• Toxicological Research
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.289-300
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• 2016

Non-genotoxic carcinogens are substances that induce tumorigenesis by non-mutagenic mechanisms and long term rodent bioassays are required to identify them. Recent studies have shown that transcription profiling can be applied to develop early identifiers for long term phenotypes. In this study, we used rat liver expression profiles from the NTP (National Toxicology Program, Research Triangle Park, USA) DrugMatrix Database to construct a gene classifier that can distinguish between non-genotoxic carcinogens and other chemicals. The model was based on short term exposure assays (3 days) and the training was limited to oxidative stressors, peroxisome proliferators and hormone modulators. Validation of the predictor was performed on independent toxicogenomic data (TG-GATEs, Toxicogenomics Project-Genomics Assisted Toxicity Evaluation System, Osaka, Japan). To build our model we performed Random Forests together with a recursive elimination algorithm (VarSelRF). Gene set enrichment analysis was employed for functional interpretation. A total of 770 microarrays comprising 96 different compounds were analyzed and a predictor of 54 genes was built. Prediction accuracy was 0.85 in the training set, 0.87 in the test set and increased with increasing concentration in the validation set: 0.6 at low dose, 0.7 at medium doses and 0.81 at high doses. Pathway analysis revealed gene prominence of cellular respiration, energy production and lipoprotein metabolism. The biggest target of toxicogenomics is accurately predict the toxicity of unknown drugs. In this analysis, we presented a classifier that can predict non-genotoxic carcinogenicity by using short term exposure assays. In this approach, dose level is critical when evaluating chemicals at early time points.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.17 no.10
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• pp.45-53
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• 2016

At present, coffee consumption amount is annually on the rise in Korea, which results in about 0.27 million tons of coffee waste annually. They are mostly classified as food waste and deserted with moisture contained, being a serious environmental issue. Existing slope greening techniques, which are vegetation based soil-media hydroseeding measures, have problems such as lack of coherence, dryness or lack of organic matters. Therefore in order to assess usability of Spent Coffee Ground (SCG), medium-to long-term growth test was conducted under the indoor and outdoor conditions. According to the result of growth test, when SCG was mixed with existing base materials, moisturizing power increased and organic matter content was reinforced, promoting germination and growth in a medium term. Among others, under the condition when supply of water was discontinued, withering rate was lower than existing base materials and diverse phenomena resulting from lack of nutrition decreased. Therefore, SCG as a waste organic matter with abundant nitrogen has the characteristic of inhibiting early growth but was found to have a quality favorable to long-term growth resulting from water containing ability and the supply of organic mater and is judged to be a material to replace or complement existing base materials.

• Culinary science and hospitality research
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.344-355
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• 2009

This study is to set up a hypothesis and a research model based on how much the relational benefits can affect customer satisfaction and long-term relationship with the theoretical and practical results of established precedent researches, to analyze the structural equation model on casual dining restaurant diners, to evaluate the research model and subsequently to provide marketing implications. First of all, social and psychological factors prove to be influential among relational benefits felt by diners-out. Secondly, customer satisfaction has influence on long-term commitment for a restaurant. In other words, the higher customer satisfaction level for a restaurant is, the stronger willingness a customer has to recommend or revisit the restaurant, as several precedent studies support. As demonstrated in indirect advantages, these social and psychological benefits felt by diners-out have mighty effects on long-term relationship orientation, and satisfaction levels prove to be an important medium which can make these influences. As a result, restaurant employees' attitude toward customers is the most important factor rather than economic benefits such as reduced price, free gifts and coupons are, since customers put social and psychological benefits forward like intimate terms with restaurant workers, a sense of stability, and a relief from uneasiness. Therefore, constant service education should be done from the start to cope with customers' demands fast and flexibly and increase customer satisfaction.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.111-118
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• 2015

Osteoprotegerin (OPG), receptor activator of NF-${\kappa}B$ ligand (RANKL)/receptor activator of NF-${\kappa}B$ (RANK) axis, and TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) participate in vascular calcification process including atherosclerosis, but their contributions under high glucose (HG) and phosphate (HP) condition for a long-term period (more than 2 weeks) have not been fully determined. In this study, we evaluated the effects of HG and HP levels over 2 or 4 weeks on the progression of vascular calcification in rat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Calcium deposition in VSMCs was increased in medium containing HG (30 mmol/L D-glucose) with ${\beta}$-glycerophosphate (${\beta}$-GP, 12 mmol/L) after 2 weeks and increased further after 4 weeks. OPG mRNA and protein expressions were unchanged in HG group with or without ${\beta}$-GP after 2 weeks. However, after 4 weeks, OPG mRNA and protein expressions were significantly lower in HG group with ${\beta}$-GP. No significant expression changes were observed in RANKL, RANK, or TRAIL during the experiment. After 4 weeks of treatment in HG group containing ${\beta}$-GP and rhBMP-7, an inhibitor of vascular calcification, OPG expressions were maintained. Furthermore, mRNA expression of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), a marker of vascular mineralization, was lower in the presence of rhBMP-7. These results suggest that low OPG levels after long term HG and phosphate stimulation might reduce the binding of OPG to RANKL and TRAIL, and these changes could increase osteo-inductive VSMC differentiation, especially vascular mineralization reflected by increased ALP activity during vascular calcification.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.210-217
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• 2024

Objective: This study investigated the efficacy of different concentrations of gelatin supplementation in long-term semen extender on boar semen quality during storage for 10 days at 17℃. Additionally, oxytocin was added to stored semen to enhance fertility. Methods: In Experiment 1, boar semen was collected, diluted with gelatin at concentrations between 0% and 2.5% (w/v) and mixed with a semen extender. Then, it was kept in a refrigerator at 17℃ and stored for 10 days. In Experiment 2, the sperm quality was examined after adding 0, 5, and 10 IU oxytocin per artificial insemination dose to the most effective semen extender from Experiment 1 and placing it in a refrigerator at 17℃ for 10 days. In Experiment 3, the fertility potential in terms of non-return rate and litter size was determined using the most effective solid-stored semen supplemented with oxytocin. Results: The results indicated that sperm quality decreased with increasing storage time (p<0.05). The sperm quality in terms of total motility, progressive motility, and viable sperm with intact acrosomes and high mitochondrial potential was the highest with 1.5% gelatin supplementation (p<0.001) on all days of storage. Treatment with oxytocin did not affect sperm quality (p>0.05). The non-return rate and litter size after insemination with semen supplemented with 1.5% gelatin and 10 IU of oxytocin after 8 to 10 days of storage were comparable to those of the control group (p>0.05). Conclusion: A semen extender as a solid medium supplemented with 1.5% gelatin successfully preserved boar semen for a long storage duration. Treatment with oxytocin did not affect sperm quality. In addition, the fertility capacity using 1.5% gelatin with 10 IU oxytocin and stored for 8 to 10 days was acceptable and comparable to that of short-term storage.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.189-192
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• 2012

Although embryonic stem cells (ESCs) or ES-like cells are reported from many mammalian species other than the mouse, the culture system for murine ESCs may not be suitable to the other species. Previously many other research groups have modified either human or mouse ESC culture systems for bovine ESC culture. In this study, we compared three different culture mediums consisting of DMEM, ${\alpha}$-MEM or KnockOut$^{TM}$-DMEM (KO), which are modified from human or mouse ESC culture system, for the generation of bovine ESCs. In this study, some pre-requisite events which are important for establishment and long-term propagation of ESCs such as inner cell mass (ICM) attachment on feeder cells, primary colony formation and sustainability after passaging. Once the ICM clumps attached on feeder cells, this was designated as passage 0. In regards to the rate of ICM attachment, ${\alpha}$-MEM was superior to the other systems. For primary colony formation, there was no difference between DMEM and ${\alpha}$-MEM whereas KO showed lower formation rate than the other groups. For passaging, the colonies were split into 2~4 pieces and passed every 5~6 days. From passage 1 to passage 3, DMEM system seemed to be appropriate for maintaining putative bovine ESCs. On the other hand, ${\alpha}$-MEM tended to be more suitable after passage 6. Although ${\alpha}$-MEM support to maintain a ES-like cell progenies to passage 15, all three culture systems which are modified from human or mouse ESC culture media failed to retain the propagation and long-term culture of putative bovine ESCs. Our findings imply that more optimized alternative culture system is required for establishing bovine ESC lines.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.189-195
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• 2010

Water extracts from 20 medicinal plants, traditionally used for postmenopausal symptoms in Korea, were examined for their vasorelaxant activity in isolated rat thoracic aorta rings precontracted with norepinephrine (NE). Among the 20 medicinal plants, Cornus officinalis (CoEx, 0.3 mg/mL), Schisandra chinensis (ScEx, 0.3 mg/mL), Erythrina variegate (EvEx, 0.3 mg/mL), and Epimedium koreanum (EkEx, 0.3 mg/mL) showed rapid relaxation of endothelium-intact aorta ($69\pm4%$, $40\pm3%$, $25\pm2%$, and $23\pm3%$ of active tone induced by NE, respectively). In contrast, the extracts of Erythrina variegata (EvEx), Angelica gigas (AgEx), Pueraria thunbergiana (PtEx), and EkEx lead to gradual (i.e., long-term) relaxation to baseline in endothelium-intact vessels. The time to complete relaxation was 20～40 min. These 6 plant extracts were selected for the investigation of possible underlying mechanisms. The CoEx-, ScEx-, or EkEx-induced rapid relaxations were virtually abolished by endothelium denudation, and were significantly inhibited by pretreatment with nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor $N^G$-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA, 10 ${\mu}M$), indicating that increased formation of NO might contribute to the endothelium-mediated relaxation. In long-term responses, the endothelium denudation did not affect PtEx-induced relaxation, whereas it delayed responses by EvEx and AgEx, and significantly inhibited the effect of EkEx. Among EvEx, AgEx, and PtEx, EvEx attenuated the $CaCl_2$-induced vasoconstriction in high-potassium depolarized medium, implying that EvEx is involved in inhibition of the extracellular calcium influx to smooth muscle through voltage dependent calcium channels. These results provide the scientific rationale for the interrelationships between the use of 20 medicinal plants and their effects on cardiovascular health in estrogen deficient conditions.

• Magazine of the Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.27-43
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• 1990

This study aimed at developing a generalized model on the estimation of the long - term run - off volume for practical purpose. During the research period of last 3 years( 1986-1988), 3 types of estimation model on the long - term run - off volume(Effective rainfall model, unit hydrograph model and barne's model for dry season) had been developed by the author. In this study, through regressional analysis between determinant factors (bi of effective rainfall model, ai of unit hydrograph model and Wi of barne's model) and catchment characteris- tics(catchment area, distance round the catchment area, massing degree coefficient, river - exte- nsion, river - slope, river - density, infiltration of Watershed) of 11 test case areas by multiple regressional method, a new methodology on the derivation of determinant factors from catchment characteristics in the watershed areas having no hydrological station was developed. Therefore, in the resulting step, estimation equations on run - off volume for practical purpose of which input facor is only rainfall were developed. In the next stage, the derived equations were applied on the Kang - and Namgye - river catchment areas for checking of their goodness. The test results were as follows ; 1. In Kang - river area, average relative estimation errors of 72 hydrographs and of continuous daily run - off volume for 245 days( 1/5/1982 - 31/12) were calculated as 6.09%, 9.58% respectively. 2. In Namgye - river area, average relative estimation errors of 65 hydrographs and of conti- nuous daily run - off volume for 2fl days(5/4/1980-31/12) were 5.68%, 10.5% respectively. In both cases, relative estimation error was averaged as 7.96%, and so, the methodology in this study might be hetter organized than Kaziyama's formula when comparing with the relative error of the latter, 24~54%. However, two case studies cannot be the base materials enough for the full generalization of the model. So, in the future studies, many test case studies of this model should he carries out in the various catchment areas for making its generalization.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.7 no.7
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• pp.15-25
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• 2020

This empirical research aims to identify the relationship between fiscal and financial macroeconomic fundamentals and the volatility of government bonds' borrowing cost in an emerging country - Vietnam. The study covers the period from July 2006 to December 2019 and it is based on a sample of 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year government bonds, which represent short-term, medium-term and long-term sovereign bonds in Vietnam, respectively. The Generalized AutoRegressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity (GARCH) model and its derivatives such as EGARCH and TGARCH are applied on monthly dataset to examine and suggest a significant effect of fiscal and financial determinants of bond yield volatility. The findings of this study indicate that the variation of Vietnam government bond yields is in compliance with the theories of term structure of interest rate. The results also show that a proportion of the variation in the yields on Vietnam government bonds is attributed to the interest rate itself in the previous period, base rate, foreign interest rate, return of the stock market, fiscal deficit, public debt, and current account balance. Our results could be helpful in the macroeconomic policy formulation for policy-makers and in the investment practice for investors regarding the prediction of bond yield volatility.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Environment and Ecology Conference
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• 2009.04a
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• pp.7-20
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• 2009

On the basis of introducing the development process of Chinese nature reserve since first nature reserve was set up in 1959 in China, and comparing the definition of nature reserve between IUCN and China, combining with the objectives and significance of the establishment of Chinese Nature Reserve, the present state and achievements of nature reserve in China were introduced detailedly. And the effect of the laws and rules on the protection in nature and biodiversity was assessed after analyzing the characteristics of the interrelated laws and rules enacted in course of development of Chinese nature reserve over 50 years. Also the qualifications and procedures of nature reserve establishment and relevance aspects of content in China were narrated, and the classification system and management system of Chinese nature reserve and their characteristics were introduced. Finally, the Medium and Long Term Program for Nature Reserve Development in China was introduced, and present some proposals to solve the problems on the basics that discuss the distribution status and its characteristics and problems on managing nature reserve in China.