• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.548-557
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• 2021

Background: Due to the emergence of new diseases such as COVID-19, an increasing number of people are struggling with stress and depression. Interest is growing in forest-based recreation for physical and mental relief. Objectives: A prediction model equation using meteorological factors and data was developed to predict the quantities of medicinal substances generated in forests (monoterpenes) in real-time. Methods: The concentration of phytoncide and meteorological factors in the forests near Chuncheon in South Korea were measured for nearly two years. Meteorological factors affecting the observation data were acquired through a multiple regression analysis. A model equation was developed by applying a linear regression equation with the main factors. Results: The linear regression analysis revealed a high explanatory power for the coefficients of determination of temperature and humidity in the coniferous forest (R²=0.7028 and R²=0.5859). With a temperature increase of 1℃, the phytoncide concentration increased by 31.7 ng/Sm³. A humidity increase of 1% led to an increase in the coniferous forest by 21.9 ng/Sm³. In the deciduous forest, the coefficients of determination of temperature and humidity had approximately 60% explanatory power (R²=0.6611 and R²=0.5893). A temperature increase of 1℃ led to an increase of approximately 9.6 ng/Sm³, and 1% humidity resulted in a change of approximately 6.9 ng/Sm³. A prediction model equation was suggested based on such meteorological factors and related equations that showed a 30% error with statistical verification. Conclusions: Follow-up research is required to reduce the prediction error. In addition, phytoncide data for each region can be acquired by applying actual regional phytoncide data and the prediction technique proposed in this study.

• Journal of Korea Entertainment Industry Association
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• v.14 no.8
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• pp.305-314
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to provide basic information on regional senior welfare policy setting for the elderly in the metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas and on the development of senior welfare programs on the basis of the data of the 2019 community health survey conducted by Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. The subjects in this study were 74,547 senior citizens who were at the ages of 65 and over as of 2019 and who were 17,423 from the metropolitan area and 57,124 from the nonmetropolitan areas. The collected data were analyzed by SPSS version 26.0. The findings of the study were as follows: As for the levels of happiness in the metropolitan area, happiness was better in the seniors who were aged 75 and up, who had spouses, whose income was larger and who engaged in economic activity. In the nonmetropolitan areas, happiness was better in the seniors who were aged 75 and up, who were better educated, who had spouses, whose income was larger and who engaged in economic activity. In terms of health behaviors and subjective health levels, more happiness was felt by the seniors who didn't smoke at present, who didn't suffer any subjective stress, who were at higher subjective health levels and higher subjective oral health levels and who had unmet health care needs, no matter whether they dwelled in the metropolitan or nonmetropolitan areas. In the nonmetropolitan areas, however, engaging in intensive physical activity and lower BMI were identified as the factors to affect happiness.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.21 no.11
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• pp.609-625
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• 2021

It has now been more than a year since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in Korea, which has claimed thousands of lives and changed every aspect of life. The corona pandemic not only caused physical damages but also psychological one which is a collective social stress phenomenon often termed as 'corona blue'. The purpose of this study is to examine how empathy affects anxiety and depression through risk perception and indirect trauma, which are psychological variables related to the corona pandemic as a disaster. The survey data from 214 people were analyzed with a structural equation modelling. The results shows that 53.3 % of the participants experienced anxiety and 35.7% suffered from depression, which were about 6 times higher than ones from the 2019 government data. Affective empathy had a significant effect on risk perception, and cognitive empathy had a significant effect on indirect trauma. Risk perception and indirect trauma both had a significant effect on anxiety, and anxiety had a significant impact on depression. Only cognitive empathy had a significant indirect effect on anxiety and depression. This study provides an important insight into understanding a social phenomenon of 'corona blue' from a empathic perspective.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.525-534
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• 2022

In this study, we investigated the psychological and physiological effects of experiences in real natural forests and virtual forests using artificially controllable VR. The experiment tested 60 adult college students in a natural forest and a graduate seminar room where external light was blocked. It evaluated the effects of the natural and the VR forest environments by comparing the psychological and physiological recovery of the subjects. Psychometric testing using the PANAS psychological index showed increased positive emotions and decreased negative emotions after experiencing forest scenery in the natural and VR forest environments. And a stress index, based on measuring cortisol in saliva, decreased significantly in the subjects in both environments. The experiment results can be used to support the creation of a psychological and physiological recovery environment with VR for those who cannot go to the natural forest due to certain restrictions such as physical distance, mobility difficulties, etc. It is expected that the results will be the basis for further research into the visual effects of forest healing and also for widening the use of VR, a technology of the fourth industry, in the field of forestry.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.411-419
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• 2022

Carotenoids are red, orange, and yellow fat-soluble pigments that exist in nature, and are known as physiologically active substances with various functions, such as provitamin A, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer. Because of their physiological activity and color availability, carotenoids are widely used in the food, cosmetics, and aquaculture industries. Currently, most carotenoids used industrially use chemical synthesis because of their low production cost, but natural carotenoids are in the spotlight because of their safety and physiologically active effects. However, the production of carotenoids in plants and animals is limited for economic reasons. Carotenoids produced by bacteria have a good advantage in replacing carotenoids produced by chemical synthesis. Since carotenoids produced from bacteria have limited industrial applications due to low productivity, studies are continuously being conducted to increase the production of carotenoids by bacteria. Studies conducted to increase carotenoid production from bacteria include the activity of enzymes in the bacterial carotenoid biosynthesis pathway, the development of mutant strains using physical and chemical mutagens, increasing carotenoid productivity in strain construction through genetic engineering, carotenoid accumulation through stress induction, fermentation medium composition, culture conditions, co-culture with other strains, etc. The aim of this article was to review studies conducted to increase the productivity of carotenoids from bacteria.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.9
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• pp.730-735
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• 2023

In the past decade, numerous studies have been carried out to quantify aging with the help of artificial intelligence. Using DNA methylation data, various models have been developed; these are commonly called epigenetic clocks. Epigenetic age acceleration is usually associated with disease conditions. Schizophrenia is a mental illness associated with severe mental and physical stress. This disease leads to high mortality and morbidity rates in young people compared with other psychological disorders. In the past, the research community considered this disease to be related to the accelerated aging hypothesis. In the current study, we wanted to investigate the epigenetic age acceleration changes in schizophrenia patients to obtain epigenetic insights into the disease. To measure the epigenetic age acceleration, we used two different DNA methylation clock models, namely, Horvath clock and Epi clock, as these are pan-tissue models. We utilized 450k array data compatible with both clocks. We found a slower epigenetic acceleration in the patients' samples when we used the Epi clock. We further analyzed the differentially methylated CpG sites between the control and cases and performed pathway enrichment analysis. We found that most of the CpGs are involved in neuronal processes.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.37-46
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• 2023

In this paper, the physical properties, stress deformation and strength characteristics, density and permeability characteristics of silty sand (SM) by fines content were analyzed through indoor tests. also based on the results of the indoor tests, a compact analysis was performed according to the content of SM, and the applicability of SM ground to the compacted target layer was evaluated by comparing it with the measurement data of the actual problem site. As a result of indoor tests and compression analysis, SM changed its mechanical properties from sandy soil to viscous soil when the fine particle content was 35% or higher, and using field measurement data, SM was found to have a higher compression tendency than direct subsidence. Therefore, the mechanical characteristics of SM above Fc 35% are considered to be similar to that of viscous soil, which is different from the compression characteristics of the tendency of immediate subsidence to conventional sandy soil, so it is necessary to present the mechanical characteristics of SM through further research. The research findings highlight the importance of considering consolidation settlement in silty sand (SM) when evaluating soft soil conditions. These findings can aid in revising criteria for assessing weak ground conditions by providing essential engineering property data based on varying fines content in silty sand.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.47-59
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• 2023

In this research, laboratory tests were conducted on clayey sand (SC) to analyze its physical properties, compaction/permeability characteristics, and stress-strain behavior. The main objective was to determine the transitional fines content at which the mechanical properties of sand transition to those of clay, resulting in a change in the geotechnical behavior of the material. Additionally, to assess the practical applicability of SC soil, field data from a soft ground improvement site with significant settlement issues were collected. The settlement characteristics derived from laboratory tests and numerical simulations were then compared and analyzed in relation to the actual settlement data obtained from the field, aiming to evaluate the suitability of the SC soil as a compaction target layer. The laboratory tests and compaction analysis showed that the SC soil exhibited a distinct change in mechanical properties, shifting from sandy behavior to clayey behavior when the fines content exceeded 25%. This transition in mechanical behavior was found to be closely correlated with the content of clay particles within the material. Through numerical simulations of the soft ground site, it was verified that the use of clayey sand with a fines content exceeding the transitional level as a compaction target layer resulted in settlements that closely aligned with the measured settlements, with an average agreement of 91.2%. Based on these findings, it is deemed advisable to incorporate clayey sand with a fines content exceeding the transitional level as part of the compaction target layer in the design of soft ground improvements.

• Journal of Korea Entertainment Industry Association
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.185-194
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of short-term foresters on brain waves and pulse waves. For this purpose, 484 foresters who visited the natural recreation forest located in Cheongpyeong city, Gyeonggi province, measured the before and after experiences of EEG and pulse waves, and the following results were obtained. First, foresters have been shown to be effective on concentration, brain activity, and brain stress. Second, foresters had positive effects on cardiac health and autonomic health. In other words, when various substances released from the forest come into the body through the respiratory system, it firstly affects the heart activity positively, and it seems to be able to expect various improvements by acting on the emotional side of the brain. Therefore, based on the scientific basis of the forest experience, it is expected that the experience of forests will be widely used as a guide for healthy life by creating conditions for participation by many people. In addition, the mechanism of respiration, heartbeat, and brain interaction is also possible, and various experimental studies on the forest experience in the future are important.

• 한국노년학
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.477-488
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• 2009

Purpose: This study was conducted to investigate newly admitted nursing home resident's experience and adjustment problems in the early stage of institutionalization. Method: In depth interviews was done on 6 elderly residents who were newly admitted. Data from the interview were analyzed using theme analysis method. Results: Results showed that reasons for Institution admission were decreasing physical health and cognitive functioning. Residents reported that difficulties they experienced in institution life were lack of individualized care, loss of autonomy and privacy associated with the demands of group living, and loss of control over activities of daily living. Conclusion: Efforts need to be made to maintain the residents' decision-making and autonomy. Listening intentionally, offering choices, and promoting personal identity might be utilized to reduce relocation stress and enhance adaptation to nursing home living.