Protein kinase C(PKC) is a kind of kinase which is widely involved in cell proliferation and development. PKC(Wp-PKC) in Whitmania pigra body belongs to classic PKC. In order to investigate the effect of Wp-PKC on the development of Wh. pigra germ cells, 17β-estradiol(17β-E2)(100 ng·mL~(-1)) and methyltestosterone(MT)(150 μg·L~(-1)), 150 μg·L~(-1)(MT)+0.5 mg·L~(-1) PKC, 0.5 mg·L~(-1) PKC inhibitor were added to Wh. pigra culture water, and no addition group(control group) was added, and the effects on the development of Wh. pigra germ cells and the expression of Wp-PKC were observed. The results showed that: Wp-PKC in male gonads was always higher than that in female gonads; MT promoted the development of male gonads in Wh. pigra, while the expression of Wp-PKC was significantly higher than that in the control; 17β-E2 promoted the development of female gonads in Wh. pigra and Wp-PKC expression significantly lower than that of the control; while the development of the female and male gonads in the PKC inhibitor group was inhibited, the expression of Wp-PKC was significantly lower than that of the control. In summary, Wp-PKC may promote the development of Wh. pigra, especially the development of male gonads.
Animals ; Estradiol ; Female ; Gonads ; Leeches ; Male ; Methyltestosterone ; Ovary

It is important to select the correct disinfectants and to use them appropriately in order to prevent the initial spread of highly infectious livestock disease, such as foot-and-mouth disease or highly pathogenic avian influenza. This study describes a smartphone application developed to enable livestock workers to observe information related to disinfectants for the prevention of livestock disease in the domestic market, regardless of time and location, through a Linux-based Android mobile platform. This application (Konkuk-Disinfectant Information Database) provides information on disinfectant names, components, license and use; it was designed to enable the user to share disinfectant information through social media.
Animals ; Disinfectants ; Foot-and-Mouth Disease ; Influenza in Birds ; Licensure ; Livestock ; Methyltestosterone ; Smartphone ; Social Media

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: There are various factors that affect metabolic abnormalities related to obesity. The purpose of this study is to analyze the differences in dietary intakes and body compositions of obese women according to metabolic risks and to classify them as metabolically healthy obese (MHO) or metabolically abnormal obese (MAO). SUBJECTS/METHODS: This study was conducted on 59 obese Korean women aged 19 to 60 years. NCEP-ATPIII criteria were applied and the women classified as MHO (n = 45) or MAO (n = 14). Body composition of each subject was measured by using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Three-day food records were used to analyze dietary intake. Eating habits and health-related behaviors were determined through questionnaires. Indirect calorimetry was used to measure resting metabolic rate and respiratory rate. RESULTS: The average age of the subjects was 43.7 years. The analysis of body composition according to phenotype revealed significantly higher body fat mass (P < 0.05), arm fat mass (P < 0.05), and android fat mass (P < 0.05), as measured by DEXA, in the MAO group than in the MHO group. There was no significant difference in the dietary intake of the two groups. However, eating behaviors differed. Compared to the MHO group, the MAO women had a shorter meal time (less than 10 minutes), a preference of oily foods, and a tendency to eat until full. Therefore, the eating habits of MHO women were more positive than those of MAO women. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that fat distribution in each body region affects various metabolic abnormalities. A high level of arm fat mass in obese Korean women may increase metabolic risk. In addition, eating habits of obese Korean women are considered to be environmental factors affecting the metabolic phenotype of obese Korean women.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Adipose Tissue ; Arm ; Basal Metabolism ; Body Composition ; Body Regions ; Calorimetry, Indirect ; Diet ; Eating ; Feeding Behavior ; Female ; Humans ; Meals ; Methyltestosterone ; Monoamine Oxidase ; Obesity ; Phenotype ; Respiratory Rate

The objectives of study were to explore the effects of exogenous methyltestosterone( MT) on the growth and gonadal development of overwintering Whitmania pigra. Before overwintering,0. 1,1. 0,10. 0,100. 0,150. 0 μg·L^-1 of MT were added to the aquaculture water for 6 weeks. The changes of growth performance,gonad index,endogenous steroid hormones level and internal quality were measured after hibernate for 60 days. Then the tissue slice technique was used to observe the spermary( ovary) of Wh. pigra.The results showed that the body weight,survival rate and gonadal index increased first and then decreased with the increase of exogenous MT concentration; the male gland index was found the highest at the concentration of MT 10. 0 μg·L^-1 and the female gland index was the highest at the concentration of MT 1. 0 μg·L^-1. The survival rate of Wh. pigra peaked at the concentration of MT 10. 0 μg·L^-1.The weight reaches a peak at a concentration of MT 100. 0 μg·L^-1( P<0. 05). The number of primary spermatocytes in the testis was negatively correlated with the concentration of exogenous MT. The number of secondary spermatocytes and sperm cells increased first and then decreased. The concentration of secondary spermatocytes was the highest when the concentration of MT was 100. 0 μg·L^-1.The number and volume of oocytes in the ovary and the yolk granules increased first and then decreased with the increase of exogenous MT concentration,and the highest was observed at the MT concentration of 100. 0 μg·L^-1. The endogenous steroid hormone of Wh.pigra increased first and then decreased with the increase of exogenous MT concentration. The concentration of androgen and progesterone was the highest in MT 100. 0 μg·L^-1 treatment( P<0. 05),and the concentration of estrogen was found the highest in MT 10. 0 μg·L^-1 treatment( P<0. 05). After adding exogenous MT,Wh. pigra moisture content,acid-insoluble ash content,p H and anti-thrombin activity met the quality criterion of medicinal Wh. pigra in Chinese Pharmacopoeia( 2015 edition). In conclusion,the short-term addition of 1. 0-100. 0 μg·L^-1 exogenous MT before hibernation can promote the growth,the development of sperm cells and the antithrombin activity of Wh. pigra.
Animals ; Estrogens ; Female ; Gonads ; Leeches/physiology* ; Male ; Methyltestosterone ; Ovary ; Progesterone

OBJECTIVES: This study developed a diabetes self-management mobile application based on the information-motivation-behavioral skills (IMB) model, evidence extracted from clinical practice guidelines, and requirements identified through focus group interviews (FGIs) with diabetes patients. METHODS: We developed a diabetes self-management (DSM) app in accordance with the following four stages of the system development life cycle. The functional and knowledge requirements of the users were extracted through FGIs with 19 diabetes patients. A system diagram, data models, a database, an algorithm, screens, and menus were designed. An Android app and server with an SSL protocol were developed. The DSM app algorithm and heuristics, as well as the usability of the DSM app were evaluated, and then the DSM app was modified based on heuristics and usability evaluation. RESULTS: A total of 11 requirement themes were identified through the FGIs. Sixteen functions and 49 knowledge rules were extracted. The system diagram consisted of a client part and server part, 78 data models, a database with 10 tables, an algorithm, and a menu structure with 6 main menus, and 40 user screens were developed. The DSM app was Android version 4.4 or higher for Bluetooth connectivity. The proficiency and efficiency scores of the algorithm were 90.96% and 92.39%, respectively. Fifteen issues were revealed through the heuristic evaluation, and the app was modified to address three of these issues. It was also modified to address five comments received by the researchers through the usability evaluation. CONCLUSIONS: The DSM app was developed based on behavioral change theory through IMB models. It was designed to be evidence-based, user-centered, and effective. It remains necessary to fully evaluate the effect of the DSM app on the DSM behavior changes of diabetes patients.
Blood Glucose Self-Monitoring ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Focus Groups ; Heuristics ; Humans ; Life Cycle Stages ; Methyltestosterone ; Mobile Applications* ; Mobile Health Units ; Self Care* ; Telemedicine

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to develop a Korean version of a mood chart application on an Android platform. METHODS: This application is based on the traditional mood chart. Eighteen adults with DSM-5 bipolar disorder were enrolled from November 2016 to March 2017. They were asked to rate their daily mood scores and severity of irritability and impulsivity for six months. Their clinicians rated their symptom severity monthly using the Clinical Global Impression-7 (CGI-7) scale. After six months, the participants completed an anonymous questionnaire regarding their satisfaction with the application. RESULTS: Of the 18 patients, one withdrew their consent from this study and six were males (35.3%) ; their mean age was 31.71±8.56 years. The mean follow-up duration was 159.12±49.45 days and the period of application use was 143.65±52.11 days. The mean total response rate was 59.45% and the mean response rate on the same day was 43.06%. The adherence to using the application decreased significantly declined over the duration since enrollment [odds ratio (OR)=1.008, p=0.008] but tended to increase according to age (OR=0.958, p=0.002). The application mood scores were correlated significantly with the manic (β=0.307, p=0.004) and depressive (β=−0.701, p < 0.001) subscale, and the total (β=1.026, p=0.002) of the CGI-7 (linear mixed models). The majority of subjects agreed that the application helped them manage their symptoms (92.86%), stating that the application was easy to use (78.57%). CONCLUSION: This application could be a valid and useful tool to monitor the mood symptoms of patients with bipolar disorder in Korea.
Adult ; Anonyms and Pseudonyms ; Bipolar Disorder* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Impulsive Behavior ; Korea ; Male ; Methyltestosterone ; Mood Disorders ; Self Care ; Smartphone* ; Telemedicine

OBJECTIVES: Augmented reality (AR) technology has become rapidly available and is suitable for various medical applications since it can provide effective visualization of intricate anatomical structures inside the human body. This paper describes the procedure to develop an AR app with Unity3D and Vuforia software development kit and publish it to a smartphone for the localization of critical tissues or organs that cannot be seen easily by the naked eye during surgery. METHODS: In this study, Vuforia version 6.5 integrated with the Unity Editor was installed on a desktop computer and configured to develop the Android AR app for the visualization of internal organs. Three-dimensional segmented human organs were extracted from a computerized tomography file using Seg3D software, and overlaid on a target body surface through the developed app with an artificial marker. RESULTS: To aid beginners in using the AR technology for medical applications, a 3D model of the thyroid and surrounding structures was created from a thyroid cancer patient's DICOM file, and was visualized on the neck of a medical training mannequin through the developed AR app. The individual organs, including the thyroid, trachea, carotid artery, jugular vein, and esophagus were localized by the surgeon's Android smartphone. CONCLUSIONS: Vuforia software can help even researchers, students, or surgeons who do not possess computer vision expertise to easily develop an AR app in a user-friendly manner and use it to visualize and localize critical internal organs without incision. It could allow AR technology to be extensively utilized for various medical applications.
Carotid Arteries ; Education, Medical ; Esophagus ; Human Body ; Humans ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Jugular Veins ; Manikins ; Methyltestosterone ; Neck ; Smartphone ; Surgeons ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; Thyroidectomy ; Trachea

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to describe the process of utilizing a mobile application for ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to collect data on stress and mood in daily life setting. METHODS: A mobile application for the Android operating system was developed and installed with a set of questions regarding momentary mood and stress into a smartphone of a participant. The application sets alarms at semi-random intervals in 60-minute blocks, four times a day for 7 days. After obtaining all momentary affect and stress, the questions to assess the usability of the mobile EMA application were also administered. RESULTS: The data were collected from 97 police officers working in Gyeonggi Province of South Korea. The mean completion rate was 60.0% ranging from 3.5% to 100%. The means of positive and negative affect were 18.34 of 28 and 19.09 of 63. The mean stress was 17.92 of 40. Participants responded that the mobile application correctly measured their affect (4.34 ± 0.83) and stress (4.48 ± 0.62) of 5-point Likert scale. CONCLUSIONS: Our study investigated the process of utilizing a mobile application to assess momentary affect and stress at repeated times. We found challenges regarding adherence to the research protocol, such as completion and delay of answering after alarm notification. Despite this inherent issue of adherence to the research protocol, the EMA still has advantages of reducing recall bias and assessing the actual moment of interest at multiple time points that improves ecological validity.
Bias (Epidemiology) ; Gyeonggi-do ; Humans ; Korea ; Methyltestosterone ; Mobile Applications* ; Police ; Smartphone ; Stress, Psychological

OBJECTIVE: Nowadays smartphone overuse has become a social and medical concern. For the diagnosis and treatment, clinicians use the self-report information, but the report data often does not match actual usage pattern. The paper examines the similarity and variance in smartphone usage patterns between the measured data and self-reported data. METHODS: Together with the self-reported data, the real usage log data is collected from 35 college students in a metropolitan region of Northeast Asia, using Android smartphone monitoring application developed by the authors. RESULTS: The unconscious users underestimate their usage time by 40%, in spite of 15% more use in the actual usage. Messengers are most-used application regardless of their self-report, and significant preference to SNS applications was observed in addict group. The actual hourly pattern is consistent with the reported one. College students use more in the afternoon, when they have more free time and cannot use PCs. No significant difference in hourly pattern is observed between the measured and self-report. CONCLUSION: The result shows there are significant cognitive bias in actual usage patterns exists in self report of smartphone addictions. Clinicians are recommended to utilize measurement tools in diagnosis and treatment of smartphone overusing subjects.
Asia ; Bias (Epidemiology) ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Methyltestosterone ; Pilot Projects* ; Self Report ; Smartphone*

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: This study aims to develop a mobile nutritional management program for integration into the already developed web-based program, Diabetes Mellitus Dietary Management Guide (DMDMG) for diabetic patients. Further, we aim to evaluate the amended DMDMG program. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The mobile application based on an Android operating system includes three parts: 1) record of diet intake, which allows users to take pictures of the meal and save to later add diet records into DMDMG; 2) an alarm system that rings at each meal time, which reminds users to input the data; 3) displays the diet record and the results of nutrient intake, which can be also viewed through the web program. All three parts are linked to the web-based program. A survey was conducted to evaluate the program in terms of nutrition knowledge, dietary attitude, eating behavior and diet intake by non-equivalent control group design among diabetic patients with 14 DMDMG users and 12 non-user controls after a one-month trial of DMDMG. RESULTS: Non-users did not use the program, but participated in the weekly off-line nutrition classes for one month. The program users showed increased healthful dietary behavior (P < 0.01) and dietary attitude scores (P < 0.05). More DMDMG users had higher nutrition knowledge scores after one-month trial than non-users. However, dietary intake significantly increased in non-user group for calcium and sodium (P < 0.05) while the user group did not show significant changes. CONCLUSIONS: The program has created positive changes in patients' dietary life. All the users were satisfied with the program, although some expressed minor difficulties with an unfamiliar mobile app.
Calcium ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diet ; Diet Records ; Feeding Behavior ; Humans ; Meals ; Methyltestosterone ; Mobile Applications ; Sodium