• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• v.63 no.2
• /
• pp.211-247
• /
• 2021

Livestock species experience several stresses, particularly weaning, transportation, overproduction, crowding, temperature, and diseases in their life. Heat stress (HS) is one of the most stressors, which is encountered in livestock production systems throughout the world, especially in the tropical regions and is likely to be intensified due to global rise in environmental temperature. The gut has emerged as one of the major target organs affected by HS. The alpha- and beta-diversity of gut microbiota composition are altered due to heat exposure to animals with greater colonization of pathogenic microbiota groups. HS also induces several changes in the gut including damages of microstructures of the mucosal epithelia, increased oxidative insults, reduced immunity, and increased permeability of the gut to toxins and pathogens. Vulnerability of the intestinal barrier integrity leads to invasion of pathogenic microbes and translocation of antigens to the blood circulations, which ultimately may cause systematic inflammations and immune responses. Moreover, digestion of nutrients in the guts may be impaired due to reduced enzymatic activity in the digesta, reduced surface areas for absorption and injury to the mucosal structure and altered expressions of the nutrient transport proteins and genes. The systematic hormonal changes due to HS along with alterations in immune and inflammatory responses often cause reduced feed intake and production performance in livestock and poultry. The altered microbiome likely orchestrates to the hosts for various relevant biological phenomena occurring in the body, but the exact mechanisms how functional communications occur between the microbiota and HS responses are yet to be elucidated. This review aims to discuss the effects of HS on microbiota composition, mucosal structure, oxidant-antioxidant balance mechanism, immunity, and barrier integrity in the gut, and production performance of farm animals along with the dietary ameliorations of HS. Also, this review attempts to explain the mechanisms how these biological responses are affected by HS.

• Advances in environmental research
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.17-41
• /
• 2021

Kazakhstan's cities experience high concentrations levels of atmospheric particulate matter (PM), which is well-known for its highly detrimental effect on the human health. A further increase in PM concentrations in the future could lead to a higher air pollution-caused morbidity and mortality, causing an increase in healthcare expenditures by the government. However, to prevent elevated PM concentrations in the future, more stringent standards could be implemented by lowering current maximum allowable PM concentration limit to Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)'s limits. Therefore, this study aims to find out what impact this change in environmental policy towards PM has on state economy in the long run. Future PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations were estimated using multiple linear regression based on gross regional product (GRP) and population growth parameters. Dose-response model was based on World Health Organization's approach for the identification of mortality, morbidity and healthcare costs due to air pollution. Analysis of concentrations revealed that only 6 out of 21 cities of Kazakhstan did not exceed the EU limit on PM10 concentration. Changing environmental standards resulted in the 71.7% decrease in mortality and 77% decrease in morbidity cases in all cities compared to the case without changes in environmental policy. Moreover, the cost of morbidity and mortality associated with air pollution decreased by $669 million in 2030 and $2183 million in 2050 in case of implementation of OECD standards. Thus, changing environmental regulations will be beneficial in terms of both of mortality reduction and state budget saving.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
• /
• v.32 no.2
• /
• pp.162-174
• /
• 2021

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore the changed parenting experiences of mothers of elementary school kids living in the aftermath of the COVID-19 outbreak in Korea. Methods: From July to August in 2020, 10 mothers parenting elementary school students under the COVID-19 were interviewed in depth. For data analysis, a phenomenological research methodology suggested by Colaizzi was used. Results: According to the analysis, the experiences of mothers consisted of four categories: the 'pain from the uncontrollable COVID-19', 'the problem of family relations due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation', 'standing firm against the drastic changes', and 'accepting the world changed by the COVID-19'. Conclusion: The findings in this study vividly represent the parenting experiences of mothers of elementary school students after the outbreak of COVID-19. As the pandemic persists, mothers parenting elementary school students feel complex emotions and experience exhaustion, but in the process, they found family members growing positively and trying to adjust to each other to overcome the crisis. To support positive adaptation to catastrophic situations, an institutional and political foundation is needed to develop a systematic crisis management program customized for mothers and families of elementary school students. The results of this study can be used as basic data when establishing national policies and support systems so that mothers parenting elementary school students can better adapt to and overcome crisis situations.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
• /
• v.12 no.4
• /
• pp.143-157
• /
• 2022

The aim of this study is to design Spudsville, an immersive game environment in Minecraft that can effectively help learners acquire the English language. To create a successful learning experience using Minecraft, the researchers adopted the Agile Model and the Design Thinking approach. The researchers first conducted an analysis through an extensive literature review in order to assess the learners' needs. Afterwards, they designed and developed a Minecraft world based on the data collected during the analysis phase. The researchers learned that implementing constructivist and behaviorist approaches has benefits, even though applying a cognitivist-learning model to Spudsville could have provided the researchers with more insight on how learner processes information. Making these adjustments could improve Spudsville's effectiveness and could potentially help the ways in which gamified learning aids with language acquisition.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
• /
• v.19 no.11
• /
• pp.463-470
• /
• 2021

Due to natural and human factors, dunhuang frescoes in China have gradually degenerated. China has conducted digital transformation of frescoes since 1990. However, it requires expensive research costs. Most of the visitors passively accept transformation contents and lack subjective participation. The paper focuses on produces a prototype of Dunhuang frescoes on the CoSpaces EDU. It was implemented as a metaverse through procedures such as transforming the cave into 3D, mapping images to the cave model and developing CoBlocks. The research puts forward a more specific methodology without expensive costs of development. The paper makes it easier to realize the immersive and interactive virtual Dunhuang frescoes world, to improve the tourism contents and educational effect. This research carries on the statistics to the product result which develops according to the user experience of 100 different ages, has obtained the good feedback. The research results need to be improved is to strengthen the processing of graphic details. Therefore, Optimization and improvement of the result will be carried out in the future research.

• Journal of Internet of Things and Convergence
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.49-54
• /
• 2022

Immersive contents is content that provides a realistic experience by maximizing the user's five senses, and includes virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality. In order to provide a sense of reality to users in immersive content, it is necessary to provide realistic visual images, hearing, and touch. However, due to the rapid change in the environment for developing immersive content, experts in training human resources are having difficulties in designing the curriculum. In this study, we propose a series of educational courses that use drones to acquire and process real-world measurement data and apply the derived data to VR, AR, and MR to help experts in training immersive content develop talent. The design of training process composes through demand survey and analysis of companies, students, and local communities. This study can be a useful resource for education experts who want to train immersive contents manpower.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
• /
• v.20 no.4
• /
• pp.565-573
• /
• 2022

This study aims to analyze the preference factors of the Korean MZ generation with regards to the online programs developed by museums abroad during the COVID-19 pandemic. World renown museums such as the British Museum, the National Gallery of London, Van Gogh Museum, J. Paul Getty Museum, Hasting Contemporary, Uffizi Gallery, and the Guggenheim Museum tackled the social-distancing situation with various creative online programs and events to continue their role as socially relevant institutions. Ten acclaimed programs conducted by these museums were shown to the Korean MZ generation, the most digitally savvy and frequent visitors to museums, to extract their responses to the various types of programs. The study showed that the Korean MZ generation prefer online programs which most closely reflect the onsite experience of a museum, and online contents with educational elements.

• Journal of Naturopathy
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.71-76
• /
• 2021

Background: The understanding of back-pain as one of the commonest clinical presentations, made the path to the present study. More than three-quarters of the world's population experience back-pain at some time in their lives Purpose: The present study has evaluated the selected Naturopathic therapeutic procedures on individuals with low back-pain. Methods: Thirteen patients were selected for the study and randomly divided into two groups, viz., Group A, Naturopathic group and Group B, Control group. One patient discontinued. Naturopathic group was treated with mud pack, aromatherapy massage with Eucalyptus oil, acupressure, steam, wet trunk pack, exercises, relaxation and breathing exercises. Advice for life style and diet was given for patients of both the groups. The effect of the therapy was assessed subjectively and objectively. Particular scores drawn for Naturopathic group and control group were individually analyzed before and after treatment and the values were compared using standard statistical protocols. Results: Naturopathic intervention revealed 100% relief in both subjective and objective parameters (i.e., 6 out of 14 parameters showed statistically highly significant P < 0.01 results, while 8 showed significant results P < 0.05). Conclusion: Statistically highly significant results of this study point out the successful management of the multi factorial low back-pain with a multi focused Naturopathic treatment approach. Such encouraging results may pave the way for a future study on a large sample in a longer duration incorporating clinical investigations.

• Korean Journal of Audiology
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.80-88
• /
• 2021

Background and Objectives: Non-linear frequency compression (NLFC) technology compresses and shifts higher frequencies into a lower frequency area that has better residual hearing. Because consonants are uttered in the high-frequency area, NLFC could provide better speech understanding. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical effectiveness of NLFC technology on the perception of speech and music in patients with high-frequency hearing loss. Subjects and Methods: Twelve participants with high-frequency hearing loss were tested in a counter-balanced order, and had two weeks of daily experience with NLFC set on/off prior to testing. Performance was repeatedly evaluated with consonant tests in quiet and noise environments, speech perception in noise, music perception and acceptableness of sound quality rating tasks. Additionally, two questionnaires (the Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit and the Korean version of the International Outcome Inventory-Hearing Aids) were administered. Results: Consonant and speech perception improved with hearing aids (NLFC on/off conditions), but there was no significant difference between NLFC on and off states. Music perception performances revealed no notable difference among unaided and NLFC on and off states. The benefits and satisfaction ratings between NLFC on and off conditions were also not significantly different, based on questionnaires, however great individual variability preferences were noted. Conclusions: Speech perception as well as music perception both in quiet and noise environments was similar between NLFC on and off states, indicating that real world benefits from NLFC technology may be limited in Korean adult hearing aid users.

• Electronics and Telecommunications Trends
• /
• v.36 no.2
• /
• pp.43-55
• /
• 2021

National and social issues are becoming increasingly common, but traditional policy-making methods are no longer effective. Therefore, evidence-based policy making is emerging as an alternative paradigm. Digital twin technology is one of the digital support tools for the new data-driven policy-making process. This study presents ongoing government experiments in the world where digital twin technology is applied to policy making and describes our experience in developing digital twin platforms in Sejong-the de facto administrative capital of South Korea.