• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.1-18
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• 2022

Prior studies have shown positive effects of outdoor activities on the elderly's physical, mental and social health. 'Active aging' and 'age-friendly' neighborhood can be created by modifying the experiences and perceptions of the outdoor environment. This study aims to investigate the outdoor activities of the elderly living in a low-income elderly concentrated area and their perception of the neighborhood environment. We also explored the context of interactions between the facilitators and inhibitors of outdoor activities on the basis of temporal, spatial, and social conditions. We used a mixed method approach by collecting two different types of qualitative GIS data : observation maps of the main places and individual cognitive maps with in-depth interviews. The observational map analysis indicated that the preferred places and activity patterns differ by age, gender, and size of the group. The cognitive map and interviews demonstrated that the elderly's activity goals and perception of the landscape differ by places such as forests, parks, streams, open-spaces, vegetable gardens, and alleys. The elderly's desire for outdoor activities can be better fulfilled when their front doors and alleys are well-connected to an open-sight pleasant space. Familiarity is an important factor for the elderly, therefore it is important to remove the psychological and physical barriers by increasing the legibility and accessibility of places. In addition, social interactions and conflicts can have a significant influence on the elderly's occupation of space in the neighborhood environment.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.251-271
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• 2009

This research measured a concept of mobility which is included objective travel behavior as well as psychological and physical mechanism that influenced travel behavior. And then, this research examined the relation between mobility and the quality of life in elderly drivers. In research 1, to evaluate the reliability and validity of "Mobility Questionnaire(MQ)", we tested "MQ" to 207 drivers aged 20 years and older. In research 2, we examined the mobility level of elderly drivers. Also we investigated the influence that mobility of elderly drivers impacts on their quaility of life. we used "MQ", "Psychological Well-Being Questionnaire(PWBQ)" to 91 drivers aged 65 years and older. To factor analysis, MQ consisted of 'Safe Driving Ability(ADA)', 'Travel Increase(TI)', 'Travel Decrease(TD)', 'Social Activity(SA)', and 'Driving Situational Adaptability(DSA)'. The amount and speed of driving of elderly drivers reduced driving behavior than other drivers. Also, elderly drivers negatively assessed their physical abilities for safe driving and felt a low confidence in specific driving situation. On the other hand, elderly drivers take parts in social activity constructively. A review of the relation of mobility and quality of life showed that mobility of elderly drivers had positive correlation with PWB. Specially, 'ADA', 'SA', and 'DSA' had significant correlations with PWB of elderly drivers. The mobility of elderly drivers had an effect on 'Autonomy', 'Environmental mastery', 'Self-acceptance', and 'Positive relations with others'.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.523-532
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• 2017

A field survey studying intestinal parasites in humans and microbial pathogen contamination at environment was performed in a Laotian rural village to identify potential risks for disease outbreaks. A parasitological investigation was conducted in Ban Lak Sip village, Luang Prabang, Lao PDR involving fecal samples from 305 inhabitants as well as water samples taken from 3 sites of the local stream. Water analysis indicated the presence of several enteric pathogens, i.e., Aeromonas spp., Vibrio spp., E. coli H7, E. coli O157: H7, verocytotoxin-producing E. coli (VTEC), Shigella spp., and enteric adenovirus. The level of microbial pathogens contamination was associated with human activity, with greater levels of contamination found at the downstream site compared to the site at the village and upstream, respectively. Regarding intestinal parasites, the prevalence of helminth and protozoan infections were 68.9% and 27.2%, respectively. Eight helminth taxa were identified in fecal samples, i.e., 2 tapeworm species (Taenia sp. and Hymenolepis diminuta), 1 trematode (Opisthorchis sp.), and 5 nematodes (Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, Strongyloides stercoralis, trichostrongylids, and hookworms). Six species of intestinal protists were identified, i.e., Blastocystis hominis, Cyclospora spp., Endolimax nana, Entamoeba histolytica/E. dispar, Entamoeba coli, and Giardia lamblia. Questionnaires and interviews were also conducted to determine risk factors of infection. These analyses together with a prevailing infection level suggested that most of villagers were exposed to parasites in a similar degree due to limited socio-economic differences and sharing of similar practices. Limited access to effective public health facilities is also a significant contributing factor.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.3-10
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• 2017

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Sargassum horneri is an edible brown alga that grows in the subtidal zone as an annual species along the coasts of South Korea, China, and Japan. Recently, an extreme amount of S. horneri moved into the coasts of Jeju Island from the east coast of China, which made huge economic and environmental loss to the Jeju Island. Thus, utilization of this biomass becomes a big issue with the local authorities. Therefore, the present study was performed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory potential of crude polysaccharides (CPs) extracted from S. horneri China strain in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. MATERIALS/METHODS: CPs were precipitated from S. horneri digests prepared by enzyme assistant extraction using four food-grade enzymes (AMG, Celluclast, Viscozyme, and Alcalase). The production levels of nitric oxide (NO) and pro-inflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$ and interleukin (IL)-$1{\beta}$ were measured by Griess assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. The levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), nuclear factor (NF)-${\kappa}B$, and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) were measured by using western blot. The IR spectrums of the CPs were recorded using a fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) spectrometer. RESULTS: The polysaccharides from the Celluclast enzyme digest (CCP) showed the highest inhibition of NO production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells ($IC_{50}$ value: $95.7{\mu}g/mL$). Also, CCP dose-dependently down-regulated the protein expression levels of iNOS and COX-2 as well as the production of inflammatory cytokines, including TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-$1{\beta}$, compared to the only LPS-treated cells. In addition, CCP inhibited the activation of NF-${\kappa}B$ p50 and p65 and the phosphorylation of MAPKs, including p38 and extracellular signal-regulated kinase, in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Furthermore, FT-IR analysis showed that the FT-IR spectrum of CCP is similar to that of commercial fucoidan. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that CCP has anti-inflammatory activities and is a potential candidate for the formulation of a functional food ingredient or/and drug to treat inflammatory diseases.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.15-26
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• 2023

Purposes: Evaluate the level of mental health of administrative workers in medical institutions during the COVID-19 epidemic, and check the relationship. Methodology: It targeted 183 administrative workers at medical institutions located in Jeollabuk-do. The data survey method used a self-filled questionnaire, and the data collection period was 30 days from November 16, 2021 to December 16, 2021. A comparative analysis was conducted to find out the correlation between the subjects' biological factors, environmental factors, lifestyle factors, job related factors and depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and job stress. Findings: As an influencing factor of depression, it was found that the longer the working period, the higher the depression, and the higher the position, job satisfaction, and the total amount of smoking, the lower the depression. Due to the effect on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, the higher the total amount of smoking, the higher the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after effects, and the higher the organizational commitment and job satisfaction, the lower the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder aftereffects. It was found that organizational commitment had the highest influence on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. As an influencing factor on job stress, it was found that the higher the job related factors was job satisfaction and organizational commitment, the lower the job stress. Practical Implications: Variables such as moderate physical activity, alcohol consumption, total smoking, working period, position, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment were identified as factors influencing depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and job stress during the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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• 2017.06a
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• pp.8-9
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• 2017

Soybean yield has been low and unstable in Japan and other areas in East Asia, despite long history of cultivation. This is contrasting with consistent increase of yield in North and South America. This presentation tries to describe perspective of breaking stagnation of soybean yield in East Asia, considering the factors of the different yields between regions. Large amount of rainfall with occasional dry-spell in the summer is a nature of monsoon climate and as frequently stated excess water is the factor of low and unstable soybean yield. For example, there exists a great deal of field-to-field variation in yield of 'Tanbaguro' soybean, which is reputed for high market value and thus cultivated intensively and this results in low average yield. According to our field survey, a major portion of yield variation occurs in early growth period. Soybean production on drained paddy fields is also vulnerable to drought stress after flowering. An analysis at the above study site demonstrated a substantial field-to-field variation of canopy transpiration activity in the mid-summer, but the variation of pod-set was not as large as that of early growth. As frequently mentioned by the contest winners of good practice farming, avoidance of excess water problem in the early growth period is of greatest importance. A series of technological development took place in Japan in crop management for stable crop establishment and growth, that includes seed-bed preparation with ridge and/or chisel ploughing, adjustment of seed moisture content, seed treatment with mancozeb+metalaxyl and the water table control system, FOEAS. A unique success is seen in the tidal swamp area in South Sumatra with the Saturated Soil Culture (SSC), which is for managing acidity problem of pyrite soils. In 2016, an average yield of $2.4tha^{-1}$ was recorded for a 450 ha area with SSC (Ghulamahdi 2017, personal communication). This is a sort of raised bed culture and thus the moisture condition is kept markedly stable during growth period. For genetic control, too, many attempts are on-going for better emergence and plant growth after emergence under excess water. There seems to exist two aspects of excess water resistance, one related to phytophthora resistance and the other with better growth under excess water. The improvement for the latter is particularly challenging and genomic approach is expected to be effectively utilized. The crop model simulation would estimate/evaluate the impact of environmental and genetic factors. But comprehensive crop models for soybean are mainly for cultivations on upland fields and crop response to excess water is not fully accounted for. A soybean model for production on drained paddy fields under monsoon climate is demanded to coordinate technological development under changing climate. We recently recognized that the yield potential of recent US cultivars is greater than that of Japanese cultivars and this also may be responsible for different yield trends. Cultivar comparisons proved that higher yields are associated with greater biomass production specifically during early seed filling, in which high and well sustained activity of leaf gas exchange is related. In fact, the leaf stomatal conductance is considered to have been improved during last a couple of decades in the USA through selections for high yield in several crop species. It is suspected that priority to product quality of soybean as food crop, especially large seed size in Japan, did not allow efficient improvement of productivity. We also recently found a substantial variation of yielding performance under an environment of Indonesia among divergent cultivars from tropical and temperate regions through in a part biomass productivity. Gas exchange activity again seems to be involved. Unlike in North America where transpiration adjustment is considered necessary to avoid terminal drought, under the monsoon climate with wet summer plants with higher activity of gas exchange than current level might be advantageous. In order to explore higher or better-adjusted canopy function, the methodological development is demanded for canopy-level evaluation of transpiration activity. The stagnation of soybean yield would be broken through controlling variable water environment and breeding efforts to improve the quality-oriented cultivars for stable and high yield.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.484-491
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• 2019

Proanthocyanidins are naturally occurring polyphenolic compounds abundant in many vegetables, plant skins (rind/bark), seeds, flowers, fruits, and nuts. Numerous in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated myriad effects potentially beneficial to human health, such as antioxidation, immunomodulation, DNA repair, and antitumor activity. Among immune cells, macrophages are crucial players in a variety of inflammatory responses to environmental conditions. However, it has been widely reported that macrophages cause chronic inflammation and are involved in a variety of diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and cancer. In this study, we report the suppressive effect of proanthocyanidins via the heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1)-related system, on the immune response of the LPS-stimulated mouse macrophage cell line RAW264.7. Increased HO-1 expression at mRNA and protein levels were found in proanthocyanidins-treated RAW264.7 cells. Further, proanthocyanidins enhanced nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 translocation into the nucleus. RAW264.7 cells were treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) with or without proanthocyanidins, and inflammatory mediator expression levels were assessed. Proanthocyanidins treatment resulted in the attenuation of nitric oxide production and inducible nitric oxide synthase expression in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. In addition, mRNA and protein expression of proinflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ and interleukin-6, was inhibited by proanthocyanidins treatment in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. These findings support proanthocyanidins as a promising anti-inflammatory agent.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.338-344
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• 2015

In an effort to restore the amphibians in urban freshwater system the characteristics of feeding activity of Rana rugosa living in Gyeonggi-provinces (Yangpyeong-gun and Namyangju-si) was analyzed from 2013 to 2014. The stomach contents of R. rugosa was analyzed non-invasively and compared to organisms captured by sweeping and trapping in their habitat. As a result, Hymenoptera and Cleoptera were primarily preyed by R. rugosa. Particularly, the proportion of Formicidae was more than 98% among the preyed Hymenoptera. Trapped insects in the habitat of R. rugosa's in Namyangju were Hymenoptera (58%, Formicidae 99%), Collembola (17%), Orthoptera (10%) and Diptera (9%) in order in order. In Yangpyeong, trapped insects were Collembola (49%), Orthoptera (14%), Arachnida (9%), Diptera (9%), Cleoptera (7%) and Hymenoptera (3%). Even though Hemiptera and Diptera species are abundant in the streamside zones, R. rugosa could easily hunt Formicidae or Coleoptera on rocks or grassland at streamside. R. rugosa consume small sized ground-insects that are easily found rather than searching for the specific prey. Prey resource of urban stream may be not a limiting factor of R. rugosa inhabitation.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.287-299
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• 2015

If the Nakdong River estuary is to be sustainable, land use management practices need to consider bird habitat requirements, especially given that the area serves as an important migratory bird sanctuary. In this study, bird habitats found in the Nakdong River estuary were classified into 11 different types including Phragmites australiss, mud flat, farmland, open surface in freshwater, sand bar, riparian forest, Scirpus planiculmis, waterway, construction, grasslands, and open surface in sea or brackish water. Taking into consideration the regional characteristics, habitat properties, and landscape indices, a total of 12 study sites were analyzed. Mud flat, construction, farmland, and P. australis account for 80% of the total land area. The high area ratio of construction and farmland to other types of habitat revealed a high amount of historical human activity and intervention in the area. Both patch numbers as well as patch density were high in West Nakdong River, Samrak Waterfront, Maekdo River, and Daejeo Floodgate, with these areas showing the greatest fragmentation as well. Total numbers of species and individuals had a positive correlation with the area and the number of habitat types. Findings suggest that protecting the habitat area, especially in S. planiculmis, is the most important factor for bird habitat management and that future development could result in habitat loss, having a profoundly adverse impact on bird populations. Therefore, it is important that the total area should be carefully protected by land use regulations in order to ensure that the Nakdong River estuary maintains its functional integrity as a migratory bird sanctuary.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.283-292
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• 2015

The total global emission of $CO_2$ from soils is recognized as one of the largest fluxes in the global carbon cycle. Especially it is necessary to quantify the amount of $CO_2$ emitted by the organic material decomposition processes of microorganisms in the soil, because it becomes one of a factor for determining the carbon stocks in the soil. This study was conducted to estimate the impact of the Korean water deer(Hydropotes inermis)' feces to the soil organic matter. Also, effects of Korean water deer' feces on $CO_2$ emissions of soil and land use pattern dependent $CO_2$ flux quantification are studied. The organic materials in the Korean water deer' feces significantly changed organic matter content of soil and influenced the activity of soil microorganisms, both changing of respiration of the soil and physical chemical components in soil. In particular, C/N ratio and the $CO_2$ flux of soil of four regions (Rice paddy, Fallow ground, Salix koreensis community, Phragmites australis community) showed a statistically highly significant correlation (P<0.01) with the presence or absence of feces. $CO_2$ flux of soil affected by the feces was 2-20 times higher than the soil unaffected by the feces. This study has great significance to quantify the extent of the material circulation and its impact to the terrestrial ecosystem and soil zone throughout Korean water deer' feces. Feces of wildlife can affect soil and soil material circulation.