Analysis of DNA polymorphisms in the swine major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I genes

Performance data and blood samples from 70 Duroc and 38 Hampshire boars were collected from the 1986-87 national boar performance test of each breed. These boars represented a total of 97 litters from 73 farms. Few boars were inbred. The objectives of the study were: (1) to characterize the swine MHC class I genes by using restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs), (2) to determine the genetic variability within and between two breeds based on RFLPs of swine MHC class I genes and (3) to investigate the association between RFLP patterns of swine MHC class I genes and production traits in Duroc and Hampshire boars;Genomic DNA was isolated from the white blood cells. Southern blotting and hybridization procedures were performed by using three different endonucleases and a swine MHC class I probe (PD1-A). The patterns of RFLPs of the two breeds showed a high degree of polymorphism and very few patterns were identical;Jaccard coefficients, a similarity index, were used to measure the similarity between two RFLP patterns. Average Jaccard coefficients for each breed indicated that the similarity within breeds was higher than that between the two breeds and that the similarity within the Hampshire breed was higher than within the Duroc breed;Nucleotide diversity, the average number of nucleotide differences per site between two DNA sequences, was calculated from RFLP patterns to measure the variability between two DNA sequences through RFLP patterns. The nucleotide diversity calculated within breed was lower than that between the two breeds and the diversity of Hampshire boars was lower than that of Duroc boars;Least squares procedures and stepwise regression methods revealed that the associations exist between certain DNA restriction fragments and the selection index (INDEX), average daily gain (ADG), average backfat thickness (BF), loin muscle area (LEA) and age at 230 pounds (DAY230). These results suggest an association between swine MHC class I genes and performance traits in swine. Their use as genetic markers has potential for improving pig performance

Competing Perspectives on Water Pollution for High School Students: A Q-Method Approach and Extended AI-Based Responses

High school environmental education faces significant challenges from diverse competing perspectives, ranging from sustainability advocates to political conflicts and economic interests.  This study critiques existing research on environmental education based on two key points: First, the conventional approach to high school environmental education predominantly concentrates on nature-related aspects.  Past research tends to overlook political, economic, and community dimensions, essentially providing an incomplete view of environmental education education.  Secondly, little empirical research has compared human perspectives on environmental education with generative AI-based viewpoints.  This comparison can contribute to enhancing the holistic view of environmental education by incorporating diverse human perspectives alongside AI-generated responses.  This study employs the Q-methodology that can uncover latent viewpoints by analyzing diverse opinions.  Moreover, this study attempts to compare the differences and similarities of responses from generative AI chatbots and humans.  While some issues receive recognition from both humans and AI, others are acknowledged only by humans.  Combining the insights from the Q-methodology and the comparison of human  and AI chatbot responses, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of water-related environmental education and perspectives &nbsp

Structural and Correlation Effects in the Itinerant Insulating Antiferromagnetic Perovskite NaOsO3

The orthorhombic perovskite NaOsO3 undergoes a continuous metal-insulator transition (MIT), accompanied by antiferromagnetic (AFM) order at T_N=410 K, suggested to be an example of the rare Slater (itinerant) MIT. We study this system using ab initio and related methods, focusing on the origin and nature of magnetic ordering and the MIT. The rotation and tilting of OsO6 octahedra in the GdFeO3 structure result in moderate narrowing the band width of the t_{2g} manifold, but sufficient to induce flattening of bands and AFM order within the local spin density approximation (LSDA), where it remains metallic but with a deep pseudogap. Including on-site Coulomb repulsion U, at U_c ~2 eV a MIT occurs only in the AFM state. Effects of spin-orbit coupling (SOC) on the band structure seem minor as expected for a half-filled $t_{2g}^{3}$ shell, but SOC doubles the critical value U_c necessary to open a gap and also leads to large magnetocrystalline energy differences in spite of normal orbital moments no greater than 0.1$\mu_B$. Our results are consistent with a Slater MIT driven by magnetic order, induced by a combination of structurally-induced band narrowing and moderate Coulomb repulsion, with SOC necessary for a full picture. Strong p-d hybridization reduces the moment, and when bootstrapped by the reduced Hund's rule coupling (proportional to the moment) gives a calculated moment of ~1 $\mu_B$, consistent with the observed moment and only a third of the formal $d^3$ value. We raise and discuss one important question: since this AFM ordering is at q=0 (in the 20 atom cell) where nesting is a moot issue, what is the microscopic driving force for ordering and the accompanying MIT?Comment: 9 page

Newly designed coil tube for bowel decompression in patients with small bowel obstructions

AbstractBackgroundThe purpose of this study was to clinically evaluate a coil tube that we recently designed for bowel decompression in patients with a small bowel obstruction.MethodsThe coil tube was composed of a stainless steel coil, a polyolefin tube, and a rubber adaptor. The tube was inserted under fluoroscopic guidance in 14 consecutive patients with small bowel obstructions. Technical success was defined as insertion of the distal end of the tube into at least the proximal jejunum, and clinical success was defined as intestinal decompression and relief of obstructive symptoms.ResultsThe technical success rate was 100%. Clinical success was achieved in 12 patients (86%). The clinical failures were a patient with peritoneal carcinomatosis and an ileocolic fistula, and a patient with bezoars following intestinal hemorrhage. No coil-related complications occurred.ConclusionOur newly designed coil tube was safe and effective in patients with bowel decompression associated with a small bowel obstruction. In addition, our tube has several advantages over other currently used tube types

Information Network Villages A community--focused digital divide reduction policy in rural Korea

This study examines South Korea's Information Network Village (INVIL) project as an exemplary policy of building sustainable communities through a digital divide policy implemented in small rural areas. INVIL project has three objectives: to close the digital gap between urban and rural areas, to create new sources of revenues from existing industries, and to build sustainable local communities. The conception was that rural digital divide can only be resolved by addressing deep rooted rural issues that influence the provision and adoption of ICT. While the INVIL programs may not remedy the gap in the short term, it provides a future vision to the communities. Due to this multi-layered and long term approach, the villages have been successful in narrowing the digital divide, not only in terms of access but also in effectively utilising broadband to enhance the local economy and building sustainable communities. This paper introduces the INVIL project, the plans and outcomes, as well as a qualitative evaluation of the process across a decade. Following a general description of the project, an in-depth case study of three successful INVILs is provided. The uniqueness of the program is that it emphasises investment in human capital rather than on infrastructure and includes a tailored vision of each local community. This motivates local residents to be active participants, which is the key to the success of the policy

A Proposal of Storytelling Direction as a Process of Narrowing the Gap between Designers and Users

OAIID:RECH_ACHV_DSTSH_NO:A201701933RECH_ACHV_FG:RR00200003ADJUST_YN:EMP_ID:A080155CITE_RATE:FILENAME:HCIK2017_디자이너와 사용자의 간극을 좁히는 프로세스로서 스토리텔링 방향성 제안_paper_242_FINAL.pdfDEPT_NM:디자인학부EMAIL:[email protected]_YN:FILEURL:https://srnd.snu.ac.kr/eXrepEIR/fws/file/b8b39b27-ce50-4d0f-b403-08849291b068/linkCONFIRM:

Association between childhood and adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms in Korean young adults with Internet addiction

Background and aims Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common psychiatric comorbidities of Internet addiction (IA); however, the possible mechanisms that contribute to this high comorbidity are still under debate. This study aims to analyze these possible mechanisms by comparing the effect of IA severity and childhood ADHD on inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity in young adults with IA. We hypothesized that IA might have associations with ADHD-like cognitive and behavior symptoms aside from childhood ADHD. Methods Study participants consisted of 61 young male adults. Participants were administered a structured interview. The severity of IA, childhood and current ADHD symptoms, and psychiatry comorbid symptoms were assessed through self-rating scales. The associations between the severity of IA and ADHD symptoms were examined through hierarchical regression analyses. Results Hierarchical regression analyses showed that the severity of IA significantly predicted most dimensions of ADHD symptoms. By contrast, childhood ADHD predicted only one dimension. Discussion The high comorbidity of inattention and hyperactivity symptoms in IA should not solely be accounted by an independent ADHD disorder but should consider the possibility of cognitive symptoms related to IA. Functional and structural brain abnormalities associated with excessive and pathologic Internet usage might be related to these ADHD-like symptoms. Conclusion Inattention and hyperactivity in young adults with IA are more significantly associated with the severity of IA than that of childhood ADHD

Identification of the optimal hiit protocol for fatigue resistance in adolescent athletes: a randomized controlled trial

The combat sports athletes developed great gains in both muscular function and fatigue resistance by utilizing high-intensity interval training (HIIT). However, it has not been investigated fully whether different work-to-rest ratios of HIIT show the effectiveness on muscle function in adolescent athletes. The purpose of the study was to compare different work-to-rest ratios by applying different rest times in response to the identical work time during HIIT on muscle function in adolescent taekwondo athletes. Forty-seven adolescent male taekwondo athletes (mean age: 16.7±0.8 years) were randomly assigned to the control group (n=11) vs. three HIIT groups by work-to-rest ratios; (1) 1:2 [30s:60s] (n=12), (2) 1:4 [30s:120s] (n=12), and (3) 1:8 [30s:240s] (n=12). All groups completed 10 experimental sessions over four weeks, while the control group maintained their regular taekwondo training. Muscular functions were measured by assessing isokinetic muscle strength and endurance of the knee extensor and flexor. The participants performed three sets of twenty maximal extension and flexion contractions at 120°s-1 with a 1-min interval between the sets for fatigue resistance. Blood samples were collected to measure free-testosterone, cortisol, creatine kinase, and urea as stress-to-recovery indicators. A positive effect on improving muscle fatigue resistance was observed at the first set of assessments in the HIIT with 1:4 (Δ10.2%, p<.05) and 1:8 groups (Δ8.6%, p<.05). Additionally, the 1:4 group exhibited fatigue resistance improvement in the second set (Δ7.7%, p<.01) without any changes of stress-to-recovery indicators, while the other groups did not show any improvement. The 30s all-out work with 120s rest time, lasting over a brief 4-week period, improved participants’ fatigue resistance. A certain amount of rest time between high-intense movements is required to optimize muscle development in adolescent athletes compared with insufficient rest time