• Title/Summary/Keyword: Anti-competition

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Repression of CCSP Expression by KLF4 (KLF4에 의한 CCSP 발현 억제)

  • Kwak, Inseok
    • Journal of Life Science
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    • v.28 no.12
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    • pp.1432-1437
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    • 2018
  • Clara cell secretory protein (CCSP) plays an important role in protecting the lungs from inflammation. This research focuses on identifying the cis-element for binding the repressor of CCSP gene expression. A DNase I footprinting experiment revealed three protected regions between -812 and -768 bp (45 bp) of the mCCSP promoter. One motif (D3: GCCTGGGAA) was 100% conserved across rat, hamster, and human. The addition of excess amounts of the D3 motif exhibited high competition within that 45 bp range in an electrophoretic mobility shift assay. However, when mutated D3 ($G{\underline{AA}}TG{\underline{TT}}AA$) was used, the competition was significantly reduced. This demonstrates that the D3 motif within that 45 bp region of the mCCSP promoter is an important site for the protein-DNA interaction. Transient transfection assays with -756 Luc resulted in highly decreased expression of CCSP than those with -812 Luc, suggesting that the 45 bp could function as a binding site for the repressor. Co-transfection of KLF4 exhibited significant repression of the -812 Luc but not the -768 Luc which clearly shows that KLF4 might function as a repressor for the CCSP gene and also suggests that the D3 motif is strongly involved in the binding of KLF4. In addition, when anti-KLF4 antibody was added, super-shifted bands were observed. This result demonstrates that KLF4 could function as a repressor by binding to this 45 bp region of the CCSP promoter and that the D3 motif might be involved in the specific binding of KLF4.

An Analysis of the Imported Consumer Goods Distribution Sector of Korea: From a Vertical Structure Viewpoint (수입소비재(輸入消費財) 유통구조(流通構造)의 효율화(效率化) 방안(方案))

  • Nam, Il-chong
    • KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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    • v.13 no.1
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    • pp.3-33
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    • 1991
  • Since the early 1980's, the Korean government has gradually been widening the Korean market to foreign consumer goods. This, combined with the increased purchasing power of the Korean consumers resulting from the continued economic growth of the country, has sparked a spectacular influx of foreign consumer goods into Korea, ranging from BMW's to chopsticks. Import of foreign consumer goods amounted to more than 6 billion dollars in 1989 and is continuing to grow at a rapid rate. The increased import of foreign consumer goods doubtlessly improved the overall welfare of the Korean consumers by providing them with a wider range of options to choose from, by lowering the prices of some of the consumer goods domestically produced, and also by forcing the producers of some Korean goods to face competition with better foreign goods, thus giving them an incentive to raise the quality of their products. However, it is agreed by most economists that this increase in general welfare has been much smaller than what they had expected at the outset. Consumer prices of most imported consumer goods are easily double the import price, and in some cases, more than treble the import prices. Further, there has not been a noticeable drop in the prices of domestically produced consumer goods. Much of the blame has been attributed to the distribution sector of Korea. The objective of this paper is to analyze the imported consumer goods distribution sector of Korea, focusing on the possible sources of the poor performance of that sector, and to make policy suggestions that could potentially increase the welfare. This paper differs from all the previous research by others on this subject in that it analyzes the imported consumer goods distribution sector of Korea as a vertical structure. The distribution sector of an imported consumer good is a vertical structure since it consists of an international market, an import stage, and domestic wholesale and retail markets, in that order vertically. Our study naturally includes the analysis of the vertical restraints as well as the analysis of the industrial organization of each horizontal stage in the vertical structure. Each horizontal component of the imported consumer goods distribution sector is basically a monopolistically competitive market differentiated by characteristics of goods and by the locations and the services of firms. Further, restrictive dealership and resale price maintenance are found to be widely in use. Our main findings are the follwing; First, most consumer goods are imported monopolistically or oligopolistically through restrictive dealership contracts between foreign producers and domestic importers. Such restrictive dealership gives importers market power in the domestic market and explains many of the large discrepancies betwen the consumer prices and the import prices of many goods. Korean anti - trust law does not cover the issues arising from the market power of an importer resulting from a restrictive dealership contract. Second, some major producers of Korean goods are also importers of foreign goods that are substitutes of their products. The import of substitutes by major domestic producers is anti - competitive because it tends to raise the prices of both domestic goods and foreign goods, and also because it reduces the incentive of the domestic producers to raise the quality of their products. Third, wholesalers and retailers widely use resale price maintenance as a price fixing mechanism, and while this is against the anti- trust law, it seldom gets noticed. Fourth, the high level of rents of real estate for commercial use works as an entry barrier to the distribution sector and results in reduced competition by the firms in that sector. Finally, there are information problems. Consumers have inferior information to firms about the quality of a foreign consumer good that they have not tried before. Such information asymmetry often enables firms to raise prices. In addition, information asymmetry between importers frequently delays the import of cheaper substitutes. In order to alleviate the problems indentified above, we suggest the following policy changes. The government should strengthen the anti - trust law and its enforcement to regulate restrictive import contracts, import of competing goods by major domestic producers, and RPM by wholesalers and retailers that is aimed at price fixing. In addition, the government should loosen its tight real estate policy to encourage investment in the distribution sector. Finally, we suggest that the import price revelation policy that has been in use for some items since 1990 be expanded to most imported consumer goods that are introduced for the first time to give consumer better information and be used only for the period of time needed to inform sufficient number of consumers.

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A study on the cultural ideology of narrative in 3D C.G. Animation (3D C.G. 애니메이션에 반영된 문화적 이데올로기 - <슈렉>을 중심으로)

  • Koh, Eun-Young
    • Cartoon and Animation Studies
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    • s.6
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    • pp.7-22
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    • 2002
  • Animation constitutes the core of the media industry, which in turn lies at the center of the cultural industry. It is considered one of the industries where South Korea has the competitive edge over other countries. With the pool of customers getting wider, the genre of animation has become more and more diverse, forming a great market for it. Aware of this trend, this study focused on animation as a part of the pop culture, and on providing corresponding various viewpoints for future cultural studies. This researcher measured the practicality and persuasiveness of this study through Shreck, a three-dimensional C.G. animation which is acclaimed for its success in dismantling the old grammar of animation movies that represent the anti-Disney ideas. This researcher felt it imperative to heed the unique language of Shreck, which contains discourses on various cultural ideologies such as paradoxical structure that pits entertainment that is shown through dismantling of the canon, feminism and antifeminism against each other. This study analyzed the entertaining element of the animation genre by means of the Semiotics of Keith Moxey, thereby attempting to establish a legitimate social status of the genre, whose artfulness has been depreciated in the art society. In chapter II, this researcher examines the chronological development of three-dimensional C.G. animation that has shown a rapid advancement. Chapter III defines the cultural ideology of Shreck by exploring basic theories and texts employed in analysis of art works. This study started with the assumption that defines, from the viewpoint of symbology, the animation text as an aggregate of discourses on entertainment, and competitive and paradoxical ideologies. Then, this researcher analyzed the text and the generation process of meanings in Shreck. Consequently, this study has come to the following conclusions: First, Shreck induces changes of concepts about the canon by means of distorting and reversing the existing animation movies, which seems to reflect in the contemporary tendency of seeking new interpretations of entertainment. Second, Shreck shows up the cognitive changes of our age as to feminism by competing feminism against antifeminism. Although Shreck serves as a venue of competition between the two opposing ideas, it stops short of brushing off women as outsiders in society. Rather, it represents the resistance to the male chauvinism existing in the structures of animation and culture. As shown in the text analysis, Shreck presents an advent of a new ideology critical of the previous animation films. In addition, it reflects in the struggle between the pro-feminism on the part of the viewers and the anti-feminism that lies in the social and culture structure. This study, however, is limited in its scope and selection of subject. First, although this researcher has stressed the importance of understanding the animation as part of the pop culture and conducting researches within the historic paradigm, this study fails to provide an in-depth insight in the impacts that the changes in the C.G. industry and the systematic conditions may have on the three-dimensional C.G. animation genre. Furthermore, this study runs the risk of being understood as pro-American due to its selection of Shreck as its research subject.

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North Korean WMD Threats and the future of Korea-China Relations (북한 핵문제와 한·중 관계의 미래)

  • Shin, Jung-seung
    • Strategy21
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    • s.39
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    • pp.114-139
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    • 2016
  • Korea and China are neighboring countries with close contacts in many areas from long time ago, and have shared interests in maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, and in deepening economic relationship which has been mutually complementary in their nature. Therefore their bilateral relations has been developed at a remarkable pace to the extent that it can't be better than now. However, the differences in their responses to North Korean nuclear test and ensuing long-range ballistic missile test-fire and the Chinese strong concern on the possible deployment of THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Air Defence) anti-missile system in Korea show that there are some weaknesses in their relations. For example, Korea is not still confident that China would fully implement the sanction measures contained in the UNSC resolution and I argue that Chinese proposal of parallel negotiation of the denuclearization and the replacement of Korean armistice with the Peace Agreement is not much persuasive. In THAAD issue, if Korea comes to conclusion in the future that THAAD is the most effective way to counter North Korean threats, Korea should make every efforts to assure China that Korea-US alliance is not targeting China, and the THAAD is a defensive system, not damaging Chinese security. In the longer-term, deepening strategic distrust and competition between the US and China in this part of East Asia, changing nature of economic cooperation between Korea and China, and the revival of 'great country mentality' by Chinese people together with the rising nationalism in both Korea and China would cast shadow on Korea-China relation in the years ahead, unless properly handled. In this regard, I suggest that the security communications between the two countries be further strengthened, and the tri-lateral dialogue channel be established among the three countries of Korea, the US and China, particularly on North Korean issues. I also suggest the new pattern of economic cooperation be sought, considering the changing economic environment in China, while strengthening the efforts to understand each other through more interactions between the two peoples.

Globalization and Critical Review for the Korean Welfare State (세계화와 한국 사회복지의 비판적 검토)

  • Kim, Yung-Whoa;Lee, Ogg-Hee
    • Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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    • v.39
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    • pp.74-102
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    • 1999
  • The integrated global economic system have intensed Liberalization, dereguration, privatization. National states were subordinated in global economic system. To save social costs and to encourage the national competition power, the globalized market tends to reduce the domestic social expention. Truely anxious things are not the defectiveness of capitalism itself but neo-liberal measures of each national states. So neo-liberal globalization beat welfare states. Welfare and growth, accumulation and justice are inter-conflict elements, and these confliction is well explained in context of globalization. Stratigies of growth pursuing economic benefits subordinate social policy in economic policy. Globalization did not always reduce the power of national state, but each national states purposely reduce the power of state and state participations. Thus Globalization can be overcome and must be overcome, eventually, the history of social welfare in korea differ frome that of European states. Their's social welfare retrenchment have based on the excessly expeneded welfare provision, but the frame of social welfare in korea is not yet established in history. Fundamentally historic experiences between European and korean social welfare are different. So "the third way" in korea must be in carefull approaches and the social welfare policy in korea must purchase "anti-market policy" and the equal distribution.

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Detection of Abnormally High Amygdalin Content in Food by an Enzyme Immunoassay

  • Cho, A-Yeon;Yi, Kye Sook;Rhim, Jung-Hyo;Kim, Kyu-Il;Park, Jae-Young;Keum, Eun-Hee;Chung, Junho;Oh, Sangsuk
    • Molecules and Cells
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    • v.21 no.2
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    • pp.308-313
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    • 2006
  • Amygdalin is a cyanogenic glycoside compound which is commonly found in the pits of many fruits and raw nuts. Although amygdalin itself is not toxic, it can release cyanide (CN) after hydrolysis when the pits and nuts are crushed, moistened and incubated, possibly within the gastrointestinal tract. CN reversibly inhibits cellular oxidizing enzymes and cyanide poisoning generates a range of clinical symptoms. As some pits and nuts may contain unusually high levels of amygdalin such that there is a sufficient amount to induce critical CN poisoning in humans, the detection of abnormal content of amygdalin in those pits and nuts can be a life-saving measure. Although there are various methods to detect amygdalin in food extracts, an enzyme immunoassay has not been developed for this purpose. In this study we immunized New Zealand White rabbits with an amygdalin-KLH (keyhole limpet hemocyanin) conjugate and succeeded in raising anti-sera reactive to amygdalin, proving that amygdalin can behave as a hapten in rabbits. Using this polyclonal antibody, we developed a competition enzyme immunoassay for determination of amygdalin concentration in aqueous solutions. This technique was able to effectively detect abnormally high amygdalin content in various seeds and nuts. In conclusion, we proved that enzyme immunoassay can be used to determine the amount of amygdalin in food extracts, which will allow automated analysis with high throughput.

A study on the improvement of hiring system in the military human resources: introduction of modified blind hiring (군 인적자원 채용제도 개선에 관한 연구 : 수정형 블라인드 채용의 도입 검토)

  • Jung, Jung Kyun;Park, Cheol
    • Convergence Security Journal
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    • v.19 no.3
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    • pp.93-99
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    • 2019
  • In the Republic From the national interest in the recent hiring scandals in the public institutions such as the Financial Supervisory Service, Gangwon Land, and so on, people were outraged by the fact that the competition opportunities were not secured although they should be equally secured to compete with anyone with their capabilities in the fair process. Hence, the government made the public institutions blind hiring to be mandatory, which eliminated writing the academic background, GPA, and English score in the application form and selected the new employees only with job competencies in the public institutions in 2017. In 2018, the prosecution did their best for the investigation on hiring scandal with the strong will to cut the scandal upon announcement of 5-year anti-corruption master plan. Amid this controversy, this study tries to suggest the further direction in the hiring military human resources upon introduction of blind hiring system, reviewing the needs to introduce blind hiring system in the military, the governmental guideline according to the mandatory blind hiring in the public institutions, and the application status of modified blind hiring in the military.

Definition of the peptide mimotope of cellular receptor for hepatitis C virus E2 protein using random peptide library (Random peptide library를 이용한 C형 간염바이러스 E2 단백질 세포막 수용체의 peptide mimotope 규명)

  • Lee, In-Hee;Paik, Jae-Eun;Seol, Sang-Yong;Seog, Dae-Hyun;Park, Sae-Gwang;Choi, In-Hak
    • IMMUNE NETWORK
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    • v.1 no.1
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    • pp.77-86
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    • 2001
  • Background: Hepatitis C virus(HCV), a family of Flaviviridae, has a host cell-derived envelope containing a positive-stranded RNA genome, and has been known as the maj or etiological agent for chronic hepatitis, hepatic cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. There remains a need to dissect a molecular mechanism of pathogenesis for the development of therapeutic and effective preventive measure for HCV. Identification of cellular receptor is of central importance not only to understand the viral pathogenesis, but also to exploit strategies for prevention of HCV. This study was aimed at identifying peptide mimotopes inhibiting the binding of E2 protein of HCV to MOLT-4 cell. Methods: In this study, phage peptide library displaying a random peptides consisting of 7 or 12 random peptides was employed in order to pan against E2 protein. Free HCV particles were separated from the immune complex forms by immunoprecipitation using anti-human IgG antibody, and used for HCV-capture ELISA. To identify the peptides inhibiting E2-binding to MOLT-4 cells, E2 protein was subj ect to bind to MOLT-4 cells under the competition with phage peptides. Results: Several phage peptides were selected for their specific binding to E2 protein, which showed the conserved sequence of SHFWRAP from 3 different peptide sequences. They were also able to recognize the HCV particles in the sera of HCV patients captured by monoclonal antibody against E2 protein. Two of them, showing peptide sequence of HLGPWMSHWFQR and WAPPLERSSLFY respectively, were revealed to inhibit the binding of E2 protein to MOLT-4 cell efficiently in dose dependent mode. However, few membrane-associated receptor candidates were seen using Fasta3 programe for homology search with these peptides. Conclusion: Phage peptides containing HLGPWMSHWFQR and WAPPLERSSLFY respectively, showed the inhibition of E2-binding to MOLT-4 cells. However, they did not reveal any homologues to cellular receptors from GenBank database. In further study, cellular receptor could be identified through the screening of cDNA library from MOLT-4 or hepatocytes using antibodies against these peptide mimotopes.

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In about Factor of the Crime, According to Industry Recognized Security Increase of Efficiency (민간경비 산업의 범죄성장요인에 따른 효율성 제고방안)

  • Kang, Min-Wan;Ham, Ju-il
    • Korean Security Journal
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    • no.25
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    • pp.1-25
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    • 2010
  • This research aims to provide a solution for the improvement of private security according to the change in criminal environment. The main cause of crime can be found in the anti-functional dimensions including value set disorder, social phenomenon variation, information-based, globalization and urbanization. In this environment, the private security sector has dramatically increased in a quantitative viewpoint, but it is insufficient in a qualitative viewpoint. This paper recognized this problem and demonstrates a solution for improvement through classifying elements of private security into relevant legislation, education institutions, security companies and security associations. The analysis result is a follows: First, motivation and satisfaction rate of escort and security related major has shown to be high. However, respondents evaluated the guard educational institution negatively. Second, the motivation of entering into the private security sector for internal staffs has shown to be positive and sound. However, the job satisfaction rate has shown to be low due to excessive competition, negative perception of occupation and low earning. Third, respondents gave an average mark to the Security Association's management and operation. In addition, the mutual-aid project received the same mark. Negative feedbacks were given to the protection of member's interest and to association operation and policy, while positive feedbacks were given to the degree of member's cooperation towards association policies.

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An Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay for Fumonisins in Corn without Cleanup Procedure (추출물의 희석에 의한 옥수수 중 Fumonisin의 효소면역측정법)

  • Shon, Dong-Hwa;Kim, Young-Mok
    • Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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    • v.28 no.5
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    • pp.953-958
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    • 1996
  • A simple and rapid ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) system for fumonisins, a group of potentent carcinogen, was developed. To produce anti-fumonisin B1 (FB1) antibodies, FB1 conjugated to keyhole lympet hemocyanin (KLH) and Freund's adjuvant were immunized into rabbits subcutaneously 3 times. From one of the antisera showing high titer and good competition with the toxin in ELISA, polyclonal antibodies were purified. The cross-reactivities of the antibodies against fumonisin $B_1,\;B_2\;and\;B_3$ were 100%, 69%, and 166%, respectively. When competitive direct ELISA established by use of the antibody was applied to the spike test of $FB_1$ onto uncontaminated corns, the assay recovery was unstable unless 75% methanol extracts of corn were diluted to 1/100 with buffer. In that condition the mean ELISA recovery of FB1 from corns spiked $1-30\;{\mu}g/g$ was 67% and stable (coefficient of variation (CV) of each recovery percentage, 3.4%). The results suggest that the ELISA system established in this study needs no cleanup procedure and therefore would be powerful to screen a large number of corn samples contaminated with fumonisins.

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