Mutations in the luteinizing hormone/chorionic gonadotropin receptors (LH/CGRs), representatives of the G protein-coupled receptor family, have been rapidly identified over the last 20 years. This review aims to compare and analyze the data reported the activating and inactivating mutations of the LH/CGRs between human, rat, equine and fish, specifically (Japanese eel Anguilla japonica). Insights obtained through detailed study of these naturally-occurring mutations provide a further update of structure-function relationship of these receptors. Specifically, we present a variety of data on eel LH/CGR. These results provide important information about LH/CGR function in fish and the regulation of mutations of the highly conserved amino acids in glycoprotein hormone receptors.

This study used adult wistar-based rats to observe the sexual cycle as a morphological characteristic of vaginal epithelial cells by vaginal smearing, and investigated the fetal number through mating with male rats of the same strain. The target animal was a 12 to 13-week-old Wistar-based mature unlighted rat (weight 220 g to 240 g), room temperature 23 ± 2℃, 14 hours artificial lighting (05:00 to 19:00 hours), 10 hours Adapted individuals were used for rearing for at least 2 weeks under the conditions of the darkroom (19:00 to 05:00). The feed was managed for free feeding of pellet feed for animals and water. The vaginal smearing method was used for the experiments by observing the sexual cycle every morning and confirming that the normal sexual cycle of 4 or 5 days was repeated at least 2 cycles or more. As a result, the proestrus was found to have few red blood cells, the cells and nuclei were rather large and round, and many nucleated cells were identified. In the case of the estrus, the cells were large and the nuclei were not stained, and most of the keratinocytes were found. In addition, in the metestrus and diestrus, there were many white blood cells, and it was confirmed that nucleated epithelial cells and keratinocytes were significantly reduced. The pregnancy period was 21 ± 1.8 days, and the number of live births per delivery was 11.9 on average. The number of fetuses on the 8th and 10th days of pregnancy were 15.2 ± 0.4 and 15.4 ± 0.3, respectively. On the contrary, the number of fetuses on the 12th day of pregnancy was 12.9 ± 0.6, which was significantly (p < 0.05) decreased compared to the 10th day of pregnancy, and the number of fetuses was similar until delivery. As a result of investigating the change of body weight according to the birth weight and growth stage after delivery, the birth weight of female and male was 9.2 ± 2.0 g and 9.8 ± 2.5 g, respectively. After that, until the 16th day, the female and the male showed similarly moderate weight gain, and then showed a rapid weight gain until the 21st day of lactation. With reference to the results of this study, it is expected to be used as basic data for determining the mating time of rodents and controlling pregnancy and fetal number.

Equine follicle stimulating hormone receptor (eFSHR) has a large extracellular domain and an intracellular domain containing approximately 10 phosphorylation sites within the G protein-coupled receptor. This study was conducted to analyze the function of phosphorylation sties at the eFSHR C-terminal region. We constructed a mutant of eFSHR, in which the C-terminal cytoplasmic tail was truncated at residue 641 (eFSHR-t641). This removed 10 potential phosphorylation sites from the C-terminal region of the intracellular loop. The eFSHR-wild type (eFSHR-wt) and eFSHR-t641 cDNAs were subcloned into the pCMV-ARMS1-PK2 expression vector. These plasmids were transfected into PathHunter CHO-K1 Parental cells expressing β-arrestin 2 enzyme acceptor fusion protein and analyzed for agonist-induced cAMP response. The cAMP response in cells expressing eFSHR-t641 was lower than the response in cells expressing eFSHR-wt. EC50 values of eFSHR-wt and eFSHR-t641 were 1079 ng/mL and 1834 ng/mL, respectively. eFSHR-t641 was approximately 0.58-fold compared with that of eFSHR-wt. The maximal response in eFSHR-wt and eFSHR-t641 was 24.7 nM and 16.7 nM, respectively. The Rmax value of phosphorylation sites in eFSHR-t641 was also decreased to approximately 68.4% of that in eFSHR-wt. The collective data implicate that the phosphorylation sites in the eFSHR C-terminal region have a pivotal role in signal transduction in PathHunter CHO-K1 cells, and indicate that β-arrestin is involved in coupling the activated receptors to the internalization system.

Cassia obtusifolia L. is commonly used as medicinal foods to treat gastrointestinal disease in many countries. This study evaluated the anti-constipation effects of ethanolic extract of Cassia obtusifolia L. in rats with loperamide-induced constipation. Diffferent concentrations of ethanolic extract of Cassia obtusifolia L. (0, 10, 250, and 500 mg/kg) was administered to rat orally once daily for 3 weeks following loperamide treatment. Six-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats (N=25) were randomly divided into five groups: normal control and experimental groups and injected loperamide intraperitoneally to induce constipation in the latter four experimental groups. Following the induction of loperamide-induced constipation, a marked decrease was observed in the fecal weight and water content discharged for over 1 week and intestinal transit time while an increase was observed in the number of fecal pellets remaining in the colonic lumen as compared with the normal control group. These conditions were significantly alleviated following the administration of the two doses (250 and 500 mg/kg) of ethanolic extract of Cassia obtusifolia L. when compared to the loperamide-treated (constipation control) group. More specifically, the number of fecal pellets in the colon was 3, 5, 4, 2.8, and 1.2 in the five groups, respectively and the corresponding GIT ratio was 70.77, 56.59, 58.67, 66.81, and 72.10%, respectively. The fecal water content, transit distance, and GIT ratio in the high-dose treatment group were significantly higher than that in the medium-dose treatment group, but a significant decrease in the number of fecal pellets in the colon. In conclusion, the Cassia obtusifolia L. extract is suggested to have beneficial effects as a therapeutic and preventive strategy to alleviate constipation and to relieve the symptoms of constipation such as pain, flatulence, distention, bloating, and unpleasant taste.

Application Specific Messages(ASM)은 다수 선박들의 AIS사용으로 인한 통신 과부하 문제를 해결하기 위해 IMO, ITU, IALA와 같 은 국제기구들에 의해 해상에서의 적용이 결정되었다. ASM을 이용한 통신은 기상 정보, 사고보고 및 항해 경고를 포함하여 해양에서 많 은 양의 안전 관련 정보를 전송할 수 있다. 특히 ASM통신 시스템은 음성을 통한 선박 간, 선박과 육상 간(4S) VHF통신의 일부를 메시지 로 전달이 가능할 것으로 기대된다. 해상의 4S통신에서 중요도가 높은 문장을 표준통신메시지로 선정하여 ASM통신에 이용한다면, 정확 하고 신속한 메시지의 송수신이 가능할 것이다. 표준통신메시지의 결정은 사용자의 의견이 적극적으로 반영되어야 하며, 이를 위해 본 연 구에서는 57명의 항해사와 50명의 Vessel Traffic Service(VTS) 관제사를 대상으로 설문을 실시하였다. 설문의 결과를 분석하여 해상통신에 서 사용빈도가 높은 53개의 표준통신메시지를 제시하였다. 제시된 표준통신메시지는 해상에서 사용되는 주요 문장들에 대한 실제적인 정 보이며, ASM을 이용한 통신장비 및 인터페이스 개발을 위한 참고 자료로 이용될 수 있을 것이다.

Purpose – The present study aims to examine the relationship between small enterprise start-up preparatory factors and increases in sales and operating profits, which are business performances utilizing the National Survey of Actual Conditions of Small Enterprises conducted by the Small Enterprise, Market Service. Research design, data, and methodology – Start-up preparatory factors were divided into six types; business type, start-up history, start-up motives, preparatory periods, and start-up funds to figure out the relationship between sales and operating profits with regression analyses. Regression analyses were conducted based on the foregoing with a view to identifying the effects of start-up preparatory factors on business performance. Results – Since start-up preparatory factors generally affect business performance, it was identified that start-up preparatory factors importantly affect operating profits and sales, which are business performances. However, start-up preparatory periods and the implementation of education among preparatory activities were shown to have no effect on business performances, and the effect of the ratio of start-up fund provided by the founder on operating profits was shown to be not significant. Conclusions – The present study comprehensively examined those start-up preparatory factors that have positive effects on business performances after start-up. The present study is meaningful in that it can provide positive implications for efficient start-up of small enterprises hereafter.

The importance of clear and effective communication at sea has been greatly emphasized due to the increase in multiculturalism on board both ocean-going and coastal vessels, and the necessity of systematic English training based on 'Knowledge, Understanding, and Proficiency' specified in STCW has also been recognized. With these growing needs in mind, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) updated the Maritime English (ME) Model Course 3.17 in 2015 by providing guidelines on language education within two separate categories, General Maritime English (GME) and Specialized Maritime English (SME). The IMO is now attempting to create a new, global framework of ME education and training, and this this new course model must first be thoroughly understood in order to explore the ways to apply the modified version into the context of current ME education in Korea and to design an updated language curriculum. Therefore, the general structural features of the new model course will be explained in this paper, and the course focus set by IMO and to be considered and/or adopted by the Republic of Korea will be closely examined. Finally, suggestions will be made on how to implement this revised model course in practice with the following focus: the development of localized curriculum for GME and SME; the provision of practical teaching guidance through relevant online and offline materials for class and self-study; and the establishment of qualification guidelines and a teaching support system for language teachers in maritime and language education.

As the International Maritime English Organization (IMO) model course for Maritime English has been recently revised and updated, the requirements of current changes to both the 2010 STCW Manila Amendments and English education have been actively reviewed. In order to provide practical guidelines for language teaching, a wide range of new pedagogical approaches and their theoretical backgrounds are also suggested. However, considering the current spread of Business English as a Lingua Franca (BELF) and its critical importance in maritime communication, the pedagogical approaches need to be re-evaluated, specifically in terms of teaching pronunciation in order to emphasize clear and effective communication among international interlocutors. Therefore, the core pedagogical elements of pronunciation should be clearly set and provided with consideration for Lingua Franca Core (LFC), which places importance on mutual intelligibility rather than following the rules of native speakers. In this paper, the current trends of BELF in the maritime industry will thus be introduced. Following this, the importance of LFC in maritime communication will be outlined, and its key features will be discussed in terms of effectiveness and clarity of international maritime communications. Finally, a close comparison between LFC and the pronunciation guidelines suggested by the IMO Maritime English model course 3.17 will be conducted, and pedagogical implications for future teaching pronunciation in cross-cultural global maritime industry will be suggested.

This paper aims to identify what is needed to improve the English for Specific Purposes(ESP) curriculum for English as a Foreign Language(EFL) college learners at navigation school. Different needs from learners and experienced professionals are identified through diversified methods, and the findings from these are analysed and consolidated from a balanced point of view. For this purpose, putting learners at the centre of analysis, identifying their subjective and objective needs serves as a point of departure in formulating the curriculum. Then, the target situation is analysed according to the short-term aim of getting a job, followed by long-term needs for successfully fulfilling future duties as a pilot. Based on findings, it is suggested that ESP curriculum for learners in navigation studies should be focused on the successful language performance of their actual duties and tasks to be given in the future working situations, rather than on immediate needs for getting a job. In particular, special attention needs to be paid to enhancing learners’ productive language competences through a series of hands-on trainings and a wide range of extra-curricular activities, specifically for a higher command of oral communication. For this, not only ESP, curriculum for EGP(English for General Purposes) should be systematically structured as ESP-oriented EGP, and naturally move onto areas of ESP in a coherent manner.