• Journal of Science and Technology Studies
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-43
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• 2012

This paper examines the American Civil Liberties Union(ACLU)'s recent legal challenge on patents held by Myriad Genetics on two genes (BRCA1 and BRCA2) associated with a high risk of breast and ovarian cancer. Instead of analyzing the ACLU's objections to the BRCA patents in terms of its legal technicalities and normative ethical principles, this paper seeks to situate this legal case in the broader historical context of the shifting understanding of the relationship between private ownership, economic development, and the public interest in academic sciences. This paper first briefly chronicles a series of scientific developments and key legal decisions involving patenting of life forms, including genetically engineered micro-organisms animals and biological materials of human origins like cell cultures and genes, that led to the US Patent and Trademark Office(USPTO)'s official guidelines on human gene patenting in 2001. At another level, this paper analyzes the expansion of the scope of intellectual property rights in the life sciences in terms of shifting economic and legal assumptions about public knowledge and its role for economic development in the 1970s. I then show how these economic, legal, and ethical ideas that linked private ownership and the public interest have been challenged from the 1990s, calling for revisions in intellectual property laws regarding a wide array of life forms. The tragedy of the anticommons in human gene patenting, according to ACLU, has severely undermined creative scientific activities, medical innovations, access to health care and rights to life among cancer patient groups. ACLU's objection to human gene patenting on several US-constitutional grounds in turn suggests issues regarding intellectual property are critically linked to vital issues pertinent to the creative communities in arts and sciences, such as free exchange of ideas, censorship and monopoly, and free expression and piracy etc.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.95-103
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• 2019

Lips have a defect in maintenance of moisture due to their thin layer. As aging progresses, lips lose volume and redness, and become wrinkled. Fat grafting and filler surgery have been used to achieve attractive lips, but little research has been reported to develop better materials to replace the present methods. Recently, a study suggests that the increase of adipocyte number can be enhancing the expansion endogenous fat. In previous study, we identified that the efficacy of Magnolia officinalis bark extract (MOBE) was effective on the induction of adipogenic differentiation. In this study, we confirmed that MOBE enhanced the differentiation of human adipose-derived stem cells on the fat mimic 3D structure built by 3D bioprinting method From further experiments in human, we established a method to quantify the severity of lip wrinkle by measurement of standard deviation of gray value using Image J software. Finally, we found that topical treatment with 1% MOBE formulated lip balm significantly improved the lip wrinkle after using for 12 weeks. In conclusion, these findings suggest that MOBE has great potential, as a cosmetic ingredient, to reduce the lip wrinkle through the effect of promoting adipogenic differentiation.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.196-202
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• 2022

In this study, the quality characteristics of Jeung-pyun with different amounts of Makgeolli (50, 100, 150, and 200 mL) were investigated, and standardization of the Jeung-pyun production process is suggested. Higher Makgeolli contents resulted in an increase in Jeung-pyun qualities such as the b value, air cell size, springiness, and cohesiveness, whereas Jeung-pyun characteristics such as the L values, pH, number of air cells, hardness, and gumminess significantly decreased. The specific volume was highest following method M-150, and the expansion rate was lowest following method M-200. Altering the Makgeolli content did not significantly differ in moisture content and b values. In the sensory evaluation results, the M-150 method produced the highest-ranking results for all tested items (i.e., overall acceptability, appearance, flavor, taste, and texture). Therefore, this study suggests that Jueng-pyun produced with the M-150 mixing ratio has excellent quality and sensory characteristics. Furthermore, the results of this study can be used as preliminary data for the standardization of Jueng-pyun production.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.125-137
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• 2022

This study aimed to determine the effects of dietary microalgae (Tetradesmus sp. (TO)) on intestinal immunity and microbiota of pre-starter broilers. One hundred and twenty 1-day-old birds (Ross 308) were allocated to two dietary treatment groups with six blocks in a randomized complete block design. The two experimental diets consisted of a corn-soybean meal-based basal diet and a diet with 0.5% TO powder instead of cornstarch in the basal diet. After feeding the experimental diets for ten days, all birds' body weight and feed intake were measured, and representative eight birds were selected from each treatment group. Small intestinal lamina propria cells were isolated using flow cytometry to examine the frequency of immune cells. Cecal feces were harvested for 16s rRNA gut microbiota analysis and fecal IgA levels. Here, we found that 0.5% TO supplementation increased CD3⁺CD4⁺ T cells in the small intestine, but decreased CD3⁺CD8⁺ T cells in the small intestine. Gut microbial analysis showed that TO supplementation significantly increased the alpha diversity of the gut microbiome. Taxonomic analysis showed that TO treatment increased the abundance of Firmicutes and decreased that of Bacteroidetes at the phylum level. The distribution of Enterobacteriaceae containing many harmful bacteria at the family level, was lower in the TO group. In the LEfSe analysis, the TO group had a significantly enriched abundance of Agathobaculum at the genus level. Overall, results show that Tetradesmus sp. supplementation influences intestinal T-cell immunity and induces the expansion of beneficial gut microbes in pre-starter broiler chickens.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.60 no.3
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• pp.327-333
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• 2022

In this study, silicon/carbon nanotube/carbon (Si/CNT/C) composites for anode were prepared to improve the volume expansion of silicon used as a high-capacity anode material. Si/CNT were prepared by electrostatic attraction of the positively charged Si and negatively charged CNT and then hydrothermal synthesis was performed to obtain the spherical Si/CNT/C composites. Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF), polyacrylic acid (PAA), and styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) were used as binders for electrode preparation, and coin cell was assembled using 1.0 M LiPF₆ (EC:DMC:EMC = 1:1:1 vol%) electrolyte and fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) additive. The physical properties of Si/CNT/C anode materials were analyzed using SEM, EDS, XRD and TGA, and the electrochemical performances of lithium-ion batteries were investigated by charge-discharge cycle, rate performance, dQ/dV and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy tests. Also, it was confirmed that both capacity and rate performance were significantly improved using the PAA/SBR binder and 10 wt% FEC-added electrolyte. It is found that Si/CNT/C have the reversible capacity of 914 mAh/g, the capacity retention ratio of 83% during 50 cycles and the rate performance of 70% in 2 C/0.1 C.

• Strategy21
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• s.32
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• pp.192-221
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• 2013

In order to deal with the current economic crisis, the U.S. government, as a part of its austerity fiscal policy, implemented a budget sequester. The sequester will hit the U.S. defense budget the hardest, and as a result will most likely put the security of the international community in jeopardy. The U.S. will have to cut 46 billion dollars from its original 525 billon defense spending in 2013. And by the year 2022, will have to cut 486.9 billion dollars. Such an astronomical decrease in the U.S. defense spending will inevitably burden the friendly nations. According to recent studies, pirate related incidents in Somalia, where piracy is most active, has declined from its 226 incidents to 76 incidents per year in 2012, a 66% drop from previous years'. However, piracy threats as well as those related to firearms still remain and thus participants of anti-piracy operations, namely the U.S., U.K., France, Canada, NCC, EUNAVFOR, and NATO, are facing a problem of declining forces. Considering the current situation as well as rising expectations from the international community, Republic of Korea, a supporter of NCC's maritime security operation, not to mention its foremost duty of securing its sea, is at a stage to re-examine its operational picture. Such action will be a good opportunity for Republic of Korea to build the trust and live up to the international community's expectation. To quote from the network theory, although in relation to other friendly nations participating in the anti-piracy operation, Republic of Korea currently remains at a single cell level, this opportunity will certainly develop Korea to a 'node' nation in which power and information would flow into. Through this expansion of operational capability, Republic of Korea will be able to exert more influence as a more developed nation. Currently however, not only is the single 4,500 ton class destroyer deployed in Somalia a limited unit to further expand the scale and amount of force projection in the area, but also the total of six 4,500 ton class destroyers ROK feet possess is at a high fatigue degree due to standard patrolling operations, midshipman cruise and the RIMPAC exercise. ROK fleet therefore must consider expanding the number of ships deployed along with either deploying combat support ships or constructing logistics support site in the African region. Thus, by expanding its operational capabilities and furthermore by abiding to the rightful responsibilities of a middle power nation, Republic of Korea will surely earn its respect among the members of the international community.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.250-257
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• 1997

Stem diameter and shoot fresh weight of tomato grown in greenhouse were measured non-destructively at 10 minutes interval from 1 to 16 July, 1996 with displacement detector using strain gauges and with suspension-type load cell, respectively, and simultaneously were measured soil water potential, transpiration and solar radiation. Ample water was irrigated before experiment, and thereafter, irrigations were made on the next morning when visual symptoms of wilting appeared. Shoot fresh weight and stem diameter showed very similar patterns in diurnal changes which are characterized by predawn maximum and afternoon minimum and in long- term evolutions, suggesting that stem diameter shrinkage and expansion are closely related to plant water content and growth, respectively, Shoot weight and stem diameter reached minimum values a little later than the time on which transpiration showed maximum. The daily net gains of fresh weight(DG) and stem diameter(DI) showed significantly Positive correlations with solar radiation in those days on which plants were not water-stressed. However, Dl and DG on those days of water stress showed much lower values than expected from the relationships between solar radiation and them. Transpiration was much lower than the expected potential transpiration on 10 July, implying that plants were water-stressed. In this case water stress was not detected from visual symptom of wilting and/or soil water potential, but was able to be identified by the lower DI and DG than the expected. The maximum contraction of stem diameter(MC) and the maximum loss of fresh weight(ML) during daytime showed significantly positive correlations with solar radiation in those days on which plants were not water-stressed and were observed greater than expected from the relationships on severely water-stressed days. But mild water stress could not be discernable by ML and MC. It would be concluded that the daily net gains of fresh weight and/or stem diameter could be used as criteria for diagnosing the water status of tomato and for triggoring the onset of irrigation in automatic system.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.107-119
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• 2002

Astrocyte, which shares the greatest part of the brain (about 25%), is a land of glial cell that composes the central nervous system along with microglia, ependymal cell and oligodendroglia. It has 7-9nm of fibers in its cytoplasma, which are composed of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and vimentin. As for the functions of the astrocyte, it has, so far, been supposed that the astrocyte will play a cytoskeletal role in maintaining the structure of the cerebrum, play a role as a blood-brain barrier so that it can induce migration of the neuron in its development and substances in the blood cannot go into the nervous tissue, and a role of immunology and phagocytosis. However, it was revealed today that it will be a role in preventing expansion of injury by attaching itself to the connective tissue such as the vessel and the pia mater when the nervous tissue or the arachnoid is injured. Microcurrent stimulation can control current, on the basis of A unit. That is, with such devices using it, it is possible to sense, from the outside, the injured current(wound current) of the lesion and to change it into the normal current, thereby promoting the restoration of the cells. In order to examine the effects of microcurrent stimulation on the injured astrocytes in the rabbits, this study was conducted with 24 New Zealand White Rabbit as its subjects, which were divided into 8 animals of the experiment group and 16 animals of the control group. After the animals in the experiment group were fixed to the stereotaxic apparatus, their hair was removed and their premotor area(association area) perforated by the micro-drill for skull-perforation with the depth of 8mm from the scalp. In one week after the injury, 4 animals in the control group and 8 animals in the experiment group were sacrificed and examined with immunohistochemical method. And in three weeks, the remaining 4 animals in the control group and 8 animals in the experiment group were also sacrificed and examined with the same way. The conclusion has been drawn as follows : In the control group sacrificed in one week after the injury, the astrocytes somewhat increased, compared with the normal animals, and in the group sacrificed in three weeks after the injury, they increased more (p < 0.05). The experiment group A in one week showed a little increase, but there was no significant differences, but the experiment group in three weeks showed more increase, compared with the experiment group in one week (p < 0.05). The experiment group B in one week showed more increase than the control group or the experiment group A, and the experiment group in three weeks showed more increase than the experiment group in one week (p < 0.05). Among the astrocytes, fibrous astrocytes were mostly observed, increasing as they are close to the lesion, and decreasing as they are remote from it. The findings show that microcurrent can cause the astrocytes to proliferate and that it will be more effective to stimulate the cervical part somewhat remote from the lesion rather than to directly stimulate the part of the lesion. Thus, microcurrent stimulation can be one of the methods that can activate the reaction of astrocytes, which is one of the mechanism for treating cerebral injury with hemorrhage. Therefore, this study will be used as basic research data for promoting restoration of functions in the patient with injury in the central nervous system.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.87 no.3
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• pp.358-365
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• 1998

To offer the basic information for sustainable production of forest resources and conservation of the global environment, change in potential natural vegetation (PNV) associated with climate change due to doubling atmospheric carbon dioxide ($2{\times}CO_2$) was estimated with the global natural vegetation mapping system based an K${\ddot{o}}$ppen scheme. The system interpolates climate data spherically to each grid cell, determines the vegetation types onto the grid cell, and produces potential vegetation map and area on the globe and continents. The climate data consist of the current, ($1{\times}CO_2$) climate prior to AD 1958 observed at some 2,000 stations and the doubling ($2{\times}CO_2$) climate estimated from Meteorological Research Institute of Japan. The vegetation zone under the $2{\times}CO_2$ climate scenario expanded mainly toward the poles due to the rise in temperature. The changed PNV area on the globe amounts to 1/3 (4.91 billion (G) ha) of the total land area (15.04 Gha). Kappa statistic for judging agreement between the patterns of vegetation distribution under $1{\times}CO_2$ climate and $2{\times}CO_2$ climates shows good agreement (0.63) for the globe as a whole. The most stable areas are desert and ice. The potential forest area (PFA) was estimated at 6.82 Gha of the land area in $2{\times}CO_2$ climate scenario. In terms of continental changes in PFA, North America and Asis are increased under the $2{\times}CO_2$ climate. However, the potential forest arms of the other continents are decreased by the climate. Europe has no change in the PFA. Especially, the expansion of desert area in Oceania would be accelerated by the $2{\times}CO_2$ climate.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.97-104
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• 2002

In most mammals, mature oocyte-cumulus complexer(OCCs) ovulate into the oviduct where fertilization by sperm takes place. However, the complex that fail to fertilize eventually undergoes degeneration while they reside in the oviduct. Yet there is no blown mechanism how both oocyte and cumulus cells degenerate. Using human follicular fluid (hFF), bovine oviductal tissue extract (BOX) and mouse OCC, the present study aimed to find how the oviduct influence the viability of the oocyte and cumulus cells in vitro. There was no difference of oocyte maturation rate between the control and BOX-treated groups. However, there was a significant difference in the survival of cumulus cells between two groups. Cumulus cells cultured in the presence of hFF alone underwent initially expansion and then they formed monolayer in the culture dish. Even after 72 hr, they proliferated well and showed fibroblast-like morphology. Cumulus cells cultured in the presence of both hFF and BOX also expanded after 24 hr, however, after 72 hr culture, they eventually detached and degenerated. Cumulus cells cultured in the BOX alone gave a similar drastic result. When the cumulus cells cultured in the presence of BOX were stained with DAPI, their nuclei showed partial condensation and fragmentation. After detailed analysis of these cells by TUNEL assay, many nuclei of them exhibited well stained spots indicating the signs of apoptosis. Based upon these observations, it is suggested that BOX might possess a factor that leads mouse cumulus cells to undergo apoptosis in vitro.