• Animal Bioscience
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• v.37 no.7
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• pp.1213-1224
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• 2024

Objective: Enterotypes (ETs) are the clustering of gut microbial community structures, which could serve as indicators of growth performance and carcass traits. However, ETs have been sparsely investigated in waterfowl. The objective of this study was to identify the ileal ETs and explore the correlation of the ETs with growth performance and carcass traits in Muscovy ducks. Methods: A total of 200 Muscovy ducks were randomly selected from a population of 5,000 ducks at 70-day old, weighed and slaughtered. The growth performance and carcass traits, including body weight, dressed weight and evidenced weight, dressed percentage, percentage of apparent yield, breast muscle weight, leg muscle weight, percentage of leg muscle and percentage of breast muscle, were determined. The contents of ileum were collected for the isolation of DNA and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The ETs were identified based on the 16S rRNA gene sequencing data and the correlation of the ETs with growth performance and carcass traits was performed by Spearman correlation analysis. Results: Three ETs (ET1, ET2, and ET3) were observed in the ileal microbiota of Muscovy ducks with significant differences in number of features and α-diversity among these ETs (p<0.05). Streptococcus, Candida Arthritis, and Bacteroidetes were the presentative genus in ET1 to ET3, respectively. Correlation analysis revealed that Lactococcus and Bradyrhizobium were significantly correlated with percentage of eviscerated yield and leg muscle weight (p<0.05) while ETs were found to have a close association with percentage of eviscerated yield, leg muscle weight, and percentage of leg muscle in Muscovy ducks. However, the growth performance of ducks with different ETs did not show significant difference (p>0.05). Lactococcus were found to be significantly correlated with leg muscle weight, dressed weight, and percentage of eviscerated yield. Conclusion: Our findings revealed a substantial variation in carcass traits associated with ETs in Muscovy ducks. It is implied that ETs might have the potential to serve as a valuable biomarker for assessing duck carcass traits. It would provide novel insights into the interaction of gut microbiota with growth performance and carcass traits of ducks.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.517-526
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• 2022

Objective: The growth differentiation factor 8 (GDF8) gene plays a key role in bone formation, resorption, and skeletal muscle development in mammals. Here, we studied the genetic variants of GDF8 and their contribution to body conformation traits in Chinese Dabieshan cattle. Methods: Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified in the bovine GDF8 gene by DNA sequencing. Phylogenetic analysis, motif analysis, and genetic diversity analysis were conducted using bioinformatics software. Association analysis between five SNPs, haplotype combinations, and body conformation traits was conducted in 380 individuals. Results: The GDF8 was highly conserved in seven species, and the GDF8 sequence of cattle was most similar to the sequences of sheep and goat based on the phylogenetic analysis. The motif analysis showed that there were 12 significant motifs in GDF8. Genetic diversity analysis indicated that the polymorphism information content of the five studied SNPs was within 0.25 to 0.5. Haplotype analysis revealed a total of 12 different haplotypes and those with a frequency of <0.05 were excluded. Linkage disequilibrium analysis showed a strong linkage (r²>0.330) between the following SNPs: g.5070C>A, g.5076T>C, and g.5148A>C. Association analysis indicated these five SNPs were associated with some of the body conformation traits (p<0.05), and the animals with haplotype combination H1H1 (-GGGG CCTTAA-) had greater wither height, hip height, heart girth, abdominal girth, and pin bone width than the other (p<0.05) Dabieshan cattle. Conclusion: Overall, our results indicate that the genetic variants of GDF8 affected the body conformation traits of Chinese Dabieshan cattle, and the GDF8 gene could make a strong candidate gene in Dabieshan cattle breeding programs.

• Asia Marketing Journal
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.51-79
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• 2010

This study is based on recent advances in celebrity traits and self-determination researches to address how consumers develop the strong attachment to a "star brand," and the effect of consumer's attachment to star brand on evaluation of product brand sponsored by the star. We use the consumers' need satisfaction and star traits as major causal factors that influence consumer's attachment to a star brand. Specifically this article uses autonomy need, relatedness need, competence need as the dimensions of need satisfaction and expertness, trustworthiness, likeability, and similarity as the key star traits. The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of these factors on the consumer's attachment to star brand and how consumer's evaluation of product brand sponsored by star is moderated by the fitness level of between the image of star brand and the image of sponsored product brand. To collect the data, survey was taken in a University located in Incheon. Collected data are analysed using SPSS 15.0 and AMOS 7.0. The results show that when the star brand is perceived as more trustworthy and likeable, and satisfies autonomy need and relatedness need, the consumer is more likely to become strongly attached to him or her. The hypothesis that consumer's attachment to star brand will have the positive influence on the evaluation of product brand sponsored by star is supported. And hypothesis that consumer's attitude to a sponsored product brand is moderated by the fitness level of between the image of star brand and the image of sponsored product brand is also supported. The empirical results imply that star brand to which consumers are attached may have the significant positive impact on the consumers' evaluation process of endorsed product brand and purchase behavior, and that marketers should consider need dimensions which target consumers want to satisfy and the fitness level of between the image of star brand being considered as endorser and the image of product brand.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.30 no.1 s.149
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• pp.146-156
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• 2006

The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors that influence consumers' adoption of performance infants' wear made of functional textiles. Based on Innovation Diffusion Model, product attributes, consumer traits, and communication characteristics were considered. A survey was carried out with a convenience sample of 241 housewives who have infants under 4 year-old, living in the Seoul metropolitan area. To analyze the data, SPSS 10.0 was used employing ANOVA, Duncan's post-hoc comparison, $X^2$, and f-test. The participants were classified into 4 groups based on their levels of adoption of performance infants' wear: No-Cognition, Negative Attitude, Positive Attitude, and Purchasing groups. There were significant differences among the four groups in terms of their perception of product attributes, communication characteristics, and personal traits. In terms of product attributes, the Positive Attitude group and Purchasing group showed higher perception of relative advantage, compatibility, trialability and observability than other groups. These groups were also high in terms of their tendency of actively seeking for additional product information, and particularly relied on the information from experts on TV or the Internet, personal experience posted on the Internet, or their own experience. Those who were in professional, well-educated and high income brackets were more likely to be Purchasing group than Positive Attitude group, which means once the positive attitude was formed they are likely to purchase the product.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.198-208
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• 2008

The study applies lifestyles based on the list of values(LOV) to the college student-consumers, classifies them and compares traits. The study also looks into store images of internet fashion shopping malls and differences in purchasing behaviors. The results of the study show that there are three types, namely 'self-confidence and pursuit-of-success type,'family-oriented and responsible type', and 'passive and popular-culture-consumer type'. Among the elements constituting the store images of internet fashion shopping malls, there were considerable differences between groups on 'product and information service' element and 'convenience' element. On shopping mall purchasing behavior, the study confirmed some differences on 'information source', 'product purchase amount', and 'payment method' when purchasing a product. Furthermore, there were considerable differences on shopping mall satisfaction level and repurchasing intention between groups by lifestyle-type.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.43-64
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• 2019

Same as other product brands, it is very important for jewelry brands to correctly identify customer characteristics, and seek high level service quality, and develop products that can set apart from competitions in order to increase customer satisfaction and strengthen repurchase intention. This study, in consideration of these pruduct characteristics, aims to verify whether service quality and/or product traits impact customer satisfaction. In addition, the study investigates whether customer trait plays a role of moderator in its effect on customer satisfaction. Finally, the study provides useful theoretical and practical implications on customer segmentation strategies that are contingent upon customer characteristics.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.137-145
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• 2018

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of carcass weight on the physicochemical and sensory traits of duck meat. In total, 150 duck carcasses were divided into five different weight groups. The fat content in both breast and leg meats tended to increase with increased carcass weight. The cooking loss was significantly higher in the <2,200 g weight group and decreased with increased carcass weight. There was no significant difference in pH, water-holding capacity, lightness, or redness among carcass weight groups. The shear force was significantly higher in the ${\geq}2,800g$ weight group. The oleic acid (C18:1, n9) content in both the breast and leg meats tended to increase with increased carcass weight. The unsaturated fatty acid content in the breast meats was similar for all the groups whereas its content in the leg meats increased with increased weight groups. There was no significant difference in the sensory scores among the treatments. Taken together, it may be said that the carcass weight had minor effects on the physicochemical traits of duck meat. Further studies are needed to determine the effects of different carcass weights in the same raising period on duck meat quality.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2007

Leptin is the hormone product of the obese gene and is synthesized and secreted predominantly by white adipocytes and relates to the feedback system that regulates long-term body fat weight and composition. Therefore, the leptin gene could be an excellent candidate gene controlling fat deposition, carcass traits and meat quality in beef cattle. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association of 3 SNPs (A1127T and C1180T in exon 2 and C3100T in exon 3) in the bovine leptin gene with carcass and meat quality traits in Korean cattle. The C1180T SNP was associated with backfat thickness (BF) and marbling score (MS) (p<0.05). Animals with the genotype CC had higher BF than animals with TT genotype and higher MS compared with CT and TT genotypes. No significant associations were observed between the C3100T SNP and any carcass and meat quality traits analyzed. The effect of the A1127T SNP was not analyzed because the TT genotype was not detected and the AT genotype showed only 1.0% frequency. These results suggest that the C1180T SNP of the leptin gene may be useful as a genetic marker for carcass and meat quality traits in Korean cattle.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.26-31
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• 2005

Leptin, the product of the obesity (ob) gene, is synthesized in adipocytes or fat cells and has been implicated in the regulation of food intake, energy balance and body composition in mammals. Therefore, the leptin gene could be a candidate gene controlling fat deposition, meat quality and carcass traits in cattle. In this study the microsatellite genotypes for leptin gene were determined and their effects on carcass traits and meat quality were estimated in Korean cattle. Six different microsatellite alleles within leptin gene were identified and gene frequencies of 173, 177, 184, 186, 190 and 192 bp alleles were 0.012, 0.308, 0.067, 0.260, 0.342 and 0.016, respectively. The microsatellite marker of the leptin gene showed a significant association with the carcass percentage (CP) and marbling score (MS). Animals with genotypes 192/192 and 177/184 had higher CP than animals with other genotypes. Animals with genotypes 184/192 and 177/184 had higher MS compared with animals with other genotypes. Thus, the results suggest that the 177, 184 and 192 bp alleles may be associated with increased carcass percentage and intramuscular fat levels. No associations were found between the microsatellite genotypes of the leptin gene and other carcass traits such as carcass weight (CW), backfat thickness (BF) and M. longissimus dorsi area (LDA). In conclusion, the microsatellite markers of the leptin gene may be useful for marker-assisted selection of carcass traits and meat quality in Korean cattle.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.8
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• pp.1272-1277
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• 2007

Sensory traits and preferences regarding food co-product fermented liquid (FCFL)-fed pork loin were compared with those of formula-fed pork. The FCFL-fed pork was expected to have improved fat meltability. Thirty-nine laboratory panelists took part in a sensory test. The fat meat and the lean meat of FCFL-fed pig were judged more meltable and tender, respectively, than the corresponding meat from the formula-fed pig. These sensory traits agreed closely with the results of a mechanical investigation of fat melting patterns and with Warner-Bratzlar shear force values. However, the overall preference was not significantly associated with sensory fat meltability and meat tenderness, as assessed by chi-square and correspondence analyses, but it was significantly related to the whole fat preference and the fat texture preference. The fat texture preference, however, did not correlate with sensory fat meltability. These results indicated that FCFL feeding altered sensory fat meltability in pork loin, but the preference for such meltable fat differed among individual panelists.