• Journal of Korean Dental Hygiene Science
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.115-127
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• 2023

Background: This study was conducted to determine the level of job satisfaction and patient safety cultural activities for dental hygienists and to determine the relationship between job satisfaction and patient safety cultural activities. Methods: A survey was conducted on 214 dental hygienists, and data from the final 180 were analyzed. Job satisfaction consisted of a total of 20 questions, and patient safety cultural activities included a total of 25 questions. The survey was conducted on a 5-point scale. Results: The average job satisfaction score of the study subjects was 3.44 points. Among patient safety cultural activities, infection control had the highest average score (4.12 points) and radiation safety management had the lowest average score (3.10 points). Patients with less than 3 years of clinical experience (4.01 points) had higher patient safety culture activity scores than those with 3 to 10 years of clinical experience (3.72 points) and those with more than 10 years of clinical experience (3.69 points). The level of patient safety cultural activities was statistically significantly higher as age, less clinical experience, and job satisfaction increased (p<0.05). Conclusion: In the case of dental hygienists, patient safety cultural activities must be carried out throughout the entire work, so an active will to practice patient safety cultural activities is necessary. In order to improve the performance of patient safety cultural activities, it is necessary to adjust the workload of dental hygienists to improve job satisfaction and create a work environment in which they can focus on patient safety cultural activities.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.69 no.1
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• pp.25-33
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• 2024

This experiment was conducted at the affiliated farm of the Suncheon University from 2022 to 2023 to investigate the growth, yield, and quality characteristics of soybeans based on the treatment method of Methyl Sulfony Methane (MSM) for the establishment of stable production practices. In the initial investigation of growth characteristics in 2022, an increasing trend in characteristics such as plant height, stem thickness, and branching index was observed as the treatment concentration increased from 50% to 200%. Yield components also followed the same trend, with the basal fertilization + top dressing 3 times at 200% treatment showing the highest yield at 355 kg·10a^-1, with the highest number of pods. In the subsequent study to determine the optimal concentration exceeding 200% in 2023, growth characteristics showed a trend of 400% > 200% > 800%. The basal fertilization + top dressing 3 times at 400% treatment exhibited the longest plant height (106.7 cm) and the most branches (6). In terms of seed quality, this treatment also had the highest proportion (66.9%) of seeds with a diameter over 6.7 mm. Additionally, in yield components such as pods, seeds per pod, and 100-seed weight, the basal fertilization + top dressing 3 times at 400% treatment showed the highest values, resulting in a maximum yield of 374 kg·10a^-1, representing a 23.4% increase compared to the control. Therefore, for the optimal production of high-quality soybeans, it is recommended to apply the treatment of basal fertilization + top dressing 3 times at 400% concentration, with top dressing occurring at 30-day intervals before harvest.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.57 no.6
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• pp.421-435
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• 2024

In April 2023, a wildfire broke out in Gangneung located in the east coast region due to the influence of the Yanggang-local wind. In this study, GIS-based RUSLE(Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation) and SEMMA (Soil Erosion Model for Mountain Areas) were used to evaluate the erosion rate due to vegetation recovery in a small watershed of the Gangneung WUI(Wildland-Urban Interface) fire. The small watershed of WUI fire has a low altitude range of 10-30 m and the average slope of 10.0±7.4° which corresponds to a gentle slope. The soil texture was loamy sand with a high organic content and the deep soil depth. As herbaceous layer regenerated profusely in the gully after the wildfire, the NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) reached a maximum of 0.55. Simulation results of erosion rates showed that RUSLE ranged from 0.07-94.9 t/ha/storm and SEMMA ranged from 0.24-83.6 t/ha/storm. RUSLE overestimated the average erosion rate by 1.19-1.48 times compared to SEMMA. The erosion rates were estimated to be high in the middle slope where burned pine trees were widely distributed and the slope was steep and to be relatively low in the hollow below the gully where herbaceous layer recovers rapidly. SEMMA showed a rapid increase in erosion sensitivity under at certain vegetation covers with NDVI below 0.25 (Ic = 0.35) on post-fire hillslopes. Gentle slopes with high organic content and rapid recovery of natural vegetation had relatively low erosion rate compared to steep slopes. As subsequent infrastructure and human damages due to sediment disaster by heavy rain is anticipated in WUI fire areas, the research results may be used as basic data for targeted management and decision making on the implementation of emergency treatment after the wildfire.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.44-53
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• 2024

Global interest in natural functional materials to strengthen human immunity is increasing due to the increase in immune-related diseases associated with COVID-19 and the aging population. In this study, we determined the potential therapeutic effect of Eleutherococcus senticosus stems on immune enhancement according to the cultivation region. The contents of eleutheroside B and E, which are chemical components of E. senticosus stems, were analyzed. We showed that the eleutheroside B content of E. senticosus stems in different cultivation regions ranged from 2.96±0.11 to 6.24±0.05 mg/g and from 1.11±0.05 to 2.11±0.03 mg/g in 70% ethanol and hot water extracts, respectively. The eleutheroside E content ranged from 4.93±0.20 to 10.79±0.03 mg/g and 1.75±0.14 to 3.64±0.05 mg/g in 70% ethanol and hot water extracts, respectively. In addition, the immunomodulatory effect of E. senticosus stems was evaluated using RAW 264.7 macrophages. The 70% ethanol extract of E. senticosus stems showed no cytotoxicity up to 200 ㎍/mL, and the hot water extract showed no cytotoxicity up to 500 ㎍/mL. Additionally, the E. senticosus stem extract significantly increased the production of nitric oxide and cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β) compared to their production in the control group. These results suggest that E. senticosus stem extracts are a potential functional food material and ingredient to enhance the immune response.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.68 no.4
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• pp.225-235
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• 2023

Critical temperature for grain filling of three Korean japonica rice varieties was analyzed by late transplantation to induce a low temperature during grain filling period in a field study. The grain filling percentage (GFP) and grain dry weight (GDW) showed a sigmoid development for the first and second transplants in 2020 and first to third transplants in 2021. For the third transplant in 2020 and fourth transplant in 2021, the GFP and GDW reached a peak at 42 days after heading (DAH), and then decreased or remained unchanged. In non-linear regression analyses, 95% of the final GFP and GDW appeared at 49 - 62 DAH for the second transplant in 2020 and at 37 - 46 DAH and 30 - 36 DAH for the second and third transplants in 2021, respectively. At these time points, the critical seven-day moving temperature (7dMovT) was 8.4~9.4℃ for the second transplant in 2020 and 9.4~10.9℃ for the second and third transplants in 2021, depending on the grain filling traits and varieties of rice. The lowest 7dMovT was 8.4 - 8.7℃ in the three varieties. The observed lowest 7-day mean temperature (7dMT) accompanying increases in the GFP and GDW was 9.4 - 10.1℃, depending on the varieties in the third transplant of 2020 and fourth transplant of 2021. In the two transplants mentioned above, the highest 7dMT that showed no increase or decrease in grain filling traits was 8.7 - 9.1℃. The critical temperature for grain filling of japonica rice was 8.4 - 8.7℃ based on the 7dMovT and 9.1 - 9.4℃ based on the 7dMT. The previous 7dMT of 10℃ is recommended to determine the marginal harvest time for safe rice cropping since the temperature was the highest among the lowest temperature that accompanied an increase in grain filling traits.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.68 no.4
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• pp.236-245
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• 2023

We investigated the basic vegetative phase (BVP), photoperiod-sensitivity (PS), and thermo-sensitivity (TS) of 40 rice varieties to characterize their heading ecology that is adaptable to North Korean rice production areas. The ranges were 12 - 43 days for BVP, 0 - 74 days for PS, and 15 - 33 days for TS, depending on the variety. The number of days from transplanting to the heading stage (DTH) was significantly correlated with PS in the 13 major rice production regions where all 40 varieties (including early-, middle-, and mid-late-maturing varieties) were tested. DTH was significantly correlated with BVP and TS but not with PS in the 10 low-temperature regions where only 28 early-maturing varieties were tested. The heading ecology of the adaptable varieties for each region could be characterized by an exponential equation between the BVP and PS of varieties that headed at the border of the safe marginal heading date (SMHD) for each of the seven regional environments (Kaesong, Haeju, Yongyon, Singye, Sariwon, Nampo, and Pyongyang). A PS of 25 - 30 days or less was an additional adaptive trait in the Sariwon and Pyongyang environments. The varieties that reached the heading stage not later than the SMHD in six regional environments (Anju, Kusong, Sinuiju, Changjon, Wonsan, and Supung) and those that reached the heading stage not later than the late marginal heading date (LMHD) in four regional environments (Hamhung, Pyonggang, Huichon, and Kanggye) had both a PS of 26 days or less and a BVP of 25 - 28 days or less. In the Yangdok, Sinpo, and Chunggang environments, varieties that reached the heading stage not later than the LMHD for each region had a BVP of 15 - 20 days or less. The results suggested that a shortened BVP trait should be introduced to existing early-maturing rice varieties to reduce the duration of growth period to reach the heading stage.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.68 no.4
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• pp.246-261
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• 2023

We investigated critical temperature for early marginal transplanting (CT-EMT) of the contemporary japonica rice varieties in Korea through the field, pot seedling tray, and the phytotron experiments during 2020 to 2023. The lowest mean temperature for 10 days from transplanting (MT-10DFT) that resulted in earlier heading date was 12.4℃ and the highest MT-10DFT that did not show the earlier heading date was 12.0℃ in the field study when the MT-10DFT varied by changing transplanting date. The lowest MT-10DFT that induced the increased biomass but not the earlier heading date was 11.6℃ and the highest MT-10DFT that showed neither the increased biomass nor the earlier heading date was 11.4℃. Compared to the 10-day later transplanting, the dates of the first root development, initiation of the chlorophyll recovery, and the first tiller development were earlier when the MT-10DFT was 9.1℃ or higher, 10.5℃ or higher, and 11.6℃ or higher, respectively, in the pot seedling tray and field experiments. The earliness of the first tiller development was a practical index for the estimation of CT-EMT during the early growth stage of rice. The response of transplanted rice to temperature treatments with the diurnal change of 10℃ in the phytotron study was similar to that shown in the field study. The data shown for constant temperature without a diurnal change revealed that the extent of positive effects of high temperature at day-time was greater than the extent of negative effects of low temperature at night-time on the early growth of transplanted rice. It was concluded that the critical MT-10DFT for early marginal transplanting of japonica rice in the temperate environments was between 11.4 to 11.6℃ based on the plant growth and between 12.0 to 12.4℃ based on the plant development.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.66
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• pp.447-454
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• 2023

In the environment in which humans live, there are various antigens that invade the human body and interfere with humans leading a healthy life, so the immune system recognizes the antigen then removes them through a complex mechanism. Macrophages are widely distributed immune cells involved in the innate immune system, and produce various immune modulators such as inducible nitric oxide synthase-induced nitric oxide, cyclooxygenase-2 induced prostaglandin E2 and proinflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha. On the other hand, Protaetia brevitarsis seulensis larvae are a type of edible insect that have emerged as an alternative to the future food supply problem. The immuno-modulatory effect through the activation of murine macrophage RAW264.7 cell via mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs)/nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathways has been reported. Based on this report, in this study, we confirmed how the expression of immune modulators induced by Protaetia brevitarsis seulensis larvae extracts in RAW264.7 cells was changed by treatment with pharmacological inhibitors of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), MAPKs and NF-κB signaling pathways. As a result, reduction of immune modulators was confirmed in the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) inhibitor treatment group and NF-κB inhibitor treatment group among the Protaetia brevitarsis seulensis larvae-treated RAW264.7 cell. Furthermore, in the TLR4 inhibitor-treated group, decreases in phosphorylation of JNK and NF-κB factors were confirmed in Protaetia brevitarsis seulensis larvae-treated RAW264.7 cell, as well as decreases in immune modulators. This results suggest that Protaetia brevitarsis seulensis larvae activates RAW264.7 cells by the engagement of TLR4-JNK/NF-κB signaling pathway.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.84 no.4
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• pp.900-910
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• 2023

Purpose To assess normal CT scans with quantitative CT (QCT) analysis based on smoking habits and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Materials and Methods From January 2013 to December 2014, 90 male patients with normal chest CT and quantification analysis results were enrolled in our study [non-COPD never-smokers (n = 38) and smokers (n = 45), COPD smokers (n = 7)]. In addition, an age-matched cohort study was performed for seven smokers with COPD. The square root of the wall area of a hypothetical bronchus of internal perimeter 10 mm (Pi10), skewness, kurtosis, mean lung attenuation (MLA), and percentage of low attenuation area (%LAA) were evaluated. Results Among patients without COPD, the Pi10 of smokers (4.176 ± 0.282) was about 0.1 mm thicker than that of never-smokers (4.070 ± 0.191, p = 0.047), and skewness and kurtosis of smokers (2.628 ± 0.484 and 6.448 ± 3.427) were lower than never-smokers (2.884 ± 0.624, p = 0.038 and 8.594 ± 4.944, p = 0.02). The Pi10 of COPD smokers (4.429 ± 0.435, n = 7) was about 0.4 mm thicker than never-smokers without COPD (3.996 ± 0.115, n = 14, p = 0.005). There were no significant differences in MLA and %LAA between groups (p > 0.05). Conclusion Even on normal CT scans, QCT showed that the airway walls of smokers are thicker than never-smokers regardless of COPD and it preceded lung parenchymal changes.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.288-298
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• 2024

This study aimed to investigate the amino acid content, fatty acid composition, total flavonoid and phenol contents, and antioxidant activities of Prunus yedoensis Matsum. bark extracts using various extraction solvents. Through amino acid analysis, 13 amino acids were detected in extracts obtained using hot water, 30% ethanol, and 70% ethanol. The major amino acids were identified as aspartic acid, arginine, and proline, and the total amino acid content was 0.17%, 0.16%, and 0.09%, respectively. Fatty acid analysis showed a saturated fatty acid (SFA) ratio of 62.7-66.7% in extracts obtained using hot water, 30% ethanol, and 70% ethanol, with the primary fatty acid identified as palmitic acid. The total flavonoid and polyphenol contents were 727.70-769.87 mg quercetin equivalent (QE)/ g and 309.24-348.09 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g, respectively, in extracts obtained using hot water, 30% ethanol, and 70% ethanol extracts. Measurements of antioxidant activity confirmed that extracts obtained using hot water, 30% ethanol, and 70% ethanol extracts increased the antioxidant effect in 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging activity, and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) in a concentration-dependent manner. A high correlation was observed between the total flavonoid content, total polyphenol content, and antioxidant activities of the extracts. This study provides data and novel insights for the development of functional food materials using P. yedoensis Matsum. bark extracts.