• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.19 no.11
• /
• pp.1524-1528
• /
• 2006

A total of 437 animals, comprising lambs aged between 3 and 12 months and adults of either sex of Muzaffarnagari sheep maintained at the Central Institute for Research on Goats, Makhdoom, Farah, Mathura, India were screened to assess the prevalence of Haemonchus contortus infection following natural infection and to identify the various factors affecting faecal egg count (FEC) and packed cell volume (PCV) of ewes and their genetic control. The relationships between FEC, PCV and body weight were also estimated. The prevalence rate for H. contortus infection in the flock under study was 15.7% indicating much lower occurrence of worm infection in lambs up to one year of age. On the other hand, a large proportion i.e., 67.7% of sheep was refractive to natural H. contortus infection. The random effect of sire significantly contributed (p<0.01) variation in log-transformed FEC (LFEC) of ewes. The season of birth had a significant (p<0.01) effect on LFEC of ewes. The lactating ewes had significantly (p<0.01) higher faecal egg counts compared to dry and pregnant ewes. The linear regression effects of the age of ewes on LFEC of animals were significant (p<0.01) in the present study. The heritabilities of LFEC, PCV and body weights of ewes during the course of infection were moderate to high in magnitude and ranged from 0.24 to 0.47. The LFEC of ewes was significantly (p<0.05) and negatively correlated with PCV at both genetic and phenotypic level. The genetic and phenotypic relationships between LFEC and body weights of ewes were -0.26 and -0.06 for this breed. The genetic correlation of PCV and body weight of ewes was positive and high (0.58) and statistically significant (p<0.05) but it was negatively correlated (-0.01) with body weight at the phenotypic level.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.10 no.5
• /
• pp.645-653
• /
• 2005

The prevalence of undernutrition in hospital populations is known to be high. The presence of malnutrition is associated with depression, infections, sarcopaenia, falls, fractures, reduced autonomy and increased mortality. This study specifically examined the prevalence of malnutrition in patients aged 65 or older at the time of admission as determined by the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) which has been a frequently used nutritional risk screening tools in detecting undernutrition in old people. This study was done for one hundred eight hospitalized geriatric patients in Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul, Korea. On admission baseline history, anthropometrics measurements, laboratory data and nutritional status by MNA were assessed. Length of hospital stay was obtained by reviewing medical charts. We used one-way analysis of variance to compare the differences in variables. Spearman's rank correlation coefficients were calculated for associations between MNA and variables. On admission, $22.3\%$ of patients were malnourished and $40.7\%$ were at risk of malnutrition according to the MNA. Percent of ideal body weight, anthropometrics data, albumin, and hemoglobin were lower in the malnourished patients (p<0.05). The malnourished patients stayed in the hospital 7.3 days longer, as compared with well nourished patients (p<0.05). Percent of ideal body weight, albumin, hemoglobin and total cholesterol were correlated inversely with nutritional status according to MNA (p<0.05). MNA can be used for nutritional assessment in Korean old people, because MNA significantly correlated with other nutritional assessment parameters, such as, anthropometric and laboratory data in hospitalized geriatric patients. The high prevalence of malnutrition in the elderly was observed and the presence of malnutrition on admission predicted a significant increase in the length of hospital stay in this study. Therefore further studies are needed to determine whether nutritional interventions in old people with low MNA scores can improve clinical outcomes during the hospital course.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.27-35
• /
• 2010

This study was done to investigate the association of blood clinical parameters and dietary intakes with serum adiponectin level. Athropometric measurement, dietary intakes, serum lipids and adiponectin levels were examined in 160 overweight and obese women. The subjects were divided into 5 groups by quintile according to serum adiponectin level. Weight, BMI, waist circumferences and waist/hip ratio of the highest quintile group were significantly lower than those of the lowest quintile group. Serum lipid analysis showed a significant higher level of TG, LDL-cholesterol, LDL/HDL ratio, AI, and serum hs-CRP in the lowest quintile group. Similarly, correlation data also showed that serum adiponectin level was positively correlated with serum HDL-cholesterol level (p < 0.01) and was negatively correlated with BMI (p < 0.01), waist circumferences (p < 0.01), waist/hip ratio (p<0.01), systolic (p < 0.01) and diastolic blood pressure (p < 0.05), TG (p < 0.01), LDL-cholesterol (p < 0.05), LDL/HDL ratio (p < 0.05), AI (p < 0.01), Homa-IR (p < 0.01), hs-CRP (p < 0.05) and leptin (p < 0.05). Dietary intake data showed that protein intake was significantly lower in the highest quintile group compared to the lower quintile groups while intakes of vitamin C was significantly higher in highest quintile group after adjustment by BMI, waist and energy intake, In addition, the highest quintile group had higher fiber intakes than the lower quintile groups. These results might suggest that a diet high in fiber and vitamin C and low in protein for obese patients would better be recommended to improve adiponectin level. However, further research is needed to elucidate the association of dietary intakes or dietary patterns and serum adiponectin level.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.90-96
• /
• 1991

This experiment was carried out in order to estimate the recovery days of root and stubble to the days after cutting, and contribution of specific stubble weight on the regrowth was examined using the relationships between the dry weight of shoot and yield components, and regrowth parameters by the days after cutting. The varieties examined were Maprima, Manhattan, Tove, Peramo, Caliente, Tempo and P-2 grown under individual plant basis. The results are may be summarized as follows: 1. Dry weight of root and stubble were recovered up to 13.5 and 11 days after cutting, respectively. 2. Dry weight of shoot(regrowth parts+stubble) was affected significantly by the varieties, stages of regrowth and variety x stage of regrowth. 3. The variety with tiller weight type showed higher average productivity of shoot than those of the variety with tiller number type. 4. Absolute growth rate(AGR) of shoot was correlated significantly with regrowth parts, stubble, root and weight of a tiller at the early stage of regrowth(up to 12 days after cutting), and correlated with regrowth parts, stubble, weight of tiller and stubble area at the late stage of regrowth(up to 20 days after cutting). 5. Contribution of specific stubble weight to absolute growth rate of shoot was different between the stages of regrowth. Thus, regrowth parts per specific stubble weight(RP1SSbW) and weight of tiller per specific stubble weight(WT1SSbW) contributed to absolute growth rate of shoot at the early stage of regrowth, and efficiency of specific stubble weight(ESSbW), regrowth parts per specific stubble weight (RPISSbW) and weight of a tiller per specific stubble weight(WT1SSbW) contributed to absolute growth rate of shoot at the late stage of regrowth. 6. Regrowth utilization rate(RUR) was one of the useful regrowth parameter to indicate the regrowth potential of grasses.

• Nutritional Sciences
• /
• v.8 no.4
• /
• pp.262-267
• /
• 2005

Reactive oxygen species can be generated in the skin by hair dyeing. The aim of this study was to find out the effects of the oxidative-type hair dye application in young women on the antioxidant systems. We investigated the lipid peroxide levels, glutathione (GSH) levels, and the antioxidant enzyme activities including superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx) in plasma and erythrocytes and catalase (CAT) in erythrocytes, and DNA damages in lymphocytes. Also, plasma concentrations of antioxidant vitamins, vitamin A and E, were measured and the correlations between various antioxidant parameters and oxidative damages were evaluated The antioxidant enzyme activities in plasma (GSHPx) and in erythrocytes (SOD and CAT) were decreased significantly after hair dyeing. 1be lipid peroxide and GSH levels were not affected in both plasma and erythrocytes. No significant difference was found in the concentrations of both vitamin A and E between before and after hair dyeing. However, DNA damages expressed as the tail extent moment (TEM) and tail length (TL) were significantly (p<0.001) increased. The plasma vitamin E concentration was correlated with DNA damages (TEM: r=-0.590, p<0.01 and TL: r=-0.533. p<0.01) and RBC SOD activity (r=0.570, p<0.05). In turn, RBC SOD activity was significantly correlated with both plasma MDA levels (r=-0.412, p<0.05) and DNA damages (TM: r=-0.546, p<0.01, TL: r=-0.493, p<0.01). Our results demonstrated that the exposure to hair dyeing produced lymphocyte DNA damage and modification of the antioxidant enzyme activities. Also, there were very strong associations between plasma vitamin E concentration, RBC SOD activity and DNA damage induced by hair dyeing. It suggests that the antioxidant status of a subject is likely to be related to the extent of the harmful effects caused by hair dyeing.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.49 no.4
• /
• pp.217-221
• /
• 2011

Objective : This paper presents data from a retrospective study of endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) in patients with shunt malfunction and proposes a simple and reasonable post-operative protocol that can detect ETV failure. Methods : We enrolled 19 consecutive hydrocephalus patients (11 male and 8 female) who were treated with ETV between April 2001 and July 2010 after failure of previously placed shunts. We evaluated for correlations between the success rate of ETV and the following parameters : age at the time of surgery, etiology of hydrocephalus, number of shunt revisions, interval between the initial diagnosis of hydrocephalus or the last shunt placement and ETV, and the indwelling time of external ventricular drainage. Results : At the time of ETV after shunt failure, 14 of the 19 patients were in the pediatric age group and 5 were adults, with ages ranging from 14 months to 42 years (median age, 12 years). The patients had initially been diagnosed with hydrocephalus between the ages of 1 month 24 days and 32 years (median age, 6 years 3 months). The etiology of hydrocephalus was neoplasm in 7 patients; infection in 5; malformation, such as aqueductal stenosis or megacisterna magna in 3; trauma in 1; and unknown in 3. The overall success rate during the median follow-up duration of 1.4 years (9 days to 8.7 years) after secondary ETV was 68.4%. None of the possible contributing factors for successful ETV, including age (p=0.97) and the etiology of hydrocephalus (p=0.79), were statistically correlated with outcomes in our series. Conclusion: The use of ETV in patients with shunt malfunction resulted in shunt independence in 68.4% of cases. Age, etiology of hydrocephalus, and other contributing factors were not statistically correlated with ETV success. External ventricular drainage management during the immediate post-ETV period is a good means of detecting ETV failure.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.45-49
• /
• 2016

Purpose: This study was performed to evaluate the effects of cyclosporine-A (CsA) on linear growth in pediatric patients with steroid-dependent (SDNS) or resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS). Methods: Thirty-five pediatric patients with SDNS or SRNS undergoing glucocorticoid (GC) and/or CsA treatment were retrospectively reviewed. Seventeen patients were treated with GC alone and 18 were treated with GC and CsA. The cumulative doses of GC and CsA were quantified (mg/kg/day). Linear growth during the follow-up period was defined as the difference in Z-score between the initial and final height according to the follow-up period (${\Delta}$ height Z score/year). The associations between linear growth and clinical parameters were analyzed. Results: The linear growth of patients in the two groups was not significantly different (P=0.262). The ${\Delta}$ height Z score/year did not show a significant correlation with the cumulative doses of CsA, but was negatively correlated with the cumulative dose of GC and positively correlated with the Z score for height at the time of diagnosis. Conclusion: In children with SDNS or SRNS undergoing GC therapy, added CsA treatment may not have harmful effects on linear growth.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.57 no.2
• /
• pp.75-78
• /
• 2014

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the clinical features of macrocephaly at birth in Korea using ultrasonography. Methods: We retrospectively investigated the medical records of full-term birth neonates in Cheil General Hospital & Women's Healthcare Center from January 2000 to June 2012. The following parameters were recorded and analyzed: gestational age, sex, birth weight, height, occipitofrontal circumference (OFC), physical examination, perinatal problems, and ultrasonography results. Macrocephaly was diagnosed when the OFC was greater than two standard deviations, based on the 2007 Korean National Growth Charts. Results: There were 75 neonates with macrocephaly at birth (52 boys and 23 girls), with a mean OFC of $38.1{\pm}0.49cm$. A comparison of the birth weight and height with the OFC value showed that height was correlated with OFC (r=0.35) but birth weight was not correlated with OFC (r=0.06). There were no remarkable findings in 56 cases (75%). Germinal matrix hemorrhage was identified in 10 cases (13%). An enlarged cerebrospinal fluid space was found in 5 cases (6.7%). There were 3 cases of mega-cisterna magna (4%), 1 case of ventriculomegaly, and 1 case of an enlarged interhemispheric space (6 mm) among these patients. In addition, a choroid plexus cyst was seen in 1 case. Mineralizing vasculopathy in both basal ganglia with no evidence of congenital infection was found in 2 cases and an asymptomatic subarachnoid hemorrhage was found in 1 case. Conclusion: Our results indicate that macrocephaly at birth has benign ultrasonography findings and shows a pattern of male dominance.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.28 no.8
• /
• pp.1061-1065
• /
• 2015

Data collected from 690 purebred Duroc pigs from 2009 to 2012 were used to estimate the heritability, and genetic and phenotypic correlations between production and meat quality traits. Variance components were obtained through the restricted maximum likelihood procedure using Wombat and SAS version 9.0. Animals were raised under the same management in five different breeding farms. The average daily gain, loin muscle area (LMA), backfat thickness (BF), and lean percent (LP) were measured as production traits. Meat quality traits included pH, cooking loss, lightness ($L^*$), redness ($a^*$), yellowness ($b^*$), marbling score (MS), moisture content (MC), water holding capacity (WHC), and shear force. The results showed that the heritability estimates for meat quality traits varied largely from 0.19 to 0.79. Production traits were moderate to highly heritable from 0.41 to 0.73. Genotypically, the BF was positively correlated (p<0.05) with MC (0.786), WHC (0.904), and pH (0.328) but negatively correlated with shear force (-0.533). The results of genetic correlations indicated that selection for less BF could decrease pH, moisture content, and WHC and increase the shear force of meat. Additionally, a significant positive correlation was recorded between average daily gain and WHC, which indicates pork from faster-growing animals has higher WHC. Furthermore, selection for larger LMA and LP could increase MS and lightness color of meat. The meat quality and production traits could be improved simultaneously if desired. Hence, to avoid further deterioration of pork characteristics, appropriate selection of traits should be considered.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.46 no.3
• /
• pp.277-287
• /
• 2018

Current reports suggest that obesity is a serious global health issue. Emerging evidence has predicted strong links between obesity and the human gut microbiota. However, only a few such studies have been conducted in Asia, and the gut microbiota of lean and obese adult Asians remains largely unexplored. Here, we investigated the potential relationship between gut microbiota, body massindex (BMI), and metabolic parameters in adults from Thailand, where obesity is increasing rapidly. Fecal and blood samples were collected from 42 volunteers who were allocated into lean, overweight, and obese groups. The fecal microbiota was examined by quantitative PCR analysis. Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Staphylococcus spp. and methanogens were most abundant in lean volunteers. Overweight volunteers majorly harbored Christensenella minuta and Akkermansia muciniphila, ${\gamma}-Proteobacteria$, and bacteria belonging to the genus Ruminococcus. Methanogens and bacteria belonging to the phylum Bacteroidetes were negatively correlated with adiposity markers (BMI and waist circumference), but positive correlated with high-density lipoprotein, suggesting that they can be used as leanness markers. While some of our results agree with those of previous reports, results regarding the contributions of specific taxa to obesity were inconsistent. This is the first study to report the adult gut microbiota in Southeast Asian populations using molecular techniques and biochemical markers and provides a foundation for future studies in this field.