• Journal of Embryo Transfer
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.1-5
• /
• 2001

A total of 92 unfertilized human oocytes were treated with ethanol (EtOH), calcium ionophore A23187 (CI) or electric pulse (EP) for activating pronuclear formation and subsequent development. In Experiment 1, there was a significant (P=0.0001) treatment effect on the activation of unfertilized oocytes. No spontaneous activation was occurred in the control, but activation treatments induced PN formation with various efficacy. More unfertilized oocytes (UFOs) were activated after EtOH or EP treatment than after CI treatment. EP was as effective (63.6 %) as EtOH, but fragmentation was observed in 43% of UFOs activated by EP. Proportion of UFOs that formed presumptive haploid PN (2 PNs+1 PB or 1 PN +2 PBs) was 33.3, 0 and 28.6% after EtOH, CI and EP treatments, respectively. In Experiment 2, a significant (P=0.0362) effect of immature oocytes (IOs) status on activation was fecund. IOs at the GVBD-MI oocytes had higher potential to form PN than those at the GV stage or with abnormal morphology (25 vs. 77.8%). The results of this study clearly demonstrated that the treatment of 10% ethanol for 5 min effectively induced the activation of UFOs. IOs could form pronucleus with high efficacy by ethanol treatment, as long as they grew beyond the GVBD stage.

• Asian Journal for Public Opinion Research
• /
• v.2 no.4
• /
• pp.279-306
• /
• 2015

Americans continue to have beliefs in the paranormal, for example in UFOs, ghosts, haunted houses, and clairvoyance. Yet, to date there has not been a systematic gathering of data on popular beliefs about the paranormal, and the question of whether or not there is a convincing trend in beliefs about the paranormal remains to be explored. Public opinion polling on paranormal beliefs shows that these beliefs have remained stable over time, and in some cases have in fact increased. Beliefs in ghosts (25% in 1990 to 32% in 2005) and haunted houses (29% in 1990, 37% in 2001) have all increased while beliefs in clairvoyance (26% in 1990 and 2005) and astrology as scientific (31% in 2006, 32% in 2014) have remained stable. Belief in UFOs (50%) is highest among all paranormal beliefs. Our findings show that people continue to hold beliefs about the paranormal despite their lack of grounding in science or religion.