• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.348-358
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• 2007

Metallothionein, a cysteine-rich stress response protein that is naturally induced by a variety of immunologic stressors, has been shown to suppress autoimmune disorders through mechanisms not yet fully defined. In the present study, we examined the underlying mechanisms by which metallothionein might mediate such regulation of autoimmunity. $Na\ddot{i}ve\;CD4^+$ T cells from metallothionein-deficient mice differentiated to produce significantly less IL-10, $TGF-{\gamma}$, and repressor of GATA, but more $IFN-{\gamma}$ and T-bet, when compared with those from wild-type mice. The levels of IL-4 and GATA-3 production were not different between the two groups of mice. Conversely, treatment with exogenous metallothionein during the priming phase drove $na\ddot{i}ve$ wild-type $CD4^+\;T$ cells to differentiate into cells producing more IL-10 and $TGF-{\beta}$, but less $IFN-{\gamma}$ than untreated cells. Metallothionein-primed cells were hyporesponsive to restimulation, and suppressive to T cell proliferation in an IL-10-dependent manner. Lymphocytes from metallothionein-deficient mice displayed significantly elevated levels of AP-1 and JNK activities in response to stimulation compared with those from wild-type controls. Importantly, transgenic mice overexpressing metallothionein exhibited significantly reduced susceptibility to collagen-induced arthritis and enhanced IL-10 level in the serum, relative to their nontransgenic littermates. Taken together, these data suggest that metallothionein is able to promote the generation of IL-10-and $TGF-{\beta}$-producing type 1 regulatory T-like cells by downregulating JNK-dependent AP-1 activity. Thus, metallothionein may play an important role in the regulation of Th1-dependent autoimmune arthritis, and may represent both a potential target for therapeutic manipulation and a critical element in the diagnostic assessment of disease potential.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.12 no.7
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• pp.1193-1201
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• 2008

In this paper, we propose a automated techniques for generating the gait animation of humanoid character model required in game applications. The proposed method can generate motion data of various styles with intuitive manipulation, and techniques for editing motion data are also proposed. In addition, we introduce an automated tool for gait animation of character model developed with the proposed method to verify the effectiveness of our method. The proposed method tan be successfully employed in motion authoring tools. In this paper, only the gait animation was considered. However, the proposed method can be applied to various motions and can be utilized as a motion engine that automatically generates proper motion according to the state of the character. The motion engine can express various behavior of the character without requiring motion data base which is usually employed in 3D online games.

• Journal of Ship and Ocean Technology
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.36-54
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• 2008

A jet stream applied tangential to a curved surface in fluid increases lift force by strengthening circulation around the surface and this phenomenon is known as the Coanda effect. Many experimental and numerical studies have been performed on the Coanda effect and the results found to be useful in various fields of aerodynamics. Recently, preliminary studies on Coanda control surface are in progress to look for practical application in marine hydrodynamics since various control surfaces are used to control behaviors of ships and offshore structures. In the present study, the performance of a Coanda control surface with different geometries of the jet injection nozzle was surveyed to assess applicability to ship rudders. A numerical simulation was carried out to study flow characteristics around a section of a horn type rudder subjected to a tangential jet stream. The RANS equations, discretized by a cell-centered finite volume method were used for this computation after verification by comparing to the experimental data available. Special attentions have been given to the sensitivity of the lift performance of a Coanda rudder to the location of the slit (outlet) and intake of the gap between the horn and rudder surface at the various angles of attack. It is found that the location of the water intake is important in enhancing the lift because the gap functions as a conduit of nozzle generating a jet sheet on the rudder surface.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.135-142
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• 2019

OCT4, also known as POU5F1 (POU domain class 5 transcription factor 1), is a transcription factor that acts as a master regulator of pluripotency in embryonic stem cells and is one of the reprogramming factors required for generating induced pluripotent stem cells. The human OCT4 encodes three isoforms, OCT4A, OCT4B, and OCT4B1, which are generated by alternative splicing. Currently, the functions and expression patterns of OCT4B remain largely unknown in malignancies, especially in human glioblastomas. Here, we demonstrated the function of OCT4B in human glioblastomas. Among the isoform of OCT4B, OCT4B-190 ($OCT4B^{19kDa}$) was highly expressed in human glioblastoma stem cells and glioblastoma cells and was mainly detected in the cytoplasm rather than the nucleus. Overexpression of $OCT4B^{19kDa}$ promoted colony formation of glioblastoma cells when grown in soft agar culture conditions. Clinical data analysis revealed that patients with gliomas that expressed OCT4B at high levels had a poorer prognosis than patients with gliomas that expressed OCT4B at low levels. Thus, $OCT4B^{19kDa}$ may play a crucial role in regulating cancer cell survival and adaption in a rigid environment.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.433-444
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• 2019

As rice husk ash (RHA) is not produced in controlled manufacturing process like cement, its properties vary significantly even within the same lot. In fact, properties of Rice Husk Ash Based Concrete (RHABC) are largely dictated by uncertainty leading to huge deviations from their expected values. This paper proposes a Robust Cost Optimization (RCO) procedure for RHABC, which minimizes such unwanted deviation due to uncertainty and provides guarantee of achieving desired strength and workability with least possible cost. The RCO simultaneously minimizes cost of RHABC production and its deviation considering feasibility of attaining desired strength and workability in presence of uncertainty. RHA related properties have been modeled as uncertain-but-bounded type as associated probability density function is not available. Metamodeling technique is adopted in this work for generating explicit expressions of constraint functions required for formulation of RCO. In doing so, the Moving Least Squares Method is explored in place of conventional Least Square Method (LSM) to ensure accuracy of the RCO. The efficiency by the proposed MLSM based RCO is validated by experimental studies. The error by the LSM and accuracy by the MLSM predictions are clearly envisaged from the test results. The experimental results show good agreement with the proposed MLSM based RCO predicted mix properties. The present RCO procedure yields RHABC mixes which is almost insensitive to uncertainty (i.e., robust solution) with nominal deviation from experimental mean values. At the same time, desired reliability of satisfying the constraints is achieved with marginal increment in cost.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.75-80
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• 2021

Positioning technology is performing important functions in augmented reality, smart factory, and autonomous driving. Among the positioning techniques, the positioning method using beacons has been considered a challenging task due to the deviation of the RSSI value. In this study, the position of a moving object is predicted by training a neural network that takes the RSSI value of the receiver as an input and the distance as the target value. To do this, the measured distance versus RSSI was collected. A neural network was introduced to create synthetic data from the collected actual data. Based on this neural network, the RSSI value versus distance was predicted. The real value of RSSI was obtained as a neural network for generating synthetic data, and based on this value, the coordinates of the object were estimated by learning a neural network that tracks the location of a terminal in a virtual environment.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.25-34
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• 2021

Kisspeptin is a key player in the central control of reproductive axis. Central administration of kisspeptin has been shown to advance puberty in rats. Stimulation of hypothalamic GnRH pulse generating mechanism by kisspeptin has been proposed to be the mechanism behind the onset of puberty. We hypothesized that chronic high doses of kisspeptin administration suppresses the reproductive axis and hence delays the pubertal onset. Hence, we investigated the effect of peripheral administration of chronic high doses of kisspeptin on pubertal onset, feed intake and body weight in female rats. Rats were treated with saline or kisspeptin (100 nmoles per day; intraperitoneal) for 26 days (day 25 to day 50 postnatal) and the day of vaginal opening was marked as day of puberty. Kisspeptin treated rats had delayed pubertal onset and reduced feed intake and body weight. Gonadal GPR54 mRNA was reduced suggesting that chronic high doses of kisspeptin may suppress the reproductive functions possibly by downregulation of GPR54 receptor. However, delay in puberty due to reduction in feed intake and body weight could not be ruled out in this study. Further, our study emphasizes the importance of dosage and duration of kisspeptin administration in the manipulation of reproductive axis. Our study, for the first time, suggests that kisspeptin and its analogues, if proven beneficial, could be used to treat precocious puberty in children. It appears that, though a promising tool for enhancing fertility, kisspeptin acts as a double-edged sword and has to be cautiously used to manipulate reproduction.

• The Journal of the Korea institute of electronic communication sciences
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.1311-1316
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• 2021

In this paper, we present a bifocal stereo camera system combining two cameras with different focal length cameras to generate stereoscopic image and their corresponding depth map. In order to obtain the depth data using the bifocal stereo camera system, we perform camera calibration to extract internal and external camera parameters for each camera. We calculate a common image plane and perform a image rectification for generating the depth map using camera parameters of bifocal stereo camera. Finally we use a SGM(Semi-global matching) algorithm to generate the depth map in this paper. The proposed bifocal stereo camera system can performs not only their own functions but also generates distance information about vehicles, pedestrians, and obstacles in the current driving environment. This made it possible to design safer autonomous vehicles.

• Journal of Internet Computing and Services
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.1-9
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• 2022

Recently, the functions of smart speakers have diversified, and the penetration rate of smart speakers is increasing. As it becomes more widespread, various techniques have been proposed to cause anomalous behavior against smart speakers. Dolphin Attack, which causes anomalous behavior against the Voice Controllable System (VCS) during various attacks, is a representative method. With this method, a third party controls VCS using ultrasonic band (f>20kHz) without the user's recognition. However, since the method uses the ultrasonic band, it is necessary to install an ultrasonic speaker or an ultrasonic dedicated device which is capable of outputting an ultrasonic signal. In this paper, a smart speaker is controlled by generating an audio signal modulated at a frequency (18 to 20) which is difficult for a person to hear although it is in the human audible frequency band without installing an additional device, that is, an ultrasonic device. As a result with the method proposed in this paper, while humans could not recognize voice commands even in the audible band, it was possible to control the smart speaker with a probability of 82 to 96%.

• International Journal of Computer Science & Network Security
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• v.21 no.12spc
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• pp.604-610
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• 2021

Human capital is the defining value of the national economy under market conditions. The manifestation of human capital is realized as an intellectual and creative capital, theoretically grounded and proven. The realization of intellectual capital is realized through the research creativity of scientists and researchers, and creative capital is manifested through artists and thinkers. Accordingly, creativity in market conditions forms a separate source of income and is an essential article in the formation of the GDP of the national economy. This research aims to analyze human capital from the perspective of cultural and creative industries. Research methods: systematization; comparative analysis of individual indicators of advanced countries of the world on the training system; statistical, taking into account macroeconomic indicators to assess the level of national creativity potential; system and logical analysis; method of information synthesis. Research results. The structural and quantitative composition of the factors of intellectual and creative capital formation has been systematized. The article proves that the unique properties of human capital, knowledge, creativity, experience and professional skills are the push factors of creativity development of the national economy and provide the priority development of creative and cultural industry that allows generating the added value on the national scale. The functions of creativity in the sphere of cultural industries are highlighted. It is noted that education and creativity of both intellectual and creative capital are the forming basis. The research of the world's advanced countries on the creativity index has pointed out the Netherlands as the leading country in the quantitative measurement of creativity. The economic development factors of the Netherlands were analyzed from the position of economic creativity, which allowed the formation of a two-factor model providing priority development of creativity in the cultural and creative industries.