• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.137-146
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• 2003

Objectives : Impaired hearing is a prevalent occupational hazard, not only in industry, but also in the armed forces. In military life, noise has unusual characteristics, and constitutes a serious hazard to hearing. The aim of this study was to analyze the hearing threshold data in order to compare the hearing loss among shipyard workers, representing different workers, and a military service background. Methods : A cross-sectional audiological survey, combined with a questionnaire study, was conducted on a stratified random sample of 440 shipyard workers, with long-term exposure to noise. The employees were divided into four groups, according to their working and military service backgrounds, in relation to their exposure to noise. Results : As expected, the working and military noise exposure group (Group I) had significantly poorer hearing than the other groups. The high frequencies (2-8 kHz) showed the greatest difference in terms of poorer fearing in both ears. The prevalence of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) was highest in Group I. A logistic regression analysis was applied to determine the dependence of the NIHL in relation to age, smoking, drinking, working duration, ear protection, past history of ear diseases, and working and military sonics backgrounds, on the noise exposure The important factors found to be related to the NIHL, in relation to noise exposure were: age, work duration, and working and military service backgrounds. The adjusted odds ratio estimates for NIML in the right ear were 4.5 times greater (95% CI 1.7-11.6) for the military noise exposed group, and 7.9 times greater (95% CI 2.0-31.3) for the working noise exposed group than in the controls. The hearing thresholds at the pure-tone average and 4 kHz were significantly increased with age and work duration with both the working and military service backgrounds. Conclusions : From these results, specific preventive programs were planned, which should be assessed by epidemiological surveillance of the military noise exposed population.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.107-118
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• 2017

Although alternative test methods based on the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement) are being developed to replace animal testing in reproductive and developmental toxicology, they are still in an early stage. Consequently, we aimed to develop alternative test methods in male animals using mouse spermatogonial stem cells (mSSCs). Here, we modified the OECD TG 489 and optimized the in vitro comet assay in our previous study. This study aimed to verify the validity of in vitro tests involving mSSCs by comparing their results with those of in vivo tests using C57BL/6 mice by gavage. We selected hydroxyurea (HU), which is known to chemically induce male reproductive toxicity. The 50% inhibitory concentration ($IC_{50}$) value of HU was 0.9 mM, as determined by the MTT assay. In the in vitro comet assay, % tail DNA and Olive tail moment (OTM) after HU administration increased significantly, compared to the control. Annexin V, PI staining and TUNEL assays showed that HU caused apoptosis in mSSCs. In order to compare in vitro tests with in vivo tests, the same substances were administered to male C57BL/6 mice. Reproductive toxicity was observed at 25, 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg/day as measured by clinical measures of reduction in sperm motility and testicular weight. The comet assay, DCFH-DA assay, H&E staining, and TUNEL assay were also performed. The results of the test with C57BL/6 mice were similar to those with mSSCs for HU treatment. Finally, linear regression analysis showed a strong positive correlation between results of in vitro tests and those of in vivo. In conclusion, the present study is the first to demonstrate the effect of HU-induced DNA damage, ROS formation, and apoptosis in mSSCs. Further, the results of the current study suggest that mSSCs could be a useful model to predict male reproductive toxicity.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.361-368
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• 1994

Teratogenic and embryotoxic effects of mercury have been reported, however, there is little information about possible antidotes against mercury exposure during gestation. In order to evaluate therapeutic effects of selenium as an antidote against mercury poisoning, pregnant CD-1 mice were exposed to methylmercury chloride(20ppm) through the drinking water with treatment of sodium selenite (1.0mg, 2.0mg or 3.0mg/kg b.w., subcutaneously) or BAL(5.0mg/kg b.w., subcutaneously) under the single or combination base as the therapeutic agents from day 6 to 15 of gestation. Fetal growth parameters such as body weight and crown-rump length in the mice exposed to mercury, were reduced as was placental weight compared to those in the control. Treatment of selenium(alone, combination with BAL) reduced the harmful effects induced by mercury on the fetal growth parameters even though no specific relationship between dose and therapeutic effect. The incidence of dead fetuses/resorptions and malformed fetuses(especially cleft palate) was also increased in the mercury only treated group. Selenium treatment demonostrated reduced the incidence of abnormal fetuses under the exposure of mercury. Relative maternal organ weights(liver, kidney, spleen) were increased significantly but relative brain weight was decreased as evidenced by decreased in the mercury treated mice compared to that in the control. A subtle indication of maternal mercury toxicity evidenced by changes of relative maternal organ weights, decreased water and feed consumption were also prevented efficiently by selenium treatment. The present study suggests that methylmercuric chloride is embrytoxic and teratogenic in CD-1 mice when exposured during organogenesis and that selenium administration may have therapeutic application for the treatment of mercury poisoning although more applicable study in human should be performed with caution in the future.

• Korean Journal of Weed Science
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.30-38
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• 1995

Soil-applied pre-emergence herbicide, pyrazolate(4-(2, 4-dichlorobenzoyl)-1, 3-dimethyl pyrazol-5-yl-p-toluene sulphonate) induced, twist effect of shoots of barnyardgrass under dry conditions, and etiolated leaf and stem of that under water condition. Plant height and root length of rice broadcast on soil surface were similar to the untreated control, but plant height of rice drilled in soil was more inhibited than root length as compared with the untreated control, while development of barnyardgrass seedling was severely inhibited at 20 days after application. The inhibition rate was much higher under water condition than under dry condition, but difference in rice and barnyardgrass did not abserve. However, growth of transplanted rice shown to increase to the untreated control. Shoot and root fresh weight of rice broadcast on soil surface was increase as compared with the untreated control, and that of rice drilled in soil was not affected whereas that of barnyardgrass was severely inhibited by 42% and 41%, respectively. Under dry condition at 20 days after pyrazolate application while root growth of rice broadcast on soil surface under water condition was deadly inhibited and development of barnyardgrass was almost completely inhibited. On the other hand, microscopic studies showed that constriction of mesophyll cell by destruction of chloroplast of barnyardgrass were occurred only under dry condition, whereas damage of rice and barnyardgrass under water and transplanting condition were not observed. Anatomical change in the meristernatic region of rice and barnyardgrass was not occurred, and similar to intact plant regardless of cropping patterns.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.41-47
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• 1995

Tc-99m-MIBI(Sestamibi) myocardial SPECT along with T1-201 tomographic imaging has demonstrated wide application and high image qualify sufficient for the diagnosis of myocardial perfusion defect, which consequently reflects regional myocardial blood flow, The qualitative values of myocardial SPECT with Tc-99m-MIBI as well as the quantitative cases depend in some degree on the reconstruction techniques of multiple projections. Filtered backprojection(FBP) is the common standard for reconstruction rather than the complicated and time-consuming arithmetic methods. In FBP it Is known that the distribution of radioactivity in reconstructed transverse slices varies with the selected filter parameters such as cutoff frequencies and order(Butterworth case). The cutoff frequencies basically remove and decrease the true radioactive distribution and alter the pixel counts, which lead to underestimation of true counts in specific myocardial regions. In this study, we have investigated the effect of cutoff frequencies of reconstruction filter on the artifactually induced perfusion defects, which are often demonstrated near inferior and/or inferoseptal cardiac walls due to the intense hepatic uptake of Tc-99m-MIBI. A computerized method for identifying the relative degree of artifactual perfusion defect and for comparing those degrees along with the relative amount of hepatic uptake to myocardium was developed and patient images were studied to observe the quantitative degree of underestimation of myocardial perfusion, and to propose some reasonable thresh-old of cutoff frequency in the diagnosis of perfusion defect quantitatively. We concluded that from the quantitative viewpoint cutoff frequencies may be used as high as possible with the sacrifice of homogeneity of image quality, and those frequencies lower than the common 0.3 Nyquist frequency would reveal severe degradation of radio-active distribution near inferior and/or Inferoseptal myocardium when applying Butterworth or low pass filter.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.02a
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• pp.100-101
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• 2012

The plasma damage free and room temperature processedthin film deposition technology is essential for realization of various next generation organic microelectronic devices such as flexible AMOLED display, flexible OLED lighting, and organic photovoltaic cells because characteristics of fragile organic materials in the plasma process and low glass transition temperatures (Tg) of polymer substrate. In case of directly deposition of metal oxide thin films (including transparent conductive oxide (TCO) and amorphous oxide semiconductor (AOS)) on the organic layers, plasma damages against to the organic materials is fatal. This damage is believed to be originated mainly from high energy energetic particles during the sputtering process such as negative oxygen ions, reflected neutrals by reflection of plasma background gas at the target surface, sputtered atoms, bulk plasma ions, and secondary electrons. To solve this problem, we developed the NBAS (Neutral Beam Assisted Sputtering) process as a plasma damage free and room temperature processed sputtering technology. As a result, electro-optical properties of NBAS processed ITO thin film showed resistivity of $4.0{\times}10^{-4}{\Omega}{\cdot}m$ and high transmittance (>90% at 550 nm) with nano- crystalline structure at room temperature process. Furthermore, in the experiment result of directly deposition of TCO top anode on the inverted structure OLED cell, it is verified that NBAS TCO deposition process does not damages to the underlying organic layers. In case of deposition of transparent conductive oxide (TCO) thin film on the plastic polymer substrate, the room temperature processed sputtering coating of high quality TCO thin film is required. During the sputtering process with higher density plasma, the energetic particles contribute self supplying of activation & crystallization energy without any additional heating and post-annealing and forminga high quality TCO thin film. However, negative oxygen ions which generated from sputteringtarget surface by electron attachment are accelerated to high energy by induced cathode self-bias. Thus the high energy negative oxygen ions can lead to critical physical bombardment damages to forming oxide thin film and this effect does not recover in room temperature process without post thermal annealing. To salve the inherent limitation of plasma sputtering, we have been developed the Magnetic Field Shielded Sputtering (MFSS) process as the high quality oxide thin film deposition process at room temperature. The MFSS process is effectively eliminate or suppress the negative oxygen ions bombardment damage by the plasma limiter which composed permanent magnet array. As a result, electro-optical properties of MFSS processed ITO thin film (resistivity $3.9{\times}10^{-4}{\Omega}{\cdot}cm$, transmittance 95% at 550 nm) have approachedthose of a high temperature DC magnetron sputtering (DMS) ITO thin film were. Also, AOS (a-IGZO) TFTs fabricated by MFSS process without higher temperature post annealing showed very comparable electrical performance with those by DMS process with $400^{\circ}C$ post annealing. They are important to note that the bombardment of a negative oxygen ion which is accelerated by dc self-bias during rf sputtering could degrade the electrical performance of ITO electrodes and a-IGZO TFTs. Finally, we found that reduction of damage from the high energy negative oxygen ions bombardment drives improvement of crystalline structure in the ITO thin film and suppression of the sub-gab states in a-IGZO semiconductor thin film. For realization of organic flexible electronic devices based on plastic substrates, gas barrier coatings are required to prevent the permeation of water and oxygen because organic materials are highly susceptible to water and oxygen. In particular, high efficiency flexible AMOLEDs needs an extremely low water vapor transition rate (WVTR) of $1{\times}10^{-6}gm^{-2}day^{-1}$. The key factor in high quality inorganic gas barrier formation for achieving the very low WVTR required (under ${\sim}10^{-6}gm^{-2}day^{-1}$) is the suppression of nano-sized defect sites and gas diffusion pathways among the grain boundaries. For formation of high quality single inorganic gas barrier layer, we developed high density nano-structured Al2O3 single gas barrier layer usinga NBAS process. The NBAS process can continuously change crystalline structures from an amorphous phase to a nano- crystalline phase with various grain sizes in a single inorganic thin film. As a result, the water vapor transmission rates (WVTR) of the NBAS processed $Al_2O_3$ gas barrier film have improved order of magnitude compared with that of conventional $Al_2O_3$ layers made by the RF magnetron sputteringprocess under the same sputtering conditions; the WVTR of the NBAS processed $Al_2O_3$ gas barrier film was about $5{\times}10^{-6}g/m^2/day$ by just single layer.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.36-45
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• 1984

This study was carried out to investigate the changes in ovary in repeatedly superovulated rabbits. A total of 57 New Zealand White and Californian, 25 mature virgin and 32 immature does were used in this study. For induction of repeated superovulation, PMSG and HCG were injected at 17-day and 30-day intervals for mature does and 17-day intervals for immature ones. The repeatedly superovulated does at 17-day intervals were induced luteolysis of pseudopregnant corpus luteum with PGF2${\alpha}$ on Day 8 to 9 p.c. The effect of repeated superovulation on reproductive organs was investigated on Day 3 p.c. in mature does and on Day 3 and 6 p.c. in immature ones, respectively. 1. In mature virgin does, the number of ovulation points in the 2nd and 3rd superovulation period averaged 7.0 and 5.0 at 17-day intervals and 13.4 and 6.0 at 30-day intervals, respectively. These numbers were statistically similar to 9.5 ovulation points in the control. However, there were less (p<0.05) ovulation points in those periods compared with 22.1 ovulation points in the 1st superovulation period. 2. In immature does, the number of ovulation points in the 2nd and 3rd superovulation period averaged 5.3 and 2.3, respectively. These numbers were significantly (p<0.05) decreased than 17.1 ovulation points in the 1st periods. The number of ovulation points in the 2nd superovulation period was similar to that in the control, but there was a significant (p<0.05) decrease in the number of ovulation points in the 3rd period as compared to the control. 3. In mature virgin does, the number of visible normal and hemorrhagic follicles (>1.0mm diameter) on day 3 p.c. averaged 19.1 and 8.9 in the 1st superovulation period, respectively. In the 2nd 3rd superovulation period, the number of normal follicles averaged 8.3 and 15.5 at 17-day intervals and 17.8 and 14.5 at 30-day intervals. The number of hemorrhagic follicles in the 2nd and 3rd superovulation period averaged 6.3 and 2.0 at 17-day intervals and 5.2 and 7.8 at 30-day intervals, respectively. There was a slight decrease, although not significant, in the number of normal and hemorrhagic follicles in the 2nd and 3rd period at 17-day intervals compared to that in the 1st period. 4. In immature does, the number of visible normal follicles on day 3 and day 6 p.c. in the 1st superovulation period averaged 27:3 and 26.1, respectively. The follicles on day 3 p.c. tended to increase slightly more than that in the cortrol, but the average number of normal follicles on day 6 p.c. did not differ from that in the control. The number of visible hemorrhagic follicles on day 3 and day 6 p.c. in the 1st of follicles in the 1st superovulation period average 10.2 and 9.9, respectively. There was a slight increase in the number of follicles in the 1st period compared to that in the control. In the 2nd and 3rd superovulation period, the number of normal follicles revealed a slight decrease in the 3rd period, but the number of hemorrhagic follicles was not different between periods. 5. The number of growing follicles with incipient intral formation on day 3 p.c. in mature does of the 1st superovulaton period average 29.7 and the average number of growing follicles in the 3rd period was 26.7 at 17-day intervals and 31.0 at 30-day intervals, respectively. These numbers did not differ from that in the control. In immature does, the number of growing follicles averaged 57.7, 45.0 and 59.3 in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd superovulation period, respectively. There was a slight but not significant decrease in the number of growing follicles in the 3rd period compared to that in the control.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.199-205
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• 2007

The present study was carried out to assess the effect of superovulation response and efficiency of embryo production induced with injection of FSH dissolved in polyethylene glycol (PEG) in Hanwoo. Eighty-eight cows were divided into four groups. In group 1, cattle were intramuscularly treated with twice-daily administration of 50mg FSH for 4 days. Group 2 and 3 were subcutaneously single injection of 400mg and 200mg FSH dissolved in 30% PEG, respectively. Group 4 were subcutaneously single injection of 200 mg FSH dissolved in 30% PEG at 7 day after CIDR insertion. The number of corpus luteum (CL) in group 2 resulted in significantly (p<0.05) higher compared to group 1, 3 and 4 (18.5 vs. 11.2, 13.1 and 13.9, respectively). However, the number of total ova $(7.9{\sim}10.4)$, transferable embryos $(3.7{\sim}4.7)$, degenerate embryos $(1.9{\sim}3.5)$ and unfertilized ova $(1.8{\sim}2.7)$ did not differ among treatment groups. No difference was observed in pregnancy rate after transferring the recovered embryos among groups $(36.0{\sim}50.0%)$. In addition, blood progesterone concentrations at embryo recovery did not differ among all groups. In conclusion, although no differences were observed in the number of total ova, transferable embryos and pregnancy rate after transfer, a single injection of reduced dose of FSH (200mg FSH) at 7 day after CIDR insertion is more practical for superovulation treatments than frequent injection because of reduction of stress in Hanwoo and decreases of cost and laber.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.328-335
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• 2010

This study was conducted to determine effects of soil pH and form of nitrogen fertilizers on tomato growth and chemical properties of greenhouse soil using ferigation system. Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv. Superdoterang) were grown for three months in 18 L pots filled with two soil (pH 6.8 and pH 8.7). 4 different nitrogen fertilizers (urea, ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, and potassium nitrate) were fertigated with different concentrations of 0, 10, 50, and 100 mg N/L during tomato cultivation. Soil pH 8.7 decreased yield and chlorophyll fluorescence compared with soil pH 6.8. Yield at soil pH 8.7 increased by ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulfate fertigation. Soil pH 6.8 induced increment of yield by nitrogen concentration than form of nitrogen fertilizers. Soil pH after cultivation of tomato decreased by application of ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulfate. Soil EC by 100 mg N/L application of ammonium sulfate was twice as much as other fertilizers. Form of nitrogen fertilizer had less effect on concentration of soil $NH_4^+$-N and $NO_3^-$-N in soil but the concentrations slightly reduced at pH 8.7. These results indicate that application of urea and ammonium nitrate for a nitrogen source of fertigation has little affects on soil chemical properties before and after tomato cultivation.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.243-249
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• 2014

In this study, we evaluated the toxic effects of heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Zn) on the population growth rate (r) of the marine diatom, Skeletonema costatum. S. costatum. The population growth rate (r) of the species was determined after 96 hrs. of exposure to Cd (0, 0.63, 1.25, 2.50, 5.00, 10.00 ppm), Cu (0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.00, 1.25, 1.50 ppm) and Zn (0, 0.31, 0.63, 1.25, 2.00, 2.50, 5.00 ppm). It was observed that 'r' in the control (absence of Cd, Cu and Zn) were greater than 0.05, however suddenly decreased with increased heavy metal concentrations. Cd, Cu and Zn reduced 'r' in a dose-dependent manner and a significant reduction were occurred at concentration of greater than 1.25, 1.25 and 2.50 ppm, respectively. Based on the toxicity, the heavy metal were ranked as Cu>Zn>Cd, with EC50 values of 1.11, 2.13 and 6.84 ppm, respectively. The lowest-observed-effective-concentration (LOEC) of 'r' in exposed to Cd, Cu and Zn were 1.25, 1.00, 2.00 ppm, respectively. Precisely, a concentration of greater than 1.25 ppm of Cd, 1.00 ppm of Cu and 2.00 ppm of Zn in marine ecosystems induced toxic effect on the 'r' of S. costatum. Based on our results, we suggested that the 'r' of S. costatum might be a useful bio indicator for the toxicity assessment of heavy metals in marine ecosystems.