Political Sophistication and Partisan Cues: Insight from South Korea’s 2002 Presidential Election

The purpose of this dissertation is to study the effects of political sophistication on the use of partisan cues in the 2002 South Korean presidential election. Many scholars in recent years have argued that it does not matter so much that many voters are poorly informed about politics because they can use information shortcuts or heuristic cues to overcome the lack of information and still make a reasoned choice. Based on these studies, much of the political sophistication literature in political science assumes that the use of party cues in the voting booth is the hallmark of an unsophisticated voter. Although this idea is nice in theory, it is not supported by empirical evidence. Thus, I examine the relationship between political sophistication and the use of partisan cues in Korea. Simultaneously, this study tests whether the levels of political sophistication differ in regard to voter turnout and candidate choice. The results show that sophistication is positively related to identification with a political party. In other words, South Korean voters with high levels of sophistication are more likely to identify with a party than unsophisticated voters. Specifically, an individual’s political sophistication and ideology strongly affect the probability of identifying with a political party. My results also show that sophistication does, in fact, affect how people participate and vote in elections. The most important finding here is that there is a positive relationship between the level of political sophistication and use of partisan cues. That is, sophisticated Korean voters are more likely to rely on partisan cues. In the 2002 Korean presidential election, party identification as a heuristic did work for sophisticated voters, but not for unsophisticated ones

HIS Development with the Participation of Medical Practitioners in Design Applying Agile Principles: A Case Study for Occupational Health Management Service

Department of Biomedical Engineering (Human Factors Engineering)This case study illustrates the early development process of an OHS manager-centered healthiinformation system (HIS) with multiple agents and end user groups, including company managers and employees. This study aims to suggest an approach to encompass the non-designer into the design process, especially medical practitioners, as a critical role for a highly changeable and complex healthcare project. Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) management is the practice of an organization to provide work and working conditions free from the recognized hazards for their employees. The health institute entrusted for OHS management dispatches the medical and occupational professionals to the workplaces. The management through health counseling, monitoring, and advice to the companies and the employees. Therefore, this study discussed the design process to improve the work of entrusted OHS practitioners, which focused on employee health consultation at the most. As a result, an iterative framework adopting Agile principles is suggested to encourage frontline medical staff and stakeholders to collaborate in decision-making and ideas. As the result, the occupational health management information system is designed its user experience (UX) and interfaces (UI) based on the findings obtained from the iterative and incremental design process. The participation of frontline OHS practitioners of Wonju Severance Christian Hospital, and Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH) Psychiatry participated to the interview and activities in the workshops. Although this is a case study conducted on the OHS management of a commissioned hospital, the approach and strategies would available to apply on the other HIS project or healthcare.ope

Inverse Association between High Blood 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Levels and Diabetic Retinopathy in a Representative Korean Population

Purpose To investigate the association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D and diabetic retinopathy (DR). Methods: A population-based cross-sectional study using a nation-wide, systemically stratified, multistage, clustered sampling method included a total of 18,363 subjects aged ≥40 years who participated in the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey during 2008–2012. All participants participated in standardized interviews, blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D level evaluations, and comprehensive ophthalmic examinations. Seven standard retinal fundus photographs were obtained from both eyes after pupil dilatation. DR was graded according to the modified Airlie House classification system. Results: The blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were 19.2 ng/mL in men and 17.9 ng/mL in women. After adjusting for potential confounders, including age, sex, diabetes duration, hemoglobin A1c levels, and hypertension, the odds ratios (OR) for any DR and proliferative DR among men decreased significantly in the highest blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D level quintile relative to the lowest quintile (OR, 0.37; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.18–0.76; P for trend = 0.004 and OR, 0.15; 95% CI, 0.03–0.83; P for trend = 0.043). Conclusions: This study provides the first epidemiologic findings of the inverse relationships of blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels with any DR and proliferative DR only in men. Considering anti-angiogenic and anti-fibrotic action of vitamin D, further studies including longitudinal and interventional analysis are warranted

Synthesis of Eu-doped (Gd,Y) 2 O 3 transparent optical ceramic scintillator

A novel process for transparent oxide ceramic scintillator with a composition of Gd 1.94-x Y x Eu 0.06 O 3 was developed. The process consists of a glycine-nitrate combustion synthesis of nano-sized starting powder and subsequent controlled sintering and annealing steps. The organic molecules remaining in the as-combusted powder were efficiently removed by the combined heat-treatment at vacuum and air atmospheres. Hot-pressed ceramic scintillators show transparent optical state and high light output. Transparent optical ceramic scintillator with a high content of Gd (up to 80 mol%) was fabricated by the process. The measured light output of Gd 1.54 Y 0.4 Eu 0.06 O 3 ceramic scintillator was about two times higher that that of CdWO 4 single crystal. In a typical radiation detection system, the scintillator plays the key role of converting the incident energy of ionizing radiation into scintillation light photons, then the emitted lights are collected by the under-laid photosensor. This specific application requires an ideal scintillator that has high light output, fast decay property, low afterglow, and so forth. Recently, a large number of new scintillator systems has been reviewed, 1 resulting, in part, with the development of a new class of scintillator: the polycrystalline ceramic scintillator

Anti-proliferative effects of Bifidobacterium adolescentis SPM0212 extract on human colon cancer cell lines

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are beneficial probiotic organisms that contribute to improved nutrition, microbial balance, and immuno-enhancement of the intestinal tract, as well as anti-tumor activity. The aim of the present work was to study the growth inhibition of tumor cells by butanol extract of <it>Bifidobacterium adolescentis </it>isolated from healthy young Koreans.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The anti-proliferative activity of <it>B. adolescentis </it>isolates was assessed by XTT assays on three human colon cancer cell lines (Caco-2, HT-29, and SW480). The effects of <it>B. adolescentis </it>SPM0212 butanol extract on tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and nitric oxide (NO) production were tested using the murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cell line.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The butanol extract of <it>B. adolescentis </it>SPM0212 dose-dependently inhibited the growth of Caco-2, HT-29, and SW480 cells by 70%, 30%, and 40%, respectively, at 200 μg/mL. Additionally, the butanol extract of <it>B. adolescentis </it>SPM0212 induced macrophage activation and significantly increased the production of TNF-α and NO, which regulate immune modulation and are cytotoxic to tumor cells.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The butanol extract of <it>B. adolescentis </it>SPM0212 increased activity of the host immune system and may improve human health by helping to prevent colon cancer as a biological response modifier.</p

Effects of propofol-remifentanil versus sevoflurane-remifentanil on acute postoperative pain after total shoulder arthroplasty: a randomized trial

Background While some evidence indicates that propofol-based anesthesia has less postoperative pain than sevoflurane-based anesthesia, these results are controversial. We compared acute postoperative pain intensity and opioid consumption after total shoulder arthroplasty between propofol-remifentanil (PR) and sevoflurane-remifentanil (SR) anesthesia. Methods Among 48 patients undergoing shoulder arthroscopic surgery anesthetized with PR or SR, postoperative pain intensity was assessed at 30 minutes and at 2, 6, 12, and 24 hours. The total patient-controlled analgesia volume and number of patients requiring rescue analgesics were assessed. Results No significant difference in postoperative pain intensity was observed between the two groups. Postoperative opioid consumption and analgesic requirements were also comparable in the first 24 hours after surgery. Conclusion PR and SR anesthesia for shoulder arthroscopic surgery provide comparable postoperative analgesia results

Isosorbide Concentration in Perilymph of the Guinea Pig After Oral Administration Versus That After Round Window Perfusion

ObjectivesThe aims of this study were to investigate the feasibility of isosorbide delivery into perilymph through the round window membrane (RWM), and to compare the intracochlear isosorbide concentration in perilymph after oral administration (PO) versus that after round window perfusion (RWP).MethodsSixteen male guinea pigs (32 ears) were used. Isosorbide, an osmotic diuretic, was administered via RWP or PO. First, to investigate the optimal perfusion time, perilymph sampling of scala tympani from the RWM was performed after RWP for 15, 30, or 60 minutes. Second, to compare the drug concentration after RWP versus that after PO, perilymph was aspirated at 3 and 6 hours after administration. Intracochlear concentration of isosorbide was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to refractive index detection.ResultsIsosorbide passed through the RWM into perilymph after RWP. After RWP for 15, 30, and 60 minutes, mean isosorbide concentrations in perilymph were 116.27±44.65, 245.48±112.84, and 279.78±186.32 mM, respectively. The intracochlear concentration after RWP for 30 minutes was higher than that after RWP for 15 minutes (P=0.043). At 3 and 6 hours after PO, isosorbide concentrations in perilymph were 28.88±4.69 and 12.67±2.28 mM, respectively. In contrast, the corresponding concentrations after RWP were 117.91±17.70 and 75.03±14.82 mM at 3 and 6 hours, respectively. Isosorbide concentrations in perilymph following RWP were significantly higher than those following PO at both 3 and 6 hours (P=0.025 and P=0.034, respectively).ConclusionIsosorbide can rapidly pass through the RWM after RWP in guinea pigs, and 30 minutes of perfusion is considered to be appropriate. In addition, over a 6-hour period, RWP can deliver higher concentrations of isosorbide into perilymph than those achieved with PO

Curcumin induces stabilization of Nrf2 protein through Keap1 cysteine modification

The present study was aimed to investigate the effects of curcumin, a representative chemopreventive phytochemical with pronounced antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, on activation of Nrf2 and expression of its target protein heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in mouse skin in vivo and in cultured murine epidermal cells. Treatment of mouse epidermal JB6 cells with curcumin resulted in the induction of HO-1 expression, and this was abrogated in cells transiently transfected with Nrf2 siRNA. While curcumin treatment increased protein expression of Nrf2, it did not alter the steady-state level of the Nrf2 mRNA transcript. Treatment of cells with curcumin stabilized Nrf2 by inhibiting ubiquitination and subsequent 26S proteasomal degradation of this transcription factor. Tetrahydrocurcumin, a non-electrophilic analogue of curcumin that lacks the alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl group, failed to induce HO-1 expression as well as nuclear translocation of Nrf2 and its binding to the antioxidant/electrophile response elements. Cells transfected with a mutant Keap1 protein in which cysteine 151 (Cys151) is replaced by serine exhibited marked reduction in curcumin-induced Nrf2 transactivation. Mass spectrometric analysis revealed that curcumin binds to Keap1 Cys151, supporting that this amino acid is a critical target for curcumin modification of Keap1, which facilitates the liberation of Nrf2. Thus, it is likely that the alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl moiety of curcumin is essential for its binding to Keap1 and stabilization of Nrf2 by hampering ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation.