• Toxicological Research
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.119-129
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• 2019

As the use of cosmetics has greatly increased in a daily life, safety issues with cosmetic ingredients have drawn an attention. Drometrizole [2-(2'-hydroxy-5'-methylphenyl)benzotriazole] is categorized as a sunscreen ingredient and is used in cosmetics and non-cosmetics as a UV light absorber. No significant toxicity has been observed in acute oral, inhalation, or dermal toxicity studies. In a 13-week oral toxicity study in beagle dogs, No observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) was determined as 31.75 mg/kg bw/day in males and 34.6 mg/kg bw/day in females, based on increased serum alanine aminotransferase activity. Although drometrizole was negative for skin sensitization in two Magnusson-Kligman maximization tests in guinea pigs, there were two case reports of consumers presenting with allergic contact dermatitis. Drometrizole showed no teratogenicity in reproductive and developmental toxicity studies in which rats and mice were treated for 6 to 15 days of the gestation period. Ames tests showed that drometrizole was not mutagenic. A long-term carcinogenicity study using mice and rats showed no significant carcinogenic effect. A nail product containing 0.03% drometrizole was nonirritating, non-sensitizing and non-photosensitizing in a test with 147 human subjects. For risk assessment, the NOAEL chosen was 31.75 mg/kg bw/day in a 13-week oral toxicity study. Systemic exposure dosages were 0.27228 mg/kg bw/day and 1.90598 mg/kg bw/day for 1% and 7% drometrizole in cosmetics, respectively. Risk characterization studies demonstrated that when cosmetic products contain 1.0% of drometrizole, the margin of safety was greater than 100. Based on the risk assessment data, the MFDS revised the regulatory concentration of drometrizole from 7% to 1% in 2015. Under current regulation, drometrizole is considered to be safe for use in cosmetics. If new toxicological data are obtained in the future, the risk assessment should be carried out to update the appropriate guidelines.

• Journal of the Architectural Institute of Korea Planning & Design
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• v.34 no.11
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• pp.75-84
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• 2018

This study analyzed users' acceptance and intention to use in addition to needs and preferences of smart home technologies, and identified the differences in technology preference and acceptance by different factors. The subjects were residents in the 40s and 60s residing in the Seoul or suburbs of Seoul, and questionnaires were conducted in the 40s while interviews with questionnaires were conducted in the 60s. A total of 105 questionnaires were used as data, and frequency, mean, crossover, independent sample t test, one-way ANOVA and multiple regression analysis were performaed using SPSS23. The results of this study are as follows. First, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and hypercholesterolemia were the most common diseases among respondents and if there was no discomfort, they would like to continue living in the homes of the current residence. Therefore, the direction of smart home development should support the daily living and health care so that residents can live a healthy life for a long time in their living space. Second, the technologies that residents most need were a control technology of residential environments and a monitoring technology of residents' health and physiological changes. The most preferred sensor types are motion sensors and speech recognition while video cameras have a very low preference. Third, technology anxiety was the most significant factor influencing intention to accept smart home technology. The greater the technology anxiety is, the weaker the acceptance of technology. Fourth, when applying smart residential technology in homes, various resident characteristics should be considered. Age and technology intimacy were the most influential variables, and accordingly there were differences in technology preference and acceptance. Therefore, a user-friendly smart home plan should be done in the consideration of the results.

• Journal of the Institute of Convergence Signal Processing
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.73-78
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• 2020

Musculoskeletal disease is often caused by sitting down for long period's time or by bad posture habits. In order to prevent musculoskeletal disease in daily life, it is the most important to correct the bad sitting posture to the right one through real-time monitoring. In this study, to detect the sitting information of user's without any constraints, we propose posture measurement system based on multi-channel pressure sensor and CNN model for classifying sitting posture types. The proposed CNN model can analyze 5 types of sitting postures based on sitting posture information. For the performance assessment of posture classification CNN model through field test, the accuracy, recall, precision, and F1 of the classification results were checked with 10 subjects. As the experiment results, 99.84% of accuracy, 99.6% of recall, 99.6% of precision, and 99.6% of F1 were verified.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.70-81
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• 2024

Objectives: Cognitive impairments, ranging from mild to severe, adversely affect daily functioning, quality of life, and work capacity. Despite significant efforts in the past decade, more than 200 promising drug candidates have failed in clinical trials. Herbal remedies are gaining interest as potential treatments for dementia due to their long history and safety, making them valuable for drug development. This review aimed to examine the mechanisms behind the effect of Polygonum multiflorum on cognitive function. Methods: This study focused primarily on the effects of Polygonum multiflorum and its chemical constituents on cognitive behavioral outcomes including the Morris water maze, the passive avoidance test, and the Y maze, as well as pathogenic targets of cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease (AD) like amyloid deposition, amyloid precursor protein, tau hyperphosphorylation, and cognitive decline. Additionally, a thorough evaluation of the mechanisms behind Polygonum multiflorum's impact on cognitive function was conducted. We reviewed the most recent data from preclinical research done on experimental models, particularly looking at Polygonum multiflorum's effects on cognitive decline and AD. Results: According to recent research, Poligonum multiflorum and its bioactive components, stilbene, and emodin, influence cognitive behavioral results and regulate the pathological target of cognitive impairment and AD. Their mechanisms of action include reducing oxidative and mitochondrial damage, regulating neuroinflammation, halting apoptosis, and promoting increased neurogenesis and synaptogenesis. Conclusion: This review serves as a comprehensive compilation of current experiments on AD and other cognitive impairment models related to the therapeutic effects of Polygonum multiflorum. We believe that these findings can serve as a basis for future clinical trials and have potential applications in the treatment of human neurological disorders.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.35
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• pp.53.1-53.15
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• 2023

Background: Plastics are high-molecular-weight materials composed of long carbon chains. They are prevalent in daily life, present in various items such as food containers and microwavable packaging. Phthalates, an additive used to enhance their flexibility, are endocrine-disrupting chemicals. We utilized the data from the Korean National Environmental Health Survey (KoNEHS) cycle 3, representing the general South Korean population, to investigate the relationship between the use of plastics in refrigerator food storage and phthalate exposure. Methods: We assessed 3,333 adult participants (aged ≥ 19 years) including 1,526 men and 1,807 women, using data from KoNEHS cycle 3. Using the 75th percentile concentration, urine phthalate metabolites were categorized into high and low-concentration groups. χ² test was conducted to analyze variations in the distribution of each variable, considering sociodemographic factors, health-related factors, food intake, the use of plastics, and the concentration of urine phthalate metabolites as the variables. To calculate odds ratios (ORs) for the high-concentration group of urine phthalate metabolites based on the use of plastics in refrigerator food storage, logistic regression analysis was conducted. Results: In men, the use of plastics in refrigerator food storage had significantly higher adjusted ORs compared to those using the others. The adjusted ORs were calculated as follows: mono-(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP) had an OR of 1.35 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.05-1.72), mono-(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (MEOHP) had an OR of 1.48 (95% CI: 1.16-1.88), mono-(2-ethyl-5-carboxypentyl) phthalate (MECPP) had an OR of 1.32 (95% CI: 1.04-1.66), ∑di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (∑DEHP) had an OR of 1.37 (95% CI: 1.08-1.74) and mono-n-butyl phthalate (MnBP) had an OR of 1.44 (95% CI: 1.13-1.84). Conclusion: The concentrations of urine phthalate metabolites (MEHHP, MEOHP, MECPP, ∑DEHP, and MnBP) were significantly higher in men who used plastics in refrigerator food storage compared to those using the others.

• FOCUS: LIFE SCIENCE
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• no.1
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• pp.2.1-2.6
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• 2024

This article provides detailed instructions for the correct installation, maintenance, and troubleshooting of capillary gas chromatography (GC) columns. It emphasizes the importance of proper installation to ensure optimal performance and longevity of the column. The document covers various aspects such as column trimming, installation, conditioning, testing, storage, and ferrule selection. The installation process involves ensuring that the heated zones of the GC are cool before placing the column cage in the column oven. It is essential to avoid sharp bends or stress on the capillary column during installation and to connect the front end of the column into the GC inlet at the recommended insertion distance. The document also provides guidance on trimming the column, including the use of a ceramic wafer or capillary column cutter to achieve a clean, burr-free cut. For previously used columns, it recommends removing any capillary caps, positioning the nut and ferrule, and trimming 1-2 cm from the column. After installation, the column should be purged with carrier gas to remove any oxygen and avoid oxidizing the column. Conditioning the column involves ramping to the upper isothermal temperature limit and maintaining this temperature for a specified duration. It is crucial to maintain carrier gas flow during conditioning and not exceed the upper temperature limit of the column to avoid phase damage. The document also discusses testing column performance using a suitable method and performing a test injection to assess performance. It provides recommendations for column storage, including flame-sealing the capillary ends or using retention gaps for long-term storage. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of routine maintenance and replacement of GC consumables to extend the column's lifetime. Ferrule selection is another important aspect covered in the article, with a variety of ferrule materials available for different applications. The characteristics of common ferrule options are presented in a table, including temperature limits, reusability, and suitability for specific detector types.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.11-18
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• 2013

Cement concrete pavement offers long-term service life and excellent applicability for heavy traffic. It is easier to purchase and more durable and economical than the asphalt pavement. However, it is difficult to repair and rehabilitate compared to the asphalt pavement when it comes to the maintenance problem. Since the crack is the main reason of the damage of concrete pavement, it is necessary to control the early and long-term crack in the concrete pavement. In this experimental study, the basic performance tests have been carried out to investigate the effect of hybrid fibers which were composed of micro fibers with small diameter and high aspect ratio and macro fibers with large diameter and low aspect ratio on the concrete pavement, in which lower water ratio and larger aggregates were used compared to the general concrete mixture. The test results showed that the flexural strength and toughness of concrete pavement mixture have been increased with the use of hybrid fibers in the concrete pavement mixture, even though they were less effective compared to the normal concrete mixture. It was found that the hybrid fibers were effective to control the early shrinkage of the concrete pavement which is one of the main reasons of the damage in the concrete pavement.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.135-141
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• 2007

To increase the consumer acceptability of yam and the shelf-life of fresh-cut yam, organic acid-treated fresh-cut yam was prepared. When uncontaminated fresh-cut yam was stored at $4^{\circ}C$ for 14 days after treatment with 1% (v/w) organic acids, the browning and microbial putrefaction of fresh-cut yam were inhibited by treatment of acetic acid or maleic acid, whereas treatment of citric acid and ascorbic acid, commonly used browning inhibitors in food industry, did not show apparent effects on the browning and putrefaction of yam. The Inhibitory effects of acetic acid or maleic acid were superior than those of NaOCl (100 ppm), hydrogen peroxide (100 ppm) or commercially available washing solution. Also, treatments of 1% acetic acid, or 1% maleic acid Into artificially-contaminated yam $(10^5\;CFU/g-yam)$ showed strong inhibition of browning and putrefaction during long term storage at $4^{\circ}C$. The growth inhibition test indicated that 0.1% is enough to inhibit the growth of psychrotrophic yam-putrefactive Pseudomonas sp., and treatment of 0.1% acetic acid, or 0.1% maleic acid inhibited the browning and microbial putrefaction of fresh-cut yam. Our results suggested long-term distribution of yam or other root crops products is possible by treatment of organic acid, such as acetic acid, combined with aseptic vacuum packaging technology.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.84 no.2
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• pp.96-104
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• 2021

Background: Many chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients receiving monotherapy continue to experience symptoms, exacerbations and poor quality of life. This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of direct switch from once-daily tiotropium (TIO) 18 ㎍ to indacaterol/glycopyrronium (IND/GLY) 110/50 ㎍ once daily in COPD patients in Korea. Methods: This was a randomized, open-label, parallel group, 12-week trial in mild-to-moderate COPD patients who received TIO 18 ㎍ once daily for ≥12 weeks prior to study initiation. Patients aged ≥40 years, with predicted post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV₁) ≥50%, post-bronchodilator FEV₁/forced vital capacity <0.7 and smoking history of ≥10 pack-years were included. Eligible patients were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to either IND/GLY or TIO. The primary objective was to demonstrate superiority of IND/GLY over TIO in pre-dose trough FEV₁ at week 12. Secondary endpoints included transition dyspnea index (TDI) focal score, COPD assessment test (CAT) total score, and rescue medication use following the 12-week treatment, and safety assessment. Results: Of the 442 patients screened, 379 were randomized and 347 completed the study. IND/GLY demonstrated superiority in pre-dose trough FEV₁ versus TIO at week 12 (least squares mean treatment difference [Δ], 50 mL; p=0.013). Also, numerical improvements were observed with IND/GLY in the TDI focal score (Δ, 0.31), CAT total score (Δ, -0.81), and rescue medication use (Δ, -0.09 puffs/day). Both treatments were well tolerated by patients. Conclusion: A direct switch from TIO to IND/GLY provided improvements in lung function and other patient-reported outcomes with an acceptable safety profile in patients with mild-to-moderate airflow limitation.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.82 no.3
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• pp.600-612
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• 2021

Purpose To evaluate the long-term radiologic and clinical outcomes of stent-graft placement for the treatment of post-pancreaticoduodenectomy arterial hemorrhage (PPAH) based on the imaging findings of stent-graft patency and results of liver function tests. Materials and Methods We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of nine consecutive patients who underwent stent-graft placement for PPAH between June 2012 and May 2017. We analyzed the immediate technical and clinical outcomes and liver function test results. Stent-graft patency was evaluated using serial CT angiography images. Results All stent-grafts were deployed in the intended position for the immediate cessation of arterial hemorrhage and preservation of hepatic arterial blood flow. Technical success was achieved in all nine patients. Eight patients survived after discharge, and one patient died on postoperative day 28. The median follow-up duration was 781 days (range: 28-1766 days). Follow-up CT angiography revealed stent-graft occlusion in all patients. However, serum aspartate aminotransferase or alanine aminotransferase levels in all patients were well below those observed in hepatic infarction cases. Conclusion Stent-graft placement is a safe and effective treatment method for acute life-threatening PPAH. Liver function and distal hepatic arterial blood flow were maintained postoperatively despite the high incidence of stent-graft occlusion observed on follow-up CT.