The goal of this study was to develop a haptic communication system that can convey the tactile sensation of fashion materials in a virtual environment. In addition, the effectiveness and how realistically the virtual fabric image of this system delivers the tactile sensation of actual fabric was verified. First, a literature review was conducted through which the tactile attributes of fashion materials were defined that would be implemented in the haptic communication system. Then, a questionnaire for evaluating the tactile attributes of fashion materials was developed. Next, a haptic communication system was designed to convey fashion image experiences in a virtual environment, from which a haptic rendering model was suggested. The effectiveness of the haptic communication system was evaluated by verifying user experiences with questions developed through a user evaluation experiment. The validity of the evaluation questions pertaining to the tactile attributes and the effects of the haptic communication system were verified. Factor analysis was conducted to verify the evaluation of the tactile sense attributes of the fashion material, which identified density, thickness, and elasticity of the material as key factors. As a result of comparisons between the tactile sense through haptic characteristics and through touching, it was observed that regarding density and thickness, tactile sense experience led to greater perceived reality, while this was not the case for elasticity.

In this research, we conducted an empirical study using the theory of sociologist Jean Baudrillard to examine the phenomenon of contemporary people in Korea acquiring tattoos. The researcher classified the consumption behavior of modern society, as described by Baudrillard in The Consumer Society, into three keyword phrases: consumption by personal taste, coded consumption, and recyclage of consumption. Using this as the premise of the study, 18 men and women in their 20s and 30s completed questionnaires and interviews, and the results supported labeling tattoo consumption as consumption by personal taste, tattoos as coded consumption, and recyclage of tattoo consumption, similar to the consumption pattern that Baudrillard sees. First, the younger generations have consumed tattoos according to their personal preferences. They express themselves by tattooing for self-complacency, self-marking, pursuing individuality, overcoming the appearance complex, and seeking pleasure. Second, they have consumed socially coded tattoos. They say that tattoos domestically act as negative codes and symbolize individuals. Although tattoos are a symbol of artists who are relatively free from social norms, they are still a symbol of social misfits created as such by negative perceptions. Third, the pattern of tattoo consumption is like that of contemporary consumption. Tattoos already have become part of popular culture in Korea, and there has been a changing trend in tattoo culture. This study has significance in that tattoos were regarded as a consumption behavior that deviated, from the perspective of deviance. That phenomenon of today’s tattoo culture of today was confirmed through the empirical study.

Government policy supporting the fashion industry in Korea has focused on the future development of rising fashion designer’s brands, and as a part of this support, several Fashion Creative Studios are presently operated. The purpose of this study is to identify the meaning of these facilities and suggest development strategies for their effective utilization. This paper presents a conceptual understanding based on a literature review, and deduces the direction of Fashion Creative Studios through an exploratory analysis of various case studies and in-depth interviews with five designers, who have graduated from the Seoul Fashion Creative Studio. The results are as follows. Firstly, fashion educational institutions have to provide sufficient information about the Fashion Creative Studios to students. They can also consider adding short-term residencies to the curriculum in which students prepare collections or portfolios for the studios. Secondly, Fashion Creative Studios are required to intensify business and marketing programs to increase real-world support. It would be helpful to provide 1:1 management programs with several segmented stages for the design brands, or connect them to investors who could provide financial support and business expansion. Thirdly, Fashion Creative Studios need to find a way to strengthen textile differentiation and craft characteristics to increase designer brand competitiveness. Broadening participation with textile designers, connecting with experts and ateliers, and promoting collaboration with artists and artisans in the Arts Creative Studios can be further examined to this end.

Naringenin and its glycoside naringin (naringenin-7-O-glycoside) belong to this series of flavonoids and were well-known strong antioxidant activity. This study was conducted to flavonoid constituents and antioxidant activity of Pleurotus ostreatus and Pleurotus cornucopiae. In order to determine active ingredient contents of Pleurotus ostreatus and Pleurotus cornucopiae, we were carried out total polyphenolic content (TPC) and flavonoid content (TFC) analyses. As a result, TPC (31.05 ± 0.03 g GAE/kg extract) and TFC (13.25 ± 1.24 g NE/kg extract) of Pleurotus cornucopiae were found significantly higher as compared to Pleurotus ostreatus. The IC50 values based on the DPPH (56.50 ± 0.73 μg/ml) and ABTS (86.53 ± 3.86 μg/ml) for Pleurotus cornucopiae were generally stronger showing potential antioxidant properties compared to Pleurotus ostreatus. In addition, naringin and naringenin content were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography analysis. A great amount of naringin and naringenin was found in Pleurotus cornucopiae. These results indicate that the Pleurotus cornucopiae can be used as an antioxidant therapeutic agent.

The migration, adhesion, and proliferation of conceptuses during pregnancy are tightly controlled processes that are mediated by various factors including cytokines, growth factors, and hormones. Among many factors, chemokines play key roles in lymphocyte trafficking, cellular proliferation, vascularization, and embryogenesis in many mammalian species. Especially, it has been shown that C-X-C chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12) plays an important role in early pregnancy by promoting trophoblast invasion, proliferation, and differentiation through its receptor, C-X-C chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) in humans. However, expression and function of CXCL12 in the uterine endometrium during pregnancy have not been well studied in pigs. Thus, we determined expression of CXCL12 and its receptor, CXCR4, in the uterine endometrium during the estrous cycle and pregnancy in pigs. We obtained endometrial tissues from gilts on day (D) 12 and D15 of the estrous cycle and D12, D15, D30, D60, D90, and D114 of pregnancy, conceptus tissues from D12 and D15 of pregnancy, and chorioallantoic tissues from D30, D60, D90, and D114 of pregnancy. Real-time RT-PCR analysis showed that levels of CXCL12 and CXCR4 mRNAs changed in the uterine endometrium during pregnancy. Levels of CXCL12 and CXCR4 mRNAs on D15 of pregnancy were higher than those on D15 of the estrous cycle. After D15 of pregnancy levels of CXCL12 and CXCR4 mRNAs gradually decreased toward term of pregnancy, and CXCL12 and CXCR4 were expressed in the chorioallantoic tissues during the mid- to late pregnancy. CXCL12 and CXCR4 mRNAs were expressed in chorioallantoic tissues during mid- to late pregnancy, and RT-PCR analysis showed that CXCL12 and CXCR4 mRNAs were detectable in conceptus on D12 and D15 of pregnancy. Immunohistochemistry showed that CXCL12 proteins were localized to endometrial luminal and glandular epithelial cells during the estrous cycle and pregnancy, and to chorionic epithelial cells during mid- to late pregnancy. Abundance of CXCL12 mRNAs, but not CXCR4, in the uterine endometrium was increased by the treatment of IFNG. These results showed that CXCL12 and CXCR4 were expressed in the uterine endometrium, conceptus, and chorioallantoic tissues and IFNG increased endometrial CXCL12 expression in pigs, suggesting that CXCL12 and its receptor may play a key role in regulation of the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy by affecting the conceptus development in pigs. [supported by the Next Generation BioGreen 21 Program (#PJ01110301), Rural Development Administration]

Technological change leads to a value shift in human society. Various cultural experiences through the digital paradigm influence the expression of fashion. This article considers fashion film as a new form for presenting fashion and explores the distinctiveness of expression in digital fashion film. For the methodology, a literature review was conducted to examine the concepts and features of digital fashion film and metareality. Empirical research was also performed by drawing from Nick Knight’s digital films, “Sans Couture”, “#asif”, and “The Elegant Universe” and by specifically analyzing the classification of the themes, visuals, and auditory expression. The results are as follows. The proliferation of fashion film has accelerated in the internet environment. New media in the digital era allows images to become more realistic and variable through immaterial conversion. Metareality is the notion of a reality beyond existence. A metarealistic image maintains the metaphysical nature of an object and transcends empirical appearance. It possesses immaterial, transboundary, and multidimensional features, and the image is realized by digital technology. The expression analysis identifies the metareality expressed in contemporary fashion film appearing as atypical forms, irrational combinations, and the playfulness of motion. It shows a positive attitude, transcending the immaterial limit of reality toward fashion. This study indicates how fashion as products challenges the metaphysical transformation in the digital era. The exploration of metareality in digital fashion film promotes a wider perspective and understanding of the concept of fashion.

This study proposes the use of fashion as a tool of psychotherapy for individuals feeling social and psychological pressure due to society’s emphasis on appearances. The concept of fashion therapy was re-established, and theories (cognitive behavioral therapy, person-centered therapy, solution-focused brief therapy) founded on art therapy were introduced. Based on past research, this study developed a process for fashion therapy.

Interleukin-12 (IL12) and IL23 are members of the IL12 family and secreted from antigen presenting cells (APCs) such as dendritic cells and macrophages. IL12 and IL23 are composed of two subunits of a sharing subunit, IL12B, and a unique subunit, IL12A for IL12 and IL23A for IL23. IL12 is involved in induction of T helper (Th) type 1 response, whereas IL23 is associated with the differentiation of naive T cells into Th17 cells. It has shown that IL12, a proinflammatory cytokine, is down-regulated during pregnancy for successful establishment and maintenance pregnancy and increases in plasma levels in women with preeclampsia. IL23 decreases IL12 expression to change the immune microenvironment at the maternal fetal interface in humans and mice. In the present study we determined the expression of IL12 and IL23 and their receptors in the endometrium and placenta during pregnancy. Real-time RT-PCR analysis showed levels of IL12A and IL12B mRNAs in the endometrium were high during early pregnancy, but maintained low during mid- to term pregnancy. During pregnancy, levels of IL12RB1 mRNA in the endometrium showed a biphasic pattern with the highest levels on Days 15 and 60 of pregnancy, while levels of IL12RB2 mRNA did not change. Levels of IL23A and IL23R mRNAs in the endometrium decreased toward term pregnancy. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that IL12A protein was localized specifically to scattered cells in endometrial stroma, but barely detected during mid- to term pregnancy. Conceptuses from early pregnancy expressed IL12, IL23, and their receptors, except IL12RB2, and corioallantoic tissues during mid- to late pregnancy expressed IL12, IL23, and their receptors, but not IL23R. These results showed that IL12 and IL23 and their receptors were expressed at the maternal-conceptus interface, suggesting that IL12 and IL23 may play a key role in regulating maternal immune environment for the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy in pigs.