• Proceedings of the Korean Operations and Management Science Society Conference
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• 2006.11a
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• pp.513-524
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• 2006

The ammunition allocation problem is a Multi-objective optimization(MOO) problem, maximizing fill-rate of multiple user troops and minimizing transportation time. Recent studies attempted to solve this problem by the prior preference articulation approach such as goal programming. They require that all the preference information of decision makers(DM) should be extracted prior to solving the problem. However, the prior preference information is difficult to implement properly in a rapidly changing state of war. Moreover they have some limitations such as heavy cognitive effort required to DM. This paper proposes a new ammunition allocation model based on more reasonable assumptions and uses an interactive MOO method to the ammunition allocation problem to overcome the limitations mentioned above. In particular, this article uses the GDF procedure, one of the well-known interactive optimization methods in the MOO liter-ature, in solving the ammunition allocation problem.

• Spatial Information Research
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.159-179
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• 1996

The objective of the paper is to recommend a database format of geographic informa¬tion systems for transportation (GIS-T) based on a review of geographic data files (GDF), a European standard format for navigation and the topologically integrated geographic encoding and referenc¬ing files (TIGER) if the USA The establishment of the standard format for transportation database is important for sharing data since data collection is costly. We believe the recommended format would reduce the implementation costs for GIS-T in Korea in the future.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.12
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• pp.1515-1522
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• 2017

Most people have a desire to live longer. According to ancient Chinese and Korean mythology, Dongfang Shuo (Dongbang Sahk) lived for 18,000 years. According to a WHO report, the average longevity of humans has extended from 50-odd years in the 1960s to 75-85 years in 2016. Parabiosis, the joining to circulatory systems of two animals, was described as early as the 1860s. It provides a powerful experimental model to investigate the effects of one animal on its partner animal in vivo. Research on reverse aging is an immensely popular in parabiosis studies. In this review, the origin of the parabiosis model and important historical findings based on parabiosis models are presented. Surprising and debated discoveries in aging research are also introduced. Using heterochronic parabiosis of connecting circulatory systems of a young mouse and old mouse, various groups claim to have identified a reverse aging factor, growth differentiation factor 11 (GDF11), which was significantly reduced in blood of old mice. Although the potential existence of any one factor or factors that could reverse aging remains to be confirmed, studies have shown that the parabiosis model is powerful enough to detect reverse aging factors.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.361-371
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• 2013

The present study assessed the effect of FSH and LH on oocyte meiotic, cytoplasmic maturation and on the expression level and polyadenylation status of several maternal genes. Cumulus-oocyte complexes were cultured in the presence of FSH, LH, or the combination of FSH and LH. Significant cumulus expansion and nuclear maturation was observed upon exposure to FSH alone and to the combination of FSH and LH. The combination of FSH and LH during entire IVM increased the mRNA level of four maternal genes, C-mos, Cyclin B1, Gdf9 and Bmp15, at 28 h. Supplemented with FSH or LH significantly enhanced the polyadenylation of Gdf9 and Bmp15; and altered the expression level of Gdf9 and Bmp15. Following parthenogenesis, the exposure of oocytes to combination of FSH and LH during IVM significantly increased cleavage rate, blastocyst formation rate and total cell number, and decreased apoptosis. In addition, FSH and LH down-regulated the autophagy gene Atg6 and upregulated the apoptosis gene Bcl-xL at the mRNA level in blastocysts. These data suggest that the FSH and LH enhance meiotic and cytoplasmic maturation, possibly through the regulation of maternal gene expression and polyadenylation. Overall, we show here that FSH and LH inhibit apoptosis and autophagy and improve parthenogenetic embryo competence and development.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.245-254
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• 2021

Objective: In humans, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an androgen-dependent ovarian disorder. Aberrant gene expression in folliculogenesis can arrest the transition of preantral to antral follicles, leading to PCOS. We explored the possible role of altered gene expression in preantral follicles of estradiol valerate (EV) induced polycystic ovaries (PCO) in a mouse model. Methods: Twenty female balb/c mice (8 weeks, 20.0±1.5 g) were grouped into control and PCO groups. PCO was induced by intramuscular EV injection. After 8 weeks, the animals were killed by cervical dislocation. Blood serum (for hormonal assessments using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique) was aspirated, and ovaries (the right ovary for histological examinations and the left for quantitative real-time polymerase) were dissected. Results: Compared to the control group, the PCO group showed significantly lower values for the mean body weight, number of preantral and antral follicles, serum levels of estradiol, luteinizing hormone, testosterone, and follicle-stimulating hormone, and gene expression of TGFB1, GDF9 and BMPR2 (p<0.05). Serum progesterone levels were significantly higher in the PCO animals than in the control group (p<0.05). No significant between-group differences (p>0.05) were found in BMP6 or BMP15 expression. Conclusion: In animals with EV-induced PCO, the preantral follicles did not develop into antral follicles. In this mouse model, the gene expression of TGFB1, GDF9, and BMPR2 was lower in preantral follicles, which is probably related to the pathologic conditions of PCO. Hypoandrogenism was also detected in this EV-induced murine PCO model.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.166-172
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• 2019

Objective: In vitro maturation (IVM) of immature oocytes can be useful for some infertile patients. In IVM programs, the rates of embryo formation and pregnancy are low. Therefore, it is essential to recognize the main factors involved in regulating oocyte maturation in vitro. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) and cumulus cell (CC) supplementation in IVM medium on the rates of embryo formation and viability of human blastocysts. Methods: A total of 80 germinal vesicle oocytes from stimulated cycles underwent an IVM program. The oocytes were divided into four groups, where group I consisted of IVM media only and served as the control, group II consisted of IVM+CCs, group III consisted of IVM+GDF9 (200 ng/mL), and group IV consisted of IVM+CCs+GDF9 (200 ng/mL). Intracytoplasmic sperm injection was performed on the IVM oocytes, and the cleavage embryos that were generated were vitrified. Following thawing, the embryos were cultured for 3 additional days, and the viability rates of the developed blastocysts were determined. Results: The maturation rate of the oocytes did not differ significantly across the four groups. The fertilization rate in group II was significantly higher than that in the control group (76.5% vs. 46.2%). Embryo formation was significantly more frequent in all experimental groups than in the control group, while blastocyst formation did not show significant differences in the three experimental groups compared to the control. The mean viability rates in groups II, III, and IV were 58.16%, 55.91%, and 55.95%, respectively, versus 37.78% in the control group (p< 0.05). Conclusion: Supplementation of IVM culture media with GDF9 and CCs enhanced the fertilization, embryo formation, and viability rates of blastocysts generated from vitrified cleavage embryos.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.207-216
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• 2005

Objective: To understand the crucial requirement for the normal early folliculogenesis, we evaluated molecular as well as physiological differences during in vitro ovarian culture. Among the important regulators for follicle development, anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) and FSH Receptor (FSHR) have been known to be expressed in the cuboidal granulosa cells. Meanwhile, it is known that c-kit is germ cell-specific and GDF-9 is also oocyte-specific regulator. To evaluate the functional requirement for the competence of normal follicular development, we investigated the differential mRNA expression of several factors secreted from granulosa cells and oocytes between in vivo and in vitro developed ovaries. Materials and Methods: Ovaries from ICR neonates (the day of birth) were cultured for 4 days (for primordial to primary transition) or 8 days (for secondary follicle formation) in ${\alpha}$-MEM glutamax supplemented with 3 mg/ml BSA without serum or growth factors. The mRNA levels of the several factors were investigated by quantitative real-time PCR analysis. Freshly isolated 0-, 4-, and 8-day-old ovaries were used as control. Results: The mRNA of AMH and FSHR as granulosa cell factors was highly increased according to the ovarian development in both of 4- and 8-day-old control. However, the mRNA expression was not induced in both of 4- and 8-day in vitro cultured ovaries. The mRNA expression of GDF-9 known to regulate follicle growth as an oocyte factor was different between in vivo and in vitro developed ovaries. In addition, the transcript of GDF-9 was expressed in the primordial follicles of mouse ovaries. The mRNA expression of c-kit was not significantly different during the early folliculogenesis in vitro. Conclusion: This is the first report regarding endogenous AMH and FSHR expression during the early folliculogenesis in vitro. In conclusion, it will be very valuable to evaluate cuboidal granulosa cell factors as functional marker(s) for normal early folliculogenesis in vitro.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.185-193
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• 2009

A complete cDNA, which encodes for a myostatin-like protein (Es-MSTN), was isolated from the Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis. Es-MSTN was composed of 2,397 nucleotides and the open reading frame (ORF) specified a protein containing 468 amino acids. Es-MSTN exhibited 32% amino acid sequence identity and 52% similarity to human myostatin. Multiple sequence alignment analysis indicated that Es-MSTN possessed the conserved proteolytic cleavage site (RXXR) for maturation of the protein and nine cysteine residues for disulfide bridges. Besides the conserved structural features, Es-MSTN also exhibits its unique characters; a longer N-terminal domain which is involved in protein folding and latent form of myostatin and absence of the cleavage site for BMP-1/tolloid family of metalloproteinase to activate mature myostatin. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that Es-MSTN showed the closely related to both vertebrate myostatin and GDF11. Es-MSTN is expressed highly in the claw muscle, leg muscle, thoracic muscle and heart, and moderately in the hindgut suggesting that Es-MSTN may play important roles in the muscle tissues. As homolog of mammalian myostatin and GDF11, Es-MSTN may be involved in development of muscular tissue and further study will help to produce high-quality seafood.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.60-67
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• 2007

Myostatin (MSTN; also known as GDF8) is a member of the transforming growth factor ${\beta}-superfamily$ of proteins. MSTN negatively regulates mammalian skeletal muscle growth and development by inhibiting myoblast proliferation. Mice and cattle possessing mutant MSTN alleles display a 'double muscling' phenotype characterized by extreme skeletal muscle hypertrophy and/or hyperplasia. We isolated the full-length cDNA of a novel MSTN gene from S. schlegeli muscle tissue and examined its expression pattern in various tissues. The full-length gene (GenBank DQ423474) consists of 1941bp with an open reading frame of 1134 bp, encoding 377 amino acids that show 62-92% amino acid similarity to other vertebrate MSTNs. The predicted protein contains a conserved proteolytic cleavage site (RXRR) and nine conserved cysteine residues at the C terminus. RT-PCR revealed that the unprocessed and prodomain myostatin mRNAs were predominantly present in muscle, with limited expression in other tissues. However, the mature myostatin mRNA was highly expressed in brain and muscle, intermediately expressed in the gills, intestine, heart, and kidney, and weakly expressed in the liver and spleen.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.16-23
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• 2007

Myostatin (GDF8) is a growth factor that limits muscle tissue growth and development in vertebrates. We isolated a myostatin-like gene (Py-MSTN) from the marine invertebrate, the scallop Patinopecten yessoensis. Py-MSTN was highly expressed in the adductor muscle and in the gill unexpectedly. Amino acid analysis showed that Py-MSTN has 49% amino acid sequence identity and 64% similarity to human myostatin (Hs-MSTN), and 42% identity and 61% similarity to myoglianin, the only invertebrate homolog. These results indicated that Py-MSTN may be functionally similar to the vertebrate MSTN than the invertebrate homolog. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that Py-MSTN is an ancestral form of vertebrate MSTN and GDF11 and does not belong to other $TGF-{\beta}$ family members. Molecular modeling showed that Py-MSTN exhibits a similar tertiary structure to mammalian BMP7, a member of $TGF-{\beta}$ family. In addition, the amino acid residues which contact extracellular domain of the receptor were relavively conserved. Given these results, we propose that Py-MSTN is a functionally active member of the $TGF-{\beta}$ family and is involved In muscle growth and regulation.