• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.216-221
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• 2009

Bisphenol A (BPA) is commonly used in the production of pharmaceutical, industrial, and housing epoxy, as well as polycarbonate plastics. Owing to its extensive use, BPA can contaminate the environment either directly or through derivatives of these products. BPA has been classified as an endocrine disruptor chemicals (EDCs), and the primary toxicity of these EDCs in males involves the induction of reproductive system abnormality. First, in order to evaluate the direct effects on the Y chromosome associated with reproduction, we evaluated Y chromosome abnormalities using a Y chromosome microdeletion detection kit. However, we detected no Yq abnormality as the result of BPA exposure. Secondly, we performed high-density oligonucleotide array-based comparative genome hybridization (CGH) to assess genomic alteration as a component of our toxicity assessment. The results of our data analysis revealed some changes in copy number. Seven observed features were gains or losses in chromosomal DNA (P-value<1.0e-5, average log2 ratio>0.2). Interestingly, 21 probes of chr7:7312289-10272836 (qA1-qA2 in cytoband) were a commonly observed amplification (P-value 3.69e-10). Another region, chr14:4551029-10397399, was also commonly amplified (P-value 2.93e-12, average of log2 ratios in segment>0.3786). These regions include many genes associated with pheromone response, transcription, and signal transduction using ArrayToKegg software. These results help us to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the reproductive effects induced by BPA.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.383-387
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• 2011

The levels of migration of 1-hexene and 1-octene residues in PE (polyethylene) products were analyzed by Headspace gaschromatography (HSGC). A total of 21 samples were including lap, polyglove, zipper bag and ect. The samples were eluted with distilled water, 4% acetic acid, 20% ethanol and n-heptan. The limit of detection (LOD) was 0.06 mg/L ~ 0.30 mg/L and limit of quantitation (LOQ) was 0.21 mg/L ~ 1.01 mg/L, respectively. But because of the high volatile, n-heptan elution was not detected 1-hexene and 1-octene standard. 1-hexene and 1-octene were not detected in the sample which eluted with simulant at $60^{\circ}C$, 30min. Microwave for 1 minute also treated sample and direct heated at $100^{\circ}C$ without simulant were not detected.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.42 no.12 s.202
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• pp.161-174
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• 2004

The primary objective of this study was to employ Darden's store patronage model in order to investigate the role that shopping orientation and store attributes play in store patronage. The study sample consisted of 340 female university students residing in Seoul. The data was analyzed by using path analysis and factor analysis. The recreational shopping orientation played a greater role in influencing the importance of store attributes than did the convenience shopping orientation. Recreational shoppers want a variety of brands and convenience shoppers can be attracted by a convenient location and availability of parking. Six important store attributes(variety of products and price level, proximity, variety of trendy brands, store decor, sales promotion, sales personnel) have a differential influence on store patronage. Shopping orientation was a direct predictor of patronage behavior and mediated the relationship between shopping orientation and store attribute importance. The finding indicated that both the recreational shopping orientation and convenience shopping orientation can be used effectively to position store patronage in such a way as to provide a strong means for shoppers to satisfy their needs. The findings of this study demonstrated that South Korean female shoppers with different shopping orientation have different store attribute preference and store patronage. The results provide a basis for building a successful strategy to attract shoppers and generate sales. The study focused on a specific product category, i.e., women's apparel. To meet the needs of female apparel shoppers, further research is needed to learn more about the distinctive characteristics of Korean consumers that could be applied to a variety of jobs, ages and living areas.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.15
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• pp.6121-6125
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• 2014

Background: Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a potential biomarker for early detection of prostate cancer (PCa) but its level is known to be affected by many background factors and roles of ubiquitous toxicants have not been determined. Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are ubiquitous reproductive toxicants used in consumer products, which promote tumor formation in some reproductive model systems by binding to AhR, but human data on its expression in prostate cancer as well as its association with PSA levels are not clear. This study aimed to evaluate the expression levels of AhR and its association with serological levels of PSA and to detect possible effects of background factors and EDC exposure history on PSA levels in PCa cases. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on the tissue levels of AhR and serum levels of PSA in 53 PCa cases from 2008-2011 and associations between each and background and lifestyle related factors were determined. Results: Although the AhR was overexpressed in PCa and correlated with the age of patients, it did not correlate with PSA levels.Of nutritional factors, increased intake of polysaturated fats and fish in the routine regimen of PCa cases increased the PSA levels significantly. Conclusions: AhR overexpression in PCa pontws to roles of EDCs in PCa but without any direct association with PSA levels. However, PSA levels are affected by exposure to possible toxicants in foods whichneed to be assessed as possible risk factors of PCa in future studies.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
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• v.65 no.4
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• pp.45-60
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• 2015

Emotional consumption value orientation has played a significant role to have a direct effect on making purchase in our lives. And emotional value has been dealt within the SPA brand contexts recently. Therefore, the current study investigates how SPA brand consumers' emotional value consumption orientation has affected brand loyalty, with a focus on mediation effects of marketing mix attributes assessment. Results of this research are as follows. First, there was a significant difference between Zara and Uniqlo on the assessment of marketing mix attributes. Second, emotional consumption value orientation had significantly impact on brand loyalty for both Zara and Uniqlo. Third, multi-regression analysis was conducted to find out the mediation effect of marketing mix attributes assessment in the relationships between emotional consumption value orientation and brand loyalty. For Zara, hedonic promotional and pricing attributes of products and place show full mediation effect on brand loyalty. For Uniqlo, utilitarian, hedonic and pricing attributes have impact on brand loyalty. The current study strives to find out how emotional consumption value orientation attected the consumer evaluation process and purchase behavior in the contexts of SPA brand product purchase. Product assessments have stronger effect than place, and hedonic attributes have stronger effect on brand loyalty in comparison with utilitarian attributes. Also, hedonic attributes of product and place have stronger effect on brand loyalty in comparison with utilitarian attributes.

• Proceedings of the Microbiological Society of Korea Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.100-105
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• 2002

The diversity of epiphytic bacterial communities on deciduous oak tree (Quercus dentate Thunb.) leaves was examined both in the natural forest area with a clean air and in the industrial estate to assess effects of acidic deposition to the phyllosphere using 16S rDNA sequence data. In addition, acid-tolerant epiphytic bacterial communities were compared. A total of 78 epiphytic and 444 acid-tolerant clones were obtained from clone libraries, resulting in 20 and 17 phylotypes by analysis of restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) for PCR-amplified 16S rDNA products. A low bacterial diversity in both areas was found. As tree leaves grow older, bacterial diversities were slightly increased in the level of subphylum. The community structure of epiphytic bacteria in both areas in April consisted of only two subphyla, $\beta-and\;\gamma-Proteobacteria$. In August two additional subphyla in both areas were found, but the composition was a little different, Acidobacteria and Cytophaga-Flexibacter-Bacteroids (CFB) group in the industrial estate and a -Proteobacteria and CFB group in the natural area, respectively. Acidobacteria could be an indicator of epiphytic bacteria for acidic deposition on plant leaves, whereas a -Proteobacteria be one of epiphytic bacteria that naturally survive on leaves that are not affected by acidic deposition. The acid-tolerant bacterial communities in April were composed of two subphyla, $\gamma-Proteobacteria$ and Low G+C gram-positive bacteria in both areas, and in August a-Proteobacteria was added to the community just in the natural forest area. The direct influence of acidic deposition on the acid-tolerant bacterial phylogenetic composition could not be detected in higher taxonomic levels such as subphylum, but at narrower or finer levels it could be observed by a detection of Xanthomonadales group of $\gamma-Proteobacteria$ just in the industrial estate.

• Journal of Information Technology Services
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.21-32
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• 2017

This study analyzes the variable consumer characteristics that influence the intention to use online product reviews. In online e-commerce, where purchases take place without consumers seeing the products in person, the product reviews left by other consumers who have already purchased the product are believed to be valuable information. However, when different consumers read the same product review, their responses to it may vary. This study analyzes the characteristics of consumers who utilize product reviews for their purchases. Consumer characteristics are categorized into personal information, personality, purchasing tendency, and experience related to product reviews. These factors are examined to see if they have direct or indirect effects on a consumer's intention to use product reviews when making online purchases. We surveyed a total of 240 consumers who had experience using e-commerce and knew about online product reviews. Once the data was collected, path analysis was conducted using the statistics tool AMOS. The study results reveal that consumers who are female, extroverted, and have higher price sensitivity think that product reviews left by others are useful, and that this "perceived usefulness" has a positive effect on the intention to use product reviews for making online purchasing decisions. In addition, consumers who are agreeable to others, have high brand sensitivity, and who have left numerous reviews themselves demonstrated the tendency to trust reviews left by others more. Thus, we conclude that this "perceived reliability" makes it more likely that a consumer will use product reviews when making online purchasing decisions. Future research can be done to develop this study further by analyzing whether providing online product reviews corresponding to the personal characteristics of consumers enhances the effect of product reviews on online purchasing decisions.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.83-92
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• 2009

Individual immunochromatographic assays (ICG) for ochratoxin A (OTA) and zearalenone (ZEA) were optimized and used in the development of a one-step simultaneous immunochromatographic assay (OS-ICG) for the rapid multianalysis of two mycotoxins in corn samples. The nitrocellulose membrane of the OS-ICG was treated with OTA-bovine serum albumin (BSA), ZEA-ovalbumin (OVA), and anti-mouse IgG in the OTA test, ZEA test, and control zones, respectively. Monoclonal antibody-gold conjugates (OTA3 MAb-gold and ZEA2C5 MAb-gold) were sprayed onto the conjugate pad. The visual detection limits were 2.5 and 5 ng/ml for OTA and ZEA, respectively, and the results were obtained within 15 min after starting the analysis. An efficient, simple, and rapid extraction method using 30% MeOH/PBS was established and validated by analyzing the corn samples spiked with OTA/ZEA mixtures (0/0, 5/10, 10/20, and $20/30\;{\mu}g/kg$). The cut-off values of the OS-ICG for the spiked corn were 5 and $10\;{\mu}g/kg$ for OTA and ZEA, respectively. Natural corn samples were analyzed by OS-ICG, direct competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (DC-ELISA), and HPLC. Results of the OS-ICG were in good agreement with those obtained by DC-ELISA and HPLC. The developed OS-ICG offers a rapid, easy-to-use, and portable analytical system and can be used as a convenient qualitative tool for the on-site simultaneous determination of OTA and ZEA in cereals, food, and agricultural products in one analytical cycle.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.1-9
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• 2014

The vast stores of biomass available in the worldwide have the potential to displace significant amounts of petroleum fuels. Fast pyrolysis of biomass is one of several paths by which we can convert biomass to higher value products. The wood pyrolysis oil (WPO) has been regarded as an alternative fuel for petroleum fuels to be used in diesel engine. However, the use of WPO in a diesel engine requires modifications due to low energy density, high water contents, high acidity, high viscosity, and low cetane number of the WPO. One possible method by which the shortcomings may be circumvented is to co-fire WPO with other petroleum fuels. WPO has poor miscibility with light petroleum fuel oils; the most suitable candidates fuels for direct fuel mixing are methanol or ethanol. Early mixing with methanol or ethanol has the added benefit of significantly improving the storage and handling properties of the WPO. For separate injection co-firing, a WPO-ethanol blended fuel can be fired through diesel pilot injection in a dual-injection dieel engine. In this study, the performance and emission characteristics of a dual-injection diesel engine fuelled with diesel (pilot injection) and WPO-ethanol blend (main injection) were experimentally investigated. Results showed that although stable engine operation was possible with separate injection co-firing, the fuel conversion efficiency was slightly decreased due to high water contents of WPO compare to diesel combustion.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.149-155
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• 2003

The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of platycodin D and $D_3$, which are active components derived from the roots of Platycodon grandiflorum A. DC., on the contractile force of the i3olated rat aorta and blood pressure of the anesthetized rat, and also to elucidate its mechanism of action. Both phenylephrine (an adrenergic ${\alpha}1$-receptor agonist) and high potassium (a membranedepolarizing agent) caused great contractile responses in the isolated aortic strips. Platycodin D at high concentration $(24{\mu}g/ml)$ inhibited contractile responses induced by phenylephrine $(10^{-5}\;M)$ and high potassium $(5.6{\times}10^{-2}\;M)$, while low concentrations of platycodin D $(4{\sim}8{\mu}g/ml$) did not affect those responses. However, platycodin $D_3\;(8{\sim}32{\mu}g/ml)$ did not alter the contractile responses evoked by phenylephrine and high $K^+$. Interestingly, the infusion of platycodin $D_3$ (1.0 mg/kg/30 min) significantly reduced the pressor responses induced by intravenous norepinephrine. However, platycodin $D_3$ (1.0 mg/kg/30 min) did not affect them. Taken together, these results show that intravenously administered platycodin D depresses norepinephrine-induced pressor responses in the anesthetized rat, at least partly through the blockade of adrenergic ${\alpha}1$-receptors. Platycodin D also caused vascular relaxation in the isolated aortic strips of the rat via the blockade of adrenergic ${\alpha}1$-receptors, in addition to an unknown direct mechanism. However, platycodin $D_3$ did not affect both norepinephrine-induced pressor responses and the isolated rat aortic contractile responses evoked by phenylephrine and high potassium. Based on these results, there seems to be much difference in the mode of action between platycodin D and platycodin $D_3$.