• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.206-211
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• 2016

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Obesity, which is a known risk factor for many chronic diseases, has also been associated with vitamin D deficiency. This study explored the relationship between serum 25-hydroxy-vitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations and adiposity measures in a general Korean population using the most recent, nationally representative survey data. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The study sample consisted of 4,771 Korean adults (${\geq}19years$) who participated in the fifth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. Serum 25(OH)D was determined by radioimmunoassay. Body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and total body fat content were measured as adiposity measurements. Total body fat content was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. RESULTS: The serum 25(OH)D level was significantly higher in men than in women. Serum 25(OH)D concentration was positively correlated with energy intake, and it was negatively correlated with total body fat content (P < 0.0001) and percentage body fat (P < 0.0001) after adjustment for age in both sexes, while was inversely correlated with BMI only in women. In multivariable regression analysis, serum 25(OH)D was inversely associated with the total body fat content after adjustment for age, BMI, education, region, smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, and energy intake only in men (P = 0.0047). However, the serum 25(OH)D concentration was not associated with WC or BMI, indicators of adiposity after adjustment for potential risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: Serum 25(OH)D concentration was independently associated with the total body fat content in a general Korean population, but it may be not associated with the indicators for estimating adiposity, such as WC or BMI.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.10-17
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• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the health behaviors and health status of adolescents in multicultural families according to gender. Methods: The study used raw data of the Korean Youth Risk Behavior Web-Based Survey performed in 2016. The 12th survey was conducted on 67,983 adolescents in 400 middle schools and 400 high schools. Among them, 759 adolescents were included in this study. Their data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, $x^2$-test, and Pearson's correlation. Results: There were significant differences in economic status, smoking experience, age of drinking onset, vigorous physical activity, soft drink consumption, toothbrushing after lunch, handwashing with soap before eating at school and eating at home and after coming home, BMI, subjective health status, stress, depression, and allergic rhinitis according to gender in multicultural adolescents. For boys, significant positive correlations were found between age and the age of drinking onset, between academic achievement and economic status, and between the age of smoking initiation and the age of drinking onset. However, there were significant negative correlations between economic status and stress and between subjective health status and stress. For girls, age had positive correlations with academic achievement, the age of drinking onset, BMI, and stress and economic status had positive correlations with academic achievement, the age of smoking initiation, and subjective health status. Also, the age of smoking initiation had positive correlations with the age of drinking onset and BMI. Lastly, there were negative correlations between age and economic status, between age and subjective health status, academic achievement and the age of smoking initiation, economic status and stress, and subjective health status and stress. Conclusion: The results of this study are expected to be useful as basic data for planning health interventions for boys and girls in multicultural families.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.73-83
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• 2009

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop a comprehensive health promotion program for North Korean young adult defectors in South Korea. Methods: The comprehensive health promotion program consisted of nutrition, mental healthcare, physical activity and sexual behavior was developed on the basis of need assessment results. For the evaluation of the program, 70 North Korean young adults who were attending two alternative schools for North Korean defectors were recruited. The program had taken place once a week for 13 or 19 weeks. Effectiveness of the health promotion program was evaluated using anthropometric measurement, 3-day food records and a questionnaires that comprised the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Short Form with 36 questions (SF-36) and health behaviors. The surveys were proceeded at the beginning and after the program. Results: After health promotion program, participants' height was significantly increased (p=0.004) and body fat mass (0=0.004) and percentage of body fat mass (p=0.003) were significantly decreased. The number of subjects who ate breakfast alone was decreased whereas the number of subjects who ate breakfast with friends was increased (p<0.001). There were no significant changes in dietary intakes, mental health status and quality of life. North Korean young adult defectors' willingness to participate and interests in the health promotion program were high, however the practice rate was low. Conclusion: The health promotion program could induce interests and willingness to participate, but bring about limited effects on the health behaviors. These results imply that a health promotion program for North Korean young adult defectors should have a long-term strategy as well as short-term plan. Furthermore, it should be based on their health problems, health related behaviors, academic performance and daily life matters.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.275-283
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• 2021

Objectives: The workplace is an ideal place for encouraging health-promoting behaviors. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine the effect of an empowerment program on the health-promoting behaviors of women workers. Methods: This randomized clinical trial was conducted with 80 women workers employed at a food packaging facility in 2020. The subjects were selected using convenience sampling and were classified into intervention and control groups using block randomization. An empowerment program for women workers was conducted across 6 sessions based on an empowerment model. Data collection tools included a demographic questionnaire and the Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile-II, which participants completed both before the program and 8 weeks after the last session. Data analysis was performed in SPSS version 16 using descriptive analysis and inferential statistics. Results: There were no significant differences between the 2 groups in various health-promoting behaviors before the program. However, the intervention group's scores for nutrition (34.92±1.09 vs. 27.87±4.23), physical activity (24.40±2.94 vs. 17.40±5.03), stress management (26.35±2.60 vs. 23.05±4.27), spiritual growth (34.02±3.00 vs. 30.22±5.40), interpersonal relationships (30.82±2.38 vs. 27.60±4.61), and health responsibility (31.60±2.71 vs. 28.22±4.59) were significantly higher than the control group's 8 weeks after the program had ended. Moreover, there was a significant difference in the total score of health-promoting behaviors for the intervention group compared to the control group (179.00±9.22 vs. 151.42±20.25, p=0.001). Conclusions: An empowerment program for women workers led to significant improvements in the health-promoting behaviors of the participants. Similar programs can ultimately improve women's health in the workplace.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.107-117
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• 2021

Background and objective: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of a forest healing program in terms of depression, neuropsychological and physiological benefits for the elderly. Methods: For this purpose, we developed a forest therapy program for the elderly who are vulnerable to dementia and conducted a total of 11 sessions of forest therapy activities in a forest once a week. We measured the changes in depression, resting-state Electroencephalography(EEG) and heart rate variability (HRV) before and after the program. There were 60 subjects aged over 65 yesrs old. 30 subjects participated in the forest therapy program, and the other were in the control group. The Geriatric Depression Scale was used to measure the level of depression, neuroNicle FX2 (Laxtha, Korea) was used to measure the resting-state EEG, and photoplethymogram (ubpulse T1, Laxtha, Korea) was used to measure the HRV. Results: The results showed that the depression index of the experimental group improved with statistical significance after the program (experiment group = 3.267 decrease of the mean). In the EEG measurement, the alpha-peak frequency at rest (experimental group = 0.227 Hz increase of the mean) was improved (mean increase = 0.23 in the experimental group, p < .05). The high frequency of HRV, which represents the parasympathetic nerve activity of the body's autonomous response, was also significantly improved (mean increase = 0.396 in the experimental group, p < .05). Conclusion: The results suggest that the forest therapy program can reduce the cognitive, psychological and physical risk factors of dementia for the elderly at risk of cognitive decline. Therefore, forest therapy activities may be suitable for the prevention of dementia in the elderly.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.211-228
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• 2013

Objectives : This report describes the diagnostic and therapeutic procedures of Collaborative Practice between Korean Traditional Medicine and Western Medicine for two dementia patients. Furthermore, through these cases, we suggest a model of collaborative practice between Korean traditional medicine and western medicine for the treatment of dementia. Methods : Two patients suffering from several symptoms related to dementia received collaborative practice between Korean traditional medicine and western medicine. Physicians of deparment which paient first visit interviewed patient and patient's guardians, discussed the symptoms and the status of the patient. Since then, the medical team made a differential diagnosis based on the results of brain imaging, hematology, urine test. and apprehended the status of dementia by the neuropsychological test. Korean traditional physicians examined the physical symptoms and identified the pattern of dementia in Korean traditional medicine. Following this, they decided on the method of acupuncture, moxibustion, cupping and herbal treatment. Western physicians decided on the type of medication after consideration of the patient's other medical conditions. Every intervention was decided by both Korean traditional physicians and western physicians after discussion. The medical team provided education on dementia and counseled the guardians. They also wrote the paper for using the long-term care insurance for the aged. Results : Two patients showed no improvement on the neuropsychologic and activity of daily living tests. However, the patients' subjective physical symptoms were improved. The collaborative practice between Korean traditional medicine and western medicine improved the patients' and guardians' satisfaction. Conclusions : Through these cases, we propose a model of collaborative practice between Korean traditional medicine and western medicine for dementia categorized diagnosis-test, treatment, prevention, management. More specifically, we supplement qigong and psychotherapy which was inadequate in these cases.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.340-347
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• 2021

Among various metal oxide semiconductors, ZnO has an excellent electrical, optical properties with a wide bandgap of 3.3 eV. It can be applied as a photocatalytic material due to its high absorption rate along with physical and chemical stability to UV light. In addition, it is important to control the morphology of ZnO because the size and shape of the ZnO make difference in physical properties. In this paper, we demonstrate synthesis of size-controlled ZnO tetrapods using an atmospheric pressure plasma system. A micro-sized Zn spherical powder was continuously introduced in the plume of the atmospheric plasma jet ignited with mixture of oxygen and nitrogen. The effect of plasma power and collection sites on ZnO nanostructure was investigated. After the plasma discharge for 10 min, the produced materials deposited inside the 60-cm-long quartz tube were obtained with respect to the distance from the plume. According to the SEM analysis, all the synthesized nanoparticles were found to be ZnO tetrapods ranging from 100 to 600-nm-diameter depending on both applied power and collection site. The photocatalytic efficiency was evaluated by color change of methylene blue solution using UV-Vis spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activity increased with the increase of (101) and (100) plane in ZnO tetrapods, which is caused by enhanced chemical effects of plasma process.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.186-191
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• 2015

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with an excess mortality from cardiovascular disease which is likely attributed to an atherogenic lipid profile. Among nutritional factors vitamin K has been recently focused as a pivotal nutrient in improvement of lipid related markers. Thus, this study was designed to determine the effects of vitamin K on lipid profile in this disease. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Fifty eight patients with definitive RA were participated in the present double blind placebo controlled study. They were randomly allocated into two groups to receive vitamin $K_1$ as phylloquinone [10 mg/day] (n = 30) or placebo pills (n = 28), for eight weeks. In order to control the effects of probable confounders dietary intakes, anthropometric measurements including weight and height, clinical status using disease activity score-28 (DAS-28), physical activity and anxiety status were evaluated at baseline. Moreover, serum levels of lipid related markers including total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and triglyceride (TG) were measured at baseline and at the end of intervention. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the two groups regarding any of the baseline characteristics. After adjusting for some relevant confounders, in comparison between two groups, we observed no significant changes in lipid related markers at the end of intervention. Also, there was no significant difference between before and after intervention values within groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Function of vitamin $K_1$ in lipid profile modification remains still controversial. This study showed that vitamin $K_1$ has no effect on lipid profile in women with rheumatoid arthritis. Further studies with a longer follow-up are required to determine the effects of vitamin K on atherogenic lipid profile.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Clinical Electrophysiology
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.43-48
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• 2009

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to study the effect of rectus abdominal muscle contraction by proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation trunk stabilization training using extremity simultaneous pattern (PNF trunk stabilization training) and traditional trunk stabilization training methods. Methods : A group of 24 adults male and female, healthy, with no previous medical history nor disability in neuromuscular system and musculoskeletal system was chosen as subjects, and was divided into a control group, a PNF trunk stabilization training group and a traditional trunk stabilization training group. Experiments were performed on the last two groups, 3 times a week for 6 weeks, totaling 18 times. Using a dynamometer, muscle strength and endurance time on trunk flexion were measured before and after each experiment, and surface electromyography in left and right rectus abdominis were measured. Results : following results were obtained; 1. As for the change in the maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC), all subjects in the trunk stabilization training group showed significant difference from those in the control group. 2. As for surface electromyography measurement and the changes in root mean square at the time of trunk flexion, in the left rectus abdominis, PNF trunk stabilization training group showed significant difference from the control group, while in the right rectus abdominis, traditional trunk stabilization training group showed significant difference. Conclusion : To sum up the results, both trunk stabilization training groups showed improvement in the MVIC of abdominal muscle, motor unit action potential activity, but the difference between two trunk stabilization training groups was not significant. Therefore, while trunk stabilization training significantly improved abdominal muscle contraction, but the difference attributable to training methods was found to be insignificant.

• Journal of Gifted/Talented Education
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.729-755
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• 2012

As an effort to understand alienated gifted students, we investigated learning characteristics and learning tactics of a scientifically gifted student with economic difficulty and physical disadvantage. The student we studied is attending the Saturday Physics Class which is an after school science activity offered by our university. We adopted techniques of qualitative case study. Participant observation was carried out at the field and the interview was done with the participant, his mother, and his teacher of 5th grade. Field documents and self-reports were used to understand the student synthetically. As a result, learning characteristics of the participant could be summarized as a spontaneous learning which originated from the internal motivation and struggle for learning to overcome the sense of inferiority and isolation from the peers. The participant adopted a strategic method for learning to satisfy his learning desire given the circumstance of socioeconomic and physical disadvantage: the three tactics we found were various learning routes, meta-cognitive ability and fervent response.