• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.164-169
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• 2020

Atherosclerosis is a cardiovascular disease in which plaque builds up inside of an artery and can lead to various complications such as myocardial infarction, stroke, and thrombosis. Recently, hypertriglyceridemia has attracted significant attention as contributors to development of atherosclerosis. However, molecular mechanism of its contribution to atherosclerosis is poorly understood. Here we proposed a potential link between triglyceride (TG) and atherosclerosis. TG treatment promoted downregulation of certain scavenger receptor, macrophage scavenger receptor-1 (MSR-1) in phorbol myristate acetate (PMA)-derived human macrophages. TG treatment caused reduction of MSR-1 mRNA expression in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Using chemical inhibitors, we found that inhibition of signaling pathways associated with PI3K and PLC enhances TG-induced reduction of MSR-1 expression in THP-1 macrophages implying that PI3K and PLC is implicated in the expression of MSR-1 in macrophages. Since MSR-1 is associated with uptake and clearance of atherogenic lipoprotein, oxidized low density lipoprotein (oxi-LDL), our data suggest that increase of oxi-LDL due to TG-mediated reduction of its receptor MSR-1 can promote atherosclerosis.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.38 no.7
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• pp.587-596
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• 2015

Obesity and diabetes arise from an intricate interplay between both genetic and environmental factors. It is well recognized that obesity plays an important role in the development of insulin resistance and diabetes. Yet, the exact mechanism of the connection between obesity and diabetes is still not completely understood. Metabolomics is an analytical approach that aims to detect and quantify small metabolites. Recently, there has been an increased interest in the application of metabolomics to the identification of disease biomarkers, with a number of well-known biomarkers identified. Metabolomics is a potent approach to unravel the intricate relationships between metabolism, obesity and progression to diabetes and, at the same time, has potential as a clinical tool for risk evaluation and monitoring of disease. Moreover, metabolomics applications have revealed alterations in the levels of metabolites related to obesity-associated diabetes. This review focuses on the part that metabolomics has played in elucidating the roles of metabolites in the regulation of systemic metabolism relevant to obesity and diabetes. It also explains the possible metabolic relation and association between the two diseases. The metabolites with altered profiles in individual disorders and those that are specifically and similarly altered in both disorders are classified, categorized and summarized.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.691-708
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• 2018

An innovative Hybrid Passive Resistive configuration for Truss Girder Frames (HPR-TGFs) is introduced in the present study. The proposed system is principally consisting of Fluid Viscous Dampers (FVDs) and Buckling Restrained Braces (BRBs) as its seismic resistive components. Concurrent utilization of these devices will develop an efficient energy dissipating mechanism which is able to mitigate lateral displacements as well as the base shear, simultaneously. However, under certain circumstances which the presence of FVDs might not be essential, the proposed configuration has the potential to incorporate double BRBs in order to achieve the redundancy of alternative load bearing paths. This study is extending the modern Direct Displacement Based Design (DDBD) procedure as the design methodology for HPR-TGF systems. Based on a series of nonlinear time history analysis, it is demonstrated that the design outcomes are almost identical to the pre-assumed design criteria. This implies that the ultimate characteristics of HPR-TGFs such as lateral stiffness and inter-story drifts are well-proportioned through the proposed design procedure.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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• 2017.06a
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• pp.11-11
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• 2017

The most drought resistant among the five most important cereal crops, and a key dual-use (grain and biomass) crop in regions containing some of the world's most degraded soils, sorghum has inherent climate resilience that is likely to become more important under environmental conditions that are projected by many climate change models. The importance of sorghum might be further elevated by the development of productive genotypes that increase the extent and duration of soil cover beyond those of conventional annual crops, mitigating or even reversing losses of ecological capital through multiple crops from single plantings. Rich genetic and genomic resources have been developed to link Sorghum phenotypic diversity to its molecular basis, and in particular the genus has become a model for dissecting the molecular control of perenniality. Nature has made Sorghum perennial at least twice, and crosses between wild perennials and cultivated sorghums show the feasibility of developing genotypes with varying degrees of investment in perenniality while still providing harvestable food, feed, sugar and/or cellulose. Genetic analysis of progeny from these crosses is revealing the hereditary basis of traits related to ratooning and perenniality and providing diagnostic DNA markers. One perennial Sorghum species has adapted to continents and latitudes far beyond the reach of its progenitors, surviving stresses year after year that are only periodically experienced by conventional (annual) sorghum, and may also harbor novel alleles that may mitigate production challenges in conventional annual sorghums.

• KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems (TIIS)
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• v.8 no.7
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• pp.2365-2382
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• 2014

While single-user spatial multiplexing multiple-input multiple-output (SU-MIMO) allows spatially multiplexed data streams to be transmitted to one node at a time, multi-user spatial multiplexing MIMO (MU-MIMO) enables the simultaneous transmission to multiple nodes. However, if the transmission time required to send packets to each node varies considerably, MU-MIMO may fail to utilize the available MIMO capacity to its full potential. The transmission time typically depends upon two factors: the link quality of the selected channel and the data length (packet size). To utilize the cumulative capacity of multiple channels in MIMO applications, the assignment of channels to each node should be controlled according to the measured channel quality or the transmission queue status of the node.A MAC protocol design that can switch between MU-MIMO and multiple SU-MIMO transmissions by considering the channel quality and queue status information prior to the actual data transmission (i.e., by exchanging control packets between transmitter and receiver pairs) could address such issues in a simple but in attractive way. In this study, we propose a new MAC protocol that is capable of performing such switching and thereby improve the system performance of very high throughput WLANs. The detailed performance analysis demonstrates that greater benefits can be obtained using the proposed scheme, as compared to conventional MU-MIMO transmission schemes.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.671-681
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• 2009

In the equilibrium theory of tides by Newton, tide on the Earth is a phenomenon driven by differential gravity contributed both by the Sun and the Moon. Due to the direct link of the generic tidal effect to the oceanic tides, college students in the earth science education department are exposed to this theory through oceanography lectures as well as astronomy lectures. Common oceanography textbooks adopt a non-inertial reference frame fixed to the Earth in which the fictitious, centrifugal force appears. This has a potential risk to provide misconceptions among students in various aspects including the followings: 1) this is how Newton originally derived the equilibrium theory of tides, and 2) the tide is a phenomenon appearing only in rotating systems. We show that in astronomy, a much simpler description, which employs the inertial frame, is generally used to explain tides and thus causes less confusion. We argue that the description used in astronomy is preferable both in the viewpoints of simplicity and ease of interpretation. Moreover, on a historical basis, an inertial frame was adopted by Newton in Principia to explain tides. Thus, the description used in astronomy is consistent with Newton's original approach. We also present various astrophysical tides which do not comply with the concept of centrifugal force in general. We therefore argue that the description used in oceanography should be compensated by that in astronomy, due to its complexity, historical inconsistency and limited applicability.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.7
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• pp.3073-3076
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• 2012

Terpinen-4-ol is a terpene found in the rhizome of Plai (Zingiber montanum (Koenig) Link ex Dietr.). In this study apoptogenic activity and mechanisms of cell death induced by terpinen-4-ol were investigated in the human leukemic MOLT-4 cell line. Terpinen-4-ol exhibited cytotoxicity in MOLT-4 cells, with characteristic morphological features of apoptosis by Wright's staining. The mode of cell death was confirmed to be apoptosis by flow cytometric analysis after staining with annexin V-FITC and propidium iodide. A sub-G1 peak in DNA histograms of cell cycle assays was observed. Terpinen-4-ol induced-MOLT-4 cell apoptosis mediated through an intrinsic pathway involving the loss of mitochondrial transmembrane potential (MTP) and release of cytochrome c into the cytosol. In addition, terpinen-4-ol also induced apoptosis via an extrinsic pathway by caspase-8 activation resulting in the cleavage of cytosolic Bid. Truncated-Bid (tBid) translocated to mitochondria and activated the mitochondrial pathway in conjunction with down-regulation of Bcl-2 protein expression. Caspase-3 activity also increased. In conclusion, terpinen-4-ol can induce human leukemic MOLT-4 cell apoptosis via both intrinsic and extrinsic pathways.

• International Journal of Contents
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.69-73
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• 2012

This paper aims to present colour theories and show how they can be used to explain consumer's preferences of some products over others. It will, furthermore, attempt to link these theories to the design industry and look at how colour associations determine product success. Due to associative learning and personal preference, the colours of objects can cause consumers to either favour or dislike products over those with identical functions and efficiency. Age and gender affect the preferred colour choices of the individual, making some products more popular to particular groups of potential consumers. Designers can utilise colour theories to ensure that they use the most appropriate colour schemes to maximise and appeal to their targeted market successfully. A survey was conducted with 100 participants. It demonstrates the associative links between colours, emotions and product categories. It can be shown that the colour of an object can contribute to its success or failure in the market based on a number of different criteria. The design must use colour confidently to evoke certain emotions or connotations and must be carried out appropriately. The designer also has to consider whom it is that be viewing it and making the decision of preference.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.41-50
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• 2020

The paper aims to investigate auditors, auditing firms and other external factors that affect quality of information technology audit in Vietnam. We conducted 2 types of data collections including direct and on survey. For direct survey, we sent directly to auditors at the training classes organized by State Securities Exchanges Commission. An online survey was established and Google doc link was provided to the Big4 and non-Big4 auditors. We received 138 survey responses in that 90 auditors came from Big4 and 48 auditors from non-Big4 firms. The data are analyzed using a factor analysis and compare means approaches to illustrate the potential IT audit quality factors and identify differences between two groups of auditors. The results show that independence and accounting knowledge and audit skills are the most important factors. And since external auditors perform many assurance services, the independence is critical. The result also shows that the auditors need to have enough competent and professional skills when conducting an audit, especially within an IT environment that requires high quality. The findings suggest a similar pattern of two groups in the context of Vietnam and some factors of auditors and auditing firms appear to have a statistically significant impact on quality of IT audit.

• BMB Reports
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• v.41 no.9
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• pp.645-650
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• 2008

Nucleoside diphosphate kinase (NDPK) is involved in multiple signaling pathways in mammalian systems, including G-protein signaling. Arabidopsis NDPK2, like its mammalian counterparts, is multifunctional despite its initial discovery phytochrome-interacting protein. This similarity raises the possibility that NDPK2 may play a role in G-protein signaling in plants. In the present study, we explore the potential relationship between NDPK2 and the small G proteins, Pra2 and Pra3, as well as the heterotrimeric G protein, GPA1. We report a physical interaction between NDPK2 and these small G proteins, and demonstrate that NDPK2 can stimulate their GTPase activities. Our results suggest that NDPK2 acts as a GTPase-activating protein for small G proteins in plants. We propose that NDPK2 might be a missing link between the phytochrome-mediated light signaling and G protein-mediated signaling.