• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.85-89
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• 2008

This study assessed the incidence of embryo and fetal loss following early pregnancy diagnosis using ultrasonography in dairy cows. A positive pregnancy was a recognition of the vesicle, embryo or fetus by ultrasonography. Seven hundreds and two pregnancies determined by ultrasonography following artificial insemination were divided into three groups according to the number of days diagnosed pregnant: early A group (27 to 40 days, n = 143), early B group (41 to 50 days, n = 172), or standard group (51 to 70 days, n = 387). Following a positive pregnancy diagnosis, embryo or fetal loss included all cows with observed abortions and cows found open after the positive pregnancy diagnosis. The incidence rate of embryo or fetal loss within 7 days after pregnancy diagnosis was 1.4, 0.6 and 0.3% for the early A, early B, and standard groups, respectively (P>0.05). The incidence of the embryo or fetal loss during 8 to 30 days after pregnancy diagnosis did not differ (P>0.05) among the early A (0%), early B (1.2%), and standard groups (1.0%). Furthermore, the cumulative incidence of the embryo or fetal loss before calving did not differ (P>0.05) among the early A (9.8%), early B (9.3%), and standard groups (5.9%). These results indicate that early pregnancy diagnosis using ultrasonography does not increase the risk of embryo and fetal loss compared with that of routine pregnancy diagnosis in dairy cows.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers D
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• v.55 no.11
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• pp.495-501
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• 2006

Diagnostics of unborn baby is mainly aimed at prediction and detection of occurrence of intrauterine hypoxia. Consequences resulting from fetal hypoxia appear in its heart activity. In this study, we have developed a new non-invasive system for fetal hypoxia diagnosis which provides systolic time interval(STI) parameters on the basis of analysis of electrical and mechanical heart activity together. For this we have worked on 1) the proper lead system for the acquisition of abdominal ECG, 2) the independent component analysis based signal processing and fetal ECG separation, 3) the development of a hardware which consists of an abdominal ECG amplifying module and an ultrasound module and 4) the detection of characteristic points of FECG and Doppler signal and the extraction of diagnostic parameters. The developed system was evaluated by the clinical experiments in which 33 subjects were participated. The acquired STI by the system were distributed within the ranges from the well-established invasive results of other researchers. From this, we can conclude that the developed non-invasive fetal hypoxia diagnosis system is useful.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.99-108
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among emotional clarity in emotional intelligence, maternal identity, and fetal attachment to measure how emotional clarity and maternal identity impact on fetal attachment and to determine mediating effects of maternal identity in pregnant women at the time of diagnosis with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Methods: This study used a correlational survey design. 88 pregnant women with GDM completed a study questionnaire of emotional clarity, maternal identity, and fetal attachment immediately after the diagnosis of GDM. Data were analyzed Mann-Whitney U test, and ANOVA with Duncan test, Pearson correlation, three-step regressions to test mediating effect, and Sobel test. Results: The emotional clarity was positively related with maternal identity and fetal attachment. It affected maternal identity with 21.9% of explained variance. The emotional clarity and the maternal identity were significant predictors of fetal attachment by 57.7% of explained variance. The maternal identity mediated the relationship between emotional clarity and fetal attachment. Conclusion: The results suggest that a nursing program to enhance the emotional clarity and the maternal identity needs to be developed as an effective strategy to improve fetal attachment.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.72-78
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• 2015

Recently, noninvasive prenatal test (NIPT) has been adopted as a primary screening tool for fetal chromosomal aneuploidy. The principle of NIPT lies in isolating the fetal fraction of cell-free DNA in maternal plasma and analyzing it with bioinformatic tools to measure the amount of gene from the target chromosome, such as chromosomes 21, 18, and 13. NIPT will contribute to decreasing the need for unnecessary invasive procedures, including amniocentesis and chorionic villi sampling, for confirming fetal aneuploidy because of its higher positive predictive value than that of the conventional prenatal screening method. However, its greater cost than that of the current antenatal screening protocol may be an obstacle to the adoption of this innovative technique in clinical practice. Digital polymerase chain reaction (dPCR) is a novel approach for detecting and quantifying nucleic acid. dPCR provides real-time diagnostic advantages with higher sensitivity, accuracy, and absolute quantification than conventional quantitative PCR. Since the groundbreaking discovery that fetal cell-free nucleic acid exists in maternal plasma was reported, dPCR has been used for the quantification of fetal DNA and for screening for fetal aneuploidy. It has been suggested that dPCR will decrease the cost by targeting specific sequences in the target chromosome, and dPCR-based noninvasive testing will facilitate progress toward the implementation of a noninvasive approach for screening for trisomy 21, 18, and 13. In this review, we highlight the principle of dPCR and discuss its future implications in clinical practice.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.1-16
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• 2011

Owing to the risk of fetal loss associated with prenatal diagnostic procedures (amniocentesis, chorionic villus sampling), noninvasive prenatal diagnosis (NIPD) is ultimate goal of prenatal diagnosis. The discovery of circulating cell-free fetal DNA (cffDNA) in maternal plasma in 1997 has opened up new probabilities for NIPD by Dr. Lo et al. The last decade has seen great development in NIPD. Fetal sex and fetal RhD status determination by cffDNA analysis is already in clinical use in certain countries. For routine use, this test is limited by the amount of cell-free maternal DNA in blood sample, the lack of universal fetal markers, and appropriate reference materials. To improve the accuracy of detection of fetal specific sequences in maternal plasma, internal positive controls to confirm to presence of fetal DNA should be analyzed. We have developed strategies for noninvasive determination of fetal gender, and fetal RhD genotyping using cffDNA in maternal plasma, using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) including RASSF1A epigenetic fetal DNA marker (gender-independent) as internal positive controls, which is to be first successful study of this kind in Korea. In our study, accurate detection of fetal gender through gestational age, and fetal RhD genotyping in RhD-negative pregnant women was achieved. In this assay, we show that the assay is sensitive, easy, fast, and reliable. These developments improve the reliability of the applications of circulating fetal DNA when used in clinical practice to manage sex-linked disorders (e.g., hemophilia, Duchenne muscular dystrophy), congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), RhD incompatibility, and the other noninvasive pregnant diagnostic tests on the coming soon. The study was the first successful case in Korea using cffDNA in maternal plasma, which has created a new avenue for clinical applications of NIPD.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.128-137
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• 1999

Plasma progesterone (P$_4$) concentrations were measured for confirming the estrus observation and for the early pregnancy diagnosis in 130 cows of small farmers. Ultrasonographic examinations were performed from day 30 after artificial insemination to establish the characteristic ultrasonographic appearances of gestational structures in each pregnant stages. Of the 130 cows inseminated, 111 cows (85.4%) were an ovulatory estrus, 12 cows (9.2%) were an unovulatory estrus, and 7 cows (5.4%) were the error of estrus detection, respectively. The accuracy for early pregnancy diagnosis in 111 ovulatory estrus cows achieved when the discriminatory concentration at day 21 after artificial insemination was placed at 3.0 ng-/ml in plasma, was 86.7 % for positive diagnosis and 100% for negative diagnosis, respectively. Pregnancy diagnosis by ultrasonography were performed to evaluate gestational structures from day 30 after artificial insemination in 83 cows. Pregnant cows were 72 of 83 cows. The characteristic ultrasonography of gestational structures in each gestational stages was as follows. The embryo proper was observed within anechoic fetal fluid between 28 and 40 days after insemination, and amnion and embryonic heartbeat was also detected in this period. Between days 41 and 50, embryo proper was detected as an discriminated from head and body, and forelimb buds and hindlimb buds were also observed in this period. Between days 51 and 60, an embryo proper was clearly discriminated from head and body, and fetal movement, forelimb buds and hindlimb buds were observed in this period. Between days 61 and 70, fetus was completely developed, and fetal skeleton, organs and cotyledon were observed. After day 71, each organs of fetus were rapidly developed and a fetus was partially observed in screen because fetus was too big and larger, These results indicate that plasma P$_4$ determination at days 0,6 and 21 after artificial insemination can be utilized for confirming the estrus observation and for early pregnancy diagnosis. Also, ultrasonography was reliable method for early pregnancy diagnosis at day 30 after artificial insemination.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.146-151
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• 2001

This study was carried out to find if the X-irradiation being used for clinical diagnosis during pregnancy would affect fetal development and cause fetal malformation in rats or not. To determine the dose and irradiation frequency of X-irradiation and gestation period by which fetal development would be affected when irradiated during pregnancy, seventy-two Sprague Dawley female rats (8 weeks old) were used for the experiment and grouped into three according to different gestation period of 5-8 days, and 6-12 days of gestation. Experimental rats were irradiated on the daily irradiation conditions of 40, 60, 80 kvp(kilo volt peak), 150 mA(milliampere), 0.25 sec and 4 times/day for both 5-8 days and 10-13 days of gestation, and 100 kvp, 100 mA, 2 min. and 4 times/day for 6-12 days of gestation. Rats were put in a small dark box when irradiated, which animals were sacrificed on the 20th day of gestation and mean litter size, fetal body weight, fetal crown-rump length(CRL) were investigated along with pathological findings. 1. Litter size were significantly decreased in the rats which were irradiated by both 60 and 80 kvp during 5 to 8 days of gestation and by 100 kvp during 6-12 days of gestation compared to those from the control rats(p<0.05) 2. Fetal body weight was significantly decreased in the fetus from the rats which were irradiated by both 60-80 kvp during 5-8 days of gestation and by 100 kvp during 6-12 days of gestation compared to those from the control rats(p<0.05). 3. There was no significant difference of fetal crown-rump length between all the experimental rats and the controls. 4. Fetal absorption, fetal death, and fetal malformation were not observed in the fetus form the rats irradiated by 40-80 kvp during 5-8 and 10-13 days of gestation, however, the pathological findings were found in those from the rats irradiated by 100 kvp during 6-12 days of gestation. 5. The harmful effect of x-irradiation on fetal development was estimated to occur when irradiated during 5-8 days of gestation. These results indicated that even X-irradiation for clinical diagnosis could affect fetal development in the early embryonic stage and when the fetus were exposed to frequent and prolonged x-irradiation with over dose.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.267-272
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• 2002

Typical hypoplastic left heart syndrome(HLHS) is a distinct pathologic entity with aortic atresia, mitral atresia, very hypoplastic or absent left ventricle and thread like ascending aorta. Occasionally, the lesser degree of hypoplasia is found and is called hypoplastic left heart complex(HLHC) by some authors. This HLHC is often associated with critical aortic stenosis. Fetal echocardiography has enabled us to observe human fetal heart in-utero and to diagnose congenital heart disease prenatally over the last 20 years. The diagnosis of HLHS in fetal echocardiography is based on 2-dimensional echocardio -graphic evidence of a diminutive ascending aorta, aortic atresia, mitral atresia or severe stenosis and a hypoplastic left ventricle. Abnormal flow direction through atrial septum or through isthmus greatly aids the diagnosis. This report shows a fetal case who showed hypoplastic left side chambers and retrograde isthmic flow and was diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. After birth, although the baby had tachy-dyspnea for the first 3 weeks, she finally recovered without any intervention and showed catch up growth of left side chambers. This case illustrates the extreme difficulty of assessing left ventricle in a fetus.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.100-108
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• 2015

Purpose: Conventional methods for the prenatal detection of fetal RhD status involve invasive procedures such as fetal blood sampling and amniocentesis. The identification of cell-free fetal DNA (cffDNA) in maternal plasma creates the possibility of determining fetal RhD status by analyzing maternal plasma DNA. However, some technical problems still exist, especially the lack of a positive control marker for the presence of fetal DNA. Therefore, we assessed the feasibility and accuracy of fetal RHD genotyping incorporating the RASSF1A epigenetic fetal DNA marker from cffDNA in the maternal plasma of RhD-negative pregnant women in Korea. Materials and Methods: We analyzed maternal plasma from 41 pregnant women identified as RhD-negative by serological testing. Multiplex real-time PCR was performed by amplifying RHD exons 5 and 7 and the SRY gene, with RASSF1A being used as a gender-independent fetal epigenetic marker. The results were compared with those obtained by postnatal serological analysis of cord blood and gender identification. Results: Among the 41 fetuses, 37 were RhD-positive and 4 were RhD-negative according to the serological analysis of cord blood. There was 100% concordance between fetal RHD genotyping and serological cord blood results. Detection of the RASSF1A gene verified the presence of cffDNA, and the fetal SRY status was correctly detected in all 41 cases. Conclusion: Noninvasive fetal RHD genotyping with cffDNA incorporating RASSF1A is a feasible, reliable, and accurate method of determining fetal RhD status. It is an alternative to amniocentesis for the management of RhD-negative women and reduces the need for unnecessary RhIG prophylaxis.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.279-286
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• 1997

Serial ultrasonographic examinations were daily performed on 11 bitches (5 Maltese and 3 Yorkshire terrier) from day 15 until parturition to determine the time of Sift detection and ultrasonographic appearance of the fetal and extra-fetal structures. Gestational age was timed from the day of ovulation (day 0), which was estimated to occur when p18sma progesterone concentration was first increased above 4.0 ng/ml. The gestational length in 8 bitches was 61.5 (range: 60-64) days. The initial detection time of fetal and extra-fetal structures were: gestational sac at days 20.5 (18-23); zonary placenta in the uterine wall at days 25.4 (24-30); yolk sac membrane at days 25,5 (23-37); amniotic mombrane at days 28.7 (25-32); embryo initial detection at days 23.3 (20-26); fetal heartbeat at days 23.9 (21-27); fetal movement at days 31.3 (26-34); limb buds at days 32.1 (29-35); rotomarh at days 35.3 (32-40); urinary bladder at days 35.6 (33-39); skeleton at days 37.8 (37- 40) and kidney at days 45.3 (41-49), respectively.