• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.35-49
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• 1986

Recipients are an integral part of embryo transfer and they are expensive to maintain as a good recipient. Recipient management is one of the most important components in a successful embryo transfer program. Management includes selection and subsequent care of the animals. A good recipient is basically on "open" cows or heffers whose reproductive tract is capable of receiving one or two embryos and incubating it to term. Potential recipients should be always be healthy and cycling normally ranging from 18 to 23 days. A thorough veterinary examination is recommended for candidate of recipients and cattle for questionable health should be eliminated from the recipient herd. Age and size of recipients are particularly important considerations when heifers are used, because of most embryos available for transfer are from large dams and sires. Body condition can influence a recipient's production, reproduction and health. Obese and underconditioned cattle should be avoided for use. Transfer of fresh embryos especially requires precise synchronization of donors and recipients. For estrus synchronization, PGF$_2$$\alpha$ is injected twice 10 to 12 days apart and short4erm progestagen treatment is applied to potential recipient cattle by coil into vagina (PRID) or ear implant (Synchro-Mate-B). The highest pregnancy results are achieved in recipients at exact synchrony with donors or 12 to 24 hr earlier than donors. Estrus detection is a major factor in breeding efficiency. High accuracy can be achieved by use of heat mount detection alds or by obserbing cattle for 30-minute peroids 3 times daily. Assay progesterone in milk can be used to discrIminate between pregnant and nonprenant recipients. Rectal palpation on day 35 to 70 after is an accurate and safe method of pregnancy diagnosis. Embryonic mortality in recipients may be associated with factors such as high environmental temperature and nutritional or lactational stress in early lactation period. Achievement of short calving interval requires concentrated management activity during the first 90 days following calving. Acceptable candidate for a recipient should be routinely vaccinated for infectious diseases. Proper nutritional programs according to NRC requirements and body condition scoring system for recipient cattles are vital to the ultimate success of an embryo transfer program.r program.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.43-51
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• 1998

Studies were carried out to investigate phenotypic expression, mortality and biochemical analysis of haemolymph proteins of nm-d, nm-f, nm-k and nmn bib-molting mutants of the silkworm, Bombyx mori. The non-molting mutants characters were expressed in the homozygote of each mutant genes. All strains of non-molting mutants were similar with each other in physiological characteristics, but the expression varied with each strains. The larvae of nm-d, nm-i and nmn died between day 5 and day 9 after hatching without the first molt. The nm-f and nm-k mutants died between day 5 and day 16 with a slight increase of body weight and, more than 90% of the mutants larvae died before the first molt and a few of them survived to the 2nd and the 3rd instar and died. The haemolymph protein components of nm-d, nm-i, and nmn were rapidly reduced, and on the other hand those of nm-f and nm-k consistently until they died. And there were no distinguishable difference in haemolymph components of non-molting mutants, as compared to those normals.

• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
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• 2003.06a
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• pp.26-26
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• 2003

Hyaluronic acid (HA)-binding sites have been shown the diagnostic potential fur assessment of sperm maturity, which is related to male fertility. This study was designed to evaluate chromosomal patterns in porcine embryos produced by in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) with non- or HA-binding sperm (HABS). For binding of sperm with HA, sperm incubated in 10 ${mu}ell$ drop containing HA (0.8 mg/ml)-agarose (0.8%) mixture for 15 min. IVF and ICSI with non- or HA-bound sperm examined with matured oocytes at 44 hr after in vitro maturation. Embryos were cultured in 50 ${mu}ell$ of NCSU 23 containing 0.5% BSA for 5 days and then in 50 ${mu}ell$ of NCSU 23 containing 10% FBS for 2 days. For the evaluation of chromosomal aneuploidies, chromosome 1 sub-metacentric specific probe was used in sperm and embryos by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). The frequency of aneuploidy sperm for chromosome 1 was 6.25%. The significant differences following IVF and ICSI with non- or HA-bound sperm were not observed in blastocyst formation rates (18.6, 23.5, and 23.8%) and cell number (61.8 $\pm$ 12.5, 55.5 $\pm$ 7.3, and 59.3 $\pm$ 9.6). Moreover, the percentage of diploidy in 4-cell stage embryos was 57.1% (IVF), 68.8% (ICSI), and 76.3% (ICSI-HABS). These results suggest that HA-binding sites may be a material for selection of normal sperm for ICSI. Therefore HA selection of normal sperm may be reduce the loss to embryonic mortality prior to embryo transfer in pig.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.58 no.10
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• pp.392-397
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• 2015

Purpose: Alagille syndrome is a complex hereditary disorder that is associated with cardiac, hepatic, skeletal, ocular, and facial abnormalities. Mutations in the Notch signaling pathway, such as in JAG1 and NOTCH2, play a key role in embryonic development. A cardiac or hepatic presentation is a critical factor for determining the prognosis. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of 41 patients with Alagille syndrome or a JAG1 mutation between 1983 and 2013. Results: The first presentations were jaundice, murmur, cyanosis, and small bowel obstruction at a median age of 1.0 months (range, 0-24 months). The JAG1 mutation was found in 27 of the 28 genetically-tested patients. Cardiovascular anomalies were identified in 36 patients, chronic cholestasis was identified in 34, and liver transplantation was performed in 9. There was no significant correlation between the severity of the liver and cardiac diseases. The most common cardiovascular anomaly was peripheral pulmonary stenosis (83.3%), with 13 patients having significant hemodynamic derangement and 12 undergoing surgical repair. A total bilirubin level of >15 mg/dL with a complex surgical procedure increased the surgical mortality (P=0.022). Eight patients died after a median period of 2.67 years (range, 0.33-15 years). The groups with fetal presentation and with combined severe liver and heart disease had the poorest survival (P<0.001). Conclusion: The group with combined severe liver and heart disease had the poorest survival, and a multidisciplinary approach is necessary to improve the outcome.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.27-33
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• 2005

This is a subsequent study to our previous finding that Pacific oysters, Crassostrea gigas, gained a so-called upper plateau concentration, around 30,000 ng/g dry weight digestive gland for benzo(a)pyrene, showed reproductive behavior but produced their ensuing reproductive outputs damaged. A serial dilution of sediment elutriates from Jinhae Bay, Korea, where pollution was progressive, were exposed to gametes of the Pacific oyster for 0, 5, 10, 20, 30, and 60 min to detail the pollutant effects on very young specimens. There was an apparent critical dilution over which adverse effects are evident. This was $10\%$ of the present sediment elutriate, corresponding to 0.3 ng/g on the basis of total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) for the oyster. Within the dilution the embryonic development was not influenced by the duration of exposure to its gamete stage. At higher dilutions over the critical dilution, occurrence of abnormality increased dependent on the pollutant dilution and the duration of exposure. Similar trends were also found in larval mortality. However, overall, the chemical toxicity was more significant to morphogenesis than to survival, suggesting a potential recruitment of the pollutants-induced abnormal larvae in the wild population to threaten the population integrity.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.340-345
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• 2004

The embryotoxic effects of PCB (Aroclor 1248) on a Korean frog, Rana dybowskii was deter-mined by using the FETAX (Frog Embryo Teratogenesis Assay-Xenopus) protocol. The rates of mortality and malformed larvae were investigated by probit analysis. The results showed that PCB is highly embryolethal. From LC$_{50}$ of 1.48ppb and from EC$_{50}$ of 0.25ppb and TI of 5.7 were derived, which indicates PCB is to be considered a teratogenic compound. Specific malformations occurred in 62.0% as edema at the 0.1ppb, in 32.0% as tail deformations at the 1ppb, and in 68.0% as profound deformations at the 5ppb of PCB concentration which living embryos were exposed to. PCB suppressed the growth of head-tail length at a relatively low concentration (1.0ppb), and therefore growth inhibition as assessed by embryo length can be used as a sensitive indicator to evaluate the toxicity of pollutants in the environment. In conclusion, PCB must be considered highly embryotoxic to Rana dybowskii.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.1715-1717
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• 2014

The overall incidence and mortality of renal cell carcinoma (RCC), the most common kidney cancer, are steadily increasing for reasons that are not fully explained. Our aim was to explore the expression of membrane MHC class I chain-related gene A (mMICA) in human RCC cell lines and tissue specimens, and to determine expression of soluble MICA (sMICA) in serum of patients with renal cell carcinoma, we used flow cytometry (FCM) and immunohistochemistry as well as an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results showed that percentage of mMICA expression was significantly increased in human kidney cancer tissues and RCC cell lines (786-O and Ketr-3) than that in healthy adults and human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK293) cell line individuality (P<0.05). sMICA content in healthy adults was negative, but in renal cancer patients was significantly elevated (P<0.05). Our research showed that high expression of MICA in human kidney cancer, this results show that MICA might serve as potential tumor-associated antigen (TAA) in RCC.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.342-347
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• 2003

The enzyme $20{\alpha}$-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase ($20{\alpha}$-HSD) catabolizes progesterone to $20{\alpha}$-dihydroprogesterone ($20{\alpha}$-OHP), and is appeared in rat corpora luteal and placenta. A polled samples of 10-15 placental and ovarian tissues collected from each individual rat were subjected to measurement of $20{\alpha}$-HSD activity. A $20{\alpha}$-HSD activity in the cytosol fraction was based on the generation of NADPH. In this study, it is designed to study cytosolic $20{\alpha}$-HSD activity in rat ovarian and placenta during pregnancy, and its relationship to embryonic mortality. It was found that from days 5 to 18 of pregnancy the $20{\alpha}$-HSD activities steady by decreased but at parturition time rapidly increased in ovary. On the other hand, placental cytosolic $20{\alpha}$-HSD activities were high detected from days 8 to 10 of pregnancy, not detectable from days 11 to 20 of pregnancy, but again very high at the time of parturition. Analysis of DEAE column chromatography revealed that two different types of $20{\alpha}$-HSD (HSD-1 and HSD-2) were found with similar activity in the placental cytosol on day 10 of pregnancy. The number of fetuses on day 10 of pregnancy was 15.4 and decreased significantly to 12.9 on day 12. The results suggested that expression of $20{\alpha}$-HSD in the placental tissues seems to be related the number of fetal survived in the specific time (days 11 and 12) which spontaneous fetal loss occurs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.26-30
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• 2006

The study was undertaken to investigate the validity of milk urea concentration as an index of the reproductive performances in crossbred Karan-Fries (Holstein Friesian${\times}$Tharparkar) cows under farm condition. Milk urea was analysed in noon milk samples (1200 to 1300 h) to interrelate with the interval from parturition to first service, number of insemination per conception, first service conception rate and service period. Milk progesterone (P4) was analysed in noon milk samples on the day 1, 10, 20 and 30 post insemination to study the effect of milk urea concentration on early embryonic mortality. The interval from parturition to first service was found significantly (p<0.01) higher ($77.2{\pm}5.5$ days) when milk urea concentration was ${\geq}63.4mg/dl$. The average milk urea concentrations (mg/dl) were found $42.1{\pm}2.5$, $47.9{\pm}1.5$ and $50.3{\pm}3.1$, respectively in cows that conceived at $1^{st}$, $2^{nd}$ and $3^{rd}$ insemination. However, the variation was not statistically significant. The first insemination conception rate was found significantly (p<0.05) higher (68.8%) when milk urea level was ${\leq}32.4mg/dl$. The service period was found significantly (p<0.05) higher ($125.4{\pm}8.8$ days) when milk urea concentration was ${\geq}45.1mg/dl$. The milk P4 level indicated that the cows, those were detected as non-pregnant on day 60 post insemination were initially pregnant but the pregnancy was terminated sometime during the day 30 to 60 post insemination. The study indicates that the milk urea values may be used as an index of reproductive performances in dairy herd when individual animals are not being monitored for nutritional status. The altered milk urea values may be utilised by the farmers as ready reference to rectify the protein and energy nutrition in cows to achieve the better reproductive performances in herd.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.181-187
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• 2015

Early life stage mortality in fish is one of the problems faced by loach aquaculture. However, our understanding of immune system in early life stage fish is still incomplete, and the information available is restricted to a few fish species. In the present work, we investigated the expression of immune-related transcripts in loach during early development. In fishes, recombination-activating gene 1 (RAG-1) and sacsin (SACS) have been considered as immunological function. In this study, the expression of the both genes was assessed throughout the early developmental stages of loach using real-time PCR method. maRAG-1 mRNA was first detected in 0 dph, observed the increased mostly until 40 dph. Significant expression of maRAG-1 was detected in 0 to 40 dph. These patterns of expression may suggest that the loach start to develop its function after hatching. On the other hand, maSACS was detected in unfertilized oocyte to molura stages and 0 to 40 dph. maSACS mRNA transcripts were detected in unfertilized oocytes, suggesting that they are maternally transferred.