Korea University

About: Korea University is a education organization based out in Seoul, South Korea. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Thin film. The organization has 39756 authors who have published 82424 publications receiving 1860927 citations. The organization is also known as: Bosung College & Bosung Professional College.

Silencing by small RNAs is linked to endosomal trafficking

Abstract: Small RNAs direct RNA-induced silencing complexes (RISCs) to regulate stability and translation of mRNAs. RISCs associated with target mRNAs often accumulate in discrete cytoplasmic foci known as GW-bodies. However, RISC proteins can associate with membrane compartments such as the Golgi and endoplasmic reticulum. Here, we show that GW-bodies are associated with late endosomes (multivesicular bodies, MVBs). Blocking the maturation of MVBs into lysosomes by loss of the tethering factor HPS4 (ref. 5) enhances short interfering RNA (siRNA)- and micro RNA (miRNA)-mediated silencing in Drosophila melanogaster and humans. It also triggers over-accumulation of GW-bodies. Blocking MVB formation by ESCRT (endosomal sorting complex required for transport) depletion results in impaired miRNA silencing and loss of GW-bodies. These results indicate that active RISCs are physically and functionally coupled to MVBs. We further show that MVBs promote the competence of RISCs in loading small RNAs. We suggest that the recycling of RISCs is promoted by MVBs, resulting in RISCs more effectively engaging with small RNA effectors and possibly target RNAs. It may provide a means to enhance the dynamics of RNA silencing in the cytoplasm.

It takes a marketplace community to raise brand commitment: the role of online communities

Abstract: Companies are increasingly using online communities to create value for the firm and their customers. To date, evidence regarding the effectiveness of online communities as a marketing tool has been primarily anecdotal. Yet, industry practice suggests that online communities add value in several ways by: 1) building brand awareness and image, 2) providing access to the voice of loyal customers, 3) increasing supplier commitment, and 4) generating revenue from new and existing customers. Relying on social identity theory and reciprocal action theory, we develop a framework that explores the process of how a firm's online community enhances consumers' brand commitment. We empirically examine how online communities influence brand commitment and subsequent customer behaviour in a field study of over 1,500 members of an existing online community for herbal products. In our analysis, we confirm that online community commitment is a key influence on brand commitment. We also find that online community participa...

Spurious Welfare Reversals in International Business Cycle Models

Abstract: Papers on international business cycles have documented spurious welfare reversals: incomplete markets produce a higher level of welfare than the complete market. This paper first demonstrates how conventional linearization, as used in King, Plosser, and Rebelo (1988), can generate approximation errors that can result in welfare reversals. Using a two-country production economy, we argue that spurious welfare reversals are not only possible but also plausible under reasonable values for model parameters including labor supply elasticity. As a constructive alternative, this paper then proposes an approximation method that modifies the conventional linearization by a bias correction - the linear approximation around a 'stochastic' steady state. We show that this method can be easily implemented and very well approximates the exact solution. The accuracy of the proposed method is by far better than that of the conventional linearization method and as good as that of a perturbation method involving a second-order expansion.

The calcium-activated chloride channel anoctamin 1 acts as a heat sensor in nociceptive neurons

Abstract: This study reports that the Ca2+-activated chloride channel anoctamin 1 (ANO1) is activated by heat and is expressed in mouse dorsal root ganglion neurons. Ano1 deletion leads to a deficit in thermal nociception, suggesting that this channel acts as a new heat sensor in pain pathways.