• International Journal of Stem Cells
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.304-314
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• 2023

Background and Objectives: Ear cartilage malformations are commonly encountered problems in reconstructive surgery, since cartilage has low self-regenerating capacity. Malformations that impose psychological and social burden on one's life are currently treated using ear prosthesis, synthetic implants or autologous flaps from rib cartilage. These approaches are challenging because not only they request high surgical expertise, but also they lack flexibility and induce severe donor-site morbidity. Through the last decade, tissue engineering gained attention where it aims at regenerating human tissues or organs in order to restore normal functions. This technique consists of three main elements, cells, growth factors, and above all, a scaffold that supports cells and guides their behavior. Several studies have investigated different scaffolds prepared from both synthetic or natural materials and their effects on cellular differentiation and behavior. Methods and Results: In this study, we investigated a natural scaffold (alginate) as tridimensional hydrogel seeded with progenitors from different origins such as bone marrow, perichondrium and dental pulp. In contact with the scaffold, these cells remained viable and were able to differentiate into chondrocytes when cultured in vitro. Quantitative and qualitative results show the presence of different chondrogenic markers as well as elastic ones for the purpose of ear cartilage, upon different culture conditions. Conclusions: We confirmed that auricular perichondrial cells outperform other cells to produce chondrogenic tissue in normal oxygen levels and we report for the first time the effect of hypoxia on these cells. Our results provide updates for cartilage engineering for future clinical applications.

• Anatomy and Cell Biology
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.163-171
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• 2024

In the last decade, melatonin has gained recognition as a potent scavenger and an effective antioxidant capable of neutralizing free radicals, including reactive oxygen species. Additionally, it exhibits anti-apoptotic properties. In this review, we will examine a compilation of articles that explore the cellular signaling function of melatonin on spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) and adjacent cells such as Sertoli and Leydig cells. These cells play a crucial role in the proliferation of SSCs both in vitro and in vivo. In this review, we analyze the function of melatonin in the proliferation of SSCs from other aspects. For this purpose, we examine the articles based on the presence of melatonin on SSCs in four groups: As a supplement in SSCs medium culture, SSCs three-dimensional culture system, SSCs freezing medium, and as a therapeutic factor in vivo. Mechanisms of growth and proliferation of SSCs were considered. The purpose of this study is to investigate the potential effects of melatonin as a powerful antioxidant or growth stimulant for SSCs, both in vivo and in vitro.

• Asia Marketing Journal
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.77-89
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• 2024

This study investigated central and peripheral route factors to assess the impact of Google Advertisements on how these factors contribute to users' call-to-action (CTA) and electronic word-of-mouth (e-WOM) behaviors. We explored the persuasive effects of Google Advertisements on consumers by using a dataset of 483 valid empirical samples from Taiwan. We employed structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the hypotheses. The empirical results of this study indicate that both peripheral (image appeal) and central (information completeness) routes positively lead to the persuasion effect. This finding confirms that the peripheral and central routes increase the persuasion effect. The empirical results indicate that the most effective pathway was image appeal to the persuasion effect and, ultimately, to call to action. Image appeal was also determined to be a secondary pathway that enhances the persuasion effect, ultimately leading to e-WOM. These findings have valuable implications for companies seeking to attract customers to purchase electronic products through the Google search engine. The novelty of our study is that it includes the peripheral route. Our study findings were derived from the symbolic value lens, rather than the central route based solely on the utilitarian and hedonistic value perspective.

• International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.406-418
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• 2024

In line with the rapid spread of Metaverse in various marketing areas, fashion companies have also begun to devise various activities using the Metaverse. Fashion experiences within the Metaverse platform must be conducted considering the characteristics of the Metaverse itself. However, there has yet to be any research on Metaverse fashion based on the characteristics of the Metaverse platform itself. Accordingly, this study sought to empirically analyze the impact of various characteristics of the Metaverse platform on consumers' virtual fashion experience within the platform. In particular, this study focused on the relationships among the Metaverse platform characteristics, perceived avatar identity, and the purchase intention of actual fashion products. In order to test the hypotheses, a survey was conducted on 300 Korean male and female consumers with an average age of 39.3 who had experience with virtual fashion through the Metaverse platform. In response to the recent increase in domestic and foreign brands' attempts to experience fashion using ZEPETO, the questionnaire provided an experience scenario that included detailed captured images of the use of avatars in the ZEPETO world. Data was subjected to statistical analysis using the SPSS 28.0 program. The results confirmed that the characteristic factors of the Metaverse platform (i.e., presence, social interactivity, anonymity) had a significant impact on the user's perceived avatar identification. Additionally, perceived avatar identity significantly affected users' purchase intention. Theoretical and managerial implications and study limitations are discussed.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.431-435
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• 2024

Humor is a distinct characteristic in contemporary paintings from Northeast China, where artists have the ability to express serious and grave issues in a humorous manner. These artists convey insights into life and criticisms of social issues through their paintings, creating works that both move and amuse the audience while prompting reflection on the deeper meanings behind the art. This article analyzes the works of notable Northeast Chinese artists Gong Lirong, Wang Xingwei, and Qin Qi, highlighting how each artist interprets and expresses humor differently in their creations. By examining the reasons behind the presence of humor in their artworks and the ideological implications conveyed, the study discusses the value and significance of humor in painting. It also stimulates the researcher's thoughts on the creation of paintings.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.139-149
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to contribute to the minimization of the social cost due to the insolvency by improving the success rate of the startups by providing useful information to the founders and the start-up support institutions through analysis of non-financial information affecting the failure of the startups. This study is aimed at entrepreneurs. The entrepreneurs that are defined by the credit guarantee institutions generally refer to entrepreneurs within 5 years of establishment. The data used in the study are sampled from the companies that were supported by the start-up guarantee from January 2014 to December 2013 as the end of December 2017. The total number of sampled firms is 2,826, 2,267 companies (80.2%), and 559 non-performing companies (19.8%). The non-financial information of the entrepreneur was divided into the entrepreneur characteristics information, the entrepreneur characteristics information, the entrepreneur asset information and the entrepreneur 's credit information, and cross-tabulations and logistic regression analysis were conducted. As a result of cross-tabulations, univariate analysis showed that personal credit rating, presence in the industry, presence of residential housing, presence of employees, and presence of financial statements were selected as significant variables. As a result of the logistic regression analysis, three variables such as personal credit rating, occupation in the industry, and presence of residential house were found to be important factors affecting the failure of founding companies. This result shows the importance of entrepreneur 's personal credibility and experience and entrepreneur' s assets in business management. The start-up support institutions should reflect these results in the entrepreneur 's credit evaluation system, and the entrepreneurs need training on the importance of the personal credit and the management plan in the entrepreneurial education. The results of this analysis will contribute to the minimization of the incapacity of startups by providing useful non-financial information to founders and start-up support organizations.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.64 no.3
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• pp.183-202
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• 2012

Remarriages constitute an increasing proportion of all marriage in Korea. In 2010, 21.9% of marriage were remarriages for one or both partners. In spite of such increasing of remarriage, not much attentions were given the issues of remarriage in the academic circle of social welfare in Korea. This study is conducted to understand the nature of remarriage, the family structure in remarriage, the relationship between the boundary ambiguity and the family functioning in remarriage. Although boundary ambiguity is believed to be more problematic for remarriage families than first-marriage families and as such has been the topic of research in the U.S.A and other countries, few studies have focused on this topic in Korea. This study examined degree of boundary ambiguity of 125 samples of remerried women and their family functioning. Also, the study examined the relationship between the boundary ambiguity and the family functioning in remarriage. This study conceptualized boundary ambiguity as an incongruence between physical and psychological presence or absence of family members. The findings indicated that the majority of respondents(67.6%) were categorized as having both no psychological and no physical ambiguity. 19.8% of respondents were categorized as having physical ambiguity, 9.9% as having psychological ambiguity, and 2.7% as having both psychological and physical ambiguity. Statistically significant differences of family functioning in remarriage were found among four groups having different type of boundary ambiguity.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.68 no.4
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• pp.143-167
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• 2016

While there have been numerous studies on various issues of aging of the individuals and the population, little is known about the process and consequences of aging of the disabled. Aging is irreversible for the disabled as well as for the not-disabled. With the advances of age, the disabled confront double jeopardy from disability and old age. This study aims to explore the meaning of aging and death for 40s and 50s living with disability for more than 20 years. It utilizes the data set collected through focus groups discussions of the disabled The cases in our analysis are composed of the disabled capable of articulating their feelings and thoughts. Thus, they are selected from the less privileged ones. The analysis shows that aging of the disabled, often involving secondary disability, overwhelms their current disability. Nonetheless, it does not necessary mean that they become an ordinary elderly person. Rather they still feel exclusion from the elderly for their disability. As getting older they turn to face social barrier for both disability and old age. Also, they are trying to live their present lives in full while accepting the presence of death Our findings are hoped to help to understand how the disabled get old and view their death in their own way.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.1-22
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• 2017

This paper is to consider conceptually a formation of food-networks and border-crossing of transnational marriage migrant households on the basis of actor-network theory, and to analyze empirical data on the issues collected by interview with marriage migrant women living around Daegu, S.Korea. Some research results can be argued as follows: First, food can be seen, not as a single material object, but as a multiple and hybrid network of human and nonhuman (material and institutional) actors, in which activities of food cooking and eating are regulated by and (re)construct social relations and placeness of households. Secondly, food-networks in marriage migrant households implement relationships of micro-power (and attachment) in the process of its (re)formation, and hence the food-network, it can be argued, is a field of power in which conflicts and compromising around food cooking and eating are intersecting each others. Thirdly, food-networks in marriage migrant households in both their origin country and in the Korean home are not only affected by macro natural and social environments but also by micro placeness of the households, both of which constitute the food-networks and operate in relations with other actors in the netwroks. Finally, food-networks in marriage migrant households reflect multiple and multi-scalar spatial mobility and placeness of transnational food culture, through which they express topologically 'fluid space' and 'absent presence', in which marriage migrant women can (or cannot) conduct social and cultural border-crossing.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.16 no.11
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• pp.8046-8056
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• 2015

The purpose of this study is the study of factors affecting the life satisfaction of disabled children parents. Survey data metropolitan area and Gyeonggi-do special schools, day shelter, Disabled Welfare, especially on the national branch in Korea Funny disabled parent meetings, through 389 branches were collected material wealth targeting parents with disabilities. Statistical analysis SPSS 19.0 program utilizes factor analysis, reliability analysis. And parents of children with disabilities and environmental factors are the demographic characteristics in order to analyze the impact on life satisfaction as a control variable, and the environmental factors as independent variables were performed hierarchical regression analysis. Results are crazy and the positive(+) influence a religious presence and the average monthly income of demographic characteristics in the satisfaction of life, environmental factors all had significant influence on life satisfaction. In other words, family support, disability, social networks, personal nature had a positive(+) influence on life satisfaction of disabled children parents, the relative influence of these factors include family support, disability, social networks, net of personality. It was in. The result is handicapped parents receive emotional support and help from family, the lower the degree of disability of the child, as participation in meetings or disability welfare various programs and handicapped parents, and the more it has a positive character increased satisfaction in life that can be interpreted.