 in the milk are 25.1 PCi $^{90}Sr$/g.Ca in 1965, 26.8 PCi $^{90}Sr$/g. Ca in 1966, 13.7 PCi 90Sr/g.Ca in 1967 and 18.2 PCi $^{90}Sr$/g.Ca in 1968 in annual average. The concentrations of Strontium-90 in the milk of 1967 and of 1968 were decreased approximately compared with the values of 60% 1965 and 1966. From the results we can see that Strontium-90 concentrations in the milk vary roughly proportionally with the specific activity of fallout. Considering on the safety problems, the Strontium-90 levels in the milk produced in Korea were far below the maximum permissible level recommended by ICRP.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.20 no.12
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• pp.154-165
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• 2020

With a long-lasting pandemic of COVID-19, we have faced unprecedented socioeconomic threats. The regulation of human exchange has exposed us not only to the threat of health and medical care problems, but also to the burden of the contraction of economic activity. The outbreak of COVID-19 did give us an opportunity to reexamine the social safety net which has been prepared for such crisis situations. The current study, in this vein, aims to investigate the impact of evaluations of social safety nets on the trust in government and on individual willingness to accept tax increases. To this end, this study has explored the data from a survey conducted on 1,000 adult men and women across the country (South Korea) in May, 2020, when COVID-19 has entered a pandemic phase. The analysis result then has shown that the evaluation of social safety net after the outbreak of COVID-19 had a positive impact on the trust in the government, which in turn led to the increase of the willingness to accept tax increases. Moreover, the positive impact of trust in government on the willingness to accept tax increases has been more amplified when the income level was increased. These results could contribute to laying the theoretical foundation for restructuring the policies and systems for the post COVID-19 era.