• Journal of Climate Change Research
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2017

Over the past centuries, industrialization in developed and developing countries has had a negative impact on global warming, releasing $CO_2$ emissions into the Earth's atmosphere. In recent years, the transportation sector, which emits one-third of total $CO_2$ emissions in the United States, has adapted by implementing a climate change action plan to reduce $CO_2$ emissions. Having an environmental policy might be an essential factor in mitigating the man-made global warming threats to protect public health and the coexistent needs of current and future generations; however, to my best knowledge, no research has been conducted in such a context with appropriate statistical validation process to evaluate the effects of climate change policy on $CO_2$ emission reduction in recent years in the U.S. transportation. The empirical findings using an entity fixed-effects model with valid statistical tests show the positive effects of climate change policy on $CO_2$ emission reduction in a state. With all the 49 states joining the climate change action plans, the U.S. transportation sector is expected to reduce its $CO_2$ emissions by 20.2 MMT per year, and for the next 10 years, the cumulated $CO_2$ emission reduction is projected to reach 202.3 MMT, which is almost equivalent to the $CO_2$ emissions from the transportation sector produced in 2012 by California, the largest $CO_2$ emission state in the nation.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.13-25
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• 2021

Purpose: This descriptive study aimed to explore nursing workplace spirituality, end-of-life care stress, and resilience as factors influencing compassion fatigue among nurses working in hospice and palliative care units. Methods: Data were collected using a self-report questionnaire completed by 146 nurses at 14 hospice and palliative care institutions across South Korea who had worked in a hospice and palliative care institution for at least 6 months and had experience providing end-of-life care. Data were collected from February 25, 2019 to April 12, 2019, and analyzed using SPSS for Windows version 18.0. As appropriate, descriptive statistics, the t-test, analysis of variance, the Scheffé test, Pearson correlation coefficients, and stepwise multiple regression were used. Results: The survey results showed that factors influencing compassion fatigue were resilience, subjective health status, current satisfaction with the hospice ward, and end-of-life care stress. Higher levels of resilience, a subjective health status of "healthy", high levels of current satisfaction with the hospice ward, and lower levels of end-of-life care stress were associated with lower levels of compassion fatigue, explaining 42.9% of the total variance. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that resilience is an important factor mitigating compassion fatigue among nurses at hospice and palliative care institutions. Therefore, intervention programs should be developed to reduce compassion fatigue.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.165-175
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• 2023

The transcription factor Nrf2 was originally identified as a master regulator of redox homeostasis, as it governs the expression of a battery of genes involved in mitigating oxidative and electrophilic stress. However, the central role of Nrf2 in dictating multiple facets of the cellular stress response has defined the Nrf2 pathway as a general mediator of cell survival. Recent studies have indicated that Nrf2 regulates the expression of genes controlling ferroptosis, an iron-and lipid peroxidation-dependent form of cell death. While Nrf2 was initially thought to have anti-ferroptotic function primarily through regulation of the antioxidant response, accumulating evidence has indicated that Nrf2 also exerts anti-ferroptotic effects via regulation of key aspects of iron and lipid metabolism. In this review, we will explore the emerging role of Nrf2 in mediating iron homeostasis and lipid peroxidation, where several Nrf2 target genes have been identified that encode critical proteins involved in these pathways. A better understanding of the mechanistic relationship between Nrf2 and ferroptosis, including how genetic and/or pharmacological manipulation of Nrf2 affect the ferroptotic response, should facilitate the development of new therapies that can be used to treat ferroptosis-associated diseases.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.97-102
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• 2009

Objectives : We determined the anti-inflammatory activity of KCNS-001 that is a herbal formula including 6 medicinal plants and that are used to mitigate atopic dermatitis in oriental medicine. Methods : To evaluate anti-inflammatory effect of KCNS-001, we measured the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), nitric oxide (NO) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in LPS-activated Raw 264.7 cells. Cell viability was determined by MTT assay. The concentrations of ROS and relative level of NO were measured with DPPH assay and Griess reagent, respectively. COX-2 and TNF-$\alpha$ were detected by enzyme immuno assay (EIA) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results : ROS and NO production were reduced by KCNS-001 in a dose-dependent manner. KCNS-001 significantly inhibited activity of COX-2 and suppressed the release of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-$\alpha$). Conclusions : These results indicate that the KCNS-001 may have an anti-inflammatory agent for the treatment of various inflammatory disease.

• International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.9-15
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• 2023

The outbreak of COVID-19 has significantly impacted various facets of individuals' lives, including perceptions, leisure activities, work-family balance, and overall life satisfaction. This study aims to explore the intricate relationships among changes in perceptions due to COVID-19, leisure activity satisfaction, work-family conflict, and life satisfaction of married working women. Employing path analysis, we examined a dataset of 1,973 married working women drawn from the 8th Korean Women and Families Panel Survey. The findings indicate that while changes in perception associated with COVID-19 did not directly affect leisure activity satisfaction and life satisfaction, they did significantly decrease work-family conflict, indirectly leading to heightened life satisfaction. Additionally, leisure activity satisfaction emerged as a mitigating factor for work-family conflict, contributing to enhanced life satisfaction. These results emphasize the importance of understanding the interplay between external factors, individual perceptions, and well-being, offering insights for devising tailored strategies. The study holds significance in guiding policies and interventions to enhance the quality of life for married working women in the context of evolving pandemic challenges.

• International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.360-367
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• 2024

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of parental support in mitigating the impact of discrimination experiences on depression among children and adolescents. This focus was based on the premise that experiences of discrimination can negatively affect peer relationships as well as behavioral and emotional development in youths who spend a significant amount of time with their peers at school. We aimed to explore the mediating role of parental support and to present policy and practical recommendations from a social welfare perspective. For this purpose, data from the "2020 Survey on the Human Rights of Children and Adolescents" was utilized, involving 9,000 students ranging from 4th to 6th grade in elementary school, grade in middle school, and grade in high school from across the country. The study was conducted targeting these groups. For research analysis, frequency analysis using SPSS 26.0 was employed to calculate the general characteristics of the study subjects and the reliability coefficient of the testing tool. And regression analysis was conducted to verify the mediating effect of parental support on the impact of discrimination experiences on depression. The analysis revealed that there were 4,473 males (51.9%) and 4,150 females (48.1%), and that experiences of discrimination had a negative effect on depression (B=311, P<0.001). It was found that the more frequent the experiences of discrimination, the higher the level of depression, and the more a youth experienced discrimination, the greater the psychological depression they endured.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.88-97
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• 2024

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Mitigating insulin resistance and hyperglycemia is associated with a decreased risk of diabetic complications. The effect of Daraesoon (shoot of hardy kiwi, Actinidia arguta) on hyperglycemia was investigated using a type 2 diabetes animal model. MATERIALS/METHODS: Seven-week-old db/db mice were fed either an AIN-93G diet or a diet containing 0.4% of a 70% ethanol extract of Daraesoon, whereas db/+ mice were fed the AIN-93G diet for 7 weeks. RESULTS: Consumption of Daraesoon significantly reduced serum glucose and blood glycated hemoglobin levels, along with homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance in db/db mice. Conversely, Daraesoon elevated the serum adiponectin levels compared to the db/db control group. Furthermore, Daraesoon significantly decreased both serum and hepatic triglyceride levels, as well as serum total cholesterol levels. Additionally, consumption of Daraesoon resulted in decreased hepatic tumor necrosis factor-α and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 expression. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that hypoglycemic effect of Daraesoon is mediated through the improvement of insulin resistance and the downregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokine expression in db/db mice.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.79-86
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• 2024

Scientific exploration of how occupational health risks relate with occupational illnesses are essential for mitigating health-related issues in industries. This study analyzed the risk scores obtained by occupational health risk assessments at 3,172 manufacturing companies and examined their effects on occupational illness. Statistical analyses revealed that companies with an occupational health manager (scored 89.1 out of 100) had significantly higher activity scores of health management compared to those without (78.2). However, companies with a history of occupational illness (79.1) or those classified as high-risk industries (85.2) had significantly lower activity scores than their counterparts (81.7, 87.3). In addition, regression analyses using factor analysis showed that latent risk factors such as cardiovascular disease/job stress, health management, and musculoskeletal problem significantly influenced the risk of occupational illness. The activity factors such as health management, work environment management, and regulatory complaisance significant impacted the reduction of occupational illness. The findings of this study can be used to improve the occupational health risk assessment method and utilized in effectively managing occupational risks in industries.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.303-312
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• 2024

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is the most common inflammatory pruritic skin disease worldwide, characterized by the infiltration of multiple pathogenic T lymphocytes and histological symptoms such as epidermal and dermal thickening. This study aims to investigate the effect of vinpocetine (Vinp; a phosphodiesterase 1 inhibitor) on a 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (DNCB)-induced AD-like model. DNCB (1%) was administered on day 1 in the AD model. Subsequently, from day 14 onward, mice in each group (Vinp-treated groups: 1 mg/kg and 2 mg/kg and dexamethasone-treated group: 2 mg/kg) were administered 100 µl of a specific drug daily, whereas 0.2% DNCB was administered every other day for 30 min over 14 days. The Vinp-treated groups showed improved Eczema Area and Severity Index scores and trans-epidermal water loss, indicating the efficacy of Vinp in improving AD and enhancing skin barrier function. Histological analysis further confirmed the reduction in hyperplasia of the epidermis and the infiltration of inflammatory cells, including macrophages, eosinophils, and mast cells, with Vinp treatment. Moreover, Vinp reduced serum concentrations of IgE, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-13, and monocyte chemotactic protein-1. The mRNA levels of IL-1β, IL-6, Thymic stromal lymphopoietin, and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) were reduced by Vinp treatment. Reduction of TGF-β protein by Vinp in skin tissue was also observed. Collectively, our results underscore the effectiveness of Vinp in mitigating DNCB-induced AD by modulating the expression of various biomarkers. Consequently, Vinp is a promising therapeutic candidate for treating AD.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.355-373
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• 2015

In this study the factors of fire damage are analyzed through previous research reviews. Local environmental factors as well as those factors attributed to fire damage (number of fire events, number of injured, number of death, economic loss) were selected to compose mutual relationship model. In order to verify this relationship model, official statistics concerning fire damage were collected from 228 local governments and compared with results from previous research. As a result of this comparison four dependent variables and 22 independent variables that affect fire damage were analyzed. Independent variables are divided into human vulnerability factors, physical vulnerability factors, economic vulnerability factors, mitigating factors and local characteristics. To analyze a relationship between selected dependent variables and independent variables, we applied a semi-logarithm model and performed regression analysis. Among the 22 independent variables, the number of the weak to disaster, social welfare service workers, workers in manufacturing industry, and the number of workers in restaurants and bars per 10,000 people show the significant correlation with the number of fire incidence. The number of death from fire is significantly related to two variables which are the number of social welfare service workers per 10,000 and the ratio of commercial area. Damage cost is significantly dependent on the property taxes per 10,000 people. These factors were included in the research model as vulnerability factors (human, physical, economic) and mitigating factors and local characteristics, and the validity of research model was verified. The result could contribute to fire-fighting resource allocation in Korea or they can be utilized in establishing fire prevention policy, which will enhance the national level of fire safety.