• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.137-144
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• 2016

Objectives: Several studies have revealed that systemic hypertension is strongly associated with cataractogenesis. However, the pathophysiology and treatment is often unclear. In this study, we evaluated the anti-cataractogenic effect of cinnamaldehyde (CA), a natural organic compound, in rats with fructose-induced hypertension. Methods: The rats were divided into six groups. For six weeks, the normal group received a suspension of 0.5% carboxy methyl cellulose (10 mL/kg/day, p.o.) while five other groups received a 10% (w/v) fructose solution in their drinking water to induce hypertension. By the end of the third week hypertension had been induced in all the animals receiving fructose. From the beginning of the fourth week to the end of the sixth week, one of those five groups (control) continued to receive only 10% (w/v) fructose solution, one group (standard) received ramipril (1 mg/kg/day, p.o.) plus 10% (w/v) fructose solution, and three groups (experimental) received CA at doses of 20, 30, and 40 mg/kg/day p.o., plus 10% (w/v) fructose solution. Blood pressure was measured weekly using a non-invasive blood pressure apparatus. After six weeks, the animals were sacrificed, and the anti-cataractogenic effects on the eye lenses were evaluated. Results: Administration of fructose elevated both the systolic and the diastolic blood pressures, which were significantly reduced by CA at all dose levels. In the control group, a significant increase in the malonaldehyde (MDA) level and decreases in the total protein, $Ca^{2+}$adenosine triphosphate (ATP)ase activity, glutathione peroxidase, catalase, superoxide dismutase and glutathione levels, as compared to the normal group, were observed. Administration of CA at all doses significantly restored the enzymatic, non-enzymatic, antioxidants, total protein, and $Ca^{2+}$ATPase levels, but decreased the MDA level, as compared to the control group. Conclusion: The present study revealed that CA modulated the antioxidant parameters of the serum and lens homogenates in hypertension-induced cataractogenic animals.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.62 no.2
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• pp.63-73
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• 2020

Drought is considered as a devastating hazard that causes serious agricultural, ecological and socio-economic impacts worldwide. Fundamentally, the drought can be defined as temporarily different levels of inadequate precipitation, soil moisture, and water supply relative to the long-term average conditions. From no unified definition of droughts, droughts have been divided into different severity level, i.e., moderate drought, severe drought, extreme drought and exceptional drought. The drought severity classification defined the ranges for each indicator for each dryness level. Because the ranges of the various indicators often don't coincide, the final drought category tends to be based on what the majority of the indicators show and on local observations. Evaporative Stress Index (ESI), a satellite-based drought index using the ratio of potential and actual evaporation, is being used as a index of the droughts occurring rapidly in a short period of time from studies showing a more sensitive and fast response to drought compared to Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), and Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI). However, ESI is difficult to provide an objective drought assessment because it does not have clear drought severity classification criteria. In this study, U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM), the standard for drought determination used in the United States, was applied to ESI, and the Percentile method was used to classify drought categories by severity. Regarding the actual 2017 drought event in South Korea, we compare the spatial distribution of drought area and understand the USDM-based ESI by comparing the results of Standardized Groundwater level Index (SGI) and drought impact information. These results demonstrated that the USDM-based ESI could be an effective tool to provide objective drought conditions to inform management decisions for drought policy.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.323-331
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• 1995

Monocyte/macrophage infiltration is the well known initial features associated with the development of glomerular disease including non-immune mediated nephropathy. Tumor necrosis factor ${\alpha}(TNF{\alpha})$, a cytokine produced primarily by monocyte/macrophage, exhibits similar effects as observed at the initial stages and during the progression of glomerular injury. Because the mesangial cells are target cells for glomerular injury, the present study examined the effect of $TNF{\alpha}$ on glomerular mesangial cell membrane lipid peroxidation as an index of cytotoxicity attributing to $TNF{\alpha}$. Primary culture of rat mesangial cell was established by incubation of glomeruli isolated from male Sprague-Dawley rat kidneys utilizing a standard sieving method. The levels of lipid peroxides in the mesangial cells were quantitated by malondialdehyde- thiobarbituric acid adduct formation. During an 8 hour incubation at $37^{\circ}C$, $TNF{\alpha}$ at 10 to 10,000 units/ml increased the levels of lipid peroxides dose dependently. Western blot analysis demonstrated that a short thermal stress induced heat shock response and the synthesis of heat shock protein 70(hsp70) in this mesangial cells. Further, this induction of hsp 70 prevented increase of lipid peroxides in the mesangial cells exposed to $TNF{\alpha}$. These data suggest that $TNF{\alpha}-induced$ lipid peroxidation in the mesangial cells may have pathophysiological relevance to glomerular injury and prior induction of heat shock response may play a role in the cellular resistance against $TNF{\alpha}-induced$ glomerular injury.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.57-68
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• 2010

The purpose of this study is to analyze the characteristics of environment-friendliness of waterproof materials based on comprehensive experiments on waterproofness in terms of coefficients of permeability, harmfulness of waterproof materials and fish toxicity of Oryzias latipes mortality to verify eco-toxicity of each method of construction and waterproof material, which are to be applied by taking eco-toxicity into account when building ecological flows in upper areas on natural and artificial grounds. As a result, the following conclusions have been reached in this study: 1. In regard of the harmfulness analyzed, each material showed a different result of analytical value in each lab tank. Compared to input water, pH, COD, SS, T-P, and T-N values increased a little, but DO value decreased. The value of turbidity analyzed independent of the water quality standard of aquatic ecosystem set forth by the Ministry of Environment increased a little compared to the value in input water. 2. In the experiment of fish toxicity, compacted quicklime, cement fluid waterproof material, cement mortar waterproof material and bentonite powder were found to have 100% of fish mortality, respectively, and membrane waterproof material showed 83.3% of mortality, indicating strong fish toxicity. Improved asphalt sheet (63.3%) and synthetic rubber sheet (53.3%) were analyzed to have medium fish toxicity, while bentonite sheet (6.7%), Hwang-toh (6.7%) and clay (3.3%) showed relatively lower mortality and fish toxicity. 3. Regarding the analysis on waterproofness in terms of the coefficient of permeability of each waterproof material, improved asphalt sheet, synthetic rubber sheet, membrane waterproof material, cement fluid and mortar waterproof material and bentonite sheet were found impervious in case no leakage takes place in construction. Bentonite powder was found practically impervious based on the analytical results from the experiment done in compliance with weight ratios. So were the clay and Hwang-toh from the experimental results. To sum up such results as found in the experiment mentioned so far, the values of harmfulness and waterproofness analyzed were different in each lab tank, but there was absolutely little correlation with the mortality gained from the experiment on fish toxicity. In the experiment of fish toxicity, environment-friendly waterproof materials were analyzed, and it was found that clay, Hwang-toh and bentonite sheet are highly environment-friendly. In contrast, synthetic rubber and improved asphalt sheets were found to have medium-level environment-friendliness. Also, membrane water-proof materials, compacted quicklime, cement fluid and mortar waterproof material and bentonite powder were analyzed to have low environment-friendliness.

• 한국무역상무학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2006.06a
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• pp.45-72
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• 2006

The Equator Principles are a set of voluntary environmental and social guidelines for ethical project finance. These principles commit banks and other signatories to not finance projects that fail to meet these guidelines. The principles were conceived in 2002 on an initiative of the International Finance Corporation and launched in 2003. Since then, dozens of major banks have adopted the Principles, and with these banks among them accounting for more than three quarters of all project loan market volume the Principles have become the de facto standard for all banks and investors on how to deal with potential social and environmental effects of projects to be financed. While regarding the Principles an important initiative, NGOs have criticised the Principles for not producing real changes in financing activities and for allowing projects to go through that should have been screened out by the Principles, such as the Sakhalin-II oil and gas project in Russia. In early 2006, a process of revision of the principles was begun. The Equator Principles state that endorsing banks will only provide loans directly to projects under the following circumstances: - The risk of the project is categorized in accordance with internal guidelines based upon the environmental and social screening criteria of the International Finance Corporation (IFC). - For all medium or high risk projects (Category A and B projects), sponsors complete an Environmental Assessment, the preparation of which must meet certain requirements and satisfactorily address key environmental and social issues. - The Environmental Assessment report addresses baseline environmental and social conditions, requirements under host country laws and regulations, applicable international treaties and agreements, sustainable development and use of renewable natural resources, protection of human health, cultural properties, and biodiversity, including endangered species and sensitive ecosystems, use of dangerous substances, major hazards, occupational health and safety, fire prevention and life safety, socio-economic impacts, land acquisition and land use, involuntary resettlement, impacts on indigenous peoples and communities, cumulative impacts of existing projects, the proposed project, and anticipated future projects, participation of affected parties in the design, review and implementation of the project, consideration of feasible environmentally and socially preferable alternatives, efficient production, delivery and use of energy, pollution prevention and waste minimization, pollution controls (liquid effluents and air emissions) and solid and chemical waste management. - Based on the Environmental Assessment, Equator banks then make agreements with their clients on how they mitigate, monitor and manage those risks through an 'Environmental Management Plan'. Compliance with the plan is required in the covenant. If the borrower doesn't comply with the agreed terms, the bank will take corrective action, which if unsuccessful, could ultimately result in the bank canceling the loan and demanding immediate repayment. - For risky projects, the borrower consults with stakeholders (NGO's and project affected groups) and provides them with information on the risks of the project. - If necessary, an expert is consulted. The Principles only apply to projects over 50 million US dollars, which, according to the Equator Principles website, represent 97% of the total market. In early 2006, the financial institutions behind the Principles launched stakeholder consultations and negotiations aimed at revising the principles. The draft revised principles were met with criticism from NGO stakeholders, who in a joint position paper argued that the draft fails by ignoring the most serious critiques of the principles: a lack of consistent and rigorous implementation.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.7
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• pp.1057-1066
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• 2007

Six male Gayal (Bos frontalis), approximately two years of age and with a mean live weight of $203{\pm}17$ kg ($mean{\pm}standard\;deviation$), were housed indoors in metabolism cages and fed bamboo (Sinarundinaria) leaves and twigs. After an adjustment period of 24 days of feeding the diet, samples of rumen liquor were obtained for analyses of bacteria in the liquor. The diversity of rumen bacteria was investigated by constructing a 16S rDNA clone library. A total of 147 clones, comprising nearly full length sequences (with a mean length of 1.5 kb) were sequenced and submitted to an on-line similarity search and phylogenetic analysis. Using the criterion of 97% or greater similarity with the sequences of known bacteria, 17 clones were identified as Ruminococcus albus, Butyrivibrio fibrosolvens, Quinella ovalis, Clostridium symbiosium, Succiniclasticum ruminis, Selenomonas ruminantium and Allisonella histaminiformans, respectively. A further 22 clones shared similarity ranging from 90-97% with known bacteria but the similarity in sequences for the remaining 109 clones was less than 90% of those of known bacteria. Using a phylogenetic analysis it was found that the majority of the clones identified (57.1%) were located in the low G+C subdivision, with most of the remainder (42.2% of clones) located in the Cytophage-Flexibacter-Bacteroides (CFB) phylum and one clone (0.7%) was identified as a Spirochaete. It was apparent that Gayal have a large and diverse range of bacteria in the rumen liquor which differ from those of cattle and other ruminants. This may explain the greater live weights of Gayal, compared to cattle, grazing in the harsh natural environments in which Gayal are located naturally.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.275-286
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• 2014

This study evaluated the evolution stage and origin of chemical components of 12 boreholes at crystalline bedrock using multivariate statistical and groundwater quality analyses. Groundwater types are mostly belonged to Na(Ca)-$HCO_3$ and Ca-$HCO_3$ types, indicating that directly reaction of cation exchange ($Ca^{2+}{\rightarrow}Na^+$) prevailed. The degree of groundwater evolution is included the range from low to intermediate stage based on field and laboratory analytical conditions. As a result of multivariate statistical analysis, a typical indicator of groundwater contamination, $NO_3$-, has the positive correlation with $Na^+$ and $Cl^-$. The origin of sea spary ($Cl^-$) has the positive correlation with $Na^+$, $SO{_4}^{2-}$, $Mg^{2+}$, and $K^+$, while not correlation with $Ca^{2+}$, $Fe^{2+}$, $HCO_3{^-}$, $F^-$, and $SiO_2$. The concentration of $Cl^-$ and $NO_3{^-}$ belongs to general quality of groundwater and not exceeds over the Korean standard for drinking water. And the negative values of saturation index of minerals are calculated with chemical components in groundwater. Therefore, most of chemical components of groundwater in the study area are originated from natural process between rock and groundwater, whereas some of components are derived from sea spary and anthropogenic sources related to agricultural activities.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.144-150
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• 1992

Paralytic shellfish toxins in mussels Mytilus edulis and dinoflagellate Alexandrium tamarene from Jinhae Bay, south coast of Korea were investigated. The mussels collected in March-April, 1989 showed toxicities of 7.5 MU/g of whole meat(31-88 MU/g of the digestive gland) , and those collected in 1990 showed toxicity level of 1.9-9.9 MU/g of whole meat by the standard mouse bioassay. Analysis of toxins by high performance liquid chromatography revealed the presence of gonyautoxin 1-4$(48-76\%)$ gonyautoxin 8 and epi-gonyautoxin $8(C1-C2,\;14-39\%)$, saxitoxin$(1-10\%)$, neosaxitoxin$(l-7\%)$ and trace amount of decarbamoylgonyautoxin 2 and 3(dcGTX2, dcGTX3) in the mussels of 1989. While, Mussels collected in 1990 contained a significantly larger proportion of neosaxitoxin $(44-50\%)$ than did those of 1989. A. tamarense isolated in April 1989 produced the same toxins in culture with slightly higher proportion of Cl, C2, dcGTX2 and dcGTX3 than in the mussels. The difference was within a range of toxin change during accumulation by shellfish and during sample preparation for analysis. It was thus concluded that the dinoflagellate was the cause of toxins in the mussels.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.10
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• pp.1403-1406
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• 2005

The present study was undertaken to study the effect of thermal stress on sexual behaviour of superovulated ewes. Fourteen adult Bharat Merino ewes with an average body weight of 29.4${\pm}$2.34 kg were randomly allocated into two groups of 7 each. All the animals were grazed on natural pasture in the morning and evening hours and housed in shed during night. Animals of Group-1 were housed in shed from 10:00 to 16:00 h while the animals of Group-2 were exposed to thermal stress in a hot chamber ($40^{\circ}C$ /6 h/day). All the animals were offered drinking water once a day at 16:30 h. Meteorological observations i.e. dry bulb, wet bulb, minimum and maximum temperature were recorded daily inside the shed as well as in hot chamber throughout the experimental period. For superovulation of animals, standard protocol developed at the Institute, using FSH (Ovagen 5.4 mg in eight injections) and PMSG (200 IU) was followed. Various sexual behaviour parameters (circling, tail fanning, head turning, standing and approaching to ram) and estrus incidence (onset of estrus and estrus duration) were observed in both the groups. The different estrus symptoms were graded subjectively on arbitrary scale of 0-5 where 0 representing no sexual behaviour (0%) and 5 representing maximum intensity in sexual behaviour (100%). Estrus was detected with the help of a marked aproned ram of proven vigor at six hourly intervals. The average percent values for sexual behaviour parameters recorded in Group-1 and Group-2 animals were 53.7${\pm}$3.76 vs. 41.1${\pm}$2.18 for circling, 71.8${\pm}$5.42 vs. 49.0${\pm}$4.41 for tail fanning, 64.7${\pm}$3.30 vs. 44.5${\pm}$4.34 for head turning, 90.1${\pm}$3.16 vs. 75.8${\pm}$4.02 for standing and 63.8${\pm}$4.8 vs. 41.9${\pm}$4.58 for approaching to ram. Animals exposed to thermal stress had significantly lower values of these sexual behaviour parameters. The animals kept in shed exhibited estrus earlier (25.4${\pm}$1.12 h) and duration was higher (37.7${\pm}$1.59 h) as compared to animals exposed to thermal stress i.e. 30.6${\pm}$1.16 h and 31.7${\pm}$3.57 h, respectively. The findings of the study indicate that thermal stress reduces the intensity of sexual behaviour in ewes and may result in failure of the animal to mate and conceive.

• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.23-45
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• 2020

The rapid economic growth has brought tremendous pressure on the environment and caused severe air pollution in China. This study empirically examines causes of air pollution in China. Panel-corrected standard errors procedure (PCSE) was used to analyze major determinants of increasing or reducing emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO₂) and nitrogen oxides (NO_X) in 30 Chinese provinces. The estimation results show that SO₂ emission is mitigated as per capita regional GDP increases, but the relation between emission of NO_X and per capita regional GDP is found to have an inverse N-shaped curve, which implies that emission of NO_X is ultimately expected to decline with economic growth. As for increasing factors of air pollutants, electricity consumption is a significant common source of SO₂ and NO_X emissions. Moreover, the results show that increment of coal consumption significantly affects emission of SO₂ while increase of natural gas consumption reduce emission of SO₂. On the other side, investment in energy industry, and investment on treatment of waste gases are determinants of mitigating emissions of SO₂, but have no impact on NO_X. Consumption of diesel, truck ratio and number of vehicles increase emission of NO_X. Meanwhile, higher precipitation rate is a common determinant of mitigating emissions of SO₂ and NO_X. Policy implications are suggested in the conclusion.