• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.491-500
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• 2022

HK shiitake mushroom mycelium (HKSMM), containing 14% β-glucan, is a health functional food ingredient individually approved by the Korea Ministry of Food and Drug Safety for liver health. The anti-inflammatory effect of a 50% aqueous ethanol extract of HKSMM (designated HKSMM50) was studied in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). An active hexose correlated compound (AHCC) was used as a positive control. LPS-activated RAW 264.7 cells were treated with HKSMM50 and AHCC (0, 20, 100, 500 ㎍/ml) and cultured for 24 hr. Inflammation-related elements in the supernatant were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits, and the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) proteins in the cells was analyzed by Western blotting. The HKSMM50 lowered iNOS and COX-2 protein expressions, and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) contents in a concentration-dependent manner as compared to LPS treatment. Similarly, the HKSMM50 lowered the content of pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) contents and increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). The efficacy of the AHCC treatment was similar to that of the HKSSM50 treatments. These results indicate that HKSMM50 showed an anti-inflammatory effect in LPS-treated RAW 264.7 cells by down-regulation of NF-κB signaling and suggest that HKSMM could be used as a health functional food ingredient to help improve immune function.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.195-205
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• 2022

Background: The biggest concern when using household chemical products is the health risk from inhalation exposure. Objectives: The purpose of this paper was to provide information necessary for estimating inhalation exposure factors in several countries/organizations and to present some examples. Methods: We attempted to use PRISMA-ScR for a systematic review, but no major reports were found. We used the Google search function instead to find 'exposure factor handbook'. As for the results, inhalation exposure factors from South Korea, the United States, Canada, the EU, Australia, Japan, and China were compared. Results: The basic concept and origin of exposure factors was the US Environmental Protection Agency's Exposure Factor Handbook. Its latest version is 2011, but several chapters have been updated in 2017, 2018, and 2019. South Korea's Exposure Factor Handbook was updated in 2019, more recently than those of other countries, and was systematically investigated. In South Korea, the average daily respiratory rate is 14.62 m³/day for adults and 12.73 m³/day for children. It is difficult to compare breathing rate by country because each country divides age groups differently and uses different methods to estimate it. Information on household chemical products, space used, and ventilation rate are in the exposure factor handbook in some countries and not in others. It is not in the handbook in South Korea, but in the notice from the NIER (National Institute of Environmental Research), a sub-regulation of the Chemical Product Safety Act. Conclusions: The exposure factors registered in South Korea's exposure factor handbook have been systematically studied and reflect the most recent data. When using data not in the relevant handbook, data from other countries might be applied, but it should be determined whether the nature and quality of the original data have been managed.

• Journal of Navigation and Port Research
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.306-313
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• 2021

National fishing harbour is as a refuge for fishing boats and a breakwater lighthouse is installed as a functional facility in consideration of harbour identification and the safety of passing vessels. In this study, the service level of breakwater lighthouse (234 units) was estimated based on the traffic volume of 105 national fishing harbour. For this purpose, the evaluation items were determined, the fishing harbour standard index was calculated (Fs=1), the proximity of fishing harbour was identified and the function (service level) of the breakwater lighthouse was estimated in the following order. However, national fishing harbour differed in size, traffic volume and fishing vessel capacity. Therefore, 105 national fishing harbour were divided into three groups through cluster analysis. The cluster analysis was based on the service level factors of the breakwater lighthouse, such as the number of weeding fishing vessels, tonnage of fishing vessels, the number of incoming and outgoing vessels per year, and fishing vessel capacity. As a result of the estimation, the service level of the breakwater lighthouse (light tower height, visual height, visual range, interval) was 10.50m, 16.50m, 7.00mile, 5.5sec for group 1, and 10.67m, 16.16m, 8.33mile, and 6.0sec for group 2, The three groups are 11.53m, 16.75m, 6.75mile and 5.0sec. The results of this study can be used as useful basic data for improving the service level of traffic vessels when a breakwater lighthouse is built in a fishing harbour in the future.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.656-679
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• 2022

Objectives: The aims of this study were to evaluate the fidelity of stroke stage reporting, the timeliness of the outcome measures, and the use of the core outcome set. Methods: We searched the literature using 6 domestic databases. We selected studies that used Korean medicine interventions and targeted stroke patients with motor sequelae. We examined whether the included studies reported the stroke stage and whether they used the outcome measures in the appropriate period based on the recommendations of the "Stroke Evidence Database to Guide Effectiveness". We also confirmed the use of the essential assessment tools suggested by the core outcome set. Results: Overall, 77 studies were finally selected, with 16 (21%), 55 (71%), and 6 (8%) published on the acute, subacute, and chronic phases, respectively. Only 11 of the studies directly mentioned the stroke stage. The most commonly used assessments were the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, Modified Barthel Index, and Manual Muscle Testing. Only 5 studies failed to apply the stage-related outcome measures at the recommended period. The outcome variables used inadequately were the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, Functional Ambulation Categories, 36-Item Short Form Health Survey, and Mini-Mental State Examination. Among the core outcome set items, some studies used liver and renal function tests, but no herbal medicine safety reporting was conducted. Conclusions: In future studies, we propose to ensure accurate reporting of the stroke stage with reliable outcome measures to deliver better clinical and research outcomes. Furthermore, in future clinical studies on stroke, a standard protocol that reflects the core outcome set should be developed.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.12
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• pp.1128-1141
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• 2021

'Angelica' is one of the most traditionally consumed medicinal herbs around Northeast Asia including Korea for treatments of various diseases or health care purposes like hematopoiesis, blood circulation for women, sedative, analgesic, and a tonic medicine etc. Angelica gigas Nakai, a Korean native species of Angelica, is clearly different from the others in containing a high concentration of active ingredients like pyranocoumarines including decursin, decursinol, and decursinol angelate. These compounds have various kinds of positive effects such as anti-tumor activity including the precaution of neutropenia occurred during anticancer drug administration, improvements of metabolic disorders, menstrual irregularity, impairment of renal function, respiration improvement, cognition-enhancement, anti-inflammatory effect, anti-oxidative effect, enhancing fertility and so forth. Thus it implies incredible potentialities in future development for foods and drugs. However, certain purity-related qualities and/or overdose in food products can cause side effects like toxicities; therefore, their safety profiles should also be considered. This review focuses on the positive and negative effects of three pyranocoumarines in Angelica gigas Nakai and some possibilities and considerations for future food and drug products development.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.49-54
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• 2022

Background: We compared the safety and effectiveness of robotic anatomical resection and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted of the records of 4,283 patients, in whom an attempt was made to perform minimally invasive anatomical resection for lung cancer at Seoul National University Hospital from January 2011 to July 2020. Of these patients, 138 underwent robotic surgery and 4,145 underwent VATS. Perioperative outcomes were compared after propensity score matching including age, sex, height, weight, pulmonary function, smoking status, performance status, comorbidities, type of resection, combined bronchoplasty/angioplasty, tumor size, clinical T/N category, histology, and neoadjuvant treatment. Results: In total, 137 well-balanced pairs were obtained. There were no cases of 30-day mortality in the entire cohort. Conversion to thoracotomy was required more frequently in the VATS group (VATS 6.6% vs. robotic 0.7%, p=0.008). The complete resection rate (VATS 97.8% vs. robotic 98.5%, p=1.000) and postoperative complication rate (VATS 17.5% vs. robotic 19.0%, p=0.874) were not significantly different between the 2 groups. The robotic group showed a slightly shorter hospital stay (VATS 5.8±3.9 days vs. robotic 5.0±3.6 days, p=0.052). N2 nodal upstaging (cN0/pN2) was more common in the robotic group than the VATS group, but without statistical significance (VATS 4% vs. robotic 12%, p=0.077). Conclusion: Robotic anatomical resection in lung cancer showed comparable early outcomes when compared to VATS. In particular, robotic resection presented a lower conversion-to-thoracotomy rate. Furthermore, a robotic approach might improve lymph node harvesting in the N2 station.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.21 no.12
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• pp.906-917
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• 2021

This study focused on real estate rental income, which is being interested as a means of preparing for old age in the age of low growth and aging. Rental income is seen to function as a safety net of society at a time when it is necessary to live a difficult old age due to the disconnection of income and the extension of the average life span. Therefore, this study conducted the following study on 1,025 households that own rental real estate nationwide. First, the relationship between the characteristics of the household of the rental real estate owner and the real estate rental income was analyzed, and second, it examined whether there is a difference in rental income between the group that engages in income activities other than rental income and the group that only has rental income without income activities. As a result of the analysis, among the demographic and sociological characteristics, gender and spouse were identified as significant variables in rental income. Among the economic characteristics, income and total debt were found to be significant variables. In the case of income activities, rental income was low, and rental income was high when the total debt was high. However, if interest rates rise and the economic recession is prolonged due to unpredictable causes, the owner may suffer from double-use. In preparation for this, it is necessary to review real estate policy alternatives such as easing the period of real estate holdings.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Surveying, Geodesy, Photogrammetry and Cartography
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.497-505
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• 2021

Due to recent underground space accidents, are a frequent occurence in Korea, the government established the basic plan for the construction of the IUGIM (Integrated Underground Geospatial Information Map) in 2015 as a measure for safety management of underground spaces. The development of IUGIM was partially completed as of 2021. The underground space management entity and related organizations are utilizing it. This study is being carried out as part of a plan to improve the usability of IUGIM, and to build a visualization system that compares real-time field data with stored data. A system, equipped with a visualization function for borehole data and 6 types of underground facilities built and managed on IUGIM; a tool capable of comparative analysis with real-time data measured in the field, is being built. The 6 types of underground facilities are water supply pipe, sewage pipe, power pipe, gas pipe, communication pipe, and heating pipe. The completed system was demonstrated at three locations in Seocho-gu, Gangnam-gu in Seoul. The field demonstration was carried out by accessing the mobile center and downloading IUGIM data, visualizing IUGIM data (surface creation, borehole information, underground facilities), and visualizing the GPR(Ground Penetrating Radar)-based data acquired at the field. As a result of the empirical results of IUGIM data and GPR-based field data, it was judged to be suitable. As a result of this study, it is judged that it can be helpful for safe construction at the excavation site.

• The Journal of The Korea Institute of Intelligent Transport Systems
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.253-273
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• 2022

Automated vehicles rely on information collected through sensors to drive. Therefore, the uncertainty of the information collected from a sensor is an important to address. To this end, research is conducted in the field of road and traffic to solve the uncertainty of these sensors through infrastructure or facilities. Therefore, this study developed a traffic cone that can maintaing the gaze guidance function in the construction site by securing sufficient LiDAR detection performance even in rainy conditions and verified its improvement effect through demonstration. Two types of cones were manufactured, a cross-type and a flat-type, to increase the reflective performance compared to an existing cone. The demonstration confirms that the flat-type traffic cone has better detection performance than an existing cone, even in 50 mm/h rainfall, which affects a driver's field of vision. In addition, it was confirmed that the detection level on a clear day was maintained at the 20 mm/h rain for both cones. In the future, improvement measures should be developed so that the traffic cones, that can improve the safety of automated driving, can be applied.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.97-111
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• 2022

Purpose: Automated External Defibrillator (AED) usage in out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCAs) improves the survival of patients. In Singapore, public AEDs are protected by locked boxes with a 'break glass' mechanism to deter theft. Community responders have sustained injuries while breaking glass to retrieve AEDs. This unprecedented study aimed to elucidate the factors influencing successful retrieval of an AED and to document the prevalence of injuries. Methods: A survey was created and distributed. Participants were required to have responded to an OHCA in the past 12 months. Comparison tests were performed with the Fischer-Freeman-Halton Exact test or Pearson chi square test at 5% significance levels, and with multiple logistic regression with a logit link function. Results: Eighty-eight participants were eligible. The success of retrieving an AED was found not to be impacted by occupation, age, gender or time. Participants who responded to an OHCA because of activation by the myResponder App were more likely to retrieve an AED successfully. (AOR 11.111, 95% CI: 2.141-58.824) Conclusion: Use of the myResponder mobile application is associated with the greater success of retrieving an AED. Successful retrieval of an AED is not impacted by time, gender, age, or the occupation of the responder. Community responders in Singapore remain motivated to respond to Cardiac Arrests despite risk of injury.