• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 1990

These experiments were carried out to investigate the effects of cumulus cells for in vitro fertilization and development of bovine follicular oocytes matured in vitro. The bovine ovaries were obtained at a slaughter house and the follicular oocytes surrounded by cumulus cells were collected by puncturing follicles with 2~6 mm of diameter. Bovine oocytes were matured in vitro for 24~26 hours in a CO2 incubator with 5% CO2 in air at 39$^{\circ}C$. The medium used for maturation was TCM-199 supplemented with hormones, pyruvate, FCS and antibiotics. Epididymal spermatozoa were capacitated by in vitro culture for 2~3 hours in BO solution containing BSA(5mg/ml) and caffeine(2.5mM). Insemination was made by introducing about 10~15 matured oocytes into the suspension of capacitated spermatozoa. Six hour after insemination the eggs were transferred to TCM-199 supplemented with FCS(10%) and HEPES(25mM), cultured for 7~8 days with 10~15 eggs/well in 4-well multidishes(Nunc Co.) forming cumulus cell monolayer. The results obtained in these experiments were summarized as follows ; 1. The majority of the follicular oocytes with compacted cumulus cells existed in GV stage while those with dispersed or denuded cumulus cells existed GVBD and M II stage. 2. After 24~26 hours maturation, the maturation rates of the follicular oocytes cultured in TCM-199 containing hormones were slightly higher than those of oocytes cultured in medium without hormones, and the frequency of cumulus compacted or denuded oocytes reaching M II stage cultured in medium containing hormones was 75.7% or 51.7%, respectively(P<0.05). 3. After 20 hours in vitro insemination, percentages of ova fertilized were 61.4% or 51.4%, respectively, for cumulus oophorus intacted or removed, and increased frequency of ova with both male and female pronuclei was found when cumuli were present(P<0.05). 4. The rates of embryos developed to 2-, 4-, 8-, 16-cell and morula or blastocyst stage after cocultured with cumulus cells were 65.0%, 45.3%, 34.7%, 28.0% and 22.7%, respectively. The results for momla or blastocyst stage were significantly higher than those of the embryos cultured in the basic medium(P<0.05).

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.27-33
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• 2003

The study was carried out to investigate the effects of morphology, reproductive cycle, incubation time and activation of oocytes in vitro maturation of canine oocytes and development of canine IVM/IVF embryos. The results were summarized as follows: 1. The developmental rates to 16 cells of fresh, salts and 4$^{\circ}C$-stored oocytes with and without cumulus cells were 14.3%, 5.0% and 7.5%, 2.8% and 5.7%, 0.0%, respectively. The rate of oocytes with cumulus cells(5.7%~14.3%) was higher than that of denuded oocytes(0.0%~5.0%). 2. The developmental rate to If cells of in vitro cultured oocytes recovered from ovaries collected at different stages of the reproductive cycle were 0.0%, 10.7%, 1.5%, respectively. 3. The developmental rate to 16 cells of fresh oocytes with cumulus cell cultured for 24, 32 and 48 hrs in $CO_2$ incubator were 0.0%, 5.3%, 11.8%, respectively. The rate of oocytes cultured for 48 hrs was higher than that oocytes cultured for 24 and 32 hrs. 4. The development to If cells treated activation and non-activation oocytes were 15.0%, 6.7%, respectively. The rate of oocytes treated activation was higher than that oocyte treat non-activation.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.1-8
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• 2005

Objective: To inform of the 4th WHO informal consultation meeting on the development of international standard acupuncture points locations, held in Daejeon, Korea, on April $23{\sim}26$, 2005. Results and Conclusions: 12 experts from Korea, China and Japan discussed the locations of 18 controversial points that were not agreed at the previous meeting, and 16 non-controversial points that all 3 nations agreed on the locations but still needed more discussion for their expressions, as well as other non-controversial points that were agreed on both the locations and the expressions but were suggested by Chinese party to be discussed again. Also, the guidelines for English translation of the standard acupuncture points locations and the development of the standard acupuncture points charts, diagrams, and dolls were discussed in this meeting. Through this meeting the locations of ST30, SP11, SP12, TE18, GB9, GB10, LR4, LR5, LR6, BL6, BL7, BL9, GB19 were agreed, but it was suggested that more research would be needed for the locations of LI20, GV26, PC8, PC9, LR7, GB30, LR12, and the expressions of ST36, ST38, ST39, BL1. Due to the time limitation, 16 acupuncture points out of those Chinese party suggested to have more discussion about were not discussed at this meeting and remained to be discussed at the next meeting.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.19-28
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• 2001

The present study was undertaken to investigate the effects of cooling rate and equilibration time on the survival, in vitro maturation and development to embryos of frozen-thawed bovine immature oocytes(Germinal Vesicle Stage). The cryoprotectants are used 10% ethylene glycol(EG) as permeating cryoprotectant and 0.05M soc.ose(S) or trehalose(T) as low molecular weight nonpermeating cryoprotectants and 5% ficoll(F) or polyvinylpyrrolidone(PVP) as high molecular weight nonpermeating cryoprotectants. Four freezing solution were uysed in this experiment(EFT: 10% EG + 5% F + 0.05M T, EFS: 10% EG + 5% F + 0.05M S, EPT: 10% EG + 5% P + 0.05M T, EPS: 10% EG + 5% P + 0.05M S). The best equilibration time and freezing solution was 15 min in EPT(83% survival rate of frozen-thawed bovine immature oocytes). When frozen-thawed bovine oocytes were cultured following IVM and IVF, there was no significant difference in cleavage and development rates among the EFT, EFS, EPT and EPS solutions. When 9 blastocysts derived from frozen bovine oocytes were transferred to 6 recipients, two recipients were pregnant. And one was aborted at 45 days of pregnancy and the other had a stillbirth.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.266-277
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• 2014

Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) has generally demonstrated that a differentiated cell can convert into a undifferentiated or pluripotent state. In the SCNT experiment, nuclear reprogramming is induced by exposure of introduced donor nuclei to the recipient cytoplasm of matured oocytes. However, because the efficiency of SCNT still remains low, a combination of SCNT technique with the ex-ovo method may improve the normal development of SCNT embryos. Here we hypothesized that treatment of somatic cells with extracts prepared from the germinal vesicle (GV) stage Siberian sturgeon oocytes prior to their use as nuclear donor for SCNT would improve in vitro development. A reversible permeability protocol with $4{\mu}g/mL$ of digitonin for 2 min at $4^{\circ}C$ in order to deliver Siberian sturgeon oocyte extract (SOE) to porcine fetal fibroblasts (PFFs) was carried out. As results, the intensity of H3K9ac staining in PFFs following treatment of SOE for 7 h at $18^{\circ}C$ was significantly increased but the intensity of H3K9me3 staining in PFFs was significantly decreased as compared with the control (p<0.05). Additionally, the level of histone acetylation in SCNT embryos at the zygote stage was significantly increased when reconstructed using SOE-treated cells (p<0.05), similar to that of IVF embryos at the zygote stage. The number of apoptotic cells was significantly decreased and pluripotency markers (Nanog, Oct4 and Sox2) were highly expressed in the blastocyst stage of SCNT embryos reconstructed using SOE-treated cells as nuclear donor (p<0.05). And there was observed a better development to the blastocyst stage in the SOE-treated group (p<0.05). Our results suggested that pre-treatment of cells with SOE could improve epigenetic reprogramming and the quality of porcine SCNT embryos.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.349-358
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• 2017

Objectives: To analyze whether a concept similar to Korean 'Hwabyung' exists in China. We investigated the status of clinical studies conducted in China for relevant diseases and trends of the traditional Chinese medicinal (TCM) treatment adopted in clinical studies. Methods: To explore the concept of a condition similar to Korean Hwabyung in China, we searched for the existence of concept and pattern that were parallel or similar to those of Hwabyung in TCM text-books and diagnostic guidelines. We searched and analyzed clinical studies of TCM treatment for depression syndrome similar to Hwabyung from CNKI using terms 'depression' and 'qi stagnation transforming into fire'. Using extracted data, characteristics of clinical research, herbal medicine, and acupuncture treatment used in the clinical research and their effects were systematically reviewed. Results: Symptoms of 'qi stagnation transforming into fire' were most similar to those of Hwabyung. Nine articles were selected from a total 258 articles. Most of them used DSM-IV or CCMD-3 for depression diagnosis. They applied 'diagnostic and efficacy guidelines for TCM diseases and syndromes' for pattern diagnosis of 'qi stagnation transforming into fire'. Danzhixiaoyao-san and Jiaweixiaoyao-san were found to be effective when they were used alone or in combination with antidepressants. Acupuncture treatment also showed remarkable effect on LR3, HT7, LI4, PC6, GV20 when it was used alone or in combination with antidepressants. However, careful interpretation is required because a small number of studies are included.Conclusions: 'Qi stagnation transforming into fire' seemed to have symptoms similar to Hwabyung. However, further research is needed to determine its diseases and pattern types compared to Hwabyung. According to included studies of 'depression with Qi stagnation transforming into fire', herbal medicine and acupuncture treatment tended to be effective in relieving depressive symptoms. However, more discussion is required for future application of herbal medicine and acupuncture for treating Hwabyung.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.59-67
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• 1999

To investigate the role of interleukin-l$\beta$ (IL-1$\beta$) in the embryonic development, in vivo and in vitro expression patterns of IL-1$\beta$ gene in the preimplantation mouse embryos were examined by RT-PCR, and the effects of explanted mouse ovi-duct and uterine epithelial cells on the expression of IL-1$\beta$ gene in the pleimplantation mouse embryos were examined by co-culture. IL-1$\beta$ mRNA was detected in the embryos from 4-cell stage to blastocyst stage in vivo and from morula stage to hatching blastocyst stage in vitro. This transcript was not detected from the GV stage to late 2-cell stage in vivo, and not at the 4-cell and 8-cell stages in vitro. For the co-culture of late 2-cell embryos with the explanted mouse oviduct and uterine epithelial cells, oviducts and uterine epithelial cells were isolated at 48 hour alter the hCG injection. The explanted oviduct and uterine epithelial cells in co-culture groups facilitated the IL-1$\beta$ gene expression of the mouse embryos in comparison with the control. Taken together these results suggest that the presence of IL-1$\beta$ plays an important role in preimplantation embryonic development. In addition, the up-regulation of IL-1$\beta$ gene expression by the explanted oviduct and uterine epithelial cells demonstrates that embryonic expression of IL-l$\beta$ gene may be regulated by the interaction with oviductal and uterine factor (s).

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.10-19
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• 2019

Morphology of cumulus-oocyte-complexes (COCs) at germinal vesicle (GV) stage as one of the evaluation criteria for oocyte maturation quality after in vitro maturation (IVM) plays important roles on the meiotic maturation, fertilization and early embryonic development in pigs. When cumulus cells of COCs are insufficient, which is induced the low oocyte maturation rate by the increasing of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in porcine oocyte during IVM. The ROS are known to generate including superoxide and hydrogen peroxide from electron transport system of mitochondria during oocyte maturation in pigs. To regulate the ROS production, the cumulus cells is secreted the various antioxidant enzymes during IVM of porcine oocyte. Our previous study showed that Mito-TEMPO, superoxide specific scavenger, improves the embryonic developmental competence and blastocyst formation rate by regulating of mitochondria functions in pigs. However, the effects of Mito-TEMPO as a superoxide scavenger to help the anti-oxidant functions from cumulus cells of COCs on meiotic maturation during porcine oocyte IVM has not been reported. Here, we categorized experimental groups into two groups (Grade 1: G1; high cumulus cells and Grade 2: G2; low cumulus cells) by using hemocytometer. The meiotic maturation rate from G2 was significantly (p < 0.05) decreased (G1: $79.9{\pm}3.8%$ vs G2: $57.5{\pm}4.6%$) compared to G1. To investigate the production of mitochondria derived superoxide, we used the mitochondrial superoxide dye, Mito-SOX. Red fluorescence of Mito-SOX detected superoxide was significantly (p < 0.05) increased in COCs of G2 compared with G1. And, we examined expression levels of genes associated with mitochondrial antioxidant such as SOD1, SOD2 and PRDX3 using a RT-PCR in porcine COCs at 44 h of IVM. The mRNA levels of three antioxidant enzymes expression in COCs from G2 were significantly (p < 0.05) lower than COCs of G1. In addition, we investigated the anti-oxidative effects of Mito-TEMPO on meiotic maturation of porcine oocyte from G1 and G2. Meiotic maturation and mRNA levels of antioxidant enzymes were significantly (p < 0.05) recovered in G2 by Mito-TEMPO ($0.1{\mu}M$, MT) treatment (G2: $68.4{\pm}3.2%$ vs G2 + MT: $73.9{\pm}1.4%$). Therefore, our results suggest that reduction of mitochondria derived superoxide by Mito-TEMPO may improves the meiotic maturation in IVM of porcine oocyte.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.171-177
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• 2010

Plasminogen activators (PAs) are serine proteases that convert plasminogen to plasmin. The PA/plasmin system has been associated with a number of physiological processes such as fibrinolysis, ovulation and fertilization. Although correlations have been reported between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oocyte maturation, the relationship between PA activity and ROS is unknown. The present study was undertaken to determine the effects of cumulus cells on PA activity in matured porcine oocytes under xanthine (X)-xanthine oxidase (XO) system. When oocytes were matured under the X-XO system, the proportion of oocytes remaining GV stage was higher (p<0.05) in oocytes without cumulus cells. The incidence of degenerated oocytes was higher (p<0.05) in the X+XO ($11.1{\pm}6.1$ and $21.6{\pm}3.4%$) than in the control group ($2.9{\pm}1.8$ and $4.0{\pm}1.6%$). The proportion of TUNEL-positive oocytes and activity of caspase-3 were higher (p<0.05) in cumulus-free oocytes and oocytes exposed to ROS. Tissue-type plasminogen activator-plasminogen activator inhibitor (tPA-PAI) and tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) activity were detected in oocytes that were separated from cumulus-oocytes complexs (COCs) at 44 h of maturation culture, and only tPA was produced in oocytes that were denuded before the onset of maturation culture. On the other hand, the activities of PA were increased (p<0.05) when oocytes were cultured under the X-XO system. The higher activity of tPA was observed in denuded oocytes (DOs) underwent apoptotic changes by oxidative stress. In COCs, however, tPA-PAI as well as tPA activity was detected and apoptotic changes such as DNA cleavage or caspase-3 activation were not observed. These results suggest that tP A may be relevant to apoptotic cell death in porcine oocytes by oxidative stress.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.179-190
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• 2014

Objectives: This study was performed to review the research trends regarding the treatment of Postpartum Depression (P.P.D) in the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Methods: We searched articles in CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure) from 2004 to 2013. Search key words were "产后抑郁症", "Postpartum Depression", and we selected 27 studies except for non-clinical studies, insufficient number of studies, unrelated studies and tests on animals. Results: We selected 27 articles with following results: 1) One study of Jadad Quality Assessment Scale score showed 3 points, 4 studies showed 2 points and 22 studies showed less than 1 point. Overall, the quality of the studies was low. 2) DSM - IV was frequently used as a diagnostic criteria and HAMD was mostly used as evaluation criteria. Diagnostic criteria and evaluation criteria were the same in HAMD and EPDS. 3) In TCM, there are various ways, such as herbal medicine, acupuncture, electro acupuncture, auricular acupuncture and/or massage to treat the postpartum depression. 4) The roots of Bupleurum falcatum Linne, Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch, Angelica gigas Nakai and Paeonia lactiflora Pall, the rhizome of Atractylodis macrocephala Koidz, the semen of Zizyphus jujuba Mill, the radix of Curcuma aromatica Salisb, the sclerotium of Poria cocos Wolf and the rhizomas of Cyperus rotundus L and of Cnidium officinale Makino are mainly used in the herbal medicine. BaekHoi (GV20) and Yindang (Ex-HN3) are mainly used in acupuncture points. 5) Most of the studies showed effective results. Some of the results were similar to those of the control groups which were cured by western medicine. Other results were better than those of control groups. Conclusions: Research on postpartum depression has been actively conducted in TCM and all studies showed effective results in the study group patients. Therefore, with this study, we hope to activate more clinical research on the treatment of patients in Korean traditional medicine.