• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.30 no.4 s.59
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• pp.741-751
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• 1997

Measurement of blood lead (PbB) and blood zinc protoporphyrin (ZPP) are most common biological indices to identify the individual at risk for excess or the health sequences by lead exposure. Because PbB is known most important and reliable index of lead exposure, PbB is often regarded as a gold standard to detect lead exposure. But in Korea PbB is a secondary test item of detailed health check-up with positive finding of screening test in most occasion. Our lead standard requires all lead workers to take annual heath-check twice a year for investigation of their health effect due to lead exposure. Blood ZPP is one of most important index to detect high lead absorption in lead workers as a screening test. Measurement of blood ZPP is known ,well to correlate with PbB in steady state of exposure in most lead workers and is often used as a primary screening test to detect high lead absorption of lead workers with the advantage of simplicity, easiness, portability and low cost. The current cut-off criteria of blood ZPP for further detailed health check-up is $100{\mu}g/d\ell$ which is supposed to match the level of $40{\mu}g/d\ell$ of PbB according to our standard. Authors tried to investigate the validity of current criteria of cut-off level $(100{\mu}g/d\ell)$ of blood ZPP and possible another better cut-off level of it to detect the lead workers whose PbB level over $40{\mu}g/d\ell$. The subjects in our study were 212 male workers in three small scale storage battery industries. Blood ZPP, PbB and hemoglobin (Hb) were selected as the indices of lead exposure. The results were as follows. 1. The mean of blood ZPP, PbB and Hb in lead workers were $79.5{\pm}46.7{\mu}g/d\ell,\;38.7{\pm}15.1{\mu}g/d\ell,\;and\;14.8{\pm}1.2g/d\ell$, respectively. There were significant differences in blood ZPP, PbB and Hb by industry (P<0.01). 2. The percents of lead workers whose blood ZPP were above $100{\mu}g/d\ell$ in the group of work duration below 1, 1-4, 5-9 and above 10 years were 8.6%, 17.2%, 47.6%, and 50.0%, respectively. The percents of lead workers whose PbB were above $40{\mu}g/d\ell$ in those were 31.4%, 40.4%, 71.4%, and 86.4%, respectively. 3. The percents of lead workers whose PbB were below $40{\mu}g/d\ell$, $40-59{\mu}g/d\ell$ and above $60{\mu}g/d\ell$ were 54.7%, 34.9% and 10.4%, respectively. Those of lead workers whose blood ZPP were below $100{\mu}g/d\ell$, $100-149{\mu}g/d\ell$ and above $150{\mu}g/d\ell$ were 79.2%, 13.7% and 7.1%, respectively. 4. Simple linear regression of PbB on blood ZPP was statistically significant (P<0.01) and as PbB was $40{\mu}g/d\ell$, blood ZPP was $82.1{\mu}g/d\ell$. 5. While the highest sensitivity and specificity of blood ZPP test to detect lead workers with PbB eve. $40{\mu}g/d\ell$ were observed in the cut-off level of $50{\mu}g/d\ell$ and $100{\mu}g/d\ell$ of blood ZPP, respectively, the highest validity (sensitivity+specificity) of blood ZPP to detect lead workers with PbB over $40{\mu}g/d\ell$ was observed in the cut-off level of around $70{\mu}g/d\ell$ of blood ZPP. But even with optimal cut-off level of around $70{\mu}g/d\ell$ of blood ZPP, still 25.0% of false negative and 20.7% false positive lead workers were found. As the result of this study, it was suggested that reconsideration of current blood ZPP cut-off of our lead standard from $100{\mu}g/d\ell$ to somewhat lower level such as around $70{\mu}g/d\ell$ and the inclusion of PbB measurement as a primary screening test for lead workers was highly recommended for the effective prevention of lead workers.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.77-93
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• 1999

This study is aiming at identifying the foreward and backward lingkage effects of the farm land base development project. Korean Government has continuously carried out farmland base development projets including the integrated agricultural development projects. large and medium scale irrigation projects and the comprehensive development of the four big river basin including tidal land reclamation and estuary dam construction for the all weather farming since 1962. the starting year of the five year economic development plans. Consequently the irrigation rate of paddy fields in Korea reached to 75% in 1998 and to escalate the irrigation rate, the Government had procured heavy investment fund from IBRD. IMF and OECF etc. To cope with the agricultural problems like trade liberalization in accordance with WTO policy, the government has tried to solve such problems as new farmland base development policy, preservation of the farmland and expansion of farmland to meet self-sufficiency of foods in the future. Especially, farmland base development projects have been challanged to environmental and ecological problems in evaluating economic benefits and costs where the value of non-market goods have not been included in those. Up to data, in evaluating benefits and costs of the projects, farmland base development projects have been confined to direct incremental value of farm products and it's related costs. Therefore the projects'efficiency as a decision making criteria has shown the low level of economic efficiencies. In estimating economic efficiencies including Leontiefs input-output analysis of the projects could not be founded in Korea at present. Accordingly this study is aimed at achieving and identifying the following objectives. (1) To identify the problems related to the financial supports of the Government in implementing the proposed projects. (2) To estimated backward and foreward linkage effects of the proposed project from the view point of national economy as a whole. To achieve the objectives, Hwangrak benefited area with reservoir which is located in Seosan-haemi Disticts, Chungnam Province were selected as a case study. The main results of the study are summarized as follows : a. The present value of investment and O & M cost were amounted to 3,510million won and the present value of the value added in related industries was estimated at 5.913million won for the period of economic life of 70 years. b. The total discounted value of farm products in the concerned industries derived by the project was estimated at 10,495million won and the foreward and backward linkage effects of the project were amounted to 6,760 and 5,126million won respectively. c. The total number of employment opportunities derived from the related industries for the period of project life were 3,136 man/year. d. Farmland base development projects were showed that the backward linkage effects estimated by index of the sensitivity dispersion were larger than the forward linkage effect estimated by index of the power of dispersion. On the other hand, the forward linkage effect of rice production value during project life was larger than the backward linkage effect e. The rate of creation of new job opportunity by means of implementing civil engineering works were shown high in itself rather than any other fields. and the linkage effects of production of the project investment were mainly derived from the metal and non-metal fields. f. According to the industrial linkage effect analysis, farmland base development projects were identified economically feasible from the view point of national economy as a whole even though the economic efficiencies of the project was outstandingly decreased owing to delaying construction period and increasing project costs.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.327-339
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• 2018

This study aimed to provide basic data for establishing the clinical basis for dental hygienist-led dental hygiene process of care by identifying multiple risk factors for self-support program participants in Gangneung city; we also compared oral health status and behavioral changes through customized oral health care. Four dental hygienists who were evaluated for degree of conformity provided dental hygiene process of care to eight self-support program participants who were selected as having an oral health risk among people in the self-support center. The clinical indicators measured during dental hygiene assessment and evaluation and behavioral changes due to dental hygiene intervention were compared and analyzed. With respect to clinical indicators, at the time of probe, the retention rate of patients with gingival bleeding decreased from 61.4% to 14.7% after intervention (p=0.004). Furthermore, the retention rate of patients with a periodontal pocket >4 mm decreased from 15.6% to 5.8% (p=0.001). The average modified O'Leary index of the patients improved from 23 to 40 (p=0.002). Previously, all eight subjects used the vertical or horizontal method of brushing; after dental hygiene care interventions regarding method and frequency of toothbrushing, use of oral care products, and individual interventions, they started using the rolling or Bass method of toothbrushing. Four of eight subjects reported using interdental toothbrushes after intervention. As a result of applying the change model to the transtheoretical behavior change of the subject, the result of strengthening the health behavior was confirmed. For promotion of oral health by the prevention-centered incremental oral health care system, dental hygienist-led dental hygiene management and maintenance is essential. It is thought that continuous research, such as for feasibility evaluation, cost benefit analysis, and preparation of legal systems, is needed to establish and activate dental hygiene management.

• 한국노년학
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.1247-1259
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• 2009

Muscle mass is reduced by aging. There seems to be no direct relationship between sarcopenia(muscle loss) and medical cost in the elderly, but lowering muscle mass results in increase risk of fall and decrease of strength, fitness, physical activity, and independent life. This is coupled with physical trouble and chronic degenerative disease such as diabetes, obesity, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension. Thus, sarcopenia is potential risk factor increasing mortality. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of elastic band exercise and detraining on sarcopenia prevention related variables, body composition and fitness. The subject of this study was 60~70 aged 14 seniors who participated in exercise program in J-welfare senior center at J-gu in S-city. Elastic band exercise was performed twice per week for 12 weeks. The body composition and fitness variables were measured before 12 weeks of control, after control(before exercise), after 12 weeks of exercise(before detraining), and after 12 weeks of detraining. There was no significant difference in body composition and fitness variables before and after 12 weeks of control, but elastic band exercise before and after 12 weeks has effect on body composition variables such as weight (t=2.978, p=0.001), body mass index (t=3.502, p=0.004), percent body fat (t=2.216, p=0.045), muscle mass (t=-3.837, p=0.002), visceral fat area (t=5.186, p<0.001), and waist-hip ratio (t=3.045, p=0.009) and on fitness variables such as 2-minutes step (t=-6.891 p<0.001), arm curl (t=-4.702, p<0.001), chair stand (t=-4.860, p<0.001), chair sit and reach (t=-5.910, p<0.001), back scratch (t=-3.835, p=0.002), and 8-ft up and go (t=7.560, p<0.001). This exercise effect was continued after 12 weeks of detraining on body composition variables such as weight (t=2.323, p=0.037), body mass index (t=2.503, p=0.026), muscle mass (t=-3.137, p=0.008) and on fitness variables such as 2-minutes step (t=-6.489 p<0.001), chair stand (t=-4.694, p<0.001), chair sit and reach (t=-3.690, p=0.003), and 8-ft up and go (t=7.539, p<0.001). It was found that the elastic band exercise has positive effect on body composition and fitness in the elderly and the effect was maintained over 12 weeks of detraining.

• Asia Marketing Journal
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.1-24
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• 2012

Nowadays, customer satisfaction has been one of company's major objectives, and the index to measure and communicate customer satisfaction has been generally accepted among business practices. The major issues of CSI(customer satisfaction index) are three questions, as follows: (a)what level of customer satisfaction is tolerable, (b)whether customer satisfaction and company performance has positive causality, and (c)what to do to improve customer satisfaction. Among these, the second issue is recently attracting academic research in several perspectives. On this study, the second issue will be addressed. Many researchers including Anderson have regarded customer satisfaction as core competencies, such as brand equity, customer equity. They want to verify following causality "customer satisfaction → market performance(market share, sales growth rate) → financial performance(operating margin, profitability) → corporate value performance(stock price, credit ratings)" based on the process model of marketing performance. On the other hand, Insoo Jeon and Aeju Jeong(2009) verified sequential causality based on the process model by the domestic data. According to the rejection of several hypotheses, they suggested the balance model of marketing performance as an alternative. The objective of this study, based on the existing process model, is to examine the causal relationship between customer satisfaction and corporate value performance. Anderson and Mansi(2009) proved the relationship between ACSI(American Customer Satisfaction Index) and credit ratings using 2,574 samples from 1994 to 2004 on the assumption that credit rating could be an indicator of a corporate value performance. The similar study(Sangwoon Yoon, 2010) was processed in Korean data, but it didn't confirm the relationship between KCSI(Korean CSI) and credit ratings, unlike the results of Anderson and Mansi(2009). The summary of these studies is in the Table 1. Two studies analyzing the relationship between customer satisfaction and credit ratings weren't consistent results. So, in this study we are to test the conflicting results of the relationship between customer satisfaction and credit ratings based on the research model considering Korean credit ratings. To prove the hypothesis, we suggest the research model as follows. Two important features of this model are the inclusion of important variables in the existing Korean credit rating system and government support. To control their influences on credit ratings, we included three important variables of Korean credit rating system and government support, in case of financial institutions including banks. ROA, ER, TA, these three variables are chosen among various kinds of financial indicators since they are the most frequent variables in many previous studies. The results of the research model are relatively favorable : R², F-value and p-value is .631, 233.15 and .000 respectively. Thus, the explanatory power of the research model as a whole is good and the model is statistically significant. The research model has good explanatory power, the regression coefficients of the KCSI is .096 as positive(+) and t-value and p-value is 2.220 and .0135 respectively. As a results, we can say the hypothesis is supported. Meanwhile, all other explanatory variables including ROA, ER, log(TA), GS_DV are identified as significant and each variables has a positive(+) relationship with CRS. In particular, the t-value of log(TA) is 23.557 and log(TA) as an explanatory variables of the corporate credit ratings shows very high level of statistical significance. Considering interrelationship between financial indicators such as ROA, ER which include total asset in their formula, we can expect multicollinearity problem. But indicators like VIF and tolerance limits that shows whether multicollinearity exists or not, say that there is no statistically significant multicollinearity in all the explanatory variables. KCSI, the main subject of this study, is a statistically significant level even though the standardized regression coefficients and t-value of KCSI is .055 and 2.220 respectively and a relatively low level among explanatory variables. Considering that we chose other explanatory variables based on the level of explanatory power out of many indicators in the previous studies, KCSI is validated as one of the most significant explanatory variables for credit rating score. And this result can provide new insights on the determinants of credit ratings. However, KCSI has relatively lower impact than main financial indicators like log(TA), ER. Therefore, KCSI is one of the determinants of credit ratings, but don't have an exceedingly significant influence. In addition, this study found that customer satisfaction had more meaningful impact on corporations of small asset size than those of big asset size, and on service companies than manufacturers. The findings of this study is consistent with Anderson and Mansi(2009), but different from Sangwoon Yoon(2010). Although research model of this study is a bit different from Anderson and Mansi(2009), we can conclude that customer satisfaction has a significant influence on company's credit ratings either Korea or the United State. In addition, this paper found that customer satisfaction had more meaningful impact on corporations of small asset size than those of big asset size and on service companies than manufacturers. Until now there are a few of researches about the relationship between customer satisfaction and various business performance, some of which were supported, some weren't. The contribution of this study is that credit rating is applied as a corporate value performance in addition to stock price. It is somewhat important, because credit ratings determine the cost of debt. But so far it doesn't get attention of marketing researches. Based on this study, we can say that customer satisfaction is partially related to all indicators of corporate business performances. Practical meanings for customer satisfaction department are that it needs to actively invest in the customer satisfaction, because active investment also contributes to higher credit ratings and other business performances. A suggestion for credit evaluators is that they need to design new credit rating model which reflect qualitative customer satisfaction as well as existing variables like ROA, ER, TA.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.248-253
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• 2007

Purpose: Surgical wound complications remain a cause of morbidity and mortality among postoperative patients, and the cost of caring for patients with a surgical wound complication is substantial. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of a vinyl wound protector to reduce the rate of wound complications when used in clean-contaminated surgery. Materials and Methods: Between May 2006 and September 2006, 295 patients with a gastric cancer that underwent gastric surgery were studied prospectively, and the patients were randomized into one of two groups: the no wound protector group (n=137) or the polyethylene protector group (n=132). Results: The demographics and operation type and operation time were similar for patients in both groups. The rate of wound complication was different between patients in the no protector group (n=42) and the polyethylene protector group (n=12) (P=0.001) and the rates of seroma (P=0.001), infection (P=0.030) and dehiscence (P=0.282) were different for the two groups. The postoperative hospital stay was significantly shorter in the polyethylene protector group of patients (P=0.040). Conclusion: The use of a polyethylene protector resulted in a reduction of the surgical wound complication rate, and the cost of caring for patients, and morbidity and mortality among postoperative patients could be reduced.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.31-65
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• 2012

We study the sustainability of the current fiscal policy of Korea, and the effects of the social welfare policy expansion, which has been recently discussed among the political circles, on the government budget and the generational equity, using generational accounting. We follow the generational accounting approach, considering the fact that most of the social welfare policies are the entitlement programs, which imposes the limitation of the policy maker's discretion to control the cost of their provision. The social welfare expenditure will change due to the change in the policy environments of the future, such as population aging. Therefore, we need to take into account the government cash flow of the future as well as of the present to investigate its effects on the fiscal sustainability, which implies that the national debt or the budget balance is not a proper index for the investigation. Our findings are as follows. The current fiscal policies are not sustainable, and the long-term budgetary imbalance is shown very serious. The required tax adjustment, which is defined as the percentage change of tax burden required to attain the long-term budgetary balance, is very large. Unless the level of the government expenditure is properly controlled, the tax burden and the social contribution level will rise to the untolerable level. Moreover, the expansion of the social welfare policies, which has been discussed among the political circles, will substantially increase the fiscal burden of the future generations. Even though the provision of the free lunch to the primary and the secondary school students, the free child care, and the discounted college tuition do not increase the fiscal burden much, because their magnitude at present is not large and will decrease due to the decrease in the number of the newborns and the students resulting from the fall in the fertility rate, that of the free health care service will increase tax burden of the future generations very much, because the magnitude of the government expenditure needed at present is very large and the population aging will further increase the magnitude of the health care expenditure. The findings indicate that the structural reforms, to prevent the explosive increase in the social welfare expenditure in the future, are necessary before the implementation of the welfare policy expansion. In particular, the cost control of the social transfers to the elderly needs to be made, because the speed of the population aging of Korea is among the highest in the world. The findings also indicate that the budget balance or the national debt can cause the fiscal illusion, which makes the Korean government budget look sound, even though the fiscal policy will rapidly increase the social welfare expenditure in the future, as the population ages. The generational accounting, which takes into account the cash flow of the future as well as of the present, unlike the budgetary balance and the national debt, which shows the results of the government financial activities of the past and the present, is a useful method to overcome the fiscal illusion.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.975-984
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• 2005

This study fulfilled to investigate the feed efficiency, tissue selenium distribution, carcass characteristic and economic value in finishing Hanwoo steers fed organic selenium mix (OSM) which included seleno-yeast, rumen culture and other microbial supplements. Forty five finishing Hanwoo steers were tested for 4 months dividing to three feeding groups: OSM add as 0.5 ppm Se of DM feeds (0.5 ppm OSM), OSM enriched add as 1.0 ppm Se of DM feeds (1.0 ppm OSM) and basal diet without OSM (control). The total weight gains, the average daily gains and the feed intakes were not differ in treatments (p > 0.05). No differences (p > 0.05) were noted for hot carcass weight, loin eye area, backfat thickness, meat yield index, meat color, fat color, tenderness and maturity. However, the 1.0 ppm OSM showed better performances for feed requirement, TDN per gain, meat yield grade and meat quality grade compared to other groups. Tissue selenium distribution was increased by organic selenium feeding: higher Se concentration in liver and rump of 0.5 ppm OSM (p < 0.05), and kidney, liver, sirloin and rump of 1.0 ppm OSM (p < 0.05) than the tissues of control group. Generally, tissue selenium was the highest value in 1.0 ppm OSM and showed higher concentrate in order; kidney, liver, sirloin and rump. The income over feed cost was 1.06-fold higher in 1.0 ppm OSM than control group. In conclusion, organic selenium mix supplementation and its amounts were not influenced to feed intake, body gain and carcass characteristic but significantly increased tissue selenium. Therefore, these results suggest that finishing Hanwoo steer fed an enriched organic selenium mix with proper probiotics is able to produce “high-Se” beef as high bioavailable form as well as create a beneficial opportunity on Hanwoo farm.

• Korean Journal of Weed Science
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.69-74
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• 1983

The behaviour of mixtures of herbicides was determined to obtain the basic informations about effective herbicide use, enhancing herbicidal efficacy and reducing the chemical cost. Fourteen herbicides with 91 mixed combinations were evaluated by Limpel et al method at the Echinochloa crus galli Beauv-Monochuria vaginalis Presl.-Scirpus hotarui Ohwi (importance values of these weeds were 63%, 16% and 10%, respectively) community type. Thirty eight mixed combinations showed the antagonistic response. Among these 14 mixed combinations including chlormethoxynil + naproanilide mixture were greater than 11% in antagonistic effect. On the other hand, 40 mixed combinations including chlormethoxynil + SW751 mixture showed additive response (${\pm}2%$). For synergistic response, 13 mixed combinations were belonged to this group. Particularly, 3 mixed combinations, chlormethoxynil + butachlor, chlormethoxynil + bifenox and nitrofen + ACN/MCPB/nitrofen mixtures were greater than 11% in synergistic effects. The mixture of thiobencarb + oxyfluorfen was analyzed by isobole technique. This mixture showed the synergistic response and the interaction index was approximately 2. The most optimum mixtur for inducing 90%n weed suppression was 0.012 kg ai/ha for oxyfluorfen and 0.45 kg ai/ha for thiobencarb.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.12-23
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• 1979

This experiment was carrid out to investigate the interaction between boilelr strains and nutrition levels, and the performances of four broiler strains such as Han Hyup 603, Hubbard, Anak and Filch when they were fed by four different nutrition levels (High Protein and energy; HP. HE., Medium Protein and energy; MP. ME., Low Protein ana energy; LP. LE., and low protein and energy; LLP. LLE.). The data used in this study were obtained from a total of 1200 broiler type chicks in Poultry Testing Station, Korean Poultry Association from June 16, to August 11, 1978. Differences of all characters among four nutrition levels were significant except viability and carcass rate. HP. HE and MP. ME treatments showed nearly the same performances in body weight, feed efficiency and point, spread but they were significantly superior to those of LP. LE and LLP. LLE. There were not significant differences among four strains in feed efficiency and viability but other characters, body weight, point spread and carcass rate were observed that the performance of the best strain B was significantly superior to strain D but it was not recognized significance compared with strain A, C in tile result of statisticel analysis. In the interaction between strains and nutrition levels, body weight at high and levels showed significantly differences but at low and low nutrition levels were nearly same among four strains. Therefore this study demonstrated that comparision of body weights between strains should be performed at medium nutrition level or above. Also point spread calculated as index of body weight and feed efficiency was observed that strain B at low nutrition level is excellently higher than other strains and there were little differences at low nutrition level among all strains. It was found that ]it tie differences between performances of high arid medium levels seemed to be as the reason of high fat addition for energy source to high mutrition feed, and in general superior strain showed good performance at all the nutrition levels in$.$all characters but in body weight and point spread there were significantly different responses with different nutrition level, The most superior strain B among four strains earned the most profit per bird, Although performances of high and medium nutrition levels were nearly the same, medium nutrition level also showed the most profit because the feed cost of high nutrition level was higher than that of medium nutrition level.