• Health Policy and Management
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.445-453
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• 2019

Background: This study is to investigate the association between the distribution of multimorbidity and length of stay and medical expenses among inpatients in a municipal hospital to achieve an integrated care setting. Methods: We used the exploratory factor analysis and the generalized estimating equation model to analyze the data from patients living in the northeast region of Seoul, who were hospitalized from January 2017 to December 2017 in a municipal hospital. Results: As a result of the factor analysis, seven types of multiple chronic diseases were classified. Among the elderly patients admitted to municipal hospitals, the burden of medical expenses was mainly influenced by the length of stay (B=310,719, p-value <0.0001), not the type of disease (all not significant). Length of stay were mainly due to psychiatric illness (factor 1: B=4.323, p-value <0.0001) related to the brain and metabolic diseases (factor 2: B=2.364, p-value=0.003). Conclusion: This study showed that the medical expenses of the elderly patients were largely due to prolonged hospitalization, not multimorbidity. Therefore, it is necessary to develop an integrated care paradigm strategy cope with the multimorbidity of the elderly in the community and to alleviate the socio-economic burden.

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.45-56
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• 2003

$TAO^{TM}$ System is an auto-heated thermophilic aerated digestion process using a proprietary microbe called as a Phototropic Bacteria (PTB). High metabolic activity results in heat generation, which enables to produce a pathogen-free and digested liquid fertilizer at short retention times. TAO$^{TM}$ system has been developed to reduce a manure volume and convert into the liquid fertilizer using swine manure since 1992. About 100 units have been installed and operated in Korean swine farms so far. TAO$^{TM}$ system consists of a reactor vessel and ejector-type aeration pumps and foam removers. The swine slurry manure enters into vessel with PTB and is mixed and aerated. The process is operated at detention times from 2 to 4 days and temperature of 55 to $65^{\circ}C$. Foams are occurred and broken down by foam removers to evaporate water contents. Generally, at least 30% of water content is evaporated, 99% of volatile fatty acids caused an odor are removed and pathogen destruction is excellent with fecal coliform, rotavirus and salmonella below detection limits. The effluent from TAO$^{TM}$ system, called as the "TAO EFFLUX", is screened and has superb properties as a fertilizer. Normally N-P-K contents of screened TAO Efflux are 4.7 g/L, 0.375 g/L and 2.8 g/L respectively. The fertilizer effect of TAO EFFLUX compared to chemical fertilizer has been demonstrated and studied with various crops such as rice, potato, cabbage, pumpkin, green pepper, parsley, cucumber and apple. Generally it has better fertilizer effects and excellent soil fertility improvement effects. Moreover, the TAO EFFLUX is concentrated through membrane technology without fouling problems for a cost saving of long distance transportation and a commercialization (crop nutrient commodity) to a gardening market, for example.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.395-402
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• 2019

Subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) accumulation is a constitutional disorder resulting from metabolic syndrome. Although surgical and non-surgical methods for reducing SAT exist, patients remain non-compliant because of potential adverse effects and cost. In this study, we developed a new minimally-invasive approach to achieve SAT reduction, using a microneedle (MN) patch prepared from gelatin, which is capable of regulating fat metabolism. Four gelatin types were used: three derived from fish (SA-FG, GT-FG 220, and GT-FG 250), and one from swine (SM-PG 280). We applied gelatin-based MN patches five times over 4 weeks to rats with high-fat diet (HD)-induced obesity, and determined the resulting amount of SAT. We also investigated the histological features and determined the expression levels of fat metabolism-associated genes in SAT using hematoxylin and eosin staining and western blotting, respectively. SAT decreased following treatment with all four gelatin MN patches. Smaller adipocytes were observed in the regions treated with SA-FG, GT-FG 250, and SM-PG 280 MNs, demonstrating a decline in fat accumulation. The expression levels of fat metabolism-associated genes in the MN-treated SAT revealed that GT-FG 220 regulates fatty acid synthase (FASN) protein levels. These findings suggest that gelatin MN patches aid in decreasing the quantity of unwanted SAT by altering lipid metabolism and fat deposition.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.129-138
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• 2021

To set the estimated energy requirement (EER) in Dietary Reference Intakes for Koreans (KDRI), we need the coefficient by physical activity stage, as determined by the physical activity level(PAL). Thus, there has been demand for a tool to calculate PAL based on the physical activity diary. This study was undertaken to develop a physical activity (PA) classification table for Koreans, using the 2011 Compendium of physical activities in the United States. The PA classification table for Koreans contains 262 codes, and values of the metabolic equivalent of task (MET) for specific activities. Of these, 243 PAs which do not have Korean specific data or information, were selected from the 2011 Compendium of PAs that originated in the United States; another 19 PAs were selected from the previous research data of Koreans. The PA classification table is codified to facilitate the selection of energy values corresponding to each PA. The code for each PA consists of a single letter alphabet (activity category) and four numeric codes that display the activity type (2 digit number), activity intensity (1 digit number), and specific activities (1 digit number). In addition, the intensity (sedentary behavior, low, middle and high) of specific PA and its rate of energy expenditure in MET are presented together. The activity categories are divided into 4 areas: Daily Activity (A), Movement (B), Occupation (C), and Exercise and Sports (D). The developed PA classification table can be applied to quantify the energy cost of PA for adults in research or practice, and to assess energy expenditure and physical activity levels based on self-reported PA.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.479-488
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• 2008

Some biological activities such as an electron donating capacity, the contents of total polyphenol compounds and flavonoids, fibrinolytic activity and $\alpha$-glucosidase inhibitory activity have been detected in hot water extracts of Ligularia fischeri and Angelica gigas Nakai. To increase the usefulness of the functional ingredients for prevention and improvement of some metabolic disorders, ethanol-treated hot water extracts of Angelica gigas Nakai were prepared. A hot water extract of Ligularia fischeri has 92% of electron donating capacity, 39.4 mg/g of total polyphenol compounds, 24.8 mg/g of flavonoids and 29.8% of $\alpha$-glucosidase inhibitory activity, but no fibrinolytic activity. A hot water extract of Angelica gigas Nakai has 94.7% of electron donating capacity, 5.8 mg/g of total polyphenol compounds, 2.6 mg/g of flavonoids, 0.48 plasmin units of fibrinolytic activity and no $\alpha$-glucosidase inhibitory activity. However, with partial purification using cold ethanol treatment, the $\alpha$-glucosidase inhibitory activity of Angelica gigas Nakai was increased to 70.5%. Thus, we expected a more useful effect with the use of the addition of a cold ethanol-treated Angelica gigas Nakai extract. The L, b values of cold buckwheat noodles using a mixture of 0$\sim$3% of Ligularia fischeri powder and 0.5% of an ethanol-treated hot water extract of Angelica gigas Nakai were decreased with the addition of an increasing amount of Ligularia fischeri powder. Among the mechanical qualities, only adhesiveness was significantly higher in 3% Ligularia fischeri noodles. From sensory evaluation data, it was determined that these two functional ingredients did not ruin the color, texture, and overall acceptance of the cold buckwheat noodles. A higher amount of the extracts improved the quality of the product with little added cost.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.246-257
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• 2024

Purpose: Administering early parenteral amino acids to very low birth weight (VLBW) premature infants (birth body weight [BBW]<1,500 g) is challenging due to factors such as holidays, cost, and access to sterile compounding facilities. Using advance-prepared parenteral nutrition (PN) may address this issue and should be evaluated for its safety and potential benefits. Methods: We extracted data from medical records collected between July 2015 and August 2019. VLBW infants received PN for at least seven days and were split into two groups: the traditional group (n=30), which initially received a glucose solution and then PN on workdays, and the pre-preparation group (n=16), which received advance-prepared PN immediately upon admission to the neonatal intensive care unit. Results: The median BBWs of the traditional and pre-preparation groups were 1,180.0 vs. 1,210.0 g. In the initial two days, the pre-preparation group had a significantly higher amino acid intake (2.23 and 2.24 g/kg/d) than the traditional group (0 and 1.78 g/kg/d). The pre-preparation group exhibited greater head circumference growth ratio relative to birth (7th day: 1.21% vs. -3.57%, p=0.014; 21st day: 7.71% vs. 3.31%, p=0.017). No significant differences in metabolic tolerance were observed. Conclusion: Advanced preparation of PN can be safely implemented in VLBW preterm infants, offering advantages such as early, higher amino acid intake and improved head circumference growth within the first 21 days post-birth. This strategy may serve as a viable alternative in settings where immediate provision of sterile compounding facilities is challenging.

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.39-48
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• 2011

The present survey was conducted to provide basic information on automatic milking system (AMS) in relation to purchase motive, milk yield and quality, customer satisfaction, difficulties of operation and customer suggestions, etc. Purchase motives of AMS were insufficient labor (44%), planning of dairy experience farm (25%), better performance of high yield cows (19%) and others (6%), respectively. Average cow performance after using AMS was 30.9l/d for milk yield, 3.9% for milk fat, 9,100/ml for bacterial counts. Sixty-eight percentage of respondents were very positive in response to AMS use for their successors but 18% were negative. The AMS operators were owner (44%), successor (44%), wife (6%) and company worker (6%), respectively. The most difficulty (31%) in using AMS was operating the system and complicated program manual. The rate of response to system error and breakdown was 25%. The reasons for culling cow after using AMS were mastitis (28%), reproduction failure (19%), incorrect teat placement (12%), metabolic disease (7%) and others (14%), respectively. Fifty-six percentages of the respondents made AMS maintenance contract and 44% did not. Average annual cost of the maintenance contract was 6,580,000 won. Average score for AMS satisfaction measurement (1 to 5 range) was 3.2 with decrease of labor cost 3.7, company A/S 3.6, increase of milk yield 3.2 and decrease of somatic cell count 2.8, respectively. Suggestions for the higher efficiency in using AMS were selecting cows with correct udder shape and teat placement, proper environment, capital and land, and attitude for continuous observation. Systematic consulting was highly required for AMS companies followed by low cost for AMS setup and systematization of A/S.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2007

The effect of water temperature (T) and body weight (W) on the oxygen consumption of the fasted black rockfish, Sebastes schlegeli was investigated to provide empirical data for the culture management and bioenergetic growth model of this species. The mean wet body weights of two fish groups used for the present experiment were $12.9{\pm}2.7g$ ($mean{\pm}SD$) and $351.1{\pm}9.2g$. The oxygen consumption rate (OCR) was measured under three water temperature regimes (15, 20 and $25^{\circ}C$) at an interval of 5 minutes for 24 hours using a continuous flow-through respirometer. In each treatment three replicates were set up and 45 fish in small size groups and 6 fish in large size groups were used. The OCRs increased with increasing water temperature in both size groups (p<0.001). Mean OCRs at 15, 20 and $25^{\circ}C$ were 414.2, 691.5 and $843.8mg\;O_2\;kg^{-1}h^{-1}$ in small size groups, and 182.0, 250.7 and $328.2mg\;O_2\;kg^{-1}h^{-1}$ in large size groups, respectively. The OCRs decreased with increasing body weights in three water temperature groups (p<0.001). The mass effect on metabolic rate can be expressed by the power of 0.69~0.75. The data are best described by the relationship: OCR=89.12+28.79T-1.17W. $Q_{10}$ values ranged 1.90~2.79 between 15 and $20^{\circ}C$, 1.49~1.71 between 20 and $25^{\circ}C$, and 1.80~2.03 over the full temperature range, respectively. The energy loss by metabolic cost increased with increasing water temperature and decreasing body weight (p<0.001). Mean energy loss rates by oxygen consumption at 15, 20 and $25^{\circ}C$ were 282.9, 472.3 and $576.3kJ\;kg^{-1}d^{-1}$ in small size groups and 124.3, 171.3 and $224.1kJ\;kg^{-1}d^{-1}$ in large size groups, respectively.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.802-810
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• 2000

A total of 120 finishing crossbred pigs ($Landrace{\times}Large$ $White{\times}Duroc$) with equal numbers of barrows and gilts weighing 58.5 kg body weight were used in a feeding trial, and 6 pigs (three of each sex) were used in a metabolic trial to investigate the effect of phase feeding. Finishing period was divided into two phases and 4 different diets were fed for those periods. Growth performance was not significantly different among treatments within the same sex. This result showed that 16% crude protein for early finishing period and 14% crude protein diet for late finishing period should be optimum. During the early finishing period, only feed intake was significantly different between sexes (p<0.01), but in late finishing period daily weight gain (p<0.001) and feed intake (p<0.01) of barrows were significantly higher than those of gilts. During the early finishing period, digestibilities of dry matter, protein and phosphorus were significantly higher in gilts than in barrows (p<0.05). However, there was no treatment effect within same sex during the early and late finishing period. During early finishing period, excretion of N of pigs fed 16% CP diet in early and 14% CP diet in late-finishing period was less than that of pigs fed 17% CP diet in early and 15% CP diet in late-finishing period (p<0.05), but the difference was not significant. During the late finishing period, N excretion with two phase feeding was reduced by 8.5% compared with single feeding. In gilts, total cost reduction by two phase feeding compared to single feeding was 9.1%, but in barrows it was just 3.19%. Relative margin increased with two phase feeding by 2.5% in gUts and 0.2% in barrows. There was a tendency that backfat thickness at 10th rib of gilts was thinner than that of barrows (p>0.05). Within the same sexes, there was no treatment effect on back fat thickness (p>0.05). Carcass grade was improved by two phase feeding compared to single feeding. Carcass grade of gilts was significantly better than that of barrows (p<0.001). From this results, it is concluded that finishing pigs could be fed two-phase diets to improve profit and reduce pollution.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.795-801
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• 2000

A total of 120 growing crossbred pigs ($Landrace{\times}Large$ $White{\times}Duroc$) with equal numbers of barrows and gilts were used in the feeding trial in a $2{\times}3$ factorial arrangement (gender by feeding regimens) to investigate the effect of phase feeding on growth performance during the 25 to 58 kg body weight growth stage, and 6 pigs (three of each sex) were used in a metabolic trial. The growing period was divided into two phases and 4 different CP diets were used to make 3 different feeding regimens (GE18-GL18; 18% CP diets for both early and later growing period, GE18-GL16; 18% CP diet for early and 16% CP diet for later growing period, GE19-GL17; 19% CP diet for early and 17% CP diet for later growing period). There were no significant differences in growth performance among treatments during the entire growing period. However, during the later growing period, feed intake of barrows was significantly higher than that of gilts (p<0.05). Average daily gain of barrows was higher than that of gilts (p>0.05). Based on the result, growth performance differences between barrows and gilts appeared to begin after 40 kg of body weight. There was no significant difference in digestibility among treatments or between sexes. During the early growing period the 18% CP diet showed better digestibility than the 19% CP diet. However, during the later growing period, the 18% and 17% CP diets exhibited similar digestibilities, although 16% CP diet showed slightly lower digestibility than 18% and 17% CP diets. During the early growing period, fecal N and P excretion of pigs fed the 19% CP were higher than that of those fed the 18% CP diet. During later growing period, fecal N and P excretion by those receiving the two phase feeding compared to single phase feeding was reduced by 10.2% and 2.0%, respectively. In the gilts, the cost reduction by two phase feeding (GE18-GL16) compared to single feeding was around 3.81%, but that of barrows was only 0.52%. The results suggested that the same nutrient levels could be applied to barrows and gilts during the growing period. Also, this study suggested the optimum protein and lysine level for early and later growing pigs to be 18% CP, 1.0% lysine and 16% CP, 0.8% lysine, respectively. Feeding two diets to growing pigs, i.e., two-phase feeding, would be more appropriate than feeding a single diet on economic and environmental considerations.