• Korea Trade Review
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.51-65
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• 2020

According to an analysis of 560 foreign-invested companies investing in South Korea's manufacturing industry, the following three facts were found. First, the proportion of sales by manufacturing foreign-invested companies is divided into 68.5 percent of domestic sales and 31.5 percent of exports. From 68.5 percent of domestic sales, sales to Korean companies are 60.5 percent, including 37.1 percent for large companies and 23.4 percent for small and medium-sized companies, while only 8.0 percent for domestic consumers. Second, the investment sectors of manufacturing foreign-invested enterprises are 'machine and equipment manufacturing', 'chemical and chemical-chemical material manufacturing-excluding pharmaceuticals', 'electronic components, computers, video, sound and communication equipment manufacturing' and 'vehicle and trailer manufacturing'. It overlaps with electric·electronics, petro-chemicals and automobiles, which are Korea's main industries and areas of Korean global companies. Third, 31.5 percent of the sales of foreign-invested companies in the manufacturing sector are exported. Foreign-invested companies export their products to use them for their parents or affiliates or to the third countries. The analysis shows that foreign-invested companies invested in Korea for B2B transactions with Korean companies. The implications are that Korea can attract foreign investments by utilizing Korean companies' demand for intermediate goods. Foreign-invested companies can invest in Korea in order to use Korea, which has signed free trade agreements with the US, the EU and ASEAN, as an export platform.

• International Journal of Computer Science & Network Security
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• v.23 no.11
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• pp.128-132
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• 2023

Investment authorities are broad financial institutions that carefully manage investments on behalf of the national government using a long-term value development approach. To provide a stronger structure or framework for In-vestment Authorities to govern the distribution of funds to public and private markets, we've started research to create a blockchain-based prototype for managing and tracking numerous finances of such authorities. We have taken the case study of Oman Investment Authority (OIA) of Sultanate of Oman. Oman's wealth is held in OIA. It is an organization that oversees and utilizes the additional capital generated by oil and gas profits in public and private markets. Unlike other Omani funds, this one focus primarily on assets outside the Sultanate. The operation of the OIA entails a huge number of transactions, necessitating a high level of transparency and administration among the parties involved. Currently, OIA relies on various manuals to achieve its goals, such as the Authorities and Responsibilities manual, the In-vestment Manual, and the Code of Business Conduct, among others. In this paper, we propose a Blockchain based framework to manage the operations of OIA. Blockchain is a part of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and it is re-shaping every industry. The main components of every blockchain are assets and participants. The funds are the major assets in the proposed study, and the participants are the various fund shareholders/recipients. The block-chain's transactions are all safe, secure, and immutable, and it's part of a trustless network. The transactions are simple to follow and verify. By replacing intermediary firms with smart contracts, blockchain-based solutions eliminate any middlemen in the fund allocation process.

• International Journal of Computer Science & Network Security
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• v.23 no.10
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• pp.147-156
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• 2023

Electronic voting machines (EVMs) are replacing research ballots due to the errors involved in the manual counting process and the lengthy time required to count the votes. Even though these digital recording electronic systems are advancements, they are vulnerable to tampering and electoral fraud. The suspected vulnerabilities in EVMs are the possibility of tampering with the EVM's memory chip or replacing it with a fake one, their simplicity, which allows them to be tampered with without requiring much skill, and the possibility of double voting. The vote data is shared among all network devices, and peer-to-peer verification is performed to ensure the vote data's authenticity. To successfully tamper with the system, all of the data stored in the nodes must be changed. This improves the proposed system's efficiency and dependability. Elections and voting are fundamental components of a democratic system. Various attempts have been made to make modern elections more flexible by utilizing digital technologies. The fundamental characteristics of free and fair elections are intractability, immutability, transparency, and the privacy of the actors involved. This corresponds to a few of the many characteristics of blockchain-like decentralized ownership, such as chain immutability, anonymity, and distributed ledger. This working research attempts to conduct a comparative analysis of various blockchain technologies in development and propose a 'Blockchain-based Electronic Voting System' solution by weighing these technologies based on the need for the proposed solution. The primary goal of this research is to present a robust blockchain-based election mechanism that is not only reliable but also adaptable to current needs.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.917-933
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• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: As peanuts germinate, the content of the components beneficial to health, such as resveratrol, increases within the peanut sprout. This study examined whether the ethanol extract of peanut sprout tea (PSTE) inhibits breast cancer growth and metastasis. MATERIALS/METHODS: After orthotopically injecting 4T1 cells into BALB/c mice to induce breast cancer, 0, 30, or 60 mg/kg body weight/day of PSTE was administered orally. Angiogenesis-related protein expression in the tumors and the degree of metastasis were analyzed. 4T1 and RAW 264.7 cells were co-cultured, and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was performed to measure the crosstalk between breast cancer cells and macrophages. RESULTS: PSTE reduced tumor growth and lung metastasis. In particular, PSTE decreased matrix metalloproteinase-9, platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1, vascular endothelial growth factor-A, F4/80, CD11c, macrophage mannose receptor, macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 expression in the tumors. Moreover, PSTE prevented 4T1 cell migration, invasion, and macrophage activity in RAW 264.7 cells. PSTE inhibited the crosstalk between 4T1 cells and RAW 264.7 cells and promoted the macrophage M1 subtype while inhibiting the M2 subtype. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that PSTE blocks breast cancer growth and metastasis to the lungs. This may be because the PSTE treatment inhibits the crosstalk between mammary cancer cells and macrophages and inhibits the differentiation of macrophages into the M2 subtype.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.5-25
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• 2004

Objectives : To observe changes in the serum proteins before and after intravenous injection of wild ginseng herbal acupuncture. Methods : Blood was collected before and after the administration of wild ginseng herbal acupuncture and only the serum was centrifuged. Then differences in the spots on the scanned image after running 2-Dimensionl electrophoresis were located and conducted mass analysis and protein identification. Results : Following results were obtained from the comparative analysis of serum proteins before and after the administration of wild ginseng herbal acupuncture. 1. 28 spots were identified before and after the administration. 2. In confirming manifestation degree, spots with more than two-times increase were 204, 803, 1505, 2205, 3105, 7104, 9001 spots, with more than one-time increase were 1101, 1302, 2013, 3009, 3010, 4002, 4009, 6706, 7103, 8006, 8101, and spots with decrease were 205, 801, 3205, 5202, 6105. 3. After conducting protein identification, proteins 205, 804, 1302, 4009, 6105, 6106 are unidentified yet, and 1101 is unnamed protein. Protein 204 is identified as complement receptor CR2-C3d, 801 as YAP1 protein, 803 as antitrypsin polymer, 1505 as PRO0684, 2013 and 3010 as proapolipoprotein, 2205 as USP48, 2403 as vitamin D binding protein, 3009 as complement component 4A preprotein, 3105 as immunoglobulin lambda chain, 3205 as transthyretin, 4002 as Ras-related protein Ral-A, 4204 as beta actin, 5202 and 7104 as apolipoprotein L1, 6704 as alpha 2 macroglobulin precursor, 7103 as complement component 3 precursor, 8006 as testis-specific protein Y, 8101 as Transferrin, 9001 as(Alpha-Oxy, Beta-(C112g)deoxy) T-State Human Hemoglobin, and 9003 as human hemoglobin. 4. Immune protein CR2-C3d, which acts against microbes and pathogenic organisms, and Antitrypsin(803), which is secreted with inflammatory response in the lungs, were increased by more than 200% after the administration of herbal acupuncture. 5. Immunoglobulin lambda chain(3105), Alpha-Oxy, Beta-(C112g)deoxy T-State Human Hemoglobin(9001), and human hemoglobin(9003) were increased by more than two-times after the administration of herbal acupuncture. 6. Proapolipoprotein(2013, 3010) and apolipoprotein(7104), key components of the HDL-cholesterol which plays an important role in preventing arteriosclerosis, were increased after the administration of herbal acupuncture. 7. Vitamin D binding protein(DBP, 2403), protecting the lung at the time of inflammatory response, was increased after the administration of herbal acupuncture. 8. Transthyretin(TTR, 3205), which is the main protein causing familial aimyloid polyneuropathy(FAP), was decreased after the administration of herbal acupuncture. 9. Ras-related protein Ral-A(4002) that controls phospholipid metabolism, cytoskeletal formation, and membrane traffic, was increased after the administration of herbal acupuncture. 10. Testis-specific protein Y(8006), which takes part in determination of the gender, was increased by more than two-times after the administration of herbal acupuncture. 11. Transferrin(8101), T-State Human Hemoblobin(9001), and Human Hemoblobin(9003) which balances the iron level in the body, were increased after the administration of herbal acupuncture. Conousion : Above results support the notion that intravenous injection of cultivated wild ginseng herbal acupuncture induce changes in serum proteins and this research can be a pioneer work in finding biomarkers.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.36-43
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• 2009

urpose : The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) has been demonstrated to play a major role in regulating blood pressure. Therefore, components of the RAS are likely candidate genes that may predispose an individual to essential hypertension and cardiovascular complications. Among them, the M235T polymorphism of the angiotensinogen gene has been speculated to be associated with elevated circulating angiotensinogen concentrations and essential hypertension. This study aimed to analyze the angiotensinogen M235T polymorphism in hypertensive adolescents and investigate its relationship with cardiovascular risks. Methods : Forty Korean hypertensive adolescents (aged 16-17, systolic $BP{\geq}140 mmHg$ and/or diastolic $BP{\geq}90 mmHg$) and fifty seven normal adolescents were included. Obesity index (OI), body mass index (BMI) were calculated. BP was measured by oscillometric methods in resting state. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique was performed on DNA from the hypertensives subjects to analyze the M235T polymorphism. Serum homocysteine, insulin, renin, aldosterone and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) were tested according to each genotype. The carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and carotid artery diameter, Pulse wave velocity (PWV) and ankle-brachial index (ABI) were measured according to each genotype. Results : Genotype frequencies of T/T, M/T and M/M were 62.5%, 35.0%, 2.5%, respectively in hypertensive adolescents. The results were not significantly different compared to control group. Serum insulin, renin levels, BMI and OI were significantly higher in thoses with the M/M genotype as compared to those with the T/T of M/T genotype. Conclusion : This study showed that the M235T polymorphism was not associated with essential hypertension or any cardiovascular risks. Further clinical research is required to ascertain the relationship between this polymorphism and cardiovascular complications in Korean hypertensive adolescents.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.10
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• pp.136-152
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• 2017

The thermodynamic models, PC-SAFT (Perturbed-Chain Statistical Associated Fluid Theory) state equation and the Two-model approach liquid activity coefficient model NRTL (Non Random Two Liquid) + Henry + Peng-Robinson, for modeling the Rectisol process using methanol aqueous solution as the $CO_2$ removal solvent were compared. In addition, to determine the new binary interaction parameters of the PC-SAFT state equations and the Henry's constant of the two-model approach, absorption equilibrium experiments between carbon dioxide and methanol at 273.25K and 262.35K were carried out and regression analysis was performed. The accuracy of the newly determined parameters was verified through the regression results of the experimental data. These model equations and validated parameters were used to model the carbon dioxide removal process. In the case of using the two-model approach, the methanol solvent flow rate required to remove 99.00% of $CO_2$ was estimated to be approximately 43.72% higher, the cooling water consumption in the distillation tower was 39.22% higher, and the steam consumption was 43.09% higher than that using PC-SAFT EOS. In conclusion, the Rectisol process operating under high pressure was designed to be larger than that using the PC-SAFT state equation when modeled using the liquid activity coefficient model equation with Henry's relation. For this reason, if the quantity of low-solubility gas components dissolved in a liquid at a constant temperature is proportional to the partial pressure of the gas phase, the carbon dioxide with high solubility in methanol does not predict the absorption characteristics between methanol and carbon dioxide.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.651-658
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• 2009

Four multiparous lactating Holstein cows fitted with rumen cannulae were fed diets varying in the amount and source of rumen-degradable carbohydrates (starch vs. sucrose) to examine their effects on rumen fermentation, nitrogen metabolism and lactation performance. A $4{\times}4$ Latin square with four diets and four periods of 28 days each was employed. Corn starch and sucrose were added to diets and corn starch was replaced with sucrose at 0 (0 S), 2.5 (2.5 S), 5.0 (5.0 S) 7.5% (7.5 S) of diet dry matter in a total mixed ration (TMR) containing 60% concentrate and 40% forage (DM basis). Replacing corn starch with sucrose did not affect (p>0.05) ruminal pH which averaged 6.41, but the ruminal pH for 7.5 S decreased more rapidly at 2 h after morning feeding compared with other treatments. Sucrose reduced ($p{\leq}0.05$) ruminal $NH_3-N$ concentration (13.90 vs. 17.09 mg/dl) but did not affect peptide-N concentration. There was no dietary effect on total volatile fatty acids (110.53 mmol/L) or the acetate to propionate ratio (2.72). No differences (p>0.05) in molar proportion of most of the individual VFA were found among diets, except for the molar proportion of butyrate that was increased ($p{\leq}0.05$) with the inclusion of sucrose. Total branched chain volatile fatty acids tended to increase ($p{\geq}0.051$) for the control treatment (0 S) compared with the 7.5 S treatment. Dry matter intake, body weight changes and digestibility of DM, OM, CP, NDF and ADF were not affected by treatments. Sucrose inclusion in the total mixed ration did not affect milk yield, but increased milk fat and total solid percentage ($p{\leq}0.05$). Sucrose tended ($p{\geq}0.063$) to increase milk protein percentage (3.28 vs. 3.05) and reduced ($p{\leq}0.05$) milk urea nitrogen concentration (12.75 vs. 15.48 mg/dl), suggesting a more efficient utilization of the rapidly available nitrogen components in the diet and hence improving nitrogen metabolism in the rumen.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.481-489
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• 2010

Introduction: TLR-5, a member of the toll-like receptor (TLR) family, is a element of the type I transmembrane receptors, which are characterized by an intracellular signaling domain homolog to the interleukin-1 receptor. These receptors recognize microbial components, particularly bacterial flagellin. All-trans retinoic acid (atRA, tretinoin), a natural metabolite of vitamin A, acts as a growth and differentiation factor in many tissues, and is also needed for immune functions. In this study, THP-1 human macrophage-monocytes were used to examine the mechanisms by which atRA regulated the expression of TLR-5. Because the molecular mechanism underlying this regulation at the transcriptional level is also unclear, this study examined which putative transcription factors are responsible for TLR-5 expression by atRA in immune cells. Materials and Methods: This study examined whether atRA induces the expression of TLR-5 in THP-1 cells using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and which transcription factors are involved in regulating the TLR-5 promoter in RAW264.7 cells using a reporter assay system. Western blot analysis was used to determine which signal pathway is involved in the expression of TLR-5 in atRA-treated THP-1 cells. Results: atRA at a concentration of 10 nM greatly induced the expression of TLR-5 in THP-1 cells. Human TLR-5 promoter contains three Sp-1/GC binding sites around -50 bp and two NF-kB binding sites at -380 bp and -160 bp from the transcriptional start site of the TLR-5 gene. Sp-1/GC is primarily responsible for the constitutive TLR-5 expression, and may also contribute to NF-kB at -160 bp to induce TLR-5 after atRA stimulation in THP-1 cells. The role of NF-kB in TLR-5 expression was further confirmed by inhibitor pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) experiments, which greatly reduced the TLR-5 transcription by 70-80%. Conclusion: atRA induces the expression of the human TLR-5 gene and NF-kB is a critical transcription factor for the atRA-induced expression of TLR-5. Accordingly, it is conceivable that retinoids are required for adequate innate and adaptive immune responses to agents of infectious diseases. atRA and various synthetic retinoids have been used therapeutically in human diseases, such as leukemia and other cancers due to the antiproliferative and apoptosis inducing effects of retinoids. Therefore, understanding the molecular regulatory mechanism of TLR-5 may assist in the design of alternative strategies for the treatment of infectious diseases, leukemia and cancers.

• The Journal of Fisheries Business Administration
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.15-68
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• 1983

From the economic point of view the fishing port is the complex of installations on land, organized to serve the fishing fleet and its cargo, and is the main link in the production chain of all components of the fishing industry, with the aim of achieving the planned targets with the minimum cost. Fishing port investment decisions have had significant impact on the development aims of Korean fisheries. Fishing port investments in Korea are made mostly by public or semipublic port authorities. Such investments should be judged not purely on the basis of financial profitability but rather on the extent to which they serve the development aims of the fishing industry. This makes the economic appraisal process more complex and presents certain problems in correctly quantifying the economic costs and benefits of the fishing port projects. This study concentrates more on the theoretical economic appraisal models than on the purely financial aspects of fishing port investments and points out the difference between the two approaches. In the result, there is clearly an element of judgment as to whether or not a shadow price needs to be used in estimating economic benefits and costs. From this viewpoint, some attempts are made to provide definitions of the possible economic benefits and costs, and methods for estimating and evaluating them in Part III and IV. Especially queueing theory is applied in the calculation of economic benefits. When a project is contemplated and analysis shows it to Lave a positive NPV, one question that arises is whether it should be implemented now or delayed. In this paper, the first year rate of return method is regarded as a more concise way of solving the timing of investment, At the end of Part IV, risk analysis of fishing port investments is considered. It can be handled in a number of ways, ranging from informal judgment to complex statistical analyses involving large-scale computer models, This paper recommends that evaluators of fishing port investments use the sensitivity analysis indicating exactly how much NPV will change in response to a given change in an input variable, other things held constant. Decisions regarding the amount of capacity to provide must be made in fishing port investments. Providing too much service would involve excessive capital costs. On the other hand, not providing enough service capacity would cause the waiting line of fishing vessels to become excessively long at times. Therefore, in Part V, the optimal number of berths and berth productivity in fishing port are defined as follows: Minimize E(TC) ＝ E(WC)＋E(SC) The minimum of this function is the solution and that is the optimal number of berth and berth productivity in fishing port.