• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.10-17
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• 2011

Objective: To explore potential relationships between sperm DNA integrity and both semen parameters and clinical outcomes. Methods: Semen analysis of 498 samples was performed according to the 2010 criteria of the World Health Organization. The sperm DNA fragmentation Index (DFI) of the semen samples was assessed using a neutral comet assay. Results: Sperm DFI showed a significant correlation with semen parameters, including the patient's age, sperm viability, motility, morphology, and number of leukocytes (p<0.05). The sperm DFI values for asthenozoospermic (15.2%), oligoteratozoospermic (18.3%), asthenoteratozoospermic (17.5%), and oligoasthenoteratozoospermic semen samples (21.3%) were significantly higher than that observed in normozoospermic semen samples (10.5%, p<0.05). A sperm DFI value of 14% was used as a threshold of sperm DFI in assessing whether DNA was highly damaged. In 114 IVF-ET cycles, the fertilization rate of the sperm DFI <14% group (70 cycles, 61.7%) was significantly higher than that observed for the ${\geq}14%$ group (44 cycles, 55.3%), but there was no difference in the other clinical outcomes between the two groups. In the ${\geq}14%$ group, the pregnancy rates of the ICSI cycles (40.0%) and half-ICSI (44.0%) were higher than conventional IVF cycles (30.7%), but the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Along with the conventional semen analysis, the sperm DFI assessed using the comet assay was shown to improve the quality of the semen evaluation. To evaluate the precise effect of ICSI on pregnancy rates in the patients who demonstrate high sperm DFI values, further study is necessary.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.87-92
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• 2011

Objective: This study aimed to determine the safety and clinical effect of artificial shrinkage (AS) in terms of assisted hatching of fresh blastocysts. Also, we evaluated the correlation between patient age and the effect of AS on clinical outcome. Methods: Two AS methods, using a 29-gauge needle and laser pulse, were compared. Seventy-three blastocysts were shrunk using a 29-gauge needle and the same number of other blastocysts were shrunk by a laser pulse. We evaluated the shrunken blastocysts hourly and considered them viable if they re-expanded >70%. Blastocyst transfer cycles (n=134) were divided into two groups: a control group consisted of the cycles whose intact embryos were transferred (n=100), while the AS group consisted of the cycles whose embryos were replaced following AS (n=34). The implantation and pregnancy rates of the control group and AS group were compared ($p$ <0.05). Results: The re-expansion rates of the 29-gauge needle and laser pulse AS groups were similar (56 [76.7%] vs. 62 [84.9%], respectively). All of the remaining shrunken blastocysts were re-expanded within 2 hours. There was no degeneration of shrunken blastocysts. The total and clinical pregnancy rate of the AS group (23 [67.6%]; 20 [58.8%], respectively) was significantly higher than that of the control group (47 [47.0%]; 39 [39.0%], respectively). In the older patient group, there was no difference in the clinical outcomes between the AS and control groups. Conclusion: These results suggest that AS of blastocoele cavity, followed by the transfer, would be a useful approach to improve the clinical outcome in cycles in which fresh blastocyst stage embryos are transferred.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.1477-1481
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• 2007

The mating systems of natural populations of Vicia tetrasperm in Korea were determined using allozyme analysis. The result suggests that V. tetrasperm is low rates of outcrossing or mix-mating outcrossing (self-fertilization, s < 0.5). At the population levels, the values of inbreeding coefficient of ten populations in Korea varied from 0.131 to 0.176, giving an average 0.154. For ten natural populations, multi-locus estimates of outcrossing (tm) was 0.333 across fifteen polymorphic loci, with individual population values ranging from 0.269 to 0.423. The differences between the tm and ts values were not close to zero (tm - ts > 0.154), indicating that biparental inbreeding was significant in the loci. The reason for relatively low outcrossing rates of some populations could be attributed to extensive consanguineous mating and isolation of flowering mature plants. Although heterozygote excess was observed in one natural population, most populations exhibited varying degrees of inbreeding and heterozygotes deficit. Thus, selection against homozygotes operated in the progeny populations throughout the life cycle.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.269-274
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• 2003

This experiment was carried out to investigate the effects of different IVM-IVC culture media factors, such as development rates according to the maturation media, collecting times from slaughter to initiation of incubation and with cumulus cells, on in vitro maturation of oocytes collected from 3∼5mm diameter follicles of the swine abattoir The development rates significantly(p<0.05) higher when the oocytes were matured TCM-199 media than NCSU-23 media. In comparing with TCM199 medium in presence of Earle's salts and Hank's salt, there were no significantly differences between each salt balance in cleaved rate and in number of morulae plus blastocyst. Among 1,455 immature oocytes, 999(68.6％) of oocytes were cleaved. The number of development to the morulae and blastocysts were 617(61.8％) include 62 balstocysts(6.2％).

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.229-234
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• 2014

The aim of the present study was to compare two different serum-free media, modified synthetic oviduct fluid (mSOF) and modified potassium simplex optimization medium (mKSOM) containing 20% RD (RPMI1640 + DMEM, 1:1 v/v) (RD-mKSOM), for in vitro culture (IVC) of bovine embryos. After in vitro maturation and fertilization, the presumptive zygotes were cultured in two different serum-free conditions for 7 days and 9 days to evaluate blastocyst formation and hatching, respectively. Serum supplemented conventional CR2 medium was used as control. After 7 day of culture, there was no significant difference in cleavage and blastocyst formation rates among three groups (mSOF, 59.3 and 30.1%; RD-mKSOM, 65.0 and 41.5%; control, 51.6 and 38.0%, respectively). Hatching rate was significantly higher in control (69.0%) than other experimental groups (mSOF, 22.0%; RD-mKSOM, 39.5%) (P<0.0001 and P<0.001, respectively). Although both serum-free conditions showed lower hatching rates than serum-added control, in serum-free groups, RD-mKSOM showed significantly higher hatching rate than mSOF (P<0.001). In addition, one-step using RD-mKSOM may facilitate IVC procedure than two-step culture system. In conclusion, the results indicate that one-step RD-mKSOM is more suitable defined culture system for IVC of bovine embryos than two-step mSOF.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.123-130
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• 2017

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of alpha-lipoic acid (aLA) as an antioxidant that decrease the reactive oxygen species (ROS) in bovine embryonic development. Slaughterhouse derived bovine immature oocytes were collected and 4 different concentrations (0, 5, 10 and 20 mM) of aLA was supplemented in bovine in vitro maturation (IVM) medium. After 20 hrs of IVM, maturation rates, levels of ROS and glutathione (GSH), and further embryonic development after parthenogenetic activation (PA) and in vitro fertilization (IVF) was investigated according to aLA concentrations. Maturation rate was significantly higher in 10 mM group than other groups (80.5% vs. 62.9, 73.9, 64.2%; P<0.05). In the levels of ROS and GSH in matured oocytes as an indicator of oocyte quality, significantly better results were shown in 5 and 10 mM groups compared with other 2 groups. After IVM, significantly higher rates of blastocyst formation were shown in 10 mM groups in both of PA (27.9% vs. 18.8, 22.3, 14.2%; P<0.05) and IVF (32.6% vs. 23.9, 27.3, 16.2%; P<0.05) embryos. In addition, significantly more cell total cell number and higher inner cell mass ratio in 10 mM PA and IVP blastocysts showed developmental competence in 10 uM groups. Therefore, based on the entire data from this study, using $10{\mu}M$ of aLA confirmed to be the optimal concentration for bovine oocyte maturation and embryonic development.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.32-40
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• 2006

The nitrogen (N) absorption and partition of the rice plants are important indicators that can be used to improve the N use efficiency (NUE) of the plants. Improving the plant NUE can help to avoid nutrient waste that may cause environmental pollution. To investigate the N absorption and partition of the rice plants, Hwaseongbyeo (Japonica) and Dasanbyeo (indica/japonica) were applied with N fertilizers at the rates of 60, 120, and 180 kg N per ha in paddy field. Also micro plots of $0.81m^2$ were established inside each plot for application of $^{15}N-labeled$ fertilizer. The differences in N utilization of the rice plants were associated with the total N absorption and partitioning after the heading stage. In the grain filling period, the increase of nitrogen content in the total and leaf blades of Dasanbyeo was higher than that of Hwaseongbyeo. Soil N was the main contributor for the increase of total N of Dasanbyeo during the grain filling period. The N fertilizer uptake rate of Hwaseongbyeo rapidly increased with the increment of N fertilization rate. In Dasanbyeo, N fertilizer uptakes were similar under all rates and times of N application. From heading stage to harvest, Dasanbyeo continued accumulating nitrogen, whereas Hwaseongbyeo had small changes. In conclusion, the difference in nitrogen absorption and partition after heading of the two cultivars was caused by the ability of Dasanbyeo to accumulate and remobilize soil nitrogen to the grains during the grain filling period.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.102-109
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• 1990

This experiment was carried out to study the effect of pure mineral nitrogen fertilizing on dry matter yield of grassland and the advisable mineral nitrogen amounts in long duration under practical conditions at the "Federal Institute for Agriculture in the Alps" in Austria. The application rates were 0, 30, 60,90 and 120 kg N/ha/cut, the cutting regimes 3-, 4-, 5- and 6-cuts/year. In order to explain the nitrogen-profitability were determined that 1 kg pure mineral nitrogen have to produce 8 - 16 kg DM/kg N in dependence on cutting regimes and requiring of nitrogen efficiencies. The results were as follows: 1. With only PK-fertilizaing average dry matter yields from 4.0 to 7.6 tons per ha and year were obtained. 2. Within all applied cutting regimes 60 kg min. Nlhalgrowth have proved to be the most efficient application rate witn 13 - 24 kg DM/kg N in dependent of cutting regimes. Comapred with only PK-treatment the DM yields increased by 3.9 - 4.7 t/ ha nad year. 3. By the sigmaformed process of Input-Output curve the highest marginal yield (the "most efficient" Ndressing rate) per ha and year was calculated: 152 kg N at 3-cut regimes, 204 kg N at 4-cut regimes, 220 kg N at 5-cut regimes and 240 kg N/ha/year at 6-cut regimes. 4. With required efficiencies of 16 and 12 kg DM/kg N 240 - 300 kg N per ha and year respectively would have to be applied at 3-cut regimes; with required efficiencies of 12 and 10 kg DM/kg N at 4-cut regimes the appropriate figures ranged from 320 to 420 kg N/ha and year, at 5- and 6-cut regimes and efficiencies of 10 and 8 kg DM/kg N results of 360 - 460 kg N and 380 - 500 kg N respectively were obtained. 5. At the relatively dry location Piber the highest dressing rates were needed in order to obtain the efficiencies from 8 to 16 kg DM/kg N, about 30 - 60 kg N/ha/year more than at the relatively moist location Admont.ist location Admont.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.12
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• pp.1844-1853
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• 2019

Objective: We investigated how pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) affects embryonic development during pre-in vitro maturation (pre-IVM) using porcine oocytes isolated from small follicles. Methods: We divided the follicles into the experimental groups by size (SF, small follicles; MF, medium follicles) and treated with and without PACAP and cultured for 18 hours (PreSF[-]PACAP; without PACAP, Pre-SF[+]PACAP; with PACAP) before undergoing IVM. The gene expression related to extracellular matrix formation (amphiregulin, epiregulin, and hyaluronan synthase 2 [HAS2]) and apoptosis (Bcl-2-associated X [BAX], B-cell lymphoma 2, and cysteine-aspartic acid protease 3) was investigated after maturation. The impact on developmental competence was assessed by the cleavage and blastocyst rate and total cell number of blastocysts in embryos generated from parthenogenesis (PA) and in vitro fertilization (IVF). Results: Cleavage rates in the Pre-SF(+)PACAP after PA were significantly higher than SF and Pre-SF(-)PACAP (p<0.05). The cleavage rates between MF and Pre- SF(+)PACAP groups yielded no notable differences after IVF. Pre-SF(+)PACAP displayed the higher rate of blastocyst formation and greater total cell number than SF and Pre-SF(-)PACAP (p<0.05). Cumulus cells showed significant upregulation of HAS2 mRNA in the Pre-SF(+)PACAP compared to the SF (p<0.05). In comparison to other groups, the Pre-SF(+)PACAP group displayed a downregulation in mRNA expression of BAX in matured oocytes (p<0.05). Conclusion: The PACAP treatment during pre-IVM improved the developmental potential of porcine oocytes derived from SF by regulating cumulus expansion and apoptosis of oocytes.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.141-145
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• 2017

Objective: Delaying embryo transfer (ET) enables us to select among the embryos available for transfer and is associated with positive effects on implantation and pregnancy outcomes. However, the optimal day for ET of human cleavage-stage embryos remains controversial. Methods: A retrospective study of 3,124 in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles (2,440 patients) was conducted. We compared the effects of day 2 and 3 ET on rates of implantation and pregnancy outcomes between young maternal age (YMA; < 38 years old, n = 2,295) and old maternal age (OMA; ${\geq}38years\;old$, n = 829) patient groups. Results: The YMA and OMA groups did not differ in terms of patient characteristics except for the proportion of unexplained factor infertility, which was significantly greater in the OMA group, and the proportion of arrested embryos, which was significantly greater in the YMA group. However, the biochemical pregnancy, clinical pregnancy, ongoing pregnancy, abortion, and implantation rates per cycle were not significantly different between day 2 and 3 ET in the YMA group or the OMA group. Conclusion: We suggest that offering patients the opportunity to decide which day would be suitable for ET could be part of a patient-friendly protocol that takes into consideration an infertile woman's circumstances and work schedule by allowing ET to be performed on day 2 instead of the traditional transfer on day 3.