• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.101-108
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• 1996

The silicon $p^{+}-n$ junction diodes were fabricated. The fabricated wafers were treated by single or double annealing steps. Single annealing process was performed by diffusion of either Au or Pt into the wafer under the oxygen or nitrogen ambient at $800{\sim}1010^{\circ}C$. Second annealing step involved additional annealing of the single annealed wafer under the oxygen ambient at $800{\sim}1010^{\circ}C$ for one hour. Electrical characteristics of the diodes were investigated to evaluate the effect of the annealing treatments. In the case of single annealing under nitrogen ambient at $1010^{\circ}C$ for one hour, the amount of leakage current of Pt diffused diode was 75 times larger than that of Au diffused one. The optimum processing condition to achieve high speed silicon $p^{+}-n$ junction diodes from this study was obtained when Pt diffused wafer(treated under the nitrogen ambient at $1010^{\circ}C$ for one hour) was secondly annealed in an oxygen ambient at $800^{\circ}C$ for one hour. The resulting leakage current of two step annealed diodes were remarkably reduced to 1/1100 of the single annealed one. The diode characteristics such as recovery time, breakdown voltage, leakage current, and forward voltage were 4ns, 138V, 1.72nA, and 1V, respectively.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.253-259
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• 2011

Transforming growth factor ${\beta}$ (TGF-${\beta}$) is involved in cellular processes including growth, differentiation, apoptosis, migration, and homeostasis. Generally, TGF-${\beta}$ is the inhibitor of cell cycle progression and plays a role in enhancing the antagonistic effects of many growth factors. Unlike the antiproliferative effect of TGF-${\beta}$, E2, an endogeneous estrogen, is stimulating cell proliferation in the estrogen-dependent organs, which are mediated via the estrogen receptors, $ER{\alpha}$ and $ER{\beta}$, and may be considered as a critical risk factor in tumorigenesis of hormone-responsive cancers. Previous researches reported the cross-talk between estrogen/$ER{\alpha}$ and TGF-${\beta}$ pathway. Especially, based on the E2-mediated inhibition of TGF-${\beta}$ signaling, we examined the inhibition effect of 4-tert-octylphenol (OP) and 4-nonylphenol (NP), which are well known xenoestrogens in endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), on TGF-${\beta}$ signaling via semi-quantitative reverse-transcription PCR. The treatment of E2, OP, or NP resulted in the downregulation of TGF-${\beta}$ receptor2 (TGF-${\beta}$ R2) in TGF-${\beta}$ signaling pathway. However, the expression level of TGF-${\beta}1$ and TGF-${\beta}$ receptor1 (TGF-${\beta}$ R1) genes was not altered. On the other hand, E2, OP, or NP upregulated the expression of a cell-cycle regulating gene, c-myc, which is a oncogene and a downstream target gene of TGF-${\beta}$ signaling pathway. As a result of downregulation of TGF-${\beta}$ R2 and the upregulation of c-myc, E2, OP, or NP increased cell proliferation of BG-1 ovarian cancer cells. Taken together, these results suggest that E2 and these two EDCs may mediate cancer cell proliferation by inhibiting TGF-${\beta}$ signaling via the downregulation of TGF-${\beta}$ R2 and the upregulation of c-myc oncogene. In addition, it can be inferred that these EDCs have the possibility of tumorigenesis in estrogen-responsive organs by certainly representing estrogenic effect in inhibiting TGF-${\beta}$ signaling.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.279-288
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• 2012

Rats were administered zearalenone (ZEA) via gavage at dosages of 0, 1, 5, and 30 mg/kg for 36 days. On treatment day 8, inactivated porcine parvovirus vaccine (Vac) was injected intraperitoneally. Antibody production against porcine parvovirus was then measured as a function of ZEA treatment. Compared to the vaccine alone, ZEA treatment, with or without Vac, decreased the serum level of IgG. The level of IgM decreased in all ZEA groups at day 22, but the decrease was sustained only in the medium-dose ZEA group at day 36. The level of IgA was unchanged in the Vac only and ZEA groups at day 22, but was decreased in the 5 mg/kg ZEA plus Vac group compared to the Vac only group at day 36. The level of IgE was decreased by all doses of ZEA at day 22, but was unaffected in ZEA plus Vac groups compared to the Vac only group. The levels of IL-1 in the thymus and spleen; INF-${\gamma}$ in serum; IL-2, IL-6, and IL-10 in the thymus; and IL-10 and IFN-${\gamma}$ in the spleen decreased after ZEA administration. Furthermore, the levels of IL-$1{\beta}$ in the spleen and mesenteric lymph node, IL-$1{\beta}$ in the thymus, IL-2 in the thymus and spleen, IL-6 in the thymus, IL-10 and IFN-${\gamma}$ in the spleen, and GM-CSF and TNF-${\alpha}$ in the thymus decreased after vaccination in rats exposed to ZEA. In conclusion, these results suggest that ZEA exposure via drinking water can cause an immunosuppressive effect by decreasing immunoglobulins in serum and cytokines in lymphoid organs.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.157-162
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• 2010

In this study, we investigated the atmospheric heavy metal concentrations in the particulate matter inside the subway stations of Seoul. In particular, we examined the correlation between the heavy metals and studied the effect of the heavy metals on cell proliferation. In six selected subway stations in Seoul, particulate matter was captured at the platforms and 11 types of heavy metals were analyzed. The results showed that the mean concentration of iron was the highest out of the heavy metals in particulate matter, followed by copper, potassium, calcium, zinc, nickel, sodium, manganese, magnesium, chromium and cadmium in that order. The correlation analysis showed that the correlations between the heavy metals was highest in the following order: (Cu vs Zn), (Ca vs Na), (Ca vs Mn), (Ni vs Cr), (Na vs Mn), (Cr vs Cd), (Zn vs Cd), (Cu vs Cd), (Ni vs Cd), (Cu vs Ni), (K vs Zn), (Cu vs K), (Cu vs Cr), (K vs Cd), (Zn vs Cr), (K vs Ni), (Zn vs Ni), (K vs Cr), and (Fe vs Cu). The correlation coefficient between zinc and copper was 0.937, indicating the highest correlation. Copper, zinc, nickel, chromium and cadmium, which are generated from artificial sources in general, showed correlations with many of the other metals and the correlation coefficients were also relatively high. The effect of the heavy metals on cell proliferation was also investigated in this study. Cultured cell was exposed to 10 mg/l or 100 mg/l of iron, copper, calcium, zinc, nickel, manganese, magnesium, chromium and cadmium for 24 hours. The cell proliferation in all the heavy metal-treated groups was not inhibited at 10 mg/l of the heavy metal concentration. The only exception to this was with the cadmium-treated group which showed a strong cell proliferation inhibition. This study provides the fundamental data for the understanding of simultaneous heavy metal exposure tendency at the time of particulate matter exposure in subway stations and the identification of heavy metal sources. Moreover, this study can be used as the fundamental data for the cell toxicity study of the subway-oriented heavy metal-containing particulate matter.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.305-309
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• 2014

Recently, there has been an increase in the use of several nephrotoxicity biomarkers in preclinical experiments. In addition, it has been indicated that the result may have been influenced by secondary factors, such as sample storage condition or storage period. In this study, we have assessed the variation in urinary nephrotoxicity biomarkers as a result of urine storage conditions and storage period of the urine. Urine was sampled from specific pathogen-free Sprague-Dawley rats (19 weeks old), which were housed individually in hanged stainless steel wire mesh cages. Urine was stored at $20^{\circ}C$, at $4^{\circ}C$, or at $-70^{\circ}C$ after sampling. The levels of the biomarkers such as beta-2 microglobulin (B2M), cystatin-C (Cys-C), N-acetyl-${\beta}$-D-glucosaminidase (NAG), micro albumin (MA), micro protein (MP) were measured at 6, 24, 48 and 144 hr after sampling. The B2M level was significantly decreased at 6, 24, 48, and 144 hr compared to 0 hr at $-70^{\circ}C$ (p < 0.05, p < 0.01, p < 0.05, and p < 0.05, respectively) and 24 and 144 hr at $20^{\circ}C$ (p < 0.01, p < 0.01, respectively). The Cys-C level was significantly decreased at 144 hr compared to 0 hr at $4^{\circ}C$ (p < 0.01), at $20^{\circ}C$ (p < 0.05) and at $70^{\circ}C$ (p < 0.01). MP and MA levels were not different for 144 hr in all storage conditions. Taken together, B2M and Cys-C levels were modulated by storage temperature and period. For the enhancement of test accuracy, it is suggested that strict protocols be established for samples to minimize the effects of the storage conditions on the detected levels of biomarkers.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.251-260
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• 2014

The number of farmers who have suffered from non-fatal acute pesticide poisoning has been reported to vary from 5.7% to 86.7% in South Korea since 1975. Absorption through the skin is the main route of exposure to pesticides for farmers who operate with them. Several in vitro tests using the skins of humans or animal and in vivo tests using laboratory animals are introduced for the assessment of human dermal absorption level of pesticides. The objective of this study is to evaluate and compare international guidelines and strategies of dermal absorption assessments and to propose unique approaches for applications into pesticide registration process in our situation. Until present in our situation, pesticide exposure level to operator is determined just using default value of 10 as for skin absorption ratio because of data shortage. Dermal absorption tests are requested to get exposure level of pesticides and to ultimately know the safety of pesticides for operators through the comparison with the value of AOEL. When the exposure level is higher than AOEL, the pesticide cannot be approved. We reviewed the skin absorption test guidelines recommended by OECD, EFSA and EPA. The EPA recommends assessment of skin absorption of pesticides for humans through the TPA which includes all the results of in vitro human and animal and animal in vivo skin absorption studies. OECD and EFSA, employ a tiered approach, which the requirement of further study depends on the results of the former stage study. OECD guidelines accept the analysis of pesticide level absorbed through skin without radioisotope when the recovery using the non-labeled method is within 80~120%. Various factors are reviewed in this study, including the origin of skin (gender, animal species and sites of skin), thickness, temperature and, etc., which can influence the integrity of results.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.265-272
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• 2017

Aryl hydrocarbons such as 3-nitrobenzanthrone (NBA), 4-aminobiphenyl (ABP), acetylaminofluorene (AAF), benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), and 1-nitropyrene (NP) form bulky DNA adducts when absorbed by mammalian cells. These chemicals are metabolically activated to reactive forms in mammalian cells and preferentially get attached covalently to the $N^2$ or C8 positions of guanine or the $N^6$ position of adenine. The proportion of $N^2$ and C8 guanine adducts in DNA differs among chemicals. Although these adducts block DNA replication, cells have a mechanism allowing to continue replication by bypassing these adducts: translesion DNA synthesis (TLS). TLS is performed by translesion DNA polymerases-Pol ${\eta}$, ${\kappa}$, ${\iota}$, and ${\zeta}$ and Rev1-in an error-free or error-prone manner. Regarding the NBA adducts, namely, 2-(2'-deoxyguanosin-$N^2$-yl)-3-aminobenzanthrone (dG-$N^2$-ABA) and N-(2'-deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-3-aminobenzanthrone (dG-C8-ABA), dG-$N^2$-ABA is produced more often than dG-C8-ABA, whereas dG-C8-ABA blocks DNA replication more strongly than dG-$N^2$-ABA. dG-$N^2$-ABA allows for a less error-prone bypass than dG-C8-ABA does. Pol ${\eta}$ and ${\kappa}$ are stronger contributors to TLS over dG-C8-ABA, and Pol ${\kappa}$ bypasses dG-C8-ABA in an error-prone manner. TLS efficiency and error-proneness are affected by the sequences surrounding the adduct, as demonstrated in our previous study on an ABP adduct, N-(2'-deoxyguanosine-8-yl)-4-aminobiphenyl (dG-C8-ABP). Elucidation of the general mechanisms determining efficiency, error-proneness, and the polymerases involved in TLS over various adducts is the next step in the research on TLS. These TLS studies will clarify the mechanisms underlying aryl hydrocarbon mutagenesis and carcinogenesis in more detail.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.24-31
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• 2013

This study was conducted to determine the characteristics of quality and yield in potatoes grown at paddy field before rice transplantation during the spring season. Three potato cultivars ('Jowon', 'Haryeong', and 'Goun') were grown in Gangneung (asl 5 m) and Seocheon (asl 20 m). In both locations, weather condition belonged to the fourth zone (spring cropping) in potato production location's distribution of Korea. Daily mean soil temperature in both the locations was $0.2-0.6^{\circ}C$ lower than air temperature, while soil moisture was adequate level to potato growth in spite of spring drought. TR ratio was not affected by location, but by cultivar. Specific gravity, starch content, dry matter rate, and yield were significantly influenced by location and by cultivar. There was no difference in total tuber number by location, however there was a large gap in marketable tuber yield according to locations and cultivars. There were high negative relationships between yield and main qualities such as dry matter rate and starch content, while high positive correlation was observed between main qualities. It was possible to produce potato before rice transplanting at drained paddy fields located in representative two locations of potato spring cropping and their characteristics in growth and quality were similar to those generally well known in upland cultivation. Paddy field was thought to be more favorable than upland in terms of available soil moisture supply against spring drought. Further research, however, was needed to increase soil temperature and also preliminary review on proper cultivar according to location seemed to be needed for high yield.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.31-40
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• 2012

There are two methods to fabricate the readout electronic to a large-area CMOS image sensor (LACIS). One is to design and manufacture the sensor part and signal processing electronics in a single chip and the other is to integrate both parts with bump bonding or wire bonding after manufacturing both parts separately. The latter method has an advantage of the high yield because the optimized and specialized fabrication process can be chosen in designing and manufacturing each part. In this paper, LACIS chip, that is optimized design for the latter method of fabrication, is presented. The LACIS chip consists of a 3-TR pixel photodiode array, row driver (or called as a gate driver) circuit, and bonding pads to the external readout ICs. Among 4 types of the photodiode structure available in a standard CMOS process, $N_{photo}/P_{epi}$ type photodiode showed the highest quantum efficiency in the simulation study, though it requires one additional mask to control the doping concentration of $N_{photo}$ layer. The optimized channel widths and lengths of 3 pixel transistors are also determined by simulation. The select transistor is not significantly affected by channel length and width. But source follower transistor is strongly influenced by length and width. In row driver, to reduce signal time delay by high capacitance at output node, three stage inverter drivers are used. And channel width of the inverter driver increases gradually in each step. The sensor has very long metal wire that is about 170 mm. The repeater consisted of inverters is applied proper amount of pixel rows. It can help to reduce the long metal-line delay.

• Journal of Legislation Research
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• no.44
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• pp.315-342
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• 2013

Die Rechtsschutzversicherung ist als eine echte Schadenversicherung eine neue Versicherung, die $Spezialit{\ddot{a}}t$ des versichertes Risikos hat. Das bedeutet, dass der Rechtschutzversicherer nur bestimmte vertraglich vereinbarte Risiken $tr{\ddot{a}}gt$. Diese Risiken sind in den Allgemeinen Bedingungen $f{\ddot{u}}r$ die Rechtsschutzversicheurng (ARB) im Zusammenhang mit Versicherungsvertragsgesetz (VVG) ${\S}$ 125 exact beschrieben. VVG ${\S}$ 125 spricht allegemein von Leistung des Versicherers im vereinbarten versicherten Umfang. Entscheidend ist also die Vereinbarung in den ARB, welche in ${\S}$ 1 die Kostentragung $f{\ddot{u}}r$ den Versicherten als Hauptleistung des Versicherers beschrieben ist. Also in den VVG ${\S}{\S}$ 125 bis 129 gibt es keine Definition ${\ddot{u}}ber$ die Sparte der Rechtsschutzversicherung, jedoch mindestens es $w{\ddot{a}}re$ $m{\ddot{o}}glich$, diese Sparte zu definieren. Um die $k{\ddot{u}}nftige$ Produktentwicklung nicht zu hindern, $enth{\ddot{a}}lt$ die Vorschrift keine gesetzliche Definition der Rechtsschutzversicherung nach Angabe der amtlichen $Begr{\ddot{u}}ndung$. Weil in Korea die Rechtsschutzversicherung relativ neu in Versicherungsmarket ist, sind daher VVG ${\S}{\S}$ 125 ein gutes gesetzgeberisches Vorbild, um pragmatisch und auch dazu rechtswissenschaftlich zu diskutieren und diese fsetzustellen. Im Schritt von Ausdehnungen der juristischen Dienstleistung $w{\ddot{a}}re$ es $n{\ddot{o}}tig$, zu betrachten, wie Leistungsumfang des Versicherers in der Rechtsschutzversicherung erweitert werden kann. And noch dazu ist die Informationspflicht des Versicherers in Hinsicht auf Versicherungsunfall und Leistungsumfang noch weitert zu ${\ddot{u}}berlegen$, weil diese Sparte der Rechtsschutzversicherung noch professioneller als die anderen Versicherungsbereiche ist.