• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.34 no.3 s.134
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• pp.242-245
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• 2003

The effects of chelidonine, a benzophenanthridine isoquinoline alkaloid, on L-DOPA-induced cytotoxicity in PC12 cells were investigated. The treatment of PC12 cells with chelidonine $(1-4\;{\mu}M)$ decreased dopamine content in a dose-dependent manner (30.2% inhibition at $4\;{\mu}M)$. Chelidonine was not cytotoxic up to $4\;{\mu}M)$. However, chelidonine at concentrations higher than $5\;{\mu}M$ caused a cytotoxicity in PC12 cells. L-DOPA at concentrations higher than $50\;{\mu}M$ led to cell damage by oxidative stress in PC12 cells. Chelidonine at non-cytotoxic concentration ranges of $1-4{\mu}M$ aggravated L- DOPA $(20-50\;{\mu}M)$-induced cytotoxicity in PC12 cells. The L-DOPA-induced cytotocxicity was synergistically stimulated by chelidonine at concentrations grader than $5\;{\mu}M$. These data demonstrate that chelidonine exacerbates L-DOPA-induced cytotoxicity. Therefore, it is proposed that the long-term L-DOPA therapeutic patients with chelidonine may need to be checked for the adverse symptoms.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.32 no.1 s.88
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• pp.1-7
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• 2006

This study was performed to investigate airborne lead concentration and surface lead contents in preschool facilities. Arithmetic mean of indoor lead concentration in urban area was $44.7\;ng/m^3$ (Geometric mean $32.1\;ng/m^3$) whereas outdoor concentration was $39.5\;ng/m^3$ (GM $22.8\;ng/m^3$). In rural area, airborne lead concentrations were $14.2\;ng/m^3\;(GM\;7.9 ng/m^3),\;12.6\;ng/m^3\;(GM\;5.6 ng/m^3)$, respectively. There is statistical significance of the lead concentrations among the locations of preschool facilities. About $37\%$ of qualitative lead check samples was positive and mainly was found in lead based paint. Though lead concentrations on the floor and window sill were well below the US EPA and HUD standard (floor $40\;{\mu}g/ft^2\;(4.3\;{\mu}g/100\;cm^2)$, window sill $250\;{\mu}g/ft^2\;(26.9\;{\mu}g/100\;cm^2)$, respectively), there were much samples which exceed the standard, i.e., $29\%$ of surface wall, $20\%$ of the desk and chair, $100\%$ of painted wood box of tested samples. In view of our study and hazard of lead to children, we recommended that the contents of lead in preschool facilities should be lowered as possible.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.321-331
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• 2011

Mycobacterium bovis, a member of the M. tuberculosis complex (MTC), is the causative agent of bovine tuberculosis. Detection of M. bovis and M. tuberculosis using conventional culture- and biochemical-based assays is time-consuming. Therefore, a simple and sensitive molecular assay for rapid detection would be of great help in specific situations such as faster diagnosis of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) infection in the abattoirs. We developed a novel multiplex real-time PCR assay which was applied directly to biological samples with evidence of bTB and it was allowed to differentiate between M. bovis and M. tuberculosis. The primers and TaqMan probes were designed to target the IS1081 gene, the multi-copy insertion element in the MTC and the 12.7-kb fragment which presents in M. tuberculosis, not in the M. bovis genome. The assay was optimized and validated by testing 10 species of mycobacteria including M. bovis and M. tuberculosis, and 10 other bacterial species such as Escherichia coli, and cattle lymph nodes (n=113). The tests identified 96.4% (27/28) as M. bovis from the MTC-positive bTB samples using conventional PCR for specific insertion elements IS1081. And MTC-negative bTB samples (n=85) were tested using conventional PCR and the real-time PCR. When comparative analyses were conducted on all bovine samples, using conventional PCR as the gold standard, the relative accuracy of real-time PCR was 99.1%, the relative specificity was 100%, and the agreement quotient (kappa) was 0.976. The detection limits of the real-time PCR assays for M. bovis and M. tuberculosis genomic DNA were 10 fg and 0.1 pg per PCR reaction, respectively. Consequently, this multiplex real-time PCR assay is a useful diagnotic tool for the identification of MTC and differentiation of M. bovis and M. tuberculosis, as well as the epidemiologic surveillance of animals slaughtered in abattoir.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.438-446
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• 2013

Objectives: This study was performed in order to determine airborne fungi levels in homes and find related factors that may affect airborne fungi concentration. Methods: Fifty homes were study subjects for measuring airborne fungi. For sampling airborne fungi, the impaction method on agar plates was used and samples were counted as colony forming units per cubic meter of air ($CFU/m^3$). In addition, information regarding housing characteristics and atopic disease in each home were collected via questionnaire. Results: The geometric means (GM) of airborne fungi concentrations in fifty living rooms and bedrooms were 68.03 and 62.93 $CFU/m^3$, respectively. The GM of airborne fungi concentration in atopy homes was 78.42 $CFU/m^3$. This was higher than non-atopy homes' 54.34 $CFU/m^3$ (p-value=0.051). In the results of the multiple regression analysis, outdoor airborne fungal concentration proved a strong effective factor on indoor airborne fungal concentration. Also, construction year, floor area of house, indoor smoking and frequency of ventilation were factors that showed a significant association with indoor airborne fungi concentration. Conclusions: The results of this study show that some housing and living characteristics may affect the development and increase of airborne fungi. In addition, exposure to airborne fungi may be a risk factor for the prevalence of childhood atopic diseases.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.541-549
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• 1997

This study was done to describe health promoting lifestyle and determine affecting factors in elderly based on the Heath Promotion Model by Pender. Cognitive-perceptual factors that were included in this study were self-efficacy and hardiness. Modifying factors were demographic characteristics (sex, age, partner, previous illness, education level. income and religion). The specific purpose of this study was to examine the relationships of self-efficacy, hardiness and the demographic chasteristics to health promoting lifestyle and to determine causal factors affecting the elderly. The subjects were a volunteer sample of 98 elderly in one city in? The instruments for this study were Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile(47items, 4scale), Health Related Hardiness Scale(22i1ems, 6scale), general Self-Efficacy Scale(13i1ems, 5scale). Frequency, percentage, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient and Stepwise Multiple regression technique with SAS program were used to analyse the data. The Results of the study are as follows : 1) The average item score for the health promoting lifestyle was 2.63, the highest score on the subscales was interpersonal support (M=3.3), followed by self-actulization(M=2.9), nutrition(M=2.8), stress management(M=2.7), health responsibility(M=2.1) with the lowest bring exercise(M=2.0) 2) A significant difference between education level, income, religion and health promoting lifestyle were found. 3) All of the subscales on health promoting lifestyle were positively related to total hardiness (r=0.330, p<0.001). The hardiness subscale of control was positively related to self-actulization(r=0.276, p<0.01), and commitment was positively related to self-actualization(r=0.315, p<0.001), exercise /nutrition(r=0.245, p<0.01), interpersonal support(r=0.278, p<0.01), stress management(r=0.250, p<0.01). Challenge was positively related to self-actualization(r=0.315, p<0.001), exercise /nutrition(r=0.245, p<0.01). There was no significant correlation between self-efficacy and all of the subscales of health promoting lifestyle. Self-efficacy showed a significant correlation only with control(r=0.469, p<0.001), comittment(r=0.507, p<0.001), challenge (r=0.489, p< 0.001). 4) Comittment, self-efficacy and income explained 25.01% of the variance for the total health promoting lifestyle. The results of this study show that commitment, self efficacy and income predicted the health promoting lifestyle of the elderly. So health promoting programs that increase commitement and self-efficacy should be developed to promote a healthy lifestyle of the elderly, especially those who have low income.

• Proceedings of the Korea Institute of Fire Science and Engineering Conference
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• 2011.04a
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• pp.416-420
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• 2011

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.134-138
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• 2007

The current PET/CT system with high quality CT images not only increases diagnostic value by providing anatomic localization, but also shortens the acquisition time for attenuation correction than primary PET system. All commercially available PET/CT system uses the CT scan for attenuation correction instead of the transmission scan using radioactive source such as $^{137}Cs,\;^{68}Ge$. However the CT scan may substantially increase the patient dose. The purpose of this study was to evaluate quality of PET images reconstructed by CT attenuation map using various tube currents. in this study, images were acquired for 3D Hoffman brain phantom and cylindrical phantom using GE DSTe PET/CT system. The emission data were acquired for 10 min using phantoms after injecting 44.03 MBq of $^{18}F-FDG$. The CT images for attenuation map were acquired by changing tube current from 10 mA to 95 mA with fixed exposure time of 8 sec and fixed tube voltage of 140 kVp. The PET images were reconstructed using these CT attenuation maps. Image quality of CT images was evaluated by measuring SD (standard deviation) of cylindrical phantom which was filled with water and $^{18}F-FDG$ solution. The PET images were evaluated by measuring the activity ratio between gray matter and white matter in Hoffman phantom images. SDs of CT images decrease by increasing tube current. When PET images were reconstructed using CT attenuation maps with various tube currents, the activity ratios between gray matter and white matter of PET images were almost same. These results indicated that the quality of the PET images using low dose CT data were comparable to the PET images using general dose CT data. Therefore, the use of low dose CT is recommended than the use of general dose CT, when the diagnostic high quality CT is not required. Further studies may need to be performed for other system, since this study is limited to the GE DSTe system used in this study.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.125-141
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• 2011

Melamine has raised international concerns for its catastrophic health effects from tainted infant formula. This report concerns the developmental validation of a sensitive HPLC/MS/MS and GC/MS methods about melamine and cyanuric acid in human urine and serum. Analytical detection ranges of LC/MS was from 0.2 to 5.0 ng/mL and 2.0 to 60.0 ng/mL about melamine and cyanuric acid, respectively. The limits of quantification and confirmation are 0.2 ng/mL for both analytes in human urine and serum by LC/MS/MS. The range of recovery was 91.6%, and 107.6% for cyanuric acid and melamine in urine, respectively. The range of precision coefficient variation was from 2.0%, to 11.8% for cyanuric acid and melamine in urine. The range of recovery was from 94.9%, to 119.0% about cyanuric acid and melamine in serum, respectively. The range of precision coefficient variation from was 3.7%, and 13.5% about cyanuric acid and melamine in serum. Analytical detection ranges of GC/MS were 5.0 to 100.0 ng/mL about melamine and cyanuric acid, respectively. The limits of quantification and confirmation are 5.0 ng/mL for both analytes in human urine and serum by GC/MS. The range of recovery was from 83.7%, to 114.5% for cyanuric acid and melamine in urine, respectively. The range of precision coefficient variation was 3.5%, and 10.7% for cyanuric acid and melamine in urine. The range of recovery was 94.4%, and 110.7% for cyanuric acid and melamine in serum, respectively. The range of precision coefficient variation from was 3.9%, and 13.8% for cyanuric acid and melamine in serum. Several changes were taken to optimize performance by this method.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.76-83
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• 2001

This study was designed to determine serum osmolality and to investigate the association among serum osmolality, health-related factors and biochemical indices. Two hundred thirty seven elderly(86 male, 151 female : mean age 73.8) residing in the chungbuk area participated. Sociodemographic data and self-perceived health status were obtained by interview, and biochemical parameters were measured. The mean serum osmolaity was 301.2$\pm$10.1 mOsm/kg(range 240.8~328.9 mOsm/kg) and serum osmolality of the females(302.4 mOsm/kg) was significantly(p＜0.05) higher than that of the males(299.0 mOsm/kg). Only 11.0% of the elderly were within the accepted normal range(280~295 mOsm/kg) and the majority of the subjects were in a hyperosmolar state(60.8% : 296~307 mOsm/kg). It was observed that serum osmolality was reduced with increasing age but not statistically significant. There was no significant difference in serum osmolality according to marital status. Serum osmolality was significantly lower(p＜0.05) in the elderly with higher self-perceived health scores than the elderly with lower self-perceived health scores, however no significant difference was observed between the presence or absence of disease. Serum osmolality tended to be higher(p=0.06) in the elderly with difficulty in mobility than the elderly who have no problem in mobility. Serum osmolality tended to be higher(p=0.06) among drug users compared to that of non-users. There was a significant association between serum osmolality and serum albumin in females but not in males. Significant associations were shown between serum osmolality and serum transferrin in both sexes. However, there was no significant correlation between serum osmolality and hemoglobin or hematocrit except with hematocrit in females only. The results of this study indicated that the elderly were dehydrated and hydration state seems to influence health status and, the elderly should be encouraged to drink an adequate amount of fluids. Also, the hydration state is required to be assessed and considered for the interpretation of biochemical parameters.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.109-118
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• 2016

Objectives: To review reference levels by the international and domestic management and provide the basis for setting occupational exposure limits(OELs) of radon in Korea Methods: Government's organizations with laws and systems for monitoring radon exposure were investigated and compared. There are five laws governing Indoor Air Quality(IAQ) control such as Occupational Safety and Health Act, Indoor Air Quality Control in Public Use Facilities, Etc. Act, School Health Act, Public Health Control Act and Parking Lot Act in Korea. It was surveyed that a total of 32 countries including 24 countries in the European Union(EU), six countries in Asian and two countries in North America setting the reference levels for radon in the world. Results: In Korea, there are set guidelines for radon in the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Education. Reference levels of radon for existing dwellings were $150{\sim}400Bq/m^3$ for Western European countries, and $200{\sim}1,500Bq/m^3$ in Eastern European countries. Approximately 67% of those EU countries were set up $400Bq/m^3$ to the standards for existing dwellings. EU countries such as Luxembourg, Finland, Norway, Sweden and Russia had adopted mandatory level for radon. Radon guidelines for new dwellings were set more strictly reference level($200Bq/m^3$) than existing dwellings. Conclusions: International organizations such as ICRP, UNSCEAR and NCRP, etc. had recommended the guidelines for radon. It was calculated the relation of the dose conversion factors with the annual effective doses. the OELs of radon suggest to need to establish $150Bq/m^3$ for office room and $400{\sim}1,000Bq/m^3$ for the workplace.