• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.163-169
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• 2022

Background: It is estimated that about 13 million artisanal and small-scale miners carry out their activities under harsh, precarious, unfriendly, and risky conditions. Yet, our understanding of the extent to which these workers use personal protective equipment (PPE) and navigate through the various risks and hazards they face is still limited. This article has two main objectives. First, it explores the extent of usage of PPE among artisanal and small-scale miners for the prevention of hazards and risks. Second, it examines the coping strategies used by these miners as a response to experiences of occupational injuries and risks Methods: A cross-sectional survey of small-scale miners was conducted in six communities across three districts in Ghana, West Africa. The mixed methods approach was adopted. A total of 148 small-scale miners participated in the study. Six focus group discussions (FGDs) were held across the six communities. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Chi-square tests were used to analyse the relationship between some socio-demographic characteristics (sex, age, and educational background) and the usage of PPE. Open-ended questions and responses from FGDs were analysed based on the content and verbatim quotations from miners. Results: Findings suggest that 78% of the miners interviewed do not use the appropriate PPE citing reasons such as cost, and their personal discomfort associated with use of PPE. There was no significant relationship between socio-demographic characteristics (i.e., sex, age, education and major mining activity) and the usage of PPE. The study further revealed four main coping strategies used by miners to handle the risks. These are rest, taking unprescribed medication and hard drugs, registration with health insurance scheme and savings and investments. Conclusion: This study shows that very few artisanal miners use PPE despite the significant hazards and risks to which they are exposed. The study recommends to the government to put in place measures to ensure that miners adhere to health and safety regulations before undertaking mining activities. This means that health and safety plans and use of PPE should be linked to the license acquisition process for miners.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.492-498
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• 2015

Testosterone deficiency syndrome (TDS) is normally observed in elderly men and is a clinical and biochemical syndrome, characterized by a decline in plasmic testosterone levels resulting in a significant decrease in quality of life. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a mixed extract of fenugreek seeds and Lespedeza cuneata (YHM) on TDS. Rats were divided into three groups: the negative control, YHM-40 (40 mg/kg), and YHM-80 (80 mg/kg) groups. After 4 weeks of YMH administration, an increase was observed in the plasmic testosterone levels, vastus lateralis muscular strength, forced swimming time, total sperm counts, and motile sperm counts in YHM-40 and YHM-80 groups compared to the negative control group. Moreover, sex hormone binding globulin, the epididymal fat pad, total plasmic cholesterol, and triglyceride levels were significantly decreased in the YHM-fed groups. However, prostate specific antigen, aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase levels did not differ among the groups. These results suggest that YHM may enhance testosterone levels in elderly men and alleviate TDS without common side effects.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.171-183
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• 1998

The purpose of this study was to identify the incidence of urinary incontinence in adult women and to identify factors related to life style and sexual intercourse that were related to incontinence. The sample consisted of 1,065 women living in Seoul or one of five provinces. Data for this study were collected from January 16 to June 23 using structured questionnaires. The Urinary Symptom Questionnaire developed by Jackson and a demographic questionnaire were used to collect the data. The data were analyzed using frequency, percentage with an SPSS/PC$^{+}$ program. The major finding are as follows : 1. The distribution of age of subjects was as follows : 20-29(10.1%), 20-39(17.8%), 40-49(27.3%). 50-59(22.3%), 60-69(12.9%), 70-79(6.1%). 80-89(2.8%), more than 90(0.6%). The frequency of normal delivery, 0(155%), 1-2(36.0%), 3-4(29.2%), 5-6(13.0%). more than 7(6.3%). The rate of subjects with menopause was 40.8%. 2. It was reported that 50.7% of the subjects experienced urinary incontinence with stress, mixed. and urgency incontinence being 49.8%, 43.4%, 6.8% respectively. 3. The lower urinary symptoms and incidence with urinary incontinence were as follows : Daily frequency. 22.3%, nocturia. 40.8%, urgency, 71.2%, bladder pain 47.8%, unexplainned incontinence, 32.4%, noctural incontinence, 16.1%, and frequency of incontinence, 37.7%. In term of quantity of incontinence, drop/pants damp, 29.5%, dribble/pants wet, 20.5%, flood or soaking through to outer clothing, 1.7%, and flood or running down legs or onto floor, 0.2%. 4. The symptoms related to sexual intercourse and incidence of urinary incontinence were as follows : dry vagina, 39.1%, sex life trouble, 10.8%, pain during sexual intercourse, 27.4%, and urine leakage during sexual intercourse. 8.8%. 5. Life style problems related to urinary incontinence were as follows : fluid intake restriction, 20.0%, affected daily task, 24.5%. avoidance of placess and situations, 35.0%, interference in physical activities, 30.6%, interference in relationships with other people. 19.0%. interference in relationships with husband/companion, 8.1%, and time after attack of urinary symptoms, 76.9%. In term of the feeling about the rest of their lifves the women reported : perfectly happy, 11.3%. pleased, 16.9%. mostly satisfied, 20.2%, mixed feelings, 21.0%, mostly dissatisfied, 21.0%, very unhappy 8.5%, and desperate. 1.0%. In conclusion. this study was a preliminary study to provide nursing practices guidelines for incontinence in adult women. Nurse working with adult women should develop and provide adequate care for these women.n.

• Journal of Marine Life Science
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.88-96
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• 2021

The purpose of this study was to report the intersex identified in the oyster Crassostrea gigas (n=410, SH 43.3±11.4 mm) in the waters around 13 uninhabited islands near Yeosu. The overall sex ratio (male: female) was 1:1.1, but there was a difference between the sampling areas. In Gajangdo, Sogyeongdo, and Jungsamdo, females showed a high ratio of 65% or more, and in Songdo, Chodo, and Buseodo, males showed a high ratio of 65% or more. The overall intersexuality was about 12.8%, which was high in males, about 34.7% in females and 64.3% in males. Intersexuality was the highest with about 43.8% in Chodo of Gamak Bay. Histologically, intersex could be divided into three types: intrafollicular type, interfollicular type and mixed type. Among these three types, the intrafollicular type was the most dominant with about 81.6%. The intersex cause of oysters reported in this study is considered to require detailed research in the future.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.709-716
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• 2014

The objective of this study was to compare the characteristics that define the quality of Woorimatdag$^{TM}$ (WM, a certified meat-type commercial Korea indigenous chicken breed) and a commercial broiler breed (Ross, CB). Two hundred WM and 200 CB chickens that were 1-d-old and mixed sex were obtained from a commercial hatchery and randomly assigned to floor pens (20 chickens per pen, $3.0{\times}2.0m$) and raised under the same environmental conditions. WM breast meat contained significantly higher crude protein and ash as well as lower crude fat than CB breast meat (p<0.05). WM breast meat had slightly higher alanine, histidine, isoleucine, and glycine as well as lower phenylalanine content than CB breast meat (p<0.05), and the WM breast meat had a low ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acid composition (p<0.05). However, arachidonic acid composition was higher in the WM than the CB breast meat. In addition, the inosin-5'-monophosphate content was also higher in the WM compared with the CB breast (p<0.05). The WM breast meat had higher total collagen content compared with CB breast meat. WM soup taste received higher scores with regard to sensory evaluation compared with CB soup (p<0.05). From these results, we conclude that higher amount of protein and flavor precursors and lower amount of fat in the breast meat of WM could be attractive by consumer when compared with CB.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.1628-1633
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• 2005

Three hundred and twenty four one day old mixed sex broiler chicks were assigned at random into 9 treatment groups. The experimental design was a 3${\times}$3 factorial arrangement. During the starter period (week 1-3), chicks were fed ad libitum. A cornsoybean meal based diet contained 23% crude protein, 3,200 kcal/kg metabolizable energy (NRC, 1994), and supplemented with organic or inorganic forms of chromium. Two organic chromium products, chromium yeast (Cr-Yeast from Alltech Biotechnology Corporation Limited) and chromium picolinate (Cr-Pic) were supplemented at the rate of 200, 400 and 800 ppb. One inorganic product, chromium chloride, was supplemented at the rate of 200, 400 and 800 ppb. During the finishing period (week 4-7), the corn-soybean meal based diet contained 20% crude protein, 3,200 kcal/kg metabolizable energy (NRC, 1994), and the same levels of chromium as in the starter period were added. No significant difference was observed among treatment groups in average daily gain, feed intake, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio and mortality. The carcass percentage of broilers receiving 200 and 400 ppb organic chromium (Cr-Yeast or Cr-Pic) was significantly increased (p<0.01). In addition, the supplementation of organic chromium reduced (p<0.05) breast meat fat content but increased breast meat protein content. The addition of chromium in the diet had no effect on boneless breast, skinless boneless breast, boneless leg, skinless boneless leg but reduced percentage of sirloin muscle. Total cholesterol and triglycerides were reduced by organic Cr supplementation. Supplementation with 200 and 400 ppb of both Cr-Yeast and Cr-Pic showed the lowest total cholesterol. The effects of type of Cr on HDL and LDL were variable, however, LDL increased with increasing level of Cr supplementation. This trial indicates that organic chromium tended to improve growth performances and carcass composition, reduced total cholesterol and triglycerides. The optimum level of organic chromium supplementation was at 200 ppb.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.633-639
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• 2008

The genetic relationship of gestation length (GL) with birth and weaning weight (BW, WW) was investigated using data collected from the Hanwoo Experiment Station, National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, Republic of Korea. Analytical mixed models including birth year‐season, sex of calf, linear and quadratic covariates of age of dam (days) and linear covariate of age at weaning (days) as fixed effects were used. Corresponding restricted maximum likelihood (REML) and Bayesian estimates of variance components and heritability were obtained with two models; Model 1 included only direct genetic effect and Model 2 included direct genetic, maternal genetic and permanent environmental effect. All the genetic parameter estimates from REML were corresponding to the Bayesian estimates. Direct heritability estimates for GL, BW, and WW were 0.48, 0.33 and 0.25 by Model 1. From Model 2, direct and maternal heritability estimates were 0.38 and 0.03 for GL, 0.14 and 0.05 for BW, and 0.08 and 0.05 for WW. Genetic correlation estimates between direct and maternal effects were 0.05 for GL, 0.59 for BW, and 0.52 for WW. Estimates of direct genetic correlation between GL and BW (WW) were 0.44 (0.21). Positive genetic correlation of GL with BW and WW imply that selection for greater BW or WW would lead to prolonged gestation length.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.93-99
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• 1998

Anal endosonography has recently been popularized in adult patients in order to access staging of rectal cancer and other lesions of the anorectum. This study is not familiar to pediatric surgeons. We performed anal endosonography in 30 children without anorectal disease in order to determine the standard morphology of the anorectum. The internal anal sphincter(IAS) was clearly identified as a homogeneous hypoechoic circular band, extending caudally to a level just proximal to the anal verge. The external anal sphincter(EAS) showed mixed echogenicity and different architecture along the anal canal; the EAS was U-shape in the upper canal and it had a circular pattern in the lower canal. In the upper canal of girls, the perineal body and the vagina were found just anterior of the anal canal, which made the U shape of the EAS. In the male, the sphincter tapered anteriorly into two arcs that met in the midline. The perineal body was prominent in the female. Posteriorly, the anococcygeal ligament was represented by a triangular shadow in both sex. The thickness of the IAS was measured in 3 directions, left, right and posterior, at 3 levels, upper, middle and lower areas of the anal canal. The average thickness was 0.86-2.40 mm between 6 and 18 months of age(Group 1), 0.88-3.20 mm between 19 and 36(Group 2), 1.07-2.20 mm between 37 and 54(Group 3) and 1.18-2.42 mm more than 54-month-old(Group 4). The thickness was correlated with the age of the children only in the right upper(p=0.008) and the left middle portion(p=0.015). We were able to obtain standard morphologic features of the normal anal canal in children with anal endosonography. We believe that this technique is a safe and an effective procedure to evaluate anorectal lesions in children.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.824-829
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• 2000

A five wk feeding experiment was conducted with day-old one thousand broiler chicks (Arbor Acres) to determine the effects of microbial phytase (Natuphos$^{(R)}$) supplemented to low nonphytate P (NPP) corn-soy diets. Five pens of 50 mixed sex birds each were randomly assigned to each of the four dietary treatments: T1, control diet containing normal NPP level; T2, T1-0.1% NPP+600 U of phytase/kg diet; T3, T1 - 0.2% NPP+600 U of phytase/kg diet; and T4, T1 - 0.3% NPP+600 U of phytase/kg diet. T1, T2, and T3 showed similar growth rate, feed intake, and feed efficiency, indicating that NPP level in broiler diets could be reduced by approximately 0.2% by the microbial phytase supplementation. But T4 showed significantly (p<0.05) lower weight gain than others. The phytase supplementation improved P availability resulting in low P excretion. Weight and girth of metatarsal bone were increased by phytase supplementation at low NPP diet treatments but ash contents were not significantly different. It can be concluded that NPP level of corn-soy broiler diets can be safely lowered by approximately 0.2 % by supplementing 600 U of microbial phytase/kg diet. With the adjusted level of NPP and phytase supplementation, P excretion could be reduced by 50%.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.2679-2681
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• 2016

Background: Gastro-entero-pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (GEP-NEN) are relatively rare tumors, not equally distributed in gastro-intestinal system. In 2010, a revised version of the WHO classification of GEP-NENs was published. This study reports for the first time the distribution and characteristics of GEP-NEN in a Lebanese population. Materials and Methods: This descriptive retrospective study concerns all the digestive neuroendocrine tumors with their characteristics diagnosed in $H\hat{o}tel$ Dieu de France in Beirut, Lebanon from 2001 to 2012, all the pathology reports being reanalyzed according to the latest WHO 2010 classification. The characteristics and features of GEP-NEN analyzed in this study were age, gender, grade and site. Results: A total of 89 GEP-NENs were diagnosed, representing 28.2% of all neuroendocrine tumors. The mean age of GEP-NEN patients was 58.7 years and the M/F sex ratio was 1.2. The primary localization was as follows: 21.3%(19) pancreatic, 18% (16) gastric, 15.7% (14) duodenal, 11.2% (10) appendix, 10.1% (9) intestinal, 10.1% (9) colorectal (7.9% colonic and 2.2% rectal), 5.6% (4) hepatic, 2.2% (2) ampulla, 1.1% (1) esophageal and 7.9%(5) NOS digestive (metastatic with unknown primary). Of the 89 patients with GEP-NEN, 56.2% (50) were diagnosed as grade I, 11.2% (10) as grade II, 20.2% (18) as grade III and 12.4% (11) were considered as mixed adeno-neuroendocrine carcinomas (MANEC). Conclusions: This study, one of the rare examples based on the 2010 WHO classification of neuroendocrine tumors in the literature, indicates that in the Lebanese population, all duodenal and appendicular tumors are G1 and the majority of MANEC tumors are gastric and pancreatic tumors. Moreover, more duodenal tumors and fewer rectal tumors were encountered in our study compared to European reports.