• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.9-16
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• 2012

Generally, cosmetic creams have been used to moisturize and smooth human skin. Recently, people concerns about the creams released with natural flavors and its functionality. This study focused to assess the psychophysiological effects of creams with 5 natural flavors such as patchouli oil, frankincense, sandalwood oil, none and newly developed S6. Initially, we have performed subjective evaluation for 100 female subjects aged 20 to 30 from Daejeon, South Korea. The results showed the most preferred flavor was S6 condition. Second, physiological evaluations for 20 female subjects were measured with EEG, ECG and GSR. In EEG analysis, the alpha ratio was confirmed to appear higher in each condition. The statistical analysis shows that significantly largest effect at S6 condition($p$ <0.05). The result from ECG and GSR measurements also shows the same trend. Third, skin conditions were measured when using S6. As a result, the skin temperature, humidity and skin movement speed were increased with S6 condition. The moisturizing and elasticity effects were confirmed.

• Proceedings of the KOSOMBE Conference
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• v.1996 no.05
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• pp.88-90
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• 1996

The right and left atrial pressures are important parameters in automatic control of a total artificial heart (TAH) within normal physiological ranges. Our TAH is composed of a moving actuator, right and left ventricles and the interventricular space enclosed by a semi-rigid housing. During operation of the TAH, the jnterventpicular space's volume is changed dynamically by the difference between the ejection volume of one ventricle and the inflow volume of the other. Therefore, the changes in pressure of the interventricular space is related to both atrial pressures. We measured the interventricular pressure (IVP) waveform using a pressure sensor and attempted to indirectly estimate the changes of atrial pressures. This method has an advantage that the sensor does not contact the blood directly. Furthermore, the IVP waveforms have its zero baseline in each pump cycle, thus the pressure measurements are free from the transducer drift problems by measuring the peak pressure from these baseline values. From the In vitro experiments, we found that the IVP waveform contained several useful parameters such as negative peak, dP/dT on the initial break, the area enclosed by the profile in each stroke, which are associated with atrial pressures and the filling conditions of the ventricles. The measured atrial pressures were linearly related to the negative peak of the interventricular pressure.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.169-175
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• 2011

Objectives: The questionnaire of occupational stress index (OSI) has been popular in the workplace, and it has been tailored for bus drivers in Taiwan. Nevertheless, its outcomes for participants are based on self-evaluations, thus validation by their physiological stress biomarker is warranted and this is the main goal of this study. Methods: A cross-sectional study of sixty-three city bus drivers and fifty-four supporting staffs for comparison was conducted. Questionnaire surveys, 24-hour urine cortisol testing, and blood draws for dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEA-S) testing were performed. The measured concentrations of these biological measures were logarithmically transformed before the statistical analysis where various scores of stressor factors, moderators, and stress effects of each OSI domain were analyzed by applying multiple linear regression models. Results: For drivers, the elevated 24-hour urine cortisol level was associated with a worker's relationship with their supervisor and any life change events in the most recent 3 months. The DHEA-S level was higher in drivers of younger age as well as drivers with more concerns relating to their salary and bonuses. Non-drivers showed no association between any stressor or satisfaction and urine cortisol and blood DHEA-S levels. Conclusion: Measurements of biomarkers may offer additional stress evaluations with OSI questionnaires for bus drivers. Increased DHEA-S and cortisol levels may result from stressors like income security. Prevention efforts towards occupational stress and life events and health promotional efforts for aged driver were important anti-stress remedies.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.181-187
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• 2007

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to identify the relationship between obesity and bone mineral density in middle aged women. Methods: A cross-sectional survey design was utilized with a check list and physiological measurements. A total of 827 convenient samples were recruited from women who lived in the community. Bone mineral density was measured by T-score using the pixi method of Lumar on the left heel. Descriptive statistics and pearson correlation coefficient were utilized for data analysis. Results: Most were assessed as having normal weight(37.9%) or obese (57.4%) by BMI. Only 32% was assessed as having normal bone mineral density, while 40.3% had osteopenia, and 27.7% as osteoporosis. The BMI scores were significantly related to age, and episodes of fractures. Those with lower bone mineral density reported significantly more episodes of fractures and chronic disease. The T scores of Bone mineral density were significantly correlated with the scores of BMI (r= .126, p< .001). Conclusion: There is a strong need to develop intervention programs for this age group to manage bone mineral density loss to prevent occurrences of osteoporosis, and episodes of fracture.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.288-294
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• 2019

Gardenia jasminoides is an herbal medicine that treats obesity and dampness-phlegm. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of Gardenia jasminoides on insulin resistance induced by Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). 8-week-old C57BL/6 male mice were divided into three groups: control group (Ctrl), high-fat diet group (HFF), and high fat diet with Gardenia jasminoides extract administration group (GJT). Each 10 mice was allocated to each group (a total of 30 mice). All mice were allowed to eat fat-rich diet freely throughout the experiment. To examine the effect of Gardenia jasminoides, we observed weight changes, lipid blot distributions, PPAR-${\gamma}$, p-IkB, p-JNK in liver tissue, total cholesterol, and glucose levels in serum. Comparing of body weight measurements between 3 groups, in the GJT group, weight gain was significantly suppressed compared to the HFF group. The distribution of lipid blots and positive reaction of PPAR-${\gamma}$ were significantly lower in GJT group. The expression levels of p-$I{\kappa}B$ and p-JNK that plays critical roles in the development of insulin resistance were significantly decreased by GJ treatment. Total cholesterol and glucose levels in serum were also significantly lower in GJT group. Gardenia jasminoides has the effect of improving non - alcoholic fatty liver induced insulin resistance through the regulation of lipid metabolism.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.161-169
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• 2022

Engagement is an important factor in the field of rehabilitation as it is a known factor that have a positive influence on functional gaining in people who receive rehabilitation therapy. Although a number of measurements for engagement have been recently developed, investigation of possible factors that may have influence on engagement is not well established. Currently available evidence suggests that engagement is affected by mood and it is hypothesized that a personal factor may contribute to engagement. Therefore, this study aims to test the hypothetical relationship between mood and engagement while performing a manual dexterity task through an experiment in healthy participants prior to investigation on people with medical condition who requires rehabilitation therapy. After inducing target mood (positive or negative mood) for study participants by asking them to recall autobiographical memories, change in muscle activity, which was operationalized as an indicator of engagement, was investigated. Electromyogram (EMG) was recorded from four muscle areas in non-dominant hand side to quantify muscle activity. The results show that the target moods were appropriately induced with the method. Although there were subtle differences in the level of engagement between different moods, certain variables derived from muscle activity were significantly different; mean amplitude for wrist extensor EMG showed significant difference between different moods (Z = -2.023, p < .05) indicating that muscle activities in the wrist extensor are greater for positive mood than negative mood region during manual dexterity task. Meanwhile, performance outcomes of Minnesota Manual Dexterity Test (MMDT), such as mean completion time and number of errors, between moods showed no significant difference in two different moods, resulting in MMDT administration may not be useful task in distinguishing the level of rehabilitation engagement.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.573-584
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• 2021

Background and objective: This study was conducted with 10 men and women in their 50s-60s to investigate the effect of agro-healing activities on the improvement of mental health. Methods: The experimental group participated in total 8 sessions of agro-healing activities, once a week for 2 hours each, at a care farm in Wanju-gun. Physiological measurements were taken with an electroencephalogram (EEG), Salivettes samples, and blood pressure before and after the activities. Results: As a result of analyzing the changes in brainwaves of the experimental group before and after agro-healing activities, relative slow alpha (RSA), relative fast alpha (RFA), and ratio of alpha to high beta (RAHB), the indices of stability and relaxation, increased after the program with statistical significance. Also, the ratio of SMR to theta (RST) of the attention index increased on the right frontal lobes, temporal lobes, and left occipital lobes, and relative low beta (RLB) increasd on the frontal lobes, temporal lobes, and occipital lobes after the program with statistical significance. The sympathetic nervous system activity, which is a stress index, decreased after the program, whereas the parasympathetic nervous system activity, which is a relaxation index, increased, showing statistical significance (p < .05). As a result of analyzing the changes in blood pressure after the program, systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure decreased from prehypertension to normal blood pressure, showing statistical significance. SThese results indicate that participating in agro-healing activities at a care farm for the 50-60s helps reduce stress and improve stability and relaxation as well as attention. Conclusion: Thus, developing and applying customized agro-healing programs for participants will have a positive effect on brain activity and psychophysiological improvement by relieving tension and stress. However, there are limitations in generalizing the results of this study since most of agro-healing farms have low accessibility that leads to a low level of participants.

• Proceedings of the SCSK Conference
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• 2003.09a
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• pp.601-610
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• 2003

Biotin is a water-soluble vitamin used as a skin conditioning agent and promotes the formation of intercellular lipid layers through increased lipid synthesis, which improves the skin's natural barrier function. The anti-inflammatory effects of biotin have been investigated using in vitro assay models, such as MTT assay, measurements of concentrations of nitric oxide(NO), prostaglandin E2(PGE$_2$), and inhibition rate of 5-lipoxygenase(5-LOX). In comparison with biotin, other plant extracts were tested at the same time which were kudzu vine extract, sage extract, paeonia extract, and dipotassium glycyrrhetinate. Nitric oxide is a signal molecule with functions such as neurotransmission, local vascular relaxation, and anti-inflammation in many physiological and pathological processes. NO can cause apoptosis and necrosis of target cells such as keratinocytes and is generated from L-arginine by nitric oxide synthase (NOS). Prostanoids, including prostaglandins and thromboxanes, are generated by the phospholipase $A_2$/cyclooxygenase(COX) pathway, and leukotrienes are generated by the 5-lipoxygenase pathway from arachidonic acid. Prostaglandin E2 recently have been shown to be beneficial in the resolution of tissue injury and inflammation, also has been implicated as an immunosuppressive agent and plasma levels of PGE$_2$ are elevated in patients sustaining thermal injury. Lipoxygenase metabolites from arachidonic acid have been implicated in inflammation, anti-inflammatory activity of the raw materials was evaluated in vitro by the offered inhibition of lipoxygenase.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.193-208
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• 2022

In this study, we proposed a mathematical model that can explain the source of the observed variability of repeated measurement data collected in Korean medicine clinical practice, and conducted a pilot analysis to infer the source of these variability based on our model. Mathematical model was constructed by dividing the observed variations into three components: common time-dependent variations, signal shift, and measurement error. To show the applicability of our model in real data, we analyzed 20 repeated measurement data of Korean clinical indicators in graduate students of Pusan National University Graduate School of Korean Medicine. We showed how to infer each source of variations based on our model and also showed the limitation of inference given the acquired the dataset. On the basis of objective recognition of these source of the variability, we hope that quantitative investigations on these sources for each Korean medicine clinical indicator are made in the future, so that they can be used in the clinical and educational areas of Korean medicine.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.396-407
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• 2022

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess insomnia and the quality of sleep, investigate the concordance between objective and self-report sleep patterns, and identify physiological, psychological, and situational factors influencing insomnia and sleep quality among firefighters. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted with 103 firefighters in Korea. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS 23.0. Descriptive statistics, the independent t-test, and hierarchical logistic regression analysis were performed. Results: Insomnia was found in 66 (64.1 %) of the total subjects, and the average quality of sleep (PSQI) was 5.65 (SD=2.57). Total sleep time (401.00 minutes) and sleep latency (21.60 minutes) measured using self-reported scales were longer than the ones measured using objective measurements by approximately 48.70 and 17.10 minutes, respectively. Factors related to insomnia included the role as a paramedic (OR=4.28, 95% CI: 1.02~17.92), anxiety (OR=1.12, 95% CI: 1.01~1.24), and sedentary lifestyle (OR=0.85, 95% CI: 0.78~0.94), and factors related to sleep quality were physical illness status (OR=5.17, 95% CI: 1.53~17.51) and social support (OR=0.86, 95% CI: 0.78~0.95). Conclusion: The results show a high prevalence of insomnia, poor quality of sleep and the discrepancy between objective and subjective sleep patterns among firefighters. To promote sleep quality and health, early screening and treatment of anxiety and physical illness are required. It is necessary to conduct further studies examining the relationship between physical activity level and sleep.