• Genomics & Informatics
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• 제4권3호
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• pp.129-132
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• 2006

Toxicogenomics has recently emerged in the field of toxicology and the DNA microarray technique has become common strategy for predictive toxicology which studies molecular mechanism caused by exposure of chemical or environmental stress. Although microarray experiment offers extensive genomic information to the researchers, yet high dimensional characteristic of the data often makes it hard to extract meaningful result. Therefore we developed toxicant enrichment analysis similar to the common enrichment approach. We also developed web-based system graPT to enable considerable prediction of toxic endpoints of experimental chemical.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• 제23권1호
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• pp.47-51
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• 2008

The toxicity of environmental pollutants was measured between a image of the surface topography in HeLa cells using atomic force microscopy for the possibility of toxic effect measurement and environmental monitoring. A image of the surface topography by AFM were estimated as toxic endpoints. The surface topography by AFM was observed a change of the cell surface in the environmental pollutants, but the standard of the measurement requires for the dose-effect degree. The overall results indicate that the possibility of measurement using AFM were confirmed a dose-effect degree related toxic effects, but it requres correlation between more various biomarker and AFM's measurements if the possibility of the toxic effect measurement was established.

• 환경생물
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• 제37권3호
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• pp.335-342
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to investigate the toxic effects of zinc in collembolan Paronychiurus kimi at the individual (survival and juvenile production) and population (population growth and age structure) levels after 28 days of exposure in artificially spiked soil. These toxic effects were interpreted in conjunction with the internal zinc concentrations in P. kimi. The EC₅₀ value for juvenile production based on the total zinc concentration was 457 mg Zn kg^-1 dry soil, while the LC₅₀ value for adult survival and r_i=0 value for population growth were within the same order of magnitude (2,623 and 1,637 mg Zn kg^-1 dry soil, respectively). Significant differences in adult survival, juvenile production, and population growth compared with the control group were found at concentrations of 1,500, 375, and 375 mg Zn kg^-1 dry or higher, respectively, whereas significant differences in the age structure, determined by the proportion of each age group in the population, were observed in all treatment groups. It appeared that the internal zinc level in P. kimi was regulated to some extent at soil zinc concentrations of ≤375 mg Zn kg^-1 dry soil, but not at high soil zinc concentrations. These results indicate that, despite zinc being regulated by P. kimi, excess zinc exceeding the regulatory capacity of P. kimi can trigger changes in the responses at the individual and population levels. Given that population dynamics are affected not only by individual level but also by population level endpoints, it is concluded that the toxic effects of pollutants should be assessed at various levels.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제25권1호
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• pp.9-15
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• 2009

Historically, research in toxicology has utilized non-human mammalian species, particularly rats and mice, to study in vivo the effects of toxic exposure on physiology and behavior. However, ethical considerations and the overwhelming increase in the number of chemicals to be screened has led to a shift away from in vivo work. The decline in in vivo experimentation has been accompanied by an increase in alternative methods for detecting and predicting detrimental effects: in vitro experimentation and in silico modeling. Yet, these new methodologies can not replace the need for in vivo work on animal physiology and behavior. The development of new, non-mammalian model systems shows great promise in restoring our ability to use behavioral endpoints in toxicological testing. Of these systems, the zebrafish, Danio rerio, is the model organism for which we are accumulating enough knowledge in vivo, in vitro, and in silico to enable us to develop a comprehensive, high-throughput toxicology screening system.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• 제2권1호
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• pp.54-59
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• 2006

The toxicity of cadmium on Caenorhabditis elegans was investigated to identify sensitive biomarkers for environmental monitoring and risk assessment. Stress-related gene expression were estimated as toxic endpoints Cadmium exposure led to an increase in the expression of most of the genes tested. The degree of increase was more significant in heat shock protein-16.1, metallothionein-2, cytochrome p450 family protein 35A2, glutathione S-transferase-4, superoxide dismutase-1, catalase-2, C. elegans p53-like protein-1, and apoptosis enhancer-1 than in other genes. The overall results indicate that the stress-related gene expressions of C. elegans have considerable potential as sensitive biomarkers for cadmium toxicity monitoring and risk assessment.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제6권2호
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• pp.167-182
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• 1990

Dietary restriction (caloric restriction) is the only intervention which has been reliably shown to extend the maximum life span of warm-blooded animals and delay the many phenomena associated with aging. It is also one of the most effective modulators of toxicity, especially cancer endpoints. In spite of the known modulator effects of caloric restriction, the biological mechanisms responsible for these effects had not been in vestigated until recently. The National Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR), in a collaborative effort with the National Institute of Aging (NIA), initiated a project whereby nine (9) combinations of rodent species/strains and diets were fed both restricted and ad libitum. The NIA's initiative was to identify biomarkers of aging whereas NCTR's initiative was to identify the biological effects associated with the profound effects caloric restriction has in protecting against both spontaneous (age-related) and chemically-induced toxic endpoints. Independent of sex or species, caloric restriction has similar effects on body temperature, oxygen consumption and $CO_2$production. Caloric restriction also decreased lipid glycolysis and metabolism in rats and mice, which suggest decreased production of metabolites which could lead to fatty acid epoxide formation. The age-associated loss of ciradian regulation of intermediate enzymes is also significantly reduced. Moreover, caloric restriction reduced the age-associated feminization of sexually dimorphic liver isozymes, increased several glucocorticoid responsive isozymes, elevated glucagon/insulin ratios, produced less microsomal superoxide and enhanced the capacity for utilzing detoxicating metabolic pathways. Calorically restricted rats have less than half the number of aflatoxin ($AFB_1$)-DNA adducts than ad libitum animals and urinary excretion of $AFB_1$ was increased significantly. Finally, DNA repair mechanisms are enhanced and oncogene expression is decreased in calorically restricted animals.

• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제36권5호
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• pp.418-434
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• 2010

As concerns regarding water pollution grow, the need increases for a fast and accurate assessment of ecological risk. In this context, many studies have been conducted to identify biomarkers which can sensitively indicate exposure to and effects of various contaminants in a water environment. However, the utility of most such biomarkers in the real water environment is not yet validated. In this paper, we conducted a thorough review of publications that were related to developing or evaluating molecular and biochemical biomarkers of freshwater fish in ecological risk assessment, and evaluated whether these biomarkers of interest could link to the effects on higher biological levels, such as histopathology and above. Biomarkers of interest included those associated with metabolism, oxidative stress, reproduction and endocrine disruption, genotoxicity, and defense against heavy metal exposure. We found that, when used alone, most molecular and biochemical biomarkers are not sufficient to understand the effects of toxic substances in higher biological levels, due to defense or acclimation mechanisms of organisms. Moreover, some biomarkers respond not only to hazardous substances but also to the changes in water quality and disease outbreak. Molecular and biochemical biomarkers may be most useful in understanding the potential biological effects of toxic compounds when used in parallel with relevant endpoints of higher biological levels.

• 생태와환경
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• 제37권3호통권108호
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• pp.313-318
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• 2004

Di-2-ethylhexyl Phthalate (DEHP)는 내분비장애물질로 분류되어 있는 플라스틱 가소제로서 in vitro에서 혈구세포막에 영향을 주는 것으로 알려져 있다. 본 연구는 동자개, Pseudobagrus fulvidraco를 대상으로 DEHP 급성 노출에 따른 혈액학적 영향을 파악하기위하여 어체중 당 300 및 1,000 mg의 DEHP를 복강주사하였다. DEHP (1,000 mg b.w. $^{-1}$에 노출된 동자개는 적혈구수와 혈색소 농도 및 적혈구 용적이 감소하는 경향을 나타내었다. 또한, 혈청 내 유기성분인 총단백질량, 콜레스테를 수치는 300 및 1,000 mg 주사구에서 유의적으로 감소하였으며 지방산의 농도는 1,000 mg 주사구에서 대조구와 비교하여 유의적으로 감소하였다. 혈청 무기성분인 칼슘농도와 혈액 삼투압 농도는 1,000 mg DEHP 노출구에서 유의적인 감소가 관찰되었다.

• 대한예방한의학회지
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• 제17권2호
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• pp.157-168
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• 2013

The objective of this study was to characterize the adverse effects of Ahnjon-Yichun-Tang during early pregnancy. Following successful mating, female Sprague-Dawley rats were given Ahnjon-Yichun-Tang(AYT) extract by oral administration daily with dose of 150mg (n=10), 300mg(n=10), 450mg(n=10) for 20 days of pregnancy. The rats in Control group(n=10) were orally administrated with Saline. All pregnant rats of Ahnjon-Yichun-Tang-treated and Control groups were sacrificed on day 20 of pregnancy. The pregnancy outcome was determined and the internal and reproductive organs of pregnant rat were observed. The fetuses were examined for the presence of various developmental toxic endpoints and stained with alcian blue and alizarin red S, and observed skeletal malformations. The results obtained in this study represent that there is no significant changes between Control and Ahnjon-Yichun-Tang-treated groups in body weight, organ weight, blood chemistry values, hematological values and pregnancy indexes of pregnant rat. The skeletal malformation of fetus was not observed as well. These results suggest that oral administration of Ahnjon-Yichun-Tang does not produce either maternal or developmental toxicity.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• 제16권3호
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• pp.187-194
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• 2013

Microalgae are sensitive indicators of environmental changes, and hence they are widely used in environmental risk assessments and for the development of discharge guidelines. Here we evaluated the toxicity of metals and endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) to the marine green microalga, Tetraselmis suecica. The toxicants investigated included the metals, Cu, Ni, and Pb; and the EDCs, bisphenol A (BPA), endosulfan (ES), and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB). The endpoints were variations in cell counts and chlorophyll a levels. T. suecica displayed a varied pattern of sensitivity to the toxicants. Based on the 72-h median effective concentration ($EC_{50}$), ES (0.045 mg/L) was most toxic to T. suecica, followed by PCB (3.96 mg/L) and Pb (9.62 mg/L). Interestingly, T. suecica was relatively tolerant to Cu (43.03 mg/L). The 72-h $EC_{50}$ values of Ni and BPA were approximately 16 mg/L. Our data suggest that this species may be relatively tolerant to most of the chemicals within their permissible limits in the environment.