• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.348-356
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• 2022

Background: Gintonin is a ginseng-derived exogenous G-protein-coupled lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) receptor ligand. Gintonin exerts its neuronal and non-neuronal in vitro and in vivo effects through LPA receptor subtypes. However, it is unknown whether gintonin can bind to the plasma membrane of cells and can transactivate the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor. In the present study, we examined whether gintonin-biotin conjugates directly bound to LPA receptors and transactivated the EGF receptor. Methods: We designed gintonin-biotin conjugates through gintonin biotinylation and examined whether gintonin-biotin conjugate binding sites co-localized with the LPA receptor subtype binding sites. We further examined whether gintonin-biotin transactivated the EGF receptor via LPA receptor regulation via phosphor-EGF and cell migration assays. Results: Gintonin-biotin conjugates elicit [Ca²⁺]_i transient similar to that observed with unbiotinylated gintonin in cultured PC3 cells, suggesting that biotinylation does not affect physiological activity of gintonin. We proved that gintonin-biotin conjugate binding sites co-localized with the LPA1/6 receptor binding sites. Gintonin-biotin binding to the LPA1 receptor transactivates the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor through phosphorylation, while the LPA1/3 receptor antagonist, Ki16425, blocked phosphorylation of the EGF receptor. Additionally, an EGF receptor inhibitor AG1478 blocked gintonin-biotin conjugate-mediated cell migration. Conclusions: We observed the binding between ginseng-derived gintonin and the plasma membrane target proteins corresponding to the LPA1/6 receptor subtypes. Moreover, gintonin transactivated EGF receptors via LPA receptor regulation. Our results suggest that gintonin directly binds to the LPA receptor subtypes and transactivates the EGF receptor. It may explain the molecular basis of ginseng physiology/pharmacology in biological systems.

• Journal of Practical Engineering Education
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.205-217
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• 2022

For high school students in Jeonbuk, this study aims to identify the problems caused by outflow of local youth population and their preference factors to enter university in Seoul-metropolitan area, and to draw out the direction of local human resources program, through questionnaire investigation and focused group interview. The main findings are as follows: First, 68.8% of high school students, especially the top grade students prefer to enter university in metropolitan area. The metropolitan cultural characteristics, such as reputation of universities and ranking, openness and anonymity, and urban infrastructure attract students. Second, there is a close relationship between the individual background, growth area - enrollment area - employment area, and the location dependency without return migration is very strong. Third, local human resources program was evaluated as a meaningful activity for high school students, in order to understand the further education and career, and have an interest in local universities. Therefore, it is necessary to discover industries consistent with local identity, create networks, develop and implement programs considering the actual educational conditions. The gender-free program, supplement program for the integrated curriculum, and contents that to supplement science subjects should be developed. Additionally, this issue could be resolved expanding the perspective of balanced national development and improve the local environment to enhance the urban attraction points.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.63-74
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• 2022

Objectives : Skin aging is generally characterized by wrinkles, sagging, loss of elasticity roughness, pigmentation and dryness. This changes is caused by reducing the elements constituting the extracellular matrix contributing to the physiological properties of the skin, such as collagen fiber, elastic fiber, and hyaluronic acid. Adequate skin hydration is important to maintain normal skin function and reduce skin aging. The present study is objective to observe skin moisturizing effects of Unripe apple(UA, Immature fruit of Malus pumila Mill) in vivo and its underlying molecular mechanisms. Methods : ICR mice were orally administerd UA(100, 200 and 400mg/kg/day) for 8 weeks, and skin water contents and the expression of transforming growth factor (TGF)-𝛽1, ceramide, hyaluronan and collagen type I(COL1) were measured in dorsal back skin of the mice. Gene expression of hyaluronan synthase(HAS1, HAS2, HAS3), collagen synthase(COL1A1, COL1A2) and TGF-𝛽1 were also determined by realtime RT-PCR. Results : Skin water contents and the expression of TGF-𝛽1, ceramide, COL1 and hyaluronan were significantly increased in UA group(100, 200 and 400mg/kg/day) compared to vehicle control. The mRNA expression of HAS isoform(HAS1, HAS2, HAS3), COL1A1, COL1A2, and TGF-𝛽1 were also significantly increased by UA. Conclusions : UA has skin moisturizing effects and enhancement activities in skin function related components(COL1, hyaluronan, ceramide and TGF-𝛽1). These results suggested that UA can be a developing candidate for developing alternative skin protective agent or functional food ingredient.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.163-169
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• 2022

Background: It is estimated that about 13 million artisanal and small-scale miners carry out their activities under harsh, precarious, unfriendly, and risky conditions. Yet, our understanding of the extent to which these workers use personal protective equipment (PPE) and navigate through the various risks and hazards they face is still limited. This article has two main objectives. First, it explores the extent of usage of PPE among artisanal and small-scale miners for the prevention of hazards and risks. Second, it examines the coping strategies used by these miners as a response to experiences of occupational injuries and risks Methods: A cross-sectional survey of small-scale miners was conducted in six communities across three districts in Ghana, West Africa. The mixed methods approach was adopted. A total of 148 small-scale miners participated in the study. Six focus group discussions (FGDs) were held across the six communities. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Chi-square tests were used to analyse the relationship between some socio-demographic characteristics (sex, age, and educational background) and the usage of PPE. Open-ended questions and responses from FGDs were analysed based on the content and verbatim quotations from miners. Results: Findings suggest that 78% of the miners interviewed do not use the appropriate PPE citing reasons such as cost, and their personal discomfort associated with use of PPE. There was no significant relationship between socio-demographic characteristics (i.e., sex, age, education and major mining activity) and the usage of PPE. The study further revealed four main coping strategies used by miners to handle the risks. These are rest, taking unprescribed medication and hard drugs, registration with health insurance scheme and savings and investments. Conclusion: This study shows that very few artisanal miners use PPE despite the significant hazards and risks to which they are exposed. The study recommends to the government to put in place measures to ensure that miners adhere to health and safety regulations before undertaking mining activities. This means that health and safety plans and use of PPE should be linked to the license acquisition process for miners.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.47-53
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• 2022

In this study, the conditions for efficiently extracting polyphenols contained in black tea were optimized. In order to confirm the polyphenol content according to the degree of fermentation, the polyphenol content in black tea of the three fermentation degrees was compared. As the degree of fermentation increased, the polyphenol content increased, and it was confirmed that the theabrownin content, the largest in size, increased significantly. In addition, it was confirmed that the amount of theabrownin extraction increased by about 150% or more compared to other extraction water when extracting using mineral water, which was hard water. The antioxidant effects of black tea extract and the theabrownin was confirmed using ABTS assay. As a result, both extracts had antioxidant effects, and IC₅₀ values were confirmed to be 10.60 ppm and 13.21 ppm, respectively. And also, the anti-inflammatory effect of the theabrownin was confirmed that the mRNA expression of IL-8 increased by UVB irradiation was inhibited in a concentration dependent manner by the theabrownin. In addition, when theabrownin was treated with 10 ppm, the mitochondrial function decreased by UVB irradiation was restored to 86 ± 1.9% compared to the control group. Therefore, we concluded that theabrownin could protect mitochondrial damage caused by UVB irradiation.

• International Journal of Computer Science & Network Security
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• v.22 no.8
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• pp.15-24
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• 2022

The article clarifies the conditions for information, digital and educational accessibility for higher education seekers with disabilities in terms of distance learning caused by quarantine restrictions. It is established that such conditions are regulated by international and Ukrainian legal documents (The Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities, Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Sustainable Development Goals, Law of Ukraine "On Education", Law of Ukraine "On Higher Education", Strategy for the Development of Higher Education in Ukraine 2021-2031, Development Strategy areas of innovation for the period up to 2030, Development strategy of the sphere of innovation activity for the period up to 2030). As a part of information barrierlessness, Higher Education Institutions (HEI) should provide access to information in various formats and using technologies, in particular Braille script, large-type printing, audio description (audio descriptive commenting), sign language interpretation, subtitling, a format suitable for reading by screen access programs, formats of simple speech, easy-to-read formats, means of alternative communication. The experience of Pavlo Tychyna Uman State Pedagogical University is described. In particular, special attention is paid to the study of sign language: in view of this, the initiative group implemented the project "Learning to hear and overcome social isolation together" with the financial support of the British Council in Ukraine. Within the framework of digital accessibility, the official website of the Faculty of Social and Psychological Education has been adapted for the visually impaired in accordance with WCAG 2.0 World Standards. In 2021, Pavlo Tychyna Uman State Pedagogical University implemented the project "Cultural, Recreational and Tourist Cherkasy Region: Inclusive Social 3D Map" funded by the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation; a site with available content for online travel in the region to provide barrier-free access to the historical and cultural heritage of Cherkasy region was created. Educational accessibility is achieved by increasing the number of people with special educational needs, receiving education in inclusive groups; activities of the Center for Social and Educational Integration and Inclusive Rehabilitation Social Tourism "Bez barieriv" ("Without barriers"); implementation of a research topic for financing the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine: "Social and psychological rehabilitation of children and youth with special educational needs by means of inclusive tourism"; implementation of the project "Social inclusion of distance educational process"; development of information campaigns to popularize the ideas of accessibility, the need for its implementation, ongoing training programs and competitions, etc.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Earth Science Education
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.224-234
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• 2022

The purpose of this study was to analyze STEAM elements and convergence types that appeared in the creative and convergent activities in elementary school science textbooks, which were converted from the national issuance system to the authorized system in 2022. For this study, 6 elementary school science textbooks for 3rd and 4th graders were selected. And STEAM elements in creative and convergent activities were analyzed by publishers, grade-semesters, and science fields, and the convergence type was analyzed for each publisher. The results of this study are as follows. First, the total frequencies of STEAM elements and the ratios of each element in the creative and convergent activities of textbooks were different for each publisher. However, among the four elements except for science (S) element in all publishers, the tendency to have a high proportion of art (A) element and a very low proportion of mathematics (M) element was common. Second, the higher the number of fused STEAM elements, the lower the rate of appearance in the textbooks in overall. Also the ratio of convergence types of STEAM elements varied by each publisher. Third, the ratio deviations of art (A), technology (T), and engineering (E) elements for each grade-semester were not large, but the ratio deviation of the mathematics (M) element was large. Fourth, technology (T) and engineering (E) elements appeared a lot in the fields of 'movement and energy' and 'material', while art (A) element appeared a lot in the fields of 'earth and universe', 'life', and 'integration'.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.12
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• pp.1967-1976
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• 2022

Objective: The aim of this study was to characterize the fecal microbiota of broiler chickens reared in the presence of different shades of light-emitting diode (LED) lights, correlating this information with biochemical and molecular evidence that allowed drawing conclusions on the state of health of the animals. Methods: Overall, the metagenomic approach on fecal samples was associated with evaluations on enzymes involved in the cellular response to oxidative stress: glutathione peroxidase (GPX), superoxide dismutase and catalase; while the inflammatory aspect was studied through the dosage of a proinflammatory cytokine, the interleukin 6 (IL-6), and the evaluation of the matrix metalloproteinases 2 (MMP-2) and 9 (MMP-9). Specifically, analysis was performed on distinct groups of chickens respectively raised in the presence of neutral (K = 3,300 to 3,700), cool (K = 5,500 to 6,000), and warm (K = 3,000 to 2,500) LED lightings, and a direct comparison was performed with animals reared with traditional neon lights. Results: The metagenomic analysis highlighted the presence of two most abundant bacterial phyla, the Firmicutes and the Bacteroidetes, with the latter characterized by a greater relative abundance (p<0.05) in the group of animals reared with Neutral LED light. The analysis on the enzymes involved in the antioxidant response showed an effect of the LED light, regardless of the applied shade, of reducing the expression of GPX (p<0.01), although this parameter is not correlated to an effective reduction in the tissue amount of the enzyme. Regarding the inflammatory state, no differences associated with IL-6 and MMP-9 were found; however, is noteworthy the significant reduction of MMP-2 activity in tissue samples obtained from animals subjected to illumination with neutral LED light. Conclusion: This evidence, combined with the metagenomic findings, supports a potential positive effect of neutral LED lighting on animal welfare, although these considerations must be reflected in more targeted biochemical evaluations.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.402-411
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• 2023

This study was conducted to investigate the bactericidal effect of nisin (Nisin) only, atmospheric pressure plasma (APP) only, and a combination of APP and nisin (APP+Nisin)(APP+Nisin) on beef jerky and sliced ham inoculated with Escherichia coli O157:H7, gram-negative bacteria. The bactericidal effect against E. coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes was confirmed using a nisin solution at a concentration of 0-100 ppm, and APP+Nisin was tested on beef jerky and sliced ham using 100 ppm nisin. Beef jerky and sliced ham were treated with APP for 5 min and 9 min, respectively. In the bacterial solution, 100 ppm nisin out of 0-100 ppm nisin exhibited the highest bactericidal activity against L. monocytogenes (gram-positive bacteria; p<0.05); however, it did not exhibit bactericidal effects against E. coli O157:H7 (gram-negative bacteria). The APP+Nisin APP+Nisin exhibited a 100% reduction rate in both E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes compared to the control group, and was more effective than the Nisin. The APP+Nisin decreased the number of colonies formed by 0.80 and 1.96 Log CFU/g for beef jerky and sliced ham, respectively, compared to the control, and exhibited a higher bactericidal effect compared to the Nisin (p<0.05). These results demonstrate the synergistic bactericidal effect of APP and nisin, providing a possible method to improve the limitations of nisin against gram-negative bacteria. In addition, this technology has the potential to be applied to various meats and meat products to control surface microorganisms.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.337-346
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• 2023

Background: Ginsenoside Rb2, a major active component of Panax ginseng, has various physiological activities, including anticancer and anti-inflammatory effects. However, the mechanisms underlying the rejuvenation effect of Rb2 in human skin cells have not been elucidated. Methods: We performed a senescence-associated β-galactosidase staining assay to confirm cellular senescence in human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs). The regulatory effects of Rb2 on autophagy were evaluated by analyzing the expression of autophagy marker proteins, such as microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain (LC) 3 and p62, using immunoblotting. Autophagosome and autolysosome formation was monitored using transmission electron microscopy. Autophagic flux was analyzed using tandem-labeled GFP-RFP-LC3, and lysosomal function was assessed with Lysotracker. We performed RNA sequencing to identify potential target genes related to HDF rejuvenation mediated by Rb2. To verify the functions of the target genes, we silenced them using shRNAs. Results: Rb2 decreased β-galactosidase activity and altered the expression of cell cycle regulatory proteins in senescent HDFs. Rb2 markedly induced the conversion of LC3-I to LC3-II and LC3 puncta. Moreover, Rb2 increased lysosomal function and red puncta in tandem-labeled GFP-RFP-LC3, which indicate that Rb2 promoted autophagic flux. RNA sequencing data showed that the expression of DNA damage-regulated autophagy modulator 2 (DRAM2) was induced by Rb2. In autophagy signaling, Rb2 activated the AMPK-ULK1 pathway and inactivated mTOR. DRAM2 knockdown inhibited autophagy and Rb2-restored cellular senescence. Conclusion: Rb2 reverses cellular senescence by activating autophagy via the AMPK-mTOR pathway and induction of DRAM2, suggesting that Rb2 might have potential value as an antiaging agent.