• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.221-228
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• 2024

As the importance of cardiovascular health is highlighted, research on its correlation with blood pressure, the most important indicator, is being actively conducted. Therefore, extensive clinical data is essential, but the measurement of the central arterial blood pressure waveform must be performed invasively within the artery, so the quantity and quality are limited. This study suggested a mock circulatory robot and artificial aorta to reproduce the blood pressure waveform generated by the overlap of forward and reflected waves. The artificial aorta was fabricated with biomimetic silicone to mimic the physiological structure and vascular stiffness of the human. A pressurizing chamber was implemented to prevent distortion of the blood pressure waveform due to the strain-softening of biomimetic silicone. The reproduced central arterial blood pressure waveforms have similar magnitude, shape, and propagation characteristics to humans. In addition, changes in blood pressure waveform due to aging were also reproduced by replacing an artificial aorta with various stiffness. It can be expanded to construct a biosignal database and health sensor testing platform, a core technology for cardiovascular health-related research.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.111 no.3
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• pp.418-427
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• 2022

Our aim was to evaluate the quality of pine seeds after long-term storage and to analyze the correlation between germination and physiological characteristics. Therefore, we investigated the germination and physiological characteristics of seeds stored for different periods and storage temperatures. Pine seeds lost little viability and vigor after 12 years of storage at 4℃; it is even possible to prolong the storage period at -18℃. The deterioration process operating through long-term storage was characterized by a loss of seed vigor before a loss in seed viability. Electrical conductivity of the seed leachate was significantly higher in seeds that completely lost their viability, and was also found to be significantly correlated with the germination percentage, T50, mean germination time, and germination speed. Among the minerals leaked to the leachate, K had the highest concentration, followed by Na, Ca, Cu, Mg, and Fe, while Mn and Zn were not detected. Concentrations of K, Ca, Cu, Mg, and Fe in the leachate differed significantly by treatment, and in the cases of K, Ca, Cu, Na, and Mg, we observed large differences in the leachate between the seeds that were collected in 2003 and those collected in other years.. Germination percentage was significantly negatively correlated to the concentrations of Ca, Cu, K, Mg, and Na. The coefficient of uniformity of germination was significantly negatively correlated to Cu concentration. The other germination characteristics were not significantly correlated with the mineral concentration. Therefore, the mineral concentrations of pine seed leachate were not reliable indicators of seed deterioration when the differences in quality between seed lots were small. However, electrical conductivity could be an indicator of seed viability and vigor of pine seeds under long-term storage.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.477-486
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• 2021

To utilize Malus pruniforia Borkh. as a functional material, cold-water (CW), hot-water (HW), and 70% ethanol (EtOH) extracts were prepared, and their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities were compared. The antioxidant activity of the HW extract evaluated by ABTS and DPPH radical scavenging and FRAP activity was significantly effective. The total polyphenol content of the HW extract was also higher by 15.5±0.7 mg GAE/g extract compared to other extracts. The EtOH extract showed significantly decreased TNF-α (39.8%), IL-6 (65.5%), and NO (34.9%) levels in RAW 264.7 cells compared to the LPS-induced control group. The levels of IL-6 (21.1%) and IL-8 (19.3%) were significantly decreased by treatment of EtOH extract in HaCaT keratinocytes induced with TNF-α and IFN-γ. The UHPLC-MS results indicated that the EtOH extract might have chlorogenic acid and phlorizin as the major compounds. This was validated using HPLC-DAD, which showed that the EtOH extract had higher levels of chlorogenic acid and phlorizin (1,185±58 and 470±10 ㎍/g extract, respectively). In conclusion, the present study suggested that the anti-inflammatory activity of the EtOH extract was more effective than the CW and HW extracts, and chlorogenic acid and phlorizin could be used as indicator compounds and functional substances.

• Journal of Climate Change Research
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.257-264
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• 2017

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology has been suggested as an ultimate strategy for mitigating climate change. However, potential leakage of $CO_2$ from the CCS facilities could lead to serious damage to environment. Plants can be a bio-indicator for $CO_2$ leakage as a cost-effective way, although plants' responses vary with plant species. In this study, a greenhouse experiment was conducted to investigate the relation between the $CO_2$ tolerance of corn species and the initial physiological responses to the elevated soil $CO_2$ concentration. Treatment groups included CI (99.99% $CO_2$ gas injection) and BI (no gas injection). Mean soil $CO_2$ concentration for the CI treatment was 19.5~39.4%, and mean $O_2$ concentration was 6.6~18.4%. The soil gas concentrations in the BI treatment were at the ambient levels. In the CI treatment, chlorophyll content was not decreased until the $13^{th}$ day of the $CO_2$ injection. On the $15^{th}$ day, leaf starch content and stomatal conductance were increased by 89% and 25% in the CI treatment compared to the BI treatment, respectively. This might be due to the compensatory reaction of corn to avoid high soil $CO_2$ stress. However, the prolonged $CO_2$ injection decreased chlorophyll content after 13 days. After $CO_2$ injection, plant biomass was reduced by 25% in the CI treatment compared to the BI treatment. Due to the inhibited root growth, leaf phosphorous and potassium contents were decreased by 54% on average in the CI treatment. This study indicates that corn has a high tolerance to soil $CO_2$ concentration of 30% for 2 weeks by its compensatory reactions such as an maintenance of chlorophyll content and an increase in stomatal conductance.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.3-12
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• 2009

Ozone tolerance of tree species was determined by standard index of physiological damages and biochemical defense responses under short-term ozone exposure. At the end of 150ppb $O_3$ fumigation, photosynthetic characteristics and antioxidative enzyme activities were analyzed in the leaves of five species(Koelreuteria paniculata, Firmiana simplex, Styrax japonica, Fraxinus rhynchophylla, Viburnum sargentii). Injury index was determined by the effect of ozone on photosynthetic parameters and malondialdehyde(MDA) content, and tolerance index was calculated using the rate of increase in superoxide dismutase(SOD), ascorbate-peroxidase(APX), glutathione reductase(GR) and catalase(CAT) activities. Apparent quantum yield(AQY), carboxylation efficiency(Ce) and photo-respiration rate(PR) decreased in the leaves of five species with increasing ozone exposure time. These parameters were considered as an appropriate indicator for stress evaluation. Antioxidative enzyme activities showed various results depending on the tree species, exposure time, and enzyme types. SOD activity of K. paniculata increased with ozone exposure time, and that of F. rhynchophylla increased only after 6 hours of ozone exposure. CAT activity of $O_3$-exposed F. simplex was lower than the control. Based on standard index, ozone tolerance ability of five species was determined as two tolerant species(F. rhynchophylla > K. paniculata) and three sensitive species(S. japonica > F. simplex > V. sargentii).

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.13-22
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• 2020

This study aimed to investigate the association between asthma and emotions, such as depression, stress, and health awareness. We observed the effects of blood indices on asthma in Korean adults. Data from 5852 adults were taken from the 2017 Seventh Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and analyzed using a multivariate logistic regression model. The probability of asthma occurrence in over 65 years old was higher than in 19-44 years old (OR = 1.48), and asthma occurrence was high in subjects with low educational (OR = 1.89) and income (OR = 2.07) levels. With regard to marital status, singleness and divorce and dye were found to have increased the probability of asthma occurrence by 1.62- and 2.30-folds, respectively. The restriction of activities was another factor that increased with asthma occurrence (OR = 2.39). In terms of emotions, general health awareness was significantly 3.45 times increased the probability of asthma occurrence at their health bad awareness. Furthermore, depression (OR = 1.782) was shown to have increased asthma occurrence. The blood index of C-CRP 1.12 times increased the probability of asthma occurrence. The factors that influenced asthma occurrence were age, education, income, marital status, the restriction of activities, general health awareness, depression, and C-CRP. Emotional factors and blood indices are potential risk factors for the development of asthma in Korean adults. By understanding the increased risks of asthma occurrence with general characteristics and emotional factors and blood indices, the management and prevention of asthma should include the management of emotional factors.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2010

We determined oxidative stress caused by thermal stress in olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus based on the altered-mRNA expression and enzymatic activity of two key antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), along with monitoring of several other biomarkers. When the fish were exposed to acute thermal change (from $20^{\circ}C$ to $25^{\circ}C$ and $30^{\circ}C$), the expression and activity of both enzymes were significantly higher at elevated temperatures ($25^{\circ}C$ and $30^{\circ}C$) than at $20^{\circ}C$. Lipid peroxidation (LPO) was also higher at $25^{\circ}C$ and $30^{\circ}C$ than at $20^{\circ}C$. In addition, the plasma $H_2O_2$ concentration was significantly increased by thermal stress. Furthermore, we investigated changes due to thermal stress by measuring levels of plasma alanine aminotransferase (AlaAT) and aspartate aminotrasferase (AspAT). Both were significantly increased by thermal stress. As an immune indicator, the lysozyme concentration was lower at $30^{\circ}C$ than at $20^{\circ}C$, indicating that thermal stress decreases immune function. Therefore, thermal stress could induce oxidative stress and suppress immune function and can cause physiological stress.

• The Journal of The Korea Institute of Intelligent Transport Systems
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.112-123
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• 2012

Different from general roads, intersections are the points where roads having different geometric structure and traffic operation system are met, and thereby they have complicated road structure and environmental factors. Various changes in driving patterns such as collision between vehicles approaching from roads adjacent to intersections, sudden stop of vehicles upon stop sign, quick start upon green lights kept increasing traffic accidents. It is known that traffic accidents are mainly derived from human factors. This study, in order to find out factors affecting drivers' behaviors within intersections, measured physiological responses such as brain wave, sight, driving speed, and so on by using state-of-the-art measuring device. As to concentration brain wave at individual intersections, it was found out that brain wave of testes was higher at main Arterial and accident-prone intersections compared with that of subsidiary Arterial. In addition, it was detected that drivers' visual activity was widely distributed at accident-prone intersections, meaning that it enhanced cautious driving from nearby vehicles. As to major factors causing drivers' workloads, factors from nearby vehicles such as deceleration, acceleration, lane change of nearby vehicles appeared as direct factors causing drivers' workloads, clarifying that these factors were closely related to causes of traffic accidents at intersections. Results of this study are expected to be used as basic data for evaluation of safety at intersections in consideration of physiological response of drivers.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.891-894
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• 2010

This study was conducted in order to examine the effects of horticultural therapy on stress in demented elders, and for this purpose, we analyzed stress-related physiological changes in demented elders under the care of an elderly facility who had not taken medication and consented to blood tests. The horticultural therapy program included only flower decoration, which was preferred by the participants, aiming ultimately to reduce stress. First, a one-to-one session was given for forming rapport and the horticultural therapist had many conversations about plants with the elders. Furthermore, the participants were induced to be absorbed into the horticultural activities, though a short while, so that they might forget troubles. Evaluation was made by measuring subjective stress and the blood cortisol hormone concentration before and after the horticultural therapy and examining differences between them. Subjective stress increased from 12.88 to 17.88 in the control group, but decreased significantly from 13.88 before the therapy to 6.38 after in the experimental group (p = 0.007). When the blood cortisol hormone level was measured as a physiological indicator of stress, it decreased significantly from $11.33{\mu}g{\cdot}L^{-1}$ before the horticultural therapy to $9.85{\mu}g{\cdot}L^{-1}$ after (p = 0.037). These results suggest that horticultural therapy reduces the blood cortisol hormone level and is effective in easing stress.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.98 no.3
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• pp.255-262
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• 2009

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of SCB (Slurry Composting & Biofiltration) liquid fertilizer on seed germination properties and physiological activities of P. densiflora and M. amurensis seedling on the sand and tailing soil. Seed germination of two, tree species on the sand and tailing soil was delayed and inhibited under SCB treatment. Seedling growth of two species was also reduced by SCB application, and the growth reduction was associated with its concentration. Chlorophyll content decreased in the leaves of SCB-treated P. densiflora but increased in the leaves of SCB-treated M. amurensis when compared to control seedlings irrigated with tap water. On the other hand, Malondialdehyde (MDA) content, an indicator of lipid peroxidation, decreased in the leaves of SCB-treated P. densiflora, whereas it increased in the leaves of SCB-treated M. amurensis. Antioxidative enzyme activities in the leaves of P. densiflora increased on sand soil treated with 1/6 diluted SCB solution and on tailing soil treated with 1/3 diluted one, whereas those of M. amurensis seedlings increased only on tailing soil applied with the normal SCB solution and the 1/3 diluted SCB solution, respectively. These results were considered as side-effects of SCB liquid fertilizer which might accumulate salt through the physical changes in the soil.c