In a conventional sense, dried-spermatozoa are all dead and motionless due to the lost of their natural ability to penetrate oocytes both in vivo and in vitro. However, their nuclei are completely able to contribute to normal embryonic development even after long-term preservation in a dried state when the dried-spermatozoa are microinjected into the oocytes. In this sense, dried spermatozoa must still be alive. Thus, defining spermatozoa as alive or dead seems rather arbitrary. Several drying method of sperm including freeze-drying, evaporative/convective-drying and heat-drying were represented in this review. Although the drying protocol reported here will need further improvement, the results suggest that it may be possible to store the male genetic resources.

The sintering mechanisms of nanoscale copper powders have been investigated. A molecular dynamics (MD) simulation with the embedded-atom method (EAM) was employed for these simulations. The dimensional changes for initial-stage sintering such as characteristic lengths, neck growth, and neck angle were calculated to understand the densification behavior of copper nano-powders. Factors affecting sintering such as the temperature, powder size, and crystalline misalignment between adjacent powders have also been studied. These results could provide information of setting the processing cycles and material designs applicable to nano-powders. In addition, it is expected that MD simulation will be a foundation for the multi-scale modeling in sintering process.

The online game market has grown rapidly in worldwide. The world game market earned 111.7 billion US dollars and online game occupies 18.9% (21.1 billion US dollars) in the world game market in 2012. Online game companies have launched a variety of free online games to online game players such as League of Legends (LOL), World of Tank, and Hearthstone. These online games provide online game with free install with online game players. Online game companies, however, sell some of online game items to the game users. For example, LOL sells Skin that is the cloth which only provides fancy effect to online game hero through the online game shop. In case of ‘Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft’, game user can purchase game card deck by cash. This study was initiated to answer the following research question called “How these online game companies get profit?” because their online games are free to play. The research upon the question mentioned above leads to the second research question called “how online game users purchase the cash game items?”. To understand purchasing behavior and attitude of online game players about cash game item, this study conducts focus group interview of LOL game player to understand purchase behavior of game players for online games items. The results of focus group interview help us to understand the relationship between attitude toward online game items and consumption values. The purposes of this study are 1) to understand online game players’ purchasing behavior for LOL luxury Skin, 2) to find out relationships among online game experience, design innovative Skin, consumption values, and repurchase intention, and 3) to draw academic and practical implications based upon the result of analysis in this study.

The global diffusions of free trade agreements have encouraged an increasing number of companies to participate in foreign markets. However, export firms fall behind big data-based customers in international export markets. The gap between the needs of export markets and the capabilities of export companies is broadening. Marketing capabilities are export firms’ ability to understand what target customers want and develop tactical marketing actions and allocate available resources, and achieve export performance (Day 1994; Vorhies and Morgan, 2003). Export firms have to enhance marketing capabilities to narrow the gap (Day, 2011). This study investigates marketing capabilities, export marketing strategies, and their relationships with export performance of the export companies in an industrial complex in South Korea. This study tries to find how marketing variables impact the performance of export firms through the relationships among them. Marketing literature examined that the suitability between marketing capabilities and export marketing strategy is important because of its impact on export performance. Export marketing literature reviewed that export firms’ characteristics such as international experience, firm size, firm age, and export intensity, firm level of market orientation are considered positively related to export performance. Especially for inexperienced and small and medium-sized firms, which have limited marketing resources to achieve successful export performance, the right choice of export marketing, export marketing strategy, and export performance is indispensable. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the moderating effects of export firms’ characteristics on the interactive linkages within marketing capability, export marketing strategy, and export performance. Our first focus in this study is the relationships between marketing capabilities and export strategies and both export marketing strategy and export performance. We discuss their relationships with each other and with export firms’ performance. We develop testable hypotheses as shown in Fig.1. The final samples we used are 104 manufactured export firms in S. Korea. Next, as a result of testing, based on the relationships of having positive effects, we identify the moderating effects of export firms’ characteristics. Our research model proposes that marketing capabilities affect export marketing strategies and ‘specialized marketing capabilities’. These affect the overall export performance. We therefore hypothesize that H1: Marketing organizational capability is positively related to (a) export marketing strategy and (b) specialized export marketing capability. H2: Marketing human resource capability is positively related to (a) export marketing strategy and (b) specialized export marketing capability. H3: Marketing financial capability is positively related to (a) export marketing strategy and (b) specialized export marketing capability. H4: Marketing infrastructure is positively related to (a) export marketing strategy and (b) specialized export marketing capability. H5: Export marketing strategy is positively related to (a) specialized export marketing capability and (b) export performance. H6: Specialized export marketing capability is positively related to export performance. The results of our PLS-SEM analyses are as follows. Our results support H1b, linking marketing organizational capability and specialized export marketing capability. Marketing infrastructure was found to be positively related to both export marketing strategy and specialized export marketing capability, supporting H4a and H4b, respectively. We also observed that export marketing strategy a positive link with specialized export marketing capability and export performance, supporting H5a and H5b, respectively. However, no support is found for H2, H3, and H6. Moderating Effects of Export firms’ Characteristic Factors We tested how export firms’ characteristics moderate the relationships described in our research model (Hypotheses1-6) We used the moderate factors such as export product (final product vs. parts), customer (domestic vs. overseas, company (manufacturer vs. vendor), employment size (less than 100 person, 100 to300, more than 300), sales(less than $46 million, $46 million to $182 million, more than $182 million), export intensity (less than 50% vs. more than 50%) The moderating effects of export firms’ characteristics on the relationships within our research model are discussed (see Figure 1). Four of 30 moderating hypotheses for export firms’ characteristics were supported. The more number of employees and Greater sales volume strengthened the relationships between marketing infrastructures and export marketing strategies. Higher foreign customer strengthened the relationships between marketing infrastructure and specialized export marketing capability. Greater final products strengthened the relationships between export marketing strategies and export performance. However, the relationships between marketing organizational capability and specialized export marketing capability and between export marketing strategy and specialized export marketing capability were not significantly changed with export firms’ characteristic factors. There are no moderating effects on the types of firm and the types of export intensity. The results of this research suggest that the export companies should consider the choice of export marketing strategies the most important factor to achieve high export performance. This study indicates that policy makers for export companies in S. Korea should develop export assistant programs based on export firms’ characteristic factors such as the number of employee, sales volume, the type of customer, and the type of export product. Following limitations of this research should be noted. First, in addition to the manufacturing industry, more researches should be done in other industries. The findings of this study will ensure more validation. Second, to assess the export performance of export firms, this study uses the subjective opinion of respondent about the degree of export performance because of the difficulties of obtaining financial data. The objective financial data should be used to ensure more objectiveness for this research. Third, this study relies on survey data related to the export companies within an industrial complex area in S. Korea. It should be extended to other regions.

Oncholaimid nematode, Oncholaimus secundicollis Shimada, Kajihara and Mawatari, 2009, is firstly reported based on a comparative morphological study. The present specimens of O. secundicollis are collected from rocky intertidal seagrass on the eastern coast of Korea. Oncholaimus secundicollis is distinguished from all of its congeners by the following combination of morphological characteristics: buccal cavity large with thick cuticular wall and three teeth, left subventral tooth larger than right subventral or dorsal teeth, and the presence of two remarkable precloacal papillae with nine pairs of cloacal setae and single ventral tail papilla with two pairs of short setae. In this study, we provide taxonomic description and illustration of unrecorded species of the genus Oncholaimus.

Three unrecorded species of free-living marine nematodes, belonging to genus Enoplus Dujardin, 1845 collected from rocky intertidal seagrass on the eastern coast of Korea, are described and illustrated. Enoplus taipingensis Zhang and Zhou, 2012 is characterized by longer body size, a series of lateral setae throughout the tail in male, the presence of trumpet-shaped precloacal supplement with well-dilated proximal end, and the presence of spicules with five to eight semicircular plates. Enoplus meridionalis Steiner, 1921 is characterized by the presence of trumpetshaped precloacal supplement with slightly dilated proximal end, paired massive spicules, and tail with two pairs of stout terminal setae. Enoplus mammillatus Timm, 1959 is easily distinguished from the congeners by narrow tubular-shaped precloacal supplement. In this study, we provide detailed morphological features of three Enoplus species by differential interference contrast microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. This is the first report on the species of the genus Enoplus from the Korean waters.

Engagement relates to how writers acknowledge the presence of their readers by explicitly bringing them into the discourse. This study examines how master’s theses by Korean graduate students differ from internationally acknowledged journal articles in their engagement practices. Within the specific discipline of applied linguistics, it compares both quantitative and qualitative aspects of engagement resources employed by novice and expert groups. The results indicate that compared with expert writers, Korean graduate students significantly underuse engagement devices. For individual devices and their rhetorical functions, more insightful novice-expert variations were found. Student writers tend to address undefined general audiences quite often, making their texts less-reciprocal and less effective for negotiation with readers. Further, Korean students prefer to deploy less imposing textual directives, rather separated from the main argumentation. Their uses of cognitive directives and questions are also quite confined, and not as strategic as the expert practices. These characteristics provide valuable implications for Korean EAP writing pedagogy.

Pigs are considered an ideal source of human disease model due to their physiological similarities to humans. However, the low efficiency of in vitro embryo production (IVP) is still a major barrier in the production of pig offspring with gene manipulation. Despite ongoing advances in the associated technologies, the developmental capacity of IVP pig embryos is still lower than that of their in vivo counterparts, as well as IVP embryos of other species (e.g., cattle and mice). The efficiency of IVP can be influenced by many factors that affect various critical steps in the process. The previous relevant reviews have focused on the in vitro maturation system, in vitro culture conditions, in vitro fertilization medium, issues with polyspermy, the utilized technologies, etc. In this review, we concentrate on factors that have not been fully detailed in prior reviews, such as the oocyte morphology, oocyte recovery methods, denuding procedures, first polar body morphology and embryo quality.

Entomopathogenic Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae are well-known biological control agents worldwide and have high potential in industrialization. However their thermo-susceptibility limits long-term storage under high temperature conditions and high insecticidal activity after application to target pests. Herein we isolated highly virulent isolates, B. bassiana JEF006 and JEF007 and M. anisopliae JEF003 and JEF004, and produced in three grains, such as sorghum, millet and Italian millet as substrates for solid cultures, followed by thermotolerance assays to compare the potential of the three substrates for thermotolerance. The JEF isolates were exposed to dry and wet heat at 50°C and overall conidia were more stable under dry heat condition rather than wet heat. Of the three grains, Italian millet was superior to the other grains in the production of thermotolerant conidia. Additionally Italian millet did not severely aggregated, which enabled air to penetrate into the substrate well compared to the sorghum and millet. JEF isolates were more thermotolerant when they were kept in oil conditions as carriers of an oil-based formulation. This work suggests that Italian millet can be used as an effective substrate to produce more thermotolerant conidia, thus maintaining viability for long times under unfavorable environment and biological activity against target pests.

The entomopathogenic fungus, Beauveria bassiana is widely used in integrated pest management (IPM), however its successful application is often limited by the little effort to explore its functions of unknown genes. In this work, egfp-expression cassette was randomly integrated into B. bassiana using Agrobacterium tumefaciensmediated transformation, and the general features of the mutants with unusual characteristics and the localization of the integrated genes were explored. To construct a transformation vector, egfp-expression cassette including gpdA promoter and trpC terminator was cut from pBARKS1-egfp using SacI and HindIII and integrated into pCAMBIA containing hygromycin B resistant hygR gene, designated as pCAMBIA-egfp. Transformed B. bassiana isolates were grown on quarter strength-Sabouraud dextrose agar containing 150 μg hygromycinB ml-1. Expression of egfp was investigated by RT-PCR and a fluorescent microscope (400×). Through the genome walking of the transformants using adaptor primers and gene specific primers, unique bands were detected on the egfp-expressing transformants, which were sequenced to figure out the flanking regions. This work provides a platform of methodology to figure out unknown functional genes of B .bassiana and possibly suggest an improved strategy to use the entomopathogen in IPM.

The purpose of this study was to find out an inspiratory muscles training program’s therapeutic effects on stroke patients’respiratory function. For the purpose, this study targeted 20 stroke patients being hospitalized in K hospital in Daegu, and diveded the patients into the both groups of Inspiratory muscle training(IMT) group and control group, randomization. The 10 patients in the IMT group was applied the inspiratory muscles training. The control group was composed of other 10 patients. IMT group was given a inspiratory muscle training program for 30 minutes per times, 5 times a week for 6 weeks. The investigator measured the patients’respiratory function compared changes in the function and ability before and after the IMT. The results of this study are as follows. Investigating the inspiratory muscle training group’s lung functions, there appeared some significant differences in the tests the FVC(Forced vital capacity), FEV1(Forced expired volume in one second) before and after the training(p<.05), but the control group had no significant in the same tests before and after(p<.05). The differences in the both groups after depending the inspiratory muscles training were significantly found in the tests of FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC(p<.05). The maximum inspiratory pressure showed some significant differences in the inspiratory muscle training group(p<.05), but didn't show any significant difference in the control group(p>.05). Conclusionally, it will be judged that the inspiratory muscles training program will improve stroke patients’respiratory function, and it is considered that will move up stroke patients’gait and body function.

Flowering responses under night interruption (NI) condition were determined in Doritaenopsis ‘Fuller’s Sunset ’, ‘Green Beer’, ‘Little Gem Stripes’, and ‘Queen Beer’ during their reproductive stages. Plants were grown under 10/14 h ambient light/dark (control), 10 h ambient light with night interruption (22 : 00-02 : 00 HR) at low light intensity of 3-7 μmol • m−2 • s−1 (LNI) and 10 h ambient light with NI at high light intensity of 120 μmol • m−2 • s−1 (HNI) conditions after flower spike emergence. Time to visible bud and flowering decreased more in the plants grown under HNI than those grown under LNI or control conditions. The number of buds or flowers increased in the plants grown under both LNI and HNI conditions compared to those grown under control condition for all cultivars. The tallest plants at flowering were in the HNI group in ‘Queen Beer’, ‘Green Beer’, and ‘Fuller’s Sunset’, however, the plant height was not significantly different among the treatments in ‘Little Gem Stripes’. NI with low light intensity or high light intensity can be used effectively to promote flower opening, but not with low light intensity at flower development stage. To obtain early flowering with high quality plants using NI treatment during their reproductive stage, high light intensity strategies could be suggested in Doritaenopsis cultivation.

The effects of seed soaking treatment with the solutions of plant growth regulators IAA, GA3 and BAP on seed germination and shoot and bulb growth of Allium victorialis var. platyphyllum (Korean wild garlic) were determined. A significant variation in the seed germination rate was recorded at all treatments for various soaking periods. Maximum seed germination was obtained when seeds were soaked in IAA or GA3 solution at 200 mg L-1. The MAP treated seeds started to germinate after 3 months. Among treatments, IAA was found to be most effective in improving seed germination, but further seedling growth was not correlated to the soaking time. Seed soaking in IAA or GA3 solution enhanced further growth of seedlings compared with water control treatment. Shoot and bulb growth was highest in GA3 treatments.

백두대간 구룡령-약수산 마루금에 22개의 방형구(100m2)를 설정하여 식생을 조사하였다. 식생군집을 분석한 결과 신갈나무-까치박달나무-당단풍나무군집, 신갈나무군집, 층층나무-신갈나무군집 등 3개의 군집으로 분류되었다. 백두대간 구룡령-약수산 마루금은 대부분 신갈나무가 우점하고 있었으며, 일부지역에서 까치박달나무와 층층나무 등이 혼효하고 있었다. 수종간의 상관관계에서 신갈나무와 노린재나무, 철쭉; 피나무와 찰피나무, 노린재나무; 찰피나무와 노린재나무, 철쭉; 거제수나무와 고로쇠나무; 노린재나무와 철쭉 등의 수종 간에는 높은 정의 상관이 인정되었다. 당단풍나무와 노린재나무, 철쭉 등의 수종 간에는 높은 부의 상관이 인정되었다. 조사지의 군집별 종다양성 지수는 0.8170~1.1446범위로 백두대간에 위치한 국립공원들의 능선부 식생구조 보다는 약간 낮게 나타났다.

To compensate for the critical shortage of human organs for allotransplantation, xenotransplantation studies using genetically modified pigs are being performed in Korea. Two types of pigs that are used are α1,3-galactosyltransferase gene knockout (GalT KO) pigs and GalT KO+hCD46 (human complement regulatory protein) pigs. The present study measured the gestation time, birth weight, daily growth rate, and heart weight of both kinds of transgenic minipigs. The gestation period for both types of pigs was 117∼119 days. There was no difference in the body weight of GalT KO (—/+) and GalT KO (—/—) piglets, but GalT KO+hCD46 (—hCD46+/+) pigs were significantly heavier at birth than were GalT KO+hCD46 (—hCD46+/—hCD46+) pigs. During the first 10 weeks of life, the daily weight gain of GalT KO+hCD46 (—hCD46+/—CD46+) piglets, which are considered the optimal type for xenotransplantation, was 0.19 kg. The weight of hearts from GalT KO piglets up to two months of age was affected more by body weight than by age. Transgenic pigs showed no differences in gestation period or reproductive ability compared with normal pigs. These results comprise basic data that may be used in xenotransplantation studies and transgenic animal production in Korea.

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of E. coli on boar sperm quality and reproductive performance in sows after artificial insemination. Three different levels of E. coli were artificially inoculated to semen with following concentrations; Control, 500, 5,000 and 50,000 colony forming unit (cfu)/ml. Semen samples were preserved at 17℃ for 5 days. Sperm motility was significantly decreased (p<0.05) on day 3 in the group inoculated with 5,000cfu/ml compared to control groups. In all treatment groups, sperm motility was gradually decreased as storage time increased, but the decline pattern was more drastic in the groups inoculated with 5,000 and 50,000 cfu/ml groups from day 3 (p<0.05) compared to control group. After 3 day of storage at 17℃, sperm viability in sample inoculated with the highest concentration (50,000 cfu/ml) of bacteria was less (p<0.05) than that of control group. The pH of semen sample pH was maintained 7.2～7.5 in all groups during the experimental period. No differences (p>0.05) were found for both storage time and bacterial concentration. The pregnancy rate and live born piglets tend to decrease by increasing the concentration of E. coli in semen. In particular, the rate of pregnancy was lower in the group inoculated with 50,000 cfu/ml (58.3%) compare to the other groups (81.8, 75.0, 76.5%). These results suggest that the contamination of E. coli in boar semen negatively affects fertilizing ability of boar sperm and the reproductive performance obtained from sows after artificial insemination.

This study was conducted in order to examine relationship between stroke patients' degree of satisfaction with leisure and quality of life according to their leisure activity types and whether they conducted leisure activities. A direct survey was performed from April 8 to May 3, 2013 on 92 inpatients and outpatients who received occupational therapy at hospitals located in Jeonju and Gunsan. A frequency analysis was carried out in order to look at the general characteristics of the subjects, their degree of participation in leisure activities, and their degree of satisfaction with leisure activities. A Pearson's coefficient was used to examine relationship between their degree of satisfaction and quality of life according to participation in leisure activities. Their degree of satisfaction according to participation in leisure activities was significantly higher when they took part in leisure activities such as handicraft activities, sports activities, or travel or tourism activities than when they did not perform any leisure activities. Their quality of life according to participation in leisure activities was higher when they conducted sports activities, outing activities, or tourism activities than when they did not. There was significant correlation between their degree of satisfaction with leisure and quality of life according to leisure activities.