• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.12 no.5_spc
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• pp.133-147
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• 2006

Korean society is rapidly becoming an ageing society. The Korean may have to live longer than did their parents. Increasing life expectancy and changing social structure, Korean people are getting interested in quality of life, and well-being is becoming a matter of concern. And, the Korean is fully aware of the importance of health for well-being or good life. This concern about health may bring about specific behaviors related to health. Although health care expenditures of Korea are currently smaller than those of other developed countries, it is continuously increasing. Large portion of increased amount of health care expenditures is to spend for disease prevention and expansion of long-term care facilities. Constructs of well-being of the Korean, not living in western culture, may be different from those of people living in western society. Health is not top-ranked to importance for quality of life in previous studies. It does not mean health isn't determinant factor for good life or well-being. Health is an essential element for well-being. It has been proved in several researches which examined poor quality of life caused by certain diseases and management of health-related quality of life. Some theories relate to health-seeking behaviors suggested the health belief or the attitude toward health, intention to do health behavior, perceived behavioral control, and self efficacy as important factors which could predict health-related behaviors. With getting older, people decline in physical and physiological functions and become vulnerable to chronic diseases. Quality of life depends on how to adjust to these changes in senescence. Social supports, especially supports from offspring, are very important to quality of life in senescence, because supports from offspring have influence on pride of the older, they may be afraid of disclose the conflict with their offspring. Avoiding self-disclosure exclude other source of social supports and harm individual's health, therefore psychological intervention is needed to. Increasing life expectancy of the Korean, Korean government has to provide numerous long-term care facilities as well as psychosocial supports. The Korean, so far, does not recognize that psychologist could render great service to promoting individual or community health and improving individual's quality of life. It is highly expected that psychologists take actively interested and involve in health related to quality of life.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.153-161
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• 2012

This study was conducted to investigate the chlorophyll contents, photosynthetic characteristics and chlorophyll fluorescence of Cirsium setidens and Pleurospermum camtschaticum by shading treatment. Two species were grown under non-treated (full sunlight) and three different shading condition (88~93%, 65~75% and 45%~55% of full sunlight) for the experiment. Total chlorophyll content, photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm), specific leaf area (SLA), and net apparent quantum yield were increased with elevating shading level but decreased dark respiration under the low light intensity. Therefore, light absorption and light utilization efficiency were improved under the low light intensity. 45~55% of full sunlight in C. setidens and 65~75% of full sunlight in P. camtschaticum showed best maximum photosynthetic rate, net apparent quantum yield and photochemical efficiency. On the other hand, non-treated showed lower maximum photosynthetic rate, photochemical efficiency, and chlorophyll content than treated ones. These results suggest that growth of P. camtschaticum adapted to 65~75% of full sunlight and C. setidens adapted to 45~55% of full sunlight.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.337-351
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• 1996

Melatonin Is a multifunctional hormone secreted from the pineal gland in the middle of cerebrum and cerebellum. Its synthesis and release reflect photopedod;Photopedod is a yearly predictable ambient factor that most animals utilize as an environmental cue for maximum survival. Hamsters maintaln reproductive activity in summer during which day length exceeds night time. Upon the advent of autumnal equinox they undergo gonadal regression. The photoperiodic effects are prevented by removal of the pineal gland and restored by the timed repiacument of melatonin. The results suggest that melatonin constitutes part of control mechanism whereby environmental information is transduced to neuroendocrine signal responsIble for the functional integrity of the reproductive system. From the studies for the action site of melatonin following the treatment of photopedod or melatonin in the lesion of a spedflc portion of hypothalamus, suprachiasmatic nuclei and pars tuberalis are shown to be a consensus site for melatonIn. The action of melatonin. In the regulation of reproduction is largely unknown. It is mainly due to the lack of acute effect of melatonin on gonadotropin secretion. However, reduction of the gonadotropln release and augmentation of the hypothalamic gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) content by long-term treatment of melatonln Indicate that constant presence of melatonln may partidpate in the regulation of sexual activity via the GnRH neuronal system. The action mechanism by which melatonin exerts Its effect on GnRH neuron needs to be eluddated. The inability of opiold analogues to affect the reproductive hormones in sexually regressed animals by inhibftory photopedod and melatonin suggests that the opioldergic neuron may be a prime intervening mediator. Recent cloning of melatonin receptor will contribute to investigate its anatomical Identification and the action mechanism of melatonin on target tissues at the molecular level.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Food Science of Animal Resources Conference
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• 1995.11a
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• pp.1-48
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• 1995

식생활은 인간 생활의 주체이고 먹는다는 것은 그 수단이다. 그중 중요한 하나의 명제는 인간이 놓여진 여러 환경에서 어떻게 건강을 유지하고 그 개체가 소유하고 있는 능력을 최대치까지 생리적으로 성장 발전시킴과 동시에 최대한 수명을 연장시키기 위한 식물 섭취방법을 마이크로 레벨까지 해명하는데 있다. 인간은 일생동안 엄청난 양의 음식물을 먹는다(70세 수명일 경우 200만 파운드 즉 체중의 1,400배). 그러나 먹기는 먹되 자신의 건강과 장수를 위하여 어떤 음식을 어떻게 선택하여 어떻게 먹어야 하는 문제가 매우 중요하다. 최근 우리나라도 국민 소득이 늘면서 식생활은 서구화 경향으로 기우는 듯하다. 공해를 비롯한 수입식품 등 여러 가지 문제점이 제기됨에 따라 자연식과 건강식을 주장하는 소리가 높이 일고 있다. 그중에는 축산 식품이 콜레스테롤 함량이 다른 식품에 비하여 높게 함유하고 있다는 것으로 심혈관질환의 주범인양 무차별 강조하는 나머지 육식공포 내지는 계란 등의 혐오감 마저 불러 일으키는 경향까지 있는 듯하다. 따라서 본논고에서는 축산식품중의 콜레스테롤 함량수준이 과연 성인병의 주범인지 아니면 다른 지방산과 관련해서 올바르게 평가하고 그 문제점과 대책을 개관해 보고 요약하면 다음과 같다. 1. 사람은 유사이래 본능적으로 주변의 식물이나 동물의 고기를 먹고 성장하여 자손을 증식시키고 어느 사이에 늙으면 죽음을 맞이 하는 싸이클을 반복하면서 기나긴 세월동안 진화를 하여 오늘날의 인간으로서의 자태를 이루었다. 유인원과 같은 인류의 선조들은 수렵을 통해 육식을 많이 하였을 것이므로 인간은 원래 육식동물이 아닐까? 구석기시대의 유물을 보면 많은 뼈가 출토되고 “얄타미라”나 “라스코” 동굴벽화가 선명하게 묘사되고 있다. 2. 우리나라 선조 승구족의 일파가 백두산을 비롯한 만주 송화강 유역에 유입되면서 수렵과 목축을 주요 식품획득의 수단으로 식품문화권을 형성하면서 남하하여 한반도 민족의 조상인 맥족(貊族)으로 맥적(貊炙)이라고 하는 요리(오늘날의 불고기)를 먹었다는 기록이 있다. 3. 인간의 수명을 1900년대로 거슬러 올라가서 뉴질랜드가 세계최장수국(호주는 2위)로서 평균수명은 남자 58세, 여자 69세인 반면 일본과 한국은 당시 남자 36세, 여자 37세이던 것이 일본은 1989년에 이르러 세계 최장수국으로 등장했으나 1990년 당시 뉴질랜드${\cdot}$호주 등은 목축 및 밀(小麥) 생산국가였기 때문이라는 것과 일본은 오늘날 합리적인 식생활 국가라는 것을 간과해서는 안된다. 4. 우리나라 10대 사망원인중 (1994년도) 뇌혈관질환이 1위, 교통사고 2위, 암이 3위 순위로서 연령별로는 10~30대의 불의의 사고(교통사고), 40~60대는 암, 70대 이상은 뇌혈관질환이 가장 많다. 구미${\cdot}$일 7개국 정상국가들은 심질환 사망이 가장 높다. 5. 식생활의 변화에 있어서 우리나라는 주식으로 섭취해 왔던 곡류는 70년 대비 94년에는 0.7배 감소된 반면 육류 5배, 계란 2.4배, 우유는 무려 29.3배 증가되었다. 식생활 패턴이 서구화 경향으로 바뀌는 것 같다. 6. 71년도 우리나라의 지질섭취량은 국민 1인당 1일 평균 13.1g에 섭취에너지의 5.7%수준이었으나 92년도에는 34.5g으로서 총에너지 섭취량의 16.6%에 달하고 총섭취 지방질중 동물성 섭취 비율은 47%를 차지 한다. 국민 평균 혈청콜레스테롤 농도는 80년에 비해 88년에는 11%가 증가되었고 80년에 210mg/dl 이상 되는 콜레스테롤 혈증인 사람의 비율이 5%에서 88년에는 23%로 크게 증가했다. 7. 세계 정상국가들의 단백질 즉 축산식품의 섭취는 우리나라보다 적게는 2배, 많게는 6~7배 더 섭취하고 90년도 우리나라의 지질섭취량은 일본의 1/3수준에 불과하다. 8. 콜레스테롤은 인체를 비롯한 모든 동물체에 필수적으로 분포하고 있는 것으로 체내 존재하고 있는 총량은 90~150g, 이중 혈청콜레스테롤은 4%(6g)를 차지하고 있음에도 불구하고 이 아주 적은 콜레스테롤에 일희일비(一喜一悲) 논쟁은 60~70년 끄러오고 있다. 9. 콜레스테롤의 생체내 기능으로서는 (1) 세포벽의 지지물질 (2) 신경세포 보호막물질 (3) 담즙산의 합성 (4) 비타민 D의 합성 (5) 임신시에 반듯이 필요한 분자 (6) 기타 여러 가지 기능을 수행하는 것으로 필수적인 물질이다. 10. 우리가 식이를 통해서 섭취 콜레스테롤을 550mg정도를 섭취한다고 하더라도 이 정도의 양은 배설 소모되는 양과 거의 맞먹는 양이다. 피부와 땀샘에서 소실되는 양만도 100~300mg에 달하기 때문에 미국농무성에서 섭취량을 300mg로 제한하는 것은 무의미하다. 11. 콜레스테롤 운반체로서의 지단백질은 그 밀도가 낮은 것으로부터 킬로미크론(chylomicron), 초저밀도 지단백질(VLDL), 저밀도 지단백질(LDL) 및 고밀도 지단백질(HDL)으로 나누는데 LDL은 혈청콜레스테롤 중 약 70%, HDL은 약20%를 함유한다. 12. 혈중 콜레스테롤 수준에 영향을 미치는 요인을 열거하여 보면 다음과 같다. 1) 음식을 통해서 섭취되는 콜레스테롤 중 단지 10~40%정도가 흡수되고, 체내에서 합성되는 콜레스테롤이 증가할수록 식이콜레스테롤은 실제 혈청콜레스테롤 수준에 거의 영향을 미치지 않으므로 식이중함량에 대하여 공포를 느끼고 기피할 필요가 없다. 2) 고도불포화지방산, 단가불포화지방산, 포화지방산의 비 즉 P/M/S의 비가 균형되도록 권장한다. 3) 동맥경화를 비롯한 성인병의 원인이 되는 혈전증에는 EPA의 양을 높여줌으로서 성인병을 예방할 수 있다. 4) 오메가6지방산 아라키도닉산과 오메가3지방산인 EPA로 유도되는 에이코사에노이드 또는 프로스타노이드는 오메가6와 3지방산을 전구체로 하여 생합성되는 중요한 생리활성 물질이다. 5) 사람은 일반적으로 20세에서 60세까지 나이를 먹어감에 따라 혈중 콜레스테롤 수준이 증가하고 60세 이후부터는 일정한 수준을 유지하며 심장보호성 HDL-콜레스테롤은 감소하는 반면에 죽상경화성 LDL콜레스테롤은 증가한다. 6) 높은 HDL콜레스테롤 수준이 심장병 발생 위험요인을 감소시키는 기능을 갖고 있기 때문에 좋은 HDL이라 부르고, LDL은 나쁜 콜레스테롤이라 부르기도 하는데, 이것은 유전적 요인보다도 환경적 요인이 보다 큰 영향을 미친다. 7) 이것은 생활 형태와 영양섭취상태를 포함해서 개인적 생활패턴에 영향을 받는다. 8) 많은 실험에서 혈중 콜레스테롤 상승은 노년의 가령(加齡)에 적응하기 위한 자연적 또는 생리적인 세포의 생화학적이고 대사적인 기능을 위해 필수적일 수 있다는 것을 간과해서는 안될 것이다. 이 점으로 미루어 노년의 여성들을 위한 콜레스테롤 농도를 200mg/dl이 가장 알맞은 양이 아닌 듯하다. 9) 스트레스는 두가지 모양으로 유발되는데 해로은 스트레스(negative), 이로운 스트레스(positive)로서 긴장완화는 혈중 콜레스테롤 농도를 10% 떨어진다. 10) 자주 운동을 하는 사람들은 혈중 HDL콜레스테롤치가 운동을 하지 않는 사람보다 높다. 육체적인 운동의 정도와 혈중 HDL콜레스테롤 농도와는 정비례한다. 11) 흡연은 지방을 흡착시키므로 혈전증의 원이이 되며 혈관속의 HDL농도를 감소시킨다. 12) 에너지의 과잉섭취에 의한 체중 증가느 일반적으로 지단백질대사에 영향을 미치고, 간에서는 콜레스테롤 과잉 생산과 더불어 VLDL콜레스테롤의 LDL콜레스테롤 혈증을 나타냄으로 운동과 더불어 비만이 되지 않도록 하여야 한다. 13. 콜레스테롤 함량에 대한 조절기술 1) 식품의 우열을 평가할 때 단순히 동물성 또는 식물성 식품으로 분류해서 총괄적으로 논한다는 것은 지양되어야 한다. 이것은 그 식품에 함유하고 있는 지방산의 종류에 따라서 다르기 때문이다. 2) 인체의 원할한 기능 유지를 위해서는 P /M /S비율 뿐만 아니라 섭취 지방질의 오메가6 /오메가3계 지방산의 비율이 모두 적절한 범위에 있어야 하며 한두가지 지방산만이 과량일 때는 또 다른 불균형을 일으킬 수 있다는 점을 알아야 한다. 3) 닭고기는 오메가6지방산 함량을 높이기 위하여 사료중에 등푸른 생선이나 어분이나 어유를 첨가하여 닭고기는 첨가수준에 따라 증가됨을 알 수 있다. 4) 오늘날 계란내의 지방산 조성을 변화시켜 난황내의 오메가 3계열 지방산 함량을 증가시킨 계란의 개발이 활발해졌다. 14. 계란 콜레스테롤에 대한 소비자들의 부정적 인식을 불식시키고자 계란의 클레스테롤 함량을 낮추는 과제가 등장하면서 그 기술개발이 여러모로 시도되고 있으나 아직 실용 단계에 이르지 못했다. 15. 계란의 콜레스테롤 문제에 대한 대책으로서 난황의 크기를 감소시키는 방법에 대한 연구도 필요하다. 16. 계란 중 콜레스테롤 함량 분석치는 표현 방식에 따라서 소비자들을 혼란시킬 가능성이 있다. 또한 과거에는 비색법으로 분석했으나 오늘날은 효소법으로 분석하면 분석치에 상당한 차이가 있다. 17. 소비자의 요구를 만족시키고 버터 소비를 촉진시키기 위해 콜레스테롤을 감소시키는 물리적${\cdot}$생물학적 방식이 제안되어 있으나 현장적용이 가능한 것은 아직 없다. 18. 우리나라에서 이미 시판되고 있는 DHA우유가 선보였고 무콜레스테롤 버터의 경우 트란스(trans)형 지방산에 관해서는 논란의 여지가 많을 것이다. 끝으로 국가 목표의 하나는 복지사회 건설에 있고 복지국가 실현에는 국민 기본 욕망의 하나인 식생활 합리화가 선행되어야 한다. 소득이 늘고 국가가 발전해감에 따라 영양식${\cdot}$건강식 및 기호식을 추구하게 됨을 매우 당연한 추세라 하겠다. 우리의 식생활이 날로 향상되어 지난날의 당질 위주에서 점차 축산물쪽으로 질적 개선이 이루어진다는 것은 고무적임에 틀림없다. 이 축산물을 통한 풍요로운 식의 문화를 창출하면서 건강과 장수 그리고 후손에 이르기까지 번영하고 국가 경쟁력 강화에 심혈을 기우려야 할 때이다.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.26-35
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• 2013

This study was conducted to select superior provenances of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) well adapted to Korean environment for timber production. In 1976, twenty-two provenances of Scots pine were introduced from Sweden and the seeds were sown in seed beds in March. After one year, the seedlings were transplanted to nursery beds. The resulting 1-1 seedlings of 22 provenances were planted at Whaseong in 1978. Randomized complete block design with 3 replications were used for test plantation. Each provenance was planted with 20-tree row plot in each block and at a spacing of $1.8{\times}1.8m$. The growth performance of each provenance was monitored up to 33-years after planting. There were significant differences among provenances in volume growth. F3001 provenance showed the best volume growth of 33-years after planting ($0.160m^3$), which was 2.2 times greater than that of the lowest provenance W2027 ($0.072m^3$). The ranking of provenances was stabilized after 14 years. Comparing to reference tree species, Japanese red pine (Pinus densiflora), all Scots pine provenances showed poor growth performance. In other words, volume growth of Japanese red pine at age 28 and 33 were 2.1 and 3.3 times greater than that of Scots pine, respectively. Moreover, survival rate of Scots pine was lower than that of Japanese red pine. Based on these results, it was suggested that Scots pine was not suitable to Korean environments. The cause of maladaptation of Scots pine and the implications of introduction breeding were discussed.

• Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.31-42
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• 2014

Purpose: The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of the physical properties of RGP lens induced by lens polishing on the actual wearer's subjective comfort, the tear film break-up time and the blinking rate as a follow-up study that revealed the relationship between the lens physical properties during lens manufacturing and lens wearer's factors. Methods: RGP lenses made from the three different polishing conditions (25, 50 and 100 seconds) were applied on 28 eyes of 17 subjects, aged 20 to 29 years, without any known disease and surgical history in the eyes. While the subjects were asked to wear the RGP lenses longer than a week, the questionnaire for the comfortability was administered everyday. Subjective and objective tear break-up time and blinking rate of the wearers were further measured. Results: The wearer's subjective comfortability showed some difference in the type of discomfort and satisfaction score according to the polishing status when wearing RGP lenses made from different polishing conditions longer than a week, and a bigger difference in satisfaction score induced by polishing condition was especially shown in experienced RGP lens wearer rather than un-experienced wearer. In the case of RGP lens wearer compared with the ones without the wearing experience, as the wearing time increased subjective and objective tear break-up time were increased and the blinking rate was decreased. However, subjective and objective tear break-up time were tended to decrease with even longer wearing time when wearing the RGP lens made from the polishment for 100 seconds. Conclusions: These results confirmed that the optimization of physical properties of the lens may not give the same effect on the wearer's subjective and objective symptoms and other factors when actual wearing. From the results, it can suggest that the success rate of RGP lens wear may be changed by physiological factors such as the stabilization of wearer's tear film, comfortability and lens wearing experience when wearing RGP lens based on 'The manufacturing standard for soft contact lens/hard contact lens' provided by Korea Food and Drug Administration.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.35 no.3 s.99
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• pp.145-151
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• 2002

The effect of low pH on physiological changes was studied with the acidophilic green alga, Clamydomonas acidophila, UTCC 122. The growthrates (${\mu}$) were identical, $0.5{\sim}0.7\;day^{-1}$, at pH 3.7${\sim}$6.7 and no significantly different (ANOVA, p =0.134), showing cell volume reduced gradually as they were growing, whereas that at pH 2.7 was falling to zero and cell volume increased dramatically. Chlorophyll a concentration of the cultures incubated for one day was $191{\sim}255\;pg\;cell^{-1}$, after then it declined from $60{\sim}103\;pg\;cell^{-1}$ at pH 3.7${\sim}$6.7 except $210\;pg\;cell^{-1}$ at pH 2.7, which was directly related with cell volume. External carbonic anhydrase (CA) activity was varied from1.1 to$3.7{\times}10^{-4}\;E.U.\;mm^{-2}$, showing the gradualincrease during culture, except at 2.7 and pH 5.7. However there was not found any relationship among the pH gradient cultures. CA molecular mass of C. acidophila was 29 kBa, and concentration of that was identical in all cultures. The proteins of 41 kDa and 63 were not or very　faintly expressed in low pH cultures, in contrast that of 17 kDa more expressed. In this work, we found that C. acidophila could live optimally within a wide range of acidic pH, and 17 kDa of unidentified protein might be concerned with tolerating in low acid environment.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.163-173
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• 2022

Climate change is a key factor that greatly influences changes in the biological seasons and geographical distribution of species. In the ecological field, the BioClimatic predictor (BioClim), which is most related to the physiological characteristics of organisms, is used for vulnerability assessment. However, BioClim values are not provided other than the future period climate average values for each GCM for the Shared Socio-economic Pathways (SSPs) scenario. In this study, BioClim data suitable for domestic conditions was produced using 1 km resolution SSPs scenario detailed data produced by Rural Development Administration, and based on the data, a species distribution model was applied to mainly grow in southern, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Gangwon-do and humid regions. Appropriate habitat distributions were predicted every 30 years for the base years (1981 - 2010) and future years (2011 - 2100) of the Acer pictum subsp. mono. Acer pictum subsp. mono appearance data were collected from a total of 819 points through the national natural environment survey data. In order to improve the performance of the MaxEnt model, the parameters of the model (LQH-1.5) were optimized, and 7 detailed biolicm indices and 5 topographical indices were applied to the MaxEnt model. Drainage, Annual Precipitation (Bio12), and Slope significantly contributed to the distribution of Acer pictum subsp. mono in Korea. As a result of reflecting the growth characteristics that favor moist and fertile soil, the influence of climatic factors was not significant. Accordingly, in the base year, the suitable habitat for a high level of Acer pictum subsp. mono is 3.41% of the area of Korea, and in the near future (2011 - 2040) and far future (2071 - 2100), SSP1-2.6 accounts for 0.01% and 0.02%, gradually decreasing. However, in SSP5-8.5, it was 0.01% and 0.72%, respectively, showing a tendency to decrease in the near future compared to the base year, but to gradually increase toward the far future. This study confirms the future distribution of vegetation that is more easily adapted to climate change, and has significance as a basic study that can be used for future forest restoration of climate change-adapted species.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.119-135
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• 2007

Objectives: The efficacy, feasibility, and safety of bench-step aerobics (BSA) program in overweight or obese Korean adult women have been implied. However, there has been almost no evidence for its psychological benefits. As such, the purpose of this study was to investigate the psychological benefits of BSA program in overweight or obese (body mass index ${\geq}\;23\;kg/m^2$) Korean adult women. Method: Anger, exercise self-efficacy, exercise-related affect, and body image of overweight or obese women who participated in a 12-week BSA program (n=15) were compared with those of their counterparts in the control group (n=13). Subjects were selected among public health center visitors and those recruited by putting an advertisement in local newspapers and the public health center homepage. Data from the exercise and control groups were collected before and after the 12-week BSA program (from August to November in 2006) at the public health centers. The exercise program consisted of 45 to 60 min moderate-intensity (40/50 to 50/60% of their hear rate reserve) BSA performed for 3 days a week. Results: After the BSA program, body image of the subjects in the exercise group was significantly improved and there was a significant difference between the exercise and control groups. Anger, exercise self-efficacy, and exercise-related affect were improved after the BSA program but the changes did not reach the level of statistical significance and there were no significant differences between the exercise and control groups. Conclusions: In conclusion, BSA appears to significantly enhance body image in overweight or obese Korean adult women but its effects on anger, exercise self-efficacy, and exercise-related affect do not appear to be statistically significant. Further studies involving different subjects, particularly whose levels of anger are high or whose levels of exercise-related affect are low to exclude the influence of the ceiling or floor effect, are warranted in a randomized controlled design.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.1-18
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• 2005

Ginseng Radix, the root of Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer has been used in Eastern Asia for 2000 years as a tonic and restorative, promoting health and longevity. Two varieties are commercially available: white ginseng(Ginseng Radix Alba) is produced by air-drying the root, while red ginseng(Ginseng Radix Rubra) is produced by steaming the root followed by drying. These two varieties of different processing have somewhat differences by heat processing between them. During the heat processing for preparing red ginseng, it has been found to exhibit inactivation of catabolic enzymes, thereby preventing deterioration of ginseng quality and the increased antioxidant-like substances which inhibit lipid peroxide formation, and also good gastro-intestinal absorption by gelatinization of starch. Moreover, studies of changes in ginsenosides composition due to different processing of ginseng roots have been undertaken. The results obtained showed that red ginseng differ from white ginseng due to the lack of acidic malonyl-ginsenosides. The heating procedure in red ginseng was proved to degrade the thermally unstable malonyl-ginsenoside into corresponding netural ginsenosides. Also the steaming process of red ginseng causes degradation or transformation of neutral ginsenosides. Ginsenosides $Rh_2,\;Rh_4,\;Rs_3,\;Rs_4\;and\;Rg_5$, found only in red ginseng, have been known to be hydrolyzed products derived from original saponin by heat processing, responsible for inhibitory effects on the growth of cancer cells through the induction of apoptosis. 20(S)-ginsenoside $Rg_3$ was also formed in red ginseng and was shown to exhibit vasorelaxation properties, antimetastatic activities, and anti-platelet aggregation activity. Recently, steamed red ginseng at high temperature was shown to provide enhance the yield of ginsenosides $Rg_3\;and\;Rg_5$ characteristic of red ginseng Additionally, one of non-saponin constituents, panaxytriol, was found to be structually transformed from polyacetylenic alcohol(panaxydol) showing cytotoxicity during the preparation of red ginseng and also maltol, antioxidant maillard product, from maltose and arginyl-fructosyl-glucose, amino acid derivative, from arginine and maltose. In regard to the in vitro and in vivo comparative biological activities, red ginseng was reported to show more potent activities on the antioxidant effect, anticarcinogenic effect and ameliorative effect on blood circulation than those of white ginseng. In oriental medicine, the ability of red ginseng to supplement the vacancy(허) was known to be relatively stronger than that of white ginseng, but very few are known on its comparative clinical studies. Further investigation on the preclinical and clinical experiments are needed to show the differences of indications and efficacies between red and white ginsengs on the basis of oriental medicines.