• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2024

When situated in green landscapes, water bodies play a crucial role in positively influencing mood and mental health, yet research on the cognitive mechanisms underlying these therapeutic effects is lacking. This study is intended to examine differences in brain function among adult males exposed to forest landscapes with or without water bodies. The wooded landscapes included views of a waterfall, a valley, and a forest without water. The control group was exposed to a local urban landscape. Twelve adult males participated in a field experiment in which prefrontal cortex (PFC) activity was measured using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). In the experiment, participants engaged in low-intensity walking in three forested areas with similar vegetation and climatic conditions. Participants showed significant differences in left PFC activity depending on whether they were in the three forested landscapes or in the control landscape (P < 0.01). An analysis of variance (ANOVA) confirmed that significantly lower left PFC activity was recorded in the wooded landscape containing a water view . Notably, the lowest PFC values recorded in the landscape with a waterfall view suggest that landscapes with dynamic water flow may be associated with greater therapeutic benefits in terms of PFC activity than static landscapes. Our results underscore that water is a critical aspect of a landscape due to its therapeutic benefits and should be incorporated in the planning and design of green spaces for health promotion.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.109-125
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• 2016

Human life has been inextricably linked with healing. Recently, as the demands of healing are higher, it is more necessary to study spaces, places and mobilities related to healing in geographical studies. This paper draws on a case study of urban peoples walks along Seoul City Wall to explore what healing factors affect the people walking along historical landscapes in urban center and understand geographical implications of the healing process. Based on the concept and analytical lens of 'therapeutic mobilities' introduced by Gatrell, this research analyzes texts written on 181 blogs. The results show the main factors that affect their healing are 'weather climate', 'walk stroll', and 'nightscape'. Futhermore, the blogs' narratives focusing on these main factors imply healing place-making, time as limiting factor, and the social body within nightscape in the healing process.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.143-166
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• 2016

This study aims to consider spiritual therapeutic landscapes thought the case of catholic sacred places in Korea. The catholic sacred places, which have been a series of persecution, are distributed in 300 all over the country and can be divided into a formational type, a selective type, and a participatory type. In the formational type, the catholic sculptures are scattered here and there; but it seems that there are limits somewhat to feel the emotional stability and the experience of caring by God. Because the formational type is deserted or is built up in unnoticeable urban areas. The religious factors, for example, museums, special pray, Station of the Cross, Rosary way, statues of the Virgin Mary, catholic sculptures, etc. in the selective type are placed in the corners of the catholic sacred places to provide the opportunity of holy experience to pilgrims. But the level and the intensity of healing depends on the matter as to how much pilgrims experience religious factors voluntarily. Lastly, the participatory type means the experience of various religious factors following scheduled programs. The experience is for the group of pilgrims, not a person; and the human relationship via the religious experience spiritualizes the network of interest towards other participants. Furthermore, the spiritualized open mind towards other people becomes the power that can arrive at the emotional stability, the relief of stress, and the in-depth and authentic healing. Ultimately, the spiritual healing through religious factors is to realize human finitude and dedicate one's own self to God; in addition, the spiritual therapeutic landscapes are the place that can carry out such a spiritual ritual without any restraint.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.506-514
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• 2018

The transcriptional regulation of genes determines the fate of animal cell differentiation and subsequent organ development. With the recent progress in genome-wide technologies, the genomic landscapes of enhancers have been broadly explored in mammalian genomes, which led to the discovery of novel specific subsets of enhancers, termed super-enhancers. Super-enhancers are large clusters of enhancers covering the long region of regulatory DNA and are densely occupied by transcription factors, active histone marks, and co-activators. Accumulating evidence points to the critical role that super-enhancers play in cell type-specific development and differentiation, as well as in the development of various diseases. Here, I provide a comprehensive description of the optimal approach for identifying functional units of super-enhancers and their unique chromatin features in normal development and in diseases, including cancers. I also review the recent updated knowledge on novel approaches of targeting super-enhancers for the treatment of specific diseases, such as small-molecule inhibitors and potential gene therapy. This review will provide perspectives on using super-enhancers as biomarkers to develop novel disease diagnostic tools and establish new directions in clinical therapeutic strategies.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.97 no.6
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• pp.634-640
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• 2008

The purpose of this study is to clarify the physiological effects of Shinrin-yoku (taking in the atmosphere of the forest of forest bathing). The subjects were twelve male university students ($21.6{\pm}2.1$ years old). On the first day, six subjects were sent to a forest area, and the others to a city area. On the second day, the subjects were sent to the opposite areas for a cross check. The subjects were seated on chairs and viewing the landscapes of their given areas for 15 minutes. HRV (Heart Rate Variability) and diastolic blood pressure were used as physiological indices. Diastolic blood pressure and LF/(LF+HF) components of HRV in the forest area were significantly lower than in the city area. And HF power components of HRV in the forest settings were significantly enhanced than in city settings. In conclusion, the results of the physiological measurements show that Shinrin-yoku was able to effectively relax people in both mind and body.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.414-427
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• 2023

Implantable bioabsorbable combination products undergo inherent degradation and systemic absorption within the physiological environment, thereby streamlining the therapeutic regimen and obviating the imperative for invasive extraction procedures. This inherent property not only enhances patient convenience and therapeutic efficacy but also underpins a paradigm of support characterized by heightened safety parameters. Within the regulatory landscapes of Korea, the United States, and Europe, implantable bioabsorbable combination products are meticulously classified into distinct categories, either as pharmaceutical implants or as implantable medical devices, depending on their primary mode of action. This scholarly investigation systematically examines the regulatory frameworks governing implantable bioabsorbable combination products in South Korea, the United States, and Europe. Notable discrepancies across national jurisdictions emerge concerning regulatory specifics, including terminology, product classification, and product name associated with these products. The conspicuous absence of standardized approval regulations presents a formidable barrier to the commercialization of these advanced medical devices. This academic discourse passionately emphasizes the critical need for formulating and implementing a sophisticated regulatory framework capable of streamlining the product approval process, thereby paving the way for a seamless path to commercializing implantable bioabsorbable combination products.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.529-552
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• 2016

The purpose of this study is to examine the matter as to how the meaning of the physical therapeutic landscape by water, which is associated with physical, cultural, spatial, and economical aspects, appears in the space centering on women and is to look into the feminine factors in term of a rest area, consideration, and imagery for women. From a perspective of a rest area for women, the meaning of a physical aspect is remarkable and is materialized in thermal waters and bathing, atmosphere, subsidiary facilities and safe nightlife. According to these phenomena, female visitors are able to feel freedom, power, which can return themselves to the best condition by thermal waters, therapeutic equipments provided in a watering place continuously, safe protection and exchange with strangers with an open mind. And the cultural aspect of the therapeutic landscape by water is discovered in consideration for women. It is the fact that joins the Japanese culture based on consideration towards others to the traditional culture of hot springs by itself. For example, women can feel various pleasure, experience the protection or the support by someone and pursuit not only physical beauty but also mental or spiritual one through welcome bus, service of Okami san and Nakai san, decorations, funny installments and secure of private space. Lastly, the imagery of women can be identified in cultural, spatial, and economical aspects extensively somewhat and is embodied by advertising mediums, signs of hot springs, shrines, objets and products variously. It is made into healthiness, relaxation, comfort, familiarity and image that are realized to love or are connected to a happy marriage life. To sum up the results, the healing or therapeutic elements for women appearing in hot springs are gathered to some abstraction such as freedom, safe, effect beyond the body, pleasure, durability of healing or therapy, beauty and hope; furthermore, if these abstraction are combined each other closely, the effect of healing or therapy, which transforms anxiety into a stable condition, can be exposed externally.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.68-76
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• 2013

Effortful directed attention becomes fatigued if it is demanded by environment. Kaplan and Kaplan's Attention Restoration Theory (ART) proposes that the fatigued directed attention can be restored by a restorative landscape. The four restorative components are being away, fascination, extent, and compatibility. The restorative effect of landscape has been mainly investigated in terms of nature vs. urban dichotomy, although ART acknowledges that various types of landscapes can induce restorative effect. The purpose of this study is to examine whether sense of place of landscape has an influence on the restorative effect, and how the effect relates to the visiting experience. This study was performed in An-Ap-Ji with 200 Korean visitors who participated in the questionnaire survey. Hartig et al.'s PRS (Perceived Restorativeness Scale) was used as the research instrument to measure the restorative quality. The Analysis results are summarized as: 1) PRS was a very reliable measurement for Koreans' assessment of traditional landscape. Especially, the factor analysis produced four restorative components which fully supported ART. 2) The sense of place of landscape was found to have a positive influence on the restorative effect. 3) Landscape beauty was also discovered to be influential in the restoration even though the effect of beauty was lower than that of the sense of place. 4) Among the four restorative components, three components (fascination, escape, compatibility) influenced both visiting satisfaction and revisit intention, where the order of the relevant importance was fascination, escape, and compatibility. Based on the results, it was suggested that PRS should be used in landscape restoration research in Korea in order to re-examine its' reliability. It was also proposed that more research should be directed to investigate the relationship between the sense of place and the restorative effect of landscape.