Earticle

Voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC) is mitochondrial protein of all eukaryotes. It has been reported that VDAC is a large voltage-dependent channel, regulation of ion (including Ca2+), and transportation of various metabolites. Ca2+ is an important factor in sperm function. In our previous study, we found high frequency of VDAC2 expression in spermatozoa from low-fertility bulls. However, to date, there is limited information available on its effects on male fertility. Therefore this experiment was designed to evaluate the effects of VDAC and Ca2+ on sperm function in vitro. To achieve this, four treatment conditions were established with or without Ca2+ and VDAC inhibitor, namely, 4’-diisothiocyano-2,2’-disulfonic acid stilbene (DIDS). Spermatozoa from adult ICR were collected and released into modified Tyrode’s salt media. And then, they were incubated in the different media with or without Ca2+and DIDS for 90 min at 37℃ in 5% CO2. Intracellular pH ([pH]i) and Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) were measured by their fluorescent indicators, 2,7-bicarboxyethyl-5,6-carboxy- fluorescein acetoxymethyl ester (BCECF- AM) and fura-2 AM, respectively. Western blot of extracted sperm proteins with an anti-phosphotyrosine antibody (pY20) was carried out to determine tyrosine phosphorylation after sperm incubation in different treatments. To evaluate the fertilizing ability after treatments, in vitro fertilization was performed. DIDS significantly decreased [Ca2+]i regardless of Ca2+. [pH]i was efficiently affected by the presence of Ca2+ and/or DIDS. However, the highest decrease of pH level was observed under the presence of DIDS and the absence of Ca2+ in culture condition. Tyrosine phosphorylated protein 1 was significantly different under all treatments. However, tyrosine phosphorylated protein 2 was not significantly different under the presence of DIDS. Fertilization rate was significantly decreased under the presence of DIDS. Blastocyst formation was significantly altered different to compare to control and each treatment group. Therefore it suggests that a voltage-dependent anion channel may involved paramount importance in regulation of male fertility.

Aging is accompanied by progressive impairments in mitochondrial bioenergetics, apoptosis regulation, and gut microbiota homeostasis, all of which contribute to cognitive decline. In this study, we investigat-ed whether the effects of treadmill exercise on the gut microbiota-mito-chondrion-neuronal plasticity axis differed between young (15 months) and old (28 months) mice. Male C57BL/6 mice were randomly assigned to the following groups: early sedentary, early exercise, late sedentary, or late exercise groups and completed an 8-week treadmill training protocol. Cognitive function was assessed using the passive avoidance test and the Morris water maze test. Hippocampal mitochondrial respi-ration, Ca²⁺ retention capacity, and Bax/Bcl-2 expression were quanti-fied, and the gut microbiota composition was analyzed using 16S ribo-somal RNA sequencing. Mice that did not exercise in old age exhibited memory impairment, decreased mitochondrial oxidative respiration, re-duced Ca²⁺ retention, increased Bax expression, decreased Bcl-2 lev-els, and decreased abundance of Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Akkermansia. Exercise significantly improved behavioral performance, mitochondrial function, and apoptosis balance, while also increasing beneficial gut microbiota. Notably, these effects were significantly greater in late-aged compared to early-aged mice. These results demonstrate that the efficacy of exercise in modulating the microbio-ta-mitochondrion-brain axis varies with age. Early-aged appears to rep-resent a more responsive biological period during which exercise is more effective in improving mitochondrial integrity, microbiota compo-sition, and cognitive resilience. These results suggest that initiating ex-ercise early in the aging process may maximize neuroprotective effects and delay age-related functional decline.

본 연구는 절차 공정성과 상호작용 공정성이 채용결과에 따라 개인의 자아존중감에 미치는 효과를 살펴보는 것이었다. 이를 위해 신입사원 선발 상황에서 모의 취업 시험 과제를 사용하여 절차 공정성 및 상호작용 공정성 정도를 실험적으로 조작하였다. 이 실험에서 2(절차 공정성: 공정/불공정) x 2(상호작용 공정성: 공정/불공정) x 2(채용결과: 선발/탈락) 요인의 실험참가자간 요인설계가 사용되었으며, 종속변인으로 수행에 대한 상태 의존적 자아존중감이 측정되었다. 연구 결과, 선발된 집단의 경우 절차 공정성이 높은 조건의 실험참가자들이 절차 공정성이 낮은 조건의 실험참가자들에 비해 수행 자아존중감이 높게 나타났으며, 탈락된 집단의 경우 절차 공정성이 낮은 조건의 실험참가자들이 공정한 절차 조건의 실험참가자들에 비해 수행 자아존중감이 높은 것으로 나타났다. 상호작용 공정성도 자아존중감에 대해 절차 공정성의 효과와 동일한 결과가 나타났다. 끝으로, 본 연구의 한계점과 조직 차원에서 자아존중감을 고양하기 위한 시사점이 논의되었다.

This research examined the effect of procedural justice and interactional justice on individual self-esteem as a function of selection outcome. The justice factors and selection outcome were manipulated by means of employee selection tests in an experimental context. The experiment was conducted using 2 (procedural justice: just/unjust) x 2 (interactional justice: just/unjust) x 2 (selection outcome: pass/fail) between-participants design, and state-dependent self-esteem was measured as a dependent variable. The results suggest that the self-esteem for those who passed the selection tests was higher in the high justice condition than in the low justice condition, whereas the self-esteem for those who failed the selection tests was higher in the low justice condition than in the high justice condition. Finally, the limitations of this research and implications for enhancing self-esteem in an organization were discussed.

Since the separation of the control plane and the data plane for Software-Defined Networking (SDN) leads to more and more security threats on the control plane and the SDN controllers, issues related to threat detection and defense of SDN must be seriously considered. This paper tries to introduce Extenics into the research on threat detection and defense of SDN and proposes an extension approach from a formal viewpoint. It first uses the matter-elements and the composite-elements to formally represent four security-related roles of SDN. It then utilizes the extension theory and basic-elements, by applying the dependent function to threat detection of SDN and making use of the affair-elements to formalize the NETCONF operations for threat defense of SDN. Finally, case study validates the feasibility of proposed extension approach in promoting the formalization of not only the security-related roles of SDN but also threat detection and defense of SDN.

본 연구는 스트레스완화 임상미술치료 프로그램이 여성알코올 의존자의 뇌기능지수의 변화를 살펴보았다. 여 성알코올 의존자 중 임상미술치료를 신청한 자(실험집단 10명, 통제집단 10명)로 주 1회 60분씩 10회기 미술치료를 진행하였다 . 측정도구는 자아존중감 검사, 사회심리적 스트레스 검사, 뇌기능검사를 하였으며, SPSS V 15.0을 이용하여 paired t test 와 Repeated Measure ANOVA로 분석하였다. 연구결과 첫째, 여성알코올 의존자들의 자아존중감은 사전(t=-4.016, p=.003)에서 사후(t=-3.030, p=.014)로 유 의미하게 향상되었다. 둘째, 사회심리적 스트레스는 실험집단과 통제집단 모두 유의미하게 낮아졌으며, 셋째, 집단별 사전-사후 자기조절지수에 대한 paired t test를 실시한 결과 유의미한 차이가 있는 것으로 나타났다(F=8.450, p=.009). 넷째, 집단별 사전-사후 항스트레스지수에 대한 paired t test를 실시한 결과 실험집단은 사전(61.50±5.07)에 비해 사후(75.59±7.80)에 유의미하게 향상되었다(t=-5.351, p=.015). 다섯째, 브레인지수의 반복측정분산분석 결과 검사 시기×집단간 상호작용효과는 유의미한 차이가 있는 것으로 나타났으며(F=16.939, p=.001) 임상미술치료가 브레인지수 개선에 긍정적인 영 향을 미치는 것으로 보여주었다. 이로써 미술치료를 통해 초반보다는 후반으로 갈수록 여성알코올 의존자들의 스트레스를 낮추는데 효과가 있 다는 것을 입증하였다. (임상미술치료학연구 2013;8(1):18-25)

This study examines the infl uence of stress relieving clinical art therapy on the changes in the brain function index of alcohol dependent women. Clinical art therapy was carried out on alcohol dependent women who applied for clinical art therapy (ten in the experimental group, ten in the control group) once a week, 60 minutes each session for a total of ten sessions. The measurement tools used include the self-worth test, social psychological stress test and the brain function test. SPSS V 15.0 was used to carry out paired t-tests and repeated measure ANOVA for analysis. Research results are as follows. First, the self-worth of alcohol dependent women increased signifi cantly before (t=-4.016, p=.003) and after (t=-3.030, p=.014) clinical art therapy. Second, social psychological stress test results show that such stress decreased signifi cantly for both the experimental group and control group. Third, paired t-test results on the self control index before and after clinical art therapy, by group, show that there was a signifi cant difference (F=8.450, p=.009). Fourth, paired t-test results on the antistress levels before and after clinical art therapy, by group, show that stress was signifi cantly enhanced (t=-5.351, p=.015) from before (61.50±5.07) and after (75.59±7.80) therapy. Fifth, repeated measure ANOVA results for the brain index show that the test timing and group interaction effects had a signifi cant difference (F=16.939, p=.001), thus showing that clinical art therapy has a positive effect on enhancing the brain index. With this, the study proved that art therapy was effective in lowering stress in alcohol dependent women as the sessions progressed.

Gd-157 material has very large neutron capture cross section in the thermal region. So it is very useful to shield material for thermal neutrons. Futhermore, in the neutron capture experiment and calculation, the neutron absorption and scattering are very important. Especially these effects are conspicuous in the resonance energy region and below the thermal energy region. In the case of very narrow resonance, the effect of scattering is to be more considerable factor. In the present study, we obtained energy dependent neutron absorption ratios of natural indium in energy region from 0.003 to 100 keV by MCNP-4B Code. The coefficients for neutron absorption was calculated for circular type and 1 mm thickness. In the lower energy region, neutron absorption is larger than higher region, because of large capture cross section (1/v). Furthermore it seems very different neutron absorption in the large resonance energy region. These results are very useful to decide the thickness of sample and shielding materials.

We analyze $MAP_1,\;MAP_2$/G/1 finite queues with service scheduling function dependent upon queue lengths. The customers are classified into two types. The arrivals of customers are assumed to be the Markovian Arrival Processes (MAPs). The service order of customers in each buffer is determined by a service scheduling function dependent upon queue lengths. Methods of embedded Markov chain and supplementary variable give us information for queue length of two buffers. Finally, the performance measures such as loss probability and mean waiting time are derived. Some numerical examples also are given with applications in telecommunication networks.

원인과 결과간의 위상과 work사이의 관계를 correlation function의 견지에서 검토하였고 continuous signal에 포함되어 있는 redundancy를 지적하여 sampling취급의 근거를 auto correlation면에서 보였다. 두 신호사이의 Correlation의 시간변동을 보여줄 수 있는 Time Dependent Correlation Function을 정의하여 PLL회로에서 그 유편성을 보였다. 끝으로 다상포낙선검파법에 의한 특성의 개선을 T.D.Correlation Furction에 의한 Correlation Analysis를 통하려 입증하였다.

The please relation between motive force and result is reviewed in view point of the correlation function as well as the redundancy in a continuous signal which permits the sampled treatment. A new correlation function (to be named Time Dependent Correlation Function) which is a functon of time, is defined in order to indicate the variation of the correlation between two signals. As application a phase looked loop is analysed which shows the increase of correlation between input signal and output signal of the loop after the application of the input signal. Finally again the T.D.Correlation Function method is used to show how the polyphase envelope detection-method is justifiable by this method.

In this paper, we consider a robust output feedback model predictive controller(MPC) design for Wiener model. Nonlinearities that couldn't be represented in static nonlinearity block of Wiener model are regarded as uncertainties in linear block. An dynamic output feedback controller design method is presented for Wiener MPC. According to MPC algorithm, the control law is computed based on linear matrix inequality(LMI)at each sampling time by solving convex optimization. Also, a new parameter dependent Lyapunov function is proposed to get a less conservative condition. The results are illustrated with numerical example.

The present day mass functions of main sequence stars in the well observed open clusters, Hyades, Praesepe, Pleiades, NGC 654 and NGC 6530 arc derived and compared with those computed from the model of time-dependent initial mass function and star formation rate. The agreements between the observed and computed present day mass functions suggest the importance of fragmentation process at the early phase and fragment interaction at the later phase of cluster evolution. This process of star formation is different from that related to the evolution of the solar neighborhood, and also could explain the lack of low mass stars observed in some open clusters.

This article reviewed the current knowledge on time-course manifestation of diabetic urethral dysfunction (DUD), and explored an early intervention target to prevent the contribution of DUD to the progression of diabetes-induced impairment of the lower urinary tract (LUT). In the literature search through PubMed, key words used included “diabetes mellitus,” “diabetic urethral dysfunction,” and “diabetic urethropathy.” Polyuria and hyperglycemia induced by diabetes mellitus (DM) can cause the time-dependent changes in functional and morphological manifestations of DUD. In the early stage, it promotes urethral dysfunction characterized by increased urethral pressure during micturition. However, the detrusor muscle of the bladder tries to compensate for inducing complete voiding by increasing the duration and amplitude of bladder contractions. As the disease progresses, it can induce an impairment of coordinated micturition due to dyssynergic activity of external urethra sphincter, leading to detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia. The impairment of relaxation mechanisms of urethral smooth muscles (USMs) may additionally be attributable to decreased responsiveness to nitric oxide, as well as increased USM responsiveness to α1-adrenergic receptor stimulation. In the late stage, diabetic neuropathy may play an important role in inducing LUT dysfunction, showing that the decompensation of the bladder and urethra, which can cause the decrease of voiding efficiency and the reduced thickness of the urothelium and the atrophy of striated muscle bundles, possibly leading to the vicious cycle of the LUT dysfunction. Further studies to increase our understandings of the functional and molecular mechanisms of DUD are warranted to explore potential targets for therapeutic intervention of DM-induced LUT dysfunction.

About 40% of reactors in the world are being operated beyond design life or are approaching the end of their life cycle. During long-term operation, various degradation mechanisms occur. Fatigue caused by alternating operational stresses in terms of temperature or pressure change is an important damage mechanism in continued operation of nuclear power plants. To monitor the fatigue damage of components, Fatigue Monitoring System (FMS) has been installed. Most FMSs have used Green's Function Approach (GFA) to calculate the thermal stresses rapidly. However, if temperature-dependent material properties are used in a detailed FEM, there is a maximum peak stress discrepancy between a conventional GFA and a detailed FEM because constant material properties are used in a conventional method. Therefore, if a conventional method is used in the fatigue evaluation, thermal stresses for various operating cycles may be calculated incorrectly and it may lead to an unreliable estimation. So, in this paper, the modified GFA which can consider temperature-dependent material properties is proposed by using an artificial neural network and weight factor. To verify the proposed method, thermal stresses by the new method are compared with those by FEM. Finally, pros and cons of the new method as well as technical findings from the assessment are discussed.

We previously reported that the p53 tumor suppressor protein plays an essential role in the induction of tetraploid G1 arrest in response to perturbation of the actin cytoskeleton, termed actin damage. In this study, we investigated the role of p53, ataxia telangiectasia mutated protein (ATM), and catalytic subunit of DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PKcs) in tetraploid G1 arrest induced by actin damage. Treatment with actin-damaging agents including pectenotoxin-2 (PTX-2) increases phosphorylation of Ser-15 and Ser-37 residues of p53, but not Ser-20 residue. Knockdown of ATM and DNA-PKcs do not affect p53 phosphorylation induced by actin damage. However, while ATM knockdown does not affect tetraploid G1 arrest, knockdown of DNA-PKcs not only perturbs tetraploid G1 arrest, but also results in formation of polyploidy and induction of apoptosis. These results indicate that DNA-PKcs is essential for the maintenance of actin damage induced-tetraploid G1 arrest in a p53-independent manner. Furthermore, actin damage-induced p53 expression is not observed in cells synchronized at G1/S of the cell cycle, implying that p53 induction is due to actin damage-induced tetraploidy rather than perturbation of actin cytoskeleton. Therefore, these results suggest that p53 and DNA-PKcs independently function for tetraploid G1 arrest and preventing polyploidy formation.

We previously reported that the p53 tumor suppressor protein plays an essential role in the induction of tetraploid G1 arrest in response to perturbation of the actin cytoskeleton, termed actin damage. In this study, we investigated the role of p53, ataxia telangiectasia mutated protein (ATM), and catalytic subunit of DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PKcs) in tetraploid G1 arrest induced by actin damage. Treatment with actin-damaging agents including pectenotoxin-2 (PTX-2) increases phosphorylation of Ser-15 and Ser-37 residues of p53, but not Ser-20 residue. Knockdown of ATM and DNA-PKcs do not affect p53 phosphorylation induced by actin damage. However, while ATM knockdown does not affect tetraploid G1 arrest, knockdown of DNA-PKcs not only perturbs tetraploid G1 arrest, but also results in formation of polyploidy and induction of apoptosis. These results indicate that DNA-PKcs is essential for the maintenance of actin damage induced-tetraploid G1 arrest in a p53-independent manner. Furthermore, actin damage-induced p53 expression is not observed in cells synchronized at G1/S of the cell cycle, implying that p53 induction is due to actin damage-induced tetraploidy rather than perturbation of actin cytoskeleton. Therefore, these results suggest that p53 and DNA-PKcs independently function for tetraploid G1 arrest and preventing polyploidy formation.

We previously reported that the p53 tumor suppressor protein plays an essential role in the induction of tetraploid G1 arrest in response to perturbation of the actin cytoskeleton, termed actin damage. In this study, we investigated the role of p53, ataxia telangiectasia mutated protein (ATM), and catalytic subunit of DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PKcs) in tetraploid G1 arrest induced by actin damage. Treatment with actin-damaging agents including pectenotoxin-2 (PTX-2)increases phosphorylation of Ser-15 and Ser-37 residues of p53, but not Ser-20 residue. Knockdown of ATM and DNA-PKcs do not affect p53 phosphorylation induced by actin damage. However, while ATM knockdown does not affect tetraploid G1 arrest, knockdown of DNA-PKcs not only perturbs tetraploid G1 arrest, but also results in formation of polyploidy and induction of apoptosis. These results indicate that DNA-PKcs is essential for the maintenance of actin damage induced-tetraploid G1 arrest in a p53-independent manner. Furthermore, actin damage-induced p53 expression is not observed in cells synchronized at G1/S of the cell cycle, implying that p53 induction is due to actin damage-induced tetraploidy rather than perturbation of actin cytoskeleton. Therefore, these results suggest that p53 and DNA- PKcs independently function for tetraploid G1 arrest and preventing polyploidy formation.

In this paper, we consider a simple method for testing the assumption of independent censoring on the basis of a Cox proportional hazards regression model with a time-dependent covariate. This method involves a two-stage sampling in which a random subset of censored observations is selected and followed-up until their true survival times are observed. Lee and Wolfe(1998) proposed an adjusted estimate of the survivor function for the dependent censoring under a proportional hazards alternative. This paper extends their result to obtain a bootstrap confidence interval for the adjusted survivor function under the dependent censoring. The proposed procedure is illustrated with an example of a clinical trial for lung cancer analysed in Lee and Wolfe(1998).