• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.70-77
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• 1999

An extremely cadmium-tolerant budding yeast, Hansenula anomala B-7 underwent a morphological switch in response to either heat shock treatment or cadmium stress, respectively. It exhibited a morphological transition from a unicellular yeast form to a pseudohyphae-like coagulation when subjected to prolonged heat shock treatment. In contrast, the yeast cells showed an irregularity in surface morphology when given thermal stress for a short time. Patterns of proteins expressed in the pseudohyphae-like cells demonstrated that several proteins were overexpressed while others were underexpressed in comparison with those prepared from the cells in the yeast form. It was a striking feature, however, that nearly 40％ of the proteins extracted from the cells in the pseudohyphae form appeared to be composed of a single polypeptide. This polypeptide was apparently overexpressed during the pseudohyphae phase and its molecular weight was estimated to be 58 kDa according to SDS-PAGE analysis. However, a significant level of the protein was not observed in the cells before transition to pseudohyphae. The architecture of the cell shape was also damaged when incubated in a medium containing more than 1,000 ppm (8.9mM) of cadmium ions, although able to proliferate at a slow rate. However, the irregularity in the cell morphology exerted either by the brief heat shock treatment or by the cadmium stress with the high concentrations of the metal ions was not repaired, even though the damaged cells were allowed to grow for sufficient time in fresh, cadmium-free medium.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.41-49
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• 2021

Objective : Citrus unshiu peel (Citri Unshius Pericarpium) has been prescribed to suppress coughing and phlegm in Korean medicine. In this study, the effect of ethanol extract of Citrus unshiu peel (CEE) on apoptosis was investigated using cadmium chloride (CdCl2) treated HepG2 cells. Methods : CEE was prepared by extracting 300 g of Citri Unshius Pericarpium in 3 L of ethanol for 72 h. Apoptosis was determined by the TUNEL assay. The mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) was monitored using the membrane-permeable fluorescent dye Rh123. The expression level of each protein was monitored by Western blot analysis. Results : CEE protected HepG2 cells from apoptosis as determined by the TUNEL assay. A decrease in MMP was observed in cells exposed to cadmium, indicating that mitochondria are involved in the induction of apoptosis. However, CEE recovered the reduction in MMP caused by cadmium. In addition, decreased expression of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), procaspase, and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) by cadmium was increased by CEE. The anti-apoptotic effect of CEE was found to be associated with inhibition of JNK and p38 phosphorylation when examining the expression of phosphorylated MAPK by Western blot. Conclusion : This study showed that CEE exerted anti-apoptotic effects in cadmium-induced HepG2 cells by inhibiting the reduction of MMP and changes in the expression level of apoptotic proteins. These results suggest the potential for CEE to be used for heavy metal-induced liver damage.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.27 no.10
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• pp.1613-1617
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• 2006

Optimum analytical conditions for cyclic voltammetry (CV) and square wave (SW) stripping voltammetry were determined using mercury-mixed carbon nanotube paste electrode (PE). The results approached the microgram working ranges of SW: 10.0-80.0 $ugL^{-1}$ and CV: 100-700 $ugL^{-1}$ Cd (II); working conditions of 300-Hz frequency, 100 mV amplitude, 1.6 V accumulation potential, 400 sec accumulation time, and 40 mV increment potential. First, analysis was performed through direct assay of cadmium ions deep into the fishs brain core and plant tissue in real time with a preconcentration time of 400 sec. The relative standard deviation of 10.0 $mgL^{-1}$ Cd (II) observed was 0.064 (n = 12) at optimum conditions. The low detection limit (S/N) was set at 0.6 $ugL^{-1}$ ($5.33{\times}10^{-9}$ M). The methods can be used in direct analysis in vivo or in real-time monitoring of plant tissue.

• The Korean Journal of Applied Statistics
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.453-470
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• 2013

In this paper, we consider a Bayesian analysis of the dose-effect relationship of cadmium to evaluate a benchmark dose(BMD). For this purpose, two dose-response curves commonly used in the toxicity study are fitted based on Bayesian methods to the data collected from the scientific literature on cadmium toxicity. Specifically, Bayesian meta-analysis and hierarchical modeling build an overall dose-effect relationship that use a piecewise linear model and Hill model, where the inter-study heterogeneity and inter-individual variability of dose and effect such as gender, age and ethnicity are accounted. Estimation of the unknown parameters is made by using a Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm based user-friendly software WinBUGS. Benchmark dose estimates are evaluated for various cut-offs and compared with different tested subpopulations with with gender, age and ethnicity based on these two Bayesian hierarchical models.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.39-45
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• 1999

To investigate the preventive effects of melatonin (MLT) on the immunotoxicity of cadmium acetate[Cd(AC)2] in ICR mice, Mlt(10,50mg/kg as cadmium) were orally administered to mice once a day (5:00, PM) for 28 consecutive days. Cadmium(Cd) test solution was also administered at 25mg/kg of cadmium through the same route 2hr after administration of MLT daily, Mice were immunized and challenged with sheep red blood cells (SRBC). Immune functions evaluated were delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) response, mitogenic response, and flow cytometry analysis. The results of these studies were summarized as follows ; DTH response was abnormally increased in mice treated with Cd alone. DTH response was normally depressed in mice treated with Cd plus MLT along with the increase of MLT doses. The mitogenic response of splenic T cell to Con A and that of B cells to LPS was remarkably increased by MLT treatment as compared with treatment of Cd alone In case of CD 8+ cells, the slight increase was observed in MLT treatment. Splenic T cells and B cells were significantly increased by MLT treatment as compared with treatment with Cd alone. These results suggest that MLT has significant preventive effects on the immunotoxic status induced by Cd exposure.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.153-160
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• 1993

Health complaints among vinylhouse workers in Sungjoo county, Kyungpook province led to the investigation of heavy metal levels of air, soil and humans as well as physical conditions of the vinylhouse. The average temperature and humidity inside the vinylhouse were 8 higher and 10% point lower, respectively, as compared to the outside. While discomfort index(D. I.) outside was pleasant level(69.2), D. I. inside was 82 at which point 100% of people feels discomfort. Cadmium concentration of soils inside the vinylhouse(0.116 mg/kg) was 1.8 times higher than the soils outside. Arsenic concentration of soils inside the vinylhouse(4.882 mg/kg) was only slightly higher than the soils outside(4.182 ng/kg). However, both heavy metal concentrations detected in soils inside or outside the vinylhouse were within the normal range. Analysis of 10 air samples taken inside the vinylhouse showed that only one sample had a cadmium concentration above the detectable level and the rest of samples were below the detectable levels. While there were no difference of arsenic concentrations in urine between male and female, cadmium concentrations in urine samples of female (3.31 ug/l) was slightly higher than male(2.38 ug/l). Age-dependent increases of cadmium concentrations in urine samples were also observed. However, there was no concentration difference of these heavy metals in urine between vinylhouse workers and non-vinylhouse workers. Urine concentrations of cadmium and arsenic detected from vinylhouse workers or non-vinylhouse workers were within the normal range. The present study represents a first attempt to evaluate physical and environmental risk factors of the vinylhouse affecting the vinylhouse farmer's health. The study revealed that, while physical conditions of the vinylhouse such as temperature and humidity are the possible factors associated with the farmer's complaints, environmental contamination as judged from heavy metal levels in soil, air and humans is not a risk factor contributing to the vinylhouse farmer's health problem.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.396-408
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• 2016

Objectives: The purposes of this study were to determine the relationship between the prevalence of allergic diseases and urinary cadmium concentration among children from six to 12 years of age, and to evaluate the association between cadmium in urine and other immunologically related factors in two elementary schools with different environmental conditions. Methods: Data on physician-diagnosed prevalence over the past 12 months and potential risk factors for allergic disease were collected from survey results drawn from 236 children living in different regions (central urban vs. suburban) from April to July in 2014 by an ISAAC questionnaire. We analyzed cytokine levels in serum through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and urinary cadmium concentration by use of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Results: Concentrations of urinary cadmium in suburban and central urban children were $0.11{\pm}0.11ug/L$, $0.14{\pm}0.17ug/L$, respectively (p>0.05). Results from the analysis of the t-test and chi-square test showed that urinary cadmium levels were positively associated with environmental factors (paternal smoking status, passive smoking, traffic volume and experiences of outdoor odors) and individual genetic factors (parental allergic disease). Cadmium concentrations in urine were also positively associated with the prevalence of allergic disease and immune-related cytokines (eosinophils, IgE, IL-5, IL-33, IL-17). Conclusion: This study suggests that genetic factors (parental history of allergic diseases), environmental factors, and regional status (suburban and central urban) should be considered as probable factors increasing the concentration of urinary cadmium, which has the potential to influence the allergic disease prevalence of school-age children.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.22 no.2 s.26
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• pp.215-222
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• 1989

The relationship between cadmium level and mental retardation was investigated. The 297 subjects with mental retardation were drawn from two schools providing special educational services, one, consisted of children living in an orphan home, another, children with parents. The 117 control subjects were drawn from whom had got average or above average academic achivement in a general elementary school. Hair sample was taken from the nape of the neck and the cadmium and zinc analysis were carried out on an atomic absorption spectrophotometer (IL 551). Children in the retarded group had significantly higher cadmium levels compared with control but not in zinc levels. There was no relationship between metal concentrations and age except control male group, which showed significant positive linear relationship in zinc, and there was no difference between sex in both metal except the male orphan group in cadmium. In the orphan group, there was relationship between severity of retardation and cadmium concentration in both sex but not in retarded children with parents. No difference in cadmium levels between the group with Down's syndrome, one of causes of mental retardation, and the control group suggested the cadmium as a possible cause of mental retardation. In the case of accompanying autism, zinc level was significantly lower than that of other accompanying diseases. Although not establishing an etiologic relationship, findings of this study suggest that there are some influeces of cadmium on mental retardation, and call for a continuing study.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.13-17
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• 2005

Potential for measuring mobile cadmium concentration in sandy soil using polymer magnetic beads with carboxyl groups was investigated. Experiments for extracting cadmium were performed with contaminated soils, de-ionized water and magnetic beads. In this neutral experimental condition, reacting cadmium with magnetic beads indicate total amount of cadmium that can be moved in soil. The results showed that the mobile fraction of cadmium in soil could be combined with magnetic beads in short time. After binding between cadmium and magnetic beads, the beads were separated from soil suspension by outer magnetic force. The bound cadmium was dissolved from magnetic beads by acid solutions, which were then analyzed by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). This method can determine mobile heavy metals in sandy soil effectively than existing method which use pollutant chemicals to environments such as EDTA.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.7-12
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• 2020

Astragalus uliginosus L.-stems as a by-product of oriental medicine are produced largely in a northern area of Chungbuk province. These by-products do not have any demand and thus usually discarded into the fields as a waste. In this work, a biochar was prepared from the Astragalus uliginosus L.-stem waste for recycling. The biochar was used to investigate the removal characteristics of cadmium and manganese ions dissolved in water. When adsorption equilibrium experiments were performed to treat 50 and 100 mg/L of cadmium ions, the removal efficiencies of cadmium were 100 and 95%, respectively. In addition, the maximum of adsorption amount for manganese ions in 5 h at an initial concentration of 50 and 100 mg/L was found to be as 36.1 and 37.9 mg/g, respectively. Based on the experimental results, it was found that the adsorption amount of Astragalus uliginosus L.-stem biochar for the removal of both cadmium and manganese ions was four times higher than that of the activated carbon. The surface analysis of both biochar and activated carbon samples using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis showed that the oxygen content and O/C ratio of biochar was 2.1 and 2.4 times higher than that of the activated carbon, respectively. In order to enhance the removal capability of manganese, 50 and 100 mg/L of manganese ions were operated at different temperatures. It was observed that these equilibrium was attained in 4 h under 45 ℃ and removal efficiencies were 92 and 53%, respectively. Consequently, the experimental results can be utilized as a new removal technology for eco-friendly and economically treating cadmium and manganese ions dissolved in water.