• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.656-664
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• 2010

We investigated the levels and distribution patterns of 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), 12 Coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls (Co-PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in the surface sediments from the Nakdong river basin, Korea. The levels of 16 PAHs and 12 Co-PCBs in the river sediment samples ranged from not detected (N.D.)~969.3 ng/g-dry, 4.2~7716.5 pg/g-dry (0.0~10.1 pg-TEQ/g-dry), respectively. Also, the levels of 16 PAHs were from 5.8~2987.2 ng/g-dry and 4.3~461.1 pg/g-dry (0.0~0.6 pg-TEQ/g-dry) for 12 Co-PCBs in the lake sediment samples. Only dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT) were detected among target OCPs and the concentration ranged from N.D.~1.5 ng/g-dry in the river sediment samples. These contamination levels were far below the guideline values suggested for environmental quality assessment. Low molecular weight PAHs were dominant in the river sediment samples, while middle and high molecular weight PAHs were dominant among 16 PAHs in the lake sediment samples. PCB-118 and PCB-105 were predominant congeners in the sediment, which were similar to the results obtained from previous studies. With these results, the assessment of potential sources of PAHs and Co-PCBs contamination in the sediments of the Nakdong river basin was performed. The pyrogenic-PAHs originated from combustion of fossil fuel and biomass were related with the PAHs contribution in most of the sediment samples, and Co-PCBs in the sediment samples were related with commercial PCB products.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.156-168
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• 2010

Purpose : To compare immunogenicity and reactogenicity of a combined diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis-inactivated poliovirus vaccine (DTPa-IPV, $Infanrix^{TM}$ IPV, GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals) with co-administration of commercially available DTPa and IPV vaccines at separate injection sites (DTPa+IPV). Methods : A total of 458 infants aged 8-12 weeks were randomized to receive three-ose primary vaccination at 2, 4 and 6 months with DTPa-IPV or DTPa+IPV. Blood samples were collected pre and post vaccination for measurement of immune responses. Reactogenicity was assessed following each dose using diary cards. Results : One month post-dose 3, seroprotection rates for anti-diphtheria, anti-tetanus and anti-poliovirus types 1, 2 and 3 were ${\geq}99.5%$ and vaccine response rates to pertussis antigens were at least 98.6% in both DTPa-IPV and DTPa + IPV groups. Non-inferiority between the groups was demonstrated based on pre-defined statistical criteria. Incidences of both local and systemic symptoms were within the same range across both groups with grade 3 symptoms reported following no more than 4.3% of DTPa-IPV doses and 4.5% of DTPa + IPV doses. Two serious adverse events (both pyrexia) after DTPa-IPV administration were considered vaccine-related. Both infants recovered fully. Conclusion : Combined DTPa-IPV vaccine was immunogenic and well tolerated when used as a three-dose primary vaccination course in Korean infants. DTPa-IPV could be incorporated into the Korean vaccination schedule, reducing the number of injections required to complete primary immunization.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.175-182
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• 2008

DNA-dependent protein kinase(DNA-PK) is involved in joining DNA double-strand breaks induced by ionizing radiation or V(D)J recombination and is activated by DNA ends and composed of a DNA binding subunit, Ku, and a catalytic subunit, DNA-PKcs. It has been suggested that DNA-PK might be $2^{nd}$ upstream kinase for protein kinase B(PKB). In this report, we showed that Ser473 phosphorylation in the hydrophobic-motif of PKB is blocked in DNA-PK knockout mouse embryonic fibroblast cells(MEFs) following insulin stimulation, while there is no effect on Ser473 phosphorylation in DNA-PK wild type MEF cells. The observation is further confirmed in human glioblastoma cells expressing a mutant form of DNA-PK(M059J) and a wild-type of DNA-PK(M059K), indicating that DNA-PK is indeed important for PKB activation. Furthermore, the treatment of cells with doxorubicin, DNA-damage inducing agent, leads to PKB phosphorylation on Ser473 in control MEF cells while there is no response in DNA-PK knockout MEF cells. Together, these results proposed that DNA-PK has a potential role in insulin signaling as well as DNA-repair signaling pathway.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.980-985
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• 2011

This study was conducted to determine the acetic-acid fermentation properties of apple juice (initial alcohol content, apple juice concentration, acetic-acid content, and inoculum size) in flask scale. At the acetic-acid fermentation of apple juice with 3, 5, 7, and 9% initial alcohol content, the maximum acidity after 10-day fermentation was 5.88% when the initial alcohol content was 5%. The acetic-acid fermentation did not proceed normally when the initial alcohol content was 9%. When the initial Brix was $1^{\circ}$, the acidity gradually increased, and the acidity after 12-day acetic-acid fermentation was 4.48%. Above 4% acidity was attained faster when the apple juice concentration was 5 and 10 $^{\circ}Brix$ than when it was 1 and 14 $^{\circ}Brix$. When the initial acidity was 1% or above (0.3, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0%), the acetic-acid fermentation proceeded normally. The acetic-acid fermentation also proceeded normally when the inoculum sizes were 10 and 15%, and the acidity after eight-day acetic-acid fermentation was 5.60 and 6.05%, respectively. Therefore, the following were considered the optimal acetic-acid fermentation conditions for apple cider vinegar: 5% initial alcohol content, 5 $^{\circ}Brix$ or above apple juice concentration, 1.0% or above initial acidity, and 10% or above inoculum size. Apple cider vinegar with above 5% acidity can be produced within 48 h under the following acetic-acid fermentation conditions: 7% initial alcohol content, about 1% initial acidity, and 10% inoculum volume at $30^{\circ}C$, 30 rpm, and 1.0 vvm, using 14 $^{\circ}Brix$ apple juice in a mini-jar fermentor as a pre-step for industrial-scale adaptation.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.229-239
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• 2018

As customers pay more attention to choosing food that will support their health, many people in the academic and industrial world have focused on developing foods made with bioactive components. Thus, the use of bioactive components rather than synthetic materials has increased. Because there are no limits to how bioactive components can be used, customers assume they are highly reliable and healthy to consume. In the present study, imitation crab stick samples were made from Alaska Pollack with breast recovered protein from spent laying hens and silkworm cocoon powder (10 g) (T1), Alaska Pollack with breast recovered protein from spent laying hens and silkworm cocoon powder (5 g) + cordyceps powder (5 g) (T2), and Alaska Pollack with breast recovered protein from spent laying hens and cordyceps powder (5 g) + conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) (5 g) (T3). The pH and shear force increased after 2 weeks of storage in all three samples. Shear force was significantly higher in the T3 sample in comparison to the T1 and T2 samples. In meat color, redness ($a^{\ast}$) and whiteness (W) increased as the storage periods increased in all three samples, whereas yellowness ($b^{\ast}$) decreased during storage. The T2 sample was significantly higher in redness ($a^{\ast}$), yellowness ($b^{\ast}$), and deformation than the other two samples. The addition of bioactive components did not influence the texture properties in any of the samples. Lipid oxidation (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances [TBARS]) and microorganism count (total plate count [TPC]) were significantly higher in the T1 sample than the two other samples, whereas protein degradation (volatile basic nitrogen [VBN]) was higher in the T2 sample than the other samples. Total amino acid content decreased in the T1 and T3 samples as the storage period increased. Consequently, the T3 sample of Alaska Pollack with breast recovered protein from spent laying hens and cordyceps powder (5 g) + conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) was found to have the necessary functionality to be considered for use in making imitation crab sticks.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.59 no.2
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• pp.164-169
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• 2005

Background : The role of combination therapy of inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) plus long-acting ${\beta}_2-agonist$ (LABA) in asthma is well established, but nor much is known about this treatment in COPD. Recent studies have revealed that combining therapy is associated with fewer acute exacerbations in COPD, but in most of the studies, high-dose combination therapies have been employed. The current study assessed the effect of moderate or high-dose combination therapy of ICS plus LABA on the frequency of acute exacerbations in COPD. Methods : Between January 1, 2001 and August 31, 2004, 46 patients with COPD (moderate, severe, very severe) were enrolled who received either fluticasone/salmeterol (flu/sal) $250{\mu}g/50{\mu}g$ twice a day (group A) or flu/sal $500{\mu}g/50{\mu}g$ twice a day (group B) for more than a year. We divided them into two groups depending on the dosage of ICS plus LABA. Effect of drugs was compared based on the factors such as symptom aggravation, number of admission, and time to first exacerbation during a year after use. Results : Eleven of twenty-six patients in group A (42.3%) experienced acute exacerbation and eleven of twenty patients in group B (55%) experienced acute exacerbation during 1 year. Mean exacerbation rate of Group A was 0.96 and Group B was 1.05. Mean admission rate was 0.15 and 0.30, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference of aggravation rate, number of administration and time to first exacerbation between the two treatment groups. Conclusion : There was no significant difference between moderate and high dose combined inhaler therapy to reduce acute exacerbation in COPD patients (moderate, severe, very severe). Hence, the effective dose of combination therapy needs further study in patients with COPD.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.227-237
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• 2003

Purpose: The human chronic myelogenous leukemia cell line, K562, expresses the chimeric bcr-abl oncoprotein, whose deregulated protein tyrosine kinase activity antagonizes via DNA damaging agents. Previous experiments have shown that nanomolar concentrations of herbimycin A (HWA) coupled with X-irradiation have a synergistic effect in inducing apoptosis in the Ph-positive K562 leukemia cell line, but genistein, a PTK inhibitor, is non selective for the radiation-induced apoptosils on $p210^{bcr/abl}$ protected K562 cells. In these experiments, the cytoplasmic signal transduction pathways, the Induction on a number of transcription factors and the differential gene expression in this model were investigated. Materials and Methids: K562 cells in the exponential growth phase were used in this study. The cells were irradiated with 0.5-12 Gy, using a 6 Mev Linac (Clinac 1800, Varian, USA). Immediately after irradiation, the cells were treated with $0.25/muM$ of HMA and $25/muM$ of genistein, and the expressions and the activities of abl kinase, MAPK family, NF- kB, c-fos, c-myc, and thymidine kinase1 (TK1) were examined. The differential gene expressions induced by PTK inhibitors were also investigated. Results: The modulating effects of herbimycin A and genistein on the radiosensitivity of K562 cells were not related to the bcr-abl kinase activity. The signaling responses through the MAPK family of proteins, were not involved either in association with the radiation-induced apoptosis, which is accelerated by HMA, the expression of c-myc was increased. The combined treatment of genistein, with irradiation, enhanced NF- kB activity and the TK1 expression and activity. Conclusion: The effects of HMA and genistein on the radiosensitivity on the K562 cells were not related to the bcr-abl kinase activity in this study, another signaling pathway, besides the WAPK family responses to radiation to K562 cells, was found. Further evaluation using this model will provide valuable information for the optional radiosensitization or radioprotection.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.298-310
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• 2007

Intercomparison between eight radiative transfer codes used for the studies of COMS (Communications, Ocean, and Meteorological Satellite) in Korea was performed under pure molecular, i.e., Rayleigh atmospheres in four shortwave fluxes: 1) direct solar irradiance at the surface, 2) diffuse irradiance at the surface, 3) diffuse upward flux at the surface, and 4) diffuse upward flux at the top of the atmosphere. The result (hereafter called the H15) from Halthore et al.'s study (2005) which intercompared and averaged 15 codes was used as a benchmark to examine the COMS models. Uncertainty of the seven COMS models except STREAMER was ${\pm}4%$ with respect to the H15, comparable with ${\pm}3%$ of Halthore et al.'s (2005). The uncertainty increased under a large $SZA=75^{\circ}$. The SBDART model generally agreed with the H15 better than the 6S model, but both models in the shortwave infrared region were equally good. The direct solar irradiance fluxes at the surface, computed by the SBDARTs of four different users, were different showing a relative error of 1.4% $(12.1Wm^{-2})$. This reason was partially due to differently installing the wavelength resolution in the flux integration. This study may be useful for selecting the optimum model in the shortwave region.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.67 no.6
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• pp.506-511
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• 2009

Background: The smoking prevalence in asthma patients are similar to those in the general population. Asthma and active cigarette smoking can interact to create more severe symptoms, an accelerated decline in lung function and impaired therapeutic responses. Accordingly, asthmatics with a history of smoking were examined to define the clinical characteristics and lung function of smoking asthmatics. Methods: The medical records of 142 asthmatics with a known smoking history were reviewed. The patients were divided into three groups according to their smoking history - current smokers, former smokers and non-smokers. The clinical characteristics, lung function, and annual declines of the forced expiratory volume in one second ($FEV_1$) were compared. Results: Fifty-three of the 142 patients (37%) were current smokers, 24 were former smokers (17%) and 65 were non-smokers (45%). The patients with a hospital admission history during the previous year included 16 current smokers (30%), 4 former smokers (17%) and 7 non-smokers (11%) (p=0.02). The mean $FEV_1$ (% predicted) was 76.8${\pm}$19.8%, 71.6${\pm}$21.1% and 87.9${\pm}$18.7% for current smokers, former smokers and non-smokers, respectively (p< 0.001). The $FEV_1$/forced vital capacity (FVC) (ratio, %) values were 63.6${\pm}$12.6%, 59.3${\pm}$14.9% and 72.1${\pm}$11.8% in current smokers, former smokers and non-smokers, respectively (p<0.001). The corresponding mean values for the individual $FEV_1$ slopes were not significant (p=0.33). Conclusion: Asthmatic smokers demonstrated higher hospital admission rates and lower lung function. These findings suggest that the smoking history is an important predictor of a poor clinical outcome in asthma patients.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.40-47
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• 2005

Purpose : S. pneumoniae is one of major pathogens of community-acquired respiratory infections. The rate of antibiotic resistance to this organism has increased, and resistance to multiple antimicrobial agents in a single strain of S. pneumoniae may compromise the efficacy of empiric antimicrobial treatment commonly used for respiratory infections. We did this study to find out the penicillin resistant distributions and oral antibiotics susceptibility patterns against S. pneumoniae, isolated from pediatric patients with community-acquired respiratory infections in Korea. Methods : One hundred fifty six pneumococcal isolates obtained from pediatric patients with community-acquired respiratory infections such as acute otitis media(AOM), sinusitis and pneumonia between May 2000 to June 2003. And MICs of penicillin and oral antibiotics(amoxicillin, amoxicillin-clavulanate, cefaclor) were performed by broth microdilution methods according to the NCCLS(2003a). Results : Seventy eight percent of the isolates were resistant to penicillin. The isolates, collected from AOM patients showed the highest penicillin resistance(92.7%). The resistant rates of amoxicillin (16.7%) and amoxicillin-clavulanate(9.6%), based on susceptibility breakpoints established by the NCCLS, were markedly lower than these of penicillin. But, the resistant rate of cefaclor was very high, above 95%. Conclusion : We concluded that pneumococci isolated from study cases may be one of the world's highest penicillin resistant rates. But, amoxicillin and amoxicillin-clavulanate can be used as a first-line antibiotics. Finally, we hope that a continuous surveillance study to monitor resistant patterns of pneumococcal respiratory infections will be needed for the standard guidelines of empiric antibiotic treatment.