• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.8
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• pp.3377-3381
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• 2014

Background: The incidence of colorectal cancer increases with vitamin D deficiency as shown in recently published studies. In addition, prospective investigations have indicated that low vitamin D levels may be associated with increased mortality of colorectal cancer, especially in stage III and IV cases. However, the exact incidence of vitamin D deficiency and the relation between vitamin D deficiency and osteopenia/osteporosis is still not known. The aim of this study is to identify severity of vitamin D deficiency and absolute risk factors of osteopenia/osteoporosis in colorectal cancer survivors. Materials and Methods: A total of 113 colorectal cancer survivors treated with surgery and/or chemotherapy ${\pm}$ radiotherapy were recruited from medical oncology outpatient clinics during routine follow-up visits in 2012-2013. Bone mineral densitometry (BMD) was performed, and serum 25-OH vitamin D levels were also checked on the same day of the questionnaire. The patients was divided into 2 groups, group A with normal BMD and group B with osteopenia/osteoporosis. Results: The median age of the study population was 58 (40-76). Thirty (30.0%) were female, whereas 79 (70.0%) were male. The median follow-up was 48 months (14-120 months). Vitamin D deficiency was found in 109 (96.5%); mild deficiency (20-30 ng/ml) in 19 (16.8%), moderate deficiency (10-20 ng/ml) in 54 (47.8%) and severe deficiency (<10 ng/ml) in 36 (31.9%). Osteopenia was evident in 58 (51.4%) patients whereas osteoporosis was noted in 17 (15.0%). Normal BMD was observed in 38 (33.6%). No apparent effects of type of surgery, presence of stoma, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and TNM stage were found regarding the risk of osteopenia and osteoporosis. Also, the severity of the vitamin D deficiency had no effect in the risk of osteopenia and osteporosis (p=0.93). In female patients, osteopenia/osteoporosis were observed in 79.5% patients as compared to 60.7% of male patients (p=0.04). Conclusions: In our study, vitamin D deficiency and osteopenia/osteoporosis was observed in 96.5% and 66.4% of colorectal cancer survivors, respectively. There is no defined absolute risk factor of osteopenia and osteoporosis in colorectal cancer survivors. To our knowledge, in the literature, our study is the first to evaluateall the risk factors of osteopenia and osteoporosis in colorectal cancer survivors.

• Information Systems Review
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.107-132
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• 2009

The purpose of this research is to define the consulting competence of IT consultants and empirically analyze the perceptual differences between the IT consultant group and the client group. Based on the previous researches and the opinion of the actual IT consultants, the consulting capability model has been established, which consists of six categories and eighteen factors. Six categories are (1) IT domain expertise, (2) problem solving ability, (3) project management capability, (4) communication skills, (5) human relations skills, and (6) professional ethics and attitude. Two field surveys have been performed and the responses of 174 IT consultants 116 clients have been acquired. It is shown that the level of possessed proficiency of IT consulting capability is far lower than the level of the required proficiency. And there exist the perceptual difference between two responding groups with respect to the level required proficiency but no difference exists in terms of the level of possessed proficiency. The findings of this research can provide some useful information in order to fully understand the differences between the IT consultant group and the client group.

• Journal of the Korean School Mathematics Society
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.359-384
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• 2014

The purpose of this study is inquire the reaction and adaptability of the mathematically gifted student, in the case of introduce learning materials based on GeoGebra in real class. The study program using GeoGebra consist of 'construction of fundamental figures', 'making animation with using slider tools' (graph of a function, trace of a figure, definite integral, fixed point, and draw a parametric curve), make up the group report after class. In detail, 1st to 15th classes are mainly problem-solving, and topic-exploring classes. To analyze the application effects of developed learning materials, divide students in four groups and lead them to make out their own creative products. In detail, guide students to make out their own report about mathematical themes that based on given learning materials. Concretely, build up the program to make up group report about their own topics in six weeks, after learning on various topics. Expert panel concluded that developed learning materials are successfully stimulate student's creativity in various way, after analyze of the student's activities. Moreover, those learning programs also contributed to the develop of the mathematical ability to thinking that necessary to writing a report. As well, four creative products are assessed as connote mathematically gifted student's creative thinking and meaningful elements in mathematical aspects.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.68-72
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• 2004

The effects of the addition of yeast on in vitro roughage degradability and methane production were investigated in order to clarify the effects of yeast on the rumen microbes and to establish methods of rumen manipulation. Three roughages (whole crop corn, rice straw and Italian ryegrass) were incubated for 3, 6, 12 and 24 h with or without dried beer yeast following the method described by Tilley and Terry. Using the same method, these roughages were incubated with or without yeast extract, albumin or purified DNA. In vitro methane production was measured with or without dried beer yeast at 12 and 24 h. The degradability of yeast was found to be 57 and 80% at 12 and 24 h, respectively. The rate of degradation of fraction b was 6.16%/h. There was a significant increase in roughage degradability at 6 h (p<0.05), 12 h (p<0.05) and 24 h (p<0.01) by dried yeast addition. The degradability of all three roughages was higher in the samples treated with yeast extract than in the no addition samples except in the case of rice straw incubated for 12 h. Nevertheless, the magnitude of increment was smaller with the addition of yeast extract than without the addition of yeast. With the addition of purified DNA, there were significant increases in roughage degradability at 6 h (p<0.01), 12 h (p<0.01) and 24 h (p<0.05); however, higher degradability values were detected in the samples to which albumin was added, particularly at 6 h. If the degradability values of the no addition samples with those of samples containing yeast, yeast extract, DNA and albumin were compared, the largest difference was found in the samples to which yeast was added, although it is worth noting that higher values were observed in the yeast extract samples than in the DNA or albumin samples, with the exception of the case of rice straw incubated for 24 h. Methane production was significantly increased at both 12 and 24 h incubation. The increment of roughage degradation and methane production brought about by the addition of dried beer yeast to the samples was thought to be due to the activation of rumen microbes. Water soluble fraction of yeast also seemed to play a role in ruminal microbe activation. The increment of degradability is thought to be partially due to the addition of crude protein or nucleic acid but it is expected that other factors play a greater role. And those factors may responsible for the different effects of individual yeast on ruminal microbes.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.46-52
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• 2004

Hisardale male lambs (n=24, 4-5 month of age) were maintained on a conventional ration for a month, to equilibrate the body mineral status. Six lambs were sacrificed after one month of feeding; the samples of organs were analyzed to ascertain mineral status. The remaining 18 lambs were divided into 3 groups of 6 each on body weight basis. Three dietary treatments containing 100 ($T_1$), 110 ($T_2$) and 120% ($T_3$) of minerals (Ca, P, S, Zn and Mn) as specified by NRC (1985) were formulated and each treatment was alloted ad libitum to a group for 120 days. Blood and wool samples were collected at monthly intervals. At the end of the experiment a balance trial of 5 days duration was conducted to study the balance of mineral elements. The effective intake of minerals was Ca, 111 and 120, P, 110 and 122; S, 112 and 129; Zn, 112 and 126 and Mn, 109 and 123 percent in $T_2$ and $T_3$, respectively, in comparison to $T_1$ (100). The additional mineral supplementation had no significant effect on dry matter intake. The average daily weight gain was higher (p<0.01) in $T_2$ and $T_3$ than the control ($T_1$). The lambs under treatments $T_2$ (8.72) and $T_3$ (8.47 kg) consumed apparently lesser amount of dry matter per unit gain as compared to $T_1$ (10.81 kg). Significantly higher (p<0.05) dry matter and crude protein digestibility (%) were observed in $T_2$ and $T_3$ than in $T_1$. The mean balances for different elements were Ca, 1.14, 1.68 and 1.67 g; P, 1.70, 1.95 and 2.18 g; S, 0.54, 0.92 and 1.11 g; Zn, 22.56, 25.30 and 28.71 mg; Cu, 7.94, 5.71 and 5.53 mg; Fe, 33.19, 32.94 and 31.03 mg and Mn, 8.24, 14.40 and 16.07 mg/lamb/day. The retention of supplemental minerals increased (p<0.01) while that of Cu decreased (p<0.01) due to supplementation of minerals (Ca, P, S, Zn and Mn). Retention as per cent of intake increased statistically for S and Mn while that of Cu decreased. It can be concluded that supplementation of minerals (Ca, P, S, Zn and Mn) higher than the recommended level improved body weight gain and feed to gain ratio. The retention of minerals increased due to supplementation. Therefore, an additional supplementation of deficient minerals (Ca, P, S, Zn and Mn) by 10% was beneficial for Hisardale male lambs under tropical condition in India.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.621-628
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• 2004

Twenty male buffalo calves of 6-9 months of age (average body weight, 97 kg) were randomly allocated into two main groups of four (control) and sixteen (supplemented) calves. The supplemented group was further divided in to four equal sub-groups, with the two groups supplemented with a liquid preparation of urea-molasses, UML1, containing fish meal and UML2, containing formaldehyde treated deoiled mustard cake (FDMC) and the other two, with a semi-solid preparation, UMC1 with FDMC and deoiled rice bran (DORB) contributing similar level of CP as in UML2 and UMC2 with double the level of FDMC to that in UMC1. The control group was fed with DORB along with ad libitum wheat straw at 40:60 ratios. The rest of the groups were fed on the above diet supplemented with 500 g (as fed basis) of urea-molasses preparations. The experimental feeding was carried out for 24 weeks including a metabolism trial towards the end of experimental feeding. Daily feed intake and fortnightly change in live weight were also recorded during the study. Catalytic supplementation of 500 g urea-molasses induced 8-25% higher voluntary feed intake of wheat straw, resulting in 15-25% higher DM and OM intake. The digestibility of DM, OM, total carbohydrate, NDF, ADF, hemicellulose and cellulose in all the dietary groups were comparable. The CP digestibility of calves in supplemented groups were higher (p<0.05) than the control group. The balance of nutrients, viz. N, Ca and P, was also higher in the supplemented groups. Significantly higher intake of digestible CP coupled with other digestible nutrients attributed to higher TDN (1.67-1.78 vs. 1.37 kg) and ME (5.94-6.31 vs. 4.87 Mcal) intake in urea-molasses supplemented groups which resulted in higher live weight gain compared to that in control group (p<0.01). Between the supplements, UML2 and UMC2 faired non-significantly, indicating formalin treated mustard cake as a suitable replacement to fishmeal in the supplement. The overall ranking based on intake and digestibility of nutrients, live weight gain, economic evaluation and input-output relationship revealed that the rations with UML2 and UMC1 to be of greater value compared to other types. From the study it can be concluded that young ruminants can be reared successfully on a basal diet of deoiled rice bran and wheat straw supplemented with cheaper urea-molasses-mineral mix.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.73-79
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• 2004

The objective of the present study was to determine whether ${\beta}$1-4 galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) and Candida kefyr combined with nitrate as manipulators could suppress rumen methanogenesis without nitrate poisoning in sheep. Four rumen fistulated wethers were allocated to a $4{\times}4$ Latin square design. Nitrate (1.3 g $NaNO_3$ $Kg^{-0.75}$body weight) with and without GOS and Candida kefyr were administered into the rumen through fistula as a single dose 30 min after the morning meal. GOS and Candida kefyr were supplemented by sprinkling onto the feed and through rumen fistula, respectively. The four treatments consisted of saline, nitrate, nitrate plus GOS and nitrate plus GOS plus Candida kefyr. Physiological saline was used as the control treatment. Compared to saline treatment, the administration of nitrate alone resulted in a very marked decrease in rumen methanogenesis and an increase in rumen and plasma nitrite production and blood methaemoglobin formation consequently causing a decline in oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production and metabolic rate. When compared to nitrate alone, the simultaneous administration of nitrate with GOS decreased nitrite accumulation in rumen and plasma and nitrate-induced methaemoglobin, while retaining low methane production. However, GOS could not fully restore metabolic parameters reduced by nitrate. When compared to the simultaneous administration of nitrate with GOS, the simultaneous administration of nitrate with GOS plus Candida kefyr lowered rumen methanogenesis to a negligible level, but did not decrease rumen and plasma nitrite accumulation as well as blood methaemoglobin formation. Thus, these results suggest that combination of nitrate with GOS may be a potent manipulator to suppress rumen methanogenesis with abating the hazards of nitratenitrite toxicity in ruminants.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.682-686
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• 2002

Ten growing male buffalo calves (aged 6-8 months, average body weight $88.2{\pm}0.57$ kg were divided randomly into two groups. Animals in group I were fed on concentrate mixture A (CP 20.2%, TDN 77.4%) and urea- ammoniated wheat straw (UAWS) while the animals in group II were fed on concentrate mixture B (CP 17.9%, TDN 77.6%) and HCl plus urea treated wheat straw (HCl UAWS) to meet their nutrient requirement for 500 g gain/d as per Kearl (1982). This feeding practice lasted for 120 days, during which fortnightly body weight were recorded to assess their growth rate. A metabolism trial was conducted after 90 days of experimental feeding to compare the digestibility of nutrients, their balance, plane of nutrition and relative cost of feeding in two groups of animals. Results revealed a significant increase in the CP content of ammoniated wheat straw due to addition of HCl viz 12.1% from 7.5%. There was a decrease in the intake of DM (p<0.05), OM (p<0.05), EE (p<0.05), NDF (p<0.01), ADF (p<0.01), cellulose (p<0.01) and hemicellulose (p<0.01) in group II as compared to group I. The digestibility (%) of DM, OM and CP was significantly (p<0.01) more in group II, whereas the digestibility (%) was significantly more for NDF (p<0.05) and hemicellulose (p<0.01) in group I than group II. There was no significant difference in the N, Ca and P balance in two groups. Intake of total DM (g/d) or (g/kg $W^{0.75}$) was significantly (p<0.01) more in group I as compared to group II, whereas the intake of DCP and TDN (g/d or g/kg $W^{0.75}$) was alike in two groups. The total body weight gain (kg), average daily gain (g/d) and feed conversion efficiency were significantly (p<0.01) more in UAWS fed group as compared to HCl UAWS fed group. Feeding cost (Rs./kg. weight gain) was significantly (p<0.05) more in group II as compared to group I. It is concluded that HCl UAWS is not suitable for the feeding of growing buffalo calves as it reduced the growth rate in comparison to UAWS fed buffalo calves.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.9
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• pp.1318-1323
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• 2008

Corn distiller's dried grains with solubles (DDGS) is a completely new feed ingredient in the Korean feed market. There is an ever increasing need for the Korean feed industry to import and make the best of it as a high protein and high energy feed ingredient. A layer feeding trial was conducted for 10 weeks to investigate the effects of addition of light-colored DDGS to layer diets on laying performance, egg qualities and yolk fatty acid composition. Also, the economics of using DDGS in the Korean situation was analyzed. Nine hundred Hy-line Brown layers, 24 weeks of age, were employed in a feeding trial consisting of four dietary treatments (0, 10, 15, and 20% DDGS), and five replicates per treatment. All experimental diets were prepared as iso-protein (17%) and iso-calorie (TMEn 2,780 kcal/kg). The use of DDGS up to 20% in layer diets did not exert any influence on feed intake, laying rate, total egg mass, mean egg weight and feed conversion ratio (p>0.05). The color and breaking strength of eggshell, as well as the albumin height and Haugh unit were not affected by the addition of DDGS up to 20% in the diet. The yolk color was significantly increased by DDGS supplementation (p<0.05). As the DDGS level increased, the oleic acid content decreased, and the linoleic acid increased (p<0.05) in egg yolk. The degree of saturation of yolk fatty acids was not affected by DDGS supplementation. The inclusion of light-colored DDGS up to 20% in layer diets resulted in a decrease of feed cost per kg without any undesirable effect on laying performance. In conclusion, the light-colored DDGS (L* 56.65) could be used up to 20% in layer diets without any harmful effect on laying performance, and possibly provide economic benefits to the Korean poultry industry.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.4451-4456
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• 2015

Background: The aim of our present study was to compare quality of life (QoL) between intermediate-stage (BCLC-B) HCC patients who had undergone either liver resection or transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE). Materials and Methods: A total of 102 intermediate-stage HCC patients participated in our study, including 58 who had undergone liver resection and 44 who had undergone TACE. Baseline demographic characteristics, tumor characteristics, and long-term outcomes, such as tumor recurrence, were compared and analyzed. QoL was assessed using the Short Form (SF)-36 health survey questionnaire with the mental and physical component scales (SF-36 MCS and PCS). This questionnaire was filled out at HCC diagnosis and 1, 3, 6, 12, 24 months after surgery. Results: For the preoperative QoL evaluation, the 8 domains related to QoL were comparable between the two groups. The PCS and MCS scores were significantly decreased in both the TACE and resection groups at1 month after surgery, and this decrease was greater in the resection group. These scores were significantly lower in the resection group compared with the TACE group (P<0.05). However, these differences disappeared at 3 and 6 months following surgery. One year after surgery, the resection group showed much higher PCS scores than the TACE patients (P=0.018), and at 2 years after surgery, the PCS and MCS scores for the resection group were significantly higher than those for the TACE group (P<0.05). Eleven patients (19.0%) in the resection group and 17 (38.6%) in the TACE group suffered HCC recurrence (P<0.05). Univariate and multivariate analyses indicated that tumor recurrence (HR=1.211, 95%CI: 1.086-1.415, P=0.012) was a significant risk factor for poorpostoperative QoL in the HCC patients.Conclusions: Due to its effects on reducing HCC recurrence and improving long-term QoL, liver resection should be the first choice for the treatment of patients with intermediate-stage HCC.