• Title/Summary/Keyword: COVID-19 and pandemic

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Prospects & Issues of NFT Art Contents in Blockchain Technology (블록체인 NFT 문화예술콘텐츠의 현황과 과제)

  • Jong-Guk Kim
    • Journal of Information Technology Applications and Management
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    • v.30 no.1
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    • pp.115-126
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    • 2023
  • In various fields such as art, design, music, film, sports, games, and fashion, NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) are creating new economic value through trading platforms dedicated to NFT art and content. In this article, I analyze the current state of blockchain technology and NFT art content in the context of an expanding market for blockchain-based NFT art content in the metaverse. I also propose several tasks based on the economic and industrial logic of technological innovation. The first task proposed is to integrate cultural arts on blockchain, metaverse, and NFT platforms through digital innovation, instead of separating or distinguishing between creative production and consumption. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a clear separation between creators and consumers. However, with the rise of Web 3.0 platforms, any user can now create and own their own content. Therefore, it is important to promote a collaborative and integrated approach to cultural arts production and consumption in the blockchain and metaverse ecosystem. The second task proposed is to align the legal framework with blockchain-based technological innovation. The enactment and revision of relevant laws should focus on promoting the development of the NFT trading platform ecosystem, rather than merely regulating it for user protection. As blockchain-based technology continues to evolve, it is important that legal systems adapt to support and promote innovation in the space. This shift in focus can help create a more conducive environment for the growth of blockchain-based NFT platforms. The third task proposed is to integrate education on digital arts, including metaverse and NFT art contents, into the current curriculum. This education should focus on convergence and consilience, rather than merely mixing together humanities, technology, and arts. By integrating digital arts education into the curriculum, students can gain a more comprehensive understanding of the potential of blockchain-based technologies and NFT art. This article examines the digital technological innovation such as blockchain, metaverse, and NFT from an economic and industrial point of view. As a limitation of this research, the critical mind such as philosophical thinking or social criticism on technological innovation is left as a future task.

Design and Implementation of an Indoor Particulate Matter and Noise Monitoring System (실내 미세먼지 및 소음 모니터링 시스템 설계 및 구현)

  • Cho, Hyuntae
    • IEMEK Journal of Embedded Systems and Applications
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    • v.17 no.1
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    • pp.9-17
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    • 2022
  • As the COVID-19 pandemic situation worsens, the time spent indoors increases, and the exposure to indoor environmental pollution such as indoor air pollution and noise also increases, causing problems such as deterioration of human health, stress, and discord between neighbors. This paper designs and implements a system that measures and monitors indoor air quality and noise, which are representative evaluation criteria of the indoor environment. The system proposed in this paper consists of a particulate matter measurement subsystem that measures and corrects the concentration of particulate matters to monitor indoor air quality, and a noise measurement subsystem that detects changes in sound and converts it to a sound pressure level. The concentration of indoor particulate matters is measured using a laser-based light scattering method, and an error caused by temperature and humidity is compensated in this paper. For indoor noise measurement, the voltage measured through a microphone is basically measured, Fourier transform is performed to classify it by frequency, and then A-weighting is performed to correct loudness equality. Then, the RMS value is obtained, high-frequency noise is removed by performing time-weighting, and then SPL is obtained. Finally, the equivalent noise level for 1 minute and 5 minutes are calculated to show the indoor noise level. In order to classify noise into direct impact sound and air transmission noise, a piezo vibration sensors is mounted to determine the presence or absence of direct impact transmitted through the wall. For performance evaluation, the error of particulate matter measurement is analyzed through TSI's AM510 instrument. and compare the noise error with CEM's noise measurement system.

Healthcare Workers' Mental Health in Pandemic Times: The Predict Role of Psychosocial Risks

  • Carla Barros;Pilar Baylina;Ruben Fernandes;Susana Ramalho;Pedro Arezes
    • Safety and Health at Work
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    • v.13 no.4
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    • pp.415-420
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    • 2022
  • Background: Healthcare workers perform an emotionally exhausting daily work activity, making them prone to occupational hazards, namely psychosocial ones. This study aims to assess the impact of psychosocial risk factors on healthcare workers' mental health. Methods: A cross-sectional study was developed between May and June of 2021 with 479 healthcare workers from Portuguese hospitals. The Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale was used to assess mental health, and psychosocial risks were assessed through the Health and Work Survey - INSAT. Statistical analysis was performed to identify the psychosocial risk factors related to anxiety, depression, and stress. Subsequently, a multiple linear regression was performed to identify the models that better explained psychosocial risk factors' relationship with anxiety, depression, and stress. Results: Data showed a strong exposure to psychosocial risks. Work pace and intensity, work relationships, and emotional demands stood out with higher global average percentages for yes answers to "exposure and discomfort." The analysis of the b values and p-values from the multiple linear regression shows that some cross-sectional psychosocial risks are predictors of anxiety and stress dimensions, and other psychosocial risks differ in the two mental health dimensions. However, it is important to highlight that healthcare workers still showed great joy and pleasure in performing their work activities. Conclusion: Support network development in the work environment is needed to prevent healthcare workers' emotional stress and promote their psychological well-being. Therefore, new research is essential to understand the psychosocial risks that affect healthcare workers and assess the less visible effects of work-health relationships.

Ergonomic Approach through Process Analysis of Delivery Work (택배 배송 작업의 공정분석을 통한 인간공학적 접근 방안)

  • Sejung Lee;Sangeun Jin;Seong Rok Chang
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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    • v.39 no.1
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    • pp.55-61
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    • 2024
  • In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the logistics industry in Korea has rapidly been expanding, with offline demand concentrating on online platforms owing to the development of digital infrastructure. This has increased the workload of courier drivers considerably, along with labor intensity. A delivery driver died recently from overwork due to the continuous increase in delivery volume, which raises social concerns. Delivery drivers work long hours, (over 12 hours) and are greatly affected by weather conditions, such as snow, rain, heat waves, and cold waves. In addition, they lack a fixed workplace; perform atypical work handling workpieces of various sizes, weights, and shapes; and spend a large amount of time driving as part of their work. This work involves a high level of tension and requires attention and concentration. Despite the frequency of industrial accidents in the courier industry, studies on safety and health to quantitatively analyze and systematize the work of courier workers are very scarce. Therefore, to define the work process necessary for investigating the harmful factors in delivery service and the work analysis, this study conducted interviews and on-site surveys to analyze the unit work of the delivery service by targeting delivery workers. In other words, a framework of unit work for work analysis was presented to enable research and analysis by considering the aforementioned characteristics of the courier industry. The process was broadly divided into work, transport, storage, delay, and inspection. Work was divided into loading, sorting, unloading, and door subcategories, and transportation was divided into vehicle, cart, and walking subcategories as well as 10 small processes. Moreover, 22 unit works were again drawn by conducting field surveys and interviews. The risk of unit work derived from this study was ergonomically evaluated, and the ergonomic analysis revealed that uploading and transportation were the most dangerous. The results of this study could be used as basic data for preventing industrial accidents among courier workers, whose work has increased with the logistics volume and the development of the logistics industry.

Digital Marketing in the Condition of Wartime Posture in Ukraine

  • Dubovyk, Tetiana;Buchatska, Iryna;Diachuk, Iryna;Zerkal, Anastasiia
    • International Journal of Computer Science & Network Security
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    • v.22 no.7
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    • pp.206-212
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    • 2022
  • Strengthening global geopolitical instability in the world leads to an aggravation of international conflicts; it destabilizes the domestic political situation in countries, violates the rights and freedoms of man and citizen, and also activates economic crime. The full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine and the deployment of military operations in a large territory of a sovereign country have created a number of destabilizing factors in the development of digital technologies and negatively affect the state and trends of digital marketing, which allows establishing interaction with a wide audience and facilitating the search for new customers in various places. The purpose of the research lies in substantiating the theoretical and applied principles for studying the features of digital marketing in the conditions of wartime posture in Ukraine. In the course of the research, general and special methods of economic analysis have been used and applied, namely: analysis and synthesis; analogies and comparisons; generalization and systematization; graphic and tabular methods. Regarding the results of the research of digital marketing in the conditions of wartime posture in Ukraine, it has been established that the intensification of the development of digital marketing is caused by the crisis phenomena of social-economic, social-political and military nature, as well as exacerbated by the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been proven that highly developed countries use innovative digital technologies more effectively in the field of marketing, which indicates the importance of the Multidimensional Index of Digitization (the USA - MID: 0,92-0,92; the UK - MID: 0,80-0,97; Japan - MID: 0,80-0,88; Canada - MID: 0,78-0,81; Germany - MID: 0,78-0,88; France - MID: 0,72-0,76), however, the developing countries record much lower values (Ukraine - MID: 0,22-0,48). Accordingly, the level of cybersecurity in highly developed countries is also significantly higher than in transitive countries, in particular, in the United States (GCI: 0,919-0,999); Great Britain (GCI: 0,783-0,995); Canada (GCI: 0,818-0,978) and in Ukraine (GCI: 0,501-0,661).

Psychological and Pedagogical Features the Use of Digital Technology in a Blended Learning Environment

  • Volkova Nataliia;Poyasok Tamara;Symonenko Svitlana;Yermak Yuliia;Varina Hanna;Rackovych Anna
    • International Journal of Computer Science & Network Security
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    • v.24 no.4
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    • pp.127-134
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    • 2024
  • The article highlights the problems of the digitalization of the educational process, which affect the pedagogical cluster and are of a psychological nature. The authors investigate the transformational changes in education in general and the individual beliefs of each subject of the educational process, caused by both the change in the format of learning (distance, mixed), and the use of new technologies (digital, communication). The purpose of the article is to identify the strategic trend of the educational process, which is a synergistic combination of pedagogical methodology and psychological practice and avoiding dialectical opposition of these components of the educational space. At the same time, it should be noted that the introduction of digital technologies in the educational process allows for short-term difficulties, which is a usual phenomenon for innovations in the educational sphere. Consequently, there is a need to differentiate the fundamental problems and temporary shortcomings that are inherent in the new format of learning (pedagogical features). Based on the awareness of this classification, it is necessary to develop psychological techniques that will prevent a negative reaction to the new models of learning and contribute to a painless moral and spiritual adaptation to the realities of the present (psychological characteristics). The methods used in the study are divided into two main groups: general-scientific, which investigates the pedagogical component (synergetic, analysis, structural and typological methods), and general-scientific, which are characterized by psychological direction (dialectics, observation, and comparative analysis). With the help of methods disclosed psychological and pedagogical features of the process of digitalization of education in a mixed learning environment. The result of the study is to develop and carry out methodological constants that will contribute to the synergy for the new pedagogical components (digital technology) and the psychological disposition to their proper use (awareness of the effectiveness of new technologies). So, the digitalization of education has demonstrated its relevance and effectiveness in the pedagogical dimension in the organization of blended and distance learning under the constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic. The task of the psychological cluster is to substantiate the positive aspects of the digitalization of the educational process.

Trend Analysis of Grow-Your-Own Using Social Network Analysis: Focusing on Hashtags on Instagram

  • Park, Yumin;Shin, Yong-Wook
    • Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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    • v.24 no.5
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    • pp.451-460
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    • 2021
  • Background and objective: The prolonged COVID-19 pandemic has had significant impacts on mental health, which has emerged as a major public health issue around the world. This study aimed to analyze trends and network structure of 'grow-your-own (GYO)' through Instagram, one of the most influential social media platforms, to encourage and sustain home gardening activities for promotion of emotional support and physical health. Methods: A total of 6,388 posts including keyword hashtags '#gyo' and '#growyourown' on Instagram from June 13, 2020 to April 13, 2021 were collected. Word embedding was performed using Word2Vec library, and 7 clusters were identified with K-means clustering: GYO, garden and gardening, allotment, kitchen garden, sustainability, urban gardening, etc. Moreover, we conducted social network analysis to determine the centrality of related words and visualized the results using Gephi 0.9.2. Results: The analysis showed that various combinations of words, such as #growourrownfood, #growourrownveggies, and #growwhatyoueat revealed preference and interest of users in GYO, and appeared to encourage their activities on Instagram. In particular, #gardeningtips, #greenfingers, #goodlife, #gardeninglife, #gardensofinstagram were found to express positive emotions and pride as a gardener by sharing their daily gardening lives. Users were participating in urban gardening through #allotment, #raisedbeds, #kitchengarden and we could identify trends toward self-sufficiency and sustainable living. Conclusion: Based on these findings, it is expected that the trend data of GYO, which is a form of urban gardening, can be used as the basic data to establish urban gardening plans considering each characteristic, such as the emotions and identity of participants as well as their dispositions.

A Study of the Structures and Product Dimensions of Hygienic Face Mask for Infants and Children in the Domestic Market (국내 시판 유아동 보건용 마스크 구조 및 제품 치수 비교 연구)

  • Ji Eun Kim
    • Journal of the Korea Fashion and Costume Design Association
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    • v.25 no.3
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    • pp.113-125
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    • 2023
  • The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the normalization of mask-wearing worldwide, and young children are particularly vulnerable to respiratory diseases. Children's masks come in various sizes and shapes, causing confusion among consumers who struggle to find products that can accommodate their child's unique physical conditions. This research aims to analyze the shape and dimensions of health masks designed for young children. A total of 67 mask varieties were collected, and 58 were subjected to analysis. The masks were found to have two primary shapes: foldable and beak-like, with sizes categorized as small and extra-small. The majority of masks were manufactured in Korea, and the size labeling systems varied among manufacturers. The mask materials were non-woven fabric or polypropylene, and there was diversity in terms of the adjustable earbands and the use of additional accessories. The dimensions of the masks varied depending on their shape, with significant differences in the weight and the length of the wire holes. Subsequent research should focus on conducting wearability evaluations to verify the dimensional suitability of commercially available children's health masks based on shape and size. Additionally, this study aims to provide foundational data that can assist in the development of children's masks with size ranges that differentiate them from adult masks and cater to specific age groups.

Working Anytime and Anywhere -Even When Feeling Ill? A Cross-sectional Study on Presenteeism in Remote Work

  • Henrike Schmitz;Jana F. Bauer;Mathilde Niehaus
    • Safety and Health at Work
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    • v.14 no.4
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    • pp.375-383
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    • 2023
  • Background: Working despite feeling ill - presenteeism - is a widespread behavioral phenomenon. Previous research has shown that presenteeism is influenced by various work-related and personal factors. It's an illness behavior leading to a range of negative but also positive consequences. Due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, remote work has become the "new normal" for many employees. But so far, little is known about presenteeism in remote work. This study aims to investigate presenteeism in remote work by looking at the extent of remote presenteeism, differences to presenteeism in on-site work, and associated factors. Methods: A nationwide cross-sectional online survey was conducted in Germany with N = 233 participants. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, and correlation analysis. Results: The results reveal that presenteeism is prevalent in remote work x = 4.13 days (Md = 3; D = 2; s = 4.95). A low ability to detach from work (r = -.17; p = .005) and low supervisor support (r = -.14; p = .02) is associated with more remote presenteeism days. Remote working conditions seem to facilitate presenteeism. Conclusion: This study provides empirical insights into a subject area of great societal relevance. The results show that awareness should be raised for presenteeism in remote work. It should be regarded as a behavior that can be functional or dysfunctional, depending on the individual situation. Supervisor support and detachment should be fostered to help reduce dysfunctional presenteeism. Promotion of health literacy might help remote workers to decide on a health-oriented illness behavior. Further research is vital to analyze to what extent and under which circumstances presenteeism in remote work is (dys)functional and to derive clear recommendations.

Anti-Obesity and Inhibitory Effect of Lipid Accumulation of The Cone of Pinus rigida × Pinus taeda in 3T3-L1 Cells

  • Da-Yoon Lee;Tae-Won Jang;So-Yeon Han;Seo-Yoon Park;Woo-Jin Oh;Jae-Ho Park
    • Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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    • 2023.04a
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    • pp.55-55
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    • 2023
  • With the COVID-19 pandemic, there is increasing interest in anti-obesity strategies. According to the National Statistical Office, the obesity rate in Korea was 38.3% in 2020 and 37.1% in 2021. Obesity is a risk factor for several severe diseases, including stroke, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer. Pinus rigida × Pinus taeda is a hybrid of Pinus rigida Mill and Pinus taeda Linn, and its cones are considered a by-product. Although previous studies have investigated their pharmacological effects on antioxidant activity and protection against oxidative DNA damage, few researchers have explored their potential as functional natural materials. Therefore, we evaluated the anti-obesity effects of the cone of ethyl acetate fraction of P. rigida × P. taeda (ERT), specifically its ability to inhibit lipid accumulation. Our analysis showed that ERT contains phytochemicals (catechin and caffeic acid) which are known to improve immune function and inhibit cell damage. ERT inhibited lipid droplet accumulation at the cellular levels through Oil Red O staining. Furthermore, ERT suppressed the expression of adipogenic transcription factors (PPARγ and CEBP/α) as well as downstream lipogenic target genes (FAS and SREBP-1) thereby inhibiting adipogenesis. ERT also down-regulated key adipogenic markers, including aP2α, while inducing the phosphorylation of AMPK. It has been reported that PPARγ and CEBP/α are expressed in the early stages of adipose differentiation, while SREBP-1 is expressed in the late stage. Therefore, our findings suggest that ERT activates AMPK signaling pathways, which inhibits adipogenic transcription factors (PPARγ, C/EBPα, and SREBP1) and lipogenic genes (FAS and aP2α), thereby blocking lipid accumulation and preventing obesity and related disorders. ERT showed potential as a new resource for developing a functional material for anti-obesity agents.

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