• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.148-155
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• 2021

Gibberellins (GAs) are essential phytohormones for plant growth that influence developmental processes and crop yields. Recent functional genomic analyses of model plants have yielded good characterizations of the canonical GA signaling pathways and related genes. Although Panax ginseng has long been considered to have economic and medicinal importance, functional genomic studies of the GA signaling pathways in this crucial perennial herb plant have been rarely conducted. Here, we identified and performed functional analysis of the GA signaling-related genes, including PgGID1s, PgSLY1s, and PgRGAs. We confirmed that the physiological role of GA signaling components in P. ginseng was evolutionarily conserved. In addition, the important functional domains and amino acid residues for protein interactions among active GA, GID1, SCF^SLY1, and RGA were also functionally conserved. Prediction and comparison of crystallographic structural similarities between PgGID1s and AtGID1a supported their function as GA receptors. Moreover, the subcellular localization and GA-dependent promotion of DELLA degradation in P. ginseng was similar to the canonical GA signaling pathways in other plants. Finally, we found that overexpression of PgRGA2 and PgSLY1-1 was sufficient to complement the GA-related phenotypes of atgid1a/c double- and rga quintuple-mutants, respectively. This critical information for these GA signaling genes has the potential to facilitate future genetic engineering and breeding of P. ginseng for increased crop yield and production of useful substances.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.78-90
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• 2023

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to standardize the process code of the work environment measurement database (WEMD) for the construction of a job-exposure matrix (JEM). Methods: The standard process code (SPC) was reclassified based on process similarity and drawing upon the code used in the existing K2B. It was supplemented through review by industrial hygiene experts. In addition, an index word database related to SPC was created and used for SPC search. A pilot evaluation project was conducted by experts to evaluate the validity of the newly reclassified standard process code. Results: A total of 70 final SPCs were developed, including 31 processes related to the construction industry. Using the Shiny program, we developed a standard code finder that can be used on the web (https://kscf.shinyapps.io/scf_app/). As a result of the pilot evaluation, it was determined that it was easier to search for standard codes than previous codes, so it was highly utilized. Conclusions: It is expected that JEM construction using industry-process information drawing on WEMD data will be possible using the 70 newly standardized process codes.

• Korea Trade Review
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.213-232
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• 2017

A Bank Payment Obligation is now in operation as payment instruments in the business of Supply Chain Finance since 2013. The BPO is an irrevocable undertaking of the Obligor Bank subject to the successful electronic matching of all required Data Sets with the established Baseline in the TMA. Although the BPO should be regarded as similar to a Letter of Credit, it is a new payment solution based on a technology and data-driven mechanisms. The BPO is different from the letter of credit in their structure such as a bank to bank obligation, an automated matching engine, a transfer and confirmation of the Credit, etc. The BPO can also be used more effectively on a stand-alone solution as an electronic alternative to the traditional instruments. it will provide a new range of solutions to meet the ever-changing needs of the trade customers. However, the BPO could be raised several issues including an assurance of payment between recipient banks and sellers because the BPO is a bank-to-bank obligation. The URBPO do not applies to the relationships between banks and their business clients. So, the primary objective of this paper is to promote the institutional understanding and present the implications by reviewing the majn issues in the BPO as comparision with the Letter of Credit from the institutional point of view. This research was also based on documentary research focusing on the preceding research and the materials of ICC and SWIFT.

• Korea Trade Review
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.233-252
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• 2017

The fast changes of global financial environment in recent years increase the risk of trade settlement. This means are required to minimize risk of non payment and to maximize secure payment. Open Account trade accounts for 90% of global trade flows. The O/A system means that the goods, along with all the necessary documents, are shipped and delivered before payment is due, usually within a time frame from 30 to 90 days. Meanwhile, Korean small and medium-sized export enterprises are compelled to globalize their activities owing to limitation and competitiveness of domestic marketplace. To keep face with the global trade settlement system and to support globalization of small and medium-sized export firms, the BPO together with Supply Chain Finance will be solutions. The introduction of the BPO system will allow banks to broaden O/A offerings to their client base and due to secure safety, sellers could ship the goods without delay according to orders and buyers could settle promptly by payment undertaking of correspondent banks. Therefore, it is more effective for companies which have sustainable customers and stable transaction. This study take a look at the trend of the global payment systems and suggested limitation of existed payment in order to derive improvement measures of electronic payment for small and medium-sized export enterprises.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.30 no.2A
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• pp.113-120
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• 2010

The use of Concrete filled circular hollow steel section (CFCHS) members in bridge design is a relatively new concept. The most important part of the design and durability of such structures is the design and the construction of the joints. In the design of recently constructed steel-concrete composite bridges using CFCHS truss girders for the main load carrying structure, the fatigue verification of the tubular spatial truss joints was a main issue. Welded CFCHS joints are very sensitive to fatigue because the geometric discontinuities of the welds lead to a high stress concentration. New research done on the fatigue behaviour of such joints has focused on CFCHS N-joints, directly welded, with finite element analysis method. A commercial software, ABAQUS, is adopted to perform the finite element analysis on the N-joints. This paper is main focused on these topics, including hot spot stress.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.40-51
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• 2024

Background: Ginsenoside 20(S)-Rg3 shows promising tumor-suppressive effects in ovarian cancer via inhibiting NF-kB signaling. This study aimed to explore the downstream tumor suppressive mechanisms of ginsenoside Rg3 via this signaling pathway. Materials and methods: A systematical screening was applied to examine the expression profile of 41 kinesin family member genes in ovarian cancer. The regulatory effect of ginsenoside Rg3 on KIF20A expression was studied. In addition, we explored interacting proteins of KIF20A and their molecular regulations in ovarian cancer. RNA-seq data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) was used for bioinformatic analysis. Epithelial ovarian cancer cell lines SKOV3 and A2780 were used as in vitro and in vivo cell models. Commercial human ovarian cancer tissue arrays were used for immunohistochemistry staining. Results: KIF20A is a biomarker of poor prognosis among the kinesin genes. It promotes ovarian cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo. Ginsenoside Rg3 can suppress the transcription of KIF20A. GST pull-down and co-immunoprecipitation (IP) assays confirmed that KIF20A physically interacts with BTRC (β-TrCP1), a substrate recognition subunit for SCF^β-TrCP E3 ubiquitin ligase. In vitro ubiquitination and cycloheximide (CHX) chase assays showed that via interacting with BTRC, KIF20A reduces BTRC-mediated CDC25A poly-ubiquitination and enhances its stability. Ginsenoside Rg3 treatment partly abrogates KIF20A overexpression-induced CDC25A upregulation. Conclusion: This study revealed a novel anti-tumor mechanism of ginsenoside Rg3. It can inhibit KIF20A transcription and promote CDC25A proteasomal degradation in epithelial ovarian cancer.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.89 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2024

This article introduces a novel analytical model for examining the impact of porosity on shear correction factors (SCFs) in functionally graded porous beams (FGPB). The study employs uneven and logarithmic-uneven modified porosity-dependent power-law functions, which are distributed throughout the thickness of the FGP beams. Additionally, a modified exponential-power law function is used to estimate the effective mechanical properties of functionally graded porous beams. The correction factor plays a crucial role in this analysis as it appears as a coefficient in the expression for the transverse shear stress resultant. It compensatesfor the assumption that the shear strain is uniform across the depth of the cross-section. By applying the energy equivalence principle, a general expression for static SCFs in FGPBs is derived. The resulting expression aligns with the findings obtained from Reissner's analysis, particularly when transitioning from the two-dimensional case (plate) to the one-dimensional case (beam). The article presents a convenient algebraic form of the solution and provides new case studies to demonstrate the practicality of the proposed formulation. Numerical results are also presented to illustrate the influence of porosity distribution on SCFs for different types of FGPBs. Furthermore, the article validates the numerical consistency of the mechanical property changesin FG beams without porosity and the SCF by comparing them with available results.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.221-229
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• 2008

For the clinical application, it is needed to keep characteristics of stem cells after storage for a long time. In the present study, we examined stem cell properties of human cord-derived stem cells (HUC) after cryopreservation. Cells were isolated from human umbilical cord and cultured in vitro. At passage 2 or 3, HUC were suspended at a concentration of $1.0{\times}10^6/m{\ell}$ in cryomedium consisting of DMSO and FBS. After freezing at $-80^{\circ}C$ overnight, HUC were cryopreserved at $-196^{\circ}C$ nitrogen gas. After 6 months, HUC were thawed and cultured in vitro. Assessment for the stem cell properties was made upon the morphology, population doubling time, and expression profiles of genes and various proteins. Cryopreserved HUC showed more than 70% viability and maintained fibroblast-like morphology similar to HUC before cryopreservation. Throughout the culture, they underwent average 42.8 doublings and produced $6.75{\times}{10^{18}}$ cells. RT-PCR analyses showed that cryopreserved HUC expressed Oct-4, nanog, SCF, NCAM, nestin, GATA-4, BMP4, and HLA-1 genes. They did not express Brachyury and HLA-DR genes. Immunocytochemical studies showed that cryopreserved HUC reacted with antibodies against SSEA-3, -4, Thy-1, vimentin, fibronectin, HCAM, ICAM, HLA-1 proteins. They did not react with antibody against HLA-DR protein. Theses genes and proteins expression patterns of cryopresserved HUC were similar to those of HUC before cryopreservation. These results suggest that cryopreserved HUC could retain proliferative potential and they expressed various genes and proteins similar to HUC before cryopreservation. Thus, cryopreservation might be useful for HUC for future research and clinical application.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.31-39
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• 2008

Neural tissue has limited intrinsic capacity of repair after injury, and the identification of alternate sources of neural stem cells has broad clinical potential. We isolated mesechymal-like stem cells from human adipose tissues (AT-MSCs), and studied on transdifferentiation-promoting conditions in neural cells. Dopaminergic and cholinergic neuron induction of AT-MSCs was also studied. Neural differentiation was induced by adding bFGF, EGF, dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) and butylated hydroxyanisole(BHA) in N2 Medium and N2 supplement. The immunoreactive cells for $\beta$-tubulin III, a neuron-specific marker, GFAP, an astrocyte marker, or Gal-C, an oligodendrocyte marker, were found. AT-MSCs treated with bFGF, SHH and FGF8 were differentiatied into dopaminergic neurons that were immunopositive for TH antibody. Differentiation of MSCs to cholinergic neurons was induced by combined treatment with basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), retinoic acid (RA) and sonic hedgehog (Shh). AT-MSCs treated with DMSO and BHA rapidly assumed the morphology of multipolar neurons. Both immunocytochemistry and RT-PCR analysis indicated that the expression of a number of neural markers including neuro D1, $\beta$-tubulin III, GFAP and nestinwas markedly elevated during this acute differentiation. While the stem cell markers such as SCF, C-kit, and Stat-3 were not expressed after preinduction medium culture, we confirmed the differentiation of dopaminergic and cholinergic neurons by TH/$\beta$-tubulin III or ChAT/ $\beta$-tubulin III positive cells. Conclusively, AT-MSCs can be differentiated into dopaminergic and cholinergic neuronsand these findings suggest that AT-MSCs are alternative cell source of treatment for neurodegenerative diseases.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.23-34
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• 2009

Objectives: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) comprise a promising tool for cellular therapy. It is known that long-term in vitro culture of human bone marrow and adipose tissue derived-MSCs lead to a reduction of life span and a change of stem-like characters. The aim of our study was to examine whether stem cell properties of human umbilical cord-derived stem cells (HUC) could be affected by in vitro expansion. Methods: HUC were isolated from human umbilical cord and cultured for 10 passages in vitro. Morphology and population doubling time (PDT) were investigated, and changes of stem cell properties were examined using RT-PCR and immunocytochemistry during serial subcultures. Results: Morphology and PDT of HUC began to change slightly from the 7th passage (p7). Expression level of nestin and vimentin mRNAs increased along with the culture period from p4 until p10. In contrast, expression level of SCF mRNA decreased during the same culture period. Expression level of Oct-4 and HNF-4${\alpha}$ mRNAs was not significantly changed throughout the culture period until p10. Expression level of BMP-4, FGF-5, NCAM and HLA-ABC mRNAs appeared to increase as the culture continued, however, the difference was not significant. Immunocytochemical studies showed that HUC at p3, p6 and p9 positively were stained with antibodies against SSEA-3 and SSEA-4 proteins. Interestingly, staining intensity of HUC for ICAM-1 and HLA-ABC gradually increased throughout the culture period. Intensity against thy-1 and fibronectin antibodies increased at p9 while that against TRA-1-60 and VCAM-1 antibodies began to decrease at p6 until p9. Conclusions: These results suggest that HUC change some of their stem cell characteristics during in vitro culture. Development of culture system might be needed for the maintenance of characteristics.