• FLOWER RESEARCH JOURNAL
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.68-76
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• 2011

This study was conducted to investigate customer taste related to satisfaction of a baby's first birthday party and re-visit of venues. General characteristics of customers were similar in male and female or the married and the unmarried. Mainstream age of respondents was from in their 20's to 30's. Among them, the number of university graduates were the largest in education level. Theoretical model was composed with seven significant variables of design style and composition and design harmony and color sense for flower decoration, accessibility, facility, service and price, satisfaction, and intention of re-visit based on the result of analysis on these factors. Exploratory factor analysis was performed using SPSS 14.0K. Structural equation modeling(SEM) for simultaneous measure of path coefficient in all casualty of study model, measurement model of AMOS 7.0 for evaluation of validity, and reliability and factor analysis method using technical statistics, frequency analysis, and Cronbach's Alpha for data analysis were used. The result of hypothesis verification showed that design style and composition was the most significant item in satisfaction of parameter and it was followed by design harmony and color sense. While service and price had positive effect on satisfaction, accessibility and facility had no relation to it. It means that the most crucial variable was a flower decoration in planning and representation of the celebration of baby's first birthday. In conclusion, the finding of this study suggests that the effective utilization of these variables will contribute to the enhancement of satisfaction affecting improvement service and price or intention of re-visit.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.259-267
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to examine the inner side of those who raise the children, that is, the mothers, through the satisfaction with the parental roles and the child-rearing stress of them, with a view to emphasize the importance of an alternative for the mothers to cope with child-rearing stress and enhancing their satisfaction level with their role as a parent as well as the importance of social support in order to enhance the quality of rearing. For this purpose, the researcher conducted a survey with 312 mothers with preschool children of age 4 to 7 in Seoul and Gyeonggi Area from October 1, 2018 to October 15, 2018. To analyze the data, the researcher conducted frequency analysis, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, confidence analysis, correlation analysis, structural equation model, and Sobet-test, using SPSS 22.0 and AMOS 22.0. The results of the analyses showed that social support and satisfaction with the parental role were significantly influenced by child-rearing stress, while social support influenced the satisfaction with the parental role significantly. Also, it turned out to have a mediating effect in the relationship between the mother's child-rearing stress and the satisfaction with the parental role. Based on these findings, the study highlights that the social network that is connected with the mothers may function to reduce the negative influence of child-rearing stress on the satisfaction with the parental role when the social network channels appropriate support, tangible assistance, appealing of difficulties, and encouragement.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.57-68
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• 2020

Objective : The aim of present study was to clarify the effect of Areca Semen and Toosendan Fructus Mixture (AT-mix) on chronic reflux esophagitis (CRE) in rats. Methods : The antioxidant activity of AT-mix was measured through DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities in vitro. CRE was induced in SD rats (5 weeks, male) by ligating the border forestomach and granular portion with 2-0 silk and the duodenum near the pyloric portion was covered with 2-mm wide piece of 18-Fr Nélaton catheter. And then rats were treated AT-mix 200 mg/kg one daily for 14 days. The anti-oxidant and inflammatory protein levels were evaluated using western blotting. Results : Gross lesion of esophageal mucosa after AT-mix treatment showed a superior enhancement compared with that of CRE control rats. AT-mix treatment strongly reduced both DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities (DPPH, IC₅₀ 8.15±0.14 ㎍/mL; ABTS, IC₅₀ 24.69±0.03 ㎍/mL, repspectively). Levels of the NADPH oxidase subunit including NOX4 and p22^phox increased in CRE control rats. Otherwise, AT-mix treatment significantly reduced. The activation of Nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) led to significantly the up-regulation of HO-1. The inhibition of IκBα phosphorylation led to NF-κB inactivation. Subsequently, NF-κB inactivation significantly induced the decrease of COX-2, iNOS, TNF-α, and IL-6 protein expressions. Conclusion : Taken together, these results suggest that AT-mix treatment can attenuate the esophageal mucosal ulcer though inhibiting NF-κB pathway and enhancing Nrf2/HO-1 pathway. Thus, the additional mechanism study about AT-mix would need for the development as a safe herbal therapy for CRE.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Navigation and Port Research Conference
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• 2023.11a
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• pp.64-65
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• 2023

The purpose of this study was to assess the current status of cyber security at the Busan Port container terminal and derive strengthening factors through exploratory research. In recent years, the maritime industry has actively adopted Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies, resulting in changes in the form of ports, such as automated and smart terminals. While these changes have brought positive improvements in port efficiency, they have also increased the potential for cyber security incidents and threats, including information leakage through cargo handling equipment and ransomware attacks leading to terminal operations disruption. Especially in the case of ports, cyber security threats can have not only local effects within the port but also physical damage and implications for national security. However, despite the growing cyber security threats within ports, research related to domestic port cyber security remains limited. Therefore, this study aimed to identify factors for enhancing cyber security in ports and derive future enhancement strategies. The study conducted an analysis focusing on the Busan Port container terminal, which is one of the leading ports in South Korea actively adopting Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies, and conducted a survey of stakeholders in the Busan Port container terminal. Subsequently, exploratory factor analysis was used to derive strengthening factors. This study holds significance in providing directions for enhancing cyber security in domestic container ports in the future.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.389-401
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• 2022

Objective: This study aimed to determine a factor for predicting suboptimal image quality of the hepatobiliary phase (HBP) of gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI in patients with extrahepatic bile duct (EHD) cancer before MRI examination. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 259 patients (mean age ± standard deviation: 68.0 ± 8.3 years; 162 male and 97 female) with EHD cancer who underwent gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI between 2011 and 2017. Patients were divided into a primary analysis set (n = 184) and a validation set (n = 75) based on the diagnosis date of January 2014. Two reviewers assigned the functional liver imaging score (FLIS) to reflect the HBP image quality. The FLIS consists of the sum of three HBP features, each scored on a 0-2 scale: liver parenchymal enhancement, biliary excretion, and signal intensity of the portal vein. Patients were classified into low-FLIS (0-3) or high-FLIS (4-6) groups. Multivariable analysis was performed to determine a predictor of low FLIS using serum biochemical and imaging parameters of cholestasis severity. The optimal cutoff value for predicting low FLIS was obtained using receiver operating characteristic analysis, and validation was performed. Results: Of the 259 patients, 140 (54.0%) and 119 (46.0%) were classified into the low-FLIS and high-FLIS groups, respectively. In the primary analysis set, total bilirubin was an independent factor associated with low FLIS (adjusted odds ratio per 1-mg/dL increase, 1.62; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.32-1.98). The optimal cutoff value of total bilirubin for predicting low FLIS was 2.1 mg/dL with a sensitivity of 95.1% (95% CI: 88.9-98.4) and a specificity of 89.0% (95% CI: 80.2-94.9). In the validation set, the total bilirubin cutoff showed a sensitivity of 92.1% (95% CI: 78.6-98.3) and a specificity of 83.8% (95% CI: 68.0-93.8). Conclusion: Serum total bilirubin before acquisition of gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI may help predict suboptimal HBP image quality in patients with EHD cancer.

• Clinical and Experimental Vaccine Research
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.232-241
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• 2024

Purpose: Brucellosis, a zoonotic infectious disease, is a worldwide health issue affecting animals and humans. No effective human vaccine and the complications caused by the use of animal vaccines are among the factors that have prevented the eradication of the disease worldwide. However, bio-engineering technologies have paved the way for designing new targeted and highly efficacious vaccines. In this regard, the study aimed to evaluate immunity induced by mannosylated niosome containing Brucella recombinant trigger factor/Bp26/Omp31 (rTBO) chimeric protein in a mouse model. Materials and Methods: rTBO as chimeric antigen (Ag) was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) and, after purification, loaded on niosome and mannosylated niosome. The characteristics of the nanoparticles were assessed. The mice were immunized using rTBO, niosome, and mannosylated niosome-rTBO in intranasal and intraperitoneal routes. Serum antibodies (immunoglobulin [Ig]A, IgG, IgG1, and IgG2a) and splenocyte cytokines (interferon-gamma, interleukin [IL]-4, and IL-12) were evaluated in immunized mice. Finally, immunized mice were challenged by B. melitensis and B. abortus. A high antibody level was produced by niosomal antigen (Nio-Ag) and mannosylated noisomal antigen (Nio-Man-Ag) compared to the control after 10, 24, and 38 days of immunization. The IgG2a/IgG1 titer ratio for Nio-Man-Ag was 1.2 and 1.1 in intraperitoneal and intranasal methods and lower than one in free Ag and Nio-Ag. Cytokine production was significantly higher in the immunized animal with Ag-loaded nanoparticles than in the negative control group (p<0.05). Moreover, cytokine and antibody levels were significantly higher in the injection than in the inhalation method (p<0.05). Results: The combination of mannosylated noisome and rTBO chimeric proteins stimulate the cellular and humoral immune response and produce cytokines, playing a role in developing the protective acquired immune response in the Brucella infectious model. Also, the intraperitoneal route resulted in a successful enhancement of cytokines production more than intranasal administration. Conclusion: Designing an effective vaccine candidate against Brucella that selectively induces cellular and humoral immune response can be done by selecting a suitable nanoniosome formulation as an immunoadjuvant and recombinant protein as an immune response-stimulating Ag.

• Journal of Korea Technology Innovation Society
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.380-420
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• 2014

We increasingly see the importance of employees acquiring enough expert capability or innovation capability to prepare for ever growing uncertainties in their operation domains. However, despite the above circumstances, there have not been an enough number of researches on how operational input components for employees' innovation outcome, innovation activities such as acquisition, exercise and promotion effort of employee's innovation capability, and their resulting innovation outcome interact with each other. This trend is believed to have been resulted because most of the current researches on innovation focus on the units of country, industry and corporate entity levels but not on an individual corporation's innovation input components, innovation outcome and innovation activities themselves. Therefore, this study intends to avoid the currently prevalent study frames and views on innovation and focus more on the strategic policies required for the enhancement of an organization's innovation capabilities by quantitatively analyzing employees' innovation outcomes and their most suggested relevant innovation activities. The research model that this study deploys offers both linear and structural model on the trio of learning, innovation capability and innovation outcome, and then suggests the 4 relevant hypotheses which are quantitatively tested and analyzed as follows: Hypothesis 1] The different levels of innovation capability produce different innovation outcomes (accepted, p-value = 0.000<0.05). Hypothesis 2] The different amounts of learning time produce different innovation capabilities (rejected, p-value = 0.199, 0.220>0.05). Hypothesis 3] The different amounts of learning time produce different innovation outcomes. (accepted, p-value = 0.000<0.05). Hypothesis 4] the innovation capability acts as a significant parameter in the relationship of the amount of learning time and innovation outcome (structural modeling test). This structural model after the t-tests on Hypotheses 1 through 4 proves that irregular on-the-job training and e-learning directly affects the learning time factor while job experience level, employment period and capability level measurement also directly impacts on the innovation capability factor. Also this hypothesis gets further supported by the fact that the patent time absolutely and directly affects the innovation capability factor rather than the learning time factor. Through the 4 hypotheses, this study proposes as measures to maximize an organization's innovation outcome. firstly, frequent irregular on-the-job training that is based on an e-learning system, secondly, efficient innovation management of employment period, job skill levels, etc through active sponsorship and energization community of practice (CoP) as a form of irregular learning, and thirdly a model of Yί=f(e, i, s, t, w)+${\varepsilon}$ as an innovation outcome function that is soundly based on a smart system of capability level measurement. The innovation outcome function is what this study considers the most appropriate and important reference model.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.324-330
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• 2015

In this study, the anti-diabetic activity of a cold water extract of Korean mistletoe (KME) was investigated in C57BL/6J Lep ob (ob/ob) mice. Oral administration of KME (50 or 100 mg/kg/d) significantly inhibited the level of blood glucose of ob/ob mice after 5 days from the beginning of KME treatment. And the anti-diabetic effect of KME was stabilized 10 days after oral administration, showing a substantial reduction of blood glucose levels by more than 20% as compared with control mice. The results of oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) revealed that oral administration of KME gave rise to a remarkable improvement in overall glucose response. Oral administration of KME in ob/ob diabetic mice also significantly reduced blood total cholesterol (TCHO) and triglyceride (TG) levels compared with the diabetic control mice. Moreover, in an in vitro experiment using C2C12 myotubes, treatment of KME prominently increased glucose uptake. Interestingly, KME significantly increased the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-${\alpha}$ ($PGC-1{\alpha}$), a head regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis and oxidative metabolism, and $PGC-1{\alpha}$-associated genes such as glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT4), estrogen-related receptor-${\alpha}$ ($ERR-{\alpha}$), nuclear respiratory factor-1 (NRF-1), and mitochondrial transcription factor A (TmfA) in C2C12 cells. These results suggest that KME has potential as a novel therapeutic agent for diabetes, and its anti-diabetic activity may be related to the regulation of mitochondrial biogenesis.

• Economic Analysis
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.1-33
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• 2020

Recent discussions about a minimum wage increase (MWI) and its influence on the economy have mainly focused on the quantitative aspects, such as labor costs and employment. However, concerning the qualitative aspects, an MWI could have positive effects by enhancing firm productivity and crowding out marginal firms from the market. These positive effects of an MWI can offset, to some extent, its potential negative effects - increasing labor costs and decreasing employment, among others. In this regard we empirically examine the impact of an MWI on firm productivity (total factor productivity). Using firm level panel data from the manufacturing industry in Korea, we calculate the influence rates of a minimum wage by sector and by firm size (number of workers), and analyze its effects on firm productivity. In particular, the production functions of the firms are estimated by taking into account endogeneity among the input factors, in order to resolve the drawbacks of existing studies - underestimating the capital factor coefficient and overestimating the labor factor coefficient. This study finds that the influences of an MWI on wages, employment, and productivity are substantially different across sectors and firm sizes. While an MWI has shown to have positive influences on productivity growth in the manufacturing industry as a whole, each sector demonstrates a different direction of effect, and the degree of productivity change also varies by sector. The impacts of an MWI on firm productivity are generally estimated to be more negative for smaller firms, but in some sectors the effects are found to be positive. In addition, the wage increases resulting from an MWI seem to cause a productivity enhancement across all sectors in the manufacturing industry. The policy implications of this study are as follows. Considering the empirical findings that an MWI causes an increase in productivity in many sectors of the manufacturing industry, it would be desirable to take into consideration not only the negative side effects but also the positive effects of an MWI when designing any future minimum wage policy. Moreover, in spite of there being a uniform minimum wage, this study finds that the diverse influence rates of a minimum wage across firms have different impacts on wages, employment, and productivity across sectors or firm size. This finding could be conducive to discussions about differentiation among minimum wage schemes by sector or firm size.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.212-227
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• 2000

This study was designed to testify the reliability and validation on the Korean version of the Social Adaptation Self-rating Scale(SASS) which was developed from Bose et al. for the evaluation of social motivation and behavior of depressed patients in 1997. Interests for the social world, those of social functioning, of patients were involved in the addition of new measure of disturbance. And those were distinct from abnormalities of thought, mood and symptoms of patients with major depression. As the previous reports there were several evidences that treatments may be less likely to be effective if the system they act on is dysfunctional. Thus, a better social situation favoured better outcome. As a matter of fact, however, those reports were developed in the course of the evaluation of interpersonal therapy(IPT) and cognitive therapy. Accordingly the conversed question -whether pharmacological therapy with antidepressants can impact on social functioning in addition to addressing the core features of illness- has been addressed. To date, anyhow, it is accepted that enhancement of social functioning may be a therapeutic principle in its own right and illness rarely divorced from social context. In terms of those concepts the introduction of an assessment of social functioning into pharmacotherapeutic studies of depression has been welcomed and might be a potent instrument for evaluating the relative pharmacoeconomic benefits of different treatments. Despite of many scales which were applied for the evaluation of symptoms in the patients with depression, however, the scale for the evaluation of social functiong has not been introduced in Korea yet. Thus, this study was designed to introduce the concepts of social functioning in the patients with depression and to testify the reliability and validation on Korean version of SASS. This Korean version of SASS was submitted to a reliability and validation procedure based on the data from healthy general population survey in 291 individuals and 40 patients with major depression. Cronbach a was 0.790 in total subjects group and the correlation of test-retest was statistically significant(y=0.653, p<0.0l). Thus, the Korean version of SASS might be shown to be valid and reliable. The results of multivariate analyses allowed the identification of 3 principle factors(factor 1 = intersts in social activities, factor 2 = active interpersonal relationship, factor 3 = selfesteem) in normal group, however, it could be counted as only one factor in the depression group because nearly total items of SASS were involved in factor 1. In the view of these results, the Korean version of SASS may be useful additional tool for the evaluation of social functioning in depression.