• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.64-71
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• 2002

Hair provides important information about the body's mineral status. Therefore, we have studied the trace elemental distribution in human hair under different inhalation and ingestion environment using neutron activation analysis (NAA). NAA is a powerful analytical method which can be used successfully to determine trace elements in environmental and biological materials. Total diet and six different herbal medicine were analysed to study ingestion environment. Airborne dust in foundry was analysed and compared with outdoor dust to study inhalation environment. Human hairs of common person, herbal medicine taker and foundry worker were analysed to estimate the trace elemental distribution of people under different inhalation and ingestion environment. Analytical results show that herbal medicines contain higher micronutrients such as Ca, Mg, Mn and Cu that total diet and airborne dust in foundry has high Cr. The concentration of Ca, Mg and Mn in hair of herbal medicine taker is two times higher than in hair of common person and Cr con-centration in hair of foundry worker is about three times higher than in hair of common person. These results show that NAA can be used importantly to monitor human health through biological and environmental samples.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.97-114
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• 2012

This study was performed to assess the nutritional status and hair mineral content of children with behavioral problems and compare the values with a gender, age-matched control group. The subjects were recruited from S elementary school children in Seoul, Korea. Students scored higher than 60 points were diagnosed with behavioral problems according to the Korean-Child Behavior Checklist. Nutritional assessment of the two groups (behavior problem group: male n=15, female n=24; $9.6{\pm}1.6$ years, control group: male n=16, female n=18; $9.5{\pm}1.9$ years) was performed using a nutritional survey and by measuring hair mineral contents. In the results, food frequency questionnaire analysis showed that the intakes of anchovy (P<0.05), soybean curb (P<0.01), radish (P<0.05), bean sprouts (P<0.05), spinach (P<0.05), carrot (P<0.05), pumpkin (P<0.05), lettuce (P<0.05), cabbage (P<0.01), apple (P<0.05), and milk (P<0.01) were higher in the control group than the behavior problem group, whereas intakes of ramyeon (P<0.05), cookies (P<0.05), and coke (P<0.01) were higher in the behavior problem group than the control group. Intakes of most nutrients such as plant-derived protein (P<0.05), fiber (P<0.05), plant-derived calcium (P<0.05), phosphorus (P<0.05), plant-derived iron (P<0.05), vitamin B2 (P<0.05), vitamin B6 (P<0.05), vitamin C (P<0.01), vitamin E (P<0.05), and folate (P<0.05) were significantly higher in the control group than the behavior problem group. Hair analysis showed that the levels of arsenic (P<0.05), mercury (P<0.001), uranium (P<0.05), iron (P<0.001), boron (P<0.01), and germanium (P<0.001) were lower, but the levels of phosphate (P<0.05), chromium (P<0.001), sodium (P<0.05), and sulfur (P<0.001) were higher in the behavior problem group than the control group. Conclusively, behavioral problems constitute a complicated condition in which nutritional factors may play major roles. However, it is still under investigation as to whether or not modification of dietary habits or nutritional supplementation can improve children's behavior, since symptoms require a broad understanding of the environmental and genetic interactions.

• Current Research on Agriculture and Life Sciences
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• v.7
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• pp.221-230
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• 1989

Present experiment was designed to investigate the effect of long-term ethanol drinking on the mineral contents on hair, liver, kidney and muscle tissues. Forty-five rats were divided into 2 experimental groups and a control group. The control group received tap water and the other 2 groups 4% and 25% ethanol respectively as drinking source for 28 days. All rats were dissected on the 29th day. Hair, liver, kidney and muscle samples were taken and analyzed for zinc, calcium, copper and magnesium contents by atomic absorption spectrophotometeric method. The results obtained are summrized as follows : 1) The zinc content of muscle in 25% ethanol group showed significant (P<0.01) decrease whereas that of hair in 4% ethanol group showed significant (p<0.1) increase. 2) The calcium content of hair in 4% ethanol group showed significant (p<0.1) increase whereas; that of hair, kidney and muscle in both group showed no significant difference. 3) The copper and magnesium contents of muscle showed significant (p<0.1, p<0.05) decrease in both groups. From these results it may be concluded that the long-term drinking of ethanol affects the mineral content of body tissue.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.27-32
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• 2009

Human hair is an excretory system for trace metals and thus metal content in human hair can reflect the body status. The investigation of trace elements in human hair has been correlated with the diagnosis of various diseases as well as the monitoring of deficiency statues in nutrition. Many chronic diseases may be related to mineral status, some may be related to toxic mineral. Hair samples were collected from 120 inhabitants of the city of Seoul, Korea. In this study the concentrations of 10 elements (Hg, Pb, Cd, Al, As, U, Bi, Sb, Ba, Be) in hair were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS). The conclusions showed that people in Seoul, Korea were affected by some kinds of toxic minerals. The Hg concentrations of male are higher than those of female and reference range. The mean concentration of Sb was higher in the female than male and reference range. In age distribution, the mean concentration of Hg was in 40's are higher than 20's and 30's and reference range. The concentrations of Al were the highest in the 20's. After analyzing, we concluded that a compounded treatment should be conducted, which considers the variety of factors related to detoxification.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.41-49
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• 2004

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most general childhood problems occurs locally and internationally, but the causes of ADHD are not cleared yet. Therefore, this study tried to examine some parts of the causes of ADHD closely, and finally contribute to the medical treatment of ADHD and its precautionary measures, by measuring and comparing concentration of minerals in hairs of the patients of ADHD and their control group's children. which can analyze the relevance to ADHD and the mineral content in human bodies, and mutual relations between toxic minerals and essential minerals in human bodies. After collection of hairs from 200 children(5 to 7-year-old, boys: 159 girls:41) diagnosed as ADHD by medical specialists based on the standard of DSM-IV diagnosis and their control group's 177 children(boys: 138 girls:39), the mineral concentration of samples was measured through ICP-MS and compared. And correlations between toxic minerals and essential minerals in human bodies among patients group was analyzed. All the toxic minerals(Pb, Hg, Al, Cd, As) of hairs analyzed in the study showed more higher range of concentration in patients group in comparison with their control group. Among them, the concentration of Pb(3.27 $\pm$ 3.82 ppm) and As(0.16 $\pm$ 0.15 ppm) in patients group were significantly high compared to their control group. And in this study Pb among toxic minerals showed negative correlation with Zn(r = -0.43), Mg(r = -0.15) among essential minerals. Cd among toxic minerals showed negative correlation with Zn(r = -0.20) among essential minerals. As among toxic minerals showed negative correlation with Ca(r = -0.14) among essential minerals.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.61-75
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• 2007

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to investigate correlation between obese degree, result of hair tissue mineral analysis and bony maturation. And we also wanted to compare the differences between early bony maturation group(EBM) and late bony maturation group(LBM). Methods : 146 subjects who visited growth clinic were measured by BMI, PBF(percent body fat), percent BMI, bone age esimation and HTMA(hair tissue mineral analysis). The patients were classified into two groups - EBM, LBM group - according to the gap of bone age and chronological age. It was analysed that the correlation of bony maturation and obese degree, nutritional elements, heavy metals, significant ratio of nutritional elements. Also, analysed the differences between groups. Results : 1. BMI, percent BMI had a correlation with bony maturation, PBF however didn't have a correlation with it. 2. Ca, Mg, Zn and P had a positive correlation with bony maturation, and also K, Cr and Mo had a negative correlation. 3. U, As and Cd had a negative correlation with bony maturation. 4. Ca/P, Na/K, Ca/K and Zn/Cu had a positive correlation with bony maturation, and also Na/Mg, Ca/Mg had a negative correlation. 5. Percent BMI, Ca, Mg, Mn and Ca/p were higher in EBM group. 6. K, Mo and Hg were lower in EBM group. Conclusion : According to this study it could be suggested that maintaining proper percent BMI and accumulation of nutritional elements, heavy metals to prevent early bony maturation.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.67-80
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• 2004

Objectives: Obesity is a growing epidemic with subsequent health consequences leading not only to reduced quality of life but also to increased medical costs. Recently nutritional balances are emphasized in the field of obesity, and especially maintaining proper equilibriums of minerals. The correlation of minerals obtained from the method of HTMA(Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis) with obese degree has not been studied in Korea yet. We studied any significant difference of mineral concentrations and components according to the obese degree. Methods: 78 subjects were analyzed who visited Garosero clinic of oriental medicine to lose their weight from June to November 2004. We used BMI(Body Mass Index), PBF(Percent Body Fat), WHR(Waist-Hip Ratio) and abdominal circumference obtained by bio-electrical impedance analysis as an obese degree. And we analyzed correlation with mineral concentrations and ratios obtained from HTMA. Results & Conclusion: 1. Na, K, Zn, Se had significant correlation with obese degree in case of nutritional minerals from HTMA. Especially, K had high significance. 2. Toxic minerals from HTMA had no significance with obese degree. 3. Rb had significant correlation with obese degree in case of additional minerals from HTMA. 4. Among important ratios from HTMA, Na/K had significant correlation with obese degree, but Ca/K had correlation except PBF, and Na/Mg had correlation except WHR. 5. Among toxic ratios from HTMA, Se/Hg had significant correlation with obese degree, but S/Hg had correlation except BMI. 6. Na, K, Zn, Rb, Na/K, Ca/K had significant differences between obesity groups classfied by BMI. Ob II group had sinificant difference from NW group in cases of K, Zn, Rb, Na/K, and Ob II group had sinificant difference from OW group in case of Ca/K.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.7-11
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• 1989

This study was designed in order to clarify the effect of ethanol drinking on the mineral contents on liver, kidney, muscle and hair. Forty-five rats were divided into 2 groups and a control group. The control group received tap water and the other 2 groups were given 8% and 40% ethanol as drinking source. Liver, kindney, muscle and hair samples were taken and analyzed for zinc, calcium and copper contents by atomic absorption spectrophotometric methods. The results obtained are summrized as follows; 1. The zinc content of muscle showed significant (p<0.01) decrease in both groups. 2. The calcium content of hair showed significant (p<0.1) increase in 8% ethanol group. 3. The copper contents of kidney and muscle in 8% ethanol group and liver in 40% ethanol group showed significant (p<0.1) decrease.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.26 no.1 s.41
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• pp.110-125
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• 1993

This study was designed to determine whether non-violent criminal and normal control on the basis of concentration of levels of trace mineral and toxic metal by analysis of human scalp hair. The subjects were selected 87 nonviolent criminal from a prison population and 120 normal control from periodic health checks for study. Hair samples were taken from the napes and Minnesota Multiple Personality Inventory (MMPI) was performed also. Five trace mineral (Zn, Cu, Mg, Fe, Na) and two toxic metal (lead, cadmium) contents were determined by an atomic absorption spectrometer. The contents of zinc and magnesium in hair of non-violent criminal were significantly lower than the control group (p<0.01). In the case of lead and cadimum, mean value of criminal group was significantly higher than control group. Significantly higher T-score of MMPI was seen in non-violent criminal group fur psychopathic deviate (Pd), paranoia scale (Pa), and Mania scale (Ma) than control group, but T-score of depression scale (D) was significantly higher in the control group. In the non-violent criminal group, the content of copper inversely proportion to T-score of Hs, D, Hy, Pd, Mf, Pa, Pt, Sc, Si except Ma, also Zinc inversely proportion to T-score of Hy, Mf, Pa, Pt. These results suggest that difference of some hair mineral contents exist between criminal and normal control group. Thus further studies are necessary to determine whether violent and nonviolent criminal group attributed biochemical imbalance with carefully constructed and controlled studies.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.230-238
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• 2010

A microbial strain having high keratinase activity was isolated from the soil of poultry factories of Gyeonggi or Chungcheong-do. The isolated strain was identified as Bacillus sp. based on its morphological and biochemical characteristics. In this study, the optimal conditions for the production of keratinase by this strain were investigated. The optimal medium composition for the keratinase production was determined to be 3.5% chicken feather as carbon source, 1.0% tryptone as organic nitrogen source, 1.0% $KNO_3$ as inorganic nitrogen source and 0.05% KCl, 0.05% $KH_2PO_4$, 0.03% $K_2HPO_4$ as mineral source and 0.01% yeast extract as growth factor. The optimal temperature and pH was $40^{\circ}C$ and 8.5 with shaking culture (200 rpm), respectively. The maximum keratinase production reached to 123 units/ml after 42 hr of cultivation under the optimal condition. When the hair was used as the sole carbon source, the maximum enzyme activity was 88 units/ml after 120 hr and in this case, the hair added in the medium was not degraded completely but got thinner than the control by 20%.