• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.472-476
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• 2011

Hypercholesterolemia indirectly increases the risk of arterial and venous thrombosis by enhancing the ability of platelets to aggregate. Yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius) is composed of fructooligosaccharides, proteins, minerals and phenolic compounds, and has potential benefits for the management of diabetes. This study investigated whether the consumption of yacon in the diet inhibits platelet aggregation under hypercholesterolemic conditions. Male New Zealand white rabbits were fed one of five dietary interventions: a normal control diet, 0.5% cholesterol diet, 0.5% cholesterol diet+a low dose of yacon (0.5 g/kg body weight given orally each day), 0.5% cholesterol diet+a high dose of yacon (2.5 g/kg body weight given orally each day), or a 0.5% cholesterol diet+lovastatin (2 mg/kg body weight given orally each day). After 8 weeks, blood was collected to measure the amount of collagen- and thrombin-induced platelets present. Yacon inhibited the platelet aggregation induced by low doses of agonists (0.5 ${\mu}g/mL$ collagen and 0.02 units/ml thrombin) in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition, yacon concentration-dependently inhibited collagen-induced arachidonic acid liberation. Moreover, n-hexane, chloroform and ethyl acetate fractions showed a marked and selective inhibition of the platelet aggregation induced by collagen, again in a dose-dependent manner. These fractions, especially that of chloroform, significantly suppressed platelet aggregation. The results of this study demonstrate that when yacon is added to a cholesterol-enriched diet, cholesterol-induced platelet aggregation returns to control levels. This may also be beneficial in preventing atherosclerosis and reducing risk factors for coronary artery disease and stroke.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.317-323
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• 2015

Background: Young people are at an increased risk for illness in working life. The authorities stipulate certain goals for training in occupational health and safety (OHS) in vocational schools. A previous study concluded that pupils in vocational education had limited knowledge in the prevention of health risks at work. The aim of the current study, therefore, was to study how OHS training is organized in school and in workplace-based learning (WPL). Methods: The study design featured a qualitative approach, which included interviews with 12 headmasters, 20 teachers, and 20 supervisors at companies in which the pupils had their WPL. The study was conducted at 10 upper secondary schools, located in Central Sweden, that were graduating pupils in four vocational programs. Results: The interviews with headmasters, teachers, and supervisors indicate a staggered picture of how pupils are prepared for safe work. The headmasters generally give teachers the responsibility for how goals should be reached. Teaching is very much based on risk factors that are present in the workshops and on teachers' own experiences and knowledge. The teaching during WPL also lacks the systematic training in OHS as well as in the traditional classroom environment. Conclusion: Teachers and supervisors did not plan the training in OHS in accordance with the provisions of systematic work environment management. Instead, the teachers based the training on their own experiences. Most of the supervisors did not receive information from the schools as to what should be included when introducing OHS issues in WPL.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.199-215
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• 2020

Purpose - This article tries to test if the conditional consumption capital asset pricing model (CCAPM) with bank credit for household as a conditional variable can explain the cross-sectional variation of stock returns in Korea. The performance of conditional CCAPM is compared to that of multifactor asset pricing models based on Arbitrage Pricing Theory. Design/methodology/approach - This paper extends the simple CCAPM to the conditional version of CCAPM by using bank credit for household as conditioning information. By employing KOSPI and KOSDAQ stocks as test assets from the second quarter of 2003 to the first quarter of 2018, this paper estimates risk premiums of conditional CCAPM and a variety of multifactor linear models such as Fama-French three and five-factor models. The significance of risk factors and the adjusted coefficient of determination are the basis for the comparison in models' performances. Findings - First, the paper finds that conditional CCAPM with bank credit performs as well as the multifactor linear models from Arbitrage Pricing theory on 25 test assets sorted by size and book-to-market. When using long-term consumption growth, the conditional CCAPM explains the cross-sectional variation of stock returns far better than multifactor models. Not only that, although the performances of multifactor models decrease on 75 test assets, conditional CCAPM's performance is well maintained. Research implications or Originality - This paper proposes bank credit for household as a conditional variable for CCAPM. This enables CCAPM, one of the most famous economic asset pricing models, to conform with the empirical data. In light of this, we can now explain the cross-sectional variation of stock returns from an economic perspective: Asset's riskiness is determined by its correlation with consumption growth conditional on bank credit for household.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.99-108
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• 2019

This study examined the relationships among perceived values(environmental value, functional value), perceived risk, subjective norm, pro-social behavior, product attitude, and usage intention related to car-sharing service. The study also explored the moderating role of possessive desire between the antecedent variables and consumer attitude. 238 survey responses of Chinese consumers were analyzed by structural equation modeling. It is indicated that environmental value, functional value, subjective norm, pro-social behavior had positive effects on attitude, thereby affecting the usage intention of this service. Possessive desire moderated the relationship between environmental value, subjective norm and attitude. These results are expected to provide various marketing strategies for sharing economy services.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.101-112
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• 2019

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to contribute to the prevention of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in 119 emergency medical technicians (EMTs) by evaluating ergonomic risk factors of patient lifting work-postures. Methods: Four procedures were evaluated: using long back-board (LBB) on the sitting and standing main stretcher, using variable stretcher on the sitting and standing main stretcher. Wok-postures were assessed during training. Results: In using LBB on the sitting main stretcher, the OWAS-score was Mode:3 (Mean:2.30, Maximum:3), the REBA-score was Mode:9 (Mean:7.61, Maximum:11), requiring improvement soon. In using LBB on the standing main stretcher, the OWAS-score was Mode:3 (Mean:2.33, Maximum:3), requiring as soon as possible corrective action, the REBA-score was Mode:6 (Mean:5.44, Maximum:11), requiring improvement. In using variable stretcher on the sitting main stretcher, the OWAS-score was Mode:1 (Mean:1.85, Maximum:3), not requiring corrective action, the REBA-score was Mode:6 (Mean:6.78, Maximum:11), requiring improvement. In using variable stretcher on the standing main stretcher, the OWAS-score was Mode:3 (Mean:2.84, Maximum:3), requiring as soon as possible corrective action, the REBA-score was Mode:11 (Mean:9.38, Maximum:11), requiring immediate improvement. Conclusion: All four-procedures showed improvement in work-posture. Thereby, required attention and management in training, occupational health professionals should participate in change of lifting-method, and programs aimed at preventing MSDs should be developed and implemented in fire-academy and fire-station.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.39-62
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• 2022

Purpose - Along with the growing awareness of environmental sustainability, international green entrepreneurship is expected to realize international sustainable development (ISD) by introducing ecological innovation results, using fewer resources consumption, and reducing negative environmental impacts. Building upon contingency theory and social network theory, this paper attempts to explore the role of home country-based networks (technology ties and business ties) as contingent factors that might impact the effectiveness of entrepreneurial orientation (EO) in promoting ISD among green ventures. Design/methodology - Original data were collected from 127 green ventures in China based on the random sampling technique. These green ventures mainly focus on the lower use of energy or materials, lower CO2 emissions, and higher ecological benefits located in the Fujian province, which highlights green economic growth and economic cooperation with international markets. Moderated hierarchical linear regression analysis was conducted to test our hypotheses concerning the main relationship between EO (innovativeness, proactiveness, and risk-taking) and ISD as well as the moderating effects of home country-based networks (technology ties and business ties) on the main relationship. Findings - Empirical results indicate that: first, both innovativeness and proactiveness positively affect ISD; second, both technology ties and business ties at home might significantly strengthen the positive relationship between innovativeness (or proactiveness) and ISD. However, this study did not find significant moderating effects of technology ties or business ties at home on the relationship between risk-taking and ISD. Originality/value - Since previous literature often gives more focus on the host country context of social networks, this study shifts to a home country-based network context. Therefore, our research might enrich the international green entrepreneurship literature by empirically investigating the contingent value of home country-based networks in the relationship between EO and ISD in the context of an emerging economy such as China.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.267-284
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• 2023

Landslides are one of the most dangerous phenomena and natural disasters. Landslides cause many human and financial losses in most parts of the world, especially in mountainous areas. Due to the climatic conditions and topography, people in the northern and western regions of Iran live with the risk of landslides. One of the measures that can effectively reduce the possible risks of landslides and their crisis management is to identify potential areas prone to landslides through multi-criteria modeling approach. This research aims to model landslide potential area in the Oshvand watershed using a support vector machine algorithm. For this purpose, evidence maps of seven effective factors in the occurrence of landslides namely slope, slope direction, height, distance from the fault, the density of waterways, rainfall, and geology, were prepared. The maps were generated and weighted using the continuous fuzzification method and logistic functions, resulting values in zero and one range as weights. The weighted maps were then combined using the support vector machine algorithm. For the training and testing of the machine, 81 slippery ground points and 81 non-sliding points were used. Modeling procedure was done using four linear, polynomial, Gaussian, and sigmoid kernels. The efficiency of each model was compared using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve; the root means square error, and the correlation coefficient . Finally, the landslide potential model that was obtained using Gaussian's kernel was selected as the best one for susceptibility of landslides in the Oshvand watershed.

• Korean Journal of Schizophrenia Research
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.55-60
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• 2017

Objectives : Severe mental illness is a major risk factor for suicide. This study aimed to identify characteristics of patients who died by suicide among subjects who had been received service from a community mental health center. Methods : We searched individuals who had committed suicide in Gwangju Bukgu Community Mental Health Center since 2006. Sociodemographic and clinical data were gathered from medical records and their case managers and they were compared with those of general members in the center. Characteristics of schizophrenia patients who died by suicide were particularly summarized. Results : Twelve person committed suicide between 2006 and 2016. The characteristics of those who died by suicide were male (67%), diagnosis of schizophrenia (75%), aged below 50 (83%), unemployed (92%), past history of psychiatric hospitalization (100%), recent admission within 3 months (67%), past history of suicidal attempt (78%), family history of schizophrenia (58%), poor adherence to medication (58%), and use of daily rehabilitation program (42%). Ten out of twelve (83%) showed warning sign for suicide. All identified method of suicide in patients with schizophrenia was jumping from high building. Many patients with schizophrenia, who committed suicide, suffered from comorbid depressive symptoms (67%) and auditory hallucination (78%). Conclusion : Case managers should pay attention to and carefully manage individuals who showed suicidal warning, particularly with risk factors for suicide, such as unemployment, admission state or recent discharge from psychiatric hospital, poor adherence to medication, family history of schizophrenia, and a history of suicidal attempt.

• Journal of East-West Nursing Research
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.106-116
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• 2023

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the impact of obesity on the incidence of diabetes mellitus in adults with pre-diabetes. Methods: This study employed a longitudinal study design and utilized secondary data drawn from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study. This study used data from a sample of 3,693 adults with prediabetes who were followed every two years from 2001 to 2018. Statistical data analysis for frequency, number of cases per 1,000 person-years, log-rank test, Kaplan-Meier curve, and Cox's proportional hazards regression analysis was performed using IBM SPSS statistics version 26. Results: During the observation period, there were 1,309 (35.4%) patients with diabetes, and the total number of person-years was 35,342. The incidence of diabetes was higher in the obese group compared to the normal weight group (body mass index [BMI]: hazard ratio=1.57, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.40~1.77, waist: hazard ratio=1.55, 95% CI=1.38~1.76, waist to hip ratio [WHR]: hazard ratio=1.53, 95% CI=1.24~1.89, body fat [BF] (%): hazard ratio=1.42, 95% CI=1.27~1.61). Conclusion: An increase in BMI, waist circumference, and WHR, which are indicators of obesity, can exacerbate the risk factors for diabetes. Thus, a decrease in BMI, waist circumference, and WHR is necessary to prevent pre-diabetes. In particular, health care professionals should provide individualized weight management program interventions, including adult obesity programs and obesity counseling in partnership with local health departments, to reduce BMI and waist circumference in people at high risk for diabetes.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.15-31
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• 2023

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the characteristics of patient safety incidents (PSIs) related to nursing and to provide primary data for preventing the recurrence of similar incidents. Methods: This secondary analysis study included damage claims rulings filed for clinical negligence from 2014 to 2018 that contained the keyword 'nurse'. It excluded judgments irrelevant to nursing care and in which clinical negligence or causal damages were overruled. A total of 93 cases were analyzed. The characteristics of PSIs were derived through descriptive statistics, and two instances of nursing-related PSIs were examined by qualitative content analysis focusing on root causes. Results: The analysis of PSIs related to nursing suggested that the medical institutions where the PSIs occurred most frequently were hospitals, and the most common types of PSIs were medication, surgery, and treatment/procedure, in that order. In addition, it indicated that nursing-related PSIs occurred most frequently in general wards during the day shift, with the most common related nursing practice being managing potential risk factors. The qualitative analysis showed that careless monitoring and institutional inertia were causes of PSIs. Conclusion: To prevent nursing-related PSIs, nurses need to individually monitor and assess patient conditions. In addition, support should be accompanied by the improvement in the systems in place aimed at preventing the recurrence of nursing-related PSIs at the institutional and national level, such as securing appropriate nursing personnel and improving labor conditions.