• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.292-298
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• 2007

Zinc plays indispensable roles in metabolism, including cell growth, apoptosis, proliferation and differentiation. Kidneys are target organs for various regulators of mineral metabolism, and play a key role in zinc balance. To investigate the zinc uptake efficiency, we examined the zinc uptake and accumulation level in vivo and in vitro study. Plasma zinc concentration was peaked out at 1 hr after oral zinc administration. The renal zinc level was peaked out at 12 hr after oral zinc administration, and it was the highest in 40 mg/kg Zn-Asp administrated group in comparison with other groups. In addition, the m-RNA expression level of zinc transporter-1 (ZnT-1), zinc transporter-2 (ZnT-2) and high-affinity L-aspartate transporter (EAAT-3) in Zn-Asp administered group were increased compared with control groups and $ZnSO_4$ group. In order to investigate the intracellular zinc uptake mechanism, we performed the in vitro study by using human embryonic kidney cell line, HEK 293. Intracellular zinc level was peaked out at 3 hr after zinc treatment. In the same way, the mRNA expression level of ZnT-1 and EAAT-3 were increased compared with control group. This study showed that Zn-Asp is effective the zinc uptake into the kidney by increasing the zinc transporter expression.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.132-136
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• 2007

Zinc is essential metal and plays a role in a wide variety of physiological and biochemical processes. Prostate gland contains high level of zinc, generally 3-10 folds higher than other organs. Prostatic zinc uptake is resulted from the existence of zinc transporter (ZnT) protein families in membrane. In this study, we investigated the difference of zinc uptake efficiency of zinc-aspartate complex (Zn-Asp) into various organs compared with $ZnSO_4$. We observed that Plasma zinc concentration in both $ZnSO_4$ and Zn-Asp administrated group was increased progressively following administration, and reached a peak level at 2 hr. The increasing pattern of zinc concentration was similar to each groups, however the zinc concentration of Zn-Asp administrated group was higher than that of $ZnSO_4$ administrated group. We found that prostatic zinc level of Zn-Asp administrated group was higher than $ZnSO_4$ administrated group, and was increased approximately $\sim$2.7 fold and $\sim$4.2 fold at 4 and 8 hr after administration. From these observations, we suggest than Zn-Asp has high uptake efficiency of zinc into the prostate gland. Therefore, Zn-Asp is potentially useful treatment of many prostatic diseases.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.257-268
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• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Zinc is an essential trace mineral which is important for the growth and development of the human body and immunological and neurological functions. Inadequate zinc intake may cause zinc deficiency with its adverse consequences. In this study, we aimed to estimate the dietary zinc intake levels and sources among Koreans. SUBJECTS/METHODS: For this secondary analysis, we obtained data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2016-2019. Individuals aged ≥ 1 yr who had completed a 24-h recall were included. The dietary zinc intake of each individual was calculated by applying data from a newly developed zinc content database to the KNHANES raw data. We also compared the extracted data with the sex-, age-specific reference values suggested in the Korean Dietary Reference Intakes 2020. The prevalence of adequate zinc intake was then evaluated by the proportion of the individuals who met the estimated average requirement (EAR). RESULTS: The mean zinc intake of Koreans aged ≥ 1 yr and adults aged ≥ 19 yrs were 10.2 and 10.4 mg/day, equivalent to 147.4% and 140.8% of the EAR, respectively. Approximately 2 in 3 Koreans met the EAR for zinc, but the zinc intake differed slightly among the different age and sex groups. In children aged 1-2 yrs, 2 out of 5 exceeded the upper level of intake, and nearly half of the younger adults (19-29 yrs) and the elders (≥ 75 yrs) did not meet the EAR. The major contributing food groups were grains (38.9%), meats (20.4%), and vegetables (11.1%). The top 5 food contributors to zinc intake were rice, beef, pork, egg, and baechu kimchi, which accounted for half of the dietary intake. CONCLUSION: The mean zinc intake among Koreans was above the recommended level, but 1 in 3 Koreans had inadequate zinc intake and some children were at risk of excessive zinc intake. Our study included zinc intake from diet only, thus to better understand zinc status, further research to include intake from dietary supplements is needed.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.31 no.8
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• pp.1324-1377
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• 1998

This study was conducted for two purposes ; (1) to develop a database for zinc levels in commonly usef Korean food items ; and (2) to calculated the zinc intake fo Korean adults living in a rural area. The currently used Korean food compositinotable was supplemented in term sof zinc content using several methods ; (1) analyzing 98 Korean Food items frequently consumed by Korean adults living in rural area. ; (2) adapting values from U.S Minnesota for 71 items ; and (3) imputing values from similar food for 282 items. A new zinc nutrient databse was constructed including zinc contentrs of 1,195 food items. Zinc intake of rural Korean adults was estimated by a 240hours recall method from 2 ,037 adults over 30 over 30years of age in Yeonchon -gun , Kyunggi province of Korea. Mean daily zinc intake of all subjects was 61mg an dmean intake level of males (7.0mg/day, 46.85 of RDA) was significantly thigher than females(5.2mg/day, 43.0% of RDA). Subjects in their 40's had the highest zinc intak ewhile those over 70 years of age consumed the least amount of zinc. The food group that contributed most to the dietary ainc intake of subjects was cereals and grain products supplying 38% of total zinc intake. The next most important group for zinc intak ewas the meat, poultry , and product group supplying 26% ot total intake. This group was followed by fishes and shellfishes, legumes and their products, and vegetales . For individual food items , reicecontribued most, supplying 27% of total zinc intake follwoed by beef(10%) and prok(9%) . Altogether, plant foods supplied 68% of zinc intake suggesting that the bioabailability of dietary ainc is low. In conclusion, these results show ethat the zinc intake of rural Korean adults is low and that sources of dietary zinc are mainly plant foods, suggesting low bioavailability . Further studies are needed to determine zinc intake and status of Korean population. The zinc database developed in this study will be very valuable for such studies.

• Proceedings of the Korea Committee for Ocean Resources and Engineering Conference
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• 2006.11a
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• pp.177-180
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• 2006

This study is to make a basic study if solid zinc (Zn) can be used for buried reference electrode, so we examined the adequacy of zinc as reference electrode by using zinc which showed regular electrode for buried period. The deference of electric potential if zinc electrode for corrosion factor such as soil resistivity or pH didn't show fixed trend and there was no clear trend on the change of measurement period. From field test, it is known that the natural electric potential difference of CSE electrode and zinc electrode is 1,100mV, but the electric potential of zinc electrode for CSE electrode in the natural soil and copying soil was 1,094~1,158mV. There was no fixed trend on the change of measurement period and electric potential difference of zinc electrode for corrosion factors such as soil resistivity or pH. Consequently, there was 40~60mV of electric potential difference in every copying soil during the experiment measurement.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.191-195
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• 2003

Zinc acetate has been proposed and used to evaluate ionic zinc as a means to reduce reactor radiation buildup at several nuclear plants. Thermodynamic analysis of the aqueous zinc system using reliable data shows that the stability of the hydrolyzed zinc species increases with pH and temperature. Adsorption kinetics and isotherm studies were carried out to investigate the mixed resin performance of the zinc adsorption. The equilibrium isotherms of the zinc adsorption onto nuclear grade resin indicate that the data correlate well with the Langmuir model and that the adsorption is physical in nature. The maximum capacity according to the Langrnuir model is about 0.6meq/g for an initial zinc concentration of 100ppm at $50^{\circ}C$. The use of natural zinc could result in the generation of a $^{65}Zn$ activity with about $500{\mu}Ci/mL$ of resin after 12 months of operation.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.6 no.6
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• pp.534-541
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• 2012

This study examined salty taste acuity and salty taste preference and sodium intake in relation to zinc nutritional status in 2 rural populations in Korea. And we also examined the main food contributors of their sodium intakes. We enrolled 218 adults (66 men and 152 women) from the Kangneung and Samcheok regions in Korea's Kangwon province in our study conducted from December 2011 to February 2012. Participants from each region were divided into 3 groups based on their serum zinc level (T1: lowest, T2: intermediate, T3: highest). We compared the salty taste acuity and preference, Na index (Dish Frequency Questionnaire for estimation of habitual sodium intake), blood pressure, and intakes of nutrients including sodium by 3 groups of serum zinc level. The results were as follows: a higher serum zinc level indicated a lower sodium intake and Na index (P<0.05). The salty taste acuity was considerably higher for participants from the Kangneung region than those from the Samcheok region (P<0.05). And the serum zinc level was significantly higher in participants from the Kangneung region than those from the Samcheok region (P<0.05). We further divided the participants into 2 groups: those who consumed more zinc than the recommended intake (RI) and the others. We compared salty taste acuity and salty taste preference in the 2 groups. The salty taste threshold and palatable salty taste concentrations were lower for the group with a zinc intake above RI than for the group with zinc intake below the RI. However, the difference was not significant. This study confirms that taste function differs depending on zinc nutritional status. In future, it is required to a large-scale, long-term, prospective study on the correlation between zinc intake, serum zinc levels, and taste perception function and blood pressure.

• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.45-52
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• 1977

During the period of 1975-76, a survey was carried out to find out zinc indicators in the natural vegetation in Korea. The symptoms fo chlorosis were observed in flowering plants in the areas of zinc outcrop of Wolgok-A, Seokgok-9, and Sowolgok. Although 28 species were found to be chlorotic, the total quantity of chlorotic foliage observed was small. Reasons for chlorosis in the areas of zinc are deposits is considered as effects of zinc, lead, copper and calcium ions. Sedum sp. and Dianthus sinensis were confined to soil containing more than exchangeable zinc of 30 ppm and to accumulation in the plants contained at least 1,300-14,000 ppm of zinc. Therefore Sedum sp. and Dianthus sinensis might be used as zinc indicators in Korea.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.43-46
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• 2011

Zinc consumption in a continuous galvanizing line is one of the highest operating cost items in the facility and minimizing zinc waste is a key economic objective for any operation. One of the primary sources of excessive loss of zinc is through the formation of top dross and skimmings in the coating pot. It has been reported that the top skimmings, manually removed from the bath, typically consist of more than 80% metallic zinc with the remainder being entrained dross particles ($Fe_2Al_5$) along with some oxides. Depending on the drossing practices and bath management, the composition of the removed top skimmings may contain up to 2 wt% aluminum and 1 wt% iron. On-going research efforts have been aimed at in-house recovery of the metallic zinc from the discarded top skimmings prior to selling to zinc recycling brokers. However, attempting to recover the zinc entrapped in the skimmings is difficult due to the complex nature of the intermetallic dross particles and the quality and volume of the recycled zinc is highly susceptible to fluctuations in processing parameters. As such, an efficient method to extract metallic zinc from top skimmings has been optimized through the use of a specialized thermo-mechanical process enabling a continuous galvanizing facility to conserve zinc usage on-site. Also, through this work, it has been identified that filtration of discrete dross particles has been proven effective at maintaining the cleanliness of the zinc. Future efforts may progress towards expanded utilization of filters in continuous galvanizing.

• 한국정보디스플레이학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2009.10a
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• pp.534-536
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• 2009

We have fabricated solution-processed zinc-tin oxide thin film transistors (TFTs) and simple circuits on glass substrates. We report a solutionprocessed zinc-tin oxide TFTs on silicon wafer with mobility greater than 9 $cm^2/V{\cdot}s$ (W/L = 100/5 ${\mu}m$) and threshold voltage variation of less than 1 V after bias-stressing. Also, we fabricated solution-processed zinc-tin oxide circuits including inverters and 7-stage ring oscillators fabricated on glass substrates using the developed zinc-tin oxide TFTs.