• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.193-202
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• 2003

Objective: To evaluate the difference of implantation rate (IR) and clinical pregnancy rate (CPR) between two protocols of endometrial preperation in women undergoing frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) cycles. Methods: This study was performed during the different time periods: A retrospective study from January 2000 to June 2001 (phase I) and a prospective study from July 2001 to March 2002 (phase II). All the patients received estradiol valerate (6 mg p.o. daily) starting from day 1 or 2 of the menstrual cycle without pituitary down regulation. Progesterone was administered around day 14 after sonographic confirmation of endometrial thickness $\geq$7 mm and no growing follicle. In Group A (n=88, 99 cycles) of phase I, progesterone was administered i.m. at a dose of 50 mg daily from one day prior to thawing of pronuclear (PN) stage frozen embryo or three days prior to thawing of 6-8 cell stage frozen embryo and then each stage embryos were trasnsferred 2 days or 1 day later after thawing. In Group B (n=246, 299 cycles) of phase I, patients recieved progesterone 100 mg i.m. from one day earlier than group A; two days prior to PN embryo thawing, four days prior to of 6-8 cell embryo thawing. During the phase II, to exclude any differences in embryo transfer procedures, in Group 1 (n=23, 28 cycles) of phase II embryo was transfered by one who have used the progesterone protocol since the phase I. In Group 2 (n=122, 139 cycles) of phase II embryo was transfered by one who use the progesterone protocol from the phase II. Results: When compared across the phase and group, there were no significant differences in the characteristics. During the phase I, there were significant increase in IR (14.4% vs 5.9%, p=0.001) and CPR (28.3% vs 14.5%, p=0.000) in group A. During the phases II, IR (11.8% vs 10.6%) and CPR (27.6% vs 27.3%) show no differences between two groups. Conclusions: In FET cycles, IR and CPR are increased significantly by the change of dosage and timing of progesterone administraton. And the timing is considered to be more important factor because the dosage of progesterone did not affect implantation window in previous studies. Therefore, we suggest that progesterone administration in FET cycle should begin from one day prior to PN stage embryo thawing and three days prior to 6-8 cell stage embryo thawing.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.303-308
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• 2008

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of preoperative semen parameters on both seminal improvement and pregnancy rates following varicocelectomy. Methods: This survey was done in 278 patients who underwent microsurgical inguinal varicocelectomy from January 2001 until October 2006. By the total motile sperm counts (TMSC) before operation, the patients were stratified into three groups. Group A (mild oligoasthenospermia) was defined as above 20 million, group B (moderate oligoasthenospermia) was defined as between 5 and 20 million, and group C (severe oligoasthenospermia) was defined as below 5 million. Improvement rates of TMSC and pregnancy rates following varicocelectomy of each groups were compared. Results: The average TMSC of all the patients was 25.75 million before operation and after operation, it was 80.24 million, showing an average increase of 54.49 million (211.6%). To take a look at mean absolute increase (mean relative increase proportion), group A showed 67.90 million (131.2%), group B 62.20 million (482.5%) and group C 26.33 million (1841.2%). The patients with varicocele whose semen parameter is in bad condition show relatively a low mean absolute increase but high mean relative increase proportion. There was no significant difference in natural pregnancy rate among each groups (p=0.119, p=0.059). Conclusions: Even in the varicocele patient whose semen parameter was in bad condition before surgical operation. varicocelectomy could be chosen as the first treatment to male infertility.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.219-226
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• 2014

The effects of different stocking densities on the growth and survival rate of the abalone, Haliotis discus hannai, were investigated in marine net cage for two years. Stocking density was set 15, 30, 45 and 60 percentage $(=per.)/m^2$ with share to cross-sectional area per shelter. The primary rearing period (PRP) and the secondary rearing period (SRP) were conducted by a year. One year mean water temperature of PRP and SRS showed the difference about $2^{\circ}C$. In the growth (initial mean shell length of abalone : $36.14{\pm}2.28mm$) of PRP, the absolute growth rate (ARG), daily growth rate (DGR) and specific growth rate (SGR) of the $15per./m^2$ were higher than those of density groups (P < 0.05). Survival rates of all density groups were showed no significant difference. In the growth (mean shell length of abalone : $55.26{\pm}6.93mm$) of SRP, ARG, DGR and SGR of stocking density groups showed no significant difference except for $45per./m^2$ density group. Survival rate in the low-density (15, $30per./m^2$) was more than 70%, and those of the high-density (45, $60per./m^2$) were less than 31% and 9%, respectively. These results showed that the appropriate stocking density for $15per./m^2$ was seven hundred fifty number per one net cage ($2.4{\times}2.4m$), during PRP using 3-4 cm abalone in length. Also for the secondary rearing period, the optimal stocking density (shell length 5-6 cm of abalone) consider with the economical efficiency was determined to be $30per./m^2$, resulting the productivity improved.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.228-232
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• 2016

As the quantity of HNS sea trasport and the number of HNS accidents at sea are increasing recently, the importance of HNS management is emphasized so that we try to develop marine accident case standard code for making HNS accidents at sea databased systemically in this study. First and foremost, we draw the related requisites of essential accident reports along with internal and external decrees and established statistics of classified items for conducting study, and we referred to analogous standard codes obtained from developed countries in order to research code design. Code design is set like 'Accident occurrence ${\rightarrow}$ The initial accident information ${\rightarrow}$ Accident response ${\rightarrow}$ Accident investigation' in accordance with the general flow of marine HNS accidents of in which the accident information is input and queried. We classified initial accident information into the items of five categories and constructed "Preliminary Information Code(P.I.C.)". In addition we constructed accident response in two categories and accident investigation in three categories that get possible after the accident occurrence as called "Full Information(F.I.C.)", including the P.I.C. It is represented in 3 kinds of steps on each topic by departmentalizing the classified majority as classified middle class and classified minority. As a result of coding marine HNS accident and of the code to a typical example of marine HNS accident, HNS accident was ascertained to be represented sufficiently well. We expect that it is feasible to predict possible trouble or accident henceforward by applying code, and also consider that it is valuable to the preparedness, response and restoration in relation to HNS accidents at sea by managing systemically the data of marine HNS accidents which will occur in the future.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.570-581
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• 2013

To improve productivity of aquaculture animals with management of culturing grounds, survey of mariculture management area in Ongjin-gun about water quality and sedimentary environment had been conducted on June, August and November in 2011. Water temperature in surface and bottom waters ranged from 9.49 to $24.14^{\circ}C$. Salinity and dissolved oxygen concentrations were in the range of 23.19~31.49 and 5.48~9.36 mg/L, respectively, depending on the variation of water temperature. The average concentration of COD was 1.57 mg/L and the concentrations of DIN and DIP showed entirely low level. As the result of grain size analysis, sand(56.66 %) and silt(34.60 %) were predominated. The Mz of sediment showed a variation of 2.59 to $6.62{\O}$ and sorting appeared to be poorly sorted. The concentrations of COD and IL in surface sediment ranged from 1.00 to $11.03mg/g{\cdot}dry$ and 0.72 to 5.29 %, respectively, which showed relatively good positive correlations. On the environmental assessment of trace metals in surface sediment, geoaccumulation index ($I_{geo}$) class indicated that sediments were not contaminated by most of metallic elements except Cr and As. Our result implies that this study area showed good water quality and sediments were not polluted by organic matters and metallic elements.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.338-346
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• 2017

Natural seaweed beds and habitat environments were investigated using quantitative and qualitative methods from May to December 2015 at 3 sites in Gangneung, Uljin, and Busan along the eastern coast of Korea. In total, 9 green, 23 brown, and 64 red algal taxa were identified. The biomass of the seaweed at Gangneung was 173.2 to $613.8wet\;wt.g/m^2$ of Dictyota divaricata, 360.8 to $520.4wet\;wt.g/m^2$ of Symphyocladia linearis, and 25.9 to $470.8wet\;wt.g/m^2$ of Undaria pinnatifida. At Uljin, these numbers were 5.5 to $256.2wet\;wt.g/m^2$ of Plocamium telfarirae and 46.8 to $241.5wet\;wt.g/m^2$ of Agarum clathratum. The biomass of Sargassum coreanum and Ecklonia cava were 388.1 to $6,972.4wet\;wt.g/m^2$ and 194.9 to $958.5wet\;wt.g/m^2$, respectively, at Busan. S. coreanum and E. cava showed higher biomass compared to other seaweed at Busan. The biomass rate represented an average of 19.2 percent of the total population, ranging from 0.0 to 55.5 percent in Gangneung. In Uljin, the average was calculated as 63.8 percent, and this figure was 48.5 percent in Busan. The percentage of barren ground averaged 46.7 percent in Gangneung and 91.1 percent in Uljin. Uljin showed the highest percentage of barren ground compared to other regions. Sea urchin density appeared to be $6.0ind./m^2$ in Gangneung, $7.0ind./m^2$ in Uljin, and $2.0ind./m^2$ in Busan, with the lowest sea urchin density being that of Busan. In conclusion, the composition of species, appearance ratio, and abundance of vegetation found were similar to previous studies, but it is thought that continuous monitoring is needed due to concerns about physical and chemical pollution caused by global warming, climate change, and coastal development.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.632-642
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• 2000

This study was carried out to investigate effect of education for breastfeeding on practice of breastfeeding 171 primiparae (experimental group with education 83 and control group without education 88) who gave birth in hospitals located in Taegu City from October 25, 1999 to December 25, 1999 and planned to breastfeed their children after childbirth. The results of this study were as follows. 1) The experimental group's practice rate of breast-feeding was statistically higher than the control group's at the points of two weeks, four weeks, eight weeks and twelve weeks after childbirth(p<0.05). However, the rate at the points of sixteen weeks and twenty weeks after childbirth was higher in the experimental group than in the control group but there was no significant difference between both groups. 2) The experimental group's discontinuance rate of breast-feeding was lower than the control group's at all the points of two weeks, four weeks, eight weeks, twelve weeks, sixteen weeks and twenty weeks after childbirth, and it was statistically significant(p<0.05). The discontinuance rate of breast-feeding at the point of four weeks after childbirth was the highest in both groups. It accounted for 25.5% in the experimental group and 36.8% in the control group. 3) The reason of which the rate appeared to be the highest among those for discontinuance of breast-feeding was the lack of breast milk. The rate accounted for 65.5% in the experimental group and 50.7% in the control group. In conclusion, the study suggested that the education for encouraging breast-feeding provided to the primiparae after childbirth has an positive effect on the practice of breast-feeding.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.690-700
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• 2012

The experiment was conducted by in vitro fermentation and bacterial community analysis to investigate the reduction of odorous compounds in response to the use of feed additives (FA) during carbohydrate overload in growing pigs. Soluble starch at 1% (control) and various FA at 0.1% Ginseng meal (FA1); Persimmon leaf (FA2); Gingko nut (FA3) and Oregano lippia (FA4) were added to fecal slurry and incubated anaerobically for 12 and 24 h. In vitro parameters and microbial diversity of the dominant bacteria following fermentation were analyzed using Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE), band cloning and sequencing of the V3 region. Results showed that total gas production increased with the advancement of incubation (p<0.05). pH values of FAs and control groups were decreased except the FA4 group which increased somewhat from 12 to 24 h (p<0.05). Ammonia nitrogen ($NH_3$-N) and $H_2S$ gas concentrations were comparatively lower in both stages in FA4 treatment than in the other groups (p<0.05). Hence, $NH_3$-N concentrations in liquid phases were increased (p<0.05) from 12 to 24 h, but the trend was lowest in FA4 than in the other groups at both stages. The total VFA production was comparatively lower and butyrate levels were moderate in FA4 group than in the the other groups during both stages (p<0.05). Indirect odor-reducing compounds such as $NO_2$, $NO_3$ and $SO_4$ concentrations were higher in the FA4 and FA3 than in the other groups at 24 h (p<0.05). After fermentation, ten dominant bands appeared, six of which appeared in all samples and four in only the FA4 treated group. The total number of DGGE bands and diversity was higher in the FA4-group compared to other groups. Additionally, similarity indices were lowest (71%) in the FA4, which represented a different bacterial community compared with the other groups. These findings indicate that $NH_3$-N, $H_2S$ and VFA production was minimal, and pH was also better in the FA4 group than in the other groups. Furthermore, the conversion of odor-reducing indirect compounds or their intermediates was higher in the FA4 group in compared to the other groups. FA4 group generated less odorous products and more indirect products by in vitro fermentation at 24 h, and their microbial pattern appeared to differ from that of the other groups. These findings suggest that this particular FA could change the microbial population, which may have a beneficial effect on odor reduction. It is recommended that the oregano lippia may be supplied to growing pigs as FA along with excess carbohydrate sources to reduce the production of odorous compounds.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.480-489
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• 2020

Objective: Sow milk (SM) may not be able to meet the piglet's nutritional needs in late lactation. Hence, this study was conducted to investigate the effects of early commercial milk (CM) supplement on the mucosal morphology, bacterial community and bacterial metabolites in jejunum of piglets. Methods: Ten litters of newborn piglets ([Yorkshire×Landrace]×Duroc) were randomly divided into 2 groups of 5 litters. The piglets in the control group were suckled by the sow (SM), while the piglets in the treatment group (CM supplement) were supplemented with a CM supplement along with suckling from d 4 to d 28 of age. Results: No significant differences were observed about jejunal mucosal morphology on d 28 and d 35 between two groups. On d 28, the activity of lactase in the jejunum was significantly decreased in the CM group, while the activity of sucrase and the ratio of maltase to lactase were significantly increased (p<0.05). On d 35, the activity of maltase in the jejunum was significantly increased in the CM group (p<0.05), and maltase to lactase ratio tended to increase in the CM group (p = 0.065). In addition, piglets in the CM group had a higher abundance of Clostridium XI, Tuicibater, and Moraxella in the jejunum on d 28, while the abundance of Lactobacillus was significantly increased on d 35 (p<0.05). Conclusion: The early CM supplement improved the maturation of the jejunum to some extent by enhancing the maltase and sucrase activities. Moreover, the early CM supplement could help maintain the homeostasis of internal environment in jejunum by increasing the microbial-derived metabolites.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.23
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• pp.10407-10412
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• 2015

Background: ${\beta}$-elemene, extracted from herb medicine Curcuma wenyujin has potent anti-tumor effects in various cancer cell lines. However, the activity of ${\beta}$-elemene against glioma cells remains unclear. In the present study, we assessed effects of ${\beta}$-elemene on human glioma cells and explored the underlying mechanism. Materials and Methods: Human glioma U87 cells were used. Cell proliferation was determined with MTT assay and colony formation assay to detect the effect of ${\beta}$-elemene at different doses and times. Fluorescence microscopy was used to observe cell apoptosis with Hoechst 33258 staining and change of glioma apoptosis and cell cycling were analyzed by flow cytometry. Real-time quantitative PCR and Western-blotting assay were performed to investigated the influence of ${\beta}$-elemene on expression levels of Fas/FasL, caspase-3, Bcl-2 and Bax. The experiment was divided into two groups: the blank control group and ${\beta}$-elemne treatment group. Results: With increase in the concentration of ${\beta}$-elemene, cytotoxic effects were enhanced in the glioma cell line and the concentration of inhibited cell viability ($IC_{50}$) was $48.5{\mu}g/mL$ for 24h. ${\beta}$-elemene could induce cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase. With Hoechst 33258 staining, apoptotic nuclear morphological changes were observed. Activation of caspase-3,-8 and -9 was increased and the pro-apoptotic factors Fas/FasL and Bax were upregulated, while the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 was downregulated after treatment with ${\beta}$-elemene at both mRNA and protein levels. Furthermore, proliferation and colony formation by U87 cells were inhibited by ${\beta}$-elemene in a time and does-dependent manner. Conclusions: Our results indicate that ${\beta}$-elemene inhibits growth and induces apoptosis of human glioma cells in vitro. The induction of apoptosis appears to be related with the upregulation of Fas/FasL and Bax, activation of caspase-3,-8 and -9 and downregulation of Bcl-2, which then trigger major apoptotic cascades.