• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.7
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• pp.998-1003
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• 2016

Although exogenous protease enzymes have been used in poultry diets quite extensively, this has not been the case for pig diets. In general, due to their better gut fermentative capacity and longer transit time, pigs have greater capacity to digest dietary proteins than poultry. However, in early-weaned piglets, the stress brought about by weaning adversely affects the digestion of dietary proteins. Therefore, a study was conducted to determine the effects of a commercial protease enzyme in weanling pigs. Indices of growth, nutrient digestibility, blood profiles, fecal microflora, fecal gas emission and fecal scores were measured during the study. A total of 50 weanling pigs ($6.42{\pm}0.12kg$) at 28 d of age were randomly assigned to receive 1 of 2 dietary treatments: i) control diet (corn-soy based) with no supplemental protease (CON), and ii) control diet+200 g/ton protease (PROT) for 42 d. A completely randomized design consisting of 2 treatments, 5 replicates, and 5 pigs in each replicate was used. Growth performance in terms of body weight ($27.04{\pm}0.38kg$ vs $25.75{\pm}0.39kg$; p<0.05) and average daily gain ($491{\pm}7.40g$ vs $460{\pm}7.46g$; p<0.05) in PROT fed pigs were increased significantly, but gain per feed ($0.700{\pm}0.01$ vs $0.678{\pm}0.01$; p>0.05) was similar between treatments at d 42. Relative to CON pigs, PROT fed pigs had increased (p<0.05) apparent total tract digestibility ($84.66%{\pm}0.65%$ vs $81.21%{\pm}1.13%$ dry matter and $84.02%{\pm}0.52%$ vs $80.47%{\pm}1.22%$ nitrogen) and decreased (p<0.05) $NH_3$ emission ($2.0{\pm}0.16ppm$ vs $1.2{\pm}0.12ppm$) in the feces at d 42. Except for a decreased (p<0.05) in blood creatinine level, no differences were observed in red blood cell, white blood cell, lymphocyte, urea nitrogen, and IgG concentrations between treatments. Fecal score and fecal microflora (Lactobacillus and E. coli) were also similar between CON and PROT groups. Overall, the supplementation of protease enzyme in weanling pigs resulted in improved growth rate and nutrient digestibility. Exogenous protease enzyme reduced fecal $NH_3$ emission, thus, potentially serving as a tool in lowering noxious gas contribution of livestock production in the environment.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.104-116
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• 2022

The purpose of this study is to systematically determine an optimal percentile cut-off in histogram analysis for calculating the mean parameters obtained from a non-Gaussian continuous-time random-walk (CTRW) diffusion model for differentiating individual glioma grades. This retrospective study included 90 patients with histopathologically proven gliomas (42 grade II, 19 grade III, and 29 grade IV). We performed diffusion-weighted imaging using 17 b-values (0-4000 s/mm²) at 3T, and analyzed the images with the CTRW model to produce an anomalous diffusion coefficient (D_m) along with temporal (𝛼) and spatial (𝛽) diffusion heterogeneity parameters. Given the tumor ROIs, we created a histogram of each parameter; computed the P-values (using a Student's t-test) for the statistical differences in the mean D_m, 𝛼, or 𝛽 for differentiating grade II vs. grade III gliomas and grade III vs. grade IV gliomas at different percentiles (1% to 100%); and selected the highest percentile with P < 0.05 as the optimal percentile. We used the mean parameter values calculated from the optimal percentile cut-offs to do a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis based on individual parameters or their combinations. We compared the results with those obtained by averaging data over the entire region of interest (i.e., 100th percentile). We found the optimal percentiles for D_m, 𝛼, and 𝛽 to be 68%, 75%, and 100% for differentiating grade II vs. III and 58%, 19%, and 100% for differentiating grade III vs. IV gliomas, respectively. The optimal percentile cut-offs outperformed the entire-ROI-based analysis in sensitivity (0.761 vs. 0.690), specificity (0.578 vs. 0.526), accuracy (0.704 vs. 0.639), and AUC (0.671 vs. 0.599) for grade II vs. III differentiations and in sensitivity (0.789 vs. 0.578) and AUC (0.637 vs. 0.620) for grade III vs. IV differentiations, respectively. Percentile-based histogram analysis, coupled with the multi-parametric approach enabled by the CTRW diffusion model using high b-values, can improve glioma grading.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.351-357
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• 2011

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of castration on growth performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality of goat kids. Fourteen Boer-cross buck and wether goat kids (n = 7; initial body weight (BW) $38.0{\pm}0.35\;kg$ and $34.8{\pm}0.35\;kg$, for bucks and wethers, respectively) were grazed on annual Marshall ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) for 56 days. Body weights were recorded after 4 h withdrawal from feed and water for two consecutive days, every 2 wk. After d 56, animals were harvested and hot carcass weight (HCW), cold carcass weight (CCW), dressing percent (DP), kidney and pelvic fat (KPF), longissimus muscle (LM) area, back fat (BF), and other carcass parameters were measured. Day 0 BW was used as a covariate for analyses. However, bucks were heavier than wethers at d 15 (p = 0.09), 42 (p = 0.001) and 56 (p = 0.001). Bucks had higher ADG (146 vs. 74 g/d; p = 0.001), HCW (21.2 vs. 18.8 kg; p = 0.06) and CCW (20.3 vs. 17.9 kg; p = 0.04) when compared with wether goats. Dressing percentage (51 vs. 47%; p = 0.06), KPF (0.44 vs. 0.16%; p = 0.02) and BF (0.41 vs. 0.21 cm; p = 0.05) were higher in wethers vs bucks, respectively; however, USDA live or carcass grades were similar. Longissimus muscle tissue from wethers and bucks were similar in darkness ($L^*$) and redness ($a^*$), but wethers had more (p = 0.02) yellow tint ($b^*$). Palmitic (C16:0), stearic (C18:0) and oleic (C18:1) acids were higher (p = 0.001) in muscle tissue from wethers compared to bucks. The saturated fatty acid (SFA) and monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) contents of muscle tissue were lower (p = 0.001) for bucks with no difference in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). Longissimus muscle initial temperature was higher in bucks (p<0.04) and pH change post-mortem was similar for bucks and wethers. These results indicated that castration of young market goats reduced growth performance and produced carcasses with more fat and higher SFA.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.171-180
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• 2019

Purpose: Malnutrition may influence neurocognitive development in children by directly affecting the brain structural development, or indirectly by affecting the children's cognition experience. Malnutrition alters the cell numbers, cell migration, synaptogenesis, and neurotransmission due to inadequate availability of necessary micronutrients to support cell growth. We aimed to analyze neurocognitive development in infants with malnutrition and its association with long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA), micronutrients levels and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) findings. Methods: The study included two groups; group 1, infants with malnutrition (n=24), group 2; healthy infants (n=21). Peripheral blood was obtained from the participants for studying micronutrients and LC-PUFA levels. The neurocognitive development was analyzed by the use of an Ankara Developmental Screening Inventory test. MRS were performed on all infants. Results: All parameters of neurocognitive development and serum calcium ($9.6{\pm}0.9mg/dL$ vs. $10.4{\pm}0.3mg/dL$, p<0.05) and magnesium ($2.02{\pm}0.27mg/dL$ vs. $2.2{\pm}0.14mg/dL$, p<0.05) levels were noted as being low in infants with marked malnutrition. No difference was found in LC-PUFA levels between healthy and malnourished infants. Thalamic choline/creatine levels were significantly high in infants with malnutrition ($1.33{\pm}0.22$ vs. $1.18{\pm}0.22$, p<0.05). Total neurocognitive development in infants was positively correlated with serum calcium levels (p<0.05, r=0.381). Conclusion: Calcium supplementation may improve neurocognitive development in malnourished infants.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.10
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• pp.1492-1497
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• 2005

The goal of the trial was to evaluate the effects of ractopamine (20 ppm in the ration) given pregnant sows during three different pregnancy stages (T1: 25 to 50 d; T2: 50 to 80 d; T3: 25 to 80 d of gestation, and T4: control-no ractopamine) on fetal muscle development (through counts of the number of fibers of the semitendinosus muscle), on the growth and carcass characteristics of the progeny. Forty eight weaned piglets (12 per treatment) were assessed for number of muscle fibers, while performance and carcass characteristics were evaluated on a separate 48 animals (12 per treatment) grown to 100 kg. Animals produced by sows treated from 25 to 50 d of pregnancy (T1) resulted in non-significant increase of 6.85% in the number of muscle fibers in the semitendinosus muscle when compared to animals from the control group. Performance results were significantly different (p<0.05), and animals produced by sows from the T1 group gained more weight during the growth I stage (25 to 50 kg) and during the total period (6 to 100 kg) (991 vs. 903 grams, and 844 vs. 772 grams, respectively) when compared to controls. For carcass characteristics, results showed that animals produced by the T1 group of sows were heavier at slaughter (p<0.05) when compared to the controls (T4) (100.17 vs. 93.09 kg). There was a positive correlation between number of muscle fibers and bodyweights, carcass weights, Longissimus dorsi muscle depth and dressing out (0.80, 0.86, 0.67, and 0.50, respectively). Sows treated with ractopamine between 25 to 50 d of pregnancy produced piglets that performed better and had superior carcass characteristics than those produced by untreated sows. The ractopamine used for pregnancy sows (25 to 50 d) can be indicated as a device to increase the progeny performance.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.523-534
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• 2011

In this study, the particle size distribution and pollutants content of sediments collected from different sites in the coastal area of Chungnam province were analyzed. The sediment samples were collected from different parking lots near beaches, harbors, museum and bridges. The particle size distribution analysis showed that the particle is generally $106-500{\mu}m$ and the effective size $D_{10}$ ranges from 40 to $60{\mu}m$ while the $D_{50}$ and $D_{60}$ ranges from 200 to $810{\mu}m$ and 235 to $1005{\mu}m$, respectively. For particle size $D_{10}$, there was no significant difference in all sites. However, for $D_{50}$ and $D_{60}$, the range is large. Sediment analysis implicates that as the particle size decreases, the pollutant content increases. This is because smaller particles have higher specific surface area resulting to have more adsorption capacity. Particles from tires, emission gas from vehicles and dust particles belongs to smaller particles. For particle sizes less than $63{\mu}m$, the analysis showed that as the particles become coarser, the concentration of VS, $COD_{cr}$, TN, and TP is at least 2 to 14 times higher. Cu and Pb were detected in all sites and shows a higher concentration with smaller particle size. Cu concentration are almost the same for all sites but in the case of Pb, the sediments from Sinjindo has higher concentration of up to 2 to 3 times as compared to those collected from the other sites. In the Beach site as well as in the Seocheon Ocean Museum, Cd was contained only in fine particles. However, in Daechon Harbor and Sinjindo Bridge sites, Cd was detected in all the sediment particle size.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.233-253
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• 2024

This study analyzed differences between three-dimensional (3D) body scanning and manual measurements, aiming to assess whether 3D scanning can replace traditional anthropometric tools, such as tape measures and calipers. Data from 4,478 participants in the 8th Size Korea Project were analyzed, covering 43 measurement items. Since Given that the 3D and manual measurements were performed on the same subjects in the 8th Size Korea Project, it was possible to determine the correlation more accurately between the two measurement methods more accurately. Using Applying ISO 20685-1(2018) standards, 15 out of the 43 items fell within allowable error limits. When classified into six types, "small circumferences" and "segment lengths" showed averages of 3.35 mm and 3.10 mm, respectively, within acceptable range. "Body heights" and "body depths" slightly exceeded the limit, with averages of 5.28 mm and 6.58 mm. "Body widths" and "large circumferences" surpassed the limit, with means of 16.77 mm and 16.18 mm. The study offers an objective basis to for validate validating 3D measurements' measurements' reliability and accuracy, addressing various industries' needs for information on the human body's dimensions information.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.62 no.2
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• pp.174-179
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• 2020

This experiment was conducted to investigate effects of dietary protease on immune responses of weaned pigs. Weaned pigs (n = 75; 7.06 ± 0.18 kg BW; 28 d old) were randomly assigned to 3 treatments (5 pigs/pen; 5 pens/treatment). Dietary treatments were positive control, a diet with required protein level (PC), negative control, a diet with lower protein level than PC (NC), and NC + 0.02% dietary protease (PRO). The dietary protease used in this experiment was a commercial product containing 75,000 protease units/g derived from Nocardiopsis prasina produced in Bacillus licheniformis. The dietary treatments did not contain any ingredients or additives that may provide antibacterial or physiological effects. Pigs were fed respective dietary treatments for 6 weeks. Blood was collected from randomly selected 2 pigs in each pen on d 1, 3, 7, and 14 after weaning. Measurements were number of white blood cells (WBC), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), and C-reactive protein (CRP). Pigs fed PRO had lower WBC on d 7 (14.84 vs 20.42 × 10³/μL; p < 0.05) and TNF-α on d 7 (618 vs 889 pg/mL; p = 0.085) and 14 (437 vs 576 pg/mL; p = 0.069) than those fed NC, but there were no differences on WBC and TNF-α between PC and PRO. Pigs fed PRO had lower TGF-β1 on d 3 (630 vs. 1,588 and 1,396 pg/mL; p < 0.05) than those fed PC and NC. However, no differences were found on CRP among dietary treatments. In conclusion, addition of dietary protease reduced inflammatory immune responses of weaned pigs.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2012.05a
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• pp.110.2-110.2
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• 2012

We reported on antireflective ZnSnO (ZTO)/Ag bilayer and ZTO/Ag/ZTO trilayer source/drain (S/D) electrodes for all-transparent ZTO channel based thin film transistors (TFTs). The ZTO/Ag bilayer is more transparent (83.71%) and effective source/drain (S/D) electrodes for the ZTO channel/Al2O3 gate dielectric/ITO gate electrode/glass structure than ZTO/Ag/ZTO trilayer because the bottom ZTO layer in the trilayer increasea contact resistance between S/D electrodes and ZTO channel layer and reduce the antireflection effect. The ZTO based all-transparent TFTs with ZTO/Ag bilayer S/D electrode showed a saturation mobility of 4.54cm2/Vs and switching property (1.31V/decade) comparable to TTFT with Ag S/D electrodes.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.83-90
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• 2016

Objectives: This study was evaluated the marginal microleakage of two different adhesive systems before and after aging with two different dye penetration techniques. Materials and Methods: Class V cavities were prepared on the buccal and lingual surfaces of 48 human molars. Clearfil SE Bond and Single Bond (self-etching and etchand-rinse systems, respectively) were applied, each to half of the prepared cavities, which were restored with composite resin. Half of the specimens in each group underwent 10,000 cycles of thermocycling. Microleakage was evaluated using two dimensional (2D) and three dimensional (3D) dye penetration techniques separately for each half of each specimen. Data were analyzed with SPSS 11.5 (SPSS Inc.), using the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests (${\alpha}=0.05$). Results: The difference between the 2D and 3D microleakage evaluation techniques was significant at the occlusal margins of Single bond groups (p = 0.002). The differences between 2D and 3D microleakage evaluation techniques were significant at both the occlusal and cervical margins of Clearfil SE Bond groups (p = 0.017 and p = 0.002, respectively). The difference between the 2D and 3D techniques was significant at the occlusal margins of non-aged groups (p = 0.003). The difference between these two techniques was significant at the occlusal margins of the aged groups (p = 0.001). The Mann-Whitney test showed significant differences between the two techniques only at the occlusal margins in all specimens. Conclusions: Under the limitations of the present study, it can be concluded that the 3D technique has the capacity to detect occlusal microleakage more precisely than the 2D technique.