• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.150-160
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• 2015

We previously reported that 1-palmitoyl-2-linoleoyl-3-acetyl-rac-glycerol (PLAG) accelerates hematopoiesis and has an improving effect on animal disease models such as sepsis and asthma. The effects of PLAG supplementation on immune modulation were assessed in healthy men and women. The objective was to evaluate the effects of PLAG supplementation on immune regulatory functions such as activities of immune cells and cytokine production. A randomized double blind placebo-controlled trial was conducted. Seventy-five participants were assigned to one of two groups; all participants had an appropriate number of white blood cells on the testing day. The PLAG group (n=27) received oral PLAG supplements and the control group (n=22) received oral soybean oil supplements. IL-4 and IL-6 production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were lower (p<0.001 and p<0.001, respectively) with PLAG than with soybean oil. However, the production of IL-2 and IFN-$\gamma$ by PBMC was unaltered with PLAG supplementation. The B cell proliferation decreased significantly in the PLAG group compared to the soybean oil control (p<0.05). The intake of PLAG in healthy adults for 4 weeks was deemed safe. These data suggest that PLAG has an immunomodulatory function that inhibits the excessive immune activity of immunological disorders such as atopic and autoimmune diseases. PLAG could improve the condition of these diseases safely as a health food supplement.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.173-177
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• 2020

Background: Indoor air dampness microbiota (DM) is a big health hazard. Sufficient evidence exists that exposure to DM causes new asthma or exacerbation, dyspnea, infections of upper airways and allergic alveolitis. Less convincing evidence has yet been published for extrapulmonary manifestations of dampness and mold hypersensitivity syndrome). Methods: We investigated the prevalence of extrapulmonary in addition to respiratory symptoms with a questionnaire in a cohort of nurses and midwives (n = 90) exposed to DM in a Helsinki Obstetric Hospital. The corresponding prevalence was compared with an unexposed cohort (n = 45). Particular interest was put on neurological symptoms and multiple chemical sensitivity. Results: The results show that respiratory symptoms were more common among participants of the study vs. control cohort, that is, 80 vs 29%, respectively (risk ratio [RR]: 2.56, p < 0.001). Symptoms of the central or peripheral nervous system were also more common in study vs. control cohort: 81 vs 11% (RR: 6.63, p < 0.001). Fatigue was reported in 77 vs. 24%, (RR: 3.05, p < 0.001) and multiple chemical sensitivity in 40 vs. 9%, (RR: 3.44, p = 0.01), the so-called "brain fog", was prevalent in 62 vs 11% (RR: 4.94, p < 0.001), arrhythmias were reported in 57 vs. 2.4% (RR: 19.75, p < 0.001) and musculoskeletal pain in 51 vs 22% (RR: 2.02, p = 0.02) among participants of the study vs. control cohort, respectively. Conclusion: The results indicate that the exposure to DM is associated with a plethora of extrapulmonary symptoms. Presented data corroborate our recent reports on the health effects of moist and mold exposure in a workplace.

• Journal of Audiology & Otology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.53-58
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• 2019

Background and Objectives: The aim of the present study was to assess the feasibility of a PC-based facial asymmetry assessment program (PC-FAAP) and to compare the results of PC-FAAP with subjective regional scoring by raters in acute unilateral peripheral facial nerve paralysis (FNP). Subjects and Methods: Participants were divided into 3 groups with 8 participants per group: group I, normal; group II, mild to moderate FNP; and group III, severe FNP. Using the PC-FAAP, the mouth asymmetry ratio (MAR), eyebrow asymmetry ratio (EAR), and complete eye closure asymmetry ratio (CAR) were calculated by comparing the movement of tracking points on both sides. The FNP grading scale (FGS) integrated each score, and the scores were weighted with a ratio of 5:3:2 (MAR:CAR:EAR). Subjective regional scoring was measured on a 0-100 scale score by three otologists. PC-FAAP and subjective scoring were compared in each group regarding the consistency of the results. Results: The mean scores of the MAR, EAR, CAR, and FGS of each group were significantly different. PC-FAAP showed significant differences between the three groups in terms of MAR, EAC, CAR, and FGS. PC-FAAP showed more consistent results than subjective assessment (p<0.001). The PC-FAAP was significantly more consistent in group I and group III (p<0.001 and p=0.002, respectively). FGS in group III was the only parameter that showed a more consistent result in PC-FAAP than the subjective scoring (p=0.008). Conclusions: An FNP grading system using a PC-based program may provide more consistent results, especially for severe forms.

• Korean Journal of Audiology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.53-58
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• 2019

Background and Objectives: The aim of the present study was to assess the feasibility of a PC-based facial asymmetry assessment program (PC-FAAP) and to compare the results of PC-FAAP with subjective regional scoring by raters in acute unilateral peripheral facial nerve paralysis (FNP). Subjects and Methods: Participants were divided into 3 groups with 8 participants per group: group I, normal; group II, mild to moderate FNP; and group III, severe FNP. Using the PC-FAAP, the mouth asymmetry ratio (MAR), eyebrow asymmetry ratio (EAR), and complete eye closure asymmetry ratio (CAR) were calculated by comparing the movement of tracking points on both sides. The FNP grading scale (FGS) integrated each score, and the scores were weighted with a ratio of 5:3:2 (MAR:CAR:EAR). Subjective regional scoring was measured on a 0-100 scale score by three otologists. PC-FAAP and subjective scoring were compared in each group regarding the consistency of the results. Results: The mean scores of the MAR, EAR, CAR, and FGS of each group were significantly different. PC-FAAP showed significant differences between the three groups in terms of MAR, EAC, CAR, and FGS. PC-FAAP showed more consistent results than subjective assessment (p<0.001). The PC-FAAP was significantly more consistent in group I and group III (p<0.001 and p=0.002, respectively). FGS in group III was the only parameter that showed a more consistent result in PC-FAAP than the subjective scoring (p=0.008). Conclusions: An FNP grading system using a PC-based program may provide more consistent results, especially for severe forms.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.411-418
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• 2020

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the predictive strength of students' self-efficacy, problem-solving skills, and other characteristics in performing intravenous practices and monitor phlebitis and infiltration. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out with 736 third and fourth-year students studying at the Health Sciences Faculties of Balikesir and Sakarya universities. The data were collected using the Self-Efficacy Scale, Problem-Solving Inventory and Catheter Care and Infiltration Monitoring Questionnaire. Results: The participants' mean Catheter Care and Infiltration Monitoring Questionnaire score significantly and positively correlated with their mean Self-Efficacy Scale score on a moderate level (r=.25; p<.001) but significantly and negatively correlated with their mean Problem-Solving Inventory score on a moderate level (r=-.21; p<.001). In other words, because a low Problem-Solving Inventory score indicates that the person's problem-solving skill is high, the Care and Infiltration Monitoring Questionnaire score increased as the problem-solving skill increased. While the Self-Efficacy Scale predicted the year of study and catheter care and infiltration monitoring variables positively, the Problem-Solving Inventory predicted the satisfaction with the profession variable negatively. Conclusion: Self-efficacy, problem-solving, liking the profession, and year of study predict success in catheter care and infiltration monitoring. For this reason, guidance may be provided in the development of a comprehensive education system toward increasing students' problem-solving skills, self-efficacy, and professional knowledge and skills.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.426-434
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• 2005

In this study, elementary school students' responses toward a discrepant event about a float-or-sink problem were investigated through semi-structured interviews. Initial participants were 61 fifth-grade students from two elementary schools. After excluding the students who did not possess the target misconception from the results of a preconception test and who were not willing to participate in an interview, 31 students (14 males and 17 females) were finally interviewed by two teacher-interviewers. During the interviews, students were first provided with a hands-on experiment which was the same as the situation in the preconception test, and then they were asked about believability of the discrepant event, inconsistency between the discrepant event and their existing conceptions, and belief change after experiencing the discrepant event. Interviews were audio- and video-taped, and then were transcribed by two interviewers. After analyzing the interview transcriptions, we found four types of students' responses; rejection, uncertainty, peripheral belief change, and belief change. We also found that belief change response type should be classified into three distinctive subtypes; belief decrease, ad-hoc belief change, and analytical-abductive belief change.

• ETRI Journal
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.105-118
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• 2023

We tested the feasibility of automated discrimination of patients with panic disorder (PD) from healthy controls (HCs) based on multimodal physiological responses using machine learning. Electrocardiogram (ECG), electrodermal activity (EDA), respiration (RESP), and peripheral temperature (PT) of the participants were measured during three experimental phases: rest, stress, and recovery. Eleven physiological features were extracted from each phase and used as input data. Logistic regression (LoR), k-nearest neighbor (KNN), support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF), and multilayer perceptron (MLP) algorithms were implemented with nested cross-validation. Linear regression analysis showed that ECG and PT features obtained in the stress and recovery phases were significant predictors of PD. We achieved the highest accuracy (75.61%) with MLP using all 33 features. With the exception of MLP, applying the significant predictors led to a higher accuracy than using 24 ECG features. These results suggest that combining multimodal physiological signals measured during various states of autonomic arousal has the potential to differentiate patients with PD from HCs.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.663-679
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• 2011

This case study focused on three science teachers who participated in the Research Experience for Teachers (RET) program conducted by the Center for Bridging Advanced Science and Education (CBASE). The RET program provides opportunities for participants to experience experimentations in a science laboratory for six months, enabling teachers develop teaching materials based on their experience from the RET program. The purpose of this study was to explore how the teachers had developed their professionalism through participation in the program and which factors promoted the professional development of science teachers. In this research, we defined pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) as the required knowledge for teachers to develop for their professional development. As a result of the RET program, all three participants showed integration of PCK elements: orientation to teaching science, knowledge of science, knowledge of students, knowledge of teaching, and knowledge of sources. The PCK elements which had been developed by the RET program were applied in school context and the teachers' belief became clear and strong. The teachers were able to understand the process of authentic science as they learned it from 'legitimate peripheral participation' in the authentic research context. They also showed dynamic integration between newly established elements of PCK by reflecting on the school context while developing the teaching materials. The professional development of each teacher was different depending on the purpose and PCK, which participants had already possess. This study will provide meaningful implication for the development of professional development program for science teachers based on research experience.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2012

There have been many emotion researches to investigate physiological responses on specific emotions with physiological parameters such as heart rate, blood volume flow, and skin conductance. Very few researches, however, exists by detecting them with facial skin temperature. The purpose of present study was to observe the differences of facial skin temperature by using thermal camera, when participants stimulated by monitor scenes which could evoke fear or joy. There were totally 98 of participants; undergraduate students who were in their adult age and middle, high school students who were in their adolescence. We measured their facial temperature, before and after presenting emotional stimulus to see changes between both times. Temperature values were extracted in these regions; forehead, inner corners of the eyes, bridge of the nose, end of the nose, and cheeks. Temperature values in bridge and end of the nose were significantly decreased in fear emotion stimulated. There was also significant temperature increase in the area of forehead and the inner corners of the eyes, while the temperature value in end of the nose decreased. It showed decrease in both stimulated fear and joy. These results might be described as follows: When arousal level going up, sympathetic nervous activity increases, and in turn it makes blood flow in peripheral vessels under the nose decrease. Facial temperature changes by fear or joy in this study were the same as the previous studies which measured temperature of finger tip, when participants experiencing emotions. Our results may help to develop emotion-measuring techniques and establish computer system bases which are to detect human emotions.

• Information Systems Review
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.77-101
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• 2023

Due to COVID-19, paid virtual live-stream concerts have emerged as an alternative format and a new revenue model for in-person live concerts. Despite the increasing scholarly and practical interest in how participants experience paid virtual live-stream concerts, few studies examined participants' consumption and participation experiences. Thus, this study aims to provide insights into consumers' virtual live-stream concert experience by employing social representations theory (SRT). We explore the features of paid virtual live-stream concerts based on the C-P-N-D (Content-Platform-Network-Device) framework and the consumers' cognitive and affective perception. To this end, an SRT-based core-periphery analysis was conducted based on 239 responses to the open-ended survey questions. The results show that network-and device-level features of virtual live concerts and participants' overall perception are presented as core elements of paid virtual live-stream concerts, whereas content- and platform-level features are peripheral elements. This finding provides an in-depth understanding of the emergence of paid virtual live-stream concerts as an alternative concert format, thereby providing an invaluable understanding of a virtual live concert experience and theoretical and practical insights.