Korea is facing a significant problem with historically low fertility rates, which is becoming a major social issue affecting the economy, labor force, and national security. This study analyzes the factors contributing to the regional gap in fertility rates and derives policy implications. The government and local authorities are implementing a range of policies to address the issue of low fertility. To establish an effective strategy, it is essential to identify the primary factors that contribute to regional disparities. This study identifies these factors and explores policy implications through machine learning and explainable artificial intelligence. The study also examines the influence of media and public opinion on childbirth in Korea by incorporating news and online community sentiment, as well as sentiment fear indices, as independent variables. To establish the relationship between regional fertility rates and factors, the study employs four machine learning models: multiple linear regression, XGBoost, Random Forest, and Support Vector Regression. Support Vector Regression, XGBoost, and Random Forest significantly outperform linear regression, highlighting the importance of machine learning models in explaining non-linear relationships with numerous variables. A factor analysis using SHAP is then conducted. The unemployment rate, Regional Gross Domestic Product per Capita, Women's Participation in Economic Activities, Number of Crimes Committed, Average Age of First Marriage, and Private Education Expenses significantly impact regional fertility rates. However, the degree of impact of the factors affecting fertility may vary by region, suggesting the need for policies tailored to the characteristics of each region, not just an overall ranking of factors.

The aim of this study was to determine the therapeutic effects of beauty care on negative mental health, including stress and depression. Nail care, massage care, and makeup were used as programs for beauty therapy. Qualitative research was conducted with six female participants over five-month period. After interviewing the subjects in advance, beauty care treatments were performed every week 4 weeks in the following order: nail care, massage, and makeup. The results are as follows, First, the participants perceived beauty care in the form of 4 concepts: “courtesy in social life,” “investment in oneself,” “self-satisfaction,” and “self-care.” Second, the effects of beauty therapy were categorized as “psychological effects,” “confidence,” “behavioral changes,” “evaluation of others,” and “positive social effects.” Third, each subject showed different psychological effects during the process when the function of the therapy took effect through the beauty care treatment. It was confirmed that confidence levels increased as a result of treatment through the process of becoming re-aware of oneself. Positive statements from the participants included: “I want to go out,” “I have become kind and positive to others,” “I have become more active in a given task,” and “It seems that my work ability is improving.” Finally, t-test results for selfesteem, depression, and stress showed there were significant differences in self-esteem and depression. This confirmed that self- esteem increased, and depression decreased after the beauty care treatment.

The purpose of this research was to revive the bathochromic effects of wool fabrics by using natural dyestuffs with minimum heavy metallic mordants. The natural dyestuffs used in this research were the indigo plant, Phellodendron amurense, and Caesalpinia sappan. Sample no. 1 was pre-dyed five times with indigo. Sample no. 2 was pre-dyed five times with indigo and then once dyed with Phellodendron amurense. Following the same method as sample no. 2 with an additional Phellodendron, Sample no. 3 consisted of a pre-dye five times with indigo and twice with Phellodendron amurense. Sample no. 4 was pre-dyed six times with indigo and then once dyed with Caesalpinia sappan. Sample no. 5 followed the same method as no. 4 with an additional dye of Caesalpinia sappan. Sample no. 6 was pre-dyed five times with indigo and then once dyed with Phellodendron amurense and once dyed with Caesalpinia sappan. The results were as follows: first, all samples showed deeper colors. Second, according to the results of the surface K/S measurement, the surface K/S of wool fabrics was >20. Third, the results of lightfastness measurement showed superiority over grade 4 in samples no. 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6. However, sample no. 4 was grade 3. In the colorfastness to washing measurement, sample no. 2 showed greater superiority than grade 3—4, while samples no. 1 and 3 were grade 3. In addition, the colorfastness to dry cleaning for all samples was satisfactory or excellent by more than grade 3.

The carbon anode material for lithium-ion battery was prepared by pyrolysis fuel oil and waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET) additive. The pitch was synthesized as a medium material for carbon anode by heat treatment. The waste PET additive improved the softening point and thermal stability of the pitch. La and Lc of the anode material (heat-treated pitch) increased at higher treatment temperature but decreased by waste PET additive. The electric capacity was evaluated based on effects of defective cavity and developed graphite interlayer, respectively. When the La and Lc of the anode material decreased, the electric capacity by cavity increased based on defective graphite structure. Therefore, the addition of waste PET causes the improved capacity by the cavity. The anode material which has a high efficiency (over 95%) and C-rate (95%, 2 C/0.1 C) was obtained by controlling the process of heat treatment and PET addition. The mechanism of lithium-ion insertion was discussed based on effects of defective cavity and developed graphite interlayer.

Consumers’ desire for beauty has become a driving force in the beauty service industry which was further developed through specialization and segmentation. Nail-care service, which is one of the beauty services, is showing rapid growth, and intense competition among salons has become apparent. Thus, service management method and marketing strategy are required for customer satisfaction. Therefore, in this study, we tried to classify the nail-care services on the basis of systematization and realization of its characteristics which are fundamental when developing management and marketing strategies. The subjects of this study were women in their 20s and above living in Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Incheon areas. As a result, the nail-care service factors are classified as “external environment” (interior, celebrity, newness), “internal environment” (equipment and products, cleanliness, and environment), “location” (location and transportation convenience), “reputation” (good reputation), “technician skill,” “kindness,” “relationship” (relationship, empathy, and affinity), and “price and discount.” The consumer types of nail-care services were classified into three groups according to the degree of involvement of these concept systems. These results can be used as marketing basics and will be the basis for studying marketing strategies. However, the consideration of setting up a marketing strategy for each consumer type will be presented in a follow-up study.

Nail-care services are growing rapidly. If causes for the increase in nail-care service consumption is diversion or self-satisfaction, we can speculate that consumers perform self-care through nail-care services. Nail-care-service consumption should be allowed to increase because of the positive psychological effects such as improving mood or alleviating depressed emotions. Moreover, the psychological effects of nail-care services differ according to consumers’ tendencies. Therefore, this study divides the types of consumers, to investigate whether there is a difference in the psychological effects of nail-care services depending on the types. This study used the questionnaire survey method. Results of the study revealed that the sub-factors of self-esteem, extracted as two factors, were “personal self-esteem” and “social self-esteem”. Consumers were classified according to the sub-factors of self-esteem into four groups. There were differences in the psychological effects of nail-care services according to these four groups. It was found that all groups had psychological effects above the average value. This result indicates that only the degrees of psychological effects differ in accordance with the types of self-esteem, and that psychological effects generally play a large role in all types. Since psychological effects were positive for everyone regardless of their self-esteem, utilizing nail-care services considerably reduces the depression and anxiety of modern people. Nail-care services expected to become the basis of the nail therapy field.

Codium fragile (Suringar) Hariot is an edible green seaweed that belong to the Codiaceae family and has been used in Oriental medicine for the treatment of enterobiasis, dropsy, and dysuria. Methanol extract of codium fragile has anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties, although the anti-cancer effect on oral cancer has not yet been reported. In this study, we investigated the anti-cancer activity and the mechanism of cell death by methanol extracts of Codium fragile (MeCF) on human FaDu hypopharyngeal squamous carcinoma cells. Our data showed that MeCF inhibits cell viability in a dose-dependent manner, and markedly induced apoptosis, as determined by the MTT assay, Live/Dead assay, and DAPI stain. In addition, MeCF induced the proteolytic cleavage of procaspase -3, -7, -9 and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase(PARP), and upregulated or downregulated the expression of mitochondrial-apoptosis factor, Bax(pro-apoptotic factor), and Bcl-2(anti-apoptotic factor), . Futhermore, MeCF induced a cell cycle arrest at the G1/S phase through suppressing the expression of the cell cycle cascade proteins, p21, CDK4, CyclinD1, and phospho-Rb. Taken together, these results indicated that MeCF inhibits cell growth, and this inhibition is mediated by caspase- and mitochondrial-dependent apoptotic pathways through cell cycle arrest at the G1/S phase in human FaDu hypopharyngeal squamous carcinoma cells. Therefore, methanol extracts of Codium fragile can be provided as a novel chemotherapeutic drug due to its growth inhibition effects and induction of apoptosis in human oral cancer cells.

Ficus carica L. (common fig), one of the first plants cultivated by humans, originated in the Mediterranean basin and currently grows worldwide, including southwest Asia and South Korea. It has been used as a traditional medicine for treatment of metabolic, cardiovascular, and respiratory diseases as well as hemorrhoids and skin infections. Its pharmacological properties have recently been studied in detail, but research on the anti-cancer effect of its latex has been only been studied on a limited basis on several cell lines, such prostate cancer, breast cancer, and leukemia. In this study, we investigated the anti-cancer activity of the latex of Ficus carica L.and its underlying mechanism in FaDu human hypopharynx squamous carcinoma cells. (See Ed. note above) We confirmed through SDS-PAGE analysis and gelatinolytic activity analysis that the latex of Ficus carica contains cysteine protease ficin. Our data showed that the latex inhibited cell growth in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, the latex treatment markedly induced apoptosis in FaDu cells as determined by FACS analysis, elevated expression level of cleaved caspase-9, -3 and PARP (poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase), and. increased the expression of Bax (pro-apoptotic factor) while decreasing the expression of Bcl-2 (anti-apoptotic factor). Taken together, these results suggested that latex containing the ficin inhibited cell growth and induced apoptosis by caspase and the Bcl-2 family signaling pathway in FaDu human hypopharynx squamous carcinoma cells. These findings point to the potential of latex of Ficus carica to provide a novel chemotherapeutic drug due to its growth inhibition effects and induction of apoptosis in human oral cancer cells.

본 연구는 히터팬 처리에 의한 시설환경 개선 및 참외의 품질 및 수량성을 검정코자 수행하였다. 히터팬 처리에 따른 2017년 1월 1일부터 31일간 터널내부의 일평균 온도는 무처리구의 17.8oC에 비하여 히터팬 처리구에서는 18.7oC로 히터팬 처리구에서 0.9oC 더 높았다. 작물이 자라고 있는 지상 20cm 부위의 풍속은 무처리구의 0.05m·s-1에 비해 히터팬 처리구에서 0.24m·s-1로 4.8배 높았고 온도는 무처리구의 35.3oC에 비해 히터팬 처리구에서는 40.9oC로 히터팬 처리구에서 5.6oC 더 높았으나 습도는 무처리구의 39.1%에 비해 8.1%P 더 낮았다. 정식 51일후 개화율 조사에서 무처리구의 91%에 비하여 히터팬 처리구에서는 96%로 5%P 더 높았고, 첫 수확 소요일수도 무처리구의 86일에 비해 4일 단축되었다. 과 중은 무처리구의 339.7g에 비하여 히터팬 처리구에서 15.1g 더 무거웠고 상품과율도 90.4%에 비하여 3.4%P 더 많았으며 10a당 상품수량도 142.9kg에 비하여 38% 더 증가하여 95% 수준에서 통계적 유의성이 인정되었다. 이상의 결과를 종합 하면 히터팬 처리로 시설내 온도 상승은 물론 공기의 유동이 활발하여 작물생육에 유리하고 수확시기가 단축되고 품질이 향상되고 수량이 증가하는 것을 알 수 있었다.

Anthriscus sylvestris (L.) Hoffm. is a perennial herb found widely distributed in various regions of Korea, Europe, and New Zealand. The root of A. sylvestris have been extensively used in the treatment for antitussive, antipyretic, cough remedy in Oriental medicine, but the physiologically active function of the leaf of A. sylvestris is as yet unknown. In this study, we investigated the anti-cancer activity and the mechanism of cell death of water extracts of leaf of Anthriscus sylvestris (WELAS), on human FaDu hypopharyngeal squamous carcinoma cells. Our data showed that WELAS treatment inhibited cell viability in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. In addition, the treatment of WELAS markedly induced apoptosis in FaDu cells, as determined by the viability assay, DAPI stain and FACS analysis. WELAS also increased the proteolytic cleavage of procaspase-3, -9 and PARP (poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase). In addition, exposure to WELAS decreased the expression of Bcl-2 (an anti-apoptotic factor), but increased the expression of Bax (a pro-apoptotic factor), suggesting that mitochondria-dependent apoptotic pathways are mediated in WELAS-induced apoptosis. Taken together, these results indicate that water extracts of leaf of A. sylvestris inhibits cell growth and induces apoptosis via the mitochondrial-dependent apoptotic pathway in FaDu human hypopharyngeal squamous carcinoma cells. Therefore, we propose that the water extracts of leaf of A. sylvestris is a novel chemotherapeutic drug, having growth inhibitory properties and induction of apoptosis in human oral cancer cells.

Anthricin (Deoxypodophyllotoxin), a naturally occurring flavolignan, has well known anti-cancer properties in several cancer cells, such as prostate cancer, cervical carcinoma and pancreatic cancer. However, the effects of Anthricin are currently unknown in oral cancer. We examined the anticancer effect and mechanism of action of Anthricin in human FaDu hypopharyngeal squamous carcinoma cells. Our data showed that Anthricin inhibits cell viability in a dose- and time-dependent manner (IC50 50 nM) in the MTT assay and Live & Dead assay. In addition, Anthricin treated FaDu cells showed marked apoptosis by DAPI stain and FACS. Furthermore, Anthricin activates anti-apoptotic factors such as caspase-3, -9 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), suggesting that caspase-mediated pathways are involved in Anthricin- induced apoptosis. Anthricin treatment also leads to accumulation of the pro-apoptotic factor Bax, followed by inhibition of cell growth. Taken together, these results indicate that Anthricn-induced cell death of human FaDu hypopharyngeal squamous carcinoma cells is mediated by mitochondrial-dependent apoptotic pathway. In summary, our findings provide a framework for further exploration on Anthricin as a novel chemotherapeutic drug for human oral cancer.

This study investigated the antidiabetic effect of amaranth grain ethanol extract (AEE) in a diabetic animal model, db/db mouse. The mice were divided into 4 groups: normal control mice (C57BL/6J), diabetic mice (C57BL/6J db/db), diabetic mice fed a lower concentration of AEE (0.3 mg/kg), and diabetic mice fed a higher concentration of AEE (0.5 mg/kg). After 10 weeks of treatment, body weights, blood insulin levels and blood glucose levels of each group were compared. At the end of treatment, the results showed that both AEE supplemented groups had lower body weights than those in the diabetic groups although higher than those in the normal groups. Moreover, in both AEE supplemented groups, serum insulin levels were higher and blood glucose levels were lower than those in the diabetic groups although both values were higher than those in the normal groups. The results of this study suggest that AEE can alleviate many of the common symptoms of diabetes in diabetic mice and, therefore, has potential as a therapeutic supplement for normalization of blood glucose and insulin levels in humans.

Using current-voltage (I-V) and capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurements, the electrical properties of Au and Cu Schottky contacts to n-Ge were comparatively investigated. Lower values of barrier height, ideality factor and series resistance were obtained for the Au contact as compared to the Cu contact. The values of capacitance showed strong dependence on the bias voltage and the frequency. The presence of an inversion layer at the interface might reduce the intercept voltage at the voltage axis, lowering the barrier height for C-V measurements, especially at lower frequencies. In addition, a higher interface state density was observed for the Au contact. The generation of sputter deposition-induced defects might occur more severely for the Au contact; these defects affected both the I-V and C-V characteristics.

The purpose of this research is to revive the colors of combination dyeing and mixed dyeing with natural dyestuffs. The fabrics used were cotton and rayon. The natural dyestuffs used in this research were indigo, Phellodendron amurense, and Caesalpinia sappan. The effects of combination dyeing were as follows. First, all samples showed deeper colors. Second, according to the results of the surface K/S measurement, while the surface K/S of cotton was over 15, that of rayon was over 17. Third, the results of the light fastness measurement showed the superiority (by over grade 4) of all the samples, except in the case of rayon fiber sample no. 6 (which had been pre-dyed with indigo five times before being dyed with P. amurense once and then being dyed with C. sappan once). In the color fastness to washing measurement, all fibers showed superiority (by over grade 3~4). In addition, the color fastness to dry cleaning of all fibers was satisfactory or excellent (by over grade 3). Fourth, according to the results of the tensile strength measurement, it tended to decrease in the case of cotton and increase in the case of rayon. Fifth, the results of the density measurement showed that the density of cotton decreased by about 15~20% in the case of warp and 10% in the case of weft for all samples. The density of rayon decreased 20% in the case of warp for all samples and increased 30% in the case of weft for all samples.