• Human Ecology Research
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• v.59 no.4
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• pp.465-475
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• 2021

The purpose of this study was to examine actor and partner effects among infertile couples in determining whether self-esteem affects the degree of infertility-related stress via perceived spousal support. The sample comprised 219 couples who experienced infertility, each of whom completed an online survey. To analyze the data, descriptive statistics, t-test, correlation analysis and APIM (Actor-Partner Interdependence Model) were performed using SPSS 25.0 and Mplus 7.3 program. The main results were as follows. First, the actor effect of spousal support on self-esteem was significant in both husbands and wives. Second, the actor effects of spousal support on infertility-related stress and self-esteem on infertility stress were significant only in husbands. Third, in the association between husbands' and wives' spousal support and infertility-related stress, three mediating pathways via husband's self-esteem were found to be significant. Based on these results, the necessity for a couple-level analysis in infertility research, psycho-emotional interventions for infertile couples, and implications for follow-up studies were discussed.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.211-218
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• 2005

Elevated homocysteine concentration is known to be related to placental abruption, spontaneous abortion, and many adverse pregnancy outcomes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of folic acid supplementation ($1000{\cal}ug$ per day) and 5, 10 methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T polymorphism genotype on serum homocysteine and B vitamin levels in 50 infertile women ($31.2{\pm}3.2\;years$). Blood sampling was performed at baseline and at the end of folic acid supplementation period. In infertile women, serum folate and vitamin $B_{12}$ concentrations were significantly higher in post-supplementation than those in pre-supplementation. Serum homocysteine concentration was significantly lower in post-supplementation than that in pre-supplementation. However, serum homocysteine levels were still higher in the T/T genotype than those in the C/C or C/T even after folic acid supplementation. Serum homo-cysteine was inversely related to serum folate in T/T homozygotes at baseline and at the end of folic acid supplementation. These results suggest that folic acid supplementation is needed for infertile women to improve their vitamin status and also to reduce the risk of hyperhomocysteinemia. These effects were different according to their MTHFR C677T genotypes. Therefore, further studies are necessary to determine the optimal level of supplementation of folic acid by MTHFR genotypes.

• Journal of Oriental Medical Thermology
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.23-28
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• 2005

Purpose : To examine the relation between male infertility and cold hypersensitivity on lower abdomen. Methods : From 2004, 4 to 2005, 10, a total 60(infertile male 30, normal male on semen analysis 30) patients who visited the Oriental gynecological department of Conmaul Oriental Medicine hospital was selected, and their medical records were reviewed retrospectively. We compared the temperature of 3 points(CV17, CV12, CV4) of both group by DITI(Dorex, DITI-16UTI and DITI-Spectrum 9000 MB). Results and Conclusion : The general characteristics such as age, weight, height, BMI, amount and frequency of drinking and smoking of both group were not different statistically. The mean ${\Delta}T1$ between upper and lower abdomen in infertile group was higer than in normal group but they were not different statistically. The mean ${\Delta}T2$ between chest and lower abdomen was $0.46{\pm}0.41$ in infertile group, and $0.18{\pm}0.56$ in normal group, and it shows significant difference statistically. There was no significant relationship between sperm motility and ${\Delta}T1$, ${\Delta}T2$ in infertile group. In this study, we suggest that an inclination of cold hypersensitivity of lower abdomen of infertile male, but it is expressed when it is contrasted to chest of the body rather than upper abdomen.

• Journal of East-West Nursing Research
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.44-51
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• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the actor and partner effects of self efficacy, marital adjustment and family support on Yangseang in infertile couples using the actor-partner interdependence model. Methods: The participants were 108 infertile couples. Data were collected using the Yangsaeng Scale, Infertility Self Efficacy Scale, Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale, and Perceived Social Support Scale from March to April in 2016. The Actor-Partner Interdependence Model was used to analyze the actor and partner effects of self-efficacy, marital adjustment and family support on Yangsaeng. Results: The fit indices for the model were Comparative Fit Index (CFI) = 0.99, Normed Fit Index (NFI) = 0.99, Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI) = 0.90, and Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) = 0.01, which met the criteria. We found that only self efficacy had an actor effect on Yangsaeng. Marital adjustment and family support of infertile husbands had an actor effect on the Yangsaeng. In addition, marital adjustment showed an interaction effect. Conclusions: The findings of this study indicate that the level of Yangseang in infertile couples was positively associated with the levels of self efficacy and martial adjustment. Partner effects may be hidden due to much stronger actor effects on Yangseang.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.78-85
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• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of abdominal massage on alleviating pain caused by the injection of recombinant gonadotropin for In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) among infertile women. Methods: This study employed a nonequivalent control group non-synchronized design. A total sample of 149 infertile women who never experienced in vitro fertilization was recruited at C fertility center. Seventy women were assigned into experimental group and 79 into controls. The experimental group had been informed to do abdominal massage prior to the injection and to record their subjective pain using visual analogue scale. The control group had been informed to record their subjective pain in the same way just after the injection. Results: Compared to the pre-tested pain scores, the pain scores in experimental group were significantly reduced by 0.7 points, whereas the control group increased by 0.9 points (t=-4.55, p=.001). Conclusion: This study confirms that the use of abdominal massage prior to the injection is an effective way to alleviate pain on injection site. This massage may be a useful intervention for infertile women about pain alleviation.

• 대한생식의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2003.12a
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• pp.21-30
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• 2003

As a result of the technological advance provided by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in 1992, the evaluation and treatment of the infertile male has changed significantly. Many men who were previously thought to be irreversibly infertile have the potential to initiate their own biologic pregnancy. However, not all men having impaired semen parameter are ideal candidates for ICSI for numerous reasons including a lack of addressing the underlying problem causing the male infertility, unknown genetic consequences, and cost-effectiveness issues. In this era of ICSI, the fundamental approach to the male with suspected subfertility is unchanged and is based on a history, physical examination, and focused laboratory testing. The urologist should approach the patient with an intent to identify remediable causes of subfertility given the specific clinical situation. For instance, should a gentleman have his varicocele repaired or vasectomy reversed, or should he proceed directly with ICSI? If no factors can be improved in a timely manner, then ICSI should be considered using the available sperm. Examples of recent advances include the diagnosis and treatment of ejaculatory duct obstruction, indications and techniques for performing testis biopsy, and technique for sperm harvesting. In addition, potential genetic causes of male subfertility should be diagnosed and discussed with the patient. Cystic fibrosis gene mutation, karyotype abnormallities, and Y-chromosome microdeletions all have recently been identified as causative for male infertility in otherwise phenotypically normal men. With recently evolved diagnostic and therapeutic techniques now available for the infertile couple, even the most severe male factor problems in patients previously considered irreversibly infertile are now potentially treatable. The physician should be aware of the availability and limitations of these new and exciting reproductive technologies because they will allow him to provide timely and more effective therapy for the infertile couple. An understanding of these advances by all physicians is important as we progress into the $21^{st}$ century

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.225-230
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• 1992

Many transgenic mice expressing human growth hormone gene were infertile. To investigate the infertility of these transfenic mice, it was looked into the estrus cycle and sexual behaviour and also tested through in vitro fertilization whether the germ cells of these mice normal or not. The infertile female transgenic mice were mated to the fertile males of ICR strain, but in almost all of them the vaginal plugs were not detected and their estrus cycles by vaginal smear were almost irregular which kept up estrus or diestrus stage. Many male transgenic mice did not have the ability of sexual behaviour. Therefore the viability of germ cells in infertile male transgenic mice was investigated by in vitro fertilization, but the sperm were normally fertilized with the eggs and the transgene of parent was passed on to the progeny. These results consequently suggest that the infertility of transgenic mice experssing human growth hormone gene may be due to the physiological activity of human growth hormone, not germ cells.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.153-158
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• 1990

Sera from 95 infertile males males were assayed for antisperm antibodies using the Tray Agglutination Test(TAT) and indirect Immunobead Test(IBT). The correlation between antisperm antibodies and seminal analysis in infertile men was evaluated, and the TAT was compared with new indirect IBT. The results were obtained as follows. 1. Positive rate for antisperm antibodies was high in azoospermia, oligoasthenospermia, pyo-spermia, in order, Especially in obstructive azoospermia, the rate was the highest in both methods 2. Positive rates for antisperm antibodies in TAT was higher than indirect IBT. 3. Among the isotypes of the immunoglobulins, IgG were most prevalent. IgG and IgA were bound predominantly to the head and IgM predominantly to the tail up.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.193-198
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• 1997

This study was conducted to obtain the basic information for hatchery by-products as feed resources. Four kinds of by-products from a commercial hatchery, i. e., autoclaved day-old broiler or egg type chicks, dead embryos ＆ infertile eggs of both chicks were used for chemical composition and bioavailability test. Chemical compositions were obtained by AOAC (1990) method, and amino acid and energy bioavailabilities were determined by the method of Sibbald (1976). The crude protein contents of day-old chicks (60.27∼62.59) were higher than those of dead embryos ＆ infertile eggs (39.24∼40.09) , whereas the crude fat contents of all by-products were not different. The crude ash contents were higher in dead embryos ＆ infertile eggs (29.18∼34.49％) than in day-old chicks (6.50∼6.71％). The Ca contents of dead embryos ＆ infertile eggs (8.79∼10.82％) were higher than those of day-old chicks (1.29∼l.30％). The total amino acid contents, overall amino acid availabilities and ME contents were higher in day-old chicks than in dead embryos ＆ infertile eggs. It seems that the day-old chicks of egg strain can be used as a high protein - high energy feed resources and the dead embryos ＆ infertile eggs of broiler or egg type as a high protein-high calcium feed ingredients.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.279-284
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• 1988

Observations were made on the blood picture of 50 multiparous and 98 infertile cows. The results obtained in this study were summarized as follows. 1. Mean values of RBC, Hb, PCV, MCV, MCH, MCHC and platelets for normal multiparous cows were $6.87{\pm}0.84{\times}10^6/mm^3$, $10.3{\pm}1.3g/100ml$, $31.4{\pm}3.7ml/100ml$, $46.1{\pm}6.9{\mu}^3$, $15.3{\pm}2.6pg$, $34{\pm}2.7%$, and $372.7{\pm}304.7{\times}10^3/mm^3$ respectively. 2. Mean values of RBC, Hb, PCV, MCV, MCH, MCHC and platelets for infertile cows were $7.00{\pm}0.98{\times}10^6/mm^3$, $10.6{\pm}1.2g/100ml$, $32.1{\pm}3.6ml/100ml$, $45.8{\pm}6.7{\mu}^3$, $15.3{\pm}1.8pg$, $33.9{\pm}3.3%$, and $382.7{\pm}157.5{\times}10^3/mm^3$, respectively. 3. Mean values of WBC count for normal multiparous and infertile cows were $7.92{\pm}1.72$ and $9.04{\pm}2.87{\times}10^3/mm^3$ respectively. 4. In the differential leukocytes count, mean values of neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils and basophils for normal multiparous cows were $29.7{\pm}7.9%$, $56.8{\pm}7.6%$, $2.9{\pm}1.9%$, $9.9{\pm}5.3%$ and $0.3{\pm}0.7%$, respectively, and mean values of neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils and basophils for infertile cows were $31.9{\pm}7.8%$, $57.5{\pm}7.9%$, $2.6{\pm}1.9%$, $7.5{\pm}4.8%$, and $0.4{\pm}0.2%$, respectively.