• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.31-38
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• 2023

Background: The aim of this study was to compare the effects of taping techniques on menstrual pain, body temperature, and menstrual symptoms in women of reproductive age. Methods: This study targeted 40 female students enrolled at G university with menstrual pain rated above 5 on the visual analog scale (VAS). The participants were randomly assigned to four groups: the Kinesio taping, spiral taping, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, and control groups. The intervention was applied one day after the onset of menstruation, and menstrual pain, menstrual symptoms, and body temperature were measured before the intervention and 24 hours after the intervention application. We measured menstrual pain using the VAS. Additionally, we evaluated menstrual symptoms using the menstruation symptom scale and measured body temperature of the abdomen and feet using digital infrared thermal imaging. Results: After the intervention, all three experimental groups showed significant improvement in menstrual pain and menstrual symptoms compared to the control group, and there was no significant difference among the three groups. After applying Kinesio taping, there was a slight decrease in the temperature difference between the abdomen and feet, but no statistically significant difference was observed. Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrated that kisesio and spiral taping have similar effects as with anti-inflammatory medication in relieving menstrual pain and menstrual symptoms. Taping can be considered as an effective method to replace medications in order to alleviate menstrual pain.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.244-252
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• 2023

Objective: We evaluated the efficacy of the newly developed optimized in vitro culture (OIVC) dish for cultivating preimplantation mouse embryos. This dish minimizes the need for mineral oil and incorporates microwells, providing a stable culture environment and enabling independent monitoring of individual embryos. Methods: Mouse pronuclear (PN) zygotes and two-cell-stage embryos were collected at 18 and 46 hours after human chorionic gonadotropin injection, respectively. These were cultured for 120 hours using potassium simplex optimized medium (KSOM) to reach the blastocyst stage. The embryos were randomly allocated into three groups, each cultured in one of three dishes: a 60-mm culture dish, a microdrop dish, and an OIVC dish that we developed. Results: The OIVC dish effectively maintained the osmolarity of the KSOM culture medium over a 5-day period using only 2 mL of mineral oil. This contrasts with the significant osmolarity increase observed in the 60-mm culture dish. Additionally, the OIVC dish exhibited higher blastulation rates from two-cell embryos (100%) relative to the other dish types. Moreover, blastocysts derived from both PN zygotes and two-cell embryos in the OIVC dish group demonstrated significantly elevated mean cell numbers. Conclusion: Use of the OIVC dish markedly increased the number of cells in blastocysts derived from the in vitro culture of preimplantation mouse embryos. The capacity of this dish to maintain medium osmolarity with minimal mineral oil usage represents a breakthrough that may advance embryo culture techniques for various mammals, including human in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer programs.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.361-370
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• 1982

The effects of climatic factors on organisms lire variable and complex, and it, however, can be interpreted in terms of those on the distribution and those on the population densities. The distribution of an organism may largely be determined by the temperatures, except some temporal organisms which are depended on the air mass movements. Population density of an organism is determined by various climatic factors, such as previous winter temperature, temperature of growing season and rainfall. The start of growing season of the rice plants has been shifted to earlier since last decade in Korea. This may mean that the overall climatic condition during the growing season might be considerably different from those in past years, and such a difference in climatic conditions might have close relation with the recent status of the diseases and insect pests through direct effects on the physiology and population dynamics of the organisms, as well as through on the biotic associations of the pest organisms. The white back planthopper and brown planthopper have become the key insect pests in Korea in recent years. They are migratory and have high reproductive pontentials and more generations than average residential insects. The synchronization of the migrants and physiological condition of the rice plants seems to be the important factors in relation to the recent outbreaks of these insects; the high reproductive rate can be obtained with the growth stage of rice being 30-50 days after transplanting. The modication of the microclimate associated with high plant density and some other introduced new cultural techniques also have some relation with the outbreak. The key diseases of the rice are the blast disease, sheath blight and the bacterial leaf blight. For the rice blast, the seedling blast and leaf blast during the early growing season and the neck blast, have become more serious, the former may be related to hotbed nursery and the later may be related to the high humidity in early August, and synchronization of the heading time which has been shifted to early part from middle or late part of August. In general, for the rice diseases, the development of the new races have been the most serious which are largely resulted from the introduction of the new varieties, but it also seems to be related with the prolonged periods of the favorable condition associated with the shifted growing seasons. In general, the diseases and insect pest problems have become much more variable and complex, and control measures should be based on the thorough knowledge of the ecology of the pest organisms, that is, effects of various environmental factors on the disease cycle; spore release, spore deposition, infection, colonization and sporulation of the disease organisms, and those on the development, reproductive potentials, dispersal, age specific responses of the insects. The well organized real-time pest management systems, such as alfalfa weevil management system developed at the Purdue University in U.S., is the prime importance for the implementation of the pest management principles.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.41-55
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• 1989

Lymphocyte chromosome preparations obtained by the micromethod (Arakaki and Sparkes, 1963) from 234 our patients (165 females and 69 males) were analysed by C-, NOR-and GC-bandings for chromosome heteromorphisms. The centromeric regions of chromosomes 1,9,16 and the long arm of the Y chromosomes were tested for C heteromorphism. Minor variations found in this study such as inv(9), prominant short arms and large satellites of acrocentrics were also examined by appropriate banding techniques. Of the 234 probands, a total of 125 different C-variants were detected, and the average frequency of the variants per individual was estimated to be 0.53. The observed variations were as follows : 99 qh variants, 5 pericentric inversions of chromosome 9, and 21 satellite and/or short arm variants.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.83-88
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• 2008

Thromboembolic disease associated with assisted reproductive techniques is considered to be extremely rare but most serious complication. The reasons for this are thought to hypercoagulable state characteristic of OHSS due to high serum levels of estrogen, hemoconcentration and reduced circulating blood volume, but is still unclear. The risk is increased those with rare hypercoagulable conditions such as antiphospholipid antibody syndrome, protein C deficiency, protein S deficiency, antithrombin III deficiency, and those with a personal or family history of thromboembolic disease. The majority of thrombosis reported were venous site but arterial thrombosis mostly intracerebral was reported 5 cases in Korea so far. We present a case of basilar a. thrombosis at 11 days after hCG injection. The patient developed the right hemiparesis, and recovered after intraarterial thrombolysis and transluminal angioplasty. Protein S activity was decreased and vWF antigen was increased. Decreased protein S activity was also found in previous reported 4 cases, so we suggest screening test for protein S in OHSS patients.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.107-115
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• 1993

Procedures to separate motile. normal & motile and acrosome-reacted sperm with high efficiency have clinical application in Assisted Reproductive Technology in terms of increasing the probability of fertilization by a normal sperm and subsequent normal embryonic development. This study evaluated the effects of 10 sperm preparation techniques [Swim-up from a washed pellet (SU). Swim-up from semen (SO). Continuous Percoll Gradients I (PIC). Discontinuous Percoll Gradients I (PID). Continuous Percoll Gradients II(P II C). Discontinuous Percoll Gradients II(P II D), SpermPrep (SFC). Wang's tube (WT). Albumin Gradients (AG), Low temperature capacitation (LTC)] on motility (%), normal morphology (%), motile sperm recovery rate(%). morphologically normal & motile sperm recovery rate (%), true acrosome reaction (%) and fertilizing ability. A P II D proved to be an effective means of separating morphologically normal & motile sperm. Our results indicated the P II D has advantages as compared with other methods in terms of recovery rate. enhancement of motility and normal morphology. And a LTC seems to be an effective means of enhancing the true acrosome reaction and fertilizing ability. These results suggest that the combined method of LTC and P II D for separation of morphologically normal & motile sperm and acrosome reacted sperm may be a useful procedure for intrauterine insemination and in vitro fertilization in the management of male factor infertility as well as for isolation of subpopulation of sperm for basic research.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.131-145
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• 2009

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) has become an assisted reproductive technique for couples who are at risk that enables them to have unaffected baby without facing the risk of pregnancy termination after invasive prenatal diagnosis. The molecular biology and technology for single-cell genetics has reached an extremely high level of accuracy, and has enabled the possibility of performing multiple diagnoses on one cell using whole genome amplification. These technological advances have contributed to the avoidance of misdiagnosis in PGD for single gene disorders. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based PGD will lead to a significant increase in the number of disorders diagnosed and will find more widespread use, benefiting many more couples who are at risk of transmitting an inherited disease to their baby. In this review, we will focus on the molecular biological techniques that are currently in use in the most advanced centers for PGD for single gene disorders, including biopsy procedure, multiplex PCR and post-PCR diagnostic methods, and multiple displacement amplification (MDA) and the problems in the single cell genetic analysis.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.45-53
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• 2009

Objectives: To determinate the optimal culture condition to maintain lifespan in human sperm, we evaluated the effect of different temperature on sperm motility and viability up to 5 days in normal specimens. Methods: Ejaculated semen samples with normal semen parameters were gently washed in HEPES buffered Tyrod's-Albumin-Lactate-Pyruvate (HTALP) media. Each 5 ml of HTALP + 0.3% albumin with $1{\times}10^6$ sperm/ml was incubated for 5 days in $37^{\circ}C$, $22^{\circ}C$, and $4^{\circ}C$. The sperm motility and kinematics were analyzed using computer assisted sperm analysis (CASA), membrane integrity was assessed by hypoosmotic swelling test (HOST), and capacitation status was evaluated by chlorotetracycline (CTC) fluorescence pattern. Each parameter was measured on day 1, 3, and 5, respectively. Results: The motility, viability and live/uncapacitated pattern were demonstrated significantly in temperature- and time-dependent difference (p<0.05). While the sperm cultured for 1 day in each temperature was not significantly different, the sperm cell kept in $22^{\circ}C$ after 3 days were preserved sperm motility, viability, membrane integrity, and F pattern better than in other culture temperatures. Conclusions: HTALP can be used a basic medium for culture and longevity preservation, and sperm cell kept at $22^{\circ}C$ is beneficial for assisted reproductive techniques.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.460-466
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• 2004

This study was undertaken with the aim to establish a reliable radioimmunoassay (RIA) system for urinary pregnanediol glucuronide (PdG) and to employ it for monitoring the reproductive status of dairy cows. Urine and blood samples were collected from the Holstein cows both pregnant and non-pregnant. The samples were then investigated for evaluating the relationship between progesterone ($P_{4}$) in blood and PdG in urine adjusted with or without urinary creatinine basis. Biweekly urine collection was employed for three cows in estrous and those artificially inseminated, while urine from pregnant cows was collected on a monthly basis. P_{4}$ and PdG levels were measured by enzymeimmunoassay (EIA) and RIA techniques, respectively. Our results indicated the sensitivity of PdG for RIA being 35 pg/tube and the recovery rate of 100%. Urinary creatinine concentrations also fluctuated within a day, but change at midday was not noteworthy. Regardless of the time of urination the change in concentrations of PdG was relatively smaller and did not vary significantly. The urinary PdG concentration showed periodic changes as that with serum P_{4}$ levels during the cow's estrus cycle. The correlation coefficient rose when creatinine level in urine was adjusted but the change was also not significant. The concentrations of PdG during the luteal phase were detected between 8.2 and 17.4 ng/ml, three to five times higher than that in the follicular phase. The concentration of PdG from pregnant cows (21 days after conception) was three to four times higher than in the nonpregnant cows. Our finding suggests that the determination of urinary PdG could be reliably employed for early pregnancy detection. The urinary PdG level continued to raise until 30 days pre-partum while the concentration reached its peak at 30 ng/ml, after which it started to fall 18 to 30 days before parturition and finally fell to its nadir value one week after parturition. As the correlation coefficient between the urinary PdG and serum P_{4}$ was higher than that corrected by urinary creatinine it can be suggested that the adjustment is not needed. The concentrations of urinary PdG could be maintained stably for 2 days in urine samples stored at room temperature and extended to 8 days when the samples were pretreated by boiling for 30 minutes. In conclusion urinary PdG concentration even without the need for creatinine basis adjustment can be used directly for monitoring the reproductive status of dairy cows.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.291-295
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• 2010

Four estrus-induced Himalayan tahrs (Hemitragus jemlahicus) were inseminated with frozen-thawed semen by laparoscopic or transcervical insemination techniques with no regard to the site of ovulation in non-breeding season. In June and July, 2009, estrus was synchronized by Eazi-Breed $CIDR^{(R)}$ (Controlled internal drug release; Pfizer Animal Health, New Zealand) insertion for 16 days and PG 600 (PMSG 400IU, hCG 200 IU; Intervet, Netherlands) injection (IM) a day before removing $CIDR^{(R)}$. Forty eight hours later, laparoscopic or transcervical insemination was done to each of two tahrs under anesthetic condition inducted by ketamine (1.5 mg/kg) and medetomidine (0.09 mg/kg). For examination of estradiol and progesterone, blood was collected right before $CIDR^{(R)}$ insertion, PG 600 injection, $CIDR^{(R)}$ removal and insemination. Estradiol levels of four tahrs (No. 1, 2, 3, 4) before $CIDR^{(R)}$ insertion and insemination were 13.3, 8.8, 14.3, 12 pg/ml and 23.5, 25.5, 21.1, 11.5 pg/ml, respectively. Progesterone levels of four tahrs (No. 1, 2, 3, 4) before $CIDR^{(R)}$ insertion and insemination were 1.8, 0.05, 0.63, 0.61 ng/ml and 1.03, 0.37, 1.48, 2.12 ng/ml. Except for No. 4 tahr, cervices showed cervical mucus and opened enough to penetrate with embryo transfer gun sheet usually used for cows. Therefore, No.4 was laparoscopically inseminated together with No. 1. In conclusion, none of four Himalayan tahrs was pregnant. However, we proved that estrus could be induced by CIDR and PG 600 injection in non-breeding season, and laparoscopic or transcervical insemination with frozen-thawed semen could be one of assisted reproductive techniques in Himalayan Tahr.