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The purpose of this study is to analyze the outcome of instruction and the implication of improving university student’s vocational basic competency evaluation of non-face instruction in the “untact” era. The contents of this study were the theorectical analysis of competency-based evaluation, and the different analysis of Vocational Basic Competency between pretest and post-test self-evaluation surveys. The subjects of this study were the students enrolled in two Leadership instructional programs and two interpersonal relations instructional programs in the field of liberal arts at Shinhan University. Looking at the results of this study, the results of self-evaluation of the vocational basic competency of students before and after class showed significant differences at the 0.01 level in all 10 vocational basic competency categories and 34 sub-elements. There was no significant difference when it came to the grade and subject of the students. In addition, in the survey on non-face-to-face video classes, 31% of students responded that they were effective, while 69% said such classes were ineffective. The advantages of the untact video classes were 67.7% for repeated listening and 22.9% for time utilization. According to the students, the disadvantages of the untact video classes were as follows: 44.3% for the burden felt by weekly tasks, 20.6% for the lack of rapport between the professor and the students, and 17.5% for the lack of student communication. As for the appropriate ratio of untact classes, 49.4% responded that a proper ratio would be in the range of 20% to 50%. Based on the above students' self-evaluation results of vocational basic competency before and after class, and the results of opinion surveys regarding untact classes, future policies are proposed at the student, professor, university, and national level. Students need to self-diagnose and manage their vocational basic competency. Also, professors need to strengthen the national competency ability, and strengthen their untact online class capabilities. Universities need to upgrade their cyber systems, establish a curriculum development program, and develop management systems to improve vocational basic competency. The state needs to expand its financial support to strengthen the performance of cyber systems and to develop a manual for the operation of liberal arts education, as well as to compile a collection of best practices to enhance vocational basic competency.

Supplementary Tables S1-S4.

Purpose: Identification of novel biomarkers of cancer is important for improved diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic intervention. This study aimed to identify marker genes of colorectal cancer (CRC) by combining bioinformatics analysis of gene expression data and validation experiments using patient samples and to examine the potential connection between validated markers and the established oncogenes such as c-Myc and K-ras.Experimental Design: Publicly available data from GenBank and Oncomine were meta-analyzed leading to 34 candidate marker genes of CRC. Multiple case-matched normal and tumor tissues were examined by RT-PCR for differential expression, and 9 genes were validated as CRC biomarkers. Statistical analyses for correlation with major clinical parameters were carried out, and RNA interference was used to examine connection with major oncogenes.Results: We show with high confidence that 9 (ECT2, ETV4, DDX21, RAN, S100A11, RPS4X, HSPD1, CKS2, and C9orf140) of the 34 candidate genes are expressed at significantly elevated levels in CRC tissues compared to normal tissues. Furthermore, high-level expression of RPS4X was associated with nonmucinous cancer cell type and that of ECT2 with lack of lymphatic invasion while upregulation of CKS2 was correlated with early tumor stage and lack of family history of CRC. We also demonstrate that RPS4X and DDX21 are regulatory targets of c-Myc and ETV4 is downstream to K-ras signaling.Conclusions: We have identified multiple novel biomarkers of CRC. Further analyses of their function and connection to signaling pathways may reveal potential value of these biomarkers in diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of CRC. Clin Cancer Res; 17(4); 700–9. ©2011 AACR.

We investigated the in vitro and in vivo osteogenic activity of licochalcone A. At low concentrations, licochalcone A stimulated the differentiation of mouse pre-osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 subclone 4 (MC4) cells and enhanced the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-2-induced stimulation of mouse bi-potential mesenchymal precursor C2C12 cells to commit to the osteoblast differentiation pathway. This osteogenic activity of licochalcone A was accompanied by the activation of extracellular-signal regulated kinase (ERK). The involvement of ERK was confirmed in a pharmacologic inhibition study. Additionally, noggin (a BMP antagonist) inhibited the osteogenic activity of licochalcone A in C2C12 cells. Licochalcone A also enhanced the BMP-2-stimulated expression of various BMP mRNAs. This suggested that the osteogenic action of licochalcone A in C2C12 cells could be dependent on BMP signaling and/or expression. We then tested the in vivo osteogenic activity of licochalcone A in two independent animal models. Licochalcone A accelerated the rate of skeletal development in zebrafish and enhanced woven bone formation over the periosteum of mouse calvarial bones. In summary, licochalcone A induced osteoblast differentiation with ERK activation in both MC4 and C2C12 cells and it exhibited in vivo osteogenic activity in zebrafish skeletal development and mouse calvarial bone formation. The dual action of licochalcone A in stimulating bone formation and inhibiting bone resorption, as described in a previous study, might be beneficial in treating bone-related disorders.

Drawing on contemporary feminist and postcolonial writings, this paper endeavors to provide a critique of some underlying assumptions of the oral history method. The very methodology of the oral history method re-enforces hegemonic Western ideologies about race/ethnicity, gender and class perpetuated through the connection between the cultural identity of the speaker and the notion of authenticity as a ground for academic authority. Without recognizing the inherent subjectivities of the research methods we use, we may unwittingly perpetuate these hegemonic ideologies, despite our good intention. If other histories are to be heard, this bias and viewpoint needs to be challenged, not in a threatening way but in an enlightening way, so that the “Other” voices can tell their stories in a more, if not fully, liberated way.

Licochalcone A on the formation and bone resorptive activity of osteoclasts up to 5muM significantly inhibited the receptor activator of nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) ligand (RANKL)-induced activity of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) activity and formation of osteoclasts without any effect on cell viability. Interestingly, licochalcone A was shown to inhibit the RANKL-induced activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase, translocation of NF-kappaB into nucleus and mRNA expression of Fra-2. Licochalcone A also inhibited the bone resorptive activity of mature osteoclasts and the expression of bone resorption-related genes. Inhibitory effects of licochalcone A on the formation and bone resorptive activity of mouse bone marrow macrophage-derived osteoclasts were also observed. In conclusion, licochalcone A has the potential to inhibit the formation of osteoclasts as well as the bone resorptive activity of mature osteoclasts.

Biopharmaceutical products produced from cell cultures have a potential for viral contamination from cell sources or from adventitious introduction during production. The objective of this study was to assess viral clearance in the production of insect cell-derived recombinant human papillomavirus (HPV)-16 type L1 virus-like particles (VLPs). We selected Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), and minute virus of mice (MVM) as relevant viruses to achieve the aim of this study. A downstream process for the production of purified HPV-16 L1 VLPs consisted of detergent lysis of harvested cells, sonication, sucrose cushion centrifugation, and cesium chloride (CsCl) equilibrium density centrifugation. The capacity of each purification/treatment step to clear viruses was expressed as reduction factor by measuring the difference in log virus infectivity of sample pools before and after each process. As a result, detergent treatment (0.5% v/v, Nonidet P-40/phosphate-buffered saline) was effective for inactivating enveloped viruses such as JEV and BVDV, but no significant reduction (1.0 log(10)) was observed in the non-enveloped MVM. The CsCl equilibrium density centrifugation was fairly effective for separating all three relevant adventitious viruses with different CsCl buoyant density from that of HPV-16 L1 VLPs (JEV, BVDV, and MVM = 4.30, 3.10,or = 4.40 log(10) reductions). Given the study conditions we used, overall cumulative reduction factors for clearance of JEV, BVDV, and MVM wereor = 10.50,or = 9.20, andor = 6.40 log(10) in 150 ml of starting cell cultures, respectively.

In Korea, antivenoms for the treatment of patients bitten by venomous snakes have been imported from Japan or China. Although there is cross-reactivity between these antibodies and venoms from snakes indigenous to Korea (e.g. Agkistrodon genus), protection is not optimal. Antivenoms specifically prepared to neutralize Korean snake venoms could be more effective, with fewer side effects. To this end, we established an infrastructure to develop national standards and created a standardized method to evaluate the efficacy of two horse-derived antivenoms using mouse lethal toxin test. Additionally, we determined the antivenoms neutralizing activity against lethal doses (LD50) of Agkistrodon halys (from Japan) and Jiangzhe Agkistrodon halys (from China) venoms. We also performed cross-neutralization tests using probit analysis on each pairing of venom and antivenom in order to check the possibility of using Jiangzhe A. halys venom as a substitute for A. halys venom, the current standard. Slope of A. halys venom with A. halys antivenom was 10.2 and that of A. halys venom with Jiangzhe A. halys antivenom was 9.6. However, Slope of Jiangzhe A. halys venom with A. halys antivenom was 4.7 while that of Jiangzhe A. halys venom with Jiangzhe A. halys antivenom was 11.5. Therefore, the significant difference in slope patterns suggests that Jiangzhe A. halys venom cannot be used as a substitute for the standard venom to test the anti-lethal toxin activity of antivenoms (p

To establish Korea National Standards for venoms and antivenoms, it is necessary to have standardized assay methods. In this study, we standardized a method to evaluate the antihemorrhagic potency of two horse-derived antivenoms using rabbit intracutaneous injection. We expressed the capability of these antivenoms to neutralize the hemorrhagic activities triggered by the venoms of Agkistrodon halys from Japan and Jiangzhe Agkistrodon halys from China as Minimum Hemorrhagic Dose (MHD). We also performed cross-neutralization tests employing the parallel line assay on different pairings of venoms and antivenoms to check the possibility of using Jiangzhe Agkistrodon halys venom as a substitute for the standard Agkistrodon halys venom in measurements of the antihemorrhagic activity, since A. halys venom is not easily available. Slope function ratio (S.R.) was 0.957 for Agkistrodon halys venom either with Agkistrodon halys antivenom or with Jiangzhe Agkistrodon halys antivenom (p>0.05). Similarly, S.R. was 0.348 for Jiangzhe Agkistrodon halys venom either with Agkistrodon halys antivenom or with Jiangzhe Agkistrodon halys antivenom (p>0.05). Thus, in this study we established antihemorrhagic potency test methods for both Agkistrodon halys and Jiangzhe Agkistrodon halys antivenoms and we could also show it is possible to use Jiangzhe Agkistrodon halys venom as a standard.

The purpose of this paper is to inquire into the developmental directions and tasks of the School Based Curriculum Management(SBCM) system. The concept of the School Based Curriculum Management can be considered as a subsystem to School Based Management. The logics behind the SBCM system are autonomy, accountability, effectiveness, creativity, professionalism, and participation. The developmental directions of SBCM are to establish and implement the highly autonomous and participative SBCM, the diverse creative SBCM, the highly accountable SBCM, and the professional SBCM. The developmental tasks of SBCM suggested in this study are to establish the School Based Staff Development system, to practice the evaluation system that can control the quality of SBCM, to be managed by a strategic-layer management system, and to constitute the committee of school curriculum.

In the last two decades or so there has been lively academic and political debate about the continued gendering process of the accountancy profession. Less attention, however, has been given to the impact of racialization of the accountancy profession on the lives of ethnic minorities and even less attention to ethnic minority women. Yet a growing body of evidence has forced critical researchers to clarify the additional barriers to success ethnic minority women face in the accountancy profession due to a confluence of race/ethnicity and gender/sex discrimination. This study of Chinese women accountants’ experiences in New Zealand demonstrates that because of their two negatively evaluated statuses, ethnic minority women in general and Chinese women in particular are positioned at the very bottom of the power structure in the domain of predominantly this White-male profession.

This paper focuses on the experiences of Chinese accountants in the accountancy profession in New Zealand. It endeavors to gain insights into the better understanding of the continuities and discontinuities of colonialism/imperialism, and their impact on the lives of certain groups of people whose voices have not yet been heard. In so doing, this paper is particularly interested in articulating silences and omissions of issues of race/ethnicity in contemporary accounting literature. This includes critical reflection on serious concerns about ethnic/racial bias in western society and social practice, in particular accounting. Findings from my study suggest the existence of ongoing imperialism against the Chinese and the politics of “difference” have been the most efficient tools in excluding the Chinese accountants from the center of the power structure within the accountancy profession in New Zealand.

Background and objectives: A collaborative study among five laboratories including three manufacturers and two national control laboratories was carried out to evaluate the suitability of a candidate to serve as a Korean Standard for factor VIII:C concentrate. Materials and methods: Two approaches were attempted to determine the potency of this candidate. The one is a one-stage clotting assay and the other is a chromogenic assay. To achieve acceptable precision and accuracy, the following recommendations by the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis were adopted in the assays, e.g., pre-dilution of samples in factor VIII (FVIII)-deficient plasma, inclusion of 1% albumin in the dilution buffer and calibration against the sixth International Standard for the blood coagulation factor VIII:C concentrate, coded 97/616. Results: The data collected within each laboratory and among laboratories for both assays employed here were in good agreements in the calibration of the candidate preparation against the International Standard. The overall potencies by the one-stage clotting assay and the chromogenic assay, however, showed recognizable differences between them. Each differed from each other in that the potency obtained from chromogenic assay was approximately 17% lower than that from one-stage clotting assay. The estimated geometric mean value obtained from the one-stage clotting assay was 8.4 international units (IU)/vial and that from the chromogenic assay was 6.7 IU/vial. Conclusions: Based on the results of this collaborative study, the candidate standard is judged to be suitable to serve as a Korean National Standard for factor VIII:C concentrate.

Propionic acidemia (PA) is an autosomal recessive inborn error in the catabolism of methionine, isoleucine, threonine, and valine, odd-numbered chain length fatty acids and cholesterol. Clinical symptoms are very heterogeneous and present as a severe neonatal-onset or a late-onset form. It is caused by a deficiency of propionyl-CoA carboxylase (PCC, EC 6.4.1.3), a biotin-dependent enzyme that catalyzes the carboxylation of propionyl-CoA to D-methylmalonyl-CoA. PCC is a heteropolymeric enzyme composed of alpha- and beta-subunits. A greater heterogeneity is observed in the PCCA gene, while for the PCCB gene, a limited number of mutations is responsible for the majority of the alleles characterized in both Caucasian and Oriental populations. We identified eight Korean patients with PA by organic acid analysis confirmed in five patients by the PCC enzyme assay in the lymphoblasts. Two neonatal-onset patients showed undetectable PCC activities while three cases with residual enzyme activities had relatively late manifestations. In the molecular analysis, we identified five novel mutations, Y439C, 1527del3, 1357insT, IVS12-8T-->A, and 31del10, and one known mutation, T428I in PCCB gene. Alleleic frequency of T428I in Korean patients with PA was 56.3% in this study. Two neonatal-onset patients with null enzyme activities were homozygotes with 1527del3 and T428I, respectively. This finding implies that T428I and 1527del3 mutation could be responsible for their severe clinical courses and null enzyme activities. The mRNA of PCCB gene in T428I and 1527del3 homozygotes were normal but in Western blot analysis, the betaPCC-subunit was only absent in 1527del3 homozygote patient suggesting different molecular pathology.

Wilson's disease (WD) is an autosomal recessive disorder of copper metabolism with copper accumulation in the liver as well as in the central nervous system. Treatment of WD includes oral chelating agents and diet and it is effective. However, once irreversible damage has occurred, the effect of treatment is diminished and the patient's quality of life is compromised. It is estimated that at least half of the patients with WD remain undiagnosed and die of untreated disease. Early detection of patients presymptomatically has been hampered by the lack of effective methods for mass screening. Recently, a sandwich ELISA method for ceruloplasmin measurement in blood spots was developed. We have used this method to analyze blood specimens collected on filter paper from 3667 children aged 3 months–15 years. The mean value of ceruloplasmin was 30.5±9.5 mg/dL. Among these children, we identified one WD case, a 32-month-old boy with markedly reduced ceruloplasmin concentration (2.3 mg/dL). Measurement of CP level in dried blood spot sample is proposed as a reliable method for population screening of WD.

The literature of social and educational research reflects the significance that issues of culture and ethnicity have gained in such research. This is evident, for example, in concerns to analyse and redesign social practices and to elaborate a critique of dominant Western institutions. In the research literature upon the accounting focus, evidence of such concerns has been comparatively scarce. While some research has been done@8ifor example, researchers have pointed to the Eurocentric character of accounting and critically analysed ethnic minority experiences of accountancy@8ithere is much more to do. Particularly scarce in the accounting literature have been studies concerned to focus upon accounting from an indigenous cultural perspective or to promote multicultural accounting education. Such a silence is of significance in the light of increasing worldwide concerns to learn from and to protect the cultures of indigenous peoples and to question the universal validity of Western practices, notably such as those of Eurocentric education. In this paper we focus upon Maori, the indigenous people of Aotearoa New Zealand, and critically assess and explore their participation in and experiences of accounting education. We concentrate upon university accounting education which is central to the process of gaining admission into the accountancy profession of Aotearoa New Zealand. We provide a historical and contextual analysis which elaborates upon the oppression and marginalisation of Maori people. The study reflects our concern that, in inquiring into why particular ethnic groups, including indigenous peoples, are under represented and lack influence in particular social activities and occupations, we need to give consideration to the role of cultural as well as socioeconomic factors. And in this respect we need to critically analyse the very institutions and practices of Western accountancy and Western accounting education as forms of insensitive cultural imperialism. These forms can change rather than the culture of peoples. For us, increasing the participation of Maori in accounting education and accounting practice and changing the character of these practices so that they are more reflective of Maori indigenous culture are two dimensions of the struggle for change which can be mutually reinforcing. We are supportive of such change and seek to bring this about in the Eurocentric institutions of Aotearoa New Zealand. Our contention is that a deeper critical analysis of issues of ethnicity in Western society can help to inform a critique of Eurocentric practices and institutions including in the sphere of accounting. In brief, we explore a range of interconnected themes: the complex character of the marginalisation and oppression of Maori; focusing in, the position respecting accounting education and the very practice of accounting; how this relates to ways forward and connects up with wider issues.

Background and objectives Six laboratories consisting of three manufacturers and three national control laboratories participated in a collaborative study to evaluate the suitability of a candidate material to serve as the first Korean National Standard for Antithrombin (AT) concentrate. Materials and methods The potency of this candidate preparation was determined using the heparin cofactor chromogenic method. The method is described in the Minimum Requirements for Biological Products in Korea and in the European Pharmacopoeia. The candidate was calibrated against the second International Standard for AT concentrate, coded as 96/520. Results The participants contributed data from a total of 90 independent assays and the results were accepted as statistically valid when the outcome of the analysis exhibited linear dose–response relationships and intersected at a common point at zero dose in the slope–ratio model. The combined potency estimates were obtained by taking the geometric means of results from all assays at each laboratory, and overall potency estimates were calculated as unweighted geometric means of results from all laboratories. The results were expressed in the form of histograms with 95% confidence intervals. Conclusions According to the results of the collaborative study, the candidate preparation showed excellent intra- and inter-laboratory correlations and is judged to be suitable to serve as the Korean National Standard for AT concentrate with the following potency: 51.9 IU/vial (95% confidence intervals = 48.24∼55.98 IU/vial).

A number of recombinant proteins isolated from cell sources are being produced for biopharmaceuticals. Although most biopharmaceuticals are highly purified, there is a safety concern that such recombinant products could be contaminated with impurities including adventitious virus, mycoplasma, endotoxin and oncogenic DNA. Residual DNA in recombinant biopharmaceuticals is a potential risk factor and must be evaluated and removed to meet the regulatory guidelines. Recombinant HPV type 16 L1 VLPs, recombinant protein produced in Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf) 9 insect cells, is a HPV subunit vaccine candidate which has been studied as a preventive vaccine of cervical cancers. In this study, we performed detection and quantification of residual cellular DNA in the production of recombinant HPV type 16 L1 VLPs. HPV-16 L1 VLPs were purified by processes including detergent lysis, sonication treatment, sucrose cushion centrifugation, CsCl equilibrium density centrifugation, and DNase treatment which was added to inactivate residual cellular DNA after CsCl centrifugation step. We have developed a precise assay based on a dot-blot hybridization using digoxigenin random primed labeling DNA probes for the detection and quantification of residual cellular DNA during the purification process and final products. Detection limit of residual cellular DNA was 0.1 ng in this assay and the amount of residual cellular DNA in the final product was 0.5 ng~1 ng per 100 ㎍ of protein. This study describes safer and more sensitive methods alternative to radioactive techniques employed for residual cellular DNA quantification of biopharmaceuticals produced by recombinant protein technology and presents method validation data demonstrating precision and reproducibility.