• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.202-212
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• 2021

Objectives: The reproductive health of female workers has been extensively investigated in South Korea and other countries worldwide. However, few studies have discussed the reproductive health of male workers. In this study, we reviewed the recent literature that reports on the effects of occupational exposure on the reproductive health of male workers and the health of their children. Methods: In May 2020 we used the PubMed search engine to search the literature over the last 10 years and chose case-control, cohort, and cross-sectional studies and reviews. We selected epidemiological studies that investigated the association between pre-pregnant occupational exposure and the reproductive health of male workers and the health of their children. We excluded case reports, non-epidemiological studies (animal experiments, cellular-level experiments, and similar articles), and studies that described postnatal occupational exposure. Results: We eventually selected 23 studies. The studies that included exclusively male workers reported that those employed in the agricultural sector or those exposed to pesticides showed lower blood levels of reproductive hormones and a high risk of lympho-hematopoietic system cancer in their children. Male workers exposed to complex organic solvents and organic compounds showed a high risk of poor semen quality, increased time to pregnancy, decreased blood levels of reproductive hormones, and a high risk of lympho-hematopoietic system cancer in their children. Male workers employed in occupations that involved significant social contact, or in the leather and livestock industries, and in occupations with high levels of exposure to lead and organic solvents showed a high risk of malignancies, including lympho-hematopoietic system cancer, neuroblastoma, and central nervous system tumors in their children. Studies that investigated both male and female workers reported that children of male smelters showed a high risk of premature birth, and children of male workers exposed to metals showed a high risk of hypospadias and cryptorchidism. Children of male welders and workers employed in the glass, ceramic, and tile industries showed a high risk of premature birth. Conclusion: The findings of this study will serve as basic data for further research on male workers' reproductive health and provide a scientific basis for the development of strategies to protect the reproductive health of males employed in high-risk occupations. Moreover, the results of this study may provide guidelines to improve the understanding of and knowledge on male workers' reproductive health.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.66 no.1
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• pp.79-92
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• 2024

Global warming is a key challenge subjecting animals to heat stress conditions resulting in multiple physiological alterations in tropical climate. Dietary approach seems to be the more friendly approach to curb the adverse effects of heat stress in rabbits. Some herbs have been categorized to have high potential for promotion of immune responses for amelioration of heat stress. Thus, this research aims to evaluate the potential of Mistletoe (Viscum album), Moringa (Moringa oleifera) and Phyllanthus (Phyllanthus amarus) leaf meal as herbal supplements for the alleviation of heat stress in female rabbits by measuring improvement in sex and stress hormonal responses in serum biochemistry. 80 Rabbit does were exposed to 4 dietary groups supplemented with each of Mistletoe, Moringa, Phyllanthus and a control in an 84-day trial at the summit of thermal stress in South west Nigeria. Growth indices were monitored throughout the study, blood samples were compiled at the end of the trial to assess serum biochemistry, stress and sex hormonal responses of the Does using standard protocols. The results revealed that final weight and weight gain of Does fed on Phyllanthus were significantly (p < 0.05) higher (11.46% and 14.25%, respectively) than Does on control. The herbal supplements enhance glucose, protein, albumin and globulin, reduced cholesterol, and creatinine of Does under heat stress conditions. Among the herbal treatment groups, mistletoe, moringa and phyllanthus had 12.42%, 18.39% and 16.90%, respectively, lower corticosterone than control groups which had 39.76ng/ml. Triiodothyronine of Does fed control were significantly (p < 0.05) lower than Does on Moringa oleifera and Phyllanthus amarus supplements. Estradiol and Follicle stimulating hormone of rabbit Does fed on moringa supplement were significantly (p < 0.05) higher than other treatments. In conclusion, the herbal supplements tend to mitigate the detrimental outcome of thermal stress on Does by suppressing stress hormones. Moringa oleifera and Phyllanthus amarus enhanced sex hormones while Phyllanthus amarus confered growth promoting effects on the Does.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.183-190
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• 2009

In mammals, puberty is a dynamic transition process from infertile immature state to fertile adult state. The neuroendocrine aspect of puberty is started with functional activation of hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal hormone axis. The timing of puberty can be altered by many factors including hormones and/or hormone-like materials, social cues and metabolic signals. For a long time, attainment of a particular body weight or percentage of body fat has been thought as crucial determinant of puberty onset. However, the precise effect of high-fat (HF) diet on the regulation of hypothalamic GnRH neuron during prepubertal period has not been fully elucidated yet. The present study was undertaken to test the effect of a HF diet on the puberty onset and hypothalamic gene expressions in immature female rats. The HF diet (45% energy from fat, HF group) was applied to female rats from weaning to around puberty onset (postnatal days, PND 22-40). Body weight and vaginal opening (VO) were checked daily during the entire feeding period. In the second experiment, all animals were sacrificed on PND 36 to measure the weights of reproductive tissues. Histological studies were performed to assess the effect of HF diet feeding on the structural alterations in the reproductive tissues. To determine the transcriptional changes of reproductive hormone-related genes in hypothalamus, total RNAs were extracted and applied to the semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Body weights of HF group animals tend to be higher than those of control animals between PND 22 and PND 31, and significant differences were observed PND 32, PND 34, PND 35 and PND 36 (p<0.05). Advanced VO was shown in the HF group (PND $32.8{\pm}0.37$ p<0.001) compared to the control (PND $38.25{\pm}0.25$). The weight of ovaries (p<0.01) and uteri (p<0.05) from HF group animals significantly increased when compared to those from control animals. Corpora lutea were observed in the ovaries from the HF group animals but not in control ovaries. Similarly, hypertrophy of luminal and glandular uterine epithelia was found only in the HF group animals. In the semi-quantitative RT-PCR studies, the transcriptional activities of KiSS-1 in HF group animals were significantly higher than those from the control animals (p<0.001). Likewise, the mRNA levels of GnRH (p<0.05) were significantly elevated in HF group animals. The present study indicated that the feeding HF diet during the post-weaning period activates the upstream modulators of gonadotropin such as GnRH and KiSS-1 in hypothalamus, resulting early onset of puberty in immature female rats.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.7
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• pp.988-994
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• 2008

The purpose of the investigation was to establish how the pineal-adrenal axis plays an important role in thermoregulation in female goats under short-term heat stress. The study was conducted to observe the influence of glucocorticoids on pineal function in goats and its influence on stress alleviation capability. Melatonin and glucocorticoid secretions and several other endocrine and biochemical blood parameters reflecting the animals well being were determined over a one week period after goats had been exposed to $40^{\circ}C$ and 60% relative humidity for 10 days. Six female goats were used in the study. These animals served as self controls prior to the start of the experiment. The study was conducted for a period of seventeen days in a psychrometric chamber at $40^{\circ}C$ and 60% relative humidity. Chemical pinealectomy was achieved using propranolol followed by exogenous hydrocortisone treatment. Blood samples were drawn twice daily after each treatment to find the effect of hydrocortisone on plasma glucose, total protein, total cholesterol, cortisol, insulin, aldosterone, melatonin and corticosterone. Chemical pinealectomy significantly ($p{\leq}0.05$) affected plasma levels of the parameters studied and these could be significantly ($p{\leq}0.05$) counteracted by administration of hydrocortisone. Chemical pinealectomy aggravated thermal stress, although administration of hydrocortisone could ameliorate the condition. This indicated a role of the pineal in support of thermoregulation. The study establishes the modulating effect of glucocorticoids on pineal activity to relieve thermal stress in goats.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.478-484
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• 2008

To elucidate the spawning behavior and early life history of Liobagrus mediadiposalis, mature male and female fish were collected from a branch of the Seomjin River. Spawning was induced by injecting hormones, and then the spawning process and development of fertilized eggs, larvae, and juveniles were observed. Observations of spawning behavior showed that the female established a territory and built a spawning nest, and frequently pressed on the upper ventral part of the male to release her eggs. When spawning was finished, the fish supplied fresh water to the egg mass using their pectoral and caudal fins. Hatching began 189 h 20 min after fertilization at $21.5-23.5^{\circ}C$ (mean $22.7^{\circ}C$). The mean total length (TL) of newly hatched larvae was 7.18-7.39 mm (mean 7.31 mm). Their mouth and anus were already open and they had 14+24=38 myotomes. Eighteen days after hatching, the larvae were 12.71-13.79 mm (mean 13.27 mm) in TL and the yolk sac was absorbed completely. At 35 days after hatching, when all the fin-rays had formed, the juveniles were 15.84-17.92 mm (mean 16.33 mm) in TL.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
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• v.54 no.7
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• pp.135-150
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• 2004

The purpose of this research was intended to investigate drag queens' and drag kings' gender identity not only as a comic and desexualized drag borrowing external characteristics of the opposite sex but also as the subject visualizing and performing' the third sex'. It also aimed to examine formative aesthetic characteristics and aesthetical value of drag queen's and drag king's fashion and to confirm the functions of drag queen's and drag kins's fashion to establish, visualize and Perform the discordant sex. For this process, research steps were as follows : 1. Understanding drag, drag queen and drag king in social, psychological context as well as in gender context. 2. Finding visualized forms which drag performance interchange with mass media 3. Analyzing similarities and differences between drag queen's fashion and drag king's fashion. 4. Examining the aesthetical characteristics and the value of drag queen's and drag king's fashion. The results of characteristics of drag queen's fashion could be categorized into stereotype, mimicry, kitch, inconsistency and commercialism. And the characteristics of drag king's fashion could be divided into reality, self-consciousness, mimicry, inconsistency, subversion and multiplicity. Drag queens create plausible impressions of feminity through the use of wigs, dresses, jewelry, makeup, hormones and through &role Playing&. Similarly drag kings produce a plausible masculinity taking gay male aesthetic using suits, crotch stuffers, facial hair, and greased hair. Male and female impersonation produce very different notions of gender performance for male and female embodiment. Drag kings' performance of masculinity demands authentic property of bodies so rather nonperformative, while drag queens' performance of femininity depends on more visible and theatrical fashion.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.290-300
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• 2011

Objectives: There is limited data regarding the toxicity of methylcyclohexane, despite its wide use in rubber adhesives, paint diluents, and cleansing agents. This study aimed to verify the toxicity and influence on the reproductive system of methylcyclohexane after its repeated injection in Sprague Dawley (SD) rats. Methods: Methylcyclohexane was injected subcutaneously into male and female SD rats once a day, five times a week, for 13 weeks at different doses (0, 10, 100, and 1,000 mg/kg/day) for each group. The toxicity of testing material was verified by observing the change in body and organ weight, hematological change, pathological findings, and effect on the reproductive system at each different concentration. Results: In the 1,000 mg/kg/day group, there were cases of animal deaths. In animals that survived, hematological changes, including a decrease in the red blood cell count, were observed. A considerable weight gain or loss and pathological abnormalities in the liver, kidney, and other organs were found. However, the 10 and 100 mg/kg/day groups did not cause deaths or other specific abnormalities. In terms of reproductive toxicity, there were changes in hormone levels, including a significant decrease in hormones such as estradiol and progesterone (p < 0.001) in male animals. Menstrual cycle change for female animals did not show concentration dependency. Conclusion: When injected repeatedly for 13 weeks, methylcyclohexane proved to be toxic for the liver, heart, and kidney at a high dose. The absolute toxic dose was 1,000 mg/kg/day, while the no observed adverse effect level was less than 100 mg/kg/day. The substance exerted little influence on the reproductive system.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.75-92
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• 2020

Objectives: This clinical trial is performed to investigate the effect of improving the menopausal symptoms and the safety of extract obtained from Pueraria thunbergiana Bentham and Curcuma longa L. in menopausal women Methods: This study was randomized, double blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial. 110 women with menopausal symptoms were assigned to treatment group (n=55) and control group (n=55). The results of this study were evaluated through changes in Kupperman Index score, Menopause-specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (MENQOL) score, degree of hot flashes and sweating, Body Mass Index(BMI), laboratory test results including female hormones. Results: In the treatment group compared to before baseline, there was significant difference in the Kupperman Index total score, score of each item in the Kupperman Index, MENQOL total score, hot flush and sweating visual analogue scale (VAS), hot flush score, and hot flush duration at one time. However, there was also a significant change compared to baseline in the control group, there was no significant difference between the treatment group and the control group. There was no significant change in female hormone levels in both group, and there were no adverse events associated with the clinical trial product. Conclusions: This clinical trial showed that extract obtained from Pueraria thunbergiana Bentham and Curcuma longa L. was helpful in improving menopausal symptoms in menopausal women without significant side effects.

• Neonatal Medicine
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.100-104
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• 2008

Ovarian cysts are the most common cystic abdominal masses in female newborns. It is believed to be derived from an overstimulation of the ovarian follicles by maternal, placental, and fetal hormones. Although most ovarian cysts resolve spontaneously, surgical management is mandatory for life-threatening, complicated cases, including torsion, intracystic hemorrhage, and rupture of the cyst. Rupture of ovarian cysts is thought to be exceedingly rare, but can lead to severe hemorrhagic ascites or peritonitis. We managed a case of a ruptured ovarian cyst in a female newborn who presented with mild abdominal distension and two episodes of gross hematuria. Exploratory laparotomy revealed a right ovarian cyst with torsion and rupture. She was successfully treated with a right salpingo- oophorectomy with no sequelae.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.305-311
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• 2018

Gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) centrally plays a role in control of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis-related hormone secretions in the reproductive neuroendocrine system. In addition, hormone receptors like luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR) are important element for hormones to take effect in target organ. However, ageing-dependent changes in terms of the distribution of GnRH neurons in the brain and LHR expression in the acyclic ovary have not been fully understood yet. Therefore, we comparatively investigated those ageing-dependent changes using young (1-5 months), middle (11-14 months) and old (21-27 months) aged female mice. Whereas a number of GnRH positive fibers and neurons with monopolar or bipolar morphology were abundantly observed in the brain of the young and middle aged mice, a few GnRH positive neurons with multiple dendrites were observed in the old aged mice. In addition, acyclic ovary without repeated development and degeneration of the follicles was shown in the old aged mice than others. LHR expression was localized in theca cells, granulosa cell, corpora lutea and atretic follicle in the ovaries from young and middle aged mice, in contrast, old aged mice had few positive LHR expression on the follicles due to acyclic ovary. However, the whole protein level of LHR was higher in the ovary of old aged mice than others. These results are expected to be used as an important basis on the relationship between GnRH and LHR in old aged animals as well as in further research for reproduction failure.