Photosynthetic characteristics and growth responses of Phalaenopsis Queen Beer ‘Mantefon’ orchid were determined in plants exposed to variable carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations at 2-, 24-, and 36-weeks age (i.e., corresponding to juvenile, young, and mature vegetative growth stages, respectively). Plants were grown at 400 (control), 800, or 1,600 μmol･mol-1 CO2 for 6 hours during the nighttime for 32 weeks. Phalaenopsis ‘Mantefon’ in 2- and 24-week-old plants grown at 1,600 μmol･mol-1 CO2 had increased leaf number and net CO2 uptake compared with the plants grown at 400 μmol･mol-1 CO2. In 36-week-old of Phalaenopsis ‘Mantefon’, leaf number was significantly greater in plant grown at 800 and 1,600 μmol･mol-1 conditions compared with plants grown at 400 μmol･mol-1 CO2. Leaves that emerged after the start of the CO2 treatment were initially longer in the plants grown at 1,600 μmol･mol-1 CO2 than at 400 μmol·mol-1 C O2, but the final leaf length was shortest in the plants grown at 1,600 μmol･mol-1 CO2 condition. Plants showed crassulancean acid metabolism characteristic of nighttime CO2 uptake regardless plant growth stages. We found that growers may be able to promote leaf growth with increasing leaf number and reducing time to leaf initiation in the 36-week-old (i.e., mature stage) plants with 800 – 1,600 μmol·mol-1 CO2 and 2- and 24-week-old (i.e., juvenile and young stages) plants with 1,600 μmol·mol-1 C O2 for Phalaenopsis ‘Mantefon’.

The number of healthy older adults is rapidly increasing recently owing to the increase of the elderly population. Therefore, programs for improving the cognitive functions of these healthy seniors are actively being expanded. This study aimed to prevent the decline of cognitive function due to aging by applying a program enhancing cognitive functions to healthy older adults. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of Korean computer-based cognitive rehabilitation program (CoTras), which is commonly used in cognitive therapy for the aging, on the memory of the elderly. The subjects had scored at least 24 points in MMSE-K. CoTras was applied once a week (30 minutes) for one month. Electronic pegboard programs were used as an evaluation tool: order memory (difficulty=low) and location memory (difficulty=medium). The order and location memories were compared before and after the intervention. The Wilcoxon signed rank-sum test was used for the study at the significance level of α=.05. The results showed that CoTras significantly improved order memory and location memory. Therefore, CoTras can be applied to the healthy elderly for improving that memory improvement training has a positive impact on healthy older adults result in the development of memory enhancement programs can be expanded in the future.

Japanese pine sawyer beetle, Monochamus alternatus Hope (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) is considered as a serious pest in pine trees. To develop an eco-friendly strategy to manage this forest insect, we collected entomopathogenic fungi from Korean soil and assessed their virulence against the adults of the insect in laboratory conditions. As a result, two isolates with conidial suspension (1.0×107conidia/ml), showed 87% and 90% mortality 12 days after fungal treatment, respectively. We assessed the potential of the fungi-derived destruxin and protease as additives to the fungal isolates, and they showed insecticidal activity via feeding and spraying treatments. Finally, we produced fungal conidia in massive solid cultures and formulated wettable powders, and now studying optimal conditions of oil-based formulation with two isolates. Based on these results, we are evaluating the control efficacy of the fungal agents against M. alternatus in field conditions.

Morphological differences in multi-layered graphene flakes or graphene nanoplatelets prepared by oxidative (rGO-NP, reduced graphene oxide-nanoplatelets) and non-oxidative (GIC-NP, graphite intercalation compound-nanoplatelets) routes were investigated with various analytical methods. Both types of NPs have similar specific surface areas but very different structural differences. Therefore, this study proposes an effective and simple method to identify structural differences in graphene-like allotropes. The adsorptive potential peaks of rGO-NP attained by the density functional theory method were found to be more scattered over the basal and non-basal regions than those of GIC-NP. Raman spectra and high resolution TEM images showed more distinctive crystallographic defects in the rGO-NP than in the GIC-NP. Because the R-ratio values of the edge and basal plane of the sample were maintained and relatively similar in the rGO-NP (0.944 for edge & 1.026 for basal), the discrepancy between those values in the GIC-NP were found to be much greater (0.918 for edge & 0.164 for basal). The electrical conductivity results showed a remarkable gap between the rGO-NP and GIC-NP attributed to their inherent morphological and crystallographic properties.

This study used both kinesiotaping and extracorporeal shock wave therapy on patients diagnosed with frozen shoulder - a common musculoskeletal disorder in adults - in order to observe the effects on the joint range of motion. 21 adult(male 12, female 9) were selected and distributed into randomized groups. One group received kinesiotaping (n=10) and the other group received kinesiotaping together with extracorporeal shockwave therapy (n=11). After a 6 week duration of receiving kinesiotaping and extracorporeal shockwave therapy, changes in the joint range of motion in the patients were observed. Post-treatment of frozen shoulder, the changes in abduction within the shoulder joint were as follows: in both groups there was a noticeable increase in the joint range of motion (p<.05). Post-treatment of frozen shoulder, the changes in external rotation within the shoulder joint were as follows: both groups showed a significant increase in the joint range of motion (p<.05). The result of suggest that, it can be inferred that both the extracorporeal shockwave therapy and kinesiotaping are effective in increasing the joint range of motion in patients with frozen shoulder.

Isotropic pitch-based fibers produced from coal tar pitch with the melt-blowing method were carbonized at temperatures ranging from 800 to 1600oC to investigate their crystalline structure and physical properties as a function of the carbonization temperature. The in-plane crystallite size (La) of the carbonized pitch fiber from X-ray diffraction increased monotonously by increasing the carbonization temperature resulting in a gradual increase in the electrical conductivity from 169 to 3800 S/cm. However, the variation in the d002 spacing and stacking height of the crystallite (Lc) showed that the structural order perpendicular to the graphene planes got worse in carbonization temperatures from 800 to 1200oC probably due to randomization through the process of gas evolution; however, structural ordering eventually occurred at around 1400oC. For the carbonized pitch powder without stabilization, structural ordering perpendicular to the graphene planes occurred at around 800–900oC indicating that oxygen was inserted during the stabilization process. Additionally, the shear stress that occurred during the melt-blowing process might interfere with the crystallization of the CPF.

This neurological damage accelerates the infection reaction of cells and apoptosis at the time of reperfusion after ischemia occurs. BCL-2/BCL-2 allogeneic begeminum has a function of suppressing the apoptosis of cells, and thus it is inferred that the susceptibility of cells to apoptosis is determined by the amount of allogeneic begeminum present which is determined based on the amount of BAX. Ischemia was induced in SD mice by occluding the common carotid artery for 5 minutes, after which blood was re-perfused. NEES was applied to acupuncture points, at 12, 24, and 48 hours post-ischemia on the joksamri, Hapgok. Protein expression was investigated through BAX antibody immuno-reactive cells in the cerebral nerve cells and Western blotting. The results were as follows: In the present study as well, as a result of observation of the change in the number of the BAX reaction cells after the inducement of GI, there was the aspect of most of the BAX reaction cells being observed in the corpus striatum area of the GI group 24 hours after the inducement of ischemia. This revealed the same results as those of previous studies in which the change in the number of BAX reaction cells occurred in all areas while ischemia was in progress. The change in the expression of BAX protein after 24 hours showed that there was a very significant reduction in the NEES group compared to the GI group (p<.01). As a result, a greatest amount of change in the number of BAX immunoreactive cells related to apoptosis 24 hours after ischemia appeared in the NEES group. This study that ischemia increases the expression of BAX that induces apoptosis. Thus, it is determined that ischemia is the main cause of the apoptosis of neurons, and this study reveals that low frequency needle electrode electrical stimulation has the effect of blocking the apoptosis of neurons by reducing protein related to the apoptosis of cells that has increased after ischemia has occurred.

Insect is an important player in the ecosystem as a prey for animals. Moreover, they are a valuable candidate food source for rearing animal. Tenebrio molitor (Coeloptera: Tenebrionidae) larvae are known as a good food source with high protein, unsaturated fatty acid, minerals. Therefore, it has strong potential to substitute the conventional meat consumption. To utilize T. molitor as a feed, the standard mass-rearing protocol is required. To make standard mass-rearing protocol, we tested different temperature(17.5, 20, 22.5, 25, 27.5 and 30°C) conditions for egg, larvae, pupae and adult T. molitor to identify the optimal rearing condition. Hatching was occurred within 15~32.5°C range. However, 17.5~27.5°C was required to get more than 70 % hatching rete. When the eggs were treated in 22.5~27.5°C, all eggs were hatched within 10 days. As larval development, shorter developmental period, higher pupation and eclosion rates were observed within 25~27.5°C temperature range. In addition, we compared the number of egg, oviposition duration and time required to start egg-laying. The minimum egg-laying(258.40±10.86) was observed at 17.5°C, but the maximum(749.10±7.45) was at 27.5°C. The maximum oviposition duration (137.00±12.73 day (mean±S.D.)) was achieved at 27.5°C, but the minimum (87.50±3.54 day (mean±S.D.)) was at 30°C. The time required to start egg-laying was less than 10 days at 17.5, 27.5, and 30°C. To consider all the factors, we concluded that the optimal temperature is 27.5 °C.

This study was conducted to examine the occurrence characteristics of pine trees infected by pine wood nematode in Gyeongsangbuk-do, Korea. Based on the GPS coordinate data of the infected trees at Yeongdeok-gun from 2013 to 2014 and at Andong-si in 2014, nearest neighbor analysis was conducted to analyze nearest distance between the infected trees. And the influence of geographical factors such as altitude, slope, and the distance from the road on the position of infected trees were identified. Our results showed that over 60% of the newly infected trees were found within 50m of the trees infected in previous year. Over 70% of infected trees occurred below 100m altitude in Yoeongdeok-gun whereas less 32% of total pine trees distributed below the altitude. 98% of the infected trees and 74% of total pine trees in Andong-si were found between 150 and 300m altitude, and altitudinal distribution of the infected trees was similar to that of pine forests. Only less 5% of infected trees found in the forests located below 5 degree of slope in Yeongdeok-gun whereas 18% of total pine trees existed in the areas. Over 50% of infected trees in the forests located from 10 to 20 degree of slope, and 47% of total pine trees were found in the forests located from 5 to 15 degree of slope. Most infected trees and total pine trees were found in the forests located below 15 degree of slope in Andong-si. Over 80% of the infected trees occurred within 1km of road in both study areas.

‘Well-being’ is an important trend and issue that requires consumers to be satisfied with various functional fabrics; subsequently, functional fabrics that are highly sensible, functional, and environmentally friendly have a competitive edge (O’Mahony & Braddock, 2002; Hui, Lau & Ng, 2004). Recent interest in environmental protection due to global warming has led to various energy reduction campaigns. Fabric research has focused on developing cool summer fabrics and warm winter fabrics. The selection of a correct textile material is important to form a pleasant clothing climate. New fabric development requires new measurement methods. Warm/cool touch is a major factor that influences thermal clothing comfort. Current measurements of warm/cool touch is mainly assessed by Q-max using Thermo-LaboⅡ. The potential of using an infrared thermography camera (widely used because of its relatively cheap price) on warm/cool touch research has increased because it can visually show changes in clothing surface temperature. Skin temperature is a factor that influences heat exchange between the body and environment. It also indicates the effectiveness of the heat transfer process. It is an important standard to evaluate thermal comfort in thermal physiology. The techniques to measure skin temperature have been investigated to find more accurate data (Min, Chung, Sung, Jeon, & Kim, 2001). A thermometer is generally used to measure body temperature; however, there are some difficulties to accurately measure skin temperature using a thermometer. First, skin temperature was determined by only a few points on the body. Second, heat occurs during exercising due to fabric and thermometer friction that creates difficulties for the accurate measurement of skin temperature. A previous study by Choi & Lee (2008) indicated that it would be possible to evaluate the thermal properties of clothing using infrared thermal images. This study used a garment with different triacetate and PET high absorbance quick dry filament blending ratios and chose three healthy female subjects in their twenties to evaluate wear comfort sensations. They walked at 3.3 km/h for 20 minutes under conditions of 29±2℃ and 75±5% R.H. Subjective assessments of wear coolness, microclimate, and the thermogram image under the clothing were measured before and after exercising. We compared the results of the microclimate and subjective assessments with the results of the thermogram analyses. Clothing, high blended with triacetate, had a small average temperature difference as indicated by infrared thermal image. This result corresponded to subjective thermal sensation, microclimate humidity, and subjective wear comfort.

Clothing comfort indicates the comfortableness of the in varying environmental situations while wearing specific clothing. Various factors affect clothing comfort such as skin moisture perception and heat transmission characteristics via clothing; however, cool and warm touch are the most important factors (Kwon, Yi, & Sung,1999; Hong & Kim, 2007; Manshahia & Das, 2014). The thermal comfort of clothing is perceived through sensory receptors on the skin surface and is highly related to a cool and warm touch. An infrared thermography camera detects infrared-ray-form energy, a type of electromagnetic wave radiated from the subject's surface that assesses the intensity of radiant heat. The changing intensity then presents a real-time infrared thermal distribution using various colors. The advantages of an infrared thermography camera are the ability to use a non-contacting method to measure temperature distribution and analyze temperatures. Therefore, an infrared thermography camera is widely used in material characteristic assessment, boiler heat distribution analysis, process control, and building insulation assessments that indicate system deficiencies. This technique has also recently been used in human-body-related temperature measurements with potential for application to medical fields that include breast cancer examinations, joint muscle disorders, and body reactions under specific conditions. The most significant advantage of infrared thermography cameras to evaluate heat conductivity according to wearing conditions are its inexpensive price, ease-of-use and visual representation of surface heat dispersion on clothing that maintains body temperature and helps dissipate sweat(B. Lee, Hong, & Y. Lee, 2010; Lee, K. Hong, & S. A. Hong, 2007). This technique is also used in a quantitative analysis of thermal sensation when wearing clothes (Choi & Lee, 2008). This study helps develop a method to evaluate the warm feeling of fabrics using an infrared thermal image of a small test specimen. An infrared thermal image helped develop5 types of fabrics for heat storage fabric; consequently, the average temperature difference of the human palm when the fabric is on or off was used for the scale of the fabrics’ warm feeling. The relationshipbetween this average temperature difference on the palm surface Qmax, and warmth keep-ability rate was examined. Fabric had a significant average temperature difference in the infrared thermal image with alow Qmax value and was evaluated with high values in the warmth keep-ability rate. Infrared thermography camera was shown to be effective in the fabric's warm feeling evaluation.

The purpose of the present study is to provide exercises, together with music, that are helpful for elderly people’s balancing ability, and to determine their effects in order to provide data for the promotion of elderly persons’health. Thirty elderly persons were randomly assigned to a balance training group(BTG) of 15 subjects, or a music and balance training group (music therapy + balance training [MTBTG]) of 15 subjects; intervention was implemented three times per week for six weeks. To measure the changes in their balancing ability before and after the experiment, the limit of stability, the“Timed Up and Go”(TUG) test, and the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) were measured. Changes in the limit of stability before and after the experiment were shown to be significant in both the BTG and the MTBTG. Changes in the limit of stability of the right side before and after the experiment showed statistically significant differences between the BTG and the MTBTG. Changes in the TUG test and the BBS before and after the experiment were shown to be statistically significant in both the BTG and the MTBTG. The application of music during balance training thus is considered to have a positive effect on elderly persons’balancing ability.

The cerebellum is known to control balance, equilibrium, and muscle tone. If the cerebellum becomes damaged, the body is unable to retain its balancing functions or involuntary muscle movement. This is why, in stroke patients, there is a high risk of functional disability, as well as a myriad of other disabilities secondary to stroke. Ischemia was induced in SD mice by occluding the common carotid artery for 5 minutes, after which blood was reperfused. Needle electrode electrical stimulation(NEES) was applied to acupuncture points, at 12, 24, and 48 hours post-ischemia on the joksamri. Protein expression was investigated through caspase-3 antibody immuno-reactive cells in the cerebral nerve cells and Western blotting. The results were as follows: The number of caspase-3 reactive cells in the corpus cerebellum 12 and 24 hours post-ischemia was significantly (p<.05) smaller in the NEES group compared to the GI group. caspase-3 expression 12 and 24 hours post-ischemia was significantly(p<.05) smaller in the NEES group compared to the GI group. Based on these results, NEES seems to have a significant effect on Caspase-3 in the cerebellum in an ischemic state at 12 and 24 hours post ischemia, NEES delays the occurrence of early stage apoptosis-inducing Caspase-3, delaying and inhibiting apoptosis. Further systematic studies will have to be conducted in relation to the application of this study’s results on stroke patients.