• Title/Summary/Keyword: Multiple carrier

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Analysis of Co-movement and Causality between Supply-Demand Factors and the Shipping Market: Evidence from Wavelet Approach (웨이블릿 분석을 통한 수요-공급요인과 해운시황의 연관성 분석)

  • Jeong, Hoejin;Yun, Heesung;Lee, Keehwan
    • Journal of Korea Port Economic Association
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    • v.38 no.3
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    • pp.87-104
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    • 2022
  • Considering the complex structure and high volatility in the shipping market, it is important to investigate the connectedness amongst influencing factors. This study explores the dynamic relationship between supply-demand factors and shipping freight indices. We choose Capesize and Panamax in the bulk carrier market and use quarterly data of GDP, world fleet, BCI, and BPI from 1999 to 2021. Applying the wavelet analysis and wavelet Granger causality test, the simultaneous examination of co-movement and causality between two factors and the shipping market in both the time and frequency domains is achieved. We find that co-movement and causality vary across time and frequencies, thereby existing dynamic relationships between variables. Second, compared to multiple coherencies using demand and supply factors together, partial coherencies indicate noticeable causalities. It implies that analyzing demand and supply factors separately is essential. Finally, shipping freight indices show a high correlation with the demand factor in a good market and with the supply factor in a bad market. Generally, GDP positively leads shipping freights in the recovery phase while the world fleet negatively leads shipping freights in the downturn. The research is meaningful in that the rarely-applied wavelet analysis is adopted in the shipping market and that it gives a reasonable ground to explain the role of supply and/or demand factors in different phases of the market cycle.

A Study on the Correlation Analysis between International Oil Prices and the 4 Major Shipping Markets of Bulk Carrier (국제 유가와 벌크선 4대 해운 시장의 상관관계 분석에 관한 연구)

  • Ryu, Won-Hyeong;Nam, Hyung-Sik
    • Journal of Korea Port Economic Association
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    • v.39 no.4
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    • pp.43-65
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    • 2023
  • Recently, with the increasing international interest on environmental issues, efforts have been made to reduce greenhouse gas emissions due to ship fuel, however, the dependence on fossil fuel is expected to continue for a while. Since fuel costs account for a high portion of the total operating cost of a ship, it is necessary to analyze the influence of oil prices on the shipping markets. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the relationship between the international oil prices and the four major shipping markets for bulk carriers. This study employed WTI as the oil price variable while monthly data from 2017 to 2020 from the four major shipping markets by classifying freight rates, charter rates, newbuilding prices, and secondhand prices were also considered in multiple ship sizes of capesize, panamax, supramax, and handysize. Firstly, the results of the correlation analysis using the VAR model indicate that changes in international oil prices have a statistically positive (+) significant effect on BCIS only in the second time lag, on BSIS at all lags, and on BHIS only in the first staggered period. Secondly, as a result of correlation analysis using the VECM model, in the case of BPIC, BHIC, BCIN, and BHIR, the cointegration coefficient value has a negative (-) significant effect at the 5% significance level in the cointegration relationship with international oil prices. Further, in the case of the dynamic correlation, the increase in oil price in the first period of the lag leads to a decrease in the BCIN newbuilding prices while the increase in the oil price in the first and second period in the lag leads to a decrease in the BHIR used ship prices.

INFRARED THERMOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF TEMPERATURE RISE ON THE SURFACE OF BUCHANAN PLUGGER (적외선열화상장치를 이용한 Buchanan plugger 표면의 온도상승 분석)

  • Choi, Sung-A;Kim, Sun-Ho;Hwang, Yun-Chan;Youn, Chang;Oh, Byung-Ju;Choi, Bo-Young;Juhng, Woo-Nam;Jeong, Sun-Wa;Hwang, In-Nam;Oh, Won-Mann
    • Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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    • v.27 no.4
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    • pp.370-381
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    • 2002
  • This study was performed to evaluate the temperature rise on various position of the Buchanan plugger, the peak temperature of plugger's type and the temperature change by its touching time of heat control spling. The heat carrier system 'System B' (Model 1005, Analytic Technologies, USA) and the Buchanan's plug-gers of F, FM, M and ML sizes are used for this study. The temperature was set to 20$0^{\circ}C$ which Dr. Buchanan's "continuous wave of condensation" technique recommended on digital display and the power level on it was set to 10. In order to apply heat on the Buchanan's pluggers, the heat control spring was touched for 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 seconds respectively. The temperature rise on the surface of the pluggers were measured at 0.5 mm intervals from tip to 20 mm length of shank using the infrared thermography (Radiation Thermometer-IR Temper, NEC San-ei Instruments, Ltd, Japan) and TH31-702 Data capture software program (NEC San-ei Instruments, Ltd, Japan). Data were analyzed using a one way ANOVA followed by Duncan's multiple range test and linear regression test. The results as follows. 1. The position at which temperature peaked was approximately at 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm far from the tip of Buchanan's pluggers (p<0.001). The temperature was constantly decreased toward the shank from the tip of it (p<0.001). 2. When the pluggerss were heated over 5 seconds, the peak temperature by time of measurement revealed from 253.3$\pm$10.5$^{\circ}C$ to 192.1$\pm$3.3$^{\circ}C$ in a touch for 1 sec, from 218.6$\pm$5.$0^{\circ}C$ to 179.5$\pm$4.2$^{\circ}C$ in a touch for 2 sec, from 197.5$\pm$3.$0^{\circ}C$ to 167.5$\pm$3.7$^{\circ}C$ in a touch for 3 sec, from 183.7$\pm$2.5$^{\circ}C$ to 159.8$\pm$3.6$^{\circ}C$ in a touch for 4 sec and from 164.9$\pm$2.$0^{\circ}C$ to 158.4$\pm$1.8$^{\circ}C$ in a touch for 5 sec. A touch for 1 sec showed the highest peak temperature, followed by, in descending order, 2 sec, 3 sec, 4 sec. A touch for 5 sec showed the lowest peak temperature (p<0.001). 3. A each type of pluggers showed different peak temperatures. The peak temperature was the highest in F type and followed by, in descending order, M type, ML type. FM type revealed the lowest peak temperature (p<0.001). The results of this study indicated that pluggers are designed to concentrate heat at around its tip, its actual temperature does not correlate well with the temperature which Buchanan's "continuous wave of condensation" technique recommend, and finally a quick touch of heat control spring for 1sec reveals the highest temperature rise.

Excimer-Based White Phosphorescent OLEDs with High Efficiency

  • Yang, Xiaohui;Wang, Zixing;Madakuni, Sijesh;Li, Jian;Jabbour, Ghassan E.
    • 한국정보디스플레이학회:학술대회논문집
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    • 2008.10a
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    • pp.1520-1521
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    • 2008
  • There are several ways to demonstrate white organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) for displays and solid state lighting applications. Among these approaches are the stacked three primary or two complementary colors light-emitting layers, multiple-doped emissive layer, and excimer and exciplex emission [1-10]. We report on white phosphorescent excimer devices by using two light emitting materials based on platinum complexes. These devices showed a peak EQE of 15.7%, with an EQE of 14.5% (17 lm/W) at $500\;cd/m^2$, and a noticeable improvement in both the CIE coordinates (0.381, 0.401) and CRI (81). Devices with the structure ITO/PEDOT:PSS/TCTA (30 nm)/26 mCPy: 12% FPt (10 nm) /26 mCPy: 2% Pt-4 (15 nm)/BCP (40 nm)/CsF/Al [device 1], ITO/PEDOT:PSS/TCTA (30 nm)/26 mCPy: 2% Pt-4 (15 nm)/26 mCPy: 12% FPt (10 nm)/BCP (40 nm)/CsF/Al [device 2], and ITO/PEDOT:PSS/TCTA (30 nm)/26 mCPy: 2% Pt-4: 12% FPt (25 nm)/BCP (40 nm)/CsF/Al [device 3] were fabricated. In these cases, the emissive layer was either the double-layer of 26 mCPy:12% FPt and 15 nm 26 mCPy: 2% Pt-4, or the single layer of 26mCPy with simultaneous doping of Pt-4 and FPt. Device characterization indicates that the CIE coordinates/CRI of device 2 were (0.341, 0.394)/75, (0.295, 0.365)/70 at 5 V and 7 V, respectively. Significant change in EL spectra with the drive voltage was observed for device 2 indicating a shift in the carrier recombination zone, while relatively stable EL spectra was observed for device 1. This indicates a better charge trapping in Pt-4 doped layers [10]. On the other hand, device 3 having a single light-emitting layer (doped simultaneously) emitted a board spectrum combining emission from the Pt-4 monomer and FPt excimer. Moreover, excellent color stability independent of the drive voltage was observed in this case. The CIE coordinates/CRI at 4 V ($40\;cd/m^2$) and 7 V ($7100\;cd/m^2$) were (0.441, 0.421)/83 and (0.440, 0.427)/81, respectively. A balance in the EL spectra can be further obtained by lowering the doping ratio of FPt. In this regard, devices with FPt concentration of 8% (denoted as device 4) were fabricated and characterized. A shift in the CIE coordinates of device 4 from (0.441, 0.421) to (0.382, 0.401) was observed due to an increase in the emission intensity ratio of Pt-4 monomer to FPt excimer. It is worth noting that the CRI values remained above 80 for such device structure. Moreover, a noticeable stability in the EL spectra with respect to changing bias voltage was measured indicating a uniform region for exciton formation. A summary of device characteristics for all cases discussed above is shown in table 1. The forward light output in each case is approximately $500\;cd/m^2$. Other parameters listed are driving voltage (Bias), current density (J), external quantum efficiency (EQE), power efficiency (P.E.), luminous efficiency (cd/A), and CIE coordinates. To conclude, a highly efficient white phosphorescent excimer-based OLEDs made with two light-emitting platinum complexes and having a simple structure showed improved EL characteristics and color properties. The EQE of these devices at $500\;cd/m^2$ is 14.5% with a corresponding power efficiency of 17 lm/W, CIE coordinates of (0.382, 0.401), and CRI of 81.

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Advanced Hybrid EER Transmitter for WCDMA Application Using Efficiency Optimized Power Amplifier and Modified Bias Modulator (효율이 특화된 전력 증폭기와 개선된 바이어스 모듈레이터로 구성되는 진보된 WCDMA용 하이브리드 포락선 제거 및 복원 전력 송신기)

  • Kim, Il-Du;Woo, Young-Yun;Hong, Sung-Chul;Kim, Jang-Heon;Moon, Jung-Hwan;Jun, Myoung-Su;Kim, Jung-Joon;Kim, Bum-Man
    • The Journal of Korean Institute of Electromagnetic Engineering and Science
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    • v.18 no.8
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    • pp.880-886
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    • 2007
  • We have proposed a new "hybrid" envelope elimination and restoration(EER) transmitter architecture using an efficiency optimized power amplifier(PA) and modified bias modulator. The efficiency of the PA at the average drain voltage is very important for the overall transmitter efficiency because the PA operates mostly at the average power region of the modulation signal. Accordingly, the efficiency of the PA has been optimized at the region. Besides, the bias modulator has been accompanied with the emitter follower for the minimization of memory effect. A saturation amplifier, class $F^{-1}$ is built using a 5-W PEP LDMOSFET for forward-link single-carrier wideband code-division multiple-access(WCDMA) at 1-GHz. For the interlock experiment, the bias modulator has been built with the efficiency of 64.16% and peak output voltage of 31.8 V. The transmitter with the proposed PA and bias modulator has been achieved an efficiency of 44.19%, an improvement of 8.11%. Besides, the output power is enhanced to 32.33 dBm due to the class F operation and the PAE is 38.28% with ACLRs of -35.9 dBc at 5-MHz offset. These results show that the proposed architecture is a very good candidate for the linear and efficient high power transmitter.

Multi-user Diversity Scheduling Methods Using Superposition Coding Multiplexing (중첩 코딩 다중화를 이용한 다중 사용자 다이버시티 스케줄링 방법)

  • Lee, Min;Oh, Seong-Keun
    • The Journal of Korean Institute of Communications and Information Sciences
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    • v.35 no.4A
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    • pp.332-340
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    • 2010
  • In this paper, we deal with multi-user diversity scheduling methods that transmit simultaneously signals from multiple users using superposition coding multiplexing. These methods can make various scheduling methods be obtained, according to strategies for user selection priority from the first user to the first-following users, strategies for per-user power allocation, and resulting combining strategies. For the first user selection, we consider three strategies such as 1) higher priority for a user with a better channel state, 2) following the proportional fair scheduling (PFS) priority, 3) higher priority for a user with a lower average serving rate. For selection of the first-following users, we consider the identical strategies for the first user selection. However, in the second strategy, we can decide user priorities according to the original PFS ordering, or only once an additional user for power allocation according to the PFS criterion by considering a residual power and inter-user interference. In the strategies for power allocation, we consider two strategies as follows. In the first strategy, it allocates a power to provide a permissible per-user maximum rate. In the second strategy, it allocates a power to provide a required per-user minimum rate, and then it reallocates the residual power to respective users with a rate greater than the required minimum and less than the permissible maximum. We consider three directions for scheduling such as maximizing the sum rate, maximizing the fairness, and maximizing the sum rate while maintaining the PFS fairness. We select the max CIR, max-min fair, and PF scheduling methods as their corresponding reference methods [1 and references therein], and then we choose candidate scheduling methods which performances are similar to or better than those of the corresponding reference methods in terms of the sum rate or the fairness while being better than their corresponding performances in terms of the alternative metric (fairness or sum rate). Through computer simulations, we evaluate the sum rate and Jain’s fairness index (JFI) performances of various scheduling methods according to the number of users.

Effect of Carrier Confinement and Optical Properties of Two-dimensional Electrons in Al0.3Ga0.7N/GaN and Al0.3Ga0.7N/GaN/Al0.15Ga0.85N/GaN Heterostructures (Al0.3Ga0.7N/GaN 및 Al0.3Ga0.7N/GaN/Al0.15Ga0.85N/GaN 이종접합 구조에서 운반자 구속 효과와 이차원 전자가스의 광학적 특성)

  • Kwack, H.S.;Lee, K.S.;Cho, H.E.;Lee, J.H.;Cho, Y.H.
    • Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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    • v.17 no.4
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    • pp.359-364
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    • 2008
  • We have investigated optical and structural properties of $Al_{0.3}Ga_{0.7}N$/GaN and $Al_{0.3}Ga_{0.7}N/GaN/Al_{0.15}Ga_{0.85}N/GaN$ heterostructures (HSs) grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition, by means of Hall measurement, high-resolution X-ray diffraction, and temperature- and excitation power-dependent photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. A strong GaN band edge emission and its longitudinal optical phonon replicas were observed for all the samples. At 10 K, a 2DEG-related PL peak located at ${\sim}\;3.445\;eV$ was observed for $Al_{0.3}Ga_{0.7}N$/GaN HS, while two 2DEG peaks at ${\sim}\;3.42$ and ${\sim}\;3.445\;eV$ were observed for $Al_{0.3}Ga_{0.7}N/GaN/Al_{0.15}Ga_{0.85}N/GaN$ HS due to the additional $Al_{0.15}Ga_{0.85}N$ layers. Moreover, the emission intensity of the 2DEG peak was higher in $Al_{0.3}Ga_{0.7}N/GaN/Al_{0.15}Ga_{0.85}N/GaN$ HS than in $Al_{0.3}Ga_{0.7}N$/GaN HS probably due to an effective confinement of the photo-excited holes by the additional $Al_{0.15}Ga_{0.85}N$ layers. The 2DEG-related emission intensity decreased with increasing temperature and disappeared at temperatures above 150 K. To investigate the origin of the new 2DEG peaks, the energy-band structure for multiple AlGaN/GaN HSs were simulated and compared with the experimental data. As a result, the observed high- and low-energy peaks of 2DEG can be attributed to the spatially-separated 2DEG emissions formed at different AlGaN/GaN heterointerfaces.

Genetic Characterization of Antigenic Variant Infectious Bursal Disease Virus (IBDV) in Chickens in Korea

  • Jong-Yeol Park;Ki-Woong Kim;Ke Shang;Sang-Won Kim;Yu-Ri Choi;Cheng-Dong Yu;Ji-Eun Son;Gyeong-Jun Kim;Won-Bin Jeon;In-Hwan Kim;Bai Wei;Min Kang;Hyung-Kwan Jang;Se-Yeoun Cha
    • Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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    • v.50 no.4
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    • pp.231-240
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    • 2023
  • Infectious bursal disease (IBD) is an acute, highly contagious, and immunosuppressive disease in young chickens, and causes considerable economic losses to the poultry industry. More than 30 years ago, an antigenic variant IBDV (avIBDV) was reported in chicken farms in the United States. Recently, a novel avIBDV exhibited clear differences in molecular characteristics compared with previous variant strains. This study investigated the molecular characteristics of recently isolated avIBDV strains in Korea. Strains of avIBDV were confirmed by reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) and were propagated in 10-day-old specific-pathogen-free (SPF) embryonated chicken eggs through chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) inoculation. Multiple sequence alignment and phylogenetic analyses of hypervariable regions VP2 gene revealed that the strains originated from two different avIBDV lineages (G2a and G2d). In our results, we confirmed the co-existence and prevalence of avIBDV genogroup G2a and G2d in chicken farms. It is necessary to study the protective efficacy of current vaccines against avIBDVs.

Mobility Change around Neighborhood Parks and Green Spaces before and after the Outbreak of the COVID-19 Pandemic (COVID-19 발생 전·후 생활권 공원녹지 모빌리티 변화 분석)

  • Choi, Ga yoon;Kim, Yong gook;Kwon, Oh kyu;Yoo, Ye seul
    • Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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    • v.51 no.4
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    • pp.101-118
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    • 2023
  • During the COVID-19 pandemic, the utilization rate of neighborhood parks and green spaces increased significantly, and the outbreak served as an opportunity to highlight the values and functions of neighborhood parks and green spaces for urban residents. This study aims to empirically analyze how citizens' movement and the use of neighborhood parks and green spaces changed before and after COVID-19 and examine the social and spatial characteristics that affected these changes. As a research method, first, people's mobility around neighborhood parks and green spaces before and after the COVID-19 pandemic were compared using signal data from telecommunication carriers. Through the analysis of changes in residence time and movement volume, the movement characteristics of citizens after COVID-19 and changes in walking-based park visits were examined. Second, the factors affecting the mobility change in neighborhood parks and green spaces were analyzed. The social and spatial characteristics that affect citizens' visits to neighborhood parks and green spaces before and after COVID-19 were examined through correlation and multiple regression analysis. Subsequently, through cluster analysis, the types of living areas for the post-COVID era were classified from the perspective of the supply and management of neighborhood parks and green spaces services, and directions for improving neighborhood parks and green spaces by type were presented. Major research findings are as follows: First, since the outbreak of COVID-19, activities within 500m of the residence have increased. The amount of stay and walking movement increased in both 2020 and 2021, which means that the need to review the quantitative standards and attractions of neighborhood parks and green spaces has increased considering the changed scope of the walking and living area. Second, the overall number of visits to neighborhood parks and green spaces by walking has increased since the outbreak of COVID-19. The number of visits to neighborhood parks and green spaces centered on the house and the workplace increased significantly. The park green policy in the post-COVID era should be promoted by discovering underprivileged areas, focusing on areas where residential, commercial, and business facilities are concentrated, and improving neighborhood parks and green services in quantitative and qualitative terms. Third, it was found that the higher the level of park green service, the higher the amount of walking movement. It is necessary to use indicators that contribute to improving citizens' actual park green services, such as walking accessibility, rather than looking at the criteria for securing green areas. Fourth, as a result of cluster analysis, five types of neighborhood parks and green spaces were derived in response to the post-COVID era. This suggests that it is necessary to consider the socioeconomic status and characteristics of living areas and the level of park green services required in future park green policies. This study has academic and policy significance in that it has laid the basis for establishing neighborhood parks and green spaces policy in response to the post-COVID era by using various analysis methodologies such as carrier signal data analysis, GIS analysis, and statistical analysis.

Roles of the Insulin-like Growth Factor System in the Reproductive Function;Uterine Connection (Insulin-like Growth Factor Systems의 생식기능에서의 역할;자궁편)

  • Lee, Chul-Young
    • Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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    • v.23 no.3
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    • pp.247-268
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    • 1996
  • It has been known for a long time that gonadotropins and steroid hormones play a pivotal role in a series of reproductive biological phenomena including the maturation of ovarian follicles and oocytes, ovulation and implantation, maintenance of pregnancy and fetal growth & development, parturition and mammary development and lactation. Recent investigations, however, have elucidated that in addition to these classic hormones, multiple growth factors also are involved in these phenomena. Most growth factors in reproductive organs mediate the actions of gonadotropins and steroid hormones or synergize with them in an autocrine/paracrine manner. The insulin-like growth factor(IGF) system, which is one of the most actively investigated areas lately in the reproductive organs, has been found to have important roles in a wide gamut of reproductive phenomena. In the present communication, published literature pertaining to the intrauterine IGF system will be reviewed preceded by general information of the IGF system. The IGF family comprises of IGF-I & IGF-II ligands, two types of IGF receptors and six classes of IGF-binding proteins(IGFBPs) that are known to date. IGF-I and IGF-II peptides, which are structurally homologous to proinsulin, possess the insulin-like activity including the stimulatory effect of glucose and amino acid transport. Besides, IGFs as mitogens stimulate cell division, and also play a role in cellular differentiation and functions in a variety of cell lines. IGFs are expressed mainly in the liver and messenchymal cells, and act on almost all types of tissues in an autocrine/paracrine as well as endocrine mode. There are two types of IGF receptors. Type I IGF receptors, which are tyrosine kinase receptors having high-affinity for IGF-I and IGF-II, mediate almost all the IGF actions that are described above. Type II IGF receptors or IGF-II/mannose-6-phosphate receptors have two distinct binding sites; the IGF-II binding site exhibits a high affinity only for IGF-II. The principal role of the type II IGF receptor is to destroy IGF-II by targeting the ligand to the lysosome. IGFs in biological fluids are mostly bound to IGFBP. IGFBPs, in general, are IGF storage/carrier proteins or modulators of IGF actions; however, as for distinct roles for individual IGFBPs, only limited information is available. IGFBPs inhibit IGF actions under most in vitro situations, seemingly because affinities of IGFBPs for IGFs are greater than those of IGF receptors. How IGF is released from IGFBP to reach IGF receptors is not known; however, various IGFBP protease activities that are present in blood and interstitial fluids are believed to play an important role in the process of IGF release from the IGFBP. According to latest reports, there is evidence that under certain in vitro circumstances, IGFBP-1, -3, -5 have their own biological activities independent of the IGF. This may add another dimension of complexity of the already complicated IGF system. Messenger ribonucleic acids and proteins of the IGF family members are expressed in the uterine tissue and conceptus of the primates, rodents and farm animals to play important roles in growth and development of the uterus and fetus. Expression of the uterine IGF system is regulated by gonadal hormones and local regulatory substances with temporal and spatial specificities. Locally expressed IGFs and IGFBPs act on the uterine tissue in an autocrine/paracrine manner, or are secreted into the uterine lumen to participate in conceptus growth and development. Conceptus also expresses the IGF system beginning from the peri-implantation period. When an IGF family member is expressed in the conceptus, however, is determined by the presence or absence of maternally inherited mRNAs, genetic programming of the conceptus itself and an interaction with the maternal tissue. The site of IGF action also follows temporal (physiological status) and spatial specificities. These facts that expression of the IGF system is temporally and spatially regulated support indirectly a hypothesis that IGFs play a role in conceptus growth and development. Uterine and conceptus-derived IGFs stimulate cell division and differentiation, glucose and amino acid transport, general protein synthesis and the biosynthesis of mammotropic hormones including placental lactogen and prolactin, and also play a role in steroidogenesis. The suggested role for IGFs in conceptus growth and development has been proven by the result of IGF-I, IGF-II or IGF receptor gene disruption(targeting) of murine embryos by the homologous recombination technique. Mice carrying a null mutation for IGF-I and/or IGF-II or type I IGF receptor undergo delayed prenatal and postnatal growth and development with 30-60% normal weights at birth. Moreover, mice lacking the type I IGF receptor or IGF-I plus IGF-II die soon after birth. Intrauterine IGFBPs generally are believed to sequester IGF ligands within the uterus or to play a role of negative regulators of IGF actions by inhibiting IGF binding to cognate receptors. However, when it is taken into account that IGFBP-1 is expressed and secreted in primate uteri in amounts assessedly far exceeding those of local IGFs and that IGFBP-1 is one of the major secretory proteins of the primate decidua, the possibility that this IGFBP may have its own biological activity independent of IGF cannot be excluded. Evidently, elucidating the exact role of each IGFBP is an essential step into understanding the whole IGF system. As such, further research in this area is awaited with a lot of anticipation and attention.

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