While the number of women labor force in Malaysia is increasing, only a few of them make it to the top. For many reasons, some women turn down top position offer and some of them refuse to stay working. Commitment to the family, work-life conflict and lack of support from the family and the colleagues are among issues that caused women to have less interest to pursue career advancement. This article examines the role of work-life balance and its relationship to women career advancement, and why both are important in Malaysia. The arguments are arranged based on a review of the previous literature to conceptualize the relationship between work-life balance and career advancement. It is found that both work-life balance and women career advancement are important to retain women in the working world as well as to motivate them to pursue promotion to a higher position. Even though some researchers agreed that the relationship between work-life balance and career advancement is mostly negative, others found positive relationship between both constructs. At the end of the paper, some suggestions on how to improve work-life balance and career advancement are presented as well as suggestion for future research.

Purpose: We examined the mediating role of physical self-worth in the relationship between physical activity and quality of life in Korean adolescents. Methods: Data from 236 middle school students were used for the present study (boys = 139, 58.9%; girls = 97, 41.1%; middle school first grade = 127, 53.8%; middle school third grade = 109, 46.2%). Questionnaire data on demographics, physical activity, physical self-worth, subdimnesions of quality of life, and global quality of life were collected. We utilized the Hayes’ (2013) PROCESS Macro to test mediation models. Results: Results revealed that physical activity was associated with physical self-worth, which in turn, was associated with subdimensions of quality of life (e.g., physical, psychological, and emotion and moods quality of life) and global quality of life. Conclusion: More physical activity led to higher perceptions of physical self-worth, thereby contributing to higher perceptions of quality of life. Implications and directions for future research were discussed.

본 연구는 기상학적 및 수문학적 가뭄지수를 이용하여 가뭄사상의 첨두 심도 발생시점과 가뭄발생 기간에 대한 연구를 수행하였다. 연구를 수행하기 위해 사용한 가뭄지수로 기상학적 가뭄지수는 표준강수지수(Standardized Precipitation Index, SPI)를 사용하였으며, 수문학적 가뭄지수로는 하천가뭄지수(Streamflow Drought Index, SDI)와 표준하천유량지수(Standardized Streamflow Index, SSI)를 이용하였다. 연구 대상지역은 농촌과 도시가 공존하는 청미천 유역을 선택하였으며, 평가기간은 1985년 1월부터 2017년 6월까지 32.5년을 평가하였다 하천유량은 SWAT 모형을 이용하여 산정하였다. 수집한 데이터를 이용하여 가뭄지수를 산정한 후에 시계열을 토대로 가뭄의 특성을 분석하였다. 그 결과 수문학적 가뭄은 기상학적 가뭄이 발생한 후에 발생하는 것을 확인할 수 있다. SDI가 SSI보다 SPI와의 첨두 발생시점, 가뭄 시작일의 차이와 평균 가뭄기간이 더 크게 나지만, 가뭄지수의 심도를 비교해보면 일반적으로 SSI가 SDI 보다 심각한 심도를 나타내고 있다. 그러므로 가뭄의 특성을 확인하기 위해서는 기상학적, 수문학적 가뭄지수 등 다양한 가뭄지수를 검토해야 한다.

본 연구에서는 집속초음파에 의한 하지정맥류 치료에서 치료의 효율과 안전성을 높이기 위한 영상유도 알고리즘을 제안하고자 하였다. 하지정맥류가 발생한 위치에 따라 영상 유도 기법을 달리하여 알고리즘을 수립 하였다. 심부성 하지정맥류의 경우는 획득된 초음파영상에서 혈관의 가로 단면 영상을 추출하고 혈관중심부의 목표영역을 표시하도록 하였으며, 표재성 하지정맥류의 경우에는 인체의 표재정맥에서 획득한 CCD 카메라 영상에서 혈관 영역을 분리한 영상을 기반으로 한 영상 유도 시스템을 제작하고 하지정맥류 진행 정도에 따라 각기 다른 알고리즘을 설계 하였다. 실험결과 초음파 영상 기반의 알고리즘은 전체적으로 최대 830 ㎛ 정도의 낮은 오차를 보였으나 CCD 영상 기반의 알고리즘은 일부 데이터에서 최대 8.3 mm 정도의 오차를 보였다. 이에 표재성 하지정맥류 영상 유도 알고리즘에 대해서는 추가적인 연구가 필요할 것으로 예상되며 이후 간단한 시스템을 구성함으로써 혈관 추적의 정확도를 평가할 필요성이 있을 것으로 예상된다.

비침습적 치료 효과에 대한 기대로 집속 초음파를 이용한 하지정맥류 치료에 대한 많은 연구가 진행되고 있다. 본 연구에서는 초음파 정맥류 정맥 치료 효과 평가에 적용할 수 있는 생체 조직 팬텀과 조직 등가 팬텀을 제시 하였다. 제작된 팬텀은 음향학적 특징과 초음파 조사에 따른 수축률을 평가함으로써 유용성을 평가하였다. 하지정맥류가 발생하는 조직의 구조를 고려하여 피부, 지방, 근육의 세 층으로 된 다층 구조 팬텀을 제작하였으며, 각 층을 구성하는 물질은 인체와 유사한 특성을 갖도록 제작하였다. 또한 혈관 유사물질을 매식한 다층 구조 팬텀과 동물 혈관을 이용한 다층 구조 팬텀, 동물 조직을 이용한 다층 구조 팬텀을 제작하였으며, 초음파 조사에 따른 혈관 유사 물질 및 혈관 조직의 수축 정도를 B-mode 영상을 이용하여 평가하였다. 본 연구의 결과를 통하여 제시된 팬텀이 초음파 하지정맥류 치료 평가에 유효하게 활용될 수 있을 것으로 판단되었다. 또한, 집속 초음파를 이용한 하지정맥류 치료 장비 개발 및 치료 효과 검증에 중요한 역할을 할 것으로 판단된다.

의료의 과학화로 인해 고가의료장비를 이용한 의료서비스 공급이 증가하고 있다. 의학 정보의 대중화로 의료소비자들의 의학적 지식수준 및 의료기관 선택능력의 향상으로 높은 수준의 의료서비스가 요구되고 있다. 이처럼 의료소비자들이 의료기관을 대하는 태도가 바뀌면서 의료기관들 역시 고객 만족도 향상을 위한 인식의 변화가 필요하다. 이에 본 연구는 의료서비스의 의식구조 변화를 지향하기 위해 PET/CT의 효용성에 대한 의학적 지식 유무에 따라 의료서비스만족도 차이를 분석하였다. 연구 결과 의료소비자 자신의 질병과 PET/CT의 효용성에 대한 의학적 지식이 있는 사람이 진료만족과 환경만족 모두 높게 나타났다. 따라서, 의료기관에서는 형식적인 의료서비스 제공이 아닌 의료소비자의 의학적 지식에 대한 지각 변화를 파악하여 의학 정보를 제공하는 실질적인 의료서비스 대응책이 필요할 것이다.

The objective of this study was to identify the anti-oxidation, astringent, and inhibition effects of wild Ligularia fischeri on hyaluronidase and angiotensin conerting enzyme (ACE). In order to identify the total phenolic compound (TPC), various solvents were used for extraction showing hot water extract with the highest value of 14.42 GAE mg/g. In addition, ABTS radical scavenging activity measurements revealed an anti-oxdiation effect of 98.64-99.84% a hot water extract concentration of 50-200 μg/mL and a radical scavenging activity of 95.14-98.96% at a 60% ethanol extract content. If expressed in antioxidant protection factors (PF), the hot water extract showed 0.59-1.02 PF and the 60% ethanol sample displayed 0.30-0.74 PF. To identify the bio-activity effect, the hyaluronidase inhibition effect was determined as 4.66-35.00% in a 50-200 μg/mL hot water extract. Considering ACE inhibition effect, the hot water extract and 60% ethanol sample showed 0-64.24% and 46.12-69.64% inhibition effect, respectively. Lastly, when taking into account the astringent effect, the hot water extract with 50-200 μg/mL TPC concentration showed 15.68-26.92% and the 60% ethanol sample with an equal concentration exhibited 49.48-86.84%, which indicates the possibility to apply this product as a cosmetic source for pore contraction. Therefore, wild Ligularia fischeri extract can be used for anti-inflammation, high-blood pressure prevention, and as a source for health functional food with anti-oxidative properties.

Dendropanax morbifera Leveille (Araliaceae) is an endemic species growing in the south-western part of South Korea that has been used in folk medicine and health functional food. In this study, we investigated an extract of quercetin in Jeju D. morbifera by varying different parts (fruit, sprouts, leaves, sprigs, and branches), harvest times, and extraction solvents. In addition, we aimed to establish a simple and reliable HPLC/UV analytical method to determination of quercetin for the quality control and base line data of the Jeju D. morbifera extract as a health functional food ingredient. The analytical specificity was determined with retention time and photo diode array (PDA) spectrum by analyzing quercetin using HPLC and comparing the results to those of extracts. This analytical method for quercetin was validated for its limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantitation (LOQ), precision, and accuracy. A high linearity in the standard calibration curve was obtained, with a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.9996. Also, the LOD and LOQ values were found to be 0.28 μg/mL and 0.85 μg/mL, respectively, and the recoveries of quantified compounds ranged from 97.91% to 104.10%. Furthermore, the relative standard deviation (RSD) values of data from the intra- and inter-day precision analyses were less than 1.36% and 3.65%, respectively. As a result, the highest quercetin content among the extracts of Jeju D. morbifera leaves was found to be 20.14 mg/g, which was extracted at harvest in May (cultivation period 10 years) with 60% EtOH. All in all, we believe that the results obtained would be helpful in the development of nutraceutics and natural medicines and for the quality control of D. morbifera.

Nodal transport methods are proposed for solving the simplified even-parity neutron transport (SEP) equation. These new methods are attributed to the success of existing nodal diffusion methods such as the Polynomial Expansion Nodal and the Analytic Function Expansion Nodal Methods, which are known to be very effective for solving the neutron diffusion equation. Numerical results show that the simplified even-parity transport equation is a valid approximation to the transport equation and that the two nodal methods developed in this study also work for the SEP transport equation, without conflict. Since accuracy of methods is easily increased by adding node unknowns, the proposed methods will be effective for coarse mesh calculation and this will also lead to computation efficiency.

To correctly predict the neutron behavior based on diffusion calculations, it is necessary to adopt well-specified boundary conditions using suitable diffusion approximations to transport boundary conditions. Boundary conditions such as the zero net-current, the Marshak, the Mark, the zero scalar flux, and the Albedo condition have been used extensively in diffusion theory to approximate the reflective and vacuum conditions in transport theory. In this paper, we derive and analyze these conditions to prove their mathematical validity and to understand their physical implications, as well as their relationships with one another. To show the validity of these diffusion boundary conditions, we solve a sample problem. The results show that solutions of the diffusion equation with these well-formulated boundary conditions are very close to the solution of the transport equation with transport boundary conditions.

In order to examine the effects of four different light spectra (white, red, green, and blue) on the oocyte maturation, the change of reproductive parameters, via brain-pituitary-gonad (BPG) axis in grass puffer, were investigated. After exposure four different light spectra for 7 weeks, the abundance of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) mRNA which is a type of seabream (sbGnRH) and two different subunit of gonadotropin hormones mRNAs, follicle-stimulating hormone (fshβ) mRNA and luteinizing hormone (lhβ) mRNA, were analyzed in the brain and pituitary. Histological analysis showed that the mature oocyte ratio in the green spectrum was higher than other light spectra-exposed groups. Gonadosomatic index (GSI) and oocyte developmental stage were also investigated in the gonad based on histological observations. GSI value with the presence of yolk stage oocytes was significantly increased in the green spectrum-exposed group when compared to that of the other light-exposed groups (white, red, and blue) (p˂0.05). The abundances of sbGnRH mRNA and fshβ mRNA in the green spectrum-exposed group were also significant higher than those of the other light spectra-exposed groups (p˂0.05). These results indicate that the maturation of oocyte in grass puffer can be accelerated by exposure to the spectrum of green. To better understand the molecular mechanism for the maturation of oocyte in grass puffer, further study examining the relationship between oocyte development and its related genes is required.