• Title/Summary/Keyword: agent model

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Beneficial Effects of Fermented Cricket Powder as a Hair Growth Promoting Agent in a Mice Model (생쥐 모델에서 쌍별 귀뚜라미 발효 분말의 발모 촉진제로서의 유익한 효과)

  • Hwang, Jihye;Hwang, Ui Wook
    • Journal of Life Science
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    • v.32 no.3
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    • pp.196-201
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    • 2022
  • Insects have been proposed as new protein sources for human nutrition, and protein availability is affected by insect characteristics. Fermentation can be used to obtain a variety of insect-based ingredients and products with unique properties, but its effect on protein availability is unknown. Fermented cricket (Gryllus bimaculatus) powder consists mainly of protein, and its oral administration has been reported to improve hair growth in androgenetic alopecia. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the hair-promoting activity of fermented cricket powder in an animal model using male C57BL/6 mice (25-30 g). The abdominal hair of the mouse (2x2.5 cm) was gently removed, and the groups fed as follows: Intact controls (no cricket powder); cricket powder only; and fermented cricket powder only. Food was applied daily for 11 weeks. Observational and physical examinations were performed and the results of the different groups compared. The application of fermented cricket powder significantly (p<0.01) promoted hair growth compared to the intact controls. The C57BL/6 results confirmed increased growth after seven weeks when the proportion of anagen follicles had increased by about 125% and 120% in the control and cricket powder groups, respectively. In conclusion, fermented cricket powder can be seen as a promising alternative alopecia treatment because it promotes hair growth, and, given the powder's composition, trace elements such as amino acids may have contributed to these effects.

Inhibitory Effects of Ssanghwa-tang on Lung Injury and Muscle Loss in a Cigarette Smoke Extract and Lipopolysaccharide-induced Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Mouse Model (표준담배추출물과 Lipopolysaccharide로 유발한 만성폐쇄성폐질환 동물모델에서 쌍화탕의 폐손상 및 근감소 억제 효과)

  • Jin-kwan Choi;Won-kyung Yang;Su-won Lee;Seong-cheon Woo;Seung-hyung Kim;Yang-chun Park
    • The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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    • v.45 no.1
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    • pp.11-30
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    • 2024
  • Objectives: This study evaluated the effects of Ssanghwa-tang (SHT) on lung injury and muscle loss in a COPD mouse model. Methods: C57BL/6 mice were challenged with cigarette smoke extract and lipopolysaccharide, and then treated with two concentrations of SHT (250 and 500 mg/kg). After sacrifice, the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) or lung tissue was analyzed by cytospin, ELISA, real-time PCR, flow cytometry analysis, and H&E and Masson's trichrome staining. The grip strength of COPD mice was measured using a grip strength meter. The running time of COPD mice was measured by a treadmill test. Muscle tissue of the quadriceps was stained with H&E and Masson's trichrome staining. Results: SHT significantly inhibited the increase in neutrophil numbers in BALF and significantly decreased immune cell activity in BALF and lung tissue. It also significantly inhibited the increase in TNF-α, IL-17, and MIP2 in BALF. Real-time PCR analysis revealed that the mRNA expression of TNF-α, IL-17, MIP2, and TRPV1 in lung tissue showed a significant decrease compared with the control group. Lung tissue damage was significantly reduced in the histological analysis. The grip strength and running time of the COPD mice showed a significant decrease compared with the control group. In histological staining, SHT was found to reduce the damage to muscle tissue. Conclusions: This study indicates that SHT can be used as a therapeutic agent for COPD patients by inhibiting lung injury and muscle loss.

Temperature-dependent Oviposition Model and Life Table Parameters of Paromius exiguus (Distant) (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae) Growing on Rice (벼에서 흑다리긴노린재 [Paromius exiguus (Distant)] (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae) 산란모델 및 생명표)

  • Park, Chang-Gyu;Park, Hong-Hyeon;Seo, Bo Yoon
    • Korean journal of applied entomology
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    • v.56 no.4
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    • pp.387-394
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    • 2017
  • Temperature-dependent oviposition model and life table parameters of Paromius exiguus (Distant), the causal agent of 'pecky' rice grain were examined at eight constant temperatures (17.5, 20, 22.5, 25, 27.5, 30, 32.5, and $35{\pm}^{\circ}C$) and a photoperiod of 14:10 (L:D) h. Unit functions of the oviposition model were developed and life table parameters were estimated. The longevity of P. exiguus adults decreased with increasing temperature (123.8 days at $17.5^{\circ}C$ and 23.6 days at $32.5^{\circ}C$). Total fecundity was highest at $30^{\circ}C$ (585.2 eggs/female) and lowest at $17.5^{\circ}C$ (21.5 eggs/female). In order to develop a temperature-dependent oviposition model, adult aging-rate, temperature-dependent fecundity, age-specific survival rate, and age-specific cumulative oviposition rate equations were estimated. All unit equations ($r^2=0.92{\sim}0.98$) except for the temperature-dependent fecundity equation ($r^2=0.83{\sim}0.85$), described oviposition characteristics of P. exiguus adequately. Life table parameters of P. exiguus were estimated at various constant temperatures. Net reproduction rate ($R_0$) was highest at $30^{\circ}C$ (118.21). Mean generation time (T) was shortest at $32.5^{\circ}C$ (32.99 days) and doubling time (Dt) was shortest at $30^{\circ}C$ (5.69 days). The highest values of intrinsic rate of increase ($r_m$) and finite rate of increase (${\lambda}$) were 0.122 and 1.129 at $30^{\circ}C$, respectively.

International and domestic research trends in longitudinal connectivity evaluations of aquatic ecosystems, and the applicability analysis of fish-based models (수생태계 종적 연결성 평가를 위한 국내외 연구 현황 및 어류기반 종적 연속성 평가모델 적용성 분석)

  • Kim, Ji Yoon;Kim, Jai-Gu;Bae, Dae-Yeul;Kim, Hye-Jin;Kim, Jeong-Eun;Lee, Ho-Seong;Lim, Jun-Young;An, Kwang-Guk
    • Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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    • v.38 no.4
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    • pp.634-649
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    • 2020
  • Recently, stream longitudinal connectivity has been a topic of investigation due to the frequent disconnections and the impact of aquatic ecosystems caused by the construction of small and medium-sized weirs and various artificial structures (fishways) directly influencing the stream ecosystem health. In this study, the international and domestic research trends of the longitudinal connectivity in aquatic ecosystems were evaluated and the applicability of fish-based longitudinal connectivity models used in developed countries was analyzed. For these purposes, we analyzed the current status of research on longitudinal connectivity and structural problems, fish monitoring methodology, monitoring approaches, longitudinal disconnectivity of fish movement, and biodiversity. In addition, we analyzed the current status and some technical limitations of physical habitat suitability evaluation, ecology-based water flow, eco-hydrological modeling for fish habitat connectivity, and the s/w program development for agent-based model. Numerous references, data, and various reports were examined to identify worldwide longitudinal stream connectivity evaluation models in European and non-European countries. The international approaches to longitudinal connectivity evaluations were categorized into five phases including 1) an approach integrating fish community and artificial structure surveys (two types input variables), 2) field monitoring approaches, 3) a stream geomorphological approach, 4) an artificial structure-based DB analytical approach, and 5) other approaches. the overall evaluation of survey methodologies and applicability for longitudinal stream connectivity suggested that the ICE model (Information sur la Continuite Ecologique) and the ICF model (Index de Connectivitat Fluvial), widely used in European countries, were appropriate for the application of longitudinal connectivity evaluations in Korean streams.

In Vivo Image and Biodistribution of $^{123}I$-15-(p-iodophenyl)-3-R, S-methylpentadecanoic acid (BMIPP) in Liposarcoma Bearing Nude Mice (지방육종형성 동물모델에서 $^{123}I$-15-(p-iodophenyl)-3-R, S-methylpentadecanoic acid (BMIPP)의 생체분포와 생체영상)

  • Lee, Tae-Sup;Suh, Yong-Sup;Choi, Chang-Woon;Woo, Kwang-Sun;Chung, Wee-Sup;Lim, Soo-Jung;Lim, Sang-Moo;Awh, Ok-Doo
    • The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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    • v.35 no.5
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    • pp.324-333
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    • 2001
  • Purpose: $^{123}I$-labeled fatty acids have been used in the evaluation of regional myocardial energy metabolism. This study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of $^{123}I$-BMIPP as a liposarcoma-imaging agent. Materials and Methods: We compared in vitro uptakes between liposarcoma(SW872) and glioma(9L) cell lines, and examined biodistribution and in vivo images of $^{123}I$-BMIPP in liposarcoma-bearing nude mice. Cold-BMIPP was labeled with $^{123}I\;using\;Cu^{2+}$ as catalyst. After purification by Sep-pak, radiochemical purity was determined by TLC. We compared cellular uptake between glioma and liposarcoma after incubation of 5, 10, 15, 30, 60, 120, and 180 mins with culture medium containing $^{123}I$-BMIPP. The difference in biodistribution was determined between non-feeding (water only) group for 18 hr and feeding group in normal mice (n=6/group) at 0.5, 2, and 24 hr. In liposarcoma-hearing nude mice model, liposarcoma, SW872, ceil lines were injected subcutaneously into the felt thigh of nude mice. The biodistribution of $^{123}I$-BMIPP was evaluated at 0.5, 2, and 24 hr (n:5 / group) and in vivo Image of $^{123}I$-BMIPP was obtained with gamma camera at 2 and 24 hr in liposarcoma-hearing nude mice. Results: Radiolabeling yield and radiochemical purity were 95% and above 99%, respectively. SW872 cell line showed more increased uptake than 9L with 1.5 times at 180 mins. The clearance of $^{123}I$-BMIPP in various tissues was more delayed in the non-feeding group than in the feeding group, especially at delayed time (24 hr) in normal mice, and the major excreting organ was the gastrointestinal tract. In liposarcoma-bearing nude mice, tumor/blood ratio of $^{123}I$-BMIPP was 0.94, 0.75, and 1.38 and tumor/muscle ratio was 0.66, 1.53, and 1.11 at 0.5, 2, and 24hr, respectively. $^{123}I$-BMIPP was selectively localized in liposarcoma at 24 hr image. Conclusions: These results suggest that $^{123}I$-BMIPP can be used as a liposarcoma-imaging agent.

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A study on the developmental plan of Alarm Monitoring Service (기계경비의 발전적 대응방안에 관한 연구)

  • Chung, Tae-Hwang;So, Seung-Young
    • Korean Security Journal
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    • no.22
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    • pp.145-168
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    • 2010
  • Since Alarm Monitoring Service was introduced in Korea in 1981, the market has been increasing and is expected to increase continually. Some factors such as the increase of social security need and the change of safety consciousness, increase of persons who live alone could be affected positively on Alarm Monitoring Service industry. As Alarm Monitoring Service come into wide use, the understanding of electronic security service is spread and consumer's demand is difficult, so consideration about new developmental plan is need to respond to the change actively. Electronic security system is consist of various kinds of element, so every element could do their role equally. Alarm Monitoring Service should satisfy consumer's various needs because it is not necessary commodity, also electronic security device could be easily operated and it's appearance has to have a good design. To solve the false alarm problem, detection sensor's improvement should be considered preferentially and development of new type of sensor that operate dissimilarly to replace former sensor is needed. On the other hand, to settle the matter that occurred by response time, security company could explain the limit on Alarm Monitoring System to consumer honestly and ask for an understanding. If consumer could be joined into security activity by security agent's explanation, better security service would be provided with mutual confidence. To save response time the consideration on the introduction of GIS(Global Information System) is needed rather than GPS(Global Positioning System). Although training program for security agents is important, several benefits for security agents should be considered together. The development of new business model is required for preparation against market stagnation and the development of new commodity to secure consumer for housing service rather than commercial facility service. for the purpose of those, new commodity related to home-network system and video surveillance system could be considered, also new added service with network between security company and consumer for a basis is to be considered.

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Experimental Model of Cardiac Xenograft, Mouse Heart to Rat. (이종이형의 심장이식의 실험적 모델)

  • Kim, Byung-Il;Sohn, Sang-Tae;Shin, Sung-Ho;Chung, Won-Sang;Kim, Hyuk;Kim, Young-Hak;Kang, Jung-Ho;Jee, Heng-Ok;Lee, Chul-Burm;Seo, Jung-Kuk
    • Journal of Chest Surgery
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    • v.32 no.1
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    • pp.1-4
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    • 1999
  • Background: The transplantation of organs between phylogenetically disparate or harmonious species has invariably failed due to the occurrence of hyperacute rejection or accerelated acute rejection. But, concordant cardiac xenograft offer us an opportunity to study xenotransplantation in the absence of hyperacute rejection. Current therapeutics for the prolongation of survival of rodent concordant xenotransplantation are not ideal with many regimens having a high mortality rate. Cyclosporine A & Mycophenolate Mofetil are new immunosuppresive agent which has been shown to be effective at prolonging survival of allograft, as purine synthesis inhibitor. Material and Method: We used white mongrel rats as recipient and mice as donor, divided 4 groups(n=6), control group(Group 1) has no medication or pretreatment, Group 2 has splenectomy as pretreatment 7∼10 days before transplantation, Group 3 has Cyclosporine A treatment group, Group 4 has combined treatment of Cyclosporine A & Mycophenolate Mofetil(RS 61443). We compared survival time. Reuslt: We can't find significant difference of survival time between each groups. Conclusion: We concluded that rejection of cardiac xenograft was different from rejection of allograft, and new immunossuppresive Agent(Mycophenolate Mofetil, Cyclosporine A) was not effective for prolongation of survival time after cardiac xenograft.

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A Funding Source Decision on Corporate Bond - Private Placements vs Public Bond - (기업의 회사채 조달방법 선택에 관한 연구 - 사모사채와 공모사채 발행을 중심으로 -)

  • An, Seung-Cheol;Lee, Sang-Whi;Jang, Seung-Wook
    • The Korean Journal of Financial Management
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    • v.21 no.2
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    • pp.99-123
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    • 2004
  • We focus in this study on incremental financing decisions and estimate a logit model for the probability a firm will choose a private placement over a public bond issue. We hypothesize that information asymmetry, financial risk, agent cost, and proprietary information may affect a firm's choice between public debt and private placements. We find that as the size of firm increases, the probability of choosing a private placement declines significantly. The age of the firm, however, is not a significant factor affecting the firm's choice between public and privately-placed bond. The coefficients on the firm's leverage and non-investment grade dummy are significantly positive, meaning firms with high financial risk and credit risk select private placements. The findings regarding agency-related variables, PER and Tobin's Q, are somewhat complex. We find significant evidence that firms with high PER prefer private placements to public bonds, suggesting that borrowers with options to engage in asset substitution or underinvestment are more likely to choose private placements. The coefficient of Tobin's Q is negative, but not significant, which weakly support the hold-up hypothesis. When we construct an interaction term on the Tobin's Q with a non-investment rating dummy, however, the Tobin's Q interaction term becomes positive and significant. Thus, high Tobin's Q firms with a speculative rating are significantly more likely to choose a private placement, regardless of the potential hold-up problems. The ratio of R&D to sales, proxy for proprietary information, is positively significant. This result can be interpreted as evidence in favor of a role for proprietary information in the debt sourcing decision process for these firms.

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Biodistribution of $^{99m}Tc$-Lactosylated Serum Albumin in Mice with Diethylnitrosamine or Thiacetamide Induced Liver Injury (Diethylnitrosamine 및 Thioacetamide 유발 간손상 생쥐에서의 $^{99m}Tc$-Lactosylated Serum Albumin의 체내 분포상)

  • Whang, Jae-Seok;Ahn, Byeong-Cheol;Sung, Young-Ok;Seo, Ji-Hyoung;Bae, Jin-Ho;Jeong, Shin-Young;Yoo, Jung-Soo;Jeong, Jae-Min;Lee, Jae-Tae;Lee, Kyu-Bo
    • The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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    • v.39 no.3
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    • pp.200-208
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    • 2005
  • Purpose: Tc-99m labeled diethylenetriaminepentaacctic acid (DTPA)-coupled galactosylated human serum albumin (GSA) is a currently used imaging agent for asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPR) of the liver, but, it has several shortcomings. Recently a new ASGPR imaging agent, $^{99m}Tc$-lactosylated human serum albumin (LSA), with simple labeling procedure, high labeling efficiency, high stability was developed. In order to assess the feasibility of the $^{99m}Tc$-LSA as a ASGPR imaging radiopharmaceuticals, we performed biodistribution study of the tracer in liver injured mice model and the results were compared with histolgic data. Materals and Methods: To induce hepatic damage in ICR mice, diethylnitrosamine (DEN) ($60mg/kg/week{\times}5time$, low dose or $180mg/kg/week{\times}2times$, high dose) and thioacetamide (TAA) ($50mg/kg{\times}1time$) were administrated intraperitoneally. Degree of liver damage was evaluated by tissue hematoxilin-eosin stain, and expression of asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPR) was assessed by immunohistochemistry using ASGPR antibody. $^{99m}Tc$-LSA was intravenously administrated via tail vein in DEN or TAA treated mice, and biodistribution study of the tracer was also performed. Results: DEN treated mice showed ballooning of hepatocyte and inflammatory cell infiltration in low dose group and severe hapatocyte necrosis in high dose group, and low dose group showed higher ASGPR staining than control mice in immunohistochemical staining. TAA treated mice showed severe hepatic necrosis. $^{99m}Tc$-LSA Biodistribution study showed that mice with hepatic necrosis induced by high dose DEN or TAA revealed higher blood activity and lower liver activity than control mice, due to slow clearance of the tracer by the liver. The degree of liver uptake was inversely correlated with the degree of histologic liver damage. But low dose DEN treated mice with mild hepatic injury showed normal blood clearance and hepatic activity, partly due to overexpression of ASGPR in mice with mild degree hepatic injury. Conclusion: Liver uptake of $^{99m}Tc$-LSA was inversely correlated with degree of histologic hepatic injury in DEN and TAA treated mice. These results support that $^{99m}Tc$-LSA can be used to evaluate the liver status in liver disease patients.

Dynamic Limit and Predatory Pricing Under Uncertainty (불확실성하(不確實性下)의 동태적(動態的) 진입제한(進入制限) 및 약탈가격(掠奪價格) 책정(策定))

  • Yoo, Yoon-ha
    • KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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    • v.13 no.1
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    • pp.151-166
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    • 1991
  • In this paper, a simple game-theoretic entry deterrence model is developed that integrates both limit pricing and predatory pricing. While there have been extensive studies which have dealt with predation and limit pricing separately, no study so far has analyzed these closely related practices in a unified framework. Treating each practice as if it were an independent phenomenon is, of course, an analytical necessity to abstract from complex realities. However, welfare analysis based on such a model may give misleading policy implications. By analyzing limit and predatory pricing within a single framework, this paper attempts to shed some light on the effects of interactions between these two frequently cited tactics of entry deterrence. Another distinctive feature of the paper is that limit and predatory pricing emerge, in equilibrium, as rational, profit maximizing strategies in the model. Until recently, the only conclusion from formal analyses of predatory pricing was that predation is unlikely to take place if every economic agent is assumed to be rational. This conclusion rests upon the argument that predation is costly; that is, it inflicts more losses upon the predator than upon the rival producer, and, therefore, is unlikely to succeed in driving out the rival, who understands that the price cutting, if it ever takes place, must be temporary. Recently several attempts have been made to overcome this modelling difficulty by Kreps and Wilson, Milgram and Roberts, Benoit, Fudenberg and Tirole, and Roberts. With the exception of Roberts, however, these studies, though successful in preserving the rationality of players, still share one serious weakness in that they resort to ad hoc, external constraints in order to generate profit maximizing predation. The present paper uses a highly stylized model of Cournot duopoly and derives the equilibrium predatory strategy without invoking external constraints except the assumption of asymmetrically distributed information. The underlying intuition behind the model can be summarized as follows. Imagine a firm that is considering entry into a monopolist's market but is uncertain about the incumbent firm's cost structure. If the monopolist has low cost, the rival would rather not enter because it would be difficult to compete with an efficient, low-cost firm. If the monopolist has high costs, however, the rival will definitely enter the market because it can make positive profits. In this situation, if the incumbent firm unwittingly produces its monopoly output, the entrant can infer the nature of the monopolist's cost by observing the monopolist's price. Knowing this, the high cost monopolist increases its output level up to what would have been produced by a low cost firm in an effort to conceal its cost condition. This constitutes limit pricing. The same logic applies when there is a rival competitor in the market. Producing a high cost duopoly output is self-revealing and thus to be avoided. Therefore, the firm chooses to produce the low cost duopoly output, consequently inflicting losses to the entrant or rival producer, thus acting in a predatory manner. The policy implications of the analysis are rather mixed. Contrary to the widely accepted hypothesis that predation is, at best, a negative sum game, and thus, a strategy that is unlikely to be played from the outset, this paper concludes that predation can be real occurence by showing that it can arise as an effective profit maximizing strategy. This conclusion alone may imply that the government can play a role in increasing the consumer welfare, say, by banning predation or limit pricing. However, the problem is that it is rather difficult to ascribe any welfare losses to these kinds of entry deterring practices. This difficulty arises from the fact that if the same practices have been adopted by a low cost firm, they could not be called entry-deterring. Moreover, the high cost incumbent in the model is doing exactly what the low cost firm would have done to keep the market to itself. All in all, this paper suggests that a government injunction of limit and predatory pricing should be applied with great care, evaluating each case on its own basis. Hasty generalization may work to the detriment, rather than the enhancement of consumer welfare.

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