• Title/Summary/Keyword: Health research and development

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Usability Test of 'Paldokangsan3' a Walking Game for the Elderly (노인용 걷기게임 '팔도강산3'의 사용성 연구)

  • Kim, KyungSik;Lee, YoonJung;Oh, DooNam
    • Journal of Korea Game Society
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    • v.15 no.1
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    • pp.145-154
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    • 2015
  • The objective of this research is to evaluate the usability test of 'Paldokangsan3' which has been developed as a serious game for the elderly to improve their physical and mental health. This game machine has been installed in a silver house for one month that the elderly could play the game as they like in their convenient times. To promote their participations to practice the game, we set 3 contests with gifts for the high scores and collect their data through inspection, questionnaire and interviews by the researchers as well as in-game measurement for the play. Eight people volunteered to join the project. While the result analysis for the usability area of easiness of control, learnability of the game play, memorability and challenge didn't show the statistical confident t-value, most elderly players participated 2~3 times a day for a month even though most of them are suffering mild cognition impairment. They showed good subjective satisfactions in their interviews that we could go on the project further to expand its applications.

Identification of Inhibitory Effect on Streptococcus mutans by Oleanolic Acid (Oleanolic acid(OA)의 Streptococcus mutans에 대한 저해효과)

  • Yoon, Yo-Han;Choi, Kyoung-Hee
    • Journal of Life Science
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    • v.20 no.3
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    • pp.321-325
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    • 2010
  • Among endogenous oral microflora, Streptococcus mutans plays a critical role in dental plaque formation, which mainly contributes to the development of caries and periodontal disease. Phytochemicals are plant-derived chemical compounds that have been studied as beneficial nutrients to human health. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of phytochemicals against S. mutans. Among them, oleanolic acid (OA) and 5-(hydroxymethyl)-2-furfural (HF) from Thomson seedless raisins were tested for anti-microbial effects against various clinically important bacteria. OA inhibited the growth of Gram-positive bacteria, but not Gram-negative bacteria. However, HF did not display any antibacterial effect against any of the strains tested. OA also exhibited inhibitory effects in surface adherence and biofilm formation of S. mutans. The results suggest that OA can be utilized as a potential anti-plaque and anti-caries agent by controlling the physiological characteristics of S. mutans on teeth.

Older Adults' Experience of Smart-home Healthcare System (노인의 스마트 홈 헬스케어 이용 경험)

  • Lee, Young-Joo;Lee, JuHee;Nah, Ji-Young
    • The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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    • v.15 no.5
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    • pp.414-425
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    • 2015
  • Purpose: This study was conducted to explore the experience of smart-home healthcare among older adults who had participated in the smart-home technology development project. Methods: Data were collected by focus group interviews with 7 hypertension or diabetes participants(mean age 75 years). Qualitative contents analysis was used to analyze the verbal data. Results: The results were composed of 27 meanings units, 10 categories and 6 themes. The 6 themes are: 'improvement of health conditions through anytime anywhere self-monitoring', 'attractive experience to be counselling at home', 'frequent system and telecommunication problems', 'unfamiliar devices for elderly users', 'complementary strategies for activation', 'advancement of elderly-friendly devices and programs'. Conclusion: The smart-home healthcare system should be developed based on older adults' preferences. It is essential to make progress with professional resources and organizational supports in the future.

Palliative Care Competencies Required of Undergraduate Nursing Students in Korea (간호학부 졸업시점에 갖추어야 할 말기 환자간호 역량)

  • Kim, Hyun Sook;Kang, Kyung Ah;Kim, Sanghee;Kim, Yejean;Yoo, Yang-Sook;Yu, Sujeong;Lee, Myung-Nam;Jung, Yun;Kwon, So-Hi
    • Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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    • v.22 no.3
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    • pp.117-124
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    • 2019
  • A resolution adopted by the World Health Assembly in 2014 stated that all nurses should be equipped with palliative care skills in order to integrate palliative care into a day-to-day healthcare system. This article introduces the palliative nursing competency that was developed for the Korean environment by the Korean Hospice Palliative Nursing Research Network based on its study of overseas cases where this competency and competency-based training were developed. This is the first step towards the development of competency-based palliative nursing education, and active efforts should be made to integrate this competency into the undergraduate nursing curriculum.

Possible Effects of Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Field Exposure on Central Nerve System

  • Kim, Ju Hwan;Lee, Jin-Koo;Kim, Hyung-Gun;Kim, Kyu-Bong;Kim, Hak Rim
    • Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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    • v.27 no.3
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    • pp.265-275
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    • 2019
  • Technological advances of mankind, through the development of electrical and communication technologies, have resulted in the exposure to artificial electromagnetic fields (EMF). Technological growth is expected to continue; as such, the amount of EMF exposure will continue to increase steadily. In particular, the use-time of smart phones, that have become a necessity for modern people, is steadily increasing. Social concerns and interest in the impact on the cranial nervous system are increased when considering the area where the mobile phone is used. However, before discussing possible effects of radiofrequency-electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) on the human body, several factors must be investigated about the influence of EMFs at the level of research using in vitro or animal models. Scientific studies on the mechanism of biological effects are also required. It has been found that RF-EMF can induce changes in central nervous system nerve cells, including neuronal cell apoptosis, changes in the function of the nerve myelin and ion channels; furthermore, RF-EMF act as a stress source in living creatures. The possible biological effects of RF-EMF exposure have not yet been proven, and there are insufficient data on biological hazards to provide a clear answer to possible health risks. Therefore, it is necessary to study the biological response to RF-EMF in consideration of the comprehensive exposure with regard to the use of various devices by individuals. In this review, we summarize the possible biological effects of RF-EMF exposure.

A Study on the Improvement Plan of the Safety Certification System through the Typology of the Actual Condition Survey Results (실태조사 결과의 유형화를 통한 안전인증제도 개선방안 연구)

  • Byeon, Junghwan;Kim, Jung-Gon
    • Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
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    • v.17 no.2
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    • pp.391-402
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    • 2021
  • Purpose: By categorizing opinions by subject in the safety certification ecosystem, we want to identify weaknesses in system operation and suggest improvement plans so that the safety certification system can have quick resilience against future variability. Method: Through literature research and data analysis, similar domestic and foreign safety certifications and related cases, as well as the current status of international standards and national standards, etc. were confirmed, and a fact-finding survey was conducted for each stakeholder in the safety certification ecosystem, and problem types and improvement measures were established. Result: We conduct a fact-finding survey of the overall system, such as quality satisfaction with safety certification target products, obstacles in the development, manufacturing and use process, and safety certification-related improvements, targeting workplaces that manufacture, import or use safety certification target machines By discovering and categorizing problems and weaknesses in system operation, detailed implementation tasks were derived to establish improvement directions and improve operability. Conclusion: For the advancement and internationalization of the safety certification system, it is necessary to efficiently carry out the detailed promotion tasks derived from this study. In addition, in order to strengthen the resilience to the variability of the safety certification ecosystem, the operating system of a virtuous cycle structure by improving the mutual relationship between each subject construction is considered important.

Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of different extraction solvents of Cryptoporus volvatus (한입버섯의 추출 용매별 항산화 및 항염증 활성)

  • An, Gi-Hong;Han, Jae-Gu;Cho, Jae-Han
    • Journal of Mushroom
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    • v.17 no.3
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    • pp.136-143
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    • 2019
  • In this study, we analyze the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of various extracts of Cryptoporus volvatus. Three extracts were prepared using hot-water, 70% ethanol, and 70% methanol. Compared to the hot-water and 70% methanol extracts, the 70% C. volvatus ethanol extracts showed significantly higher DPPH radical scavenging activities (76.1%), nitrite scavenging activities (29.5%), and total polyphenol content (9.17 mg GAE/g). The DPPH radical and nitrite scavenging activities of C. volvatus both correlated significantly with the total polyphenol content. The Pearson's correlation coefficient of DPPH radical and nitrite scavenging activities with total polyphenol content were r = 0.744 (p<0.05) and r = 0.921 (p<0.01), respectively. To test their anti-inflammatory effects, nitric oxide production and cell viability were measured by performing nitric oxide (NO) and MTT assays on lipopolysaccharide-treated RAW 264.7 cells. The NO production levels of the 70% ethanol extract-treated cells were slightly lower than those of the others. In our MTT assay, the hot-water extracts showed higher cell viabilities (81.4%) than those of 70% ethanol and 70% methanol extracts. The ${\beta}$-glucan content of C. volvatus was 37.8%. From the results of this study, it is suggested that C. volvatus, an easily accessible wild mushroom, has potential to be used in the development of medicines, cosmetics, and functional health foods.

Research status of the development of genetically modified papaya (Carica papaya L.) and its biosafety assessment (GM 파파야 개발 및 생물안전성 평가 연구 동향)

  • Kim, Ho Bang;Lee, Yi;Kim, Chang-Gi
    • Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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    • v.45 no.3
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    • pp.171-182
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    • 2018
  • Papaya (Carica papaya L.) is one of the crops widely planted in tropical and subtropical areas. The papaya fruit has low calories and are plentiful in vitamins A and C and in minerals. A major problem in papaya production is a plant disease caused by the papaya ringspot virus (PRSV). The first PRSV-resistant GM papaya expressing a PRSV coat protein gene was developed by USA scientists in 1992. The first commercial GM papaya cultivars derived from the event was approved by the US government in 1997. Development of transgenic papayas has been focused on vaccine production and limited agricultural traits, including insect and pathogen resistance, long shelf life, and aluminum and herbicide tolerance. Approximately 17 countries, including the USA and China, produced transgenic papayas and/or commercialized them, which provoked studies on biosafety assessment and development of GM-detection technologies. For the biosafety assessment of potential effects on human health, effects of long-term feeding to model animals have been studied in terms of toxicity and allergenicity. Studies on environmental safety assessment include influence on soil-microbial biodiversity and transfer to soil bacteria of GM selection markers. Many countries, such as Korea, the European Union, and Japan, that have strict regulations for GM crops have serious concerns about unintended introduction of GM cultivars and food commodities using unauthorized GM crops. Transgene- and/or GM event-specific molecular markers and technologies for genomics-based detection of unauthorized GM papaya have been developed and have resulted in the robust detection of GM papayas.

Review of Production, Husbandry and Sustainability of Free-range Pig Production Systems

  • Miao, Z.H.;Glatz, P.C.;Ru, Y.J.
    • Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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    • v.17 no.11
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    • pp.1615-1634
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    • 2004
  • A review was undertaken to obtain information on the sustainability of pig free-range production systems including the management, performance and health of pigs in the system. Modern outdoor rearing systems requires simple portable and flexible housing with low cost fencing. Local pig breeds and outdoor-adapted breeds for certain environment are generally more suitable for free-range systems. Free-range farms should be located in a low rainfall area and paddocks should be relatively flat, with light topsoil overlying free-draining subsoil with the absence of sharp stones that can cause foot damage. Huts or shelters are crucial for protecting pigs from direct sun burn and heat stress, especially when shade from trees and other facilities is not available. Pigs commonly graze on strip pastures and are rotated between paddocks. The zones of thermal comfort for the sow and piglet differ markedly; between 12-22$^{\circ}C$ for the sow and 30-37$^{\circ}C$ for piglets. Offering wallows for free-range pigs meets their behavioural requirements, and also overcomes the effects of high ambient temperatures on feed intake. Pigs can increase their evaporative heat loss via an increase in the proportion of wet skin by using a wallow, or through water drips and spray. Mud from wallows can also coat the skin of pigs, preventing sunburn. Under grazing conditions, it is difficult to control the fibre intake of pigs although a high energy, low fibre diet can be used. In some countries outdoor sows are fitted with nose rings to prevent them from uprooting the grass. This reduces nutrient leaching of the land due to less rooting. In general, free-range pigs have a higher mortality compared to intensively housed pigs. Many factors can contribute to the death of the piglet including crushing, disease, heat stress and poor nutrition. With successful management, free-range pigs can have similar production to door pigs, although the growth rate of the litters is affected by season. Piglets grow quicker indoors during the cold season compared to outdoor systems. Pigs reared outdoors show calmer behaviour. Aggressive interactions during feeding are lower compared to indoor pigs while outdoor sows are more active than indoor sows. Outdoor pigs have a higher parasite burden, which increases the nutrient requirement for maintenance and reduces their feed utilization efficiency. Parasite infections in free-range pigs also risks the image of free-range pork as a clean and safe product. Diseases can be controlled to a certain degree by grazing management. Frequent rotation is required although most farmers are keeping their pigs for a longer period before rotating. The concept of using pasture species to minimise nematode infections in grazing pigs looks promising. Plants that can be grown locally and used as part of the normal feeding regime are most likely to be acceptable to farmers, particularly organic farmers. However, one of the key concerns from the public for free-range pig production system is the impact on the environment. In the past, the pigs were held in the same paddock at a high stocking rate, which resulted in damage to the vegetation, nutrient loading in the soil, nitrate leaching and gas emission. To avoid this, outdoor pigs should be integrated in the cropping pasture system, the stock should be mobile and stocking rate related to the amount of feed given to the animals.

POTENTIAL OF NIRS FOR SUPPORTING BREEDING AND CULTIVATION OF MEDICINAL AND SPICE PLANTS

  • Schulz, Hartwig;Steuer, Boris;Kruger, Hans
    • Proceedings of the Korean Society of Near Infrared Spectroscopy Conference
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    • 2001.06a
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    • pp.1162-1162
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    • 2001
  • Whereas NIR spectroscopy has been applied in agriculture for more than 20 years, few studies refer to those plant substances occurring only in smaller amounts. Nevertheless there is a growing interest today to support efficiently activities in the production of high-quality medicinal and spice plants by this fast and non-invasive method. Therefore, it was the aim of this study to develop new NIR methods for the reliable prediction of secondary metabolites found as valuable substances in various plant species. First, sophisticated NIR methods were established to perform fast quality analyses of intact fennel, caraway and dill fruits deriving from single-plants [1]. Later on, a characterization of several leaf drugs and the corresponding fresh material has been successfully performed. In this context robust calibrations have been developed for dried peppermint, rosemary and sage leaves for the determination of their individual essential oil content and composition [2]. A specially adopted NIR method has been developed also for the analysis of carnosic acid in the leaves of numerous rosemary and sage gene bank accessions. Carnosic acid is an antioxidative substance for which several health promoting properties including cancer preservation are assumed. Also some other calibrations have been developed for non-volatile substances such as aspalathin (in unfermented rooibos leaves), catechins (in green tea) and echinacoside (in different Echinacea species) [3]. Some NIR analyses have also been successfully performed on fresh material, too. In spite of the fact that these measurements showed less accuracy in comparison to dried samples, the calibration equations are precise enough to register the individual plant ontogenesis and genetic background. Based on the information received, the farmers and breeders are able to determine the right harvest time (when the valuable components have reached their optimum profile) and to select high-quality genotypes during breeding experiments, respectively. First promising attempts have also been made to introduce mobile diode array spectrometers to collect the spectral data directly on the field or in the individual natural habitats. Since the development of reliable NIRS methods in this special field of application is very time-consuming and needs continuous maintenance of the calibration equations over a longer period, it is convenient to supply the corresponding calibration data to interested user via NIRS network. The present status of all activities, preformed in this context during the last three years, will be presented in detail.

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