• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.89-94
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• 2003

Tributyltin (TBT) used world-wide in antifouling paints for ships is a widespread environmental pollutant and cause reproductive organs atrophy in rodents. At low doses, antiproliferative modes of action have been shown to be involved, whereas at higher doses apoptosis seems to be the mechanism of toxicity in reproductive organs by TBT. In this study, we investigated that the mechanisms underlying DNA fragmentation induced by TBT in the rat leyding cell line, R2C. Effects of TBT on intracellular Ca$\^$2+/ level and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were investigated in R2C cells by fluorescence detector. TBT significantly induced intracellular Ca$\^$2+/ level in a time-dependent manner. The rise in intracellular Ca$\^$2+/ level was followed by a time-dependent generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) at the cytosol level. Simultaneously, TBT induced the release of cytochrome c from the mitochondrial membrane into the cytosol. Furthermore, ROS production and the release of cytochrome c were reduced by BAPTA, an intracellular Ca$\^$2+/ chelator, indicating the important role of Ca$\^$2+/ in R2C during these early intracellular events. In addition, Z-DEVD FMK, a caspase-3 inhibitor, decreased apoptosis by TBT. Taken together, the present results indicated that the apoptotic pathway by TBT might start with an increase in intracellular Ca$\^$2+/ level, continues with release of ROS and cytochrome c from mitochondria, activation of caspases,and finally results in DNA fragmentation.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.62-73
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• 2000

Purpose: Esophageal cancer patients have a difficulty in the intake of meals through the blocked esophageal lumen, which is caused by an ingrowth of cancer cells and largely influences on the prognosis. It is reported that esophageal cancer has a very low survival rate due to the lack of nourishment and immunity as the result of this. In this study a new radioactive stent, which prevents tumor ingrowth and restenosis by additional radiation treatment, has been developed. Materials and Methods: Using ${\ulcorner}HANARO{\lrcorner}$ research reactor, the radioactive stent assembly ($^{166}Ho$-SA) was prepared by covering the metallic stent with a radioactive sleeve by means of a post-irradiation and pre-irradiation methods. Results: Scanning electron microscopy and autoradiography exhibited that the distribution of $^{165/166}Ho\;(NO_3)$ compounds in polyurethane matrix was homogeneous. A geometrical model of the esophagus considering its structural properties, was developed for the computer simulation of energy deposition to the esophageal wall. The dose distributions of $^{166}Ho$-stent were calculated by means of the EGS4 code system. The sources are considered to be distributed uniformly on the surface in the form of a cylinder with a diameter of 20 mm and length of 40 mm. As an animal experiment, when radioactive stent developed in this study was inserted into the esophagus of a Mongrel dog, tissue destruction and widening of the esophageal lumen were observed. Conclusion: We have developed a new radioactive stent comprising of a radioactive tubular sleeve covering the metallic stent, which emits homogeneous radiation. If it is inserted into the blocked or narrowed lumen, it can lead to local destruction of the tumor due to irradiation effect with dilatation resulting from self-expansion of the metallic property. Accordingly, it is expected that restenosis esophageal lumen by the continuous ingrowth and infiltration of cancer after insertion of our radioactive stent will be decreased remarkably.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.383-390
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• 2018

Most neurodegenerative diseases are known to be influenced by oxidative stress. We investigated the anti-oxidative activity of the concentrate of fermented wild ginseng root culture (HLJG0701) containing ginsenosides Rg5 and Rk1. HLJG0701 showed effective DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging ability ($IC_{50}$: 16- and 4-fold dilution, respectively) and was inhibited dose-dependently by the $FeSO_4$-induced lipid peroxidation group (8- and 4-fold dilution: 2.3 and 1.5 nM, respectively). In MTT and LDH assays, 8-, 16-, 32- and 64-fold diluted HLJG0701 significantly increased cell viability by 70, 53, 35, and 26%, respectively. LDH released by HLJG0701 was reduced 1.3-fold with 8-fold diluted HLJG0701 compared to the $H_2O_2$-treated control. In addition, the inhibitory effect of HLJG0701 on oxidative stress in PC12 cells was confirmed by DCF-DA analysis (16-, 4-fold diluted HLJG0701: 50 and 68% ROS inhibition, respectively), TBARS (16- and 4-fold diluted HLJG0701: 50.7 and 46.5% inhibition, respectively), GPx (16- and 4-fold diluted HLJG0701: 133.3 and 227.3% release, respectively), and SOD analysis (16- and 4-fold diluted HLJG0701: 118.2 and 218.2% release, respectively). These results suggested that HLJG0701 protects neuronal cells by its anti-oxidative effects and hence can be a potential preventive material against neurodegenerative diseases.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2005

Pathogens, insects and weeds have significantly reduced agricultural productivity. Thus, to increase the productivity, synthetic agricultural chemicals have been overused. However, these synthetic compounds that are different from natural products cannot be broken down easily in natural systems, causing the destruction of soil quality and agricultural environments and the gradually difficulty in continuous agriculture. Now agriculture is faced with the various problems of minimizing the damage in agricultural environments, securing the safety of human health, while simultaneously increasing agricultural productivity. Meanwhile, plants produce secondary metabolites to protect themselves from external invaders and to secure their region for survival. Plants infected with pathogens produce antibiotics phytoalexin; monocotyledonous plants produce flavonoids and diterpenoids phytoalexins, and dicotylodoneous plant, despite of infected pathogens, produce family-specific phytoalexin such as flavonoids in Leguminosae, indole derivatives in Cruciferae, sesquitepenoids in Solanaceae, coumarins in Umbelliferae, making the plant resistant to specific pathogen. Growth inhibitor or antifeedant substances to insects are terpenoids pyrethrin, azadirachtin, limonin, cedrelanoid, toosendanin and fraxinellone/dictamnine, and terpenoid-alkaloid mixed compounds sesquiterpene pyridine and norditerpenoids, and azepine-, amide-, loline-, stemofoline-, pyrrolizidine-alkaloids and so on. Also plants produces the substances to inhibit other plant growths to secure the regions for plant itself, which is including terpenoids essential oil and sesquiterpene lactone, and additionally, benzoxazinoids, glucosinolate, quassinoid, cyanogenic glycoside, saponin, sorgolennone, juglone and lots of other different of secondary metabolites. Hence, phytoalexin, an antibiotic compound produced by plants infected with pathogens, can be employed for pathogen control. Terpenoids and alkaloids inhibiting insect growth can be utilized for insect control. Allelochemicals, a compound released from a certain plant to hinder the growth of other plants for their survival, can be also used directly as a herbicides for weed control as well. Therefore, the use of the natural secondary metabolites for pest control might be one of the alternatives for environmentally friendly agriculture. However, the natural substances are destroyed easily causing low the pest-control efficacy, and also there is the limitation to producing the substances using plant cell. In the future, effects should be made to try to find the secondary metabolites with good pest-control effect and no harmful to human health. Also the biosynthetic pathways of secondary metabolites have to be elucidated continuously, and the metabolic engineering should be applied to improve transgenics having the resistance to specific pest.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.507-517
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• 2008

There are considerable in vitro and in vivo evidences for remineralization and demineralization occurring simultaneously in incipient enamel caries. In order to "heal" the incipient dental caries, many experiments have been carried out to determine the optimal conditions for remineralization. It was shown that remineralization is affected by different pH, lactic acid concentrations, chemical composition of the enamel, fluoride concentrations, etc. Eighty specimens from sound permanent teeth without demineralization or cracks, 0.15 mm in thickness, were immersed in lactic acid buffered demineralization solutions for 3 days. Dental caries with a surface zone and subsurface lesion were artificially produced. Groups of 10 specimens were immersed for 10 or 12 days in lactic acid buffered remineralization solutions consisting of pH 4.3 or pH 6.0, and 100, 50, 25, or 10 mM lactic acid. After demineralization and remineralization, images were taken by polarizing microscopy (${\times}100$) and micro-computed tomography. The results were obtained by observing images of the specimens and the density of the caries lesions was determined. 1.As the lactic acid concentration of the remineralization solutions with pH 4.3 was higher, the surface zone of the carious enamel increased and an isotropic zone of the subsurface lesion was found. However, the total decalcification depth increased at the same time. 2.In the remineralization solutions with pH 6.0, only the surface zone increased slightly but there was no significant change in the total decalcification depth and subsurface zone. In the lactic acid buffer solutions with the lower pH and higher lactic acid concentration, there were dynamic changes at the deep area of the dental carious lesion.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.87-94
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• 2005

Purpose : Heavy metal use when producing the block from the workshop. At this time, production of heavy metal dust and fume gives risk in human. This like heavy metal to improve seriousness through measurement and analysis. And by the quest in solution is purpose of this thesis. Materials and Methods : Organization is Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometer, and the object is Deajeon city 4 workshops in university hospital radiation oncology (Bismuth, Lead, Tin and cadmium). Method is the ppb the pumping it does at unit, comparison analysis. And the Calculation heavy metal standard level in air through heavy metal standard level in body and blood, so Heavy metal temporary standard set. Results : Subterranean existence room air quality the administration laws appointed Lead and Cadmium's exposure recommend that it is $3{\mu}g/m^3\;and\;2{\mu}g/m^3$. And Bismuth and Tin decides $7{\mu}g/m^3\;and\;6{\mu}g/m^3$ through standard level in air heavy metal and standard level in body and blood. Heavy metal measurement level of workshops in 4 university hospital Daejeon city compares with work existence and nonexistence. On work nonexistence almost measurement level is below the recommend level. But work existence case express high level. Also consequently in composition ratio of the block is continuous with the detection ratio. Conclusion : Worker's heavy metal contamination imbrued serious for solution founds basic part. In hospital may operation on local air exhauster and periodical efficiency check, protector offer, et al. And worker have a correct understanding part of heavy metal contamination, and have continuous interest, health control. Finally, learned society sphere administer to establishment standard level and periodical measurement. And it founds basic solution plan of periodical special health checkup.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.169-181
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• 2014

Korea government has consistently investigated the development of economic mineral deposits in the Tofua volcanic arc, Tonga since 2008 for the secure of sea floor mineral resources. We studied the composition and distribution of minerals formed by hydrothermal activity around TA 25 seamounts of the Tofua volcanic arc, Lau Basin, Tonga, using X-ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. We used 7 core samples and 9 surface sediment samples. Barite, sphalerite, and clinoclase are present in the most volcanic vent area. Gypsum, smectite, and kaolin mineral are distributed in vent A area, chalcopyrite, pyrite, smectite, and kaolin mineral are in vent B and C area, and gypsum, chalcopyrite, pyrite, and goethite are in vent D area. From the study of clay fraction, smectite and few kaolinite are detected in the most studied area except inner part of caldera, which suggest that argillic alteration are dominant in the volcanic vent areas. Various sulfide or arsenide minerals were found in the hydrothermal vent B, C, and D. The mineralogy and geochemistry suggest higher hydrothermal activities in volcanic vent B, C, and D compared to vent A and inner caldera area. Therefore higher probabilities of massive sulfide deposits may occur in hydrothermal vent B, C, and D.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.171-178
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• 2004

Metallothionein (MT) is a family of ubiquitous, low molecular weight (6-7 kDa), cysteine-rich protein with a high affinity to metal ions and has no aromatic amino acids and histidine. Some of the known functions of MT include detoxification of heavy metals and alkylating agents and neutralization of free radicals. Also, this protein may affect a number of cellular processes including gene expression, apoptosis, proliferation and differentiation. But, its actual functions are still not clear. The present study was undertaken to examine immunocytochemically the localization of MT in developing rat liver. On the day 11 of gestation, the fetal rat liver has already been formed and contained numerous oval cells with high nuclear cytoplasmic ratio, which were the progenitors of hepatic parenchymal cells, but no reaction products of MT were detected at this time. And then, positive reactions against MT started to appear predominantly in the parenchymal cells of liver from the 13th day after gestation. Reaction products, immunogold particles or brown coloration, were localized at both the nucleus and the cytoplasm of the parenchymal cells, except mitochondria. The intensity of this reaction gradually increased, and exhibited the strongest at birth. The intensity of MT staining and immunogold labelling diminished with growth, and by the 15th day after birth weak positive reaction was observed in the cells. In brief, positive reactions for MT were observed in the oval cells and the parenchymal cells during fetal stage, meanwhile they were present only in the parenchymal cells after birth. The present results suggest that MT possibly involves parechymal cell proliferation and differentiation through the storage or the supply of various metal ions in the developing rat liver.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.326-334
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• 2007

Purpose: The estrogen receptor (ER), which is over-expressed in ER-positive breast tumors, has been imaged by positron emission tomography (PET) using $[^{18}F]$ labeled estrogen ligands, especially $[^{18}F]FES$. However, $[^{18}F]$ has relatively short-lived half-life ($t_{1/2}$ =1.8 h) and the labeling yield of radio-fluorination is usually low compared with $^{64}Cu\;(t_{1/2}=12.7\;h)$. 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane (cyclen) is used to form stable metal complexes with copper, indium, gallium, and gadolinium. With these in mind, we prepared cyclen-based Cu complexes which mimic estradiol in aspect of two hydroxyl groups. Materials and Methods: 1.7-Protected cyclen, 1.7-bis (benzyloxycarbonyl)-cyclen was synthesized according to the reported procedure. After introducing two 4-benzyloxybenzyl groups at 4,10-positions, the benzyloxycarbonyl and benzyl groups were removed at the same time by hydrogenation on Pd/C to give 1,7-bis(4-hydroxybenzyl)-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane (1). Results: The prepared ligand 1 was fully characterized by $^1H,\;^{13}C$ NMR, and mass spectrometer. The synthesized ligand was reacted with copper chloride and copper perchlorate to give copper complexes $[Cu(1)]^{2+}2(CIO_4^-)\;and\;[Cu(1)Cl]^+Cl^-$ which were confirmed by high-resolution mass (FAB). Conclusion: We successfully synthesized a cyclen derivative of which two phenol groups are located on trans position of N-atoms. And, two Cu(ll) complexes of +2 and +1 overall charge, were prepared as a potential PET tracers for ER imaging.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.345-358
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• 2018

In this study, we have performed electron probe micro analyzer (EPMA), X-ray differaction (XRD), inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy (ICP), Fourier transform Raman spectroscopy (FT-Raman), far-infrared (FIR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and pH-DO Analyses for characterizing medicinal mineralogy aspect of the black tourmaline (Shantung, china), black and pink tourmaline (Minas Geraris, Brazil), black touemaline (Daeyu mine, Korea). In addition, heating effects of the tourmaline sauna as well as the effects of tourmaline powder-added soap on skin troubles have been investigated. It has been revealed that chemical composition of the tourmaline is either high in Fe-, Al-, B-rich types. Ratio of the K-Ca, Na-K, and Fe-B reflects the component change property of solid solution. $CaO/CaO+Na_2O$ and MgO/FeO+MgO ratio show high positive correlation. When tourmaline reacts with distilled water, extended reaction time DO values approximately decrease and it stabilizes at DO = 10. Otherwise, pH values increase until 6 hours and it stabilizes at pH = 8 after 24 hours. Distilled water changes to alkaline when it reacts with tourmaline powder and particles. Tourmaline showed lower absorption spectrum strength and transmittance at short wave, where absorption spectrum wavelength and strength were determined by the content of the composition elements and characteristics of crystallography. Increase of the Fe content has been confirmed to be the cause for the reduction of irradiation. For the chemical composition and spectral property of the tourmaline particle samples, it has been found that Si and Fe contents show positive correlation with Far-Infrared irradiation, while Al and Mg contents show negative correlation. For tourmaline powder, it has been confirmed that $^{17}O-NMR$ FWHM (full width at half maximum) decreases when reacts with distilled water. Tourmaline sauna (approximately $100^{\circ}C$) was found to increase $0.5-1.5^{\circ}C$ of body temperature, average of 12 heartbeat, and 10mg Hg of blood pressure. Tourmaline soap had very good aesthetic effect to skin and was confirmed to have above the average improvements to skin troubles (e.g., allergy or atopy).