• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.126-146
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• 2000

To develop and evaluate formaldehyde measurement method using 2,4-dinitro-phenylhydrazine (2,4-DNPH) coated sampler and gas chromatography, laboratory test and field test were conducted. Results of this study are as follows. Limit of detection(LOD) of measurement methods, HPLC-UVD, GC-NPD and GC-FID, is $0.008{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ $0.060{\mu}g/m{\ell}$, $0.472{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ respectively. Coefficiency of measurement methods, HPLC-UVD, GC-NPD and GC-FID, is 0.008, 0.009, 0.020 respectively. Desorption efficiency of sep-pak xposure aldehyde sampler and sorbent sample tube is 1.05(range : 0.99 - 1.12), 1.02(range : 0.99 - 1.06) respectively. Samples of sorbent sample tube and sep-pak xposure aldehyde sampler turned out to be stored at refrigerator, according to storage test results. Measurement methods of HPLC-UVD, GC-NPD, GC-FID, according to results of precision for the combined sampling and analytical procedure, became acceptable to OSHA evaluation standard. Field test using exposure chamber met the NIOSH overall uncertainty recommendation(less than 25%). Overall uncertainty of Sepak-HPLC(UVD), Tube-GC(NPD), Tube-GC(FID) is 11.0% - 17.0%. Consequently gas chromatography(GC-NPD, GC-FID) and high performance liquid chromatography(EPA TO-11) using 2,4-DNPH coated sampler for formaldehyde measurement turned out to be suitable to measure personal formaldehyde exposure at workplaces.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.213-218
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• 2005

Phellinus linteus (PL), one of the immune-regulatory substances, is recognized to play the role in the metabolic process on inflammation and immunity. It has been traditionally used in the oriental medicine to treat inflammatory related disease. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of water extracts of PL on the mesenteric lymph node lymphocytes immune function in the ICR male mice. Control mice received vehicle only. The PL treated mice were administered the respective extract by oral gavages for 4 weeks. IgE concentrations in serum and MLN lymphocytes were significantly lower in PL treated mice than in control mice. PL increased the proportion of $CD4^+\;and\;CD8^+$ T cells in MLN lymphocytes. PL significantly decreased Th2 cytokine concentrations and mRNA expression levels in cytokine secretions. Therefore, water extracts of PL modulate inflammatory parameters through regulation of immunoglobulin production resulting from decreased Th2 cytokine secretion and mRNA expression levels and reduce pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion and mRNA expression in MLN lymphocytes.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.50-56
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• 2013

Objectives: The present study investigated cytotoxicity and DNA damage in human lung cells in vitro. Methods: Neodymium oxide and lanthanum oxide were dispersed by ultrasonic treatments. The assay was performed with MRC-5 (Human male fetus lung cell). Cytotoxicity and comet assay of lanthanum oxide and neodymium oxide were measured after 24 and 48 hours incubation. Results: After 24 hours of exposure to rare earth metals, the cytotoxicities of lanthanum oxide in more than $1{\mu}M$ concentration groups were significantly increased when compared to the control group, but the cytotoxicities of neodymiun oxide in more than $100{\mu}M$ concentration groups were statistically increased. After 48 hours exposure, cytotoxicities of both materials were statistically increased in $100,000{\mu}M$ concentration groups. Olive tail moments of the lanthanum oxide treated group were significantly increased when compared to the control group. Conclusions: The cytotoxicity of lanthanum oxide was higher than that of neodymium oxide. The DNA of MRC-5 cells treated with lanthanum oxide for 48 hours were significantly damaged.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.31 no.5 s.86
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• pp.387-397
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• 2005

In oder to understand the deposition possibility of water-soluble inorganic ions in the atmospheric fine particulates for the human respiratory tract, the mass size distribution of ion species was measured using an Anderson sampler in the Iksan during fall, 2004. Samples were analyzed for major water-soluble ions using Dionex DX-100 ion chromatograph. The size distribution of water-soluble inorganic ions in the atmospheric particulates appeared bimodal distribution, which were divided around $1-2{\mu}m$ into two groups. Mass site distribution of total ion in the coarse mode was found to be almost similar level during the sampling period, but fluctuations of mass size distribution in the fine mode were observed. Considering the mass size distribution of total ion concentrations for the respiratory deposition region, it was found that about 77.1% of total tons could be deposited in the alveolar region, and which dominated the daily variation of total ion concentrations. The concentration of total ions, which could be deposited in both the head region and the tracheobronchial region, was $3.95{\mu}g/m^3$, whereas that in the alveolar rerion was $13.28{\mu}g/m^3$. Dominant ions which could be deposited in the alveolar region were ${NO_3}{^-},\;{SO_4}^{2-}\;and\;{NH_4{^+}$, accounting for about 40%, 27% and 22% of the total ions, respectively. Although $K^+$ was approximately 3% of total ions, it was shown that most of this could be deposited in the alveolar region due to its high fraction of small size distribution originated from anthropogenic source of biomass burning. The presence of these ions in the fine mode may be of public health significance as they are very biologically harmful to health and have a high probability of being deposited in human lung tissue.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.1807-1810
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• 2014

Background: It is known that inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)/nitric oxide (NO) plays an integral role during intestinal inflammation, an important factor for colon cancer development. Natural compounds from Curcuma longa L. (Zingiberaceae) have long been a potential source of bioactive materials with various beneficial biological functions. Among them, a major active curcuminoid, demethoxycurcumin (DMC) has been shown to possess anti-inflammatory properties in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated macrophages or microglia cells. However, the role of DMC on iNOS expression and NO production in an in vitro inflamed human intestinal mucosa model has not yet been elucidated. This study concerned inhibitory effects on iNOS expression and NO production of DMC in inflamed human intestinal Caco-2 cells. An in vitro model was generated and inhibitory effects on NO production of DMC at 65 ${\mu}M$ for 24-96 h were assessed by monitoring nitrite levels. Expression of iNOS mRNA and protein was also investigated. DMC significantly decreased NO secretion by 35-41% in our inflamed cell model. Decrease in NO production by DMC was concomitant with down-regulation of iNOS at mRNA and protein levels compared to proinflammatory cytokine cocktail and LPS-treated controls. Mechanism of action of DMC may be partly due to its potent inhibition of the iNOS pathway. Our findings suggest that DMC may have potential as a therapeutic agent against inflammation-related diseases, especially in the gut.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.233-238
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• 2012

The precise diagnosis of the acute toxoplasmosis in pregnant women and immunocompromsied patients has critical importance. Most of the commercially available assays use the whole Toxoplasma soluble extract as the antigen. However, the assays currently available for the detection of specific anti-Toxoplasma antibodies may vary in their abilities to detect serum immunoglobulins, due to the lack of a purified standardized antigen. The aim of this study was production and evaluation of the usefulness of the recombinant Toxoplasma gondii GRA7 antigen for the serodiagnosis of Toxoplasma gondii IgM and IgG by ELISA. A total of 70 T. gondii IgM positive sera, 74 T. gondii IgG positive sera, and 60 sera from subjects who were not infected with T. gondii were examined. These sera were shown different absorbance values in ELISA test. To control the specificity of the rGRA7 other parasitic diseases, for example, echinococcosis, malaria, leishmaniasis, fascioliasis, and strongyloidiasis were tested of which none showed positive results. Sensitivity and specificity of the generated recombinant IgG ELISA in comparison with commercial ELISA (com ELISA) were 89% and 90%, and the sensitivity and specificity of the generated recombinant IgM ELISA were 96% and 90%, respectively. The results obtained here show that this antigen is useful for diagnostic purposes.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.28 no.8
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• pp.923-929
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• 2005

Methanol extracts of domestic plants of Korea were evaluated as a potential inhibitor of neutral pH optimum and membrane-associated 60 kDa sphingomyelinase (N-SMase) activity. In this study, we partially purified N-SMase from bovine brain membranes using ammonium sulfate. It was purified approximately 163-fold by the sequential use of DE52, Butyl-Toyopearl, DEAE-Cellulose, and Phenyl-5PW column chromatographies. The purified N-SMase activity was assayed in the presence of the plant extracts of three hundreds species. Based on the in vitro assay, three plant extracts significantly inhibited the N-SMase activity in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. To further examine the inhibitory pattern, a Dixon plot was constructed for each of the plant extracts. The extracts of Abies nephrolepis, Acer tegmentosum, and Ginkgo biloba revealed a competitive inhibition with the inhibition constant (Ki) of $11.9 {\mu}g/mL,\;9.4{\mu}g/mL,\;and\;12.9{\mu}g/mL$, respectively. These extracts also inhibited in a dose-dependent manner the production of ceramide induced by serum deprivation in human neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.393-406
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• 2007

Bovine tuberculosis is an important zoonosis worldwide. Mycobacterium bovis, the causative agent of this disease in cattle, is also a pathogen for humans and several economically important animals. The cases of tuberculosis are reported in two cow found at slaughter house located in Gwangju city. Histopathologically, in the lymph nodes, granulomas consisted of large areas of necrosis surrounded by variable thick bands of cellular infiltrate containing macrophages, Langhans-type multinucleated giant cells and lymphocytes. Lesions in the lung followed the same developmental pattern as did lesions in the lymph nodes with some exceptions. With the acid-fast staining, numerous mycobacteria were revealed in the lung and lymph nodes. M bovis was confirmed as a causative agent in these cattle using bacterial isolation and PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism method based on a unique 12.7 kb fragment insertion sequence from the Mycobacterium tuberculosis genome and the pncA polymorphism, The insertion element IS6110 and IS1081 were present M bovis isolated from lungs and lymph nodes of cattle using PCR assay. These cases are interesting and important in public health aspect that M bovis-infected cattle were found during a routine post-mortem inspection at slaughter house.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.483-501
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to apply a multi-metric model of Lentic Ecosystem Health Assessments(LEHA) for environmental impact assessments of Cheongpyung Reservoir during 2005 - 2006 and assessed the ecological model values. The ecosystem model of LEHA was composed of eleven metrics such as biological parameters($B_p$), physical parameters($P_p$), and chemical parameters($C_p$), and determined the rank of ecological health by the criteria. The variables of $B_p$ were metrics of % sensitive species($M_2$, NMS) and insectivore species($M_5$, % $I_n$), which decrease as the water quality degradates, and these metric values were low as 1.5% and 32.4%, respectively. In contrast, the proportions of tolerant species and omnivore species as the other $B_p$ parameters were 43% and 62%, respectively, which indicate a degradation and disturbance of the ecosystem. Riparian vegetation coverage($M_9$, % $V_c$) as a variable of $P_p$, were higher in the 2nd than 1st survey, and decreased toward the dam site from the headwaters. This was due to a habitat simplification(modifications) by frequent bottom dredging of sand and rocks. The variables of $C_p$ were two metrics of specific conductivity($M_{10}$, $C_I$) as an indicator of ionic contents(cations and anions) and the Trophic State Index(TSI) based on chlorophyll-a($M_{11}$, $TSI_{CHL}$) as an indicator of trophic state. These metric values of $C_p$ had high temporal variations, but low spatial variations on the main axis of the reservoir along with the ecological health of a good condition. The environmental impact assessments using the LEHA multi-metric model indicated that the model values of LEHA averaged 30.7 in 1st survey(fair - poor condition) vs. 28 in 2nd survey(poor condition), indicating a temporal variation of the ecological health. The model values of LEHA showed a minimum(28) in the lacustrine zone(S5) and ranged from 29 to 30 in the other locations sampled, indicating a low longitudinal variation. Overall, environmental impact assessments, based on LEHA model, suggest that chemical water quality conditions were in good, but biological conditions were disturbed due to habitat modifications by frequent dredgings in the system.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.232-235
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• 2018

Background: This study was conducted to investigate the heat stress and semen quality among male workers in a steel industry in Iran and investigate the relationship between heat stress indices and semen parameters. Methods: The study was conducted on workers exposed (n = 30) and unexposed (n = 14) to heat in a steel industry. After obtaining a brief biography of the selected employees, scrotal temperature, oral temperature, and environmental parameters were measured, and their semen samples were analyzed according to the procedure recommended by the World Health Organization. The heat stress indices, including wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) and predicted heat strain (PHS), in their workplace were calculated according to environmental parameters (ISO 7243:1989 and 7933:2004, respectively). Results: Time-weighted averages of WBGT and PHS ($35.76^{\circ}C$ and 491.56 $w/m^2{\frac{w}{m^2}}$, respectively) for the exposed group were higher than threshold limit values. The mean difference of environmental, physiological, and semen parameters (exception: pH of semen), and also WBGT and PHS indices were statistically significant (p < 0.05) between the two groups. Mean semen parameters were in the normozoospermic range. WBGT and PHS indices showed significantly "negative" correlation with physiological parameters (scrotal and oral temperature) and most semen parameters (semen volume, sperm morphology, sperm motility, sperm count; p < 0.05); moreover, the correlation of WBGT with these parameters was stronger than PHS. Conclusion: Semen parameters of the studied workers exposed to heat were in the borderline level of normozoospermic range, and their semen parameters were significantly lower than controls. For better assessment of occupational environment concerning physiological and semen parameters in steel industries, WBGT can be a more useful index.