• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.265-273
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• 2005

Chemical properties and heavy metal concentrations of forest soils of four abandoned coal mine lands affected by coal mining activities in the Mungyeong area were investigated to provide basic information for revegetation of abandoned coal mine lands. Soil pH in abandoned coal mine lands ranged from 5.30 to 6.76 it in the control site was 5.23. Contents of organic matter and total N in abandoned coal mine lands were $4.46\~7.19\%\;and\;0.07\~0.15\%$, respectively. Available P contents were 6.54 for A (Samchang), 6.52 for B (Bongmyeong),3.94 fur C (Kabjung), 5.45 mg/kg for D (Danbong coal mine land) and 5.25 mg/kg for the control site, which had a positive correlation with soil pH. Contents of exchangeable Ca, Mg, K and Na in abandoned coal mile lands averaged 196.1, 88.7, 88.2 and $10.2cmol^+/kg$, with a range of $132.1\~242.1,\;24.2\~138.\; 64.9\~120.8\;and\;8\~12.2cmol^+/kg$, respectively. Those of the control site were 192.8, 95.8, 104 and $21.2 cmol^+/kg$, respectively. Heavy metals such as Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn of forest soil in abandoned coal mine lands have a larger content than those of the control site. Al, Mn and fb content was especially high in abandoned coal mine lands. The Al content of forest soil in abandoned coal mine lands ranged from 397 to 917 ppm, which was considered to be high enough to inhibit tree growth. Therefore, it is suggested that soils of abandoned coal mine lands contaminated by mining activities need to be properly treated for remediation of environmental problems.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.54 no.5
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• pp.541-550
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• 2010

A new $N_4O_3$ heptadentate ligand, N,N'-Bis(2-hydroxybenzyl)-1,3-bis[(2-aminoethyl)amino]-2-propanol(H-BAP 4HCl)was synthesized. The hydrochloric acid salts of Br-BAP 4HCl, Cl-BAP 4HCl, $CH_3O$-BAP 4HCl and $CH_3$-BAP 4HCl containing Br-, Cl-, H-, $CH_3O-$ and $CH_{3^-}$ groups at the para-site of the phenol group of the H-BAP were synthesized. The structures of the ligands were confirmed by C. H. N. atomic analysis and $^1H$ NMR, $^{13}C$ NMR, UV-visible and mass spectra. The elemental stepwise protonation constants(${logK_n}^H$) of the synthesized $N_4O_3$ ligands showed six steps of the proton dissociation. The orders of the overall dissociation constants($log{\beta}_p$) of the ligands were Br-BAP < Cl-BAP < H-BAP < $CH_3O$-BAP < $CH_3$-BAP. The orders agreed well with that of Hammett substituent constants($\sigma_p$). The calculated stability constants($logK_{ML}$) between the ligands and transition metal ions agreed well with the order of the overall proton dissociation constants of the ligands but they showed a reverse order in Hammestt substituent constants($\sigma_p$). The order of the stability constants between the transition metal ions with the ligands were Co(II) < Ni(II) < Cu(II) > Zn(II) > Cd(II) > Pb(II).

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.37-45
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• 2002

Background: Diffuse panbronchiolitis(DPB) is a chronic inflammatory lung disease that presents as coughing, copious sputum, exertional dyspnea, which progresses to bronchiectasis. The pathogenesis of bronchiectasis is controlled by inflammatory mediators, which are closely related to mucus hypersecretion, goblet cell dysplasia. In recent studies, the epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR) system was reported to be associated with this process. It was hypothesized that a relationship exists between goblet cell dysplasia, EGFR expression, and inflammatory mediators produced by neutrophil. Method: Alcian blue/periodic acid -Schiff(AB/PAS) stain, MUC5AC, EGFR, CD16 immunohistochemical stain were examined to investigate a role for the EGFR system in a mucus hypersecretion in DPB using the lung biopsy specimens from 13 DPB patients and 6 controls. Results : In the DPB group, the AB/PAS and MUC5AC -stained areas were $8.31{\pm}3.36%$, $11.46{\pm}4.68%$, respectively. In the control group, the AB/PAS- and MUC5AC-stained areas were $50.5{\pm}5.77%$, $53.3%{\pm}6.67%$, which was significantly larger than in the DPB group (each comparison, p<0.05). The percentage of EGFR expression was $9.54{\pm}4.95%$ in the DPB group, but zero in of the control group. The extent of neutrophilic infiltration was $71.92{\pm}3.71$/5HPF in the DPB group and $45.0{\pm}5.73$/5HPF in the control group, which was statistically significant(p=0.002). Conclusion: The EGFR system is highly related to goblet cell dysplasia, mucus hypersecretion and neutrophilic inflammation in DPB.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.241-255
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• 2002

The purpose of this study is to investigate environmental geochemical characteristics for the acid mine drainage and stream sediments in the abandoned Honam coal mine area. For the chemical analysis, stream winter samples were collected at 54 sites and for the mineralogical and chemical analysis, stream sediments samples were collected at 34 sites. Physical and chemical characteristics of stream water were measured at the site and chemical compositions were analyzed by ICP-AES, ICP-MS and IC. Mineralogical characteristics of stream sediments samples were determined using XRD, SEM and EDS. In physical and chemical properties, stream water shows thats pH 2.85~8.12, Eh -62~215 mV, EC 0.205~146 ms/m, ER 0.234~255 {$\Omega}{\cdot}$m, DO 0.03~1068 mg/L and TDS 10.96~1420mg/L. In chemical compositions, we obtain that K 0.118~3.184 mg/L, Mg 2.1~114.48 mg/L, Ca 2.59~l25.02 mg/L, Al 0.01~44.72 mg/L, Fe 0.108~89.49 mg/L and Na 5.45~125.41 mg/L. Stream sediments are commonly composed of quartz, illite and goethite in the result of x-ray diffraction. After heat treatment at 98$0^{\circ}C$, the hematite peaks are distinctly shown. In consideration of heavy metals (include Fe) for steam sediments, Fe ranges 22575~34713 ppm, Zn 41.66~970.3 ppm, Cd 0.52~52.07 ppm, Cu 1.25~198.5 ppm and Pb 0.43~77.35 ppm.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.299-308
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• 2021

Fe(II) released from mining activities is precipitated as various Fe(III)-oxyhydroxides when exposed to an oxidizing environment including mine drainage. Ferrihydrite, one of the representative precipitated Fe(III) minerals, is easy to adsorb heavy metals and other pollutants due to the large specific surface area caused by very low crystallinity. Ferrihydrite is transformed to thermodynamically more stable goethite in the natural environment. Hence, information on the transformation of ferrihydrite to goethite and the related mobility of heavy metals in the acid mine drainage is important to predict the behaviors of those elements during ferrihydrite to goethite transition. The behaviors of heavy metals during the transformation of ferrihydrite to goethite were investigated for core samples collected from an AMD treatment system in the Heungjin-Taemaek coal mine by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), chemical analysis, and statistical analysis. XRD results showed that ferrihydrite gradually transformed to goethite from the top to the bottom of the core samples. Chemical analysis showed that the relative concentration of As was significantly high in the core samples compared with that in the drainage, indicating that As was likely to be adsorbed strongly on or coprecipitated with iron oxyhydroxide. Correlation analysis also indicated that As can be easily removed from mine drainage during iron mineral precipitation due to its high affinity to Fe. The concentration ratio of As, Cd, Co, Ni, and Zn to Fe generally decreased with depth in the core samples, suggesting that mineral transformation can increase those concentrations in the drainage. In contrast, the concentration ratio of Cr to Fe increased with depth, which can be explained by the chemical bond of iron oxide and chromate, and surface charge of ferrihydrite and goethite.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.58-66
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• 2021

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to compare the psychosocial characteristics of patients diagnosed with functional gastrointestinal disorder (FGID) by classifying them into irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), functional dyspepsia (FD), functional constipation (FC), functional heartburn (FH) groups, and overlap group (two or more functional diseases) and to examine the factors associated with the quality of life (QoL) of patients with FGID. Methods : A total of 144 patients who were diagnosed with FGID were selected as the subjects. The demographical factors were investigated; Korean-Beck Depression Inventory-II (K-BDI-II), Korean-Beck Anxiety Inventory (K-BAI), Korean version of Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (K-CTQ), Multi-dimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), Korean Version of Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (K-CD-RISC), and World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment Instrument Brief Form (WHOQOL-BREF) were used to evaluate the psychosocial factors. Results : TThe overlap group had a significantly higher K-BDI-II score (F=11.09, p<0.001) and K-BAI score (F=8.93, p<0.001) compared to other groups. In childhood trauma, the IBS patients had a difference in emotional neglect (F=2.54, p=0.04) than the FD patients. The QoL of FGID patients had a negative correlation with depression (r=-0.196, p<0.01), anxiety (r=-0.235, p<0.01), and childhood trauma (r=-0.222, p<0.01), and a positive correlation with social support (r=0.512, p<0.01) and resilience (r=0.581, p<0.01). Conclusions : Overlap group had a higher level of depression and anxiety, and the IBS patient group had a higher level of emotional neglect than the FD patient group in terms of childhood trauma.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.375-387
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• 2012

The objective of this study is investigation of contamination levels and assessment of health risk effects of heavy metals in herbal pills. 31 Items and 93 samples were obtained for this investigation from major herbal medicine producing areas, herbal markets and on-line supermarkets from Jan to Jun in 2010. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer method was conducted for the quantitative analysis of Pb, Cd and As. In addition, the mercury analyzer system was conducted for that of Hg without sample digestion. The average contents of heavy metals in samples were as follows : 0.87 mg/kg for Pb, 0.08 mg/kg for Cd, 2.87 mg/kg for As and 0.16 mg/kg for Hg, respectively. In addition, the average contents of heavy metals in different parts of plants, including cortex, fructus, herba, radix, seed, algae and others were 0.63 mg/kg, 3.94 mg/kg, 1.42 mg/kg, 1.05 mg/kg, 0.16 mg/kg, 22.31 mg/kg and 10.17 mg/kg, respectively. After the estimations of dietary exposure, the acceptable daily intake (ADI), the average daily dose (ADD), the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) and the relative hazard of heavy metals were evaluated. As the results, the relative hazards compared to PTWI in samples were below the recommended standard of JECFA as Pb 3.1%, Cd 0.9%, Hg 0.5%. Cancer risks through slope factor (SF) by Ministry of Environment Republic Korea and Environmental Protection Agency was $4.24{\times}10^{-7}$ for Pb and $3.38{\times}10^{-4}$ for As (assuming that the total arsenic content was equal to the inorganic arsenic). Based on our results, possible Pb-induced cancer risks in herbal pills according to parts used including cortex, fructus, herba, radix, seed, algae and others were $1.95{\times}10^{-7}$, $1.45{\times}10^{-6}$, $2.14{\times}10^{-7}$, $6.27{\times}10^{-7}$, $1.99{\times}10^{-8}$, $3.61{\times}10^{-7}$ and $9.64{\times}10^{-8}$, respectively. Possible As-induced cancer risks in herbal pills by parts used including cortex, fructus, herba, radix, seed, algae and others were $1.54{\times}10^{-5}$, $7.24{\times}10^{-5}$, $1.23{\times}10^{-4}$, $2.02{\times}10^{-5}$, $3.25{\times}10^{-6}$, $2.18{\times}10^{-3}$ and $5.67{\times}10^{-6}$ respectively. Taken together, these results indicate that the majority of samples except for some samples with relative high contents of heavy metals were safe.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.34 no.9
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• pp.1464-1470
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• 2005

To assure the safety of the major edible seaweeds, we collected the 176 samples of seaweeds such as laver(Porphyra sp.), sea mustard (Undaria pinnatifida), sea tangle (Laminaria japonica) and sea lettuce (Enter-omorph sp.) from Korean coast. We investigated the contents of the trace metals in the edible seaweeds, and the values were expressed as the dry weight of sea weeds. The mean levels of the trace metals were high in the oder of Zn ($36.19{\pm}27.14 \;{\mu}g/g$), Mn ($28.75{\pm}28.03\;{\mu}g/g$), and Cu ($6.82{\pm}7.62\;{\mu}g/g$), which are necessary metals in the human body, and then followed by Cr ($1.54{\pm}2.07\;{\mu}g/g$), Ni ($1.29{\pm}2.57\;{\mu}g/g$), Pb ($0.89{\pm}1.11\;{\mu}g/g$), Cd ($0.72{\pm}0.80\;{\mu}g/g$) and Hg ($0.01{\pm}0.02\;{\mu}g/g$). The contents of Cd and Zn were high in the laver, Cr, Ni and Pb were detected highly in sea lettuce, and Hg was detected highly in sea tangle. Significant linear correlations were obtained among 28 different pairs of metals, some of them highly correlated (r>0.5, p<0.05),such as Ni-Mn, Zn-Ni, Cu-Pb and Cu-Zn in laver, Ni-Zn in sea mustard, Cu-Pb, Cu-Zn and Mn-Pb in sea tangle, and Ni-Cr in sea lettuce. And, the trace metal contents of seaweeds varied with parts and kinds of samples. The average weekly intakes of Hg, Cd and Pb from seaweeds were about $0.07{\~}3.57\%$ of PTWI (Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intakes) which has set by FAO/WHO to evaluate the safeties of trace metals in food. Therefore, it was found that they showed very safe levels in the edible seaweeds.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.301-310
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• 1998

Background: Cell mediated immune response mediated by interaction between CD4+ T lymphocytes and macrophagies is thought to play an important role in tuberculous pleurisy. This interaction is dependent on the interplay of various cytokines. The immunologic response of tuberculous pleurisy is thought to depend on the balance between helper T cell(Th1) cytokine Interleukin-12, Interferon gamma and Th2 cytokine IL-4, IL-10. To understand immunologic mechanism in tuberculous pleurisy and evaluate diagnostic value of these cytokines, the concentrations of Th1 cytokine IL-12, IFN -$\gamma$ and Th2 cytokine IL-10 were measured in tuberculous pleurisy and malignant pleural effusion group. Material and Methods: The concentrations of IL-10, IL-12 and IFN-$\gamma$ were measured by ELISA method in pleural fluids and serums of 20 patients with tuberculous pleurisy and 20 patients with malignant pleural effusion ADA activities were measured by spetrophotomery in pleural fluids of both groups. Results: In tuberculous pleurisy, the mean concentrations of IL-10, IL-12 and IFN-$\gamma$ of pleural fluids showed $121.3{\pm}83.7$ pg/mL, $571.4{\pm}472.7$ pg/mL and $420.4{\pm}285.9$ pg/mL. These were significantly higher than that of serum, $21.2{\pm}60.9$ pg/mL, 194.5 pg/mL, $30.1{\pm}18.3$ pg/mL respectively(p< 0.01). In malignant pleural effusion, the mean concentrations of IL-10, IL-12 and IFN-$\gamma$ of pleural fluids showed $88.4{\pm}40.4$ pg/mL, $306.5{\pm}271.1$ pg/mL and $30.5{\pm}54.8$ pg/mL respectively. Compared with that of serum ($43.4{\pm}67.2$ pg/mL, $206.8{\pm}160.6$ pg/mL, $14.6{\pm}3.3$ pg/mL), only IL-10 was significantly higher (p<0.001), but IL-12, IFN-$\gamma$ were not significant. In tuberculous pleural effusion compared with malignant pleural effusion, the concentration of IL-12, IFN-$\gamma$, ADA were significantly higher (p=value 0.046, <0.001, <0.001), but IL-10 was not significant. For differential diagnosis of tuberculous pleurisy from malignant pleural effusion, using cut-off value of IL-12, IFN-$\gamma$, ADA as 300 pg/mL. 100 pg/mL, 45 U/L, the sensitivity/specificity were 60%/70%, 90%/87.5%, 85%/90% respectively. Conclusion: In tuberculous pleurisy, IL-10, IL-12 and IFN-$\gamma$ were selectively concentrated highly in pleural space than serum. Compared with malignant pleural effusion, IL-12 and IFN-$\gamma$ were significantly higher, but IL-10 were not in tuberculous pleural effusion. The results suggest that Th1 pathway contributes to immune resistant mechanism in tuberculous pleurisy. IFN-$\gamma$ and ADA revealed useful methods of differential diagnosis in tuberculous pleurisy from malignant pleural effusion.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.231-237
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• 2006

Nowadays the teabag is worldwide used for various products including green tea, tea, coffee, etc. since it is convenient for use. In case of outer packaging printed, however, there is a possibility that the plasticizers which is used for improvement in adhesiveness of printing ink may shift to inner tea bag. In this study, in order to monitor residual levels of plasticizers in teabags, we have established the simultaneous analysis method of 9 phthalates and 7 adipates plasticizers using gas chromatography (GC). These compounds were also confirmed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MSD). The recoveries of plasticizers analyzed by GC ranged from 82.7% to 104.6% with coefficient of variation of $0.6\sim2.7%$ and the correlation coefficients of each plasticizer was $0.9991\sim0.9999$. Therefore this simultaneous analysis method was showed excellent reproducibility and linearity. And limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantitation (LOQ) on individual plasticizer were $0.1\sim3.5\;ppm\;and\;0.3\sim11.5\;ppm$ respectively. When 143 commercial products of teabag were monitored, no plasticizers analysed were detected in filter of teabag products. The migration into $95^{\circ}C$ water as food was also examined and the 16 plasticizers are not detected. In addition we carried out analysis of heavy metals, lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As) and aluminum (Al) in teabag filters using ICP/AES. $Trace\sim23{\mu}g$ Pb per teabag and $0.6\sim1718{\mu}g$ Al per teabag were detected in materials of samples and Cd and As are detected less than LOQ (0.05 ppm). The migration levels of Pb and Al from teabag filter to $95^{\circ}C$ water were upto $11.5{\mu}g\;and\;20.8{\mu}g$ per teabag, respectively and Cd and As were not detected in exudate water of all samples. Collectively, these results suggest that there is no safety concern from using teabag filter.