Korea International Cooperation Agency

In Ethiopia, the reproductive efficiency of dairy cattle utilizing artificial insemination (AI) is low, and implementing estrus and ovulation synchronization protocols could enhance the efficiency. Therefore, this study was designed to evaluate the effect of progesterone (P4) supplementation during Co‐Synch on estrus response (ER) and pregnancy per AI (P/AI) in crossbred dairy cattle breed in Southwestern Ethiopia. In the trial, heifers and cows (n = 120) were enrolled in the study. All animals received 100 μg of gonadotropin‐releasing hormone (GnRH) and had a progesterone‐releasing intravaginal device (PRID) inserted intravaginally on Day 0. On Day 7, they received 25 mg of prostaglandin (PGF2α), followed by the removal of the PRID. On Day 9, animals received 100 μg of GnRH concurrent with insemination. Estrus signs were monitored to assess heat response during morning and evening for at least 30 min at approximately 12‐h intervals from PRID removal on Days 7 through 9. Trans‐rectal ultrasonography was used to diagnose pregnancy 60 days after AI. The P/AI was recorded as the total number of pregnant females from the total number of animals involved in the synchronization program. A logistic regression analysis was performed to test the effectiveness of the treatment on ER and PR. 80% of animals showed ER to the treatment. A greater percentage of primiparous cows (93.33%) responded to the treatment, followed by heifers (83.33%), while the lowest response was seen in cows with a parity of 3 (66.67%). A total of 59.17% of the overall P/AI was achieved. The P/AI was affected by parity; a higher P/AI was obtained from the primiparous group. Statistically, no bull or BCS effect on P/AI was observed in the current study. Supplementation of P4 improved pregnancy outcomes, surpassing the national average, suggesting the protocol’s success in synchronizing estrus and ovulation among crossbred cows and heifers.

BackgroundWheat is one of the most important food crops worldwide. Numerous studies have shown that genetic diversity lost the process of wheat breeding because of the pursuit of earlier heading date and higher yield. Reduced genetic diversity leads to decreased adaptability to the environment and resistance to pests and diseases posing a serious threat to wheat production safety.ResultsThis study investigated the genetic diversity of a global wheat collection stored at the National Agrobiodiversity Center of South Korea. A total of 397 global wheat core collections were selected from 19,698 accessions, with associated traits accumulated from 1984 to 2017. The genetic diversity of the core collections was analyzed using 198 neutral SNPs and KASP markers to explore the population structure and genetic diversity within the global wheat collection. The results indicate that cultivars developed in the past decade exhibit higher genetic diversity than both the cultivars deposited before 2015 and the landraces. This suggests that the genetic diversity observed in the newly developed cultivars may originate from the introduction of novel wild germplasms or artificially induced mutant breeding materials. In addition, the traits prediction system established using the KASP marker genotyping results can explain 52.7% of the heading date variation and 42.9% of the 1000-grain weight variation.ConclusionsOverall, this study monitored the genetic diversity of wheat cultivars bred in the past decade and concluded that modern wheat breeding model have reversed the trend of continuous reduction in genetic diversity of cultivars. The trait prediction system established using KASP markers could provide a platform for the selection of new wheat materials for future breeding.

This article aims to evaluate the effect of enrolling in supplementary private health insurance on household debt, medical spending, and medical service use among South Koreans experiencing a health shock. Using data from the Korean Welfare Panel Study from 2009 through 2017, we compared household debt and health service use for those with and without private supplemental health insurance after experiencing a health shock. We found no significant differences in household debt or the financial burden of a health shock between those with and without supplemental health insurance coverage following a shock. Households with supplemental coverage used more medical services compared to households without supplementary coverage and incurred additional medical expenses.

The new regulation was introduced to the franchise market of South Korea in that an applicant who wants to be a franchiser must set up direct retail stores and run them for at least one year before recruiting franchisees. Considering the purpose of the regulation, it is inferred that once franchisers run their own stores, their franchisees would be better off than otherwise. This paper addresses one reason that the Korea Fair Trade Commission has no choice but to introduce the regulation. Along the line, this paper investigates whether franchisees would have a more likelihood to make profit in case of franchisers operating their own stores. The result demonstrates that this case could be true since the operation of franchiser-owned stores could be helpful in reducing the cost of franchisees.

Women's empowerment and health literacy are essential for fostering community well-being. Empowering women through education and diverse training plays a crucial role in ensuring their prosperity and overall health. This study investigates the satisfaction and experiences of underprivileged rural mothers participating in a functional literacy education program in the Kailali district, Nepal. We assess participants' perceptions of program effectiveness, examining training content, facilities, and trainers while exploring menstrual hygiene practices and maternal health awareness. Through convenience sampling, 141 underprivileged women from five rural villages near Tikapur were selected from literacy centers run by Mahima Group. Utilizing structured questionnaires and statistical analyses, including descriptive analyses, Spearman's rho correlation, and Pearson's chi-square test, we found that 65.2% of participants expressed high satisfaction levels. Moreover, 96.5% found the program highly effective, with 97.9% reporting improved literacy skills and 96.5% demonstrating increased awareness of menstrual hygiene practices. Additionally, 97.2% agreed that the program enhanced maternal and child health knowledge. Significant correlations were observed among the training course, facilities, trainers, and overall training perception. In line with this, significant associations were found between age groups (p = 0.003) and geographical areas (p = 0.023) with satisfaction levels with the literacy program. These results underscore the satisfaction of participants within the literacy program and its impact on their lives, and advocates for its broader implementation to empower marginalized communities for sustainable development.

Background:The purpose of the study was to investigate the changes in organ donation resulting from the altered activities of Korea Organ Donation Agency (KODA) coordinators during the pandemic.Due to restrictions on visitations and travel, medical professionals were unable to conduct face-to-face meetings with potential organ donors and their families.Thus, the study aimed to analyze the number of organ donors in affiliated medical institutions and nonaffiliated medical institutions (HOPO) during the pandemic, based on data from KODA statistics from January 2019 to December 2022.Methods: The study found that KODA coordinators used several methods to prevent the spread of infection, such as remote communication for consent, consent in nonmedical locations, and collaboration with coordinators from other regions.The number of remote consents increased each year, with the highest number in 2021.KODA-affiliated medical institutions showed a steady increase in organ donation over the study period, while the number of organ donations from HOPO decreased sharply each year.Results: In conclusion, the study revealed that the pandemic had some impact on organ donation in Korea, but KODA coordinators adapted their activities to ensure the safety of potential donors and their families. Conclusions:The study also showed that KODA-affiliated medical institutions had a higher number of organ donations than nonaffiliated medical institutions, indicating the importance of collaboration between medical institutions and KODA coordinators for successful organ donation.

Background: As of December 31, 2022, there were a total of 1,770 transplant recipients under the age of 10 years in Korea.However, between 2018 and 2022, only 38 brain-dead organ donors were recorded in this age group, with an annual average of 7.6.This indicates a significant shortage of donated organs for children under the age of 10 years.Therefore, we analyzed the average number of donated organs from donors aged 10 years between 2018 and 2022 to determine the need for increased organ donation efforts.Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on cases of presumed brain that were reported to the Korea Organ Donation Agency (KODA) between 2018 and 2022.Cases of presumed brain death were divided into two groups: those aged 10 years (group A) and those aged 11 years (group B).Results: Between 2018 and 2022, 179 individuals were diagnosed with presumed brain death in group A and 11,210 were identified in group B. Of these individuals, 38 from group A and 2,186 from group B eventually became brain-dead organ donors.The average number of organs donated per deceased donor was 2.61 for group A and 3.41 for group B, with a higher average in group B. A comparison of organ donation rates revealed that kidney (51.5%) donation was the most and which was followed by liver (24.6%), heart (11.4%), and lung (8.2%) in order for group B and kidney (35.3%), heart (26.2%), heart (11.4%), lung (22.2%), and lung (16.1%) in order for group A. Although kidney donation was the most common in both groups, group A had higher rates of heart and lung donations.During the same period, guardian rejection rates were 29.4% (4,484 individuals) for group B and 71.7% (104 individuals) for group A, indicating a higher rate of rejection among guardians in group A. Conclusions:The number of individuals under the age of 10 years awaiting transplantation significantly exceeds the number of brain-dead organ donors in this age group.Hence, there is a mismatch between the demand and availability of donated organs, leading to prolonged waiting times for transplant recipients and their guardians.To address this issue, it is crucial to reduce the number of guardian refusals for organ donation.This can be achieved by improving public awareness and enhancing the interviewing skills of organ procurement nurses to better educate parents about the importance of organ donation.Furthermore, efforts are needed by organ procurement agencies, the government, and related academic societies to address the issue of organ shortage for children under 10 years old in Korea.