• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.119-125
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• 2016

Objective: The aim of this study was to report a case series of in vitro matured (IVM) oocyte freezing in gynecologic cancer patients undergoing radical surgery under time constraints as an option for fertility preservation (FP). Methods: Case series report. University-based in vitro fertilization center. Six gynecologic cancer patients who were scheduled to undergo radical surgery the next day were referred for FP. The patients had endometrial (n=2), ovarian (n=3), and double primary endometrial and ovarian (n=1) cancer. Ex vivo retrieval of immature oocytes from macroscopically normal ovarian tissue was followed by mature oocyte freezing after IVM or embryo freezing with intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Results: A total of 53 oocytes were retrieved from five patients, with a mean of 10.6 oocytes per patient. After IVM, a total of 36 mature oocytes were obtained, demonstrating a 67.9% maturation rate. With regard to the ovarian cancer patients, seven IVM oocytes were frozen from patient 3, who had stage IC cancer, whereas one IVM oocyte was frozen from patient 4, who had stage IV cancer despite being of a similar age. With regard to the endometrial cancer patients, 15 IVM oocytes from patient 1 were frozen. Five embryos were frozen after the fertilization of IVM oocytes from patient 6. Conclusion: Immature oocytes can be successfully retrieved ex vivo from macroscopically normal ovarian tissue before radical surgery. IVM oocyte freezing provides a possible FP option in patients with advanced-stage endometrial or ovarian cancer without the risk of cancer cell spillage or time delays.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.135-142
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• 2018

Objective: To prospectively evaluate the efficacy and safety of a fixed early gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist protocol compared to a conventional midfollicular GnRH antagonist protocol and a long GnRH agonist protocol for in vitro fertilization (IVF) in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Methods: Randomized patients in all three groups (early antagonist, n = 14; conventional antagonist, n = 11; long agonist, n = 11) received 21 days of oral contraceptive pill treatment prior to stimulation. The GnRH antagonist was initiated on the 1st day of stimulation in the early antagonist group and on the 6th day in the conventional antagonist group. The GnRH agonist was initiated on the 18th day of the preceding cycle. The primary endpoint was the number of oocytes retrieved, and the secondary endpoints included the rate of moderate-to-severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) and the clinical pregnancy rate. Results: The median total number of oocytes was similar among the three groups (early, 16; conventional, 12; agonist, 19; p= 0.111). The early GnRH antagonist protocol showed statistically non-significant associations with a higher clinical pregnancy rate (early, 50.0%; conventional, 11.1%; agonist, 22.2%; p= 0.180) and lower incidence of moderate-to-severe OHSS (early, 7.7%; conventional, 18.2%; agonist, 27.3%; p= 0.463), especially among subjects at high risk for OHSS (early, 12.5%; conventional, 40.0%; agonist, 50.0%; p= 0.324). Conclusion: In PCOS patients undergoing IVF, early administration of a GnRH antagonist may possibly lead to benefits due to a reduced incidence of moderate-to-severe OHSS in high-risk subjects with a better clinical pregnancy rate per embryo transfer. Further studies with more subjects are required.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.67 no.2
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• pp.121-130
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• 2022

This study was conducted to determine the suitable amount of irrigation and fertigation for the growth and yield of spring potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.). To investigate the effect of soil moisture content on the growth and yield of potato, five irrigation treatments were performed based on soil moisture tension: -10 kPa, -20 kPa, -30 kPa, -40 kPa, and non-irrigation. The growth and yield among the irrigation treatments was the best in the -10 kPa treatment, where the yield increased by 47% compared to the non-irrigation treatment. To determine the standard of additional fertilizer for fertigation cultivation of spring potatoes, seven treatments were performed, including a control (basic fertilization without additional fertilizer), compound fertilizer (NPK) based on 0.5 times the standard amount of fertilizer (NPK 0.5; N-P₂O₅-K₂O: 2.5-2.2-3.25 kg/10a), NPK 0.8 (N-P₂O₅-K₂O: 4-3.5-5 kg/10a), and NPK 1.2 (N-P₂O₅-K₂O: 6-5.3-7.8 kg/10a), and potassium fertilizer of 2 kg (K 2), 5 kg (K 5), and 7 kg (K 7). The growth and yield among the fertilization treatments was highest in the K 5 treatment, where the yield increased by approximately 27% compared to the control. Therefore, this study suggests that irrigation with -10 kPa or fertigation with K 5 during the tuber initiation and tuber filling stage could increase the yield of spring potatoes.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.312-318
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• 2010

This study was carried out to develop and test a prototype program that recommends the nitrogen topdressing rate using the color digital camera image taken from rice field at panicle initiation stage (PIS). This program comprises four models to estimate shoot N content (PNup) by color digital image analysis, shoot N accumulation from PIS to maturity (PHNup), yield, and protein content of rice. The models were formulated using data set from N rate experiments in 2008. PNup was found to be estimated by non-linear regression model using canopy cover and normalized green values calculated from color digital image analysis as predictor variables. PHNup could be predicted by quadratic regression model from PNup and N fertilization rate at panicle initiation stage with $R^2$ of 0.923. Yield and protein content of rice could also be predicted by quadratic regression models using PNup and PHNup as predictor variables with $R^2$ of 0.859 and 0.804, respectively. The performance of the program integrating the above models to recommend N topdressing rate at PIS was field-tested in 2009. N topdressing rate prescribed for the target protein content of 6.0% by the program were lower by about 30% compared to the fixed rate of 30% that is recommended conventionally as the split application rate of N fertilizer at PIS, while rice yield in the plots top-dressed with the prescribed N rate were not different from those of the plots top-dressed with the fixed N rates of 30% and showed a little lower or similar protein content of rice as well. And coefficients of variation in rice yield and quality parameters were reduced substantially by the prescribed N topdressing. These results indicate that the N rate recommendation using the analysis of color digital camera image is promising to be applied for precise management of N fertilization. However, for the universal and practical application the component models of the program are needed to be improved so as to be applicable to the diverse edaphic and climatic condition.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.215-222
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• 2016

Nitrogen (N) fertilizer management is one of the important aspects of economic production of sorghums in sustainable agriculture. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of different N application rates and its split N application methods on productivity, growth characteristics, N accumulation, N use efficiency (NUE), and feed value of Sorghum ${\times}$ Sudangrass hybrids. Treatments consisted of five N application rates (0, 150, 200, 250, and $300kg\;ha^{-1}$) and two split N application methods (40% in basal N, 30% at the growing stage, and 30% after the first harvest vs. 50% in basal N and 50% after the first harvest). Plant height, leaf width, and stem diameter were increased ($p{\leq}0.05$) with increasing N fertility rates at each harvest. Chlorophyll content (expressed as SPAD values) was the highest at a rate of $300\;kg\;N\;ha^{-1)$ (first harvest, 46.32; second harvest, 33.09). It was the lowest at zero N (first harvest, 21.56; second harvest, 18.5). Total N, N uptake, and NUE were increased with higher N rates. Split N application had little effect on total N, amount of N uptake, or NUE. Total dry matter yields were the highest ($21,715\;kg\;ha^{-1}$) at a rate of $300\;kg\;N\;ha^{-1}$. It was the lowest ($10,054\;kg\;ha^{-1}$) at zero N. Our results suggest that more than $300\;kg\;N\;ha^{-1}$ can improve dry matter yield to be above 116% compared to zero N, thus enhancing the agronomic characters of sorghums. However, no significant effect had been found for split N application. Further work is needed to determine the optimal N levels and the effect of split N application rates.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.112-120
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• 1993

The use of fertilizer N is essential for maximum economic yield of crops. Meanwhile, enrichment of $NO_3^-$in the environment has to be avoided. Winter barley crop has a short duration of growth before winter, but is used to receive N greater than 60 kg/ha at seeding. Experiments were performed to determine the quantitative aspect of the fate of soil applied urea N among the residual, leached, and uptaken by winter barley (cv. Olbori), and to evaluate the effect of soil temperature on nitrification. Four levels of urea (0, 40, 80, and 120 kg N/ha) was basal-dressed to Olbori. $NH_4^+$ appeared dominant in the soil until 40 days after seeding, whereas $NO_3^-$ did thereafter. Nitrification rate at $5^{\circ}C$ of soil temperature was 40 to 50% of that at $15^{\circ}C. Linear increases in the number of ammonia oxidizing and nitrite oxidizing bacteria of the soil was present as the level of urea fertilization was higher. Less than 60% of N applied at seeding was uptaken by winter barley until mid-March but 50% was lost from death of older barley leaves during overwintering. Thereby only 10% of the applied N remained in the barley in spring. Only 15% of the applied N was present in the rhizosphere. The 17 to 20% of the soil applied N leached out as $NO_3^-$ the rhizosphere. Nitrogen leaching during winter was estimated to be 16 and 20 kg/ha when the basal application level of urea fertilization was 80 and 120 kg/ha, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.289-295
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• 1988

An ordinary paddy variety Hwaseong and a high-yielding variety Samgang were taken under investigation to test the effect of top dressing of newly formulated three compound fertilizers on rice plants for at sprouting heads. The fertilizer formulate used were C. F. I (14-0-14; $NO_3-N$ and $NH_4-N$) and C. F. II (14-0-14; $NH_4-N$ only) and C. F. III (14-0-14 + OM 10%; $NO_3-N$ and $NH_4-N$). A field experiment was conducted on a plot of Gyuam series. The following results were obtained: 1. Effects of compound fertilizers at sprouting heads a. Hwaseong variety exhibited 5-10% yielding increases on the plots with application of 2nd compound fertilizer (I) and (II) compared to straight fertilizer of (I) and (III). Fertilization with 2nd and 3rd compound fertilizers gave the best result when they are done 15 days before heading. A yield increase of 3-5% was achieved when the fertilization was done 20 days before heading in the case of Samgang variety, but no beneficial effect was observed with an application 10 days before heading. b. Rate of barren grains was at the minimum in the compound fertilizer (II) plots of both Hwaseong and Samgang varieties. c. Content of $NO_3-N$ in soils and grain yield appeared to be positively correlated($r=0.618^*$) 2. Effects of heading fertilizers on artificially reduced conditions of soil a. No significant difference in Eh values were measured among reduced paddy soils. The compound fertilizer of (II) presented the best result in yield increases regardless of rice variety. b. Rate of barren grains in both varieties was observed at the minimum on the application of compound fertilizer of (II). c. No great difference of mineral contents was detected among plants from different treatments.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.109-118
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• 1987

Ninety-one patients with irreparable tubal disease underwent in Vitro Fertilization-Embryo Transfer (IVF-ET) in Seoul National University Hospital. Ovulation was stimulated in 104 cycles by human menopausal gonadotropin (HMG) or follicular stimulating hormone (FSH)/human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). The patients were classified as high (>900 pg/ml), intermediate (400-900 pg/ml), or low (<400pg/ml) responder according to preovulatory $E_2$ response and four $E_2$ patterns were found. The overall pregnancy rate per cycle in this consecutive series was 11.5% (n=12). The number of preovulatory oocytes per cycle was higher significantly in intermediate and high responder group than in low responder group (P<0.01), While the number of immature oocytes per cycle significantly higher in low responder group than high and intermediate responder group (P<0.01). The pregnancy rate in each responder group was not signigicant. According to the $E_2$ pattern of response, there was no significant difference in number of the immature and preovulatory oocytes recovery per cycle. There was a apparently direct relationship between the preovulatory $E_2$ pattern and pre gnancy rate was noted.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.493-498
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• 1986

In order to evaluate the effect of various cultural methods developed during last 30 years on grain yield of wheat and barley and structure of plant stand for uptake of nutrient and water, solar energy use and com-petitive capacity with weed, 10 kinds of cultural practices were compared in the clayey upland soil. Row fertilization is more effective for uptake of N,P and K than rotary fertilization. Weed occurrence was deeply related with width of non-seeded area in the row and affected yield decrease. Winter injury was more serious in the cultural practices with thick plant community than in those with isolated individual plant. Root distribution was more remarkable in drill seeding or broadcasting than row seeding and had positively correlated with water consumption of barley.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.754-758
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• 2001

Bovine oocytes with compact and complete cumulus cells were cultured for up to 24h in TCM199 buffered with 25mmol/l hepes and supplemented with 10% FBS (fetal bovine serum), 1mg/ml $17{\beta}$-estradiol, 20IU/ml hCG(human chorionic gonadotropin). All of the oocytes were divided into at 6 groups depending upon incubation times (control, 0 hour, 6 hours, 12 hours, 16 hours, 18 hours). To all experimental media, $200{\mu}g/ml$ puromycin was added at different incubation times mentioned above. Following these culture times, in vitro insemination was conducted with frozen-thawed bovine spermatozoa in medium BO (Brackett and Oliphant medium for in vitro insemination) with $10{\mu}g/ml$ BSA(bovine serum albumin) and 10 mg/ml heparin added. After 22h culture, the oocytes were fixed with acetic alcohol solution and stained with orcein acetic solution to evaluate sperm nuclear progression. Addition of puromycin after 0, 6 and 12 h of culture resulted in near of oocyte maturation at the M1 stage. Contrariwise, puromycin addition after 12 h of culture led to restoration of nuclear progression to M2 stage. On the one hand, puromycin affected the synthesis of Cyclin B protein that may be involved in the oocyte maturation and sperm capacitation for in vitro fertilization. The present study suggests the participation of protein synthesis, cyclin B, in the oocyte development from M1 to M2 stages in vitro.