• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.57-66
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• 2018

It has been estimated that approximately 15% of reproductive-age couples suffer from infertility. Male factors contribute to almost half of infertility cases, and in many patients the underlying cause of oligoasthenoteratozoospermia is unknown. Accumulating evidence suggests that oxidative stress plays a role as a contributing factor to male infertility, and reactive oxygen species have been shown to impair sperm function and motility and to damage sperm membrane and DNA. Therefore, this review explored the evidence provided by studies published from 2002 to 2017 on the impact of oral antioxidants (vitamin C, vitamin E, L-carnitine, coenzyme Q10, zinc, selenium, and pentoxifylline) on seminal fluid parameters in men with idiopathic oligoasthenoteratozoospermia. Most of the studies were randomized controlled studies that investigated the effect of single or combined antioxidants and reported improvements in at least one semen parameter. The most noteworthy effect that was found was that the use of multiple antioxidants increased sperm motility and concentration. Nonetheless, there is a lack of agreement on the dose, the duration of treatment, and whether individual or combined oral antioxidants should be used. Therefore, the current review provides evidence supporting the use of oral antioxidants in the treatment of infertile men with idiopathic oligoasthenoteratozoospermia.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.327-335
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• 2016

This study aimed to evaluate the potential toxicity and safety of ethyl hydrogen adipate (EHA) by determining its effect on the reproductive function and development of Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats at dose levels of 0 (control), 200, 400, and 800 mg/kg/day. One male and five females of the 800 mg/kg/day died. Body weight loss was observed in the males of the 800 mg/kg/day and in females of the 400 and 800 mg/kg/day. In addition, mating indices decreased and pre-implantation loss rates increased in parental animals of the 400 and 800 mg/kg/day. The gestation index decreased in the male and female rats of the 800 mg/kg/day. Moreover, the body weight of the pups from the 800 mg/kg/day group decreased on post-parturition day 4. These results indicated that the no-observed-adverse-effect level of EHA for parental males and females was 400 mg/kg/day and 200 mg/kg/day, respectively, and that for pups was 400 mg/kg/day.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.30-41
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• 1988

The gonadal development, the annual reproductive cycle and the first sexual maturity of surf clam, Mactra veneriformis Reeve were studied histologically. Speciemens were monthly collected at the intertidal zone of Naechodo, Chollabuk-do, Korea, for one year from March 1986 to February 1987. Sexuality of the clam is dioecious. The gonads were located between the subregion of mid-intestinal gland in the visceral cavity and the reticular connetive tissues of the foot, The ovary is composed of a number of ovarian sacs, and the testis comprise several testiculat lobules. The undifferentiated mesenchymal tissues and eosinophilic granular cells function as nutritive cells in the early stage. The ripe eggs were about 50-60${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ in diameter, and they were wurroundedby the gelatinous membranes. The spawing period was from early June to September the main spawning occurred beetween July and August when the water temperature reached above 24$^{\circ}C$. The annual reproductive cycle of this species could be classified into five successive stages: multiplicative(January to March), growing(March to May), mature(April to August), spent(June to September), degenerative and resting(September to February). The monthly changes of fatness coefficient closely correlated with the annual reproductive cycle. Percentages of the first sexual maturity of female and male clams were over 50% among those individals ranging from 2.1 To 2.5cm, and 100% in those over 2.6cm in shell length.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.646-653
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• 2003

Investigations were made on the population structure, sex ratio, growth, and recruitment patterns of Leptochela sydniensis in the southwestern coastal areas of Korea, between May 2000 and December 2001. Spawning period, fecundity, brood loss, reproductive output, and size at sexual maturity also were examined. The results of the sex ratio showed that females were more numerous than males during the overall study period. Parameters of growth were estimated using the modified von Bertalanffy growth function (VBGF) model incorporating seasonal variation into growth. Females grew somewhat faster and reached a larger size than males $(L\infty=12.80\;mm\;CL\;and\;K=0.70\;yr^{-1}\;or\;females,\and\;L\infty=12.08\;mm\;CL\;and\;K=0.69\;yr^{-1}$ for males). The structure of recruitment patterns obtained by the FiSAT program indicated one normally distributed group. Based on the occurrence of ovigerous females and the gonadosomatic index (GSI), the main spawning season was from June to August. Analysis of covariance indicated that brood loss was not observed during the incubation period. The size at which $50\%$ of females are mature is estimated as 5.48 mm CL.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.159-165
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• 1990

It has been reported that endogenous opioid peptides play a role in the control of the reproductive function. The goal of this study was to evaluate changs in the serum levels of ${\beta}$-endorphin during hyperstimulated menstrual cycle and their relationship to serum prolactin levels. Serum ${\beta}$-endorphin and prolactin levels were measured during menstrual cycles of 10 normal cylic women hyperstimulated by human menopausal gonadotropin (HMG) and of 10 women by clomiphene/HMG among in vitro fertilization candidates. The results were summarized as follows. 1. In clomiphene/HMG hyperstimulated menstrual cycle the mean serum ${\beta}$-endorphin level insignificantly on 2 day before aspiration of oocyte compared to basal level and reached maximum level on 1 day after aspiration. 2. There was a significant peak of the mean serum ${\beta}$-endorphin level on 1 day before aspiration in HMG hyperstimulated menstrual cycle. 3. On the same day from aspiration, there was no significant differences in the mean serum ${\beta}$-endorphin levels between HMG and clomiphene/HMG hyperstimulated cycles. 4. No significant correlation was noted between serum ${\beta}$-endorphin levels and prolactin levels.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.85-93
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• 2020

The implantation process is highly complex and difficult to mimic in vitro, and a reliable experimental model of implantation has yet to be established. Many researchers have used embryo transfer (ET) to assess implantation potential; however, ET with pseudopregnant mice requires expert surgical skills and numerous sacrificial animals. To overcome those economic and ethical problems, several researchers have tried to use outgrowth models to evaluate the implantation potential of embryos. Many previous studies, as well as our experiments, have found significant correlations between blastocyst outgrowth in vitro and implantation in utero by ET. This review proposes the blastocyst outgrowth model as a possible alternative to animal experimentation involving ET in utero. In particular, the outgrowth model might be a cost- and time-effective alternative method to ET for evaluating the effectiveness of culture conditions or treatments. An advanced outgrowth model and further culture of outgrowth embryos could provide a subtle research model of peri- and postimplantation development, excluding maternal effects, and thereby could facilitate progress in assisted reproductive technologies. Recently, we found that outgrowth embryos secreted extracellular vesicles containing specific microRNAs. The function of microRNAs from outgrowth embryos should be elucidated in further researches.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.40-49
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• 2019

Chronic and unpredictable stress can disrupt the female reproductive system by suppression for secretion of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and gonadotrophin, resulted in ovarian malfunction and infertility. In the recent days, kisspeptin has been highly highlighted as a hypothalamic peptide which directly stimulates synthesis and release for GnRH. However, in spite of the key role of kisspeptin in the female reproductive system, little information is still available on the changes of its expression during ovarian cycle under stressed condition. Therefore, we induced chronic and unpredictable stress series to the female mice to analyze kisspeptin expression in the brain and ovary. Stressed mice exhibited changes of behavior and body weight gain during the stress assessment, which suggested that the present stress model in mice was successfully established. In the brain level, kisspeptin expression was attenuated than control. In the ovary level, the stressed mice displayed irregularly shrunk oocytes with broken zona pellucida throughout the follicle stages, pyknotic granulosa cells, decreased number of developing follicles and increased number of atretic follicles than the control. In case of kisspeptin expression in the whole ovary tissue, the expression level was decreased in the stressed mice. In detail, the less intensity of kisspeptin expression in the antral follicles phase was observed in the stressed mice than control mice, indicating that local function of kisspeptin during ovary cycle is highly associated with development of ovarian follicles. We expect that the present study has important implications for the fields of reproductive biology.

• The Journal of the Korean life insurance medical association
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.142-148
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• 1986

Liver is an oragan which has various functions. For this functions in liver disease change variously, many methods of examination of them are invented. Each liver disease impairs these functions diversly rather than uniformly, thus it is possible to differentiate each disease by using various methods of testing it. Liver has high reproductive capacity and despite partial impairment of its function localized disease may not show any abnormality in liver function test due to compensation of remaining intact tissue of the liver. Thus the result of liver function test should be interpreted under adequate clinical investigation with other test, not depending on the liver function test only. This thesis deals with the composition, distribution in living body and clinical significance of liberating enzyme, GOT, GPT, and LDH which are included in serum enzyme that show abnormality in liver disease.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.15-26
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• 2009

The purpose of this report was to provide the information about activity and safety of Yukmijihwang-tang by analyzing domestic/international papers and theses about Yukmijihwang-tang. Domestic/international papers and theses related to Yukmijihwang-tang were reviewed and analyzed. These papers were then classified by year, experimental method, and activity subject. The following results were obtained in this study. The study of Yukmijihwang-tang started from 1978 and was rapidly increased after 1990s. The study of Yukmijihwang-tang was continuously increased now and was mainly forcused on experimental model rather than clinical study. The paper of SCI journal or non-SCI journal was 27 volume and the other domestic paper was 64 volume. The total papers of Yukmijihwang-tang, 91 volume was analysed in this study. Allatoin, gallic acid, loganin, morroniside, paeoniflorin, paenol, urosolic acid were determined in Yukmijihwang-tang by using HPLC and HPLC-MS-MS. In classified Yukmijihwang-tang paper by experimental method and animal, more than a half study was in vivo experiment used rat. Furthermore clinical experiments were performed variously. As these studies were classified by subject, papers related to renal function were most abundant by 16 papers. Besides there were several papers related to cognitive vitality, anti-diabetic effect, immuno-regulation, reproductive activity, anti-oxidant effect, liver function, anti-cancer and blood pressure depress. According to basic research and clinic research data, it is supported that Yukmijihwang-tang was useful prescription in renal function, cognitive vitality, anti-diabetic effect and reproductive activity. Many study of basic and clinic research were performed and reported variously on Yukmijihwang-tang in domestic/international journal. According to basic research and clinic research data, it is supported that Yukmijihwang-tang was useful prescription in renal function, cognitive vitality, anti-diabetic effect and reproductive activity. However, studies on efficacy and mechanism of Yukmijihwang-tang should be conducted at the molecular biology level and studies on safety of Yukmijihwang-tang need to be completed at the clinical level.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.861-878
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• 2003

In the ancient time wind is considered as the life . soul and the human's breath which represents essence of universal creation and the absolute power and also the messenger of the god or god's state. Greek's 'pneuma' , India's 'Brahman' and the Old Testament's 'ruach' are used to signify the wind. Also Wind(風) in traditional culture, it is related to 玄妙之道 of 花郞, the flower of youth in Shilla dynasty and sexual intercourse in shaman's dream which can be thought as Freud's libido. In this aspect we can see the connection between the wind and the libido which can be meaning of sexual desire. Ancient Chinese wrote word ‘風’ as phoenix, the god's bird, the phoenix in inscriptions on bones and tortoise carapace(甲骨文) because one can feel the wind but can’t see it. The word Ki(氣) origins from 風 therefore 風 is 氣's fundamental notion. The wind can be understood by ki which travels around the world to create all nature. And the Wind is associated with 風化, 玄鳥, 八僧舞, which are related with reproduction. In the book of change (周易) the 震巽卦 ; 雷風 come under wind which means the function of ki and also menas the 精(essence of life) of 恒久(eternity) means the reprodution ; that performs succession of life. In the Oriental Medicine 氣 is a phenomenon that appears by movement of Ki by 相火(Ministerial fire). 相火 is core of the succession of life which means preservation of descendants; therefore 風 has very similar concept with sexual desire. 風 is the beginning ki of universe and in human body aspect 風 belong to the Liver Meridian. If 風 makes movement then the Pericardium Meridian of Hand Kwolum responds and the genital organs which belongs to Liver Meridian of Leg Kwolum reproductive function by contraction and expansion. Generally 風 understood as movement and origination and this is recognized as meaning of 氣. Therefore as studied above the present writer believe m. participates closely to reproductive function.