Measuring Willingness to Accept for GM Food by Characteristics

Korean consumers' willingness to accept (WTA) for GM food are studied in this paper. This study compares hypothetical and nonhypothetical responses to choice experiment questions. We test for hypothetical bias in a choice experiment involving GM rice with differing characteristic attributes and multinomial logit model is applied to predict the estimated results. In general, hypothetical responses predicted higher probabilities of purchasing GM rice than nonhypothetical responses. Thus, hypothetical choices overestimate willingness to accept for GM rice. The results of this paper could contributes to government's GM food policies and subsequent studies, also improving economic welfare of farmers and consumers.GM Food, Willingness to Accept, Choice experiment, Hypothetical bias, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,

Secondhand smoke exposure and mental health problems in Korean adults

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the association between secondhand smoke exposure (SHSE) and mental health problems among Korean adults. METHODS: We analyzed data from the 2011 Korean Community Health Survey. From the total of 229,226 participants aged 19 years or above, we excluded 48,679 current smokers, 36,612 former smokers, 3,036 participants with a history of stroke, 2,264 participants with a history of myocardial infarction, 14,115 participants who experienced at least one day in bed per month due to disability, and 855 participants for whom information regarding SHSE or mental health problems was not available. The final analysis was performed with 22,818 men and 100,847 women. Participants were classified into four groups according to the duration of SHSE: none, <1 hr/d, 1-<3 hr/d, and ≥3 hr/d. The presence of depressive symptoms, diagnosed depression, and high stress were measured by questionnaire. RESULTS: After adjusting for demographic factors, lifestyle, and chronic disease, the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of depressive symptoms with 1-<3 hr/d and ≥3 hr/d SHSE were 1.44 (95% CI, 1.14 to 1.82) and 1.59 (95% CI, 1.46 to 1.74), respectively. However, SHSE ≥3 hr/d had a higher OR of 1.37 (95% CI, 1.20 to 1.58) for diagnosed depression. SHSE was also associated with high stress (1-<3 hr/d: OR, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.38 to 1.76; ≥3 hr/d: OR, 1.33 95% CI, 1.28 to 1.40). However, the association between SHSE and symptoms of depression and stress did not differ significantly by region. CONCLUSIONS: SHSE may be associated with mental health problems such as depression and stress in Korean adults

In situ rumen degradability characteristics of rice straw, soybean curd residue and peppermint (Mentha piperita) in Hanwoo steer (Bos Taurus coreanae)

This study was intended to evaluate in situ rumen degradability characteristic of soybean curd residue (SCR) and peppermint compared to rice straw, which are used as a functional feed source for beef cattle for high quality beef production. Two steers were fitted with rumen and duodenum cannulae and in situ degradable and nylon bags were used to assess digestion of rice straw, SCR and peppermint in three replicated experiments. The highly effective dry matter (DM) degradability of peppermint was attributable to the high rate of the a and b fractions. Dry matter disappearance rate of SCR after 48 h was higher (p &lt; 0.05) than that of peppermint. Based on DM disappearance, SCR showed the highest digestibility (p &lt; 0.05). Crude protein disappearance (%) was higher for SCR and peppermint than rice straw (p &lt; 0.05), and neutral detergent fibre disappearance (%) was higher for SCR (p &lt; 0.05). Soybean curd residue and peppermint have great nutritive values as feed sources for ruminants, and using SCR and peppermint would have possibilities for efficient and functional livestock production.Keywords: Beef cattle, digestibility, effective degradability, soybean curd residue, peppermintAfrican Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(14), pp. 1710-171

Effect of Seyoeum on Obesity, Insulin Resistance, and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease of High-Fat Diet-Fed C57BL/6 Mice

Background. This study was performed to evaluate the effect of Seyoeum (SYE), a novel herbal meal replacement, on insulin resistance and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in obese mice fed with a high-fat diet (HFD). Methods. SYE contained six kinds of herbal powder such as Coix lacryma-jobi, Oryza sativa, Sesamum indicum, Glycine max, Liriope platyphylla, and Dioscorea batatas. Male C57BL/6 mice were divided into four groups: normal chow (NC), HFD, SYE, and HFD plus SYE (HFD + SYE). The mice in groups other than NC were fed HFD for 9 weeks to induce obesity and then were fed each diet for 6 weeks. Clinical markers related to obesity, diabetes, and NAFLD were examined and gene expressions related to inflammation and insulin receptor were determined. Results. Compared with HFD group, body weight, serum glucose, serum insulin, HOMA-IR, total cholesterol, triglyceride, epididymal fat pad weight, liver weight, and inflammatory gene expression were significantly reduced in SYE group. Insulin receptor gene expression increased in SYE group. Conclusions. Based on these results, we conclude that SYE improved obesity and insulin resistance in high-fat fed obese mice. Our findings suggest that SYE could be a beneficial meal replacement through these antiobesity and anti-insulin resistance effects

Why Women Living in an Obstetric Care Underserved Area Do Not Utilize Their Local Hospital Supported by Korean Government for Childbirth

SummaryPurposeThis study aimed to understand why mothers do not utilize the prenatal care and delivery services at their local hospital supported by the government program, the Supporting Program for Obstetric Care Underserved Area (SPOU).MethodsWe conducted a focus group interview by recruiting four mothers who delivered in the hospital in their community (a rural underserved obstetric care area) and another four mothers who delivered in the hospital outside of the community.ResultsFrom the finding, the mothers were not satisfied with the quality of services that the community hospital provided, in terms of professionalism of the obstetric care team, and the outdated medical device and facilities. Also, the mothers believed that the hospital in the metropolitan city is better for their health as well as that of their babies. The mothers who delivered in the outside community hospital considered geographical closeness less than they did the quality of obstetric care. The mothers who delivered in the community hospital gave the reason why they chose the hospital, which was convenience and emergency preparedness due to its geographical closeness. However, they were not satisfied with the quality of services provided by the community hospital like the other mothers who delivered in the hospital outside of the community.ConclusionsTherefore, in order to successfully deliver the SPOU program, the Korean government should make an effort in increasing the quality of maternity service provided in the community hospital and improving the physical factors of a community hospital such as outdated medical equipment and facilities

Neck control after definitive radiochemotherapy without planned neck dissection in node-positive head and neck cancers

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The purpose of this study was to evaluate neck control outcomes after definitive radiochemotherapy without planned neck dissection in node-positive head and neck cancer.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We retrospectively reviewed medical records of fifty patients with node-positive head and neck cancer who received definitive radiochemotherapy. Twelve patients subsequently underwent neck dissection for suspicious recurrent or persistent disease. A median dose of 70 Gy (range 60-70.6) was delivered to involved nodes. Response evaluation was performed at a median of 5 weeks after completion of radiotherapy.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Neck failure was observed in 11 patients and the 3-year regional control (RC) rate was 77.1%. Neck dissection was performed in 10 of the 11 patients; seven of these cases were successfully salvaged, and the ultimate rate of neck control was 92%. The remaining two patients who received neck dissection had negative pathologic results. On univariate analysis, initial nodal size > 2 cm, a less-than-complete response at the primary site, post-radiotherapy nodal size > 1.5 cm, and post-radiotherapy nodal necrosis were associated with RC. On multivariate analysis, less-than-complete primary site response and post-radiotherapy nodal necrosis were identified as independent prognostic factors for RC.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The neck failure rate after definitive radiochemotherapy without planned neck dissection was 22%. Two-thirds of these were successfully salvaged with neck dissection and the ultimate neck control rate was 92%. Our results suggest that planned neck dissection might not be necessary in patients with complete response of primary site, no evidence of residual lesion > 1.5 cm, or no necrotic lymph nodes at the 1-2 months follow-up evaluation after radiotherapy.</p

Concert recording 2021-10-18

[Track 1]. From lo song pur solo, H. 344. Solo cantata for soprano and basso continuo. I. Recitiative, lo son pur solo ; II. Aria, Sono amante / Alessandro Scarlatti - From Szene aus Goethe\u27s Faust. Gretchens Bitte, D. 564 / Franz Schubert -- Deh pietoso, oh addolorata / Giuseppe Verdi -- From Song of Almah. I. Rose of Sharon ; III. Cedar Lebanon / Andrew Beall. [Track 2]. Duet. Dirait-on from Les chansons des roses / Morten Lauridsen ; Puisqu\u27ici bas toute âme, Op. 10, No. 1 / Gabriel Fauré -- Korean art song collection. Ihwau (Pear blossom rain) ; Betle Norae (Loom song) / Won-Joo Lee -- From the musical Salzzagi opseoye. Salzzagi opseoye (Softly, please come) / Chang-Kwon Choi