• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.298-304
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• 2016

Dianthus superbus (D. superbus) is a traditional crude drug used for the treatment of urethritis, carbuncles and carcinomas. The objective of this study was to confirm the cognitive enhancing effect of D. superbus in memory impairment induced mice and to elucidate the possible potential mechanism. Effect of D. superbus on scopolamine induced memory impairment on mice was evaluated using the Morris water maze and passive avoidance tests. We also investigated acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) expression in scopolamine-induced mice. HPLC-DAD analysis was performed to identify active compounds in D. superbus. The results revealed that D. superbus attenuated the learning and memory impairment induced by scopolamine. D. superbus also inhibited AChE levels in the hippocampi of the scopolamine-injected mice. Moreover, D. superbus increased BDNF expression in the hippocampus. Eight compounds were identified using HPLC-DAD analysis. The content of 4-hydroxyphenyl acetic acid was higher than contents of other compounds. These results indicated that D. superbus improved memory functioning accompanied by inhibition of AChE and upregulation of BDNF, suggesting that D. superbus may be a useful therapeutic agent for the prevention or treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2000.11b
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• pp.213-220
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• 2000

Numerical modeling of cut slope has some limits in simulating the real slopes. In the case of 2D analysis of slope stability, it is assumed that slope is simply straight even when it is concave or convex in plan view. In this study, 3D analysis in curved shape slopes has been conducted for the comparison with 2D analysis in terms of failure mode and factor of safety. For this, 3D analysis by FLAC3D was compared with 2D analysis in plane strain condition and axi-symmetric model condition by FLAC. It was also observed how safety factors of slopes were affected by the variation of the tensile strength and cohesion, which are important variables to decide whether the slope fails or not. 2D analysis of concave slopes under plane strain condition showed much smaller safety factors by 16-40 % errors depending on the radius of curvature of slopes, compared to the more realistic values from 3D analysis. In case of convex slopes, the lower values by 7-10 % has been reported. 2D analysis of axi-symmetric model showed also smaller safety factors by 6-10 % and by 2-4 %, in case of concave and convex slopes, respectively. Such results are expected to contribute to the better understanding of failure process and could be applied for improved design of slopes.

• STI Policy Review
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.1-22
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• 2017

There has been a pronounced increase in research and development (R&D) expenditure in Singapore over the last two decades, with government spending accounting for a sizeable share. This increase has been spurred by public policy emphasis on research and innovation as engines of economic growth. This paper analyses the impact of R&D on economic performance in Singapore from 1978 to 2012 through the use of time series analysis. The Cobb-Douglas based analysis shows a long-run equilibrium relationship between Total Factor Productivity (TFP) and R&D investments. We found that the short-run productivity of R&D in Singapore is comparable to smaller advanced economies in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). However, in terms of long-run R&D productivity, Singapore lags slightly behind the smaller OECD nations and far behind the G7 countries. This suggests leakage of value capture and low absorptive capacity in local firms. Possibility of productivity improvements induced by policy changes in the 1990s was considered, but no evidence of significant structural breaks was found. Lastly, Granger causality analysis reveals that public sector R&D augments private sector R&D capital, thus playing an important role in generating externalities and spillover effects. Policy implications and lessons for other middle-income countries are discussed.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Electromagnetic Engineering and Science
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.250-256
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• 2008

In this paper, an X-band oscillator is presented using a new miniaturized microstrip hairpin resonator. The newly designed hairpin resonator on the microstrip line employs the spiral structure, which shows a higher loaded quality factor and the 50 % reduced circuit area compared to the conventional one at 9.2 GHz. The oscillator using proposed resonator shows the output power of 10.87 dBm, the second harmonic suppression of 41.99 dBc, and the phase noise performance of -101.49 dBc/Hz at 100 kHz offset, which is better than the conventional resonator oscillator by 6.17 dB.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.243-249
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• 2008

Corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) mediates various responses to stress through CRF receptors 1 and 2. CRF receptor 2 has two forms, $2{\alpha}$ and $2{\beta}$ each of which appears to have distinct roles. Here we used dopaminergic neuron-derived MN9D cells to investigate the function of CRF receptor 2 in dopamine neurons. We found that n-butyrate, a histone deacetylase inhibitor, induced MN9D cell differentiation and increased gene expression of all CRF receptors. CRF receptor $2{\beta}$ was minimally expressed in MN9D cells; however, its expression dramatically increased during differentiation. CRF receptor $2{\beta}$ expression levels appeared to correlate with neurite outgrowth, suggesting CRF receptor $2{\beta}$ involvement in neuronal differentiation. To validate this statement, we made a CRF receptor $2{\beta}$-overexpressing $MN9D/CRFR2{\beta}$ stable cell line. This cell line showed robust neurite outgrowth and GAP43 overexpression, together with MEK and ERK activation, suggesting MN9D cell neuronal differentiation. From these results, we conclude that CRF receptor $2{\beta}$ plays an important role in MN9D cell differentiation by activating the MEK/ERK signaling pathway.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Communications and Information Sciences
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• v.33 no.2A
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• pp.167-173
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• 2008

In this paper, the flexible narrow bandpass filters (BPFs) with ${\lambda}$g/4 short and ${\lambda}$g/2 open stubs by microstrip line on duroid substrate are suggested. These BPFs with narrow bandwidth show flexible bandwidth with variation of the position of the stubs using the Qe (external quality factor) without changing the impedance value at microwave range. On the other hand, by replacing the series quarter-wavelength connecting lines with the equivalent T-shaped line of bandstop filter(BSF), the compact stub bandpass filter with harmonics suppression can be realized. The BPF with ${\lambda}$g/4 short stubs shows the insertion loss of 2.1 dB and the return loss of 18 dB and BPF with ${\lambda}$g/2 open stubs shows the insertion loss of 1.2 dB and the return loss of 21.9 dB at the center frequency of 5.8 GHz and the bandwidth of 10 %.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.126-129
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• 2010

(1-X) $(Na_{0.5}K_{0.5})NbO_3-X$ $K_4CuNb_8O_{23}$ (NKN-X KCN) ceramics were produced using the conventional solid state sintering method, and their sinterability and electric properties were investigated. The density, dielectric constant (${\varepsilon}_r$), piezoelectric constant $d_{33}$, electromechanical coupling factor $k_p$ and mechanical quality factor $Q_m$ value of the NKN ceramics depended upon the KCN content and the sintering temperature. In particular, the KCN addition to the NKN greatly improved the mechanical quality factor $Q_m$ value. The ceramic with X = 2.0 mol% sintered at $1,150^{\circ}C$ possesses the optimum properties (${\varepsilon}_r=241$, $d_{33}=78$, $k_p=0.34$ and $Q_m=1,121$). These results indicate that the ceramic is a promising candidate material for applications in lead free piezoelectric transformer and filter materials.

• The Journal of The Korea Institute of Intelligent Transport Systems
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.13-22
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• 2012

Estimating directional design hourly volume (DDHV) is an important aspect of traffic or road engineering practice. DDHV on highway without permanent traffic counters (PTCs) is usually determined by the annual average daily traffic (AADT) being multiplied by the ratio of DHV to AADT (K factor) and the directional split ratio (D factor) recommended by Korea highway capacity manual (KHCM). However, about the validity of this method has not been clearly proven. The main intent of this study is to develop more accurate and efficient DDHV estimation models for national highway in Korea. DDHV characteristics are investigated using the data from permanent traffic counters (PTCs) on national highways in Korea. A linear relationship between DDHV and AADT was identified. So DDHV estimation models using AADT were developed. The results show that the proposed models outperform the KHCM method with the mean absolute percentage errors (MAPE).

• International Area Studies Review
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.147-165
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• 2016

We empirically examine the validity of second generation endogenous growth theory suing 21 OECD countries' panel data(1981~2011). Due to non-stationarity in all variables, we test the cointegrated relationships strongly supporting the semi-endogenous growth model. In the estimation of total factor productivity growth function, the growth of domestic and foreign R&D investment levels statistically significantly affect total factor productivity growth. R&D intensity, however, has significant impacts on the total factor productivity growth only in a few models, and international technology gap also has positive impacts on GDP growth. Thus the semi-endogenous growth model is relatively supported while fully endogenous growth model is weakly and occasionally supported in OECD countries. The policy implication of supporting the semi-endogenous growth model is that the sustaining growth requires increasing R&D expenditures.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.1-25
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• 2009

The Government is putting efforts to enhance efficiency and productivity of performances of National R&D Programs by enacting 'Law on Evaluation and Management of Performances of National R&D Program'. This study is the result of development of evaluation model and indices for analysis of efficiency through meta evaluation method for the specific evaluation among evaluation systems for National R&D Program that are being carried out at government-wide level. Meta evaluation model for analysis of efficiency of evaluation system for National R&D Program designed evaluation indices by categorizing compositional factors into 5 categories, namely, evaluation context factor, evaluation resources factor, evaluation process factor, evaluation result factor and evaluation utilization factor. Furthermore, the result of verification of reliability on evaluation composition factors and evaluation indices analyzed to select evaluation items displayed Cronbach' $\alpha$ coefficient of 0.933, thereby illustrating that there is no major problem in the evaluation index system. In addition, computation of weight for each evaluation composition factor and evaluation index was analyzed by using analytical hierarchy process (AHP) technique. The result of analysis displayed overall consistency index of less than 0.1 for the investigators, thereby enabling analysis that there is consistency in investigators.