• International Journal of Stem Cells
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.102-112
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• 2024

An organoid is a self-organized three-dimensional structure derived from stem cells that mimics the structure, cell composition, and functional characteristics of specific organs and tissues and is used for evaluating the safety and effectiveness of drugs and the toxicity of industrial chemicals. Organoid technology is a new methodology that could replace testing on animals testing and accelerate development of precision and regenerative medicine. However, large variations in production can occur between laboratories with low reproducibility of the production process and no internationally agreed standards for quality evaluation factors at endpoints. To overcome these barriers that hinder the regulatory acceptance and commercialization of organoids, Korea established the Organoid Standards Initiative in September 2023 with various stakeholders, including industry, academia, regulatory agencies, and standard development experts, through public and private partnerships. This developed general guidelines for organoid manufacturing and quality evaluation and for quality evaluation guidelines for organoid-specific manufacturing for the liver, intestines, and heart through extensive evidence analysis and consensus among experts. This report is based on the common standard guideline v1.0, which is a general organoid manufacturing and quality evaluation to promote the practical use of organoids. This guideline does not focus on specific organoids or specific contexts of use but provides guidance to organoid makers and users on materials, procedures, and essential quality assessment methods at end points that are essential for organoid production applicable at the current technology level.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.423-433
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• 2024

Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) are a type of adult stem cell present in the dental pulp tissue. They possess a higher proliferative capacity than bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. Their ease of collection from patients makes them well-suited for tissue engineering applications, such as tooth and nerve regeneration. Chios gum mastic (CGM), a resin extracted from the stems and leaves of Pistacia lentiscus var. Chia, has garnered attention for its potential in tissue regeneration. This study aims to confirm alterations in cell proliferation rates and induce differentiation in human DPSCs (hDPSCs) through CGM treatment, a substance known for effectively promoting odontogenic differentiation. Administration of CGM to hDPSC cells was followed by an assessment of cell survival, proliferation, and odontogenic differentiation through protein and gene analysis. The study revealed that hDPSCs exhibited low sensitivity to CGM toxicity. CGM treatment induced cell proliferation by activating cell-cycle proteins through the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Additionally, the study demonstrated that CGM enhances alkaline phosphatase activation by upregulating the expression of collagen type I, a representative matrix protein of dentin. This activation of markers associated with odontogenic and bone differentiation ultimately facilitated the mineralization of hDPSCs. This study concludes that CGM, as a natural substance, fosters the cell cycle and cell proliferation in hDPSCs. Furthermore, it triggers the transcription of odontogenic and osteogenic markers, thereby facilitating odontogenic differentiation.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.3-8
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• 2019

Recently, plastic waste in Korea has been recognized as a critical issue due to an increase in massive production of plastics, difficulty in disposal of waste plastics, and public recognition of toxicity in micro-plastics, etc. To resolve those problems, the regulation to reduce plastics consumption may be primarily considered but, in this case, clarification should be made on the rationales and the action plans in the regulation for individual waste plastic items. Another problem is the small capital sizes of domestic recycling companies, which leads to poor R&D capacity, low recycling yields and thus lowering values of recycling items. This adversely affects consumers' perception. The R&D toward recycling technical progress should take into account the environmental friendliness and recyclability from the early product design stages. Certainly, this should be supported in governmental policy and public action plans. In addition, by referring to advanced policies of i.e. European Union, the recycling industry should be recognized as an opportunity toward new investment & employment. If necessary, the regulation of plastic consumption through a formal evaluation process such as Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) will also be helpful. The values of recycled plastics should be improved through the identification and elimination of harmful chemical substances potentially contained in the products.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.15 no.8
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• pp.5-11
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• 2014

In this study, chemical analysis and ecotoxicity tests of leachate from disposal site for foot-and-mouth disease carcasses (FMD leachate) were conducted to collect fundamental data that will be used to develop environmental risk assessment tools for FMD leachate. For chemical analysis, concentration of $Cl^-$, $NH{_4}{^+}-N$, Korea standard method indicators for detection of leachate released from animal carcasses burial site into groundwater and NRN (Ninhydrin-Reactive Nitrogens), a newly suggested screening test indicator to detect groundwater contamination by FMD leachate, were assessed. For ecotoxicity tests, luminescent bacteria (V. fischeri), micro-algae (P. subcapitata) and water flea (D. magna) were selected as test species. Correlation analysis between the concentration of $Cl^-$, $NH{_4}{^+}-N$, NRN and the toxicity to V. fischeri was performed to identify the better indicators to monitor FMD leachate contamination. From regression analysis, the concentration of the indicators in FMD leachate contaminated sample that induced halfmaximal toxic effect to V. fischeri was evaluated. Results obtained from this study can be applied to assess the risk by FMD leachate and to establish the guideline to manage risk in relation to FMD leachate.

• Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.114-119
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• 2013

The present study tested 5 concrete mixes to develop reliable mixing proportions for the sustainable alkali-activated(AA) foamed concrete as a thermal insulation material for the floor heating system of buildings. The AA binder used was composed of 73.5% ground granulated blast-furnace slag, 15% fly ash, 5% calcium hydroxide, and 6.5% sodium silicate. As a main variable, the unit binder content varied from $325kg/m^3$ to $425kg/m^3$ at a space of $25kg/m^3$. The test results revealed that AA foamed concrete has considerable potential for practical applications when the unit binder content is close to $375kg/m^3$, which achieves the minimum quality requirements specified in KS F 4039 and ensures economic efficiency. In addition, lifecycle assessment demonstrated the reduction in the environmental impact profiles of all specimens relative to typical ordinary portland cement foamed concrete as follows: 99% for photochemical oxidation potential, 87~89% for global warming potential, 78~82% for abiotic depletion, and 70~75% for both acidification potential and human toxicity.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.231-239
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• 2013

BACKGROUND: The disease resistant (OsCK1) rice was generated by inserting choline kinase (CK1) and phosphinothricin acetyltransferase (PAT) genes isolated from Oriza sativa and Streptomyces hygroscopicus into the genome of rice (Nakdongbyeo). With the potential problems of safety, the non-target organism evaluation is required as an essential element for the environmental risk assessment of genetically modified (GM) crops. In present study, we studied the effects on survival of Misgurnus anguillicaudatus and Cyprinus carpio, commonly used as a model organism in ecotoxicological studies. METHODS AND RESULTS: The M. anguillicaudatus and C. carpio were fed on disease resistant (OsCK1) rice and non-genetically modified (non-GM) rice (Nakdongbyeo) to 0, 10, 100, 1,000 and 5,000 mg/L, as treatment concentration respectively. The OsCK1 rice used for the test was confirmed to have the OsCK1/PAT gene expression by the PCR and ELISA analysis. Feeding test showed that no significant differences in cumulative immobility and abnormal response of M. anguillicaudatus and C. carpio fed on between OsCK1 rice and non-GM rice. The 96hr-$LC_{50}$ values showed no difference between OsCK1 rice (>5,000 mg/L) and non-GM rice (>5,000 mg/L). CONCLUSION(S): The results of this study suggested that there was no significant difference in toxicity for M. anguillicaudatus and C. carpio between OsCK1 rice and non-GM counterparts.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.256-262
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• 2002

This research investigated experimentally on the population growth in the aquatic microcosm with the wastewater of plating factory. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of culture conditions of the characteristic growth pattern of the examined species. Population of the system is consists of three organisms; Chlorella vulgaris as a producer, Cyclidium glaucoma as a consumer and Pseudomonas putida as a decomposer. The different growth patterns of each population are followed by surfactant type; Especially C. glaucoma was sensitive, Ch. uvlgaris was maintained population size stably even at high level of surfactant and p. putida was not significantly affected. After treatment of waste water from plating factory, it began to be affected at 1.0% solution treatment to Ch. vulgaris which the cell number was decreased prominently after 2 days, and C. glaucoma was disappeared at 2.5% solution treatment. P. putida was showed increasing pattern according to treatment concentration, at 2.5% solution and population size grew double. The result from current microcosm study indicates that this model system can be applied to environmental assessment method for various pollutants.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.187-197
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• 2015

Oriental mineral medicines are single or mixture of more than one mineral species or rock/fossil which are used to treat disease. Mineral medicines remove harmful or useless substances to decrease toxicity and secondary effects, and cause the manufacture of medical compounds with increased efficacy. The extraction test is an accepted in vitro system to predict the bioaccessibility of major and minor elements from mineral medicine. It incorporates gastrointerstinal tract parameters representative of a human body that including stomach and small intestinal pH which are the same as digestion condition. The bioaccessibility of a mineral medicine is the fraction that is soluble in the gastrointestinal environment and is available for absorption. Reaction path modeling in the human body can predict digestion with gastric fluid as well as absorption in the small intestine, existence in body fluids and reaction progress of the exhaust process according to pH conditions in body. Also reaction path modeling can predict bioavailability, which is equal to existence rate in the body and the form and amount of a medicine in the body after intake. The study results from predicating the existence form mineral medicines in the body, and proving the effective ingredient using bioaccessibitily and human risk assessment, suggest these that should be necessary data for new medicine development.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.797-806
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• 2018

This study attempted to investigate the effects of Paeonia Lactiflora Pallas (P. lactiflora) on the inhibition of oxygen free radical, anti-inflammation and MMP-1 inhibitory activity and examine its possibility as a functional cosmetic material. For test methods, the inhibition of oxygen free radical after measuring reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the cell, cytotoxicity assessment and anti-inflammation were measured, and MMP-1 inhibitory effects in the HDF cell were measured. According to the test, the inhibition of ROS was confirmed in RAW 264.7 and HDF cells. In terms of cytotoxicity assessment, 90% or higher cell viability was detected at $5/10{\mu}g/mL$ Paeonia Lactiflora Pallas extract while it was 80% or higher at other concentration levels in both RAW 264.7 and HDF cells. In addition, NO production was inhibited in the RAW 264.7 cell while MMP-1 was significantly inhibited in the HDF cell. The above results reveal a possibility of Paeonia Lactiflora Pallas extract as a functional cosmetic material after confirming the inhibition of ROS synthesis in the cell, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting NO synthesis, low toxicity on skin cells and anti-aging effect through MMP-1 inhibition.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.13-21
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• 2020

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the concentrations of heavy metals in the marine sediments near the Masan bay and the Nakdong estuary, and to investigate the pollution intensity levels of six heavy metals using the existing pollution intensity assessment method. According to the US environmental protection agency, in the case of Cu, the B1 area was classified as severe pollution, while in Ni and Zn, it was classified as moderate pollution in some areas. According to the classification of Igeo, EF and PERF, the A and B regions were polluted by Cd. In particular, in the B1 region, Igeo, EF, and PERF values were the highest in all regions, and were regarded as serious pollution. According to the mean PEL quotient classification, which takes into account the effects of all six heavy metals, there is a 21% probability of toxicity from heavy metals in all regions. The highest concentration of Cd in the B1 region is 1.5 mg/kg. Therefore, the contamination of Cd contained in sediment near Masan Bay is serious, so it is necessary to clarify the cause and take careful approach to future treatment.