• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.22 no.9
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• pp.1296-1300
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• 2012

The feasibility of using Deinococcus showing strong resistance to both desiccation and ionizing radiation as a dose indicator of gamma radiation exposure was evaluated. Three Deinococcus strains having different levels of radiation resistance, Deinococcus radiodurans (DRD), Deinococcus radiopugnans (DRP), and the DRD pprI mutant (DRM), were selected to develop an appropriate dose indicator for a broad range of exposures. DRD, DRP, and DRM cultures with different numbers of cells [${\sim}10^7$ to $10^3$ colony forming units (CFU)/$100{\mu}l$] were lyophilized and subjected to various doses of gamma radiation to determine a critical dose that inhibited bacterial growth completely. Finally, a combination of DRD at ${\sim}10^7$ and ${\sim}10^6$ CFU, DRP at ${\sim}10^5$ CFU, and DRM at ${\sim}10^4$ CFU successfully indicated exposure to 5, 10, 20, and 30 kGy of gamma radiation, respectively. This study shows the possibility of developing a qualitative indicator of radiation exposure using Deinococcus.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.50 no.7
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• pp.1088-1098
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• 2018

Kori unit #1, which is the first commercial nuclear power plant in Korea, was permanently shutdown in June 2017, and it is about to be decommissioned. Currently in Korea, researches on the decommissioning technology are actively conducted, but there are few researches on workers internal exposure to radioactive aerosol that is generated in the process of decommissioning nuclear power plants. As a result, the over-exposure of decommissioning workers is feared, and the optimal working time needs to be revised in consideration of radioactive aerosol. This study investigated the annual exposure limits of various countries, which can be used as an indicator in evaluating workers' internal exposure to radioactive aerosol during pipe cutting in the process of decommissioning nuclear power plants, and the growth and dynamics of aerosol. Also, to evaluate it, the authors compared/analyzed the cases of aerosol generated when activated pipes are cut in the process of nuclear power plants and the codes for evaluating internal exposure. The evaluation codes and analyzed data conform to ALARA, and they are believed to be used as an important indicator in deriving an optimal working time that does not excess the annual exposure limit.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.439-444
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• 2021

Background: In a previous study, we estimated exposure prevalence and the number of workers exposed to carcinogens by industry in Korea. The present study aimed to evaluate the optimal exposure intensity indicators of airborne lead exposure by comparing to blood lead measurements for the future development of the carcinogen exposure intensity database. Methods: Data concerning airborne lead measurements and blood lead levels were collected from nationwide occupational exposure databases, compiled between 2015 and 2016. Summary statistics, including the arithmetic mean (AM), geometric mean (GM), and 95th percentile level (X95) were calculated by industry both for airborne lead and blood lead measurements. Since many measurements were below the limits of detection (LODs), the simple replacement with half of the LOD and maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) methods were used for statistical analysis. For examining the optimal exposure indicator of airborne lead exposure, blood lead levels were used as reference data for subsequent rank correlation analyses. Results: A total of 19,637 airborne lead measurements and 32,848 blood lead measurements were used. In general, simple replacement showed a higher correlation than MLE. The results showed that AM and X95 using simple replacement could be used as optimal exposure intensity indicators, while X95 showed better correlations than AM in industries with 20 or more measurements. Conclusion: Our results showed that AM or X95 could be potential candidates for exposure intensity indicators in the Korean carcinogen exposure database. Especially, X95 is an optimal indicator where there are enough measurements to compute X95 values.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.7-15
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• 2012

The levels of indicator PCBs were determined in 132 human milk samples (Colostrum, 30th days after delivery, 60th days after delivery) collected in 2006 according to World Health Organization's (WHO) protocol. In addition, concentrations of indicator polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were measured by the isotope dilution method with high resolution gas chromatograph/high resolution mass detector (HRGC/HRMS), which gave accurate and precise data for estimations of international trend and comparisons. Average daily intakes (ADIs) of all analytes were calculated. The median level of total indicator PCBs was 14 ng/g lipid, which is significantly lower than the level found in individuals from other countries. PCB congeners 138, 153 and 180 accounted for about 65% of the sum of the indicator congeners analyzed. The concentration of the most abundant PCB 153 is positively correlated with the concentration of the sum indicator PCBs (p<0.001). In this study, concentrations of total indicator PCBs significantly decreased with increasing number of children for a mother, indicating that parity and breast-feeding period an important role in the accumulation and elimination of these compounds in lactating women. The ADI for the median of total indicator PCBs for an infant was evaluated at $0.077{\mu}g/kg{\cdot}bw/day$ from birth to 6 months of age. The present study shows that concentrations of PCB 118 primipara breast milk have decreased 25~35 since 1998, and that this trend is continuing.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.22-29
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• 2022

Background: A comprehensive, traceable, and easy-to-understand radiation risk indicator is desired for radiological protection. The early-onset hypothesis could be used for this purpose. Materials and Methods: An indicator for early death (IED) was developed and calculated using the epidemiological dataset from the 14^th Report of the Life Span Study (LSS) of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. By clarifying the calculation process, IED for all-cause mortality was estimated. In addition, the characteristics of IED for solid cancer mortality and cardiovascular mortality as well as those of men and women, and their dependence on age at exposure were investigated for detailed analysis. Results and Discussion: The IED for all-cause mortality was estimated to be approximately 4 years for an acute radiation exposure of 1 Gy regardless of the fitting dose range. The cumulative death rate for all solid cancers also indicated the early-death tendency (approximately 7-10 years at 1 Gy). Although, there is a slight difference in the characteristics of the risk obtained from the LSS study and this study, it is considered that the IED in a unit of years can also be used to show the overall picture of risk due to radiation exposure. Conclusion: We developed and calculated the indicator for early death, IED, for the cumulative mortality rate of all causes of death, all solid cancers, and circulatory diseases. The quantitative values of IED were estimated to be 4 years for all causes of death, 7-10 years for all solid cancers. IED has an advantage for intuitively understanding the meaning of radiation risk since it can be obtained by a simple and traceable method.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.64-69
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• 2014

Community-based disaster preparedness approaches are increasingly important elements of vulnerability reduction and disaster strategies. They are associated with a policy trend that values the knowledge and capacities of local people. In this research, we describe the community diagnosis method and develop Flood Disaster Risk Reduction Index(FDRRI) for assessment of flood vulnerability. FDRRI is composed of four indicators such as Flood Exposure Indicator(FEI), Sensitivity Indicator(SI), Risk Reduction Indicator(RRI), and Community Preparedness Indicator(CPI). We anticipate to present the guideline for selection national preparedness projects and uplift community's preparedness capacity.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.51-61
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• 2015

Computed tomography(CT) using radiation have potential risks. All medical radiographic examinations should require the justification of medical imaging examinations and optimization of the image quality and radiation exposure. The CT examination was higher radiation dose then general radiography. Especially pediatric CT examinations need to great caution of radiation risk. Because of pediatric patient was more sensitive of radiation exposure. Therefore, physician should consider the knowledge of CT radiation exposure indicator information for reduce a needless radiation exposure. This article was aim to understanding of CT exposure indicator, size-specific dose estimates by American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) report 204, XR 25 and understanding of CT dose reduction technique.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2017

Considerable effort has been made to address the issue of occupational health and environmental exposure to mercury. This review reports on the current literature of mercury exposure and health impacts on dental personnel. Citations were searched using four comprehensive electronic databases for articles published between 2002 and 2015. All original articles that evaluated an association between the use of dental amalgam and occupational mercury exposure in dental personnel were included. Fifteen publications from nine different countries met the selection criteria. The design and quality of the studies showed significant variation, particularly in the choice of biomarkers as an indicator of mercury exposure. In several countries, dental personnel had higher mercury levels in biological fluids and tissues than in control groups; some work practices increased mercury exposure but the exposure levels remained below recommended guidelines. Dental personnel reported more health conditions, often involving the central nervous system, than the control groups. Clinical symptoms reported by dental professionals may be associated with low-level, long-term exposure to occupational mercury, but may also be due to the effects of aging, occupational overuse, and stress. It is important that dental personnel, researchers, and educators continue to encourage and monitor good work practices by dental professionals.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.279-288
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• 2002

According to the epidemiological studies in chromium workers, hexavalent chromium is associated with the risk of lung cancer. Cellular oxidative damages by reactive oxygen species produced by hexavalent chromium exposure may play an important role in the carcinogenesis process. We investigated the availabilities of malondialdehyde measurement for the assessments of oxidative damages from chromium exposure with an experimental inhalation study in vivo. Lipid peroxidation, one kind of cellular oxidative damage, was measured in blood plasma of the rats which inhaled the hexavalent chromium mist for 1, 2 and 3 weeks. The concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA), the metabolite of lipid peroxidation, in all exposed groups were higher than those of controls with dose-dependant manner. The levels of MDA were also correlated with urine chromium levels of the rats. Therefore, MDA as an indicator of lipid peroxidation could be proper biologic marker for the assessment of the oxidative damage from chromium exposure, which might be involved in carcinogenesis.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.305-312
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• 2012

Manila clam, Ruditapes philippinarum (SL; $32.74{\pm}2.18mm$, TW; $8.29{\pm}1.41g$, N; 450) were exposed to various concentrations of naphthalene for 20 weeks. Exposure concentrations of naphthalene established control, solvent control (ethanol), 30, 60, 90 and $120{\mu}g$ Nap $L^{-1}$ following results of 96h acute exposure. After exposure during 20 weeks, survival rate of the manila clam was lowed in 60, 90 and $120{\mu}g$ Nap $L^{-1}$ exposure group compared control group. Also, sex ratio of male was higher in $60{\mu}g$ Nap $L^{-1}$ exposure group (${\chi}^2=5.492$, P < 0.05) but lowed $90{\mu}g$ Nap $L^{-1}$ exposure group (${\chi}^2=4.214$, P < 0.05) and $120{\mu}g$ Nap $L^{-1}$ exposure group (${\chi}^2=30.118$, P < 0.05). Gonad development was delayed in female (> $60{\mu}g$ Nap $L^{-1}$) and male (> $30{\mu}g$ Nap $L^{-1}$). Intersex was 16.28% in female, 1.68% in male. In this result, naphthalene caused survival decrease, imbalance of sex ratio, delay of gonad development of the manila clam. Also, chronic exposure to naphthalene suggested abnormal effects in reproduction of the manila clam.