The purpose of this study was to verify the radon reduction effectiveness of some radon barrier paints using the laboratory test on radon exhalation rate. The radon exhalation characteristics and radon exhalation rate of three radon barrier paints for concrete and three radon barrier paints for stone finishes were evaluated before and after application. Then the radon reduction rate was calculated to confirm the reduction effects. The results showed that the radon reduction rate of radon barrier paint was less than 10%, which is not effective in reducing radon. These findings suggest that a reliable radon reduction evaluation method is needed to utilize radon barrier paints as an indoor radon control measures.

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) trigger various metabolic diseases and accumulate in the organs during the onset of metabolic diseases. The AGE-receptor for AGE (RAGE) interactions are strongly associated with the onset of chronic renal disease and diabetic nephropathy. This study evaluated the effects of glyoxal-lysine dimer (GOLD) and methylglyoxal-lysine dimer (MOLD) accumulation on various mechanisms in SV40 MES 13 kidney cells, which are currently unclear. GOLD and MOLD showed different effects on oxidative stress, inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, autophagy, and apoptosis. GOLD did not induce cytotoxicity or interact with RAGE. By contrast, MOLD significantly reduced the cell viability and interacted with RAGE. This study tested whether the RAGE interaction could cause differences in the effects of GOLD and MOLD on the mechanisms studied. GOLD did not generate oxidative stress or interact with RAGE and did not show toxicity through other mechanisms. Nevertheless, MOLD caused oxidative stress, inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and apoptosis, which are representative glucotoxicity mechanisms of AGE-RAGE interactions, and autophagy. Overall, these findings suggest that AGEs may show different toxicities in various organs. GOLD accumulation in the kidneys might not affect disease occurrence, but MOLD accumulation can promote disease.

Ipomoea aquatic is a leafy vegetable of the Convolvulaceae family, and is a tropical plant widely inhabiting southern China and Southeast Asia, and is widely known as Morning Glory in the West. In this study, the anti-inflammatory effects of ethyl acetate extract from Ipomoea aquatic extracts (IAE) were tested against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced activation microglia BV2 cells. The production of nitric oxide (NO) and cell viability were measured using the Griess reagent and MTT assay, respectively. Inflammatory cytokine [interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-, and interleukin-1 (IL-1)] were detected qPCR in LPS induced BV-2 cells. Subsequently, nuclear factor (NF)-B, mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), and nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) were analyzed through western blot analyses and immunofluorescence. Ipomoea aquatic down-regulated of inflammatory markers and up-regulated anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidants in BV2 cells.

In this study, we investigated the effect of the extracts of Cyrtomium fortunei J.Sm. (CFJ) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced inflammation in mouse BV-2 microglial cells. Nitric oxide (NO) production and cell viability were measured using the Griess reagent and the (3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium Bromide) (MTT) assay. Inflammatory cytokines were detected by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) in BV-2 microglial cells with and without CFJ extracts. Subsequently, mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and antioxidant markers were assessed by western blot analysis. It was found that the CFJ extract significantly decreased the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin [IL]-6, tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-, and IL-1) and NO in BV-2 microglial cells that were stimulated with LPS. In addition, the expression levels of the phosphorylation of the MAPK family (p38, c-Jun N-terminal kinases [JNK], and extracellularsignal regulated kinase [ERK]) were reduced by CFJ. Also, treatment with CFJ significantly increased the activities of superoxide dismutase type 1(SOD1) and Catalase in BV-2 microglial cells. Our results indicate that CFJ has a potent suppressive effect on the pro-inflammatory responses of activated BV-2 microglia. Therefore, CFJ has the potential to be an effective treatment for neurodegenerative diseases, as it can inhibit the production of inflammatory mediators in activated BV-2 microglial cells.

Scores from TEPS (Test of English Proficiency developed by Seoul National University) and TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication) are widely used in Korea for various purposes, including employment, admission, and certification. However, there is more than one score conversion relationship between these two tests, causing confusion among test takers. Moreover, the conversion relationships were established in 2004 and 2011 and have not been updated since then. With this background, a large-scale score comparability study was undertaken to develop a new score conversion table for TEPS and TOEIC. Data were collected from a total of 1,415 test takers using a single group design. Log-linear presmoothing and equipercentile methods were used for linking, with cross validation across subgroups. Results showed that the old conversions were disadvantageous to a certain test-taker group. A new conversion table between the two tests is then suggested.

1.5Tesla와 3.0Tesla의 MRI 검사의 DWI (diffusion-weighted imaging) 펄스시퀀스에서 노이즈 스펙트럼을 분석하여 MRI검사의 기초자료를 제공하여 임상에서 적용하는데 목적이 있다. MRI 검사에서 ACR (Americ an College of Radiology) 팬텀과 노이즈 스펙트럼은 Wavepad sound editor version 8.13 (NCH software, Green wood Village, CO, USA)로 FFT (fast Fourier transform), TFFT (time based fast Fourier transform)를 분석하였다. MR 1.5Tesla와 3.0Tesla의 DWI 펄스 시퀀스에서 검사실에 따른 노이즈 스펙트럼 및 FFT와 TFFT를 분석하였다. 1.5Tesla에 비해 3.0Tesla에서 FFT 및 TFFT에서 주파수 진폭의 노이즈 임계값은 1.5Tesla에서 –6 dB 사이였고, 3.0Tesla에서는 0 dB 사이로 분석되어 환자의 소음감소를 위한 DWI 펄스시퀀스를 환자에게 적절하게 임상에서 적용할 필요가 있다.

본 연구는 우리나라에 거주하고 있는 다문화 가정 아동을 대상으로 하여 학교 교육현장에서 활용할 수 있는 원예교육프로그램의 구안 및 아동의 자아정체감과 공동체의식에 미치는 영향을 알아보고자 하였다. 연구에서 사용한 교육 프로그램 및 관련 수업모형과 유형은 재량활동 및 특별활동 시간과 같은 교과과정 속에서 이루어졌으며 특히 인지적 수준이 낮은 다문화 아동의 이해수준을 높이고 수업을 보다 구조화하기 위해 수업모형을 아동의 학습 단계별로 사용하였다. 각각의 원예활동 프로그램을 프로젝트학습법, 협동학습법, 기능학습법, 창의적 문제해결학습법, 문제해결학습법으로 구성하여 아동에게 2011년 3월부터 10월까지 매주 1회 2시간씩 원예활동을 실시한 결과, 자아정체성과 공동체의식에 있어 유의한 차이를 나타내어 다문화 아동을 위한 원예교육 프로그램의 구조화 및 원예활동은 다문화 아동에게 효과적인 교육임을 알 수 있었다.