• Development and Reproduction
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.353-362
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• 2009

GnRH and its receptor are known to express locally in the ovary and to regulate the ovarian function by affecting on granulosa and lutein cells. It has been reported that GnRH directly causes apoptosis in the granulosa and lutein cells of the ovary. However, whether the apoptosis of the cells by GnRH is recovered by FSH as an anti-apoptotic factor is not yet known. In this study, we evaluated the apoptosis and the production of progesterone $(P_4)$ and estradiol $(E_2)$ after treatment with 5, 50, and 100 ng/$m\ell$ GnRH and 1 IU/ml FSH in the granulosa-lutein cells that are obtained during oocyte-retrieval for IVF-ET. Results of DNA fragment analysis and TUNEL assay demonstrated that DNA fragmentation and the rate of apoptotic cells were increased in a dose-dependent manner showing a significant increase in the cells treated with 100 ng/$m\ell$ GnRH. In addition, we found that FSH suppresses the apoptosis of the cells induced by GnRH. In the results of chemiluminescence assay for $P_4$ and $E_2$, $P_4$ production was decreased by GnRH treatment, whereas $E_2$ production was not changed. We also demonstrated that FSH inhibits the suppressive effect of GnRH on $P_4$ production as the result of apoptosis. The present results suggest that GnRH agonist using in ovarian hyperstimulation protocol might induce the dysfunction of the ovary, but its function could be recovered by FSH. These results also will be expected to use as the basic data to elucidate the physiological role of GnRH and to develop new ovarian hyperstimulation protocols for IVF-ET.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.207-217
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• 2001

Diagnosis and treatment of major reproductive failures were carried out for 836 dairy cows of 12 farms in Kimje area from May 1999 to May 2000. Reproductive failures were classified into four categories: uterine diseases, ovarian diseases, combination of uterine and ovarian diseases, and anestrus with corpus luteum (CL), based on the diagnosis by both rectal palpation and ultrasonography (SA 600, Medison, 5.OMHz transducer). 1. Of 102 cows examined, 15 cows were diagnosed as pregnant. Cows with real reproductive failures were therefore 87 cows and the rate of reproductive failures far all the cows of 12 farms was 10.4% (87/836). 2. Of 57 cows with reproductive failures, the cows with uterine diseases were 33 heads (37.9%), with ovarian diseases: 30 heads (34.5%), with combination form: 16 heads (18.4%), and with anestrus with CL: 8 heads (9.2%). 3. Of 87 cows with reproductive failures, 7 cows were slaughtered and 80 cows were treated by hormone or douche. The cows expressed estrus were 74 cows (92.5%, 74/80 heads) and 56 cows were pregnant (70.0%, 56/80 heads) following treatment. 4. The reproductive failures tended to be increased as the period proceeded from 30 days (2.3%, 2/87 heads) to over 120 days (56.3%, 49/87 heads) after parturition. 5. Associated other diseases to reproductive failures were foot diseases(5 cows), joint diseases (5 heads), urovagina (6 heads), and rectovaginal fistula (2 cows) and the rate of occurrence of associated diseases was 20.7% (18/87 heads). 6. No reproductive record was used in 7 farms of 12 farms and 5 farms had no play ground or not used for the cows. These results indicated that diagnosis fur reproductive failures by rectal palpation along with ultrasonography was more accurate than the conventional rectal palpation and brought better result of treatment for major types of reproductive failures. It was also indicated that non-uses of reproductive record and play ground were also important factors in occurrence of reproductive failures.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.573-582
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• 2005

This study was conducted to investigate effects of the brown seaweed waste(BSW) supplementation on milk production and related endocrine response in serum in Holstein dairy cows. A total of 14 Holstein dairy cows(initial mean live weight 625kg, average lactation days 225, Reproduction 2.4) were randomly allocated into control(basal diet) and treatment groups (4% BSW/basal diet) with 7 replications for 90 days. Dry matter intake was not affected by brown seaweed waste supplementation, but daily milk yield(kg) at the last experiment significantly increased (6.25kg) in treatment group compared with control group(p<0.05) at the last experiment. The plasma insulin-like growth factor(IGF)-1, triiodothyronine($T_3$) and thyroxine($T_4$) levels were significantly increased in treatment group compared with control group(p<0.05), although the concentration of plasma growth hormone(GH) was not significantly different. Milk composition was not significantly different between groups. The somatic cell count(SCC) in milk were significantly reduced in treatment group compared with control group(p<0.05), but antibodies(total IgG, G1, G2) were not significantly different between groups. Therefore we strongly believe that the increased milk yield is related to metabolic hormones as IGF-1, $T_3$ and $T_4$ and the mechanism of reducing SCC in milk must do more study related nonspecific immunsystem in the future.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.254-268
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• 2011

Fenoxycarb, pyriproxyfen and methoprene are juvenile hormone mimic insecticide. These insecticides have been widely used for mosquito, fly, scale insects, and Lepidoptera. The purpose of this study was to develop a simultaneous determination procedure of fenoxycarb, pyriproxyfen and methoprene residues in crops using HPLC-UVD/MS. These insecticide residues were extracted with acetone from representative samples of four raw products which comprised brown rice, apple, green pepper, and Chinese cabbage. The extract was diluted with saline water, and then n-hexane/dichloromethane partition was followed to recover these insecticides from the aqueous phase. Florisil column chromatography was additionally employed for final clean up of the extract. The analytes were quantitated by HPLC-UVD/MS, using a $C_{18}$ column. The crops were fortified with each insecticide at 3 levels per crop. Mean recovery ratios were ranged from 80.0 to 104.3% in four representative agricultural commodities. The coefficients of variation were less than 4.8%. Quantitative limit of fenoxycarb, pyriproxyfen, and methoprene was 0.04 mg/kg in crop samples. A HPLC-UVD/MS with selected-ion monitoring was also provided to confirm the suspected residues. The proposed simultaneous analysis method was reproducible and sensitive enough to determine the residues of fenoxycarb, pyriproxyfen and methoprene in the agricultural commodities.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.149-157
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• 2016

This study was performed to investigate the effects of the stocking density (standard stocking density (SSD, $495cm^2/bird$)) vs. high stocking density (HSD,245cm2/bird) and challenge with lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 5mg/kg BW) on the stress-related physiological indicators in chicks. There was a significant (p<0.05) decrease in body weight, but not in the weight of immune organs, between the SSD and HSD groups. The LPS group resulted in a significant (p<0.05) increase in the weights of the thymus and bursa of fabricius compared with the SSD group. Plasma biochemical components, including aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), blood urea nitrogen, Ca, P, creatine kinase and uric acid, markedly (p<0.05) increased in the LPS birds, although no difference in these parameters was observed between the SSD and HSD birds. Furthermore, the birds challenged with LPS showed a significant (p<0.05) increase in the plasma corticosterone level, although this hormone did not differ between the SSD and HSD groups. In the mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, hepatic $IL-1{\beta}$, IL-6 and iNOS in the LPS group significantly (p<0.05) increased compared with those in the SSD group. Thymic mRNA expression of $IL-1{\beta}$, IL-6 and IL-18 in the LPS group also significantly (p<0.05) increased compared with those in the other groups. In addition, mRNA expression of $IL-1{\beta}$ in the bursa of fabricius of the LPS group increased (p<0.05) without affecting the other cytokines. Under high stocking density, thymic $IL-1{\beta}$ was the only cytokine that was up-regulated compared with the SSD group. In conclusion, an acute stress induced by LPS challenge profoundly affected immune organ weight, blood biochemical profiles and pro-inflammatory cytokine expression, while chronic stress did not markedly affect biochemical and immunological parameters, suggesting that chicks under high stocking density could be adapted to prolonged stressors.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.59-66
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• 1994

Seventy-five patients with tumors of the head and neck treated with either radiation therapy alone or combined with surgery or chemotherapy were studied prospectively to evaluate the effects of radiation therapy to the neck on thyroid gland between September 1986 and October 1992. All patients were serially monitored for thyroid function tests before and after radiation therapy. Radiation dose to the thyroid gland ranged from 35 to 60 Gy with a median dose of 50 Gy. Median follow-up time was 30 months with a range of 11 to 85 months. The incidence of thyroid dysfunction was 40$ \% $: forty-five patients(60$ \% $) euthyroid, 2 patients(3$ \% $) clinical hypothyroidism, 27 patients(36$ \% $) subclinical hypothyroidism and 1 patient(1$ \% $) hyperthyroidism. No thyroid nodules or thyroid cancer were detected in any patients. Thyroid dysfunction appeared earlier in patients who underwent surgery than in those patients treated with radiation therapy alone or combination of chemotherapy and radiation therapy(P=0.0013). By multivariate analysis, risk factors that significantly influenced a higher incidence of thyroid dysfunction were female sex(p=0.0293) and combination of total laryngectomy and radiation therapy(p : 0.0045). In conclusion, evaluation of thyroid function before and after radiation therapy with periodic thyroid function tests are recommended to detect thyroid dysfunction in time and thyroid hormone replacement therapy is recommended whenever thyroid dysfunction develops.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.347-358
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• 2016

Brassinosteroid (BR), a plant steroid hormone, plays key roles in numerous growth and developmental processes as well as tolerance to both abiotic and biotic stress. To understand the biological networks involved in BR-mediated signaling pathways and stress tolerance, we performed comparative genome-wide transcriptome analysis of a constitutively activated BR bes1-D mutant with an Agilent Arabidopsis $4{\times}44K$ oligo chip. As a result, we newly identified 1,091 (562 up-regulated and 529 down-regulated) significant differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The combination of GO enrichment and protein network analysis revealed that stress-related processes, such as metabolism, development, abiotic/biotic stress, immunity, and defense, were critically linked to BR signaling pathways. Among the identified gene sets, we confirmed more than a 6-fold up-regulation of NB-ARC and FLS2 in bes1-D plants. However, some genes, including TIR1, TSA1 and OCP3, were down-regulated. Consistently, BR-activated plants showed higher tolerance to drought stress and pathogen infection compared to wild-type controls. In this study, we newly developed a useful, comprehensive method for large-scale identification of critical network and gene sets with global transcriptome analysis using a microarray. This study also showed that gain of function in the bes1-D gene can regulate the adaptive response of plants to various stressful conditions.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.64-70
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• 2014

Purpose: The aims of this study were to assess the clinical and laboratory profiles of chronic kidney disease-mineral bone disorder (CKD-MBD) and to assess the effects of treatment of active vitamin D analogs on severe hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) in pediatric patients on chronic peritoneal dialysis. Methods: This is a retrospective study included 53 patients who had been undergoing dialysis for more than 1 year, between January 2003 and December 2012. Results: Even after treatment with phosphate binders and active vitamin D analogs, the $mean{\pm}standard$ deviation of the percentage of time during peritoneal dialysis that the patients' serum concentrations of phosphorus, corrected total calcium, and parathyroid hormone (PTH) fell within the Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative recommended ranges was $25.06{\pm}17.47%$, $53.30{\pm}23.03%$, and $11.52{\pm}9.51%$, respectively. Clinical symptoms or radiological signs of CKD-MBD were observed in 10 patients (18.9%). There were significant differences in percentage of time that the serum intact PTH concentration was outside of the recommended range between patients with and without symptoms or signs of CKD-MBD (below recommended range, $11.74{\pm}7.37%$ vs. $40.77{\pm}25.39%$, P <0.001; above the recommended range, $63.79{\pm}27.86%$ vs. $37.09{\pm}27.76%$, P =0.022). Of the 25 patients with SHPT, high-dose alfacalcidol treatment was required in 13 patients that controlled SHPT in 7 of these patients, without marked complications. Conclusion: Despite our efforts to manage CKD-MBD, patients' met the recommended ranges from relevant guidelines at a low frequency. The treatment of high-dose active vitamin D analogs was required in about half of the patients with SHPT and effective in about half of them.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.320-325
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• 2009

The present study was carried out to investigate the acute oral toxicity and anti-obesity effects of a diglyceride preparation containing conjugated linoleic acid (DG+CLA). To test its acute oral toxicity, the DG+CLA was injected into 30 rats (15 males and 15 females) at dosage of 2,000 mg/kg and 5,000 mg/kg. Mortality rates, clinical signs, and body weight changes were monitored for 14 days following administration. According to the results, the lethal dose ($LD_50$) of DG+CLA was determined as >5,000 mg/kg in both sexes. There were no significant changes in general conditions, clinical signs, body weight, and gross lesions between the vehicle control and DG+CLA groups. For the anti-obesity studies, obese Zucker rats were randomly divided into 4 groups and fed saline, soybean oil, diglyceride, and DG+CLA, respectively, for 8 weeks. The DG+CLA groups presented significant differences in body weight, food efficiency ratio, serum lipid levels, and fat weight. Overall, the results showed that the DG+CLA did not have acute oral toxicity and reduced body weight, serum lipid levels, and fat gain.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.115-124
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• 2003

The objective of this study was to compare the effect of four different estrus induction methods in anestrus cows on the estrus induction and pregnancy following artificial insemination (AI). Sixty-five cows (3∼4 years old) were selected and divided into four different estrus induction treatment groups. Group 1, 12 cows were treated by Ovsynch program combined with GnRH and PGF$_2$a. Group 2, 12 cows were treated by "Tow plus Two" program with GnRH and PGF$_2$a. Group 3, 20 cows were treated by "Tow plus Two" program following intravaginal progesterone implantation (CIDR). Twenty one cows in Group 4 were treated by "Tow plus Two" program following follicular rupture and intravaginal progesterone implantation. Cows were then observed estrus induction and inseminated artificially at 12 h and 24 h after standing estrus. The rates of estrus induction in Group 4 (18/21, 86%) was significantly (P<0.05) higher than those in groups 1, 2 and 3 (8/12, 67%; 9/12, 75%; 14/20, 70%). In the mean time of onset of estrus after final administration of GnRH in different hormone-treated cows, the cows in Group 3 (24.2$\pm$2.2) and Group 4 (23.4$\pm$2.0) were significantly (P<0.05) shorter than that in Group 1 (28.5$\pm$4.6) and Group 2 (26.4$\pm$3.3). The rates of pregnancy diagnosed on Day 28 were significantly different between treatment groups. Significantly (P<0.05) higher rate of pregnancy was observed in Group 4 (17/20, 85.0%) than those in Groups 1, 2 and 3 (7/11, 63.6%; 8/12, 66.7%; 15/20, 75.0%, respectetively). The rate of abortion diagnosed on 49 days of gestation was significantly (P<0/05) lower in Group 4 (1/17, 5.9%) than those in Groups 1, 2 and 3 (2/7, 28.7%; 2/8, 25% and 3/15, 20%, respectively). In conclusion, combined treatments with GnRH and PGF$_2$a following follicular rupture and progesterone implant in anestrus cows was considered to be most effective in estrus induction and maintenance of pregnancy. Further studies are needed to verify the functional mechanisms of residual follicles in anestrus ovaries on retarding the response of hormonal treatments.sponse of hormonal treatments.