Disulfiram is a drug used to treat alcohol dependence. Recent studies have shown that disulfiram also has anti-cancer effects. Considering that many anti-cancer agents have side effects, including immunosuppression, it is important to check if disulfiram has some cytotoxicity to immune cells. In this study, mouse spleen cells were treated with disulfiram and the metabolic activity was measured. Disulfiram increased the cell death of spleen cells according to annexin V-FITC/PI staining analysis. In addition, disulfiram decreased the mitochondrial membrane potential of spleen cells. The toxicity of disulfiram was concentration dependent. Interestingly, disulfiram affected the population of lymphocytes and the subset of spleen cells was altered. This study provides clinicians and researchers with valuable information regarding the toxicity of disulfiram to mouse spleen cells, particularly lymphocytes.

Miticidal and repellent activity of twenty plant essential oils against the adults of two spotted spider mites, Tetranychus urticae, were examined. Sandalwood oil was the most potent one in mortality, whereas clary sage oil exhibited the greatest repellent activity. On those twenty essential oils tested, no apparent correlation between toxicity and repellency was observed. The chemical compositions of sandalwood and clary sage oils were identified via GC/MS analyses. The major constituents of sandalwood oils were sesquiterpene compounds, whereas the major ones for clary sage oil were monoterpenes. Among the major components in clary sage oil, linalyl acetate was not only the most abundant constituent, but also the most responsible one for its repellent activity against the adults of the two spotted spider mites. Nevertheless, the combination of seven major constituents of clary sage oil showed lesser repellent activity than the original essential oil did, implying the presence of interactions between the major and minor constituents affecting the overall repellent activity of the crude oil.

To find best humidity condition for the use of Beauveria ARP14 against Grapholita molesta (Busck), first instar of G. molesta was treated with three conidial concentrations (1×107, 1×108, and 1×109 conidia/ml) in three different relative humidities (RH; 55, 75, and 95%). Mortality varied depending on concentration and humidity. Mortality in 95% RH was 1.5 and 2.7 times higher than 75 and 52% humidity at 1×109 conidia/ml and 16 hours after the exposure. However, the mycosis rates after 14 days were all not different among the treatments. In conclusion B. bassiana ARP14 could be most effective when applied higher at RH condition.

본 연구에서는, 20종의 식물정유를 이용하여 점박이응애 성충에 대한 살비활성 및 기피활성을 확인하였다. 살비활성 평가에서는 샌달우드 오일이, 기피활성 평가에서는 클라리 세이지 오일이 가장 높은 효과를 나타내었고, 평가에 사용한 20종의 식물정유간에는 살비활성과 기피활성간 의 상관관계가 매우 낮게 나타났다. 높은 활성을 나타낸 정유들의 혼합시험에서는, 거의 대부분의 조합이 서로간에 저해효과를 갖는 것으로 확인되었다. 샌달우드 및 클라리 세이지 오일의 구성성분은 GC/MS 분석을 통해 확인하였으며, 샌달우드는 세스퀴터펜류가, 클라리 세이지 오일은 모노 터펜류가 주종을 이루었다. 클라리세이지 오일의 구성성분 중에서는 linalyl acetate가 가장 높은 함량을 갖고 있을 뿐만 아니라, 해당정유가 기피효과를 갖는 주된 효능물질임을 확인하였다.

해산로티퍼 (Brachionus plicatilis)의 생존 및 개체군 성장률 (r)을 사용하여 Zinc undecylenate (ZU)에 대한 독성평가를 실시하였다. 24 h 동안 ZU에 노출된 B. plicatilis의 생존율은 실험 최고농도 100 mg L-1에서도 영향이 나타나지 않았으나, ZU에 72 h 노출된 개체군 성장률 (r)은 농도 의존적으로 감소하는 경향을 나타내, 12.5 mg L-1 에서 유의적인 감소를 나타냈고 최고농도 50.0 mg L-1에서 개체군 성장률이 90% 이상 감소되었다. ZU에 노출된 B. plicatilis의 개체군 성장률의 반수영향농도 (EC50)값은 26.4 mg L-1, 무영향농도 (NOEC)는 6.3 mg L-1, 최소영향농도 (LOEC)는 12.5 mg L-1로 나타났다. 자연생태계 내에서 ZU 물질이 해수 중에서 12.5 mg L-1 이상을 초과하여 나타낼 때 B. plicatilis와 같은 동물성플랑크톤의 개체군 성장률이 영향을 받을 것으로 판단되며, 이러한 연구결과는 신방오도료물질의 생태안정성 평가를 위한 기준치 설정 및 다른 방오도료물질과의 독성치를 비교할 수 있는 유용한 자료로 활용될 것으로 판단된다.

The present study was carried out to investigate the acute oral toxicity of Chamaecyparis obtusa (C. obtusa) essential oil in ICR male and female mice. Acute oral treatment with C. obtusa essential oil did not reveal any sign of toxicity or mortality in treated mice. Mouse body weights were not affected after single oral administration of C. obtusa essential oil during the 14-day observation period. In the hematological and blood biochemical analysis, all parameters of the treated group with 2,000 mg/kg body weight of the essential oil were not significantly different those of the control group. Therefore, the lethal dose 50 of the essential oil was estimated to be greater than 2,000 mg/ kg body weight in mice, which indicated that the essential oil is non-toxic. In conclusion, this study suggests that C. obtusa essential oil orally safe ICR mice.

이 연구에서는 D광산 주변 A지역을 대상으로 주요 오염물질인 비소, 납에 대하여 토양 내 존재형태 를 확인하고 광물상을 파악하여 오염 토양의 정화방법을 제시하고자 하였다. D광산 주변 A지역 토양의 비소의 농도는 70.73mg/kg, 납의 농도는 612.80mg/kg로 토양오염공정시험기준의 우려기준을 초과하 였다. 비소는 대부분 잔류 형태로 약 50% 존재하였고, 약 40%가 철-알루미늄 산화물 결정화 형태로 존재하였다. 납은 철-망간 산화물과 결합된 형태로 약 50% 존재하였고, 잔류 형태로는 약 20% 존재하 는 것으로 나타났다. XRD 결과, 비소가 포함되어 있는 라벤듈란(NaCaCu5(AsO4)4Cl·5H2O)과 납과 비 소가 포함되어 있는 기터마나이트(Pb3As2S6) 등이 확인되었다. 연구지역의 비소 및 중금속 오염원은 광 물찌꺼기가 토양에 직접적으로 유입되어 산화광물의 입자상으로 존재하는 비율이 높은 것으로 판단되 며, 특히 미립자에 오염물질이 분포하는 것으로 나타나 이를 선별하여 농축된 오염물질을 1차적으로 제 거하여 정화대상의 양을 저감하는 방안도 필요하다고 판단된다.

Breast cancer is of enormous concern worldwide and linked with age, sex, hormonal factors, and family history. The treatment of early breast cancer includes treating the disease locally with surgery, radiation therapy, or both and treating microscopic systemic disease with either one or a combination of chemotherapy, endocrine therapy, or biologic therapy. Doxorubicin is a well-known anthracycline antibiotic and antineoplastic drug usually administered to breast cancer patients. However, there have been some reports suggesting that doxorubicin causes side effects such as cardiotoxicity. Furthermore, breast cancer patients on doxorubicin treatment are commonly prescribed steroid suppression therapy. In addition, it has been previously reported that lack of estrogen elevates cardiotoxicity. In this study, we evaluated whether the steroid suppression therapy might influence the cardiotoxicity of doxorubicin. We hypothesized that the presence of a steroid hormone, particularly estrogen, is closely related to doxorubicin action. To investigate the effect of estrogen, mice were divided into four groups: control group, doxorubicin-treated group, ovariectomized group, and ovariectomized plus doxorubicin-treated group. We observed upregulation of inflammatory cytokine gene and downregulation of apoptotic genes in the groups treated with doxorubicin, particularly in the ovariectomized plus doxorubicin-treated group. This suggests that administration of doxorubicin under a non-steroid condition can excessively damage the heart. In summary, combination treatment of hormonal and doxorubicin therapy for breast or many different types of cancer patients must be prescribed with requisite precautions.

Recently, a low-impact development (LID) technic such as a wetland has been proposed as a Nature-friendly process for reducing pollutants caused by livestock wastewater. Therefore, the Daphnia magna toxicity was analyzed for livestock wastewater samples, to determine if a wetland system would also be effective in reducing this ecotoxicity. In the present study, acute D. magna toxicity was not significantly dependent on the presence and type of reed, nor type of media. However, when treated with construction wetlands, ecotoxicities decreased as well as TN, TP and COD concentrations. Therefore, it is considered that a construction wetland system with bio reeds and bio-media as well as general reeds would be effective to reduce the ecotoxicity of livestock wastewater. To apply a wetland system as the subsequent treatment process to a livestock waste water treatment facility, it is necessary to perform an integrated evaluation such as treatment efficiency and the ecotoxicity test for various characteristics of livestock wastewater.

The oxicity assesment of Phenanthrene (PHE) has been investigated by using the rate (r) of survival and population growth in rotifer Brachionus plicatilis. The survival rate was determined after 24 h of exposure to PHE. The survival rate of PHE had no effect at a maximum of 300 mg L-1. The r was determined after 72 h of exposure to PHE. It was observed that r in the controls (absence PHE) was greater than 0.5, but that it suddenly decreased with an increased concentration of PHE. PHE reduced r in a dose-dependent manner and a significant reduction occurred at a concentration of greater than 37.5 mg L-1. The EC50 value of r in PHE exposure was 63.7 mg L-1. The no-observed-effect-concentration (NOEC) of r in PHE exposure was 18.8 mg L-1. The lowest-observed-effect-concentration (LOEC) of r in the PHE exposure was 37.5 mg L-1. From the results, the concentration of PHE (greater than 37.5 mg L-1) has a toxic effect on the r of B. plicatilis in natural ecosystems. These results (including NOEC, LOEC and EC50) might be useful for the Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) toxicity assessment in marine ecosystems.