• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.371-379
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• 2001

The objective of this study was to establish an effective cryopreservation method of in vitro-produced bovine embryos. For the vitrification, in virtro-produced embryos at 8-cell, morula and blastocyst stages were exposed to freezing solution containing 5.5 M EG (EG 5.5) for 20 sec, loaded on each containers such as EM grid, OPS and Cryo-loop, and then immediately plunged into liquid nitrogen at -196$^{\circ}C$. Thawed embryos were serially diluted in 0.5, 0.25 and 0.125 M sucrose in m-HPBS, each for 1 min, and cultured in CRlaa medium supplemented with 10% FBS. Significant differences in the rates of re-expanded and hatched embryos were not observed among these embryo containers. The total cell number of expanded blastocyst cultured in vitro after vitrification was examined by Hoechst staining. There were no differences between non-vitrified (180.0 $\pm$ 5.4) and vitrified groups (178.0 $\pm$ 7.5). In addition, when the cellular injuries after vitrification were compared by double staining. There were no significant difference in the ratio of live and dead cells between non-vitrified group (176 : 4) and vitrified group (172 : 6). Therefore, these results suggest that bovine embryos can be cryopreserved easily, effectively and successfully by vitrification using various containers, such as EM grid, OPS or Cryo-loop in the presence of EG 5.5 freezing solution.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.298-303
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• 2020

Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) is now the first choice to determine the high-resolution structures of huge protein complexes. Grids with two-dimensional arrays of holes covered with a carbon film are typically used in cryo-EM. Although semi-automatic plungers are available, notable trial-and-error is still required to obtain a suitable grid specimen. Herein, we introduce a new method to obtain thin ice specimens using real-time measurement of the liquid amounts in cryo-EM grids. The grids for cryo-EM strongly diffracted laser light, and the diffraction intensity of each spot was measurable in real-time. The measured diffraction patterns represented the states of the liquid in the holes due to the curvature of the liquid around them. Using the diffraction patterns, the optimal time point for freezing the grids for cryo-EM was obtained in real-time. This development will help researchers rapidly determine high-resolution protein structures using the limited resource of cryo-EM instrument access.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.27-34
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• 2004

This study evaluated the efficiency and compared with different materials of loading vessels for vitrification-plastic/glass, copper grid and nylon. The loading method, vitrification, cryop-reservation and warming method of the oocytes were examined. The loading samples prepared in manual or company-made and sterilized, loaded the COCs selected on each samples and cultured for maturation during 40 hours, and then exposed sequentially to ethylene glycol solution. Thawing method was reversely treated and exposed for warmed oocytes. After oocytes were thawed, fertilized and cultured in vitro for 3-4 hours, rates of development and morphological appearance were examined. The results were as summarized: ㆍOPS from company-made or hand-made of the hematocrit micropipettes, NLS from fishing line and EMG from company-made for EM were used for loading oocytes, respectively. ㆍThe efficiency of freezing method and loading convenience were orderly higher in OPS, NLS and EMG. The optimal capacity per vessel was orderly lowered in NLS, EMG and OPS, respectively. ㆍAfter oocytes were warmed, the recovery rate, morphology and rate of development were orderly higher in OPS, NLS and EMG, respectively. ㆍIn conclusion, OPS has the advantages of achieving a little more survival and preserving results than other two loading methods.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.46 no.9
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• pp.538-544
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• 2023

The formation of uniform vitreous ice is a crucial step in the preparation of samples for cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM). Despite the rapid technological progress in EM, controlling the thickness of vitreous ice on sample grids with reproducibility remains a major obstacle to obtaining high-quality data in cryo-EM imaging. The commonly employed classical blotting process faces the problem of excess water that cannot be absorbed by the filter paper, resulting in the formation of thick and heterogeneous ice. In this study, we propose a novel approach that combines the recently developed nanowire self-wicking technique with the classical blotting method to effectively control the thickness and homogeneity of vitrified ice. With simple procedures, we generated a copper oxide spike (COS) grid by inducing COSs on commercially available copper grids, which can effectively remove excess water during the blotting procedure without damaging the holey carbon membrane. The ice thickness could be controlled with good reproducibility compared to non-oxidized grids. Incorporated into other EM techniques, our new modification method is an effective option for obtaining high-quality data during cryo-EM imaging.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.241-248
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• 2003

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the survival rate of vitrified blastocyst according to the freezing vessels, equilibration time in cryoprotectant and artificial dehydration method. Methods: Human blastocysts were vitrified after loading onto the plastic straw, open-pulled straw (OPS), electron microscopy grid (EM grid) for 1.5 min or 3 min. They also were directly plunged into LN2 within 30sec. For artificial shrinkage of blastocysts, 36 gauge fine needle was pushed at the cellular junction of the trophectoderm into the blstocoele cavity until it shrank without damage of inner cell mass. Results: The survival rate of vitrified blastocysts on plastic straw, OPS, EM grid as freezing vessels were 26.7, 13.0 and 60.5%, respectively. The survival rate of EM grid was significantly higher than that of plastic straw and OPS (p<0.05). For 1.5 min equilibrium, the survival rates of early blastocyst (EB), middle blastocyst (MB) and late blastocyst (LB) were 64.4, 81.0, and 20.0% respectively. For 3 min equilibrium, the survival rates of EB, MB, and LB were 69.9, 50.0 and 57.5% respectively. The survival rates of EB and MB were significantly higher than that of LB in 1.5 min equilibrium group (p<0.05), however, the significance was not observed in 3 min equilibrium groups. In cytoplasmic shrinkage before vitrification, the survival rates of EB, MB and LB were 92.9, 100 and 75.9% respectively. The survival rate of MB was significantly higher than that of LB (p<0.05). The survival rates of vitrified blastocysts by artificial dehydration and slow-frozen blastocysts were not significantly different as 88.9 and 66.7%, respectively. Conclusion: This study showed that the vitrification of human blastocysts using EM grid and artificial dehydration is an effective method. Therefore, these methods would be an useful techniques for blastocyst cryopreservation.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.71-76
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• 1998

This study was carried out to examine whether the developmental capacity of bovine immature oocytes frozen ultra-rapidly using electron microscope (EM) grids and EFS30 can be obtained. As freezing solution, we used EFS30 which consisted of 30% ethylene glycol, 0.5 M sucrose, 18% ficoll and 10% FBS added in D-PBS. As criterior of oocyte viability, the rates of maturation, fertilization and embryonic development were determined. The results obtained in this experiment were summarized as follows: When ultra-rapidly frozen immature oocytes were thawed, 43.2% of them were survived. The rates of maturation (84.1%) and normal 2 pronuclei formation (57.5%) of frozen immature oocytes were not significantly different when compared to those of control (92.5, 65.0%). In addition, the rates of $\geq2$-cell (65.0%) and blastocyst formation (30.8%) of freezing group were not significantly different when compared to those of control (73.7, 35.7%). These results demonstrate that developmental capacity of frozen-thawed bovine immature oocytes can be successfully obtained when survived from the ultra-rapid freezing method using EM grid and EFS30.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.81-88
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• 2019

In this study, the effects of graphene oxide (GO) addition on electromigration (EM) lifetime of Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu Pb-free solder joint between a ball grid array (BGA) package and printed circuit board (PCB) were investigated. After as-bonded, $(Cu,Ni)_6Sn_5$ intermetallic compound (IMC) was formed at the interface of package side finished with electroplated Ni/Au, while $Cu_6Sn_5$ IMC was formed at the interface of OSP-treated PCB side. Mean time to failure of solder joint without GO solder joint under $130^{\circ}C$ with a current density of $1.0{\times}10^3A/cm^2$ was 189.9 hrs and that with GO was 367.1 hrs. EM open failure was occurred at the interface of PCB side with smaller pad diameter than that of package side due to Cu consumption by electrons flow. Meanwhile, we observed that the added GO was distributed at the interface between $Cu_6Sn_5$ IMC and solder. Therefore, we assumed that EM reliability of solder joint with GO was superior to that of without GO by suppressing the Cu diffusion at current crowding regions.

• Journal of electromagnetic engineering and science
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.16-21
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• 2002

On the contrary to the progress of the electronic industry and radio communication technologies, many social problems such as EMI, due to unnecessary electromagnetic(EM) wave are serious with the increased use of EM wave. It is required that the absorbing capability of an EM wave absorber is more than 20 dB, the bandwidth of which is required from 30 MHz to 18 GHz to satisfy the international standard about an anechoic chamber for EMI/EMS measurement$^{[1]}$TEX>. However, the absorbing frequency band of the conventional EM wave absorbers satisfying more than 20 dB is very narrow, for examples, from 30 MHz to 400 MHz in ferrite tile type and from 30 MHz to 870 MHz in ferrite grid type, respectively. In this paper, we proposed and designed a new tripe absorber with broadband characteristics covering the frequency band from 30 MHz to 10 GHz by use of the equivalent material constants method (EMCM)$^{[2]~[4]}$TEX>.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.233-237
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• 2001

To develop an effective vitrification method, we examined the use of a conventional straw as vessel fur vitrification of mouse oocytes, and to compare the post-thaw survival and chromosome configuration of these oocytes with those vitrified in grids. Intact cumulus-enclosed oocytes were vitrified with DPBS with 5.5 M ethylene glycol and 1.0 M sucrose, and loaded into straws and onto eletron microscopic copper grid fur storing in liquid nitrogen. Intact vitrified and thawed oocytes were karyotying for chromosome. The rates of post-thawed survival were 88.5% in vitrified oocytes with straws, and 83% in vitrified ooctyes with grids. Vitrified and thawed oocytes with straws and grids were increased chromosomal abnormality (31.4% and 30.9%) compared with fresh oocytes (17.8%). The conventional straws can be used as vessel for vitrification to prevent of inflection in liquid nitrogen.

• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
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• 2003.06a
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• pp.83-83
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• 2003

돼지 난자의 유리화 동결 처리 방법 중 난자를 담는 용기(loading vessel)의 재료로 최근에 알려진 것으로 open-pulled straws(OPS)[Vajta등, Mol Reprod Dev, 51:53-58, (1998)], electron microscope grids(EMG) [Martino등,Biol Reprod, 54:1059-1069, (1996)〕, nylon loop system(NLS) [Lane등, Fertil Steril,72: 1073-1078, (1999)] 등이 보고되고 있다. OPS는 1/4cc straws를 열을 가하여 길게 뽑아 내벽을 얇게 함으로써 filing된 난자나 수정란이 액체 질소와 접촉했을 때 유리화가 신속하게 되도록 하는 방법으로 돼지에서는 별로 보고된 것이 없다. EMG는 열전도가 예민한 전자현미경용 copper grid를 이용한 방법으로 최근 국내 기술진의 연구성적을 포함한 몇몇 학자들에 의하여 보고되었고 NLS는 0.5mm직경의 nylon loop를 이용하여 급속 동결한 성적이 보고되었으나, 돼지 난자에 응용 된 것은 없다. 따라서 이와 같은 동결 재료는 사람과 반추류, mouse외에 돼지 난자에 대하여는 전혀 시도되지 않았지만 유리화 동결기술에서 가장 중요한 실험으로 생각된다. 성공적인 유리화 동결을 위해서는 수정란이 냉각의 전도성이 빠르고, 작은 용액을 수정란과 같이 filling해야 하며 모든 동작이 신속 간편해야 하며 융해 방법도 초급속도의 융해가 요구되므로 이에 부합되어야 한다. 연구 목적은 돼지 난자를 유리화 동결/융해 시 동결 재료-straw/glass, copper grid, nylon 3가지에 대한 제작 방법, 난자 loading, 동결 처리, 보관 방법, 융해 방법 등을 난자의 회수, 수정 후 생존율을 비교 조사하여 가장 우수한 방법을 선택할 목적이었다. 수행 내용은 3가지의 재료의 sample을 제작하고 소독한 다음 준비된 돼지 COCs을 40시간동안 IVM한 후 난자를 5~l5개 정도로 선정 하여 준비된 VS 용액에 평형처리 하였다. 각 재료의 용기에 loading 한 후 동결/보관하였고, 융해는 역순으로 평형하여 maturation 배지에 3~4시간 배양한 다음 경검하고 IVF한 후 NCSU-23 배지에 담아 IVC 배양하면서 cell cleavage상태를 확인하였다.