• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.270-276
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• 2023

Objective: This study investigated the clinical and laboratory factors associated with the presence of dysmorphic oocytes in intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles. Methods: The study involved 200 ICSI cycles, performed from 2020 to 2021, that yielded at least one mature oocyte. Clinical characteristics and ovarian stimulation methods were compared between 68 cycles with at least one dysmorphic oocyte (the dysmorphic group) and 132 cycles with normal-form oocytes only (the non-dysmorphic group). Dysmorphic oocytes were characterized by dark cytoplasm, cytoplasmic granularity, cytoplasmic vacuoles, refractile bodies in the cytoplasm, smooth endoplasmic reticulum in the cytoplasm, an oval shape, an abnormal zona pellucida, a large perivitelline space, debris in the perivitelline space, or an abnormal polar body. Results: The ages of the women, indications for in vitro fertilization, serum anti-Müllerian hormone levels, and rates of current ovarian endometrioma were similar between the dysmorphic and non-dysmorphic groups. In both groups, the three ovarian stimulation regimens, two types of pituitary suppression, and total gonadotropin dose were employed similarly. However, the dual-trigger method was used more frequently in the dysmorphic group (67.6% vs. 50%, p=0.024). The dysmorphic group contained significantly more immature oocytes and exhibited significantly lower oocyte maturity (50% vs. 66.7%, p=0.001) than the non-dysmorphic cycles. Within the dysmorphic group, significantly lower oocyte maturity was found in the cycles using a dual-trigger, but not in those with a human chorionic gonadotropin trigger. Conclusion: ICSI cycles with dysmorphic oocytes are closely associated with reduced oocyte maturity. This association was observed exclusively in dual-trigger cycles.

• Anatomy and Cell Biology
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• v.57 no.1
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• pp.105-118
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• 2024

The world has witnessed tremendous advancements in nano-base applications. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZON) are widely used in food industry and medicine. Although their application is of important value, they may cause toxicity to body tissues. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) proved its efficacy in tissue regeneration especially when it is preconditioned by activated platelet supernatant (APS). The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of ZON on the gastric mucosa and the therapeutic role of the PBMCs preconditioned by APS in rats. Ten rats were donors and fifty rats were recipients. The recipients were divided into; control group, ZON group (10 mg/kg/day orally for five days) and preconditioned PBMCs group (1×10⁷ once intravenously 24 hours after ZON). Gastric specimens were processed for histological, immunohistochemical, biochemical and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction studies. ZON group showed marked structural changes in the gastric mucosa. There was desquamation or deep ulceration of the epithelium. Cytoplasmic vacuoles and pyknotic nuclei were in glandular cells. Reduced proliferating cell nuclear antigen and increased tumor necrosis factor-α were in epithelial cells. There were significant elevation in malondialdahyde and reduction in glutathione, superoxide dismutase, and catalase. Enhancement in mRNA expression of nuclear factor kappa-B and cyclooxygenase-2 was detected. The preconditioned PBMCs group showed significant improvement of all parameters. So, ZON had cytotoxic effects on the gastric mucosa and the preconditioned PBMCs had a therapeutic effect on gastric mucosal damage after ZON.

• Anatomy and Cell Biology
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• v.57 no.1
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• pp.129-142
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• 2024

Alendronate sodium (ALS) is a nitrogen-containing bisphosphonate used for the treatment of different bone disorders. However, its adverse effect on oral soft tissue has been detected. Rutin (RUT) is natural flavonoid with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This work aimed to investigate the possible effect of ALS on the tongue of adult male albino rats and to evaluate the possible protective role of RUT. Forty adult male albino rats were equally divided into four groups: group I (control), group II (RUT): Received RUT 50 mg/kg, group III (ALS): Received ALS 1 mg/kg, group IV (ALS+RUT):(ALS+RUT): Received ALS and RUT with the same doses as pervious groups. The drugs were given once daily for 5 weeks. Tongue specimens were taken and processed for light and scanning electron microscopic inspection. ALS treated group revealed structural changes in the tongue in the form of decrease in the height of the filiform papillae with blunt ends, marked atrophy in some papillae with areas of focal loss, loss of some epithelial cells, pyknotic nuclei and cytoplasmic vacuoles in some epithelial cells. The lamina propria showed inflammatory cellular infiltration with congested blood vessels. Statistically, there were highly significant decrease in the number of proliferating cell nuclear antigen immunopositive cells, area percentage of Bcl-2 immunoexpression and highly significant increase in the collagen content compared to control group. Administration of RUT with ALS minimizes these changes. RUT protected the rat tongue against the histological and immunohistochemical changes induced by ALS through its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.21-31
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• 1996

Concerned to the Ichthyophthiriasis of aquacultural fishes, the developmental features of Ichthyophthirius multifiliis were studied in cultured Korean catfish, Silurus asotus, and rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss. In the morphological observation, the parasite developed on two kinds of parasitic and non-parasitic phases with 6 developmental stages termed phoront, trophont, protomont, tomont, tomite, and therone. The $60{\times}40-100{\times}70{\mu}m$ fusiform or spherical phoront for the invading stage has 34-38 meridional kineties and begins to develope buccal apparatus. The 80-$800{\mu}m$ spherical or amoeboid trophont for the vegetative stage has a horseshoe shape macronucleus, a inconspicuous cytostome and developmental contractile vacuoles. The 200-$800{\mu}m$ spherical protomont for the encysting stage has a inconspicuous macronucleus, abundant contractile vacuoles; and a fine gelatinous exocyst is exuded, the baccal apparatus begins to resorb. The tomont for the encysted dividing stage has a thick cyst wall, and the buccal apparatus is resorbed completely. A small 35-$50{\mu}m$ spherical tomite for each daughter cell has a cytostome end the conspicuous oral apparatus. The $25{\times}20-60{\times}40{\mu}m$ fusiform theront for the infective stage possesses a perforatorium in the anterior end, a cytostome in the mid-point respectively and has 34-38 meridional kineties. In the experiments of the reproductive, the excysted time is related to water temperature. Tomitogenesis takes 10-14 hours at $28^{\circ}C$, 12-15 hours at $26^{\circ}C$, 16-18 hours at $22^{\circ}C$, 24-28 hour at $18^{\circ}C$, 26-51 hours at $14^{\circ}C$, and 129 hours at $9^{\circ}C$ respectively.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.67-80
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• 2002

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of deer antler extract on the regeneration of peripheral nerves. Sprague-Dawley male rats weighing about 300 gm were fed deer antler extract for 1, 2, and 3 weeks per oral (1.5 ml/100 gm B.W.), respectively, once a day and transected both sides of sciatic nerve of each leg. After keeping for 6 hours, sciatic nerves taken from proximal part of transected region were treated with conventional transmission electron microscopical method and then observed with electron microscope. The results obtained were summarized as follows; 1. Sciatic nerves of normal control group were not showing any sprouts and electron dense axolemmal projections were frequently observed. 2. Sciatic nerves of saline treated groups were showing axonal sprouts at the nodes of Ranvier. The length of them was usually short, and numerous vesicles, vacuoles and organelles including neurofilament were contained. The number of nodes of Ranvier containing sprouts from 100 longitudinal sectioned nerve fibers was 29 (29%) in 1 week treated group, 32 (32%) in 2 weeks treated group, and 30 (30%) in 3 weeks treated group, respectively. 3. Sciatic nerves of deer antler treated groups were showing axonal sprouts at the node of Ranvier as well. Although most of the sprouts were short, some sprouts of 2 weeks and 3 weeks treated groups were quite long. Sprouts usually contained numerous vesicles, vacuoles and cell organelles such as neurofilaments and mitochondria. The number of nodes of Ranvier containing sprouts from 100 longitudinal sectioned nerve fibers was 38 (38%) in 1 week treated group, 46 (46%) in 2 weeks treated group, and 48 (48%) in 3 weeks treated group respectively. The results described above explain pretreatment of deer antler extract improves the sprout formation of transected sciatic nerves, and then it suggests deer antler may be effective for the regeneration of peripheral nerves.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.512-522
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• 1999

Background: Due to the paucity of suitable donor organs for lung allotransplantation, a number of techniques have been developed to improve the lung preservation. Ultrastructural studies of the morphologic changes of the flushing, preservation and reperfusion injury in donor lungs have rarely been reported. Methods: Adult dogs (n=46) were matched as donors and recipients for the single lung transplantation. The donor lungs were preserved after flushing with preservation solution and transplanted after 20-hours of preservation at $10^{\circ}C$. Ultrastructural features of the lung were examined after flushing, preservation and 2 hours after lung transplantation (reperfusion) respectively. Results: Electron microscopy after flushing showed focal alveolar collapse and mild swelling of type I epithelial cells. After preservation both type I epithelial cells and endothelial cells were swollen and destroyed focally. The endothelial cells showed protrusion of tactile-like structures into the lumina, blebs or vacuoles of the cytoplasm After reperfusion the lung tissue showed fibrin material in the alveoli, prominent type I epithelial cell swelling with fragmented cytoplasmic debris and marked endothelial cell swelling with vacuoles or tactile-like projections. The alveolar macrophages showed active phagocytosis. Scanning electron microscopic examination of the pulmonary parenchyma showed focally alveolar collapse and focal consolidation after the preservation and more prominent changes after the reperfusion procedure. The lungs preserved with low potassium dextran glucose solution, with additional prostaglandin $E_1(PGE_1)$ and verapamil(VP) showed relatively well preserved ultrastructures compared with those which were preserved with modified Euro-Collins or University of Wisconsin, and with additional $PGE_1$ and/or VP. Conclusion: The ultrastructural changes associated with flushing were mild in severity, the donor lungs were injured during the preservation, and further damage was occurred during the reperfusion. The reperfusion injury resulted in prominent pulmonary parenchymal alterations with a pattern of acute lung injury.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.327-335
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• 2000

The aim of this study was to discover whether Yukmijihwangtang which was added Plygalae Radix, Acori graminei Rhizoma, has antioxidant effects on aged senescence-accelerated mouse (SAM) P8. The control group used 12 months old SAM P8 and the experimental group was treated with Yukmijihwangtang extracts from 8 to 12 months old. In the liver, the MnSOD of the control group were approximately 11% higher than that of the experimental group treated with herbal extracts, but CuZnSOD activities of the experimental group were approximately 20% higher than that of the control group. The catalase activities of the experimental group was approximately 67% higher than that of the control group. The hepatocytes, in the control group compared with the experimental group, contained the dilated cisternae of rough endoplasmic reticulum and the abnormal mitochondira which had electron-dense matrix and indistinguishable cristae. The inner cavity of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum were slightly dilated, and a number of vacuoles and transitional vesicles occured in of the hepatocytes of the control group. These results suggest that the herbal extract has an antioxidant effects on the liver of SAM P8.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.36-50
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• 1990

This experiment was performed to study the morphological responses of the enterochromaffin cells in the duodenal mucosa of rabbit following bile duct ligation. Adult male rabbits were divided into normal, sham operation and experimental groups. Bile duct ligation was performed under ether anesthesia and animals were sacrificed on the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th and 14th day after operation. Mucosal specimens from the duodenum were prefixed with 2.5% glutaraldehyde-1.5% paraformaldehyde(0.1M Millonig's phosphate buffer, pH 7.3), followed by postfixation with 1% osmium tetroxide(0.1M Millonig's phosphate buffer, pH 7.3), and embedded within araldite mixture. The sections were cut on a LKB-V ultratome, and observed under a JEM 100CX II electron miroscope. The results were as follow; 1. Irregularities of the nuclei of the enterochromaffin cells were noticed from the 1st day after bile duct ligation, and concentration of the chromatin in the nucleus was more frequently observed on the 7th and the 14th day. 2. The granular endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi complex of the enterochromaffin cell were more developed than those of the normal on the 1st day after bile duct ligation, but they showed poor organization from the 3rd day. 3. Amount of the microfilaments in the enterochromaffin cell was significantly increased from the 5th day after bile duct ligation and they were more frequently observed in the vicinity of the nucleus. 4. Vacuoles with various electron densities in the enterochromaffin cell were increased in number from the 3rd day after bile duct ligation. 5. Glycogen-like particles in the enterochromaffin cell were frequently observed on the 3rd and the 5th day after bile duct ligation. 6. In the early stage of the ligation of bile duct, in the enterochromaffin cells, well developed intracellular organelles, such as granular endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus were pronounced. But, in the later stage, the cells contained poor organelles, with the some structural sign of necrotic change.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.319-327
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• 2002

Salvinia natans, an unique water fern having a small rootless body, developed three different types of trichomes throughout the plant. The most peculiar type exhibiting rows of obvious, whitish, multicellular trichome clusters was noticed in the upper surface of the floating leaves. Eight to ten branches within a cluster extended ca. $370{\sim}420{\mu}m$ from the leaf surface. No stalk cell was found, however, four large epidermal cells were discernable at the base of four central branches in the cluster. Each branch consisted of $8{\sim}10$ obliquely-oriented small cells that gradually decreased in size toward the branch tip. The second type was found in the lower surface of the floating leaves, stems, and sporocarps. Multicellular uniseriate trichomes, ca. $430{\sim}980{\mu}m$ long, were distributed all over these structures. The tip of trichome was acicular, but a semi-spheric protuberance of approximately $24{\sim}32{\mu}m$ in diameter occurred at the base of each trichome. The protuberance appeared to be firmly attached to the side of the basal cell, however, internal connection to the trichome cell itself was uncertain. The third type was similar to the second in that multicellur uniseriate trichomes with acicular tip and a protuberance at the base were present. However, the trichomes were considerably long relative to the second type, and only occurred along the surface of highly dissected, submerged leaves. A majority of the trichomes exceeded more than 2 mm in length that hung downward in the water. Regardless of trichome type, all trichomes contained a huge central vacuole with very thin cytoplasm, resulting from the fusion of several vacuoles during early trichome development. The various densely-distributed trichomes formed in Salvinia natans probably play an important role in plant buoyancy.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.10
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• pp.1070-1077
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• 2014

In this study, the estrogen receptor agonist propyl pyrazole triol (PPT), which has high-affinity with the estrogen receptor alpha, was subcutaneously injected into adult male mice every 2 days for 8, 16 and 24 days, after which histological changes in accessory genital glands, including the prostate and seminal vesicle, and the liver were observed. The body and genital gland weights decreased in the PPT group relative to those of the control group. However, the liver weight was two times greater in the PPT group. The luminal area of the prostate and seminal vesicle organs was lower in the PPT group, and the epithelial cell height of the prostate was increased relative to that of the control. There were many secretory vacuoles in the supranuclear cytoplasm of epithelial cells in the seminal vesicles of the control group, but these were not observed in the PPT group. The short sinusoidal diameter of the liver was 147.0%, 198.7%, and 223.3% greater in the PPT group than in the control group after 8, 16, and 24 days of treatment, respectively. These results suggest that PPT administration affected the reproductive organs and the liver and that the histological changes increased in accordance with a rise in the concentration of PPT. Overall, the PPT treatment caused changes in the epithelial cell height and resulted in atrophy of the luminal area of the prostate, leading to altered fertility. The sinusoidal diameter of the liver dramatically increased in response to the administration of PPT, increasing the liver weight.