• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.185-195
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• 2016

Background: To investigate the effect of pectinase-treated Panax ginseng (GINST) in cellular and male subfertility animal models. Methods: Hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$)-induced mouse spermatocyte GC-2spd cells were used as an in vitro model. Cell viability was measured using MTT assay. For the in vivo study, GINST (200 mg/kg) mixed with a regular pellet diet was administered orally for 4 mo, and the changes in the mRNA and protein expression level of antioxidative and spermatogenic genes in young and aged control rats were compared using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. Results: GINST treatment ($50{\mu}g/mL$, $100{\mu}g/mL$, and $200{\mu}g/mL$) significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited the $H_2O_2$-induced ($200{\mu}M$) cytotoxicity in GC-2spd cells. Furthermore, GINST ($50{\mu}g/mL$ and $100{\mu}g/mL$) significantly (p < 0.05) ameliorated the $H_2O_2$-induced decrease in the expression level of antioxidant enzymes (peroxiredoxin 3 and 4, glutathione S-transferase m5, and glutathione peroxidase 4), spermatogenesis-related protein such as inhibin-${\alpha}$, and specific sex hormone receptors (androgen receptor, luteinizing hormone receptor, and follicle-stimulating hormone receptor) in GC-2spd cells. Similarly, the altered expression level of the above mentioned genes and of spermatogenesis-related nectin-2 and cAMP response element-binding protein in aged rat testes was ameliorated with GINST (200 mg/kg) treatment. Taken together, GINST attenuated $H_2O_2$-induced oxidative stress in GC-2 cells and modulated the expression of antioxidant-related genes and of spermatogenic-related proteins and sex hormone receptors in aged rats. Conclusion: GINST may be a potential natural agent for the protection against or treatment of oxidative stress-induced male subfertility and aging-induced male subfertility.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.380-387
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• 1998

Background: Minimal pressure support(PSmin) is a level of pressure support which offset the imposed work of breathing(WOBimp) developed by endotracheal tube and ventilator circuits in pressure support ventilation While the lower applied level of pressure support compared to PSmin could induce respiratory muscle fatigue, the higher level than PSmin could keep respiratory muscle rest resulting in prolongation of weaning period during weaning from mechanical ventilation PSmin has been usually applied in the level of 5~10 cm$H_2O$, but the accurate level of PSmin is difficult to be determinated in individual cases. PSmin is known to be calculated by using the equation of "PSmin = peak inspiratory flow rate during spontaneus ventilation$\times$total ventilatory system resistance", but correlation of calculated PSmin and measured PSmin has not been known. The objects of this study were firstly to assess whether customarily applied pressure support level of 5~10 cm$H_2O$ would be appropriate to offset the imposed work of breathing among the patients under weaning process, and secondly to estimate the correlation between the measured PSmin and calculated PSmin. Method : 1) Measurement of PSmin : Intratracheal pressure changes were measured through Hi-Lo jet tracheal tube (8mm in diameter, Mallinckroft, USA) by using pulmonary monitor(CP-100 pulmonary monitor, Bicore, USA), and then pressure support level of mechanical ventilator were increased until WOBimp was reached to 0.01 J/L or less. Measured PSmin was defined as the lowest pressure to make WOBimp 0.01 J/L or less. 2) Calculation of PSmin : Peak airway pressure(Ppeak), plateau airway pressure(Pplat) and mean inspiratory flow rate of the subjects were measured on volume control mode of mechanical ventilation after sedation. Spontaneous peak inspiratory flow rates were measured on CPAP mode(O cm$H_2O$). Thereafter PSmin was calculated by using the equation "PSmin = peak inspiratory flow rate$\times$R, R = (Ppeak-Pplat)/mean inspiratory flow rate during volume control mode on mechanical ventilation". Results: Sixteen patients who were considered as the candidate for weaning from mechanical ventilation were included in the study. Mean age was 64(${\pm}14$) years, and the mean of total ventilation times was 9(${\pm}4$) days. All patients except one were males. The measured PSmin of the subjects ranged 4.0~12.5cm$H_2O$ in 14 patients. The mean level of PSmin was 7.6(${\pm}2.5\;cmH_2O$) in measured PSmin, 8.6 (${\pm}3.25\;cmH_2O$) in calculated PSmin Correlation between the measured PSmin and the calculated PSmin is significantly high(n=9, r=0.88, p=0.002). The calculated PSmin show a tendancy to be higher than the corresponding measured PSmin in 8 out of 9 subjects(p=0.09). The ratio of measured PSmin/calculated PSmin was 0.81(${\pm}0.05$). Conclusion: Minimal pressure support levels were different in individual cases in the range from 4 to 12.5 cm$H_2O$. Because the equation-driven calculated PSmin showed a good correlation with measured PSmin, the application of equation-driven PSmin would be then appropriate compared with conventional application of 5~10 cm$H_2O$ in patients under difficult weaning process with pressure support ventilation.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.105-110
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• 2007

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of stocking density on performance and blood characteristics of broiler chicken in summer. One day-old 648 male commercial broiler chicks(Ross strain) were divided into 3 groups with 4 replicates(12 pens), 41 to 69 birds per pen, to compare the stocking density difference on growth performance and blood characteristics. Birds in T1, T2 and T3 were reared in different size 0.050, 0.066, 0.083 $m^2$/bird floor, respectively. The birds were fed the same experimental diet ad libitum for 5 weeks. Chickens were weekly weighed and one bird was selected from each pen to measure blood characteristics at the end of experiment. Body weight and feed intake increased significantly in low density treatment(T3) compare to that of high density treatment(P<0.05). Feed conversion was significantly improved in customary treatment(T2) relative to that of other treatments(P<0.05). No significant difference was observed in moisture contents of bedding among treatments. In blood characteristics, low density treatment(T3) decreased the total protein, cholesterol and albumin, but were no significant difference. From the result of this study, it could be concluded that the higher stocking density might give more stress to the birds from physical stimuli and thus were harmful environment causing lower productions compared to the lower ones

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.237-244
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• 2010

Using a vertical composting system in layer farms, the composting process was characterized in terms of temperature variation, change of moisture contents, fertilizer ingredient and so on. In this study, two types of layer farms were examined. The layer manure was produced as 3,300 and 116,650 kg/day for Farm A and Farm B, respectively. Also, their average moisture contents were 74.4% (Farm A) and 65.6 % (Farm B). The inside temperature of composting in Farm A was varied in the range of 50 to $70^{\circ}C$, and moisture content of it decreased from 59.5% to 20.6% at the edge of vertical composting system. While in Farm B, composting temperature was fluctuated between 50 and $65^{\circ}C$ and moisture content declined from 34.0% to 13.4% at the end of vertical composting system. The fertilizer ingredients such as T-N, $P_2O_5$ and $K_2O$ were not significantly influenced by seasonal effect. Their values were changed in the range of 0.90% to 0.47% for T-N, 0.16% to 0.42% for $P_2O_5$, and 0.22% to 0.28 for $K_2O$, respectively. Also, OM/N ratio was varied from 36.8 to 84.4.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.9
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• pp.4285-4288
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• 2012

Background: Opisthorchis viverrini infection is a serious public-health problem in Southeast Asia. It is associated with a number of hepatobiliary diseases and the evidence strongly indicates that liver fluke infection is the etiology of cholangiocarcinoma. Objectives: This study aimed to determine Opisthorchis viverrini infection in elderly people in Surin province, Northeastern Thailand. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among 333 elderly in 17 districts of Surin province, during one year period from January to December 2011. O. viverrini infection was determined using Kato's Thick Smear technique and socio-demographic were collected using predesigned semi-structured questionnaires, respectively. Results: A total of 333 elderly including 116 males and 217 females were selected from different study sites. Overall intestinal parasitic infection was 16.2%, predominantly in O. viverrini (9.91%) and followed by Strongyloides stercolaris (4.80%) and hookworm (1.50%), respectively. The O. viverrini infection was found higher in males (13.8%) than females (7.83%), and frequently in elderly 60-70 year old with 14.2%. Chi-square testing indicated that education and occupation were significantly associated with O. viverrini infection (P value = 0.02). The distribution of O. viverrini infection was found in 11 districts which was covered 64.7% of the studies areas. The highest prevalence was found in Thatum with 39.1%, and followed by Sangkha (24.0%), Buachet (21.1%), Samrong Thap (19.1%), Si Narong (15.0%), and Ratanaburi (13.3%) districts. Conclusion: This findings stress that O viverrini is still a problem in Thailand. We confirmed, for the first time, the high endemicity of human O. viverrini infections in elderly in Surin province of Thailand, underlying the fact that mass treatment and health education are urgently required.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.515-523
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• 2012

The objective of this study was to investigate the variability in broiler performance, apparent metabolisable energy (AME) and ileal digestible energy (IDE) between five different maize samples fed with and without xylanase at 16,000 U/kg. Various in vitro characterisations were conducted to determine if any could predict performance or AME. Samples of the maize were harvested in five diverse regions and fed individually in a mash diet as follows (g/kg): test maize 608.3; soya bean meal (SBM) 324.1; poultry fat 25.2; salt 4.6; met 2.6; lys 1.6; thr 0.5; limestone 9.7, dical 18.4; vit/min 5.0; CP 210 and ME (kcal/kg) 3,085. The diets were fed to 720 broilers with 6 replicates, each containing 12 birds per treatment, from 0 to 18 d of age. Maize samples were analysed for starch, protein, crude fibre, fat, protein solubility index (PSI) and vitreousness using near infra red reflectance spectroscopy (NIR). They were also assayed using an in vitro starch digestibility method. The results showed that there was no effect of harvest region on the feed intake (FI), body weight gain (BWG) or feed conversion ratio (FCR) of the broilers over the 18 d period (p = 0.959, 0.926, 0.819 respectively). There was an improvement in all parameters with the addition of xylanase (FI p = 0.011; BWG and FCR p<0.001). There was a significant positive effect of xylanase on IDE, AME, IDE Intake (IDEI) and AME intake (AMEI) (p<0.0001 in all cases). Although there was no significant effect of maize source, there was a strong trend towards variability in IDE (p = 0.066) and AME (p = 0.058). There were no significant correlations (p<0.05) between any proximate or physiochemical values and any performance or AME values. This may suggest that none of those selected were suitable predictors for performance or AME. The broilers performed well according to the breed guidelines, with slightly increased FI, increased BWG and similar FCR prior to the addition of xylanase. When FCR and BWG were analysed with FI as a covariate, xylanase addition remained significant suggesting that the improvement in BWG and FCR was driven by an increase in digestibility and nutrient availability.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.9
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• pp.1299-1303
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• 2001

For the Exp. 1, a total of fifty four crossbred [(Duroc Yorkshire)${\times}$Landrace] pigs ($77.67{\pm}1.42kg$ average initial BW) were used in a 41-d growth assay to determine the effects of yucca extract supplementation on growth performance, nutrient digestibility and serum characteristics of finishing pigs. Dietary treatments included 1) Control (basal diet), 2) YE60 (basal diet+60 ppm yucca extract), 3) YE120 (basal diet+120 ppm yucca extract). Average daily gain was not improved by yucca extract supplementation during the whole experimental perid (d 0 to 41). Pigs fed control diet showed the best average daily gain. Pigs fed control and YE120 diets tended to increase average daily feed intake compared with pigs fed YE60 diet (quadratic effect, p<0.0001). Gain/feed with control treatment was significantly better than the YE groups (linear effect, p<0.071). However, there was no significant difference among levels of yucca extract (p>0.10). Apparent digestibility of dry matter in pigs fed yucca extract were greater than for pigs fed control diets (linear effect, p<0.017). Pigs fed YE120 tended to have higher digestibility of nitrogen than pigs fed the control diets (linear effect, p<0.019). There were no significant differences in Total-, HDL- and LDL-cholesterol concentrations of serum, and the blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentrations in serum was not influenced by the yucca extract supplementation (p>0.10). For the Exp. 2, fifteen [(Duroc${\times}$Yorkshire)${\times}$Landrace] pigs ($25.00{\pm}0.50kg$ average initial BW) were used in a 30-d metabolism experiment to determine the effects of yucca extract supplementation on fecal ammonia gas production. Treatments were : 1) Control (basal diet); 2) YE (basal diet+150 ppm yucca extract); 3) BD (basal diet+100 ppm Bio-Dr; yucca extract+far infrared emitted materials). Fecal ammonia gas production differences between d 0 and d 30 were significantly reduced (p<0.05) by feeding BD compared to control and YE. Also, when pigs were fed the diet with YE tended to be decreased ammonia gas production compared to pigs fed the control diet without significant differences (p>0.05). There were no differences for DM and N digestibility among pigs fed the treatment diets. In conclusion, yucca and (or) far infrared radiological materials can be used to make environment-friendly diets for growing-finishing pigs without negative effects on growth performance and nutrient digestibility.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.87-97
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• 1998

This study was performed to investigate the Natural mineral water quality at 47 sites in Chonnam area, samples were collected spring, summer, fall, winter for a seasonal variation in 1996. The results obtained were summarized as follows 1. The mean of F, pH, HCO$_3$, NO$_3$ -N were 0.19 mg/l, 6. 9, 34.99 mg/l, 1.40 mg/l and those of Na, K, Ca, Mg were 12.1 mg/l, 1.2 mg/l, 7.7 mg/l, 2.1 mg/l respectively. 2. The contents of F were reasonable at Multonggol as 1.35 mg/l and Yongbayui as 0.57 mg/l respectively, but there is no detected at Sidong and detected below 0.1 mg/l at Gubongsan, Hansansa area. 3. According to the geological effect, the content of F was showed higher in granite than in tuff, and index of pH was higher in tuff than in andesite, and content of HCO$_3$ was higher in andesite than in granite. 4. The K and O values were used as index of healthy and delicious water. As a result, thirtyfive sites(74.5%) was decided as healthy and delicious water. 5. The contents of NO$_3$-N were detected over 5 mg/l at Sukchonsa, Gajanggol, Yudalsan, Muchang, Kisan.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.8
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• pp.1103-1109
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• 2002

This study investigated the effect of 2-bromo-$\alpha$-ergocryptine (anti prolactin agent) on plasma levels of prolactin, oestradiol-17$\beta$ and progesterone in domestic hen during the active period of lay. Fifty healthy female White Leghorn birds were administered with anti prolactin agent (2-bromo-$\alpha$-ergocryptine, Sigma-USA., methane sulphonate salt, $C_{32}H_{40}BrN_5O_5.CH_4SO_3$) subcutaneously @100$\mu$g/kg body weight at weekly intervals from 17th to 36th week of age. Another group of fifty birds as controls were given placebo in place of bromocriptine. The level of prolactin remained lower in treated birds than in the control birds from 19 to 36 weeks of age. Level of prolactin even in the control group was found to decrease during the peak production period. Oestradiol-$17{\beta}$ and progesterone concentration in treated birds were significantly (p<0.01) higher than the controls during the treatment. Egg production, is positively correlated with oestradiol-$17{\beta}$ (r=0.02; r=0.67) and progesterone (r=0.49; r=0.90) in control and treated groups respectively where as prolactin level is positively correlated with egg production in the control birds (r=0.07). Prolactin levels were negatively correlated with egg production (r=-0.55) in treated birds; and oestradiol-$17{\beta}$ (r =-0.71; r=-0.53) and progesterone (r=-0.22; r=-0.27) respectively in control and treated groups. The total number of pause days during the treatment period decreased significantly (p<0.01) in the treated group compared to the control group. The reduction in pause days in treated group resulted in 1.76% increase in egg production over that in control group. The increase in egg laying days and the total egg production were found to be significant (p<0.01). These results indicate that a lower level of prolactin in circulatory blood enhances egg production in the domestic hen.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.131-143
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• 2010

The purpose of this study is to understand the living culture of transnational married women and to analyze the out door play of children in their hometown. The data was collected through observation from 27th June to 7th July 2008 in Jian, Jilin Province China. The children's play and lifestyles were observed, and data pertaining to the culture of the people were collected by a teacher and staff. We also visited the residents for housing information. The results are given below. 1. They dressed in Korean clothes on festive days and the boys put on a hood. They had eating habits which included cooking for themselves or buying semi-manufactured goods but did not use, instant food. The housing habits involved a combination of cooking and heating by Korean floor heating system(Ondol). They utilized outdoor space to grow vegetables. Those with a fulltime job(teacher) preferred to live in an apartment but an apartment was too expensive. Public utility charges and traffic expenses were cheap. 2. The main festive days are the lunar New Year's Day and Chuseok. The children returned home and enjoyed the festive day with their parents. The language used are Korean language and Chinese. Some Korean words and phrases in Jian Joseonjok have different meanings as compared to how they are used in Korea. A capping ceremony did not to celebrate becoming an adult from an adolescent. Couples performed a wedding ceremony at a wedding hall attended by their parents and invited relatives from both families. The relatives gave the couple a wedding gift. They did not go on a wedding trip as it was not affordable but instead spent their wedding night at a hotel in this culture. When someone dies, they bury the body after cremation. They perform a memorial service for three years on the birthday of the departed. They have a banquet on the 60th birthdays with their relatives and neighbours and are typically presented with a carp for longevity. 3. They understand capitalism and therefore send their children to school to improve their social position. The Korean and Chinese languages are required subjects in school. The students choose a second language(English or Russian). They prefer English class but at the time of this study an English class was not offered at the school in Jian Joseonjok. Therefore the children entered a Chinese school. 4. The children play outdoor games such as Y$\acute{a}$o J$\grave{i}\bar{a}$(要家), X$\grave{i}$ang g$\grave{i}$(象棋), T$\grave{i}\grave{a}$o p$\acute{i}$ j$\grave{i}$n(r)(跳皮節), D$\grave{o}$uch ing g$\grave{u}$n 凍冷根, B$\bar{e}$i B$\bar{e}$i 背背, and soccer. They play games according to the season.