• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.18
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• pp.7629-7634
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• 2014

Background: Cigarette smokers have their own motivation and justification to smoke. For example, smoking reduces their stress or enhances their pleasure. This study aimed to identify the (a) prevalence of cigarette smokers among undergraduates in Malaysia, (b) gender differences in nicotine dependence among current smokers, (c) differences in psychological problems (depression, anxiety and stress) based on the status of smoking cigarettes (current, former and non-smokers) and (d) extent to which precipitating factors (tension reduction, addiction, automatism, handling, social interaction, pleasure, and stimulation) predict the smoking behavior among current smokers. Materials and Methods: In this study 780 undergraduate students participated from a private university in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor state in Malaysia. The Depression, Stress and Anxiety Scale, Modified Reason for Smoking Scale and Fagerstrom Nicotine Dependence Test were used to measure psychological problems, predictors of smoking behavior and nicotine dependency among current smokers. Results: The results showed that 14.7%(n=106) of the students were smokers. Current smokers exhibited more psychological problems (depression, anxiety and stress) compared to former and non-smokers. Addiction, tension reduction, pleasure and automatism were predictors of smoking behavior among the current smoking students. Step wise regression analysis showed that smoking behavior was highly predicted by nicotine dependency or addiction. Smoking students were motivated to smoke cigarettes as they believed that it reduced their tension and enhance pleasure. Conclusions: Hence, there is a need for health promotion and anti-tobacco prevention as cigarette smokers experience more psychological problems. Nicotine dependency or addition was one of the major causes for smoking behavior among the student population in Malaysia.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2018

This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of micro-current therapy on muscle atrophy and delayed wound healing process caused by traumatic peripheral nerve injury. For this, twenty-five 5-week-old Sprague Dawley rat were used and assigned to five groups including the normal group (NOR, n=5), the wound group (WD, n=5), the wounded and treated with micro-current electrical therapy group (WD+MET, n=5), the sciatic nerve denervated and wounded group (WD+DN, n=5), and the sciatic nerve denervated, wounded and treated with micro-current electrical therapy group (WD+DN+MET, n=5). In order to assess the changes in length of incisional wound for 12 days and the muscle volume for 2 weeks, the ImageJ analysis of macroscopic analysis and micro-CT data were obtained and analyzed. As a result, significant delay in the process in wound healing were observed and micro-current therapy suppress the postponement of healing process. Furthermore, there were significant changes in muscle volume between electrically treated group and non-treated group. These result shows that electrical stimulation may improve the delayed healing process and muscle atrophy at once.

• Korean Journal of Cognitive Science
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.393-433
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• 2015

Creativity refers to the ability to generate novel and useful ideas. Understanding the mechanism of creativity and its enhancement is important in order to solve major problems of the modern society and to improve the wellness of mankind. Creativity is a highly heterogeneous and complex ability which should not be conceptualized as a single entity. Thus, the current literature on creativity is based on a component process approach to creativity. The present study introduces cognitive neuroscience research studying the mechanism of divergent thinking, insight, relational thinking and artistic creativity which are the major components of creativity. Based on an expansive review, the early hypothesis of hemispheric asymmetry emphasizing the importance of the right as opposed to the left hemisphere is not supported by scientific evidence. In addition, there is no consensus or consistency on which specific brain region is related to a certain component of creativity. In fact, there is a mixture of studies reporting involvement of various brain regions across all four lobes of the brain. This inconsistency in the literature most likely reflects heterogeneity of the component processes of creativity and sensitivity of the neural response to differences across tasks and cognitive strategy. The present study introduces examples of representative studies reporting seminal findings on the neural basis and the enhancement of creativity based on innovative methodology. In addition, we discuss limitations of the current cognitive neuroscience approach to creativity and present directions for future research.

• Journal of Technology Innovation
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.99-126
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• 2004

Japan's economic clusters are characterized by their high level of diversity. In essence, Japanese economic clusters are not limited to single industries; they comprise numerous manufacturing industries and firms which cluster in specific heterogeneous economic zones, vice political boundaries. Japanese manufacturing sectors are showing an increased level of diversity, resulting in the spread of experience and knowledge among clusters, and sustained growth at the point of industrial structural transformation. Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) proposed the creation of intellectual clusters for the purpose of promoting research and development(R&D) activities resulting in the stimulation and development of new technologies. The Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry (METI) is also proposing the industrial cluster plan with the aim to promote the local rebirth and revitalization of the Japanese industrial sector. This paper proposes a methodological analysis which will result in the integration of the two policies currently implemented by the Japanese government. If the current policies are not coordinated and integrated, artificial firms and sectors will continue to hamper innovation and discourage competitiveness, which will ultimately result in Japan's loss of economic opportunities within Asia. In the worst case, failure to act on current economic deficiencies illuminated in this paper could cost Japan its position as an Asian economic leader.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2006.11a
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• pp.166-167
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• 2006

Dendrimers represent a new class of synthetic macromolecules characterized by a regularly branched treelike structure. Multiple branching yields a large number of chain ends that distinguish dendrimers from conventional star-like polymers and microgels. The azobenzene dendrimer is one of the dendrimeric macromolecules that include the azo-group exhibiting a photochromic character. Due to the presence of the charge transfer element of the azo-group and its rod-shaped structure, these compounds are expected to have potential interest in electronics and photoelectronics, especially in nonlinear optics. In the present paper, we give pressure stimulation to organic thin films and detect the induced displacement current. Functional photoisometrization organic molecular the photo-stimulus to organic monomolecular L-films and LB films of dendrimer and 8A5H were performed. The 8A5H organic monolayer in case of pressure stimulus occurred that positive course but in case of the photo-stimulus compared positive and negative. It is assumed that generation forms of displacement current were measured when photo-stimulus for Impression.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2006.05a
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• pp.52-54
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• 2006

In the Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) technique, a monolayer on the water surface is transferred onto a substrate, which is raised and dipped through the surface. From this, multi layers can be obtained in which constituent molecules are periodically arranged. The LB technique has attracted considerable interest in the fabrication of electrical and electronic devices. Many researchers have investigated the electrical properties of monolayer and multiplayer films. Dendrimers represent a new class of synthetic macromolecules characterized by a regularly branched treelike structure. Multiple branching yields a large number of chain ends that distinguish dendrimers from conventional star-like polymers and microgels. The azobenzene dendrimer is one of the dendritic macromolecules that include the azo-group exhibiting a photochromic character. Due to the presence of the charge transfer element of the azo-group and its rod-shaped structure, these compounds are expected to have potential interest in electronics and ptoelectronics, especially in nonlinear optics. In the present paper, we give pressure stimulation to organic thin films and detect the induced displacement current.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.153-160
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• 2007

The superficial dorsal horn, particularly substantia gelatinosa (SG) in the spinal cord, receives inputs from small-diameter primary afferents that predominantly convey noxious sensation. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are toxic agents that may be involved in various neurodegenerative diseases. Recent studies indicate that ROS are also involved in persistent pain through a spinal mechanism. In the present study, whole cell patch clamp recordings were carried out on SG neurons in spinal cord slice of young rats to investigate the effects of hydrogen peroxide on neuronal excitability and excitatory synaptic transmission. In current clamp condition, tert-buthyl hydroperoxide (t-BuOOH), an ROS donor, depolarized membrane potential of SG neurons and increased the neuronal firing frequencies evoked by depolarizing current pulses. When slices were pretreated with phenyl-N-tert-buthylnitrone (PBN) or ascorbate, ROS scavengers, t-BuOOH did not induce hyperexcitability. In voltage clamp condition, t-BuOOH increased the frequency and amplitude of spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs), and monosynaptically evoked excitatory postsynaptic currents (eEPSCs) by electrical stimulation of the ipsilateral dorsal root. These data suggest that ROS generated by peripheral nerve injury can modulate the excitability of the SG neurons via pre- and postsynaptic actions.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2000.07c
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• pp.1696-1698
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• 2000

We give pressure stimulation into long chain fatty acid of LB thin films then manufacture a device under the accumulation condition that the state surface pressure is 20[mN/m]. In processing of a device manufacture, we can see the process is good from the change of a surface pressure for organic thin films and transfer ratio of area per molecule. The structure of manufactured device is Au/Arachidic acid/Al, the number of accumulated layers are 13, 17 and 19. The I-V characteristic of the device is measured from 0[V] to +1.5[V] and the capacitor. The maximum value of measured current is increased as the number of accumulated layers are decreased. The capacitor properties of a thin film is better as the distance between electrodes is smaller.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2006.06a
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• pp.358-359
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• 2006

In the Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) technique, a monolayer on the water surface is transferred onto a substrate, which is raised and dipped through the surface. From this, multilayers can be obtained in which constituent molecules are periodically arranged. The LB technique has attracted considerable interest in the fabrication of electrical and electronic devices. Many researchers have investigated the electrical properties of monolayer and multiplayer films. Dendrimers represent a new class of synthetic macromolecules characterized by a regularly branched treelike structure. Multiple branching yields a large number of chain ends that distinguish dendrimers from conventional star-like polymers and microgels. The azobenzene dendrimer is one of the dendritic macromolecules that include the azo-group exhibiting a photochromic character. Due to the presence of the charge transfer element of the azo-group and its rod-shaped structure, these compounds are expected to have potential interest in electronics and ptoelectronics, especially in nonlinear optics. In the present paper, we give pressure stimulation to organic thin films and detect the induced displacement current.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.63 no.11
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• pp.422-428
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• 2020

In today's world, most children are exposed to various manmade electromagnetic fields (EMFs). EMFs are electromagnetic waves less than 300 GHz. A developing child's brain is vulnerable to electromagnetic radiation; thus, their caregivers' concerns about the health effects of EMFs are increasing. EMF exposure is divided into 2 categories: extremely low frequencies (ELFs; 3-3,000 Hz), involving high-voltage transmission lines and in-house wiring; and radiofrequencies (RFs; 30 kHz to 300 GHz), involving mobile phones, smart devices, base stations, WiFi, and 5G technologies. The biological effects of EMFs on humans include stimulation, thermal, and nonthermal, the latter of which is the least known. Among the various health issues related to EMFs, the most important issue is human carcinogenicity. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer's (IARC's) evaluation of carcinogenic risks to humans, ELFs and RFs were evaluated as possible human carcinogens (Group 2B). However, the World Health Organization's (WHO's) view of EMFs remains undetermined. This article reviews the current knowledge of EMF exposure on humans, specifically children. EMF exposure sources, biological effects, current WHO and IARC opinions on carcinogenicity, and effects of EMF exposures on children will be discussed. As well-controlled EMF experiments in children are nearly impossible, scientific knowledge should be interpreted objectively. Precautionary approaches are recommended for children until the potential health effects of EMF are confirmed.