• Toxicological Research
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.225-232
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• 2019

Thymus vulgaris L. is widely used as an ingredient in cooking and in herbal medicine. However, there is little information about its toxicity. The present study was performed to evaluate the acute and repeated 28-day oral dose toxicity of thyme essential oil in rats. For the acute toxicity test, two groups of three rats were used. The rats received a single dose of essential oil: 300 or 2,000 mg/kg of body weight (bw). The rats were observed individually during the first four hours, and then daily until day 14. For the toxicity test with repeated doses, four groups of 10 rats were used. Doses of 100, 250, and 500 mg/kg/day were tested for 28 days. At the end of the experiment, blood was collected and the animals were sacrificed. Histopathological examination showed that in the lungs of rats given the 2,000 mg/kg bw dose, polymorph nuclear infiltrates, hemosiderin macrophages, and interstitial space thickening were present. In the repeated dose study, all rats survived the 28-day treatment period and apparently showed no signs of toxicity. The hematological and biochemical parameters were not altered. The histopathological study of the organs showed severe changes in the lung, with the dose of 500 mg/kg/day; in the other organs, no alterations were observed or the changes were slight. The body weight was only altered in male rats given the 500 mg/kg dose. The relative weight of the organs did not show any significant changes. Our studies revealed that the essential oil of Thymus vulgaris has moderate oral toxicity according to the results of the acute test, whereas the results of the 28-day oral toxicity test suggest that the no-observed-adverse effect level (NOAEL) is greater than 250 mg/kg/day.

• Food Engineering Progress
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.93-98
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• 2017

The feasibility of incorporating cabbage powder (CP) as a value-added food ingredient into convenient food products was investigated using cookie as a model system. CP was incorporated into cookies at amounts of 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8% (w/w) based on total weight of wheat flour. pH level and moisture content of cookie dough decreased and increased significantly, respectively, with increasing levels of CP (p<0.05), whereas density was not directly affected by levels of CP incorporation. The spread ratio of cookies and their hardness increased significantly while the loss rate decreased significantly with increasing levels of CP (p<0.05). In terms of color, lightness and yellowness decreased while redness increased significantly (p<0.05) with increasing levels of CP. 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging activities were significantly elevated by CP addition, and they increased significantly as CP concentration increased in the formulation (p<0.05). Finally, consumer acceptance test indicated that the higher than 4% of CP incorporation had an adverse effect on general consumer preferences. In contrast, cookies with moderate levels of CP (2%) were recommended based on overall scores to take advantage of the antioxidant properties of CP without sacrificing consumer acceptability.

• Kosin Medical Journal
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.181-190
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• 2018

Objectives: Our school introduced a new curriculum based on faculty-directed, intensive, small-group teaching of clinical skills in the third-year medical students. To examine its effects, we compared the mean scores on an OSCE between the third- and fourth-year medical students. Methods: Third- and fourth-year students did rotations at the same five OSCE stations. They then completed a brief self-reporting questionnaire survey to examine the degree of satisfaction with new curriculum in the third-year students and clinical practice in the fourth-year students, as well as their perception of confidence and preparedness. We analyzed the OSCE data obtained from 158 students, 133 of whom also completed the questionnaire. Results: Mean OSCE scores on the breast examination and wet smear stations were significantly higher in the third-year group (P < 0.001). But mean OSCE scores of motor-sensory examination and lumbar puncture were significantly higher in the fourth-year group (P < 0.05). The mean OSCE scores had no significant correlation with satisfaction. In addition, the self-ratings of confidence had a high degree of correlation with satisfaction with new curriculum (r = 0.673) and clinical practice (r = 0.692). Furthermore, there was a moderate degree of correlation between satisfaction and preparedness in both groups (r = 0.403 and 0.449). Conclusions: There is no significant difference in the effect on the degree of clinical performance and confidence between an intensive-small group teaching and a 1-year clinical practice. If combined, intensive small group teaching and clinical practice would be useful to improve the degree of ability and confidence in medical students.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.66-77
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• 2020

Purpose: The aims of the present study were twofold. First, the research investigated the effect of an individual's risk factors and the prevalence of psychotropic drugs on QTc prolongation, TdP (torsades de pointes), and death. Second, the study compared the risk scoring systems (the Mayo Pro-QT risk score and the Tisadale risk score) on QTc prolongation. Methods: The medical records of intoxicated patients who visited the emergency department between March 2010 and February 2019 were reviewed retrospectively. Among 733 patients, the present study included 426 psychotropic drug-intoxicated patients. The patients were categorized according to the QTc value. The known risk factors of QTc prolongation were examined, and the Mayo Pro-QT risk score and the Tisadale risk score were calculated. The analysis was performed using multiple logistic regression, Spearman correlation, and ROC (receiver operating characteristic). Results: The numbers in the mild to moderate group (male: 470≤QTc<500 ms, female: 480≤QTc<500 ms) and severe group (QTc≥500 ms or increase of QTc at least 60ms from baseline, both sex) were 68 and 95, respectively. TdP did not occur, and the only cause of death was aspiration pneumonia. The statically significant risk factors were multidrug intoxications of TCA (tricyclic antidepressant), atypical antipsychotics, an atypical antidepressant, panic disorder, and hypokalemia. The Tisadale risk score was larger than the Mayo Pro-QT risk score. Conclusion: Multiple psychotropic drugs intoxication (TCA, an atypical antidepressant, and atypical antipsychotics), panic disorder, and hypokalemia have been proven to be the main risk factors of QTc prolongation, which require enhanced attention. The present study showed that the Tisadale score had a stronger correlation and predictive accuracy for QTc prolongation than the Mayo Pro-QT score. As a result, the Tisadale risk score is a crucial assessment tool for psychotropic drug-intoxicated patients in a clinical setting.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.135-142
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• 2020

Objectives : To identify the relationship between somatization, stress, depression, anxiety, and psychological symptoms risk for nurses working in the intensive care unit. Create clinical evidence of psychosomatic medicine research and complement the meaning of somatization. Methods : Seventy of the mental health checkups conducted by the National Mental Health Center among the nurses using tools including Perceived Stress scale, Fatigue Severity Scale, Patient Health questionnaire-15, Korean Beck Depression Inventory, Korean Beck Anxiety Inventory, and Symptom Checklist-90-Revision. Results : 12.9% of the patients experienced more than moderate somatization. There was no statistical relationship between somatization and psychological stress perception, but feeling of anxiety and decreased self-confidence were related to the level of somatization. The group with severe somatization experienced more depression and anxiety. The group with high physical fatigue also had no statistical relationship with psychological stress perception, but had an effect on the feeling of tension, stress, or decreased control. Physical fatigue level was increased by experience of depression, not by anxiety. For psychological symptoms the higher the level of somatization, the higher the obsession and hostility was explored. In the linear regression model, stress, depression, and anxiety accounted for 39.3% of somatization and 16.1% of physical fatigue symptoms. Conclusions : We can estimate the decrease in stress cognitive symptoms, accompanying depression and anxiety, compulsion and hostility as characteristics of somatization. The causal relationship between somatization and psychological symptoms cannot be confirmed in this study, but the interrelationships are observed, can be referred to mediation strategies.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.509-519
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• 2021

This study was conducted in order to acquire useful information regarding the resilience of childcare educators amidst an emergency pandemic to adjust their job stress, job burnout, and turnover intention. A questionnaire was conducted for analysis from August 19th to the 30th in 2020 and 201 responses ended up being used for analysis. The analysis results revealed that job stress, job burnout, and turnover intention of childcare educators were low while resilience was high and it was acknowledged that all of them mostly differed according to the types of personal traits. Although the job stress of childcare educators had a positive (+) influence on job burnout at a statistically significant level, it turns out that job stress does not have an influential relationship with turnover intention. Furthermore, the emotion regulation ability, impulse control, and active conductivity among resilience displayed a moderating effect in the relationship between job stress and job burnout. Amidst an emergency pandemic known as the COVID-19 virus, it has been confirmed that job stress and turnover intention of childcare educators deteriorated, and the prominent reason for this was identified as the difficulty in carrying out smooth job performances. Accordingly, measures to strengthen resilience such as countermeasures against quarantine-based job stress and turnover intent, daily management over job burnout and resilience, as well as counseling or programs based on self-focused attention have been suggested.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.397-404
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• 2021

This study examined how different types of remote video lectures, which universities are using in earnest now due to the COVID-19 pandemic, impact the academic achievement of learners. Zoom-based remote video lectures were divided into two types-general lecture-centered and group task-oriented-and experimental and control groups were set up accordingly. An achievement test and a questionnaire were conducted to determine how academic achievement differed between these two approaches. The achievement test revealed no significant differences in achievement scores between the two groups. Meanwhile, the questionnaire regarding satisfaction with Zoom-based video lectures indicated that both groups were highly satisfied. Participants in the general lecture-centered type group cited the effect of learning, their instructors' class preparation and attitudes towards the class, and the promotion of participation in learning activities as the causes of their satisfaction, while participants in the task-oriented type group highlighted communication and sharing, the efficiency of group discussions, and the moderate difficulty level of group tasks as the reasons for their satisfaction with the video lectures. Remote video lectures in the untact era are becoming increasingly common, and educators will need to develop various Zoom-based teaching strategies to maximize their efficiency.

• 한국노년학
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.33-49
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• 2020

This study was conducted to examine the latent classes in social exclusion and to analyse empirically the effects on the economic instability of old age by this type. And it also sought to look at whether the influence of old age anxiety varies with the subjective class consciousness of the elderly. Using the 14th data from the Korea General Social Survey (KGSS) in 2016, 1,041 adult males and females aged 18 years old were analyzed at the time of the survey. T-test, potential layer analysis (LCA), and multinomantic analysis of potential groups were conducted using the STATA14 and MPLUS 7 statistical programs. Finally, multi-regression analysis was performed to identify the moderate effect and effects among variables. According to the research, the types of social exclusion were three groups, followed by social exclusion group (49.3%), Multi-dimensional exclusion group (30.9%), and active social participation group (19.7%). The social exclusion group has the lowest possibility of economic, employment, and health exclusion, but the exclusion of formal and informal social activities seem to prominent, and the multi-dimensional exclusion group is more than 50% likely to experience exclusion in all areas. Active social participation are characterized by very active participation in informal social activities. By conducting multinominal logistic regression, it was observed that the social exclusion group included more young people than other groups, and that the multi-dimensional exclusion group included many elderly women without spouses. Finally, multiple regression analysis showed that social exclusion type interacts with subjective class consciousness and affects economic anxiety of old age.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.64 no.4
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• pp.800-811
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• 2022

The integration of metabolomics and transcriptomics may elucidate the correlation between the genotypic and phenotypic patterns in organisms. In equine physiology, various metabolite levels vary during exercise, which may be correlated with a modified gene expression pattern of related genes. Integrated metabolomic and transcriptomic studies in horses have not been conducted to date. The objective of this study was to detect the effect of moderate exercise on the metabolomic and transcriptomic levels in horses. In this study, using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, we analyzed the concentrations of metabolites in muscle and plasma; we also determined the gene expression patterns of branched chain (alpha) keto acid dehydrogenase kinase complex (BCKDK), which encodes the key regulatory enzymes in branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) catabolism, in two breeds of horses, Thoroughbred and Jeju, at different time intervals. The concentrations of metabolites in muscle and plasma were measured by ¹H NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) spectroscopy, and the relative metabolite levels before and after exercise in the two samples were compared. Subsequently, multivariate data analysis based on the metabolic profiles was performed using orthogonal partial least square discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA), and variable important plots and t-test were used for basic statistical analysis. The stress-induced expression patterns of BCKDK genes in horse muscle-derived cells were examined using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) to gain insight into the role of transcript in response to exercise stress. In this study, we found higher concentrations of aspartate, leucine, isoleucine, and lysine in the skeletal muscle of Jeju horses than in Thoroughbred horses. In plasma, compared with Jeju horses, Thoroughbred horses had higher levels of alanine and methionine before exercise; whereas post-exercise, lysine levels were increased. Gene expression analysis revealed a decreased expression level of BCKDK in the post-exercise period in Thoroughbred horses.

• Korean Journal of Exercise Nutrition
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.30-37
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• 2020

[Purpose] The present study investigated the effect of endurance exercise with blood flow restriction (BFR) performed at either 25% maximal oxygen uptake (${\dot{V}}O_2$ max) or 40% ${\dot{V}}O_2$ max) on muscle oxygenation, energy metabolism, and endocrine responses. [Methods] Ten males were recruited in the present study. The subjects performed three trials: (1) endurance exercise at 40% ${\dot{V}}O_2$ max without BFR (NBFR40), (2) endurance exercise at 25% ${\dot{V}}O_2$ max with BFR (BFR25), and (3) endurance exercise at 40% ${\dot{V}}O_2$ max with BFR (BFR40). The exercises were performed for 15 min during which the pedaling frequency was set at 70 rpm. In BFR25 and BFR40, 2 min of pressure phase (equivalent to 160 mmHg) followed by 1 min of release phase were repeated five times (5 × 3 min) throughout 15 minutes of exercise. During exercise, muscle oxygenation and concentration of respiratory gases were measured. The blood samples were collected before exercise, immediately after 15 min of exercise, and at 15, 30, and 60 minutes after completion of exercise. [Results] Deoxygenated hemoglobin (deoxy-Hb) level during exercise was significantly higher with BFR25 and BFR40 than that with NBFR40. BFR40 showed significantly higher total-hemoglobin (total-Hb) than NBFR40 during 2 min of pressure phase. Moreover, exercise-induced lactate elevation and pH reduction were significantly augmented in BFR40, with concomitant increase in serum cortisol concentration after exercise. Carbohydrate (CHO) oxidation was significantly higher with BFR40 than that with NBFR40 and BFR25, whereas fat oxidation was lower with BFR40. [Conclusion] Deoxy-Hb and total Hb levels were significantly increased during 15 min of pedaling exercise in BFR25 and BFR40, indicating augmented local hypoxia and blood volume (blood perfusion) in the muscle. Moreover, low-and moderate-intensity exercise with BFR facilitated CHO oxidation.