• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.258-267
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• 2023

In this study, to investigate the possibility of using ethanol extract of Petasites japonicus (PJE) as a functional material, we investigated the activity of improving skin barrier and inflammation through UVB-induced human keratinocyte (HaCaT cell). As a result of confirming the antioxidant effect through DPPH radical scavenging activity, ABTS⁺ radical scavenging activity, and hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity, it was confirmed that it had an antioxidant effect similar to that of ascorbic acid, a control, at a concentration of 1 mg/ml. As a result of confirming the mRNA expression of the production ability of filaggrin and aquaporin-3 in HaCaT cells induced by UVB, it was confirmed that the reduced expression level by UVB stimulation increased in a concentration-dependent manner when the PJE was treated. It was confirmed that the mRNA expression of TNF-𝛼 and IL-1𝛽 were increased by UVB stimulation and decreased when the PJE was treated. As a result of the migration assay, it was confirmed that the proliferation of skin keratinocytes and the recovery rate of wounds were increased in a concentration-dependent manner. Based on the experimental results, it suggests that Petasites japonicus can be used as a functional cosmetic product that can improve skin moisturizing and skin barrier function.

• Journal of Industrial Convergence
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• v.21 no.7
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• pp.51-63
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• 2023

This study aimed to verify the effects of a 4-week program of ankle-strengthening exercise and toe-taping walk exercise on the basic lower body strength and walking to examine the benefits of the two exercises. The subjects involved 30 women in their 20s enrolled in university A. The subjects were equally divided into three groups - ankle-strengthening exercise group, toe-taping walk exercise group, and control group. The subjects were instructed to massage and do ankle-strengthening exercises using a towel, massage ball, and CRT, for 60 minutes, 3 times a week. They also taped their hallux valgus using a kinesiology tape and walked for 20 minutes with white tape applied. To sum up, the 4-week ankle-strengthening exercise and toe-taping walk exercise were identified to have a partial statistical significance on the basic lower body strength (muscular strength, power, and balance) and walking (length of gait line, plantar pressure, and COP) of women in their 20s. Therefore, the study confirmed the effects of ankle-strengthening exercises and toe-taping walk exercise on the lower body exercise function, and it is considered that further studies should be conducted on more various effects of the exercises by subdividing them into different pain locations and orthomechanic findings.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.141-152
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• 2023

Objective: We performed a meta-analysis of epidemiological results for the association between occupational exposure as a firefighter and cancer as part of the broader evidence synthesis work of the IARC Monographs program. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted to identify cohort studies of firefighters followed for cancer incidence and mortality. Studies were evaluated for the influence of key biases on results. Random-effects meta-analysis models were used to estimate the association between ever-employment and duration of employment as a firefighter and risk of 12 selected cancers. The impact of bias was explored in sensitivity analyses. Results: Among the 16 included cancer incidence studies, the estimated meta-rate ratio, 95% confidence interval (CI), and heterogeneity statistic (I²) for ever-employment as a career firefighter compared mostly to general populations were 1.58 (1.14-2.20, 8%) for mesothelioma, 1.16 (1.08-1.26, 0%) for bladder cancer, 1.21 (1.12-1.32, 81%) for prostate cancer, 1.37 (1.03-1.82, 56%) for testicular cancer, 1.19 (1.07-1.32, 37%) for colon cancer, 1.36 (1.15-1.62, 83%) for melanoma, 1.12 (1.01-1.25, 0%) for non-Hodgkin lymphoma, 1.28 (1.02-1.61, 40%) for thyroid cancer, and 1.09 (0.92-1.29, 55%) for kidney cancer. Ever-employment as a firefighter was not positively associated with lung, nervous system, or stomach cancer. Results for mesothelioma and bladder cancer exhibited low heterogeneity and were largely robust across sensitivity analyses. Conclusions: There is epidemiological evidence to support a causal relationship between occupational exposure as a firefighter and certain cancers. Challenges persist in the body of evidence related to the quality of exposure assessment, confounding, and medical surveillance bias.

• ALGAE
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.141-150
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• 2023

Light quality is a common environmental factor which influences the metabolism of biochemical substances in algae and leads to the response of algal growth and development. Pyropia yezoensis is a kind of economic macroalgae that naturally grows in the intertidal zone where the light environment changes dramatically. In the present study, P. yezoensis thalli were treated under white light (control) and monochromatic lights with primary colors (blue, green, and red) for 14 days to explore their physiological response to light quality. During the first 3 days of treatment, P. yezoensis grew faster under blue light than other light qualities. In the next 11 days, it showed better adaptation to green light, with higher growth rate and photosynthetic capacity (reflected by a higher rETR_max = 61.58 and E_k = 237.78). A higher non-photochemical quenching was observed in the treatment of red light than others for 14 days. Furthermore, the response of P. yezoensis to light quality also results in the difference of photosynthetic pigment contents. The monochromatic light could reduce the synthesis of all pigments, but the reduction degree was different, which may relate to the spectral absorption characteristics of pigments. It was speculated that P. yezoensis adapted to a specific or changing light environments by regulating the synthesis of pigments to achieve the best use of light energy in photosynthesis and premium growth and metabolism.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.56 no.7
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• pp.461-470
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• 2023

The purpose of this research is to derive the optimal temperature, location, and heating control system for a tipping bucket rain gauge heating system used for observing snowfall during winter. We conducted indoor and outdoor experiments by manufacturing a tipping bucket rain gauge that can be variably controlled for heating at the funnel, exterior, and interior, and indoor and outdoor. The indoor experiments involved using a temperature and humidity chamber to compare the performance and derive the appropriate temperature of the precipitation gauge heating system. Subsequently, the outdoor experiments were carried out at the Cloud Physics Observation Center located in Daeguallyeong, heavy snowfall region, to validate the findings. The analysis result was derived that the heating temperature of the funnel should be set at the 10 to 30℃, while the internal heating temperature should be 70℃. Furthermore, the optimal locations for the heating devices, which aim to minimize measurement delay, were identified as the exterior of the rain gauge, the rim of the funnel, and the vertical surface of the funnel. Our result shows that used as the basis for the operating conditions of precipitation gauge heating systems for solid precipitation measurement in winter.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.670-681
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• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Oxidative stress is caused by reactive oxygen species and free radicals that accelerate inflammatory responses and exacerbate fatigue. Tormentic acid (TA) has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Thus, the aim of present study is to determine the fatigue-regulatory effects of TA in H₂O₂-stimulated myoblast cell line, C2C12 cells and treadmill stress test (TST) and forced swimming test (FST) animal models. MATERIALS/METHODS: In the in vitro study, C2C12 cells were pretreated with TA before stimulation with H₂O₂. Then, malondialdehyde (MDA), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK) activity, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glycogen, and cell viability were analyzed. In the in vivo study, the ICR male mice were administered TA or distilled water orally daily for 28 days. FST and TST were then performed on the last day. In addition, biochemical analysis of the serum, muscle, and liver was performed. RESULTS: TA dose-dependently alleviated the levels of MDA, LDH, CK activity, TNF-α, and IL-6 in H₂O₂-stimulated C2C12 cells without affecting the cytotoxicity. TA increased the SOD and CAT activities and the glycogen levels in H₂O₂-stimulated C2C12 cells. In TST and FST animal models, TA decreased the FST immobility time significantly while increasing the TST exhaustion time without weight fluctuations. The in vivo studies showed that the levels of SOD, CAT, citrate synthase, glycogen, and free fatty acid were increased by TA administration, whereas TA significantly reduced the levels of glucose, MDA, LDH, lactate, CK, inflammatory cytokines, alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, blood urea nitrogen, and cortisol compared to the control group. CONCLUSIONS: TA improves fatigue by modulating oxidative stress and energy metabolism in C2C12 cells and animal models. Therefore, we suggest that TA can be a powerful substance in healthy functional foods and therapeutics to improve fatigue.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.33-40
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• 2007

This study centered on the quantitative analysis of about 27 trace elements including toxic ones using instrumental neutron activation analysis of fine ambient particulate matter in the third and fourth industrial complex area of Daejeon city, Korea. For analytical quality control, the certified reference material (NIST, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, U.S.A., SRM 2783, air particulate on filter media) was used. The errors relative to SRM values of Sb, Mn, V, Mg, Na, K, Ti, Co, Zn, and Sm fell below 5%, while those of Cr, Fe, Ba, Th, Ce, Al, and Cu were less than 10%. From the results of the quantitative analysis, the concentration of toxic metals such as As, Mn, Se, V, and Zn were $3.26{\pm}2.72$, $9.86{\pm}4.71$, $2.18{\pm}1.25$, $4.91{\pm}2.41$, $158{\pm}78ng/m^3$, respectively. And the results of factor analysis indicated that there are no more than six factors of sources of fine ambient particulate with statistical significance in the study area.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.72-79
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• 2023

MRSA is Staphylococcus aureus resistant to β-lactam antibiotics, and is a worldwide infectious disease. Even with the discovery of new antibiotics, resistance develops rapidly, so new alternatives are needed. Jakyakgamcho-tang (JGT) is a combination of Jakyak and Gamcho, and has been mainly used as an antispasmodic and analgesic in oriental medicine. This study was conducted to find out whether there is an effect on MRSA in relation to the anti-inflammatory effect of JGT and the antibacterial effect of Jakyak and Gamcho found in previous studies. In this study, in order to investigate the antibacterial activity of JGT and the combined effect of existing antibiotics, after extracting JGT with 70% EtoH, the disc diffusion method, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), drug combination effect (FICI), and time-kill analysis (Time-kill assay), metabolic inhibition, Western blot and qRT-PCR analysis were used to confirm the antibacterial activity mechanism of MRSA of JGT. As a result of the experiment, all of MRSA showed antibacterial activity in JGT's disc diffusion method, and the MIC was 250-1000 ㎍/mL. When existing antibiotics and JGT were combined with drugs, most had synergy or partial synergy. In addition, it was confirmed that the degree of bacterial growth was suppressed over time when simultaneous administration for 24 hours. JGT showed a synergistic effect when administered together with the ATPase-inhibitor DCCD, suggesting that it affected the inhibition of ATPase. As a result of observing the expression of PBP2a, and hla protein in the JGT-treated group and the untreated control group through wstern blot, it was confirmed that the protein expression of the JGT-treated group was significantly suppressed, and the expression levels of mecA, mecR1 and hla genes were also suppressed during JGT treatment. was observed by qRT-PCR. Combining the results of the experiment, it can be seen that JGT has antibacterial activity in MRSA, and when combined with existing antibiotics, the effect was increased compared to treatment with the drug alone. This suggests that JGT can be an alternative to treatment for antibiotic resistance of MRSA.

• 한국노년학
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.999-1014
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• 2011

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of long-term care insurance(macro-system) on family relationship(micro-system)s' change based on ecosystems theory. Data come from the second(2007) and the fourth(2009) Korean Welfare Panel Study(KWPS). Experimental group is the beneficiary using long-term care insurance and the member of household in their households, and control group is the non-beneficiary not using long-term care insurance and the member of household in their households. The main findings of difference-in-difference model analysis are as follows. First, the ecosystems theory is a theory examining the correlation between long-term care insurance and family relationship. Second, the effects of long-term care insurance is not income effect but independent effect. This result shows that the meaning of family has faded away and family relationship has been weaken and that long-term care insurance has not complete characteristics as a social insurance. Thus, system reforms of long-term care insurance is highly needed for system comprehensiveness, coverage, adequacy, and service accessibility and is changed into family-friendly social policy.

• The Journal of Korean Philosophical History
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• no.28
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• pp.61-85
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• 2010

This is about studying on the environmental ethics of Taoism mainly based on Taoism's Bioautonomous. Taoism is the most comprehensive thought in the traditional thoughts of East Asia. According to Taoism, every individual bio has its own intrinsic value having nothing to do with the value estimated by human beings since it has Daoxing. Human beings, however, have their own bioautonomous which is different from other individual bio. In Taoism human beings are independent for their lives. They do not depend on nature, but they can control themselves. That is to say, their lives depend not on god but on their own wills. The human beings' bioautonomous includes two different meanings: one is that human beings can use other individual bio as a tool for their eternal youth, and the other is that human beings are the main character of realizing the intrinsic value of universal bio and bringing harmony into each individual bio. In Taoism the harmony of universal bio is considered as the top value. Realizing the value of human beings is based on keeping harmonious order of universal bio and realizing the value of other individual bio. the environmental ethics of Taoism is not Biocentrism. Biocentrism argues that each individual bio has teleological center of life, which pursues its own good in its own way, and possesses equal members of Earth's community. As a result, human beings role and responsibility was reduced. But Taoism insists on human beings' bioautonomous. And human beings should be responsible for universal bio's harmony. Therefore the environmental ethics of Taoism is not Biocentrism but Bioautonomous. Bioautonomous environmental ethics of Taoism insists on human beings should be responsible being in relation with other living beings. Because of this point, it can be a theory of biorecovery.