• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.383-392
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• 2000

Objective : We have reviewed the potential cancer preventive and other relevant properties of Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer, which has been traditionally used as a natural tonic in oriental countries. Data identification and study selection: Publications on Panax ginseng and its relation to cancer were obtained from the Medline database (1983-2000) and by checking reference lists to find earlier reports. The reports cover experimental models and human studies on cancer-preventive activity, carcinogenicity and other beneficial or adverse effects. In addition, possible mechanisms of chemoprevention by ginseng were also considered. Results : Published results from a cohort and two case-control studies in Korea suggest that the intake of ginseng may reduce the risk of several types of cancer. When ginseng was tested in animal models, a reduction in cancer incidence and multiplicity at various sites was noted. Panax ginseng and its chemical constituents have been tested for their inhibiting effect on putative carcinogenesis mechanisms (e.g., cell proliferation and apoptosis, immunosurveillance, angiogenesis); in most experiments inhibitory effects were found. Conclusion : While Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer has shown cancer preventive effects both in experimental models and in epidemiological studies, the evidence is currently not conclusive as to its cancer-preventive activity in humans. The available evidence warrants further research into the possible role of ginseng in the prevention of human cancer and carcinogenesis.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.340-354
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• 2023

Purpose: Gastric cancer (GC) is the second most lethal cancer globally and is associated with poor prognosis. Fatty acid-binding proteins (FABPs) can regulate biological properties of carcinoma cells. FABP5 is overexpressed in many types of cancers; however, the role and mechanisms of action of FABP5 in GC remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the clinical and biological functions of FABP5 in GC. Materials and Methods: We assessed FABP5 expression using immunohistochemical analysis in 79 patients with GC and evaluated its biological functions following in vitro and in vivo ectopic expression. FABP5 targets relevant to GC progression were determined using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). Results: Elevated FABP5 expression was closely associated with poor outcomes, and ectopic expression of FABP5 promoted proliferation, invasion, migration, and carcinogenicity of GC cells, thus suggesting its potential tumor-promoting role in GC. Additionally, RNA-seq analysis indicated that FABP5 activates immune-related pathways, including cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction pathways, interleukin-17 signaling, and tumor necrosis factor signaling, suggesting an important rationale for the possible development of therapies that combine FABP5-targeted drugs with immunotherapeutics. Conclusions: These findings highlight the biological mechanisms and clinical implications of FABP5 in GC and suggest its potential as an adverse prognostic factor and/or therapeutic target.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.457-473
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• 2023

Asbestos has been produced, imported and used in various industries in Korea over the past decades. Since asbestos causes fatal diseases such as malignant mesothelioma and lung cancer, the use of asbestos has been generally banned in Korea since 2009. However, there are still many asbestos-containing materials around us, and safe management is urgently needed. This study aims to examine asbestos-related trend changes using major asbestos-related keywords based on the asbestos trend analysis using big data for the past 32 years (1991 to 2022) in Korea. In addition, we reviewed both domestic trends related to the production, import, and use of asbestos before 1990 and asbestos-related policies from 2023 to 2027. From 1991 to 2000, main keywords related to asbestos were research, workers, carcinogens, and the environment because the carcinogenicity of asbestos was highlighted due to domestic production, import, and use of asbestos. From 2001 to 2010, the main keywords related to asbestos were lung cancer, litigation, carcinogens, exposure, and companies because lawsuits were initiated in the US and Japan in relation to carcinogenicity due to asbestos. From 2011 to 2020, the high ranking keywords related to asbestos were carcinogen, baseball field, school, slate, building, and abandoned asbestos mine due to the seriousness of the asbestos problem in Korea. From 2021 to present (2023), the main search keywords related to asbestos such as school, slate (asbestos cement), buildings, landscape stone, environmental impact assessment, apartment, and cement appeared.

• Journal of Environmental Policy
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.57-82
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• 2005

In this study, we propose methods for. the efficient management and integrity of groundwater in response to a diminishing supply. As an alternative water resource for the future. we investigated and comparatively analyzed the quality standards of groundwater in the US (New York, Wisconsin and Texas), Austria, Netherlands, Canada, Japan and United Kingdom. These developed countries heavily depend on groundwater, more than 70%, for drinking water and apply those drinking water standards to groundwater quality. However, there exists few differences in the quality standards of groundwater among the countries, because each country possesses its own individual environment and management. In Korea, surface water pollution is getting serious and its water resources are diminishing. Therefore we propose several new quality criteria that many countries regulate at these days for their efficient management of groundwater. There is a need to divide BTEX criterion into Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene and Xylene, individually. In. addition, it is needed to establish BTEX criteria into agricultural water and industrial water use standards as well as daily life use standards. Also, regulations for some PAHs, showing carcinogenicity, are required. Due to rapid industrialization various hazardous chemicals were utilized and their uses are increasing each year. Therefore, there is a strong need to introduce n~w standards and tighter regulations of the levels. At the same time, the criterion of nitrogenous compounds need' to be regulated individually in order to prevent the damage incurred by the compounds. Several developed countries have established standards for radon, previously caused environmental accidents in Korea. Therefore, we propose the necessity of groundwater quality standards for radon in this study.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.689-699
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• 2003

This study was to examine characteristics of treating toluene vapor, which gets to be problematic due to its harmful carcinogenicity and mass generation from various sources, through a biological treatment facility which is environment-friendly and adopts a high-efficient and low-cost clean technology. In order to identify whether Alnus Firma Fruit (AFF) can be used as a media for a bioreactor, its utility and basic operating factors, a study was conducted on pressure drop, supply of nutrient substances and retention time which are operating factors of a biofilter, and eliminating characteristics were compared between AFF and the conventional biological activatedcarbon (BAC) widely used as filter media. In the case of AFF, the initial microbial deposits was 2.3${\times}$10$^{7}$ CFU/g dry AFF, which represents the initial microbial density higher than the case of BAC showing 5.5${\times}$10$^{6}$ CFU/g dry BAC And it took about 2 weeks to acclimate until its eliminating rate got to be increased over 90%. As a result of comparing pressure loss taking place with the lapse of time between BAC and AFF, after 130 days passed at SV 25h$^{-1}$ , BAC showed that its eliminating efficiency had a tendency to drop greatly due to a great pressure loss (0.53\longrightarrow54.7 mm$H_2O$/m) caused by an excess of biomass as accumulated. On the other hand. AFF showed that the pressure drop was 0.53 mm$H_2O$/m, about 2 times as much as the initial pressure loss of 0.4 mm$H_2O$/m, which represents no great change in the pressure loss, and its eliminating efficiency was also shown to be continuously high. Therefore, when AFF was used as a filler for a biological treatment facility, a biological filter enabling improvement of the purifying efficiency to be promoted could be provided, and moreover, the pressure loss was so small that the filler replacement cycle or the back flushing cycle could be extended. So, even in terms of the operating cost, it was identified to be an economical filler When an inorganic material was used as a filler, the biofilters performance acted sensitively on whether nutrient substances were supplied or not. In the case of AFF with low adsorptivity, addition of ethyl-alcohol increased the solubility of toluene, and consequently, biodegradation got to be actively made by microbes, and thus, its eliminating rate could be increased. As the flow velocity and the inflow concentration got to be more increased, its eliminating rate got to be lower, and particularly, an increase in the flow velocity made its eliminating rate drop more greatly than an increase in the concentration.

• Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.93-105
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• 2024

Purpose: This study aims to quantitatively determine the impact on nearby risidents by selecting the amount of chemicals emitted from the workplace among the substances subject to the chemical emission plan and predicting the concentration with the atmospheric diffusion program. Method: The selection of research materials considered half-life, toxicity, and the presence or absence of available monitoring station data. The areas discharged from the materials to be studied were selected as the areas to be studied, and four areas with floating populations were selected to evaluate health risks. Result: AERMOD was executed after conducting terrain and meteorological processing to obtain predicted concentrations. The health hazard assessment results indicated that only dichloromethane exceeded the threshold for children, while tetrachloroethylene and chloroform appeared at levels that cannot be ignored for both children and adults. Conclusion: Currently, in the domestic context, health hazard assessments are conducted based on the regulations outlined in the "Environmental Health Act" where if the hazard index exceeds a certain threshold, it is considered to pose a health risk. The anticipated expansion of the list of substances subject to the chemical discharge plan to 415 types by 2030 suggests the need for efficient management within workplaces. In instances where the hazard index surpasses the threshold in health hazard assessments, it is judged that effective chemical management can be achieved by prioritizing based on considerations of background concentration and predicted concentration through atmospheric dispersion modeling.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.1-8
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• 2015

In this study, we performed risk assessment of chloroprene by hazard evaluation and workplace investigation. The chemical is used to manufacture of shoes, tires, adhesives, and classified as IARC category 2B (possibly carcinogenic to humans) and target organ systemic toxicity. It is used about 1,300 tons per year in 27 sites. It was calculated the risk of carcinogenesis with chloroprene by Monte-carlo simulation that the averages are 2,199 and 26,404 in each case of working less than 15 minutes per day with local exhaust ventilation and over 4 hours per day without local exhaust ventilation. The risk of target organ systemic toxicity are 4.10 and 169.06 with high correlation with working time to be longer and with ventilation system. Therefore, it is recommended that the local exhaust ventilation and respirators to prevent occupational cancer and target organ systemic toxicity with chloroprene. Especially it is determined that there is a need to strengthen the workplace exposure limit (TWA 10 ppm) in Korea since it is managed with TWA less than 5 ppm ($18mg/m^3$) by the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) as well as it has carcinogenicity, reproductive toxicity.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.309-314
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• 2014

Purpose: Cigarette smoking causes many kinds of cancer, and it is more closely related with lung cancer, rather than other cancers. Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer and ninety percent of the smokers are male in China, but there is little published data concerning the psychological responses in the male smokers with lung cancer and its influence on the symptom burden. The aim of the study was to verify the hypothesis that male smokers with lung cancer have more positive attitude and less symptom burden, comparing to male non-smokers. Methods: A total of 194 men with cancer in West China Hospital, Sichuan, China, were assessed by self-administered questionnaire. Psychological response was measured by the Chinese version of Mini-Mental Adjustment to Cancer scale (Mini-MAC), and symptom burden was measured by the physical symptom distress scale from the Rotterdam Symptom Checklist (RSCL). Results: We found that smokers with lung cancer got higher scores in positive attitude and a smaller symptom burden than non-smokers. Patients with education lower than high school got higher scores of positive attitude compared to college graduate patients (p=0.038). Smokers with lung cancer who knew the potential carcinogenicity of cigarette showed less negative emotions (p=0.011). The psychological response was not affected by age, clinical stage, cell type, smoking duration and amount. Conclusions: Male smokers with lung cancer have a more positive attitude and fewer symptoms, comparing to male non-smokers. Appropriate psychological intervention for non-smokers with lung cancer deserves more attention.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.61 no.2
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• pp.51-56
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• 2017

N-nitrosamines are the nitroso compounds which are produced by nitrosation reactions of the secondary amine and nitrite under acidic conditions. Approximately 300 species of N-nitrosamine have been tested for carcinogenicity in laboratory experiments, with 90% of them demonstrated carcinogenic effects different animal species, including higher primates. In 1978, IARC classified NDMA and NDEA as Group 2A, and NDPA, NDBA, NPIP, NPYR and NMOR as Group 2B. In this study, we established pretreatment and analytical method for N-nitrosamines (NDMA, NDEA, NMEA, NDPA, NDBA, NPIP, NPYR and NMOR) in human urine for biological monitoring of N-nitrosamines. The analytes were extracted using solid phase extraction (SPE), then quantitative analysis was performed by LC-(APCI)-MS/MS. The accuracies of the established method were between 85.8~108.7% and precisions were lower than 20%. The limit of detection (LOD) were between 0.0002 (NDBA) and 0.0793 (NDMA) ng/ml. The linearity obtained was satisfying for the 8 N-nitrosamines, with a coefficient of determination ($r^2$) higher than 0.999. The mean concentrations of N-nitrosamines in the urine were 2.645 mg/g creatinine for NDMA, 0.067 mg/g creatinine for NDEA, 0.009 mg/g creatinine for NMEA, 0.011 mg/g creatinine for NDBA, 0.271 mg/g creatinine for NPIP and 0.413 mg/g creatinine for NPYR. NDPA and NMOR were not detected. It can be used as a instrumental methodology for evaluation and risk assessment of human exposure to N-nitrosamines for the further research.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.5 no.3_4
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• pp.19-28
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• 1990

Nitroarenes are ubiquitous environmental pollutants displaying potent mutagenicity in bacteria and carcinogenicity in mammal. In this study, the concentration of nitroarenes in coarse and fine particles and mutagenicity of POC$\_$N/ fraction was investigated in suspended particulates at the Shinchon and Bulkwang area of Seoul. The suspended particulates were collected bimonthly by a high volume cascade impactor air sampler from July 1987 to May 1988. Extractable organic matter was obtained by ultrasonic extraction on diethly ether/cyclohexane (8/2, v/v). Neutral fraction was obtained by liquid-liquid extraction. Polar neutral organic compounds (POC$\_$N/) was fractionated by thin-layer chromatography. Finally, the concentrations of nitroarenes in POC$\_$N/ fraction were measured and determined by capillary gas chromatography. Direct and indirect mutagenicity of POC$\_$N/ fraction were measured using Salmonella typhimurium TA 98. The result were as follows: 1) Major nitroarenes at the Shinchon area was 1-nitropyrene and at the Bulkwang area it was 2,7-dinitro-9-fluorenone during the year. 2) Average concentration of total nitroarenes measured was 67.26 ng/m$^3$in fine particles which was 1,3 folds higher that in coarse particle (52.30 ng/m$^3$). 3) Annual pattern of nitroarenes concentrations revealed that concentration during heating season (Feb., Jan., Mar.) was 2.2 folds higher than that in non heating season (May, Jul., Sep.). Concentration of each season has 157.68 ng/m$^3$and 80.39 ng/m$^3$. 4) The mutagenic activity of POC$\_$N/ fraction from fine particles was higher compared to that of coarse particles and was increased when metabolically activated, with 59 mixture. Mutagenicities, Metabolically activated, were significantly different between Shinchon and Bulkwang area, 322.8 rev/250 $\mu\textrm{g}$/plate and 286.8 rev/250 $\mu\textrm{g}$/plate, respectively. 5) Annual pattern of mutagenicity of POC$\_$N/ fraction revealed that mutagenicity during the heating season was 1.7 folds higher at Shinchon area and 1.2 folds higher at Bulkwang than during the non heating season. The variable contents and levels of nitroarenes in suspended particulates may affect human health significantly. Further studies such as risk assessment should be conducted on the basis of these kind of studies.