• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.171-180
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• 2011

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess changes in neuropeptide Y (NPY) immunoreactivity in the hypothalamus and interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) in the small intestine of rats fed high-fat diets (HFD). Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats (200~250 g body weight) were randomly divided into two groups, which were the control group (normal chow diet for 6 weeks), and the HFD group (rodent diet with 60% kcal fat for 6 weeks). The immunoreactivity of NPY in the hypothalamus and ICC in the small intestine was evaluated after every feed for 6 weeks. Results: NPY immunoreactivity was observed strongly in the hypothalamic nuclei in the HFD group compared to the control group. The numbers of NPY-immunoreactive (IR) cells were significantly higher in the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus in the HFD group than in the control group. In the region of Auerbach's plexus (AP) of small intestine, the staining intensity of the ICC-IR cells was reduced in the HFD group compared to the control group. The numbers of ICC in the small intestine with HFD, including ICC in the inner circular and outer longitudinal muscle were significantly lower than in the control group. Conclusion: This study suggested that increasing NPY-IR cells in the hypothalamus may reflect resistance of NPY action after a HFD, and decreasing ICC-IR cells in the small intestine after a HFD is functionally significant in gastrointestinal motility.

• Management & Information Systems Review
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.237-257
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• 2013

As there is impulsive buying that is pervasive phenomenon in the clothing consumption area, many academics and practitioners have been interested in it. Although prior studies have provided useful insights for understanding and predicting consumers' impulsive behavior, the findings do not clearly explain why different consumers influence impulsive behavior differently even when presented with the same shopping environment. Regulatory focus theory (Higgins, 1987, 1997, 2001) provides an insight for better understanding of consumers' impulsive responses to the elements of shopping experience. Thus, the purpose of our research was to understand the effect of consumers' regulatory focus (i.e., promotion focused vs. prevention focused) on their shopping experiences and impulsive behavior. A total of 157 data collected from female consumers lived in Ulsan and Pusan was used for this study. The results were as follows: First, sensitive experience and emotional experience have significantly positive effects on impulsive buying, but rational experience does significantly negatively effects on it. Second, to test the moderating effects of consumers' regulatory focus, responses were divided into two groups including promotion-focused group (n = 91) and prevention-focused group (n = 66) based on the relative strength of one type of their regulatory focus, which was introduced by Higgins (2001). Multiple regression analysis (independent variables: shopping experience, dependant variable: impulsive buying) was run within each group. The results showed that for the promotion-focused group, sensitive and emotional experience have significantly positive effects on impulsive buying. For prevention focused group, sensitive experience has significantly positive effects on impulsive buying and rational experience does significantly negatively effects on it. Chow's and Fisher's z-test were confirmed that the relationship between shopping experience and impulsive buying behavior was significantly different depending on consumers' regulatory focus.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.15 no.11
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• pp.486-500
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• 2015

This study focuses on customer loyalty that explains how firms can maintain long-term relationship with customers, in the internet shopping and mobile shopping contexts. Specifically, this study examines the key determinants of customer loyalty from two perspectives: service quality and shopping value. Concerning service quality, previous studies have long argued that it is a starting point of building customer loyalty. Shopping value is a key variable in capturing consumers' shopping motives. In this study, we consider two types of shopping value: usefulness as utilitarian value and enjoyment as hedonic value. Moreover, this study examines whether the effects of service quality and shopping value on customer loyalty differ depending on internet and mobile shopping groups. To test the proposed hypotheses, we conducted multiple linear regression analysis and chow test with a total of 199 data collected on users who have experience in internet shopping and mobile shopping. The key findings are as follows: First, in the internet shopping group, customer loyalty depends on service quality (responsiveness and empathy) and usefulness, whereas in the mobile shopping, it only depends on enjoyment. Second, the impacts of service quality and shopping value on customer loyalty are different depending on internet shopping and mobile shopping. The results imply that e-tailors should develop differential methods suitable for internet shopping or mobile shopping to enhance customer loyalty.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.12
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• pp.1693-1699
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• 2008

Recent studies have suggested that inulin might be utilized as a prebiotics for the promotion of antimicrobial growth, but a major obstacle to the use of inulin has been its low bifidogenic effects, which were initially observed in the ceca of broiler chickens. Inulin has some problems with related to denaturation in air and lowering passage rate from upper digestive tract to caecum. To solve this problems, a newly developed compound derived by microencapsulation, inuloprebiotics, was hypothesized to enrich cecal bifidobacterial populations and reduce the colonization levels of Salmonella in the ceca of broiler chickens. The in vitro growth of intestinal beneficial bacteria including Bifidobacterium longum, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Lactobacillus casei grew effectively on the medium containing inulin, whereas the growth of Streptococcus aureus and Clostridium perfringens was not differences among the treatment groups. Broiler chickens consumed chow diets containing 0.5%, 0.7% or 1.0% inuloprebiotics, or a control diet without inuloprebiotics supplementation. The chickens on the inuloprebioticssupplemented diets evidenced significantly higher cecal levels of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus species as compared with the chickens on the control diet. The population of cecal E. coli and Salmonella was specifically reduced as the result of treatment with inuloprebiotics. However, we noted no significant differences in Bifidobacterium species, E. coli and Salmonella counts among the inuloprebiotics treatment groups. The inuloprebiotics-supplemented diets induced an increase in the serum IgG concentration. The thymus index was significantly increased in the broiler chickens that consumed diets containing 0.7% or 1.0% inuloprebiotics, with the exception of the chickens consuming the diet supplemented with 0.5% inuloprebiotics. These results indicate that the inuloprebiotic preparations exerted an immune system-promoting effect or selectively enriched the cecal Bifidobacterium species populations in the broiler chickens, and also suggest that inuloprebiotics may prove useful as a stable natural antimicrobial agent.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.356-363
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• 2010

Background: Connexin 43-mediated gap junctional communication plays an important role in atherosclerosis. Numerous studies have demonstrated a correlation between mitral valve annular calcification and atherosclerotic disease. However, the relevance of connexin 43 to mitral valve disease remains unclear. We hypothesized that the mechanism contributing to mitral valve disease is associated with alterations in cell-to-cell communication mediated by changes in Connexin 43 expression. Material and Method: Twenty male New Zealand rabbits were divided into two groups: animals in group 1 (n=10) were fed a normal chow diet, whilst those in group 2 (n=10) received a diet containing 1% cholesterol for 12 weeks. After sacrificing the animals, the mitral valves were excised and analyzed with immunohistochemical staining and Real-time Reverse Transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (real time RT-PCR). Result: Myofibroblasts and macrophages were found concentrated within the endothelial layer on the ventricular side of the leaflet in the cholesterol diet group. Immunohistochemial staining showed elevated expression of connexin43 in the cholesterol diet group. Real-time RT-PCR revealed increased connexin43 mRNA levels in mitral valves from hypercholesterolemic animals. Conclusion: Our finding that connexin43 expression is increased in mitral valves of hypercholesterolemic rabbits suggests that alterations in cell-to-cell communication via connexin43 containing gap junctions play a role in the development of mitral valve disease in hypercholesterolemia.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.687-694
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• 2008

Background: Although aortic valve sclerosis causes no significant hemodynamic alterations, it is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular death and myocardial infarction. However, the role of ${\beta}_3$ integrin in aortic valve sclerosis remains unclear. Material and Method: Twenty male New Zealand rabbits were divided into two groups. Group 1 rabbits (n=10) received a normal chow diet, while group 2 (n=10) rabbits received a diet containing 1% cholesterol for 12 weeks. After the rabbits were euthanized, their aortic valves and ascending aortas were excised for analysis. Result: Total serum cholesterol ($2,148.3{\pm}1,012.5\;mg/dL$ versus $53.7{\pm}31.8\;mg/dL$, p<0.05), triglyceride ($240.4{\pm}218.3\;mg/dL$ versus $31.6{\pm}6.4\;mg/dL$, p<0.05), and low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol($2,065.3{\pm}960.9\;mg/dL$ versus $29.1{\pm}30.9\;mg/dL$, p<0.05) levels were significantly higher in the cholesterol diet group compared with the normal diet group. Myofibroblasts and macrophages were more highly expressed in the aortic valve leaflets of rabbits in the cholesterol diet group than of those in the normal diet group. A real-time polymerase chain reaction revealed decreased ${\beta}_3$ integrin mRNA levels in the hypercholesterolemic aortic valves and aortas. Conclusion: The present study shows that hypercholesterolemia induces aortic valve sclerosis. These findings suggest that alterations in ${\beta}_3$ integrin may playa role in the development of aortic valve sclerosis.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.34 no.9
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• pp.1350-1356
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• 2005

Osteoporosis that is associated with estrogen deficiency in menopause is by far the most common cause of age-related bone loss. Since isoflavone had been reported as a natural substance that minimizes bone loss, we have begun this study to examine the effect of the substance on bone metabolism in ovariectomized rats. Five week-old (n=22) and 25 week-old (n=22) Sprage-Dawley female rats were classified into young (Y) and adult (A) groups. Each group consisted of three subgroups : sham operated group (SH), ovariectomized group (OVX), and isoflavone supplemented group (OVX+ISO 80 mg/kg B.W.). They were fed chow for 9 weeks. The result showed that body weight gain was increased in YOVX in comparison to YSH group, (p<0.05) serum osteocalcin concentration and urinal deoxypyridinoline (DPD) excretion had significantly increased in YOVX more than in YSH group, and significantly decrease in OVX+ISO than in YOVX group (p<0.05). We concluded that soy isoflavones may decrease bone turnover in young rats. However, isoflavone supplement didn't show significant influence on bone metabolism of adult rats.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.942-948
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• 2006

This study was performed to determine whether the length of the feeding of the controlled experimental diet to the dam resulted in changes to the dam milk or pup brain fatty acid composition. As a first method, females have been obtained at 3 weeks of age and fed the experimental diet throughout their growth to adulthood including mating, pregnancy, and lactational periods. As a second method, in order to shorten this long and expensive process, time-pregnant dams were obtained as early as possible from a commercial supplier, on day 3 of gestation, and immediately switched to the experimental diet. At birth, the milk of dams prepared by these two different methods was compared by collecting the stomach contents of the pups. This showed a slight increase in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (AA) in the pup stomach contents from the time-pregnant dams. There were no significant changes in the brain fatty acid composition of pups between the two different lengths of the experimental diet intake. By the 10 days of age, there were only minor differences in the milk fatty acid composition of pup stomach contents from the two sets of dams. However, the pup brains of the time-pregnant groups at 10 days showed increased AA and DHA due to intake of the chow diet including AA, DHA and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Thus, the history of the maternal feeding could affect the results under these particular circumstances, but the differences were minimal.