Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling pathway plays a key role in the development of various vertebrate embryos and remains important in adults. Although Shh signaling pathway has widely been studied in post-implantation stage embryos, only few studies are reported about pre-implantation stage embryos. To investigate the effect of Shh on pre-implantation stage embryos, cyclopamine and purmorphamine were treated to embryos in culture. Cyclopamine acts as an antagonist of the hedgehog signaling because it has a high affinity to Smoothened, a key part of the hedgehog signaling pathway. On the other hand, purmorphamine activate Smoothened and acts as a Shh signaling agonist. The oocytes were collected after superovulation and parthenogenetically activated in Chatot, Ziomek, and Bavister medium (CZB) including 10 mM strontium for 5 hr. The activated oocytes were cultured in potassium simplex optimized medium (KSOM), KSOM with 5 uM of cyclopamine, KSOM with 1 uM of purmorphamine, or KSOM with both 5 uM of cyclopamine and 1 uM of purmorphamine. After 5.5 days in culture, there was no significant difference in blastocyst development among the four experimental groups. However, the hatching rate was increased in the groups containing purmorphamine, and the blastocysts of the purmorphamine-containing groups had higher total cell number than those of other two groups when the cells were counted after Hoechst33342 staining. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) shows the difference of gene expression level which are related to epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Taken together, this study suggests that the increase of Shh has an effect on the increases of EMT-related genes and hatching rate of pre-implantation stage embryos, and this may improve implantation subsequently.

Variance of conceptus interferon tau (IFNT), produced by the embryonic trophectoderm, is known as a major conceptus protein that signals the process of maternal recognition of pregnancy in ruminants, essential for the maintenance of early pregnancy. Similar to other IFN genes such as IFNA and IFNB, multiple IFNT genes are present. However, some kinds of IFNT genes actively transcribed and regulated in bovine conceptuses have not been well characterized. In this study, during the course of bovine IFNT gene transcription through the use of next generation sequencer SOLiD3, revealed that among 38 IFN genes registered, only two transcripts, IFNT1 and IFNTc1, were found in conceptuses during early pregnancy. Also, to identify a transcription factor(s) involved in the regulation of IFNT genes, mRNAs for various known transcription factors were investigated by real-time PCR in conceptus tissues, respectively. Furthermore, compared to the IFNT genes, IFNT1 and IFNTc1 had same active levels, which were previously shown to correlate with the appearance of effective antiviral activity. However, the expression levels of these Luc activities differed. Bovine ear fibroblast (EF) cells were cotransfected with luciferase reporter constructs carrying upstream (–631 to -51) promoter regions of IFNT1 or IFNTc1 and various transcription factor expression plasmids, CDX2, AP1(JUN), ETS2 and/or cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB)-binding protein (CREBBP). CDX2, either alone with the other 2 transcription factors, was found to increase luciferase activity approximately 14- and 11-folds, respectively. The degree of transcriptional activation of the IFNTc1 gene was not similar to that IFNT1 gene by AP1, ETS2 or/and CREBBP, expression plasmid. These results suggest that two isoforms of bovine conceptus IFNT genes are regulated differently in conceptuses during early pregnancy.

Caspases are a family of cysteine protease enzymes composed of more than 10 members that play essential roles in apoptosis and inflammation. It has been reported that caspases play a critical role in regulating apoptosis at the maternal-conceptus interface in many species. However, the expression and regulation of caspases have not been determined in the endometrium in pigs. Therefore, we analyzed the expression, localization, and regulation of caspases in the endometrium during the estrous cycle and pregnancy in pigs. Real-time RT-PCR analysis showed that caspases were expressed in the endometrium during the estrous cycle and pregnancy. The expression of CASP6, CASP7, and CASP8 during the estrous cycle and CASP3, CASP6, CASP7, and CASP10 changed during pregnancy. Levels of CASP3 mRNA in the endometrium were higher on Day 12 of pregnancy than the estrous cycle and levels of CASP7 mRNAs were highest on Day 15 of estrous cycle and pregnancy. Immunohistochemistry analysis showed that CASP3 protein was localized to endometrial epithelial cells on Days 12 and 15 the estrous cycle and pregnancy, but cleaved CASP3 was localized only to luminal epithelial (LE) cells on Days 12 and 15 of pregnancy in the endometrium. CASP7 protein was localized to endometrial LE cells only on Day 15 of pregnancy. CASP3, CASP6, CASP7, CASP8, and CASP10 mRNAs were detectable in conceptus on D12 and D15 of pregnancy, and chorioallantoic tissues expressed CASP3, CASP6, CASP7, CASP8, CASP8, and CASP10 with increasing levels toward term pregnancy, except CASP3 mRNA. The effect of steroid hormones and interleukin-1βß (IL1B) on CASP3 expression and the effect of interferon-γ(IFNG) on CASP7 expression was determined by endometrial explant cultures and we found that CASP3 expression was increased by IL1B and CASP7 expression was increased by IFNG in a dose-dependent manner. These results showed that caspases were expressed in the endometrium during the estrous cycle and pregnancy in a stage- and/or pregnancy-specific dependent manner and some caspases were regulated by IL1B or IFNG in the endometrial tissues, suggesting that caspase may play an important role in regulating apoptosis for the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy at the maternal-conceptus interface in pigs.

Ticks are obligatory hematophagous ectoparasites, which can transmit various pathogens including bacteria, protozoa, and viruses via salivary secretion during feeding. Understanding salivation in ticks is crucial for the development of novel methods to prevent tick-borne disease transmission. The central nervous system (synganglion) of ticks controls salivary glands via several neuropeptidergic innervation: myoinhibitory peptide (MIP), SIFamide, and elevenin. These neuropeptides are thought to be modulators of dopamine’s action controlling the salivary glands including inward fluid transport into the lumen of salivary glands acini and emptying lumen solute into salivary duct by pumping and gating. These actions are via two distinct dopamine receptors, dopamine receptor (D1) and invertebrate D1-like dopamine receptor (InvD1L), respectively.

The honey bee soluble acetylcholinesterase 1 (AmAChE1) is overexpressed under the overwintering and brood rearing-suppressed conditions. To investigate the role of AmAChE1 in regulating acetylcholine (ACh) titer, ACh concentrations both in the head (neuronal) and abdomen (non-neuronal) were analyzed. ACh titer was significantly lower in both tissues of worker bees under the overwintering and brood rearing-suppressed conditions compared to control bees. The expression levels of another two factors that regulate ACh titer, choline acetyltransferase (AmAChT) and acetylcholinesterase 2 (AmAChE2), were not altered as judged by qPCR and native PAGE, suggesting that the lower ACh titer was mainly regulated by AmAChE1. For precise verification of AmAChE1 as an ACh titer regulator, honey bees were put under brood rearing-suppressed condition to induce AmAChE1 and injected AmAChE1 dsRNA to knock down the gene. The ACh titer of AmAChE1-knocked down honey bees was 1.9 and 2.6 folds higher than that of control bees in head and abdomen, respectively. Taken together, in spite of its extremely low catalytic activity, the overexpression of AmAChE1 is likely to be related with the low level of ACh homeostasis, perhaps via ACh sequestration, under brood rearingsuppressed condition, and likely induce metabolic changes through ACh receptors-related pathways.

Product labels are one way for advertisers to provide information to purchasers on product quality (Atkinson & Rosenthal, 2014). Label policies have been issued to promote information disclosure on food products in some developed countries. Recent years have also seen increasing attempts to promote healthy eating in emerging markets. In China, nutrition labels became mandatory under the nutrition labeling acts. The laws require nutrition information to be presented at the point of purchase as well as in establishments where food is prepared or consumed. Additionally, similar actions were taken by India (India Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, 2011), Mercosur members and in South Africa (Brazilian Ministry of Health, 2012; Institute of Food Technologists [IFT], 2011). While nutritional labeling has received a lot of attention both in academia and from the press, some key gaps remain in the nutrition labeling literature. First, a great deal of marketing research has focused on consumer responses (e.g., Balasubramanian & Cole, 2002; Hieke & Taylor, 2012; Ippolito & Mathios, 1995; Parker & Lehmann, 2014; Shah, Bettman, Ubel, Keller, & Edell, 2014) and firm responses (e.g., Moorman 1998; Moorman, Du, & Mela, 2005; Moorman, Ferraro, & Huber, 2012) to nutrition labeling laws. Although stock market investors express greater interest in information about nutrition issues that can be integrated into financial analyses (Global Access to Nutrition Index [ATNI] Investor Statement, 2013), the issue of how standardized information requirements affect investors’ responses in financial markets has been understudied. As used here, standardized product-information disclosure refers to a requirement to present facts about firms’ offerings in a common format using uniform metrics (Moorman et al. 2012). Understanding the extent to which investors consider product information-disclosure polices when they make investment decisions is important because a company’s financial health is not only the ultimate measure for the success or failure of any strategic initiative (Luo & Bhattacharya, 2009), but also one of the most important measures of public policy effectiveness (Joshi & Hanssens, 2010; Srinivasan & Hanssens, 2009; Schwert, 1981). Moreover, urgent concerns have spilled over from the product market to the financial market (Chen, Ganesan, & Liu, 2009) due to the enormous economic costs and damage to firms’ reputations in product-harm crises (e. g., melamine contamination in several Chinese brands of infant milk powder) (Ngo, 2014). Another gap in the literature is how nutritional-labeling requirements affect emerging markets. In contrast to the situation in long-developed countries, emerging markets are subject to different pressures for food marketers and thus a distinctive environment surrounds the regulation of food product labeling. In China, food safety and quality is considered an urgent concern, and the issue has forced regulators and companies to take action (Yan, 2008). Unlike mature stock markets, the majority of investors in China are individuals (Chen, Li, & Shi, 2010). The Chinese markets are under-regulated and deficient in gathering and disseminating information to private or public organizations, and it is difficult for listed firms with insufficient records to form reputations (Singh et al., 2005). As a result, information asymmetry is accentuated and imperfect signals released from firms highly impact investor decisions. Thus, examining the effectiveness of labeling requirements in developing economies is important as is comparing these results to those found in more developed countries. Despite the importance of the issue in emerging markets, empirical work for investigating investor response to the public policy of nutrition labeling (Ghani, & Childs, 1999) or firms’ nutrition claim strategies (Cao & Yan, 2016) has been restricted in developed markets (e.g., the U.S.). Little is understood the changes in corporate financial performance because of regulations requiring product information disclosure in emerging markets. As a result of the pressures for consumer protection and regulation, it is increasingly important for policy makers to be able to understand the financial consequences of such regulation because of information disclosure policies (Moorman et al., 2005). Thus, an additional contribution of this study is to help better inform the policy debate in emerging markets. To fill these research gaps, we investigated the influence of the influx of standardized product information on the stock market. Specifically, we conducted an event study to examine the effect on firms’ stock values from the issuance of the food nutrition label acts (FNLAs) in China, a fast-growing emerging market. The acts require food manufacturers to provide standardized nutritional information on pre-packaged food labels. This study contributes to the marketing literature on the financial impact of regulation in emerging markets. In China, on the day the FNLA was issued, they were associated with positive abnormal stock returns of related firms. This result is contrary to the study by Ghani and Childs (1999) that reported that the NLEA passage showed a negative impact on firms’ stock prices. Second, the financial value from the issuance of regulations was strengthened by three marketing leverages—advertising, donations, and R&D. Finally, although Moorman et al. argued that the NLEA increased the number of small-share firms exiting the U.S. market (Moorman et al., 2005), we found that in the short term, large firms benefited less than small firms from product information disclosure in China’s stock market. These findings provide empirical evidence that regulatory controls create changes in shareholder wealth and provide an assessment of the financial market’s perceptions regarding the role of mandatory product- information disclosure in future corporate growth. In addition, evidence of the effects of regulatory changes on wealth is of significant value to policymakers and market participants as they evaluate the benefits and costs of information disclosure in emerging markets.

An offshore installation is built or installed for the purposes of exploration and exploitation in any part of the sea. The offshore installations that are presently in existence reflect great scientific progress in the field of marine resources. However, they become a source of concern when they are no longer in use. Due to the potential to disrupt activities conducted around their location, they interfere with navigational safety. Therefore, it is important to remove such installations. Their removal should be based on the provisions of the IMO Guidelines and Standards. Indonesia is a coastal State and should adhere to the above mentioned guidelines and standard in designing policies and regulations.

During insect development from embryo to adult, airway clearance in tracheal system occurs episodically each time the molt is completed by performance of the ecdysis sequence. We found that the neuropeptide Kinin is required for normal respiratory fluid clearance or “tracheal air-filling” in fruit fly Drosophila larvae. Disruption of Kinin signaling leads to defective air-filling during all larval stages. Targeted Kinin receptor silencing in tracheal epithelial cells also shows tracheal air-filling defect. On the other hand, promotion of Kinin signaling in vivo through peptide injection or Kinin neuron activation induces premature tracheal collapse and air-filling. Moreover, direct exposure of epithelial cells in vitro to Kinin leads to calcium mobilization in tracheal epithelial cells. Our findings strongly implicate the neuropeptide Kinin as an important regulator of airway clearance via intracellular calcium mobilization in tracheal epithelial cells of fruit fly Drosophila.

Transglutaminase2 (TGM2) is a multi-functional calcium dependent enzyme that affects angiogenesis, apoptosis, differentiation, attachment, and changes in the extracellular matrix. However, its function in periodontal tissue has not yet been studied. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of the TGM2 expression and the modulation of inflammatory mediators in inflamed periodontal ligament (PDL) cells induced by pro-inflammatory cytokines such as Interleukin-1β and the Tumor necrosis factor-α. The expression of TGM2 was increased in the inflamed periodontal tissue and PDL cells. Over-expressed TGM2 in the PDL cells increased expression of MMP1, MMP3, IL-6, CXCL8, and PTGS2. Conversely, inhibition of TGM2 activity using LDN27219, a TGM2 inhibitor, resulted in decreased expression of MMP1, MMP3, IL-6, and CXCL8. The mRNA expression was confirmed by RT-PCR and quantified by qRT-PCR. Protein levels were also confirmed by immunofluoroscence staining. These results suggest that TGM2 plays an important role in the regulation of inflammatory mediators which exacerbate tissue damage in inflamed periodontal tissue.

The game industry, which has been rapidly developing these days in Korean society, is a socially debated issue for the fact that some games are allegedly likely to stir up a speculative drive in people. Among others, the speculativeness of games has been paid more attention by game developers because of the prevalent belief in Korean society that basically games are gambling, which has been more consolidated by reported illegal activities committed by some users of illegal games. More disturbingly, if regulations are put on the act of gaming, not on some speculative games, the nature of games could be distorted and an unexpected adverse effect would arise as a result. This study examines the appropriateness and the effect of the current game regulation from a perspective of game developers and investigates how the regulation and its operation affect the change of the nature of games. The findings of this study are expected to bring about the deeper exploration of the effect of game regulation and broaden the view on the Korean game industry.

As industrialization progresses, mass production becomes a smart production system. However, industrial accidents do not decline, and during the course of industrialization, due to the logic of economic agents that have an economical and effective employment environment, they are changed to non-regular workers. The Occupational Safety and Health Act stipulates that the safety managers must be distinguished and the safety managers perform the task of conducting industrial accidents by balancing the duties and regulations specified in the Act on Special Measures for Deregulation. Safety administrators providing advice on issues needed to prevent industrial accidents and preventive measures We would like to present the problems and improvements that may arise due to safety managers ' replacement due to accidents caused by industrial accidents or accidents.

독점규제법 제59조의 적용제외와 관련하여 지식재산권의 부당한 행사 범위를 각 지식재산권의 공공정책에 위반된 행위와 전통적인 민법 제2조 에 따른 권리남용 및 대법원이 판례로 인정하는 무효임이 명백한 지식재산권에 근거한 권리 행사 등을 포함하는 광의의 개념으로 볼 경우 이는 독점규제법의 규제범위를 포함하는 넓은 범위의 개념으로 볼 수 있으며, 이렇게 볼 경우 지식재산권의 부당한 행사에 관한 판단이 독점규제법상의 본 안판단에 선행할 수 있게 된다. 따라서 독점규제법 집행당국이나 법관은 지식 재산권 행사가 문제되는 독점규제법 위반 사건에서 먼저 본래적인 지식재산권 행사와 비본래적인 지식재산권 행사를 구분한 다음 비본래적인 지식 재산권 행사에는 독점규제법 제59조를 적용하지 아니하고 바로 독점규제법상의 본안판단으로 나아가고, 본래적인 지식재산권 행사에 대하여는 먼저 그 권리 행사가 정당한 것인지 여부를 해당 지식재산권의 법 원리에 따라 판단한 다음, 만일 정당성을 결여하여 부당한 권리의 행사에 해당될 여지가 있다면 독점규제법 위반의 본안 판단으로 나아가서 관련시장을 획정하고 경쟁제한 효과를 분석한 다음, 지식재산권 행사에 따른 효율성 증대 효과가 현저하여 경쟁제한적 행위를 정당화할 위법성 조각사유로 인정될 수 있는지 여부를 검토하면 된다. 이렇게 독점규제법 제59조를 적용하는 것이 적용제외로서의 본조의 성격에 부합하며, 지식재산권의 혁신을 통한 동태적 효율성을 존중하면서 동시에 불필요한 법 집행비용을 절감하게 할 수 있다

Every year, China’s air quality is reaching hazardous level. Accordingly, China is adapting stringent environmental regulations under the new 13th Five Year Plan. The noticeable developments in the new air pollution regulations include: (1) mandatory air pollutant disclosure requirement; (2) shift towards non-compliance liability rule; and (3) increased penalty for transgression against wider range of industries. This paper first explains that these developments will induce American investments in China to carefully draft investment contracts, particularly confidentiality and limited liability clauses to minimize the risk of harsher penalties. The paper then argues that China’s stringent pollution regulations will not negatively affect American investment trend in China, mainly because most American investments already adhere to the OECD standard, and disclosing environmental information will enhance entity’s good reputation and attract investors.

민감정보는 ‘사생활 침해의 현저성’ 등을 이유로 일반적인 개인정보와 달리 취급하도록 요구된다. 「개인정보 보호법」과 「정보통신망법」은 각각 민감정보에 대하여 규율하고 있으나 그 유형 및 기준이 조금씩 다 르다. 특히 최근 정보통신서비스 제공과정에서 생체정보나 개인영상정보 등이 많이 활용되고 있는바 그러한 정보가 민감정보에 해당되는지, 그렇 다면 일반적인 개인정보와 달리 특별히 규율할 필요성이 있는지에 대하 여 검토할 필요가 있다. 또한 정보통신서비스 제공자와 이용자 간의 관 계를 규율하는 「정보통신망법」은 개인정보에 대한 일반법이라 할 수 있는 「개인정보 보호법」과의 정합성, 해외 입법과의 조화, 정보통신서 비스의 특수성을 반영하여 규율되어야 한다. 따라서 본 고에서는 정보통 신서비스 제공과정에 있어서 민감정보의 활용쟁점을 검토한 후 현행법상 민감정보 규율 내용과 한계를 분석하고 「정보통신망법」상 민감정보 규 율의 개선방안을 제안하였다. 그 주요내용으로 법률의 명확성, 개인정보 보호법과의 정합성 측면에서 “민감정보” 규정방식을 한정적 열거방식으 로 수정할 것을 제안하였다. 또한 민감정보의 유형으로서 생체정보, 건 강·성생활·성적 성향에 대한 정보, 유전정보 등이 추가되어야 하며, 민 감정보 처리의 허용을 무조건 법률에 위임할 것이 아니라 일정한 기준에 부합하는 경우에만 다른 법률에서 처리할 수 있는 방안을 제안하였다. 또한 민감정보의 관리, 보관, 파기 등에 있어서 특칙 필요성을 검토하였다.