• Journal of Internet Computing and Services
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.109-121
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• 2021

As the global COVID-19 pandemic is prolonged, the Corona Blue phenomenon, combined with COVID-19 and blue, is intensifying. The purpose of this study is to analyze the current trend of Corona Blue in consideration of the possibility of increasing mental illness and the need for countermeasures, especially after COVID-19. This study tried to find out the relationship between stress and leisure activities before and after COVID-19 by using Corona Blue news article analysis through the topic modeling method, and questionnaire find out the help of stress and leisure activities. This study was compared and analyzed using two research methods. First, a total of 363 news articles were analyzed through topic modeling based on newspaper articles from January 2020, when COVID- 19 was upgraded to the "border" stage, until September, where the social distancing stage was strengthened to stage 2.5 in Korea. As a result of the study, a total of 28 topics were extracted, and similar topics were grouped into 7 groups: mental-demic, generational spread, causes of depression acceleration, increased fatigue, attitude to coping with long-term wars, changes in consumption, and efforts to overcome depression. Second, the SPSS statistical program was used to analyze the level of stress change according to leisure activities before/after COVID-19 and the main help according to leisure activities. As a result of the study, it was confirmed that the average difference in stress reduction according to participation in leisure activities before COVID-19 was larger than after COVID-19. Also, leisure activities were found to be effective in stress relief even after COVID-19. In addition, if the main help from leisure activities before COVID-19 was the meaning of relaxation and recharging through physical and social activities. After COVID-19, psychological roles such as mood swings through nature, outdoor activities, or intellectual activities were found to play a large part. As such, in this study, it was confirmed that understanding the current status of Corona Blue and coping with leisure in extreme stress situations has a positive effect. It is expected that this research can serve as a basis for preparing realistic and desirable leisure policies and countermeasures to overcome Corona Blue.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.410-420
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• 2019

Citrus unshiu peel extracts possess a variety of beneficial effects, and studies on their anticancer activity have been reported. However, the exact mechanisms underlying this activity remain unclear. In the current study, the apoptotic effect of ethanol extract of C. unshiu peel (EECU) on human breast adenocarcinoma MDA-MB-231 cells and related mechanisms were investigated. The results showed that the survival rate of MDA-MB-231 cells treated with EECU was significantly inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner, which was associated with the induction of apoptosis. EECU-induced apoptosis was associated with the activation of caspase-8 and caspase-9, which initiate extrinsic and intrinsic apoptosis pathways, respectively, and caspase-3, a representative effect caspase. EECU suppressed the expression of the inhibitor of apoptosis family of proteins, leading to an increased Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and proteolytic degradation of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase. EECU also enhanced the loss of the mitochondrial membrane potential and cytochrome c release from the mitochondria to the cytosol, along with truncation of Bid. In addition, EECU activated AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and compound C, an AMPK inhibitor, significantly weakened EECU-induced apoptosis and cell viability reduction. Furthermore, EECU promoted the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which acted as upstream signals for AMPK activation as pretreatment of cells, with the antioxidant N-acetyl cysteine reversing both EECU-induced AMPK activation and apoptosis. Collectively, these findings suggest that EECU inhibits MDA-MB-231 adenocarcinoma cell proliferation by activating intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways, which was mediated through ROS/AMPK-dependent pathways.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.402-409
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• 2019

Korean red ginseng made from steaming and drying fresh ginseng has long been used as a traditional herbal medicine due to its effects on the immune, endocrine, and central nerve systems and its anti-inflammatory activity. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanism responsible for the anti-inflammatory effects of a formulated Korean red ginseng extract (RGE) in response to lipoteichoic acid (LTA), a cell wall component of gram-positive bacteria. RGE inhibited LTA-induced nitric oxide (NO) secretion and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in BV-2 microglial cells, without affecting cell viability. RGE also inhibited nuclear translocation of nuclear factor kappa B ($NF-{\kappa}B$) p65 and degradation of $I{\kappa}B-{\alpha}$. In addition, RGE increased the expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in a dose-dependent manner, and the inhibitory effect of RGE on iNOS expression was abrogated by small interfering RNA-mediated knockdown of HO-1. Moreover, RGE induced nuclear translocation of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), a transcription factor that regulates HO-1 expression. Furthermore, the phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI-3K) inhibitor and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitors suppressed RGE-mediated expression of HO-1, and RGE enhanced the phosphorylation of Akt, extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs), p38, and c-JUN N-terminal kinases (JNKs). These results suggested that RGE suppressed the production of NO, a proinflammatory mediator, by inducing HO-1 expression via PI-3K/Akt- and MAPK-dependent signaling in LTA-stimulated microglia. The findings indicate that RGE could be used for the treatment of neuroinflammation induced by grampositive bacteria and that it may have therapeutic potential for various neuroinflammation-associated disorders.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.295-302
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• 2019

Liquiritigenin (LG) is a chiral flavonoid isolated from the roots of licorice. It exhibits multiple biological activities including anti-oxidant, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory effects. In particular though, the anti-cancer activity of LG in oral squamous cell carcinoma has yet to be elucidated, and LG-induced apoptosis in oral squamous cell carcinoma remains poorly understood. In the present study, we tested the role of LG in inducing apoptosis in oral squamous cell carcinoma cells. LG treatment of HN22 cells resulted in a dose-dependent inhibition of cell viability as detected by a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5 diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. The induction of apoptosis in terms of Annexin V/7-Aminoactinomycin D staining, sub-G1 population, and multi-caspase activity were assessed with a $Muse^{TM}$ Cell Analyzer. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that LG treatment resulted in G2/M arrest in cell cycle progression and downregulation of cyclin B1 and CDC2 expression in a concentration-dependent manner. It also resulted in significant upregulation of p27. In addition, LG was seen to trigger the generation of reactive oxygen species and induce CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein homologous protein and 78-kDa glucose-regulated protein in concentration-dependent upregulation. The LG treatment of HN22 cells led to a loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (${\Delta}{\Psi}m$); it also reduced the levels of anti-apoptotic protein and increased the expression of apoptotic protease activating factor-1, cleaved poly (ADP-ribose)polymerase and Bax. Overall, our results indicate that the pro-apoptotic effects of LG in HN22 cells depend on the activation of both intrinsic and extrinsic signaling pathways. Thus, our results suggest that LG constitutes a natural compound with a potential role as an anti-tumor agent in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.62 no.2
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• pp.187-193
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• 2019

The newly bred Picnic apple was extracted using water and ethanol for extracting solvent. Each water and ethanol extract showed relatively high phenolic compound of 3.69 and 5.55 mg/g. Each water and ethanol extract of Picnic apple showed 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl of 88.10 and 88.07%, 2,2'-Azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) of 98.79 and 97.25%, antioxidant protection factor of 2.07 and 2.00 PF and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances showed anti-oxidation effect of 9.69 and 19.83% all at $100{\mu}g/mL$ phenolics concentration. Therefore extract of Picnic apple can be considered as anti-oxidant for anti-aging. The anti-inflammatory effect (hyaluronidase inhibition) of extract of Picnic apple were 4.62% with water extract and 4.39% with ethanol extract both at $200{\mu}g/mL$ phenolics concentration. Both water and ethanol extract showed low ${\alpha}$-amylase inhibition effect but each showed 67.37 and 79.16% of ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibition effect at $200{\mu}g/mL$ phenolics concentration. In anti-wrinkle effect, water extract showed each 23.70 and 66.29% in elastase inhibition and collagenase inhibition and ethanol extract showed 64.83 and 65.70% each. These result show high potential for functional food and cosmetic source. Picnic apple was identified to have various functions of anti-oxidation, anti-inflammation, anti-wrinkle effect, and anti-diabetic effect. Therefore, Picnic apple is qualified as a source for new functional cosmetics and functional foods.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.35-42
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• 2018

Purpose: To follow up Korean patients with metabolic and endocrine disorders ascertained by Korea Genetics Research Center, and assess the long-term effectiveness of extended newborn screening program in Korea. Methods: From January 2000 to December 2017, tandem mass spectrometry and fluoroimmunoassay were employed in extended newborn screening (NBS). The NBS program obtained dried blood spots from 283,626 babies, 48 hours after birth, and screened for galactosemia, congenital hypothyroidism (CH), congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), and 50 preventable inborn errors of amino acid, fatty acid, and organic acid metabolism. Results: 28 cases of amino acid disorders, 75 cases of organic acid disorders, 27 cases of fatty acid disorders, 51 cases of urea cycle disorders, 127 cases of CH, 14 cases of CAH, and 15 cases of galactosemia were ascertained through NBS and subsequent confirmatory laboratory tests. Patients with amino acid metabolic disorders, galactosemia, CH, or CAH were more likely to have a better long-term outcome if detected early. Early management of MSUD led to much better outcome in over 90%. Despite early intervention, 32% of other organic acidemia cases still resulted in developmental delay and neurological problems. Fatty acid disorders showed varied results; those with EMA and MCAD had a good outcome, but those with VLCAD had serious neurological problems and considerably higher mortality. 75% with UCD experienced serious neurological complications and higher mortality. Conclusion: The nation-wide NBS program must be accompanied by comprehensive long-term management and physician and family education of inborn errors of metabolism for a better outcome.

• The Korean Journal of Archival Studies
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• no.25
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• pp.3-46
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• 2010

Digital records management is one whole system in which many social and technical elements are interacting. To maintain the trustworthiness, the repository needs periodical audit and certification. Thus, individual electronic records management agency needs toolkit that can be used to self-evaluate their trustworthiness continuously, and self-assess their atmosphere and system to recognize deficiencies. The purpose of this study is development of self-certification toolkit for repositories, which synthesized and analysed such four international standard and best practices as OAIS Reference Model(ISO 14721), TRAC, DRAMBORA, and the assessment report conducted and published by TNA/UKDA, as well as MoRe2 and current national laws and standards. As this paper describes and demonstrate the development process and the framework of this self-certification toolkit, other electronic records management agencies could follow the process and develop their own toolkit reflecting their situation, and utilize the self-assessment results in-house. As a result of this research, 12 areas for assessment were set, which include (organizational) operation management, classification system and master data management, acquisition, registration and description, storage and preservation, disposal, services, providing finding aids, system management, access control and security, monitoring/audit trail/statistics, and risk management. In each 12 area, the process map or functional charts were drawn and business functions were analyzed, and 54 'evaluation criteria', consisted of main business functional unit in each area were drawn. Under each 'evaluation criteria', 208 'specific evaluation criteria', which supposed to be implementable, measurable, and provable for self-evaluation in each area, were drawn. The audit and certification toolkit developed by this research could be used by digital repositories to conduct periodical self-assessment of the organization, which would be used to supplement any found deficiencies and be used to reflect the organizational development strategy.

• 한국노년학
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.1003-1024
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• 2016

The human rights of older people have gotten more attention recently in South Korea, a country that is in transition to a super-aged society. This study aimed to systematically review studies on elder abuse and related factors among community-dwelling older adults in South Korea over twenty years (1994-2016). We searched major databases (Riss, DBpia, KISS, KMbase, and PubMed) and identified published studies relevant to the topic. Based on inclusion and exclusion criteria related to study quality, a total of 31 studies were selected for this review. We examined types, measurements, and risk factors of elder abuse as well as study designs in the selected studies, guided by Johannesen's theoretical framework on elder abuse. All of the reviewed studies on elder abuse in Korea were cross-sectional studies, most of which focused on older people living in urban areas, using a non-random sampling method. All of the studies focused on certain types of elder abuse only. Some adopted elder-abuse instruments that were not validated, and others used self-developed instruments without psychometric tests. As for the risk factors of elder abuse in South Korea, the physical and mental health of the victims and aggressors impacted the risk of elder abuse, but general sociodemographic factors such as age, sex, and education were less likely to be related to the risk. In addition, decreasing caregiver burden and building elder-friendly communities are important for the prevention of elder abuse. Needed are further empirical studies on elder abuse with a theoretical framework that gives consideration to the unique sociocultural contexts of Korea. It is also recommended to develop instruments to measure elder abuse reflecting the sociocultural contexts of Korea, and to examine the multi-dimensional risk factors of elder abuse.

• Journal of Climate Change Research
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.55-68
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• 2011

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change(IPCC) has identified the causes of climate change and come up with measures to address it at the global level. Its key component of the work involves developing and assessing future climate change scenarios. The IPCC Expert Meeting in September 2007 identified a new greenhouse gas concentration scenario "Representative Concentration Pathway(RCP)" and established the framework and development schedules for Climate Modeling (CM), Integrated Assessment Modeling(IAM), Impact Adaptation Vulnerability(IAV) community for the fifth IPCC Assessment Reports while 130 researchers and users took part in. The CM community at the IPCC Expert Meeting in September 2008, agreed on a new set of coordinated climate model experiments, the phase five of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project(CMIP5), which consists of more than 30 standardized experiment protocols for the shortterm and long-term time scales, in order to enhance understanding on climate change for the IPCC AR5 and to develop climate change scenarios and to address major issues raised at the IPCC AR4. Since early 2009, fourteen countries including the Korea have been carrying out CMIP5-related projects. Withe increasing interest on climate change, in 2009 the COdinated Regional Downscaling EXperiment(CORDEX) has been launched to generate regional and local level information on climate change. The National Institute of Meteorological Research(NIMR) under the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) has contributed to the IPCC AR4 by developing climate change scenarios based on IPCC SRES using ECHO-G and embarked on crafting national scenarios for climate change as well as RCP-based global ones by engaging in international projects such as CMIP5 and CORDEX. NIMR/KMA will make a contribution to drawing the IPCC AR5 and will develop national climate change scenarios reflecting geographical factors, local climate characteristics and user needs and provide them to national IAV and IAM communites to assess future regional climate impacts and take action.

• The Korean Journal of Gastroenterology
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• v.72 no.6
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• pp.286-294
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• 2018

Background/Aims: The predictive factors of functional dyspepsia (FD) remain controversial. Therefore, we sought to investigate symptom responses in FD patients after Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication and used predictive factor analysis to identify significant factors of FD resolution at one-year after commencing eradication therapy. Methods: This prospective, multi-center clinical trial was performed on 65 FD patients that met Rome III criteria and had H. pylori infection. Symptom responses and factors that predicted poor response were determined by analysis one year after commencing H. pylori eradication therapy. Results: A total of 63 patients completed the one-year follow-up. When an eradication success group (n=60) and an eradication failure group (n=3) were compared with respect to FD response rate at one year, results were as follows; complete response 73.3% and 0.0%, satisfactory response 1.7% and 0.0%, partial response 10.0% and 33.3%, and refractory response 15.0% and 66.7%, respectively (p=0.013). Univariate analysis showed persistent H. pylori infection (p=0.021), female gender (p=0.025), and medication for FD during the study period (p=0.013) were associated with poor FD response at one year. However, age, smoking, alcohol consumption, and underlying disease were not found to affect response. Finally, multivariate analysis showed that female gender (OR, 4.70; 95% CI, 1.17-18.88) was the sole independent risk factor of poor FD response at one year after commencing H. pylori eradication therapy. Conclusions: Female gender was found to predict poor response in FD patients despite H. pylori eradication. Furthermore, successful H. pylori eradication appears to be associated with FD improvement, but the number of non-eradicated patients was too small to conclude.