• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.10.1-10.17
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• 2024

In this review, we will explore the intricate roles of cytokines and vascular endothelial growth factors in autoimmune diseases (ADs), with a particular focus on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and multiple sclerosis (MS). AD is characterized by self-destructive immune responses due to auto-reactive T lymphocytes and Abs. Among various types of ADs, RA and MS possess inflammation as a central role but in different sites of the patients. Other common aspects among these two ADs are their chronicity and relapsing-remitting symptoms requiring continuous management. First factor inducing these ADs are cytokines, such as IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-17, which play significant roles in the pathogenesis by contributing to inflammation, immune cell activation, and tissue damage. Secondly, vascular endothelial growth factors, including VEGF and angiopoietins, are crucial in promoting angiogenesis and inflammation in these two ADs. Finally, placental growth factor (PlGF), an emerging factor with bi-directional roles in angiogenesis and T cell differentiation, as we introduce as an "angio-lymphokine" is another key factor in ADs. Thus, while angiogenesis recruits more inflammatory cells into the peripheral sites, cytokines secreted by effector cells play critical roles in the pathogenesis of ADs. Various therapeutic interventions targeting these soluble molecules have shown promise in managing autoimmune pathogenic conditions. However, delicate interplay between cytokines, angiogenic factors, and PlGF has more to be studied when considering their complementary role in actual pathogenic conditions. Understanding the complex interactions among these factors provides valuable insights for the development of innovative therapies for RA and MS, offering hope for improved patient outcomes.

• BMB Reports
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.7-13
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• 2012

Phospholipase D (PLD), a superfamily of signaling enzymes that most commonly generate the lipid second messenger Phosphatidic Acid (PA), is found in diverse organisms from bacteria to man and functions in multiple cellular pathways. A fascinating member of the family, MitoPLD, is anchored to the mitochondrial surface and has two reported roles. In the first role, MitoPLD-generated PA regulates mitochondrial shape through facilitating mitochondrial fusion. In the second role, MitoPLD performs a critical function in a pathway that creates a specialized form of RNAi required by developing spermatocytes to suppress transposon mobilization during meiosis. This spermatocyte-specific RNAi, known as piRNA, is generated in the nuage, an electron-dense accumulation of RNA templates and processing proteins that localize adjacent to mitochondria in a structure also called intermitochondrial cement. In this review, we summarize recent findings on these roles for MitoPLD functions, highlighting directions that need to be pursued to define the underlying mechanisms.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2015

The biological roles of glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) proteins have long been extensively explored in eukaryotic organisms including fungi, animals and plants. This gene family has evolutionary well conserved kinase domain and shares similar phosphorylation properties to their substrate proteins. However, their specific biological roles are surprisingly distinct in different organisms. GSK3s play key role in key regulating the cytoskeleton and metabolic processes in animal systems, but plant GSKs are involved in quite different processes, such as flower development, brassinosteroid signaling, abiotic stresses, and organogenesis. In particular, recent studies have reported the critical multiple functions of BIN2 and its related paralogues plant GSK3s during organogenesis via connecting hormonal or developmental programs. In this review, we outline the recent understanding in the versatile functions related in physiological and biochemical relevance, which are mediated by plant GSK3s in various cellular signaling.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.23-36
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• 2010

Objectives: This study was performed to suggest the roles and professional competencies of health education specialists to improve the efficacy of health promotion activities in public health organizations. Results and Conclusion: Based on the advanced cases of utilizing health education specialists in international and domestic public health organizations, five key roles of health education specialists were proposed. They included developing and applying behavior change strategies necessary to begin and maintain health behavior practices, analysing the needs of the priority population in a systematic way, organizing multiple health behavior change programs and multilevel intervention programs, and doing research on health determinants and scientific evidence of health promotion programs, In order to improve the quality of health promotion services in public health organizations, professional competencies of health education specialist should be developed and strengthened.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.17-24
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• 2014

Gastric cancer is highly invasive, aggressively malignant, and amongst the most prevalent of all forms of cancer. Despite improved management strategies, early stage diagnosis of gastric cancer and accurate prognostic assessment is still lacking. Several recent reports have indicated that the pathogenesis of gastric cancer involves complex molecular mechanisms and multiple genetic and epigenetic alterations in oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. Functional inactivation of the tumor suppressor protein PTEN (Phosphatase and Tensin Homolog) has been detected in multiple cases of gastric cancer, and already shown to be closely linked to the development, progression and prognosis of the disease. Inactivation of PTEN can be attributed to gene mutation, loss of heterozygosity, promoter hypermethylation, microRNA- mediated regulation of gene expression, and post-translational phosphorylation. PTEN is also involved in mechanisms regulating tumor resistance to chemotherapy. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of PTEN and its roles in gastric cancer, and emphasizes its potential benefits in early diagnosis and gene therapy-based treatment strategies.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.23-31
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• 2004

Purpose: The purposes of this study were to examine physical health and depression by women's employment status and role satisfaction, and to identify significant predictors for women's health status. Method: With a cross-sectional, correlational study design, a sample of study was consisted of 181 women who were employed or not employed whose child was attending an elementary school through convenience sampling. Data were collected with a structured self-administered questionnaire and analyzed by $X^2$-test, t-test, 2-way ANCOVA and hierarchical multiple regression analysis using SPSS program. Result: Employed women had poorer physical health than that of nonemployed women and women who had greater satisfaction as a parent reported better physical health and lower level of depression than who had lower satisfaction with covariates. Predictor for better physical health after controlling for covariates was being not employed, greater satisfaction with worker's role if employed, and greater satisfaction with parent's role. Women who had lower level of depression reported greater satisfaction with their social roles, but occupancy of multiple roles and role satisfaction as worker were not related to depression. Conclusion: Role quantity and role quality seem to be very important factors to maintain better physical and psychological well-being in women.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.7 no.8
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• pp.723-733
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• 2020

The study investigates the effects of online instructional facilitator's qualities on student performance of online class activities. The study explores the roles of instructional facilitators who may influence student performance of online class activities and their academic achievement. The study employs a set of aggregated data from 1,362 subjects and 10 facilitators who participated in multiple online classes. The results of independent samples t-test reveal that the student performance in online classes has no association with facilitators' educational background or academic degree, as well as demographic characteristics, student evaluation records and instructional achievement. The results of multiple regression analysis show that the facilitator engagement has a positive relation to the enhancement of student interaction, reading discussion messages, and the quality of discussion messages in online discussions. The results of correlation analysis show that the facilitator engagement has a positive impact on both increasing the number of reading discussion messages and enhancing the quality of discussion messages. The facilitator engagement increases the quantity of reading discussion postings and enhances the quality of discussion messages, which would be a substantial contribution to student performance by facilitators. The findings suggest that student performance and academic achievement in online classes are not independent of facilitator engagement.

• Human Ecology Research
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• v.59 no.2
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• pp.169-183
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• 2021

The purpose of this study was to examine the association between family meals and family strengths (cohesion and flexibility) in Korean families with school-aged children. We focused on five dimensions of family meals: frequency, family rituals, communication, rules and roles, and perceptions. Our data came from 619 mothers who were married with at least one child in elementary school. Our multiple regression analyses showed that mothers reported higher levels of both cohesion and flexibility when they gave a higher priority to family meals, made family meals a ritual, had conversations on diverse topics during family meals, or experienced lower levels of meal-related stress. In addition, higher levels of family flexibility were found when a family had more structured rules related to family meals and the father more regularly participated in meal-related housework. This study contributes to the literature by understanding the roles of family meals from a multi-dimensional perspective.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.121-128
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• 2016

The restructuring of Korean railway industry, separation of between train operators and an infrastructure manager, had been conducted in 2004 to increase the productivities of railway operations. However, the maintenance-staffs are still employed by Korail (train operator), not by the infrastructure manager, which led the maintenance of railway infrastructure to be conducted by the train operator. The infrastructure manager is now only taking care of financial transferring issues once the train operator requests expenses spent for facility maintenance. Such incomplete restructure may result in a lack of safety performance on railway operations as the roles and responsibilities are less likely to be assigned under the multiple train operators. Thus, this study proposes the way of structuring maintenance divisions and their roles and responsibilities to assure the safe work execution under the circumstance of multiple train operators on the same rail network.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.219-227
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• 2016

The purpose of this study is to gain an understanding of the experiences of nurses in graduate school who fill multiple professional roles. The research's participants were women in the nursing profession studying towards postgraduate degrees. Their experiences were analyzed using Colaizzi's phenomenological method of qualitative research. The results showed that participants feel constantly short of time, pressure from the demands of their study, guilt owing to inability to fulfill family commitments, struggles related to the conflicts of multiple roles, and the feeling of satisfaction from accomplishing professional goals. This paper suggests that if nurses undergoing graduate study have an organized support system to help them perform the roles, they will find an identity in the nursing profession and will take care of their patients more professionally as a result. Such support depends in part on health administrators' greater understanding of the nurses' circumstances.