• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.58 no.3
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• pp.219-226
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• 2015

The anticancer activity of a methanolic extract from lemon leaves (MLL) was assessed in MCF-7-SC human breast cancer stem cells. MLL induced apoptosis in MCF-7-SC, as evidenced by increased apoptotic body formation, sub-G1 cell population, annexin V-positive cells, Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, as well as proteolytic activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3, and degradation of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) protein. Concomitantly, MLL induced the formation of acidic vesicular organelles, increased LC3-II accumulation, and reduced the activation of Akt, mTOR, and p70S6K, suggesting that MLL initiates an autophagic progression in MCF-7-SC via the Akt/mTOR pathway. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a critical step in the acquisition of the metastatic state, is an attractive target for therapeutic interventions directed against tumor metastasis. At low concentrations, MLL induced anti-metastatic effects on MCF-7-SC by inhibiting the EMT process. Exposure to MLL also led to an increase in the epithelial marker E-cadherin, but decreased protein levels of the mesenchymal markers Snail and Slug. Collectively, this study provides evidence that lemon leaves possess cytotoxicity and anti-metastatic properties. Therefore, MLL may prove to be beneficial as a medicinal plant for alternative novel anticancer drugs and nutraceutical products.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.281-293
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• 2011

We investigated the causes and characteristics of a landslide at Hwangryeong Mountain, Busan, based on aerial photos, annual precipitation data, rock fracture patterns, and geomorphic features using GIS Software, and a statistical analysis of tilted trees. The analyzed slope shows evidence of a previous slope failure event and the possibility of future failures. Although the NW-SE trending slope was relatively stable until 1975, a large-scale slope failure occurred between 1975 and 1985 due to complex factors, including favorably oriented geologic structures, human activity, and heavy rain. This indicates that a detailed study of geologic structures, slope stability, and rainfall characteristics is important for slope cuttings that could be a major factor and cause of urban landsliding events. The statistic analysis of tilted trees shows a slow progressive creeping type of mass wasting with rock falls oblique to the dip of the slope, with the slope having moved towards the west since 1985. A concentration of tree tilting has developed on the northwestern part of the slope, which could reach critical levels in the future. The analysis of deformed trees is a useful tool for understanding landslides and for predicting and preventing future landslide events.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.240-250
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• 2012

This study was performed to investigate the consumption of coffee beverages and energy contribution ratios of coffee beverages and accompanying snacks by college students in Deajeon City and Chungnam Province in Korea. Questionnaire survey, dietary survey, and snack survey using food record method during 3-days were carried out. As a result, we found that 86.9% of male students and 75.6% of female students consumed coffee beverages usually, with no differences between the two groups. However, the frequency of coffee beverages consumed by female students out-numbered that of male students by 1 cup a day to 1-2 cups a week (p<0.05). Furthermore, male students most likely consumed coffee beverages at schools or academies, but female students consumed them at coffee shops (p<0.01). The reasons male students gave to consume coffee beverages were for scent, taste, fatigue, and to stay awake. Similarly, the reasons female students gave to consume coffee beverages were for scent, taste, habit, and to stay awake (p<0.01). Fully 58.1% of male students and 80.0% of female students ate snacks along with coffee beverages (p<0.01). Most male students substituted a coffee beverage and accompanying snack for a regular meal once a month. Female students were doing it at most 2-3 times a month (p<0.05). The mean daily dietary energy intake of male students was 1,924 kcal/d, and of female students was 1,518 kcal/d (p<0.001), which both were below the estimated energy requirements. Male students obtained 285.6 kcal/d and female students obtained 289.5 kcal/d from coffee beverages and accompanying snacks. There was a significant different in dietary intake of energy (p<0.05), calcium, and iron (p<0.001) for each ratio of reference intake between male and female students. The students who ate larger amounts of coffee beverages and accompanying snacks consumed less dietary energy, protein, calcium, and iron, respectively (p<0.05). These results show that many students consume coffee beverages regularly and obtain large amounts of energy from coffee beverages and accompanying snacks. It also shows that student's dietary nutrient intake tends to be poorer, as he or she obtains more energy from coffee beverages and accompanying snacks. Therefore, it is critical to monitor the influence of consumption of coffee beverages and accompanying snacks on the dietary nutrient intakes and health of college students, and to provide nutrition education about the proper consumption of coffee beverages and accompanying snacks based on scientific evidence.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.122-132
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• 2005

Graphing abilities are critical to understand and convey information in science. And then, to what extent are secondary students in science courses able to understand line graphs? To find clues about the students' interpretation processes of the information in science-related line graphs, this study has the following research question: Is there a difference between the levels of complexity of good and poor readers as they use the thinking aloud method for studying cognitive processes? The present study was designed to provide evidence for the hypothesis that good line graph readers use a specific graph interpretation process when reading and interpreting line graphs. With the aid of the thinking aloud method we gained deeper insight into the interpretation processes of good and poor graph readers while verifying verbal statements with respect to line graphs. The high performing students tend to read much more information and more trend-related information than the low performing students. We support the assumption of differential line graph schema existing in the high performing students in conjunction with general graph schema. Also, high performing students tend to think aloud much more metacognitively than low performing students. High performing students think aloud a larger quantity of information from line graphs than low performing students, and more trend-related sentences than value-related sentences from line graphs. The differences of interpretation processes revealed between good and poor graph readers while reading and interpreting line graphs have implications for instructional practice as well as for test development and validation. Teaching students to read and interpret graphs flexibly and skillfully is a particular challenge to anyone seriously concerned with good education for students who live in an technological society.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.119-133
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• 1998

Attentional processes facilitate cognitive and behavioral performance in several ways. Attention serves to reduce the amount of information to receive. Attention enables humans to direct themselves to appropriate aspects of external environmental events and internal operations. Attention facilitates the selection of salient information and the allocation of cognitive processing appropriate to that information. Attention is not a unitary process that can be localized to a single neuroanatomical region. Before the cortical registration of sensory information, activation of important subcortical structures occurs, which is called as an orienting response. Once sensory information reaches the sensory cortex, a large number of perceptual processes occur, which provide various levels of perceptual resolution of the critical features of the stimuli. After this preattentional processing, information is integrated within higher cortical(heteromodal) systems in inferior parietal and temporal lobes. At this stage, the processing characteristics can be modified, and the biases of the system have a direct impact on attentional selection. Information flow has been traced through sensory analysis to a processing stage that enables the new information to be focused and modified in relation to preexisting biases. The limbic and paralimbic system play significant roles in modulating attentional response. It is labeled with affective salience and is integrated according to ongoing pressures from the motivational drive system of the hypothalamus. The salience of information greatly influences the allocation of attention. The frontal lobe operate response selection system with a reciprocal interaction with both the attention system of the parietal lobe and the limbic system. In this attentional process, the search with the spatial field is organized and a sequence of attentional responses is generated. Affective, motivational and appectitive impulses from limbic system and hypothalamus trigger response intention, preparation, planning, initiation and control of frontal lobe on this process. The reticular system, which produces ascending activation, catalyzes the overall system and increases attentional capacity. Also additional energetic pressures are created by the hypothalamus. As psychophysiological measurement, skin conductance, pupil diameter, muscle tension, heart rate, alpha wave of EEG can be used. Event related potentials also provide physiological evidence of attention during information process. NI component appears to be an electrophysiological index of selective attention. P3 response is developed during the attention related to stimulus discrimination, evaluation and response.

• Management & Information Systems Review
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.97-121
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• 2010

Many enterprises introduce CRM as a new process accessible to customers. And BSC forces managers to focus on balanced measures of business performance that are most critical. The purpose of this study is to find out the determinants of CRM adoption through the analysis which examine the relationship among the key success factors, and business performance using the BSC perspective. This study also gives the suggestion for the effective CRM implementation in the korean companies. This study has been conducted using the data collected from 115 companies implementing CRM. By analyses of the questionnaires, empirical results shows that the implementation of CRM has positive effect on business performance with 4 perspectives of BSC. The contribution of this study is that it provides a conceptual framework and empirical evidence of the causal relationship between key success factors, and business performance with 4 perspectives of BSC concept. This study showed that more consideration are essential to obtain balanced business performance for companies with CRM adoption plan.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.41-52
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• 2015

Purpose - Given globalization, the new niche market of medical tourism is likely to experience sustainable growth for various reasons, such as aging populations and a shift in the medical consumerism paradigm toward prevention. Importantly, understanding medical customers' behavior is necessary to benefit from a competitive advantage in this industry. The existing research primarily accessed the key factors of medical quality and costs to explain health customers' behavior but is limited in terms of enabling an understanding of the decision process. This limitation exists because, given the intangibility and greater associated risks in the highly professional industry of international medical tourism, most customers lack the knowledge and experience needed to evaluate the central factors-such as the medical competence of health care countries-before purchases. Therefore, they actively search for useful information through various distributions to reduce uncertainty and to make better choices. Interestingly, most of these information channels are associated with word-of-mouth (WOM). However, no evidence is found in the literature to estimate the effect of WOM in the medical tourism field. Thus, this study focuses on WOM to explore its interaction with key medical characteristic factors and the attractiveness of destinations referred to by sources. This study also affects customers' evaluations and, in turn, influences their intention to seek health care services abroad. Research design, data, and methodology - The literature review addressed an interesting research model for estimating the relations among WOM, medical characteristics, attractiveness, and customers' choice intention regarding international health care. In the key economic regions in China, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Shandong, and Guangdong, 2,500 survey questionnaires were distributed to potential customers of different ages, education, and income levels. A resulting 1,717 (68.68 percent of the original 2,500) usable surveys were obtained for analysis. Moderated regression analysis was used to determine the effects of WOM in the decision process regarding international health care destinations. Results - The results indicate that WOM is a good moderator of the relationships between the factors evaluated by sources and customers. More importantly, the WOM effects reflect the factors of tie strength, credibility, and vividness. The results also reveal that, given the moderating role of WOM, the intention of potential Chinese customers to seek the referred health care country varies according to the medical characteristics of medical competency and reputation as evaluated by customers. In contrast, the travel attractiveness of the attractions, facilities, accessibility, and social environment are critical determinants of destination choice intention. Conclusions - The moderating role of WOM has been confirmed through the international healthcare destination selection process. Medical tourism managers should user WOM as an effective marketing tool for industry development. Specially, marketers should consider the effects of WOM determinants, such as tie strength, credibility, and vividness, to develop an effective strategy. Furthermore, this study estimates the factors that affect customers' selection of medical tourism destinations. Health care managers or policy makers should consider a broad variety of variables that may attract more Chinese customers to international health care.

• Korean journal of communication and information
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• v.46
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• pp.590-626
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• 2009

The limitation and scarcity of broadcasting waves provide important rationale behind the idea of public ownership of broadcasting waves which can facilitate communications among people with diverse backgrounds and values in the society. Independence of broadcasting industry from the regulatory organization is imperative for the broadcasting industry to serve the public interest that has been historically defined by each county. For the Korean broadcasting industry, history of modern Korea taught us that the broadcasting regulatory organizations such as Korea Communications Commission(KCC) should be kept from any political influence for the industry to best serve the public. Recent controversies on the role of the CEO of KBS and the appointment of the CEO of YTN by the president of the country provide evidence that the independence of broadcasting in Korean society is a critical topic. This study examined the corporate structures of broadcasting industry and the political independence of the industry in relation to the changes in the concept of public interest and the role of broadcasting. It is critically important to investigate the political independence of broadcasting in Korea because the core argument of independence of broadcasting which is about the freedom of expression protected by the constitution is still contested in the country. For the purpose of collecting diverse perspectives on broadcasting, survey method was adopted in this study. Three groups Abstracts 697 of participants were recruited: reporters, experts in the field, and regular citizens. The result indicated that the independence of broadcasting was in the process of deterioration. Also, the participants of the study understood that it was impossible for the broadcasting to serve the public interest when the broadcasting was not free from the influence of regulatory institutions such as KCC.

• Korean Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.21-31
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• 2018

The rapid increase of the elderly living alone is a critical issue in worldwide as it leads to a rapid increase of a social support costs (e.g., medical expenses) for the elderly. In early stages of dementia, the activities of daily living (ADL) including self-care tasks can be affected by abnormal patterns or behaviors and used as an evidence for the early diagnosis. However, extracting activities using non-intrusive approach is still quite challenging and the existing methods are not fully visualized to understand the behavior pattern or routine. To address these issues, this research suggests a model to extract the activities from coarse-grained data (spatio-temporal data log) and visualize the behavioral context information. Our approach shows the process of extracting and visualizing the subject's spaceactivity map presenting the context of each activity (time, room, duration, sequence, frequency). This research contributes to show a possibility of detecting subject's activities and behavioral patterns using coarse-grained data (limited to spatio-temporal information) with little infringement of personal privacy.

• Spatial Information Research
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.47-58
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• 2014

The credible measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) is among the most critical elements in UN-REDD (United Nations programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation in Developing Countries). This study is intended to explore MRV potential in terms of UN-REDD opportunity cost estimation using satellite image for Mt. Geum-gang of North Korea. A visual interpretation were conducted to evaluate MRV conditions by sub-dividing or decomposing the images with different pixel size into a three types of hierarchical tree structure that helps dealing with spatial variability within each subarea. The permanent record of standard satellite remote sensing system demonstrated its capability of presenting area-wide visual evidences of MRV conditions in Mt. Geum-gang (such as the identification of forested area, degradation trends for forest space, three types of hierarchical land-cover and land use tree structure, carbon density in the landscape). Satellite data could be accepted as legally binding proof when it comes to REDD opportunity cost estimation since several cases exist where remote sensing has been used as legal evidence in ICJ (International Court of Justice) and UN resolution. It doesn't seem very difficult to comply with MRV requirements for UN-REDD opportunity cost calculation due to the probative value of satellite data. It is anticipated that this research output could be used as a valuable reference for Korea-based enterprises exploring REDD project sites and the carbon traders to ensure MRV potentials using satellite image in UN-REDD Opportunity Cost estimation.