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Objective To investigate the gastroprotective effects of Acanthopanax senticosus leaves (ASLs) extrusion on acute gastric mucosal lesion in rats induced by compound 48 / 80 (C48 / 80). Methods Rats were divided into six groups: normal; C48/80-induced gastric lesion control; gastric lesion positive control (famotidine 4 mg/kg); gastric lesion administered with two levels of extruded ASLs (ASLE, 40 and 200 mg/kg); and gastric lesion treated with ASLs (ASL 200 mg/kg). Mucus secretion / damage was determined by immunohistological staining. Immunofluorescence and western blotting were performed to determine gastric mucosal Bax and Bcl-2 expression. Gastric mucosal oxidative-stress-related enzymes and malondialdehyde were determined. Results C48/80-induced mucus depletion and inflammation in the gastric mucosa were significantly attenuated by ASLs. The increased serum serotonin and histamine concentrations in C48/80-treated rats were also attenuated by ASLs. Gastric mucosal Bax protein expression was increased and Bcl-2 expression was decreased after C48/80 treatment, and ASLs ameliorated Bax and Bcl-2 expression. The extrusion process significantly augmented the effects of ASLs in a dose-dependent manner. ASLEs at 200 mg/kg normalized mucus damage / secretion, C48 / 80-induced increases of mucosal myeloperoxidase activity (index of inflammation), xanthine oxidase, and malondialdehyde content (index of lipid peroxidation). The effects of ASLs on Bax and Bcl-2 expression were also enhanced by extrusion. Furthermore, these effects of ASLEs at 200 mg/kg were similar to those of famotidine, a histamine H2-receptor antagonist commonly used to treat gastric ulcers. Conclusion ASLEs prevented acute gastric mucosal lesion progression induced by C48/80, possibly by inducing mucus production, and reduced inflammation and oxidative stress in gastric mucosa through an anti-apoptotic mechanism.

The main objective of this study was to develop and validate a simpler and less time consuming analytical method for determination of propofol glucuronide from hair sample, by using mixed mode anion exchange cartridge and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The study uses propofol glucuronide, a major metabolite of propofol, as a marker for propofol abuse. The hair sample was digested in sodium hydroxide solution and loaded in mixed-mode anion cartridge for solid phase extraction. Water and ethyl acetate were used as washing solvents to remove interfering substances from the hair sample. Consequently, 2% formic acid in ethyl acetate was employed to elute propofol glucuronide from the sorbent of mixed-mode anion cartridge, and analyzed by LC-MS/MS. The method validation parameters such as selectivity, specificity, LOD, LLOQ, accuracy, precision, recovery, and matrix effect were also tested. The linearity of calibration curves showed good correlation, with correlation coefficient 0.998. The LOD and LLOQ of the propofol glucuronide were 0.2 pg/mg and 0.5 pg/mg, respectively. The intra and inter-day precision and accuracy were acceptable within 15%. The mean values of recovery and matrix effect were in the range of 91.7-98.7% and 87.5-90.3%, respectively, signifying that the sample preparation, washing and extraction procedure were efficient, and there was low significant hair matrix effect for the extraction of propofol glucuronide from hair sample on the mixed mode anion cartridge. To evaluate the suitability of method, the hair of propofol administered rat was successfully analyzed with this method.

Cyanobacteria play a major role as direct producers of biofuels, such as ethanol and butanol, with the aid of genetic engineering. However, development of a new harvesting-technology is essential to achieve economic viability of biofuel production from cyanobacteria. In this study, we demonstrated the feasibility of harvesting the unicellular cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 using pre-made filamentous fungal pellets and investigated key factors affecting efficiency of harvest, including fungal strain, pellet quantity (number of pellets), initial pH, and organic carbon source. Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 cells attached to Aspergillus oryzae pellets, indicating that this fungal pellet had a desirable harvesting effect, while Rhizopus oryzae pellets had no effect on harvesting. Increasing pellet quantity and adding organic carbon sources, such as glucose and xylose, improved the harvesting efficiency of Aspergillus oryzae pellet; efficiency was not affected by the initial pH.

Buddhist culture had a significant impact on the entire mode of Korean living after the introduction of Bud-dhism to Korea in the Three Kingdom Period. Baekje embraced Buddhism in 384 A.D.; subsequently, diverse artifactshave now been excavated from the temples. Various research on Korean temples are now in progress; however there isinadequate research on the relics and patterns excavated from the temples due to the focus on the temples’ architecturalform. There is limited research on the development of fashion cultural products that use relics excavated from the tem-ples. This study develops designs for fashion cultural products using Baekje Sabi Period relics; specifically, the sari con-tainer excavated from Buyeo’s Wangheungsaji, Neungsanrisaji, and Iksan’s Mireuksaji. The sari container’s original form,patterns, and writing were developed into patterns and applied to fashion products such as t-shirts, bags and scarves. Tra-ditional multicolored paintwork exhibited on the temples, ‘dancheong’, was selected as the color for products that cansymbolically express the nature of their origin. Adobe Illustrator CC and Adobe Photoshop CC were used to extract themotifs and develop the designs. Six patterns and nine fashion products were designed, accounting for a total of fifteendeveloped items. We hope that the fashion cultural product design expresses the distinct characteristics of Baekje’s SabiPeriod and can be applied to various products and related fields.Key words : sari container(사리장엄구), Baekje’s Sabi period temples(백제 사비 시대 사찰), fashion cultural products(패션문화상품 ), Dancheong(단청)

Objectives To investigate the effect of 4-chloro-7-trifluoromethyl-10H-benzo[4,5]furo[3,2-b]indole-1-carboxylic acid, a new benzofuroindole derivative, on the intraurethral pressure in a rat model of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Methods Benign prostatic hyperplasia was induced by testosterone and 17β-estradiol, which were administered intramuscularly once a day for 12 weeks. The effects of 4-chloro-7-trifluoromethyl-10H-benzo[4,5]furo[3,2-b]indole-1-carboxylic acid and tamsulosin on the intraurethral pressure induced by the electrostimulation of hypogastric nerves after a single intravenous injection of 4-chloro-7-trifluoromethyl-10H-benzo[4,5]furo[3,2-b]indole-1-carboxylic acid (10 mg/kg) or tamsulosin (10 μg/kg) were evaluated in a benign prostatic hyperplasia model. The electrostimulation-induced intraurethral pressure was measured just before and after the injection of 4-chloro-7-trifluoromethyl-10H-benzo[4,5]furo[3,2-b]indole-1-carboxylic acid. Bodyweight and genitourinary organ weights were recorded, and serums and tissues were subjected to hormone assays and histopathology. In addition, the expression of α1-adrenoceptors in the prostate was measured by western blotting. Results The benign prostatic hyperplasia groups showed increased prostatic index, increased concentrations of testosterone, free testosterone and estradiol in serum, and increased epithelial thickness of the prostate. An injection of 4-chloro-7-trifluoromethyl-10H-benzo[4,5]furo[3,2-b]indole-1-carboxylic acid or tamsulosin significantly inhibited the elevation of electrostimulation-induced intraurethral pressure. In addition, 4-chloro-7-trifluoromethyl-10H-benzo[4,5]furo[3,2-b]indole-1-carboxylic acid did not cause a significant change in the blood pressure compared with tamsulosin. While the benign prostatic hyperplasia group showed increased the expression of α1-adrenoceptors, the 4-chloro-7-trifluoromethyl-10H-benzo[4,5]furo[3,2-b]indole-1-carboxylic acid or tamsulosin injection into a rat model of benign prostatic hyperplasia decreased the expression of α1-adrenoceptors. Conclusions These findings show that 4-chloro-7-trifluoromethyl-10H-benzo[4,5]furo[3,2-b]indole-1-carboxylic acid might be beneficial for lowering the intraurethral pressure associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia, and it could represent a therapeutic option for benign prostatic hyperplasia patients.

Microsatellites, a special class of repetitive DNA sequences, have become one of the most popular markers of genetic polymorphism, especially as next-generation sequencing (NGS) methods have become available to streamline the identification of such markers. Based on 45,476 contigs generated by NGS, we obtained 205 Mbp of nucleotide sequences from six inbred lines of Apis mellifera maintained at the National Academy of Agricultural Science in Korea. In total, 20,580 repeat motifs were identified. Di-nucleotide repeats, comprised mostly of [AT]n motifs, were two-fold more common than tri-nucleotide repeats. We arbitrarily selected 50 microsatellite loci with high repeat numbers and were covered by overlapping contigs. PCR amplification yielded clean fragments from 34 of these loci, and nine were selected to differentiate the inbred lines. Genotyping at these nine loci revealed 4–14 alleles per locus, with average 10.11, as well as 0.1875–0.9592 per-locus observed heterozygosity, and 0.5432–0.8669 per-locus polymorphic information content. Thus, some of these loci are profoundly variable. Phylogenetic analysis using the nine microsatellite loci separated individual honey bees from different inbred lines very well, suggesting that these markers may be used to trace the six inbred lines of A. mellifera maintained in Korea.

Avatars are now used widely across digital content and services, and creating one's own avatar through customization has become a common user activity on digital media. This study focuses on the process involved in avatar customization, which requires engaged self-reflection. We test whether avatar customization enhances persuasive effects through self-affirmation in three lab experiments. Study 1 (N = 126) finds that avatar customization meets the key criteria of the self-affirmation task—self-appraisal and self-awareness—equivalent to a widely-used self-affirmation method based on essay writing. The study also finds that avatar customization significantly enhances how participants feel about themselves. Study 2a (N = 102) and 2b (N = 76) further shows that avatar customization (vs. a matched control) improves persuasion by reducing defensive processing of self-threatening health information. The findings offer important insights for understanding the psychology of avatar customization and its potential utility in communications practice. Nanyang Technological University Accepted version The research was supported by the first author’s Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Start-up Grant.

In recent years, many mathematicians have studied the degenerate versions of many special polynomials and numbers. The polyexponential functions were introduced by Hardy and rediscovered by Kim, as inverses to the polylogarithms functions. The paper is divided two parts. First, we introduce a new type of the type 2 poly-Euler polynomials and numbers constructed from the modified polyexponential function, the so-called type 2 poly-Euler polynomials and numbers. We show various expressions and identities for these polynomials and numbers. Some of them involving the (poly) Euler polynomials and another special numbers and polynomials such as (poly) Bernoulli polynomials, the Stirling numbers of the first kind, the Stirling numbers of the second kind, etc. In final section, we introduce a new type of the type 2 degenerate poly-Euler polynomials and the numbers defined in the previous section. We give explicit expressions and identities involving those polynomials in a similar direction to the previous section.

Background DA-9401 was prepared as a mixture of Chinese medicinal herb extracts from roots of Morinda officinalis How (Rubiaceae), outer scales of Allium cepa L. (Liliceae) and seeds of Cuscuta chinensis Lamark (Convolvulaceae). The present study was designed to investigate the possible protective role of DA-9401 in adriamycin (ADR)-induced testicular toxicity associated with oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and apoptosis. Methods Fifty healthy 8-week-old male Sprague–Dawley rats were equally divided into five groups. The first CTR group was treated with normal saline 2 ml/day by gavage. The second was treated with DA-100 (DA-9401 100 mg/kg/day). The third (ADR) group received ADR (2 mg/kg/once a week) intraperitoneally, while the combination of ADR and DA-9401 was given to the fourth ADR + DA-100 (100 mg/kg/day p.o) group and fifth ADR + DA-200 (200 mg/kg/day p.o) group. At the end of the 8-week treatment period, body weight, reproductive organ weights, fertility rate, pups per female were recorded, and serum were assayed for hormone concentrations. Tissues were subjected to semen analysis, histopathological changes, interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), oxidative stress markers and expression levels of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress markers, apoptosis markers, tight junction protein markers, steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), cation channel of sperm (CatSper) and glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) by western blot. Results DA-9401 administration to ADR-treated rats significantly decreased serum luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels, interleukin-6, TNF-α, MDA level, ROS/RNS level, ER stress response protein levels, tunnel positive cells, cleaved caspase-3, and Bax/Bcl2 ratio. Moreover, pretreatment with DA-9401 significantly increased body weight, reproductive organ weights, fertility rate, pups per female, Johnsen’s score, spermatogenic cell density, sperm count and sperm motility, serum testosterone concentration, testicular superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GPx), tight junction protein markers, star protein level, CatSper, and GSK-3 level. Conclusions ADR treatment can markedly impair testicular function and induce testicular cell death presumably by causing significant changes in oxidative stress, ER stress, and mitochondrial pathway. DA-9401 exerts beneficial effects against oxidative stress, ER stress, and mitochondria-mediated cell death pathway in testis tissue by up-regulating expression levels of tight junction protein markers, steroidogenic acute regulatory protein, GSK-3 alpha, and cation channels of sperm. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12935-019-0805-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Objective To assess the psychometric properties of the Brief PREPARED (B-PREPARED) and the Care Transitions Measure (CTM) in patients discharged from hospitals in Korea, and examine their relationships with health literacy. Design A cross-sectional study with a follow-up telephone survey 4 weeks post-discharge. Setting Six medical and surgical wards in a tertiary hospital in Seoul. Participants 293 patients discharged from general wards. Main outcome measures Psychometric properties of the Korean versions of the B-PREPARED and the 15- and 3-item CTM (CTM-15 and CTM-3), and the 3-item Brief Screening Questionnaire for health literacy. Results All instruments discriminated well between patients who were satisfied with hospital care and the discharge process, and those who were not. One month post-discharge, the CTM-15 score was significantly higher in patients with good health status than the others, and the CTM-3 score was significantly higher in patients who used outpatient care than the others. However, no significant difference was found in the scores for all instruments by emergency department visits, rehospitalization, and medication adherence. Cronbach's alpha values were 0.69 for B-PREPARED, 0.91 for CTM-15 and 0.67 for CTM-3. Intraclass correlation coefficients were 0.64, 0.75 and 0.66, respectively. Approximately 33% of the participants had limited health literacy. After adjusting for other patient variables, those with inadequate health literacy had lower scores on all instruments. Conclusions Although the three instruments had acceptable validity and reliability, they showed limited criterion validity. Patients with limited health literacy should be supported to ensure the quality of transitional care.

Guided by construal level theory (CLT), this study investigates the interplay between two framing approaches that address outcomes of obesity-related policies. A randomized experiment (N = 299) was conducted with a 2 (gain- vs. loss-frame) X 2 (societal- vs. individual-frame) between-participants design. Consistent with CLT, frame combinations with consistent construal levels were more persuasive. Compared to a societal-loss frame, a societal-gain frame was perceived as a stronger argument, which in turn increased policy support. Participants were also more likely to engage in healthier diets and physical activity when messages highlighted societal-gain rather than societal-loss. This study offers important insights for combining multiple framing approaches in a persuasive message to improve policy support as well as individual health decisions. Accepted version

Bo Ram Choi,1–3 Hye Kyung Kim,4,* Kiran Kumar Soni,1–3 Keshab Kumar Karna,1–3 Sung Won Lee,5 Insuk So,6 Jong Kwan Park1–3,* 1Department of Urology, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Republic of Korea; 2Research Institute of Clinical Medicine of Chonbuk National University-Biomedical Research Institute, Chonbuk National University Hospital, Jeonju, Republic of Korea; 3Clinical Trial Center of Medical Device of Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Republic of Korea; 4College of Pharmacy, Kyungsung University, Busan, Republic of Korea; 5Department of Urology, Samsung Medical Center, Samsung Biomedical Research Institute, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; 6Department of Physiology and Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea *These authors contributed equally to this work Objective: We investigated the benefits of the BKCa agonist 4-chloro-7-trifluoromethyl-10H-benzo[4,5]furo[3,2-b]indole-1-carboxylic acid (LDD175) combined with tamsulosin and finasteride, in a benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) rat model.Materials and methods: Castration was performed by bilateral orchiectomy under ketamine anesthesia. A rat model of BPH was established by daily intramuscular administration of testosterone propionate plus 17β-estradiol for 8 weeks. Model rats were administered combinations of 20 mg/kg LDD175, 0.01 mg/kg tamsulosin and 1 mg/kg finasteride once daily by oral gavage for 4 weeks from week 6 to 9 post-surgery. Intraurethral pressure induced by electrostimulation of the hypogastric nerve was measured at the end of administration. Body and genitourinary organ weights were recorded, serums were assayed for hormone concentrations, and tissues were subjected to histopathology, and analyses of α1-adrenoceptor mRNA and protein expression levels after treatment.Results: Combined LDD175, tamsulosin, and finasteride significantly decreased prostatic index, serum hormone levels, epithelial thickness, and prostate expression of α1-adrenoceptors in BPH model rats. The 3-drug combination was more effective than any other combination or LDD175 alone.Conclusion: These results suggest that LDD175 addition to tamsulosin and finasteride may be beneficial for the treatment of BPH patients who do not respond to tamsulosin plus finasteride. Keywords: α1-adrenoceptors, α1-adrenergic receptor antagonists, benzofuroindole, intraurethral pressure, 5α-reductase inhibitors&nbsp

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES This study evaluated the effects and molecular mechanisms of the Schisandra chinensis fruit extract (SC) and its major compound gomisin A (GA), on the contractility of rabbit penile corpus cavernosum smooth muscle (PCCSM). MATERIALS/METHODS PCCSM was exposed to SC or GA after appropriate pretreatment with nitric oxide synthase (NOS) blocker, guanylate cyclase blocker, adenylyl cyclase blocker or protein kinase A blocker. Subsequently, we evaluated the cyclic nucleotide in the perfusate by radioimmunoassay, protein expression level of neuronal NOS (nNOS) and endothelial NOS (eNOS) by western blot, and the interaction of SC or GA with udenafil and rolipram. RESULTS Both SC and GA induce PCCSM relaxations in a concentration-dependent manner. Pretreatment with NOS blocker, guanylate cyclase blocker, adenylyl cyclase blocker or protein kinase A blocker result in significantly decreased relaxation. SC and GA also induce the levels of cyclic nucleotide in the perfusate in a concentration-dependent manner. Perfusion with GA also showed significantly higher levels of eNOS protein. Furthermore, the udenafil and rolipram induced relaxations of PCCSM were enhanced after exposure to SC and GA. Our results indicate that SC and GA induce the relaxation of PCCSM via the nitric oxide (NO)-cGMP and cAMP signaling pathways. CONCLUSIONS The SC and GA are potential alternative treatments for men who want to consume natural products to ameliorate erectile function, or who do not respond to the commercially available medicines.

Carbamate kinases catalyze the conversion of carbamate to carbamoyl phosphate, which is readily transformed into other compounds. Carbamate forms spontaneously from ammonia and carbon dioxide in aqueous solutions, so the kinases have potential for sequestrative utilization of the latter compounds. Here, we compare seven carbamate kinases from mesophilic, thermophilic, and hyperthermophilic sources. In addition to the known enzymes from Enterococcus faecalis and Pyrococcus furiosus , the previously unreported enzymes from the hyperthermophiles Thermococcus sibiricus and Thermococcus barophilus , the thermophiles Fervidobacterium nodosum and Thermosipho melanesiensis , and the mesophile Clostridium tetani were all expressed recombinantly, each in high yield. Only the clostridial enzyme did not show catalysis. In direct assays of carbamate kinase activity, the three hyperthermophilic enzymes display higher specific activities at elevated temperatures, greater stability, and remarkable substrate turnover at alkaline pH (9.9 to 11.4). Thermococcus barophilus and Thermococcus sibiricus carbamate kinases were found to be the most active when the enzymes were tested at 80°C, and maintained activity over broad temperature and pH ranges. These robust thermococcal enzymes therefore represent ideal candidates for biotechnological applications involving aqueous ammonia solutions, since nonbuffered 0.0001 to 1.0 M solutions have pH values of approximately 9.8 to 11.8. As proof of concept, here we also show that carbamoyl phosphate produced by the Thermococcus barophilus kinase is efficiently converted in situ to carbamoyl aspartate by aspartate transcarbamoylase from the same source organism. Using acetyl phosphate to simultaneously recycle the kinase cofactor ATP, at pH 9.9 carbamoyl aspartate is produced in high yield and directly from solutions of ammonia, carbon dioxide, and aspartate. IMPORTANCE Much of the nitrogen in animal wastes and used in fertilizers is commonly lost as ammonia in water runoff, from which it must be removed to prevent downstream pollution and evolution of nitrogenous greenhouse gases. Since carbamate kinases transform ammonia and carbon dioxide to carbamoyl phosphate via carbamate, and carbamoyl phosphate may be converted into other valuable compounds, the kinases provide a route for useful sequestration of ammonia, as well as of carbon dioxide, another greenhouse gas. At the same time, recycling the ammonia in chemical synthesis reduces the need for its energy-intensive production. However, robust catalysts are required for such biotransformations. Here we show that carbamate kinases from hyperthermophilic archaea display remarkable stability and high catalytic activity across broad ranges of pH and temperature, making them promising candidates for biotechnological applications. We also show that carbamoyl phosphate produced by the kinases may be efficiently used to produce carbamoyl aspartate.

This study integrates cultural theory of risk into the risk information seeking and processing model in the context of particulate air pollution in South Korea. Specifically, it examines how cultural worldviews (hierarchy, individualism, egalitarianism, and fatalism) influence the way people interpret risk about an environmental risk, which may in turn promote or deter their information seeking and processing about the risk. An online survey (N = 645) showed that egalitarianism was positively associated with perceptions of societal and personal risks, affective responses toward the risk, and informational subjective norms. Perceived societal risk, in particular, mediated the effect of egalitarianism on information insufficiency. Moreover, cultural worldview was a significant moderator of the relationships between information insufficiency and risk information seeking and processing. The positive relationship between information insufficiency and information seeking grew stronger with increasing egalitarianism. In contrast, the negative relationship between information insufficiency and heuristic processing was strengthened with increasing hierarchy. This study extends prior theories and models in risk communication by addressing the roles of cultural worldview, an important individual difference factor in interpreting environmental risks.

Container technology has become an integral part of today’s major IT services. Although it offers several benefits, it also introduces new challenges for operating and maintaining secure container environments. One such challenge is to retain the ability to detect and address the containers’ vulnerabilities and compliance violations. However, designing an effective solution to enable this capability must be based on the accurate understanding of characteristics observed from actual container images and instances. To contribute toward this objective, we have built a general data processing framework, applying the principles of the state-of-the-art. It is a system that decouples the data collection process from the analysis so as to allow user to focus more on building new analysis logics rather than on the tools for monitoring agents. We applied it to the analysis of container images from the Docker Hub image repository, to learn about their security posture. In this work we present various interesting findings and new insights from analyzing the public image corpus. We have learned that more than 92% of the images contain compliance violations and/or vulnerable packages.

Background and ObjectiveThis study has evaluated the pharmacokinetic parameters and bioavailabilities of monotropein, kae-mpferol-3-O-glucoside, and quercetin-4’-O-glucoside after administration of MOTILIPERM in rats.Material and MethodsFollowing the administration of MOTILIPERM, the plasma concentrations of each compound in rats were simultaneously determined by using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).ResultsThe pharmacokinetic parameters of monotropein in rats were AUCinf 20,020.44±3944.67 and 11,915.53±1190.91 min·ng/mL and Cmax 286.99±38.37 and 56.23±9.02 ng/mL for intravenous and oral administration, respectively. The pharmacokinetic parameters of kaempferol-3-O-glucoside in rats were AUCinf 287.86±126.17 min·ng/mL and not estimated; Cmax 5.80±1.87 and 1.24±0.41 ng/mL for intravenous and oral administration, respectively. The pharmacokinetic parameters of querce-tin-4’-O-glucoside in rats were AUCinf 511.38±248.11 and 481.44±65.72 min·ng/mL; Cmax 10.72±2.70 and 2.83±0.34 ng/mL for intravenous and oral administration, respectively. ConclusionThe absolute bioavailabilities of monotropein and quercetin-4’-O-glucoside for oral administration were evaluated and calculated as 3.0 and 4.7%, respectively. The absolute bioavailability of kaemp-ferol-3-O-glucoside was not calculated because the elimination rate constant could not be estimated. These results may be applied to the basic data in a further study in order to develop functional foods or herbal medicinal products.

This study examines intervention approaches to improve the accuracy of risk judgments among college students with unrealistic optimism about alcohol-related problems. We conducted a randomized experiment with 2 self-affirmation (affirmed, nonaffirmed) and 3 message conditions (narrative, informational, no treatment control). Results indicate that providing risk information to unrealistic optimists, while concomitantly protecting their self-concept via either self-affirmation or narratives, may reduce defensive reactions and align their perceived risk more closely with their actual risk. Self-affirmation reduced unrealistic optimism only among those exposed to an informational message, not those exposed to a narrative. The narrative message appeared to increase perceived risk among unrealistic optimists via transportation and identification with the character. We discuss theoretical and practical implications of this work.

Velzen introduced the rigid and relaxed dominating set games and showed that the rigid game being balanced is equivalent to the relaxed game being balanced in 2004. After then various variants of dominating set games were introduced and it was shown that for each variant, a rigid game being balanced is equivalent to a relaxed game being balanced. It is natural to ask if for any other variant of dominating set game, the balancedness of a rigid game and the balancedness of a relaxed game are equivalent. In this paper, we show that the answer for the question is negative by considering the rigid and relaxed paired-domination games, which is considered as a variant of dominating set games. We characterize the cores of both games and show that the rigid game being balanced is not equivalent to the relaxed game being balanced. In addition, we study the cores of paired-dominations games on paths and cycles.

The present study explored a reading-based speaking task for its potential to develop EFL students' fluency. Based on an L1 speaking model by Levelt (1989, 1993), the task was developed in a way that students can maximize their fluency in a scaffolding-rich condition: one in the stage of message generation and the other in linguistic encoding. The use of reading texts for the development of speaking fluency was also hypothesized to induce authentic interaction among interlocutors. How the reading-based speaking task functions as hypothesized was tested with five Korean college students who participated in a 4-week reading-based speaking program. The analysis of the group activity transcripts and interviews revealed that scaffolding in message generation took place in three types of language episode: a personal experience episode, a vocabulary-related episode, and a contentclarification/ elaboration episode. Linguistic encoding in L2 speaking was scaffolded via shared context, which enabled the participants to develop and utilize a paraphrasing skill. Finally, the participants’ engagement in speaking activities increased, affecting their willingness to communicate and their motivation to improve speaking.

This study aims to show how the collective memories of industrialization and dictatorship Korean baby boomers experienced in the formative period of political socialization have unconscious effect on Korea’s political process. Research findings include: First, baby boomers have preferences for strong leaders-moderate civil society relationship. This is in line with the positive collective memory of President Park Chung Hee, who led industrialization and remarkable economic growth based on his authoritarian rule. Second, political choice of baby boomers in their lifetime voting since 1987 manifested a regional cleavage between Honam and non-Honam. This shows the unconscious effect of their sense of belonging to a political party and regional identity, formed according to the division into Honam and non-Honam regions. Third, baby boomers from non-Honam attacked progressive or critical political parties and social forces in a manner similar to the way President Park Chung Hee ruled using anticommunism to justify violence and oppression against political opposition forces. The above discussions reveal the need to consider not just political generation as a social movement force, but also the “unconscious” political generation that influences political process by their political values and faith.

// Chae Hwa Kwon 1,* , Hye Ji Park 1,* , Jin Hwa Choi 1 , Ja Rang Lee 1 , Hye Kyung Kim 1 , Hong-jae Jo 2 , Hyun Sung Kim 2 , Nahmgun Oh 2 , Geun Am Song 3 and Do Youn Park 1 1 Department of Pathology, Pusan National University Hospital and Pusan National University School of Medicine, and BioMedical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, Seo-Gu, Busan, Korea 2 Department of Surgery, Pusan National University Hospital and Pusan National University School of Medicine, and BioMedical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, Seo-Gu, Busan, Korea 3 Department of Internal Medicine, Pusan National University Hospital and Pusan National University School of Medicine, and BioMedical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, Seo-Gu, Busan, Korea * These authors have contributed equally to this work Correspondence to: Do Youn Park, email: // Keywords : colorectal cancer, snail, serpinA1, prognosis, fibronectin Received : December 16, 2014 Accepted : April 10, 2015 Published : April 29, 2015 Abstract The role of Snail and serpin peptidase inhibitor clade A member 1 (serpinA1) in tumorigenesis has been previously identified. However, the exact role and mechanism of these proteins in progression of colorectal cancer (CRC) are controversial. In this study, we investigated the role of Snail and serpinA1 in colorectal cancer (CRC) and examined the mechanisms through which these proteins mediate CRC progression. Immunohistochemical analysis of 528 samples from patients with CRC showed that elevated expression of Snail or serpinA1 was correlated with advanced stage, lymph node metastasis, and poor prognosis. Moreover, we detected a correlation between Snail and serpinA1 expression. Functional studies performed using the CRC cell lines DLD-1 and SW-480 showed that overexpression of Snail or serpinA1 significantly increased CRC cell invasion and migration. Conversely, knockdown of Snail or serpinA1 expression suppressed CRC cell invasion and migration. ChIP analysis revealed that Snail regulated serpinA1 by binding to its promoter. In addition, fibronectin mediated Snail and serpinA1 signaling was involved in CRC cell invasion and migration. Taken together, our data showed that Snail and serpinA1 promoted CRC progression through fibronectin. These findings suggested that Snail and serpinA1 were novel prognostic biomarkers and candidate therapeutic targets in CRC.

This study examined motivational factors underlying six behaviors with varying levels of scientific uncertainty with regard to their effectiveness in reducing cancer risk. Making use of considerable within-subjects variation, the authors examined the moderating role of the degree of scientific uncertainty about the effectiveness of cancer risk-reducing behaviors in shaping relationships between constructs in the Integrative Model of Behavioral Prediction (FishbeinYzer, 2003 ). Using cross-sectional data (n = 601), the descriptive norm-intention relationship was stronger for scientifically uncertain behaviors such as avoiding BPA plastics and using a hands-free mobile phone headset than for established behaviors (e.g., avoiding smoking, fruit and vegetable intake, exercise, and applying sunscreen). This pattern was partially explained by the mediating role of injunctive norms between descriptive norm and intentions, as predicted by the extended Theory of Normative Social Behavior (Rimal, 2008 ). For behaviors more clearly established as an effective means to reduce the risk of cancer, self-efficacy was significantly more predictive of intentions to perform such behaviors. The authors discuss practical implications of these findings and theoretical insights into better understanding the role of normative components in the adaptation of risk-reduction behaviors.

The aim of this study was to search for a novel choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activator from plants traditionally grown in Korea. An ethanol extract from Chaenomeles sinensis Koehne showed the highest ChAT-activating effect in vitro in an assay that used human neuroblastoma cells and [(14)C]acetyl-CoA. The active compound was speculated to be stearic acid methyl ester (SAME). In an in vivo experiment, C. sinensis extract and SAME improved trimethyltin (TMT)-induced deficits in learning and memory in mice as assessed by a Y-maze behavioral test and a passive avoidance test. The C. sinensis extract might attenuate the TMT-induced brain disorder. This study suggests that SAME from C. sinensis might be useful in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Recently, illegal sildenafil analogues have emerged, causing serious social issues. In spite of the importance of sildenafil analogues, their metabolic profiles or clinical effects have not been reported yet. In this study, new metabolites of illegal sildenafil analogues such as hongdenafil, homosildenafil, and hydroxyhomosildenafil were determined using liquid chromatography quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry (LC-Q-TOF-MS) and tandem mass spectrometry (LC-Q-TOF-MS/MS). To prepare metabolic samples, in vitro and in vivo studies were performed. For in vivo metabolites analysis, urine and feces samples of rats treated with sildenafil analogues were analyzed. For in vitro metabolites analysis, human liver microsomes incubated with sildenafil analogues were extracted and analyzed. All metabolites were characterized by LC-Q-TOF-MS and LC-Q-TOF-MS/MS. As a result, five, six, and seven metabolites were determined in hongdenafil, homosildenafil, and hydroxyhomosildenafil treated samples, respectively. These results could be applied to forensic science and other analytical fields. Moreover, these newly identified metabolites could be used as fundamental data to determine the side effect and toxicity of illegal sildenafil analogues.

This study examines how current smokers respond differently to gain-loss-framed antismoking narratives depending on their stages of change to quit smoking. An experiment (N = 461) was conducted with a 2 (narrative perspective: first person vs. third person) × 2 (framing: gain vs. loss) factorial design having smoker's stage of change (precontemplation vs. contemplation/preparation) as a moderator. We observed differential framing effects depending on smoker's current stages of change only when they were exposed to first-person narratives. For precontemplators, a loss-framed (vs. a gain-framed) first-person narrative induced greater quit intentions and stage progression. Conversely, among contemplators and preparers, a gain-framed (vs. a loss-framed) first-person narrative led to greater quit intentions and stage progression. These interactive patterns were partly mediated by self-referencing and perceived similarity. This study proposes an alternative mechanism to explain the conditional framing effect by stages of change and highlights the importance of tailoring messages to smoker's psychosocial characteristics and needs. Accepted version

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is pathologically characterized by the presence of amyloid plaques in brain and the overproduction of amyloid beta (Aβ), leading to learning and memory impairment and intense oxidative stress. In this study, the protective effect of Ligularia fischeri extract was investigated using PC12 cells. L. fischeri extract attenuated hydrogen-peroxide-induced DNA fragmentation in cells. In vivo behavioral tests were performed to examine the effects of the extract on amyloid-β peptide1-42-induced impairment of learning and memory in mice. A diet containing the extract increased alternation behaviors in the Y-maze test and step-through latency of passive avoidance task. Moreover, we found that consumption of the extract decreased lipid peroxidation in a biochemical study of brain tissue in mice. High-performance liquid chromatography was used to identify the active compounds in the extract. These results suggest that L. fischeri extract could be protective against Aβ-induced neurotoxicity, possibly due to the antioxidative capacity of its constituent, 3-O-caffeoylquinic acid.

암환자는 항암제, 약물, 수액, 영양제, 혈액 주입 및 혈액 채취 등을 안전하고 편리하게 시행하기 위해 중심정맥관을 삽입하는 경우가 많다(Bae, 2011; Mitchell, Anderson, Williams, & Umscheid, 2009). 그 중 삽입형 포트는 카테터를 정맥에 삽입하고 이와 연결되는 포트는 피하에 삽입되는 장치로(Bae, 2011), 피하에 삽입된 포트는 외관상 잘 보이지 않고 바늘이 꽂혀 있지 않은 상태에서는 피부 소독을 할 필요가 없으며, 카테터가 당겨지거나 절단될 위험도 없다(Lamont et al., 2003). 또한 다른 중심정맥관에 비해 감염률이나 혈전 등의 부작용이 적으며, 수영, 목욕 등 환자들의 일상활동에 제약을 주지 않아서(Dougherty, 2006; Maki, Kluger, & Crnich, 2006), 주기적인 항암치료에 가장 적합하고, 항생제 치료와 총정맥영양에 사용

The aim of this study is to develop fashion cultural product designs in order to promote the Iksan region by using motifs from the Mireuksaji, Iksan`s most representative archeological site of Baekje culture. The fashion cultural products designs developed by applying cultural resources can be effective at enhancing our cultural identity. Adobe Illustrator CS4 and Adobe Photoshop CS4 were used to reconstruct motifs from the Sumakse tiles and the bronze horse figure in the Mireuksaji Museum. The Iksan brand slogan "Amazing Iksan" was combined with the bronze horse to emphasize the local cultural identity. The motifs from the Mireuksaji were modified and stylized to make different patterns and these patterns were repeated in various ways to be applied to necktie and scarf designs. The motifs for necktie designs were double-row chrysanthemum tiles and phoenix tiles, and the motifs for scarf designs were the double-row lotus tiles and the bronze horse artifacts. Different colorways were chosen and the value of each color was displayed in the CMYK percentages. As a result, eight necktie designs and twelve scarf designs were proposed. The motifs and patterns developed in this study can be used to introduce Iksan`s distinct history as the birthplace of Baekje culture. It is also expected that the result of this study can advance the promotion of Korean traditional culture internationally.

The present study investigated the effects of egg yolk-derived peptide (YPEP) on osteogenic activities and MAPK-regulation of osteogenic gene expressions. The effects of YPEP on cell proliferation, alkaline phosphatase activity, collagen synthesis, and mineralization were measured in human osteoblastic MG-63 cells. Activation of MAPKs and downstream transcription factors such as extracellular-signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), c-Jun N-terminal kinase 1/2 (JNK1/2), p38, ELK1, and cJUN were examined using western blot analysis. YPEP dose-dependently increased MG-63 cell proliferation, ALP activity, collagen synthesis, and calcium deposition. YPEP activated ERK1/2, p38, and ELK1 phosphorylation whereas JNK and cJUN were not affected by YPEP. The COL1A1 (collagen, type I, alpha 1), ALPL (alkaline phosphatase), and SPP1 (secreted phosphoprotein 1, osteopontin) gene expressions were increased while BGLAP (osteocalcin) was not affected by YPEP. The ERK1/2 inhibitor (PD98509) blocked the YPEP-induced COL1A1 and ALPL gene expressions as well as ELK1 phosphorylation. The p38 inhibitor (SB203580) blocked YPEP-induced COL1A1 and ALPL gene expressions. SPP1 gene expression was not affected by these MAPK inhibitors. In conclusion, YPEP treatment stimulates the osteogenic differentiation via the MAPK/ELK1 signaling pathway. These results could provide a mechanistic explanation for the bone-strengthening effects of YPEP.

This study compared total sodium amounts in ‘Healthy Restaurant for Sodium Reduction’ menu items located in Seoul, Chungcheong, and Gyeongsang in 2011 and 2012. In addition, this study explored reduced sodium cooking methods in ‘Healthy Restaurant for Sodium Reduction’. This study monitored and collected menu samples from a total of 103 restaurants participating in ‘Healthy Restaurant for Sodium Reduction’ in 2011 and 2012. We also surveyed restaurant employees to identify reduced sodium cooking methods in 2012. The results showed significant reductions in total amounts of sodium in menu items of restaurants located in Seoul, Chungcheong, and Gyeongsang between 2011 (310.8±156.8 mg/100g) and 2012 (211.6±110.3 mg/100g). Amounts of sodium in all seven foodgroups showed significant reductions between 2011 and 2012: ‘Gook/Tang’ (from 226.6±127.7 mg/100g to 168.5±74.3 mg/100g), ‘Jjigae/Jeongol’ (from 385.8±111.7 mg/100g to 257.1±82.53 mg/100g), ‘Noodle/ Dumpling’ (from 263.8±116.9 mg/100g to 194.1±55.6 mg/100g), ‘Gui’ (from 390.3±120.6 mg/100g to 258.8±92.7 mg/100g), ‘Steamed dish’ (from 305.3±124.3 mg/100g to 175.6±76.6 mg/100g), ‘Bob’ (from 273.7±162.5 mg/100g to 167.1± 93.1 mg/100g), and ‘Stir-fried dish’ (from 368.6±116.6 mg/100g to 219.0±72.4 mg/100g). The survey results showed that responses for ‘Reducing salt amount’ were 75.7%, responses for ‘Using enchovy stock, shrimp, radish, or fruit soup’ were 64.1%, and responses for ‘Liking the taste because it is bland’ were 50%. This study indicates that ‘Healthy Restaurant for Sodium Reduction’ nutrition policy was successful for reducing sodium contents of restaurant menu items, and also consumers were satisfied with the tastes.

The biological conversion of CO2 and H2 into formate offers a sustainable route to a valuable commodity chemical through CO2 fixation, and a chemical form of hydrogen fuel storage. Here we report the first example of CO2 hydrogenation utilising engineered whole-cell biocatalysts. Escherichia coli JM109(DE3) cells transformed for overexpression of either native formate dehydrogenase (FDH), the FDH from Clostridium carboxidivorans, or genes from Pyrococcus furiosus and Methanobacterium thermoformicicum predicted to express FDH based on their similarity to known FDH genes were all able to produce levels of formate well above the background, when presented with H2 and CO2, the latter in the form of bicarbonate. In the case of the FDH from P. furiosus the yield was highest, reaching more than 1 g L−1 h−1 when a hydrogen-sparging reactor design was used.

The anti-inflammatory effects of Acanthopanax senticosus leaves (ASL) and the effects of extrusion were evaluated. ASL exhibited in vitro and in vivo antiinflammatory activities in experimental systems. Extrusion increased the effect of ASL. ASL reduced C48/80-induced histamine release from HMC-1 cells as well as in vivo model, suggesting that ASL induces mast cell stabilization and has an anti-histamine activity. The effects of ASL and extruded ASL (ASLE) on pro-inflammatory cytokine production were evaluated. ASL treatment reduced MCP- 1, TNF-α, and IL-1β mRNA expressions and decreased their protein levels in HMC-1 cells. Decreases in serum NO, MDA, and TNF-α levels were observed in acute inflammatory rats, and extrusion increased the effects of ASL in a dose-dependent manner. These data support pharmacological basis of ASL and the effect of extrusion for future treatment of inflammation.

Let Dbe a nite digraph with the vertex set V(D) and thearc set A(D). A function f: V(D) !f 1; 1gde ned on the vertices ofa digraph Dis called a bad function if f(N (v)) 1 for every vin D.The weight of a bad function is f(V(D)) =P v2V (D) f(v). The maximumweight of a bad function of Dis the the negative decision number D (D)of D. Wang [4] studied several sharp upper bounds of this number foran undirected graph. In this paper, we study sharp upper bounds of thenegative decision number D (D) of for a digraph D. 1. IntroductionIt has been studied that an interconnection network is modelled by a graphwith vertices representing sites of the network and edges representing links be-tween sites of the network. The motivation for studying this new parameteron a directed network system may be varied from a modelling perspective.For instance, in a social network (a network of people), if we give an arc uvwhen uinuences vand assign the values -1 or 1 to the vertices of a digraph,we can model networks of people in which global decisions must be made(e.g.positive or negative responses). In certain circumstances, a positive decisioncan be made only if there are signi cantly more people voting for than thosevoting against. We assume that each individual has one vote, and each hasan initial opinion. We assign 1 to vertices (individuals) which have a positiveopinion and -1 vertices which have a negative opinion. A voter votes ’good’if there are two more vertices in its open neighborhood with positive opinionthan with negative opinion, otherwise the vote is ’bad’. We seek an assignmentof opinions that guarantee an unanimous decision; namely, for which everyvertex votes ’bad’. Such an assignment of opinions is called a uniformly nega-tive assignment. Among all uniformly negative assignments of opinions, we are

Little is known about the home food safety practices of Mexican-Americans living in the U.S. The current study examined the knowledge, perception of food safety risk and factors associated with home food safety practices among the Mexican-Americans who cook regularly for their families. Ten focus group interviews in New York and Texas identified a number of issues. Most participants did not defrost properly (i.e., placed frozen meat in the sink or countertop) and did not handle leftovers safely (i.e., cooled down more than 2 h at room temperature). Although participants reported good hygienic practices in the use of utensils when cooking, there seemed to be limited awareness of the dangers of cross-contamination when handling raw meats and produce; unsafe thawing of raw meats by leaving the raw meat in the sink or counter, and handling of cooked meats. Many incorrectly believed that the appearance of cooked meats was an indicator of safety, and that a food thermometer was unnecessary. These focus group findings informed a probability–based web panel survey (N = 468) of Mexican-Americans who cook for their families in the United States. The survey study reports two major findings: (1) Mexican-Americans' perception and awareness about food safety risk were closely related to their reported food preparation practices (except for eating raw eggs) and (2) Mexican-Americans born in the U.S. and those of Mexican origin living in the U.S. differed in their level of risk awareness and in their compliance with some associated food safety practices. Practical implications are discussed for designing targeted communication campaigns to increase compliance with safe home food preparation practices.

Ethnopharmacological relevance Schisandra chinensis fruit extract (SCE) has been used as a traditional oriental medicine for treating vascular diseases. However, the pharmacologic effects and mechanisms of SCE on vascular fibrosis are still largely unknown. Transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1)-mediated cellular changes are closely associated with the pathogenesis of vascular fibrotic diseases. Particularly, TGFβ1 induces actin stress fiber formation that is a crucial mechanism underlying vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) migration in response to vascular injury. In this study, we investigated the effect of SCE and its active ingredients on TGFβ1-induced stress fiber assembly in A7r5 VSMCs. Materials and methods To investigate pharmacological actions of SCE and its ingredients on TGFβ1-treated VSMCs, we have employed molecular and cell biological technologies, such as confocal microscopy, fluorescence resonance energy transfer, western blotting, and radiometric enzyme analyses. Results We found that SCE inhibited TGFβ1-induced stress fiber formation and cell migration. Schisandrin B (SchB) showed the most prominent effect among the active ingredients of SCE tested. SchB reduced TGFβ1-mediated phosphorylation of myosin light chain, and this effect was independent of RhoA/Rho-associated kinase pathway. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer and radiometric enzyme assays confirmed that SchB inhibited myosin light chain kinase activity. We also showed that SchB decreased TGFβ1-mediated induction of α-smooth muscle actin by inhibiting Smad signaling. Conclusions The present study demonstrates that SCE and its active ingredient SchB suppressed TGFβ1-induced stress fiber formation at the molecular level. Therefore, our findings may help future investigations to develop multi-targeted therapeutic strategies that attenuate VSMC migration and vascular fibrosis.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is caused by the hepatic accumulation of saturated fatty acids involving the ER stress mechanism. Secretion of apo lipid carrier proteins and their binding to hepatic TG and cholesterol are affected by ER stress. This study was designed to identify ER stress regulators with potential effects against hepatic lipid accumulation. Ixeris dentata (IXD) is a traditional herbal remedy for indigestion, hepatitis, and diabetes used in Korea, Japan, and China. To examine the regulatory effects of IXD against hepatic lipid accumulation and elucidate its suggested mechanism of ER stress, HepG2 hepatocytes were treated with IXD extract in the presence of palmitate. While palmitate induced an ER stress response in hepatocytes, as indicated by the upregulation of PERK, increased eukaryotic initiation factor 2α (eIF2α) phosphorylation, enhanced expression of GADD153/C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), and reduced secretion of apoB resulting in hepatic cellular accumulation of triglycerides (TG) and cholesterol, IXD extract significantly inhibited the lipid accumulation and PERK/eIF2α/CHOP-axis of the ER stress response. The inhibition of the PERK/eIF2α/CHOP signaling pathway by IXD in palmitate-treated cells suggests that IXD regulates hepatic dyslipidemia through the regulation of ER stress.

Opuntia ficus-indica var. saboten (OFS) has been used in traditional medicine for centuries to treat several illnesses, including diabetes. However, detailed mechanisms underlying hypoglycemic effects remain unclear. In this study, the mechanism underlying the hypoglycemic activity of OFS was evaluated using in vitro and in vivo systems. OFS treatment inhibited α-glucosidase activity and intestinal glucose absorption assessed by Na+-dependent glucose uptake using brush border membrane vesicles. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is widely recognized as an important regulator of glucose transport in skeletal muscle, and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) has been proposed to be a component of AMPK-mediated signaling. In the present study, OFS dose-dependently increased glucose uptake in L6 muscle cells. The AMPK and p38 MAPK phosphorylations were stimulated by OFS, and inhibitors of AMPK (compound C) and p38 MAPK (SB203580) abolished the effects of OFS. Furthermore, OFS increased glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) translocation to the plasma membrane. OFS administration (1 g/kg and 2 g/kg body weight) in db/db mice dose-dependently ameliorated hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, and glucose tolerance. Insulin resistance assessed by homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance and quantitative insulin sensitivity check index were also dose-dependently improved with OFS treatment. OFS administration improved pancreatic function through increased β-cell mass in db/db mice. These findings suggest that OFS acts by inhibiting glucose absorption from the intestine and enhancing glucose uptake from insulin-sensitive muscle cells through the AMPK/p38 MAPK signaling pathway.

In a digraph D = ( V ( D ) , A ( D ) ) , a two-valued function f : V ( D ) &rarr, { - 1 , 1 } defined on the vertices of D is called a signed dominating function if f ( N - [ v ] ) &ge, 1 for every v in D. The weight of a signed dominating function is f ( V ( D ) ) = &sum, v &isin, V ( D ) f ( v ) . The signed domination number &gamma, s ( D ) is the minimum weight among all signed dominating functions of D. Let P m &times, C n be the Cartesian product of directed path P m and directed cycle C n . In this paper, the exact value of &gamma, s ( P m &times, C n ) is determined for any positive integers m and n.