• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.22 no.7
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• pp.1345-1355
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• 2000

The main route of exposure of the human population to polychlorinated dibenzop-dioxins(PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans(PCDFs) is through the diet. However in Korea, there are few studies on PCDDs/PCDFs levels in environmental samples and foods. The purpose of this study is to analyze concentration of PCDDs/PCDFs in Korean retail foods and to estimate dietary daily intake of them. 9 samples from animal food and 10 samples from plant food were analysed for PCDDs/PCDFs. Concentrations of PCDDs/PCDFs ranged from 0.02(milk) to 5.39(anchovy)pg/g. TEQ levels appeared in order of fish/shellfish, meat, vegetable, cereal, fruit and milk, and these values ranged from 0.0008 to 0.3153pgTEQ/g. The daily intake of PCDDs/PCDFs via food was calculated to be about 37.7pgTEQ/day and these values are equivalent to 0.75 pgTEQ/kg b.w./day, under consideration of 50kg for body weight. The daily intake of PCDDs/PCDFs via food was lower than that in other countries. From these results, it is important to note that fish/shellfish intake is one of the main sources of PCDDs/PCDFs exposure in Korea.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.390-397
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• 2023

Introduction: Biological risks are a major global problem in the workplace. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for a more comprehensive understanding of the biological risks at work. This study presents data on both communicable infectious biological agents and noncommunicable factors leading to death and disability for the year 2021. Methods: We followed the methodology established by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in their past global estimates on occupational accidents and work-related diseases. We used relevant ILO estimates for hazardous substances and related population attributable fractions derived from literature, which were then applied to World Health Organization mortality data. The communicable diseases included in the estimates were tuberculosis, pneumococcal diseases, malaria, diarrheal diseases, other infectious diseases, neglected tropical diseases, influenza associated respiratory diseases and COVID-19. Noncommunicable diseases and injuries considered were Chronic Obstructive Diseases (COPD) due to organic dusts, asthma, allergic reactions and risks related to animal contact. We estimated death attributable to biological risk at work and disability in terms of disability adjusted life years (DALYs). Results: We estimated that in 2022, 550,819 deaths were caused by biological risk factors, with 476,000 deaths attributed to communicable infectious diseases and 74,000 deaths caused by noncommunicable factors. Among these, there were 223,650 deaths attributed to COVID-19 at work. We calculated the rate of 584 DALYs per 100,000 workers, representing an 11% increase from the previous estimate of the global burden of work-related disabilities measured by DALYs. Conclusion: This is a first update since previous 2007 ILO estimates, which has now increased by 74% and covers most biological risks factors. However, it is important to note that there may be other diseases and deaths are missing from the data, which need to be included when new information becomes available. It is also worth mentioning that while deaths caused by major communicable diseases including COVID-19 are relatively rare within the working population, absences from work due to these diseases are likely to be very common within the active workforce.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.37-60
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• 1983

The uterus receives adrenergic terminals from the mesenteric ganglia and considerably large amount of catecholamines have been shown to be contained in this organ. On the other hand, the activities of epinephrine, norepinephrine or adrenergic nerve on uterine motility is so complicated that many controversial results have been reporter. Recently, a large number of reports concerning the changes of uterine catecholamines content have appeared, but little is known about the role of uterine catecholamines in their activities on uterine motility. The present experiments were undertaken to determine the significance of the intrinsic uterine catecholamines in the physiology of uterus. Female albino rabbits weighing approximately 2 kg were employed in this experiment. uterine strip3 were prepared and suspended in a constant temperature $bath(38^{\circ}C)$ containing 100 ml of Locke's solution aerated with 95% oxygen and 5% carbon dioxide. Spontaneous motility was recorded on a smoked drum with an isotonic lever. The catecholamines concentration of the uterus was determined according to the Procedure described of Shore and Olin (1958). Human uterus obtained from patients was also used to determine the catecholam ines content of myometrium. Followings are summarized results. 1) On the non-pregnant rabbit uterine strips, epinephrine and norepinephrine significantly elevated the tonus and stimulated the spontaneous motility. Pretreatment with dichloroisoproterenol(DCI), an adrenergic beta-receptor blocker, enhanced the stimulatory activity of epinephrine or norepinephrine. On the other hand, pretreatment with dibenamine, an adrenergic alpha-receptor blocker, rendered the uterine muscle to exhibit inhibition after the administration of epinephrine or norepinephrine. Following the treatment with both DCI and dibenamine, epinephrine or norepinephrine produced no appreciable effects on the spontaneous motility of the uterus. These results suggest there exist both alpha and beta-adrenergic receptors in the uterine muscle and the response to epinephrine of the former is predominant over that of latter in the non-pregnant uterus of rabbits. The total catecholamines concentration of the non-pregnant uterus was $351\;m{\mu}g/g$ and the fractional concentrations of epinephrine and norepinephrine were $125\;m{\mu}g/g(35.7%)$ and $226\;m{\mu}g/g$ respectively. It is interesting to note that the catecholamines content of uterus was characterized by a high fractional corcentration of epinephrine relative to norepinephrine. 2) On the pregnant rabbit uterine strips, the effects of epinephrine and norepinephrine varied according to the period of pregnancy. The response to epinephrine of adrenergic beta receptor of uterus increased during pregnancy, and the effect of catecholamine was inhibitory in the early pregnancy but became stimulatory as the pregnancy progressed. This stimulating action on the uterine motility was found to occur through the action of norepinephrine. The uterine catecholamines concentration was markedly reduced during pregnancy. The catecholamines concentration was started to decrease in the early pregnancy, reached the lowest level in the mid-pregnancy and then started to increaae again in the late pregnancy when the total catecholamines content became the highest level of all. This increase of catefholamines in late pregnancy was chiefly due to the increase of norepinephrine. These results suggest that the uterine motility may be related to the catecholamines content, especially norepinephrine content in the uterus. 3) Bilateral oophorectomy of rabbits results in a marked shrink of the uterus in size. The spontaneous motility of the uterine segment of these animals was very weak and irregular. Norepinephrine produced inhibitory effect, whereas epinephrine was stimulatory or inhibitory effect on the uterine segment. The total catecholamines tontent in whole uterus was markedly reduced. The injection of estrogen into the oophorectornized rabbit increased the weight of uterus to approximately three times of that of oophorectornized animal. The apontaneous motility and the response to epinephrine and norepinephrine of the uterine segment were greatly enhanced. Both epinephrine and norepinephrine produced a marked stimulatory effects of the uterine motility. The uterine content of catecholamines, particularly epinephrine, was markedly increased. The injection of progesterone into the oophorectornized rabbit increaeed the weight of uterus to approximately 2.5 times of that of eophorectornized animal. The spontaneous motility of the uterine segment was weak and irregular. Epinephrine produced stimulatory effect at high concentrations but norepinephrine always prcdnced inhibitory effect on the uterine segment. The uterine content of catecholamines, particularly of norepinephrine, was markedly reduced. These results suggested that ovarian hormones play an important role not only on the growth and spontaneous norepinephrine of uterus but also on the catecholamines content and responee to epinephrine and norepinephrine of the uterus. 4) The intraperitoneal injection of reserpine(3 mg/kg) into the non-pregnant, pregnant and oophorectornieed rabbits markedly decreased the uterine content of catecholamines, particularly of the norepinephrine. The stimulatory response to epinephrine and. norepinephrine of the uterine segment of these reserpinized ratbits was markedly reduced whereas the inhibitory response to these catecholamines was enhanced. This finding further support the close relationship between the uterine catecholamines content and uterine response to epineptrire and norepinephrine. 5) In the human uterus, the concentration of epinephrine was actrally greater than that of norepinephrine and it was significantly greater during the proliferative phase of the menstrtal cycle. In the human pregnant uterus, the concentrations of toth epinephrine and ncrefinephrine were markedly reduced and showed about 45 percent rednction after 6-8 weeks of ectopic Pregnancy. At full term ana during labor, the concentrations of epinephrine and norepinephrine at placental sites were less than those found in the non-pregnant group. Of interest was the finding that the norepinephrine concentration of uterus from toxemic patients was two and half times higher than that of lower uterine segment of the nontoxemic pregnant individuals. Also the epinephrine concentraticn was slightly increaeed.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.169-181
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• 1990

The development of eggs and larvae, and minute scale-like tubercles on the skin surface of larval Acantlaorhodeus gracilis from Korea were observed. They spawned from late March through the middle of June. A fish spawned at least 5 times and the number of eggs averaged 304 per oviposition. Unfertilized eggs are nearly ovoid-shaped(mean$\pm$SD=$2.09{\pm}0.04\;mm$ in length with range of 2.05 to 2.13 mm and mean$\pm$SD=$1.26{\pm}0.02\;mm$ in breadth with range of 1.24 to 1.30 mm measured for the 50 eggs) and opaque yellow color. The tip of egg membrane at the animal pole side swelled and formed a few hilly projections. The shape of the eggs was just like a loquat. Most of embryos began to hatch out in thirty-eight hours after insemination at $22{\pm}1^{\circ}C$ in water temperature. As regards the morphological characters of the eggs and larval development, Acan. gracilis was similar to Acan. asmussi, Acheilognathus rhombeus, A. longipinnis and Pseudoperilampus typus. The larvae of this species is unique particularly in the following two characters, i.e., 1) scale-like tubercles ellipsoided in a diagonal cross section on the whole body and 2) incessant wiggly movement pattern as that of fly maggot, with the larvae of the above mentioned species. These characters seem to reflect the phylogenetic relationships among acheilognathine fishes. On the other hand, this species and Acan. asmussi are spring-summer spawning bitterlings. And also these species never retard the larval growth in such larval stage as the duration from Stage B to Stage D.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.43-50
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• 1976

This is the report of a food consumption survey of 193 members of 30 farm families in three rural villages of Korea. From a total of 188 households of the three villages, namely Wolgok in Kyunggi Do Province, Wachon in Kangwon Do Province, and Sobong in Cholla Namdo Province, 30 households were chosen for the survey. Four consecutive seasonal surveys, beginning in the autumn, November 1974 and finishing with the summer, August 1975, were made and each survey covered three consecutive days. The Precise Weighing Method was used in evaluating the kinds of food and nutrient intakes of the subjects. This method entails the accurate weighing of all foods by the investigator just prior to their consumption by the subjects under investigation. This survey was male to determine the actual food eaten by the members of these farm families at each season of the year, and to note any special differences in the foods consumed. The results obtained are summarized as follows: Food Intake The traditional ordinary diet of Korean farmers consists mainly of rice and other cereals as staple foods, and simple subsidary foods. The nutritional shortcomings of rice as a staple food are evident in the subclinical status of nutritional deficiencies. The mean consumption of cereals and their products was very high and it was more than half of the daily total food intake throughout all the seasons. The consumption of animal food, fruits, and fat by the farmers was very low. Fruit intake during winter and spring was almost nil. One of the special foods in the Korean dietary pattern is Kim-chi, a variety of pickled and fermented vegetables. The mean intake of Kim-chi during autumn and winter was very much higher than the other seasons. Korean farmers have difficulties in balanced year-round supply of food due to seasonality of food production and lack of food preservation. As nutrition problems of Korean farmers are highly influenced by seasonal variations, the expansion of an appropriate food preservation and storage programme should be encouraged. Special consideration should be given to new methods of preservation, the types of foods preserved, and production and consumption of nutritionally valuable foods for the improvement of the nutritional status in rural communities. Nutrient Intake Average adult rates for calorie and protein in the three study areas were 0.80 and 0.87 respectively, with little variations by villages. The adult caloric intake in averaged 2,928 kcal for autumn, 2,662 for winter, 2,673 for spring, and 2,760 for summer. Cereals contributed most of the total calories. In terms of the recommended daily dietary allowances for the Korean given by the Korea FAO Association, the diets in this survey were adequate except in the winter and spring. The protein intake averaged from 76.4 grams in autumn to 83.4 grams in summer and was near the recommended allowance, but a relatively large proportion of the total protein came from cereals and their products. The fat intake was unsatisfactory, ranging from 19.2 grams to 29.3 grams for the four seasons, and the consumption during farming season was higher than other seasons. It is apparent that the diet of the Korean farmers should be supplemented by calcium during autumn and winter. The highest calcium intake, with a mean of 583.5 milligrams, was recorded in summer. The mean intake of iron ranged from a low of 9.2 milligrams in the autumn to a high of 15.0 milligrams in the spring and it was satisfactory for all seasons. Among the vitamin group, the daily average intakes of vitamin A, thiamine, riboflavin, and ascorbic acid were lower than the desired intake throughout all the seasons. The mean vitamin A intake as ${\beta}-carotene$ ranged from a low of 2,807.8 IU to a high of 5,221.0 IU. The thiamine intake ranged from 0.98 milligrams to 1.19 milligrams, while mean riboflavin intake ranged from 0.92 milligrams to 1.13 milligrams. Ascorbic acid intake was 37.3 milligrams, the lowest, and the highest 47.8 milligrams. Niacin intake among Korean farmers was higher than the recommended allowance throughout all the seasons, and the mean intake ranged from 18.3 milligrams to 25.8 milligrams. The main character of the Korean farmers' diet has been found low in quality of protein and high in carbohydrate. Attention should be paid to the low intake of vitamin A, thiamine, riboflavin, and ascorbic acid among Korean farmers.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.49-58
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• 2010

This study is attempted to establish the concept of Byeulseo Scenic Spot that the definitions of Byeulseo and Scenic Spot would be presented first followed by clarifying the basis, reason and justification that Byeulseo would be called as Byeulseo Scenic Spot that the following is the major results formulated herein. First, the concept of scenic spot under the Cultural Property Act is the reference to the famous site with the building improvement well known for its great scenery or the point where splendid scenery is viewed that has the artistic value along with the trace of human lives in this cultural heritage that, although the scenery is important but the attention has to be on discovery of historic resources with the story telling in the subject site. Second, the criteria of designation on the Scenic Spot in Korea would be natural scenery, animal and plant site with well-known scenery, view point of scenery, famous building or garden and important places with legend that there lacks diversification. In this aspect, the intent of the concept of Scenic Spot would be facilitated to expand the designation of the Byeulseo Scenic Spot as the Scenic Spot of living style. Third, from the foreign cases, particularly, in Japan, it is needed to note that Byeulseos and housing gardens are designated for 196 places of Scenic Spot, reaching 55.4% of entire Scenic Spots. Laws, regulations, systems and designated criteria on the cases of designating the foreign Scenic Spots would be studied and quoted. Fourth, the classification work for each type to designate as cultural heritage has to be continued as the Scenic Spot of subject site with even more emerged for the value as the Scenic Spot in garden, original site and the like classified as historic site, important folk data and the like. Fifth, the designation of Scenic Spot of Byeulseo garden with splendid scenery as the living Scenic Spot has to be expanded. The pavilion existed now nationwide would be approximately 1,500, and these pavilions are the place where the scholars stay in the famous site, and this is the central space of Byeulseo to study, and if there is clear one that has written and record of deed to create the stories to people with the value for publicity campaign, it would be the subject of Scenic Spot. And sixth, for the case of view point with splendid scenery in Byeulseo Garden, it cannot be the subject of designation that the designation of Scenic Spot has to be expanded. In the event of the Byeulseo garden in Korea, there are many cases of having outstanding view points, and there is a few case of designating the subject site with great view point as a Scenic Spot.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.9-16
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• 1969

It is well known that a number of -SH and -SS containing substances afford a certain measure of protection against radiation effects in many biological systems, and it is conceivable that inherent -SH levels in Ehrlich ascites tumour (ELD)cells may be of decisive improtance with respect to the development of cellular radiation injury. So far, little effort has been directed to elucidate the changes in levels of different -SH and -SS groups in ELD cells when the tumour-bearing whole animal was subjected to the sublethal dose of X-irradiation. The present study was designed to bring some lights in the possible changes of and relationship between various sulfhydryl levels, such as P-SH, NP-SH and NP-SS, as well as the content of protein and cell volume of ELD cells, after subjecting the ELD mice to 1,200 r of X-irradiation. The animals used in this experiment were all mixed bred mice of $20{\sim}25\;gm$ in body weight (approximately 2 months old) irrespective of sex. 12 mice in one experiment were inoculated intraperitoneally with 0.2 ml of ascites tumour cells $(2{\times}10^6\;cells)$, and on the 7th day of the tumour growth, they were X-irradiated with 1,200 r, using the conventional X-ray machine under the following conditions: 200 Kv at 15 mA, 0.5 mm Cu filter, target-skin distance: 50 cm. Radiation dose was measured with the the Philip integrating dosimeter. At 24, 36, 48 and 60 hours after the X-irradiation, the mice were killed by cervical dislocation, and the tumours were taken out. Freshly withdrawn ascites tumours were placed in ice, and immediately the cell concentration was measured with the Coulter Cell Counter (Model B), and the hematocrit of the tumour cells were also determined. Cell volume was thus calculated by the cell concentration and hematocrit value. P-SH content of ELD cells was measured potentiometrically according to the method of Calcutt & Doxey, and NP-SH and NP-SS contents were measured spectrophotometrically by the method described by Ellman. Protein content of ELD cells was determined with the Folin phenol reagent by Lowry et al. Altogether, 48 experimental mice were used, and 12 mice with the only exception of X-irradiation were used as the control. Results obtained indicate that the contents of all the cellular sulfhydryl groups as well as cell volume and protein content of the ELD cells increase significantly as time progresses after the sub-lethal X-ray dose of 1,200 r was given and that all the increase is in a lineal fashion. The regression lines of the relative values, (i. e., taking each control value as 1) of all the values obtained, and the regression lines of cell volume, protein and NP-SH are identical, whereas those of NP-SS and P-SH appear to be widely seperated. However, the difference of those two lines (NP-SS & P-SH) were found to be not significant statistically (p>0.05). Therefore, it can be concluded from the above results that all the values examined increase in a lineal fashion with no statistically significant difference among them. Also, with the radiation dose of 1,200 r, the ELD cell becomes enlarged and swollen progressively up to 60 hours post-irradiation and it becomes more than two times of the original normal size at 60 hours after the irradiation, and up to this stage, it seems apparent that the cell division has been slow due to the X-irradiation applied in this experiment. It is well understandable that the contents of NP-SH, NP-SS, P-SH and protein of the ELD cells increase in parallel with the increase of the cell volume by the X-ray does used, but it also seems interesting to note that all the cellular substances tested show no appreciable difference in the pattern of increase.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.12
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• pp.919-928
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• 2022

As seen in the COVID-19 pandemic, unexpected emergence of new viruses presents serious concern on public health. Especially, the absence of effective vaccines or antiviral drugs against emerging viruses significantly increases the severity of disease and duration of viral circulation among population. Natural products have served as a major source for safe and effective antiviral drugs. In this study, we examined the virucidal activity of medical herb extracts with a view to discover novel antiviral agents with desired levels of safety and antiviral efficacy. Ethanol extracts of ten selected medical herbs were tested for antioxidant activity and in-vitro cytotoxicity in various animal cell lines. Of note, the herbal extracts showed broad and potent virucidal activities against rotavirus, hepatitis A virus, and influenza A virus. The extracts of Sorbus commixta and Glycyrrhiza uralensis showed strong virucidal activities against influenza A virus. We also examined whether the extracts of Sorbus commixta and Glycyrrhiza uralensis can be used as inactivating agents to prepare an inactivated viral vaccine. In a mouse model, influenza A virus inactivated by the extracts elicited high levels of neutralizing antibodies, and the vaccination provided complete protection against lethal challenge. These results suggest that herb-derived natural products can be developed to antiviral drugs as well as inactivating agents for preparation of inactivated viral vaccines.