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Evaluation and Physicochemical Property for Building Materials from the Japanese Ministry of General Affairs in Joseon Dynasty (일제강점기 조선통감부 건축재료의 물리화학적 특성과 평가)

  • Park, Seok Tae;Lee, Jeongeun;Lee, Chan Hee
    • Economic and Environmental Geology
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    • v.55 no.4
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    • pp.317-338
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    • 2022
  • Physicochemical characteristics and evaluation were studied by subdividing the concretes, bricks and earth pipes on the site of the Japanese Ministry of General Affairs in Joseon Dynasty, known as modern architecture, into three periods. Concretes showed similar specific gravity and absorption ratio, and large amounts of aggregates, quartz, feldspar, calcite and portlandite were detected. Porosity of the 1907 bricks were higher than those of 1910 and 1950 bricks. All earthen pipe is similar, but the earlier one was found to be more dense. Bricks and earthen pipes are dark red to brown in color within many cracks and pores, but the matrix of the earthen pipe is relatively homogeneous. Quartz, feldspar and hematite are detected in bricks, and mullite is confirmed with quartz and feldspar in earthen pipes, so it is interpreted that the materials have a firing temperature about 1,000 to 1,100℃. Concretes showed similar CaO content, but brick and earthen pipe had low SiO2 and high Al2O3 in the 1907 specimen. However, the materials have high genetic homogeneity based on similar geochemical behaviors. Ultrasonic velocity and rebound hardness of the concrete foundation differed due to the residual state, but indicated relatively weak physical properties. Converting the unconfined compressive strength, the 1st extended area had the highest mean values of 45.30 and 46.33 kgf/cm2, and the 2nd extended area showed the lowest mean values (20.05 and 24.76 kgf/cm2). In particular, the low CaO content and absorption ratio, the higher ultrasonic velocity and rebound hardness. It seems that the concrete used in the constructions of the Japanese Ministry of General Affairs in Joseon Dynasty had similar mixing characteristics and relatively constant specifications for each year. It is interpreted that the bricks and earthen pipes were through a similar manufacturing process using almost the same raw materials.

A Study on Sea Surface Temperature Changes in South Sea (Tongyeong coast), South Korea, Following the Passage of Typhoon KHANUN in 2023 (2023년 태풍 카눈 통과에 따른 한국 남해 통영해역 수온 변동 연구)

  • Jae-Dong Hwang;Ji-Suk Ahn;Ju-Yeon Kim;Hui-Tae Joo;Byung-Hwa Min;Ki-Ho Nam;Si-Woo Lee
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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    • v.30 no.1
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    • pp.13-19
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    • 2024
  • An analysis of the coastal water temperature in the Tongyeong waters, the eastern sea of the South Sea of Korea, revealed that the water temperature rose sharply before the typhoon made landfall. The water temperature rise occurred throughout the entire water column. An analysis of the sea surface temperature data observed by NOAA(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) satellites, indicated that sea water with a temperature of 30℃ existed in the eastern waters of the eastern South Sea of Korea before the typhoon landed. The southeastern sea of Korea is an area where ocean currents prevail from west to east owing to the Tsushima Warm Current. However, an analysis of the satellite data showed that seawater at 30℃ moved from east to west, indicating that it was affected by the Ekman transport caused by the typhoon before landing. In addition, because the eastern waters of the South Sea are not as deep as those of the East Sea, the water temperature of the entire water layer may remain constant owing to vertical mixing caused by the wind. Because the rise in water temperature in each water layer occurred on the same day, the rise in the bottom water temperature can be considered as owing to vertical mixing. Indeed, the southeastern sea of Korea is a sea area where the water temperature can rise rapidly depending on the direction of approach of the typhoon and the location of high temperature formation.

Development for Fishing Gear and Method of the Non-Float Midwater Pair Trawl Net (III) - Opening Efficiency of the Model Net attaching the Kite - (무부자 쌍끌이 중층망 어구어법의 개발 (III) - 카이트를 부착한 모형어구의 전개성능 -)

  • 유제범;이주희;이춘우;권병국;김정문
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Fisheries and Ocean Technology
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    • v.39 no.3
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    • pp.197-210
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    • 2003
  • The non-float midwater pair trawl was effective in the mouth opening and control of the working depth in midwater and bottom. In contrast, we confirmed that it was difficult to keep the net at surface above 30 m of the depth by means of the full scale experiment in the field and the model test in the circulation water channel. To solve this problem, the kites were attached to the head rope of the non-float midwater pair trawl. In this study, four kinds of the model experiments were carried out with the purpose of applying the kite to the korean midwater pair trawl. The results obtained can be summarized as follows: 1. The working depth of the non-float midwater pair trawl with the kite was shallower than that of the proto type and non-float type. The working depth of the kite type was approximately 20m with 2 kites and about 5m with 4 kites under 4.0 knot. The working depth was almost constant but the depth of the head rope sank approximately 15m and 10m according to the increase in the front weight and the wing-end weight, respectively. The changing aspect of the working depth was constant, but the depth of the head rope sank approximately 22m according to the increase in the lower warp length (dL). 2. The hydrodynamic resistance of the kite type was almost increased in a linear form in accordance with the flow speed increase from 2.0 to 5.0 knot. The increasing grate of the hydrodynamic resistance tended to increase in accordance with the increase in flow speed. The hydrodynamic resistance of the kite type was larger approximately 5~10 ton larger than that of the non-float type and the proto type. The hydrodynamic resistance of the kite type increased approximately 3ton with the changing of the front weight from 1.40 to 3.50 ton and approximately 4 ton with the changing of the wing-end weight from 0 to 1.11 ton and approximately 5.5 ton with the changing lower warp length (dL) from 0 to 40 m, respectively. 3. The net height of the kite type was increased approximately 10 m with the change in the kite area from $2,270mm^2$ to 4,540 $\textrm{mm}^2$. The net height of the kite type was aproximately 50 m and 30 m larger than that of the proto type and the non-float type, respectively. The changed aspect of the net width was approximately 5m with the variation of the flow speed from 2.0 to 5.0 knot. 4. The filtering volume of the kite type was larger than that of the proto type and the non-float type by 28%, 34% at 2.0 knot of the flow speed and 42%, 41% at 3.0 knot, and 62%, 45% at 4.0 knot, and 74%, 54% at 5.0knot, respectively. The optimal towing speed was approximately 3.0 knot for the proto type and was over 4.0 knot for the non-float type, and the optimal towing speed reached 5.0 knot for the kite type. 5. The opening efficiency of the kite type was approximately 50% and 25% larger than that of the proto type and the non-float type, respectively.

Analysis of Success Cases of InsurTech and Digital Insurance Platform Based on Artificial Intelligence Technologies: Focused on Ping An Insurance Group Ltd. in China (인공지능 기술 기반 인슈어테크와 디지털보험플랫폼 성공사례 분석: 중국 평안보험그룹을 중심으로)

  • Lee, JaeWon;Oh, SangJin
    • Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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    • v.26 no.3
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    • pp.71-90
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    • 2020
  • Recently, the global insurance industry is rapidly developing digital transformation through the use of artificial intelligence technologies such as machine learning, natural language processing, and deep learning. As a result, more and more foreign insurers have achieved the success of artificial intelligence technology-based InsurTech and platform business, and Ping An Insurance Group Ltd., China's largest private company, is leading China's global fourth industrial revolution with remarkable achievements in InsurTech and Digital Platform as a result of its constant innovation, using 'finance and technology' and 'finance and ecosystem' as keywords for companies. In response, this study analyzed the InsurTech and platform business activities of Ping An Insurance Group Ltd. through the ser-M analysis model to provide strategic implications for revitalizing AI technology-based businesses of domestic insurers. The ser-M analysis model has been studied so that the vision and leadership of the CEO, the historical environment of the enterprise, the utilization of various resources, and the unique mechanism relationships can be interpreted in an integrated manner as a frame that can be interpreted in terms of the subject, environment, resource and mechanism. As a result of the case analysis, Ping An Insurance Group Ltd. has achieved cost reduction and customer service development by digitally innovating its entire business area such as sales, underwriting, claims, and loan service by utilizing core artificial intelligence technologies such as facial, voice, and facial expression recognition. In addition, "online data in China" and "the vast offline data and insights accumulated by the company" were combined with new technologies such as artificial intelligence and big data analysis to build a digital platform that integrates financial services and digital service businesses. Ping An Insurance Group Ltd. challenged constant innovation, and as of 2019, sales reached $155 billion, ranking seventh among all companies in the Global 2000 rankings selected by Forbes Magazine. Analyzing the background of the success of Ping An Insurance Group Ltd. from the perspective of ser-M, founder Mammingz quickly captured the development of digital technology, market competition and changes in population structure in the era of the fourth industrial revolution, and established a new vision and displayed an agile leadership of digital technology-focused. Based on the strong leadership led by the founder in response to environmental changes, the company has successfully led InsurTech and Platform Business through innovation of internal resources such as investment in artificial intelligence technology, securing excellent professionals, and strengthening big data capabilities, combining external absorption capabilities, and strategic alliances among various industries. Through this success story analysis of Ping An Insurance Group Ltd., the following implications can be given to domestic insurance companies that are preparing for digital transformation. First, CEOs of domestic companies also need to recognize the paradigm shift in industry due to the change in digital technology and quickly arm themselves with digital technology-oriented leadership to spearhead the digital transformation of enterprises. Second, the Korean government should urgently overhaul related laws and systems to further promote the use of data between different industries and provide drastic support such as deregulation, tax benefits and platform provision to help the domestic insurance industry secure global competitiveness. Third, Korean companies also need to make bolder investments in the development of artificial intelligence technology so that systematic securing of internal and external data, training of technical personnel, and patent applications can be expanded, and digital platforms should be quickly established so that diverse customer experiences can be integrated through learned artificial intelligence technology. Finally, since there may be limitations to generalization through a single case of an overseas insurance company, I hope that in the future, more extensive research will be conducted on various management strategies related to artificial intelligence technology by analyzing cases of multiple industries or multiple companies or conducting empirical research.

A Study on the Construction and Landscape Characteristics of Munam Pavilion in Changnyeong(聞巖亭) (창녕 문암정(聞巖亭)의 조영 및 경관특성에 관한 연구)

  • Lee, Won-Ho;Kim, Dong-Hyun;Kim, Jae-Ung;Ahn, Gye-Bog
    • Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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    • v.32 no.2
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    • pp.27-41
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    • 2014
  • This study aims to investigate the history, cultural values prototype through literature analysis, characteristics of construction, location, space structure and landscape characteristics by Arc-GIS on the Munam pavilion(聞巖亭) in Changnyeong. The results were as follows. First, Shin-cho((辛礎, 1549~1618) is the builder of the Munam pavilion and builder's view of nature is to go back to nature. The period of formation of Munam pavilion is between 1608-1618 as referred from document of retire from politics and build a pavilion. Secondly, Munam pavilion is surrounded by mountains and located at the top of steep slope. Pavilion was known as scenic site of the area. But damaged in a past landscape is caused by near the bridge, agricultural facilities, town, the Kye-sung stream of masonry and beams. Thirdly, Munam pavilion is divided into the main space, which is located on the pavilion, space in located on the pavilion east and west and the orient space, which is located on the Youngjeonggak. Of these, original form of Munam pavilion is a simple structure composed of pavilion and Munam rock, thus at the time of the composition seems to be a direct entry is possible, unlike the current entrance. Fourth, Spatial composition of Munam pavilion is divided into vegetation such as Lagerstroemia indica trees in Sa-ri in Changnyeong, ornament such as letters carved on the rocks and pavilion containing structure. The vegetation around the building is classified as precincts and outside of the premises. Planting of precincts was limited. Outside of area consists of front on the pavilion, which is covered with Lagerstroemia Indica forest and Pinus densiflora forest at the back of the pavilion. Ofthese,LargeLagerstroemiaIndicaforestcorrespondstothenaturalheritageasHistoricalrecordsofrarespeciesresourcesthatareassociated withbuilder. Letterscarvedontherocksrepresenttheboundaryof space, which is close to the location of the Munam pavilion and those associated with the builder as ornaments. Letters carved on the rocks front on the pavilion are rare cases that are made sequentially with a constant direction and rules as act of record for families to honor the achievements. Fifth, 'The eight famous spots of Munam' is divided into landscape elements that have nothing to do with bearing 4 places and landscape elements that have to do with bearing 4 places. Unrelated bearings of landscape elements are Lagerstroemia indica trees in Sa-ri in Changnyeong, Pinus densiflora forest at the back of the pavilion, Okcheon valley, Gwanryongsa temple and Daeheungsa temple. Bearing that related element of absolute orientation, which is corresponding to the elements are Daeheungsa temple, Hwawangsan mountain, Kye-sung stream and Yeongchwisan mountain. Relative bearing is Gwanryongsa temple, Yeongchwisan mountain and Kye-sung stream Gongjigi hill. At Lagerstroemia indica trees in Sa-ri in Changnyeong, Pinus densiflora forest at the back of the pavilion, Kye-sung stream and Okcheon valley, elements are exsting. Currently, it is difficult to confirm the rest of the landscape elements. Because, it is a generic element that reliable estimate of the target and locations are impossible for element. Munam pavilion is made for turn to nature by Shin-cho(辛礎). That was remained a record such as Munamzip(聞巖集) and Munamchungueirok(聞巖忠義錄) that is relating to construction of pavilion. Munam pavilion located in a unique form, archival culture through the letters carved on the rocks and Large Lagerstroemia indica forest and through eight famous spots, cultural landscape elements can be assumed that those elements are remained.

Improving Usage of the Korea Meteorological Administration's Digital Forecasts in Agriculture: 2. Refining the Distribution of Precipitation Amount (기상청 동네예보의 영농활용도 증진을 위한 방안: 2. 강수량 분포 상세화)

  • Kim, Dae-Jun;Yun, Jin I.
    • Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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    • v.15 no.3
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    • pp.171-177
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    • 2013
  • The purpose of this study is to find a scheme to scale down the KMA (Korea Meteorological Administration) digital precipitation maps to the grid cell resolution comparable to the rural landscape scale in Korea. As a result, we suggest two steps procedure called RATER (Radar Assisted Topography and Elevation Revision) based on both radar echo data and a mountain precipitation model. In this scheme, the radar reflection intensity at the constant altitude of 1.5 km is applied first to the KMA local analysis and prediction system (KLAPS) 5 km grid cell to obtain 1 km resolution. For the second step the elevation and topography effect on the basis of 270 m digital elevation model (DEM) which represented by the Parameter-elevation Regressions on Independent Slopes Model (PRISM) is applied to the 1 km resolution data to produce the 270 m precipitation map. An experimental watershed with about $50km^2$ catchment area was selected for evaluating this scheme and automated rain gauges were deployed to 13 locations with the various elevations and slope aspects. 19 cases with 1 mm or more precipitation per day were collected from January to May in 2013 and the corresponding KLAPS daily precipitation data were treated with the second step procedure. For the first step, the 24-hour integrated radar echo data were applied to the KLAPS daily precipitation to produce the 1 km resolution data across the watershed. Estimated precipitation at each 1 km grid cell was then regarded as the real world precipitation observed at the center location of the grid cell in order to derive the elevation regressions in the PRISM step. We produced the digital precipitation maps for all the 19 cases by using RATER and extracted the grid cell values corresponding to 13 points from the maps to compare with the observed data. For the cases of 10 mm or more observed precipitation, significant improvement was found in the estimated precipitation at all 13 sites with RATER, compared with the untreated KLAPS 5 km data. Especially, reduction in RMSE was 35% on 30 mm or more observed precipitation.

Partial Oxidation of Methane to $H_2$ Over Pd/Ti-SPK and Pd/Zr-SPK Catalysts and Characterization (Pd/Ti-SPK과 Pd/Zr-SPK 촉매상에서 수소 생산을 위한 메탄의 부분산화반응과 촉매의 특성화)

  • Seo, Ho-Joon;Kang, Ung-Il
    • Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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    • v.21 no.6
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    • pp.648-652
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    • 2010
  • Catalytic activities of the partial oxidation of methane (POM) to hydrogen were investigated over Pd(5)/Ti-SPK and Pd(5)/Zr-SPK in a fixed bed flow reactor (FBFR) under atmosphere, and the catalysts were characterized by BET, XPS, XRD. The BET surface areas, pore volume and pore width of Horvath-Kawaze, micro pore area and volume of t-plot of Pd(5)/Ti-SPK and Pd(5)/Zr-SPK were $284m^2/g$, $0.233cm^3/g$, 3.9 nm, $30m^2/g$, $0.015cm^3/g$ and $396m^2/g$, $0.324cm^3/g$, 3.7nm, $119m^2/g$, $0.055cm^3/g$, repectively. The nitrogen adsorption isotherms were type IV with hysteresis. XPS showed that Si 2p and O 1s core electronlevels of Ti-SPK and Zr-SPK substituted Ti and Zr shifted to slightly lower binding energies than SPK. The oxidation states of Pd on the surface of catalysts were $Pd^0$ and $Pd^{+2}$. XRD patterns showed that crystal structures of fresh catalyst changed amorphous into crystal phase after reaction. The conversion and selectivity of POM to hydrogen over Pd(5)/Ti-SPK and Pd(5)/Zr-SPK were 77, 84% and 78, 72%, respectively, at 973 K, $CH_4/O_2$ = 2, GHSV = $8.4{\times}10^4mL/g_{cat}{\cdot}h$ and were kept constant even after 3 days in stream. These results confirm superior activity, thermal stability, and physicochemical properties of catalyst in POM to hydrogen.

Mechanical Anisotropy of Pocheon Granite under Uniaxial Compression (일축압축하에서 포천화강암의 역학적 이방성)

  • Park Deok-Won
    • The Journal of Engineering Geology
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    • v.15 no.3
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    • pp.337-348
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    • 2005
  • Jurassic granite from Pocheon area were tested to investigate the effect of microcracks on mechanical properties of the granite. Three oriented core specimens were used for uniaxial compressive tests and each core specimen are perpendicular to the axes'R'(rift plane),'c'(grain plane) and'H'(hardway plane), respectively Among vacious elastic constants, the variation of Poisson's ratio as function of the directions was examined. From the related chart between ratio of failure strength and Poisson's ratio, H-specimen shows the highest range in Poisson's ratio and Poisson's ratio decreases in the order of C-specimen and R-specimen. The curve pattern is nearly linear in stage $I\simIII$ but the slope increases abruptly in stage H-3. As shown in the related chart, diverging point of a curve is formed when ratio of failure strength is $0.92\sim0.96$ Stage IV -3 is out of elastic region. The behaviour of rock in the four fracturing stages was analyzed in term of the stress-volumetric strain me. From the stress increment-volumetric strain equations governing the behaviour of rock, characteristic material constants, a, n, Q, m and $\varepsilon_v^{mcf}$, were determined. Among these, inherent microcrack porosity$(a, 10^{-3})$ and compaction exponent(n) in the microcrack closure region(stage I ) show an order of $a^R(3.82)>a^G(3.38)>a^H(2.32)\;and\;n^R(3.69)>n^G(2.79)>n^H(1.99)4, respectively. Especially, critical volumetric microcrack strain($\varepsilon_v^{mcf}$) in the stage W is highest in the H-specimen, normal to the hardway plane. These results indicate a strong correlation between two major sets of microcracks and mechanical properties such as Poisson's ratio and material constants. Correlation of strength anisotropy with microcrack orientation can have important application in rock fracture studies.

Germination and Protein Pattern of Phragmites communis Population according to the Soil Salt Contents of Habitats (생육지의 토양염분농도에 따른 갈대( Phragmites communis)개체군의 발아 및 단백질 패턴)

  • Lee, Ho-Joon;Hyo-Sik Yang;Sung-Jong Kim
    • The Korean Journal of Ecology
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    • v.16 no.2
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    • pp.135-149
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    • 1993
  • In order to study and ecotypic variation of Phragmites communis Trin., we investigated germination rates, velocities, and protein band patte군 of seeds of three population of salt marsh, estuary and fresh water areas of Muan Peninsular in southwestern coast of Korea from March, 1990 to October, 1992. The highest germination rates of seeds were observed at $25^{\circ}C$; those of population of the estuary and fresh water are were 100% and that of the salt marsh was 95%. Similar germination rates were observed from the populations of estuary and fresh water areas at $30^{\circ}C$ and $20^{\circ}C$, but they decreased at $15^{\circ}C$. The onset of germination of seeds of three population was earlier $^{\circ}C$, but they decreased at $15^{\circ}C$. The onset of germination of seeds of th three populations was earlier at both $25^{\circ}C$, which was higher than those of any other areas, while that of fresh water areas was the lowest. were different; those of salt marsh and estuary decreased to 30% and 2.5%, respectively, at 3.0% of salt content, but seeds of the fresh water area did not germinate at all at the same salt content. The onset of germination was delayed in the order of the salt marsh, esturay and fresh water areas as salt content of culture solution increased. Germination of seeds from the population of salt marsh was found to begin earliest. The highest germination velocity of three populations was observed in the culture containing no salt. The germination velocity constant decreased as salt content of culture solution increased from 0.5% to 3.0%: those of the populations of the salt marsh, estuary, and fresh water areas were 9.50, 0.75 and 0.00, respectively, at the salt concentration of 3.0%. Soluble protein patterns of seedings from the three populations were analyzed by SDS-PAGE method. The results showed that protein patterns of the three populations were distinctly different qualitatively and quantitatively. The present study suggests that populations of Phragmites communis Trin. in the coast of Korea had taken ecotypic variations of habitats, i.e., fresh water, estuary, and salt marsh types, according to the salt content.

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Manganese and Iron Interaction: a Mechanism of Manganese-Induced Parkinsonism

  • Zheng, Wei
    • Proceedings of the Korea Environmental Mutagen Society Conference
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    • 2003.10a
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    • pp.34-63
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    • 2003
  • Occupational and environmental exposure to manganese continue to represent a realistic public health problem in both developed and developing countries. Increased utility of MMT as a replacement for lead in gasoline creates a new source of environmental exposure to manganese. It is, therefore, imperative that further attention be directed at molecular neurotoxicology of manganese. A Need for a more complete understanding of manganese functions both in health and disease, and for a better defined role of manganese in iron metabolism is well substantiated. The in-depth studies in this area should provide novel information on the potential public health risk associated with manganese exposure. It will also explore novel mechanism(s) of manganese-induced neurotoxicity from the angle of Mn-Fe interaction at both systemic and cellular levels. More importantly, the result of these studies will offer clues to the etiology of IPD and its associated abnormal iron and energy metabolism. To achieve these goals, however, a number of outstanding questions remain to be resolved. First, one must understand what species of manganese in the biological matrices plays critical role in the induction of neurotoxicity, Mn(II) or Mn(III)? In our own studies with aconitase, Cpx-I, and Cpx-II, manganese was added to the buffers as the divalent salt, i.e., $MnCl_2$. While it is quite reasonable to suggest that the effect on aconitase and/or Cpx-I activites was associated with the divalent species of manganese, the experimental design does not preclude the possibility that a manganese species of higher oxidation state, such as Mn(III), is required for the induction of these effects. The ionic radius of Mn(III) is 65 ppm, which is similar to the ionic size to Fe(III) (65 ppm at the high spin state) in aconitase (Nieboer and Fletcher, 1996; Sneed et al., 1953). Thus it is plausible that the higher oxidation state of manganese optimally fits into the geometric space of aconitase, serving as the active species in this enzymatic reaction. In the current literature, most of the studies on manganese toxicity have used Mn(II) as $MnCl_2$ rather than Mn(III). The obvious advantage of Mn(II) is its good water solubility, which allows effortless preparation in either in vivo or in vitro investigation, whereas almost all of the Mn(III) salt products on the comparison between two valent manganese species nearly infeasible. Thus a more intimate collaboration with physiochemists to develop a better way to study Mn(III) species in biological matrices is pressingly needed. Second, In spite of the special affinity of manganese for mitochondria and its similar chemical properties to iron, there is a sound reason to postulate that manganese may act as an iron surrogate in certain iron-requiring enzymes. It is, therefore, imperative to design the physiochemical studies to determine whether manganese can indeed exchange with iron in proteins, and to understand how manganese interacts with tertiary structure of proteins. The studies on binding properties (such as affinity constant, dissociation parameter, etc.) of manganese and iron to key enzymes associated with iron and energy regulation would add additional information to our knowledge of Mn-Fe neurotoxicity. Third, manganese exposure, either in vivo or in vitro, promotes cellular overload of iron. It is still unclear, however, how exactly manganese interacts with cellular iron regulatory processes and what is the mechanism underlying this cellular iron overload. As discussed above, the binding of IRP-I to TfR mRNA leads to the expression of TfR, thereby increasing cellular iron uptake. The sequence encoding TfR mRNA, in particular IRE fragments, has been well-documented in literature. It is therefore possible to use molecular technique to elaborate whether manganese cytotoxicity influences the mRNA expression of iron regulatory proteins and how manganese exposure alters the binding activity of IPRs to TfR mRNA. Finally, the current manganese investigation has largely focused on the issues ranging from disposition/toxicity study to the characterization of clinical symptoms. Much less has been done regarding the risk assessment of environmenta/occupational exposure. One of the unsolved, pressing puzzles is the lack of reliable biomarker(s) for manganese-induced neurologic lesions in long-term, low-level exposure situation. Lack of such a diagnostic means renders it impossible to assess the human health risk and long-term social impact associated with potentially elevated manganese in environment. The biochemical interaction between manganese and iron, particularly the ensuing subtle changes of certain relevant proteins, provides the opportunity to identify and develop such a specific biomarker for manganese-induced neuronal damage. By learning the molecular mechanism of cytotoxicity, one will be able to find a better way for prediction and treatment of manganese-initiated neurodegenerative diseases.

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