• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.8
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• pp.4059-4062
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• 2016

Frequencies of polymorphisms of genes BRCA1 and ТР53 in breast cancer (BC) patients with a BC family history and radiation history were assessed and compared in the Semey region of Kazakhstan. The study included 60 women directly irradiated by the activities of the Semipalatinsk test site with a calculated effective equivalent dose of 500 mSv and their first generation descendants (group BC+Her+Exp); 65 women with family BC and absence of radiological history - the effective equivalent dose due to anthropogenic sources not exceeding 50 mSv (group BC+Her-Exp). The comparison group consisted of 65 women patients with breast cancer without family and radiological history (BC-Her-Exp). The control group comprised 60 women without breast cancer and without family and radiological history (nonBC). We carried out the genotyping of the polymorphisms c.2311T>C, c.4308T>C and 5382insC of the BRCA1 gene and rs1042522 of the ТР53 gene. The frequency of the polymorphism c.2311T>C was significantly higher in patients of the group BC+Her+Exp than in healthy women, and of the polymorphism 5382insC in BC+Her+Exp compared to all other groups. The frequency of the rs1042522 polymorphism of ТР53 was significantly higher in all groups of patients with breast cancer compared with the control group. Differences between groups of women with breast cancer were significant only in BC+Her+Exp vs. BC+Her-Exp. Combinations of polymorphisms of the genes BRCA1 and TP53 predominated in women with a family and radiological history.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.304-317
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• 2020

This study conducted selected two sites in Geumnamhonam and four sites in Honam-Jeongmaek for vegetation survey with consideration to the location environment and anthropogenic impacts to investigate the vegetation structures of the Geumnamhonam-Jeongmaek·Honam-Jeongmaek ridge areas. Using TWINSPAN (two-way indicator species analysis), each of the two ridge areas were categorized into seven plant communities. The differential species in the TWINSPAN technique indirectly represent the environmental factors of plant communities, and the community types of the two ridge areas were divided based on environmental factors such as altitudes above sea level, soil moisture, and disturbance. These results were in harmony with the environmental factors of the DCA (detrended correspondence analysis) axis 1. In the low-lying areas of both ridge areas, afforestation tree species such as Pinus rigida and P. thunbergii were in competition with native tree species. As such, in the low-lying areas, artificial vegetation disturbance was severe due to afforestation and development projects. In relatively highland areas, such as upper slopes, and top areas, in the ridge, the vegetation type with the dominance of Quercus mongolica, Q. variabilis, and P. densiflora was preserved well. As for differences between the two ridge areas, communities dominated by Q. mongolica were distributed widely in Geumnamhonam-Jeongmaek because of the altitudes above sea level, and the latitude of this ridge area are higher than those of Honam-Jeongmaek. On the other hand, communities dominated by P. densiflora were distributed along with communities dominated by Q. mongolica, and communities dominated by Q. variabilis appeared in Honam-Jeongmaek because it is adjacent to the south coast. In quantitative vegetation analysis such as TWINSPAN and DCA, changes in species composition and the extracting environmental factors that cause the changes are important. To that end, the removal of accidental emergent species, the establishment of an investigation plan that assumes environmental factors, and the selection of the optimal analytical method suitable for the characteristics of the survey data are necessary.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.460-473
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• 2017

In order to certificate the contamination assessment of heavy metals in surface sediments from the Nakdong river. Surface sediments were collected of 24 sampling sites (main 14st., tributary 10st.) and analyzed for grain size heavy metals contents. Study area mainly composed of sand (avg. 94.1%) and mean grain size was $1.46{\Phi}$ on average. Heavy metals contents (avg. Al: 12.5%, Zn; 74.4, Cr: 45.3, Li: 26.0, Pb: 17.1, Ni: 10.5, Cu: 7.8, Cd: 0.22 mg/kg) were relatively high contents in the composed of fine sediments. In addition, the results of pearson's correlation coefficient showed that most heavy metals and grain size (silt and clay) were highly correlated. The contents of Zn (6st.) and Ni (1st.) evaluated as moderately polluted, Zn (6st.) evaluated as LEL when compared with sediment quality standard of USEPA and Ontario sediment quality guidelines. Most heavy metals contents were I levels that dose not affected the benthos when compared with sediment pollution evaluation standard of NIER. The results of EX, EF, Igeo and CF showed the contents of Zn, Pb and Cd exceed the background contents and distributing of anthropogenic pollution and evaluated as moderately polluted level. And Nm-08 were relatively high level of contamination in the study area. However as results of PLI (less than 1), all sampling sites were evaluated unpolluted level.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.434-448
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• 2014

The aerosol characteristics between haze episode and Asian dust event were identified in January and March, 2013 in Gwang-ju of Korea to investigate the metal elements, ionic concentrations and carbonaceous particles of $PM_{2.5}$ and $PM_{10}$. In the haze episode, the concentrations were increased 1~3.2 times of ionic species and 1.6~2.7 of metal elements. Especially, the concentration of $NO{_3}{^-}$, $SO{_4}{^2-}$ and $NH{_4}{^+}$ consists of 50 percent in ionic species during haze episode that was higher than Asian dust event. This suggests that secondary aerosols from anthropogenic air pollution were mainly contributed by haze episode. During the Asian dust event, increase of metal concentrations was higher than haze episode because of remarkable increase of Ti, K and Fe originated from soil. The concentrations of carbonaceous particles were increased 2.5 times during haze episode, and 2.4 times of OC and 2.1 times of EC during Asian dust event in $PM_{2.5}$. However, these aerosol mass concentration does not affect the OC/EC ratio. The average equivalence ratios of cations/anions in $PM_{2.5}$ were 0.99 in haze episodes and 0.94 during non-event day. The neutralization factor of $NH_3$ was higher than that of $CaCO_3$. Futhermore, $NH{_4}{^+}$ aerosol was aged due to atmospheric stagnation that might be affected by the haze episode.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.27-34
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• 2001

To investigate the processes governing the distribution of elements in the tidal flat, thirty-eight sediment samples collected from the Saemangeum tidal flat of the Korean west coast were analyzed for their contents of major (Al, Fe, Mg, Ca, Na, K, Ti) and trace (P, Mn, Ba, Sr, V, Cr, Co, Cu, Ni, Zn, Pb) elements. Most elements showed generally lower contents compared to data published for other tidal flats of Korea, and the effect of anthropogenic input could not be recognized in the sediments. The relative abundance and distribution of most of the elements varied significantly with the grain size of sediments. High contents of Al, Fe, Mg, Ti, P, Mn, V, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni and Zn were found in the finer sediments in the upper tidal flat of the study area, suggesting that tidal sedimentation processes play an important role in controlling the distribution of these elements. However, sediment grain size does not impose any significant effect on the abundance and distribution of Ca, Na, K, Ba, Sr and Pb. It appears that the clastic mineralogy in the coarse-grained fractions is the dominant factor determining the distribution of these elements in the study area.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.67-83
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• 2012

In order to evaluate die geochemical characteristics of sediment in a semi-enclosed bay used as shellfish and fish farming area, the concentrations of metallic(V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co. Ni, Cu, Zn, Ag, Cd, Hg, Ph, As) and non-metallic(P, Se) elements and uranium were measured in the surface sediment samples collected from 19 stations of Gamak Bay in April 2010. Metal contamination status in the sediments were also evaluated using the sediment quality guidelines(SQGs) proposed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration(NOAA) and the enrichment factor(EF). The concentrations of elements in sediment were mainly controlled by quartz-dilution effect(V, Cr, Fe, Co and Ni), the dilution effect of organic matter(Cd and U), and metal redistribution by the decomposition of organic matter(Mn, Ag, As, and Se). The concentrations of metals, except As and Ni, in sediments from all sampling stations were lower than ERL values of NOAA. Conclusively, the surface sediment of Gamak Bay was slightly polluted with Ni, Ag, Cd, and Cd but was not polluted with other elements on the basis of EF results. Our results suggest that the surface sediment in Gamak Bay is not polluted by metallic elements.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.15-31
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• 1991

A total of 90 surface sediment samples, collected from the continental margin area bordering east and southeast coast of Korea, were subject to the geochemical analyses with the aim of filling the gap in our knowledge of this environment. The analyzed items included the major elements (Al, Fe, Mg, Ca, K, Na, p and Mn), organic carbon, and some trace metals (Ba, Co, Cu, Sr and Zn). The sediment grain-size exerted a predominant influence on the contents of most elements, with the exceptions of Ca, K, Sr and Ba. The Ca and Sr contents, being closely interrelated each other, were mainly controlled by the calcium carbonate content. The K content, on the other hand, appeared to be influenced by both illite and feldspar. The Ba content showed a certain relationship with that of K, suggesting a common source of these two elements; potassium feldspar. The R-mode factor analysis result also reaffirmed the above-mentioned controlling factors on the sediment geochemistry. The grain-size dependency of trace metals obscures their areal distribution pattern from the total contents. However, with the metal/aluminum ratios we could differentiate the subtle difference in the metal enrichment. Hence, sediments of the southern coastal area appear to receive some anthropogenic inputs of metals, though the effect is still negligible.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.425-438
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• 2018

Existing studies that analyze the causes and effects of water circulation use mostly rainfall - runoff models, which requires much effort in model development, calibration and verification. In this study, hydrological sensitivity analysis which can separate quantitatively the impacts by natural factors and anthropogenic factor was applied to the Hwacheon dam upper basin from 1967 to 2017. As a result of using various variable change point detection methods, 1999 was detected as a statistically significant change point. Especially, based on the hydrological sensitivity analysis using 5 Budyko based functions, it was estimated that the average inflow reduction amount by Imnam dam construction was $1.890\;billion\;m^3/year$. This results in this study was slightly larger than the those by existing researchers due to increase of rainfall and decrease of Hwacheon dam inflow. In future, it was suggested that effective water management measures were needed to resolve theses problems. Especially, it can be suggested that the monthly or seasonal analysis should be performed and also the prediction of discharge for future climate change should be considered to establish resonable measures.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.51-67
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• 2002

In order to understand behaviors of heavy metals around the artificial Lake Shihwa in the vicinity of Kyunggi Bay in Korea in relation with huge environmental changes due to construction of huge artificial lake, water samples were collected from Lake Shihwa and its tributaries from 1996 to 1998 and analyzed. Due to extreme pollutant discharge from various kinds of anthropogenic sources such as the Banweol and Shihwa Industrial Complexes and cities, the Shihwa and its tributaries have been polluted in waters with various heavy metals. The enrichment factors of particulate heavy metals in water of streams and storm sewers were very high. All of the heavy metals observed in the waters showed relatively high temporal and spatial variations. In surface waters of the lake during the desalination after the dike establishment, spatial distributions of heavy metal concentrations were mainly controlled by various biogeochemical factors as well as input of industrial and municipal wastewaters, while, physical mixing was minor factor Pb and Co showed a strong affinity to particle phase, however the affinity to dissolved phase was dominated in Ni, Cu and Cd. Water quality of the artificial Lake Shihwa has been deteriorated by direct discharge of untreated wastewater and heavy metals have been accumulated in the lake system. Therefore, luther environmental improvement plan should be programmed subsequently.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.7-15
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• 2014

This study was conducted to understand the chemical characteristics of groundwater in carbonate areas of Korea. In this study, data on pH, electric conductivity (EC), $Ca^{2+}$, $Mg^{2+}$, $Na^+$, $K^+$, $Cl^-$, $SO_4{^{2-}}$, and $HCO_3{^-}$ were collected from 97 wells which were installed in various carbonate rock regions of Korea. The pH values ranged from 5.7 to 9.9, and the average value was 7.3. The concentration range showed differences between the maximum value of $HCO_3{^-}$ and the medium to minimum values of $Ca^{2+}$, $Mg^{2+}$, $Na^+$, $Cl^-$, $SO_4{^{2-}}$, and $K^+$ in the study area. The average value of EC was $374{\mu}S/cm$, higher than in granite and gneiss areas, where the value is $176{\mu}S/cm$. Most of the groundwater was type $Ca-HCO_3$, and some was type $Mg-HCO_3$. The relationship between $Ca^{2+}$, $Cl^-$, and $HCO_3{^-}$, respectively, and EC showed relatively significant positive correlations compared to the other dissolved components. However, the determination coefficients for $Mg^{2+}$, $Na^+$, $SO_4{^{2-}}$, and $K^+$ were very low less than 0.2. These results indicate that the source of $Ca^{2+}$ and $Mg^{2+}$ is relatively simple (carbonate dissolution) compared to other sources. The sources of $Na^+$, $K^+$, $Cl^-$, $SO_4{^{2-}}$, and $HCO_3{^-}$ might be not only water-rock interactions, but also irrigation return flow, because many groundwater wells had been developed for irrigation purposes. Subsequently, the influence of agriculture on groundwater chemistry was evaluated using a cumulative plot of $SO_4{^{2-}}$. The threshold value of $SO_4{^{2-}}$ calculated from the cumulative frequency curve was 29.2 mg/L. Therefore, 12.4% of all the groundwater wells were affected by agricultural activity.