• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• 제23권2호
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• pp.63-68
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• 2012

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to examine the association of exposures to heavy metals with positive diagnosis for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Tourette's syndrome (TS). Methods : Study participants included 27 children diagnosed with ADHD ($9.9{\pm}2.9$ years of age), 21 diagnosed with Tourette's disorder ($10.7{\pm}2.2$ years of age), and 45 normal control children ($9.6{\pm}0.5$ years of age). A Perkin-Elmer mass spectrometer was used to measure the concentrations of 5 heavy metals (Pb, Cd, U, Be, Hg) in hair samples obtained from each participant. Each heavy metal concentration was compared among the groups by use of a Kruskal-Wallis test. Results : The levels of lead (p=.006) and cadmium (p=.037) observed in the hair of children diagnosed with ADHD were significantly higher than those found in the control subjects. There were no significant differences observed for heavy metal levels when comparing TS and control subjects. Conclusion : We confirmed that lead exposure is a risk factor for ADHD. We also identified that cadmium may be a new candidate risk factor for manifestation of ADHD. We did not find an association between heavy metals and manifestation of TS.

• 동아시아식생활학회지
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• 제14권5호
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• pp.418-424
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• 2004

In this study, we investigated the effects of ostrich extract combined with Korean herb medicine(OEKHM) on the serum parameters in carageenan induced paw edema in rats. Carageenan causes enhanced edema formation which contributes to the pathophysiology of inflammation. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were used. There were four groups of treatments: OEKHMs and the control. After treatment with oral doses of 3 mL/180 g BW. 3 kinds of OEKHMs were processed which were ostrich bone with flesh meat with herb medicine(BFH), ostrich bone with flesh meat(BF), and ostrich bone with internal organs(BI). The contents of crude fat of the BFH was lower, but crude protein and crude ash of the BFH were significantly higher than those of the BF and the BI. In case of the levels of minerals(Ca, P, Mg, Fe, Cu and Zn ) of the BFH were significantly higher than those of BF and BI. And the heavy metals(Pb and Cd) were not detected in the OEKHM. The serum level of triglyceride in the BFH treated group decreased compared to that of the edema induced group. The serum levels of HDL-cholesterol concentration in the BFH supplemented group increased compared to that of the other groups. The serum levels of minerals(Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu and Zn) of the BFH treated group significantly increased than those of other groups(p<0.05).

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• 제26권2호
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• pp.65-70
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• 2003

Shihwa tidal freshwater marsh was constructed recently to treat pollutants entering Shihwa lake. In this study, we examined the spatial and temporal patterns of heavy metal accumulation in soils of Shihwa marsh and sought correlations between several soil variables (pH, electrical conductivity, organic matter, and acid ammonium oxalate-extractable Fe and Al contents) and the heavy metal concentration of soils. Surface soil samples (0∼20 cm) were collected in June 2000, November 2000, and July 2001, and were analyzed for heavy metals (Zn, Cd, Pb, Cu, Cr, As, and Hg) and soil chemical properties. The neutral pH and water-saturated conditions of Shihwa marsh appeared to favor immobilization of heavy metal through adsorption onto soils. The concentrations of heavy metal (especially Zn, Cu, and Cr) in soils of Shihwa marsh increased along the sampling occasions, suggesting that soils of Shihwa marsh serve as a sink of heavy metal. Among the sub-marshes, metal concentrations were highest in Banweol high marshes and lowest in Samhwa marshes. The temporal and spatial variations in the heavy metal concentrations of soils were correlated positively with organic matter and oxalate extractable Fe and Al contents, but negatively with electrical conductivity. These results suggest that organic matter and hydrous oxide of Fe/Al may playa key role in removing heavy metals in soils of Shihwa marsh, and that heavy metal removing capacity would increase with desalinization. However, the removal patterns of heavy metal by reeds warrant further studies to evaluate the total removal capacity of heavy metals by Shihwa marsh.

• 한국환경과학회지
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• 제19권7호
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• pp.861-869
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• 2010

The present study aims to evaluate the characteristics of atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) pollution in roadside and residential areas of two Korean metropolitan cities (Seoul and Incheon) and a background area (Seokmolee). This purpose was established by analyzing temporal and spacial concentration distribution of total and 7 individual PAHs, which were extracted from ambient particulate matters, and by utilizing a multivariate statistical method (principal component analysis, PCA) for the qualitative determination of potential PAH sources. Target PAHs included benzo(a)anthracene (BaA), benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), benzo(b)fluoranthene (BbF), benzo(k)fluoranthene (BkF), chrysene (Chr), dibenzo(a,h)anthracene (DahA), and indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene (IcdP). For all surveyed sites, the concentrations of total PAHs were higher in winter season than in other seasons. However, the concentrations of individual PAHs varied with surveyed sites. In both residential and roadside sites of Seoul and Incheon, BbF revealed the highest atmospheric levels. For all 7 target PAHs, the ambient concentrations were higher in Seoul and Incheon than in a background area (Seokmolee). In both residential and roadside areas, the concentrations of 4 target PAHs (BaA, BbF, BkF, DahA) were higher in Incheon than in Seoul. However, both the residential and roadside Chr concentrations were comparable in Seoul and Incheon. In addition, the residential IcdP concentrations were higher in Incheon than in Seoul, whereas the roadside concentrations were higher in Seoul. The roadside and residential BaP concentrations exhibited the reverse result to the IcdP concentrations. An PCA analysis suggested that atmospheric PAHs in both residential and roadside areas would be due to combined effects of several potential sources such as gasoline- and diesel-fueled vehicles, coal/oil combustion, and waste incineration.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• 제27권2호
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• pp.169-172
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• 2004

Activity-guided fractionation of the EtOAc-soluble extract of the stems of Couepia ulei, using a bioassay based on the induction of quinone reductase (QR) in cultured Hepa 1c1c7 mouse hepatoma cells led to the isolation of two active compounds, a new natural product, erythro-2,3-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-3-ethoxypropan-1-o1 (1), and a known compound, evofolin-B (2), along with five inactive compounds all of known structure, viz., betulinic acid, oleanolic acid, pomolic acid, ($\pm$)-syringaresinol, and ursolic acid. These isolates were identified by analysis of physical and spectral data. Compounds 1 and 2 exhibited QR inducing activity, with observed CD (concentration required to double induction) values of 16.7 and 16.4 $\mu\textrm{M}$, respectively.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제26권10호
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• pp.1529-1532
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• 2005

A simple and cost effective method for separation and preconcentration of Ag(I) at the $10^{-7}\;mol\;L^{-1}$ level in the environmental and mineral samples is present. The method is based on the flotation of Ag(I)-iodide complex as an ion-associate with ferroin in pH of 4 from a large volume of an aqueous solution (500 mL) using nheptane. The floated layer was then dissolved in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) for the subsequent spectrophotometric determination. Beer's law was obeyed over a range of 2.0 ${\times}$ $10^{-7}$-4.0 ${\times}$ $10^{-6}$ mol $L^{-1}$ with the apparent molar absorptivity of 2.67 ${\times}$ $10^5$ L $mol^{-1}\;cm^{-1}$. The detection limit (n = 5) was 4 ${\times}$ $10^{-8}$ mol $L^{-1}$, and RSD (n = 5) obtained for 2.0 ${\times}$ $10^{-6}$ mol $L^{-1}$ of Ag(I) was 2.2%. The interference effects of a number of elements was studied and found that only $Hg^{2+}$ at low concentration, and $Pb^{2+}$, $Cd^{2+}$, $Cu^{2+}$, and $Fe^{3+}$ ions at moderately high concentrations were interfered. To overcome on these interference effects, the solution was treated with EDTA at a buffering pH of 4 and passed through a column containing Amberlite IR-120 ionexchanger resin, just before the flotation process. The proposed method was applied to determine of Ag(I) in a synthetic waste water, a photographic washing sample and a geological sample and the results was compared with those obtained from the flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The results were satisfactorily comparable with together, so that the applicability of the proposed method was confirmed in encountering with the real samples.

• 한국환경과학회지
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• 제12권11호
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• pp.1167-1171
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• 2003

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are an important group of organic contaminants present in sewage sludge, due to their persistence, toxic, bioaccumulative and long range transfer. These characters make themselves as Persistent Organic Pollutants(POPs) in Long Range Transboundary Air Pollutions convention(LRTAP) of Europe. A method of the gas chromatographicmass spectrometric (GCMS) determination of PAHs present in sewage sludge was developed and applied to analyzed samples from five sewerage treatment plants (SWTPs), having different treatment types. PAHs were extracted from freeze-dried samples by toluene 16 hours in a soxhlet extraction system. The sludge extracts were cleaned-up by an activated silica gel column chromatography. The sum of the 16 US Environmental Protection Agency PAHs sewage sludge samples varied from 2.44 to 4.82 $\mu\textrm{g}$/g. Concentration of emission carcinogen PAHs(PAHcarc), such as Benzo(a)anthracene, Benzo(b)f1uoranthene, Benzo(k)f1uoranthene, Benzo(a)pyrene, Dibenzo(a,h)anthracene and Indeno( 1,2,3-cd)pyrene ranged from 0.62 to 1.03 $\mu\textrm{g}$/g. The total amount of PAHs emission from sewage sludge in Korea was calculated as a top-down approach. PAHs and $\Sigma$PAHcarc from sewage treatment plants had emitted to environment by several pathway. The highest amount of emission to the environment was remarked in the ocean dumping(PAHs and $\Sigma$PAHcarc emissions were 1155.95 kg/year and 5040.32 kg/year, respectively).

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• 제20권1호
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• pp.43-52
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• 1986

The influences of extracellular $Ca^{2+}\;and\;K^+$ upon the spike action potentials were studied in isolated uterine strips of rat. Regular, rhythmic uterine contractions were induced by the administration of oxytocin$(0.2{\sim}0.5\;I.U.)$, and recorded with force transducer. Spike action potentials were extracellularly measured by use of suction electrode, and compared with those recorded intracellularly by glass microelectrode. The results obtained were as follows : 1) The frequency and duration of spike bursts, and the number of spikes in a burst could be analyzed by use of both methods. But the absolute values of membrane potential were not measurable with the suction electrode. 2) The duration of contraction$(CD_{90};\;the\;duration\;of\;90%\;relaxation)$ was lengthened from the control 17.0 sec to 20.6 sec, in parallel with the increase of spike number from the control 21 to 26, as the increase in $Ca^{2+}$ concentration from 2 to 4 mM. 3) The amplitude and frequency of contractions were gradually decreased, simultaneously with the decrease in the number of spikes in a burst, when the $Ca^{2+}-antagonist$, verapamil was administered cumulatively. 4) The number of spikes was changed from the control 15 to 7, in cabs of the administration of ver)'low dose of verapamil$(10^{-6}\;g/l)$. 5) Increase in the numbers of spike bursts was well matched to the increase in frequency of contractions when extracellular $K^+$ was increased.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• 제34권2호
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• pp.131-138
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• 2004

This study was aimed to investigate the feasibility of nasal delivery of caffeine for the elimination of sleepiness. The effects of various vehicles, solubilizers, and enhancers on the permeation of caffeine through rabbit nasal mucosa was observed. The permeation study was carried out using a Franz-type permeation system at $37^{\circ}C$, and the amount of caffeine permeated though the rabbit nasal mucosa was determined by a validated HPLC. The apparent solubility and phys iochemical stability of caffeine in various nasal formulations were was determined. The effect of hydrotropes and modified cyclodextrins on the solubility of caffeine in water was determined by equilibrium solubility method. The solubility of caffeine in water was 29 mg/mL at $30^{\circ}C$. The addition of sodium benzoate and nicotinamide at 10% improved the solubility of caffeine (115 and 132 mg/mL, respectively) in aqueous solution. The flux of caffeine though the nasal mucosa from aqueous solution was $2.1{\pm}0.26\;mg/cm^2/hr$. The addition of sodium benzoate reduced its permeation $(1.4{\pm}0.01\;mg/cm^2/hr)$, but sodium benzoate with 5% $2HP{\beta}CD$ and 0.03% monoterpenes increased its permeation $(2.4{\pm}0.04\;mg/cm^2/hr)$ markedly. The addition of nicotinamide also increased also increased its permeation $(2.5{\pm}0.36\;mg/cm^2/hr)$. markedly. As the concentration of caffeine in nasal formulation increased, the permeation flux increased linearly. Caffeine was stable physicochemically and enzymatically in the nasal mucosa extract at $37^{\circ}C$. These results suggest that caffeine can be efficiently delivered nasally and the development of nasal formulation will be feasible.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제26권6호
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• pp.1046-1056
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• 2016

RV-23 is a melittin-related antibacterial peptide (MRP) with lower cytotoxicity than either melittin or AR-23, another MRP. The aim of this study was to explore the mechanism of RV-23's antibacterial selectivity and its hemocompatibility. The results showed that all the peptides exhibited lytic activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, with RV-23 showing the highest potency. Moreover, RV-23 had lower cytotoxicity than melittin or AR-23 at their minimal inhibitory concentration. In addition, CD experiments showed that melittin, RV-23, and AR-23 all had a typical α-helical structure, and RV-23 had the lowest α-helix content. The structural information showed that RV-23 has the lowest hydrophobicity and highest hydrophobic moment. Because hydrophobicity and α-helix content are believed to correlate with hemolysis, the results indicate that the selective lytic activity against bacteria of RV-23 may be due to its low hydrophobicity and α-helicity, which lead to low cytotoxicity without affecting antibacterial activity. Furthermore, RV-23 did not affect the structure and function of blood components such as red blood cells, platelets, albumin, and the blood coagulation system. In conclusion, RV-23 is a cell-selective antibacterial peptide with high hemocompatibility due to its unique structure.