• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• 제4권3호
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• pp.230-234
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• 2008

Epidemiological studies demonstrate an adverse effect of several environmental and occupational exposures on male sex hormone. Bisphenol A (BPA) is a weak estrogen and a widely used industrial chemical. Epoxy resin painters may be continuously exposed to BPA at high concentrations. The effect of occupational exposure of BPA on male reproduction was examined by measuring the urinary BPA, testosterone and gonadotropic hormones of epoxy resin painters in the shipyard. The painters had significantly higher concentrations of urinary BPA (2.61${\pm}$1.08 ${\mu}g$/g creatinine) than controls (1.38${\pm}$0.5 9 ${\mu}g$/g creatinine). In serum, the testosterone level of painters was significantly decreased but the luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels of painters were significantly higher than controls. Occupational exposure to BPA influences testosterone and gonadotropic hormones in male workers.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• 제28권5호
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• pp.566-572
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• 2005

The aim of this study was to determine if the isoflavones from Sophorae fructus (SISO) have potential clinical benefit in hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for the treat ment of menopausal signs, such as the levels of total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein (HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). An additional aim was to present the potential antioxidant effect of SISO in a microglial cell line. For the animal model, the ovaries were removed from adult rats and the indicators of menopause were measured at the pre- and post-administration time points. Although no statistically significant correlation was found, SISO tended to decrease the TC level (p=0.15) and the FSH level (p=0.36), but to increase the HDL level (p=0.303).SISO (< 5${\mu}g$/mL) also exerted antioxidant activity on BV-2 microglial cells by inhibiting lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide. This cytoprotective effect was confirmed by trypan blue staining, which was used to test for cellular damage from H$_2O_2$. In conclusion, this study highlights the anti-menopausal and antioxidant effect of SISO in an ovariectomized rat model, as well as in microglial cells, and provides new clinical targets for the screening of phytoestrogens as potential candidates for HRT in menopausal women.

• 한국수정란이식학회지
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• 제33권4호
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• pp.271-280
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• 2018

Here, we evaluated the mode of programmed cell death during porcine oocyte maturation by comparing the two major pathways associated with programmed cell death, apoptosis (type I), and autophagy (type II). We investigated the expression and localization of major genes involved in autophagy and apoptosis at mRNA and protein levels. Furthermore, the effect of hormonal stimulation on autophagy and apoptosis was analyzed. We found that the activity of autophagy-associated genes was increased in the cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) following follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) treatment, while the addition of luteinizing hormone (LH) reversed this effect. The expression of proteins associated with autophagy was the highest in FSH-treated COCs. On the other hand, caspase-3 protein level was maximum in COCs cultured with LH. The treatment with rapamycin resulted in the effect similar to that observed with FSH treatment and increased autophagy activity. Thus, hormonal stimulation of pig oocytes resulted in distinct patterns of maturation. The high-quality oocytes majorly relied on the type II pathway (autophagy), while the type I pathway (apoptosis) was more prominent among poor-quality oocytes. Further investigation of this distinction may allow the development of techniques to produce high-quality oocytes in porcine in vitro fertilization.

• 대한한방부인과학회지
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• 제36권2호
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• pp.1-19
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• 2023

Objectives: The purpose of this health promotion project for Korean medicine is to promote the health of climacteric women in Boeun-gun. Methods: During the project, pressure needle acupuncture treatment, herbal medicine treatment, meditation pore therapy, and health education were conducted. To evaluate the results, basic health surveys (body height, body composition test, blood pressure etc.), female hormone tests, Kupperman's index (KI), Menopause-specific quality of life questionnaire (MENQOL), and Perceived stress scales (PSS) were conducted. Results: No significant change was observed in the body composition test and blood pressure after the project. Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) was significantly increased after the project, but Luteinizing Hormone (LH) and total estrogen levels were not significantly changed. KI and MENQOL scores significantly decreased after the project, and significantly decreased in 4 out of 11 items of KI and 3 out of 4 domains of MEMQOL. No significant change was observed in the PSS score after the project. Conclusions: From the results of this project, it can be seen that the Korean medicine health promotion project can help alleviate symptoms of climacteric syndrome and postmenopausal syndrome.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제50권3호
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• pp.192-199
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• 2023

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate chromosomal abnormalities and their correlations with clinical and radiological findings in females with primary amenorrhea (PA). Methods: Detailed forms were recorded for 470 females, including the construction of three-generation pedigrees. Peripheral venous blood was drawn, with informed consent, for cytogenetic analysis. Results: An abnormal karyotype was found in 16.38% of participants. The incidence of structural abnormalities (6.8%) exceeded that of numerical abnormalities (6.15%). Turner syndrome represented 45% of all numerical abnormalities. Furthermore, the Y chromosome was detected in 5% of females with PA. Among the structural chromosomal abnormalities detected (n=32) were mosaicism (25%), deletions (12.5%), isochromosomes (18.75%), fragile sites (3.12%), derivatives (3.12%), marker chromosomes (3.12%), and normal variants (29.125%). An examination of secondary sexual characteristics revealed that 29.6% of females had a complete absence of breast development, 29.78% lacked pubic hair, and 36.88% exhibited no axillary hair development. Radiological findings revealed that 51.22% of females had a hypoplastic uterus and 26.66% had a completely absent uterus. Abnormal ovarian development, such as the complete absence of both ovaries, absence of one ovary, one absent and other streak, or both streak ovaries, was observed in 69.47% of females with PA. Additionally 43.1%, 36.1%, 67.4%, and 8% of females had elevated levels of serum follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, thyroid-stimulating hormone, and prolactin, respectively. Conclusion: This study underscores the importance of karyotyping as a fundamental diagnostic tool for assessing PA. The cytogenetic correlation with these profiles will aid in genetic counseling and further management of the condition.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• 제42권4호
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• pp.116-124
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• 2017

Purpose: Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is a disabling pain that mostly occurs in elderly women, but rarely in men. It is characterized by an unremitting oral burning sensation and pain without detectable oral mucosal changes. We investigated the clinical and hematologic features of middle-aged men with BMS, and compared the results to those of men with oral mucositis. Methods: Five men with BMS ($48.60{\pm}6.19years$) and five age-matched controls with oral mucositis ($49.80{\pm}15.26years$) underwent clinical and psychological evaluations and blood tests. Psychological status was evaluated using the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised. Cortisol, estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and antidiuretic hormone (ADH) levels and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were determined from the blood samples. Results: ADH level was significantly lower in men with BMS than in the controls. ADH levels correlated with testosterone (p<0.01), and ACTH levels strongly correlated with ESR (p<0.05). Progesterone level positively correlated with FSH and LH levels. Pain intensity on a visual analogue scale correlated with estradiol level only in men with BMS. Among psychological factors, the obsessive-compulsive disorder, interpersonal-sensitivity, and anxiety scores were higher in men with BMS than in the controls (p<0.05). However, no correlations were observed between the psychological and hematologic factors in both groups. The BMS symptoms presented only on the tongue, with the lateral border being the most prevalent area. Conclusions: Men with BMS may experience dysregulated endocrinologic or psychoneuroendocrinologic interactions, which might affect oral BMS symptoms, aggravating the severity of the burning sensation.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• 제30권2호
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• pp.90-94
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• 2013

Background: This study was conducted to examine if basal luteinizing hormone (LH) levels could be useful for screening central precocious puberty (CPP) in girls. Methods: A total of 90 girls under the age of 8 years were included in this study. They underwent the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) stimulation test at Good Gang-An Hospital from March 2008 to December 2012 for evaluation of premature sexual development. Patients were classified into two groups: the pubertal response group of patients who had 5 IU/L peak LH levels in the GnRH stimulation test, and the prepubertal response group of patients who had LH levels <5 IU/L. Chronological and bone ages, height, weight, body mass index, gonadotropin response to GnRH stimulation, and basal levels of LH, follicle-stimulating hormone, and estradiol were studied in both groups. The relationship between basal LH and peak-stimulated LH was evaluated using Spearman's correlation. To determine the optimal cut-off values of basal LH levels for differentiating between two groups, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were analyzed. Results: When the correlation between basal LH levels and peak LH after GnRH stimulation was analyzed in all subjects (N=90), basal LH levels had a statistically significant positive correlation with peak stimulated LH levels (rs=0.493, p<0.001). The cut-off level of optimal basal LH was 0.1 IU/L, according to the ROC curves. Its sensitivity was 73.3%, and its specificity was 77.8%. Conclusion: The study results showed that serum basal LH levels are useful for screening CPP in girls.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제21권2호
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• pp.111-120
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• 2017

Equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) is a unique molecule that elicits the response characteristics of both follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) in other species. Previous studies from this laboratory had demonstrated that recombinant eCG (rec-eCG) from Chinese hamster ovary (CHO-K1) cells exhibited both FSH- and LH-like activity in rat granulosa and Leydig cells. In this study, we analyzed receptor internalization through rec-eCGs, wild type eCG ($eCG{\beta}/{\alpha}$) and mutant eCG ($eCG{\beta}/{\alpha}{\Delta}56$) with an N-linked oligosaccharide at $Asn^{56}$ of the ${\alpha}-subunit$. Both the rec-eCGs were obtained from CHO-K1 cells. The agonist activation of receptors was analyzed by measuring stimulation time and concentrations of rec-eCGs. Internalization values in the stably selected rat follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (rFSHR) and rat luteinizing/chorionic gonadotropin receptor (rLH/CGR) were highest at 50 min after stimulation with 10 ng of $rec-eCG{\beta}/{\alpha}$. The dose-dependent response was highest when 10 ng of $rec-eCG{\beta}/{\alpha}$ was used. The deglycosylated $eCG{\beta}/{\alpha}{\Delta}56$ mutant did not enhance the agonist-stimulated internalization. We concluded that the state of activation of rFSHR and rLH/CGR could be modulated through agonist-stimulated internalization. Our results suggested that the eLH/CGRs are mostly internalized within 60 min by agonist-stimulation by rec-eCG. We also suggested that the lack of responsiveness of the deglycosylated $eCG{\beta}/{\alpha}{\Delta}56$ was likely because the site of glycosylation played a pivotal role in agonist-stimulated internalization in cells expressing rFSHR and rLH/CGR.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제18권2호
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• pp.215-222
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• 1991

Treatment with low-dose follicle-stimulating hormone and laparoscopic laser vaporization is associated with a high rate of ovulation in anovulatory women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), but it is not clear which is better. We undertook a randomized controlled study to compare the effects of urinary FSH and hMG using a low dose regimen and laparoscopic laser vaporization of ovaries in sixty women with PCOS. Ovulation occured in 65% subjects and in 71.1% of cycles induced with FSH and in 70% of women and 76% of cycles of those treated with hMG and in 80% of women in laparoscopic laser vaporization of ovaries. A single dominant follicle developed in 62.2% (FSH) and 60% (hMG) of cycles, respectively. Eight singleton pregnancies occured in FSH, hMG group and 12 singleton pregnancies occured in laparoscopic laser vaporization. This study shows that selected patients with PCOS and by induced to ovulate and subsequently conceive by laparoscopically partially vaporizing their ovaries with laser energy.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.127-137
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• 1987

Steroid hormone profiles during luteal phases after in vitro fertilization(IVF) and embryo transfer(ET) have been evaluated in 83 cycles stimulated by pure follicle-stimulating hormone/human menopausal gonadotropin/human chorionic gonadotropin, in which 13 patients became pregnant. Serum estradiol($E_2$) and progesterone($P_4$) levels were determined on days 2, 5, 7 and 9 after laparoscopic follicle aspiration. The follicular $E_2$ peak was slightly higher in pregnancies than in failures. Positive correlations were observed between the follicular $E_2$ peaks and the $P_4$ levels on days 5 and 7 of the luteal phase in pregnancies, but no correlation was found in failures. The $E_2$ and $P_4$ levels on days 5 and 7 of the luteal phase were significantly higher in pregnancies than in failures, but not different on days 2 and 9. Values of the $P_4/E_2$ ratio were similar between the two groups. The luteal phase durations were 12 to 19 days and no correlation was observed between the lengths of luteal phase and the luteal $E_2$ or $P_4$ concentrations. These data suggest that high $P_4$ levels in the mid-luteal phase, which have positive correlations with the follicular $E_2$ peaks, might have a favorable influence on the pregnancy success in human IVF.