• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.8
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• pp.1160-1168
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• 2018

Objective: This study was conducted to compare morphological defects, viability, motility (MOT), fertility (F), and hatchability (H) in four Korean native chicken breeds (KNCBs), and to evaluate whether defective segments of spermatozoa are associated with MOT, F, and H. Methods: Four KNCBs, including Korean Ogye (KO), Hwangbong (HB), Hyunin Black (HH), and Hoengseong Yakdak (HY) were used. White Leghorn (WL) was used as a control. Nine cocks from each breed were randomly assigned into three groups. Semen was collected by abdominal massage method. Eosin-nigrosin staining method was used to identify live-dead spermatozoa. Different segments and specific morphological defects of spermatozoa were identified using 4', 6-diamidino-2-phenylidole and MitoTracker Red CMXRos. F and H rates were evaluated following artificial insemination (AI). Results: KO had the highest MOT rate compared to HY. Viable normal sperm rates of KO and HH were high and comparable with WL. HY spermatozoa had the highest viable abnormal sperm (VAS) or morphological defect rate followed by HB. Likewise, HB spermatozoa had the highest dead sperm (dead) rate compared to KO, HY, and WL. Bent, coiled, detached, broken, and knotted were common identified specific morphological defects for all breeds. Most morphological defects were at the head and tail in all breeds. VAS showed strong negative correlation with MOT (r = -0.697) and F (r = -0.609). Similarly, defective tail was negatively correlated with MOT (r = -0.587), F (r = -0.797), and H (r = -0.448). The F and H rates of KO and WL were comparable. Conclusion: These data indicate that most identified specific morphological defects are at the head and tail. VAS and defective tail were associated with poor motility, F, and H. KNCBs showed more morphological defects than WL. Finally, these results will facilitate successful AI and semen cryopreservation.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.125-139
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• 1993

Korea has successfully achieved a lowered fertility level owing to the strong population control policy and effective family planning program. Along with fertility decline and decreased number of children in family, average number of household members has decreased and nontraditional households such as one person household and households composed of unrelated individuals have prolifirated, even though the absolute number of them are found minimal in Korea. However in recent years several data and survey results suggest that one person households are gradually in the increasing trend. The study aimed at investigating the real state of one person households in Korea and next analyzing the proportional distribution of one person households by a few socioeconomic characteristics, thus providing basic for eatablishing far-singhted population and social welfare policy in the future. Korea has experienced high growth rate of economy through government-led development plans starting from the 1960s. During the past three decades, Korea has shifted from the agricultural state to the industrialized one. In compliance with the economic growth, urbanization and industrialization have brought about rural-to-urban migration and a great bulk of young population migrated to urban areas, who are seeking for educational and job opportunities. Korean society has also been under drastic change in every aspect of life involving norms, tradition, and attitude, etc. Therefore, in spite of the prejudice on 'living alone' still remaining, young people gradually leave parents and home, and further form nontraditional households in urban areas. Current increase in the number of one person households is partly attributable to the increase in high female educational attainment and female participation in economic activities. As the industrial structure in Korea changes from primary into secondary and tertiary industries, job opportunities for service/sales and manufacturing are opened to young female labor force in the process of industrialization. Contrary to the formation of one person households by young people, the aged single households are composed when children in family leave one by one because of marriage, education, employment. In particular, a higher proportion of aged female single households occur in rural areas due to the mortality difference by sex. Based on the data released form the 1990 Population and Housing Census and National Fertility and Family Health Survey in 1985 and 1991, the study tried to examine the state of one person households in Korea. According to Census data, the number of one person households increased to 1, 021, 000 in 1990, comprising 9.0 percent of total households. And the survey reveal that among total 11, 540 households, 8.0 percent, 923 households, are composed of one person households. Generally, the proportion of female single households is greater than that of male ones, and a big proportion of one person households is concentrated in the 25-34 age bracket in urban areas and 65 years and more in rural areas. It is shown than one person householders in urban areas have higher educational attainment with 59.2 percent high schooling and over in 1991, Job seeking proved to be the main reason for leaving home and forming one person households. The number of young female single households with higher education and economic self-reliance are found nil and the study did not allow to analyze the causal realtionship between female education and employment and one person household formation. However more research and deep analysis on the causal facors on one person household formation using statistical method are believed to be necessary.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.111-123
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• 2021

Objective: Using domestic cats as a biomedical research model for fertility preservation, the present study aimed to characterize the influences of ovarian tissue encapsulation in biodegradable hydrogel matrix (fibrinogen/thrombin) on resilience to cryopreservation, and static versus non-static culture systems following ovarian tissue encapsulation and cryopreservation on follicle quality. Methods: In experiment I, ovarian tissues (n=21 animals; 567 ovarian fragments) were assigned to controls or hydrogel encapsulation with 5 or 10 mg/mL fibrinogen (5 or 10 FG). Following cryopreservation (slow freezing or vitrification), follicle viability, morphology, density, and key protein phosphorylation were assessed. In experiment II (based on the findings from experiment I), ovarian tissues (n=10 animals; 270 ovarian fragments) were encapsulated with 10 FG, cryopreserved, and in vitro cultured under static or non-static systems for 7 days followed by similar follicle quality assessments. Results: In experiment I, the combination of 10 FG encapsulation/slow freezing led to greater post-thawed follicle quality than in the control group, as shown by follicle viability (66.9%±2.2% vs. 61.5%±3.1%), normal follicle morphology (62.2% ±2.1% vs. 55.2%±3.5%), and the relative band intensity of vascular endothelial growth factor protein phosphorylation (0.58±0.06 vs. 0.42±0.09). Experiment II demonstrated that hydrogel encapsulation promoted follicle survival and maintenance of follicle development regardless of the culture system when compared to fresh controls. Conclusion: These results provide a better understanding of the role of hydrogel encapsulation and culture systems in ovarian tissue cryopreservation and follicle quality outcomes using an animal model, paving the way for optimized approaches to human fertility preservation.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.137-143
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• 1991

This research was conducted to investigate the treatment effects of the experimental product of an oxidatively treated animal wastes such as feces of cow and pig on the growth and yield of corn, soil fertility parameters, nutrient uptake by corn, and in situ dry matter digestibility. The results are summarized as follows. (1) Growth of corn was favored by treatment of the experimental products as compared to the control. Highest yields were obtained at treatment levels of 2,000 and 2,500kg/10a for the experimental products derived from cow and pig feces, respectively. (2) The contents of soil organic matter were increased 7-41% and 4-60% with treatments of experimental products from cow and pig feces, respectively, as compared to the control. The available soil phosphorus levels were increased significantly with the treatments. Treatment of product from the cow feces resulted in a slight increase of the potassium adsorption ratio (KAR). (3) No significant difference was observed in uptake of total nitrogen and phosphorus between the treatments and the control. Uptake of cation by corn was in the order of $K_2O$ >CaO>MgO. (4) In situ dry matter digestibility ratio was increased with Incubation time. However, no significant difference in digestibility was detected for the corn samples produced by treating different levels of the experimental products.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.31-38
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• 2005

Objectives: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of Morindae officinalis Radix (巴戟) on the spermatogenesis and antioxidant activities in the Sprague Dawley (SD) rat. Materials and Methods: We choose the 2-month-old SD rats, and administered the extract powder of Morindae officinalis Radix once in a day for 28 days. The control rats were administered normal water in the same way and duration. We observed changes of body weight, surgically isolated testis, epididymis, vascular gland and prostate gland before and after administration of Morindae officinalis Radix extracts in SD Rats. Also we compared the testicular tissue, especially seminiferous tubules between the control and treated groups by histochemical methods. In addition, we examined the total, normal, morphologic and motile sperm in the cauda epididymis, and the activity of catalase and peroxidase in the isolated testis tissue. Results: There was no significant difference between control and treatment groups in the body weight, testis, vascular and prostate gland, but the weight of epididymis showed significant difference in the control group. The concentration of total sperm, the motility and normality of spermatozoa was significantly different when compared with the control group, respectively. In the histological examination of testicular tissues, the tendency of increasement of angiogenesis between seminiferous tubules was observed. And the concentration of spermatogonia, primary and secondary spermatocyte and sperm were higher than that of control testicular tissues. Finally, the activity of catalase and peroxidase related inhibitory molecules of oxidation were slightly increased in the treatment group than those of control group. Conclusions: This study shows that Morindae officinalis Radix has the beneficial effect on the concentration, morphology and motility of sperm, the important factor in male fertility. We can suggest that Morindae officinalis Radix has an effect on the spermatogenesis in the SD rat.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.229-233
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• 2003

A study was conducted to investigate the effects of different BW control methods during rearing on laying performance of broiler breeder pullets. D-old 540 female breeder chicks (Arbor Acres) were assigned to three treatments consisted of standard BW (Control), 110% of standard BW at 12 wk of age (T1), and 90% of standard BW at 12 wk of age (T2), with three replicates of 60 birds per replicate (pen) for each treatment. At 20 wk of age, all birds from three treatments reached the BW reqired in the Arbor Acres Manual. There were no significant differences in egg production, egg weight and viability during laying period(p>0.05). However, total egg production rates were improved in T2 and T3. Average egg weight was the highest in T1 among all treatments. Fertility and hatchability were similar among treatments, but T2 tended to be higher than other treatments at 37 and 53 wk of age. No significant difference was found in hatchability among three treatments. The number of hatching egg of T2 reached 168 per year, showing higher number of eggs than did the other treatments. The number of hatched chicks in T2 was 131, which was also higher than the other treatments, but the difference was not significant. It appears that the laying performance of broiler breeder hens could be improved when their BW at 12 wk of age are kept at 90% of standard BW, and reach the standard BW at 20 week of age.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.182-187
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• 1986

As a fundamental study to increase the fertility and to modify the sex ratio in cattle, highly motile sperm were separated by bovine serum albumin gradients. The pregnancy rates of Korean native cow and Holstein cow, and the sex ratio between AI and natural mating were also investigated. The results obtained were as follows. 1. First service pregnancy rate of Korean native cow in artificial insemination was higher than that of Holstein. 2. At secondary sex ratio in artificial insemination and natural mating, male ratio in artifical insemination was slightly higher than that in natural mating. 3. The sperm separated from marketed frozen semen using 6%, 10% and 20% bovine serum albumin showed significantly high value in motility, percent of normal sperm and progressive motility as compared with control sperm.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.139-142
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• 2001

Sexual behavior and reproductivity of male fIsh were studied as an in vivo screening method of endocrine disruptors. Male medaka (Oryzias latipes) were exposed to 17$\beta$-estradiol at nominal concentrations of 2 and 20 $\mu\textrm{g}$/l for 14 days. After exposure of the chemical, sexual behavior between male medaka and normal female which were injected with prostaglandin $F_{2\alpha}$ just before the test, was analysed by using video camera for one hour. Normal control male showed courtship dancing such as following, guarding, dancing and crossing while 17$\beta$-estradiol treated male did not show any type oj courtship dancing. Furthermore, fecundity and fertility were significantly decreased in the treated group. It was suggested that analysis of sexual behavior could be a useful endpoint for the screening of the endocrine disruptors.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.16-20
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• 1981

To cultivate Dystaenia takesimana as a fodder crop, Its problems and solutions are summarized follows : 1. There are a wax layer and wings on the out side of seed coat of D. takesimana seeds, which seems to inhibit imbibition and cause delayed germination. 2. The root and shoot growth of D. takesimana are very poor in the early stage and weed control is quite troublesome. 3 The growth of D. takesimana is very poor the soil of low fertility and much depressed in summer. 4 . The percent germination could be increased by removing wings, soaking, high temperature treatment or by chemical scarification. 5. Compost is most effective for the growth of D. takesimana and lime dressing is desired in the soil of low pH. 6 . The seedling growth could be improved selecting and breeding the strains with better germination and root growth, at the germination and growth characteristics of D. takesimana are variable.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.10-14
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• 2012

The ovarian follicles develop initially from primordial follicles. The majority of ovarian primordial follicles are maintained quiescently as a reserve for the reproductive life span. Only a few of them are activated and develop to an advanced follicular stage. The maintenance of dormancy and activation of primordial follicles are controlled by coordinated actions of a suppressor/activator with close communications with somatic cells and intra-oocyte signaling pathways. Many growth factors and signaling pathways have been identified and the transforming growth factor-beta superfamily plays important roles in early folliculogenesis. However, the mechanism of maintaining the dormancy and survival of primordial follicles has remained unknown for decades. Recently, since the first finding that all primordial follicles are activated prematurely in mice deficient forkhead box O3a, phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase/phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) signaling pathway was reported to be important in the regulation of dormancy and initial follicular activation. With these informations on early folliculogenesis, clinical application can be expected such as in vitro maturation of immature oocytes or in vitro activation of follicles by PTEN inhibitor in cryopreserved ovarian cortical tissues for fertility preservation.