• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.58 no.1
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• pp.43-53
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• 2005

Emphysema is characterized by air space enlargement and alveolar destruction. The mechanism responsible for the development of emphysema was thought to be protease/antiprotease imbalance and oxidative stress. A very recent study shows that alveolar cell apoptosis causes lung destruction and emphysematous changes. Thus, this study was performed to support the evidence for the role of apoptosis in the development of emphysema by characterizing cigarette smoke extract (CSE)-induced apoptosis in A549 (type II pneumocyte) lung epithelial cells. CSE induced apoptosis at low concentration (10% or less) and both apoptosis and necrosis at high concentration (20%). Apoptosis was demonstrated by DNA fragmentation using FACScan for subG1 fraction. Discrimination between apoptosis and necrosis was done by morphologic analysis using fluorescent microscopy with Hoecst 33342/propium iodide double staing and electron microscopy. Cytochrome c release was confirmed by using immunofluorescence with monoclonal anti-cytochrome c antibody. However, CSE-induced cell death did not show the activation of caspase 3 and was not blocked by caspase inhibitors. This suggests that CSE-induced apoptosis might be caspase-independent apoptosis. CSE-induced cell death was near completely blocked by N-acetylcystein and bcl-2 overexpression protected CSE-induced cell death. This results suggests that CSE might induce apoptosis through intracellular oxidative stress. CSE also activated p53 and functional knock-out of p53 using stable overexpression of HPV-E6 protein inhibited CSE-induced cell death. The characterization of CSE-induced cell death in lung epithelial cells could support the role of lung cell apoptosis in the pathogenesis of emphysema.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.66-75
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• 2012

The Seoul Metropolitan Government selected the sign designs of cultural heritages through a public prize contest from a public design perspective and applied the selected design format to the signs of the cultural assets that were designated by the central and Seoul governments and located in Seoul Metropolitan area in 2008. For the purpose of monitoring the result, this study analyzed the installation state of the signs of Seoul tangible cultural properties located in Jongno-gu. The scope of the analysis of this study was expanded to cover the surrounding areas of cultural heritages in order to review the arrangement and design of such signs. The result of this study can be summarized as follows; firstly, not only the flow of travelers' movement but also the direction of sight, their locations in relation to the surrounding facilities or other installations and the integration with similar signs or notices were necessary to be considered in the arrangement of the signs; secondly, the current sings had low quality in terms of durability and readability and seemed utterly distance from the cultural assets indicated by the signs because they were finished with tempered glass; thirdly, the size, shape and materials of the signs were not harmonized with their surrounding areas as only one design was used in the entire cultural property sites without considering such natural or artificial backgrounds of individual signs as rocks, plants, walls or buildings. When selecting the design format of the signs of individual cultural properties that are located dispersively as Seoul tangible cultural properties, it is recommended to determine a group of most representative designs based on natural, man-made and cultural landscape rather than one unified design format and to use a unique well-matched sign for each cultural property. For this reason, this study selected alternative exemplary design models and proposed the type of signs appropriate for each cultural site.

• Journal of Ginseng Culture
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• v.1
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• pp.78-92
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• 2019

Among the Southeast Asian countries, Vietnam had the most cultural exchange with Korea. Through Confusion and Chinese character, which were the common measure for two countries, Korea and Vietnam could communicate and share a sentiment with each other. Two countries showed an enormous interest in each other, and hence they could keep good relationship without official diplomatic relations. During the early 19th century, Korean Ginseng had gained tremendous popularity in Vietnam. Vietnamese believed the stamina of Minh Mang, who had 142 sons and daughters, originated from ginseng. Minh Mang bestowed ginseng on old courtiers for their contribution, which made them more loyal to the king. This tradition was inherited to the future generations, and soldiers who fought with Thai, Cambodia and France also received ginseng for their contribution. In other words, ginseng was the very important key for enforcement of patriotism. Due to the tradition, Korean ginseng has been considered as the premium ginseng in Vietnam. It is presumed that ginseng flew into Vietnam through 4 routes; 1) as an imperial gift from Chinese emperor, 2) by the Vietnamese ambassadors who went to Beijing for a tribute, 3) through private trade and 4) from Ryukyu or Japan, which were the hub of international trade. From 15th to 18th century, ambassadors from Chosun and Vietnam actively interacted in Beijing. Through their interchange, Vietnamese royal family could learn about the value of ginseng. The fact that there were many Shilhak scholars among the ambassadors from Joseon, such as Seo Geojeong and Seo Hosu who had profound knowledge of ginseng proves the theory. It is also possible that reputation of ginseng was already established in Vietnam during Silla period. Ko Byung, an bureaucrat from Tang Dynasty who ruled Vietnam for 10 years in middle 9th century and a friend of Choi Chiwon, might have delivered the knowledge of ginseng to the upper class in Vietnam. This hypothesis, however, should be proven by literatures. Hence, further research about the trace of Korean ginseng in Vietnamese history and literary works still remains to be done.

• Journal of Distribution Research
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.23-48
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• 2007

Category management has been implemented to enhance competitiveness in the food distribution industry since 2000 in Korea. This study helps to understand why suppliers achieve better or worse performance than competitors in a category. The major objective of this article is to explore which category tactics are effective to have influence on category performance when suppliers as a category captain implement category management with variety enhancer categories like shampoo, toothpaste, and detergent. The Nielsen data were analyzed using regression and Chow test. The empirical results that were varied upon the store type and market position found out which specific actions on product assortments, pricing, shelving, and product replenishment can increase category sales. Specifically, in the case of market leader in large supermarket, the significant indicators of category sales with respect to category tactics are the out-of-stock rate, the variance across brand shares, the forward inventory, and the days supply of a product. However, in the case of follower in large supermarket, the significant indicators of category sales are the variance across brand shares, the forward inventory, and the days supply of a product. On the other hand, in the case of small supermarket, the significant factors on category sales for both market leader and follower are the retail distribution rate, the variance across brand shares, the forward inventory, and the days supply of a product category. In sum, regardless of the store type and market position, dominant brands in a category, the forward inventory, and short days supply of a product improved performance in all categories. Critical difference is that the out-of-stock rate acted as a key ingredient for the market leader between large and small supermarket and the retail distribution rate for the follower between large and small supermarket. This article presents some theoretical and managerial implications of the empirical results and finalizes the paper by addressing limitations and future research directions.

• Korean journal of communication and information
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• v.43
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• pp.173-208
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• 2008

This study analyses the business performance according to the business diversification of Korean mass media enterprises from year 2003 to 2006. The conclusions drawn which could be divided into five main parts are the followings: First, newspaper companies pursue unrelated diversification in various industrial areas, in order to gain maximum profit while broadcasting companies exert themselves to provide better service by diversifying the major contents. Second, overall the interviewed companies display a constant decline in profit gained from their major business area thus establishing strategies to broaden their focus on diversification of any sort. Third, the researcher completed group analysis in regard of diversification measure resulting in division of three groups. The group which had the most immense diversification range gained the highest ROE, the lowest ROE volatility, and lesser probability of risk taking. The analysis adresses the companies broadening their business areas by researching and focusing on diversification are relatively stable in terms of the profit they gain. Fourth, the middle level group in terms of sales scale, debts, enterprise history, major share rate and high ROE group carry out diversification progressively. The sales scale affects positively to diversification, while the major share rate affects negatively to diversification. Fifth, in accordance to the research, diversification overall contributes to obtainance of successful outcome. Since there was not an immense amount of studies to be referred in the media area, the researcher interviewed and did panel discussion with numerous strategists and managers who are in charge of diversification of media companies. However, collection of only 4 years of data limits the research to be considered to be a generalized study, and does not reflect time gap between business diversification and business performance. Development is required in future studies to be established regarding the media companies' specificity different to other industries, classified the media companies into media types, and consider the time gap in the diversification activities and business performance.