• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.56-69
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• 2012

Objectives: This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between menstrual conditions and items of health checkup examinations in female university students for prediction of reproductive health. Methods: Data from the 2011's medical examination participants(990 students among total 1,699 students) of ${\bigcirc}{\bigcirc}$ University University in Korea were analyzed for this study. Menstrual condition, Sa-sang constitution and other surveys were checked through self-administered questionnaire, health checkup were measured anthropometric variables, CBC, B/C and U/A. Results: In the 46.4% of total participants appeared menstrual disorder of menstrual cycle or menstrual amount, the irregular period of menstrual cycle have a influence on menstrual amount. stress was relatively heavy factor of causing irregularity of menstrual cycle and amount, RBC, cholesterol, ABO type and Sa-sang constitution had some connection with menstrual amount. Conclusions: Among the items of health checkup examinations, stress, RBC, cholesterol, ABO type and Sa-sang constitution were related with the change of menstrual cycle and amount.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2023

Objectives: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a condition that occurs frequently among women of reproductive age and is a polygenic, multifactorial, endocrine, and metabolic disorder. PCOS is becoming more common as a result of risk factors such as current lifestyle, overnutrition, and stress. The use of traditional herbal medicine is higher among the global population. Hence, this review article focuses on the potential of Nigella sativa to manage women with PCOS. Methods: A literature search was carried out using databases including Medline, Google Scholar, EBSCO, Embase, and Science Direct, as well as reference lists, to identify relevant publications that support the use of N. sativa in the management of women with PCOS. Results: Several clinical and preclinical studies have demonstrated that the major bioactive constituent of black seed (N. sativa), thymoquinone, has potential for managing women with PCOS. Moreover, N. sativa may help to manage oligomenorrhea and amenorrhea in women with PCOS through its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Conclusion: N. sativa has potential for use as a herbal medicine for managing women with PCOS as an integrative medicine along with traditional and modern medicine in conjunction with calorie restriction and regular exercise.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.283-291
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• 2023

Brucellosis and tuberculosis are major infectious and contagious bacterial diseases in cattle. These diseases are malicious diseases that must be inspected at the slaughterhouse of cattle in accordance with the practice of quarantine in Korea. Furthermore, both diseases lead to abortion, reproductive disorder, and calf disease, causing major difficulty in the breeding of Korean Native cattle (Hanwoo), a representative industrial animal currently being raised in Korea. Co-infections of these diseases intensify clinical symptoms such as abortion and have a particularly significant effect on increasing mortality. Thus, serological tests were performed in Hanwoo, to establish the association of co-infection between brucellosis and tuberculosis in cattle. ELISA and PCR tests were conducted on blood samples collected from a total of 102 cattle in Jeonnam province, Korea, to detect brucellosis and tuberculosis infections. The PCR results revealed that 41 samples tested positive for Brucella abortus (B. abortus) infection (40.20%), and 5 samples tested positive for Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis) (4.90%) infection confirmed by PCR. Notably, 9.76% (4/41) of the cattle infected with brucellosis also tested positive for tuberculosis. In conclusion, this study highlights the co-infection of brucellosis and tuberculosis among Hanwoo cattle in Jeonnam province, which is expected to contribute to our understanding of disease transmission, pathogenicity, the establishment of future prevention strategies.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.99-110
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• 2008

Objectives: Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) has become an assisted reproductive technique for couples carrying genetic conditions that may affect their offspring. Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is an autosomal dominant disorder of connective tissue characterized by bone fragility and low bone mass. At least 95% of cases are caused by dominant mutations in the COL1A1 or COL1A2. In this study, we report on our experience clinical outcomes with 5 PGD cycles for OI in two couples. Methods: Before clinical PGD, we assessed the amplification rate and allele drop-out (ADO) rate of alkaline lysis and nested PCR protocol using heterozygous patient's single lymphocytes in the pre-clinical diagnostic tests for OI. We performed 5 cycles of PGD for OI by nested PCR for the causative mutation loci, COL1A1 c.2452G>A and c.3226G>A, in case 1 and case 2, respectively. The PCR products were analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis, restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis with HaeIII restriction enzyme in the case 1 and direct DNA sequencing. Results: We confirmed the causative mutation loci, COL1A1 c.2452G>A in case 1 and c.3226G>A in case 2. In the pre-clinical tests, the amplification rate was 94.2% and ADO rate was 22.5% in case 1, while 98.1% and 1.9% in case 2, respectively. In case 1, a total of 34 embryos were analyzed and 31 embryos (91.2%) were successfully diagnosed in 3 PGD cycles. Eight out of 19 embryos diagnosed as unaffected embryos were transferred in all 3 cycles, and in the third cycle, pregnancy was achieved and a healthy baby was delivered without any complications in July, 2005. In case 2, all 19 embryos (100.0%) were successfully diagnosed and 4 out of 11 unaffected embryos were transferred in 2 cycles. Pregnancy was achieved in the second cycle and the healthy baby was delivered in March, 2008. The causative locus was confirmed as a normal by amniocentesis and postnatal diagnosis. Conclusions: To our knowledge, these two cases are the first successful PGD for OI in Korea. Our experience provides a further demonstration that PGD is a reliable and effective clinical techniques and a useful option for many couples with a high risk of transmitting a genetic disease.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.93-102
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• 1998

Normal and abnormal follicular growth and steroidogenesis depend on gonadotropins as well as intraovarian peptides, which may mediate or potentiate gonadotropin action. Inhibin also affect follicular development and steroidogenesis and may play a role in dominant follicle selection and follicular atresia. Therefore, we studied the differences of serum inhibin, gonadotropin and androgen levels in the women with only the ultrasound findings and no disorder, and polycystic ovary (PCO) with ovulatory disturbance. We prospectively analysed forty-three women with PCO. The diagnosis of PCO was based on typical appearance of the ovaries on TVS. Twelve women with regular menstrual cycle and normal ovarian morphology were selected as control. Basal levels of inhibin, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol $(E_2)$, testosterone (T), androstenedione (ADD), dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DS), prolactin and TSH in serum were determined. There were significant differences in basal LH levels and LH/FSH ratio between the control and the women with PCO. The basal levels of inhibin and $E_2$ in the oligo-amenorrheic PCO (N=34) were significantly higher than those in the control. There was higher negative correlation between the inhibin and T levels in the oligo-amenorrheic PCO, but, not in the regular cycling PCO. Also, there was higher positive correlation between the LH and T levels in the oligo-amenorrheic PCO, but not in the regular cycling PCO. These data presume that the initial event of PCO is elevated pituitary LH secretion. Elevated levels of LH may down-regulate LH receptors on granulosa cells and also cause hypertrophy of the thecal layer. High level of androgen secreted by the hypertrophied thecal layer may stimulate inhibin secretion from granulosa cells and can be converted to estrogen by extraovarian tissues and could serve to augment pituitary sensitivity to GnRH with a resultant secretion of more LH than FSH. Inhibin may inhibit FSH action on granulosa cell in the PCO follicle, impairing follicular development and dominant follicle selection resulted in ovulatory disturbance.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.225-228
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• 2006

This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of ovulation-synchronization(OVSYNCH) method on conception rate after insemination of dairy cattle. The proportion of conception of normal fertility cows(65%) was higher than that in infertility cows(50%) in dairy cows with OVSYNCH treatment. However, there was no significant difference between experimental groups. In another experiment, when the OVSYNCH method was adapted in multiparous dairy cows, the conception rate of experimental group of $30{\sim}35kg/day$ in milk yield was significantly higher than those in groups of $20{\sim}25kg/day$ in milk yield(p<0.05). In conception rates by OVSYNCH method in experimental groups with different parity, the group of 1st parity was significantly higher than in 3rd parity group(p<0.05). The results suggest that conception rate by OVSYNCH method was affected by various reproductive conditions in dairy cattle, and OVSYNCH method could be used to increase the conception rate for infertility cows with hormone disorder.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.277-284
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• 2018

Collagen peptide plays a protective role in skin by increasing the activity of antioxidant, acts like an activator of skin regeneration by positive feedback and is used as a potent candidate for cosmetics or functional food. GABA acts at inhibitory synapses in the brain by binding to specific transmembrane receptors of both pre- and postsynaptic neuronal processes in vertebrates, is also involved in the synthesis of melatonin and might exert regulatory effects on sleep and reproductive functions. In this study, we investigated the beneficial effect of a mixture of collagen peptide and GABA (J85091900) on skin and sleep condition in woman experiencing sleep disorder. We found that oral supplement with J85091900 significantly decreased the value of Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), increased sleeping time by 7%, and also improved skin roughness (Ra, Rz, Rt), periorbital wrinkle (Ra, Rt), and skin capacitance in human. These findings indicate that dual strategy with which skin improvement is accomplished using collagen peptide and sleeping well is acquired using GABA could be the novel solution for sleeping beauty by edible cosmetics to improve skin status.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.173-180
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• 2005

Purpose:We investigated the effect of menopausal duration on cognitive function using adjunctive hormone replacement therapy(HRT) in postmenopausal women with depression. Method:Twelve postmenopausal women with depressive disorder were enrolled. Six patients having menopausal duration of less than 3 years was assigned to the short duration group and six patients of more than 3 years to the long duration group. Each patient was treated with conjugated equine estrogen(1.25mg) plus medroxyprogesterone(5mg) for 8 weeks. Cognitive performance was measured by the Verbal Memory Test, Visual Memory Test, Trail Making Test, Digit Symbol Test, and Attention Shift Test. The Beck Depression Inventory was used for evaluation of depressed mood. The reproductive hormone levels were also measured. Results:The long duration group showed the lower performance only in Trail Making Test B compared with the short duration group at baseline. After 8 weeks, the long duration group performed significantly better in the Trail Making Test B compared with the short duration group. The differences in change of depressive mood and gonadal hormone level between two groups were not significant. Conclusion:Menopausal duration before HRT may influence the effect of estrogen on cognition in some cognitive domains. This might be related with estrogen receptor hypersensitivity which induced by the longer estrogen deficiency.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.627-636
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• 2018

Endometriosis (EM) is one of the most common gynaecological disorder affecting women in their reproductive age. Mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of EM remains poorly understood, however inflammatory responses have been reported to be significantly involved. The efficacy of 6-shogaol on proliferation of endometriotic lesions and inflammatory pathways in experimentally-induced EM model was explored in this study. EM was stimulated in Sprague-Dawley rats by implantation of autologous endometrium onto the peritoneum abdominal wall. Separate groups were treated with 6-shogaol (50, 100 or 150 mg/kg b.wt/day) via oral gavage for one month period. Gestrinone (GTN) group received GTN (0.5 mg/kg/day) as positive control. Five weeks after implantation, the spherical volume of ecto-uterine tissues was determined. Treatment with 6-shogaol significantly reduced the implant size. Histological analysis reported atrophy and regression of the lesions. 6-shogaol administration effectively down-regulated $NF-{\kappa}B$ signaling, VEGF and VEGFR-2 (Flk-1) expression in the endometriotic lesions. Excess production of $IL-1{\beta}$ and IL-6 (pro-inflammatory cytokines), PGE2 and nitric oxide (NO) were reduced. Overall, the results of the study reveal the efficacy of 6-shogaol against endometriosis via effectively suppressing proliferation of the lesions and modulating angiogenesis and $COX-2/NF-{\kappa}B$-mediated inflammatory cascades.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.149-157
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• 1999

Food intake and body weight are determined by a complex interaction of regulatory pathways. Leptin, the product of the ob gene, is a recently discovered hormone secreted by adipocytes, that signals the amount of adipose tissue energy stores to the brain and exerts major effects on energy homeostasis and neuroendocrine function. In addition, leptin has recently been shown to affect reproductive function in rodents and humans. The study of leptin and its effectors in the hypothalamus may provide important insights with respect to the interplay of several hypothalamic neuropeptides in regulating feeding as well as the interaction of genetics and environment in the regulation of energy homeostasis. In this review we summarise the action of leptin in the regulation of food intake and highlight a working model of the effects of environmental factors on the leptin system.