• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.10 no.8
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• pp.37-44
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to determine the inhibiting factors of dying well for people who want to have a good death. The final respondents in this study were sampled using stratified proportional allocation using a stratified random sampling method, and 1,000 adults aged between 19 and 75 years were selected. The questionnaire used consisted of four items on general characteristics and 20 items related to the inhibiting factors of dying well scored on a 7-point Likert scale. Analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and decision tree analysis. Results showed that, among the inhibiting factors of dying well, "degenerative diseases (such as dementia)" and "loss of control (mental / physical)" scored 5.502 and 5.268 points, respectively; the highest significant positive correlation was found between "bad marital relationship" and "bad relationship with children," followed by "did not receive death education" and "lack of medical policy promotion (dying well)" and "bad relationship with children" and "indifference of others." Considering these findings, it appears that the whole society will make efforts to improve the perception and practice of good death, and life and death education will be expanded if death education for dying well is organized and implemented.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.75-81
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• 2019

The goal of this study was to characterize unrecorded wild yeasts from soils of spices plants fields and further, to elucidate its anti-demential activities and tyrosinase inhibitory activity. Piskurozyma taiwanensis R4-1 (NIBRFGC000502619), Nadsonia starkeyi-henricii R6-2 (NIBRFGC000502618), and Canadida friedrichii M12-6 (NIBRFGC000502615) isolated from soil of garlic field represented newly recorded yeast strains in Korea. Vishniacozyma peneaus I2-9 (NIBRFGC000502617) and Cryptococcus aspenensis I21-1 (NIBRFGC000502616) from soil of ginger field represented also newly recorded yeast strains, and microbiological characteristics of its fifteen yeast strains were investigated. All of these unrecorded yeasts exhibited oval-global shape and have ascospores except Canadida friedrichii M12-6. Piskurozyma taiwanensis R4-1 and Canadida friedrichii M12-6 grew well in vitamin-free medium, and Piskurozyma taiwanensis R4-1 was halotolent growing in 10% NaCl-containing yeast extract peptone dextrose (YPD) broth. After prepared cell-free of the unrecorded wild yeasts, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibitory activities as anti-dementia activity and tyrosinase inhibitory activity as whitening activity were determined. Cell-free extract from Canadida friedrichii M12-6 had the highest tyrosinase inhibitory activity of 14.4%.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.564-569
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• 2019

Heavy drinking disrupts the nervous system by activation of GABA receptors and inhibition of glutamate receptors, thereby preventing short-term memory formation. Degradation of cognition by alcohol induces blackouts, and it can lead to alcoholic dementia if repeated. Therefore, drugs need to be developed to prevent alcohol-induced blackout. In this study, we confirmed the effect of an ethanol extract of Cassia obtusifolia seeds (COE) on alcohol-induced memory impairment. The effects of COE and ethanol on cognitive functions mice were examined using the passive avoidance and Y-maze tests. The manner in which alcohol affects long-term potentiation (LTP) in relation to the learning and memory was confirmed by electrophysiology performed on mouse hippocampal slices. We also measured N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-mediated field excitatory synapses (fEPSPs), which have a known association with cognitive impairment caused by ethanol. Ethanol caused memory impairments in passive avoidance and Y-maze tests. COE prevented these ethanol-induced memory impairments in these tests. Ethanol also blocked LTP induction in the mouse hippocampus, and COE prevented this ethanol-induced LTP deficit. Ethanol decreased NMDA receptor-mediated fEPSPs in the mouse hippocampus, and this decrease was prevented by COE. These results suggest that COE might be useful in preventing alcohol-induced neurological dysfunctions, including blackouts.

• Journal of Music and Human Behavior
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.73-88
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• 2019

This research was conducted to compare the rhythm reproduction abilities between older adults with and without mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and analyze the abilities depending on the rhythm idiom. Participants between 60-85 years of age were recruited from senior community centers, dementia prevention centers, and senior welfare centers. A total of 57 participants were included in this study: 27 diagnosed with MCI and 30 healthy older adults (HOA). The experiment was conducted individually in a private room in which a participant was given random binary time rhythm idioms and instructed to reproduce the rhythmic idioms with finger tapping. Each participant's beat production was recorded with the Beat Processing Device (BPD) for iPad. BPD calculated rhythm reproduction as measured through rhythm ratio and error among beats. Results showed marginal differences between the two groups in terms of mean scores of rhythm reproduction abilities. In terms of the rhythm ratio among beats, both groups' highest rhythm reproduction rate was for <♩ ♩>, and their lowest reproduction rate was for <♩. ♪>. In conclusion, there was no significant difference in rhythm reproduction ability between the HOA and MCI groups. However, the study found an interesting result related to performance level of rhythmic idioms. This result provides therapeutic insight for formulating rhythm tasks for older adults.

• 한국노년학
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.549-565
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• 2017

A high-quality workforce is essential to delivering the high-quality care for the older people who are beneficiaries of long term care insurance. Providing adequate education and ongoing training opportunities could be one answer that may lead to the ultimate goal of improving the quality of long-term care services. Thus this study aimed to examine a workforce crisis and difficulties that care workers face in current education system, especially in contents and administration aspects and draw out suitable solutions or improvement measures. The focus group interview approach was chosen to reflect opinions of long-term care workers, directors of the education system in long-term care facilities and managers. The findings from the focus group interviews were analyzed by theme and classified into several categories by common subjects:'Training contents', 'Training environment', 'Administrator', 'Compulsory training', 'Care givers supply', 'Working condition'. Also, four content areas were presented as follows:'Job training', 'Dementia care training', 'Administration system', 'Workforce'. The caregivers demand very practical training programmes and trainers with a lot of field experience. Improving the working condition and treatments for them leeds to expand the opportunity of the on-going training.

• 한국노년학
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.431-444
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• 2017

This study identified effect size of cognition improvement programs developed for normal elderly in Korea. By searching four databases, 9,624 studies published from 2000 to 2016 were identified. Finally, 14 studies which satisfied the inclusion criteria were selected for meta-analysis. Quality assessment of included studies was conducted using controlled trial checklist of Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network. R version 3.3.2 (2016-10-31) with "meta" and "metafor" package was used to calculate effect sizes, identify the reasons of heterogeneity, and check publication bias. Total effect size of cognition improvement program was middle (SMD=0.759, p<.001, $I^2=34%$). For heterogeneity, moderator analysis was executed and combined program with exercise had the largest effect size (SMD=1.231, p<.001, $I^2=40.8%$). Publication bias was exist by funnel plot and Egger 's regression test, but trim and fill analysis showed that there was no serious error to reverse study results. Therefore, Combined program with exercise for the normal elderly was expected to improve the cognitive function of the normal elderly.

• 한국사회정책
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.67-95
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• 2017

This study compared policies of elderly abuse of long-term care facilities on WHO, Main countries for improvement of Korean policy. So, This study reviewed policies of elderly abuse of long-term care facilities on WHO, Main countries. So, This study reviewed risk factors that may increase the potential for abuse of an older person can be identified at individual level, care-woker levels, socio-cultural levels and facilities levels. The results of the study were as follows: First, The openness of long-term care facilities are emphasized on many countries. There are a need for a policy considerations such as policies of Ombudsman, Adult guardianship for visiting facilities, external monitoring. Second, There was a difference of facilities infrastructure and workers of treatment condition long-term care facilities each other countries. So It is important to improve facilities infrastructure and workers of treatment condition. Third, It is necessary to consider traits of elderly in long-term care facilities. Especially, it is required to manage dementia elderly and elderly on night time in long-term care facilities. Finally, implications and future directions of policies of elderly abuse of long-term care facilities were discussed based on the finding of the study.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.401-407
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• 2021

Background: Gintonin is an exogenous ginseng-derived G-protein-coupled lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) receptor ligand. LPA induces in vitro morphological changes and migration through neuronal LPA1 receptor. Recently, we reported that systemic administration of gintonin increases blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability via the paracellular pathway and its binding to brain neurons. However, little is known about the influences of gintonin on in vivo neuron morphology and migration in the brain. Materials and methods: We examined the effects of gintonin on in vitro migration and morphology using primary hippocampal neural precursor cells (hNPC) and in vivo effects of gintonin on adult brain neurons using real time microscopic analysis and immunohistochemical analysis to observe the morphological and locational changes induced by gintonin treatment. Results: We found that treating hNPCs with gintonin induced morphological changes with a cell rounding following cell aggregation and return to individual neurons with time relapses. However, the in vitro effects of gintonin on hNPCs were blocked by the LPA1/3 receptor antagonist, Ki16425, and Rho kinase inhibitor, Y27632. We also examined the in vivo effects of gintonin on the morphological changes and migration of neurons in adult mouse brains using anti-NeuN and -neurofilament H antibodies. We found that acute intravenous administration of gintonin induced morphological and migrational changes in brain neurons. Gintonin induced some migrations of neurons with shortened neurofilament H in the cortex. The in vivo effects of gintonin were also blocked by Ki16425. Conclusion: The present report raises the possibility that gintonin could enter the brain and exert its influences on the migration and morphology of adult mouse brain neurons and possibly explains the therapeutic effects of neurological diseases behind the gintonin administration.

• Therapeutic Science for Rehabilitation
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.63-75
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• 2021

Objective : The purpose of this study was to examine the roles and practices of occupational therapists in public health centers based on their working experience of occupational therapists who are working in these facilities. Methods : We used Giorgi's descriptive phenomenological research method. Six occupational therapists were interviewed, and their recorded data were analyzed using Claizzi's thematic analysis. Results : As a result, 4 categories, 16 themes, and 24 elements were elicited. The major roles of occupational therapists in public health centers were the evaluation of clients, home-visit occupational therapy, management of dementia programs and community connection projects. Interventions that are needed to create a healthy community include case and program management, compensatory approaches, and healthy lifestyle interventions. The difficulties experienced by occupational therapists include their limited number job insecurity, performance-oriented administrative policy, and the lack of communication among professionals. Occupational therapists require education in health management and practice in public health centers to build their capacities. Conclusion : The results of this study could be used for guidelines for occupational therapists who work in community healthcare centers, as well as basic training for competent occupational therapists in the community.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.64 no.1
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• pp.69-74
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• 2021

Chronic alcohol is responsible for oxidative stress and neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia. In the present study, we investigated the antioxidant activity and protective effects of seed of Carthamus tinctorius L. on ethanol-induced C6 glial cells. Antioxidant effect of seed of C. tinctorius L. was measured by scavenging activity of 1,1-diphenyl-2-prcrylhydrazy (DPPH), hydroxyl radical (·OH), superoxide radical, and nitric oxide. The seed of C. tinctorius L. extract showed significant radical scavenging activities in a concentration-dependent manner. In particular, it revealed strong DPPH and ·OH scavenging activity, displaying more than 80% at 500 and 100 ㎍/mL, respectively. Treatment of 500 mM ethanol to C6 glial cell led to decline of cell viability and elevation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. However, seed of C. tinctorius L.-treated groups significantly increased cell viability and decreased ROS levels, compared to ethanol-induced control group. These results suggest that seed of C. tinctorius L. would have protective effect against neuronal oxidative stress induced by alcohol.