• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.76-83
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• 1998

The most remarkable aspect in the hormesis law is that dose of harmful agents can produce effect that are diametrically opposite to the effect found with high doses of the same agent. Minute quantities of a harmful agent bring about very small change in the organism and control mechanisms appear to subjugate normal processes to place the organism in a state of albert and repair. The stimulated organism in more responsive to changes in environmental factors than it did before being alerted. Routine functions, including repair and defense, have priority for available energy and matetial. The alerted organism utilizes nutrients more efficiently, grows faster, shows improved defense, and lives longer. Accelerated germination, sprouting, growth, development, blooming and ripening, and increased crop yield and resistance to disease are found in plants. Another concept supported by the data in that low doses of ionizing radiation provide increased resistance to subsequent high doses of radiation. The hormesis varies with subject plant, variety, state of seed, environmental and cultural conditions, physiologic function measured, dose rate and total exposure. The results of hormesis are less consistently found, probably due to the great number of uncontrolled variables in the experiments. The general dosage for radiation homlesis in about 100 (10 to 1,000) times ambient or 100 (10 to 1,000) times less than a definitely harmful dose, but these must be modified to the occasion. Although little is known about most mechanisms of homzesis reaction, overcompensation of repair mechanism is offered as one mechanism.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.18 no.2_spc
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• pp.317-325
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• 2020

The Korea Radioactive Waste Agency plans to expand the storage capacity of radioactive waste by constructing a radioactive waste inspecting building to solve the problem of the lack of inspection space and drum-handling space in the radioactive waste receipt and storage building for the first-stage disposal facility. In this study, the exposure doses of radiation workers that handle new disposal containers for decommissioning waste in the storage areas of the radioactive waste inspecting building were calculated using the Monte Carlo N-particle transport code. The annual collective dose was calculated as a total of 84.8 man-mSv for 304 new disposal containers and an estimated annual 306 working hours for the radiation work. When the 304 new disposal containers (small/medium type) were stored in the storage areas, it was found that 25 radiation workers should be involved in acceptance/disposal inspection, and the estimated exposure dose per worker was calculated as an average annual value of 3.39 mSv. When the radiation workers handle the small containers in high-radiation dose areas, the small containers should be shielded further by increasing the concrete liner thickness to improve the work efficiency and radiation safety of the radiation workers. The results of this study will be useful in establishing the optimal radiation working conditions for radiation workers using the source term and characteristics of decommissioning waste based on actual measurements.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.440-449
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• 2011

Objectives: This study was designed to determine the levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in breast milk and to evaluate the relations with factors affecting these levels. Methods: The congener levels of PBDE in 22 samples of breast milk were analyzed using a high resolution gas chromatograph with a high resolution mass detector. In accordance with our standard operating procedures, the recoveries of internal standards had to range between 68% and 118%. Since the distribution of PBDE concentrations is close to log-normal, the data were logarithmically transformed before analysis. Test subjects were healthy primipara and multipara mothers with a mean age of 32 (SD = 2.7) in 2006. Results: Seven PBDE congeners (BDE-28, 47, 99, 100, 153, 154, and 183) were detected and identified in all of the pooled breast milk samples, indicating widespread contamination from PBDEs in the environment in Korea. Residue levels of total PBDEs (sum PBDEs from tri- to hepta-BDE) ranged from 0.84-13.1 ng/g lipid with median and geometric mean levels of 2.6 ng/g lipid and 2.74 ng/g lipid, respectively. PBDE congeners 47, 99 and 153 markedly predominated and accounted for about 75% of the amount of the PBDE congeners analyzed. BDE-47 was the dominant congener in most samples, whereas BDE-153 was predominant in a few (n = 7/22). BDE-47 was highly correlated with total PBDEs (r = 0.987, p < 0.01). In analyses of the differences of the means of log transformed breast milk PBDE levels for groups of potential covariates, only breast milk BDE-47 and BDE-99 levels were significantly associated with fish (p < 0.05) and meat consumption (p < 0.01). However, we did not find significant correlations between PBDE levels and maternal age, body mass index (BMI), parity, job presence and smoking status. Conclusions: Our findings are mainly limited due to the small sampling size and low doses of PBDEs exposure. Background and human exposure data of PBDEs is lacking, and longitudinal investigations into the environment and biota are encouraged to determine the health impact on future populations in Korea.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.195-201
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• 2014

The study examined the changes in the decreased facial exposure dose for radiological technologists depending on increased distance between the workers and the X-ray tube head during intraoral radiography. First, the facial phantom similar to the human tissues was manufactured. The shooting examination was configured to the maxillary molars for adults (60kVp, 10mA, 50msec) and for children (60kVp, 10mA, 20msec), and the chamber was fixed where the facial part of the radiation worker would be placed using the intraoral radiography equipment. The distances between the X-ray tube head and the phantom were set to 10cm, 15cm, 20cm, 25cm, 30cm, 35cm, and 40cm. The phantom was radiated 20 times with each examination condition and the average scattered doses were examined. The rate at the distance of 40cm decreased by about 92.6% to 7.43% based on the scattered rays radiated at the distance of 10cm under the adult conditions. The rate at the distance of 40cm decreased by about 97.6% to 2.58% based on the scattered rays radiated at the distance of 10cm under the children conditions. Protection from the radiation exposure was required during the dental radiographic examination.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.31-36
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• 1990

We got the following results from the experiment and examination in order to measure the bone-marrow dose of the patients when we did chest or abdomen radiography in the hospitals located in Seoul City from Jan. 1989 until Feb. 1990. 1. In the exposure factors for chest radiography, tube voltage $60{\sim}69\;kVp$ took 48.3%, $80{\sim}89\;or\;90{\sim}99\;kVp$ took 13.8% respectively, $70{\sim}79\;kVp$ 10.3% and $100{\sim}129\;kVp$ 10.3%. In tube current and exposure times, $6{\sim}10\;mAs$ took 41.4%, $16{\sim}20\;mAs$ took 20.7% and $11{\sim}15\;mAs$ 13.8%, measure under 5mAs 10.4% orderly. 2. In chest radiography, the bone-marrow dose came to the minimum 3.48 mrad, to the maximum 35.67 mrad, to the mean 14.46 mrad, to the standard deviation 8.89 mrad. 3. Comparing bone-marrow doses of the patients when we used Bucky technique and non-Bucky technique, that of Bucky technique was very higher than that of non-Bucky technique. Because the result was that Bucky technique had the span of $6.09{\sim}35.67$ mrad, while non-Bucky technique had the span of $3.48{\sim}17.40$ mrad. 4. In the exposure factors for abdomen radiography, tube voltage of $70{\sim}79\;kVp$ was 63.0%, that of $80{\sim}89\;kVp$ was 22.2%, that of $60{\sim}69\;kVp$ was 11.1 %. Tube current and exposure times of $31{\sim}40\;kVp$ was 33.4%, that of $51{\sim}60\;mAs$ was 29.6% and that of $41{\sim}50\;mAs$ was 22.2%. 5. In abdomen radiography, the bone-marrow dose of the patients came to the minimum of 6.96 mrad, to the maximum of 60.90 mrad, to the mean of 35.73mrad, to the standard deviation of 12.65 mrad.

• The Journal of the Korean dental association
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• v.50 no.7
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• pp.420-430
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to measure the absorbed dose and to calculate the effective dose for full-mouth periapical radiography using the portable dental x-ray machine and panoramic radiography Material and Method: Thermoluminescent chips were placed at 25sites throughout the layers of the head and neck of a tissue-equivalent human skull phantom. The man phantom was exposed with the portable dental x-ray machine and panoramic unit. During full-mouth periapical radiography the exposure setting was 60 kVp, 2 mA and 0.15 ~ 0.25 seconds, while during panoramic radiography the selected exposure setting was 72 kVp, 8 mA and 18 seconds. Absorbed dose measurements were obtained and equivalent doses to individual organs were summed using ICRP 103 to calculate of effective dose. Result: In the full-mouth periapical radiography, the highest absorbed dose was recorded at the mandible body follow with submandibular glands and cheek. Using panoramic unit, the highest absorbed dose was parotid glands and the following was back of neck and submandibular glands. The effective dose in full-mouth periapical radiography using portable dental x-ray machine was 46 ${\mu}Sv$. In panoramic radiography, the effective dose was 38 ${\mu}pSv$. Conclusion: It was recommended to panoramic radiography for general check in the head and neck area because that the effect dose in the panoramic radiography was lower than the dose in the full-mouth periapical radiography using portable dental x-ray machine.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.95-102
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• 1983

The radical treatment of uterine cervical cancer by interacavitary radium or cesium, in combination with teletherapy are well known. Although the result of such treatment should not give rise to complacency, problem of radiation exposure to medical staff had not been resolved. Fortunately, many attempts have been made to reduce this hazard, most of which take the form of afterloading applicators with a suitably shielded radioisotope. In order to avoid hazardous radiation exposure to staffs concerned with brachytherapy, RALS using high intensity source of Co-60, have been employed at Yonsei Cancer Center since May, 1979. It allows rectal and bladder doses to be kept low, while maintaining a satifactory usual dose distribution of the other type of applicators, and the short treatment time allow four or five patients to be treated per hour. It also removes much patient's discomfort and the difficulties of nursing these patients. Since the first introduction in Korea, over seven hundred cases with various stage of uterine cervical cancer have been treated on a radical basis at this center last 4 years. These authors have strongly attracted attention to the results in terms of local control rate, survival s and morbidity compared with those of conventional low dose rate radiotherapy. Retrospective interim analysis of data was preliminarily accomplished through the labored follow-up study of 340 cases treated during initial 2 years and the radiobiologic standpoint of high dose rate intracavitary irradiation will be discussed.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.43-51
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• 2015

Connexin (Cx) is a complex which allows direct communication between neighboring cells via exchange of signaling molecules and eventually leads to functional harmony of cells in a tissue. The initial segment (IS) is an excurrent duct of male reproductive tract and expression of numerous genes in the IS are controlled by androgens and estrogens. The effects of these steroid hormones on gene expression in the IS during postnatal development have not extensively examined. The present research investigated expressional modulation of Cx isoforms in the IS by exogenous exposure to estrogen agonist, estradiol benzoate (EB), or androgen antagonist, flutamide (Flu), at weaning age. Two different doses of EB or Flu were subcutaneously administrated in 21-day old of male rats, and expressional changes of Cx isoforms in the adult IS were analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR. Treatment of a low-dose EB ($0.015{\mu}g/kg$ body weight) resulted in an increased expression of Cx31 gene and a decreased expression of Cx37 gene. A high-dose EB ($1.5{\mu}g/kg$ body weight) treatment caused an increase of Cx31 gene expression. Increased levels of Cx30.3 and Cx40 transcripts were observed with a low-dose Flu ($500{\mu}g/kg$ body weight) treatment. Treatment of high-dose Flu (50 mg/kg body weight) led to expressional increases of Cx30.3, 40, and 43 genes. Our previous and present findings suggest differential responsiveness on gene expression of Cx isoforms in the IS by androgens and estrogens at different postnatal ages.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.151-159
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• 2004

A detailed evaluation of relative toxicity of fluoride to die 5th instar larvae of PM and NB$_4$D$_2$ races of silkworm and the effects of lethal, sublethal and prevailing levels of fluoride in groundwater on the growth, economic characters and fecundity of the silkworm, Bombyx mori (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) were studied. The feeding of mulberry, Morus alba leaves treated with lethal and sublethal doses of fluoride to PM and NB$_4$D$_2$ races of silkworms from the beginning of the 5th instar to the end of the feeding period resulted in significant reduction in growth, single cocoon weight, single shell weight, silk index, average filament length, and fecundity when compared to controls. These manges were more pronounced on exposure to lethal dose than sublethal dose and in general, the changes induced by fluoride were more striking in NB$_4$D$_2$ than PM, indicating the greater resistance of PM to higher fluoride levels. Groundwater quality in sericulturally important villages of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh States has been studied with special reference to the presence of fluoride. On exposure to dose of prevailing levels in the waters of sericulturally important areas, die changes observed on growth, economic characters and fecundity were slightly lower when compared to controls and the decrease was found to be insignificant (P$\geq$0.05). It was concluded that, though minute dose (4.0 ppm) of fluoride did not have any toxic impact, it is toxic at higher concentrations to silkworms.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.185-192
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• 2010

Objectives: We conducted a meta-analysis to investigate the relationship between low external doses of ionizing radiation exposure and the risk of cancer mortality among nuclear power plant workers. Methods: We searched MEDLINE using key words related to low dose and cancer risk. The selected articles were restricted to those written in English from 1990 to January 2009. We excluded those studies with no fit to the selection criteria and we included the cited references in published articles to minimize publication bias. Through this process, a total of 11 epidemiologic studies were finally included. A publication bias was tested for using Egger's test. The homogeneity test was performed before the integration of each of the standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) and the result proved that the studies were heterogeneous. Results: We found significant decreased deaths from all cancers (SMR = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.62 - 0.90), all cancers excluding leukemia, solid cancer, mouth and pharynx, esophagus, stomach, rectum, liver and gallbladder, pancreas, lung, prostate, lymphopoietic and hematopoitic cancer. The findings of this meta-analysis were similar with those of the 15 Country Collaborative Study conducted by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. A publication bias was found only for liver and gallbladder cancer (p = 0.015). Heterogeneity was observed for all cancers, all cancers excluding leukemia, solid cancer, esophagus, colon and lung cancer. Conclusions: Our findings of low mortality for stomach, rectum, liver and gallbladder cancers may explained by the health worker effect. Yet further studies are needed to clarify the low SMR of cancers, for which there is no useful screening tool, in nuclear power plant workers.