• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.152-157
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• 2006

Samples of Meretrix lusoria were collected monthly from the tidal flat of Simpo, Puan-gun, Chollabuk-do, west coast of Korea from April 2004 to March 2005. Age of M. lusoria was determined from the rings on the shell. The relationship between shell length and ring radius in each ring group was expressed as a regression line. Therefore, there is a correspondence in each ring formation. Based on the monthly variations in the marginal index (MI') of the shell, it is assumed that the ring of this species was formed once a year during the period of February to April. The relationship between shell length (SL) and shell height (SH; mm) was highly correlated with shell height as the following equation: SH = 0.8103 SL + 0.5145 $(r^2=0.991)$. The shell length (SL) - shell width (SW) relation was also expressed by the following equation: SW = 0.4897 SL + 0.0315 $(r^2=0.976)$. Shell length (SL; mm) and total weight (TW; g) was expressed by the following equation: $TW=2.9195\times10^{-4}\;SL^{2.9547}\;(R^2=0.991)$. Shell length (SL) and shell height (SH; mm) was highly correlated with shell height as the following equation: $SH=0.8103\;SL+0.5145\;(R^2=0.991)$ The shell length (SL) - shell width (SW) relation was also expressed by the following equation: $SW=0.4897\;SL+0.0315\;(R^2=0.976)$. Growth curves for shell length and total weight fitted to the von Bertalanffy's growth curve were expressed respectively as: $SL_t=104.9[l-e^{-0.2235(t+0.7677)}],\;TW_t=280.8[l-e^{-0.2235(t+0.7677)}]^{2.9547}$.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.269-281
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• 2008

In Korea, the criteria for the requirements of a secondary school science teacher's certificate are based entirely on the subjects and/or areas as prescribed in laws for the teacher's licensure examination. However, the criteria do not account for the specific competencies or qualities that a good science teacher should possess. The objective of the research was to explore and suggest the three lists of the image of an ideal science teacher, science teacher's role and science teacher's competency that might be used to establish the criteria for science teachers' certificate and the curricular content for science teacher education in Korea. In order to achieve this objective, the study used such research methods as literature analysis, status survey in combination with on-line workshop, in-depth interview, and professional consultation. The participants in the research comprised of a group of 258 students (186 middle school students and 72 high school students) and 13 in-service science teachers (8 middle school science teachers, 5 high school science teachers) for questionnaire survey and on-line workshop, and 4 science teachers for in-depth interview. The list of the image of ideal science teacher, science teacher's role, science teacher's competency contains 44, 32, and 75 statements, respectively. Based on the results of the research, this paper suggested that the criteria for the Korean secondary school science teacher's certificate requirements be selected and organized in consideration of the teachers' competencies rather than the courses and/or subject areas. It is also implied in the paper that further research over a period of time is necessary for using the competencies for curricular contents and/or science teacher's certificate standards.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.385-395
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• 2023

The purpose of this study was to analyze the screening rates and examination results of the national dental screening program for infants and children since its initiation. Data for this study were obtained from the annual health screening statistical yearbook of the National Health Insurance Service. The investigation focused on the screening rate according to year, age, and region, as well as examination results from 2008 to 2021. The study revealed a general increase in screening rates over the years, with a simultaneous decrease observed as the age of the subjects increased. Regional variations in screening rates were observed, with the highest and lowest rates in Sejong and Jeonbuk, respectively. Analysis of examination results revealed an increasing proportion of subjects requiring treatment as they aged. From 2008 to 2013, less than 15% of subjects aged 18 - 24 and 18 - 29 months required treatment, whereas over 30% required treatment in the remaining age groups. Between 2014 and 2021, the proportion of subjects in the 18 - 29 month age group requiring treatment remained under 15%, but it exceeded 40% in the other age groups. In conclusion, active participation in national dental screening for infants and children is crucial to improving oral health outcomes.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Library and Information Science
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• v.58 no.1
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• pp.395-415
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• 2024

In the development of a university library's collection, the concept of patron-driven acquisition refers to a collection strategy that addresses users' direct information needs. In this study, an analysis of ten years' worth of book requests by user types was conducted to understand the topic preferences for efficient collection devleopment in the university library. In collection development, identifying subject areas of users' requested books is necessary for librarians to identify key areas of collection development and establish balanced collection development policies. To identify the major subject areas for each user group, KDC (Korean Decimal Classification) subject classifications were used, and network analysis techniques were applied to investigate the relationships between book topics in detail. The analysis revealed that "social sciences" emerged as the major topic across all user groups. However, in the analysis of sub-topics, "medicine" and "psychology" were distinctively identified as the major subject areas for graduate students, setting them apart from other user groups. The result of the network analysis further indicated that undergraduate students showed unique topics such as civil service, job placement, and career, which were not observed as major topic clusters in other user groups. On the other hand, graduate students tended to concentrate on a few specialized subjects, forming distinct topic clusters in the analysis.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.102-108
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• 2024

This study was performed to establish the epidemiological features of a food poisoning outbreak that occurred in the cafeteria of a company in Chungcheongnam-do Province, Korea, in October 2020, and to recommend measures to prevent similar outbreaks. Twenty-one patients with acute gastroenteritis, three food handlers, seven cooking utensils, and 12 preserved food samples were subjected to viral and bacterial analyses based on procedures described in the "Manual for Detection of Foodborne Pathogens at Outbreaks". Among 135 individuals who had been served the meals, 21 (15.6%) showed symptoms of nausea and vomiting within an hour of consuming the food. Bacillus cereus were isolated from 11 (52.4%) of the 21 patients, one food service employee, one item of cooking ware, and 12 preserved food samples. In addition, we confirmed the toxin genes CER, nheA, and entFM from the isolated B. cereus strains. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis results indicated that all of the isolated B. cereus strains were closely related, with the exception of strains obtained from one patient and one sample of preserved food. These findings provide evidence to indicate that the isolated B. cereus originated from preserved foods and an unhygienic eating environment. This outbreak highlights that the provision of food in non-commercial food systems must be thoroughly managed. In addition, it emphasizes the necessity for the correct and timely identification of causal pathogens for tracing the cause of food poisoning outbreaks, and the need to preserve food under appropriate conditions. To prevent similar cases of food poisoning, it is necessary to investigate cases based on an epidemiological approach and share the findings.

• Industry Promotion Research
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.123-132
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• 2024

The purpose of this study was to improve the understanding of stress coping in the very old and elderly and to improve life satisfaction through stress reduction as the population ages. To this end, this study aimed to test the mediating effect of social support on the relationship between stress coping and life satisfaction among very old people. In particular, we paid attention to the differences in stress coping from the existing elderly population and took the view that they should be studied as an independent group. To confirm this, we analysed 275 men and women aged 85 years and older who responded to the fifth supplementary survey of the National Elderly Security Panel (KReIS) conducted by the National Pension Service. IBM SPSS 26 was used to test the mediating effect of social support on the effect of stress coping measures on life satisfaction in the very old elderly. The results of the significance test of the independent variables on the mediating variable showed that stress coping was positively significant, i.e., the higher the level of stress coping, the higher the life satisfaction. In addition, the results of the significance test of the effects of the independent variables and mediators on the dependent variable showed that coping with stress had a significant effect, and the mediator, social support, also had a significant effect on life satisfaction. Therefore, this study suggests the need for social support to improve the level of life satisfaction through coping with stress in the very old elderly.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.60-66
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• 2024

Purpose: This study investigated changes in interpersonal violence and utilization of trauma recovery services during the COVID-19 pandemic. At an urban level I trauma center, trauma recovery services (TRS) provide education, counseling, peer support, and coordination of rehabilitation and recovery to address social and mental health needs. The COVID-19 pandemic prompted considerable changes in hospital services and increases in interpersonal victimization. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted between September 6, 2018 and December 20, 2020 for 1,908 victim-of-crime patients, including 574 victims of interpersonal violence. Outcomes included length of stay associated with initial TRS presentation, number of subsequent emergency department visits, number of outpatient appointments, and utilization of specific specialties within the year following the initial traumatic event. Results: Patients were primarily female (59.4%), single (80.1%), non-Hispanic (86.7%), and Black (59.2%). The mean age was 33.0 years, and 247 patients (49.2%) presented due to physical assault, 132 (26.3%) due to gunshot wounds, and 76 (15.1%) due to sexual assault. The perpetrators were primarily partners (27.9%) or strangers (23.3%). During the study period, 266 patients (mean, 14.9 patients per month) presented before the declaration of COVID-19 as a national emergency on March 13, 2020, while 236 patients (mean, 25.9 patients per month) presented afterward, representing a 74.6% increase in victim-of-crime patients treated. Interactions with TRS decreased during the COVID-19 period, with an average of 3.0 interactions per patient before COVID-19 versus 1.9 after emergency declaration (P<0.01). Similarly, reductions in length of stay were noted; the pre-COVID-19 average was 3.6 days, compared to 2.1 days post-COVID-19 (P=0.01). Conclusions: While interpersonal violence increased, TRS interactions decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, reflecting interruption of services, COVID-19 precautions, and postponement/cancellation of elective visits. Future direction of hospital policy to enable resource and service delivery to this population, despite internal and external challenges, appears warranted.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.627-637
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• 2023

Background: Damage to the healthy intestinal epithelial layer and regulation of the intestinal immune system, closely interrelated, are considered pivotal parts of the curative treatment for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Plant-based diets and phytochemicals can support the immune microenvironment in the intestinal epithelial barrier for a balanced immune system by improving the intestinal microecological balance and may have therapeutic potential in colitis. However, there have been only a few reports on the therapeutic potential of plant-derived exosome-like nanoparticles (PENs) and the underlying mechanism in colitis. This study aimed to assess the therapeutic effect of PENs from Panax ginseng, ginseng-derived exosome-like nanoparticles (GENs), in a mouse model of IBD, with a focus on the intestinal immune microenvironment. Method: To evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect of GENs on acute colitis, we treated GENs in Caco2 and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) -induced RAW 264.7 macrophages and analyzed the gene expression of proinflammatory cytokines and anti-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10 by real-time PCR (RT-PCR). Furthermore, we further examined bacterial DNA from feces and determined the alteration of gut microbiota composition in DSS-induced colitis mice after administration of GENs through 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis. Result: GENs with low toxicity showed a long-lasting intestinal retention effect for 48 h, which could lead to effective suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α and IL-6 production through inhibition of NF-κB in DSS-induced colitis. As a result, it showed longer colon length and suppressed thickening of the colon wall in the mice treated with GENs. Due to the amelioration of the progression of DSS-induced colitis with GENs treatment, the prolonged survival rate was observed for 17 days compared to 9 days in the PBS-treated group. In the gut microbiota analysis, the ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidota was decreased, which means GENs have therapeutic effectiveness against IBD. Ingesting GENs would be expected to slow colitis progression, strengthen the gut microbiota, and maintain gut homeostasis by preventing bacterial dysbiosis. Conclusion: GENs have a therapeutic effect on colitis through modulation of the intestinal microbiota and immune microenvironment. GENs not only ameliorate the inflammation in the damaged intestine by downregulating pro-inflammatory cytokines but also help balance the microbiota on the intestinal barrier and thereby improve the digestive system.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.49-62
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• 2023

Due to social and cultural changes and the growth of aging people living as a single because of aging, lonely deaths are steadily increasing, and each local government has begun to define them as a social problem. The legal basis began to be established. In order to explore policy measures to prevent lonely deaths, this study examined cases of lonely death prevention policies using smart digital information technology (AI, IOT), which is being promoted by Daegu Metropolitan City to promote non-face-to-face policies to prevent lonely deaths. Policies related to lonely deaths are divided into two axes: lonely death prevention projects and post-excavation support projects. In order to operate these businesses efficiently, the provision of non-face-to-face services through artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things is recognized as a new service delivery system, so the importance and necessity of non-face-to-face services is increasing. It is time that multifaceted changes and preparations are needed, such as establishing a system to expand the non-face-to-face industry at the national level. In order to respond to another national disaster situation in the future, the non-face-to-face smart care system is being expanded in various welfare policies such as preventing lonely deaths. It will have to be activated.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.87-93
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• 2024

Objectives: Obesity is a globally prevalent public health issue. Hence, there is a need for the development of safer and more effective anti-obesity drugs. Lythrum salicaria, a traditional medicinal herb used for centuries, has been reported to improve lipid metabolism and fat accumulation. It also has a low toxicity profile. Therefore, its potential as a functional ingredient in health functional foods needs to be evaluated. Methods: In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, 90 participants will be randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group. Each subject will orally receive L. salicaria extract (1,350 mg/day) (500 mg L. salicaria+850 mg lactose as vehicle) or lactose (1,350 mg/day) as a hard capsule formula for 84 days (12 weeks). The primary outcome will be body fat mass (kg), which will be assessed using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) (performed only at visits 2 and 4). Secondary outcomes include body mass index, body weight, waist-to-hip ratio, body fat percentage (%) measured using DXA, lean body mass (kg) measured using DXA (assessed only at visits 2 and 4), lipids (total cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and calculated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol), free fatty acid, high sensitivity C-reactive protein, adiponectin, and leptin. Conclusions: This protocol will be implemented after approval of Institutional Review Board of Pusan National University Korean Medicine Hospital (approval number: PNUKHIRB-2022-08-002) and registration with the Korean National Clinical Research Information Service (CRIS) (CRIS-KCT0008060). The results of this trial will provide potential of L. salicaria as a new anti-obesity functional food with fat-reducing effects and low toxicity.