• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.85-87
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• 2011

The opportunistic human pathogen Candida albicans has the ability to convert from yeast-form to pseudohyphal or true hyphal form. The morphological transition is considered as an important virulence factor, because the decrease or lack in dimorphism causes the reduction of virulence. Our previous study revealed that the disruption of dual specificity kinase gene caused the reduction of dimorphism in C. albicans. Therefore we tested the effect of dual specificity kinase in virulence using mouse model. The mean survival time for kinase-defective strains was about 15 days in comparison with those of wild-type, 3.9 days. Moreover the fungal burden on kidneys for kinase-defective strains was decreased by ten-fold than that for wild-type. These results suggest possible involvement of dual specificity kinase in a novel signal transduction pathway for morphological transition and virulence of C. albicans.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.54-71
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• 1991

Health of a nation is quite often represented by the statistics such as infant death rate and maternal mortality rate. It is indisputable that maternal child health(MCH) is the basis of health of a nation. MCH is also one of the cardinal component of primary health care. The importance of MCH is conspicuous especially in the developing countries. In Korea, People in the rural communities still have high access barrier to basic health care needs, including MCH services. Access to quality care during pregnancy and delivery seems to be the crucial factor in preventing deaths in women and children. The beneficial effects of prenatal and postnatal care on the outcome of pregnancy for mother and child, and those of health professional-attended institutional delivery on the health of mother and child have been well documented in many studies. Recognizing these effects, the government of Korea received IBRD loan of $30 million in 1979 for th purpose of constructing 89 rural MCH centers. The construction is complete now and all 89 MCH centers are under operation ti imporve primary health care for mothers and children in Korea. However, it has been observed over time that overall performance of public MCH centers is declining. The decline has been attributed partly to low quality services by public MCH centers, poor management by health center mangers, competition with for-profit private clinics, and to the development of national health insurance. This study investigates the utilization by rural communities in Korea of MCH services provided by public sector health centers deemed to be physically and financially accessible to the community but suboptimally used. It seeks also to determine the factors that influence people's utilizations. This study sets out to discover a desirable form of MCH center from among alternative forms of centers, thereby to construct a MCH model.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.44-48
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• 1997

Anatomic and physiological changes of the larynx with advancing age result in morphologic changes of the vocal fold and reduced control of the phonatory mechanism in elderly individuals and are reflected in increased unstability of fundamental frequency (Fo). The purpose of this study is to increase current understanding of acoustic and stroboscopic characteristics of normal elderly persons voices. First, phonated /a/ vowel productions by 40 normal adults (20 to 40 years, 20 men and 20 women) and 40 normal elderly persons (60 to 80 years,20 men and 20 women) were analyzed, using CSL (model 4300B) acoustic analysis software, to obtain acoustic measures related to fundamental frequency stability nd vocal resonance characteristics. Second, stroboscopic images of the vocal fold behavior in all subjects were analyzed by experienced specialists. In the men, fundamental frequency variation (vFe) (p＜0.01), jitter. (p＜0.05), and shimmer (p＜0.05) for the older group were significantly higher than the value for the adult group. In the stroboscopic findings, edema of vocal fold had a significant finding in aged men (15%). In the women, vFo (p＜0.05), jitter (p＜0.05), and noise to harmonic ratio (NHR) (p＜0.05) for the older group were significantly higher than the value for e adult group and first formant frequency (F1) (p＜0.01) and second formant frequency (F2) (p＜0.01) for. the older group were significantly lower than the value for the adult group. In the stroboscopic findings, vocal fold atrophy had a significant finding in aged women (25%). Frequency stability, as reflected by vFo, jitter, shimmer, and NHR, decreases with advancing age in men and women and spectral analysis of phonated /a/ vowel productions reveals the lowering of the frequency of F1 and second F2 with advancing age, especially in aged women. Change in the mass of vocal folds, due to atrophy or edema, is considered to be the greatest factor in these acoustic changes.

• Journal of Distribution Research
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.69-97
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• 2006

This research aimed to establish and test a empirical model for antecedents and consequences of manufacturer's degree of channel concentration in multiple channels from strategic perspective. For this purpose, I suggested new concept of channel concentration based on related literature review and developed the measurement index of channel concentration. Second, I examined and applied the transaction cost theory and market power theory to provide broad understanding of multiple channel structure and to explain it. Finally, I present the theoretical and managerial implications to the firms that build up channel strategy under multiple channel contexts on this research results. For the purpose of these goals, eight hypotheses were drawn from the previous researches. To verify these hypotheses, 248 data were collected as samples, and the data were tested by reliability test, factor analysis, and covariance structure analysis. Empirical findings strongly support that strategic management of distribution channel especially are important in multiple channels. The overall implications to researchers and practitioners are presented, and limits and further study direction were discussed as a final.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Near Infrared Spectroscopy Conference
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• 2001.06a
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• pp.1511-1511
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• 2001

Energy content, expressed as calories per gram, is an important part of the evaluation and marketing of foods in developed countries. Currently accepted methods of measurement of energy by U.S. food labeling legislation include measurement of gross calories by bomb calorimetry with an adjustment for undigested protein and by calculation using specific factors for the energy values of protein, carbohydrate less the amount of insoluble dietary fiber, and total fat. The ability of NIRS to predict the energy value of diverse, processed and unprocessed cereal food products was investigated. NIR spectra of cereal products were obtained with an NIR Systems monochromator and the wavelength range used for analysis was 1104-2494 nm. Gross energy of the foods was measured by oxygen bomb calorimetry (Parr Manual No. 120) and expressed as calories per gram (CPGI, range 4.05-5.49 cal/g). Energy value was adjusted for undigested protein (CPG2, range 3.99-5.38 cal/g) and undigested protein and insoluble dietary fiber (CPG3, range 2.42-5.35 cal/g). Using a multivariate analysis software package (ISI International, Inc.) partial least squares models were developed for the prediction of energy content. The standard error of cross validation and multiple coefficient of determination for CPGI using modified partial least squares regression (n=127) was 0.060 cal/g and 0.95, respectively, and the standard error of performance, coefficient of determination, bias and slope using an independent validation set (n=59) were 0.057 cal/g, 0.98, -0.027 cal/g and 1.05 respectively. The PLS loading for factor 1 (Pearson correlation coefficient 0.92) had significant absorption peaks correlated to C-H stretch groups in lipid at 1722/1764 nm and 2304/2346 nm and O-H groups in carbohydrate at 1434 and 2076 nm. Thus the model appeared to be predominantly influenced by lipid and carbohydrate. Models for CPG2 and CPG3 showed similar trends with standard errors of performance, using the independent validation set, of 0.058 and 0.088 cal/g, respectively, and coefficients of determination of 0.96. Thus NIRS provides a rapid and efficient method of predicting energy content of diverse cereal foods.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.239-247
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• 1996

An embryonic stem (ES) cell-based in vitro model system was examined to determine whether a simple differentiation of embryoid bodies (EB) in the suspension medium is useful to dissect early erythropoiesis. Characteristics of the differentiating EBs were monitored for their differentiation potential to generate hematopoietic cell types by general morphology, benzidine staining and two-step colony assays, and expressivity of several erythroid marker genes by the RT-PCR analysis for total cellular RNA prepared from the differentiating EBs. Every ematopoietic lineage cells were generated from the differentiating EBs with reproducible frequencies, similar to the other sophisticated differentiation protocols. Furthermore, the globin gene switching in differentiating ES cells paralleled the sequence of events found in the mouse embryo, and such that their expression was activated by at least 12 hrs later than those of erythroid-specific transcription factors, GATA-1 and Tal-1 The erythropoietic differentiation program initiated reproducibly and efficiently in this simple differentiation system in a suspension culture, such that this system may be useful for dissection of the molecular events of early erythropoiesis.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.59 no.12
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• pp.2218-2224
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• 2010

Dye-sensitized solar cell (DSC) is a promising alternative solar cell to the conventional silicon solar cell due to several advantages. Development of large scale module is necessary to commercialize the DSC in the near future. A scribing technology of the transparent conductive oxide (TCO) is one of the important technologies on the fabrication of DSC module. A quality of the scribed line on the TCO has a decisive effect on the efficiency of DSC module. Among several scribing technologies, the fiber laser is a suitable for scribing the TCO more precisely and accurately because of their own characteristics. In this study, we try to improve the quality of the TCO scribed line by using the fiber laser. Consequently, the operating parameter of fiber laser is optimized to get the TCO scribed line with good quality. And the fiber laser scribing technology of the TCO is applied to the fabrication of the DSC with optimal operating parameter, operating current 3900mA. As a result, the current density and fill factor are improved and the total efficiency is increased because the internal resistances of DSC such as TCO sheet resistance and the resistance concerned to the electron movement in the $TiO_2$ are reduced. This is analyzed by the electrochemistry impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and the equivalent circuit model of the DSC.

• BMB Reports
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.112-119
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• 2000

Three kinds of serine protease inhibitors, members of the Bowman-Birk trypsin inhibitor, were purified from Dolichos lablab seeds and named Dolichos protease inhibitor 1, 2 and 3 (DI-1, DI-2 and DI-3), respectively. Each inhibitor showed a single band with gel mobility at around 15.9, 12.1 and 14.6 kDa on 20% SDS-PAGE under reducing conditions. To characterize inhibitory specificity, the inhibition constant (Ki) for these inhibitors was measured against several known serine proteases. All three Dolichos protease inhibitors (DI-1, DI-2 and DI-3) inhibited the activity of trypsin and plasmin, but had no effect on thrombin and kallikrein (either for human plasma kallikrein or for porcine pancreas kallikrein). DI-1 inhibited chymotrypsin most effectively (Ki = $3.6{\times}10^{-9}\;M$), while DI-2 displayed inhibitory activity for porcine pancreatic elastase (Ki = $6.2{\times}10^{-8}\;M$). Pre-treatment of the 33 mg/kg of DI-mixture (active fractions from $C_{18}$ open column chromatography that included DI-1, DI-2 and DI-3) inhibited the induction of pseudomonal elastase-induced septic hypotension and prevented an increase in bradykinin generation in pseudomonal elastase-treated guinea pig plasma. Also, the increase of kallikrein activity, by injection of pseudomonal elastase, was inhibited by the pretreatment of the DI-mixture in a guinea pig. Since the DI-mixture had no inhibitory effect on kallikrein activity when Z-Phe-Arg-MCA was used as a substrate in vitro, its inhibitory activity in the pseudomonal elastase-induced septic hypotension model might not be due to a direct inhibition of plasma kallikrein in the activation cascade of the Hageman factor and prekallikrein system. These results suggest that the Dolichos DI-mixture might be used as an inhibitor in pathogenic bacterial protease-induced septic shock.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.400-405
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• 2004

Angiogenesis inhibition is major concern to cancer chemotherapy and many studies about compound inhibiting angiogenesis is in progression. The long-known preventive effect of plant-based diet on tumorigenesis and other chronic diseases is well documented. Especially soy extract, genistein, is known to be potent angiogenesis inhibitor and prevent development and progression of tumor. In the present study, the effect of angiogenesis on tumorigenesis and chemopreventive effect of genistein by angiogenesis inhibition in hamster buccal pouch oral carcinigenesis model induced by 7.12-dimethylbenza(a)nthracene (DMBA) was studied. Forty eight Syrian Golden young adult hamsters (150-200 gm) were divided into two groups. In control group, 0.5% DMBA in heavy mineral oil was applied to hamster buccal pouch three times a week and in experimental group, 0.1 mg of genistein is administered orally everyday in addition to DMBA application. The animals were euthanized from 2 weeks to 16 weeks with interval of 2 week. H&E staining and immunohistochemistry was performed to evaluate microvessel density by using factor VIII-related antigen and avidin-biotin technique. Microvessels per area was quantified and compared between control and experimental group statistically. The results were as follows. 1. Microvessel density was increased time dependently in both groups and especially the increase was significant from 12 weeks to 16 weeks. 2. When comparing both group, the experimental group showed significantly low microvessel density than control group in 12 weeks (p=0.043), 14 weeks (p=0.050), 16 weeks (p=0.037). Based on these results, it was concluded that genistein influenced oral carcinogenesis by angiogenesis inhibition.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.49-58
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• 2004

Drift design of a high-rise building is a governing factor in the determination of structural weights and lateral resisting systems. However, high-rise buildings are composed of tens of thousands of structural member, designer can not know which members are active to lateral drift control and how much they contribute to lateral drifts. Resizing technique was proved to be a practical method for drift design of high-rise buildings. However, no resizing algorithm has been considered the effect of vertical loads in drift designs. Thus, in this paper, a resizing algorithm has been developed for drift designs of high-rise buildings subjected to both lateral and vertical loads. The drift design model has been applied to drift designs of two high-rise building examples.