• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제26권4호
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• pp.229-238
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• 2022

Severe bacterial infections are frequently accompanied by depressed neutrophil functions. Thus, agents that increase the microbicidal activity of neutrophils could add to a direct antimicrobial therapy. Lysophosphatidylcholine augments neutrophil bactericidal activity via the glycine (Gly)/glycine receptor (GlyR) α2/TRPM2/p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. However, the direct effect of glycine on neutrophil bactericidal activity was not reported. In this study, the effect of glycine on neutrophil bactericidal activity was examined. Glycine augmented bactericidal activity of human neutrophils (EC₅₀ = 238 μM) in a strychnine (a GlyR antagonist)-sensitive manner. Glycine augmented bacterial clearance in mice, which was also blocked by strychnine (0.4 mg/kg, s.c.). Glycine enhanced NADPH oxidase-mediated reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and TRPM2-mediated [Ca²⁺]_i increase in neutrophils that had taken up E. coli. Glycine augmented Lucifer yellow uptake (fluid-phase pinocytosis) and azurophil granule-phagosome fusion in neutrophils that had taken up E. coli in an SB203580 (a p38 MAPK inhibitor)-sensitive manner. These findings indicate that glycine augments neutrophil microbicidal activity by enhancing azurophil granule-phagosome fusion via the GlyRα2/ROS/calcium/p38 MAPK pathway. We suggest that glycine could be a useful agent for increasing neutrophil bacterial clearance.

• 운동영양학회지
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• 제25권2호
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• pp.15-19
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• 2021

[Purpose] Skeletal muscle glycogen is a determinant of endurance capacity for some athletes. Ginger is well known to possess nutritional effects, such as anti-diabetic effects. We hypothesized that ginger extract (GE) ingestion increases skeletal muscle glycogen by enhancing fat oxidation. Thus, we investigated the effect of GE ingestion on exercise capacity, skeletal muscle glycogen, and certain blood metabolites in exercised rats. [Methods] First, we evaluated the influence of GE ingestion on body weight and elevation of exercise performance in rats fed with different volumes of GE. Next, we measured the skeletal muscle glycogen content and free fatty acid (FFA) levels in GE-fed rats. Finally, we demonstrated that GE ingestion contributes to endurance capacity during intermittent exercise to exhaustion. [Results] We confirmed that GE ingestion increased exercise performance (p<0.05) and elevated the skeletal muscle glycogen content compared to the nonGE-fed (CE, control exercise) group before exercise (Soleus: p<0.01, Plantaris: p<0.01, Gastrocnemius: p<0.05). Blood FFA levels in the GE group were significantly higher than those in the CE group after exercise (p<0.05). Moreover, we demonstrated that exercise capacity was maintained in the CE group during intermittent exercise (p<0.05). [Conclusion] These findings indicate that GE ingestion increases skeletal muscle glycogen content and exercise performance through the upregulation of fat oxidation.

• 유통과학연구
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• 제20권9호
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• pp.47-59
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• 2022

Purpose: This study aims to analyze a triangulation model: 1) the effect of entrepreneurship education (EE) on entrepreneurship knowledge (EK) and entrepreneurship mindset (EM) and 2) the effect of EK on EM. Entrepreneurship education is a medium and pedagogical tool to cultivate EK and EM with the purpose enhancing of students who will be interested in entrepreneurial activities. Knowledge of adequate entrepreneurship is a stimulus strategic tool to develop the entrepreneurial mindset of students. Research design, data, and methodology: There were 278 respondents from Business and Non-Business both Indonesian and Malaysian students. The research design was quantitative and evaluated three hypotheses by PLS-SEM using WarpPLS v.7 software. Statistic descriptive for respondent used SPSS IBM v.26. Results: The results showed that the three hypotheses had supported with a significant level of p-value < 0.001. It's meant EE enhanced both EK and EM. Furthermore, increasing EM was not only by EE, but also EM could be increased through EK. Conclusions: The novelty of this research contributes to filling the knowledge gap in the development of pedagogy in the pursuit of entrepreneurship using a triangulation model of the relationship among EE, EK, and EM.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• 제27권3호
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• pp.1-20
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• 2023

Purpose - Using trade data from 2008 to 2019, this study analyzes the impact of trade facilitation on China's agricultural exports under the RCEP framework using a gravity model based on the level of trade facilitation in 13 RCEP countries. Design/methodology - This study constructs a complete set of trade facilitation index systems, comprehensively measures the trade facilitation level of RCEP member countries, and uses a gravity model to verify the critical role of trade facilitation level in enhancing the trade volumes of RCEP member countries. Findings - We found that trade facilitation has a significant impact on China's agricultural exports as a whole. The effect of each primary indicator varies in magnitude, with finance and e-commerce (F) having the most significant impact, followed by customs efficiency (C) and infrastructure development (1); the institutional environment has no significant effect. Originality/value - This study analyzes the impact of trade facilitation on China's agricultural exports from the perspective of exports, and uses the latest data to study the degree of the impact of trade facilitation in importing countries. Measures to jointly enhance trade facilitation among member countries under the RCEP framework are proposed.

• 한국보건간호학회지
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• 제37권1호
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• pp.97-110
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• 2023

Purpose: This study sought to determine the effect of the competence of nurses and their, work environment on the quality of nursing service in long-term care hospitals using the Donabedian model as a theoretical framework. Methods: This descriptive investigative study analyzed nursing competency, the work environment, and nursing service quality in a group of 182 nurses directly in charge of patient care at long-term care hospitals in special cities, metropolitan cities, and small and medium-size cities. The data were analyzed using IBM SPSS/WIN 27.0 version. Results: In long-term care hospitals, nurses' competence (r=.674, p<.001) and work environment (r=.444, p<.001) were correlated with quality of nursing service, and the nurses' competence was correlated with the work environment (r=.443, p<.001). The factors affecting the quality of nursing service in long-term care hospitals were competence, the work environment, and the age of nurses. Conclusion: In this study, both competence and the work environment of nurses were observed to be important factors in improving nursing service quality in long-term care hospitals. Therefore, efforts aimed at enhancing these factors are necessary to ensure the high quality of nursing service in these hospitals.

• 디지털산업정보학회논문지
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• 제19권2호
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• pp.79-87
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• 2023

On-line learning has been adopted as a major educational method due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Students and faculties got accustomed to on-line educational environment as they experienced it during the COVID-19 pandemic. Development of various technologies and social requirement for educational renovation lay groundwork for on-line learning as well. Therefore, on-line learning or blended learning will be likely to go on after the end of COVID-19 pandemic and it is necessary to prepare the guidelines for effective utilizing on-line learning. The primary purpose of this study is to examine the learning behaviors and the learning effects by using LMS data. Learning behaviors were measured in terms of learning time and access frequency for pre-recorded video lectures targeting computer-practice classes. The results of empirical analysis reveal that frequency was the significant predictor of course achievements but learning time was not. The findings of empirical analysis will provide insights that the effective planning and designing on-line classes based on learning behaviors are key to enhancing learning effects and learner's satisfaction.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• 제9권5호
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• pp.507-518
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• 2022

This study aimed to measure the monetary and non-monetary effects on brand awareness at hypermarkets in Riyadh. The independent variable consists of three sub-variables: price reductions, free samples, and purchasing vouchers. The research population has all Saudi and non-Saudi buyers in Riyadh. The figures show that the population size reached 3.87 million in 2019. The proportional stratification sampling technique and the recommended sample size were 387 buyers. The five-point Likert scale with the fully structured questionnaire was used. The study concldes the effect of free samples on brand awareness while there was no effect of monetary instruments. The results show that the three sales promotion incentives (price reduction, free samples, and purchasing vouchers) moderately affected brand awareness and a key role in explaining consumer behavior, so the significant impact was proved. In summary, this study showed that price reductions have the power of creating the perception of buyers at hypermarkets in Riyadh. Non-cash instruments were more effective than cash instruments in enhancing brand awareness at the hypermarkets in the Saudi market. So, the price reductions and purchasing vouchers have less power in conducting communication-based awareness. Building awareness and improving brand image through free samples were most visible in communication strategy.

• 소성∙가공
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• 제32권2호
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• pp.67-73
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• 2023

To overcome a climate change, manufacturing complex-shaped electric mobility parts becomes one of the important issues for enhancing a performance of motor with reducing their weight. Therefore, development of laser-based additive manufacturing shed on light due to their flexible manufacturing capacity that can be suitable to solve the poor formability of Fe-Si alloys for electric mobility parts. Although there are several studies existed to optimize the performance of additively manufactured Fe-Si alloys, the post-annealing effect was not well investigated yet though this is important to control the texture and mechanical properties of additively manufactured parts. In the present work, annealing effect on the mechanical property and microstructure of additively manufactured Fe-4.5Si alloy was investigated. Because of the ordered phase initiation after annealing, the hardness of additively manufactured Fe-4.5Si alloy increased up to 1173 K while a hardness drop occurs at the 1273 K condition due to the micro-crack initiation. The response surface methodology result represents the 1173 K-5 h sample is an optimal condition to maximize the mechanical property of additively manufactured alloy without micro-cracks.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• 제44권6호
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• pp.817-828
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• 2022

In this study, considering dissipated energy in fracture process zone (FPZ), a novel criterion based on maximum strain energy release rate (SER) for orthotropic materials is presented. General case of in-plane loading for cracks along the fibers is assumed. According to the experimental observations, crack propagation is supposed along the fibers and the reinforcement isotropic solid (RIS) concept is employed as a superior model for orthotropic materials. SER in crack initiation and propagation phases is investigated. Elastic properties of FPZ are extracted as a function of undamaged matrix media and micro-crack density. This criterion meaningfully links between dissipated energy due to toughening mechanisms of FPZ and the macroscopic fracture by defining stress intensity factors of the damaged zone. These coefficients are used in equations of maximum SER criterion. The effect of crack initiation angle and the damaged zone is considered simultaneously in this criterion and mode II stress intensity factor is extracted in terms of stress intensity factors of damage zone and crack initiation angle. This criterion can evaluate the effects of FPZ on the fracture behavior of orthotropic material. Good agreement between extracted fracture limit curves (FLC's) and available experimental data proves the ability of the new proposed criterion.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• 제45권4호
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• pp.591-603
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• 2022

The flexural strengthening of reinforced concrete beams by external bonding of composite materials has proved to be an efficient and practical technique. This paper presents a study on the flexural performance of reinforced concrete continuous beams with three spans (one span and two cantilevered) strengthened by bonding carbon fiber fabric (CFRP). The model is based on equilibrium and deformations compatibility requirements in and all parts of the strengthened continuous beam, i.e., the continuous concrete beam, the FRP plate and the adhesive layer. The adherend shear deformations have been included in the present theoretical analyses by assuming a linear shear stress through the thickness of the adherends. Remarkable effect of shear deformations of adherends has been noted in the results. The theoretical predictions are compared with other existing solutions that shows good agreement, and It shows the effectiveness of CFRP strips in enhancing shear capacity of continuous beam. It is shown that both the normal and shear stresses at the interface are influenced by the material and geometry parameters of the composite beam.