• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.99-128
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• 2008

Nearly all Koreans are insured through National Health Insurance(NHI). While NHI coverage is nearly universal, it is not complete. Coverage is largely limited to minimal level of hospital and physician expenses, and copayments are required in each case. As a result, Korea's public insurance system covers roughly 50% of overall individual health expenditures, and the remaining 50% consists of copayments for basic services, spending on services that are either not covered or poorly covered by the public system. In response to these gaps in the public system, 64% of the Korean population has supplemental private health insurance. Expansion of private health insurance raises negative externality issue. Like public financing schemes in other countries, the Korean system imposes cost-sharing on patients as a strategy for controlling utilization. Because most insurance policies reimburse patients for their out-of-pocket payments, supplemental insurance is likely to negate the impact of the policy, raising both total and public sector health spending. So far, most empirical analysis of supplemental health insurance to date has focused on the US Medigap programme. It is found that those with supplements apparently consume more health care. Two reasons for higher health care consumption by those with supplements suggest themselves. One is the moral hazard effect: by eliminating copayments and deductibles, supplements reduce the marginal price of care and induce additional consumption. The other explanation is that supplements are purchased by those who anticipate high health expenditures - adverse effect. The main issue addressed has been the separation of the moral hazard effect from the adverse selection one. The general conclusion is that the evidence on adverse selection based on observable variables is mixed. This article investigates the extent to which private supplementary insurance affect use of health care services by public health insurance enrollees, using Korean administrative data and private supplements related data collected through all relevant private insurance companies. I applied a multivariate two-part model to analyze the effects of various types of supplements on the likelihood and level of public health insurance spending and estimated marginal effects of supplements. Separate models were estimated for inpatients and outpatients in public insurance spending. The first part of the model estimated the likelihood of positive spending using probit regression, and the second part estimated the log of spending for those with positive spending. Use of a detailed information of individuals' public health insurance from administration data and of private insurance status from insurance companies made it possible to control for health status, the types of supplemental insurance owned by theses individuals, and other factors that explain spending variations across supplemental insurance categories in isolating the effects of supplemental insurance. Data from 2004 to 2006 were used, and this study found that private insurance increased the probability of a physician visit by less than 1 percent and a hospital admission by about 1 percent. However, supplemental insurance was not found to be associated with a bigger health care service utilization. Two-part models of health care utilization and expenditures showed that those without supplemental insurance had higher inpatient and outpatient expenditures than those with supplements, even after controlling for observable differences.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.115-121
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• 2007

Objetives : Identification of target genes for ethanol in neurons is important for understanding its molecular and cellular mechanism of action and the neuropathological changes seen in alcoholics. The purpose of this study is to identify of altered gene expression after acute treatmet of ethanol in rat gliom cells. Methods : We used high density cDNA microarray chip to measure the expression patterns of multiple genes in cultured rat glioma cells. DNA microarrays allow for the simultaneous measurement of the expression of several hundreds of genes. Results : After comparing hybridized signals between control and ethanol treated groups, we found that treatment with ethanol increased the expression of 15 genes and decreased the expression of 12 genes. Upregulated genes included Orthodenticle(Drosophila) homolog 1, procollagen type II, adenosine A2a receptor, GATA bindning protein 2. Downregulated genes included diacylglycerol kinase beta, PRKC, Protein phosphatase 1, clathrin-associated protein 17, nucleoporin p58, proteasome. Conclusion : The gene changes noted were those related to the regulation of transcription, signal transduction, second messenger systems. modulation of ischemic brain injury, and neurodengeneration. Although some of the genes were previously known to be ethanol responsive, we have for the most part identified novel genes involved in the brain response to ethanol.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.24 no.8
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• pp.1149-1157
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• 2017

Inflammation is the first response of the immune system to infection or irritation in our body. The use of medicinal plants has been widely applied as an alternative source for drug development. One of marine natural resources, the anti-inflammatory effect of Ishige sinicola ethanol extract (ISEE), was evaluated by using LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cell and mice model. As a result, the production of nitric oxide (NO) and pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-$1{\beta}$, TNF-${\alpha}$) were inhibited with increasing concentration of ISEE without any cytotoxicity. Furthermore, ISEE suppressed the expression of not only inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-${\kappa}B$) p65, and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), including extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2, p38, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) in a dose-dependent manner. In mice ear edema test, the formation of edema was reduced at the highest dosage of ISEE and the reduction of the number of infiltrated mast cells was observed in histological analysis. These results indicate that ISEE has a potent anti-inflammatory activity and can be used as a pharmaceutical material for many kinds of inflammatory disease.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.522-534
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• 1995

Background: In the pathogenesis of acute lung injury induced by lipopolysaccharide(LPS), oxygen radiclls are known to be involved in one part. Superoxide dismutase(SOD) protects oxygen radical-induced tissue damage by dismutating superoxide to hydrogen peroxide. In eukaryotic cells, two forms of SOD exist intracellularly as a cytosolic, dimeric copper/zinc-containing SOD(CuZnSOD) and a mitochondrial, tetrameric manganese-containing SOD(MnSOD). But there has been little information about SOD gene expression and its regulation in pulmonary alveolar macrophages(PAMs). The objective of this study is to evaluate the SOD gene expression induced by LPS and its regulation in PAMs of rat. Method: In Sprague-Dawley rats, PAMs obtained by broncholaveolar lavage were purified by adherence to plastic plate. To study the effect of LPS on the SOD gene expression of PAMs, they were stimulated with different doses of LPS($0.01{\mu}g/ml{\sim}10{\mu}g/ml$) and for different intervals(0, 2, 4, 8, 24hrs). Also for evaluating the level of SOD gene regulation actinomycin D(AD) or cycloheximide(CHX) were added respectively. To assess whether LPS altered SOD mRNA stability, the rate of mRNA decay was determined in control group and LPS-treated group. Total cellular RNA extraction by guanidinium thiocyanate/phenolfchlorofonn method and Northern blot analysis by using a $^{32}P$-labelled rat MnSOD and CuZnSOD cDNAs were performed. Results: The expression of mRNA in MnSOD increased dose-dependently, but not in CuZnSOD. MnSOD mRNA expression peaked at 8 hours after LPS treatment. Upregulation of MnSOD mRNA expression induced by LPS was suppressed by adding AD or CHX respectively. MnSOD mRNA stability was not altered by LPS. Conclusion: These findings show that PAMs of rat could be an important source of SOD in response to LPS, and suggest that their MnSOD mRNA expression may be regulated transcriptionally and require de novo protein synthesis without affecting mRNA stability.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.467-475
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• 2013

In order to seize quantitative materials as part of studies on measures for oil pollution prevention and control, the statistics of oil pollution incidents in Korean coastal waters for 10 years from 2003 to 2012 were analyzed with relation to the number of oil spills and the volume of oil spilt according to causes, sources and sea areas of spills. Total number and total volume of oil spills for 10 years were found to be 2,833 cases and 17,877 kL, respectively. 50.4 %(1,429 cases) of total number of oil spills were caused by negligence, although oil spillage due to negligence was 294 kL(1.7 %). While oil spillage caused by marine accidents was 17,400 kL(97.3 %), marine accidents accounted for 27.9 %(790 cases) of total number of oil spills. While negligence had a great influence on the number of oil spills, marine accidents had a huge impact on the amount of oil spilt. Fishing boats accounted for 42.7 %(1,210 cases) of the number of oil spills, and although oil tankers accounted for 9.2 %(261 cases) of the number of oil spills, oil spillage from oil tankers was 15,488kL(86.7 %). It means that oil tankers such as VLCC or ULCC may be the main sources of major oil spills and a few very large spills are responsible for a high percentage of the amount of oil spilt. While the number of oil spill incidents was closely related to the accidents of fishing boats, the volume of oil spilt was greatly affected by the major oil spill incidents of oil tankers such as M/T Hebei Spirit. The number and volume of oil spills were shown to be 1,613 cases(56.9 %) and 3,804 kL(21.3 %) in South Sea, 700 cases(24.7 %) and 13,501 kL(75.5 %) in West Sea, and 520 cases(18.2 %) and 572 kL(3.2 %) in East Sea of Korea, respectively. The highest number of oil spills was found in South Sea and the most volume of oil spilt was shown in West Sea of Korea for 10 years.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.217-225
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• 2004

This study was carried out to reduce the loss of frozen dough quality during frozen storage. Using response surface method, ascorbic acid 160.4 ppm, L-cysteine 63.1 ppm, and SSL 0.6% were found to be optimum, with xanthan gum 0.3% (formula A) and Ultra tex-3 5% (formula B) added as cryoprotectants. During frozen storage at $-20^{\circ}C$, control rapidly deteriorated after 4 weeks, while formulas A and B showed slight deterioration with immutable quality after 10 weeks.

• Korean Journal of Weed Science
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.94-100
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• 1994

This experiment was conducted to determine selective mechanism of cyhalofop-butyl ester ((((R-butyl 2-(4-(4-cyano-2-fluorophenoxy) phenoxy) propionate)) between rice and Echinochloa crus-galli. 100ppm of cyhalofop-butyl ester inhibited over 90% of seedling growth of E. crus-galli when applied at 3 leaf stage and complete inhibition was observed at 180ppm applied at the 4 leaf stage, but rice(Chucheongbyeo) was not inhibited by cyhalofop-butyl ester even at 230ppm, regardless of its growth stages(3, 4, 5 and 6 leaf stages). Cyhalofop-butyl ester applied through stem at 10 and 50ppm moved most rapidly to the meristem and resulted in the highest injury on plant height, root length and fresh weight of E. crus-galli. compared with root or leaf application. Seedlings of rice and E. crus-galli at 3 or 4 leaf stage were dipped in 180ppm of cyhalofop-butyl ester solution for 1 minute and aboveground parts of E. crus-galli and rice were removed immediataly after dipping treatment. Regrowth of E. crus-galli was inhibited by the herbicide by 41.7%, but no inhibition was observed in rice. Further, content of chlorophyll reduced to 18.7% of the untreated control, showing appearence of almost being killed, but no effect on chlorophyll content of rice was observed.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 1986

It has been well documented that the peripheral autonomic nervous system plays an important role in exocrine pancreatic secretion. However, the role of the central nervous system in pancreatic function is still obscure even though the central nervous system has been known to control gastrointestinal functions through the autonomic nervous system. Since the reticular formation in the mesencephalone seems to integrate the autonomic function, the present study was undertaken to investigate a possible influence of the reticular formation upon the exocrine pancreatic secretion. Twenty·two albino rats fasted for 24 hours were anesthetized by intraperitoneal injection of urethane in a dose of 1 g/kg, The pancreatic duct was cannulated to collect pancreatic juice and bile juice was diverted to the jejunum. The gastroduodenal junction was ligated to Prevent passage of gastic juice into the duodenum. A pair of electrodes were bilaterally inserted in the reticualr formation of the mesencephalone with aid of a stereotaxic apparatus. When the volume of pancreatic juice secreted for 10 min became constant, the reticular formation was electrically stimulated for 10 min. Parameters of the electical stimulation was 1.3V, 40 Hz and 2 msec. When the pancreatic secretion returned to the level before the electrical stimulation, cervical vagotomy (11 rats) or administration of propranolol (11 rats) in a dose of 0.1 mg/kg through the jugular vein was carried out. Ten minutes after the treatment, the electrical stimulation of the reticular formation was repeated. The brain was fixed by perfusion of 10% formaline solution through the heart, and then placement of the electrode tip was examined histologically. Protein concentration and amylase activity in samples of Pancreatic secretion were measured. The electrical stimulation of the reticular formation significantly increased in volume $({\mu}l/10\;min)$, Protein output $({\mu}g/10\;min)$ and amylase output (U/10 min) in the pancreatic secretion. The stimulatroy effects were not affected by the cervical vagotomy but completely abolished by propranolol. Meantime, it was also observed that both vagotomy and propranolol significantly reduced the pancreatic secretory function. These results indicate that the reticular formation in the mesencephalone may exert a stimulatory effect upon the Pancreatic secretory function not through the vagus nerve but through the sympathetic pathway in anesthetized rats.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.79-87
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• 1986

Recently it has been shown that central dopaminergic system regulates the renal function and that intracerebroventricularly (icv) administered dopamine (DA) produces antidiuresis and antinaturiuresis, resembling icv norepinephrine, and evidence has been accumulated which would suggest the involvement of adrenergic system in the DA effects. It was attempted therefore in this study to see whether the DA effect is influenced by pretreatment of yohimbine which is known as a specific ${\alpha}_2-adrenoceptor$ antagonist. Yohimbine produced, when given icv in doses of $100\;{\mu}g/kg$, marked antidiuresis and antinatriuresis along with decreases in renal perfusion and glomerular filtration. DA, in doses of $15\;{\mu}g/kg$, also produced antidiuresis and antinaturiuresis. However, after yohimbine-pretreatment DA $15\;{\mu}g/kg$ improved renal hemodynamics, and electrolyte excretion and urine flow rate transiently increased. With $150\;{\mu}g/kg$ DA, the antidiuresis was more marked in the control group. But the yohimbine-pretreated animals responded with marked diuresis and natriuresis, sodium excretion increasing more than three-fold, which lasted for 20 minutes. $K^+-excretion$, osmolar clearance as well as free-water reabsorption increased. Renal hemodynamics improved partly. Apomorphine, a DA agonist, when given icv in doses of $150\;{\mu}g/kg$, produced diuresis and naturiuresis, concomitant with increased renal hemodynamics. Yohimbine-pretreatment however did not abolish the apomorphine-induced diuresis and naturiuresis. Antidiuresis and antinatriuresis elicited by norepinephrine, $10\;{\mu}g/kg$, was not affected by yohimbine-pretreatment. These results indicate that the renal effects of icv DA is not so simple as those of norepinephrine, and the diuretic natriuretic cffect which had been masked by the hemodynamic effect becomes manifest only when the decreases in hemodynamics were removed by the pretreatment of yohimbine. It was further suggested that those DA receptors which mediate the natriuretic response to icv DA is not affected by yohimbine, whereas those receptors involved in the decrease in renal hemodvnamics are blocked by yohimbine. And the possibility of involvement of adrcnergic system in the DA action is not substantiated.

• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.39-57
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• 2012

Recently, due to the introduction of high-tech equipment in interactive exhibits, many people's attention has been concentrated on Interactive exhibits that can double the exhibition effect through the interaction with the audience. In addition, it is also possible to measure a variety of audience reaction in the interactive exhibition. Among various audience reactions, this research uses the change of the facial features that can be collected in an interactive exhibition space. This research develops an artificial neural network-based prediction model to predict the response of the audience by measuring the change of the facial features when the audience is given stimulation from the non-excited state. To present the emotion state of the audience, this research uses a Valence-Arousal model. So, this research suggests an overall framework composed of the following six steps. The first step is a step of collecting data for modeling. The data was collected from people participated in the 2012 Seoul DMC Culture Open, and the collected data was used for the experiments. The second step extracts 64 facial features from the collected data and compensates the facial feature values. The third step generates independent and dependent variables of an artificial neural network model. The fourth step extracts the independent variable that affects the dependent variable using the statistical technique. The fifth step builds an artificial neural network model and performs a learning process using train set and test set. Finally the last sixth step is to validate the prediction performance of artificial neural network model using the validation data set. The proposed model is compared with statistical predictive model to see whether it had better performance or not. As a result, although the data set in this experiment had much noise, the proposed model showed better results when the model was compared with multiple regression analysis model. If the prediction model of audience reaction was used in the real exhibition, it will be able to provide countermeasures and services appropriate to the audience's reaction viewing the exhibits. Specifically, if the arousal of audience about Exhibits is low, Action to increase arousal of the audience will be taken. For instance, we recommend the audience another preferred contents or using a light or sound to focus on these exhibits. In other words, when planning future exhibitions, planning the exhibition to satisfy various audience preferences would be possible. And it is expected to foster a personalized environment to concentrate on the exhibits. But, the proposed model in this research still shows the low prediction accuracy. The cause is in some parts as follows : First, the data covers diverse visitors of real exhibitions, so it was difficult to control the optimized experimental environment. So, the collected data has much noise, and it would results a lower accuracy. In further research, the data collection will be conducted in a more optimized experimental environment. The further research to increase the accuracy of the predictions of the model will be conducted. Second, using changes of facial expression only is thought to be not enough to extract audience emotions. If facial expression is combined with other responses, such as the sound, audience behavior, it would result a better result.