• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.45-56
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• 2002

Objectives: Recently, recombinant FSH (rFSH) has been manufactured using a Chinese hamster ovary cell line transfected with the gene encoding human FSH. Both rFSH and urinary gonadotropin (uFSH) could be used for controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH). However, uFSH implies a number of disadvantages, such as batch-to-batch inconsistency, no absolute source control, dependence on large amounts of urine, low specific activity, and low purity. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of rFSH in human IVF-ET program. Materials and Methods: A total of 508 infertile women was enrolled in this study. They are classified into rFSH group (n=177) or uFSH group (n=331), and all of them were matched by age and cause of infertility in same period. The $Puregon^{(R)}$ (Organon, Holland) was used as rFSH, and the Metrodin-$HP^{(R)}$ (Serono, Switzeland) and $Humegon^{(R)}$ (Organon, Holland) was used as uFSH. We subdivided the patients into three age groups. The outcomes of IVF-ET program were analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS). Results: There was no significant differences in the level of estradiol on hCG injection day, the numbers of retrieved oocytes, matured oocytes, fertilized oocytes, transferred embryos, frozen embryos between the two groups. The total dose (IU) of gonadotropin for COH was significantly lower in the rFSH group compared to uFSH group ($1339{\pm}5491.1$ vs $2527.8{\pm}1075.2$ IU, p<0.001). Clinical pregnancy rate per embryo transfer in the rFSH group showed increasing tendency, compared to the uFSH group, but there was no statistical significance (35.2% vs 29.3%). Our results demonstrated that the relative efficiency of rFSH compared with uFSH is higher in older patients. Conclusions: The ovarian stimulatory effect and clinical outcome of recombinant FSH was similar to that of the urinary gonadotropin. The IVF-ET cycles with significantly lower dose of gonadotropin in rFSH group showed comparable results. Therefore, we suggest that recombinant FSH is more potent and effective than urinary gonadotropin.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.357-363
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• 2002

The effect of a new rhFSH, PG-0801, on oocyte quality, ovulation and in vitro fertilization (IVF) was examined in androgen-sterilized mice. Experimental sterility was induced by a single subcutaneous injection of testosterone propionate (TP, 1 mg/head) into 5 day old female mice. Ovulation was generated in the 10 to 13-week old TP-injected mice by a subcutaneous rhFSH injection (1, 5 or 10 IU/head) followed 48 hours later by a second rhFSH injection (1, 5 or 10 IU/head). For comparison, a subcutaneous PMSG (5 IU/head) injection was used for folliculogenesis and a hCG (5 IU/head) injection was used for ovulation. These were administered using the same protocol. The eggs were harvested from the oviducts and counted 17 to 20 hours after the second injection. IVF was performed by adding sperms ($2{\times}10^{5}/ml{\;}to{\;}2{\times}10^{6}/ml$) to determine the functional activity of the eggs, and the fertilization rate was measured. In addition, the pregnancy rate and fetal development were examined after 15-17 days of gestation. The number of oocytes recovered from the rhFSH/rhFSH group increased dose-dependently and was slightly higher than that of the PMSG/hCG group. The pregnancy rates of the group receiving 1, 5, and 10 IU of rhFSH/rhFSH were 50%, 66.7%, and 75%, respectively, which were significantly higher than that of the control (untreated) group (0%). The numbers of viable fetuses in the 1, 5, and 10 IU/head of the rhFSH/rhFSH group ($8.0{\pm}1.50$, $8.9{\pm}1.02$, and $8.9{\pm}1.12$ fetuses/dam, respectively) were comparable to that of the 5 IU/head PMSG/hCG group ($9.4{\pm}0.94$). The mice receiving rhFSH/rhFSH and PMSG/hCG showed similar fertilization rates (around 65%) via the IVF procedure. These results demonstrate that a new rhFSH, PG-0801, may be useful for inducing ovulation in functionally infertile patients and for superovulation in ovulatory patients participating in assisted reproductive technology (ART) programs.

• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.33-46
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• 1970

Pinus densiflora stands are common secondary forest communities on infertile soils in Korea. The stands are results of long severe past biotic pressure such as cutting, burning and grazing. These could be regarded as biotic climax in Korea. Because of their prevalent occurrence, relatively simple species and age composition, and their domestic economic importance, study of their distributional patterns may give some basic knowledge for better utilization of land resources in Korea. To detect distributional patterns and interspecific associations ten pine stands, each of which was homogenious with respect to topography and physiognomy, were subjectively selected from pine stands in Kyunggi Province near Seoul in 1969 and were made object of this study. Four contiguous systematic samples of count for trees, shrubs and seedlings from belt transects were collected from homogeneous areas within ten natural pine stands. The belt transect was 64m or 128m in length, and 1m, 2m or 4m in width. Basic units within the transect ranged from 64 to 256. The data from the contiguous transects were analysed in terms of multiple split-plot experiment. Departure from randomness of stem distribution, i.e., pattern, was tested in terms of variance mean ratio. For the detection of association between species, correlation coefficient was calculated for different block sizes. The values of ${\gamma}$ were tested by the usual t-test. Fine trees within one of the stands showed significant regular distribution through out the blocks. Within other eight stands pines were randomly distributed at basic unit with 4$\times$4m, 2$\times$2m, 2$\times$1m and 1$\times$1m. One significantly clumped distribution at basic unit 2$\times$2m, however, was observed from one of the pine stands. These randomly distributed groups were themselves significantly regularly distributed throughout the blocks for four pine stands. For the other four pine stands, in addition to the random distribution at the basie unit(the primary random group), randomly distributed groups with 32m dimension(the secondary random groups) were also observed. Both the primary and the secondary random groups were significantly regularly distributed at the rest of blocks. Pine seedlings were not distributed randomly thoughout the blocks. Within three of the ten stands they were contagiously distributed. Important shrub species underneath pines such as Querus serrata, Q. acutissima, Leapedeza intermedia, Rhododendron Yedoense var. poukhanenae, Juniperus utilis, Rhododendron mucronulatum var. ciliatum shnwed consistently similar distributional pattern with the pine at each stand. The shrub species pairs; Rhododendron Yedoense var. poukhanenae/Quercus serrata, Rhododendron mucronulatum var. ciliatum/Lespedeza intermedia were significantly negatively associated from 1m to 4m dimensional block sizes but became significantly positively associated from 8m sized blocks on. On the other hand the shrub species pairs; Lespedeza intermedia/Robinia Pseudoacacia, and Lespedeza bicolor var, japonica/Lespedeza intermedia were also significnalty negatively associated from 1m to 8m sized blocks but became significantly positively associated from 16m sized blocks on. The associational pattern between Rhododendron mucronul tun var. poukhanenae and Lespedeza intermedia was not consistent throughout the stands. In some stands negative associations were observed throughout the blocks except NS 32. From these observatons micro-edaphic variation within the pine stands seems not to be great enough to cause distributinal difference of pine trees within the ten pine stands. Among each species and pine seedings, however, the edaphic variation within the pine stands may be great enought to cause distributional variation.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.193-204
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• 2017

The influence of triploidization on histological characteristics of retina, trunk kidney, liver and midgut tissue, and cell cycle of tail fin and gill tissue in far eastern catfish, Silurus asotus were analyzed. In the infertile triploid fish, the nucleus and/or cell size of secondary proximal tubule cells of trunk kidney, hepatocyte and midgut epithelium are much larger than those of the corresponding cells in the diploid fish (P<0.05). However, triploid tissue showed fewer number of outer nuclear layer in retina and nuclei in secondary proximal tubule of trunk kidney than those for diploid tissue. The mean percentages of the $G_l-$, the S- and the $G_2+M-phase$ fractions were 92.5%, 3.2% and 4.3% in tail fin tissue of diploid, and 93.4%, 2.6% and 4.0% in those of triploid, respectively. There were no significant differences in the percentages of each cell cycle fraction between diploid and triploid. The mean percentages of each phase fractions were 75.1%, 11.1% and 13.8% in gill tissue of diploid and 85.2%, 8.9% and 5.9% in those of triploid, respectively. The differences of cell cycle between tail fin tissue and gill tissue were statistically significant in diploid and triploid (P<0.05). Also, the differences between diploid and triploid were statistically significant in tail fin tissue and gill tissue (P<0.05). Cyclin D1 and cyclin E expressions were not significantly difference between gill tissue and tail fin tissue, and protein expressions of induced triploid were higher than those of diploid. Results from this study suggest that some characteristics in the triploid exhibiting larger cell and nucleus size with fewer number of cell than diploid can be used as an indicator in the identification of triploidization and ploidy level in far eastern catfish.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.83-124
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• 2015

Currently, infertility and artificial insemination have increased. However, there is no detailed legislation about this. In this study, I'll consider the legal status of artificial insemination child. Through the examination of the overseas legislation, we may get the reference of the future legislation. If we consider the increasing of infertility, artificial insemination should be allowed. And due to the well-being of artificial insemination child, such as the United States and France, the artificial insemination child should be regarded the legal child of the infertile couples. When the contradiction between the subject's basic rights has occurred, we need to consider the welfare of the child preferentially. Because the artificial insemination child has no selection of opportunity in birth, unlike adults who select the artificial insemination in their own free will. The development of biotechnology should be for the treatment of human. But creation and improvement of human must be prohibited. In addition, the social investigation of recognition about A.R.T. and general public administrative legal regulation should be made. There is a need for balanced discipline through a multi-disciplinary research. This study may be providing a legal interpretation criteria of other biotechnology researches.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.35-45
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• 1999

The effect of compost to force the cultivation using various soil and vegetation was investigated 5 times in the field for 4 years. Sewage sludge compost was validated to be useful fertilizer for the growth of a plant. and the optimal amendment amounts of compost to soil depended on the kinds of soil and vegetation, and the organic contents of compost. In the case of compost with high organic content. the optimal amended compost weight was 0.12t/are in fertile-dark brown(eutrophic) soil, 0.2t/are in sandy soil(trophic) and 0.4t/are in infertile-dark brown(oligotrophic) soil, respectively. In the case of compost with low organic content. on the other hand, the amentments of compost up to 0.6t/are was allowable without negative effect on the applied vegetation. Consequently, it can be believed that the sewage sludge compost is useful fertilizer, if keep the optimal amendment amounts(0.4t/are. year) to improve soil on cultivation of vegetation.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.95 no.4
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• pp.443-452
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• 2006

This study was conducted to investigate the site and growth characteristics of Mackia amurensis stand in natural forest of Mt. Joongwang, Pyongchang-Gun, Gangwon-Do, Korea. The 28 sample plots ($30m{\times}30m$) were established to examine the vegetation and site characteristics for M. amurensis stand. Stem analysis was performed on two sample trees for each of the 5 plots situated at intervals of 100 m by altitude. M. amurensis trees were mainly distributed at the ridge and the slope facing north, with altitudes ranging from 790 to 1,170 m. The M. amurensis grew at relatively deep A-layer of soil with high moisture but infertile. Dominant species with M. amurensis were Quercus mongolica, Fraxinus rhynchophylla, Acer pseudo-sieboldianum, A. pictum subsp. mono, Ulmus davidiana var., japonica, Tilia amurensis, and Populus davidiana. TWINSPAN classified four communities in Mt. Joongwang area; M. amurensis-P. davidiana community (xeric type), M. amurensis-U. davidiana var. japonica community (xeric type), M. amurensis-T. amurensis community (moist type), and M. amurensis-Styrax obassia community (moist type). According to the community type, trees per ha were more abundant in the area of the moist types than the xeric types. Height growth of M. amurensis increased with increasing ages until 10 years, and then decreased thereafter, especially at altitude of 1,020m. M. amurensis showed rapid early growth of height and volume, indicating possible high biomass production under enough light. Growth of M. amurensis increased greatly at about 40 years if released from severe competitions. The rotation age of natural M. amurensis stand was expected for above 50 years.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.201-208
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• 2017

BVDV causes significant infections in ruminants, resulting in reproductive disorders, diarrhea, reduced milk production and enormous damage to farms. In particular, identification and culling of persistent infectious calf is an important task to eliminate infectious nidus in cattle households. However, studies on physiological characteristics of PI bull are still insufficient to understand reproductive effects of BVDV. In this study, one PI bull was confirmed in herd and complete blood analysis was performed. The lymphocyte count of PI at age 4 was below the normal range and the number of WBCs was also in the lower level of normal range in blood. The sperm number produced by PI male becomes lower and the viability of fresh sperm comes to poor with ages (P<0.05). The sperm abnormality was also increased, especially in nuclear vacuoles of head and droplets of midpeace (P<0.05). The PI male becomes infertile due to poor semen quality at age 4. With these results, we concluded that BVDV in PI bull cause decreased sperm cell and abnormality in semen so causes infertility. However, it appears that BVDV could not be transmitted by indirect contact of PI bull, because there was no evidence of BVDV infection in the herd, when regular vaccination program was applied.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.183-190
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• 2009

In mammals, puberty is a dynamic transition process from infertile immature state to fertile adult state. The neuroendocrine aspect of puberty is started with functional activation of hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal hormone axis. The timing of puberty can be altered by many factors including hormones and/or hormone-like materials, social cues and metabolic signals. For a long time, attainment of a particular body weight or percentage of body fat has been thought as crucial determinant of puberty onset. However, the precise effect of high-fat (HF) diet on the regulation of hypothalamic GnRH neuron during prepubertal period has not been fully elucidated yet. The present study was undertaken to test the effect of a HF diet on the puberty onset and hypothalamic gene expressions in immature female rats. The HF diet (45% energy from fat, HF group) was applied to female rats from weaning to around puberty onset (postnatal days, PND 22-40). Body weight and vaginal opening (VO) were checked daily during the entire feeding period. In the second experiment, all animals were sacrificed on PND 36 to measure the weights of reproductive tissues. Histological studies were performed to assess the effect of HF diet feeding on the structural alterations in the reproductive tissues. To determine the transcriptional changes of reproductive hormone-related genes in hypothalamus, total RNAs were extracted and applied to the semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Body weights of HF group animals tend to be higher than those of control animals between PND 22 and PND 31, and significant differences were observed PND 32, PND 34, PND 35 and PND 36 (p<0.05). Advanced VO was shown in the HF group (PND $32.8{\pm}0.37$ p<0.001) compared to the control (PND $38.25{\pm}0.25$). The weight of ovaries (p<0.01) and uteri (p<0.05) from HF group animals significantly increased when compared to those from control animals. Corpora lutea were observed in the ovaries from the HF group animals but not in control ovaries. Similarly, hypertrophy of luminal and glandular uterine epithelia was found only in the HF group animals. In the semi-quantitative RT-PCR studies, the transcriptional activities of KiSS-1 in HF group animals were significantly higher than those from the control animals (p<0.001). Likewise, the mRNA levels of GnRH (p<0.05) were significantly elevated in HF group animals. The present study indicated that the feeding HF diet during the post-weaning period activates the upstream modulators of gonadotropin such as GnRH and KiSS-1 in hypothalamus, resulting early onset of puberty in immature female rats.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.367-377
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• 1996

Genes on the long arm of Y chromosome, particularly interval 6, are believed to playa critical role in human spermatogenesis. The objective of this study was to validate a sequenced-tagged site(STS)-mapping strategy for the detection of Yq microdeletion and to use this method to determine the proportion of men with Yq microdeletions in idiopathic, obstructive, nonobstructive azoospermia, severe OATS and in normal males. We analyzed three STS markers mapped to interval 6 within long arm of the Y chromosome from 106 nonobstructive, 30 obstructive azoospermia, 15 severe OATS patients, and normal 42 males in Korean men. By PCR, we tested leukocyte DNA, for the presences of STS markers(DAZ, sY129 and sY134) and SRY gene as internal control. And PCR results were confirmed by Southern hybridization, and were investigated by SSCP analysis for DAZ gene mutation. None of 42 normal males and 30 obstructive azoospermia had microdeletions, Of the 15 severe OATS typed with DAZ, sY129 and sY134, 3(20.0%) patients failed to amplify 1 or more STS markers, and of the 106 nonobstructive azoospermia typed with DAZ, sY129 and sY134, 12(11.3%) patients failed to amplify 1 or more STS markers. From these results, high prevalence(12.4%) of Yq deletion(DAZ, sY129, sY134) in men with nonobstructive idopathic azoospermia and severe OATS were observed in Korean infertility patients. To avoid the infertile offspring by assisted reproductive technique using ICSI or ROSI, genetic diagnosis will be needed in IVF-ET program.