• Journal of Contemporary Eastern Asia
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.43-58
• /
• 2020

This study examines media used for information in the East Asian countries of China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore, using data from the World Values Survey. The sharing of Confucian culture may lead to a uniform media structure across these nations. Another possibility is technological determinism, which would also lead to similarity across nations. However, it is possible that countries are at different stages of technology development and will eventually become more similar. An opposing notion is that differences in other values among nations predict digital media use. To examine the evidence considering these possibilities, we factor analyze each population's use of nine traditional and digital media to see how similar the structures are. What results is a three-dimensional solution for four out of five countries, except Singapore, which has a more simple two-dimensional structure. Analysts regard Singapore as the most digitally connected society, which raises the question as to whether it is higher on a technological development trajectory, to which other countries may transition. Perhaps a more simple media use structure is an adaptation to increasing information load. As well, as mobile devices have become a primary means of accessing the range of traditional and social media, it may have an expanded role in reducing media channel entropy. In terms of frequency of media use, Singapore is highest, while China is the lowest. Singapore stands out in high mobile use, and China for low Internet use. There appear to be developmental differences across the nations. Regressions on Internet use for 18 values indices find different values predictors in the East Asian countries, ruling out Confucianism as producing similar media patterns.

• Applied Microscopy
• /
• v.41 no.1
• /
• pp.69-73
• /
• 2011

High-voltage electron microscope (HVEM) has higher resolution and penetration power than conventional transmission electron microscope that could be load thick specimen. Some researchers have taken this advantage of HVEM to explore 3-dimensional configuration of the biological structures including tissue and cells. Whole mount preparations has been employed to study some cell lines and primary culture cells. In this study, we would like to introduce useful whole mount preparation method for neuronal studies. The plastic coverslips were punched, covered by formvar membrane and coated with carbon. The neurons obtained embryonic 18 rat hippocampus were seeded on the prepared cover slip. The coverslips were fixed, dried in freeze drier and kept in a descicator until HVEM observation. We could observe detailed neuronal structures such as soma, dendrite and spine under HVEM without conventional thin section and heavy metal stain. The anaglyphic image based on stereo paired image ($-8^{\circ},+8^{\circ}$) provides three dimensional perception of the neuronal dendrites and their spines. This method could be applied to sophisticated analysis of dendritic spine under the various experimental conditions.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.321-329
• /
• 2019

Hair loss, also known as alopecia, is a common dermatological condition of psychosocial significance; development of therapeutic candidates for the treatment of this condition is, hence, important. Silibinin, a secondary metabolite from Silybum marianum, is an effective antioxidant that also prevents various cutaneous problems. In this study, we have investigated the effect of silibinin on hair induction using three-dimensional (3D) cultured, human dermal papilla (DP) spheroids. Silibinin was found to significantly increase viability through AKT serine/threonine kinase (AKT) activation in 3D DP spheroids. This was correlated with an increase in the diameter of the 3D DP spheroids. The activation of the wingless and INT-1 (Wnt)/${\beta}$-catenin signaling pathway, which is associated with hair growth induction in the DP, was evaluated using the T cell-specific transcription factor and lymphoid enhancer-binding factor (TCF/LEF) transcription factor reporter assay; results indicated significantly increased luciferase activity. In addition, we were able to demonstrate increased expression of the target genes, WNT5a and LEF1, using quantitative real-time PCR assay. Lastly, significantly elevated expression of signature genes associated with hair induction was demonstrated in the 3D DP spheroids treated with silibinin. These results suggest that silibinin promotes proliferation and hair induction through the AKT and Wnt/${\beta}$-catenin signaling pathways in 3D DP spheroids. Silibinin can be a potential candidate to promote hair proliferation.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.58 no.4
• /
• pp.211-217
• /
• 2018

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are useful candidates for tissue engineering and cell therapy. Physiological cell environment not only connects cells to each other, but also connects cells to the extracellular matrix that provide mechanical support, thus exposing the entire cell surface and activating signaling pathways. Hydrogel is a polymeric material that swells in water and maintains a distinct 3-dimensional (3D) network structure by cross linking. In this study, we investigated the optimized cellular function for canine adipose tissue-derived MSCs (cAD-MSCs) using hydrogel. We observed that the expression levels of Ki67 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen, which are involved in cell proliferation and stemness, were increased in transwell-hydrogel (3D-TN) compared to the transwell-normal (TN). Also, transforming growth factor-${\beta}1$ and SOX9, which are typical bone morphogenesis-inducing factors, were increased in 3D-TN compared to the TN. Collagen type II alpha 1, which is a chondrocyte-specific marker, was increased in 3D-TN compared to the TN. Osteocalcin, which is a osteocyte-specific marker, was increased in 3D-TN compared to the TN. Collectively, preconditioning cAD-MSCs via 3D culture systems can enhance inherent secretory properties that may improve the potency and efficacy of MSCs-based therapies for bone regeneration process.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.40.1-40.19
• /
• 2024

Importance: The creation of robust maternal-embryonic interactions and implantation models is important for comprehending the early stages of embryonic development and reproductive disorders. Traditional two-dimensional (2D) cell culture systems often fail to accurately mimic the highly complex in vivo conditions. The employment of three-dimensional (3D) organoids has emerged as a promising strategy to overcome these limitations in recent years. The advancements in the field of organoid technology have opened new avenues for studying the physiology and diseases affecting female reproductive tract. Observations: This review summarizes the current strategies and advancements in the field of 3D organoids to establish maternal-embryonic interaction and implantation models for use in research and personalized medicine in assisted reproductive technology. The concepts of endometrial organoids, menstrual blood flow organoids, placental trophoblast organoids, stem cell-derived blastoids, and in vitro-generated embryo models are discussed in detail. We show the incorportaion of organoid systems and microfluidic technology to enhance tissue performance and precise management of the cellular surroundings. Conclusions and Relevance: This review provides insights into the future direction of modeling maternal-embryonic interaction research and its combination with other powerful technologies to interfere with this dialogue either by promoting or hindering it for improving fertility or methods for contraception, respectively. The merging of organoid systems with microfluidics facilitates the creation of sophisticated and functional organoid models, enhancing insights into organ development, disease mechanisms, and personalized medical investigations.

• Journal of Consumption Culture
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.143-169
• /
• 2012

Consumption is the most important cultural keyword in the modern society. This study tried an exploratory comparison of consumer culture of Korea, USA and Sweden in response to the needs on cultural comparison research perspective. Triandis's cultural dimensions were adopted to explore each country's cultural characteristics. A qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted to consumers who lived both in Korea and USA, or in Korea and Sweden, which enabled them to get familiar with each country's consumer culture. The research found that the culture is projected to the consumer culture in a micro domain. The individualism allowed consumers in USA and Sweden to be unconscious of other's eyes. But collectivism in Korea made Korean consumers locked in other's judgement. In contrast, in a macro domain of consumer culture such as donation and pro-environmental consumption, consumption practices were in a dissonance with their cultural orientation, where includes interaction with society and environment. In addition, in a post-materialistic society, symbolism of consumption goods gets weakened and experiential consumption evolves with a transition from mass consumption society to plural culture society. Lastly, consumer culture functions as a creative mechanism of new culture by consumer's reflexive planning, which is one of the clues of an autonomous consumer culture. This study tried to explore the consumer culture of Korea, USA and Sweden as an exploratory trial for the comparison of consumer cultures. To increase empirical consumer culture study, refined questionnaire item pool is to be extracted through various exploratory researches, which can be utilized commonly in various cultures. Moreover, an additional research is in need about a consumer culture in a macro domain and experiential consumer culture in a post-materialism society.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.53 no.2
• /
• pp.118-123
• /
• 2020

Cardiac regeneration with adult stem-cell (ASC) therapy is a promising field to address advanced cardiovascular diseases. In addition, extracellular vesicles (EVs) from ASCs have been implicated in acting as paracrine factors to improve cardiac functions in ASC therapy. In our work, we isolated human cardiac mesenchymal stromal cells (h-CMSCs) by means of three-dimensional organ culture (3D culture) during ex vivo expansion of cardiac tissue, to compare the functional efficacy with human bone-marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (h-BM-MSCs), one of the actively studied ASCs. We characterized the h-CMSCs as CD90^low, c-kit^negative, CD105^positive phenotype and these cells express NANOG, SOX2, and GATA4. To identify the more effective type of EVs for angiogenesis among the different sources of ASCs, we isolated EVs which were derived from CMSCs with either normoxic or hypoxic condition and BM-MSCs. Our in vitro tube-formation results demonstrated that the angiogenic effects of EVs from hypoxia-treated CMSCs (CMSC-Hpx EVs) were greater than the well-known effects of EVs from BM-MSCs (BM-MSC EVs), and these were even comparable to human vascular endothelial growth factor (hVEGF), a potent angiogenic factor. Therefore, we present here that CD90^lowc-kit^negativeCD105^positive CMSCs under hypoxic conditions secrete functionally superior EVs for in vitro angiogenesis. Our findings will allow more insights on understanding myocardial repair.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.112-116
• /
• 2005

We investigated the surface modification method for the preparation of organic-inorganic hybrid composite thin film. Gelatin obtained from the decomposition of collagen was allowed to adsorb in a polystyrene tissue culture dish for 2 h to from layers of gelatin. Supersaturated ionic solution of calcium and phosphorus was injected on the gelatin adsorbed layer to form calcium phosphate thin film. During the initial period of incubation, nucleates were formed. With increase of the incubation time, CaP (calcium phosphate) thin film grew on the surface of the culture dish. The gelatin/CaP thin film displayed the highly porous three-dimensional surface structure. Attenuated, total reflectance Fourier transform, infra-red spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) was used to analyze the chemical properties of CaP film. The analysis demonstrated that the CaP film formed at initial period of treatment appeared to be amorphous. With increase of incubation time, the crystallinity of the film was slightly increased, but the presence of the peaks for the low crystalline CaP confirmed that the CaP thin film prepared in this study was poorly crystallized.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
• /
• v.23 no.5
• /
• pp.737-754
• /
• 2015

The structural aesthetics of architecture are becoming an inspirational source for many fashion designers and have been reborn in structural fashion. This study planned to analyze the method of expression of structural aesthetics expressed in modern structural fashion design and the construction method to maximize such an effect on the basis of the construction characteristic of Santiago Calatrava as the representative architect of the structural aesthetic. According to the study, the structural aesthetics expressed in modern structural fashion design are as follows: 1) The symbolical formative aesthetic expressed by symbolical inference and analyzation; 2) the dynamic beauty of physic expressed by visual emphasis and dynamics; and 3) the asymmetric beauty of symmetry expressed by metastasis toward the boundary between balance and imbalance. In addition, to maximize structural aesthetics, we used repetition and a progressive technique based on rhythm, asymmetry, and incision-based variances, such as balance, polygon flux, and inference, and analyzation-based distortion as the structuring principle. The following expression methods for maximizing structural aesthetics were found: 1) symbolical and structural exaggeration of appearance; 2) detail technique expansion and material property diversification; and 3) the three-dimensional transformation of structure and shell expression. Structural fashion design was found to have maximized structural aesthetics by using such expression methods to secure artistic esthetics, destroy existing shapes and patterns, and create unique shapes.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
• /
• v.65 no.8
• /
• pp.110-124
• /
• 2015

This study examined a phenomenon of exaggerated hairstyle in the history of Western custom through publications related with Western costume and research papers. By adopting the criteria of Delong, M. R. to analyze visual forms shown by interaction between human body and costume worn over the body, it analyzed the formative characteristics by the interaction between hairstyle and costume. In addition, it inferred the aesthetic characteristics through content analysis of examined phenomenon focusing on socio-cultural background and costume socio-psychological precedent studies. Formative characteristics of exaggerated hairstyle applied by analysis criteria of Delong, M. R. were in pursuit of the emphasis style. This was clearly and intensively recognized by forming spaces for mostly closure style, part style, three dimensional style, determinate style, and space separation style. Regarding the interaction between hair and ornamentations, 'precedence of ornamentation' was pursued as ornamentations were recognized earlier than the hair itself. It means associative meanings of the surface effect were accompanied by emotions of 'intensiveness' and the pursuit of the attractive style. As for the interaction between hairstyle and costume, there were many cases of pursuing 'continuity' mutually and visually by connecting the hairstyle and the costume. Aesthetic characteristics of exaggerated hairstyle were inferred as 1) the expression of the sprite of the age(i.e. art, culture, politics, society, ideology, religion), 2) symbols of wealth, class, authority, and excellence, 3) pursuit of addicted desire to ornament, and 4) harmony through continuity with costume. This study verified that hairstyle was connected as a part of costume, or formed as a way to express deeper human psychology beyond just a part of a costume. It was also confirmed that hairstyle was an expressive method to express the spirit of the age, such as art, culture, society, religion, ideology.