• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.14 no.1_2
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• pp.65-73
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• 1999

Dioxins refer to a family of chemicals comprising 75 polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin (PCDD) and 135 polychlorinated dibenzo-p-furan (PCDF) congeners, which may cause skin disorder, human immune system disruption, birth defects, severe hormonal imbalance, and cancer. The effects of exposure of dioxin-like compounds such as PCBs are mediated by binding to the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR), which is a ligand-activated transcription factor. To grasp physicochemical factors affecting human toxicity of dioxins, six geometrical and topological indices, eleven thermodynamic variables, and quantum mechanical descriptors including ESP (electrostatic potential) were analyzed using QSAR and semi-empirical AM1 method. Planar dioxins with high lipophilicity and large surface tension show the probability that negative electrostatic potential in the lateral oxygen may make hydrogen bonding with DNA bases to be a carcinogen.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.375-382
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• 2011

Semi volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) are used as plasticizers in building materials, interior materials, furniture, consumer electronics. etc. In the home, these SVOCs mix together with house dust. There is thus concern over the health effects of SVOCS in the home, there is a risk that they ini1uence childhood asthma and allergies. It is difficult to measure SVOCs emission rates from building materials or household appliances utilizing the usual test chamber methods, because the boiling points of SVOCs are higher and they are apt to adhere to the surface of the test chamber used. In this study, we introduce FLEC chamber method, passive sampler method and micro chamber method, which are used in Germany and Japan in order to measure SVOCs emission rates. Characteristic, merits and demerits of test methods are also considered.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.22 no.1 s.56
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• pp.49-55
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• 2007

Three kind of ASE (Accelerated Solvent Extraction) and SPMDs (Semi-Permeable Membrane Devices) combined methods (ASE-SPMDs, ASE-accelerated SPMDs and SPMDs without extraction) and general Soxhlet-GPC were compared each other for the analysis of PCDD/FS in sediment. The average recovery rate of three types ASE and SPMDs combined methods (108.1%) were higher than that of the Soxhlet-GPC (79.5%) for three samples in each method using surrogate internal standards. The average coefficient of variation (10%, $2.1{\sim}25.2%$) for each congener of PCDD/Fs shows the reasonable results. Total PCDD/Fs concentrations after SPMDs without extraction were quite low, but those after ASE-SPMDs and ASE-accelerated SPMDs methods were close to the Soxhlet-GPC. Thus, the ASE-SPMDs and ASE-accelerated SPMDs methods are considered as the excellent pre-treatments method because they need less solvent and time without quality degradation.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.201-211
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• 2008

This study was performed to find the atmospheric concentrations of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) at four different heights (l0, 50, 150 and 1,500 cm) using low volume polyurethane foam (PUF) plug air sampler in semi-rural area. ${\alpha}-/{\beta}-/{\gamma}-HCH$ with low molecular weights and Koa (octanol-air partitioning coefficient) in OCPs were similarly high concentrations at all heights, but the other OCPs (p,p'-DDE, p,p'-DDD, p,p'-DDT, Heptachlor epoxide, ${\gamma}$-CHL, ${\alpha}$-CHL, Trans-nonachlor) with high molecular weights and Koa decreased with increasing heights. However, the concentrations of PCBs increased with increasing height.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.144-151
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• 1995

This study investigates the supplementing effects of milks by various heat treatment on growth performance and protein and calcium metabolism of rats. For 4 weeks, raw, LTLT-HTST-and UHT-processed milks were given to rats which fed on a calcium free, semi-synthetic diet containing 5%casein. There were no significant differences among the experimental groups in weight gain, feed efficiency ratio and the serum level of total protein and calcium. Also, no significant differences were showed in protein efficiency, nitrogen balance, apparent protein digestibiltiy and the contents of weight and calcium of the left femur as well as 2 incisors. However, the biological value of protein in the UHT-milk group was significantly higher than that of the raw-milk group. The apparent calcium digestibility and calcium balance in the UHT-milk group were higher than those in the raw-, LTLT- and HTST-milk groups. The weight of left femur in all the groups supplemented with various heat-treated milks was significantly impair the nutritive value of protein and calcium in milk. Futhermore, UHT-processing may improve the bioavailability of protein and calcium in milk.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.399-405
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• 2016

Poor subsistence farmers who live in a semi-arid area of northern Ethiopia build irrigation systems to overcome water shortages. However, there is a high risk of malaria transmission when increased standing water provides more favorable habitats for mosquito breeding. This is a serious problem because there are many barriers to malaria control measures and health care systems in the area. Using a causal loop diagram and computer simulations, the author attempted to visually illustrate positive and negative feedbacks between mosquito and human populations in the context of Simret, which is a small village located in northern Ethiopia and is generally considered a malaria-free area. The simulation results show that the number of infectious mosquitos increases to 17,215 at its peak, accounting for 3.5% of potentially dangerous mosquitos. At the same time, the number of sick people increases to 574 at its peak, accounting for 15% of local population. The malaria outbreak is controlled largely because of a fixed number of vulnerable people or local population that acts as an intermediate host.

• The Korean Journal of Applied Statistics
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.707-718
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• 2012

We propose a semi-parametric model to analyze clustered and interval-censored data; in addition, we plugged-in a gamma frailty to the model to measure the association of members within the same cluster. We propose an estimation procedure based on EM algorithm. Simulation results showed that our estimation procedure may result in unbiased estimates. The standard error is smaller than expected and provides conservative results to estimate the coverage rate; however, this trend gradually disappeared as the number of members in the same cluster increased. In addition, our proposed method was illustrated with data taken from diabetic retinopathy studies to evaluate the effectiveness of laser photocoagulation in delaying or preventing the onset of blindness in individuals with diabetic retinopathy.

• Proceedings of the SAREK Conference
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• 2008.06a
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• pp.794-800
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• 2008

Due to high oil prices and global warming problems, researching an alternative energy source and decreasing the energy usage will be the key in the future. Unlike other alternative energy sources, geothermal energy is less dependent on the surrounding environment. Geothermal energy is the ideal energy source for buildings due to the simple and space saving installation. The system is semi permanent once it is installed and this will help reduce the energy usage in controlling the climate in buildings. Geothermal energy does not emit carbon dioxide and other gases that are harmful to the environment. Therefore geothermal energy will be the key in solving high oil prices and a decrease in fossil fuels by applying the geothermal energy system to detached house to counter future energy crisis.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.755-759
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• 2010

Each four polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was reacted with OH radical at $1.5{\AA}$ distance by CAChe MOPAC 2000 program. These results were compared to those reported experimental results. Reaction positions of all four PAHs corresponded with predicted positions in which ${\Delta}$E(HOMO-LUMO) was approximately 4.7. Finally oxygen of OH radical combined with PAH and quinone form of products were produced. These results indicate that the proposed determining the ${\Delta}$E(HOMO-LUMO) can be effectively applied to predict reaction position of recalcitrant compounds such as dioxins, PCBs, POPs, and etc.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.197-202
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• 2007

구리는 환경에 광범위하게 존재하며, 생물체에게 필수적인 무기질이지만 고농도로 존재할 경우 독성을 발휘한다. 본 연구는 프로티옴 기술을 응용하여 수서태계에 구리와 같은 중금속의 존재 여부를 신속하게 평가하기 위한 생물지표를 발굴하기 위하여 수행되었다. 즉, 송사리(Oryzias latipes)를 이용하여 여러 농도의 구리용액(0.1, 1, 5 mg/L)에 24시간 노출시킨 다음, 머리부분에서 선택적으로 발현이 증가되는 단백질을 동정하고자 시도하였다. 본 시스템에서 유의적으로 발현이 증가하는 것으로 나타난 단백질은 beta-tubulin, heat shock cognate 70 (hsc70)이었으며, 이 결과의 일부를 semi-quantitative RT-PCR를 이용하여 확인하였다. 이와 같이 구리 처리에 특이적으로 발현이 증가된 송사리 단백질들은 노출평가를 위한 생물지표로서 개발을 위하여 더 연구할 가치가 있는 것으로 평가된다.