• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.115-122
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• 2013

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary ${\beta}$-mannanase supplementation and palm kernel meal (PKM) inclusion (5%) on laying performance, egg quality and nutrient utilizability of laying hens with 73 weeks of age. A total of 240 Lohmann brown laying hens with average 77.5% egg production were randomly allocated with 60 hens per treatment, 4 replicates per treatment and 15 hens per replicate. Experimental design was a completely randomized design with $2{\times}2$ factorial arrangement, with the factors being (1) two levels of PKM (0 vs. 5%) and (2) with or without dietary ${\beta}$-mannanase (480 IU/kg of diet CTCzyme$^{(R)}$) supplementation. All hens were housed in cages ($35cmW{\times}35cmD{\times}40cmH$) with 2 hens per cage for six weeks feeding trial. Laying performance was recorded daily during feeding trial. Egg quality, nutrients utilizability and blood assays were done at the end of feeding trial. Egg production was improved (P<0.05) by both dietary PKM inclusion and ${\beta}$-mannanase combined supplementation. Either ${\beta}$-mannanase or PKM did not affect feed intakes and feed conversion ratio of all diets. Egg weight of hens fed diet containing 5% of PKM had heavier (P<0.05) eggs compared with hens fed without PKM. Albumen height was improved (P<0.05) by dietary mannanase supplementation. Crude fat utilization of 5% PKM diet was higher than that of no PKM diet regardless of ${\beta}$-mannanase supplementation. Both DM and total carbohydrate utilization were decreased (P<0.05) in hens fed 5% PKM diet. Serum IgG and yolk IgY contents of PKM groups were lower (P<0.05) than those of no PKM groups. This result showed that 5% PKM diet, independent of dietary ${\beta}$-mannanase supplementation, was able to improve egg production. In addition, dietary ${\beta}$-mannanase supplementation could be used for improving the albumen height of eggs.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.331-337
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• 1994

Response of the oocytes to parthenogenetic activation is one of the indice for cytoplasmic maturation. Maturational age-dependent parthenogenetic activation was examined in bovine oocytes. Follicular oocytes recovered from the slaughter house ovaries were matured in vitro in TCM 199+15% FCS+1Oiu/ml PMSG +10 iu/ml hCG from 24 to 48 h at 6 h intervals. The in vitro matured oocytes were activated by 7% ethanol for 7 min. The nuclear maturation and the cytoplasmic maturation were analysed by the nuclear configuration and pronuclei formation stained by rapid staining method. Cumulus oophori expansion increased as the maturation time increased. Proportions of the nuclear maturation were 81, 89, 72, 60 and 60% in IVM 24, 30, 36, 42 and 48 h groups, respectively. Abnor¬mality in metaphase II chromosome increased sharply from 36 h IVM. The rates of the pronuclei formation and diploid upon ethanol activation were 67, 68, 73, 84 and 87%, and 4, 5, 10, 16 and 20% in IVM 24, 30, 36, 42 and 48 h groups, respectively. It was suggested that maturational age increased the formation of the pronuclei and diploid, and that cytoplasmic maturation require longer maturation period than normal nuclear maturation. These results should be useful for determination of an appropriate time for fertilization in mammalian eggs matured or preincubated in vitro.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.68 no.6
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• pp.328-333
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• 2010

Background: There are several active tuberculosis (TB) cases in Korean high schools each school year. The risk of transmission in schools is extremely high due to the considerable time spent in closed classrooms. We evaluated the control of latent tuberculosis infection in Korean high schools. Methods: When a student was identified with active TB, tuberculin skin testing was performed on their classmates and on students in their same school grade. When a student had a positive tuberculin skin tests (TST), they underwent follow-up testing with QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT). The manufacturer recommended a cut-off of 0.35 IU/mL to determine QFT positivity was applied. Results: A total of 131 pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) patients were included based on the criteria for screening TB contacts in the National Tuberculosis Control Program. Seventy-five (57.2%) students tested smear positive. TST were performed on 7,109 students who were classmates of, or in the same grade as, a TB patient. Of the contacts, 1,231 students (17.3%) were TST positive and they were screened with QFT. Six hundred-sixty-six (55.0%) of the tested students returned a positive QFT result and the rate of positivity was significantly associated with the increasing size of TST indurations (p<0.0001). Conclusion: The use of QFT resulted in approximately 45% of TST positive students not being given chemoprophylaxis.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.215-224
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• 1997

Gamijiyu-tang (GJT) described originally in the Dong Eui Bo Gam, a traditional reference for oriental medicine in the Korea, has been clinically used for treatment of chronic liver disease. In order to evaluate scientifcally a hepatoprotective effect of GJT in the liver fibrotic disease, the present study investigated how GJT improves a hepatic function in the dimethylnitrosamine (DMN)-treated rat. DMN treatment caused a significant increase of relative liver weight to the body at 28 days after DMN induction. Administration of with a clinical dose decreased significantly the sAST level $(158.8{\pm}7.76\;IU/L)$ elevated by DMN in jection (p<0.01). A similar phenomenon was also observed at change of both Salt and Salt level in the GJT and/or DMN-treated animal (p<0.01, p<0.05, respectively). A remarkable increase of hydroxyproline was observed by treatment of DMN with comparing to the normal rat $(361.9{\pm}7.35\;vs.\;1278.1{\pm}52.9\;{\mu}g/g\;tissue,\;p<0.01)$. This was significantly reduced by a simultaneous treatment of GJT with DMN for 21 days (p<0.05), but not recovered completely to its normal value. In addition. GJT administration ameliorated conspicuously the DMN-induces histopathological changes of liver such as hemorrhage. Cell necrosis and fibrosis. Tak'en together, results described here demonstrated scientifically in first the medicinal efficacy of GJT by using in vivo animal model, indicating that GJT improves the DMN-induced hepatic injury through reducing an excessive accumulation of collagen and histopathological changes. The decreased collagen content may be a pivotal process for GJT to improve hepatic function in the DMN-induced liver fibrosis. The present study suggests that GJT may be useful for and applicable to the treatment of hepatic fibrosis in chronic liver disease.

• Clinical and Molecular Hepatology
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.384-391
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• 2018

Backgrounds/Aims: The objective of our study was to determine the epidemiological, laboratory, and serological characteristics of patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and normal transaminases. The study also aimed to evaluate liver damage by measuring the liver fibrosis (LF) grade and to identify possible factors associated with the presence of fibrosis. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted in patients with chronic HBV infection and classified as inactive carriers or immune-tolerant. Epidemiological variables of age, sex, immigrant, alcohol consumption, and body mass index (BMI), as well as virological variables (HBV DNA) and transaminase level were collected throughout the follow-up. The LF grade was evaluated by transient elastography. The cutoff value for significant fibrosis (SF) was liver stiffness ${\geq}7.9kPa$. Results: A total of 214 patients were included in the analysis, and 62% of them had a BMI ${\geq}25kg/m^2$. During follow-up, 4% of patients showed transaminase elevation (<1.5 times normal). Most patients had a viral DNA level <2,000 IU/mL (83%). Data on LF were available in 160 patients; of these, 14% had SF, 9% F3, and 6% F4. The variables associated with the presence of SF were transaminase alteration during follow-up, as 23% of patients with SF had elevated transaminases versus 3% of patients without SF (P<0.005), and BMI, as the vast majority of patients with SF (88%) had a BMI ${\geq}25kg/m^2$ versus 56% of patients without SF (P<0.05). Conclusions: In patients with chronic HBV infection and normal transaminases, liver damage does not seem to be related to DNA levels, alcohol consumption, or immigrant status. SF seems to be associated with transaminase alteration during follow-up and elevated BMI. It is therefore recommended to measure LF grade with validated non-invasive methods in such patients.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.48 no.8
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• pp.865-870
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• 2005

Purpose : The use of growth hormone(GH) to promote growth in normal short children without classical GH deficiency is controversial. Numerous foreign studies have shown the effects of GH therapy in children with idiopathic short stature(ISS) whereas few has been interested in Korea. Therefore, this study is designed to investigate the effects of GH therapy on ISS by observing correlations and changes among various growth parameters such as, insulin-like growth factor-I(IGF-I) and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3(IGFBP-3). Methods : This study was conducted retrospectively with 15 children with ISS in Chungbuk National University Hospital in Korea. Mean age was $11.44{\pm}2.81$ and the children were treated with 0.66 IU/kg/wk dosage of GH for 1 or 2 years. Also, the growth parameters before and after the GH therapy were observed. Results : Height standard deviation score(HT-SDS) was increased from $-1.85{\pm}0.70$ to $-1.58{\pm}0.56$ at 1 year and to $-1.21{\pm}0.37$ at 2 years after GH therapy. Predicted adult height standard deviation score(PAH-SDS) was also increased from $-2.10{\pm}0.52$ to $-1.67{\pm}0.59$ at 1 year, and to $-0.96{\pm}0.60$ at 2 years. Serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels were significantly increased after 1 year and marginally increased after 2 years of GH therapy. Conclusion : It is concluded that GH therapy has growth promoting effect. The significant increase in IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels during the GH therapy suggests that IGF-I and IGFBP-3 are useful predictors of response to the use of GH therapy. It is expected that larger patient samples would provide more reliable information about the effect of GH therapy.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.43 no.7
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• pp.963-971
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• 2014

This study investigated the effects of exercise intensity on PGC-$1{\alpha}$, PPAR-${\gamma}$, and insulin resistance in skeletal muscle of high fat diet-fed Sprague-Dawley rats. Forty rats were randomly divided into five groups: sedentary control group (SED), high fat diet group (HF), high fat diet+low-intensity exercise group (HFLE, 22 m/min, 60 min, 6 days/week), high fat diet+moderate-intensity exercise group (HFME, 26 m/min, 51 min), and high fat diet+high-intensity exercise group (HFHE, 30 m/min, 46 min). After 4 weeks of high fat diet and endurance exercise training, the lipid profiles, insulin, and glucose concentrations were determined in plasma. PGC-$1{\alpha}$, PPAR-${\gamma}$, and GLUT-4 contents were measured in plantaris muscle. The rate of glucose transport in soleus muscle was determined under submaximal insulin concentration ($1,000{\mu}IU/mL$ insulin, 20 min) during muscle incubation. Plasma glucose during oral glucose tolerance test in HF was significantly greater than that in SED, and plasma glucose levels in the three exercise (EX) groups were significantly lower that those in SED and HF at 30 and 60 min, respectively (P<0.05). Plasma insulin levels in the EX groups were significantly reduced by 60 min compared to that in HF (P<0.05). The protein expression level of PGC-$1{\alpha}$ as well as muscle glucose uptake were significantly higher in SED and HF than those in the three EX groups (P<0.05), and HFHE showed significantly higher levels than HFLE and HFME. Expression levels of GLUT-4 and PPAR-${\gamma}$ were significantly higher in the HFLE, HFME, and HFHE groups compared to the SED and HF (P<0.05). Therefore, the results of this study indicate that 4 weeks of high fat diet significantly developed whole body insulin resistance but did not affect PGC-$1{\alpha}$, PPAR-${\gamma}$, or the glucose transport rate in skeletal muscle, and exercise training was able to attenuate deteriorated whole body insulin resistance due to high fat diet. In addition, high intensity training significantly affected PGC-$1{\alpha}$ expression and the glucose transport rate of skeletal muscle in comparison with low and middle training intensities.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.219-227
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• 2006

Objective: To evaluate the impact of endometriosis on IVF-ET cycles and to compare IVF outcomes between stage I/II and stage III/IV endometriosis. Methods: We analyzed 697 patients (1,199 cycles) with endometriosis (stage I-II:638 cycles, stage III-IV: 561 cycles) and 325 pts (459 cycles) with tubal factor as controls between January 1994 and April 2004. Pts with endometriosis were diagnosed by laparoscopy and medical and surgical treatment were done in 353 cycles (55.3%) and 466 cycles (83.1%) of stage I-ll/stage III-IV endometriosis. Cycles with age>35 years or FSH>20 miU/mL or severe male factor infertility were excluded. Results: The number of retrieved oocytes ($9.97{\pm}7.2$ vs. $13.4{\pm}7.9$ (p<0.0001 )), total number of embryos ($6.5{\pm}4.8$ vs. $9.1{\pm}5.6$ (p<0.0001)), and good quality embryos ($2.43{\pm}1.6$ vs. $2.74{\pm}1.7$ (p=0.013)) significantly decreased in stage III-IV endometriosis than in control. But pregnancy rate of stage III-IV endometriosis was comparable with control (35.7% vs. 36.8%). Fertilization rate and number of total embryos were lower in stage I-II endometriosis than in control ($64.8{\pm}22.9$ vs. $70.8{\pm}20.8$ (p<0.0001), $7.6{\pm}5.0$ vs. $9.1{\pm}5.6$ (p<0.0001)). In patients with medical and surgical treatment of endometriosis, pregnancy rate and live birth rate was significantly lower in stage I-II than in stage III-IV endometriosis (29.2 vs. 36.2 (%), p=0.045, 23.9 vs. 31.5 (%), p=0.043). There was no difference in the mean age, but the duration of infertility was significantly longer ($56.5{\pm}26.3$ vs. $46.9{\pm}25.8$ (mon), p<0.0001) and fertilization rate was lower ($64.7{\pm}23.3$ vs. $70.5{\pm}22.7$ (%), p=0.001) in stage I-II than stage III-IV endometriosis. Conclusion: We suggest that IVF should be considered earlier in patients with minimal to mild endometriosis because of significantly decreased fertilization rates.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2004

These studies were carried out to improve the reproductive efficiency through embryos transfer of Hanwoo IVM/IVF embryos. Following routine IVM/IVF procedure, oocytes and zygotes were cultured far 40 to 44 h in CRlaa medium with BSA. Then 2 to 8-cell embryos were removed the cumulus cell and were cultured in CRlaa medium containing 10% fatal bovine serum and 2.5 mM taurine in 5% $O_2$ and 5% $CO_2$ at 38.5$^{\circ}C$. The fresh embryos of the morulae and blastocysts cultured for 6 to 9 days in vitro or the frozen-thawed embryos were transferred into recipients. The pregnancy rates of the blastocyst produced for 6, 7, 8, and 9 days in vitro culture were 59.4, 68.2, 66.0 and 100%, respectively. In the developmental stage, pregnacy rates of early blastocysts (61.1%), blastocysts(64.7%) and expanded blastocysts(69.5%) were higher than that of morulae stage(20.0%). The pregnancy rates according to the corpus luteum grades of A, B and C in recipients were 73.6, 62.9 and 50.0%, respectively. Effects of donor-recipients synchrony of after day 2, 1 and 0, before day 1 and 2 on the pregnancy rates were 35.7, 65.5, 72.6, 67.9 and 60.0%, respectively. Pregnancy rates of the body condition score of recipients $\leq$2(71.3%) were higher than those of $\geq$3.0 score(40.0%). The pregnancy rates according to the parity of recipients when embryo was transferred to cow(70.6%) was higher than in heifer(59.1%). The pregnancy rates according to hormone treatment before embryo transfer were 69.9% in hCG + GnRH administration group and 63.0% in control group. Fresh and frozen-thawed embryos on the pregnancy rates were 70.6 and 36.4%, respectively. Pregnancy rates in single and AI+single was 90.0% and 64.8%. Pregnancy rates in twin induction was better than in single. These results indicate that pregnancy rates after transfer were affected on the embryo ages, donor-recipient synchrony, body condition score of recipients, corpus luteum status, parity and hormone treatment to recipients.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.150-159
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• 2008

Purpose: To assess the relationship between lifestyle and metabolic syndrome in obese children and adolescents. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records and laboratory results of 109 subjects (7~15 years of age) who visited our pediatric obesity clinic between January 2004 and December 2007. They completed the parent- and self-report questionnaire developed by the Committee on Nutrition of the Korean Pediatric Society to assess lifestyle. The metabolic syndrome was defined as having 3 or more of the following metabolic risk factors: obesity, hypertension, serum triglycerides ${\geq}$110 mg/dL, HDL-cholesterol ${\leq}$40 mg/dL, fasting glucose ${\geq}$110 mg/dL, and insulin ${\geq}20{\mu}IU/mL$. Results: All subjects had at least 1 risk factor (obesity). Sixty-three percent of subjects had 2 or more risk factors, 32% of subjects had 3 or more risk factors, and 10% had 4 or more metabolic risk factors. Hypertriglyceridemia (36%), hypertension (32%), hyperinsulinemia (24%), and HDL-hypocholesterolemia (20%) were observed. Fasting blood glucose levels were normal in all subjects. Hypertension was significantly associated with an unbalanced diet and hyperinsulinemia was significantly associated with parental obesity (p<0.05). Those who ate after 8 PM were at a risk of hypertension (odds ratio, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.0~6.1). Those who did not have a preference for exercise were at a risk of hyperinsulinemia (odds ratio, 10.4; 95% CI, 2~54.1). Those who watched TV for ${\geq}$3 hours/day were at a risk of metabolic syndrome (odds ratio, 4.8; 95% CI, 1.2∼18.8). Conclusion: Lifestyle, such as eating late, no preference for exercise, and TV watching ${\geq}$3 hours/day, were related to metabolic syndrome in obese children and adolescents.