• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
• /
• 제29권
• /
• pp.18.1-18.9
• /
• 2014

Objectives The purpose of this study was to determine a separation method for each arsenic metabolite in urine by using a high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). Methods Separation of the arsenic metabolites was conducted in urine by using a polymeric anion-exchange (Hamilton PRP X-100, $4.6mm{\times}150mm$, $5{\mu}m$) column on Agilent Technologies 1260 Infinity LC system coupled to Agilent Technologies 7700 series ICP/MS equipment using argon as the plasma gas. Results All five important arsenic metabolites in urine were separated within 16 minutes in the order of arsenobetaine, arsenite, dimethylarsinate, monomethylarsonate and arsenate with detection limits ranging from 0.15 to $0.27{\mu}g/L$ ($40{\mu}L$ injection). We used G-EQUAS No. 52, the German external quality assessment scheme and standard reference material 2669, National Institute of Standard and Technology, to validate our analyses. Conclusions The method for separation of arsenic metabolites in urine was established by using HPLC-ICP-MS. This method contributes to the evaluation of arsenic exposure, health effect assessment and other bio-monitoring studies for arsenic exposure in South Korea.

• 한국습지학회지
• /
• 제25권4호
• /
• pp.394-407
• /
• 2023

생태복원은 문제가 있는 생태적 공간을 진단하고, 온전한 자연을 분석하여 얻은 정보를 바탕으로 훼손된 생태계를 치유하여 본래의 모습과 유사한 건강한 모습으로 되돌려놓는 생태기술이다. 성공적인 복원을 이루기 위해서는 일련의 절차를 존중하여 사업이 추진되어야 한다. 그러나 국내에서 진행되는 복원사업은 진단평가에 관계없이 적극적인 복원 위주로 추진하여 비용과 에너지를 낭비하고 효과는 크지 않다. 대조생태정보가 활용되지 않아 훼손된 자연을 되돌리기 위한 생태복원이 자연의 모습과 크게 다른 모습을 연출하며 또 다른 훼손을 유발하고 있다. 복원효과가 평가되지 않아 성공여부를 판단할 수 없어 사업이 계속되어도 발전이 없고 효과도 없다. 그러나 선진사회는 이러한 절차를 존중하여 학문적 진전을 이루어낸 것은 물론 생태복원이 하나의 산업으로 자리 잡아 환경을 개선하는 것은 물론 경제적 측면에서도 큰 효과를 거두고 있다. 따라서 국제사회는 생태복원을 기후변화를 비롯해 지구적 차원의 환경문제를 해결할 수 있는 중요한 수단으로 인식하여 국제기구가 중심이 되어 상처입은 지구를 치료하기 위한 사업을 활발하게 추진해 나가고 있다. 그러나 국내에서 추진된 복원사업은 효과 평가 결과 대부분 수준 이하로 평가되었다. 그럼에도 불구하고 이러한 수준을 향상시키는데 중요한 기여를 할 수 있는 생태복원을 하나의 새로운 산업으로 정립하기 위한 계획을 수준 낮은 사업을 주도해 온 당사자들이 가로막고 있어 문제를 더욱 악화시키고 있다. 이러한 문제를 해결하기 위해 사전과 사후로 구분하여 엄정하고 바른 사업 평가 제도를 도입하여 불량사업을 걸러낼 필요가 있다. 나아가 생태복원을 하나의 산업으로 신설하여 그 과정을 시장의 원리에 맡길 필요가 있다.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제16권6호
• /
• pp.2361-2368
• /
• 2015

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) in differentiating between benign and malignant enlarged lymph nodes using meta-analysis. Materials and Methods: Pubmed, Embase, SCI and Cochrane databases were searched for studies (up to September 1, 2014) reporting the diagnostic performance of CEUS in discriminating between benign and malignant lymph nodes. Inclusion criteria were: prospective study; histopathology as the reference standard; and sufficient data to construct $2{\times}2$ contingency tables. Methodological quality was assessed using Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 (QUADAS-2). Patient clinical characteristics, sensitivity and specificity were extracted. The summary receiver operating characteristic curve was used to examine the accuracy of CEUS. A meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the clinical utility in identification of benign and malignant lymph nodes. Sensitivity analysis was performed after omitting outliers identified in a bivariate boxplot and publication bias was assessed with Egger testing. Results: The pooled sensitivity, specificity and AUROC were 0.92 (95%CI, 0.85-0.96), 0.91 (95%CI, 0.82-0.95) and 0.97 (95%CI, 0.95-0.98), respectively. After omitting 3 outlier studies, heterogeneity decreased. Sensitivity analysis demonstrated no disproportionate influences of individual studies. Publication bias was not significant. Conclusions: CEUS is a promising diagnostic modality in differentiating between benign and malignant lymph nodes and can potentially reduce unnecessary fine-needle aspiration biopsies of benign nodes.

• 한국환경보건학회지
• /
• 제41권5호
• /
• pp.305-313
• /
• 2015

Objectives: The objective of this study is to identify toxicants causing acute toxicity in effluents from the aluminum rolling industry that violate the discharge limits in Korea. Methods: Whole effluent toxicity tests (WET) were conducted on effluent discharged from the aluminum rolling industry following the US EPA WET test methods. We collected effluent samples three times and evaluated acute toxicity by using Daphnia magna. We employed toxicity identification evaluation (TIE) procedures to identify toxicants causing toxicity in the effluent. Results: No specific chemical groups were identified in the seven different manipulations applied to the of wastewater effluent samples showing 1.3 toxic units (TU) according to the TIE phase I procedures. Water quality parameters for water hardness, electric conductivity and heavy metals (Mn) were 4,322 mg/l as $CaCO_3$, 11.39 mS/cm, and $5,551{\mu}g/l$, respectively. Considering water hardness and reference toxicity, high concentrations of Mn can be disqualified from the causative toxicants. Consequently, high ionic concentrations of $Na^+$(1,648 mg/l), $Ca^{2+}$(1,048 mg/l), $Mg^{2+}$(1,428 mg/l) and $SO_4{^{2-}}$(7,472 mg/l) were identified to be causative toxicants. Water hardness and electric conductivity exceed the $EC_{50}$ value obtained by biological toxicity tests using Daphnia magna. Conclusion: According to TIE procedures, high salt concentration is determined to be a major toxicant in the effluent of agro-industrial wastewater treatment plants receiving wastewater from the aluminum rolling industry.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제14권2호
• /
• pp.877-883
• /
• 2013

Background and Objective: There has been no universally agreed standard chemotherapy regimen for patients with advanced biliary tract carcinomas (BTC). We aimed to fully display and evaluate the clinical evidence for gemcitabine or gemcitabine-cisplatin combination for advanced BTC. Methods: Systematic searches were performed to identify relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and uncontrolled trials. Overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), overall response rates (ORR), tumor control rates (TCR), and toxicity were evaluated. Evidence levels of the results were evaluated with the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. Results: Results of the eleven gemcitabine-cisplatin trials and ten gemcitabine trials showed both chemotherapy regimens had benefits with reference to mean OS (8.63 vs. 8.79 months), mean PFS (4.86 vs. 4.72 months), pooled ORR (25.3% vs. 19.6%) and TCR (55.2% vs. 53.1%). Two RCTs showed the gemcitabine-cisplatin combination to prolong the mean PFS (mean difference [MD] 2.57, 95%CI 1.69 3.45), substantially increasing the mean OS (MD 3.59, 95% CI 3.48 3.71), and producing a similar effect in ORR (risk ratio [RR] 1.59, 95%CI 1.04 2.43), increasing TCR (RR 1.15, 95%CI 1.02 1.31) compared with gemcitabine alone, with generally manageable grade 3 or 4 adverse events. The evidence level of OS was moderate, and other outcomes (ORR, PFS, TCR, anaemia, neutropenia) were at low evidence levels. Conclusion: Available evidence was limited with low quality, which showed that both gemcitabine-cisplatin and gemcitabine alone had clinical activity with acceptable safety profiles, and gemcitabine-cisplatin appeared to be more useful for advanced BTC patients than gemcitabine alone.

• 한국물환경학회지
• /
• 제36권5호
• /
• pp.405-422
• /
• 2020

Land use change by urbanization has significantly affected the hydrological process including the runoff characteristics. Due to this situation, it has been becoming more complicated to manage non-point source pollutions caused by rainfall. In order to effectively control non-point sources, it is necessary to identify the reduction efficiency of the various management method based on land use characteristics. Thus, the purpose of this study is to analyze the reduction efficiency of non-point source pollution management practices targeting three different watersheds with the different land use characteristics using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). To do this, the vulnerable subwatersheds to non-point source pollution occurrence within each watershed were selected based on the streamflow and water quality simulation results. Then, considering the land use, low impact development (LID) or best management practices (BMPs) were applied to the selected subwatersheds and the efficiency of each management was analyzed. As a result of analysis of the non-point source pollution reduction efficiency, when LID was applied to urban areas, the average reduction efficiencies of SS, NO₃-N, and TP were 5.92%, 4.62%, and 10.35%, respectively. When BMPs were applied to rural areas, the average reduction efficiencies of SS, TN and TP were 35.45%, 4.37%, and 10.16%, respectively. The results of this study can be used as a reference for determining appropriate management methods for non-point source pollution in urban, rural, and complex watersheds.

• 생태와환경
• /
• 제45권3호
• /
• pp.271-277
• /
• 2012

본 연구에서는 D. magna의 배양배지로서의 국내 자연수의 적절성을 평가하기 위하여, Elendt M4 배지에서 생산된 태어난 지 24시간 미만 된 어린 D. magna를 Elendt M4 배지, 탈염소 수도수 및 먹는 샘물에 21일 동안 노출시켜 생존율 및 번식능력을 평가하였다. 대조배지인 Elendt M4 배지와 먹는 샘물에서 배양한 D. magna는 어미의 생존율, 첫 배를 생산하는 시기, 생존한 어미 당 생산된 총 어린 물벼룩 평균수, 생존한 어미 당 생산된 죽은 어린 물벼룩 평균수는 2회의 번식시험 모두에서 Jonczyk과 Gilron (2005) 및 OECD No. 211, Daphnia magna Reproduction Test 지침서(OECD, 2008)의 기준을 벗어나지 않았다. 그러나 탈염소 수도수에서 배양을 한 경우에는 2번의 번식시험 모두 어미의 사망률이 20% 이상으로, 배양 13일, 15일, 18일에 사망된 개체가 관찰되었다. D. magna는 경도가 80 mg $CaCO_3\;L^{-1}$ 이상인 물에서 사용을 추천하고 있으나, 본 연구에서 사용된 탈염소 수도수의 경도는 50~53 mg $CaCO_3\;L^{-1}$ 이었다. 탈염소 수도수에서 나타난 지연된 사망률은 배양배지의 급격한 경도 차이에 의한 영향으로 판단된다. 그러므로 국내의 자연수(지하수, 표면수, 탈염소 수도수 등)를 사용하여 D. magna를 배양할 경우, 배양배지의 경도를 100 mg $CaCO_3\;L^{-1}$ 이상 강화시켜 사용하는 것이 필요하다. 그리고 궁극적으로는 국내에 서식하는 토착 물벼룩류를 대상으로 국내 수 환경에 적합한 시험생물을 개발하는 국가적인 연구가 필요하다고 사료된다.

• 한국방사선학회논문지
• /
• 제13권5호
• /
• pp.699-704
• /
• 2019

본 연구는 특히 두부질환 환자에게 일반적으로 적용되는 두부 전산화단층촬영검사에서 기준선(안와상이공선, 안와이공선, 안와하이공선)에 따른 수정체의 피폭선량과 선속경화를 비교하였다. 수정체의 피폭선량은 OSLDs로 검출하였으며, 기준선에 따른 각 영상의 선속경화는 Image J 프로그램을 이용하여 정량적인 평가로 신호대잡음비, 대조도대잡음비 값을 측정한 뒤, SPSS 프로그램을 이용하여 이를 검증하고자 하였다. 그 결과 안와상이공선을 기준선으로 사용한 경우 수정체의 선량은 안와하이공선을 기준선으로 사용하였을 때보다 120 kV 에서는 85.08%, 80 kV의 경우 79.7% 감소하였다. 두부 전산화단층촬영검사 시에 갠트리 각도를 안와상이공선에 평행하게 검사하였을 때 수정체의 피폭을 최소화시킬 수 있는 것으로 조사되었으며, 안와이공선이나 안와하이공선에 평행하게 검사한 영상과 비교하였을 때 신호대잡음비과 대조도대잡음비 모두 통계적으로 유의한 차이가 없는 것으로 나타났다. 따라서 두부 전산화단층촬영검사 시 안와상이공선에 평행하게 검사하는 것이 더 효율적이라는 것을 본 연구를 통하여 확인할 수 있었다.

• 환경생물
• /
• 제26권4호
• /
• pp.330-342
• /
• 2008

A comprehensive quality survey for PCDDs/PCDFs and coplanar PCBs as well as heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb) in sediments has been investigated in August 2006, Korea. Monitoring was undertaken at five streams representing different surrounding environments throughout Juwang and Gapyeong streams (reference sites), Jungrang stream (dense population site), Ansan stream (mixed small population and industrial site), and Siheung stream (heavy industrial site). The levels of heavy metal in samples were found to be significantly higher in sediment from Siheung stream compared to those of other stream sites. The heavy metal concentrations (dry weight basis) in sediment from Siheung stream were as follows; Cd (3.7 ${\mu}g$/g), Pb (1,295 ${\mu}g$/g), Cu (713.4 ${\mu}g$/g) and Zn (358.1 ${\mu}g$/g). Among 12 coplanar PCBs and 17 PCDDs/PCDFs selected as target compounds in this study, PCB (IUPAC no. 118) and OCDD were the most abundant congeners found in all sediment samples, followed by 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDD, OCDF and 1,2,3,4,6,7,8HpCDF as well as PCB (IUPAC no. 105). These results were shown to be in the same trend as the sediment samples of other countries. The levels of PCDDs/PCDFs/coplanar PCBs in sediment samples were expressed as concentrations and WHO- TEQ values. The PCDDs/PCDFs/coplanar PCBs concentrations and their WHO-TEQ values in sediment from Siheung stream were remarkably high. The levels detected were 788.16 pg/g and 36.080 pg WHO-TEQ/g dry weight for PCDDs/ PCDFs and 314 pg/g and 0.4189 pg WHO-TEQ/g dry weight for coplanar PCBs, respectively, beyond the safety level of sediment value 20 pg WHO-TEQ/g. Sediment samples of the five streams were also monitored by sensitive biomarkers using insect immune responses: hemocyte-spreading behavior and immune-associated enzyme activities of phospholipase A$_2$ (PLA$_2$) and phenoloxidase. Organic extracts of Siheung and Jungrang sediments significantly interfered with the hemocytespreading behavior, whereas those of Ansan, Gapyeong, and Juwang did not. These organic extracts did not inhibit the PLA$_2$ and phenoloxidase activities. However, phenoloxidase was highly susceptible to exposure to aqueous extracts in all site sediments. In comparison, PLA$_2$ activities of the hemocytes were significantly inhibited only by aqueous extracts of Siheung, Jungrang, and Gapyeong sediments, but not by those of Ansan and Juwang. Despite some disparity between bioand chemical monitoring results, the biomarkers can be recommended as a device warning the contamination of biohazard environmental chemicals because of a fast and inexpensive detection method.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
• /
• 제52권3호
• /
• pp.245-258
• /
• 2022

Purpose: This study compared the root canal anatomy between cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) images before and after biomechanical preparation and root canal filling. Materials and Methods: Isthmus-containing mesial roots of mandibular molars(n=14) were scanned by micro-CT and 3 CBCT devices: 3D Accuitomo 170 (ACC), NewTom 5G (N5G) and NewTom VGi evo (NEVO). Two calibrated observers evaluated the images for 2-dimensional quantitative parameters, the presence of debris or root perforation, and filling quality in the root canal and isthmus. The kappa coefficient, analysis of variance, and the Tukey test were used for statistical analyses(α=5%). Results: Substantial intra-observer agreement (κ=0.63) was found between micro-CT and ACC, N5G, and NEVO. Debris detection was difficult using ACC (42.9%), N5G (40.0%), and NEVO (40%), with no agreement between micro-CT and ACC, N5G, and NEVO (0.05<κ<0.12). After biomechanical preparation, 2.4%-4.8% of CBCT images showed root perforation that was absent on micro-CT. The 2D parameters showed satisfactory reproducibility between micro-CT and ACC, N5G, and NEVO (intraclass correlation coefficient: 0.60-0.73). Partially filled isthmuses were observed in 2.9% of the ACC images, 8.8% of the N5G and NEVO images, and 26.5% of the micro-CT images, with no agreement between micro-CT and ACC, and poor agreement between micro-CT and N5G and NEVO. Excellent agreement was found for area, perimeter, and the major and minor diameters, while the roundness measures were satisfactory. Conclusion: CBCT images aided in isthmus detection and classification, but did not allow their classification after biomechanical preparation and root canal filling.