• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.163-170
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• 1999

Objectives: The aims of this study are 1) to determine if GAST is a better indicator in predicting ovarian response to COH compared with patient's age or basal FSH level and 2) to evaluate its role in detecting abnormal ovarian response. Design: Prospective study in 118 patients undergoing IVF-ET using GnRH-a short protocol during May-September 1995. Materials and Methods: After blood sampling for basal FSH and estradiol $(E_2)$ on cycle day two, 0.5ml (0.525mg) GnRH agonist ($Suprefact^{(r)}$, Hoechst) was injected subcutaneously. Serum $E_2$ was measured 24 hours later. Initial $E_2$ difference $({\Delta}E_2)$ was defined as the change in $E_2$ on day 3 over the baseline day 2 value. Sixteen patients with ovarian cyst or single ovary or incorrect blood collection time were excluded from the analysis. The patients were divided into three groups by ${\Delta}E_2$; group A (n=30):${\Delta}E_2$<40 pg/ml, group B (n=52): 40 pg/ml${\leq}{\Delta}E_2$<100 pg/ml, group C (n=20): ${\Delta}E_2{\leq}100$ pg/ml. COH was done by GnRH agonist/HMG/hCG and IVF-ET was followed. Ratio of $E_2$ on day of hCG injection over the number of ampules of gonadotropins used ($E_2hCGday$/Amp) was regarded as ovarian responsiveness. Poor ovarian response and overstimulation were defined as $E_2$ hCGday less than 600 pg/ml and greater than 5000 pg/ml, respectively. Results: Mean age $({\pm}SEM)$ in group A, B and C were $33.7{\pm}0.8^*,\;31.5{\pm}0.6\;and\;30.6{\pm}0.5^*$, respectively ($^*$: p<0.05). Mean basal FSH level of group $A(11.1{\pm}1.1mlU/ml)$ was significantly higher than those of $B(7.4{\pm}0.2mIU/ml)$ and C $(6.8{\pm}0.4mIU/ml)$ (p<0.001). Mean $E_2hCGday$ of group A was significantly lower than those of group B or C, i.e., $1402.1{\pm}187.7pg/ml,\;3153.2{\pm}240.0pg/ml,\;4078.8{\pm}306.4pg/ml$ respectively (p<0.0001). The number of ampules of gonadotropins used in group A was significantly greater than those in group B or C: $38.6{\pm}2.3,\;24.2{\pm}1.1\;and\;18.5{\pm}1.0$ (p<0.0001). The number of oocytes retrieved in group A was significantly smaller than those in group B or C: $6.4{\pm}1.1,\;15.5{\pm}1.1\;and\;18.6{\pm}1.6$, respectively (p<0.0001). By stepwise multiple regression, only ${\Delta}E_2$ showed a significant correlation (r=0.68, p<0.0001) with $E_2HCGday$/Amp, while age or basal FSH level were not significant. Likewise, only ${\Delta}E_2$ correlated significantly with the number of oocytes retrieved (r=0.57, p<0.001). All four patients whose COH was canceled due to poor ovarian response belonged to group A only (Fisher's exact test, p<0.01). Whereas none of 30 patients in group A (0%) had overstimulation, 14 patients among 72 patients (19.4%) in group B and C had overstimulation (Fisher's exact test, p<0.01). Conclusions: These data suggest that initial $E_2$ difference after GAST may be a better prognostic indicator of ovarian response to COH than age or basal FSH level. Since initial $E_2$ difference demonstrates significant association with abnormal ovarian response such as poor ovarian response necessitating cycle cancellation or overstimulation, GAST may be helpful in monitoring and consultation of patients during COH in IVF-ET cycle.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.1681-1690
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• 2000

A study on energy and protein utilization, and milk production of Bali cows on grass-legume diets was carried out using 12 first lactation cows (initial BW $263.79{\pm}21.66kg$) during a period of 16 weeks starting immediately post calving. The animals were randomly allotted into 4 dietary treatment groups R1, R2, R3 and R4, receiving from the last 2 months of pregnancy onwards, graded improved rations based on a mixture of locally available grass and legume feed ad libitum. R1 contained on a DM basis 70% elephant grass (PP, Penisetum purpureum) plus 30% Gliricidia sepia leaves (GS), R2 was 30% PP plus 55% GS supplemented with 15% Hibiscus tilliactus leaves (HT, defaunating effect), R3 and R4 were 22.5% PP+41.25% GS+11.25% HT+25% concentrate, where R3 was not and R4 supplemented with zinc di-acetate. TDN, CP and zinc contents of the diets were 58.2%, 12.05% and 18.3 mg/kg respectively for R1, 65.05%, 16.9% and 25.6 mg/kg respectively for R2, 66.03%, 16.71% and 29.02 mg/kg respectively for R3 and 66.03%, 16.71% and 60.47 mg/kg respectively for R4. Milk production and body weight were monitored throughout the experimental period. In vivo body composition by the urea space technique validated by the body density method and supported by carcass data was estimated at the start and termination of the experiment. Nutrient balance and rumen performance characteristics were measured during a balance trial of 7 days during the 3rd and 4th week of the lactation period. Results indicated that quality of ration caused improvement of ruminal total VFA concentration, increments being 52 to 65% for R2, R3 and R4 above R1, with increments of acetate being less (31 to 48%) and propionate being proportionally more in comparison to total VFA increments. Similarly, ammonia concentrations increased to 5.24 to 7.07 mM, equivalent to 7.34 to 9.90 mg $NH_3-N/100ml$ rumen fluid. Results also indicated that feed quality did not affect DE and ME intakes, and heat production (HP), but increased GE, UE, energy in milk and total retained energy (RE total) in body tissues and milk. Intake-, digestible- and catabolized-protein, and retained-protein in body tissues and milk (Rprot) were all elevated increasing the quality of ration. Similar results were obtained for milk yield and components with mean values reaching 2.085 kg/d (R4) versus 0.92 kg/d (R1) for milk yield, and 170.22 g/d (R4) vs 71.69 g/d (R1), 105.74 g/d (R4) vs 45.35 g/d (R1), 101.34 g/d (R4) vs 46.36 g/d (R1) for milk-fat, -protein, and -lactose, respectively. Relatively high yields of milk production was maintained longer for R4 as compared to the other treatment groups. There were no significant effects on body mass and components due to lactation. From the relationship $RE_{total}$ (MJ/d)=12.79-0.373 ME (MJ/d); (r=0.73), it was found that $ME_{m}=0.53MJ/kgW^{0.75}.d$. Requirement of energy to support the production of milk, ranging from 0.5 to 3.0 kg/d, follows the equation: Milk Prod. ($Q_{mp}$, kg/d)=[-2.48+4.31 ME($MJ/kg^{0.75}.d$)]; (r=0.6) or $Q_{mp}$=-3.4+[0.08($ME-RE_{body\;tissue}$)]MJ/d]; (r=0.94). The requirement for protein intake for maintenance ($IP_m$) equals $6.19 g/kg^{0.75}.d$ derived from the relationship RP=-47.4+0.12 IP; (r=0.74, n=9). Equation for protein requirement for lactation is $Q_{nl}$=[($Q_{mp}$)(% protein in milk)($I_{mp}$)]/100, where $Q_{nl}$ is g protein required for lactation, $Q_{mp}$ is daily milk yield, Bali cow's milk-protein content av. 5.04%, and $I_{mp}$ is metabolic increment for milk production ($ME_{lakt}/ME_{m}=1.46$).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.334-342
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• 2015

The present study was designed to evaluate how environmental factors in a dry-summer subtropical climate in Terceira-Azores (situated in the North Atlantic Ocean: $38^{\circ}43^{\prime}N27^{\circ}12^{\prime}W$) can affect dairy cow (Holstein) fertility, as well as seasonal influence on in vitro oocytes maturation and embryos development. Impact of heat shock (HS) effects on in vitro oocyte's maturation and further embryo development after in vitro fertilization (IVF) was also evaluated. For such purpose the result of the first artificial insemination (AI) performed 60 to 90 days after calving of 6,300 cows were recorded for one year. In parallel, climatic data was obtained at different elevation points (n = 5) from 0 to 1,000 m and grazing points from 0 to 500 m, in Terceira island, and the temperature humidity index (THI) was calculated. For in vitro experiments, oocytes (n = 706) were collected weekly during all year, for meiotic maturation and IVF. Further, to evaluate HS effect, 891 oocytes were collected in the cold moths (December, January, February and March) and divided in three groups treated to HS for 24 h during in vitro maturation at: C (Control = $38.5^{\circ}C$), HS1 ($39.5^{\circ}C$) and HS2 ($40.5^{\circ}C$). Oocytes from each group were used for meiotic assessment and IVF. Cleavage, morula and blastocyst development were evaluated respectively on day 2, 6, and 9 after IVF. A negative correlation between cow's conception rate (CR) and THI in grazing points (-91.3%; p<0.001) was observed. Mean THI in warmer months (June, July, August and September) was $71.7{\pm}0.7$ and the CR ($40.2{\pm}1.5%$) while in cold months THI was $62.8{\pm}0.2$ and CR was $63.8{\pm}0.4%$. A similar impact was obtained with in vitro results in which nuclear maturation rate (NMR) ranged from 78.4% (${\pm}8.0$) to 44.3% (${\pm}8.1$), while embryos development ranged from 53.8% (${\pm}5.8$) to 36.3% (${\pm}3.3$) in cold and warmer months respectively. In vitro HS results showed a significant decline (p<0.05) on NMR of oocytes for every $1^{\circ}C$ rising temperature ($78.4{\pm}8.0$, $21.7{\pm}3.1$ and $8.9{\pm}2.2$, respectively for C, HS1, and HS2). Similar results were observed in cleavage rate and embryo development, showing a clear correlation (96.9 p<0.05) between NMR and embryo development with respect to temperatures. Results clearly demonstrated that, up to a THI of 70.6, a decrease in the CR occurs in first AI after calving; this impairment was confirmed with in vitro results.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.206-220
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• 2015

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between practice and infectious diseases in elementary, middle and high school students. Methods: In 16 metropolitan cities and province of the Korea, the students who from fourth grade of elementary school to third grade of high school were surveyed by personal interviews and an web-based online survey from 5 to 25 September, 2014. We analyzed data with chi-square test and logistic regression analysis. Results: Common cold, diarrhea, and eye infections were more prevalent among students in higher grade than lower grade. In particular, common cold was more prevalent among girls than boys, using hand sanitizer than washing with soaps, and students who wash the dorsal side of hand than not wash the dorsal side of hand. Conclusions: Higher-grade students showed low status of hand washing practice. Hand washing was determined as the fact which influences to increase the prevention of communicable disease such as common cold. Considering the fact that youth groups have higher risk of being infected due to their group life, schools are recommended to provide adequate educations regarding proper hand washing practice with soap.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.5-40
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• 2002

Using detailed data of women's work history, this study analyses the transition process between employment and non-employment over the life history in order to identity individual and structural determinants in the processes. Korean women comprise very heterogeneous groups in terms of work continuity: one group having a continuous work history and another having an interrupted work experience. While 4.0% of total women have stayed in the labor market since leaving school, 17.3% have not worked outside at all and remaining 87.9% have experienced into and out of the labor market at least once. On the average, the cumulated time of employment per woman is 8.2 years and the cumulated time of unemployment is 13.1 years. Thus Korean women work a total of only 38.5% of their whole lifetime after leaving school. We can conclude that the increase of the employment rate of married women in Korea since the 1970s has been due to the increase of the new entrants with short or little working careers into the labor market, not to the increase of women's work continuity on the whole. A women's educational achievement does not seem to be positively related to employment duration, contrary to the suggestion of the human capital theory, Rather, family variables, especially the existence of the child under 6 yens old, is a more significant determining factor for an individual's exit from employment. And there is little difference among different age cohorts which implies little improvement in the employment continuity of younger women. This study also documents the importance of structural variables, such as the type of occupation, as significant determining factors for the hazard rate. Specially women with professional jobs tend to stay longer in the labor market. Therefore, women's entry into more professional occupations is expected to contribute to the continuity of employment. Our results also show that duration-dependence is not spurious. When unobserved heterogeneity is controlled, the negative relation between the rate from employment and the duration of employment does not disappear.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.79-112
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• 2000

This study was focused on the contrasting pattern of part-time employment between Japan and Taiwan where the environments are similar in terms of expanding service industries and increasing flexibility of labor. In Japan, the expansion of part-time employment and its feminization have occurred, whereas they have not at all in Taiwan. The purpose of this study was to examine the reasons behind this phenomena, and to explore what relations they might have with the supply of women\`s labor in each country. Data analysis showed the following results. First, when the phenomena of part-time employment in Japan and Taiwan are summarized as \`active\` and \`inactive\` models, the difference could be explained by a structure-oriented approach rather than an individual-oriented approach. In other words, the difference between the two countries is mainly because of the structural characteristics of the labor market. a combination of capitalism and patriarchy, and an effect of state welfare and family policies rather than a \`voluntaristic choice\` due tn household work and child rearing. In light of this. the labor market segmentation and flexibility of labor theory in particular provided a useful frame for explanation. Second, with regard to the supply of women\`s labor, the difference between Japan and Taiwan could be found in the structure of the labor market and in family response strategies. The large corporation-oriented and strictly divided labor market structure in Japan activated part-time employment and its feminization, whereas, the small family-oriented businesses and less divided labor market in Taiwan supported the continuity of full-time employment of married women. There was also a room for informal employment in Taiwan which made part-time employment unnecessary. This study showed that even within similar environments of expanding service industry and pursuing flexibility of labor different measures and adaptations were possible. The case of Taiwan in particular, showed the significance of an informal labor market which was a part of industrialization process and a strategy of producing various products through a subcontracting network.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.31-57
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• 2003

This study is intended to examine (l)whether the value of son-for example, old age security and succession of family lineage- causing son preference in the traditional society can be explained at the individual level, (2)whether women without son in the son preference country continue her childbearing until having at least one son or give up the desire of having a son at a certain level. To accomplish these purposes, the 1974 Korean National Fertility Survey data are analyzed by the quadratic hazard models controlling unobserved heterogeneity. Unlike ordinary regression model, even omitted variables that affect hazard rates and are uncorrelated with the included independent variables can distort the parameter estimates in the hazard model. Therefore the nonparametric maximum likelihood estimator(NPMLE) of a mixing distribution developed by Heckman and Singer is used to control unobserved heterogeneity. Based on the statistical result in this study, the value of son causing son preference is determined at the societal level, not at the individual level. And Korean women without a son did not continue endlessly childbearing during child bearing ages until having a son. In general, they gave up the desire having a son when she had born six daughters continuously. Thus, 30-40 years ago, the number of daughters that women without a son giving up the desire of son was six, which is about the level of total fertility rate during 1960s. In these days, we can often see many women who have only two or three daughters and do not any son. This means that the level of giving up the desire of son, which is one factor representing the strength of son preference, becomes lower. If the strength of son preference did not become much weaker, then the fertility rates in Korea could not reach the below replacement level.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.93-95
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• 1968

The importance of leaf area as related to transpiration and photosynthesis is generally recognized. In general, a compound leaf of soybean consist of one main leaflet and two side leaflets from each node of the stem. Takahashi and Fukuyama (1919) classified soybeans into three types, namely the long leaf type, round leaf type, and intermediate type, in which the last one had round leaves at the base and long leaves in the upper part of the stem. Nagai (1925) and Takahashi (1935). dealt with the genetics of the leaf form and association with other characters. The closely relationships, the correlation coefficients from 0.64 to 0.73, were shown between the leaf area and the soybean yield in the experiments by Nagai (1942). Nagata (1950) also tested the varietal differences of the variation of leaf length and its ratio to the leaf width on the nodes of stem, and finally divided varieties into five types. Three methods of measuring area of strawberry leaves were used by Darrow (1932). The first involved determining a factor to be used with length or length ${\times}$width measurements. The second method involved placing leaves on pieces of cardboard of known area cut to the shape of the leaves. Direct use of the planimeter on intact leaves was Darrow's third method. Miller (1938) enumerated several methods to determine the leaf surface area in plants, some of which were extremely laborious and required removing leaves from plants. They included tracing outlines of leaves on paper and measuring the enclosed area with a planimeter or cutting out the traced areas and comparing the weights obtained with the weight of a known paper. Another method involved placing the form of the leaf on sensitized paper with the area being determined by measuring or weighing as above. Miller further stated that the photoelectric cell can also be utilized to estitmate leaf area. Working with field beans, Davis (1940) found that 0.004517 (length ${\times}$ width) of the center leaflet was the most nearly accurate of four methods attempted. A simple procedure to measure leaf area in corn was devised 1 y Montgomery (1911) and used by Kiesselbach (1950). The formula was length ${\times}$ width ${\times}$ 0.75. Stickler et al. (1961) have successfully used length times width ${\times}$ 0.747 to estimate area of grain sorghum leaves. Bhan and Pande(1966) has also used length ${\times}$ width ${\times}$ 0.802 to determine leaf area of rice varieties. The main objectives of the present investigation were to develop an accurate, rapid method to determine leaf area in soybean varieties and to examine certain data associated with leaf area determinations.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.128-135
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• 2015

Purpose: As the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) began to cover home oxygen therapy (HOT) services from 2006, it is expected that the new services have contributed to overall positive outcome of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We examined whether the usage of HOT has helped slow down the progression of COPD. Methods: We examined hospital claim data (N=10,798) of COPD inpatients who were treated in 2007~2012. We performed ${\chi}^2$ tests to analyze the differences in the changes to respiratory impairment grades. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors that are associated with the use of HOT. Finally, a generalized linear mixed model was used to examine association between the HOT treatment and changes to respiratory impairment grades. Results: A total of 2,490 patients had grade 1 respiratory impairment, and patients with grades 2 or 3 totaled 8,308. The OR for use of HOT was lower in grade 3 patients than others (OR: 0.33, 95% CI: 0.30~0.37). The maintenance/mitigation in all grades, those who used HOT had a higher OR than non-users (OR: 1.41, 95% CI: 1.23~1.61). Conclusion: HOT was effective in maintaining or mitigating the respiratory impairment in COPD patients.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.725-736
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• 2017

TThis study investigated the influence of AGH-Ringer (chelated organic minerals liquid fertilizer) on the growth, yield, and fruit quality of 'Jukhyang' strawberry in a hydroponic system. The results revealed that AGH-Ringer group led to significantly higher plant length than that of the control group, and that leaf length and leaf width increased with increasing leaf area. In addition, the fresh and dry weights of leaves and SPAD unit, which measures leaf color also showed a significant increase with AGH-Ringer. However, the length and dry weight of roots did not show significant differences when compared to the control group. In the fruit quality analysis, AGH-Ringer group did not show any difference in fruit length compared to the control group, but it increased both the fruit weight, which, along with the simultaneous increase in fruit width, increased the yield per strawberry. Furthermore, AGH-Ringer group strengthened the red skin color of the fruit, and resulted in significantly greater hardness than that of the control group, but did not have any effect on the soluble solid content and acidity. As shown in the results, the AGH-Ringer group resulted in lesser mineral content and lower to medium EC (electrical conductivity) in comparison to the inorganic mineral hydroponic fertilizer, which was used as a control. However, it increased the leaf growth, fruit weight, and yield, and improved the fruit quality by increasing the soluble solid content in the hydroponic system of 'Jukhyang' strawberry. Therefore, based on this study, AGH-Ringer is thought to be a more effective hydroponic fertilizer than the inorganic mineral hydroponic fertilizer. Moreover, the field experiment demonstrated that AGH-Ringer is a useful hydroponic fertilizer convenient for application in farms. This study also proved that AGH-Ringer is a fertilizer that can promote plant nutrition by controlling the salinity of the soil and facilitating the absorption of necessary minerals in future soil cultivation, thereby providing basic data for organic farming.