• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.20-24
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• 1998

In the present study, we tested whether lead intoxication induces change of the thiamine content and the seizure threshold in rats and the changes of seizure threshold are related to the changes of thiamine status. It was also tested whether administration of excessive thiamine could reverse the toxic manifestation of lead in rats. Four groups of Wistar rats were prepared: 1) control group, 2) lead treated group, 3) lead plusthiamine treated group, and 4) thiamine deficient group. Each group of animals was divided into three subgroups based on age: 3, 7 and 16 weeks. In each group, thresholds of electroshock seizure and thiamine contents in brain regions including telencephalon, brain stem, cerebellum were measured. Thiamine contents in brain regions of the lead treated group were significantly lower than those of the control group and thiamine treatment reversed the decrease back to the control level. Thresholds of the electroshock seizure of the lead treated group in 3, 7 week old rats and those of thiamine deficient group in 3 week old rats were significantly lower than those of the control group. These observations were reversed by the supplementation with thiamine. These results from the present study suggest that increased seizure sensitivity induced by lead intoxication in rats may be mediated at least in part through the changes of thiamine status.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.39-45
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• 1997

This study was performed to investigate the growth response of earthworm (Eisenia foetida) in cow manure added Cadmium (Cd) and therefore, to estimate the toxic threshold level of Cadmium and the levels of Cadmium in cow manure for obtain-ing the maximum Cadmium-concentration enable to accumulate in earthworm tis-sue. Seven different concentrations of Cadmium added in cow manure were 0 (control), 50, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600 mg/kg, respectively. Survival rate (SR), mean fresh weight of adult worm at final time ($FW_2$), increasing rate (IR), number of cocoon (NC), number of young worm (NY) and residual matter (RW) were not significantly different among Cadmium concentrations in cow manure. Of the measured growth-characteristics, survival rate (SR) had a significantly positive correlation (p<0.001) with number of cocoon (NC). But mean fresh weight of adult worm at final time ($FW_2$) had a significantly negative correlation (p<0.05) with residual matter of cow manure. The maximum Cadmium concentration accumulated in tissue was ranged from 283.8 mg/kg to 396.2 mg/kg. It was obtained at the level of 956.5 mg/kg and 1116.6 mg/kg in cow manure added Cadmium, respectively.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.68-74
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• 2018

Purpose: In 2012, a revised guideline for acute acetaminophen overdose was proposed in the UK, recommending that the treatment threshold should be lowered to 100 mcg/ml at 4 hours after ingestion without risk stratification of hepatotoxicity. However, the poison centers in some developing countries do not have laboratory resources to provide serum drug levels in time. The primary aim of the study is to evaluate the cut-off value of reported dose per kilogram to determine when N-acetylcysteine treatment is warranted under the revised guideline. Methods: Data were collected retrospectively from the toxicology registry of an urban emergency medical center between 1st January 2010 and 30th June 2017. Inclusion criteria were single acute overdose of more than 75 mg/kg in 15 hours from ingestion and over 14 years of age. Subgroups were created by 25 mg/kg increments of reported dose, then sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were calculated for the cut-off values of 100 mg/kg, 125 mg/kg, 150 mg/kg and 175 mg/kg for toxic serum level over '100-treatment line'. Results: A total of 99 patients were enrolled in the study; 24 patients showed toxic serum levels (24.2%). Zero of 17 patients with an ingestion dose under 100 mg/kg showed toxic level (0%), and 0 of 15 under 125 mg/kg (0%), 2 of 14 under 150 mg/kg (14.3%), and 4 of 12 under 175 mg/kg (33.3%) had toxic levels. The higher the ingested dose per kilogram of weight, the higher the frequency of the toxic serum concentration on the first test (${\chi}^2$ test for trend, ${\chi}^2=22.66$, p-value<0.001) and the sensitivity of each value was 100%, 100%, 92% and 76%. Conclusion: In acute single acetaminophen intoxication, the ingestion dose of 100 mg/kg of weight will be useful in determining the need for the N-acetylcysteine antidote in the indigent laboratory environment.

• Proceedings of the KOR-BRONCHOESO Conference
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• 1982.05a
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• pp.17.1-17
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• 1982

In 1965, Rosenberg reported that platinum compounds not only inhibit growth and cell division of E. coli but also has anti-tumor activity. Since then, through animal and clinical experiments by Welsch(1971), Speer(1972), Rossof(1972), Hill(1974), and Wittes(1975), it was proved that Cis-platinum has excellent supressive effects on malignant tumor, especially on head and neck cancer. Accordingly, Cis-platinum is now widely used, sometimes without any other durg, or sometimes with Bleomycin and Methotrexate etc. Inspite of the strong anticancer effect, the use of Cis-platinum is quite often discouraged because of the reports that Cis-platinum causes auditory impairment at high frequencies above the speech range due to inner ear damage and irreversible change in the renal tubules. Since Kohonen et al(1965), Standnicki et al(1974) reported that Cisplatinum has toxic effects at the basal turn of the cochlea using guinea pig, many studies on ototoxicity after infusion of Cis-platinum have been carried out using animals. But the studies on ototoxicity in human beings can hardly be found except in reports by Piel et al(1974) and Hong et al (1979). So the authors did a study which tried to clarify the ototoxic effect by comparing the hearing level after infusion of Cis-plastinum with the hearing level before infusion of Cis-plastinum in 30 patients who was treated with Cis-platinum and admitted to the dept. of otolaryngology of Yonsei University Hospital during 2 years and a half from July. 1979 to March. 1982 and the following results were obtained. 1) The results of auditory evaluation, using the pure tone average, hearing loss of 4kHz and 8kHz, Speech Reception Threshold, PB score, SISI showed that the difference of dosage does not change the hearing level after infusion of Cis-platinum and before infusion of Cis-platinum. 2) Cis-platinum had no effect on the hearing level of patients with conductive hearing loss, or with sensorineural hearing loss, as well as with normal hearing level. 3) The infusion of Cis-platinum did not cause any change in creatinine clearance, creatinine, uric acid, but only one case showed that Cis-platinum caused severe nephrotoxicity. 4) The infusion of Cis-plastinum did not cause any change in hemoglobin, leukocyte count, platelet count and there was no correlation with the amount of infusion. 5) To see the side effect of hydration practiced with the infusion of Cis-platinum, the electrolytes, particularly the K level in the serum was measured. But the results did not show any change. 6) Judging from the results of this study mentioned above, ototoxicity caused by infusion of Cis-platinum can be prevented by sufficient hydration. Also the results might say that the appropriate method of infusion of Cis-platinum might be effective in the patients with head and neck cancer who had sensorineural hearing loss for whom the infusion of Cis-platinum has been absolutely cotraindicated.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.22-26
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• 2014

Protocatechualdehyde (PA) is phenolic compound having antioxidative and antitumor activities. PA was purified from supernatant of Streptomyces lincolnensis M-20. In the presence of copper ion, PA acted as pro-oxidant. The antioxidant activity was assessed with the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, and the pro-oxidant effect of PA on DNA damage as pBR322 plasmid DNA-cleaving agents in the presence of Cu(II) ions was investigated. The involvement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the DNA damage was confirmed by the inhibition of the DNA breakage by using glutathione (GSH), specific scavenger of ROS. When the increase in ROS reaches a certain level (the toxic threshold), it may trigger cell death. The formation of the PA/Cu(II) chelate complex was confirmed by reaction with ethylenediamine-tetraacetic acid (EDTA), a well-known chelating agent for metal ions, by using UV/Vis spectroscopic analysis.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.743-749
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• 2010

Objective of this research was to investigate the effect of various potassium concentrations in fertilizer solution on growth of and nutrient uptake by 'Chugyang' eggplant ($Solanum$ $melongena$ L.). Tissue analyses were conducted to determine the threshold levels of potassium in plants when disorders develop for potassium. The lower leaves of K deficient plants became spotted, yellowing in color, and finally necrosis occurred. The necrosis spread inward and upward. K toxic plants developed necrotic spot at the margin of old leaves and the surface of old leaves were twisted. The tissue K contents in the most recently fully expanded leaves and dry weight of full above ground plant tissue at 35 days after transplanting showed linear and quadratic response to elevated K concentrations with the equation of y=1.127+0.3147x ($R^2$=0.8916) and y=14.92+2.2743x-$0.1402x_2$ ($R^2$=0.8659). When 10% reduction in dry weight set to threshold levels, optimum tissue K contents are in the range from 2.1 to 5.1%. The yield through 150 days after transplanting and tissue K contents at 150 days after transplanting also showed quadratic and linear responses to elevated potassium concentrations in fertigation solution with the equation of y=153.24+345.5x-$18.46x^2$ ($R^2$=0.8620) and y=0.9921+0.3860x ($R^2$=0.9611), respectively. When the 10% reduction in yield is set to threshold levels, the tissue K contents for maximum yield should be around 3.4% to 5.9% in most recently fully expanded leaves.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.267-278
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• 2011

Objectives: A great number of hazardous agents can be emitted from various types of art-creation in a fine arts college, but little data on exposure assessment has been published. A variety of processes encompassing toxic or non-toxic materials, tools, and components are involved in a sculptor work at a fine art college. The aim of this study was to assess exposure levels to particulates and noise during sculpture classes in a college of fine arts. Methods: Students in sculpture classes participated in this study. Mass, number, and surface area concentrations of particulates, noise level, temperature and relative humidity were monitored by both personal and area sampling during the tasks of metal, wood, and stone sculpting. Results: The number and surface concentration of particulates was the highest in the task of wood sculpting, followed by metal and stone work. The mass concentration of particulates was the highest in stone sculpting (personal GM 3.0 mg/$m^3$, GSD 3.0), followed by wood (personal GM 1.5 mg/$m^3$, GSD 1.8) and metal work (personal GM 0.95 mg/$m^3$, GSD 1.51) in that order. Occupational exposure limits (OEL) for particulates depends on the type of particulate. For wood dust, 86% (six subjects) of the personal samples and all area samples exceeded the Korean OEL for wood dust (1 mg/$m^3$), while 20% (two subjects) among stone sculpting students were exposed above the Korean OEL (10 mg/$m^3$). In contrast, metal sculpting did not exceed the OEL (5 mg/$m^3$). For noise level, metal sculpting students (Leq 95.1 dB(A) in the morning, 85.3 dB(A) in the afternoon) were exposed the most, followed by stone sculpting (88.3 dB(A)), and wood sculpting (84.8 dB(A)) in that order. Compared with the 90 dB(A) of the Korean OEL and 85 dB(A) of the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists' threshold limit value (ACGIH-TLV) for noise, 100% of the subjects (five subjects) and area samples during metal sculpting in the morning session exceeded both OELs, but only three subjects (60%) exceeded the ACGIH-TLV in the afternoon session. For stone sculpting, 50% (one subject) and 100% (two subjects) exceeded the Korean OEL and ACGIH-TLV, respectively, but the area sample did not exceed either OEL. During wood sculpting, two subjects (40%) exceeded ACGIH TLV. Conclusions: This work evaluated the sculptors' exposure to particulate matter and noise in fine art college, and revealed a poor working environment for the participating students. Effective measures should be supplemented by the administration of colleges.