• Title/Summary/Keyword: relative growth

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The Study of anti-cancer mechanism with Cobrotoxin on Human prostatic cancer cell line(PC-3) (전립선 암세포에 대한 Cobrotoxin의 항암(抗癌) 기전(機轉) 연구(硏究))

  • Chae, Sang-jin;Song, Ho-seup
    • Journal of Acupuncture Research
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    • v.22 no.3
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    • pp.169-183
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    • 2005
  • Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate the anti-caner effect of cobrotoxin on the prostatic cancer cell line (PC-3).The goal of study is to ascertain whether cobrotoxin inhibits tile cell growth and cell cycle of PC-3, or the expression of relative genes and whether the regression of PC-3 cell growth is due to cell death or the expression of gene related to apoptosis. Methods : After the treatment of Pc-3 cells with cobrotoxin, we performed 형광현미경, MTT assay, Western blotting, Flow cytometry, PAGE electrophoresis and Surface plasmon resonance analysis to identify the cell viability, cell death, apoptosis, the changes of cell cycle and the related protein, Adk, MAP kinase. Results : 1. Compared with normal cell, the inhibition of cell growth reduced in proportion with the dose of cobrotoxin(0-16nM) in PC-3. 2. Cell viabilities of 0.1, 1, 4nM cobrotoxin treatment were decreased and those of 8, 16nM were decreased significantly. 3. S phase of cell cycle was decreased at the group of 1, 2, 4, 8, 16nM cobrotoxin, but M phase was increased at 0.1, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16nM cobrotoxin. 4. Cox-2 expression after cobrotoxin was peaked at 12hours and was decreased significantly after 6, 12, 24 hours. 5. The expression of Cdk4 was decreased dose-dependently at 1, 2, 4, 8nM cobrotoxin and was decreased siginificantly at 4, 8nM Cyclin D1 was decreased at 1, 2, 4, 8nM and Cycline E was not changed. Cycline B was decreased at 1, 2, 4, 8nM dose-dependently and was decreased siginificanlty at 2, 4, 8nM. 6. The expression of Akt was decreased at 1, 2, 4, 8nM dose-dependently and was decreased significantly at 2, 4, 8nM. 7. ERK was increased at 1, 2nM and decreased at 4, 8nM, p-ERK was increased at 1, 2, 4 nM, but decreased at 8nM. JNK and p-JNK were increased at 1, 4, 8 nM. p38 was increased at 2nM p-p38 was increased at lnM but decreased significantly at 2, 4, 8nM. 8. The nucli of normal cells were stained round and homogenous in DAPI staining, but those of PC-3 were stained condense and splitted. Apoptosis was increased dose-dependently at 2, 4, 8, 16nM and increased significantly at 2, 4, 8, 16nM. 9. Bax wasn`t changed at 1, 2, 4, 8nM and Bcl-2 was decreased significantly at 1, 2, 4, 8nM. Caspase 3 and 9 weren`t changed at 1, 2, 4nM but were decreased significantly at 8nM. Conclusions : These results indicate that cobrotoxin inhibits the growth of prostate Cancer cells, has anti-cancer effects by inducing apoptosis.

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Diagnosis of the Field-grown Rice Plant -II. Diagnosis by total plant analysis (포장재배(圃場栽培) 수도(水稻)의 영양진단(營養診斷) -II. 전분석(全分析)에 의(依)한 진단(診斷))

  • Park, Hoon;Park, Chon Suh
    • Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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    • v.6 no.3
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    • pp.165-172
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    • 1973
  • The optimum time for nutritional diagnosis of the field-grown rice plant by total plant analysis, and the relationship between maximum or minimum nutrient content at various growth stages and corresponding yield and between maximum or minimum yield and corresponding nutrient content were as follows. 1. The percentage occurence of the minimum nutrient content in straw or grain of minus nutrient plot was in the order of 20 days after transplanting (20)>maximum tillering (MT)>harvested straw (HS)> earformation (EF)>straw at flowering (FS)>harvested grain (HG)>ear at flowering (FE) for nitrogen, MT>EF>HS>20=FS>FE>HG for phosphorus and MT>EF>20>FS>HG>FE for potassium. 2. The time when the occurece of minimum nutrient content in minus plot is highest was considered as the optimum time for nutritional diagnosis of root zone. It was 20 days after transplanting in N and maximum tillering stage in P and K. 3. The highest relative difference($100{\times}(L-H)/H$), between maximum (H)and minimum(L) nutrient content appeared in harvested straw for N and P while in harvested grain for K and Si, suggesting the close relation to their translocation from straw to grain. 4. The corresponding yield of maximum nutrient content was higher than that of minimum content at all growth stages in N, at all stages except MT and EF in P, at 20 days after trans planting and harvest in K, but it was always lower in Si, thus the contribution of nutrient content to yield will be in the order of N>P>K>Si. 5. The highest relative difference ($100{\times}(L-H)/H$, where H and L stand for yields) between yields corresponding to maximum and minimum nutrient content appeared at 20 days after transplanting for N. P. K, indicating the time of the closest relation between yield and nutrient content. 6. The highest difference (H-L, where H and L stand for nutrient content) between N. P. K contents corresponding to maximum or minimum yields came at 20 days after transplanting. The contents of N. P. K corresponding to the maximum total dry matter yield were lower than those corresponding the maximum grain yield at this stage. These facts support the closest relation between yield and nutrient content at this time. 7. The highest yield among yields corresponding to maximum nutrient contents occured at 20 days after transplanting in N. P. K but the lowest yield among yields corresponding to minimum nutrient contents appeared at the same stage only in nitrogen. 8. From the above facts the optimum time for diagnosis of nutrient around root zone seems different from that for diagnosis of nutritional status in relation to grain yield.

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Isolation of Agarivorans sp. KC-1 and Characterization of Its Thermotolerant β-Agarase (한천분해세균 Agarivorans sp. KC-1의 분리 및 내열성 β-아가라제의 특성 규명)

  • Min, Kyung-Cheol;Lee, Chang-Eun;Lee, Dong-Geun;Lee, Sang-Hyeon
    • Journal of Life Science
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    • v.28 no.9
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    • pp.1056-1061
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    • 2018
  • This article reports an agar-degrading marine bacterium and characterizes its agarase. The agar-degrading marine bacterium, KC-1, was isolated from seawater on the shores of Sacheon, in Gyeongnam province, Korea, using Marine Broth 2216 agar medium. To identify the agar-degrading bacterium as Agarivorans sp. KC-1, phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence was used. An extracellular agarase was prepared from a culture medium of Agarivorans sp. KC-1, and used for the characterization of enzyme. The relative activities at 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, and $70^{\circ}C$ were 65, 91, 96, 100, 77, and 35%, respectively. The relative activities at pH 5, 6, 7, and 8 were 93, 100, 87, and 82%, respectively. The extracellular agarase showed maximum activity (254 units/l) at pH 6.0 and $50^{\circ}C$ in 20 mM of Tris-HCl buffer. The agarase activity was maintained at 90% or more until 2 hr exposure at $20^{\circ}C$, $30^{\circ}C$ and $40^{\circ}C$, but it was found that the activity decreased sharply from $60^{\circ}C$. A zymogram analysis showed that Agarivorans sp. KC-1 produced 3 agar-degrading enzymes that had molecular weights of 130, 80, and 69 kDa. A thin layer chromatography analysis suggested that Agarivorans sp. KC-1 produced extracellular ${\beta}$-agarases as it hydrolyzed agarose to produce neoagarooligosaccharides, including neoagarohexaose (21.6%), neoagarotetraose (32.2%), and neoagarobiose (46.2%). These results suggest that Agarivorans sp. KC-1 and its thermotolerant ${\beta}$-agarase would be useful for the production of neoagarooligosaccharides that inhibit bacterial growth and delay starch degradation.

AGE AT MARRIAGE AND FERTILITY OF WOMEN IN THREE SELECTED AREAS IN KOREA, 1970 (한국 3개 지역의 결혼, 결혼년령 및 출산력에 관한 연구)

  • 김모임
    • Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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    • v.3 no.3
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    • pp.1-14
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    • 1973
  • This study is designed to meet the following objectives: (1) To study attitude and behavior regarding marriage and age at marriage, (2) To learn correlates of age at marriage and to examine their relations, (3) To measure relative importance of the correlates of age at marriage, and (4) To study relations of age at marriage and family planning practice to fertility and their relative importance as correlates of fertility. The data are obtained by an independent cross-sectional survey in three study areas purposively selected to represent metropolitan. semihuman. rural population. The study population is confined to women age 17-50 as of survey. The overall response rate is 90%. Reliability of data is measured by . individual and aggregate inconsistency based upon a 15% subsample of the original interviews. The individual inconsistency (31%) is found to be high compared to the aggregate inconsistency (6%) for all 85 variables. However, the magnitude of differences between means is small, and the mean absolute shifts and proportional shifts are also small on the whole. In a word respondents did not change their answers too extremely or radically. The study populations of each study area are compared on some basic characteristics. It is found that the three study populations have more dissimilarities than similarities. The findings on seven different attitudinal positions of women toward marriage indicate that there have been tremendous changes in all study areas Iron "traditional" attitudes which have been prevalent for a long time in Korean society to "liberalized" or "modernized" attitudes. An apparent tendency is that women generally take a position of a "golden mean" attitude by not preferring either extreme of marriage attitudes. Nevertheless, the young, single, educated, and urbanite appears more "liberalized. " There has been some increase in ideal age at marriage from 1958 to 1970 for both sexes. No age group, marital status, or study area differentials in ideal age at marriage are found, the average ideal age at marriage in every sub-group being 24-25. Awareness of existing legal marriageable ages is low; only 4.4% are aware that "with parental permission: minimum age for males is 18 years and for females 16 years,"and only 3.7% are aware that "without parental permission: 27 years for males and 23 years for females." People in Korra tend to marry spouses who are in various social ways like themselves: the similarities include (a) education, occupational status of father, (c) economic status, (d) usual residence before marriage, and (e) religion. Both singulars and actual mean ages at marriage in this study confirm the trend of rising age at marriage previously established by other independent studies. The urban-rural differential in age at marriage is observed, but the differential narrows down gradually from 1935 to 1970. All socio-economic, demographic, and other variables pertaining to wife before and at first marriage, excluding (a) religion, (b) father′s of occupation, and (c) as: of menarche, are correlated with respondent's age at first marriage, whereas only three variables out of all socio-economic variables relating to husband before and at wife′s first marriage, viz., (a) education, (b) usual residence, and (c) economic level of his old home, are correlated with respondent′s age at marriage. Among socio-economic and modernity variables related to either husband or wife at the time of survey, only education and duration of residence are correlated with wife′s age at first marriage. Among the correlates of respondent′age at first marriage, education is in general the most important variable. However, it is found that wife′s education is more important than husband′s. The combined effects or the correlates studied explain no more than about 40% of variance for any of the selected groups of variables. Points which might counteract the effects of late marriage on fertility are not serious in Korea. For each of the correlates of the three fertility indices chosen for this study. namely, (a) number of living children, (b) number of live births, and (c) number of pregnancies, age at marriage is the major contributor to the variance in all age groups except the age group of 20-29 in which the index of family planning practice is the major contributor. The proportion of variability in fertility indices accounted for by the correlates is never more than 40% of the total variance in any age group. Based upon the findings from this study, it could be concluded that in the foreseeable future (a) celibate group will no! be increased to a point that would slow down population growth rate in Korea, (b) age at marriage will not increase continually, (c) although education stands out as the major contributing variable which independently explains the variation in age at marriage, it seems probable that education may not be the major variable in the near future, and (d) despite the fact found by this study that age at marriages has been the major contributor to the variance of each of the fertility indices used, family planning practice will play a more important role in the reduction of fertility in the Korean society. Therefore, factors interrupting practice of family planning must be eliminated and family planning program should be strengthened if further fertility reduction is needed.

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A Study on Qulity Perceptions and Satisfaction for Medical Service Marketing (의료서비스 마케팅을 위한 품질지각과 만족에 관한 연구)

  • Yoo, Dong-Keun
    • Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing Administration
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    • v.2 no.1
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    • pp.97-114
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    • 1996
  • INSTRODUCTION Service quality is, unlike goods quality, an abstract and elusive constuct. Service quality and its requirements are not easily understood by consumers, and also present some critical research problems. However, quality is very important to marketers and consumers in that it has many strategic benefits in contributing to profitability of marketing activities and consumers' problem-solving activities. Moreover, despite the phenomenal growth of medical service sector, few researchers have attempted to define and model medical service quality. Especially, little research has focused on the evaluation of medical service quality and patient satisfaction from the perspectives of both the provider and the patient. As competition intensifies and patients are demanding higher quality of medical service, medical service quality and patient satisfaction has emerged as a critical research topic. The major purpose of this article is to explore the concept of medical service quality and its evaluation from both nurse and patient perspectives. This article attempts to achieve its purpose by (1)classfying critical service attibutes into threecategories(satisfiers, hygiene factors, and performance factors). (2)measuring the relative importance of need criteria, (3)evaluating SERVPERF model and SERVQUAL model in medical service sector, and (4)identifying the relationship between perceived quality and overall patient satisfaction. METHOD Data were gathered from a sample of 217 patients and 179 nurses in Seoul-area general hospitals. From the review of previous literature, 50 survey items representing various facets of the medical service quality were developed to form a questionnaire. A five-point scale ranging from "Strongly Agree"(5) to "Strongly Disagree"(1) accompanied each statement(expectation statements, perception statements, and importance statements). To measure overall satisfaction, a seven-point scale was used, ranging from "Very Satisfied"(7) to "Very Dissatisfied"(1) with no verbal labels for scale points 2 through 6 RESULTS In explaining the relationship between perceived performance and overall satisfaction, only 31 variables out of original 50 survey items were proven to be statistically significant. Hence, a penalty-reward analysis was performed on theses 31 critical attributes to find out 17 satisfiers, 8 hygiene factors, and 4 performance factors in patient perspective. The role(category) of each service quality attribute in relation to patient satisfaction was com pared across two groups, that is, patients and nurses. They were little overlapped, suggesting that two groups had different sets of 'perceived quality' attributes. Principal components factor analyses of the patients' and nurses' responses were performed to identify the underlying dimensions for the set of performance(experience) statements. 28 variables were analyzed by using a varimax rotation after deleting three obscure variables. The number of factors to be extracted was determined by evaluating the eigenvalue scores. Six factors wereextracted, accounting for 57.1% of the total variance. Reliability analysis was performed to refine the factors further. Using coefficient alpha, scores of .84 to .65 were obtained. Individual-item analysis indicated that all statements in each of the factors should remain. On 26 attributes of 31 critical service quality attributes, there were gaps between actual patient's importance of need criteria and nurse perceptions of them. Those critical attributes could be classified into four categories based on the relative importance of need criteria and perceived performance from the perspective of patient. This analysis is useful in developing strategic plans for performance improvement. (1) top priorities(high importance and low performance) (in this study)- more health-related information -accuracy in billing - quality of food - appointments at my convenience - information about tests and treatments - prompt service of business office -adequacy of accommodations(elevators, etc) (2) current strengths(high importance and high performance) (3)unnecessary strengths(low importance and high performance) (4) low priorities(low importance and low performance) While 26 service quality attributes of SERPERF model were significantly related to patient satisfation, only 13 attributes of SERVQUAL model were significantly related. This result suggested that only experience-based norms(SERVPERF model) were more appropriate than expectations to serve as a benchmark against which service experiences were compared(SERVQUAL model). However, it must be noted that the degree of association to overall satisfaction was not consistent. There were some gaps between nurse percetions and patient perception of medical service performance. From the patient's viewpoint, "personal likability", "technical skill/trust", and "cares about me" were most significant positioning factors that contributed patient satisfaction. DISCUSSION This study shows that there are inconsistencies between nurse perceptions and patient perceptions of medical service attributes. Also, for service quality improvement, it is most important for nurses to understand what satisfiers, hygiene factors, and performance factors are through two-way communications. Patient satisfaction should be measured, and problems identified should be resolved for survival in intense competitive market conditions. Hence, patient satisfaction monitoring is now becoming a standard marketing tool for healthcare providers and its role is expected to increase.

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Phytosociological Changes of Pinus densiflora Forest Induced by Insect Damage in Kyonggi-do Area (경기도지방(京畿道地方) 적송림(赤松林)의 식물사회학적(植物社會學的) 연구(硏究))

  • Yim, Kyong Bin;Park, In Hyeop;Lee, Kyong Jae
    • Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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    • v.50 no.1
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    • pp.56-71
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    • 1980
  • To study the changes of vegetational composition of each plant successional stage of Pinus densiflora forest caused by pine gall midge damage, Thecodiplosis japonensis, located in Kyonggi-do area, the middle part of Korea, four districts, Anseong, Yongin, Gwangju, and Gapyeong, were selected according to the length of insect damage duration. The forest in the Anseong district was the noninfested one selected as the check. And forests in Yongin, Gwangju, and Gapyeong were the recent]y damaged, severely damaged, and damage prolonged ones in sequence. It was considered that this order could be in concord with the gradual transition of plant successional stage. In view of temperature, precipitation and soil factors, these four districts were sited within the same environment. Four survey plots were selected from each district and the distance between them was 3~4 km. Then again four subplots were set within a plot. Through needle accumulation after insect infestation, light intensity, soil moisture content, and the amount of soil organic matter were increased and these conditions could create a favorable environment enabling the new species invasion and their growth. These were naturally closely related with the increase in quantity of Pinus densiflora defoliation. After considerable time lapse, the quantities of above mentioned factors decreased with the development of the new substitute tree species. It was found that Quercus mongolica was an excellently substitute tree species come first in this studied area. Species diversity increased to a degree at the early stage of the duration of pine gall midge damage and decreased thereafter. As the same manner, similarity index value between plots in the same district decreased to a degree and increased thereafter. This was linked admittedly with the increase and decrease of tree species and evenness. Synthesizing above mentioned results, the process of plant succession studied quantitatively by changes of relative density and relative importance value, it can be concluded that Pinus densiflora forest gives way to Genus Quercus forest in which Genus Lespedeza and Genus Rhododendron species become as subdominance species after removal of the Pinus densiflora trees damaged by pine gall midge.

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Proteomic Analysis and Growth Responses of Rice with Different Levels of Titanium Dioxide and UV-B (이산화티탄과 UV-B 수준에 따른 벼 생육과 프로테옴 해석)

  • Hong, Seung-Chang;Shin, Pyung-Gyun;Chang, An-Cheol;Lee, Ki-Sang;Lee, Chul-Won;Woo, Sun-Hee
    • KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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    • v.52 no.1
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    • pp.69-80
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    • 2007
  • Among the photoactive semiconductors such as $TiO_2,\;ZnO,\;Fe_2O_3,\;WO_3,\;and\;CdSe,\;TiO_2$ is the most widely used as photocatalyst in different media, because of its lack of toxicity and stability. In this study, the effects of titanium dioxide were investigated to obtain the information of physiological change in rice plant. Light-adapted Chlorophyll flourescence index decreased and relative electron transport rate of rice leaves was activated by titanium dioxide under $2,400\;{\mu}mol\;m^{-2}\;s^{-1}$ PAR (Photosynthetic active radiation). Relative electron transport rate of rice leaf treated with titanium dioxide 10 ppm was high in order of $2,400\;{\mu}mol\;m^{-2}\;s^{-1}\;PAR,\;2,200\;{\mu}mol\;m^{-2}\;s^{-1}\;PAR,\;450\;{\mu}mol\;m^{-2}\;s^{-1}\;PAR$ and titanium dioxide 10 ppm (45.1%), control (32.4%), diuron 10 ppm (15.3%) under $2,400\;{\mu}mol\;m^{-2}\;s^{-1}\;PAR$. Titanium dioxide increased photosynthesis of the rice leaf under $13.6\;KJ\;m^{-2}\;day^{-1}$ UV-B only. With titanium dioxide 20 ppm, reduced UV-B ($0.15\;KJ\;m^{-2}\;day^{-1}$) intensity changed the induction of proteins and twenty-five proteins were identified. Among them, seventy proteins were up-regulated, four proteins were down-regulated and four proteins were newly synthesized. Function of these proteins was related to photosynthesis (52%), carbohydrate metabolism (4%), stress/defense (8%), secondary metabolism (4%), energy/electron transport (4%), and miscellaneous (28%).

The Effect of Stocking Density and Strain on the Performance and Physiological Adaptive Responses in Broiler Chickens (육계에서 품종 및 사육 밀도가 생산성 및 생리적 적응성 지표에 미치는 영향)

  • Jang, In-Surk;Yun, Seo-Hyun;Ko, Young-Hyun;Kim, Se-Yun;Song, Min-Hye;Kim, Jong-Sun;Sohn, Sea-Hwan;Moon, Yang-Soo
    • Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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    • v.41 no.3
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    • pp.205-215
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    • 2014
  • The aim of this study was to determine the effects of stocking density and strain on the performance and physiological adaptive responses including the plasma corticosterone content and the level of mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and antioxidant enzymes in broiler chicks. A total of 300 birds of two strains (150 Ross strain vs. 150 Cobb strain) aged 3-d old were allotted into two stocking densities (standard stocking density,$0.046m^2/bird$ vs. high stocking density, $0.023m^2/bird$) in battery cages by $2{\times}2$ factorial designs with ten replicates until 35 d of age. There was no significant strain effect on body weight, feed intakes and feed to gain ratio and the relative organ weights. However body weight, feed intakes and relative organ weight were found to be significantly (P<0.05) affected by the effect of stocking density. Plasma corticosterone level was not affected by both stocking density and strain effects. Hepatic mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines including interleukin-$1{\beta}$ (IL-$1{\beta}$), IL-6, IL-18 and interferon-gamma (IFN-${\gamma}$) was not significantly changed by the effects of strain and stocking density. However, the mRNA expression of glutathione peroxidase (GPX) was affected by strain, showing that Ross strain decreased (P<0.05) the GPX expression. With respect to the effect of stocking density, there was a significant (P<0.05) increase in superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) and GPX mRNA expression in the liver from high stocking density group. Splenic pro-inflammatory cytokine expression was not also affected by stocking density and strain, except that IL-18 mRNA significantly (P<0.05) decreased in Cobb strain under high stocking density. The mRNA expression of SOD and CAT was significantly (P<0.05) affected by the effects of stocking density and strain. In conclusion, growth performance was not affected by strain but stocking density. Although mRNA expression of major pro-inflammatory cytokines was not changed by stocking density and strain, antioxidant enzyme was significantly affected by stocking density, strain or even organ in birds under summer conditions. More detailed studies still needed to be explored to elucidate the effects of environmental conditions and genetic background on physiological responses in birds.

Mechanical Alloying and the Consolidation Behavior of Nanocrystalline $Ll_2$ A$1_3$Hf Intermetallic Compounds (Cu 첨가에 따른 nanocrystalline ${Ll_2}{Al_3}Hf$ 금속간 화합물의 기계적 합금화 거동 및 진공열간 압축성형거동)

  • Kim, Jae-Il;O, Yeong-Min;Kim, Seon-Jin
    • Korean Journal of Materials Research
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    • v.11 no.8
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    • pp.629-635
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    • 2001
  • To improve the ductility of $A1_3Hf$ intermetallics, which are the potential high temperature structural materials, the mechanical alloying behavior. the effect of Cu addition on the $Ll_2$ phase formation and the behavior of vacuum hot-pressed consolidation were investigated. During the mechanical alloying by SPEX mill, the $Ll_2 A1_3Hf$ intermetallics with the grain size of 7~8nm was formed after 6 hours of milling in Al-25at.%Hf system. The $Ll_2$ Phase of Al_3Hf$ intermetallics with the addition of 12.5at.%Cu, similar to that of the binary Al-25at.% Hf, was formed, but the milling time necessary for the formationof the $Ll_2$ phase was delayed form 6 hours to 10 hours. The lattice parameter of ternary $Ll_2(Al+Cu)_3Hf$ intermetallics decreased with the increase of Cu content. The onset temperature of $Ll_2$ to $D0_{23}$ phase in $Al_3Hf$ intermetallics was around 38$0^{\circ}C$, the temperature upon completion varied from 48$0^{\circ}C$ to 5$50^{\circ}C$ as the annealing time. The onset temperature of $Ll_2$ to $D0_{23}$ phase transformation in $(Al+ Cu)_3Hf$ intermetallics increased with the amount of Cu and the highest onset temperature of $700^{\circ}C$ was achieved by the Cu addition of 10at.%. The relative density increased from 89% to 90% with the Cu addition of 10at.% in $Al_3Hf$ intermetallics hot-pressed in vacuum under 750MPa at 40$0^{\circ}C$ for 3 hours. The relative density of 92.5% was achieved without the phase transformation and the grain growth as the consolidation temperature increased from 40$0^{\circ}C$ to 50$0^{\circ}C$ in $(Al+Cu)_3Hf$ intermetallics hot-pressed in vacuum under 750MPa for 3 hours.

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A Study on the Acceptance of Convergence System of Broadcasting, and Telecommunication, and Their Relative Efficiency Focusing on IPFV (방송과 통신 융합시스템의 수용 및 상대적 효능에 관한 연구: IPTV를 중심으로)

  • Um, Myoung-Yong;Lee, Sang-Ho;Kim, Jai-Beam
    • Asia pacific journal of information systems
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    • v.19 no.3
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    • pp.25-49
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    • 2009
  • Advances in technology have resulted in the emergence of new information systems. The convergence of IT and manufacturing sectors has blurred the boundaries among industries. Also, such convergence has become established as a paradigm to build a new area. Especially the convergence of broadcasting and telecommunication, notably in the case of IPTV (Internet Protocol Television), is among the most salient examples of its kind in recent years as a major case of disruptive technology innovation. Despite its much fanfare, such convergence, however, has not fulfilled the expectation; it has not produced positive economic effects while negatively affecting the growth of IPIV. Stakeholders in and around IPIV including telecommunication companies, broadcasting corporations, and government bodies wish to gain control of IPTV under their wings. IPTV has drifted in the midst of conflicts among the stakeholders in and around IPTV, particularly telecommunication and broadcasting organizations in a broad sense. Our empirical research intends to deal with how audiences accept IPTV and how firms provide IPTV services to utilize their resources. Three research questions in this paper include, first, whether Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) can sufficiently explain the acceptance of IPTV as an information system. The second question concerns with empirically testing the playful aspect of IPTV to increase its audience acceptance. Last, but not least, this paper deals with how firms can efficiently and effectively allocate their limited resources to increase IPTV viewers. To answer those three main questions of our study, we collect data from 197 current subscribers of high speed internet service and/or cable/satellite television. Empirical results show that 'perceived usefulness (PU) $\rightarrow$ Intention to use' and 'perceived ease of use (PEU) $\rightarrow$ Intention to use' are significant. Also, 'perceived ease of use' is significantly related to 'perceived usefulness.' Perceived ease of handling IPTV without much effort can positively influence the perceived value of IPTV. In this regard, engineers and designers of IPTV should pay more attention to the user-friendly interface of IPTV. In addition, 'perceived playfulness (PP)' of IPTV is positively related to 'intention to use'. Flow, fun and entertainment have recently gained greater attention in the research concerned with information systems. Such attention is due to the changing features of information systems in recent years that combine the functional and leisure attributes. These results give practical implications to the design of IPTV that reflects not just leisure but also functional elements. This paper also investigates the relationship between 'perceived ease of use (PEU)' and 'perceived playfulness (PP).' PEU is positively related to pp. Audiences without fear can be attracted more easily to the user-friendly IPTV, thereby perceiving the fun and entertainment with ease. Practical implications from this finding are that, to attract more interest and involvement from the audience, IPTV needs to be designed with similar or even more user friendly interface. Of the factors related to 'intention to use', 'perceived usefulness (PU)' and 'perceived ease of use (PEU)' have greater impacts than 'perceived playfulness (PP).' Between PU and PEU, their impacts on 'intention to use' are not significantly different statistically. Managerial implications of this finding are that firms in preparation for the launch of IPTV service should prioritize the functions and interface of IPTV. This empirical paper also provides further insight into the ways in which firms can strategically allocate their limited resources so as to appeal to viewers, both current and potential, of IPTV.