• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.725-733
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• 2023

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of virtual grid software (VGS). The purpose of this study is to evaluate the changes in energy and object thickness by dividing the use of VGS into two cases (Without-VGS) without using a movable grid. We attempted to determine the effectiveness of VGS by acquiring images using a chest phantom and a thigh phantom and analyzing SNR and CNR. In the chest phantom and femoral phantom, the tube flow was fixed at 2.5 mAs, and the tube voltage was changed by 10 kVp from 60 to 100 kVp to measure SNR and CNR, and SNR was about 1.09 to 8.86% higher in the chest phantom than in Without-VGS, and CNR was 4.18 to 14.56% higher in the VGS than in Without-VGS. And in the femoral phantom, SNR was about 9.78 to 18.05% higher in VGS than in Without-VGS, and CNR was 21.07 to 44.44% higher in VGS than in Without-VGS. The tube voltage was fixed at 70 kVp in the chest phantom and the femoral phantom, and the amount of tube current was changed at 2.5 to 16 mAs, respectively, and after X-ray irradiation, SNR and CNR were measured in the chest phantom, which was about 1.49 to 11.11% higher in VGS than in Without-VGS, and CNR was 4.76 to 13.40% higher in VGS than in Without-VGS. And in the femoral phantom, SNR was about 2.22 to 17.38% higher in VGS than in Without-VGS, and CNR was 13.85 to 40.46% higher in VGS than in Without-VGS. Therefore, if an inspection is required with a mobile X-ray imaging device, it is believed that good image quality can be obtained by using VGS in an environment where it is difficult to use a mobile grid, and it is believed that the use of mobile X-ray devices can be increased.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.767-773
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• 2023

To In this study, we sought to evaluate related factors affecting lung volume and their significance in pulmonary function and ventilation disorders. As experimental subjects, 206 normal adult men and women who underwent a low-dose chest CT scan and a spirometry test were selected at the same time. The experimental method was to measure lung volume using lung CT images obtained through a low-dose chest CT scan using deep learning-based AVIEW. Measurements were made using the LCS automatic diagnosis program. In addition, the results of measuring lung function were obtained using a spirometer, and gender and BMI were selected as related factors that affect lung volume, and significance was evaluated through an independent sample T-test with lung volume. As a result of the experiment, it was confirmed that in evaluating lung volume according to gender, all lung volumes of men were larger than all lung volumes of women. he result of an independent samples T-test using the respective average values for gender and lung volume showed that all lung volumes were larger in men than in women, which was significant (p<0.001). And in the evaluation of lung volume according to BMI index, it was confirmed that all lung volumes of adults with a BMI index of 24 or higher were larger than all lung volumes of adults with a BMI index of less than 24. However, the independent samples T-test using the respective average values for BMI index and lung volume did not show a significant result that all lung volumes were larger in BMI index 24 or higher than in BMI index less than 24 (p<0.055). In the evaluation of lung volume according to the presence or absence of pulmonary ventilation impairment, it was confirmed that all lung volumes of adults with normal pulmonary function ventilation were larger than all lung volumes of adults with pulmonary ventilation impairment. And as a result of the independent sample T-test using the respective average values for the presence or absence of pulmonary ventilation disorder and lung volume, the result was significant that all lung volumes were larger in adults with normal pulmonary function ventilation than in adults with pulmonary function ventilation disorder (p <0.001). Lung volume and spirometry test results are the most important indicators in evaluating lung health, and using these two indicators together to evaluate lung function is the most accurate evaluation method. Therefore, it is expected that this study will be used as basic data by presenting the average lung volume for adults with normal ventilation and adults with impaired lung function and ventilation in similar future studies on lung volume and vital capacity testing.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.10
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• pp.820-827
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• 2023

Since COVID-19 began at the end of 2019, the wearing time of protective clothing used to prevent pathogenic bacteria and virus infection has increased, and the development of safe protective materials that are human-friendly and have antibacterial and antiviral functions has been required. In this study, we investigated the possibility of developing natural antibacterial protection materials using ethanol extract of the medicinal plant Zanthoxylum Piperitum DC. The antibacterial activity assay of the 80% ethanol extract of Z. piperitum DC leaves against various nosocomial infectious bacteria, using the disk diffusion method, showed that Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 13883, Salmonella typhimurium, and Aeromonas hydrophila are sensitive to the inhibitory action of the extract. The IC₅₀ values of the ethanol extract against S. aureus, K. pneumoniae, P. vulgaris and A. hydrophila were about 0.59 mg/ml, 0.50 mg/ml, 1.06 mg/ml, and 0.06 mg/ml, respectively. To determine whether the ethanol extract of Z. piperitum DC leaves can be applied to the development of antibacterial protective fabric, the ethanol extract was tested using a protective fabric from the KM Health Care Corp. using the JIS L1902-Absorption method. As a result, the bacteriostatic and bactericidal activity values of S. aureus ATCC 25923 and K. pneumoniae ATCC 13883 appeared to be more than 2.0 when treated with the ethanol extract at a concentration of 1% (w/v). Together, these results suggest that Z. piperitum DC leaves can be applied to develop natural antibacterial functional protective fabrics.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.10
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• pp.828-834
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• 2023

The cDNA that encodes transmembrane protein 258 (Tmem258) was cloned from Gryllus bimaculatus and named GbTmem258. This protein comprises 80 amino acids, has no N-glycosylation site, and contains five potential phosphorylation sites at two serines, two threonines, and one tyrosine. The predicted molecular mass of GbTmem258 is 9.06 kDa, and its theoretical isoelectric point is 5.5. The tertiary structure of GbTmem258 was predicted using the available secondary structure information, which suggests the presence of alpha helices (52.5%), random coils (22.5%), extended strands (16.25%), and beta turns (8.75%). Homology analysis revealed that GbTmem258 exhibits high similarity at the amino-acid level to Tmem258 found in other species. The effect of starvation and refeeding on GbTmem258 mRNA expression was also examined in this study. It was found that GbTmem258 mRNA expression in the hindgut progressively increased throughout the starvation period, peaking at almost 1.5 times the control level after six days of starvation. However, refeeding for one to two days after the six-day starvation period restored GbTmem258 mRNA expression to the control level. In fat body, GbTmem258 mRNA expression was almost 3-fold higher during starvation compared to the control level. Refeeding for one to two days after the six-day fast resulted in a decline in the expression to about a 2.5-fold increase over the control level. Throughout the starving and refeeding periods, no other tissues showed any discernible alterations in GbTmem258 mRNA expression.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.483-495
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• 2023

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether the dietary quality of food consumed by the elderly is influenced by the consumption of healthy functional foods using Nutrition Quotients for the Elderly (NQ-E). Methods: The study subjects were 250 adults aged ≥ 65 living in Seoul or Gyeonggi-do. Those who had consumed healthy functional food for more than 2 weeks within the previous year were classified as healthy functional food consumers, and the quality of their meals was evaluated using the NQ-E. Statistical analysis was performed using SAS 9.4, and sex and age-associated differences were adjusted before comparing differences based on healthy functional food intake. Results: The average age of the study subjects was 70.8. The scores for each area and the Nutrition Quotient (NQ) score were as follows: balance 43.3 points, moderation 56.7 points, practice 65.7 points, and NQ 52.5 points. When comparing differences according to healthy functional food intake status, healthy functional food consumers had significantly higher balance and NQ scores than non-consumers. When considering each NQ item score, healthy functional food consumers had significantly higher scores than non-consumers for fruit, fish and seafood, eggs, nuts, and whole grain rice, and a higher score for effort to maintain a healthy diet. Conclusion: Dietary quality as assessed by Nutrition Quotients for the Elderly was better for healthy functional food consumers than non-consumers.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.573-588
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• 2023

Purpose: This study aimed to examine social networking service (SNS) use and recommended information utilization (SURU) according to the food-related lifestyles (FRLs) of consumers and analyze how the interaction between the FRL and SURU affects the practice of eating alone and visiting restaurants. Methods: Data on 4,624 adults in their 20s to 50s were collected from the 2021 Consumer Behavior Survey for Food. Statistical methods included factor analysis, K-means cluster analysis, the complex samples general linear model, the complex samples Rao-Scott χ² test, and the general linear model. Results: The following three factors were extracted from the FRL data: Convenience pursuit, rational consumption pursuit, and gastronomy pursuit, and the subjects were classified into three groups, namely the rational consumption, convenient gastronomy, and smart gourmet groups. An examination of the difference in SURU according to the FRL showed that the smart gourmet group had the highest score. The result of analyzing the effects of the FRL and SURU on eating alone revealed that both the main effect and the interaction effect were significant (p < 0.01, p < 0.001). The higher the SURU, the higher the frequency of eating alone in the convenience pursuit, and gastronomy pursuit groups. The main and interaction effects of the FRL and SURU on the frequency of eating out were also significant (p < 0.01, p < 0.001). In all the FRL groups, the higher the SURU level, the higher the frequency of visiting restaurants. Specifically, the two groups with convenience and gastronomic tendencies showed a steeper increase. Conclusion: This study provides important basic data for research on consumer behavior related to food SNS, market segmentation of restaurant consumers, and development of marketing strategies using SNS in the future.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.231-240
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• 2023

Infectious bursal disease (IBD) is an acute, highly contagious, and immunosuppressive disease in young chickens, and causes considerable economic losses to the poultry industry. More than 30 years ago, an antigenic variant IBDV (avIBDV) was reported in chicken farms in the United States. Recently, a novel avIBDV exhibited clear differences in molecular characteristics compared with previous variant strains. This study investigated the molecular characteristics of recently isolated avIBDV strains in Korea. Strains of avIBDV were confirmed by reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) and were propagated in 10-day-old specific-pathogen-free (SPF) embryonated chicken eggs through chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) inoculation. Multiple sequence alignment and phylogenetic analyses of hypervariable regions VP2 gene revealed that the strains originated from two different avIBDV lineages (G2a and G2d). In our results, we confirmed the co-existence and prevalence of avIBDV genogroup G2a and G2d in chicken farms. It is necessary to study the protective efficacy of current vaccines against avIBDVs.

• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.105-118
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• 2023

Purpose: This study aimed to gain better understanding of the importance of dental prosthesis order platform services and to identify the essential elements for their enhancement and wider adoption among dental professionals. Materials and Methods: A survey was conducted to assess the perspectives of dentists, dental technicians, dental hygienists, and dental industry professionals toward dental prosthesis ordering and associated platform services (a total of 53 respondents). The questionnaire was devised after an expert review and assessed for reliability using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Factor analysis revealed that 57 factors across five categories accounted for 88.417% of the total variance. The survey was administered through an online questionnaire platform, and data analysis was conducted using a statistical software, employing one-way analysis of variance and Tukey's honestly significant difference test (α = 0.05). Results: The essential elements identified were accurate information input, effective communication, delivery of distortion-free impressions, convenience in data transmission and storage, development of stable and affordable platform services (P < 0.05). Furthermore, significant differences were observed in the importance of these items based on age, dental profession, and career experience (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The dental prosthesis ordering platform services, the requirements of dental personnel were stability, economic efficiency, and ease of transmitting and storing prosthesis data. The findings can serve as important indicators for the development and improvement of dental prosthesis order platform services.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.537-553
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• 2023

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the nutritional quality of complementary baby food products sold in Korea according to the baby food stages and food composition. Methods: A total of 1,587 complementary food products sold online and offline between March and December 2021 were investigated. They ranged from liquid meals to solid rice for babies aged 5 to 36 months. Results: The number of intakes per packaged volume was 2.8 in Stage 1, 1.9 in Stage 2, 1.4 in Stage 3, and 1.1 in Stage 4 (p < 0.0001). The dietary variety scores (DVS) of the complementary baby food products were 3.4 in Stage 1, 5.5 in Stage 2, 7.1 in Stage 3, and 9.7 in Stage 4 (p < 0.0001) and showed a significant increase in the later stages. The Korean dietary diversity score (KDDS) significantly increased from 2.3 in Stage 1, to 2.8 in Stage 2, 3.0 in Stage 3, and 3.4 in Stage 4 (p < 0.0001). The higher the baby food stage, the higher the proportion of grains/meat/vegetable ingredients. The ratio of protein intake to Adequate Intake (AI) or Recommended Nutrition Intake (RNI) was higher in products with a KDDS of 3 points or more, or in products with 2 points or fewer in Stages 1 and 2 (p < 0.0001, respectively). The ratio of protein intake to RNI increased as the KDDS score increased in Stages 3 and 4 (p < 0.0001, respectively). For all stages of baby foods, the ratio of protein intake to AI or RNI was high in products that included the meat group (beans, nuts, meat, eggs, fish, and shellfish) (p < 0.0001, respectively). Conclusion: Continuous research and nutritional evaluation are required for establishing nutrient content standards for commercially available baby foods, considering breast milk intake.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.554-572
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• 2023

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to analyze the priorities for educational content regarding precautions to be taken to prevent safety accidents for employees in school foodservice using the Borich priority formula and the Locus for Focus model. Methods: A survey was conducted in February 2019 on 194 employees in elementary school and 122 employees in middle- and high school foodservice in the Jeonbuk area. Demographic characteristics, status of safety accidents, safety education, and their importance and performance levels were assessed using a self-administered questionnaire. The priorities for the educational content on precautions to prevent safety accidents were based on a 3-step analysis method, including the paired sample t-test, Borich priority formula, and the Locus for Focus Model. Results: The average perceived importance of the precautions to be taken against safety accidents of employees in elementary-, middle-, and high schools was higher compared to the average performance of the employees (p < 0.001). The top priority for elementary school employees was caution against falls during the cleaning of the gas hood and the trench in the kitchen. In addition, 'awareness of chemical signs' was added as one of the top priorities of middle- and high school employees. The second highest priority items were 'do stretching', 'safely adjusting workbench height', 'keeping the right attitude', 'using assistive devices when moving heavy things', and 'checking the material safety data sheet', which were the same for all elementary, middle- and high school employees. Conclusion: Thus, to improve the educational preparedness of employees in the area of safety precautions, eight safety/accident prevention items should be included in the safety education program.