• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.379-389
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• 2022

This study analyzed 10,352 married women to find the correlation between marital equality felt by married women and additional childbirth intentions. Frequency analysis and chi-square test analysis were performed to analyze the general characteristics of the investigator, and studies were conducted through binary logistic regression analysis and interaction analysis to analyze the relevance between each variable and additional childbirth. As a result, the 4-point group based on the 0-point group that lowest marital equality had 2.01 times higher willingness to additional birth. And, the 3-point group and the 2-point group were 1.46 times and 1.41 times higher than 0-point group with marital equality and additional childbirth intentions. In addition, intention of additional childbirth was increased when the higher the number of children, if they own a house, and if wives are non-regular or unemployed. This study analyzed the relationship between married women's intention to give birth additionally, focusing on marital equality. It is suggested that specific and reasonable policies at the macro level are required to improve the fertility rate.

• Journal of Korean Society of Rural Planning
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.15-24
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• 2023

The sense of crisis regarding regional extinction due to low birth rates and an aging population is expanding. Generally, the local extinction index is used to analyze local extinction. However, it is challenging to diagnose the actual situation of village extinction risk in rural areas, even though the regional extinction index can be analyzed in units such as Si-Gun-Gu and Eup-Myeon-Dong. This difficulty arises because the regional extinction index solely relies on natural population growth indicators (elderly population and female population aged 20-39). Therefore, the purpose of this study is to develop a village extinction index that can identify the disappearance of rural villages. Additionally, the aim is to apply the developed indicators to the village (administrative ri) spatial unit. The existing regional extinction index used only mortality-related indicators as factors for natural population decline and fertility-related indicators as factors for natural population growth. However, the developed village extinction index included not only the factors of natural population change but also incorporated social population growth factors and factors related to the pace of village extinction. This is the key difference between the developed village extinction index and the existing regional extinction index. In this study, the indicators of "total population," "number of young women aged 20-44," "number of elderly population aged 70 or older," and "number of incoming population" were selected to develop a village extinction index. The village extinction index was developed by incorporating both natural population growth indicators and social population growth indicators. The developed village extinction index was applied to administrative villages. This research is expected to provide a more accurate understanding of the current state of rural villages facing extinction.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.173-195
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• 2023

Objectives: To investigate and analyze the assessment indicators and tools used in clinical practice to assess Korean medicine (KM) treatment for infertility, and to establish a basis for assessment tools to diagnose and assess infertility. Methods: Relevant studies published until March 2023 were extracted from Pubmed, Research Information Sharing Service, and National Digital Science Library databases. Results: Sixty-four studies comprising 4,105 patients were included. We investigated pregnancy outcomes, and assessed pregnancy- and childbirth-related factors, overall health, reproductive health, and mental health. Pregnancy result was most common primary outcome. Ongoing pregnancy, stillbirth, miscarriage, and ectopic pregnancy rates were suggested as indicators of pregnancy and childbirth-related assessment. Overall health was most commonly assessed with Likert and Visual analogue scale (VAS). Among reproductive health variables, menstrual history was most frequently assessed. Moreover, indicators such as reproductive function, sexual intercourse, and gynecological disease were assessed. The Infertility Stress Scale and the Fertility Quality of Life tool (FertiQoL) were used to assess mental health. Conclusions: Subjective scales and objective assessment tools, such as the Likert scale and blood tests/ultrasonography, respectively, are used to assess KM infertility treatment. Inconsistent assessment tools make quantitative analyses more challenging. The development of a standardized mental and physical function assessment questionnaire with confirmed reliability and validity ensure the effectiveness of KM infertility treatment, and promote future studies on infertility treatment.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.44-65
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• 2023

Purposes: As super-aging population and low fertility rates are threatening the sustainability of the National Health Insurance funds, enhancing the efficiency of hospital management is paramount. In the past, studies analyzing the efficiencies of hospitals primarily made inter-hospital comparisons, but it is important to assess hospitals' internal efficiency and develop improvement measures in order to attain practical improvements in hospital efficiencies. The purpose of this study is to analyze the efficiencies of specialists by medical specialty in a hospital in order to provide foundational data for efficient hospital management. Methodology/Approach: We used the activity-based costing (ABC) data and hospital statistical data from one tertiary hospital in Seoul to analyze the efficiency of specialists by medical specialty. Efficiency was analyzed and compared among specialists using the data envelopment analysis developed by Charnes, Cooper, and Rhodes (DEA-CCR) model and the slacks-based measure (SBM) models. The input variables were labor cost, material cost, and operational expenses, and the output variables were the number of outpatients, number of inpatients, outpatient revenue, and inpatient revenue. Findings: First, there was a marked deviation in efficiency across specialists. Second, there was a marked deviation in efficiency across medical specialties. Third, there was little difference in efficiency according to the specialist's sex, age, and job position. Fourth, the SBM model produced more conservative results and better explained efficiency parameters than the CCR model. Practical Implications: The efficiency of a specialist was more influenced by their medical specialty than their personal characteristics, namely sex, age, and job position. Therefore, Further research is needed to analyze the efficiencies of each subspecialty and identify factors that contribute to the variations in efficiencies across medical specialties, such as clinical practices and fee structures.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.801-805
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• 2023

In Korea, the population is continuously decreasing due to the decrease in fertility rates. Military troops are continuously decreasing, but soldiers' suicide, mental health care and medicine prescriptions, and inadequate decisions are increasing. In other words, the mental health of the intestines is getting worse. The mental health of the soldiers is a personal problem, but it can also have a big impact on the troops. This is because accidents such as suicide, divorce, and military leave lead to the restriction of the combat power and the deterioration of fraud. Currently, domestic and foreign academics are studying mental health care plans using wearable devices. The Korean military can also use this to objectively measure the mental health of soldiers and use the accumulated big data to predict and measure various situations. In this study, this study suggests mental health care measures for military soldiers using wearable devices, and further research will be conducted smoothly to improve the mental health of our soldiers.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.285-291
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• 2023

Objective: Infertility can result from a diminished ovarian reserve, but a potential remedy exists in the form of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) administration. This treatment involves both biological factors and tissue trauma mechanisms, which stimulate folliculogenesis, making it a promising and effective strategy. We assessed the impact of direct PRP injections into the ovaries on the fertility outcomes of women classified as poor responders. Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted from April 2021 to December 2022, focusing on patients classified as POSEIDON grade 3 or 4. PRP injections were administered into both ovaries. After 3 months, data were collected on anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) level, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) level, and the numbers of oocytes, mature oocytes, and good-quality embryos following ovarian stimulation. We then compared the data from before and after PRP injection. Results: This study included 50 women, with a mean of 39 years (interquartile range [IQR], 35 to 43) and 4 years (IQR, 2 to 6) for age and infertility duration, respectively. FSH levels decreased after treatment, while AMH levels and the numbers of oocytes, metaphase II oocytes, and high-quality embryos increased. However, only the increase in high-quality embryos was significant. The pregnancy and spontaneous pregnancy rates were 20% and 14%, respectively. Notably, women with secondary infertility exhibited a significantly higher pregnancy rate than those with primary infertility. Conclusion: Ample evidence suggests that PRP can enhance ovarian function. However, further studies are needed to identify the appropriate candidates for this procedure, establish the optimal PRP preparation method, and standardize the procedure for its adjuvant use in assisted reproductive technology cycles.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.163-169
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• 2024

Objective: This retrospective study aimed to investigate the prevalence of chronic endometritis, diagnosed using CD138 immunohistochemistry, among infertile women and to assess the association between chronic endometritis and recurrent implantation failure (RIF). Methods: In total, 266 patients who underwent hysteroscopy due to infertility between 2019 and 2020 were included in the analysis. Of these, 136 patients with RIF and 130 non-RIF patients were included in the study. CD138 immunohistochemistry test results, blood biomarkers (including natural killer cells, white blood cells, and the lymphocyte-to-neutrophil ratio), and data on pregnancy outcomes were obtained. If the CD138 test yielded a positive result, the patients received antibiotic treatment. Results: The overall proportion of CD138-positive patients was 32.7% (87/266). The CD138 positivity rate was not related to the number of cycles with implantation failure. In the RIF patient group, no significant associations were found between CD138 positivity and peripheral blood markers. The clinical pregnancy rates were similar between infertile women treated with antibiotics for chronic endometritis and those without chronic endometritis. Conclusion: To improve the pregnancy rate in infertile patients, it may be helpful to combine CD138 testing with other laboratory tests and administer antibiotic treatment if the result is positive.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.242-249
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• 1983

The experiments were carried out in farmers' field to determine the yield response of corn to fertilizers for the three years (1976-1979) The results are summarized as follow: 1. The optimum application rates of N-P-K fertilizers on corn cultivars was 21.1-11.6-10.6 kg/10a for Suweon 19, 23.0-11.9-15.0 kg/10a for Boggyo 2 and 19.8-10.6-9.1 kg/10a for Hwangok 3, and 23.3-19.1-10.7 kg/10a in drained paddy soil. 2. The optimum application rates of N-P-K fertilizers was 23.4-15.5-13.2 kg/10a in fertile soil comparing with 27.0-15.6-18.8 kg/10a in the soil of low fertility. However yield was lower in soil of low fertility than in fertile soil even under the condition applied optimum amount. 3. Production efficiencies of each kg of N, P, K application for Suweon 19, Boggyo 2, and Hwangok 3 were 26.1-24.5-9.7, 17.8-13.3-2.0, and 14.6-21.5-4.2kg. respectively. 4. The optimum nutrient content in soil and plant to yield 1,000 kg/10a of corn was available phosphorus 200 ppm, exchangeable potassium 0.63 me/100g, potassium saturation rate 5.0% in soil, and nitrogen 2.86%, phosphorus 0.73%, potassium 2.80% in plant at tasseling stage.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.315-324
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• 2005

Objectives: To compare the efficacy of GnRH antagonist multiple dose protocol (MDP) with that of GnRH agonist long protocol (LP) in controlled ovarian hyperstimulation for in vitro fertilization in patients with high basal FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) level or old age, a retrospective analysis was done. Methods: Two hundred ninety four infertile women (328 cycles) who were older than 41 years of age or had elevated basal FSH level (> 8.5 mIU/mL) were enrolled in this study. The patients had undergone IVF-ET after controlled ovarian hyperstimulation using GnRH antagonist multiple dose protocol (n=108, 118 cycles) or GnRH agonist long protocol (n=186, 210 cycles). The main outcome measurements were cycle cancellation rate, consumption of gonadotropins, the number of follicles recruited and total oocytes retrieved. The number of fertilized oocytes and transferred embryos, the clinical pregnancy rates, and the implantation rates were also reviewed. And enrolled patients were divided into three groups according to their age and basal FSH levels; Group A - those who were older than 41 years of age, Group B - those with elevated basal FSH level (> 8.5 mIU/mL) and Group C - those who were older than 41 years of age and with elevated basal FSH level (> 8.5 mIU/mL). Poor responders were classified as patients who had less than 4 retrieved oocytes, or those with $E_2$ level <500 pg/mL on the day of hCG injection or those who required more than 45 ampules of exogenous gonadotropin for stimulation. Results: The cancellation rate was lower in the GnRH antagonist group than in GnRH agonist group, but not statistically significant (6.8% vs. 9.5%, p=NS). The amount of used gonadotropins was significantly lower in GnRH antagonist group than in agonist group ($34.8{\pm}11.3$ ampules vs. $44.1{\pm}13.4$ ampules, p<0.001). The number of follicles > 14 mm in diameter was significantly higher in agonist group than in antagonist group ($6.7{\pm}4.6$ vs. $5.0{\pm}3.4$, p<0.01). But, there were no significant differences in clinical pregnancy rate (24.5% in antagonist group vs. 27.4% in agonist group, p=NS) and implantation rate (11.4% in antagonist group vs. 12.0% in agonist group, p=NS) between two groups. Mean number of retrieved oocytes was significantly higher in GnRH agonist LP group than in GnRH antagonist MDP group ($5.4{\pm}3.5$ vs. $6.6{\pm}5.0$, p<0.0001). But, the number of mature and fertilized oocytes, and the number of good quality (grade I and II) and transferred embryos were not different between two groups. In each group A, B, and C, the rate of poor response did not differ according to stimulation protocols. Conclusions: In conclusion, for infertile women expected poor ovarian response such as who are old age or has elevated basal FSH level, a protocol including a controlled ovarian hyperstimulation using GnRH antagonist appears at least as effective as that using a GnRH agonist, and may offer the advantage of reducing gonadotropin consumption and treatment period. However, much work remains to be done in optimizing the GnRH antagonist protocols and individualizing these to different cycle characteristics.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.291-295
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• 2012

The use of methylacetamide (MA) as a cryoprotective agent for freezing Korean Native Black rooster Ogye semen was examined with artificial insemination. The diluted Ogye semen with HS-1 was subjected for 2 step dilution method of cryopreservation in which the final concentration of MA was adjusted to 7.5%. The sperm viability after thawing was reduced from $95.17{\pm}0.93%$ to $55.93{\pm}1.38%$ which was confirmed by live-death analysis based on Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorting (FACS). The rates of fertilized eggs with fresh or frozen-thawed semen were reduced from $94.98{\pm}3.93%$ to $66.36{\pm}8.43%$ at day 7 with significant difference. However, the hatching rates of experiments at day 21 did not shown difference between $92.64{\pm}2.33%$ and $90.45{\pm}8.05%$ (P<0.05). With these results, the utilization of MA for freezing of Ogye spermatozoa could affect on viability of frozen-thawed semen but not on the fertility of lain eggs and hatchability of fertilized eggs and also provide possible tools of freezing for poultry genetic resource conservation.