• Title/Summary/Keyword: Change Factor

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Thiamine deficiency as one of the mechanisms for neurotoxicity induced by lead intoxication in rats.

  • Cheong, Jae-Hoon;Ryu, Jae-Ryeon;Kim, Hye-Chung;Lee, Sang-Derk;Ko, Kwang-Ho
    • Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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    • 1995.10a
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    • pp.137-146
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    • 1995
  • In this study, it was tested whether lead intoxication could change thiamine content and the thiamine related biochemical factor such as activity of transketolase in the brain, and whether the changes of the myelin composition :s well as the seizure threshold induced by lead intoxication in rats be related to these changes of thiamine status and thiamine related biochemical factors. In addition, it was also tested whether administration of excessive thiamine can reverse the toxic manifestation of lead in lead intoxicated animals. Five groups of Wistar rats were prepared: 1)Control group, 2)lead treated group, 3)thiamine treated group, 4)lead plus thiamine treated group and 5)thiamine deficiency group. Each group of animals was divided into three subgroups based on ages: 3, 7 and 10 weeks of age subgroups. Lead concentration, thiamine content, the activity of transketolase and myelin composition in brain areas and threshold of electric shock seizure were tested in each group. Lead concentrations in all brain regions of lead treated group were higher than those of control group, and those of lead plus thiamine treated group were significantly lower than those of lead treated group. Thiamine contents in the brain regions of lead treated group were significantly lower than those of control group, and those of lead plus thiamine treated group were recovered back to those of control group. Activities of transketolase of lead treated group were significantly lower than those of control group, while those of lead plus thiamine treated group were recovered back to those of control group. The cases of which was observed with the concomitant changes of thiamine content and transketolase activity in myelin content or constituent of all the brain regions tested were total amount of myelin protein in the cerebellum of 3 week old rats, and phospholipid in the cerebellum of 3 week old rats and the telencephalon of 16 week old rats. Thresholds of the electroshock seizure of lead-treated group and thiamine-deficient group in 3, 7 week old rats were significantly lower than those of control group, while those of the lead plus thiamine-treated group were similar to those of control group. Changes of the electroshock seizure threshold induced by lead intoxication were observed in 3 week and 7 week old animals with the concomitant decrement of thiamine content in all the brain regions tested. These observations were reversed by the supplementation with thiamine to those animals. However, the changes of seizure threshold induced by lead intoxication corelated with the changes of thiamine contents as well as. transketolase due to lead intoxication. The changes of myelin phospholipid as one of myelin composition and those of myelin Protein content only in the cerebellum of 3 week old rats correlated with the changes of the seizure threshold as well as thiamine content due to lead intoxication. The results from the present study may indicate that neurotoxicity of lead in rats may be mediated at least in part through the changes of thiamine status. Such changes of thiamine status may induce the changes of myelin composition such as myelin phospholipid and those of myelin protein content especially in the cerebellum of 3 week old rats which may eventually affect the threshold of seizure.

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Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Poly-${\gamma}$-Glutamic Acid on DNCB-Induced Allergic Contact Dermatitis in Dogs (개에서 DNCB에 의해 유발된 알레르기성 접촉피부염에 대한 폴리감마글루탐산의 항염증 효과)

  • Kim, Hyun-Gon;Kim, Kil-Soo;Oh, Tae-Ho
    • Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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    • v.29 no.4
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    • pp.283-296
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    • 2012
  • Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) is an inflammatory skin disease and regarded as a prototype of T-cell mediated delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions. Poly-${\gamma}$-glutamic acid (PGA) is a biodegradable polymer that is produced by Bacillus subtilis. This study was performed to assess the effects of PGA in a canine model of ACD. ACD was induced on the back of dogs induced by sensitization and repeated application by 2,4-dinitro-1-chlorobenzene (DNCB). Topical treatment of PGA was applied once a day for 12 days and skin biophysical parameters including transepidermal water loss (TEWL), skin hydration, skin pH, skin thickness and erythema index, were measured every two days during experimental periods. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry were performed to evaluate the antiinflammatory effect. In skin biophysical parameters, TEWL, skin hydration, skin thickness and erythema index were significantly increased, with a maximum increase appeared on day 2 (p < 0.05). On the other hand, skin pH was significantly decreased, with a maximum decrease appeared on day 2 (p < 0.01). After the completion of PGA treatment, skin biophysical parameters were significantly reached those of baseline in a time-dependent manner (p < 0.05). In histopathology, marked increases of epidermal thicknesses were induced after DNCB challenge with numerous inflammatory cell infiltrations and edematous changes, decreases of connective tissue occupied regions in dermis. In addition, marked increases of cytokine - tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$) and interferon-${\gamma}$ (IFN-${\gamma}$)-immunoreactivities in the dermis and of apoptotic markers - caspase-3 and PARP-immunoreactivities in the epidermis were observed in DNCB-PBS control as compared with intact control, respectively (p < 0.01). It means, the ACD and related apoptotic changes were induced by DNCB in the present study. However, these ACD induced by DNCB and related apoptosis in epidermis were significantly inhibited by treatment of PGA treated skin, the decreases of infiltrated inflammatory cells and related decreases of pro-inflammatory cytokine immunoreactivities were also observed (p < 0.01). Based on these findings, PGA may have anti-inflammatory and alleviatory effects in the allergic contact dermatitis.

The Effects of Sight Alignment Method on Pistol Shooting Records of Security Guard (경호요원 권총사격시 조준선정렬방식과 기록변화와의 관계)

  • Lee, Sang-Chul;Shin, Seung-Cheol
    • Korean Security Journal
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    • no.14
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    • pp.367-388
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    • 2007
  • Some of individuals working at various fields of security guard are given the legal right to use a gun to cope with expected risks and crimes. Not only in Korea but also throughout the world, a pistol is being used as a device for the workers of security guard such as the army, the police and intelligence agencies to keep the law and social order. A pistol, which is regarded as the last safety measure of security guard, is easy to carry but, because of its short barrel for high portability, its hit ratio and long-range shooting performance are much lower than ordinary guns. Despite such weak points, a pistol can be a great tool because of its high portability and if the users make steady efforts to improve their skills and, for this reason, it has been being used widely until now. National agency workers' pistol shooting skills depend on several important factors, but for the fast and accurate shooting, the mot important factor is how to aim at the target. Because it takes a relatively longer time to align the sight on the target, the change of the sight alignment method is expected to improve pistol shooting skills a lot. In Korea, however, most of national agency training centers teach the basic aiming method that crosses the foresight and the backsight and aligns the crossing to the target. That is, they teach the sight alignment method for fixed targets. Some agencies in Korea and foreign countries that have used guns more frequently and longer than us are teaching different sight alignment methods as well. Representative ones of them are aiming only with the foresight and pointing shooting. These aiming methods are expected to produce good results against moving targets. While the basic sight alignment method has to cross the foresight and the backsight and then to align the crossing to the target, so takes a longer time than other aiming methods, the other two aiming methods are expected to be effective in fields where both swiftness and accuracy are require. Because domestic agencies are teaching mainly the basic sight alignment method, the present study purposed to examine the effects of different aiming methods on shooting records and ultimately to contribute to national agency workers' operation. For this purpose, we selected 20 policemen from local police commandos under the National Police Agency who were accustomed to pistol shooting and measured their pistol shooting. According to the results, the pointed shooting method showed the best record in 5m short.range shooting. As to hit ratio in 15m shooting, which is relatively long.range for pistol shooting, the basic aiming method showed the best record, but the results of statistical analysis showed that pointed shooting is most superior. Of course, the results were obtained from a group who were used to and skillful in pistol shooting, but they are considered meaningful in that all the police and national agency workers should have such high shooting skills.

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Change of Volume of Isoflow in Pneumoconiosis Patients with Small Opacity (소음영 진폐증 환자에서의 등기류용량(Volume of Isoflow)의 변화)

  • Oh, Sang-Yong;Kim, Jee-Won;Jung, Chang-Young;Kim, Kyung-Ah;Yun, Im-Goung
    • Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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    • v.40 no.5
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    • pp.540-547
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    • 1993
  • Backgrounds: The measurement of volume of isoflow has been considered as a sensitive test for detecting small airway diseases showing normal pulmonary function in a routine pulmonary function test. To evaluate the functions of small airway among dust exposed workers, the changes of volume of isoflow were measured and its applicability of managing early stage pneumoconiosis patients was studied. Method: The subjects were 67 male, pneumoconiosis with small opacity and FEV1>80%, FEV1/FVC>75% in spirometry and the controls were 20 male, no dust-exposed office workers. The maximal epiratory volume curves after inhalation of indoor air and $He-O_2$ gas mixtures were measured and ${\Delta}V_{max50},\;{\Delta}V_{max75},\;V_{iso}V/VC$ between the dust exposed and control workers were compaired. Results: 1) There were no significant differences between two group in ${\Delta}V_{max50}$ and ${\Delta}V_{max75}$. But the ratio of $V_{iso}V/VC$ of the subjects was siginificantly higher than that of the control (p<0.01). This study confirms that $V_{iso}V/VC$ is a very useful index in early detection of small airway dysfunction. 2) The ratio of $V_{iso}V/VC$ of the subjects was signigicantly different between only smoker group and mixed group(smoker and nonsmoker). It suggestes that smoking is an important cousative factor of small airway dysfunction. 3) As the profusion of the chest X-ray increased, the rartio of $V_{iso}V/VC$ increased, but no significant difference of $V_{iso}V/VC$ was found between categories of pneumoconiosis. The categories of pneumoconiosis and small airway dysfunction may not be related. 4) No significant relationship was established between the duration of work and the ratio of $V_{iso}V/VC$. Conclusions : It is concluded that the measurement of $V_{iso}V/VC$ is useful to detect small airway dysfuction of early stage pnuemoconiosis patents with small opacities but showing normal pulmonary function in a routine pulmonary function test.

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A Study of Family Caregiver's Burden for the Terminally III Patients (지역사회 말기질환자 가족 부담감에 관한 연구)

  • Han, Sung-Suk;Ro, You-Ja;Yang, Soo;Yoo, Yang-Sook;Kim, Sek-Il;Hwang, Hee-Hyung
    • Journal of Home Health Care Nursing
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    • v.10 no.1
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    • pp.58-72
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    • 2003
  • The purpose of this study was to describe the perceived burden of the terminally III patients's caregiver and to analyze relationship between the perceived burden and the various demographics, illness characteristics, family relationships, and economic factor of the family & patients. The sample of 132 caregivers who care for the terminally III patients Kyung-Gi province, Seoul, Korea. The period of this study was from August to September, 2002. The perceived burden of the family caregiver was measured by the burden scale(20 items, 4 point scale) developed by Montgomery et al. (1985). The Data was analyzed using SAS-program by t-test and ANOVA. The results were as follows; 1. The mean of the family caregiver's burden score was 3.02. The score showed that caregivers perceive severe the level of burden. The hight items of the family caregiver's burden were' I feel it is painful to watch patient's diseases'(3.77). 'I feel afraid for what the future holds for my patients'(3.66), 'I feel it reduced to amount of privacy time'(3.64). 2. The caregiver's burden was significantly related to patient's gender(F=3.17, p= 0.0020), patient's job(F=2.49, p=0.0476), caregiver's age(F=4.29, p=0.0030), and caregiver's job(F=2.49, p=0.0476). 3. The caregiver's burden according to illness characteristics showed no significant difference. 4. The caregiver's burden was significantly associated with patient's family relationship (F=4.05, p=0.0041), patient's care mean period in a day(F=47.18,

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The Study on Change in Sex-Related Knowledge and Attitude through Sex Education : focusing on the 1st grade students in girls' junior high schools (성교육 실시에 따른 성지식, 성태도 변화 연구 -1학년 여중생을 대상으로-)

  • 계수연;문인옥
    • Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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    • v.16 no.2
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    • pp.137-155
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    • 1999
  • The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of sex education on knowledge and attitude related to sex. The subjects were taken from by 199 students in 3 classes from 1st grade in H girl's junior high school as the study group, and 2 classes from 1st grade in S girl's junior high school as control group. During the survey period(September 21, 1998 to September 30, 1998), 6 times in terms of one-hour class for sex education were taught to the study group. A pre-test was executed on September 19, 1998 and the post-test on September 30. The findings were as follows. 1. According to the research, 20.1% of the subjects have experienced sex education from parents and 89.9% from teacher. They have mostly obtained the sex-related information from teachers(59.8%), following movie, radio, TV, or video tape(40.7%), friends(35.2%), reading materials such as books, cartoons, news papers and magazines(31.7%), parents(15.6%), siblings(7.0%), PC(1.5%) and telephone service(1.5%). 2. 27.1% of the subjects reported that they had sex-related worry concerning from friendship with the opposite sex, following physiological phenomenon(31.5%), sex violence(11.1%), physical characteristics(7.4%), VD and contraception(5.6%), sexual impulse(5.6%), pregnancy and delivery(5.5%), and sexual behaviour(3.7%). The research showed that the adolescents usually solved their problems through the consultation with theifriends(44.4%). However, 16.7% of the subjects were turned out not to request any solution. The other minor routes to settle their problems were written materials such as books, magazines(13.0%), parents(13.0%), movie, radio, TV, or video tape(5.5%), acquainted female elders(3.7%) and teachers(3.7%). 3. The most interesting part regarding sex was the friendship with the opposite sex(61.8%), following adolescent's emotion(55.8%), physiological differences between two genders(52.8%), AIDS(48.7%), VD(46.7%), pregnancy(45.2%), contraception(45.2%), abortion(41.7%), intercourse(41.7%), masturbation(41.2%), sex violence(41.2%) and genital structure and secondary sexual characteristics(28.6%). 4. In regard to characteristics of the subjects influencing sex-related knowledge, the higher educational career of mother, living with at least either parent and the experience of sex education by teachers were statistically significant factors(p〈0.05). 5. In regard to characteristics of the subjects influencing attitudes toward sex, the experience of sex education by parents or teachers was a statistically significant factor(p〈0.05). 6. The analysis of knowledge score comparing results before and after sex education showed that control group's score decreased from 12.5 to 12.44 while the study group's score increased from 12.33 to 21.31, which was statistically significant(p〈0.001). 7. The analysis of the attitude scores before and after sex education showed that the control group's score slightly increased from 55.57 to 56.36, while the study group's score increased from 54.79 to 61.95, which was statistically significant(p〈0.001). 8. The level of sex-related concerns of the study group after sex education marked both the increase in some items and the decrease in others. 9. Most instructive session among the sex education was the third “to be a good friend to the opposite sex”(27.0%).

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Treatment Outcomes and Acoustic Rhinometric Results in Endoscopic Sinus Surgery of Adult Chronic Paranasal Sinusitis (성인 말성 부비동염에서 내시경적 부비동 수술 전.후의 증상 호전도와 음향비강통기도 검사 결과)

  • Kim, Yong-Dae;Kim, Jae-Yeul;Chang, Keun-Young;Lee, Hyung-Joong;Song, Si-Youn;Yoon, Seok-Keun
    • Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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    • v.19 no.1
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    • pp.28-38
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    • 2002
  • Background: Chronic paranasal sinusitis is one of the most common disease in the otorhinolaryngologic field. Endoscopic sinus surgery is treatment of choice in chronic paranasal sinusitis. The aim of this study was to evaluate objective and subjective treatment outcomes of endoscopic sinus surgery in adult chronic paranasal sinusitis with or without polyp. Materials and Methods: We reviewed 84 adult patients underwent endoscopic sinus surgery by one surgeon from June 1999 to June 2000, prospectively. We analyzed preoperative and postoperative subjective symptom scores and acoustic rhinometric results. Results: Fifty cases were male and thirty four cases female. The average age was of 33 year-old (range: 17 to 66 years). There was significantly improvement of symptom scores in postoperative 3 months and 6 months compared with preoperative symptom scores. There was significantly increased postoperative total volume of nasal cavity. When we compared high score group with low score group, there was statistically significant improvement of symptom scores between preoperative stage and postoperative 3 months in radiologic grading group. Conclusions: Endoscopic sinus surgery is considered to be effective for the treatment of chronic paranasal sinusitis. It seems to be helpful to employ subjective symptom score system and objective total volume change of nasal cavity through acoustic rhinometric test to analyze effectiveness of endoscopic sinus surgery. In this study, the most important preoperative factor of sinus surgery outcomes is radiologic grading system.

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The Effect of Accounts Receivable Management on Business Performance & Organizational Satisfaction: Focused on Micro Manufacturing Industries (매출채권관리가 재무적 경영성과와 조직만족에 미치는 영향: 도시형소공인을 중심으로)

  • Lee, Jong Gab;Ha, Kyu Soo
    • Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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    • v.12 no.6
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    • pp.13-24
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    • 2017
  • The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of the management of receivables on the management performance of micro manufacturing industries. The results of the survey are as follows. First, among the factors of management of pre- and post-trade receivables in the micro manufacturing industries, management organization and regulations, contract execution management, bad debt control, which are the subordinate factors of credit control, are positive (+) significant effect on stability. In terms of profitability, management organizations and regulations, which are subordinate factors of credit control management, have a positive (+) significant effect on profitability. The recovery management, which is a factor of management of post - receivable receivables, did not have a significant effect on the stability and profitability of financial management performance. Second, the effect of financial performance on organizational satisfaction is positively related to stability, while profitability has no significant effect on organizational satisfaction. The implication of this study is that pre - trade receivables management is more important than post - trade receivables management in the management of accounts receivables of micro manufacturing industries. Proactive credit management refers to the procedure of establishing and managing personal guarantees and physical guarantees in order to smooth the execution of the obligations at the same time as the contract is concluded through processes such as credit investigation, analysis and evaluation, and sales decision before the contract is concluded. Post receivables management based on the assumption of default is a receivables management procedure from receipt of receivables that are already defaulted to bad debts to bad debt processing. If the collection of receivables is delayed or bad debt is increased, Furthermore, a corporation may be subject to bankruptcy risk (insolvency by paper profits). Therefore, it is meaningful that this study suggests direction to induce change of contract type in advance by understanding the possibility of settlement of accounts receivable and recovery of bad debts within the day of transition in case of contract of micro manufacturing industries.

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Factors Influencing the Adoption of Location-Based Smartphone Applications: An Application of the Privacy Calculus Model (스마트폰 위치기반 어플리케이션의 이용의도에 영향을 미치는 요인: 프라이버시 계산 모형의 적용)

  • Cha, Hoon S.
    • Asia pacific journal of information systems
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    • v.22 no.4
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    • pp.7-29
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    • 2012
  • Smartphone and its applications (i.e. apps) are increasingly penetrating consumer markets. According to a recent report from Korea Communications Commission, nearly 50% of mobile subscribers in South Korea are smartphone users that accounts for over 25 million people. In particular, the importance of smartphone has risen as a geospatially-aware device that provides various location-based services (LBS) equipped with GPS capability. The popular LBS include map and navigation, traffic and transportation updates, shopping and coupon services, and location-sensitive social network services. Overall, the emerging location-based smartphone apps (LBA) offer significant value by providing greater connectivity, personalization, and information and entertainment in a location-specific context. Conversely, the rapid growth of LBA and their benefits have been accompanied by concerns over the collection and dissemination of individual users' personal information through ongoing tracking of their location, identity, preferences, and social behaviors. The majority of LBA users tend to agree and consent to the LBA provider's terms and privacy policy on use of location data to get the immediate services. This tendency further increases the potential risks of unprotected exposure of personal information and serious invasion and breaches of individual privacy. To address the complex issues surrounding LBA particularly from the user's behavioral perspective, this study applied the privacy calculus model (PCM) to explore the factors that influence the adoption of LBA. According to PCM, consumers are engaged in a dynamic adjustment process in which privacy risks are weighted against benefits of information disclosure. Consistent with the principal notion of PCM, we investigated how individual users make a risk-benefit assessment under which personalized service and locatability act as benefit-side factors and information privacy risks act as a risk-side factor accompanying LBA adoption. In addition, we consider the moderating role of trust on the service providers in the prohibiting effects of privacy risks on user intention to adopt LBA. Further we include perceived ease of use and usefulness as additional constructs to examine whether the technology acceptance model (TAM) can be applied in the context of LBA adoption. The research model with ten (10) hypotheses was tested using data gathered from 98 respondents through a quasi-experimental survey method. During the survey, each participant was asked to navigate the website where the experimental simulation of a LBA allows the participant to purchase time-and-location sensitive discounted tickets for nearby stores. Structural equations modeling using partial least square validated the instrument and the proposed model. The results showed that six (6) out of ten (10) hypotheses were supported. On the subject of the core PCM, H2 (locatability ${\rightarrow}$ intention to use LBA) and H3 (privacy risks ${\rightarrow}$ intention to use LBA) were supported, while H1 (personalization ${\rightarrow}$ intention to use LBA) was not supported. Further, we could not any interaction effects (personalization X privacy risks, H4 & locatability X privacy risks, H5) on the intention to use LBA. In terms of privacy risks and trust, as mentioned above we found the significant negative influence from privacy risks on intention to use (H3), but positive influence from trust, which supported H6 (trust ${\rightarrow}$ intention to use LBA). The moderating effect of trust on the negative relationship between privacy risks and intention to use LBA was tested and confirmed by supporting H7 (privacy risks X trust ${\rightarrow}$ intention to use LBA). The two hypotheses regarding to the TAM, including H8 (perceived ease of use ${\rightarrow}$ perceived usefulness) and H9 (perceived ease of use ${\rightarrow}$ intention to use LBA) were supported; however, H10 (perceived effectiveness ${\rightarrow}$ intention to use LBA) was not supported. Results of this study offer the following key findings and implications. First the application of PCM was found to be a good analysis framework in the context of LBA adoption. Many of the hypotheses in the model were confirmed and the high value of $R^2$ (i.,e., 51%) indicated a good fit of the model. In particular, locatability and privacy risks are found to be the appropriate PCM-based antecedent variables. Second, the existence of moderating effect of trust on service provider suggests that the same marginal change in the level of privacy risks may differentially influence the intention to use LBA. That is, while the privacy risks increasingly become important social issues and will negatively influence the intention to use LBA, it is critical for LBA providers to build consumer trust and confidence to successfully mitigate this negative impact. Lastly, we could not find sufficient evidence that the intention to use LBA is influenced by perceived usefulness, which has been very well supported in most previous TAM research. This may suggest that more future research should examine the validity of applying TAM and further extend or modify it in the context of LBA or other similar smartphone apps.

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Immunomodulatory Effects of Fermented Curcuma longa L. Extracts on RAW 264.7 Cells (RAW 264.7 세포에서 발효 울금 추출물의 면역조절 효과)

  • Yoo, Seon A;Kim, Ok Kyung;Nam, Da-Eun;Kim, Yongjae;Baek, Humyoung;Jun, Woojin;Lee, Jeongmin
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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    • v.43 no.2
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    • pp.216-223
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    • 2014
  • Curcuma longa L. (CL) is a well known traditional medicinal plant that is also used in curries and mustards as a coloring and flavoring agent. However, CL is not usually used as a food source due to its bitter taste. We investigated the immunomodulatory effect of CL fermented by Aspergillus oryzae (FCL) on RAW 264.7 cells. FCL was extracted with cold water (CW), hot water (HW), 20% ethanol (20% EtOH) and 80% ethanol (80% EtOH), after which its effects on phagocytic activity, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-${\alpha}$), nitric oxide (NO) production, natural killer (NK) cell activity and mRNA expression of LP-BM5 eco were investigated. Phagocytic activity was increased in HW and 20% EtOH when compared to the control. The secretion of nitric oxide (NO) from RAW 264.7 cells did not change significantly relative to the control. However, TNF-${\alpha}$ was significantly increased by the addition of FCL extracts. Moreover, FCL 20% ethanol extract showed a four fold increase in NK cell cytotoxity relative to the control group. Finally, we observed suppressed mRNA expression of LP-BM5 eco in FCL extracts, especially in the 20% ethanol extracts group. These results indicate that the FCL extracts can be used as a functional material due to their effective immunomodulating activities.