• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.19-25
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• 2008

Lipid soluble ginseng extract was administered by oral route in doses of 600 mg/patient daily in cancer patients over 2 months and 6 months. The administration of ginseng extract in cancer patients maintained the ratio of CD4/CD8 and number of the natural killer cell in the normal range during the administration period. Also its administration showed a positive effect on tumor values in 87.5% of patients in 2 month-group and in 50% of patients in 6 month-group, as determined by various cancer markers. Liver and kidney functions maintained normal condition during administration period of 6 months. Although there was no statistical significance, these data suggest that lipid soluble ginseng extract may be useful as an adjuvant therapeutic agent and nutritional supplement for the improvement of immune function and health in cancer patients. This study would provide the basis for the research in which the antitumor and immunopotential activity of lipid soluble ginseng extract for cancer patients are evaluated in formal clinical trial with statistically significant patient number.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.561-568
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• 2009

We determined the contents of heavy metals in the muscle of wild and cultured fishes, collected from fish markets located in the eastern (Pohang), western (Gunsan), and southern (Tongyeong) coasts of Korea, from 2004 to 2005. As the results of monitoring the heavy metal contents in spring season, the wild fishes contained the range of Cd (0.01-0.08 mg/kg), Cr (ND-0.28 mg/kg), Cu (0.06-1.53 mg/kg), Hg (0.02-0.16 mg/kg), Mn (0.04-1.15 mg/kg), Ni (ND-0.09 mg/kg), Pb (0.03-0.41 mg/kg), and Zn (1.84-6.61 mg/kg). While for the cultured fishes, Cd (0.01-0.05 mg/kg), Cr (ND-0.17 mg/kg), Cu (0.05-0.61 mg/kg), Hg (0.02-0.13 mg/kg), Mn (0.03-0.17 mg/kg), Ni (ND-0.08 mg/kg), Pb (0.03-0.33 mg/kg), and Zn (2.06-6.20 mg/kg) were contained. In summer season, the contents of heavy metal in the muscle of the wild fishes were as follows: Cd (ND-0.11 mg/kg), Cr (0.01-0.37 mg/kg), Cu (0.21-1.31 mg/kg), Hg (0.01-0.11 mg/kg), Mn (ND-1.47 mg/kg), Ni (ND-0.26 mg/kg), Pb (0.06-0.48 mg/kg), and Zn (2.94-14.38 mg/kg). In comparison, the contents of heavy metal in the muscle of cultured fishes were Cd (ND-0.05 mg/kg), Cr (0.13-0.33 mg/kg), Cu (0.19-0.56 mg/kg), Hg (0.05-0.26 mg/kg), Mn (ND-0.14 mg/kg), Ni (ND-0.58 mg/kg), Pb (0.07-0.45 mg/kg), and Zn (2.43-7.53 mg/kg). Also the fall and the winter season, the heavy metal contents in the fishes showed almost similar with other season, however, Pb was lower and Zn was higher than both spring and summer season. The wild fishes contained the heavy metals a little more than the cultured fishes. We could not observe clear seasonal variation in the heavy metal contents of the fishes. The levels of Hg and Pb in all samples tested did not exceed the maximum permissible levels in the fishes set by the Korean Food & Drug Agency for safe human consumption.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.348-357
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• 2011

Objectives: This study was conducted in order to examine the relationship between heavy metal concentrations in the soil and the level of heavy metals in the blood or urine of 216 local residents living near abandoned metal mines. Methods: Residents around abandoned metal mines were interviewed about their dietary habits, including seafood consumption, medical history, cigarette smoking, and drug history. Metal concentrations in the soil were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AA-7000, Shimadzu, Japan). Lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) contents in the blood or urine were analyzed by GF-AAS (AA-6800, Shimadzu). Mercury (Hg) contents in the blood were determined by means of a mercury analyzer (SP-3DS, NIC). Arsenic (As) content in the soil and urine were measured by a HG-AAS (hydride vapor generation-atomic absorption spectrophotometer). Results: The heavy metal concentrations in the soil showed a log normal distribution and the geometric means of the four villages were 8.61 mg/kg for Pb, 0.19 mg/kg for Cd, 1.81 mg/kg for As and 0.035 mg/kg for Hg. The heavy metal levels of the 216 local residents showed a regular distribution for Pb, Cd, Hg in the blood and As in the urine. The arithmetic means were 3.37 ${\mu}g$/dl for Pb, 3.07 ${\mu}g$/l for Cd and 2.32 ${\mu}g$/l for Hg, 10.41 ${\mu}g$/l for As, respectively. Conclusions: As a result of multi-variate analysis for the affecting factors on the bodily heavy metal concentrations, gender and concentration in the soil (each, p<0.01) for blood lead levels; gender and smoking status (each, p<0.01) for blood cadmium levels; gender (p<0.01) for urine arsenic levels; gender, age and concentration in the soil (p<0.01) for blood mercury levels were shown to be the affecting factors.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.91-97
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• 2018

This study carried out first a component survey on the domestic waste shipped into a waste disposal facility in B city, and then heavy metal analysis of each component according to the SRF standards. Based on this, this study explored the problems with domestic waste and measures to improve them. The results are as follows. The result of the survey of physical components show that paper accounted for the largest proportion with 20.5 %~59.9 %, metals (including batteries) among incombustibles accounted for 0.0~8.3 %, other inorganic substances, glass and ceramics accounted for 0.0~43.7 % and 0.0 %~19.6 % respectively. However, the proportion of coated viny and plastics, which have high lead and cadmium content, was rather high with 2.9 %~30.9 %. This suggests the possibility that actual concentration of lead and cadmium within SRF is likely to be higher. Among the 15 components contained in the waste brought into the waste disposal facility, 10 components (food waste, textiles, vinyl, plastics, wood, rubber and leather, paper, metals, electronic substrates, and nail polish) were analyzed according to assay samples (approximately 0.1 g and 0.3 g). The result of analysis shows that the amount of Cd and Pb detected in coated vinyl for 0.109 g of assay sample was 98.6 mg/kg and 20.6 mg/kg respectively; 117.0 mg/kg and 29.0 mg/kg respectively for 0.313 g of assay sample. This is high contents exceeding the Cd standard. As for wooden component, the amount of Pb was 480.0 mg/kg for 0.3 g of assay sample. This suggests that there always exists the possibility of exceeding the exposure level of heavy metals (Cd and Pb) in SRF as long as coated wood and vinyl plastics with high contents of Pb and Cd are shipped into the waste disposal facility; and the local government and the residents need to work hard to improve the situation including development of the machine to sort electronic substrates and batteries for separate collection of the waste of coated vinyl and plastics within domestic waste.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.11-19
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• 2007

This study was to evaluate the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFRs) in tumor and stromal cells of tougue squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). We also wanted to characterize the differences, from the angiogenic aspect, between cancer-associated stromal cells and non-malignant stromal cells. Paraffin-embedded tumor specimens from eleven patients with tongue SCCs were studied. Immunohistochemical staining for VEGFR-1,-2, and -3 was performed on the tumor cells, stromal fibroblasts and tumor-associated macrophages of the specimens. The expression of all 3 receptors was detected in the tumor cells themselves of the biopsy specimens. All 3 receptors were also expressed on stromal cells, except that VEGFR-2 was not expressed in stromal fibroblasts. In radical excision specimens, the staining intensity for VEGFR-1, -2 in the tumor cells and VEGFR-1,-3 in the tumor-associated macrophages was significantly lower than that in the biopsy specimens (P < 0.05). By using the general marker of fibroblast and macrophage, 5B5 and CD68, respectively, we performed double immunofluorescence staining for 5B5 and each VEGFR in the stromal fibroblasts and for CD68 and each VEGFR in the tumor-associated macrophages of the radical excision specimens. We used 4 cases of fibroma and 4 cases of chronic inflammation tissue as the controls. It was found that only each marker was expressed in the control group, however, 5B5/VEGFR-1 and 5B5/VEGFR-3 in the stromal fibroblasts, and CD68/VEGFR-1 and CD68/VEGFR-3 in the tumor-associated macrophages were double stained in the radical excision specimens. Although our study used small number of specimens, the results of our study showed that in tongue SCC, in association with the angiogenesis, the stromal cells showed the activated phenotype and this was different from the nonmalignant stromal cells.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.1063-1067
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• 1997

This study was performed to assess the levels of the trace elements(Fe, Cu, Zn, Cr, Co, Mn, Pb, and Cd) in salt-fermented fish products from some areas of the west coast in Korea. Seven samples were Shrimp(Seawoo-jeot), Clam(Jogai-jeot), Oyster(Orikul-jeot), big eyed horring(Bendeng-ie jeot), Mysis(Gonjeng-ie jeot), Hwangandali(Hwangsegi-jeot), and Squid, Han Chi(Han chi-jeot). They were ashed with ternary solution. After ashing the samples, the amount of trace elements in the samples were measured by ICP. The moisture content of the 7 samples before freezing dry were 68.36, 71.52, 81.19, 62.27, 71.30, 64.27, and 66.74%, respectively. Jogai-jeot and Gonjeng-ie jeot contained the most amount of moisture among the samples. Fe contents were 66.46, 309.10, 27.03, 23.01, 132.45, 35.75, and 9.72ppm, respectively. Jogai-jeot contained the most amount of Fe among the samples. Cu contents were 4.60, 4.36, 3.75, 2.21, 10.36, 2.71, and 58.15ppm, respectively. Hanchi-jeot contained the most amount of Cu among the samples. Zn contents were 16.02, 75.06, 37.43, 28.43, 132.45, 35.75, and 9.72ppm, respectively. Gonjeng-ie jeot contained the most amount of Zn among the samples. Cr contents were 0.80, 1.61, 0.84, 0.96, 1.12, 0.96, and 0.59ppm, respectively. Jogai-jeot contained the most amount of Cr among the samples. Co contents were 0.13, 0.54, 0.31, 0.46, 0.50, 0.63, and 0.35ppm, respectively. Hwangsegi-jeot contained the most amount of Co among the samples. Mn contents were 7.30, 10.69, 14.87, 4.12, 8.03, 2.94 and 1.54ppm, respectively. Origkul-jeot contained the most amount of Mn among the samples. Pb contents were 1.80, 4.30, 2.53, 4.61, 3.08, 5.04, and 2.74ppm, respectively. Hwangsegi-jeot contained the most amount of Pb among the samples. Cd contents were 0.005, 0.03, 0.06, 0.005, 0.01, 0.00, and 0.10ppm, respectively. Hanchi-jeot contained the most amount of Cd among the samples. This study is limited within 7 samples caught and producted from the some areas of the west coast in Korea. Therefore, I hope there will be broader experiments concerned with this study to make clear not only nutritional aspect(the contents of Fe, Cu, Zn, Cr, Co, and Mn) but also toxicological aspect(the contents of Pb and Cd).

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2019.10a
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• pp.39-39
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• 2019

섬초롱꽃은 울릉군에 한정적으로 분포하는 여러해살이풀이다. 산림청에서는 약관심종(LC) 등급의 희귀식물이자 특산식물로 분류하고 있으며, 꽃의 관상가치가 특히 높아 화단용 소재, 절화용, 화분재배 등으로 흔히 이용되고 있다. 따라서 본 연구는 섬초롱꽃의 대량증식 시, 중금속이 미칠 수 있는 영향에 대해 파악하고자 수행하였다. 실험에 사용한 중금속은 카드뮴(Cd), 철(Fe) 두 종류이며, 두 종류 모두 1% 한천(agar)배지에 10, 25, 50, 100, 200 mg/L 농도로 녹여 사용하였다. 발아율 및 유근 생장을 위해 종자 및 유묘를 치상 후, $25^{\circ}C$ 항온 생장상에서 발아율 및 유근 발달을 관찰하였다. 발아율 측정결과, 아무처리도하지 않은 1% 한천(agar) 배지에서 $62.7{\pm}7.4%$로 가장 높았고 중금속 농도가 높아질수록 감소하였다. 카드뮴(Cd) 처리구에서는 10, 25, 50, 100, 200 mg/L 농도에서 각각 $17.3{\pm}1.3$, $2.7{\pm}1.3$, $1.3{\pm}1.3$, 0, 0%로 나타났다. 한편, 철(Fe) 처리구에서는 10, 25, 50, 100, 200 mg/L 농도에서 각각 $46.7{\pm}4.8$, $24.0{\pm}2.3$, $36.0{\pm}6.9$, $20.0{\pm}2.3$, 0%로 나타났다. 유근의 평균 생장 길이(mm)는 아무처리도 하지 않은 1% 한천(agar) 배지에서 19.6 mm로 가장 높았고, 중금속 농도가 높아질수록 낮게 나타났다. 카드뮴(Cd) 처리구에서는 10, 25, 50, 100, 200 mg/L 농도에서 각각 4.6 mm, 1.9 mm, 0.7 mm, 0.9 mm, 0 mm 생장한 것으로 나타났다. 한편, 철(Fe) 처리구에서는 10, 25, 50, 100, 200 mg/L 농도에서 각각 15.9 mm, 8.6 mm, 8.1 mm, 0.9 mm, 0 mm 생장한 것으로 나타났다. 실험결과를 종합해 볼 때, 섬초롱꽃 종자 발아 및 유근 생장의 억제는 카드뮴(Cd) 처리구에서 높게 나타났고, 철(Fe) 처리구에서는 비교적 영향을 덜 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 특히 카드뮴은 10 mg/L 농도만 처리하더라도 약 3.6~4.2배의 발아율 생장율 감소가 나타나, 섬초롱꽃 대량증식 시, 치명적일 것으로 판단된다. 본 실험의 결과는 섬초롱꽃 종자를 이용한 대량증식 및 유묘재배에 있어, 토양을 선택하는데 중요한 기초자료로서 활용될 것으로 기대된다.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.628-635
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• 2022

Background: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is the large intestine disease that results in chronic inflammation and ulcers in the colon. Rg3-enriched Korean Red Ginseng extract (Rg3-RGE) is known for its pharmacological activities. Persicaria tinctoria (PT) is also used in the treatment of various inflammatory diseases. The aim of this study is to investigate the attenuating effects of Rg3-RGE with PT on oxazolone (OXA)-induced UC in mice. Methods: A total of six groups of mice including control group, OXA (as model group, 1.5%) group, sulfasalazine (75 mg/kg) group, Rg3-RGE (20 mg/kg) group, PT (300 mg/kg) group, and Rg3-RGE (10 mg/kg) with PT (150 mg/kg) group. Data on the colon length, body weight, disease activity index (DAI), histological changes, nitric oxide (NO) assay, Real-time PCR of inflammatory factors, ELISA of inflammatory factors, Western blot, and flow cytometry analysis were obtained. Results: Overall, the combination treatment of Rg3-RGE and PT significantly improved the colon length and body weight and decreased the DAI in mice compared with the treatment with OXA. Additionally, the histological injury was also reduced by the combination treatment. Moreover, the NO production level and inflammatory mediators and cytokines were significantly downregulated in the Rg3-RGE with the PT group compared with the model group. Also, NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-𝛋B) were suppressed in the combination treatment group compared with the OXA group. Furthermore, the number of immune cell subtypes of CD4⁺ T-helper cells, CD19⁺ B-cells, and CD4⁺ and CD25⁺ regulatory T-cells (Tregs) was improved in the Rg3-RGE with the PT group compared with the OXA group. Conclusion: Overall, the mixture of Rg3-RGE and PT is an effective therapeutic treatment for UC.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.56-72
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• 1999

Airborne concentrations of welding fumes in which 13 different metals such as Al, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Si, Sn, Ti, and Zn were analyzed were measured at 18 factories including automobile assembly and manufactures, steel heavy industries and shipyards. Air samples were collected by personal sampler at each worker's worksite(n=339). Blood levels of Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb and Zn were also measured from samples taken from 447 welders by atomic absorption spectrometry and compared with control values obtained from 127 non-exposed workers. The results were as follows ; 1. Among various welding types, $CO_2$ welding 70.2 % were widely used, shielded metal arc welding(SMAW) 22.1 % came next, and rest of them were metal inert gas(MIG) welding, submerged arc welding(SAW), spot welding(SPOT) and tungsten inert gas(TIG) welding. 2. Welding fume concentration was $0.92mg/m^3$($0.02{\sim}15.33mg/m^3$) at automobile assembly and manufactures, $4.10mg/m^3$($0.02{\sim}70.75mg/m^3$) at steel heavy industries and $5.59mg/m^3$($0.30{\sim}91.16mg/m^3$) at shipyards, respectively, showing significant difference among industry types. Workers exposed to high concentration of welding fumes above Korean Permissible Exposure Limit(KPEL) amounted to 7.9 % and 12.5 %, in $CO_2$ welding and in SMAW at automobile assembly and manufactures and 62.7 % in $CO_2$ welding, and 12.5 % in SMAW at shipyards, and 66.2 % in $CO_2$ welding and 70.6 % in SMAW at steel heavy industries. 3. Geometric mean of airborne concentration of each metal released from welding fumes was below one 10th of KPEL in all welding types. Percentage of workers, however, exposed to airborne concentration of metals above KPEL amounted to 16.8 % in Mn and 7.6 % in Fe in $CO_2$ welding; 37.5 % in Cu in SAW, 30 % in Cu in TIG; and 25 % in Pb in SPOT welding. As a whole, 76 Workers(22.4%) were exposed to high concentration of any of the metals above KPEL. 4. There were differences in airborne concentration of metals such as Al, Cd, Cr, Cu. Fe. Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Si, Sn, Ti and Zn by industry types. These concentrations were higher in shipyards and steel heavy industries than in automobile assembly and manufactures. Workers exposed to higher concentration of Pb above KPEI amounted to 7.4 % of workers(7/94) in automobile assembly and manufactures. In shipyards, 19.2 % of workers(19/99) were over-exposed to Mn and 7.1 % (7/99) to Fe above KPEL. In steel heavy industries, 14.4 %(21/146), 7.5 %(11/146) and 13 %(19/146) were over-exposed to Mn, Fe and Cu, respectively. As a whole, 76 out of 339 workers(22.4%) were exposed to any of the metals above KPEL. 5. Blood levels of Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, and Zn in welders were $0.11{\mu}g/100m{\ell}$, $0.84{\mu}g/m{\ell}$, $424.4{\mu}g/m{\ell}$, $1.26{\mu}g/100m{\ell}$, $5.01{\mu}g/100m{\ell}$ and $5.68{\mu}g/m{\ell}$, respectively, in contrast to $0.09{\mu}g/100m{\ell}$, $0.70{\mu}g/m{\ell}$, $477.2{\mu}g/m{\ell}$, $0.73{\mu}g/100m{\ell}$, $3.14{\mu}g/100m{\ell}$ and $6.15{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ in non-exposed control groups, showing significantly higher values in welders but Fe and Zn.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.10-19
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• 2020

BACKGROUND: This study was to carry out risk assessment of contamination of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and inorganic arsenic (I-As) in agricultural products of 25 crops from the abandoned mine areas. The 36 typical investigation sites located in Gyeongbuk provincial area were selected by considering the heavy metal levels, that had been known that the amount of the heavy metals exceeded the contamination level based on the previous survey. METHODS AND RESULTS: Cadmium, lead, and total arsenic (T-As) concentrations were determined using microwave device and ICP-MS. Inorganic arsenic was determined by HPLC-ICP-MS. The limits of quantification for heavy metals were 0.59 ㎍/kg for Cd, 0.42 ㎍/kg for Pb, 0.55 ㎍/kg for T-As, and sum of As (III) (1.74 ㎍/kg) and As (V) (2.25 ㎍/kg) for I-As, respectively. The contents of Cd, Pb, and I-As (only rice) were N.D.-0.958 mg/kg, N.D.-0.227 mg/kg, and 0.082 mg/kg, respectively, in the agricultural products. For risk assessment, dietary exposures of heavy metals through usual intake were 5.20×10^-4-7.15×10⁰ ㎍/day for Cd, 7.00×10^-5-7.75×10^-1 ㎍/day for Pb, and 1.17×10¹ ㎍/day for I-As, taking 0.01-14.37%, 0.01-2.05%, and 15.16% as risk indices, respectively. CONCLUSION: It requires to consider the critical levels of heavy metals in agricultural products due to unexpectedly high levels in a few places, while concentrations of heavy metals in the samples were relatively low in most areas.