In the Ti(CN)-Co/Ni cermet, WC is an effective additive for increasing sinterability and mechanical properties such as toughness and hardness. In this work, WC, (WTi)C and (WTi)(CN) were used as the source of WC and their effects were investigated in the respect of microstructural evolution and mechanical properties. Regardless of the kinds of WC sources, the hard phase with dark core and bright rim structure was observed in the Ti(CN)-Co/Ni cermet under the incorporation of relatively small amount of WC. However, hard phases with bright core began to appear and their frequency increased with the increase of all kinds of WC source addition. The ratio of bright core to dark one in the (TiW)(CN)-Co/Ni cermet was greatest under the incorporation of (WTi)C compared at the same equivalent amount of WC. The mechanical properties were improved with the addition of WC irrespective of the kinds of sources, but the addition of (WTi)(CN) was less effective for the increase of fracture toughness.

To investigate the modifying effect of Kwao Kreu, Pueraria mirifica (PM), we performed two kind of studies which are the non-surgical medium-term carcinogenicity study and the modulation of gap functional intercellular communication study. The first study, a non-surgical medium-term carcinogenicity bioassay was done to investigate the modifying effect of Kwao Kent, Pueraria mirifica (PM), a rejuvenating folk medicine from Thailand, on the male F344 rat liver. Specific pathogen free, male 6-week-old F344 rats were divided into ten groups. To induce hepatocarcinogenesis, those in all groups were given a single i.p. injection of DEN (200 mg/kg) and were received two i.p. injection of DGA (300 mg/kg) at the ends of weeks 2 and 5. Rats of group 3-6 were given sodium phenobarbital (PB 0.05 % in drink). A diet containing 10 mg/kg PM was given to group 2 during the post-initiation phase and to groups 4 and 5 during promotion and initiation phase, respectively. Group 6 was given the experimental diet alone throughout the experiment (8 weeks). Rats of group 7, 8, 9 and 10 were fed 1000 mg/kg PM in the same manner as group 2, 4, 5 and 6. All animals were sacrificed at 8 weeks after DEN administration. Result of the iimmunohistochemical staining of the glutathione S-transferase placental form (GST-p) indicated that the numbers and areas of the preneoplastic leisions were not significantly changed in all PM treatment group comparing to control group. A.Iso the numbers and areas of GST-p positive foci among group 7, 8, 9 and 10 were not significantly changed in comparing to control group. To study the effect of PM on the modulation of gap functional intercellular communication, the present study was performed scrape-loading dye transfer (SL/DT) assay in human keratinocytes. The results showed that PM could not modulate GJIC. These results indicate that Pueraria mirifzca may have no carcinogenic effects on experimental hepatocarcinogenesis in rats and gap functional intercellular communication in human keratinocyte.

This study was carried out to evaluate the irritant potential of P-toothpaste in hamster cheek pouch. The test materials were applied once at the beginning of this study into right pouches of hamsters and maintained for 14 days. Animals were administered with P-toothpaste, Bamboo salt toothpaste, D.W. and control solution, respectively. In order to evaluate the irritant potential in mucosa of hamster cheek pouch, we observed clinical signs, mortality, body weights and gross and histopathological findings for 14 days. In all groups, there were neither dead animals nor significant changes of body weights. In addition, there were no differences between D.W. and Ptoothpaste treated group in gross and histopathological findings. Therefore, these results suggest that there was little irritant potential of P-toothpaste in hamster cheek pouch.

The aim of this study is to suggest the social vulnerability index for reflecting social properties of a region, such as population and economy, in vulnerability assessment. For such a research objective, this study composed the assessment index with 'social vulnerability' and 'physical vulnerability'. Also, this study composed the social vulnerability with 'population vulnerability index', 'economic vulnerability index' and 'information vulnerability index' while composing the physical vulnerability with 'flood-risk index', and then selected proxy variables. In addition, this study determined the weight using an entropy weight measurement as an objective weight measurement. The vulnerability assessment result is as follows: First, the vulnerable areas were concentrated around the inner harbours and some rivers of Incheon. Second, the areas vulnerable to the flood caused by climate change were found to be highly vulnerable socially as well as physically. Third, results of assessment were different according to the social properties of an areas despite the identical level of flood risk. The resultant implications are following. First, there is the necessity of having to put emphasis on social vulnerability of an area from the perspective of adaptation to climate change. Second, there is the necessity of having to arrange effective social and physical adaptation strategy based on the results of vulnerability assessment.