• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.30 no.9
• /
• pp.1430-1435
• /
• 2020

Bacterial cellulose (BC) has outstanding physical and chemical properties, including high crystallinity, moisture retention, and tensile strength. Currently, the major producer of BC is Komagataeibacter xylinus. However, due to limited tools of expression, this host is difficult to engineer metabolically to improve BC productivity. In this study, a regulated expression system for K. xylinus with synthetic ribosome binding site (RBS) was developed and used to engineer a BC biosynthesis pathway. A synthetic RBS library was constructed using green fluorescent protein (GFP) as a reporter, and three synthetic RBSs (R4, R15, and R6) with different strengths were successfully isolated by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). Using synthetic RBS, we optimized the expression of three homologous genes responsible for BC production, pgm, galU, and ndp, and thereby greatly increased it under both static and shaking culture conditions. The final titer of BC under static and shaking conditions was 5.28 and 3.67 g/l, respectively. Our findings demonstrate that reinforced metabolic flux towards BC through quantitative gene expression represents a practical strategy for the improvement of BC productivity.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
• /
• v.9 no.12
• /
• pp.133-140
• /
• 2019

This study examines the reason of a staggering trade deficit on the Korean agro-food industry. To achieve the goal of the study, this study suggests the policy implication for enlargement a trade deficit with foreign exchange rate. Despite the majority of grain importer does realize that there is a huge affection for price volatility on the business result, they are more likely to take flat pricing through the physical market to avoid risk of price volatility with exchange rate. Also the analysis of external and internal environments around the Korean agro-food export & import are conducted, particularly with the analysis of trade volume and food price affecting the export & import. Results from a survey show that the common factor to the effective use of overseas agricultural and foreign currency futures trading for grain traders in Korea.

• Journal of Information Science Theory and Practice
• /
• v.9 no.4
• /
• pp.50-62
• /
• 2021

This study aims to unravel the shift in the customary method of disseminating information about the ritual of Perang Topat (literally translated as "rice-cake war") as carried out by the custom community of Kemaliq Lingsar in the West Lombok Regency of Indonesia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Grounded in the ethnography of communication research methodology, this study examines the process of the cultural ritual during the 2020 period of the pandemic and compares it to the ones held in 2018 and 2019 (before the current pandemic). Drawing on findings from observations, in-depth interviews, and documentation, it was revealed that the traditional or custom-oriented community of Kemaliq Lingsar abandoned all three prominently used methods of disseminating the information of the Perang Topat ritual that had been used prior to the pandemic, and that they were replaced by a strategy with solely face-to-face (FTF) interpersonal communication carried out by visiting the homes of the target participants of the cultural event. This method was relevant to the current viral crisis because it enabled the committee to minimize the number of spectators which might potentially violate COVID-19 health protocols. This finding also reinforces the hypothetical statement that interpersonal communication via FTF is effective in disseminating information in a limited manner and empowering the emotional bond between the individuals who share relationships and similar interests. The findings of the present study can be a reference for any events where physical distancing must be strictly imposed and require a limit to the number of participants during the pandemic.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
• /
• v.42 no.1
• /
• pp.75-98
• /
• 2021

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to investigate the characteristics, validity, and reliability of non-radiological assessment tools of scoliosis that have been studied so far. Methods: Electronic databases including Pubmed, Cochrane Library, CNKI, Science On, RISS, OASIS were searched by keywords including 'scoliosis assessment', 'scoliosis screening', 'physical examination', 'functional measurement', 'photography', and 'smartphone'. Results: 32 articles using radiation-free assessments were identified from 1,011 records. The mostly used non-radiological methods were Surface topography, Scoliometer, Ultrasound, Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging, and Photography. The other methods were Gait analysis, 3D depth sensor imaging, and Low intensity electromagnetic scan. Conclusions: It was found that non-radiological assessment tools might reduce the number of radiographs taken in scoliosis patients. To increase the reliability and validity, further research on the measurement tools of scoliosis will be needed.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
• /
• v.46 no.1
• /
• pp.67-78
• /
• 2019

The purpose of this study was to predict the water quality using the RNN (recurrent neutral network) and LSTM (long short-term memory). These are advanced forms of machine learning algorithms that are better suited for time series learning compared to artificial neural networks; however, they have not been investigated before for water quality prediction. Three water quality indexes, the BOD (biochemical oxygen demand), COD (chemical oxygen demand), and SS (suspended solids) are predicted by the RNN and LSTM. TensorFlow, an open source library developed by Google, was used to implement the machine learning algorithm. The Okcheon observation point in the Geum River basin in the Republic of Korea was selected as the target point for the prediction of the water quality. Ten years of daily observed meteorological (daily temperature and daily wind speed) and hydrological (water level and flow discharge) data were used as the inputs, and irregularly observed water quality (BOD, COD, and SS) data were used as the learning materials. The irregularly observed water quality data were converted into daily data with the linear interpolation method. The water quality after one day was predicted by the machine learning algorithm, and it was found that a water quality prediction is possible with high accuracy compared to existing physical modeling results in the prediction of the BOD, COD, and SS, which are very non-linear. The sequence length and iteration were changed to compare the performances of the algorithms.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
• /
• v.29 no.3
• /
• pp.61-74
• /
• 2019

Objectives This study aimed to review clinical studies about Korean medicine used in peroneal nerve palsy. Methods In 11 online databases (Earticle, Research Information Sharing Service, Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System, KMbase, Korean Traditional Knowledge Portal, National Digital Science Library, MEDLINE/Pubmed, Ebscohost, Cochrane CENTRAL, EMBASE, China National Knowledge Infrastructure), we searched clinical studies about Korean medicine. Among the studies that we've searched, we excluded the studies that are not related to Korean medicine, case reports, randomized controlled trials and retrospective studies. As a result, 16 case studies and 1 randomized controlled trial are included. Results Total number of patients was 123. In these studies, acupuncture (100%), herbal medicine (58.8%), pharmacopuncture (58.8%), Korean physical therapy (58.8%), moxibustion (41.1%), cupping (41.1%) etc. were used. In acupuncture, GB34 and ST36 were most frequently used. Most of the herbal medicines used in these studies were different. Range of movement were most frequently used in outcome measure. Conclusions In this study, we reviewed studies about Korean medicine used in peroneal nerve palsy. It was difficult to clearly determine which intervention has improved the symptom. In the future, Further clinical studies will be needed to retain the evidence for the treatment of peroneal nerve palsy. And also more randomized controlled clinical trials to prove the efficacy of Korean medicine will be needed.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
• /
• v.24 no.5
• /
• pp.451-460
• /
• 2021

Background and objective: The prolonged COVID-19 pandemic has had significant impacts on mental health, which has emerged as a major public health issue around the world. This study aimed to analyze trends and network structure of 'grow-your-own (GYO)' through Instagram, one of the most influential social media platforms, to encourage and sustain home gardening activities for promotion of emotional support and physical health. Methods: A total of 6,388 posts including keyword hashtags '#gyo' and '#growyourown' on Instagram from June 13, 2020 to April 13, 2021 were collected. Word embedding was performed using Word2Vec library, and 7 clusters were identified with K-means clustering: GYO, garden and gardening, allotment, kitchen garden, sustainability, urban gardening, etc. Moreover, we conducted social network analysis to determine the centrality of related words and visualized the results using Gephi 0.9.2. Results: The analysis showed that various combinations of words, such as #growourrownfood, #growourrownveggies, and #growwhatyoueat revealed preference and interest of users in GYO, and appeared to encourage their activities on Instagram. In particular, #gardeningtips, #greenfingers, #goodlife, #gardeninglife, #gardensofinstagram were found to express positive emotions and pride as a gardener by sharing their daily gardening lives. Users were participating in urban gardening through #allotment, #raisedbeds, #kitchengarden and we could identify trends toward self-sufficiency and sustainable living. Conclusion: Based on these findings, it is expected that the trend data of GYO, which is a form of urban gardening, can be used as the basic data to establish urban gardening plans considering each characteristic, such as the emotions and identity of participants as well as their dispositions.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
• /
• v.33 no.3
• /
• pp.340-355
• /
• 2022

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the effects of non-pharmacological sleep intervention programs in improving sleep quality among older adults in long-term care facilities. Methods: A literature search and selection was performed on nine different databases using the guidelines of PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses). Overall, 14 studies met the inclusion criteria and were systematically reviewed. For the meta-analysis, the effect size was estimated using the random-effects model in Review Manager (RevMan) desktop version 5.4 of the Cochrane Library. Results: The meta-analysis of overall non-pharmacological interventions obtained a total effect size of 1.0 (standardized mean difference [SMD]=1.0, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.64~1.35), which was statistically significant (Z=5.55, p<.001). The most frequently studied non-pharmacological intervention was aroma therapy, with an effect size of 0.61 (SMD=0.61, 95% CI: 0.14~1.08), which was statistically significant (Z=2.55, p=.010). In the subgroup analysis, group-based interventions, interventions for >4 weeks, and untreated control studies were more effective. Conclusion: This study confirms that non-pharmacological interventions are effective in improving sleep quality among older adults in long-term care facilities. However, the sample size was small and the risk of bias in assessing the interventions of individual studies was unclear or high, thereby limiting the generalizability of the results. Further reviews that evaluate randomized control trials, evidence-based interventions that consider older adult participants' physical activity levels, different intervention methods and durations, and different control group intervention types are needed to obtain more conclusive evidence.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
• /
• v.26 no.2
• /
• pp.182-190
• /
• 2023

Elbow traumas represent a relatively common condition in clinical practice. However, there is a lack of evidence regarding the most accurate tests for screening these potentially serious conditions and excluding elbow fractures. The purpose of this investigation was to analyze the literature concerning the diagnostic accuracy of clinical tests for the detection or exclusion of suspected elbow fractures. A systematic review was performed using the Preferred Reporting Items for a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Diagnostic Test Accuracy Studies (PRISMA-DTA) guidelines. Literature databases including PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Diagnostic Test Accuracy, Cochrane Library, the Web of Science, and ScienceDirect were searched for diagnostic accuracy studies of subjects with suspected traumatic elbow fracture investigating clinical tests compared to imaging reference tests. The risk of bias in each study was assessed independently by two reviewers using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 checklist. Twelve studies (4,485 patients) were included. Three different types of index tests were extracted. In adults, these tests were very sensitive, with values up to 98.6% (95% confidence interval [CI], 95.0%-99.8%). The specificity was very variable, ranging from 24.0% (95% CI, 19.0%-30.0%) to 69.4% (95% CI, 57.3%-79.5%). The applicability of these tests was very high, while overall studies showed a medium risk of bias. Elbow full range of motion test, elbow extension test, and elbow extension and point tenderness test appear to be useful in the presence of a negative test to exclude fracture in a majority of cases. The specificity of all tests, however, does not allow us to draw useful conclusions because there was a great variability of results obtained.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
• /
• v.36 no.3
• /
• pp.173-195
• /
• 2023

Objectives: To investigate and analyze the assessment indicators and tools used in clinical practice to assess Korean medicine (KM) treatment for infertility, and to establish a basis for assessment tools to diagnose and assess infertility. Methods: Relevant studies published until March 2023 were extracted from Pubmed, Research Information Sharing Service, and National Digital Science Library databases. Results: Sixty-four studies comprising 4,105 patients were included. We investigated pregnancy outcomes, and assessed pregnancy- and childbirth-related factors, overall health, reproductive health, and mental health. Pregnancy result was most common primary outcome. Ongoing pregnancy, stillbirth, miscarriage, and ectopic pregnancy rates were suggested as indicators of pregnancy and childbirth-related assessment. Overall health was most commonly assessed with Likert and Visual analogue scale (VAS). Among reproductive health variables, menstrual history was most frequently assessed. Moreover, indicators such as reproductive function, sexual intercourse, and gynecological disease were assessed. The Infertility Stress Scale and the Fertility Quality of Life tool (FertiQoL) were used to assess mental health. Conclusions: Subjective scales and objective assessment tools, such as the Likert scale and blood tests/ultrasonography, respectively, are used to assess KM infertility treatment. Inconsistent assessment tools make quantitative analyses more challenging. The development of a standardized mental and physical function assessment questionnaire with confirmed reliability and validity ensure the effectiveness of KM infertility treatment, and promote future studies on infertility treatment.