• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.23-32
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• 2018

Purpose: Little is known regarding the extent to which dying patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) receive life-sustaining procedures and palliative care in U.S. hospitals. We examine hospital cost trends and the impact of palliative care utilization on the use of life-sustaining procedures in this population. Methods: Retrospective nationwide cohort analysis was performed using National Inpatient Sample (NIS) data from 2005 and 2014. We examined the receipt of both palliative care and intensive medical procedures, defined as systemic procedures, pulmonary procedures, or surgeries using the International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision (ICD-9-CM). Results: We used compound annual growth rates (CAGR) to determine temporal trends and multilevel multivariate regressions to identify factors associated with hospital cost. Among 77,394,755 hospitalizations, 79,314 patients were examined. The CAGR of hospital cost was 5.83% (P<0.001). The CAGRs of systemic procedures and palliative care were 5.98% and 19.89% respectively (each P<0.001). Systemic procedures, pulmonary procedures, and surgeries were associated with increased hospital cost by 59.04%, 72.00%, 55.26%, respectively (each P<0.001). Palliative care was associated with decreased hospital cost by 28.71% (P<0.001). Conclusion: The volume of systemic procedures is the biggest driver of cost increase although there is a cost-saving effect from greater palliative care utilization.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.118-122
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• 1999

Quality changes of fruit vegetables were investigated during simulated export and marketing to find out the optimum shipping temperature. Fruit vegetables were loaded into a small refrigerated-container and kept for four days at various temperatures, and fruit quality was assayed immediately after harvest, 4 days after storage and 4 days after marketing at ambient temperature. In 'Back Seong Ilho' cucumber fruits, fresh weight loss was further reduced at $13^{\circ}C$ and $11^{\circ}C$ than at $15^{\circ}C$ and room temperature. Soluble solid contents remained at relatively lower levels when cucumbers were stored at $13^{\circ}C$ and $11^{\circ}C$. In 'Chun Ryang' eggplant fruits, fresh weight loss was greatly increased at all the temperatures (room, $12^{\circ}C,\;9^{\circ}C,\;and\;6^{\circ}C$). However, flesh browning, a primary quality factor of eggplant fruit, was most effectively inhibited at $9^{\circ}C$, whereas chilling injury occurred in fruit flesh at $6^{\circ}C$. Water loss of 'Eals Seinu' melon fruits was most inhibited and soluble solid contents at harvest were maintained for the longest period at $4^{\circ}C$. In 'Pe Pe' cherry tomatoes, storage at $10^{\circ}C$ and $7^{\circ}C$ seemed to more effectively inhibit metabolic changes and the incidence of cracking, the severest disorder than room temperature. But the fruits stored at $10^{\circ}C$ contained higher level of soluble solids than those at $7^{\circ}C$. The overall results suggest that the optimum shipping temperature range is 11 to $13^{\circ}C$ for cucumbers, around $9^{\circ}C$ for eggplant fruit, $4^{\circ}C$ for melons, and $10^{\circ}C$ for cherry tomatoes.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.211-216
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• 2011

This study was carried out to clarify precise $CO_2$ demands of paprika plants (Capsicum annumm L.) by measuring photosynthesis rates of the leaves in high, low positions, and the $CO_2$ consumption of a whole plant in a large sealed chamber. A photosynthesis measuring system (LI-6400) was used to measure the photosynthetic rates of the leaves located in different positions. A large sealed chamber that can control inside environmental factors was developed for measuring $CO_2$ consumption by a whole paprika plant. With increase of radiation, photosynthetic rates of the leaves in higher position became larger than those in lower position. The $CO_2$ consumption by the plant was estimated by using decrement of $CO_2$ concentration from initial level of 1500 ${\mu}mol{\cdot}mol^{-1}$ in the chamber with increase of integrated radiation. A regression model for estimating $CO_2$ consumption by the plant (leaf area = 7,533.4 $cm^2$) was expressed with integrated radiation (x) and was suggested as $y=-0.06234+3.671^*x/(2.589+x)$ ($R^2=0.9966^{***}$). The photosynthetic rate of the whole plant measured in the chamber was 3.4 ${\mu}mol\;CO_2{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$ under 300 ${\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$ light intensity, which is in-between photosynthetic rates of the leaves in high and low positions. For this reason, some differences between required and supplied $CO_2$ amounts in greenhouses might occur when depending too much on photosynthetic rates of leaves. Therefore, we can estimate more accurately $CO_2$ amount required in commercial greenhouses by using $CO_2$ consumption model of a whole plant obtained in this study in addition to leaf photosynthetic rate.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.187-194
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• 2011

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of light intensity and electrical conductivity (EC) of nutrient solution on the growth and nutrient uptake of potted kalanchoe plants (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana 'Marlene') with growth stage in ebb and flow subirrigation systems. The plants were grown at four ECs of 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 $dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ for seedling stage and four ECs of 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, and 3.0 $dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ for short day stage under three daily photosynthetic photon flux (PPF) of 6.5, 10.3, 18.2 $mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}d^{-1}$. At seedling stage, plant height was the longest under the lowest light intensity, and particularly dry weights and leaf areas were the highest at PPF 10.3 $mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}d^{-1}$. Dry weights and leaf areas were the highest at EC 1.5 $dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ regardless of light intensity. At short day exposure, plant height was the longest under the lowest light intensity. Dry weights, leaf areas, and number of pedicels of the plants significantly increased as light intensity increased. Under all light intensity conditions, dry weights, leaf areas, and number of pedicles increased until EC becomes to 1.0 - 2.0 $dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$. And after reached the highest at EC 2.0 $dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$, they decreased at EC 3.0 $dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$. By comparing the ion uptakes at EC 1.5 $dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ of seedling stage and EC 2.0 $dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ of short day stage in which the plants grew better, we confirmed that ion balance of nutrient solution among $NO_3{^-}$-N, $H_2PO_4{^-}$, $K^+$, $Ca^{2+}$, and $Mg^{2+}$ were significantly changed at short day stage compared to seedling stage. For better growth of the plants, both ion balance and EC of nutrient solution should be considered under different light intensities at short day stage while control of EC is enough at seedling stage.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.165-171
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• 2011

Plant growth retardants reduce the plant height by inhibiting stem elongation in Lilium davuricum. To investigate the plant hormones related to stem elongation, we sprayed 50 $mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ diniconazole to young plants of L. davuricum and quantified the contents of endogenous gibberellic acids (GA) and abscisic acid (ABA). In GA biosynthesis, L. davuricum had not only the early C-13 hydroxylation ($GA_{19}{\rightarrow}GA_{20}{\rightarrow}GA_1$) pathway resulting in $GA_1$ as the active form but also the non C-13 hydroxylation (NCH, $GA_{12}{\rightarrow}GA_{24}{\rightarrow}GA_9{\rightarrow}GA_4$) with $GA_4$ as the active form. However, the main pathway was NCH because $GA_4$ concentration of 55 $ng{\cdot}g^{-1}$ dry wt was much higher than $GA_1$ content of 0.23 $ng{\cdot}g^{-1}$ dry wt in control plant. Diniconazole inhibited GA biosynthesis through NCH pathway from its early stage. $GA_{12}$ content decreased by diniconazole up to 6% level of that of control and this effect continued to $GA_4$. Diniconazole reduced $GA_{12}$ content by 12.7 $ng{\cdot}g^{-1}$ dry wt, whereas that of control plant was 213.8 $ng{\cdot}g^{-1}$ dry wt. ABA content decreased up to one third of control by diniconazole application. From the contents of endogenous $GA_4$, $GA_1$, and ABA in this study, we could conclude that diniconazole reduces the plant height by inhibiting $GA_4$ biosynthesis in L. davuricum.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.345-356
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• 2012

We investigated the changes of fruit quality parameters, polysaccharide contents and cell wall components during maturation and ripening of two Korean pear cultivar 'Hanareum' and 'Manpungbae' compared with 'Niitaka' pear (Pyrus pyrifolia Nakai) which showed different physiological maturity based on days after full bloom (DAFB). Flesh firmness decreased continuously with fruit development and maturation, reaching a final level of 29.4, 33.5, and 27.4N at maturity in 'Hanareum' (127 DAFB), 'Manpungbae' (163 DAFB), and 'Niitaka' (170 DAFB), respectively. The level of ethylene production was very low in early season 'Hanareum' pear which showed at most 0.39 ${\mu}L{\cdot}L^{-1}$ at maturity and no ethylene was detected in 'Manpungbae' and 'Niitaka' at maturity. Fructose was the most abundant soluble sugar during fruit maturation in the pears tested and an increase of sucrose was observed during fruit ripening in the Asian pears commonly. Ethanol insoluble solids (EIS) content decreased gradually with different levels among the pear cultivars as fruit ripens consisted of 10.79, 12.72, and 12.75 $mg{\cdot}g^{-1}$ FW. The amount of total soluble polyuronides was higher in early season cultivars 'Hanareum' than those of mid-season cultivar 'Manpungbae' and 'Niitaka'. In 'Niitaka' which harvested most late season, the level of 4% KOH soluble hemicelluloses was lower than 'Hanareum' and 'Manpungbae' and maintained constantly during fruit ripening period. Cellulosic residues were determined high level in 'Niitaka' which showed 612.33 ${\mu}g{\cdot}mg^{-1}$ EIS at maturity when compared with 'Hanareum' (408.0 ${\mu}g{\cdot}mg^{-1}$ EIS) and 'Manpungbae' (538.67 ${\mu}g{\cdot}mg^{-1}$ EIS). The main constituents of cell wall neutral sugars which consisted of arabinose, xylose, galactose, and glucose were decreased gradually with onset of fruit ripening regardless of cultivar. Arabinose which was predominant in 'Hanareum' pear decreased at the last stage of ripening, but the changes of cell wall neutral sugar during ripening were not occurred in 'Niitaka' pear. The change of molecular mass distribution in water soluble pectin observed dominantly at the early stage of fruit development. Depolymerization of 4% KOH-soluble hemicelluloses and degradation of xyloglucan showed in early-season cultivar 'Hanareum' during fruit maturation, and degradation of those fractions were detected only at the early stage fruit development in mid-season cultivar 'Manpungbae' and 'Niitaka'. The molecular mass profile of CDTA soluble pectin, $Na_2CO_3$-SP and 24% KOH soluble hemicelluloses showed no significant change during fruit maturation regardless of cultivar.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.828-835
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• 2010

Conventional methods for identification of apple cultivars are based on the evaluation of sets of morphological characteristics, however, closely related cultivars often cannot be distinguished by morphological traits. This study was conducted to develop DNA markers for discrimination of the apple cultivars bred in Korea. Thirty random primers generated eighty-three random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers from thirty-one Korean bred and introduced apple cultivars. Fifty-two RAPD fragments were cloned and sequenced for conversion into sequence characterized amplified region (SCAR) markers. Among them only seventeen SCAR markers resulted in the amplification of single major bands the same size as the RAPD fragment cloned. Several combinations of six (AN11_433, AN08_566, A408_592, AK17_653, AO04_711, AO04_779 or AW15_368, AN11_433, A408_592, AK17_653, AO04_711, AO04_779, or AL1_427, AN11_433, AN08_566, A408_592, AK17_653, AO04_779) to seven (AL1_427, AN11_433, AN08_566, A408_592, AK17_653, AM16_708, AO04_779 or A330_424, AN11_433, AG14_502, AN08_566, A408_592, AK17_653, AO04_779 or A330_424, AN11_433, AK14_564, A408_592, AK17_653, AM16_708, AT14_789) SCAR markers provided enough polymorphism to identify sixteen Korean apple cultivars among thirty-one tested cultivars. Therefore, application of the seventeen SCAR markers was sufficient to identify the thirty-one tested apple cultivars. These markers could be utilized as a reliable tool for cultivar discrimination of Korean apples.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.719-727
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• 2010

Reduced irradiance promotes shoot elongation depending on developmental stage and environmental factors and decreases plant quality in $Cyclamen$ $persicum$ Mill. To determine the petiole elongation responses to low irradiance, 'Metis Scarlet Red' cyclamen at different developmental stages [juvenile (5-6 unfolded leaves), transitional (1-3 visible flower buds), or mature (1-3 elongating peduncles)] was grown in growth modules at 60 (low light, LL) or 240 (high light, HL) ${\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$ PPFD within the growth chambers at different temperatures [16/12 (low temperature, LT), 22/18 (medium temperature, MT), or 28/$24^{\circ}C$ (high temperature, HT) (day/night)]. In Experiment I, juvenile plants were either kept in an LL or HL module during the entire treatment of 4 weeks or were transferred to the other module at 1, 2, or 3 weeks after treatment in an MT chamber. In Experiment II, juvenile, transitional, or mature plants were moved to the HL module at 0, 3, 6, 9, or 12 days after being placed in the LL module at the MT chamber and grown for 21 days. In Experiment III, transitional plants were moved to the HL module at 0, 3, 6, 9, or 12 days after being placed in the LL module at the LT, MT, or HT chambers. As the exposure duration to LL increased from 0 to 4 weeks or from 0 to 12 days, petiole length and plant height increased at all temperatures and developmental stages. In Experiment I, the exposure to LL during the latter period, rather than the early period, increased elongation rate. In Experiment II, petiole elongation in transitional plants was more sensitive to LL than juvenile or mature plants during the early period of the treatment for 12 days. In Experiment III, petiole length increased with increasing temperature and exposure duration to LL. Petiole elongation rate at HT increased rapidly from the beginning of LL exposure as compared to LT. Increase of $6^{\circ}C$ in temperature had the similar effect to LL exposure for 3 days in petiole elongation. To conclude, transitional cyclamen under higher temperatures responds more immediately to low irradiance and elongates its petioles.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.666-672
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• 2014

The effect of nitric oxide (NO) treatment on the quality of kiwifruit, cv. Hayward, was studied at room temperature after cold storage for one or three months at $0^{\circ}C$. Kiwifruits cold-stored for one month were treated with $200{\mu}L{\cdot}L^{-1}$ NO and subsequently transferred to room temperature to monitor quality changes over the course of their shelf life. Weight loss was high in fruits not treated with NO. Ethylene production was delayed for two days by NO treatment, and respiration rate was reduced to less half than that of the control. The kiwifruits stored for three months were treated with $N_2$ and 100, 200, or $500{\mu}L{\cdot}L^{-1}$ NO, or air alone. The highest weight loss was observed in kiwifruit treated with $100{\mu}L{\cdot}L^{-1}$ NO. While ethylene production was high in fruits treated with $100{\mu}L{\cdot}L^{-1}$ NO and without the treatment, it was relatively low in the kiwifruit treated with 200 and $500{\mu}L{\cdot}L^{-1}$ NO. Firmness was abruptly decreased in fruits not treated with NO, while the kiwifruit exposed to $200{\mu}L{\cdot}L^{-1}$ NO maintained the s ame level of f irmness for 9 days a t room t emp erature. In addition, growth o f Botrytis cinerea was inhibited by NO as compared with the air and $N_2$ treatments. Our findings indicate that NO can be used effectively for prolonging shelf life and maintaining fruit quality during distribution after cold storage. The optimum NO concentration for cold-stored kiwifruits was found to be $200{\mu}L{\cdot}L^{-1}$.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.577-583
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• 2014

Benzyladenine (BA, 99% purity), MaxCel$^{(R)}$ (1.9% BA), Fruitone (3.5% NAA), MaxCel$^{(R)}$ + Fruitone, a nd s imazine were applied postbloom as fruitlet thinning agents to mature 'Hongro' and 'Fuji' apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) trees. BA and MaxCel$^{(R)}$ were applied at $100mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ a.i. while Fruitone at $0.1mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ a.i. and simazine at $400mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ a.i. All PGRs were applied at 8 days after full bloom (DAFB, 6 mm fruit diameter) in both cultivars, while simazine was treated twice at 7 and 14 DAFB. In 'Hongro', the number of total fruit set per flower cluster in terminal buds was 1.67, 1.84, and 1.81 in MaxCel$^{(R)}$ + F ruitone, MaxCel$^{(R)}$, and simazine applications, respectively, when compared with 2.35 of water control. These reductions in fruit set were mainly attributed to the increased ratio of defruited clusters by the thinning agents. In 'Fuji' apple, the number of total fruit set per flower cluster in terminal buds was 1.29, 1.60, and 1.76 in MaxCel$^{(R)}$ + Fruitone, Fruitone, and MaxCel$^{(R)}$, respectively, when compared with 2.56 of water control in 'Fuji' apple. The addition of Fruitone to the MaxCel$^{(R)}$ promoted the thinning efficacy in both cultivars, compared to MaxCel$^{(R)}$ only. The thinning efficacies were similarly observed with lateral flowers in both cultivars. A significant increase of fruit weight by the postbloom thinning treatments was observed only in the BA application in 'Hongro', while the effect was observed in BA and MaxCel$^{(R)}$ in 'Fuji'. While the soluble solids content increased in the BA, MaxCel$^{(R)}$ and MaxCel$^{(R)}$+Fruitone treatments in both cultivars, other fruit quality attributes were not affected by the application of post-bloom thinning agents.