• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.182-189
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• 2013

Halophytes are unique land plants that are capable of thriving in a high-salt environment. They are attracting public attention due to their ability to synthesize bioactive substances such as UV protectants or antioxidizing agents. To achieve unaffected growth under high salinity, halophytes may take advantage of the activities of cell growth factors such as expansins. Expansins are well-known cell wall proteins that are responsible for cell enlargement. They loosen cell walls, thereby contributing to actual plant growth. This study aimed to identify positive roles of expansins in the growth of halophytes. Three expansin cDNA clones were isolated from seedlings of Suaeda japonica. Comparing the deduced amino acid sequences of the expansin genes of S. japonica with those of other plant species suggested that the cDNA clones isolated from S. japonica belong to the EXPA (${\alpha}$-expansin) gene family. A phylogenetic tree based on the deduced amino acid sequences revealed that the expansins of S. japonica share a close evolutionary relationship with those of strawberry (Fragaria ananassa) and jujube (Ziziphus jujuba), both of which are woody dicots. SjEXPAs did not show any remarkable change in the gene expression level in different NaCl concentrations, providing a clue to the unaffected seedling growth of S. japonica in a high-salt environment. In conclusion, the present study presents the first report of expansin genes from halophytes and suggests a putative role for these genes in plant growth under high salinity.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.161-172
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• 2004

The dietary habits of middle-aged obese, overweight and normal subjects were evaluated for the purpose of providing the background information of the degenerative disease control. A survey was conducted with 293 subjects (121 males and 172 females) between the ages 40-64 and they were divided into three groups of normal (BMI 18.5-22.9), overweight (BMI 23-24.9) and obese ($BMI\geq25$) based on the criteria of Korean Obesity Association (2000). The mean age of the subjects was $52.0\pm7.3(male)\;and\;51.9\pm6.9$ (female). Socioeconomic levels of subjects belong to the mid-upper class, since 71.9% of the males and 39.5% of the females received above a college education. More than 40% (44.6%) of males and 22.1% of females were obese, and educational background did not affect the obesity rate in males, whereas in females those who received lower education had a higher rate of obesity (p ＜ 0.001). The subjects had a similar degree of drinking to the national average value. but had a lower degree of smoking. The obese group had the higher rate of drinking (p ＜ 0.01) and smoking (p ＜ 0.01). The annual increase in weight, more than 4 kg, was 8.8% for normal group and 30.9% for obese group. However, there were no differences in the mean annual increase in weight among the three groups. In females there were greater tendencies of weight changes in obese group (p ＜ 0.05). About 44.9% of subjects responded that they were exercising regularly, and the obese group appeared to put into practice less than the other groups and to use more strenuous exercise. There was the greater rate of skipping dinner in the obese female group (p ＜ 0.05). The unbalanced dietary pattern was found more with normal group than the other groups (p ＜ 0.01). The food consumption frequency by food groups was not different among the groups. The obese group consumed less frequently meats, vegetables and fruits and had higher frequency in fish, legumes and their products, instant or fast food. In all subjects the higher rate of obesity was found with males than females and with those of heavier smoking and drinking, and in females the higher rate of obesity was found with lower education levels, skipping meals and having an unbalanced diet. In middle-aged subjects of this study with higher educational and socioeconomic background factors contributing to the effects of obesity may include smoking, drinking, educational background, skipping meals or unbalanced dietary pattern. The predictable characteristics for the development of obesity can be defined as sudden fluctuation of weights, exercise regularity and intakes of vegetables and fruits.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.202-211
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• 2015

Companies build the factory automation system to improve management effectiveness and productivity as prime strategies for sustainable growth. But most companies undergo various trials and errors while carrying out the project without elaborate preparation stage for factory automation. In this study, we tried to verify what factors are critical to effectively building distribution automation system, which is a branch of factory automation system. A consulting model for setting up a Material Handling Automation System by utilizing the Stage-Gate Process, which is product development process was studied. 29 material handling automation projects carried out between the year 1990 to 2013 at K-Company were selected. Interviews with the project managers, operators and maintenance personnels, various records and current status of the projects were used as data for structural equations based on the Milan consulting model and existing researches of factory automation, CIM for material handling automation. Creating effective basis of production, material handling system and energy saving system with expert review, when preparing a material handling automation project, help promote the project planning thus contributing to the performance of the resulting system, which appears though rather weakly in our data. Also the effect of material handling automation can be enhanced through sufficient and effective links to the relevant environments such as production logistics management and automated warehouses. More detailed planning characteristics of project promotion or some time-series data of effective Material Handling Automation System could enhace furthur studies. We propose a consulting model for setting up an efficient material handling automation system.

• The Journal of Society for e-Business Studies
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.155-174
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• 2021

This study noted the emergence of the Resell investment within the fashion market, among emerging investment techniques. Worldwide, the market size is growing rapidly, and currently, there is a craze taking place throughout Korea. Therefore, we would like to use shoe data from StockX, the representative site of Resell, to present basic guidelines to consumers and to break down barriers to entry into the Resell market. Moreover, it showed the current status of the Resell craze, which was based on information from various media outlets, and then presented the current status and research model of the Resell market through prior research. Raw data was collected and analyzed using the XGBoost algorithm and the Prophet model. Analysis showed that the factors that affect the Resell market were identified, and the shoes suitable for the Resell market were also identified. Furthermore, historical data on shoes allowed us to predict future prices, thereby predicting future profitability. Through this study, the market will allow unfamiliar consumers to actively participate in the market with the given information. It also provides a variety of vital information regarding Resell investments, thus. forming a fundamental guideline for the market and further contributing to addressing entry barriers.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.31-41
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• 2021

This study was conducted to determine how the family relationships of the middle-aged affect their life satisfaction and how family support services regulate the association between the two factors. A total of 8,695 middle-aged residents(aged 50 to 64 years) were chosen from among resident-respondents of the needs survey administered to establish the 4th local social security plan in Gyeonggi-do. The moderating effect of family support services on the relation between family relationship difficulties and life satisfaction was investigated. The analysis showed that the life satisfaction experienced by the middle-aged is slightly higher than the middle level. The lower the difficulty in family relationships, the higher the use of family support services, the more women than men, and the better the economy, the higher the life satisfaction of middle-aged. As a moderating variable, family support services significantly moderate the effects of family relationship difficulties experienced by the middle-aged on life satisfaction. The results are meaningful in that they comprehensively shed light on the difficulties that confront family relationships and the relationship structure of family support services, thereby contributing to the search for life satisfaction among the middle-aged in Gyeonggi-do.

• Journal of Marine Bioscience and Biotechnology
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.86-93
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• 2021

A high salt diet contributes to kidney damage by causing hypoxia and oxidative stress. Recently, an increase in dietary salt has been reported to induce an inflammatory phenotype in immune cells, further contributing to kidney damage. However, studies on the exact mechanism and role of a high salt diet on the inflammatory response in the kidneys are still insufficient. In this study, a cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury model using C57BL/6 mice was used to analyze the effect of salt intake on kidney injury. Results showed that high salt administration aggravated kidney edema in mice induced by treatment with cisplatin. Moreover, the indicators of kidney and liver function impairment were significantly increased in the group cotreated with high salt compared with that treated with cisplatin alone. Furthermore, the exacerbation of kidney damage by high salt administration was also associated with a decrease in the number of cells in the immune regulatory system. Additionally, high salt administration further decreased renal perfusion functions along with increased cisplatin-induced damage to proximal tubules. This was accompanied by increased expression of T cell immunoglobulin, mucin domain 1 (a biomarker of kidney injury), and Bax (a pro-apoptotic factor). Moreover, cisplatin-induced expression of proinflammatory mediators and cytokines, including cyclooxygenase-2 and tumor necrosis factor-α in kidney tissue, was further increased by high salt intake. Therefore, these results indicate that the kidney's inflammatory response by high salt treatment can further promote kidney damage caused by various pathological factors.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.57 no.4
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• pp.341-357
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• 2019

Acanthamoeba, one of free-living amoebae (FLA), remains a high risk of direct contact with this protozoan parasite which is ubiquitous in nature and man-made environment. This pathogenic FLA can cause sight-threatening amoebic keratitis (AK) and fatal granulomatous amoebic encephalitis (GAE) though these cases may not commonly be reported in our clinical settings. Acanthamoeba has been detected from different environmental sources namely; soil, water, hotspring, swimming pool, air-conditioner, or contact lens storage cases. The identification of Acanthamoeba is based on morphological appearance and molecular techniques using PCR and DNA sequencing for clinico-epidemiological purposes. Recent treatments have long been ineffective against Acanthamoeba cyst, novel anti-Acanthamoeba agents have therefore been extensively investigated. There are efforts to utilize synthetic chemicals, lead compounds from medicinal plant extracts, and animal products to combat Acanthamoeba infection. Applied nanotechnology, an advanced technology, has shown to enhance the anti-Acanthamoeba activity in the encapsulated nanoparticles leading to new therapeutic options. This review attempts to provide an overview of the available data and studies on the occurrence of pathogenic Acanthamoeba among the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members with the aim of identifying some potential contributing factors such as distribution, demographic profile of the patients, possible source of the parasite, mode of transmission and treatment. Further, this review attempts to provide future direction for prevention and control of the Acanthamoeba infection.

• Journal of Korean Library and Information Science Society
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.313-332
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• 2020

The purpose of this study is to compare motivations for self-archiving across disciplines on an academic social networking site. We carried out an online survey with ResearchGate(RG) users, testing 18 motivational factors that we developed from a previous study (enjoyment, personal/professional gain, reputation, learning, self-efficacy, altruism, reciprocity, trust, community interest, social engagement, publicity, accessibility, self-archiving culture, influence of external actors, credibility, system stability, copyright concerns, additional time, and effort). We adapted Biglan's classification system of academic disciplines and compared motivations across different categories of discipline. First, we compared motivations across the four combined categories by the two dimensions - hard-pure, hard-applied, soft-pure, and soft-applied. We also performed a motivation comparison across each dimension between soft and hard disciplines and between pure and applied disciplines. We examined investigated statistical differences in motivations by demographic characteristics and RG usage of participants across categories as well. Findings showed that there were differences of motivations, such as enjoyment, accessibility, influence of external actors and additional time and effort, and personal/professional gains, for self-archiving across disciplines. For example, RG users in the hard-applied were more highly motivated by enjoyment than others; RG users in the soft-pure were more highly motivated by personal/professional gains than others. It is expected that findings could be used to develop strategies encouraging researchers in various disciplines contributing to share their data and publications in ASNSs.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Oral Health
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.267-273
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• 2017

Objectives: Unmet needs for dental treatment are one of the potential contributing factors to poor oral health because oral health problems worsen if left untreated. This study aimed to demonstrate the prevalence of and the causes for unmet dental needs, and to evaluate the association between unmet needs for dental treatment and oral health status. Methods: Data on 3,883 subjects aged ${\geq}18years$ from the Korean National Oral Health Survey 2006 were analyzed. Information regarding unmet needs for dental treatment was obtained using standardized questionnaires. Eight trained dentists examined decayed, missing, or filled teeth (DMFT). Multiple regression models were built to assess the association between unmet needs for dental treatment and the DMFT scores. Results: The prevalence of perceived unmet needs for dental treatment was 34.7% among the adult Korean population. Economic constraints were the main cause (38.6%) for unmet dental needs. The average DMFT scores were higher in the subjects with unmet needs for dental treatment than in those without. In individuals with unmet needs for dental treatment within the past 1 year, the number of decayed teeth after adjusting for confounders was likely to be greater by 0.58 and that of missing teeth by 0.27 compared to that in their counterparts with no unmet dental needs in the past 1 year. Conclusions: Perceived unmet needs for dental treatment were significantly associated with poor oral health status among the adult Korean population. Further studies are needed to clarify the direct and indirect effects of unmet needs for dental treatment on an individual's oral health status by investigating critical variables of the causal pathways among perceived dental needs, dental care utilization, and oral health status.

• Journal of Apiculture
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.189-195
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• 2019

Plants release a large variety of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the surrounding atmosphere. Floral volatile compounds (FVCs) emitted from many plants is the critical factors for pollinator attraction and defense for adaptation in environments. Recent studies indicate that the chemical components contributing to FVCs play an important role in the honeybee attractiveness to flowers. Olfactory signals are rapidly learned, indicating that foraging behavior results from the association of plant chemicals acting as chemosensory cues for the bees. Solid phase microextraction(SPME)-GC/MS method was applied to analyze the chemical composition of FVCs according to the different species of Robinia spp. The abundant compounds identified in R. pseudoacacia were (Z)-β-ocimene (34.86%) and linalool (35.47%). Those of the tetraploid R. pseudoacacia were (Z)-β-ocimene (35.42%) and α-Farnesene (33.94%). The volatiles of R. margarettae 'Pink Cascade' comprised an abundance of (Z)-β-ocimene (42.73%), (E)-4,8-Dimethylnona-1,3,7-triene (37.23%). Differences in FVCs of the different species of Robinia spp. are discussed in light of biochemical constraints on volatile chemical synthesis and of the role of flower scent in ecology of pollination.