• The Journal of the Institute of Internet, Broadcasting and Communication
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.197-202
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• 2018

The world's ageing population continues to rise rapidly while fertility levels have dropped to low rates in many developed and developing countries, and life expectancy is expected to extend compared to previous decades. Because of demographic changes, a new concept of technology should be introduced. Ambient Assisted Living(AAL) is an innovative form of technology that can be used to provide elderly people with quality of life, to live longer and independently, to monitor and assist elderly, and improve social communication. As far as an AAL system are working, however, the dataset size is continuously increasing. As the AAL data increases in size, therefore, the problem of effectively managing it becomes more difficult. In this paper, therefore, we propose a data management scheme for AAL system on the characteristics of the collected AAL data. Simulation results show that the proposed data management scheme allows achieving space efficiencies higher.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.287-291
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• 2016

For evaluating the boar semen quality, sperm motility (MOT) is an important parameter because the movement of spermatozoa indicates active metabolism, membrane integrity and fertilizing capacity. Estrogen receptors 2(ESR2) is involved in estrogen related apoptosis in cell cycle spermatogenesis, but their functions have not been confirmed in pig until now. Therefore, this study was conducted to analyze their association with sperm motility and kinematic characteristics. DNA samples from 105 Duroc pigs with records of semen motility and kinematic characteristics [Total motile spermatozoa (MOT), Curvilinear velocity(VCL), Straight-line velocity(VSL), the ratio between VSL and VCL(LIN), Amplitude of Lateral Head displacement(ALH)] were analyzed. A SNP in coding region of ESR2 g.35547A > G in exon 5 was associated with MOT (p < 0.05) in Duroc population. Therefore, we suggest that the porcine ESR2 gene may be used as a molecular marker for Duroc boar semen quality, although its functional effects were not defined yet. These results might shed new light on the roles of ESR2 in spermatogenesis as candidate gene for boar fertility, but still the lack of association across populations should be considered.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.935-944
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• 2021

It has been suggested that bisphenol A (BPA), a known endocrine disruptor, interferes with the endocrine system, causing reproductive dysfunction. Recently, BPA has been found in waste water due to incomplete sewage purification, possibly threatening health through its ingestion via tap water. In this study, young male mice (6 - 7 weeks old) were administered water containing BPA (50 mg·kg^-1) for four weeks, while control mice consumed water without BPA. Serum, epididymal spermatozoa and testicular sections were assessed after sacrificing the mice on day 28. No significant differences were obtained between the groups in the body, testis and seminal vesicle weights. However, the epididymal sperm motility and count levels were significantly reduced in BPA-fed mice. Significantly higher hepatotoxicity levels were also observed in mice ingesting BPA as compared to the control mice. The level of serum testosterone was reduced, and testicular sections revealed incomplete and irregular spermatogenesis in BPA-ingested mice. The sperm proteasomal-proteolytic activity level has been implicated in sperm function and is measured in motile spermatozoa using fluorometric substrates. High ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase activity levels were observed in the control mice without BPA. During a mating trial, a low pregnancy rate (71.4%) was observed in females mated with males who had consumed BPA (100% in the control mice). Overall, BPA adversely affected spermatogenesis and quality, as indicated by decreased sperm motility, concentration and serum testosterone levels, resulting in reduced fertility competence.

• 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.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.207-213
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• 2023

Korea is facing a population cliff and a decline in the fertility rate, and the competition rate for recruiting officers in our military is rapidly decreasing every year. This situation is a serious problem in terms of national security and requires efforts to obtain excellent manpower. To this end, it is necessary to understand their occupational values through consideration of the MZ generation, which is the main recruitment target of the military, and to find diagnosis and solutions for each problem by closely analyzing the military's internal and external environment based on their understanding of soldiers as a job. Therefore, we diagnose the current situation in consideration of military specificity, examine the occupational values of the MZ generation, which is a resource for military officers recruitment. Since the subject of military officer acquisition is the MZ generation, efforts are needed to focus on occupational values of MZ generations.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.9
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• pp.1133-1139
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• 2013

During the collection of boar semen, bacterial contamination usually occurs. The contamination has deleterious effects both on semen quality and on sow fertility. The majority of contaminants are gram-negative bacteria, especially Serratia marcescens. In this study, we developed a PCR assay for the identification of S. marcescens targeting the luxS gene (GenBank no. EF164926). S. marcescens yielded a specific 306 bp PCR product. However, no amplification was observed in the other strains tested. The detection limit of PCR was $50pg/{\mu}l$ of template DNA of S. marcescens. The antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of S. marcescens isolated from boar semen were tested using the disk diffusion method. Gentamicin, ceftiofur, florfenicol, and neomycin showed high sensitivity in this test. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was also determined by the broth microdilution method. The $MIC_{90}$ values of ceftiofur, enrofloxacin, gentamicin, and neomycin were 8, 8, 8, and $16{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. These results indicate that PCR amplification of the luxS gene is a reliable and effective method for the identification of S. marcescens and that ceftiofur, enrofloxacin, gentamicin, and neomycin are effective semen extenders for controlling S. marcescens.

• The Korean Journal of Rehabilitation Nursing
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.176-183
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• 1999

Sexual life is one of the most important things for the quality of living, which nobody can ignore. Especially, spinal cord injury is one of the most typical disabilities, which can cause abrupt changes of sexuality. Hence, sexual adjustment and its subordinate problems have to be dealt with among various problems caused by spinal cord injury. The purpose of this study was to comparative sexual interest and adjustment between the married and the unmarried people with SCI. A total of 134 persons who were registered members of SCI organization and admitted rehabilitation unit between February and June 1999 were included in the study. The sample consisted of 69 unmarried and 64 married people with SCI. Participants answered the 15 items concerning sexual interest, sexual adjustment. The results are as follows: 1) The mean score of sexual interest for the unmarried was 16.4. From seven topics related to sexuality, the greatest interest was to cope emotionally with changes in sexual functioning. For the married, mean score of sexual interest was 13.8 and the greatest interest was to help a partner cope emotionally with limitation on sexual dysfunction. There were significant difference sexual interest between two groups (t=3.75, p= .00). 2) Each mean score for sexual adjustment in the married and the unmarried was 20.0, 19.6. There were no significance difference sexual interest between two groups (t=.24, p= .811). However, there was a statistically significant difference of sexual interest. 3) Sexual interests and adjustments are not correlated in case of the unmarried that have r score= .224, while they are corrlated in case of the married that have r= .398. Because the average age of the SCI becomes lower and lower, sexual rehabilitation programs should be given the unmarried as well as the married with SCI. In conclusion, the spinal injured's major concerns about their sexual life are different between the married and the unmarried-the unmarried are interested in practical problems such as methods and techniques to achieve sexual satisfaction and their fertility, while the married give priority to considerations about their spouse. Paying attention to different sexual interest according to marital status, we should make two different sexual rehabilitation programs for each group. One program including support groups with their sposes for the married, the other program to give a chance t o solve problems of sexuality for the unmarried with SCI.

• Land and Housing Review
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.1-16
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• 2023

As population ageing and shrinking accompanied by dramatically expanded individual life expectancy and declining fertility rate is a global phenomenon, ageing becomes its broader perspective of ageing well embedded into sustained health and well-being, and also the fourth industrial revolution speeds up a more robust and inclusive view of smart ageing. While the latest paradigm of SA has gained considerable attention in the midst of sharply surging demand for health and social services and rapidly declining labor force, the definition has been widely and constantly discussed. This research is to constitute a conceptual framework of smart ageing (SA) from systematic literature review and the use of a series of secondary data and Geographical Information Systems(GIS), and to explore its components. The findings indicate that SA is considered to be an innovative approach to ensuring quality of life and protecting dignity, and identifies its constituents. Indeed, the construct of SA elaborates the multidimensional nature of independent living, encompassing three spheres - Aging in Place (AP), Well Aging (WA), and Active Ageing (AA). AP aims at maintaining independence and autonomy, entails safety, comfort, familiarity and emotional attachment, and it values social supports and services. WA assures physical, psycho-social and economic domains of well-being, and it concerns subjective happiness. AA focuses on both social engagement and economic participation. Moreover, the three constructs of SA are underpinned by specific elements (right to housing, income adequacy, health security, social care, and civic engagement) which are interrelated and interconnected.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.29-42
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• 2023

Objective: Pigs, an ideal biomedical model for human diseases, suffer from about 50% early embryonic and fetal death, a major cause of fertility loss worldwide. However, identifying the causal variant remains a huge challenge. This study aimed to detect single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and candidate genes for the number of mummified (NM) piglets using the imputed whole-genome sequence (WGS) and validate the potential candidate genes. Methods: The imputed WGS was introduced from genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) using a multi-breed reference population. We performed genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for NM piglets at birth from a Landrace pig populatiGWAS peak located on SSC11: 0.10 to 7.11 Mbp (Top SNP, SSC11:1,889,658 bp; p = 9.98E-13) was identified in cyclin dependent kinase on. A total of 300 Landrace pigs were genotyped by GBS. The whole-genome variants were imputed, and 4,252,858 SNPs were obtained. Various molecular experiments were conducted to determine how the genes affected NM in pigs. Results: A strong GWAS peak located on SSC11: 0.10 to 7.11 Mbp (Top SNP, SSC11:1,889,658 bp; p = 9.98E-13) was identified in cyclin dependent kinase 8 (CDK8) gene, which plays a crucial role in embryonic retardation and lethality. Based on the molecular experiments, we found that Y-box binding protein 1 (YBX1) was a crucial transcription factor for CDK8, which mediated the effect of CDK8 in the proliferation of porcine ovarian granulosa cells via transforming growth factor beta/small mother against decapentaplegic signaling pathway, and, as a consequence, affected embryo quality, indicating that this pathway may be contributing to mummified fetal in pigs. Conclusion: A powerful imputation-based association study was performed to identify genes associated with NM in pigs. CDK8 was suggested as a functional gene for the proliferation of porcine ovarian granulosa cells, but further studies are required to determine causative mutations and the effect of loci on NM in pigs.

• The Korean Journal of Applied Statistics
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.603-620
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• 2015

The National Pension of Korea is a public social security system designed to alleviate social risks and poverty that has had a major impact on the quality of life for the aging population. However, a rapidly aging population and low fertility threaten the sustainability of national pension in Korea. The National Pension Research Institute publishes a nancial projection every ve years; consequently, the government has lowered the entitlements for the sustainability of national pension based on the projection results. The current reform of the pension system that arbitrarily reduces the entitlements might detract from the income security role of the national pension for pensioners without accounting for the highest elderly poverty rate in the OECD countries. We first discuss methods for the financial projection of the national pension in terms of population, subscribers, and pensioner projections in order to estimate the pension reserve fund and the financial depletion year. We also conduct a sensitivity analysis for population variables, institutional variables, and economic variables based on pension reserves and the financial depletion year. We evaluate intergenerational fairness between the income hierarchy by conducting a money's worth analysis. Finally, we investigate the possibility of the sustainability of national pension by adjusting pension contributions and entitlements (income replacement rate). A new dependency ratio shows that a simple reform of the national pension does not secure the sustainability of the national pension without adapting a pay-as-you-go system.