• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.39-58
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to identify the factors determining the participation of the poor elderly in economic activity. This study analyzed secondary data of the second wave of Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Binary logistic regression was used to identify the factors that are associated with the economic activity of the poor elderly. The results of the analyses showed that age, gender, region, public assistance, education, health status, chronic illness, contacts with acquaintances, and support from children were associated with participation in economic activity. The study's findings have several implications for policies and services. The study identified the need for an age- and gender-specific approach to promoting participation in economic activity among the poor elderly. Regional differences should also be considered in the creation of work opportunities for older adults. In terms of human capital, the positive effect of good health indicates that strategies are needed to address the needs of older adults with health issues. In addition, there is a need for more jobs for elderly job seekers with high levels of education. Finally, policy makers and practitioners should explore interventions for enhancing the social network involvement and community support for the elderly living in poverty.

• Journal of the Korean housing association
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.37-44
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to compare urban and rural seniors' perceptions on the eight aspects of the World Health Organization Age-Friendly Cities (AFC) initiative on Jeju Island, South Korea. Face-to-face interviews using structured questionnaires were administered to 497 persons aged 65+ living on Jeju Island. Findings suggested that urban and rural held significantly different perceptions on five aspects of AFC (outdoor space and buildings, housing, civic participation and employment, community support and health services, and respect and social inclusion). Predictors of overall AFC score for all participants included age and living in a single-family home. Among urban dwellers, monthly household income and length of residence predicted AFC score while among rural seniors, predictors of AFC included educational attainment. To make communities more age-friendly, perspectives of older residents should be sought, shared, and reflected in policy and different strategies and priorities should be developed specific to urban and rural areas.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.26 no.3 s.43
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• pp.442-456
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• 1993

Financial stability is the foremost prerequisite for the continuous growth and development of hospitals. The present study aimed at developing a deterministic model using the factors which affect the hospitals profitability and at discovering which factor affected the hospital profitability. The study conducted questionnaire surveys on all general hospitals, with the exception of special hospitals, with over eighty hospital beds. Of the 274 subject hospitals, 136 of them, consituting 49.6% of the whole, were used in the study. The results are as follows. 1. In the deterministic model, outpatient revenue was affected more by the number of physician visits than by outpatient service intensity. Inpatient revenue was found to be affected more by the number of discharged patients than by inpatient service intensity. However, the increase rate of the service intensity not only contributed in stepping up the operating margin by $4{\sim}8%$ in outpatient and $3{\sim}6%$ in inpatient, but it was statistically significant. 2. Among the factors which determined the operating cost within the deterministic model, the number of patients had a greater impact on the operating cost than the resource consumption per patient. 3. The resource consumption per patient were proved to have the greatest effect on the profitability within the probabilistic model. The management cost per adjusted patient, in particular, was proven to have a statistically significant effect on the profitability in all hospitals.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.1386-1390
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• 2005

Lycii Fructus (LF) has been reported to possess various biological activities. In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effects of LF extract in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophage cells and rat peritoneal mast cells(RPMC). LF extract inhibited NO production and the expressions of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) mRNA and enzyme protein, determined by Griess reactions, RT-PCR and Western blotting, respectively, in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages cells. LF extract significantly inhibited histamine release in compound48/80 stimulated rat peritoneal mast cells compared with the compound48/80 only treated cells. It is suggested that the LF extract can improve the inflammation status that involves the histamine release.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.143-148
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• 2018

The objective of this study is to provide direction in the improvement of sodium labeling in an effort to reduce consumption. We surveyed confirmation and importance of food labeling and nutrition information and we also analyzed the willingness to pay on new nutrients labeling. Consumers checked the sell-by-date, product name, method of intake, but not nutritional information. They also checked for calories and carbohydrates but they were not interested in sodium, sugar, and trans fat which are health hazard nutrients. It is necessary to improve nutrition labeling, because consumers are experiencing difficulties in obtaining sodium information under the nutrition labeling system. Consumers will pay about 0.66% more if new sodium labeling is introduced. In conclusion, food labeling system can be improved by smooth and efficient access of information. for health-hazard nutritional components, such as sodium, it is important to introduce policies that reduce their intake. This can be done by providing consumers with clear and concise information. The social costs of high sodium intake could be reduced, hence improving the national health.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.87-107
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• 2006

A study of 117 Korean immigrant women who had husband and(or) children in Hawaii found the relation between social networks and psychological well-being. Social networks composed supporters, support structure, and support contents. Psychological well-being examined family life satisfaction, family life stability, and women's psychological health. Results showed as followed. First, the choice of immigration place among Korean immigrant women and her family based on other family members and friends lived in there. Second, her supporters were family and relatives, Korean friends, foreign friends, religions, belonged organizations and groups, public agencies in Hawaii, and mass-media. The best supporters of them was family and relatives and they mostly provided mental health to Korean immigrant women. Family, Korean friends, foreign friends, and religions tended to support emotional assistance. Third, the level of psychological well-being was higher. Her level of psychological health was higher than the others. Fourth, the best predictors of psychological well-being were child existence, occupation, and immigration duration. Fifth, psychological well-being significantly distinguished different relations of supporters from support structure of social network. The number and support duration with foreign friends supporter and the support duration and the level of perceived useful support content highly related with psychological well-being.

• Journal of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.5-15
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• 2013

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the self-care education experience, self-care performance, and home care service needs of patients with rare and incurable diseases who use a home ventilator. Methods: From2 ventilator rental companies and 5 hospitals, records of 162 subjects were collected to obtain data regarding self-care education experience (23 items) and home care service needs (25 items). Results: Of the subjects, 65.4% were male and 55.6% had a myotrophic lateral sclerosis. The items with the highest and lowest levels of self-care education experience were "using the ventilator"(94.0%) and "community-available resource information"(27.0%), respectively. Meanwhile, self-care was performed well in terms of "personal hygiene"(59.6%) but not performed well in "community-available resource information"(23.7%). "Health status assessment" had the highest need(88.2%) of home care services. Generally, the need of home care services was higher for the patients using invasive ventilators than that for those using non-invasive ventilators. Conclusion: Home care nurses need to not only provide physical care for the patients but also strengthen their roles of enhancing patient access to and utilization of various community resources to provide systematic and individualized training and care.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.2-10
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• 2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to share program and/or resource on patient safety education for patients and families conducted overseas agency. This study will help the patient safety officer establish and implement an educational plan for patients and families. Methods: We searched the Internet for patient safety related organizations. We chose an institution that provided education for patients and families. Results: Most of the program and/or resource was about patient and family involvement; Taking Care of Myself, My Questions for This Visit, Patient Prep Card, 20 Tips to Help Prevent Medical Errors, Ask Me 3(R), Health and Safety Passport, My Medication log etc. Conclusions: It is necessary to distribute educational materials for patients and families in the country through the results of this study. For patient safety, education and publicity are needed so that developed educational materials can be actively used.

• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.505-529
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• 2022

Radon is a radioactive gas that causes lung cancer deaths. The contingent valuation method (CVM) is used to estimate the value of a statistical life(VSL) of 2.054 billion won for the death due to residential radon in Korea. Residential radon is assumed to have caused 2,330 deaths in 2020, of which the estimated social cost is 4.78 trillion won. When a national compulsory standard of 200Bq/m³ is set for residential radon concentration, the number of lives saved is estimated to be 691, leading to a social benefit of 1.42 billion won. This study reports the origin, characteristics and health risk of residential radon, and emphasizes the importance of a dramatic increase in the budget for residential radon reduction policies.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.48-57
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• 2024

Background: Cadmium (Cd) is toxic heavy metal that accumulates in organisms after passing through their respiratory and digestive tracts. Although several studies have reported the toxic effects of Cd exposure on human health, its role in embryonic development during preimplantation stage remains unclear. We investigated the effects of Cd on porcine embryonic development and elucidated the mechanism. Methods: We cultured parthenogenetic embryos in media treated with 0, 20, 40, or 60 µM Cd for 6 days and evaluated the rates of cleavage and blastocyst formation. To investigate the mechanism of Cd toxicity, we examined intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and glutathione (GSH) levels. Moreover, we examined mitochondrial content, membrane potential, and ROS. Results: Cleavage and blastocyst formation rates began to decrease significantly in the 40 µM Cd group compared with the control. During post-blastulation, development was significantly delayed in the Cd group. Cd exposure significantly decreased cell number and increased apoptosis rate compared with the control. Embryos exposed to Cd had significantly higher ROS and lower GSH levels, as well as lower expression of antioxidant enzymes, compared with the control. Moreover, embryos exposed to Cd exhibited a significant decrease in mitochondrial content, mitochondrial membrane potential, and expression of mitochondrial genes and an increase in mitochondrial ROS compared to the control. Conclusions: We demonstrated that Cd exposure impairs porcine embryonic development by inducing oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. Our findings provide insights into the toxicity of Cd exposure on mammalian embryonic development and highlight the importance of preventing Cd pollution.