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Removal Efficiency of Non-point Source Pollutants through Constructed Wetland: Case Study of Annaecheon Wetland in Daecheong Reservoir (인공습지를 이용한 호소 유입 비점오염물질 제거 효율 평가: 대청호 안내천 습지 사례 분석)

  • Pyeol-Nim Park;Young-Cheol Cho
    • Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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    • v.32 no.5
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    • pp.291-304
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    • 2023
  • Harmful algal blooms (HABs) have become an increasing concern in terms of human health risks as well as aesthetic impairment due to their toxicity. The reduction of water pollutants, especially nutrients from non-point sources in a reservoir watershed, is fundamental for HABs prevention. We investigated the pollutant removal efficiencies of a constructed wetland to evaluate its feasibility as a method for controlling non-point sources located in the Annaecheon stream within the Daecheong Reservoir watershed. The overall removal efficiencies of pollutants were as follows: BOD 14.3%, COD 17.9%, SS 50.0%, T-N 19.0%, and T-P 35.4%. These results indicate that constructed wetlands are effective in controlling pollutants from non-point sources. The seasonal variation in removal efficiency depended on the specific pollutants. The removal efficiencies of BOD, COD, and T-N were stable throughout the year, except during winter, which might have been influenced by lower microorganism activity. In contrast, T-P showed a consistent removal efficiency even during the winter season, suggesting that the wetland can reduce external phosphorus loading to the reservoir. Regarding the effects of pollutant loadings on removal efficiency, the effluent concentrations of all pollutants were significantly decreased compared to those in the influent in case of middle and high loadings. This demonstrates that constructed wetlands can handle high pollutant loads, including the initial runoff during rainfall, to prevent reservoir eutrophication. Despite the various strengths of wetland water purification, there are limitations as passive treatment. Therefore, more case studies should be conducted to suggest optimum operational conditions for constructed wetlands, taking into consideration reservoir-specific characteristics.

Development of Functional Halogenated Phenylpyrrole Derivatives (기능성 할로겐화 페닐피롤 )

  • Min-Hee Jung;Hee Jeong Kong;Young-Ok Kim;Jin-Ho Lee
    • Journal of Life Science
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    • v.33 no.10
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    • pp.842-850
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    • 2023
  • Pyrrolnitrin, pyrrolomycin, and pyoluteorin are functional halogenated phenylpyrrole derivatives (HPDs) derived from microorganisms with diverse antimicrobial activities. Pyrrolnitrin is a secondary metabolite produced from L-tryptophan through four-step reactions in Pseudomonas fluorescens, Burkholderia cepacia, Serratia plymuthica, etc. It is currently used for the treatment of superficial dermatophytic fungal infections, has high antagonistic activities against soil-borne and foliar fungal infections, and has many industrial applications. Since pyrrolnitrin is easily decomposed by light, it is difficult to widely use it outdoors. As an alternative, fludioxonil, a synthetically produced non-systemic surface fungicide that is structurally similar and has excellent light stability, has been commercialized for seed and foliar treatment of plants. However, due to its high toxicity to aquatic organisms and adverse effects in human cell lines, many countries have established maximum residue levels and strictly control its levels. Pyrrolomycin and pyoluteorin, which have antibiotic/antibiofilm activity against Gram-positive bacteria and high anti-oomycete activity against the plant pathogen Pythium ultimum, respectively, were isolated and identified from microorganisms. This review summarizes the biosynthesis and production of natural pyrrolnitrin derived from bacteria and the characteristics of synthetic fludioxonil and other natural phenylpyrrole derivatives among the HPDs. We expect that a plethora of highly effective, novel HPDs that are safe for humans and environments will be developed through the generation of an HPD library by microbial biosynthesis and chemical synthesis.

Efficacy and Safety of Trastuzumab Deruxtecan and Nivolumab as Third- or Later-Line Treatment for HER2-Positive Advanced Gastric Cancer: A Single-Institution Retrospective Study

  • Keitaro Shimozaki;Izuma Nakayama ;Daisuke Takahari;Kengo Nagashima;Koichiro Yoshino ;Koshiro Fukuda;Shota Fukuoka ;Hiroki Osumi ;Mariko Ogura ;Takeru Wakatsuki;Akira Ooki ;Eiji Shinozaki;Keisho Chin ;Kensei Yamaguchi
    • Journal of Gastric Cancer
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    • v.23 no.4
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    • pp.609-621
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    • 2023
  • Purpose: Determination of optimal treatment strategies for HER2-positive advanced gastric cancer (AGC) in randomized trials is necessary despite difficulties in direct comparison between trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) and nivolumab as third or later-line treatments. Materials and Methods: This single-institution, retrospective study aimed to describe the real-world efficacy and safety of T-DXd and nivolumab as ≥ third line treatments for HER2-positive AGC between March 2016 and May 2022. Overall, 58 patients (median age, 64 years; 69% male) were eligible for the study (T-DXd group, n=20; nivolumab group, n=38). Results: Most patients exhibited a HER2 3+ status (72%) and presented metastatic disease at diagnosis (66%). The response rates of 41 patients with measurable lesions in the T-DXd and nivolumab groups were 50% and 15%, respectively. The T-DXd and nivolumab groups had a median progression-free survival of 4.8 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.3, 7.0) and 2.3 months (95% CI, 1.5, 3.5), median overall survival (OS) of 10.8 months (95% CI, 6.9, 23.8) and 11.7 months (95% CI, 7.6, 17.1), and grade 3 or greater adverse event rates of 50% and 2%, respectively. Overall, 64% patients received subsequent treatment. Among 23 patients who received both regimens, the T-DXd-nivolumab and nivolumab-T-DXd groups had a median OS of 14.0 months (95% CI, 5.0, not reached) and 19.3 months (95% CI, 9.5, 25.1), respectively. Conclusions: T-DXd and nivolumab showed distinct efficacy and toxicity profiles as ≥ third line treatments for HER2-positive AGC. Considering the distinct features of each regimen, they may help clinicians personalize optimal treatment approaches for these patients.

Enhanced Degradation of Residual Cadusafos in Soils by the Microbial Agent of Cadusafos-degrading Sphingobium sp. Cam5-1 (미생물제(Sphingobium sp. Cam5-1) 처리에 따른 토양 중 카두사포스의 분해효과)

  • Jehyeong Yeon;Joon-hui Chung;Han Suk Choi;Young-Joon Ko;Dayeon Kim;Sihyun An;Jae-Hyung Ahn;Gui Hwan Han;Hang-Yeon Weon
    • Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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    • v.42 no.4
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    • pp.346-352
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    • 2023
  • Cadusafos, an organophosphorus insecticide, has been commonly used against various pests worldwide. Organophosphorus pesticides have shorter half-lives and lower toxicities than organochlorine pesticides. However, excessive use of Cadusafos can increase pest resistance and issues with acetylcholine biomagnification, potentially resulting in human toxicity. In this study, we investigated the effect of a Cadusafos-degrading microbial agent (CDMA) prepared using Sphingobium sp. Cam5-1, which was previously reported to effectively degrade residual Cadusafos in soil. Experiments were conducted under both controlled laboratory and greenhouse field conditions. Under laboratory conditions, CDMA (106 cfu/g soil application rate) decomposed 97% of Cadusafos in the soil in the untreated control after 21 days. Additionally, when CDMA (106 cfu/g soil) was mixed with quicklime, 99% of Cadusafos was decomposed within 3 days. Under greenhouse field conditions, the combined effect of CDMA (106 cfu/g soil) and quicklime was not observed. However, CDMA (106 cfu/g soil) application alone was capable of decomposing 91% of Cadusafos after 3 days. These results indicate that CDMA can effectively decompose high residual levels of Cadusafos in soils under field conditions using a low inoculum rate.

Effects of amprolium hydrochloride on expression of drug metabolizing enzyme genes in olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus (Amprolium hydrochloride가 넙치 Paralichthys olivaceus의 약물대사 유전자 발현에 미치는 영향)

  • Sang Hyup Park;Chang Han Kim;Jeong-wan Do;Hye-Sung Choi;Yi Kyung Kim
    • Journal of fish pathology
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    • v.36 no.2
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    • pp.337-348
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    • 2023
  • This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of amprolium hydrochloride on detoxification process of olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus. A series of two experiment was performed based on the LD50 value obtained for amprolium. First, thirty flounder (average weight 230.27 g; average length 27.99 cm) was randomly allocated into five groups. Treatment was carried out using intra-muscular injection of amprolium at the dose levels of 4, 8, 16, and 32 mg/kg body weight. At 8, 24 and 48 h post injection, liver and kidney were collected for expression assay of drug metabolizing enzymes and pro-inflammatory cytokine genes. We found that the interleukin-1β (IL-1β) mRNA level were induced at 32 mg/kg and CYP1A genes showed the opposite pattern, while UDP-glucuronosyl-transferase (UGT1A7) and GST were significantly reduced in the liver. Moreover, the suppression of drug metabolizing enzymes and cytokine gene in the kidney was observed after treatment. Another treatment was carried out using intramuscular injection with 4, 8, 16, and 32 mg/kg and 60, 80, 100, 120 mg/kg body weight. At 6 days post injection, liver was collected. The IL-1β expression was markedly induced in the experimental group treated with 4 mg/kg. In addition, glutathione S-transferase (GST) mRNA level was higher in the group with 4 mg/kg. In conclusion, our data suggests that amprolium seem to cause direct or indirect physical, or biological toxicity of flounders, although this drug is considered one of the safest synthetic anticoccidial drugs of the livestock industry.

Effects of Smilax China L. on the Growth of Skin Cancer Cells (토복령(土茯笭)이 피부암 세포의 성장에 미치는 영향)

  • Si-Yeol Song;Min-Yeong Jung;Jeong-Hwa Choi;Soo-Yeon Park
    • The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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    • v.37 no.1
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    • pp.1-16
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    • 2024
  • Objectives : We aimed to study the effect of Smilax China L.(SCL), which has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer effects, on the growth of skin cancer cells. Methods : HaCaT cells, a normal human cell line, and skin cancer cells including A431, SK-MEL-5 and SK-MEL-28 cells were treated with Smilax China L. ethanol extract(SCL-EtOH) at concentrations of 5, 10, 20 and 40㎍/㎖. Meanwhile, JB6 Cl41, a normal mouse epithelial cell line, was treated with epidermal growth factor(EGF) and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate(TPA), an inflammatory factor, to induce cell transformation and treated with SCL-EtOH. In addition, we treated SK-MEL-5 and SK-MEL-28 cells with SCL-EtOH at various concentrations and checked the effect on the cell cycle. Results : As a result, it showed no toxicity to HaCaT cells up to the highest concentration of 40㎍/㎖, and significant cell growth inhibition to A431, SK-MEL-5 and SK-MEL-28 cells in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. In addition, as a result of checking the shape of skin cancer cells according to SCL-EtOH treatment, it was observed that as the concentration increased, the number of normally attached and growing cells decreased and the shape of the cells changed. Colony formation was significantly reduced in a concentration-dependent manner in JB6 Cl41 cells treated with EGF or TPA. Flow cytometry analysis with propidium iodide(PI) staining showed that SCL-EtOH induced the G2/M phase arrest. We further confirmed the decrease in Cyclin B1 expression and increase in p27 expression associated with the G2/M phase of the cell cycle through western blot analysis. Flow cytometry analysis confirmed that SCL-EtOH induced cell apoptosis. Furthermore, through Western blot analysis, it was observed that the expression of cleaved-caspase-7, which is related to apoptosis, increased. Finally, it was confirmed that the expression of COX-2, an inflammatory marker protein, decreased in a concentration-dependent manner with SCL-EtOH. Conclusions : Through the above results, we have established a basis for applying SCL to the treatment of skin cancer.

Potentially toxic Pseudo-nitzschia species in Tongyeong coastal waters, Korea (통영 연안의 잠재독성 Pseudo-nitzschia 출현종)

  • Park, Jong-Gyu;Kim, Eung-Kwon;Lim, Weol-Ae
    • The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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    • v.14 no.3
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    • pp.163-170
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    • 2009
  • Several species of the genus Pseudo-nitzschia produce the neurotoxin domoic acid (DA) known to be responsible for amnesic shellfish poisoning. In spite of the potentially toxic effects on marine ecosystem, even the representative Pseudo-nitzschia species occurring in Korean coastal waters have not been clearly reported. Plankton samples from several outer coastal sites of Tongyeong were collected fortnightly from May to November 2008 and the presence of diatoms of the genus Pseudo-nitzschia was examined using light and scanning electron microscopy. Thirteen species were observed, including P. americana, P. brasiliana, P. caciantha, P. calliantha, P. cuspidata, P. delicatissima, P. micropora, P. multiseries, P. multistriata, P. pseudodelicatissima, P. pungens, P. subfraudulenta, and P. subpacifica. The number of Pseudo-nitzschia species observed were only four in May, which was minimum during this survey, and then gradually increased attaining maximum, twelve, in September. After September it began to decrease again and got to five in November. Of these, P. americana, P. brasiliana, P. caciantha, P. calliantha, P. micropora, and P, pseudodelicatissima are new records for the Korean coastal waters and P. calliantha, P. cuspidata, P. delicatissima, P multiseries, P. multistriata, and P. pungens have been reported as DA producers around the world, but the potential toxicity of these species was not ascertained in Tongyeong area.

Biotransformation of Diterpenoids From Aralia continentalis Roots by the Genus Fusarium (곰팡이 Fusarium 속을 이용한 독활 뿌리 추출물로부터 디테르페노이드의 생물전환)

  • Keumok Moon;Seola Lee;Eunhye Jo;Areum Lee;Jaeho Cha
    • Journal of Life Science
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    • v.34 no.4
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    • pp.215-226
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    • 2024
  • Aralia continentalis is widely distributed in Far East Asian countries such as Korea, China, and Japan. A. continentalis has traditionally been used as an herbal remedy for various conditions, including analgesia, headache, inflammation, lameness, lumbago, rheumatism, and dental diseases in Korea. Previously, epi-continentalic acid, continentalic acid, and kaurenoic acid as major active biological compounds belonging to the diterpenoid class were identified. To synthesize diterpenoid derivatives with enhanced bioavailability, Fusarium fujikuroi was employed to biotransform diterpenoids due to its known antibacterial activity. This yielded two derivatives of kaurenoic acid, namely 16α-hydroxyent-kauran-2-on-19-oic acid and 2β, 16α-dihydroxy-ent-kauran-19-oic acid, with their chemical structures elucidated via NMR analysis. These derivatives exhibited increased polarity compared to kaur- enoic acid, as evidenced by their retention time on preparative HPLC using the ODS-A column and structural modifications. Evaluation of their antidiabetic activity targeting PTP1B, a negative regulator of the insulin signaling pathway, revealed inhibitory activities of 30.8% and 27.6%, respectively, at a concentration of 4 ㎍/ml. Additionally, both derivatives demonstrated low cytotoxicity, with an IC50 value 18 times higher than kaurenoic acid. Therefore, the augmented water solubility and reduced toxicity of 16α-hydroxy-ent-kauran-2-on-19-oic acid and 2β, 16α-dihydroxy-ent-kauran-19-oic acid, resulting from biotransformation by F. fujikuroi, render them promising candidates for industrial applications.

Analysis of Applicability of Rapid Hardening Composite Mat to Railway Sites (초속경 복합매트의 철도현장 적용성 분석)

  • Jang, Seong Min;Yoo, Hyun Sang;Oh, Dong Wook;Batchimeg, Banzragchgarav;Jung, Hyuk Sang
    • KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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    • v.44 no.1
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    • pp.109-116
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    • 2024
  • The Rapid Hardening Composite Mat (RHCM) is a product that improves the initial strength development speed of conventional Geosynthetic Cementitious Composite Mats (GCCM). It offers the advantage of quickly securing sufficient strength in railway slopes with insufficient formation level, and provides benefits such as preventing slope erosion and inhibiting vegetation growth. In this study, an analysis of the practical applicability of RHCM in railway settings was conducted through experimentation. The on-site applicability was assessed by categorizing it into fire resistance, durability, and stability, and conducting combustibility test, ground contact pressure test, and daily displacement analyses. In the case of South Korea, where a significant portion of the territory is composed of forested areas, the prevention of slope fires is imperative. To analyze the fire resistance of RHCM, combustibility tests were conducted as an essential measure. Durability was assessed through ground contact pressure tests to analyze the deformation and potential damage of RHCM caused by the inevitable use of small to medium-sized equipment on the construction surface. Furthermore, daily displacement analysis was conducted to evaluate the structural stability by comparing and analyzing the displacement and behavior occurring during the application of RHCM with railway slope maintenance criteria. As a result of the experiments, the RHCM was analyzed to meet the criteria for heat release rate and gas toxicity. Furthermore, the ground contact pressure was observed to be consistently above 50 kPa during the curing period of 4 to 24 hours under all conditions. Additionally, the daily displacement analyzed through field site experiments ranged from -1.7 mm to 1.01 mm, confirming compliance with the criteria.

Evaluation of Cerebral Blood Flow Using Arterial Spin Labeling in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (만성 콩팥병 환자들에서 동맥 스핀 표지 기법을 이용한 뇌 관류상태의 평가)

  • Se Won Oh;Samel Park;Nam-jun Cho;Hyo-Wook Gil;Eun Young Lee;Hyung Geun Oh;Sung-Tae Park
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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    • v.81 no.4
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    • pp.912-919
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    • 2020
  • Purpose This study aimed to compare the brain perfusion status of patients with chronic kidney disease to a normal control group to identify any significant differences. Materials and Methods The perfusion state of the brain was measured by MRI using the arterial spin labeling technique in 36 patients undergoing hemodialysis due to chronic kidney disease and 36 normal controls. Images were then analyzed in a voxel-wise manner to detect brain areas showing significant perfusion differences between the two groups. Results Patients with chronic kidney disease showed increased perfusion in the form of large clusters across the right fronto-parieto-temporal lobe and the left parieto-occipital lobe. In addition, perfusion increased in the bilateral thalami, midbrain, pons, and cerebellum (p < 0.01, familywise error corrected). Conclusion Brain perfusion appears to increase in patients with chronic kidney disease compared to normal controls. Uremic toxicity is thought to be the cause of this increase as it can cause damage to the microscopic blood vessels and their surrounding structures.