• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.639-646
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• 2005

In this research, we tried to develop the application method to water management and treatment using toxicity test method. When we measure the toxicity of environmental samples, we have to decide whether we take some countermeasures to reduce the toxicity or not. The first issue is how to set these action levels in each bioassays. A new idea was attempted to authorize indirect approach of each bioassays through the response characteristics against mixture of chemicals in water quality standard. The significant response in the cell-growth-inhibition bioassay was detected for standards-mixture(STDs). For acute toxicity assay, STDs-based implicit correlation between risks to humans and bioassay data showed a rational approach to set action levels in practical management. A simple model was proposed to describe and predict the changes in the total toxicity based on the concentrations of toxic-controlling chemicals during the ozonation of landfill leachates. On the basis of this simple model, toxicity reduction was predicted for pre-aggregation treatment before ozonation and ozone concentration during the ozonation. The method proposed in this study would be useful in optimizing water treatment processes and their running conditions in terms of the toxicity reduction efficacy.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.9 no.1_2
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• pp.1-8
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• 1994

Nerve conduction impairment in lead neuropathy has been empirically linked to altered nerve myo-inositol metabolism. In most cases of neuropathy, abnormal myo-inositol metabolism is associated with abnormal $Na^+/K^+$ATPase provides a potential mechanism to relate defects of the myo-inositol metabolism in the peripheral nerve treated with lead. Therefore, the effect of lead on the rat sciatic nerve $Na^+/K^+$ATPase and other ATPase of sciatic nerve was studied. ATPase activity was measured enzymatically in sciatic nerve homogenates from 2-wk lead treated neuropathy rats and age-mached controls administered myo-inositol. $Na^+/K^+$ATPase components were assessed by ouabain inhibition or the omission of sodium and potassium ions. Lead reduced 50% reduction in the $Na^+/K^+$ATPase activity in homogenates of sciatic nerve. The 50% reduction in the $Na^+/K^+$ ATPase activity was selectively prevented by myo-inositol treatment. This study suggests that the toxic mechanism of the lead on peripheral nerve may be through reduction in $Na^+/K^+$ATPase activity which has been linked to axonal transport slowing in the rat model of lead neuropathy, via direct changes by the perturbation of the intracelluar sodium or potasium level.

• BMB Reports
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• v.48 no.11
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• pp.609-617
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• 2015

NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1), an obligatory two-electron reductase, is a ubiquitous cytosolic enzyme that catalyzes the reduction of quinone substrates. The NQO1- mediated two-electron reduction of quinones can be either chemoprotection/detoxification or a chemotherapeutic response, depending on the target quinones. When toxic quinones are reduced by NQO1, they are conjugated with glutathione or glucuronic acid and excreted from the cells. Based on this protective effect of NQO1, the use of dietary compounds to induce the expression of NQO1 has emerged as a promising strategy for cancer prevention. On the other hand, NQO1-mediated two-electron reduction converts certain quinone compounds (such as mitomycin C, E09, RH1 and β-lapachone) to cytotoxic agents, leading to cell death. It has been known that NQO1 is expressed at high levels in numerous human cancers, including breast, colon, cervix, lung, and pancreas, as compared with normal tissues. This implies that tumors can be preferentially damaged relative to normal tissue by cytotoxic quinone drugs. Importantly, NQO1 has been shown to stabilize many proteins, including p53 and p33ING1b, by inhibiting their proteasomal degradation. This review will summarize the biological roles of NQO1 in cancer, with emphasis on recent findings and the potential of NQO1 as a therapeutic target for the cancer therapy.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.244-249
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• 1999

In order to find less toxic antiviral agents from Basidiomycetes, EA, the water soluble substance, was prepared from the carpophores of Elfvingia applanata(Pers.) Karst. Antiviral activity of EA against vesicular stomatitis virus [Indiana serotype, VSV(IND)] was examined in Vero cells using plaque reduction assay in vitro. And the combined antiviral effects of EA with interferon (IFN) alpha or gamma were examined on the multiplication of VSV(IND). EA caused a concentration-dependent reduction in the plaque formation of VSV(IND) with 50% effective concentration $(EC_{50})$ of $104.02\;{\mu}g/ml$. The results of combination assay were evaluated by the combination index (CI) that was analysed by the multiple drug effect analysis. All cases of the combination of EA with IFN alpha or IFN gamma showed potent synergism with CI values of $0.38{\sim}0.52$ for $50{\sim}90%$ effective levels.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.51-72
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• 2009

Objectives : This study was designed to evaluate the effects of Ohyaksungi-san(Wuyaoshungi-san) and Jungsongouhyul pharmacopuncture on pain reduction and nerve regeneration after crush injury in rat sciatic nerve. Methods : Animal model was produced through crush injury of right sciatic nerve and they were divided into four groups; Group I: no treatment control group; Group II: experimental group treated with Ohyaksungi-san(Wuyaoshungi-san); Group III: experimental group treated with Jungsongouhyul pharmacopuncture; Group IV: experimental group treated with Ohyaksungi-san(Wuyaoshungi-san) and Jungsongouhyul pharmacopuncture. For the assessment of pain, this study was observed the paw withdrawal latency(PWL) and immunoreactivity on the substance-P. For the assessment of nerve regeneration, the sciatic functional index(SFI) and immunoreactivity on the BDNF were measured. Results : 1. In the assessment of pain, the PWL of experimental groups was significantly higher than control group and group IV was significantly higher than other groups at the all days. 2. In immunohistochemical response of substance-P, as time passes, the immunoreactivity of all groups were decreased gradully. Especially, group IV had the lowest immunoreactivity. 3. In the assessment of SFI, the SFI of experimental groups were significantly higher than control group. 4. In immunohistochemical response of BDNF, the BDNF immunoreactivity of all groups was significantly higher than control group and especially, group IV had the highest immunoreactivity at the 14 days after injury. 5. H & E stain was used on the liver and kidney to investigate toxic effect of Jungsongouhyul pharmacopuncture and Ohyaksungi-san(Wuyaoshungi-san) on on 21 days after injury. However there were no any toxic effects both control group and experimental groups. Conclusions : On the basis of these results, we propose that Ohyaksungi-san(Wuyaoshungi-san) and Jungsongouhyul pharmacopuncture were related to pain reduction and motor nerve recovery, also decreased substance-P expression and increased BDNF expression after crush injury of sciatic nerve, especially these two treatments could be more effective when they were combined simultaneously.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.41 no.11
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• pp.318-327
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• 2017

Background: A typical sewage treatment plant is designed for organic and nutrient removal from municipal sewage water and not targeted to eliminate micropollutants such as pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and nano-sized metals which become a big concern for sustainable human and ecological system and are mainly discharged from sewage treatment plant. Therefore, despite contaminant removal by wastewater treatment processes, there are still remaining environmental risks by untreated pollutants in STP (sewage treatment plant) effluents. This study performed aquatic toxicity tests of raw wastewater and treated effluents in two sewage treatment plants to evaluate toxicity reduction by wastewater treatment process and analyze concentration of contaminants to reveal potential toxic factors in STP effluents. Methods: Water samples were collected from each treatment steps of two STPs, and acute and chronic toxicity tests were conducted following USEPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency) and OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) guidelines. Endpoints were immobility for mortality and reproduction effect for estrogenicity. Results: Acute $EC_{50}s$ (median effective concentration) of influents for Seungki (SK) and Jungnang (JN) STPs are $54.13{\pm}32.64%$ and $30.38{\pm}24.96%$, respectively, and reduced to $96.49{\pm}7.84%$ and 100%. Acute toxicity reduction was clearly correlated with SS (suspended solids) concentration because of filter feeding characteristics of test organisms. Chronic toxicity tests revealed that lethal effect was reduced and low concentration of influents showed higher number of neonates. However, toxicity reduction was not related to nutrient removal. Fecundity effect positively increased in treated wastewater compared to that in raw wastewater, and no significant differences were observed compared to the control group in JN final effluent implying potential effects of estrogenic compounds in the STP effluents. Conclusions: Conventional wastewater treatment process reduced some organics and nutritional compounds from wastewater, and it results in toxicity reduction in lethal effect and positive reproductive effect but not showing correlation. Unknown estrogenic compounds could be a reason causing the increase of brood size. This study suggests that pharmaceutical residues and nanoparticles in STP effluents are one of the major micropollutants and underline as one of estrogenic effect factors.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.33-38
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• 2015

In this study, flat-type photocatalytic reaction system is applied to reduce toxic hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) to trivalent chromium (Cr(III)) in aqueous solution under UV irradiation. To overcome the limitation of conventional photocatalysis, a novel approach toward photocatalytic system for reduction of hexavalent chromium including nanotubular $TiO_2$ (NTT) on two kinds of titanium substrates (foil and mesh) were established. In addition, modified Ti substrates were prepared by bending treatment to increase reaction efficiency of Cr(VI) in the flat-type photocatalytic reactor. For the fabrication of NTT on Ti substrates, Ti foil and mesh was anodized with mixed electrolytes ($NH_4F-H_2O-C_2H_6O_2$) and then annealed in ambient oxygen. The prepared NTT arrays were uniformly grown on two Ti substrates and surface property measurements were performed through SEM and XRD. Hydraulic retention time(HRT) and substrate type were significantly affected the Cr(VI) reduction. Hence, the photocatalytic Cr(VI) reduction was observed to be highest up to 95% at bended(modified) Ti mesh and lowest HRT. Especially, Ti mesh was more effective as NTT substrate in this research.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.343-347
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• 2022

Recently, the problem of global warming caused by greenhouse gases is getting serious due to the development of industry and the increase in transportation means. Accordingly, the need for a technology to reduce carbon dioxide, which accounts for most of the greenhouse gas, is increasing. Among them, a catalyst for converting carbon dioxide into fuel is being actively studied. Catalysts for reducing carbon dioxide are classified into thermal catalysts and photocatalysts. In particular, the photocatalyst has the advantage that carbon dioxide can be reduced only by irradiating ultraviolet rays at room temperature without high temperature or additional gas. TiO₂ is widely used as a photocatalyst because it is non-toxic and has high stability, but has a disadvantage of low carbon dioxide reduction efficiency. To increase the reduction efficiency, 1-propanol was used in the synthesis process. This prevents agglomeration of the catalyst and increases the specific surface area and pores of TiO₂, thereby increasing the surface area in contact with carbon dioxide. As a result of measuring the CO₂ reduction efficiency, it was confirmed that the efficiency of TiO₂ with 1-propanol and TiO₂ without 1-propanol was 19% and 12.3%, respectively, and the former showed a 1.5 times improved efficiency.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.175-180
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• 2001

Purpose: The advantages of air reduction are the ease of performing the procedure, reduced radiation time and lower morbidity rate if perforation occurs. But, patients who fail air reduction undergo a laparotomy at which 10% have spontaneously reduced. The first enema decreases the edema and venous congestion of bowel wall, thus repeated reduction may succeed. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of delayed repeated pneumatic reduction of intussusception in patients with failure of an initial attempt. Methods: Between January 1998 and December 1999, 21 patients with proven intussusception received repeated delayed reduction 1 to 3 hours following the first failed attempt. These patients were in stable condition and did not have peritonitis, shock or toxic sign. Results: Before reduction, the patients had symptoms and signs for 6 to 48 hours (median 24 hr). The interval from the first reduction to the repeated was 1 to 3 hours (median 2.2 hr). The success rate of repeated reductions was 76.2% (16 of 21 patients), and 23.8% (5 of 21 patients) required surgery. Four of 5 patients requiring surgery were manually reduced and 1 spontaneously reduced in the operating room. Conclusion: We recommended a repeated reduction in patients with intussusception who are in stable clinical condition after an unsuccessful initial reduction attempt.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.238-244
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• 2012

Toxic effects of heavy metal (Pb, Cr, As) were examined by the hatching rates of fertilized eggs in the oliver flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus. Eggs were exposed to Pb, Cr, As (0, 10, 100, 500, 1,000, 2,500, 5,000 ppb) and then normal hatching rates were investigated after 48 h. The normal hatching rates in the control condition (not including heavy metal) were greater than 80%, but suddenly decreased with increasing of heavy metal concentrations. Pb, Cr and As reduced the normal hatching rates in concentration-dependent way and a significant reduction occurred at concentration grater than 100, 100, 500 ppb, respectively. The ranking of heavy metal toxicity was Cr>As>Pb, with $EC_{50}$ values of 415, 518 and 1,029 ppb, respectively. The no-observed-effect-concentration (NOEC) and lowest-observed-effect-concentration (LOEC) show each 100 bbp and 500 ppb of normal hatching rates in exposed to Pb and As. The NOEC and LOEC of normal hatching rates in Cr were 10 ppb and 100 ppb, respectively. From these results, the normal hatching rates of P. olivaceus have toxic effect at greater than the 100 ppb concentrations in Pb, As and the 10 ppb concentrations in Cr in natural ecosystems. These results suggest that biological assay using the normal hatching rates of P. olivaceus are very useful test method for the toxicity assessment of a toxic substance as heavy metal in marine ecosystems.