• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.10-20
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• 2024

RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) is a technique used for providing global patterns of transcriptomes in samples. However, it can only provide the average gene expression across cells and does not address the heterogeneity within the samples. The advances in single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technology have revolutionized our understanding of heterogeneity and the dynamics of gene expression at the single-cell level. For example, scRNA-seq allows us to identify the cell types in complex tissues, which can provide information regarding the alteration of the cell population by perturbations, such as genetic modification. Since its initial introduction, scRNA-seq has rapidly become popular, leading to the development of a huge number of bioinformatic tools. However, the analysis of the big dataset generated from scRNA-seq requires a general understanding of the preprocessing of the dataset and a variety of analytical techniques. Here, we present an overview of the workflow involved in analyzing the scRNA-seq dataset. First, we describe the preprocessing of the dataset, including quality control, normalization, and dimensionality reduction. Then, we introduce the downstream analysis provided with the most commonly used computational packages. This review aims to provide a workflow guideline for new researchers interested in this field.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.235-244
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• 2024

This study is a descriptive exploratory research aimed at identifying factors influencing the health-related quality of life(HRQOL) in middle-aged and senior-aged patients with complex chronic diseases. The study participants were extracted from the Korean Medical Panel annual data. A total of 2,408 patients, with two or more chronic diseases were included. The data were analyzed using STATA 15.0 software through descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVA, and multiple linear regression analysis. The research findings indicate that in middle-aged patients, educational level, household income, economic activity, stress, experience of despair, and basic needs satisfaction positively influence health-related quality of life. On the other hand, types of medical insurance, depressive feelings, and suicidal ideation exert a negative impact. In the case of senior-aged patients, positive influences on health-related quality of life were observed for educational level, household income, economic activity, alcohol consumption, stress, experience of despair, and basic needs satisfaction. Conversely, negative influences were noted for marital status, types of medical insurance, depressive feelings, and suicidal ideation. Therefore, in order to enhance the HRQOL for middle-aged and senior-aged patients with complex chronic diseases, tailored policies considering individual and age-specific characteristics should be formulated.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.809-818
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• 2024

This paper proposes an action plan for local governments to safely utilize artificial intelligence technology in various local government policies. The proposed method analyzes cases of application of artificial intelligence-related laws and policies in Gyeonggi Province, Seoul City, and New York City, and then presents matters that local governments should consider when utilizing AI technology in their policies. This paper applies the AILocalism-Korea analysis methodology, which is a modified version of the AILocalsm analysis methodology[1] presented by TheGovLab at New York University. AILocalism-Korea is an analysis methodology created to analyze the current activities of each local government in the fields of legal system, public procurement, mutual cooperation, and citizen participation, and to suggest practical alternatives in each area. In this paper, we use this analysis methodology to present 9 action plans that local governments should take based on safe and reliable use of artificial intelligence. By utilizing various AI technologies through the proposed plan in local government policies, it will be possible to realize reliable public services.

• Therapeutic Science for Rehabilitation
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.53-67
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• 2024

Objective : This study aimed to identify common activities with similar participation levels between community-dwelling individuals in the United States (US) and South Korea (Study 1), and analyze the changes in activity participation patterns across the adult lifespan in South Korea (Study 2). Methods : We administered the online survey-based Activity Card Sort version 3 (ACS-3) to adults living in the US and South Korea. In Study 1, we computed the average participation level and visualized 100 activities of the ACS-3 from both the US and Korean samples. The average participation level across the four age groups in Study 2 was calculated and visualized to understand the changes in patterns of involvement across the four ACS-3 domains in a Korean sample. Results : In Study 1, data from 161 Americans and 163 Koreans were analyzed. Of the 100 activities, 48 (instrumental: 20; leisure: 13; fitness/health: 6; social: 9) demonstrated similar levels of participation between the two samples. In Study 2, data from 420 Koreans were analyzed and a tendency for decreased participation with age was found in all domains, except for the instrumental domain. Conclusion : Common daily activities may be used as a means of intervention across cultures in occupational therapy. Protective approaches and support are recommended to optimize older adults' participation in daily life.

• Therapeutic Science for Rehabilitation
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.69-84
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• 2024

Objective : This study aimed to categorize the lifestyles of older adults into two types - healthy and unhealthy, and use machine learning to identify the personal values that influence these lifestyles. Methods : This cross-sectional study targeting middle-aged and older adults (55 years and above) living in local communities in South Korea. Data were collected from 300 participants through online surveys. Lifestyle types were dichotomized by the Yonsei Lifestyle Profile (YLP)-Active, Balanced, Connected, and Diverse (ABCD) responses using latent profile analysis. Personal value information was collected using YLP-Values (YLP-V) and analyzed using machine learning to identify the relative importance of personal values on lifestyle types. Results : The lifestyle of older adults was categorized into healthy (48.87%) and unhealthy (51.13%). These two types showed the most significant difference in social relationship characteristics. Among the machine learning models used in this study, the support vector machine showed the highest classification performance, achieving 96% accuracy and 95% area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The model indicated that individuals who prioritized a healthy diet, sought health information, and engaged in hobbies or cultural activities were more likely to have a healthy lifestyle. Conclusion : This study suggests the need to encourage the expansion of social networks among older adults. Furthermore, it highlights the necessity to comprehensively intervene in individuals' perceptions and values that primarily influence lifestyle adherence.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Sensory Integration
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.54-68
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• 2024

Purpose : This study aimed to explore the clinical experiences of occupational therapists who have transitioned from adult to child occupational therapy to provide a basis for developing programs to facilitate rapid clinical adjustment for transitioning occupational therapists. Method : Telephone interviews and Colaizzi's phenomenological research method were employed. The interviewees were six occupational therapists with at least three years of clinical experience who had transitioned from hospital-based adult occupational therapy to sensory integration-focused children's occupational therapy. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed with the participants' consent. Results : The analysis of the interview transcripts yielded 3 categories, 7 themes, and 17 meanings. The three categories were the challenges facing transitioning occupational therapists in clinical practice, the strengths gained from their post-transition clinical experiences, and the facilitators needed before the transition to ensure quick clinical adjustment. Conclusion : Training and institutional arrangements must be in place to ensure that adult occupational therapists transitioning to sensory integration-focused child occupational therapy can quickly adapt clinically and professionally to their new environments.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.343-350
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• 2024

Since the release of Meta's Segment Anything Model (SAM), a large-scale vision transformer generation model with rapid image segmentation capabilities, several studies have been conducted to apply this technology in various fields. In this study, we aimed to investigate the applicability of SAM for water bodies detection and extraction using the QGIS Geo-SAM plugin, which enables the use of SAM with satellite imagery. The experimental data consisted of Compact Advanced Satellite 500 (CAS500)-1 images. The results obtained by applying SAM to these data were compared with manually digitized water objects, Open Street Map (OSM), and water body data from the National Geographic Information Institute (NGII)-based hydrological digital map. The mean Intersection over Union (mIoU) calculated for all features extracted using SAM and these three-comparison data were 0.7490, 0.5905, and 0.4921, respectively. For features commonly appeared or extracted in all datasets, the results were 0.9189, 0.8779, and 0.7715, respectively. Based on analysis of the spatial consistency between SAM results and other comparison data, SAM showed limitations in detecting small-scale or poorly defined streams but provided meaningful segmentation results for water body classification.

• Journal of the Korea Computer Graphics Society
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.171-178
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• 2024

Exercises using a Balance Board (BB) are effective in developing balance, strengthening core muscles, and improving physical fitness and concentration. In particular, the Smart Balance Board (SBB), which integrates with various digital content, provides appropriate feedback compared to traditional balance boards, maximizing the effectiveness of the exercise. However, most systems only offer visual and auditory feedback, failing to evaluate the impact on user engagement, interest, and the accuracy of exercise postures. This study proposes an Immersive Smart Balance Board (I-SBB) that utilizes multiple sensors to enable training with various feedback mechanisms and precise postures. The proposed system, based on Arduino, consists of a gyro sensor for measuring the board's posture, a communication module for wired/wireless communication, an infrared sensor to guide the user's foot placement, and a vibration motor for tactile feedback. The board's posture measurements are smoothly corrected using a Kalman Filter, and the multi-sensor data is processed in real-time using FreeRTOS. The proposed I-SBB is shown to be effective in enhancing user concentration and engagement, as well as generating interest, by integrating with diverse content.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.383-388
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• 2024

This study conducted voluntary focus group user observations to empirically validate the efficacy of the self-developed psychological support mobile application, "Mindful Now". The app is structured as an interactive game format, enabling individuals to activate self-awareness of mindfulness states anytime, anywhere. It consists of a 3-step process of sensory/emotional/consciousness awareness, facilitating the expression of non-judgmental awareness. To demonstrate the effectiveness of this mindful activation in enhancing psychological well-being such as happiness and stress reduction, voluntary mindfulness mobile app usage was tracked among 49 university students. The results revealed significant improvements, with a 14.4% increase in SWLS happiness index and a 17.1% decrease in PSS-10 stress levels among 12 users who used the app continuously for over 60 days to practice mindfulness awareness. Particularly, higher app engagement was observed among students who initially reported relatively lower indices before using the app. The utilization of mobile apps that promote mindful activation aligns with various therapeutic paradigms based on mindfulness and meditation, contributing to advancements in digital therapeutic interventions for psychological support.

• Therapeutic Science for Rehabilitation
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.23-36
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• 2024

Objective : This study investigated the mediating effect of social networks on the relationship between social networking service (SNS) dependence and healthy lifestyle among university students. Methods : Data from 374 university students were collected via online surveys. Sociodemographic data, SNS dependence, social networks, and healthy lifestyle were assessed. Mediation analysis using bootstrapping was conducted to examine the mediating effect of social networks on the relationship between SNS dependence and healthy lifestyle. Results : A total of 374 university students participated in this study. The average age of the participants was 21.8 years (standard deviation = 2.1), and 70.3% were females. Mediation analysis revealed that SNS dependence had a direct effect on healthy lifestyle (β = -.078, standard error [SE] = .052, p = .128), which was not statistically significant. However, a statistically significant indirect effect was observed through social networks (β = -.052, SE = .020, p = .011). The total effect of SNS dependence on a healthy lifestyle was significant (β = -.130, SE = .053, p = .014). Conclusion : Social networks play a critical role in promoting a healthy lifestyle. Health professionals should prioritize interventions to address SNS dependence and leverage social networks to encourage healthier behaviors.