• Title/Summary/Keyword: Active involvement

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Comparative study of acute in vitro and short-term in vivo triiodothyronine treatments on the contractile activity of isolated rat thoracic aortas

  • Lopez, Ruth Mery;Lopez, Jorge Skiold;Lozano, Jair;Flores, Hector;Carranza, Rosa Angelica;Franco, Antonio;Castillo, Enrique Fernando
    • The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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    • v.24 no.4
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    • pp.339-348
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    • 2020
  • We aimed to characterize the participation of rapid non-genomic and delayed non-genomic/genomic or genomic mechanisms in vasoactive effects to triiodothyronine (T3), emphasizing functional analysis of the involvement of these mechanisms in the genesis of nitric oxide (NO) of endothelial or muscular origin. Influences of in vitro and in vivo T3 treatments on contractile and relaxant responsiveness of isolated rat aortas were studied. In vivo T3-treatment was 500 ㎍·kg-1·d-1, subcutaneous injection, for 1 (T31d) and 3 (T33d) days. In experiments with endothelium-intact aortic rings contracted with phenylephrine, increasing concentrations of T3 did not alter contractility. Likewise, in vitro T3 did not modify relaxant responses induced by acetylcholine or sodium nitroprusside (SNP) nor contractile responses elicited by phenylephrine or angiotensin II in endothelium-intact aortas. Concentration-response curves (CRCs) to acetylcholine and SNP in endothelium-intact aortic rings from T31d and T33d rats were unmodified. T33d, but not T31d, treatment diminished CRCs to phenylephrine in endothelium-intact aortic rings. CRCs to phenylephrine remained significantly depressed in both endothelium-denuded and endothelium-intact, nitric oxide synthase inhibitor-treated, aortas of T33d rats. In endothelium-denuded aortas of T33d rats, CRCs to angiotensin II, and high K+ contractures, were decreased. Thus, in vitro T3 neither modified phenylephrine-induced active tonus nor CRCs to relaxant and contractile agonists in endothelium-intact aortas, discarding rapid non-genomic actions of this hormone in smooth muscle and endothelial cells. Otherwise, T33d-treatment inhibited aortic smooth muscle capacity to contract, but not to relax, in an endothelium- and NO-independent manner. This effect may be mediated by delayed non-genomic/genomic or genomic mechanisms.

Ginseng Gintonin Activates the Human Cardiac Delayed Rectifier K+ Channel: Involvement of Ca2+/Calmodulin Binding Sites

  • Choi, Sun-Hye;Lee, Byung-Hwan;Kim, Hyeon-Joong;Jung, Seok-Won;Kim, Hyun-Sook;Shin, Ho-Chul;Lee, Jun-Hee;Kim, Hyoung-Chun;Rhim, Hyewhon;Hwang, Sung-Hee;Ha, Tal Soo;Kim, Hyun-Ji;Cho, Hana;Nah, Seung-Yeol
    • Molecules and Cells
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    • v.37 no.9
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    • pp.656-663
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    • 2014
  • Gintonin, a novel, ginseng-derived G protein-coupled lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) receptor ligand, elicits $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ transients in neuronal and non-neuronal cells via pertussis toxin-sensitive and pertussis toxin-insensitive G proteins. The slowly activating delayed rectifier $K^+$ ($I_{Ks}$) channel is a cardiac $K^+$ channel composed of KCNQ1 and KCNE1 subunits. The C terminus of the KCNQ1 channel protein has two calmodulin-binding sites that are involved in regulating $I_{Ks}$ channels. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms of gintonin-mediated activation of human $I_{Ks}$ channel activity by expressing human $I_{Ks}$ channels in Xenopus oocytes. We found that gintonin enhances $I_{Ks}$ channel currents in concentration- and voltage-dependent manners. The $EC_{50}$ for the $I_{Ks}$ channel was $0.05{\pm}0.01{\mu}g/ml$. Gintonin-mediated activation 1 of the $I_{Ks}$ channels was blocked by an LPA1/3 receptor antagonist, an active phospholipase C inhibitor, an $IP_3$ receptor antagonist, and the calcium chelator BAPTA. Gintonin-mediated activation of both the $I_{Ks}$ channel was also blocked by the calmodulin (CaM) blocker calmidazolium. Mutations in the KCNQ1 $[Ca^{2+}]_i$/CaM-binding IQ motif sites (S373P, W392R, or R539W)blocked the action of gintonin on $I_{Ks}$ channel. However, gintonin had no effect on hERG $K^+$ channel activity. These results show that gintonin-mediated enhancement of $I_{Ks}$ channel currents is achieved through binding of the $[Ca^{2+}]_i$/CaM complex to the C terminus of KCNQ1 subunit.

Molecular Aspects of Japanese Encephalitis Virus Persistent Infection in Mammalian Cells

  • Park Sun-Hee;Won Sung Yong;Park Soo-Young;Yoon Sung Wook;Han Jin Hyun;Jeong Yong Seok
    • Proceedings of the Microbiological Society of Korea Conference
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    • 2000.05a
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    • pp.23-36
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    • 2000
  • Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is the causative agent of a mosquito-borne encephalitis and is transmitted to human via persistently infected mosquito vectors. Although the virus is known to cause only acute infection, there were reports that showed neurological sequelae, latent infection in peripheral mononuclear cells, and recurrence of the disease after acute encephalitis. Innate resistance of certain cell lines, abnormal SN1 expression of the virus, and anti-apoptotic effect of cullular bcl-2 have been suggested as probable causes of JEV persistence even in the absence of defective interfering (DI) particles. Although possible involvement of DI particles in JEV persistence was suggested, neither has a direct evidence for DI presence nor its molecular characterization been made. Two questions asked in this study are whether the DI virus plays any role in JEV persistent infection if it is associated with and what type of change(s) can be made in persistently infected cells to avoid apoptosis even with the continuous virus replication, DI-free standard stock of JEV was infected in BHK-21, Vero, and SW13 cells and serial high multiplicity passages were performed in order to generate DI particles. There different-sized DI RNA species which were defective in both structural and nonstructural protein coding genes. Rescued ORFs of the DI genome maintained in-frame and the presence of replicative intermediate or replicative form RNA of the DI particles confirmed their replication competence. On the other hand, several clones with JEV persistent infection were established from the cells survived acute infections during the passages. Timing of the DI virus generation during the passages seemed coincide to the appearance of persistently infected cells. The DI RNAs were identified in most of persistently infected cells and were observed throughout the cell maintenance. One of the cloned cell line maintained the viral persistence without DI RNA coreplication. The cells with viral persistence released the reduced but continuous infectious JEV particle for up to 9 months and were refractory to homologous virus superinfection but not to heterologous challenges. Unlike the cells with acute infection these cells were devoid of characteristic DNA fragmentation and JEV-induced apoptosis with or without homologous superinfection. Therefore, the DI RNA generated during JEV undiluted serial passage on mammalian cells was shown to be biologically active and it seemed to be responsible, at least in part, for the establishment and maintenance of the JEV persistence in mammalian cells. Viral persistence without DI RNA coreplication, as in one of the cell clones, supports that JEV persistent infection could be maintained with or without the presence of DI particles. In addition, the fact that the cells with JEV persistence were resistant against homologous virus superinfection, but not against heterologous one, suggests that different viruses have their own and independent pathway for cytopathogenesis even if viral cytopathic effect could be converged to an apoptosis after all.

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Influence of On-line Brand Communities on Customers' Attitudes -Focusing on the Brand Selection of Online Universities- (온라인 브랜드커뮤니티가 소비자 태도에 미치는 영향 -온라인 대학 브랜드 선택을 중심으로-)

  • Rhie, Jinny
    • The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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    • v.10 no.12
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    • pp.366-377
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    • 2010
  • As internet and mobile technology brings rapid transformation to this society of information, how relations are conducted between customers have become a critical factor influencing companies. Companies are creating Internet communities based on their brands, encouraging customers to actively form and develop brand communities. Thus, this report proposes a plan to analyze the effectiveness of community activities based on the customers active involvement and how to effectively manage and utilize it. The purpose of this research is to understand the effects on-line brand communities and their characters have on customer behavior. Also, it will study the effects community attitudes have on brand decisions and oral transmission communication when on-line brand communities choose a brand. This report was conducted to survey on-line university students to understand how communities' attitude affects the decision of on-line university brand and oral transmissions when students choose to study at a on-line university. According to research, those factors brought positive responses to character of the brand communities(confidentiality of information, interactivity, convenience, intimacy) and by doing so, on the customer's attitude side, positive results on intention of purchase and oral transmissions can be expected. In addition, the character of the brand communities affects intention of purchase and oral transmission communication. Based on this research, it is possible to propose a marketing strategy that revitalizes brand communities' activities.

Success Factors of German Mittelstand as a Role Model for Korean Exporting SMEs (한국 수출중소기업 롤 모델로서 독일 미텔슈탄트의 성공요인 분석)

  • Hong, Song-Hon
    • International Commerce and Information Review
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    • v.15 no.4
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    • pp.341-366
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    • 2013
  • The term, Mittelstand, has no exact english translation for the definition, but, today, Mittelstand refers to small and medium-sized enterprises(SME), mostly family-owned firms in Germany. The Mittelstand is called the backbone of the German economy because it drove the economic miracle after World War II. During the global recession and the euro zone's debt crisis in recent years, in which european businesses have faced the near-collapse of competitiveness particularly in manufacturing, the German exports are booming and exceeded exports of China in 2012. Most importantly, the Germany economic performance has been widely attributed to the strength of the Mittelstand. Many of countries, even some leading public companies are seeking to emulate the success of the Mittelstand. Investors evaluate that many of Germany's investable "hidden champions" are Mittelstand companies. The purpose of this study is to present some of answers to the following questions: Firstly, what makes the German Mittelstand so successful? Secondly, what does the success of the German Mittelstand mean for the Korean SMEs in global competitiveness? Thirdly, what Korean government has to do improve the global competitiveness of the Korean SMEs? Some discussions in this study mention the managerial implications for Korean exporting SMEs particularly in manufacturing. Several factors that account for the success of the German Mittelstand are technological excellence and the tradition of family-owned management, concentration on niche market and globalization, and institutional supports. There are some of important lessons to be learned from the German Mittelstand. If the purposes of Korean SMEs want to remain in the sustainable competitive advantage and withstand unforeseen economic turbulences in the future, they must be able to meet the followings: 1) Technology that meets the global standard or exceeding it 2) Competitiveness in price in the global market 3) Active involvement in the globalization process, utilizing various entry modes Innovative products at globally competitive price are a crucial point for Korean exporting SMEs to achieve their competitive edge over others in the target markets abroad. It is time for Korean SMEs to cultivate a core competence in manufacturing in order to position Korea as a global manufacturing hub with SMEs leading.

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Characteristics and Action Pattern of Polygalacturonase from Rhizopus oryzae CJ-2114 (Rhizopus oryzae CJ-2114가 생성하는 Polygalacturonase의 특성 및 작용양상)

  • Chung, Yung-Gun;Cho, Young-Je;Kwon, Oh-Jin;Choi, Cheong
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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    • v.21 no.2
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    • pp.195-200
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    • 1992
  • Rhizopus oryzae CJ-2114 was selected for its strong polygalacturonase activity among various strains of mold found in soil. The optimum pH for the enzyme activity was 4.0 and optimum temperature was 4$0^{\circ}C$. The activation energy for the polygalacturonase was calculated by Arrhenius equation was 2.048㎉/㏖. The reaction of this enzyme followed typical Michaelis-Menten kinetics with the Km value of 54.05mM with the $V_{max}$ of 13.9m mole/min. The enzyme is relatively stable in acidic condition. The activity of polygalactur-onase was inhibited completely by C $u^{2+}$, P $b^{2+}$ and Z $n^{2+}$, $_Mn^{2+}$ at concentration of 1 mM. The enzyme can be inactivated by the treatment with maleic anhydride and iodine. The results indicate the possible involvement of histidine at active site. When polygalacturonase from Rhizopus oryzae CJ-2114 was reacted with poly-galacturonic acid as a substrate mono-, di-, and oligogalacturonic acid were produced at early and mono-, digalacturonic acid produced at late incubation time. time.

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Pro-Environmental Food Consumption Behavior Pattern (환경친화적 음식소비행동 유형)

  • 서정희;홍순명;황혜진
    • Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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    • v.38 no.12
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    • pp.131-143
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    • 2000
  • This research aims to examine the pro-environmental food consumption behavior of two groups; the housekeepers and the restaurant cooks. The rationale for choosing these groups as target of research lies in the fact that they are expected to be the most active subject for enhancing the desirable culture of food consumption, through their close involvement in the whole process of food consumption in society. This study assumes the four areas of activity to be the meaningful categories in the investigation of the pro-environmental food consumption behaviour; planning of menu and purchasing the food materials, cooking, eating, and disposal of the leftover. By using these four categories, we attempt to provide with the empirical typology of pro-environmental food consumption behaviour and the analysis of the relations of it with socio-demographical variables. Their pro-environmental behaviors are divided into four types: $\circled1$ The positive awareness of pro-environmental cooking and eating, $\circled2$ The positive awareness of pro-environmental food consumption behavior, $\circled3$ The passive awareness of pro-environmental cooking and eating, $\circled4$ The passive awareness of pro-environmental food consumption behavior. There is no significant difference among the numbers of the cases that belong to each behavioral type. Seen in overall, however, we can say that the larger number of the cases belong to the passive type of behavior. Two socio-demographical variables of tole housekeepers and the restaurant cooks show significant corelations with the behavioral types of pro-environmental food consumption with the confidence level P<0.05, but there is no significant co-relations in other variables like gender, marital status, age, income, Engel coefficient, education. We also found that there is no great gap between the housekeepers and the restaurant cooks in their positive awareness of pro-environmental food consumption, the percentage of each group belonging to the type being 51.9% and 48.1%, respectively, but that the former shows much greater number than the latter in belonging to the passive awareness type of the pro-environmental food consumption, 75.3% and 24.7%, respectively. Although the restaurant cooks can be said to be more ego-friendly than the housekeepers, if we consider the rapidly growing trend of outgoing-diner, more efforts should be exerted to develop the education and advertisement program for enhancing the restaurant cook's pro-environmental awareness and propagating the desirable food consumption cloture.

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A study on the self-esteem of the gifted children (영재아의 자아존중감에 관한 연구)

  • Song, Su-Jie
    • Journal of Gifted/Talented Education
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    • v.10 no.2
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    • pp.87-108
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    • 2000
  • This study analyzes the factors influencing self-esteem of the gifted children. The factors are divided into the environmental ones and innate ones. The purposes of this study is presented as follows. 1) To analyze the environmental factors influencing self-esteem of the gifted children (1) whether the education period affects self-esteem of the gifted children? (2) what influences do the manners of parental child-rearing behavior make? (3) what influences do peer relationships make on self-esteem of the gifted children? 2) To analyze the innate factors influencing self-esteem of the gifted children (1) does the gender make a difference to self-esteem of the gifted children? (2) does the level of intelligence make a difference to self-esteem of the gifted children? (3) what influences does the locus of control make on the self-esteem of the gifted children? To solve these questions 120 gifted children were selected, who were taking a special education program at C Korea Academy of Gifted Education located at Yangjae-dong Seocho-gu. They were 1st to 3rd grades at elementary school. We used Hare Self-Esteem Scale developed by Bruce R. Hare in 1985, the Index of Peer Relations developed by Hudson in 1986, and Nowicki & Strickland Locus of Control Scale developed by Nowicki and Strickland in 1973. At the other hand the nursing behaviors of 120 mothers of the gifted, were also investigated, based on the Korean Maternal Behavior Inventory, developed by Sungyeon Park in 1989 with some modifications. For statistical analysis we adopted SPSS, a computer software, and calaulated the coefficient of internal appropriateness and the frequencies and percentages of general aspects of the cases. We analysed the factors influencing the self-esteem of the gifted children by way of Pearson's product moment correlation coefficient, t-test, ANOVA, and multiple regression analysis and Duncan for ex-post-facto approval. The results of this study can be summarized as follows. 1) Influences of the environmental factors on the self-esteem of the gifted children: (1) The duration of education period had a significant effect on the self-esteem; the longer the duration were, the higher self-esteem they possessed. (2) Of parental child-rearing behaviors, active involvement had positive influence on the self-esteem; on the contrary, authoritarian control and overprotection had negative influences on the self-esteem. (3) An acceptable peer relationship had a positive influence on the self-esteem of the gifted children. 2) Influences of individual innate characteristics on the self-esteem of the gifted children: (1) The gender made no difference on the self-esteem of the gifted. (2) The intelligence did not have a statistically significant effect on the self-esteem of the gifted. (3) When the locus of control was external, the self-esteem of the gifted tended to be low.

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Protective Mechanism of Flavonoids Isolated from Rhus verniciflua on the Biliary Liver Fibrosis in Rat (간섬유화 동물에서 옻나무 목부로부터 분리한 flavonoids의 독성 경감기전)

  • 최종원;박희준;이경태;박건영;한갑이;정민화
    • Journal of Life Science
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    • v.12 no.3
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    • pp.332-339
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    • 2002
  • The pathogenesis of cholestatic liver injury as well as the modulation of hepatic fibrogenesis is causally associated with involvement of reactive oxygen species and free radical reactions. In this study, we investigated whether flavonoids (fustin, sulfuretin) which were isolated from Rhus verniciflua Stokes (RCS) have antioxidant and antihepatotoxicity effect under the biliary liver fibrosis condition. After surgery (control) and posttreated RCS methanol extract (250mg/kg), ethyl acetate extract (250mg/kg) and flavonoids were administered p.o. 10mg/kg/day in two weeks for control groups. The concentration of clinical parameters and product of hepatic lipid peroxidation and the hydroxyproline content were significantly increased in liver fibrosis developed rats. Among the clinical parameters of serum, value of ALT, AST, SDH, total bilirubin and ${\gamma}$ -GT in posttreated RCS components-group showed significantly lower than in control-group. The content of hydroxyproline in posttreated RCS components-group showed lower than in control group and then the value of MDA in posttreated RCS components-group was also significantly reduced to 40~60% of that in control group. The hepatic xanthine oxidase and aldehyde oxidate activities were posttreated RCS components-group showed significantly lower than in control-group. The hepatic SOD and glutathione peroxidase activities were posttreated RCS components-group showed significantly higher than in control-group. Hence we concluded that active components of fustin and sulfuretin which were isolated from R. verniciflua Stokes were hepatoprotective effect in experimental liver fibrosis.

Language of Hope in Europe (유럽의 관점에서 조망하는 희망의 언어)

  • van Dijk-Groeneboer, Monique;Opatrny, Michal;Escher, Eva
    • Journal of Christian Education in Korea
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    • v.65
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    • pp.29-54
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    • 2021
  • In Europe, the diversity in religions, cultures, languages and historical backgrounds is enormous. World War II and the Soviet Regime have played a large part in this and the flow of refugees from other continents increases the pluralism. How can religious education add to bridging between differences? The language across European countries is different, literally between countries, but also figuratively speaking and even inside individual countries. These differences occur in cultural sense and across age groups as well. Secondary education has the task to form young people to become firmly rooted people who can hold their own in society. It is essential that they learn to examine their own core values and their roots. Recognising their values should be a main focus of religious education. However, schools are currently accommodating increasing numbers of non-religious pupils. What role do religious values still play in this situation? How do pupils feel about active involvement in religious institutions, and about basing life choices on religious beliefs? Can other, non-religious values be detected which could form the basis for value-oriented personal formation? Research of these subjects has been ongoing in the Netherlands for more than twenty years and is currently being expanded to the Czech Republic and(former East) Germany. These are also secularized countries but have a very different history. Does the history and context of these countries play a role, and does this show in the values that are important to pupils? A comparative pilot study is being conducted as start of this broadening perspective geared towards greater insight into the values of pupils in these three European countries. This information helps to design appropriate new forms of religious value-oriented worldview education.