Relationship between Presentation, Attitude, and In-Flight Meal Food Healthiness: Moderating Role of Familiarity.

This work focused on the perception of the food healthiness of in-flight meals. This work adopts presentation as the determinant. This work also employs attitude as the consequence of food healthiness. This research also examines the moderating effect of familiarity on the relationship between food presentation and food healthiness. This research used a survey, and survey participants were recruited via a Clickworker platform service. Survey participants were experienced with in-flight meals. The number of observations was 317. Moreover, this research tested the research hypotheses using the Hayes process macro Model 7. The results revealed that food healthiness is positively influenced by presentation and that food healthiness positively affects attitude. Moreover, the results revealed that the type of presentation has a positive influence on attitude. Familiarity was a significant moderating variable for the relationship between food presentation and food healthiness. This work sheds light on the literature by identifying the associations among four attributes of in-flight meals. Additionally, the results of this study could be used as a reference to develop better in-flight meals.

Narrative Review of the Safety of Using Pigs for Xenotransplantation: Characteristics and Diagnostic Methods of Vertical Transmissible Viruses.

Amid the deepening imbalance in the supply and demand of allogeneic organs, xenotransplantation can be a practical alternative because it makes an unlimited supply of organs possible. However, to perform xenotransplantation on patients, the source animals to be used must be free from infectious agents. This requires the breeding of animals using assisted reproductive techniques, such as somatic cell nuclear transfer, embryo transfer, and cesarean section, without colostrum derived in designated pathogen-free (DPF) facilities. Most infectious agents can be removed from animals produced via these methods, but several viruses known to pass through the placenta are not easy to remove, even with these methods. Therefore, in this narrative review, we examine the characteristics of several viruses that are important to consider in xenotransplantation due to their ability to cross the placenta, and investigate how these viruses can be detected. This review is intended to help maintain DPF facilities by preventing animals infected with the virus from entering DPF facilities and to help select pigs suitable for xenotransplantation.

Clinical Trial Protocol for Porcine Islet Xenotransplantation in South Korea.

Background: Islet transplantation holds promise for treating selected type 1 diabetes mellitus patients, yet the scarcity of human donor organs impedes widespread adoption. Porcine islets, deemed a viable alternative, recently demonstrated successful longterm survival without zoonotic risks in a clinically relevant pig-to-non-human primate islet transplantation model. This success prompted the development of a clinical trial protocol for porcine islet xenotransplantation in humans. Methods: A single-center, open-label clinical trial initiated by the sponsor will assess the safety and efficacy of porcine islet transplantation for diabetes patients at Gachon Hospital. The protocol received approval from the Gachon Hospital Institutional Review Board (IRB) and the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) under the Investigational New Drug (IND) process. Two diabetic patients, experiencing inadequate glycemic control despite intensive insulin treatment and frequent hypoglycemic unawareness, will be enrolled. Participants and their family members will engage in deliberation before xenotransplantation during the screening period. Each patient will receive islets isolated from designated pathogen-free pigs. Immunosuppressants and systemic infection prophylaxis will follow the program schedule. The primary endpoint is to confirm the safety of porcine islets in patients, and the secondary endpoint is to assess whether porcine islets can reduce insulin dose and the frequency of hypoglycemic unawareness. Conclusion: A clinical trial protocol adhering to global consensus guidelines for porcine islet xenotransplantation is presented, facilitating streamlined implementation of comparable human trials worldwide.

Reproductive ability of minipigs as surrogates for somatic cell nuclear transfer.

Pigs are genetically, anatomically, and physiologically similar to humans. Recently, pigs are in the spotlight as a suitable source animal for xenotransplantation. However, to use pigs as source animals, pigs should be raised in designated pathogen-free facilities. There is abundant data from embryo transfer (ET) experiments using farm pigs as surrogates, but data on ET experiments using minipigs are scarce. Eighty minipigs were used for ET experiments and after transplantation, the implantation and delivery rates were investigated. It was also confirmed whether the pregnancy rate could be increased by changing the condition or surgical method of the surrogate. In the case of minipigs that gave birth, the size of the fetal sac on the 28th day of ET was also measured. The factors that can affect the pregnancy rate such as estrus synchronization program, ovulation status at the time of ET, the number of repeated ET surgeries, and the ET sites, were changed, and the differences on the pregnancy rate were observed. However there were no significant differences in pregnancy rate in minipigs. The diameter of the implanted fetal sac on the 28th day after ET in the minipigs whose delivery was confirmed was calculated to be 4.7 ± 0.5 cm. In conclusion, there were no significant differences in pregnancy rate of minipigs in the comparative experiment on various factors affecting the pregnancy rate. However, additional experiments and analyses are needed due to the large individual differences of the minipigs.

The Relationship between Food Healthiness, Trust, and the Intention to Reuse Food Delivery Apps: The Moderating Role of Eco-Friendly Packaging.

The goal of this research is to investigate the relationship among food healthiness, trust, and the intention to reuse food delivery apps. Another purpose of this work is to examine the moderating effect of eco-friendly food packaging on the association between food healthiness and trust in food delivery apps. A survey was the main instrument for this work, with Amazon Mechanical Turk being used to collect the relevant data, resulting in a total of 343 observations. PROCESS model 7 was employed to test the research hypotheses. The results reveal that the intention to reuse is positively impacted by trust and food healthiness in food delivery apps. The results also uncover a significant moderating impact of eco-friendly packaging on the relationship between food healthiness and trust. The high food healthiness and high eco-friendly packaging group has the highest level of trust, while the low food healthiness and low eco-friendly packaging group has the lowest. The results of this research are therefore important because they clarify the relationship among these four attributes. Moreover, the results of this study have notable managerial implications.

Assessing Antecedents of Restaurant's Brand Trust and Brand Loyalty, and Moderating Role of Food Healthiness.

The purpose of this research was to apply DINESERV to a food brand: Shake Shack. Six sub-dimensions (e.g., taste, healthiness, employee service, price fairness, ambience, and convenience) were adopted. This study used brand trust and brand loyalty to explain attributes. This research additionally assessed the moderating impact of healthiness on the relationship between taste and brand loyalty. For data collection, this study used Amazon Mechanical Turk. The main instrument of this research is a survey. The number of valid observations was 353. Confirmatory factor analysis and a correlation matrix were used to ensure the convergent and discriminant validity of measurement items. Structural equation modeling was employed for hypothesis testing. Plus, Hayes process macro model 1 was employed to test the moderating effect of healthiness. Results indicated that brand trust was positively associated with taste (p < 0.05), employee service (p < 0.05), and ambience (p < 0.05), while brand loyalty was positively associated with taste (p < 0.05), healthiness (p < 0.05), price fairness (p < 0.05), ambience (p < 0.05), and brand trust (p < 0.05). However, the convenience of casual restaurants appeared as a non-significant attribute to account for both brand trust and brand loyalty. The results also revealed that healthiness negatively moderates the relationship between taste and brand loyalty (p < 0.05). This study sheds light on the literature by demonstrating the accountability of DINESERV to casual dining customer behavior. Also, this research presents information for the assistance of brand management in the domain of casual dining sector.

Relationship between Subjective Health, the Engel Coefficient, Employment, Personal Assets, and Quality of Life for Korean People with Disabilities.

The aim of this research is to examine the effect of subjective health on the quality of life of Korean people with disabilities. The second goal of this study is to examine the effect of the Engel coefficient on quality of life. Additionally, this study is conducted to inspect the effect of employment and personal assets on quality of life. Further, in this work, the moderating effect of personal assets on the association between employment and quality of life for people with a disability is explored. The Panel Survey of Employment for the Disabled served as the source of data. The study period ranges from 2016 to 2018. To test the research hypotheses, this study adopted econometric analyses, namely, ordinary least squares, fixed effect, and random effect models. The results revealed that the quality of life for people with disabilities is positively influenced by subjective health, employment, and personal assets. In contrast, the Engel coefficient exerts a negative impact on quality of life. Plus, the finding indicates that personal assets negatively moderate the relationship between employment and quality of life for people with disabilities. This research is aimed at presenting policy implications for the welfare of people with disabilities.

Increased accuracy of estrus prediction using ruminoreticular biocapsule sensors in Hanwoo (Bos taurus coreanae) cows.

Visual estrus observation can only be confirmed at a rate of 50%-60%, which is lower than that obtained using a biosensor. Thus, the use of biosensors provides more opportunities for artificial insemination because it is easier to confirm estrus than by visual observation. This study determines the accuracy of estrus prediction using a ruminoreticular biosensor by analyzing ruminoreticular temperature during the estrus cycle and measuring changes in body activity. One hundred and twenty-five Hanwoo cows (64 with a ruminal biosensor in the test group and 61 without biosensors in the control group) were studied. Ruminoreticular temperatures and body activities were measured every 10 min. The first service of artificial insemination used gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)-based fixed-time artificial insemination protocol in the control and test groups. The test group received artificial insemination based on the estrus prediction made by the biosensor, and the control group received artificial insemination according to visual estrus observation. Before artificial insemination, the ruminoreticular temperature was maintained at an average of 38.95 ± 0.05°C for 13 h (-21 to -9 h), 0.73°C higher than the average temperature observed at -48 h (38.22 ± 0.06°C). The body activity, measured using an indwelling 3-axis accelerometer, averaged 1502.57 ± 27.35 for approximately 21 h from -4 to -24 h before artificial insemination, showing 203 indexes higher body activity than -48 hours (1299 ± 9.72). Therefore, using an information and communication techonology (ICT)-based biosensor is highly effective because it can reduce the reproductive cost of a farm by accurately detecting estrus and increasing the rate of estrus confirmation in cattle.

The Moderating Effect of Personal Assets in the Relationships between Subjective Health, Housing Expense, and Life Satisfaction for Korean Middle and Old-Aged.

The proportion of the elderly in Korea has increased. Given the circumstances, this research is intended to explore the characteristics of the elderly. The aim of this research is to explore the antecedents of life satisfaction in the Korean elderly using subjective health. Next, the goal of this research is to appraise the moderating effect of personal assets in the relationship between life satisfaction and housing expenses. The study data consist of 7199 observations from the 2018 and 2020 waves of the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (KLOSA). This research uses econometric analysis to test the research hypotheses, which include ordinary least squares, fixed-effects, and random-effects regression analyses. Following ordinary least squares, fixed-effects, and random-effects regression analyses, the results indicate a positive influence of subjective health on older Koreans' life satisfaction. Additionally, personal assets positively moderate the association between housing expense and life satisfaction, the most valuable finding of the study. This research sheds light on the literature by revealing the moderating effect on the relationship between housing expense and life satisfaction. Moreover, the results could be used for better policy design with respect to the middle- and old-aged members Korean society.

Café Food Safety and Its Impacts on Intention to Reuse and Switch Cafés during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Case of Starbucks.

We explored the definition of food safety in the coffee service business during the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic because consumer values and decision-making may have been affected by the pandemic. The food safety dimensions are freshness, quarantine, hygiene, and healthiness. We evaluated the effects of café food safety on both the consumer intention to revisit a café and their intention to switch to other cafés. We used the Amazon Mechanical Turk system for data collection. In total, 474 individuals responded to the survey questions. We used the statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) ver. 20.0 and the analysis of moment structure (AMOS) ver. 21.0. We subjected the definition of café food safety to confirmatory factor analysis and then used structural equations to test the research hypotheses. The four dimensions adequately defined food safety. The results indicated that food safety positively influenced the intention to revisit, although it had no significant impact on the intention to switch cafés. Our findings will assist managers because we identify the implications of food safety for the coffee service business.

Effect of oestrus synchronisation through ovulation delay by vaccination against foot-and-mouth disease in Hanwoo (Bos taurus coreanae) cows.

BACKGROUND: In Korean cattle, after foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccination, anovulation increases, acute immune response is stimulated. OBJECTIVE: Here, we aimed to improve the fertility rate by ovulation delay caused by the foot-and-mouth disease vaccine. METHODS: 160 cows (control, FMD, FMD+Gn250 and FMD+Gn500 groups, with 40 cows each) were used. We analysed the ovulation delay, ovulation rate, conception rate and acute-phase immune responses. RESULTS: In the group vaccinated only with FMD, the average follicle size was maintained at 12 mm and ovulation was delayed. The ovulation rate of the FMD+Gn500 group (500 µg gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) injections 3 days after the FMD vaccination) was the highest at 81.8%. The ovulation rate of the FMD+Gn250 group (250 µg GnRH injections 3 days after FMD vaccination) was 54.5%, and that of the control group (not FMD vaccinated) was 53.3%. The conception rate was 52.5% (19/40) in the control group, 37.5% (15/40) in the FMD+Gn250 group, and 67.5% (27/40) in the FMD+Gn500 group. Analysis of acute-phase immune response revealed that the plasma contents of haptoglobin and serum amyloid A increased up to 7 days after vaccination against FMD in all the experimental groups, except the control group. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that ovulation delay can be employed to improve conception rate after FMD vaccination through a modified ovulation synchronisation method with GnRH.

Effect of Travel Expenditure on Life Satisfaction for Middle-Aged and Older Adults in Korea: Moderating Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic.

The aim of this research was to examine the effects of travel expenditures on life satisfaction in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. For the research, a curvilinear relationship was established between life satisfaction and travel expenditures that was then compared between 2018 and 2020. The study subjects were middle-aged and older adults who completed the 2018 and 2020 waves of the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging. Demographic, travel expenditure, and life satisfaction data were collected, and quadratic regression analysis was conducted to examine the effects of travel expenditures on life satisfaction before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The first-order condition was computed to determine the optimal level of travel expenditures to maximize life satisfaction, and the results exhibit that the utility of travel expenditure decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Antecedents of Subjective Health among Korean Senior Citizens Using Archival Data.

This study aimed to investigate the determinants of subjective health among South Korean senior citizens. Secondary data for the year 2018 was used from the Senior Citizen Research Panel data collected by the Korea Employment Information Service. A total of 3822 valid observations were analyzed. The dependent variable was subjective health, and the independent variables were religion participation, social gathering participation, economic activity, food expenditure, leisure expenditure, travel frequency, and art watching frequency. Descriptive analysis, correlation matrix, and independent t-test were carried out for data analysis. Multiple linear regression analysis was employed using assets, age, and gender as control variables to test the research hypotheses. The results indicate that all the proposed attributes have a significant positive impact on the subjective health of Korean senior citizens, with implications for policy making.

Exploring Korean Middle- and Old-Aged Citizens' Subjective Health and Quality of Life.

The goal of this research is to investigate the determinants of subjective health and quality of life with a particular focus on middle- and old-aged citizens. Subjective health is an antecedent of quality of life. For both attributes, travel frequency, economic activity, and cultural activity frequency are the main explanatory variables. Korean middle- and old-aged citizen research panel data was used to derive the data; the study periods are 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, and 2016. The present work used an econometric method to analyze this panel data. The results show that subjective health positively affects quality of life; meanwhile, economic activity positively affects both subjective health and quality of life. It is also found that cultural activity and travel exert inverted U-shape impacts on subjective health and quality of life. The control variables in this research were gender, body mass index, birth year, and personal assets. These results could help guide policy makers in designing more efficient welfare policies for middle- and old-aged citizens.

Clinical impact of spine magnetic resonance imaging as a valuable prognostic tool for patients with multiple myeloma: a retrospective study.

BACKGRUOUND: This study investigated the prognostic impact of spine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients newly diagnosed with multiple myeloma (MM). METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 214 patients who were newly diagnosed with MM between March 2015 and December 2019. The patients were classified into five different infiltration patterns based on spine MRI as follows: (1) normal appearance, (2) focal, (3) diffuse, (4) combined focal and diffuse infiltration, and (5) "salt-and-pepper." RESULTS: Forty patients (18.7%) showed a normal appearance, whereas focal, diffuse, combined focal and diffuse infiltration, and "salt-and-pepper" patterns were identified in 68 (31.8%), 40 (18.7%), 52 (24.3%), and 14 patients (6.5%), respectively. The patients with normal and "salt-and-pepper" patterns were younger than patients with other patterns (median age, 61.6 vs. 66.8 years; p=0.001). Moreover, 63% and 59.3% of patients with normal and "salt-and-pepper" patterns were scored International Staging System (ISS) stage I and revised ISS (R-ISS) stage I, respectively, whereas only 12.5% of patients with other patterns were scored ISS stage I and R-ISS stage I. Patients with normal and "salt-and-pepper" patterns had a better prognosis than those with other patterns, whereas relapse and death rates were significantly higher in patients with focal, diffuse, and combined MRI patterns. CONCLUSION: Characteristic MRI findings have a significant prognostic value for long-term survival in patients newly diagnosed with MM. In particular, focal, diffuse, and combined focal and diffuse infiltration patterns are unfavorable prognostic factors.

Differences in hormone levels around parturition in Hanwoo cattle (Bos taurus coreanae) following artificial insemination and embryo transfer.

BACKGROUND: With unique genetic traits, Hanwoo cattle (Bos taurus coreanae) are well-adapted to the Korean environment. However, their perinatal mortality rate is 2%-3%, which imposes an economic burden. OBJECTIVE: Due to insufficient data on hormonal changes around parturition, the timing of parturition is often predicted subjectively; few studies have examined hormones in Hanwoo cattle. We measured the changes in various hormones around parturition, to seek an objective predictor of parturition time. METHODS: In 14 female Hanwoo cattle, we measured progesterone, prolactin and cortisol concentrations daily in jugular vein blood samples, beginning 6 days before parturition until 7 days after parturition. Conception was induced in five animals using artificial insemination. Nine animals received embryo transfer. RESULTS: During parturition, the concentration of progesterone decreased significantly in the embryo transfer group (n = 9) and in the total population (n = 14); it did not change significantly in the artificial insemination group (n = 5). Prolactin concentration increased on the day of parturition but did not differ significantly among the groups. Cortisol remained constant throughout the study course. CONCLUSION: We concluded that parturition time can be predicted in Hanwoo cattle using progesterone concentration. This knowledge can reduce perinatal mortality, which would help to improve farm income and animal welfare.

Patients presenting high fever with lymphadenopathy after COVID-19 vaccination were diagnosed with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is still continuing worldwide. Currently, two mRNA-based vaccines and two DNA vaccines using an adenovirus vector are representative vaccines. Since the SARS-CoV-2 vaccines began to be administered, a significant decrease in new infections and COVID-19-associated death has been reported. However, various adverse events from mild symptoms to death have also been described after vaccination. CASE DESCRIPTION: Patients with high fever and lymphadenopathy who are diagnosed with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) after COVID-19 vaccination are very rare, and there is no standard management guideline for these patients thus far. Herein, we described two cases of HLH after the administration of an mRNA-based vaccine and adenovirus vector vaccine. DISCUSSION: HLH is a life-threatening hyperinflammatory syndrome that occurs due to persistent stimulation of lymphocytes and histiocytes in various underlying conditions at all ages. Although the exact mechanisms and risk factors of COVID-19 vaccination-related HLH are still unknown, vigorous immune stimulation may trigger a huge cytokine storm, rarely resulting in HLH. It is important to note that early suspicion by clinicians can lower the mortality rate.

Production of MSTN-mutated cattle without exogenous gene integration using CRISPR-Cas9.

Many genome-edited animals have been produced using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-Cas9 technology to edit specific genes. However, there are few guidelines for the application of this technique to cattle. The goal of this study was to produce trait-improved cattle using the genome-editing technology CRISPR-Cas9. Myostatin (MSTN) was selected as a target locus, and synthetic mRNA of sgRNA and Cas9 were microinjected into fertilized bovine embryos in vitro. As a result, 17 healthy calves were born, and three of them showed MSTN mutation rates of 10.5%, 45.4%, and 99.9%, respectively. Importantly, the offspring with the 99.9% MSTN mutation rate had a biallelic mutation (-12 bps) and a double-muscling phenotype. In conclusion, we demonstrate that the genome-editing technology CRISPR-Cas9 can produce genetically modified calves with improved traits.

Relationship between the Engel Coefficient, Life Satisfaction, and Subjective Health for Senior Citizens in Korea: Moderating Effect of COVID-19.

The purpose of this study was to explore the determinants of life satisfaction for Korean senior citizens. Subjective health and the Engel coefficient were used as the explanatory variables. This research also aimed to examine the moderating effect of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on the relationship between the Engel coefficient and life satisfaction for Korean senior citizens. Archival data (Korean longitudinal study of aging) were used for this work. The study period is 2018 and 2020; the number of observations was 3879. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to test the research hypotheses. To examine further, this research performed additional analyses: sub-sample analysis, median split, and independence tests. The results indicated that the Engel coefficient is negatively associated with life satisfaction, while subjective health is positively related to life satisfaction. Moreover, Korean senior citizens' life satisfaction was higher during the COVID-19 pandemic. This research provides information for building policy for senior Korean citizens.

Change of Ruminoreticular Temperature and Body Activity before and after Parturition in Hanwoo (Bos taurus coreanae) Cows.

How do body temperature and activity change before and after parturition in pregnant cows? Changes in body temperature such as ruminal, rectal, and vaginal temperature during the parturition have been reported, but there are no results of the simultaneous observation of body temperature and activity. The aim of this study was to simultaneously confirm changes in the ruminoreticular temperature and body activity before and after parturition using the ruminoreticular bio-capsule sensor every 1 h. The 55 pregnant cows were used for the experiment, the ruminoreticular bio-capsule sensor was inserted and stabilized, and the ruminoreticular temperature and body activity were measured. The ruminoreticular temperature was lower by 0.5° from -24 h to -3 h in parturition compared to 48 h before parturition and then recovered again after parturition. Body activity increased temporarily at the time of parturition and 12 h after parturition. Therefore, the ruminoreticular temperature and body activity before and after parturition was simultaneously confirmed in pregnant cows.