• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.147-154
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• 2007

Sweat contents were investigated for using those data to forensic purpose. The experiments of identifying sweat contents were as follow: 1) measurement of amino acids (aspartic acid, serine, glycine etc) by HPLC, 2) anions ($Cl^-$, $F^-$, and $SO{_4}^{2-}$) by IC and 3) trace elements (Cu, Zn, Li, B, etc.) by ICP-MS. Amino acid contents in sweat are varied with individual samples and glycine, threonine, alanine, valine and histidine are detected as the prime one. The detected anions are $Cl^-$(2167~4073 ppm) and $F^-$(454~582 ppm) mostly. Trace elements of Rb, Zn and Cu are detected and those concentrations are relatively very high. The compositions of sweat can be influenced by various factors (diet, anthropometric, characteristics, physical fitness, age, gender and the state of the health).

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.375-380
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• 2014

This study examined the incidence rates of cancer cases (averages for 2006-2010) and relationships with environmental radioactivity levels. Soil and water samples were collected from provincial and district centers of Van city and the outdoor gamma doses were determined using a portable gamma scintillation detector. Gross alpha and beta, (226)Ra, (232)Th, and (40)K activities were measured in both tap water and soil samples. Although high rates of stomach and esophagus cancers have been reported previously in Van the underlying reasons have not hitherto been defined. Incidences of cancers were highest in the Gurpmar (326.0) and Ozalp (377.1) counties (p<0.001). As to the results of the gross alpha and gross beta radioactivity measurements in the drinking water, these two counties also had high beta radionuclide levels: Gurpmar ($140mBq/dm^3$) and Ozalp ($206mBq/dm^3$). Even if within the normal range, a relation between the higher rate of the incidence of stomach and esophagus cancers with that of the higher rate of beta radionuclide activity was clear. On Spearman correlation analysis, the relation between higher beta radionuclide levels and cancer incidence was found to be statistically significant (p<0.01). According to the results of the analysis, Van residents receive an average 1.86 mSv/y annual dose from outdoor gamma radiation, ingestion of radionuclides in the drinking water, and indoor $^{222}Rn$ activity. Moreover, gross alpha and beta activities were found to be extremely high in all of the lakes around the city of Van, Turkey. Further investigations with long-term detailed environmental radiation measurements are needed regarding the relationship between cancer cases and environmental radioactivity in the city of Van.

• Journal of forensic and investigative science
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.5-22
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• 2007

From the numerous social problems generated by the unbalanced social development and the social trend of belittling life overall, we found the causes of suicide getting worse in its seriousness day by day. In reality, the problem has been approached in a collateral level in contrast with other social problems. There have been an active involvement in studying the definition, causes and ways of prevention of suicide theoretically until now. However, different from other social problems, it is almost impossible to treat or fix the problem of suicide. Only ways to treat or fix the problem is when the suicide has ended in failure. Thus, this study intends to examine the suicide rate among the total accidents during the year 2005, perform the analyses on the actual causes according to the relations such as the means of suicide, occupation, age group, educational background, etc. In order to present a solution to the issue of suicide becoming serious each day. Among the total accidents in 2005, the suicide rate came out to be approximately 52.4%. Among the result, 52.4%, male with 69% resulted higher than female with 31%, which appears to be related to the social functions. While men tends to take more active(80%) means of suicide like jumping off, poison, hanging, etc., women tends to take more passive(60%) means of suicide like sleeping pills, slitting wrist, etc. In terms of the cause, pessimism, illness, denial, mental disorder, etc resulted more than 75%, and there were many cases of suicide after exhibiting the signs of depression. Also there were higher suicide rate of the unemployed engaged in direct labor with educational background lower than college level related to the pessimism regarding the family living cost. We were able to determine the recent increase in the suicidal tendency of the educated people higher than the college level and the retired people with depression caused by the sudden change in social status. Overall there are several reasons for suicide, however, in most cases the signs of depression were exhibited until the final suicide, which tells us the serious psychological problem of suicide. Assuming that the current development of suicide will continue in future, the result of this study will guide the corresponding social policies, be utilized in preparing the insurance or management at the national level dealing with the real social problems that are not just a conflict of an individual, but could spread like a fad and become much bigger than the present by the continuous support at the environmental, social and political levels, and be utilized as the basic data to establish the research plan.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.38 no.12
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• pp.19-28
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• 2022

Cavities behind concrete walls can adversely affect the stability of structures. Thus study aims to detect cavities behind concrete structures using a microphone in a laboratory model test. A small-scale concrete wall is constructed in a chamber, which is composed of a reinforced concrete plate and dry soil. A plastic bowl is then placed between the plate and soil to simulate a cavity behind the concrete structure. Leaky surface acoustic waves are generated by impacting the concrete plate using a hammer and are measured using a microphone. The measured signals are analyzed using natural frequencies, and cavity-free sections are evaluated. The test results show that the first natural frequency decreases at the cavity section due to the flexural vibration behavior of the plate. In addition, the amplitude corresponding to the first natural frequency decreases as the measurement location becomes farther from the cavity center and significantly decreases at the measurement locations near the rebars. This study demonstrates that a microphone may be useful to detect cavities behind concrete walls.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.79-100
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• 2017

The use of wind energy resources is developing rapidly in recent decades. There is an increasing number of wind farms in high wind-velocity areas such as the Pacific Rim regions. Wind turbine towers are vulnerable to tropical cyclones and tower failures have been reported in an increasing number in these regions. Existing post-disaster failure case studies were mostly performed through forensic investigations and there are few numerical studies that address the collapse mode simulation of wind turbine towers under strong wind loads. In this paper, the wind-induced failure analysis of a conventional 65 m hub high 1.5-MW wind turbine was carried out by means of nonlinear response time-history analyses in a detailed finite element model of the structure. The wind loading was generated based on the wind field parameters adapted from the cyclone boundary layer flow. The analysis results indicate that this particular tower fails due to the formation of a full-section plastic hinge at locations that are consistent with those reported from field investigations, which suggests the validity of the proposed numerical analysis in the assessment of the performance of wind-farms under cyclonic winds. Furthermore, the numerical simulation allows to distinguish different failure stages before the dynamic collapse occurs in the proposed wind turbine tower, opening the door to future research on the control of these intermediate collapse phases.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.137-150
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• 2008

Sexually mature male and female rats were orally intubated with the organophosphorus insecticide, Pestban at a daily dosage of 7.45 or 3.72 mg/kg bwt, equivalent to 1/20 and 1/40 $LD_{50}$, respectively. Male rats were exposed for 70 days, while the female rats were exposed for 14 days, premating, during mating and throughout the whole length of gestation and lactation periods till weaning. The results showed depressed acetylcholinesterase(AChE) activity in the brain of parents, fetuses and their placentae in a dose-dependent manner. The fertility was significantly reduced with increasing the dose in both treated groups, with more pronounced suppressive effects in the male treated group. The number of implantation sites and viable fetuses were significantly reduced in pregnant females of both treated groups. However, the number of resorptions, dead fetuses, and pre-and postimplantation losses were significantly increased. The incidence of resorptions was more pronounced in treated female compared to male group and was dose dependant. The behavioral responses as well as fetal survival and viability indices were altered in both treated groups during the lactation period. The incidence of these effects was more pronounced in the treated female group and occurred in a dose-related manner. The recorded morphological, visceral, and skeletal anomalies were significantly increased with increasing the dose in fetuses of both treated groups, with more pronounced effects on fetuses of treated females. In conclusion, the exposure of adult male and female rats to Pestban would cause adverse effects on fertility and reproduction.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.211-216
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• 2004

Commercial one-step rapid fecal occult blood (FOB) kit which was used as a screening test to detect traces of blood in stool samples was evaluated for the feasibility of the forensic identification of human blood. The sensitivity was determined and compared with the conventional Leucomalichite green (LMG) method. In addition, the specificity of the kit and the effects of various chemicals and environmental factors were examined. FOB kit was specific for human hemoglobin and more sensitive than LMG test (approximately 100 times). FOB kit showed positive band using at least 1,000,000-fold diluted human blood. The antigen was very stable regardless of storage temperature and boiling. The positive reaction was not affected by LMG and Luminol, the traditional tests for identification of bloodstain. As a results, FOB test kit could be effectively applied to identification of human blood at crime scene and crime laboratories.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.108-120
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• 2000

To perform an effective screening for toxic materials of forensic interest detected in high profile criminal case in biological and environmental samples, we tried to construct a searchable computerized database using HPTLC(High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography) and GC/MS. Retardation factor($R_f$) values and UV spectral data of HPTLC were investigated for 160 pesticides, 34 chemicals and 39 explosives of standard grade. The data were compiled in a library. We also analyzed 112 pesticides, 31 chemicals and 17 explosives and 57 volatile organic compounds(VOCs) by GC/MS. The data for RT and characteristic mass ions were also compiled in a library.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.9-12
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• 2019

One of the major challenges in methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) for drug dependence is the physiological side effects on endocrine hormones. Because of the key role of the thyroid gland in the normal functioning of the human body and brain, this study examined the effect of MMT on thyroid function. Thyroid hormones (T3, T4, and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)) were evaluated in normal and user treated with MMT who were referred to the Province Clinical & Pathology Center of Urmia, Iran. The study was conducted for three months using the Case Series method. A total of 270 samples were collected, 215 were from individuals who were not treated, whereas 55 were from men treated with methadone. Average levels of T3 and T4 in non-treated sample of men are $1.34{\pm}0.02ng/mL$ and $90.96{\pm}1.38ng/mL$ while the corresponding values for patients treated with methadone are $1.39{\pm}0.04ng/mL$ for T3 and $94.57{\pm}2.72ng/mL$ for T4. Mean TSH levels of the non-treated group and the methadone consuming group were $1.75{\pm}0.08{\mu}IU/mL$ and $3.17{\pm}0.45{\mu}IU/mL$, respectively. These results indicate that although men treated with methadone had higher levels of T3, T4, and TSH than normal individuals, only the difference in TSH level was significant. The importance of this difference among individuals on methadone maintenance programs should be investigated in larger samples over long periods of time. Additionally, the effects of methadone treatment on women should be examined.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.24 no.7
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• pp.907-915
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• 2018

With the increase of metal usage in various industries, metal pollution and ecological toxicity in the environmental system have become a significant concern. A geo-statistical index has been widely used to determine contamination level with normalization through a background value. In this study, geo-statistical indexes such as an enrichment factor, accumulation index, and potential ecological risk index were used to assess metal pollution in soil at locations associated with shipbuilding manufacturing industries. Metal contamination, especially of Cu and Pb, was observed in some samples located closer to manufacturing sites. Enrichment factor and accumulation (IGEO) values were indicative of concerning levels of soil contamination in specific samples, and the soil contamination could be induced by anthropogenic sources. In further study, after more detailed sampling for soil and potential pollution sources, high interpretation techniques such as Pb isotope analysis and X-ray analysis will be needed to investigate source identification.