Cryopreservation of bovine embryos is used to efficiently implant surrogate mothers. It has been widely accepted that high lipid content in the oocyte interrupts its survival during freeze-thaw cycles. Serum component in the culture medium is thought to increase the embryo`s lipid contents. Conversely, L-carnitine stimulates lipid metabolism by transporting long chain fatty acids into the mitochondria. Objective of this study was to analyze the effect of L-carnitine supplementation in IVM medium and defined IVC medium on the development, lipid contents and the cryosurvival of bovine IVF embryos. 0.0, 1.5, 3.0 and 6.0 mM L-carnitine was supplemented in IVM medium, respectively (IVM-LC 0.0, LC 1.5, LC 3.0 and LC 6.0). Development rate from the 2cell to the morula stages was higher in IVM-LC 3.0 groups than those of IVM-LC 6.0 (p<0.05). But there were no significant differences among the other groups in the blastocyst rates and lipid content results. When 0.0, 1.5, 3.0 and 6.0 mM L-carnitine were supplemented in IVC medium (IVC-LC 0.0, LC 1.5, LC 3.0 and LC 6.0), development competence was not significantly different between those embryos. Lipid contents of embryos treated L-carnitine (IVC-LC 1.5, 3.0 and 6.0) were significantly lower than embryos of non-treated group. L-carnitine was supplemented 0.0, 1.5, 3.0, 6.0 mM during IVM and 3.0 mM during IVC (LC 0.0 - 3.0, LC 1.5 – 3.0, LC 3.0 – 3.0, LC 6.0 – 3.0) and cryosurvival of blastocysts confirmed after freezing-thawing. There were no significant differences on development, but LC 3.0 – 3.0 was significantly lower lipid contents than other groups. And LC 3.0 – 3.0 had better survival rates and hatched rates of blastocysts than LC 0.0 – 0.0. In conclusion, supplementation of L-carnitine in defined IVC medium decreases lipid contents. And L-carnitine supplementation improves cryosurvival and developmental ability of bovine IVF embryos.

Introduction The concentration of manufacturing factories in China signals a significant change in the global economy. Manufacturers in countries that are not price competitive feel a sense of crisis and use servitization in the manufacturing industry as a countermeasure. In particular, with the recent rapid development of IoT and AI, service methods are becoming faster and more diverse resulting in increased research on servitization. Vandermerwe and Rada (1988), who first mentioned the term servitization, define it as providing customer-focused products, services, support, self-service, and knowledge, all bundled together. Despite numerous studies on servitization few consider the customer’s perspective, although many consider the producer’s point of view. So far existing research only explored on how consumers accept value-in-use based on an accurate understanding of consumers' needs from the consumer perspective in servitization, based on expectation-confirmation theory. This study examines how customers accept servitization and links it to customer satisfaction. Literature review Servitization Ren and Gregory (2007) defined servitization as a strategic change in which manufacturing companies develop service-oriented or better services to satisfy customers, gain competitive advantage, and improve corporate performance. Raja et al. (2013) examined servitization to find the most important attributes of value-in-use for customers using servitized products and classified them into seven attributes. This study is based on the seven attributes identified by Raja et al. (2013). Perceived Usefulness, Confirmation, and Customer Satisfaction Bhattacharjee developed the Continuance Use Model based on the expectation-confirmation theory and conducted empirical studies for verification (2001b). Our study analyzes the correlation between customer acceptance process and customer satisfaction based on the Expectation-Confirmation model by Bhattacharjee (2001b). Research method We conducted surveys and analyzed the data of 50 Korean university students and members of the public using Smart Pay (Samsung Pay, Apple Pay etc.). The reliability of the questionnaire was verified by using the Cronbach’s alpha values and exploratory factor analysis. The seven variables of the value-in-use attributes of servitization identified by Raja et al. are as follows: relational dynamic, accessibility, range of product and service offering, knowledge, price, delivery, and locality. We measured three additional variables: perceived usefulness, confirmation, and customer satisfaction. Contributions Academic contribution This study provides a theoretical basis for examining the relationship between variables and the influence of the value-in-use attributes of servitization on customer acceptance and satisfaction. Practical contribution We present implications for customer satisfaction in the servitization process of manufacturing companies by explaining how customers accept the value-in-use attributes of servitization.

A recent study reported that Pleurotus ostreatus has the potential to be used as a β-glucan-based cream for supportive complementary therapy of atopic dermatitis. KH054 is a new herbal prescription consisting of P. ostreatus and Panax ginseng. The effects of atopic dermatitis-induced materials on the expression of cytokine genes in human monocytes (THP-1, EoL- 1) have been examined. Some reports demonstrated that P. ginseng augments the activity of natural killer cells, which plays an important role in innate immunity against infection and tumor development. Monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1), interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-8 have important roles in mediating the infiltration of various cells into the skin of atopic dermatitis and psoriasis. The present study investigated whether KH054 on induced IL-6, IL-8, and MCP-1 secretion by house dust mite (Dermatophagoides pteronissinus) in THP-1 (human acute monocytic leukemia) and EoL-1(Human eosinophilic leukemia) cell. D. pteronissinus functions in the pathogenesis of allergic diseases, including atopic dermatitis and asthma. The inhibitory effect of KH054 on the induction of IL-6, IL-8, and MCP-1 secretion by D. pteronissinus extract in THP-1 and EoL-1 cells was examined. KH054 potently suppressed the elevated production of IL-6 and IL-8 induced by D. pteronissinus treatment in THP-1 and EoL-1 cells. Based on the present results, KH054 may be useful for developing functional foods to treat atopic dermatitis.

Supply and demand patterns have dynamically changed in recent years due to the increased global competition. Firms have selected quality and price as competition components and have accomplished corporate innovation in order to achieve competitive advantage. Innovation has been recognized as the way to enhance corporate competitiveness and to continuously grow in churning global competition (Homburg, Schwemmle, & Kuehnl, 2015; Moon, Miller, & Kim, 2013). Although innovation becomes a common means to improve a firm’s performance, it has the limitation of achieving a firm’s strategic goal as a long-term strategy. Thus, firms need to have more fine-grained strategies to survive in dynamically changing business environment, such as design innovation (Moon et al., 2015). For example, Apple has produced its products (e.g., iPhone, iPod and iPad) focusing on innovative product design to influence consumer purchase intention. Design can lead to a distinct competitive advantage (Bolch, 1995). Furthermore, product design can be used by firms to create amd enhance brand recognition, as well as to increase firms’ value (Mozota, 2002). Brand experience positively influences customer satisfaction and brand loyalty (Brakus, Schmitt, & Zarantonello, 2009). Thus, we assume that design experience and product innovation have a positive effect on consumers’ purchase behavior and customer value. However, while the importance of design innovation is recognized, it is not easy to apply the design innovation to marketing due to the lack of relevant research in the field. In fact, relevant research on the influence of innovative new product design and design experience on customer value is scarce. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate how brand experiences and innovative product design affect customer value. Successful innovation is accomplished by identifying customer needs first and developing innovative products to satisfy their needs (Hauser et al., 2006). Design is seen as the core of innovation and the moment when a new object is conceived of, devised, and shaped in a prototype form (Landwehr, Wentzel, & Herrmann, 2013). Verganti (2008) studies the concept of "user-centered design," which describes how companies can use design to improve their relationships with users and develop a better understanding of user needs. In this research, design innovation has three dimensions: aesthetic attributes, feature attributes, and emotional attributes. First, aesthetic attributes focus on the product design itself. The aesthetic appearance of a product has a large bearing on its potential market share (Liu, 2003). Second, feature attributes focus on the product features and functional aspects that are required to satisfy customer needs. Feature attributes enable performance that can give results in the operating process (Crawford & Di Benedetto, 2007). Third, emotional attributes focus on consumers’ feeling when they purchase a new product to satisfy their needs. Emotional attributes are generated by consumers’ experience when they purchase a new product in the store. The more the product design satisfies customer's emotional needs, the more customers’ attention is attracted to the purchase of a product (Mokarian, 2007). A product satisfying the aesthetic, feature, and emotional attributes through design innovation provides a new experience to customers (Desmet & Hekkert, 2007). A consumer’s purchase decision making is affected by both direct and indirect experience of using the product and the function of product (Brakus, Schmitt, & Zarantonello, 2009). Therefore, a designer comes to design the product, taking an interest in the experience that the product gives besides its shape and function. Product experiences occur when a customer interacts with the product ̶ for example, when customers search for, examine, and evaluate products (Hoch, 2002). The product experience can be direct, i.e. when there is physical contact with the product (Hoch & Ha 1986) or indirect, i.e. when a product is presented virtually or in an advertisement (Hoch & Ha 1986; Kempf and Smith 1998). Brand experience can be split into four dimensions (sensory, affective, intellectual, and behavioral), which are differentially evoked by various brands (Brakus, Schmitt, & Zarantonello, 2009). According to previous studies, these four experience dimensions (sensory, affective, intellectual, and behavioral experience dimensions) have an effect on customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. Customer value can be defined as the trade-off between the benefits and sacrifices as a customer purchases a product or service from a supplier (Ulaga & Chacour, 2001). Ulaga and Chacour presented three dimensions of customer value: product-related components, service-related components, and promotion-related components. The researchers argued that customer value could be an important strategic marketing tool to clarify a firm's proposition to customers. Product-related components are intrinsic product characteristics. Product quality is a key factor of relationship value (Ulaga, 2003). Customer value consists of product value and service value. Customer value can be enhanced by quality, diversity, payment, and service quality and decreased by price, convenience, and risk (Jarvenpaa & Todd, 2003). Service-related components include all aspects of service associated with the product. Various service components play an important role in differentiating a supplier's offering (Narus & Anderson, 1996). Promotion-related components include all items used to promote the product to the customer. For all purchasing processes, it is necessary to assess the perceived customer value, such as service quality and promotional quality (Qualls & Rosa, 1995). In the present study, we conducted a research survey with 300 subjects and analyzed the data. In order to test the reliability of questionnaire, Cronbach's alpha was used. In order to test the validity, an exploratory factor analysis was conducted. Measurement was made for 3 variables, i.e. design innovation, design experience, and customer value. Three variables (aesthetical attributes, feature attributes, and emotional attributes) were used for design innovation. Three types of attributes were introduced for a mobile phone design innovation. Four dimensions (sensory, affective, intellectual, behavioral) were measured using a technical design experience and a humanistic design experience. Three variables (product-related customer value, service-related customer value, and promotion-related customer value) were employed for customer value. The results of the analyses demonstrate that design innovation has a positive effect on design experience, while design experience has a positive effect on customer value. Aesthetic attributes of design innovation have a positive effect on technical design experience and humanistic design experience. Feature attributes have a positive effect on the technical design experience and the humanistic design experience. Emotional attributes have an effect on the technical design experience and the humanistic design experience. The technical design experience has a positive effect on product-related customer value, service-related customer value, and promotion-related customer value. The humanistic design experience has a positive effect on product-related customer value, service-related customer value and promotion-related customer value. This study will make it possible to empirically examine how customer's experience in design innovation affects customer value. Our results will provide a theoretical foundation for examining a relationship between variables regarding how design innovation influences customer value through design experience. It is intended to give a direction as to the design innovation of firms by clarifying and presenting antecedent factors having an effect that design innovation produces on customer value. The results of the present study will inspire designers to design in consideration of design experience. Finally, our study will provide marketers with guidelines as to how design experience can influence customer satisfaction and loyalty.

The use of bee venom (Apis mellifera L., BV) occasionally causes side effects such as inflammation and allergic reactions in the recipients. Several case reports also suggested the treatment of BV has some limitations in its clinical uses, due to the occurrence of dermal necrosis and anaphylatic reactions. It is generally understood that bee venom allergy is mainly the result of its allergic component, phospholipase A2 (PLA2). The present study was aimed to generate PLA2-free bee venom (PBV) and evaluate its efficacy as skin care and cosmetic preparation, comparing with original bee venom (BV). Our results showed that both BV and PBV exhibited significant protective effects in UVB-irradiated human keratinocyte (HaCaT) and human dermal fibroblast (HDF) cells and they also induced type I collagen synthesis in UVB-irradiated HDF cells except BV at 3 μg/ml. Furthermore, BV and PBV showed the inhibition of UVB-stimulated matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1), a major collagen degrading enzyme in skin. However, BV, unlike PBV, exhibited strong cytotoxicities in skin cells (both HaCaT and HDF) at its working concentrations of anti-wrinkle effect. The underlying cell signaling mechanisms of anti-wrinkle effects of BV and PBV were demonstrated by the activation of ERK1/2, and p38. Conclusively, PBV appears to be the bee venom of choice with less cytotoxicity and higher efficacy on UVB-irradiated skin cells in comparison with original bee venom (BV). Therefore, PBV can better be used as a cosmetic ingredient exhibiting excellent anti-wrinkle effect against photoaging than original BV.

Hyperglycemia found in diabetes mellitus causes several physiological abnormalities including the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and oxidative stress. Accumulation of AGEs and elevation of oxidative stress plays major roles in the development of diabetic complications. Adiponectin secreted from adipocytes is known to improve insulin sensitivity and blood glucose level. Curcumin (CCM), a bioactive component of turmeric, has been reported as a potent antioxidant. Present work aimed to elucidate the roles of CCM in high glucose-induced protein glycation and intracellular events in mature adipocytes. The results demonstrated that CCM inhibited the formation of fluorescent AGEs by approximated 52% at 3 weeks of bovine serum albumin (BSA) glycation with glucose. Correspondingly, CCM decreased the levels of fructosamine and α-dicarbonyl compounds during BSA glycation with glucose. These data suggested that CCM might be a new promising anti-glycation agent. Also, CCM reduced high glucose-induced oxidative stress in a dose dependent manner, whereas CCM treatment time-dependently elevated the expression of adiponectin gene in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The findings from this study suggested the possibility of therapeutic use of CCM for the prevention of diabetic complications and obesity-related diseases.

Reuse, recycling and recovery (3R) of industrial wastes are common and encouraging in Korea. Industrial symbiosis is one of typical methods for implementing 3R and has been defined as engaging “traditionally separate industries in a collective approach to competitive advantage involving physical exchange of materials, energy, water, and by-products”. The keys to industrial symbiosis are collaboration and the synergistic possibilities offered by geographic proximity. Recently, several countries in East Asia such as Taiwan, South Korea, Japan and China are promoting ‘designed’ symbiosis networks in various industrial complexes based on their national Eco-industrial Park (EIP) demonstration programs. Despite the recently promoted EIP initiatives worldwide, only very few studies furnish the operational and functional details of ‘designed’ industrial symbiosis networks, starting from the planning to implementation stage. The production of terephthalic acid (TPA) in Korea is 6.5 million ton based on 2011. The production of waste generated in the process of TPA is about 15,000 ton/yr and included useful materials like residue TPA as well as isophthalic acid (iPA), benzoic acid (BA) and p-toluic acid (p-TL). Until now, TPA waste was incinerated due to high caloric value. This study was conducted for recovery of valuable materials from industrial waste and utilization of recovered material as an example of Korean EIP. In this study, the experiment was performed to separate above four materials from the waste by solvent (methanol and water) extraction. The solubility of TPA (0.1g/100g) for methanol is relatively low compared to other materials. Also the solubility of BA (68g/L at 95℃) and p-TL (11.6g/L at 98℃) for water is relatively high in comparison with other materials. Finally, BA was separated from p-TL by molecular distillation system. The purity of recovered materials was analyzed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (Waters Xevo TQ system). The recovery rate and purity of BA is 90% and 93%. The recovered BA could be recycled the companies which are produced plastic plasticizer and paints.

This study was conducted to investigate the ratios of phosphorus release to COD uptake, phosphorus release to nitrate removal, and phosphorus uptake to phosphorus release by DNPAOs(denitrifying phosphate accumulating organisms). In case I～IV, influent 1 were fed with synthetic wastewater with influent 2 NO3--N injection to anoxic zone and the case V were fed with municipal wastewater with side stream oxic zone instead of influent 2 NO3--N injection. As a result, the ratio of phosphorus release to carbon uptake was increased in accordance with nitrate supply. The DNPAOs simultaneously took up phosphate and removed nitrate from the anoxic reactor. In case I～IV, with above 20 mg/L of sufficient NO3--N supply, phosphate was taken up excessively by the DNPAOs in anoxic condition. The large amount of both uptake and release of phosphorus occurred above 20 mg/L of nitrate supply, achieving the ratio of phosphorus uptake to phosphorus release to be 1.05. In case V, phosphate luxury uptake was not occurred in system due to 6.98 mg/L of insufficient NO3--N supply and the ratio of phosphorus uptake to phosphorus release was 0.98. Consequently, if nitrate as the electron acceptor was sufficient in anoxic zone, the ratio was found to be high.