• Title/Summary/Keyword: Quality factors

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Locally Advanced, Unresectable Pancreatic Cancer Treated by Stereotactic Radiation Therapy (국소적으로 진행된, 절제 불가능한 췌장암에서 정위 방사선 치료)

  • Choi Chul-Won;Kim Mi-Sook;Cho Chul-Koo;Yoo Seong-Yul;Yang Kwang-Mo;Yoo Hyung-Jun;Lee Dong-Han;Ji Young-Hoon;Han Chul-Ju;Kim Jin;Kim Young-Han
    • Radiation Oncology Journal
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    • v.24 no.1
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    • pp.11-20
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    • 2006
  • Puroose: In order to find out whether stereotactic radiation therapy (RT) using CyberKnife (CK) could improve survival rate and lower acute toxicity compared to conventional RT. Materials and Methods: From April 2003 through April 2004, 19 patients with Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status ${\leq}3$ and locally advanced pancreas cancer without distant metastasis, evaluated by CT or PET/CT, were included. We administered stereotactic RT consisting of either 33 Gy, 36 Gy or 39 Gy in 3 fractions to 6, 4 and 9 patients, respectively, in an effort to increase the radiation dose step by step, and analyzed the survival rate and gastrointestinal toxicities by the acute radiation morbidity criteria of Radiation Therapeutic Oncology Group (RTOG). Prognostic factors of age, sex, ECOG performance score, chemotherapy, bypass surgery, radiation dose, CA 19-9, planning target volume (PTV), and adjacent organ and vessel invasion on CT scan were evaluated by Log Rank test. Results: The median survival time was 11 months with 1-year survival rate of 36.8%. During follow-up period (range $3{\sim}20$ months, median 10 months), no significant gastrointestinal acute toxicity (RTOG grade 3) was observed. In univariate analysis, age, sex, ECOG performance score, chemotherapy, bypass surgery, radiation dose, CA 19-9 level, and adjacent organ and vessel invasion did not show any significant changes of survival rate, however, patients with PTV (80 cc showed more favorable survival rate than those with PTV>80 cc (p-value<0.05). In multivariate analysis, age younger than 65 years and PTV>80 cc showed better survival rate. Conclusion: In terms of survival, the efficacy of stereotactic radiation therapy using CK was found to be superior or similar to other recent studies achieved with conventional RT with intensive chemotherapy, high dose conformal RT, intraoperative RT (IORT), or intensity modulated RT (IMRT). Furthermore, severe toxicity was not observed. Short treatment time in relation to the short life expectancy gave patients more convenience and, finally, quality of life would be increased. Consequently, this could be regarded as an effective novel treatment modality for locally advanced, unresectable pancreas cancer. PTV would be a helpful prognostic factor for CK.

The Ecological Characteristics and Conservation Counterplan of Menyanthes trifoliata Habitat in Floating Mat in Korean East Coastal Lagoon, Sunyoodam (조름나물이 서식하는 동해안 석호 습지인 선유담의 생태적 특성 및 보전방안)

  • Kim, Heung-Tae;Lee, Gwang-Moon;Kim, Jae Geun
    • Journal of Wetlands Research
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    • v.15 no.1
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    • pp.25-34
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    • 2013
  • The purpose of this study is to investigate the properties of Menyanthes trifoliata habitat in coastal lagoons. To characterize plant composition in the habitats in the lagoon, the plot sampling method was applied. The depths of water and floating mat were measured. Surface water quality factors including pH, electrical conductivity (EC), dissolved oxygen (DO), and total dissolved solids (TDS) were measured in the sites. Phosphate, nitrate, ammonium, and major cations were measured in laboratory. The wetland has 78 taxa of wetland plants. The average coverage and density of M. trifoliata was 62.6% and $71.2/m^2$, respectively and Phragmites australis is important associate in Sunyoodam lagoon. The average depths of floating mats were 26.5cm in M. trifoliata and 68.9cm in the P. australis-M. trifoliata communities, and the water depth below the mat was 106.5cm and 17.7cm, respectively. The values of pH, DO, EC and TDS in the water were 5.06, 46.1%, 59.4 ${\mu}s/cm$, and 29.3 mg/L, respectively. The concentrations of phosphate, nitrate, and ammonium showed 47.2, 9321, and 15.9 ${\mu}g/L$, respectively. The concentrations of Ca, K, Na, and Mg had 11.1, 1.5, 15.1, and 11.3 mg/L, respectively. The habitats of M. trifoliata in the lagoon corresponds to a kind of lowland communities in Hewett's classification. To conserve the habitats of M. trifoliata in Sunyoodam lagoon, the supply of open water area, the construction of observation deck, and the block of inflow from the surrounding paddy fields are needed in the future.

The Assessment on Health Status of Workers by using HPLP and Sa-sang Constitutional Questionnaire (HPLP와 사상체질설문(四象體質說問)을 이용(利用)한 근로자(勤勞者)들의 건강상태(健康狀態) 평가(評價))

  • Choi Mun-Il;Lee Eun-Kyoung;Kwon So-Hee;Ko Kwang-Jae;Seo Byeong-Yun;Jeoung Jae-Yeal;Jahng Doo-Sub;Song Yung-Sun;Lee Ki-Nam
    • Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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    • v.5 no.1
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    • pp.41-56
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    • 2001
  • Overview: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the determinants on the correlation between constitution and health promoting lifestyle profile on the workers. Also, the questionnaire on the HPLP (health promoting lifestyle profile) of Walker(1987) and Sa-sang constitution of Lee(l894) were utilized Methods: Data from a representative sample of 652 workers were analyzed Pearson's chi-square test analysis was utilized to test the explanatory causal model and to determine the direct and indirect effects of independent variables on quality of life. Results: Constitutional distribution among exposed group, were Tae-eum In(43.7%), So-eum In(33.6%), and So-yang In(22.7%). The degree of the subjects practicing health promoting lifestyle, on a scale of 1 to 4, is an average of 2.62, personal relations 2.94, self-realization 2.86, stress management 2.71, nutrition 2.68, responsibility for health 2.37, and exercise 2.21, with personal relations earning the highest points and exercise the lowest As for factors influencing health promoting lifestyle, there is significant difference between sex and age. That is female and higher age. On the difference between constitution and health promoting lifestyle, Tae-eum In is the highest all area except personal relations. So-eum In is the lowest all area except responsibility for health. Conclusions: Tae-eum In totally do health promoting lifestyle well but So-eum In relatively not. On the Study we used the HPLP(health promoting lifestyle profile) on the premise that each person's daily life, the attitude and the practice level to the health have an influence on the health. So in the constitution there is a little differences in the consideration and the practice level and health condition will be different. On this study we finish up by knowing about the health promoting lifestyle. But on next time we will have to go on studying about the sign and the comparison with the result of western and oriental medical health examination to the each constitution on carrying out continuously oriental medical health examination.

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A Study of the Images of General Supers and a Department Store in a Local City (지방도시에 입점하고 있는 종합슈퍼와 백화점에 대한 점포이미지 비교 분석)

  • Kim, Chang-Gon
    • Journal of Distribution Science
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    • v.10 no.6
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    • pp.17-26
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    • 2012
  • Suncheon is a city comprising a rural and urban area, where there are four types of large stores. Studies have shown that there are too many large stores serving the local population of just 300,000. However, geographically, Suncheon is located at a transportation hub that borders the cities of Gwangyang and Yeosu as well as the local counties of Boseong and Gurae. Residents of these areas can reach these shopping stores within an hour's drive. Thus, the managers of these four stores regard residents in these areas as their valued customers and endeavor to create a differentiated image among them. In this study, 13 different images were used to determine the public's opinions and feelings towards these stores and the differences were analyzed. The store images measured overall store impression, diversity of the product, the quality of products displayed at the store, accessibility, the atmosphere, service to the customers, and so on. These images are evaluated subjectively by each customer and are major factors in them deciding to revisit the stores. The 13 images are classified into five main categories and further classified into 13 sub-categories. Three kinds of factor images were extracted from the store images in the five main categories by factor analysis using SPSS Ver. 19. The first factor image was extracted from the images of convenience, atmosphere, and service in the main categories and is called a sub-service factor for the store in this study. Accessibility to the store was classified as a convenience image in the main category and was extracted as a common factor along with diversity and the price of goods. These differences are expected according to the store location, that is, the difference between stores located in a large city and those in a small local city, and depending on the nature of survey respondents. The result shows that there is a significant difference between the stores' images with regard to accessibility, the price of products, brand image, and lighting/sound image. This study has the following limitations. First, the survey sample was restricted to residents of a small local city that includes rural and urban populations. The differences between the store images regarding traffic and accessibility are factored by store location, whether they are located within a large or a small city as well as the economic situation of these cities. Second, only the customers of large-scale stores were included in the survey as respondents. Relatively large traditional markets are held every five days in local cities and there is competition between large-scale stores and traditional markets with regard to diversity and the price of goods. It could be expected that customers in large-scale stores and customers in traditional markets would hold different store images. In future studies, images of stores in large cities should be compared with the images of stores located in small local cities. In addition, customer behavior when buying goods in large-scale stores should be compared with their behavior when buying goods in traditional markets.

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Role accomplishment and job satisfaction of hospice nurse (호스피스간호사의 역할수행 정도와 직무만족도)

  • Han, Hyoung-Suk;Choe, Wha-Sook
    • Korean Journal of Hospice Care
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    • v.8 no.1
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    • pp.29-48
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    • 2008
  • Purpose: The purpose of this study was to provide the basic information on the improvement plan by identifying the role accomplishment and job satisfaction of the hospice nurses and analyzing the factors that impact such role accomplishment and job satisfaction. Methods: The data was collected of 189 hospice nurses who have been working more than 6 months in 56 hospice programs registered in Korea Hospice Association and Korean Catholic Hospice Association from October to November, 2007 by structured questionnaire which was developed by Ryu(1979), based on the Riehl's nursing role and the research of Choe(2005) on the role of hospice nurse. Results: The role accomplishment and job satisfaction of the study subject were 3.53 point and 3.39 point, respectively. The roles of hospice nurses were accomplished by the order of advocator, nursing care provider, coordinator (cooperation), educator, quality manager, counsellor, administrator, and researcher. The job satisfaction of the hospice nurses was shown highest in the satisfaction of professional status, followed by the satisfaction of the interaction, satisfaction of the task itself, satisfaction of the administrative aspect, satisfaction of the autonomous, and the lowest in the satisfaction of the pay. The role accomplishment of the subjects according to their socio-demographic and job characteristics was found to have a significant difference by their age, marriage status, academic background, and position. It also has a significant difference by whether they play role of coordinator, whether they took whole responsibility as hospice, working experience as hospice/palliative nurse, and the level of hospice/palliative nursing training(p<.05). In the study of job satisfaction of the subjects according to their socio-demographic and job characteristics, the job satisfaction was found to have a significant difference by the increase of age, the number of duties consisting the hospice team, whether they play role of coordinator, whether they take whole responsibility as hospice, the level of hospice/palliative nursing training, and whether they wish to work for as long as possible(p<.05). The role accomplishment and the job satisfaction of the subjects showed a statistically significant positive correlation. (r=.541, p<.01) Conclusion: Raised saiary will be increased hospice nurse's job satisfaction. And we suggest a repetitive study using the identical tool to the equally extracted subjects with same representativeness of each hospice/palliative institute type. For the expanded role and enhanced professional standard of hospice nurses, we also suggest a study on the improvement plan to enhance the roles of researcher and administrator.

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The Estimation of Environmental Effect and Genetic Parameters on Carcass Traits in Hanwoo (한우 도체형질의 환경효과 및 유전모수 추정)

  • Sun, Du-Won;Kim, Byeong-Woo;Moon, Won-Gon;Park, Jae-Chan;Park, Cheol-Hyeon;Koo, Yang-Mo;Jeoung, Yeoung-Ho;Lee, Jae-Youn;Jang, Hyun-Gi;Jeon, Jin-Tae;Lee, Jung-Gyu
    • Journal of agriculture & life science
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    • v.44 no.6
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    • pp.83-89
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    • 2010
  • The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of the environmental and genetic factors on the carcass traits of Korean cattle. We have used the data of 22,954 Korean cattle slaughtered from 2005 to 2009 in Gyeongnam region and estimated the genetic parameters of 36,868 cattle including the pedigree individuals by means of EM-REML analytical method. In summary, the heritability of the carcass weight, eye muscle area, backfat thickness and marbling score was 0.39, 0.30, 0.33 and 0.62, respectively. The carcass weight and the eye muscle area showed high correlation between them with the genetic correlation of 0.86 and the phenotypic correlation of 0.72. The high heritability of marbling score is assumed to be the result of focusing the breed improvement on the quality of the meat. Through this study, it is considered that the Korean cattle in Gyeongnam region are improving, which will thus contribute to the increase of the farmer's income. Additional study on the economic trait must be carried out to obtain clearer results that will lead to further improvement of Korean cattle.

Effect of Low-dose Aspirin on Implantation and Pregnancy Rates in Patients Undergoing Frozen-thawed Embryo Transfer (동결보존 배아 이식에서 저 용량 아스피린 투여가 임신율과 착상율에 미치는 영향에 관한 연구)

  • Kim, Min Ji;Lee, Hyun Jung;Yu, Young;Seo, Back Kyung;Cha, Sun Hwa;Kim, Hae Suk;Song, In Ok;Byun, Hye Kyung;Koong, Mi Kyoung;Kang, Inn Soo;Yang, Kwang Moon
    • Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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    • v.32 no.3
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    • pp.243-251
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    • 2005
  • Objective: Low-dose aspirin have been proposed to improving endometrial receptivity and pregnancy rate in COH-IVF by increasing endometrial perfusion. However, the effect of low-dose aspirin in COH-IVF could be negligible because there have been large quantity of other important factors responsible for changing endometrial perfusion accompanied by COH procedure. In contrast, in frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycles which were not accompanied by COH procedure, the effects of low-dose aspirin in endometrial blood flow seems to be more certain than in COH-IVF cycles. In this study, we analyzed the effect of low-dose aspirin treatment on implantation and pregnancy rates in patients undergoing frozen-thawed embryo transfer Methods: From January 2003 to December 2003, total 264 cycles from 264 patients who attended infertility clinic at Samsung Cheil Hospital were enrolled in this study. All cases included in this study, embryos were frozen and thawed at the pronuclear stage and three days after incubation, at least 2 or more good quality embryos were transferred into uterus. In study group, low dose aspirin (100 mg/day) was administrated from the first or second date of menstrual day to 9 days after embryo transfer. On the other hand, control group did not take any medicine except estradiol valerate for endometrial priming. Several variables including implantation and pregnancy rates were compared in both groups. After then, each groups were stratified by endometrial thickness checked at embryo transfer (ET) day such as (28 mm versus <8 mm) and same variables above described were compared between study and control groups. Results: The mean age, infertility duration, endometrial thickness at embryo transfer day and mean number of transferred embryo were not significantly different in both groups. Also, implantation rates (study group: 15.8%, control group: 20.5%) and pregnancy rate (study group: 45.1%, control group: 43.5%) were not significantly different between two groups. (p>0.05) After we analyzed same variables stratified by endometrial thickness checked at embryo transfer day, we could not found any significant difference between study and control groups. Conclusions: Low-dose aspirin treatment seems to have no advantage of improving implantation and pregnancy rates in patients undergoing frozen-thawed embryo transfer.

우리나라 농촌지역의 출산조절행태 및 출산조절행위의 결정요인 분석

  • Chung, Kyung-Hee;Han, Seung-Hyun;Bang, Sook
    • Korea journal of population studies
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    • v.11 no.2
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    • pp.33-53
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    • 1988
  • This study aimed at developing a desirable family planning policy and strategy by examining the current status of family planning practice in rural Korea and by indentifying the crucial factors which affect fertility control behavior. For this purpose, an analytical study was conducted, using the survey data collected in July 1985, on an interview basis, on 1, 440 married women living in the Soyi, Wonnam and Maingdong townships of Eumseong County(in North Chungcheong Province). This study population has the typical characteristics of rural areas, and the results of the analysis can be summarized as follows: 1. In regard to the demographic characteristics of the study population : their average age at marriage was 23.7, they had an average of 2.6 children( 1.3 boys, 1.3 girls) :10% experienced the death of their child (ren) :14% had spontaneous abortion(s) :4% weathered stillbirth(s) :35% went through induced abortion (s) : and 5.5% were currently pregnant. The average of their ideal numbers of children was 2.2, while 44% felt that they must have a son. 2. Looking at the contact rate with medical & health institutions, over the past 1 year, the visit rate to health subcenters was 43.7%, while 26.9% visited the (county) health center :59.6% had been to private clinics : and 41.5% went to the Soonchunhyang - Eumsung hospital : thus showing a relatively high rate of accessibility. 3. The utilization rate of family planning services was 76.5%, with tubectomy being the most prominent method at 52.3%, while the informants were health workers in 54.2% of the acceptors. Of the 8.4% who discontinued the use of contraceptive methods, only 26% did so due to want for pregnancy, natural infertility (meno - pause), or other reasons, while the remaining 74% stopped usage on account of side effects, failure in the methods themselves, and inconvenience of use, thus pointing to a situation where the proper choice of family planning methods have not yet been made. It can be noted that there is a strong motivation for early birth stopping as 35.3% practice family planning even with only one child, of which 38.3% have had sterilization operations. According to results of a multiple regression analysis, among the variables affecting contraception usage the most significant variable was the number of sons. 4. 34.8% experienced induced abortions. It was shown as a result of multiple regression analysis that the number of children and attitudes toward induced abortions extensively affected their frequency of abortions conducted. 5. In the regard to the relation between family planning and induced abortions, 33.7% of the women used both, while 52.0% of them used only the former(family planning), with only 1.4 % utilizing solely the latter(abortion), and 12.9% totally abstaining from fertility regulation : again, the discriminant analysis indicated that the choice of family planning and/or induced abortion was determined by the number of children and attitudes toward induced abortion. In view of the above mentioned results, the following are some comments and suggestions concerning problems related to the current family planning policies, in Korea : 1. It is difficult to expect a further quantitative expansion in family planning program operations, as there has been an excessive supply of target-oriented sterilization operations on women. From a maternal and child health care point of view, it will be desirable to have a diversification of service points in the future where family planning methods may be properly chosen, so that choices of methods which suit the mothers' characteristics and tastes may be made by the individuals themselves by strengthening their quality of family planning information services. 2. Along with the strengthening of the qualitative improvement of family planning services policies must be implemented to effectively promote the moral (ethical) deterrents to induced abortions and to preference for sons. From a maternal care standpoint, the social permissive norm toward induced abortion must be modified, and the bias towards son must be analyzed as the women with more daughters have a lower rate of family planning acceptance. Such changes in attitudes, however, can not be hoped to be accomplished with ad hoc policies, but will only be possible when an enhancement of the women's status(within the society) is brought about in a long - term perspective.

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The Change in Quality of the Labor Force and Its Effect on the Economic Growth of Korea (한국 노동력의 질적향상이 경제발전에 미치는 영향)

  • Song, Wi-sup
    • Korea journal of population studies
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    • v.11 no.1
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    • pp.159-184
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    • 1988
  • Race and ethnicity are important factors which influence the elderIy's residential adjustment behaviors, although it is unclear whether this reflects influences unrelated to race and ethnlcity. Culturally, the norm of family supportoften obseved among various minority ethnic groups is likely to provide flexible family suppof for the elderIy. Economically, the life-long hardship ofminority groups is likely to force them to maintain extended family living arrangements simply to reduce expenses via economies of scale. Thecontroversy about the economic need versus the cultural prescription forextended living arrangements remains unresoIved because it fails to articulatethe meaning of family supports among many disadvantaged groups.This study aims to test previous economic and cultural arguments, byexamining ethnic differences iu the eiderIy's responsiveness to their health andeconomic problems. Two hypotheses about cultural influences on the elderly's resideutiai adjustment are examined. First, do elderly minorities receive famiiysupporis for longer periods when they are poor if economic and health status\ulcorner Second, do elderiy minorities receive family supports more often when their health status declines\ulcorner Using the Longitudinal Suvey on Aging from 1984 to 1990. this study employs Markovian multi-state life tables, and discrete and contonuous competing hazard analyses for the transition in living arrangements. The main results provide substantial evidence against the cultural resource thesis. Elderly minorities experience more frequent transition between living alone and living with relatives than white elderly persons when group differences in the extent of mortality and insititutionalization are controlled. The shorter timf of living alone among elderly monorities stems from their greater likehood of joining relatives as well as greater mortality and attrition rates than elderly whites. Coresidence of elderly whites with their relatives is more likely to occur in response to their needs for health care than of elderly whites. it implies that instability. not flezibility. characterrizes elderly minorities living arrangements.

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Effects of Different Levels of Hilly Inclination and Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium Application Rate on the Mutual Balances of Mineral Nutrients in Pasture Soils and Mixed Forages, and the Grass Tetany Hazard in a Mixed Grass-Clover Sward (산지경사도(山地傾斜度) 및 3요소(要素) 시용수준(施用水準)이 초지토양(草地土壤) 및 목초중(牧草中) 무기양분(無機養分)의 상호균형(相互均衡)과 Grass Tetany 위험성(危險性)에 미치는 영향(影響))

  • Jung, Yeun-Kyu;Lee, Jong-Yeol
    • Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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    • v.19 no.3
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    • pp.231-238
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    • 1986
  • This field experiment was undertaken to assess the effects of three levels of inclination ($10^{\circ}$, $20^{\circ}$ and $30^{\circ}$) and four rates of $N-P_2O_5-K_2O$ (0-0-0, 14-10-10, 28-25-25, and 42-40-40 kg/10a) on the hilly pasture concerning to establishment, forage yield and quality, and botanical composition in the mixed grass-clover sward set up on a new reclaimed woodland by an oversowing method. This part was concerned with the concentration and mutual balance of mineral nutrients in relation to grass tetany hazard. The results obtained were summarized as follows: 1. Concentration of exchangeable Mg, relative proportions of Mg to CEC, K, and Ca in soil were considerably below the critical level for good forage growth and prevention of grass tetany. These properties were rather worsened by increasing the inclination grade and the NPK rate. 2. Compared with the critical level for the likelihood of tetany (Mg < 0.2%, K > 2.5%, and K/(Ca+Mg) equivalent ratio > 2.2 in forages in DM basis), mean concentration of Mg in mixed forages turned out to range from 0.09 to 0.14%. 2.6% of K concentration and 2.5 of K/(Ca+Mg) equivalent ratio were shown to be at a normal NPK rate. The likelihood of grass tetany was generally enhanced by increasing the inclination grade and the NPK rate. 3. The increasing of the inclination grade and NPK rate rather aggravated the low Mg concentration and unbalanced mutual ratios of mineral nutrients, from which resulted the grass tetany hazard and the depression of forage growth. To prevent these two resulted factors, Mg fertilization on grassland and/or extra Mg supplement to dairy cattle needed to be carried out. 4. The Ca/P ratios in the mixed forages ranging from 1.0 to 2.0 were reduced by the increased rate of NPK, whereas the difference due to inclination grade was yet to be recognized.

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