• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.561-569
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• 2021

Diabetic nephropathy is a major and representative complication of type 2 diabetes. Hyperglycemia increases the incidence of diabetic nephropathy, and induces kidney inflammation, thereby causing renal fibrosis, which is an important factor in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy. This study investigated the effects of blackcurrant extract (BLC), which has been implicated in diabetic nephropathy in db/db mice, on glomerular fibrosis and renal dysfunction. The results showed that BLC consumption in type 2 diabetic db/db mice ameliorated diabetes-related metabolic disorders, such as insulin resistance and renal dysfunction, and significantly attenuated renal inflammation and renal fibrosis in diabetic nephropathy. In conclusion, these findings suggest that BLC consumption may help prevent renal fibrosis, inflammation, and consequent diabetic nephropathy.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.324-338
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• 2021

Background: We hypothesized that the growing demand of Korean workers for work-life balance would change the factors influencing job satisfaction. We sought to verify our hypothesis by conducting a conjoint analysis based on the Korean Working Conditions Survey (KWCS). Methods: We analyzed the raw data of the KWCS, conducted by the Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute from 2006 to 2017. To complete the analysis, we counted on a conjoint model of analysis, typically used in the analysis of customer satisfaction. The dependent variable was the satisfaction of workers with their working conditions, and the independent variables were the job quality indicators identified by Eurofound. Results: The factors that have the greatest impact on working conditions satisfaction are summarized as follows: "physical environment" for the first wave, "adverse social behavior" for the second wave, "occupational status" for the third and fourth waves, and "management quality" for the fifth wave. "Earnings" were not a major factor in determining employee job satisfaction, and the relative importance index is decreasing. Conclusion: According to the results of the analysis of the tendencies of Korean workers, the factors that affect the satisfaction with the working conditions have changed over time. It is crucial to identify factors that affect working conditions to assure the health and productivity of workers. The results of this study demonstrate that policymakers and employers are required to attentively consider human relations and social environment at work to improve working conditions in the future.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.64 no.6
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• pp.873-881
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• 2021

Objective : Peripheral nerve injuries occur mostly as a result of mechanical trauma. Due to the microvascular deterioration in peripheral nerve damage, it becomes challenging to remove free oxygen radicals. Gallic acid is a powerful antioxidant with anti-inflammatory effects and a free radical scavenger. The purpose of the study is to show that gallic acid contributes to the restorative effect in mechanical nerve damage, considering its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Methods : Thirty male Sprague Dawley albino mature rats were included in the study. Ten of them constituted the control group, 10 out of 20 rats for which sciatic nerve damage was caused, constituted the saline group, and 10 formed the gallic acid group. Post-treatment motor functions, histological, immunohistochemical, and biochemical parameters of the rats were evaluated. Results : Compared to the surgery+saline group, lower compound muscle action potential (CMAP) latency, higher CMAP amplitude, and higher inclined plane test values were found in the surgery+gallic acid group. Similarly, a higher nerve growth factor (NGF) percentage, a higher number of axons, and a lower percentage of fibrosis scores were observed in the surgery+gallic acid group. Finally, lower tissue malondialdehyde (MDA) and higher heat shock protein-70 (HSP-70) values were determined in the surgery+gallic acid group. Conclusion : Gallic acid positively affects peripheral nerve injury healing due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. It has been thought that gallic acid can be used as a supportive treatment in peripheral nerve damage.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.706-718
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to identify the relationship between experience marketing using makeup services and theme park users' satisfaction, loyalty, and revisit intention. This is because it can identify the usefulness of makeup services and provide implications for effective field marketing strategies. In order to achieve the purpose, 668 users of the theme park were surveyed after convenience screening as research participants. The main theme was the makeup service for visitors to Lotte world, Everland, and Hapcheon Ghost theme park. this study reviewed previous studies and applied them to the makeup service. Based on this, the research model and the hypothesis were established, and as part of the empirical research, the hypothesis was verified through analysis methods such as frequency analysis, reliability verification, factor analysis, and structural equation modeling. The summary of the research results based on empirical analysis is as follows. First, as a result of analyzing experience marketing using makeup services has a positive impact on the satisfaction of customers using theme parks. Second, experience marketing using makeup services has a positive effect on customer loyalty. Third, experience marketing using makeup services has a positive effect on intention to return. Fourth, satisfaction and loyalty were found to affect the intention to return. Based on this research, we hope that the makeup service as experiential marketing can be effectively applied in various fields, and that the research can be used as basic data to make the makeup service into the representative cultural contents marketing.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.165-175
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• 2021

As the advent of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and Information Age, companies are in the state of infinite competition due to the rapidly changing technological environment and fierce competition. In this situation companies are making efforts to gain the competitive advantage by introducing information systems. Supply Chain Management (SCM) is considered a method to gain a competitive edge in rapid change. In fact, companies that already have introduced the SCM system are achieving company renovation with positive effects such as increase of sales stock reduction on-time delivery cost reduction and improved efficiency. This study was started to investigate the resistance that occurs in introducing the SCM system for small and medium-sized manufacturing industries that have not yet introduced the SCM system despite the importance of the SCM system, and to check the effect on the intention of the introduction. As the result of this study, the first is that the company has the higher technological innovation, the more positive the effect on Relative advantage Compatibility Perceived risk, Complexity. Second, The compatibility of the SCM system was rejected in innovation resistance, but it is adopted with the highest impact in the introduction intention. In addition, the mediating effect of innovation resistance was also rejected, confirming that if the SCM system is compatible for the company, it doesn't affect the resistance and is the biggest factor to consider in the introduction of the SCM system. Third, the perceived risk of the SCM system doesn't directly affect the intention to introduce, but has an indirect effect when mediation innovation resistance.

• Journal of Korean Library and Information Science Society
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.157-175
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to investigate the service quality of special libraries using Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA) method. This study also applied the working year factor to IPA model for establishing more improved library service strategies. A total 127 library users who work in governmental policy or research institutions in South Korea participated in this study. This study conducted regression analysis to compare with the results of IPA. The results of survey revealed that special library users had high expectation for library services, but they perceived the performance of the library service as insufficient. Special library users assessed that the information services of libraries were well provided but required additional efforts in services related with space and provided by librarian. Interestingly, when the library services were measured by working years, special library users who have worked for more than eight years were generally satisfied with library services with no "possible overkill" services, but users with less than three years working experience particularly expressed dissatisfaction with the service provided by librarians. The results of regression analysis supported the results of IPA. Finally, this study provides several important suggestions for better special library service.

• BMB Reports
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• v.54 no.10
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• pp.528-533
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• 2021

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative disorder that can result in the loss of articular cartilage. No effective treatment against OA is currently available. Thus, interest in natural health products to relieve OA symptoms is increasing. However, their qualities such as efficacy, toxicity, and mechanism are poorly understood. In this study, we determined the efficacy of avenanthramide (Avn)-C extracted from oats as a promising candidate to prevent OA progression and its mechanism of action to prevent the expression of matrix-metalloproteinases (MMPs) in OA pathogenesis. Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), a proinflammatory cytokine as a main causing factor of cartilage destruction, was used to induce OA-like condition of chondrocytes in vitro. Avn-C restrained IL-1β-mediated expression and activity of MMPs, such as MMP-3, -12, and -13 in mouse articular chondrocytes. Moreover, Avn-C alleviated cartilage destruction in experimental OA mouse model induced by destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) surgery. However, Avn-C did not affect the expression of inflammatory mediators (Ptgs2 and Nos) or anabolic factors (Col2a1, Aggrecan, and Sox9), although expression levels of these genes were upregulated or downregulated by IL-1β, respectively. The inhibition of MMP expression by Avn-C in articular chondrocytes was mediated by p38 kinase and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling, but not by ERK or NF-κB. Interestingly, Avn-C added with SB203580 and SP600125 as specific inhibitors of p38 kinase and JNK, respectively, enhanced its inhibitory effect on the expression of MMPs in IL-1β treated chondrocytes. Taken together, these results suggest that Avn-C is an effective candidate to prevent OA progression and a natural health product to relieve OA pathogenesis.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.199-215
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• 2020

Purpose - This article tries to test if the conditional consumption capital asset pricing model (CCAPM) with bank credit for household as a conditional variable can explain the cross-sectional variation of stock returns in Korea. The performance of conditional CCAPM is compared to that of multifactor asset pricing models based on Arbitrage Pricing Theory. Design/methodology/approach - This paper extends the simple CCAPM to the conditional version of CCAPM by using bank credit for household as conditioning information. By employing KOSPI and KOSDAQ stocks as test assets from the second quarter of 2003 to the first quarter of 2018, this paper estimates risk premiums of conditional CCAPM and a variety of multifactor linear models such as Fama-French three and five-factor models. The significance of risk factors and the adjusted coefficient of determination are the basis for the comparison in models' performances. Findings - First, the paper finds that conditional CCAPM with bank credit performs as well as the multifactor linear models from Arbitrage Pricing theory on 25 test assets sorted by size and book-to-market. When using long-term consumption growth, the conditional CCAPM explains the cross-sectional variation of stock returns far better than multifactor models. Not only that, although the performances of multifactor models decrease on 75 test assets, conditional CCAPM's performance is well maintained. Research implications or Originality - This paper proposes bank credit for household as a conditional variable for CCAPM. This enables CCAPM, one of the most famous economic asset pricing models, to conform with the empirical data. In light of this, we can now explain the cross-sectional variation of stock returns from an economic perspective: Asset's riskiness is determined by its correlation with consumption growth conditional on bank credit for household.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.89-98
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• 2021

The seagrass habitats are a highly productive marine ecosystem which provides nursery ground and shelter for many fish and invertebrate species. Pholis nebulosa (Temminck & Schlegel, 1845) is one of the most abundant seagrass fishes in the coastal waters of Korea. The estimation of fish production is key for devising conservation measures and ensuring fish resources sustainability. A total 894 P. nebulosa ranging from 3.83 to 26.5 cm total length (TL) were collected monthly in 2006 with a small beam trawl in a seagrass bed of southern Korea. Growth parameters of P. nebulosa were estimated using the von Bertalanffy growth model, and production was estimated using a general equation which relates daily fish production to ash-free dry weight (AFDW), biomass, and water temperature. The von Bertalanffy's growth equation was estimated as: L_t = 28.3823(1-e^{-0.7835(t+0.9864)}). The densities, biomass, daily, annual production, and P/B ratio were 0.069±0.061/m^-2, 1.022±0.621 g/m², 0.005±0.004 g AFDW/m²/day, 1.676 g AFDW/m²/yr, and 1.641, respectively. Monthly variation in production of P. nebulosa peaked during March and April 2006 (0.0139 and 0.0111 g AFDW/m²/day), whereas the lowest value of 0.0005 g AFDW/m²/day was in December. Monthly change in production of P. nebulosa was positively correlated with biomass and condition factor. Our results will contribute to the conservation of seagrass ecosystems, which are still undisturbed in the study area.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.217-225
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• 2021

Neuropathic pain (NP) that contributes to the comorbidity between pain and depression is a clinical dilemma. Neuroinflammatory responses are known to have potentially important roles in the initiation of NP and depressive mood. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of paeoniflorin (PF) on NP-induced depression-like behaviors by targeting the hippocampal neuroinflammation through the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway. We used a murine model of NP caused by unilateral sciatic nerve cuffing (Cuff). PF was injected intraperitoneally once a day for a total of 14 days. Pain and depression-like behavior changes were evaluated via behavioral tests. Pathological changes in the hippocampus of mice were observed by H&E staining. The levels of proinflammatory cytokines in the hippocampus were detected using ELISA. Activated microglia were measured by immunohistochemical staining. The TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway-associated protein expression in the hippocampus was detected by western blotting. We found that the PF could significantly alleviate Cuff-induced hyperalgesia and depressive behaviors, lessen the pathological damage to the hippocampal cell, reduce proinflammatory cytokines levels, and inhibit microglial over-activation. Furthermore, PF downregulated the expression levels of TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway-related proteins in the hippocampus. These results indicate that PF is an effective drug for improving the comorbidity between NP and depression.