• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.16 no.7
• /
• pp.3029-3034
• /
• 2015

Background: While the perinatal outcomes of active maternal smoking are well documented, results of the effects of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure during pregnancy are inconsistent. We aimed to examine the effect of ETS exposure, assessed by maternal hair nicotine levels at $35^{th}$ week of gestation, on birth weight and the risk of small for gestational age (SGA) and low birth weight (LBW). Materials and Methods: A total of 871 non-smoking healthy pregnant women were recruited by one Korean hospital between 1 October 2006 and 31 July 2007. Hair samples were collected and anthropometric questionnaires administered at $35^{th}$ week of gestation. The primary outcome was birth weight and secondary outcomes were the risk of babies being SGA and LBW. Results: Log-transformed hair nicotine concentrations were inversely related with birth weight after adjusting for confounding variables (${\beta}=-0.077$, p=0.037). After stratifying hair nicotine levels by tertiles (T1, low [0.0-0.28 ng/mg]; T2, medium [0.29-0.62 ng/mg]; and T3, high [0.63-5.99 ng/mg]), the mean birth weight in each groups were 3,342g (T1) 3,296g (T2) and 3,290 g (T3), respectively. However the difference between groups was not statistically significant by analysis of co-variance (ANCOVA) adjusting for covariates (p=0.062). In logistic regression analysis, the risk of SGA was higher in the T3 (OR=1.59, 95%CI 1.05-2.42) than in the reference group (T1), after controlling for confounding variables. The risk of low birth weight (<2,500g, LBW) was not significantly higher (OR=1.44, 95%CI 0.95-2.19), but the risk of babies being below 3,000g birth weight was increased in the T3 group (OR=1.53, 95%CI 1.00-2.36) compared with that in the T1 group. Conclusions: Maternal ETS exposure during pregnancy was inversely related with birth weight. The risk of SGA increased in the highest ETS exposure group compared with in the low exposure group. To prevent ETS exposure during pregnancy, more comprehensive tobacco control policies are needed.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.371-375
• /
• 2008

This study investigated the effects of maternal undernutrition during late pregnancy on lamb birth weight. 45 Mongolian ewes, synchronized for oestrus and then mated, were divided into four groups and offered 0.86 MJME/kgw-0.75d-1 (control group; CG : ad libitum access to feed), $0.44MJME/kgw^{-0.75}d^{-1}$ (Restricted Group 3; R3), $0.33MJME/kgw^{-0.75}d^{-1}$ (Restricted Group 2; R2) and $0.20MJME/kgw^{-0.75}d^{-1}$ (Restricted Group 1; R1) respectively during late pregnancy (90-150 days). During restriction, maternal net body weight loss, insulin and NEFA concentrations and lamb birth weight were measured. The results indicated that loss of maternal body weight in R3, R2 and R1 was 4.42, 7.23, 11.13 kg respectively, which was significantly (p<0.01) higher than that in CG (0.93 kg). Insulin concentrations of the ewes in R1, R2 and R3 were lower and were significantly different (p<0.05) between restricted groups and CG at 124 d of pregnancy. NEFA concentrations in all groups tended to decrease from 90d of gestation to parturition and in R1 were significantly (p<0.05) lower than in CG at 124 d of gestation. Lamb birth weight in R1 was significantly lower than in R2, R3 and CG (p<0.05). In conclusion, with decreasing supply of maternal nutrition, the retardation of fetal growth became worse. When the plane of nutrition was below $0.33MJME/kgw^{-0.75}d^{-1}$, significant effects of maternal undernutrition on lamb birth weight were observed.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.60 no.3
• /
• pp.64-69
• /
• 2017

Purpose: The goal of nutritional support for very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants from birth to term is to match the in utero growth rates; however, this is rarely achieved. Methods: We evaluated postdischarge growth patterns and growth failure in 81 Korean VLBW infants through a retrospective study. Weight and height were measured and calculated based on age percentile distribution every 3 months until age 24 months. Growth failure was defined as weight and height below the 10th percentile at 24 months. For the subgroup analysis, small-for-gestational age (SGA) and extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants were evaluated. The growth patterns based on the Korean, World Health Organization (WHO), or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) standard were serially compared over time. Results: At postconception age (PCA) 40 weeks, 47 (58%) and 45 infants (55%) showed growth failure in terms of weight and height, respectively. At PCA 24 months, 20 infants (24%) showed growth failure for weight and 14 (18%) for height. Growth failure rates were higher for the SGA infants than for the appropriate-weight-for-gestational age infants at PCA 24 months (P=0.045 for weight and P=0.038 for height). Growth failure rates were higher for the ELBW infants than for the non-ELBW infants at PCA 24 months (P<0.001 for weight and P=0.003 for height). Significant differences were found among the WHO, CDC, and Korean standards (P<0.001). Conclusion: Advancements in neonatal care have improved the catch-up growth of VLBW infants, but this is insufficient. Careful observation and aggressive interventions, especially in SGA and ELBW infants, are needed.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.24 no.8
• /
• pp.1041-1047
• /
• 2011

Data on 2,365 Mecheri sheep (1,201 males and 1,164 females), maintained at the Mecheri Sheep Research Station, Pottaneri, India, and recorded between 1979 and 2006, were analysed to study the growth related traits and their genetic control. The body weights at different ages (i.e. at birth, weaning (3 months), 6, 9 and 12 months) were recorded and collected from the birth and growth registers maintained in the farm. The average weights of Mecheri sheep at birth, and at 12 months of age were $2.24{\pm}0.01$ and $16.81{\pm}0.15$ kg respectively. The pre- and post-weaning average daily weight gains were $63.84{\pm}0.75$ and $29.52{\pm}0.43$ g respectively. Study revealed a significant difference with the period of lambing on body weight, weight gain and efficiency in weight gain at different stages of growth. Males were heavier and had a higher weight gain than females at almost all stages of growth and the differences tended to increase with age. The direct heritability estimates increased from birth to six months of age and then decreased. The direct heritabilities of all body weights at different stages of growth were low to moderate in magnitude and the values at birth, weaning, six, nine and 12 months of age were 0.08, 0.17, 0.21, 0.13 and 0.10 respectively. For the estimation of heritability at birth and three months body weights, the direct additive genetic and maternal additive genetic effects have to be taken into account and for the estimation of six months weight, the direct additive genetic and maternal permanent environmental effects have to be included in the model. The estimates of heritability, phenotypic and genetic correlations among the different body weights indicated that the selection for improving the body weights at different traits should be done on the basis of three or six months weight because of higher heritability estimates and having higher genetic correlations with other traits.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.35 no.1
• /
• pp.143-153
• /
• 2005

Purpose: This study was aimed at finding the effects of cycled lighting on body weight, physiological variables and the behavioral state of LBWI (low birth weight infants) in the NICU. Method: The subjects were 20 LBWI at 2 NICUs. They were assigned to an experimental or control group which consisted of 10 subjects in each. Cycled light was applied to the experimental group for 10 days. Result: It was certified that the application of cycled lighting resulted in increased body weight and O2 saturation, and decreased heart rate of the LBWI. However, there was no effect in decrease of respiration and stabilization of the behavioral state. Conclusion: The application of cycled lighting might be a nursing intervention which would in turn have positive effects on the growth of LBWI.

• The Journal of the Korean dental association
• /
• v.12 no.3
• /
• pp.155-158
• /
• 1974

Catecholamine levels were determined in the submandibular glands of new born rats treated with physiologieal saline solution or large doses of sodium fluoride (10mg/kg) for verying periods of time. In control group, catecholamine levels were gradually increased from fifth day of life until twenty-fifth day of life. When fluoride treatment was started on the fifth day after birth and continued daily to the thirty-fifthday of life, decreased catecholamine levels were obsrved on the fifth, through all experiments, and thirth-fifth day. Daily fluoride treatment from the fifteenth through the thirty-fifth day after birth induced the decreased catecholamine levels which were higher than the levels in submandibular glands of rats treated from the fifth day to the thirty-fifth day after birth with NaF. These experiments suggest that fluoride may be affecting catecholamine biosynthetic mechanisms which were duveloping during the fifteenth to twenty-fifth day of life.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.191-201
• /
• 2009

The Korean Government has recently prepared the comprehensive five-year basic plan (2006-2010) to deal with low fertility and population ageing. The basic plan aims at recovering the fertility rate to the appropriate level and improving the social and economic systems in preparation for the aged society. The main objective of this study was to examine the effects of fertility policies on childbirth by birth order. The data came from 1,729 adults who gave birth to babies in 2007 and 991 adults as the control group. The serial logistic regression analyses revealed that establishing the health and nutrition system for maternity and children, and expanding of tax and social insurance benefit were effective policy measures to increase childbirths of first children, while the policy measures establishing the health and nutrition system for maternity and children, supporting for daycare and pre-school education, and work-life balance were effective to childbirths of second or third children in 2007. However, the policies of supporting for costs of test-tube baby and expanding childcare infra didn't have any significant influences on childbirths in 2007. The implications of study results were discussed.

• Genomics & Informatics
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.29.1-29.9
• /
• 2023

Preterm birth (PTB), a pregnancy-related disease, is defined as a birth before 37 weeks of gestation. It is a major cause of maternal mortality and morbidity worldwide, and its incidence rate is steadily increasing. Various genetic factors can contribute to the etiology of PTB. Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) gene is an important angiogenic gene and its polymorphisms have been reported to be associated with PTB development. Therefore, we conducted a case-control study to evaluate the association between VEGFA rs699947, rs2010963, and rs3025039 polymorphisms and PTB in Korean women. A total of 271 subjects (116 patients with PTB and 155 women at ≥38 weeks of gestation) were analyzed in this study. The genotyping of VEGFA gene polymorphisms was performed using polymerase chain reaction- restriction fragment length polymorphism. No significant association between the patients with PTB and the control groups was confirmed. In the combination analysis, we found a significant association between PTB and VEGFA rs699947 CC-rs2010963 GG-rs3025039 CC combination (odds ratio, 3.77; 95% confidence interval, 1.091 to 13.032; p = 0.031). The VEGFA rs699947, rs2010963, and rs3025039 polymorphisms might have no genetic association with the pathogenesis of PTB in Korean women. However, the combination analysis indicates the possibility that VEGFA acts in PTB pathophysiology. Therefore, larger sample sets and replication studies are required to further elucidate our findings.

• Journal of applied mathematics & informatics
• /
• v.24 no.1_2
• /
• pp.49-64
• /
• 2007

In this paper, we investigate optimal policies for three age-dependent populations in a competition system, which is controlled by fertility. By using Dubovitskii-Milyutin's general theory, the maximum principles are obtained for problems with free terminal states, infinite horizon and target sets, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.45 no.2
• /
• pp.139-149
• /
• 2005

In order to study about the lobule and layer formation and cell migration of the mouse cerebellum from at the birth to 15th day effected by 2.5, 5 and 10 Gy r-raddiation at the 19th pregnancy. The routine tissue preparation and staining procedure, Immunohistochemical staining method by the several antibody and western brotting method were utilized from the birth to the15th day. The results were as followings. 1. The body and cerebellum weights were more slowly increase of the the 2.5 Gy, 5 Gy and 10 Gy irradiation group compare to the control group, and the health condition of the 2.5 Gy group was a little bad. but the 10 Gy group was more severe and begun to die from the 12th day after birth. 2. The thickness, proliferation and migration of the 2.5, 5 and 10 Gy irradiated external granular cells from the maginal zone to the medullary area forming the molecular layer from the 6th day to the 15th day after birth were thinner, weaker and more slower according to the radiated dosages than the control group in the cresyl violet staining. 3. The proliteration, migration and lobulation of the 5 Gy radiated groups from the first day to the 15th day after birth were more weak, incomplete and irregular shape in the immunostaining with Dab, Cdk5, P35, calbindin and Zebrin antibody. 4. In the western blotting analysis using the Reelin, Dab, Cdk5 and P35 antibody. The Bands were in the 60 KD, 80 KD, 33 KD and 35 KD, and there were no differences between the control and irradiated groups in the molecular band except the Reelin. 5. As a results, the proliferation and migration of the outer granular and purkinje cells, and lobulation of the cerebellum by the several dosaege of the ${\gamma}$-ray radiation were proportionally incomplete according to dosage.