• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Environmental Biology Conference
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• 2005.12a
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• pp.38-45
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• 2005

The egg bags of Korean salamander(Hynobius leechii) were collected from farmlands in Gyeongsangnam-do area. The assumed breeding time, numerical variation of embryos in each egg bag, mortality and the rates of abnormalities were investigated. The toxicity of benomyl, the metabolite carbendazim and BIC which were frequently spread in agricultural area and caused spontaneous embryonic malformation was investigated. The assumed breeding time between the end of February and the end of March has the difference about a month because of a habitat and it takes about 2 or 3 weeks from laying eggs to hatching. The length of each egg bag and the number of embryos were very varied in each area. It is due to geographical variation. Among egg bags in total study area, only 406 of egg bags(17.70% of total egg bags) developed all of embryos to normal larvae, and 78.49% of total embryos were normally developed. The patterns of spontaneous embryonic malformation were 26 species from A to Z and the abnormal patterns in individual were 8 species and above. the geographical differences about the abnormal pattern were identified and 11 habitats categorized 4 groups. The most frequent abnormality in Gyeongsangnam-do area is the dysplasia of external gill. The caudal dysplasia, abdominal blister and dysplasia of fin were also frequently observed. Individuals showing severe external defect were histologically studied and they showed retinal hypo-pigmentation, thyroid carcinoma, somatic muscular dysplasia, degeneration of cephalic neuron and various organ dysplasia. Benomyl and carbendazim were treated by 10pM$^{\sim}$10uM and BIC was treated by 1$^{\sim}$40ppm to know the effect of toxicity about toxic substance of salamander. After benomyl was treated, a survival rate was sharply dropped from 2 to 8 days. $LC_{100}$ identified in $1{\mu}M$, $LC_{50}$ identified between 100nM and $1{\mu}M$. $EC_{50}$ was assumed between 10nM and 100nM. The prevalent external malformation was abdomen swelled abnormally and histo-pathological effects were abdomen, neural tube and lens hernia. This suggests that benomyl is the toxicitic substance which inhibits the development of digestive system and nervous system. The result of treated carbendazim was similar to that of the treated benomyl. The survival rate is sharply dropped between 2 and 6 days. $LC_{100}$ was identified $1{\mu}M$ and $LC_{50}$ was identified between 10nM and 100nM. This shows that cabendazim has stronger lethal toxicity than benomyl. Ventral blister, eye dysplasia and cephalic dysplasia in the individual of external malformation mean that cabendazim affected nervous system much more than benomyl. Because the toxicity of BIC affected less in the beginning but affected more in the near hatching period, the period causing toxicity is somewhat different. $LC_{100}$ identified near 40ppm and $LC_{50}$ identified near 25ppm. The external defect shows mainly ventral blister and histo-pathological results show intestinal deformities. This result suggests the BIC inhibited strongly the development of digestive system. These abnormal developments may be caused by antimitotic action, inhibition of tubulin complex, destruction of microtubule, inhibitions of neurulation and closing of neural fold, and by the inhibition of movement of neural crest cells of benomyl. These abnormal developments may be caused by the rupture of epithelium, the loss of microtubule, the reduction of spindle size, the inhibition of spindle assembly formation, the destruction of spindle poles of carbendazim. These abnormal developments may be caused cytotoxicity by inhibition of the synthesis of a number of macromolecules and similar reaction the inhibition of benomyl.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.8-25
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• 2020

Industrialization has increased the production of road-deposited sediments (RDS) and the level of heavy metals in those RDS, which can have a significant impact on the surrounding aquatic environments through non-point pollution. Although the relationship between contamination characteristics and particle size of RDS is important for pollution control, there is very little information on this. In this study, we investigated the characteristics of grain size distribution and heavy metal concentrations in the road-deposited sediments (RDS) collected from 25 stations in Shihwa Industrial Complex. The environmental impact of RDS with particle size is also studied. I_geo, the contamination assessment index of each metal concentration, represents the RDS from Shihwa Industrial Complex are very highly polluted with Cu, Zn, Pb and Sb, and the levels of those metals were 633~3605, 130~1483, 120~1997, 5.5~50 mg/kg, respectively. The concentrations of heavy metals in RDS increased with the decrease in particle size. The particle size fraction below 250 ㎛ was very dominant with mass and contamination loads, 78.6 and 70.4%, respectively. Particles less than 125 ㎛ of RDS were highly contaminated and toxic to benthic organisms in rivers. RDS particles larger than 250 ㎛ and smaller than 250 ㎛ were contaminated by the surrounding industrial facility and vehicle activities, respectively. As a result of this study, the clean-up of fine particles of RDS, smaller than 125-250 ㎛, is very important for the control and reduction of non-point pollution to nearby water in Shihwa Industrial Complex.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.227-249
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• 2016

Arsenic and its compounds vary in their toxicity according to the chemical forms. Inorganic arsenic is more toxic and known as carcinogen. The provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) of $15{\mu}g/kg$ b.w./week established by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) has been withdrawn, while the EFSA panel suggested $BMDL_{0.1}$ $0.3{\sim}8{\mu}g/kg\;b.w./day$ for cancers of the lung, skin and bladder, as well as skin lesions. Rice, seaweed and beverages are known as food being rich in inorganic arsenic. As(III) is the major form of inorganic arsenic in rice and anaerobic paddy soils, while most of inorganic arsenic in seaweed is present as As(V). The inorganic arsenic in food was extracted with solvent such as distilled water, methanol, nitric acid and so on in heat-assisted condition or at room temperature. Arsenic speciation analysis was based on ion-exchange chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography equipped with atomic absorption spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. However, there has been no harmonized and standardized method for inorganic arsenic analysis internationally. The inorganic arsenic exposure from food has been estimated to range of $0.13{\sim}0.7{\mu}g/kg$ bw/day for European, American and Australian, and $0.22{\sim}5{\mu}g/kg$ bw/day for Asian. The maximum level (ML) for inorganic arsenic in food has established by EU, China, Australia and New Zealand, but are under review in Korea. Until now, several studies have conducted for reduction of inorganic arsenic in food. Inorganic arsenic levels in rice and seaweed were reduced by more polishing and washing, boiling and washing, respectively. Further research for international harmonization of analytical method, monitoring and risk assessment will be needed to strengthen safety management of inorganic arsenic of foods in Korea.

• 한국균학회소식:학술대회논문집
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• 2014.10a
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• pp.25-25
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• 2014

Three species of Fusarium, F. fujikuroi, F. verticillioides and F. proliferatum, are known to be associated with bakanae disease of rice [1, 2]. F. fujikuroi infects rice flowers and survive in endosperm and embryo of the seeds. Infected seed is an important source of primary inoculum of pathogens [3]. Seeds of rice (Oryza sativa cv. Boramchan) collected from bakanae-infected field were found to be 96% infected with Fusarium sp., 52% with F. fujikuroi, 42% with F. verticillioides, and 12% with F. proliferatum as determined by incubation method and species-specific PCR assays. F. fujikuroi was detected at lemma/palea, endosperm and embryo whereas F. verticillioides and F. proliferatum were recovered only from lemma/palea by means of component plating test. Seed disinfection methods have been developed to control bakanae disease and prochloraz has been most widely used for rice seeds. Two chemicals formulated with prochloraz (PC 1) and prochloraz + hexaconazole (PC 2) that inhibit biosynthesis of ergosterol strongly reduced the incidence of Fusarium spp. on selective media to 4.7% and 2.0%, respectively. Disease symptoms of rice seedlings in nursery soil were alleviated by chemical treatment; seedlings with elongated leaves or wide angle between leaf and stem were strikingly reduced from 15.6 to 3.2% (PC 1) and 0 (PC 2), stem rots were reduced from 56.9 to 26.2% (PC 1) and 32.1% (PC 2), and normal seedling increased from 0.4 to 13.3% (PC 2). Prochloraz has some disadvantages and risks such as the occurrence of tolerant pathogens [4] and effects on the sterol synthesis in animals and humans [5]. For these reasons, it is necessary to develop new disinfection method that do not induce fungal tolerance and are safe to humans and animals. Chlorine dioxide ($ClO_2$), that is less toxic, produces no harmful byproducts, and has high oxidizing power, has been reported to be effective at disinfection of several phytopathogenic fungi including Colletotrichum spp. and Alternaria spp. [6]. Gaseous $ClO_2$ applied to rice seeds at a concentration of 20 ppm strongly suppressed mycelial growth of Fusarium fujikuroi, F. verticillioides and F. proliferatum. The incidence of Fusarium spp. in dry seed with 8.7% seed moisture content (SMC) tended to decrease as the concentration of $ClO_2$ increased from 20 to 40 ppm. Applying 40 ppm $ClO_2$ at 90% relative humidity, incidence was reduced to 5.3% and resulted in significant reduction of disease symptoms on MS media. In nursery soil, stem rot was reduced from 56.9 to 15.4% and the number of normal seedlings increased from 0.4 to 25.5%. With water-soaked seeds (33.1% SMC) holding moisture in the endosperm and embryo, the effectiveness of disinfection using $ClO_2$ increased, even when treated with only 20 ppm for four hours. This suggests that moisture was a key element for action of $ClO_2$. Removal of the palea and lemma from seeds significantly decreased the incidence of Fusarium spp. to 3.0%. Seed germination appeared to decrease slightly by water-soaking at $30^{\circ}C$ because of increased SMC and by physical damage of embryos from hulling. These results indicate that the use of gaseous $ClO_2$ was effective as a means to disinfect rice seeds infected with Fusarium spp. and that moisture around the pathogens in the seed was an important factor for the action of $ClO_2$. Further investigations should be conducted to ascertain the best conditions for complete disinfection of Fusarium spp. that infect deep site of rice seeds.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.12
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• pp.1688-1696
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• 2012

Oenanthe javanica has been used as a food source and also in traditional folk medicine for its detoxifying properties and anti-microbial effects since ancient times. In this study, we evaluated the effect and mechanism of O. javanica seed methanol extract (OJSE) on adipocyte differentiation by 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. Under non-toxic conditions, OJSE treatment resulted in a dose-dependent inhibition of lipid droplet generation and triglyceride accumulation by suppressing adipocyte differentiation, which are associated with the decreased expression of key proadipogenic transcription factors including CCAAR/enhancer binding protein ${\alpha}$, ${\beta}$ ($C/EBP{\alpha}$, $C/EBP{\beta}$) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\gamma}$ ($PPAR{\gamma}$). OJSE also significantly inhibited proliferation and differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes through G1-phase arrest, indicating that OJSE blocked mitotic clonal expansion during adipocyte differentiation. Investigation of the alteration of G1 phase arrest-related proteins indicated a dose-dependent increase in the expression of p21 and reduction in expression of cyclin E, Cdk2, E2F-1 and phospho-Rb by OSJE. Taken together, these results suggest that OJSE inhibits adipocyte differentiation by blocking the mitotic clonal expansion, which is accompanied by preadipocyte cell cycle arrest.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.46 no.11
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• pp.1278-1285
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• 2017

Accumulation of excess low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in the blood can initiate and accelerate atherosclerosis. Statins mediate the transactivation of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), which in turn limits their cholesterol-lowering effects via LDL receptor (LDLR) degradation. The objective of this study was to investigate whether or not Allium tuberosum (AT) regulates LDLR and PCSK9. Mice were fed a low fat control diet (LD) or Western diet (WD) supplemented with AT (1%, w/w). AT significantly attenuated total and LDL cholesterol levels in mice fed WD (P<0.05). AT also significantly inhibited hepatic PCSK9 gene expression (P<0.05) while AT maintained hepatic LDLR gene expression. To further investigate AT-mediated PCSK9 regulation, HepG2 cells were treated with 10% delipidated serum (DLPS) in the presence or absence of AT. Non-toxic level of AT dose-dependently increased the LDLR protein level, and AT at $400{\mu}g/mL$ markedly inhibited PCSK9 protein expression. Similarly, AT significantly increased LDLR gene expression, whereas it significantly down-regulated PCSK9 gene expression. AT-mediated reduction of PCSK9 gene expression is likely due to decreased hepatic nuclear factor $1{\alpha}$ ($HNF1{\alpha}$) expression, but not SREBP2 in HepG2 cells under lipid-depleted conditions. AT-mediated PCSK9 inhibition contributed to LDLR protein stabilization via protection against LDLR lysosomal degradation in HepG2 cells under lipid-depleted conditions. Further investigation is warranted to determine the active components of AT and whether or not these components are effective in reducing hypercholesterolemia.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.392-399
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• 2018

Toxicity assessment of antifouling agent, zinc undecylenate (ZU) has been investigated using the rate of survival and population growth in marine rotifer, Brachionus plicatilis. The survival rate of Brachionus plicatilis was determined after 24 h of exposure to ZU and was not affected up to the maximum level of $100.0mg\;L^{-1}$ of ZU. The population growth rate (r) was determined after 72 h of exposure to ZU. It was observed that r in the controls (absence ZU) was greater than 0.5 but exhibited a sudden decrease with an increase in the concentration of ZU. ZU reduced r in a dose-dependent manner and a significant reduction occurred at a concentration greater than $12.5mg\;L^{-1}$. The 50% effective concentration ($EC_{50}$) value of r during ZU exposure was $26.4mg\;L^{-1}$, No-observed-effect-concentration (NOEC) was $6.3mg\;L^{-1}$ and Lowest-observed-effect-concentration (LOEC) was $12.5mg\;L^{-1}$, respectively. Based on the results, it is apparent that ZU concentration greater than $12.5mg\;L^{-1}$ exhibited a toxic effect on the r of zooplankton, B. plicatilis in natural ecosystems.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.173-180
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• 2019

Amyloid ${\beta}$-protein ($A{\beta}$) is the principal component of senile plaques characteristic of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and elicits a toxic effect on neurons in vitro and in vivo. Many environmental factors, including antioxidants and proteoglycans, modify $A{\beta}$ toxicity. It is worthwhile to isolate novel natural compounds that could prove therapeutic for patients with AD without causing detrimental side effects. In this study, we investigated the in vitro neuroprotective effects of the ethyl acetate fraction of methanol extract of Ophiophogon japonicas (OJEA fraction). We used an MTT reduction assay to detect protective effects of the OJEA fraction on $A{\beta}_{25-35}$-induced cytotoxicity to PC12 cells. We also used a cell-based ${\beta}$-secretase assay system to investigate the inhibitory effect of the OJEA fraction on ${\beta}$-secretase activity. In addition, we performed an in vitro lipid peroxidation assay to evaluate the protective effect of the OJEA fraction against oxidative stress induced by $A{\beta}_{25-35}$ in PC12 cells. The OJEA fraction had strong protective effects against $A{\beta}_{25-35}$-induced cytotoxicity to PC12 cells and was strongly inhibitory to ${\beta}$-secretase activity, which resulted in the attenuation of $A{\beta}$ generation. In addition, the OJEA fraction significantly decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) content, which is induced by the exposure of PC12 cells to $A{\beta}_{25-35}$. Our results suggested that the OJEA fraction contained active compounds exhibiting a neuroprotective effect on $A{\beta}$ toxicity.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.193-203
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• 2023

Ethyl formate (EF) is a naturally occurring insecticidal compound and is used to control pests introduced from abroad, in quarantine, by a fumigation method. In particular, it is mainly used as a substitute for methyl bromide and is less toxic to humans and less harmful to plants. This study aimed to investigate the possible acute toxicity of EF to useful organisms, and how to reduce phytotoxicity in watermelon, zucchini, and oriental melon. After fumigation with EF for 2 h, the LC₅₀ values for earthworms, honey bees, and silkworms were 39.9, 7.09, and 17.9g m^-3, respectively. The degree of susceptibility to EF was in the order of earthworms, silkworms, and honey bees based on the LC₅₀ value, and EF fumigation induced stronger acute toxicity to honey bees. Phytotoxicity was observed in watermelon leaves treated with a concentration of 7.5 g m^-3 EF, and when treated with a concentration of 10.0g m^-3, it was confirmed that the edges of watermelon leaves were charred and seemed to be damaged by acids. Zucchini and melon, and other cucurbits, showed strong damage to the leaves when treated with a concentration of 10 g m^-3, and sodium silicate, at concentrations of 10% and 20%, was used to reduce phytotoxicity. Therefore, acute toxicity towards nontarget organisms and phytotoxicity during the fumigation of EF should be reduced for efficient agricultural pest control.