• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.540-547
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• 2021

Background: Indoor air pollutants are caused by a number of factors, such as coming in from the outside or being generated by internal activities. Typical indoor air pollutants include nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide from household items such as heating appliances and volatile organic compounds from building materials. In addition there is carbon dioxide from human breathing and bacteria from speaking, coughing, and sneezing. Objectives: According to recent research results, most indoor air pollution is known to be greatly affected by internal factors such as burning (biomass for cooking) and various pollutants. These pollutants can have a fatal effect on the human body due to a lack of ventilation facilities. Methods: We fabricated a polydopamine (PDA) layer with Ti substrates as a coating on supported glass fiber fabric to enhance its photo-activity. The PDA layer with TiO₂ was covalently attached to glass fiber fabric using the drop-casting method. The roughness and functional groups of the surface of the Ti substrate/PDA coated glass fiber fabric were verified through infrared imaging microscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The obtained hybrid Ti substrate/PDA coated glass fiber fabric was investigated for photocatalytic activity by the removal of ammonia and an epidermal Staphylococcus aureus reduction test with lamp (250 nm, 405 nm wavelength) at 24℃. Results: Antibacterial properties were found to reduce epidermal staphylococcus aureus in the Ti substrate/PDA coated glass fiber fabric under 405 nm after three hours. In addition, the Ti substrate/PDA coated glass fiber fabric of VOC reduction rate for ammonia was 50% under 405 nm after 30 min. Conclusions: An electron-hole pair due to photoexcitation is generated in the PDA layer and transferred to the conduction band of TiO₂. This generates a superoxide radical that degrades ammonia and removes epidermal Staphylococcus aureus.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.63-71
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• 2016

Purpose: Skin pH, an indicator of skin health, is maintained by various organic factors, which include lactate, free amino acid (FAA), and free fatty acid (FFA). As skin ages or with illness, skin pH becomes less acidic, and functional food has been developed to maintain the acidic pH of skin. In this study, we determined the dietary effect of green tea extract (GTE) on skin pH of photo-aged mice, as measured by epidermal levels of lactate, FAA, and FFA. The protein expression and activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), an enzyme of pyruvate reduction for lactate generation, was further determined. Methods: Albino hairless mice were fed a control diet (group UV+) or a diet with 1% GTE (group GTE) in parallel with UV irradiation for 10 weeks. A normal control group was fed a control diet without UV irradiation for 10 weeks (group UV-). Results: Skin pH was higher (less acidic) in group UV+ than in group UV-. In parallel, epidermal levels of lactate and FFA, as well as of LDH protein expression and activity, were reduced in group UV+. Dietary supplementation of GTE (group GTE) reduced skin pH to similar to the level of group UV-, and inversely increased epidermal levels of lactate, LDH protein expression and activity, but not of FFA. Although epidermal levels of FAA were similar in groups UV- and UV+, it was increased in group GTE to a level higher than in group UV-. In further analysis of major FFA, epidermal levels of palmitic acid [16:0], oleic acid [18:1(n-9)], and linoleic acid [18:2(n-6), but not of stearic acid [18:0] in group GTE were similar to or lower than those in group UV+. Conclusion: Dietary GTE normalized skin pH with increased levels of lactate and FAA, as well as with increased protein expression and activity of LDH in the epidermis of UVB irradiated hairless mice.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.109-123
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• 2017

Due to the positive effect of forest space for child development, the creation and operation of forest activity space of various organizations is increasing in quantity; however, the research on practical space design and management program is insufficient. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to evaluate the space and management programs of the forest experience centers through the post-occupancy evaluation of teachers and preschoolers participating in forest activities. To do this, we analyzed the selected twelve sites through field survey, class observation, and interviews with forest education specialists, and then surveyed 115 forest education experts and childcare teachers for importance, performance, overall satisfaction, and space preference. In addition, we accessed overall satisfaction and space preference of twenty-nine preschoolers through interviews, photo-simulation, and questionnaires. As a result, the importance and performance of management program area was rated higher than the spatial characteristics area. In terms of group comparison, the group with active structured program rated two areas higher than the groups with free play. Preschoolers with structured programs preferred facility space, but preschoolers with free play preferred nature. Two preschooler groups rated forest activity as satisfactory. Based on the analysis results: 1) The composition of the forest activity space should ensure accessibility, safety, diversity of diversity, water space, connect to the forest road, and secure various terrains, trees, and natural materials; 2) The management program should ensure that forest activity programs have the proportional balance of structural programs and free play; also. management programs should plan for sufficient free playtime and a high share of play in the forest; and 3) Ensure the role and expertise of forestry specialists and run a program to increase the autonomy of preschoolers.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.449-455
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• 2013

Human skin is constantly exposed to environmental conditions such as UV rays, polluted air, and chemical products. UV rays, in particular, affect skin in many ways causing wrinkles, fine wrinkles, rough skin, and xeroderma through a skin aging process. The purpose of this study was to investigate the anti-wrinkling effect of Juniperus rigida Sieb., derived from a common cedar tree found the world over. Measuring the elastase to investigate wrinkling efficacy, it was shown that at a concentration level of $1,000{\mu}g/ml$ of the two extracts, the water extract exhibited a lower than 10% inhibition activity, while the ethanol extract exhibited a 68.5% inhibition activity. Collagenase inhibition activity in the water extract and ethanol extract were 44.9% in the former and 97.2% in the latter extract, which in the case of the ethanol extract, is similar to ascorbic acid (99.6%). Moreover, measuring the biosynthesis of collagen by fibroblast, a concentration level of $50{\mu}g/ml$ of ethanol extract produced 151.52% of biosynthetic promotion, proving that the ethanol extract acts as a superb anti-wrinkling agent. The result of an investigation conducted on the influence of the ethanol extract on MMP-1 caused by UVA showed that at a concentration level of $1,00{\mu}g/ml$ of the ethanol extract of J. rigida Sieb a 67.1% inhibition activity was noted. At a concentration level of $50{\mu}g/ml$ of the ethanol extract of J. rigida Sieb a 35% and 39% inhibition ratio to MMP-1 protein and mRNA were observed respectively, thereby restraining the appearance of the collagen breakdown enzyme MMP-1 and wrinkle creation by skin photo-aging.

• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.85-97
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• 2010

Internet communities are a typical space for knowledge creation and use on the Internet as people discuss their common interests within the internet communities. When we define 'Knowledge Communities' as internet communities that are related to knowledge creation and use, they are categorized into 4 different types such as 'Search Engine,' 'Open Communities,' 'Specialty Communities,' and 'Activity Communities.' Each type of knowledge community does not remain the same, for example. Rather, it changes with time and is also affected by the external business environment. Therefore, it is critical to develop processes for practical use of such changeable knowledge communities. Yet there is little research regarding a strategic framework for knowledge communities as a source of knowledge creation and use. The purposes of this study are (1) to find factors that can affect knowledge creation and use for each type of knowledge community and (2) to develop a strategic framework for practical use of the knowledge communities. Based on previous research, we found 7 factors that have considerable impacts on knowledge creation and use. They were 'Fitness,' 'Reliability,' 'Systemicity,' 'Richness,' 'Similarity,' 'Feedback,' and 'Understanding.' We created 30 different questions from each type of knowledge community. The questions included common sense, IT, business and hobbies, and were uniformly selected from various knowledge communities. Instead of using survey, we used these questions to ask users of the 4 representative web sites such as Google from Search Engine, NAVER Knowledge iN from Open Communities, SLRClub from Specialty Communities, and Wikipedia from Activity Communities. These 4 representative web sites were selected based on popularity (i.e., the 4 most popular sites in Korea). They were also among the 4 most frequently mentioned sitesin previous research. The answers of the 30 knowledge questions were collected and evaluated by the 11 IT experts who have been working for IT companies more than 3 years. When evaluating, the 11 experts used the above 7 knowledge factors as criteria. Using a stepwise linear regression for the evaluation of the 7 knowledge factors, we found that each factors affects differently knowledge creation and use for each type of knowledge community. The results of the stepwise linear regression analysis showed the relationship between 'Understanding' and other knowledge factors. The relationship was different regarding the type of knowledge community. The results indicated that 'Understanding' was significantly related to 'Reliability' at 'Search Engine type', to 'Fitness' at 'Open Community type', to 'Reliability' and 'Similarity' at 'Specialty Community type', and to 'Richness' and 'Similarity' at 'Activity Community type'. A strategic framework was created from the results of this study and such framework can be useful for knowledge communities that are not stable with time. For the success of knowledge community, the results of this study suggest that it is essential to ensure there are factors that can influence knowledge communities. It is also vital to reinforce each factor has its unique influence on related knowledge community. Thus, these changeable knowledge communities should be transformed into an adequate type with proper business strategies and objectives. They also should be progressed into a type that covers varioustypes of knowledge communities. For example, DCInside started from a small specialty community focusing on digital camera hardware and camerawork and then was transformed to an open community focusing on social issues through well-known photo galleries. NAVER started from a typical search engine and now covers an open community and a special community through additional web services such as NAVER knowledge iN, NAVER Cafe, and NAVER Blog. NAVER is currently competing withan activity community such as Wikipedia through the NAVER encyclopedia that provides similar services with NAVER encyclopedia's users as Wikipedia does. Finally, the results of this study provide meaningfully practical guidance for practitioners in that which type of knowledge community is most appropriate to the fluctuated business environment as knowledge community itself evolves with time.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.71-77
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• 2015

A fluidized biofilter was filled with Pseudomonas sp. and Bacillus cereus/thuringiensis-fixed waste-tire crumb media and was run to treat authentic textile-dyeing wastewater mixed with alkaline polyester-weight-reducing wastewater. As a result, its removal efficiency of $COD_{Cr}$ and color were 75~80% and 67%, respectively. In addition, upon constructing hybrid-recirculating system composed of the fluidized biofilter and a 450 W-UV/photocatalytic reactor, only fluidized biofilter was run bypassing UV/photocatalytic reactor at stage I. Subsequently, the hybrid system was continuously run at stage II-i, ii and iii. At stage II-i, the total removal efficiency of $COD_{Cr}$ was enhanced to be 80~85%, compared to 75% at stage I, owing to 20~30% removal efficiency of the UV/photocatalytic reactor. However, at stage II-i, the total removal efficiency of color was enhanced to be 65~70%, compared to 45~65% at stage I, even though the removal efficiency of the UV/photocatalytic reactor was tantamount to merely 0~5%. As far as the removal efficiency of fluidized biofilter of the hybrid-recirculating system is concerned, its removal efficiency of color was enhanced by the synergy effect of the hybrid-recirculating system unlike $COD_{Cr}$. Besides, despite of the increase of hybrid-recirculating system-recycle ratio, the deactivation of photo-catalytic activity was scarcely observed to eliminate the color while its irreversible deactivation was observed to eliminate $COD_{Cr}$.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.31 no.3 s.52
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• pp.219-236
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• 2005

Glycolic acid, an alpha-hydroxy acid derived from fruit and milk sugars, has been commonly used as a cosmetic ingredient since it was known to have photo-protective, anti-inflammatory effects, and anti-oxidant effect in UV-irradiated skin. However, little has been know about the functional role of glycolic acid on UV-induced skin cell proliferation. It was previously found that glycolic acid inhibited UV-induced skin tumor development in hairless mouse. As a possible mechanism of glycolic acid on the UV-induced skin tumor development, the ability of glycolic acid to inhibit the UVB-induced cell growth and possible mechanisms were investigated. Glycolic acid treatment attenuated the UV-induced cell proliferation and apoptotic cell death in the skin. In vitro study, glycolic acid inhibited the UVB-induced cell growth and apoptotic death through inhibiting caspase-3 activity. These results suggest that glycolic acid may exert the Inhibitory effect on the UVB-induced skin tumor development by regulating cell growth and apoptotic cell death.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.139-146
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• 2004

Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.), an annual plant of the family Malvaceae, is considered to be the most promising for alternative plants with potential use as a non-wood fiber source. The objectives of this study were to select the optimum seeding date and adaptable cultivar among newly introduced kenaf cultivars (Everglades-41, Tainung-2 and Chingpi-3) in Jeju island, and to clarify the photosynthetic characteristics of those cultivars. Among the three cultivars, the fresh shoot weight per unit area of Chingpi-3 at harvest season showed highest through all seeding dates, that of while Everglades-41 was the lowest. The difference of shoot yield at harvest mainly due to seedling stand rate and plant number per unit area among the cultivars. The Chingpi-3 showed the highest shoot fresh weight in the seeding date of May 11 and decreased trend in the late seeding dates. Net photosynthesis rate was higher on Everglades-41 with entire type leaf than other two cultivars with palmate type leaf. The activity of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/foxygenase (rubisco) estimated from the A-Ci curve showed highest in Chingpi-3 among three cultivars. These results suggest that Chingpi-3 might be adaptable cultivar with seeding date of around May 10 for kenaf production in Jeiu island.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.20-26
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• 2008

This study investigated the antioxidative effect of mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris L.) extracts in hairless mouse skin from oxidative stress induced by UV-irradiation. After topical application on hairless mouse back with basic skin lotion group (control), ascorbic acid group (AA-0.5%, AA-1.0%, AA-2.0%, and AA-5.0%), and mugwort extract group (ME-0.5%, ME-1.0%, ME-2.0%, and ME-5.0%), the animals were irradiated to increasing doses of UVB (60 $mJ{\sim}100$ mJ) for 4 weeks. Hydrogen peroxide of hairless mouse skin homogenate significantly decreased in 2% (p<0.05) and 5% (p<0.05) of ME and AA groups. Hydroxyl radicals were decreased significantly in both of 2% and 5% ME groups as compared to AA groups (p<0.05). Oxidative stress levels deduced by oxidized protein contents were greatly decreased ($14.6{\sim}18.5%$) in all ME treatment groups, while only at 2% of AA treatment group. Lipid peroxide contents were greatly inhibited in all ME and AA treatment groups (p<0.01). Application of ME significantly increased catalase activity, over 25% in all mugwort and AA groups. Glutathione peroxidase activities were increased up to $20.5%{\sim}32.8%$ in 2.0% and 5% ME groups, whereas it increased in all AA groups. These results suggested that mugwort extract was more effective than that of ascorbic acid in protecting hairless mouse skin from photo-irradiation, and can be used as an potential anti-aging cosmetic ingredients.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.16 no.7 s.80
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• pp.1158-1163
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• 2006

Bisphenol A (BPA), 2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl) propane, has been widely used as a monomer for production of epoxy resins and polycarbonate plastics, and final products of BPA include adhesives, protective coatings, paints, optical lens, building materials, compact disks and other electrical parts. Since BPA is a toxic chemical to elicit acute cell cytotoxicity and chronic endocrine disrupting activity, the degradation of BPA has been focused during last decades. To overcome the problem of photo-, and chemical-degradation of BPA, in this study, a bacterium that is able to biodegrade BPA, was isolated. The bacterium, isolated froln the soil of plastic factory, was identified as Acinetobacter calcoaceticus (strain BP-2) based on physiological and 16S rDNA sequencing analysis. A. calcoaceticus BP-2 was able to grow in the presence of $1140{\mu}g\;ml^{-1}$ BPA. Biodegradation experiments showed that BP-2 mineralized BPA via 4-hydroxybenzoic acid and 4-hydroxyacetophenone, and average degradation rate was $53.3{\mu}g\;ml^{-1}\;day^{-1}$ under optimal conditions (pH 7 and $30^{\circ}C$). In high density resting cell $(3.5g-dcw.1^{-1})$ experiments, the maximal degradation rate was increased to $89.7{\mu}g\;ml^{-1}\;h^{-1}$. Our results suggest that BP-2 has high potential as a catalyst for practical BPA bioremediation.