• Journal of the Korean housing association
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.81-90
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• 2014

As an emerging market in central Asia, Kazakhstan's housing market is witnessing increasing demands. Though Korean construction industries have attempted to take advantage of this opportunity, inadequate understanding of the local living demands have kept the industries from successfully establishing themselves in the foreign context. The goal of this research is to derive architectural planning implications regarding the living demands by investigating changes being made to the housing structure. By analyzing 11 apartment unit plans, it was found that Kazakhs had a living demand for more spacious living rooms and functional spaces. In the effort to improve the livingroom environment and usability such as enlarging the livingroom, removing the living room wall for open space or expanding the inner space facing outside is understood that the living room is considered as an important space. The fact that spaces such as dress rooms and utility rooms are being added in the housing market, reflects the demand of functional spaces. These demands are considered as the reflection of the traditional life style of nomad culture and the cold local climate. Therefore, it can be said that the apartment unit plans distributed in the Korean housing market are quite compatible with the Kazakh housing market since they offer spatious living rooms, while the latter founding implies the changes that ought to be made for a successful establishment in the foreign market.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.289-298
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• 2010

A number of characteristics of the Lake H$\ddot{o}$vsg$\ddot{o}$l watershed, such as the lake's location at the edge of the Central Asian continuous permafrost zone, provide a unique opportunity to evaluate possible anthropogenic impacts in this remote area in northern Mongolia. In this study, we compared stream solute concentrations in six sub-watersheds in the Lake H$\ddot{o}$vsg$\ddot{o}$l watershed. Water samples were collected during the summer months between 2003 and 2005. Concentrations of $Cl^-$ ranged from 9.8 to $51.3\;{\mu}mol/L$; average nitrate concentrations were very low and ranged from undetectable to $1.1\;{\mu}mol/L$ and average ${SO_4}^{2-}$ concentration at sampling stations with minimal animal grazing ranged from 66 to $294\;{\mu}mol/L$. Average dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations ranged from 642 to $1,180\;{\mu}mol$ C/L. We did not find statistically significant differences in DOC concentrations among the six streams, although DOC concentrations tended to be higher in the two northernmost streams, possibly related to differences in the active layer above the permafrost. Dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) concentrations were correlated with DOC concentration, and followed the same spatial pattern as those for DOC. In streams in this remote watershed, total dissolved nitrogen was made up of mostly organic N, as has been found for other regions distant from anthropogenic N sources. Overall, these results suggest that future research on the dynamics of DOC and DON in this watershed will be especially insightful in helping to understand how changes in climate and land use patterns will affect transformations, retention, and export of dissolved organic matter within these sub-watersheds in the Lake H$\ddot{o}$vsg$\ddot{o}$l region.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.154-159
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• 2007

Manchurian trout (Brachymystax lenok) is an endangered fish species in East Asia including the Korean peninsula. To establish a method for artificial propagation and to improve our understanding of the reproduction in the species, we have produced recombinant gonadotropins, follicle-stimulating hormone (r-mtFSH) and luteinizing hormone (r-mtLH), which may play central roles in reproductive activities. In the present study, the biological activities of the recombinant hormones were analyzed by gonadosomatic index (GSI), ovarian follicle diameter, and sex steroid levels in mature rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). In the 6th day post-injection, FSH-injected fish were slightly decreased in the GSI value, although there were no significant differences among those of control, r-mtFSH, and r-mtLH treatments. Injection of the r-mtFSH increased follicle diameters significantly as compared with those of control- and r-mtLH-injected fish. The plasma steroid levels showed wide differences in the groups at 1, 3, or 6th day post-injection. Despite the variable steroid levels, three individuals receiving either r-mtFSH or r-mtLH showed a great increase in a maturation-inducing steroid, $17{\alpha},20{beta}$-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one, at 3 and 6 days. Taken together, these results suggest that biological efficacies of the recombinant FSH and LH should be further studied in the Manchurian trout.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.413-418
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• 2011

Human alveolar echinococcosis (AE), a hepatic disorder that resembles liver cancer, is a highly aggressive and lethal zoonotic infection caused by the larval stage of the fox tapeworm, Echinococcus multilocularis. E. multilocularis is widely distributed in the northern hemisphere; the disease-endemic area stretches from north America through Europe to central and east Asia, including northern parts of Japan, but it has not been reported in Korea. Herein, we represent a first case of AE in Korea. A 41-year-old woman was found to have a large liver mass on routine medical examination. The excised mass showed multinodular, necrotic, and spongiform appearance with small irregular pseudocystic spaces. Microscopically, the mass was composed of chronic granulomatous inflammation with extensive coagulation necrosis and parasite-like structure, which was revealed as parasitic vesicles and laminated layer delineated by periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) stain. Clinical and histologic features were consistent with AE. After 8 years, a new liver mass and multiple metastatic pulmonary nodules were found and the recurred mass showed similar histologic features to the initial mass. She had never visited endemic areas of AE, and thus the exact infection route is unclear.

• Asia pacific journal of information systems
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.101-123
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• 2004

User satisfaction has been widely used by information system(IS) researchers as the most appropriate surrogate variable for the systems success since Bailey and Pearson(1983) provided their user satisfaction measurement. Because user satisfaction is a perceived performance measure by users, not a real or objective measure for systems success, however, perceived user satisfaction by users may not be exactly identical with the real systems performance. In this regard, if the user's ultimately perceived satisfaction is different from the real systems performance, we need to investigate why these two measures are different and which factors may cause the difference. From the perspective of disconfirmation of user expecations, this study examined why user satisfaction and real systems performance may not be identical each other. Expectaion-disconfirmation theory which has had a central role in marketing in explaining the effects of expectation and disconfirmation on consumer satisfaction was similarly adopted in this study to explain the role of expectation and disconfirmation in user satisfaction in the IS environment. Based on the expectation-disconfirmation theory, the current study developed a research model to examine the effects of expectation, system performance, and disconfirmation on user satisfaction in particular. Six research hypotheses derived from the research model were empirically tested using the partial least squares(PLS) method. The results of the statistical analysis indicate that the effects of system performance and disconfirmation were fairly strong on user satisfaction, while the user's expectation has shown insignificant influences on user satisfaction.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.485-490
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• 2001

Farmers in the centre of Vietnam have a tradition of dosing young cattle with groundnut oil before fattening them on a diet of rice straw and road-side grass. These farmers claim the cattle grow faster. It was hypothesized that the effect of the oil could be to eliminate the protozoa from the rumen. This is known to increase the net microbial growth efficiency in the rumen and increase the protein supply to the animal. To test this hypothesis, two experiments were undertaken; one on-station with four cattle fitted with rumen cannulae and the second a growth trial with 25 young cattle in smallholder farms. When the cannulated animals were drenched with groundnut oil, the protozoa were eliminated from the rumen and animals could be kept free of protozoa by isolation. The ammonia concentration in the rumen fluid was decreased when the protozoa were eliminated and there was an indication of improved rumen dry matter degradability of the forage components of the diet. In the practical condition on the smallholder farms, the growth rates of cattle drenched with groundnut oil were increased considerably (65%) compared with untreated control animals. The laboratory results when taken together with the on-farm results indicate that these resource-poor farmers had been able to defaunate their cattle and to maintain the fauna-free state by isolation of their animals from extraneous stock. This traditional practice in Central Vietnam, whereby one family keeps only one or two animals that are hand fed and tethered, has quite a large potential for all of those countries where animals are fed agro-industrial by-products, as it is highly economic. The use of 1 litre of oil compared with 1 kg of rice polishing per day (300 kg over 300 days), would be highly profitable in all countries of South-East Asia.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.7
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• pp.943-952
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• 2006

The genetic variation in 10 indigenous Caucasian sheep breeds was studied with 14 micro-satellite loci in order to determine the genetic diversity among and between the breeds. Five breeds from Asia, five breeds from Europe and one breed from Africa, were included in order to study any relationships or influences they may have with the Caucasian sheep analyzed. A Karakul population from Uzbekistan was included in the study to see whether there was any Central Asian influence. All the 14 loci were found to be polymorphic in all the breeds, with the exception of ILST0056, which was monomorphic in Imeretian. A total of 231 alleles were generated from all the 688 individuals of the sheep analyzed. The mean number of alleles (MNA) at each locus was 16.5. The total number of alleles detected in all samples ranged from 13 in several loci to 23 in OarJMP029. Out of total 308 Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium (HWE) tests, 85 gave significant results. After Bonferroni correction for multiple tests, 30 comparisons still remained significant to the experimental levels. The Gala population was the most diverse and Imeretian the least diverse with a MNA of 8.50 and 5.51, respectively. Gene diversity estimates exhibited the same trend and ranged from 0.803 in Gala and 0.623 in Imeretian, but generally there is higher diversity among the Caucasian breeds in comparison to other eference breeds. The closest breeds were Tushin and Bozakh with Da of 0.113 and most distant breeds were $Djallonk{\acute{e}}$ and North Rondalsy with Da of 0.445. Principal Component (PC) analyses were done. PC1 described 14% of the differences. PC2, which described 13% of the differences, further separated the Caucasian breeds from Asian breeds except Karakul and Awasi, and the two British breeds. PC3 described 10% of the differences, allowing better differentiation of the Caucasian breeds. A moderate degree of reliability was observed for individual-breed assignment from the 14 loci using different approaches among which the Bayesian method proved to be the most efficient. About 72% of individuals analyzed were correctly assigned to their respective breeds.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.297-306
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• 2004

Mehndi, becoming a kind of body fashion in western advanced countries nowadays, is a exquisite, classical fashion form sublimated to traditional faith, medicine and designing art. As one of the cultural arts, especially transmitted by women, a individual tradition of the way how to do the mehndi and the design has been handed down from one culture to another over a thousand of years and it is extensively using in many area, all around world today. Mehndi was used as preparing for special events or celebrations in India, Africa, Central Asia in order to pray for happiness, good luck and calm hart 5000 years ago. Especially, it is concerned with romantic love or a wedding and takes important part of a traditional wedding reception and bride adorning in the culture of Hindu or Islam. In addition to adorning skin, mehndi has various symbols, meaning, function, that is, as a speechless language, in several cultures, it has common meaning such as attraction, protection, celebration. The design of mehndi has been in harmony with the figure, colors, skin types of the dress or the ornament. According to the region, religion, design, mehndi is divided into the design of India and Morocco mostly. Indian design mainly shows flowers and paisley pattern, people widely recognize this design to celebrate and adorn bride in wedding ceremony, still apply mehndi the present time. Moroccan mehndi design, representing North Africa, characterized a bold geometrical figure which stands for belief in living under the protection from supernatural power. Through the understanding of these various meaning, function, symbolism of the design, adorning their body, the current general public use mehndi as not only aesthetic means but also another self expression.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.400-410
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• 2017

Bactria was the intersection of transportation between Greece-Iran and Central Asia at the Silk Road. This kingdom was Greek in all of its ruling classes. Because the Greek culture of Bactria spread to India and the east, Bactria was a very important place in ancient civilizations. The purpose of this study is to understand the life and the various cultures of Bactria and the influence of Greek culture on the costumes of Bactria. The research method was approached through the analysis of the empirical data. Data on antiquities were analyzed in European exhibition catalogs and secondary data collected from Internet. The results of this study are as follows: First, the original costume of Bactria was identified in two styles in the reliefs of the Persian Achaemenid. One is the tunic jacket sarapis that goes down to the knee and wide trousers with half-length boots. The other is the Scythian style trousers that looks like a barrel in a Sarapis. Second, in the Bactrian coin depicting the bust of the Bactrians, the hair styles and headgear of the Bactrian kings were analyzed. The Bactrians wore braids with short curly hair and wore Macedonian hats and helmets on them. Third, the relics excavated from the ruins of Ai-Khanuom depicted the forms of the ruling classes of Bactria. The dress styles and hair styles of gods and priests were imitating the form of the Greek costume as it is.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.625-630
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• 2013

Background: Hardcore smoking is represented by a subset of daily smokers with high nicotine dependence, inability to quit and unwillingness to quit. Estimating the related burden could help us in identifying a high risk population prone to tobacco induced diseases and improve cessation planning for them. This study assessed the prevalence and associated factors of hardcore smoking in three South-East Asian countries and discussed its implication for smoking cessation intervention in this region. Materials and Methods: Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) data of India, Bangladesh and Thailand were analyzed to quantify the hardcore smoking prevalence in the region. On the basis of review, an operational definition of hardcore smoking was adopted that includes (1) current daily smoker, (2) no quit attempt in the past 12 months of survey or last quit attempt of less than 24 hours duration, (3) no intention to quit in next 12 months or not interested in quitting, (4) time to first smoke within 30 minutes of waking up, and (5) knowledge of smoking hazards. Logistic regression analysis was carried out using hardcore smoking status as response variable and gender, type of residence, occupation, education, wealth index and age-group as possible predictors. Results: There were 31.3 million hardcore smokers in the three Asian countries. The adult prevalence of hardcore smoking in these countries ranges between 3.1% in India to 6% in Thailand. These hardcore smokers constitute 18.3-29.7% of daily smokers. The logistic regression model indicated that age, gender, occupation and wealth index are the major predictors of hardcore smoking with varied influence across countries. Conclusions: Presence of a higher number of hardcore smoking populations in Asia is a major public health challenge for tobacco control and cancer prevention. There is need of intensive cessation interventions with due consideration of contextual predictors.