• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.941-948
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• 1996

The accuracy of rectal palpation and ultrasonography for predicting the presence of a functional corpus luteum in subestrous dairy cows was investigated, using the result of a radioimmunoassay for progesterone in plasma. Luteal status (high or low progesterone concentrations) was diagnosed in 820 cows, using rectal palpation and B-mode transrectal ultrasonography, and the results of rectal palpation and ultrasonography were compared in $2{\times}2$ contingency table with plasma progesterone concentrations. A $2{\times}2$ contingency table analysis allowed the calculation of sensitivity, specificity and predictive values for rectal palpation and ultrasonography. The sensitivity, specificity, predictive value of a positive test and predictive value of a negative test were 81.9%, 67.5%, 79.0% and 71.4% for rectal palpation, and 96.3%, 88.8%, 94.5% and 92.4% for ultrasonography, respectively. The percentages of observed agreement and expected agreement between rectal palpation and ultrasonography were 71.8% and 57.1%, respectively. An evaluation of agreement between rectal palpation and ultrasonography, the value of Kappa was 0.34. It was concluded that a ultrasonography was more sensitive and specific than rectal palpation in predicting the presence of a functional corpus luteum. Therefore, ultrasonographic examination is a reliable method for assessing the functional status of ovarian structures in subestrous dairy cows.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.12
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• pp.1695-1701
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• 2002

The purposes of this study were to optimize the in vitro maturation (IVM) and culture (IVC) systems of rabbit oocytes. Cytoskeletal structures in the germinal vesicle stage (GV) and during IVM are also investigated. Ovaries were transported from local slaughterhouses and the cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) were collected from ovarian follicles (${\geq}1mm$). COCs were randomly allocated to TCM199-based medium ($T_1$, TCM-199) supplemented with $NaHCO_3$, glucose, sodium pyruvate and FSH ($T_2$), $T_2+E_2+LH$ ($T_3$), $T_3+FBS$ ($T_4$), or $T_1+E_2+LH+FSH+FBS$ ($T_5$), for IVM. In Experiment 1, COCs were retrieved from the follicles and 51 GV oocytes were fixed in the fixative (MTSB-XF) for nuclear and cytoplasmic examinations. In Experiment 2, progressive changes of both the nucleus and the cytoskeleton were examined at 0, 6, 16, and 20 h after IVM. Maturation (MR) and developmental rates were assessed in Experiment 3. Cytoplasmic microtubules (MT) were clearly observed in rabbit GV oocytes. To our knowledge, this is the first report that describes the appearance of MT structures in the GV stage ooplasm. Tremendous variations in cytoskeletal alterations were observed among treatments with the exception of the vitelline ring (VR), which is constantly visible and unchanged during maturation. Germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) does not occur at 6 h after onset of maturation culture. When the oocytes for IVM were collected within 2 h, results from Experiment 3 showed that rates of nuclear maturation were 42, 8, 42, 37 and 65% at 16 h of IVM for $T_1$ through $T_5$, respectively, in which $T_1$, $T_4$ and $T_5$ had significantly greater MR than those in other groups (p<0.05). Morula/blastocyst development after parthenogenetic activation ranged from 20 to 63% with significantly greater rates in $T_3$, $T_4$ and $T_5$ (p<0.05). These results suggested that oocytes recovered from slaughterhouse ovaries can be matured and parthenogenetically activated in vitro, but the MR remained low in this study. Addition of $E_2$ and LH in the medium may be beneficial for cytoplasmic maturation, but FBS exerts a nega- tive role in the subsequent development of parthenogenetic embryos when energy substrates are provided in the IVC media. More studies are required for improving the MR and further development of the GV stage rabbit oocytes.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.35-43
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• 1996

The appearance of the primordial germ cells (PGC's), early gonadogenesis, sex differentiation and sex ratio of the embryo in the viviparous teleost, Ditrema temmincki were investigated by using photomicroscopy. The PGC's were first observed in the fibrous mesenchymal tissue located between the early alimentary tract and the dorsal body wall in the late embryonic development stage. During the period from the hatching to the individual total length (TL) of 4.0 mm the PGC's were evenly distributed in the fibrous mesenchymal tissue between alimentary tract and body wall. But the period of TL 5.0 mm mesenchymal tissue separated from the dorsal body wall, the PGC's moved to the posterior mesenchymal tissue and formed the primitive gonad. During the early gonadogenesis, differentiation of the testis and ovary were distinguished from the arrangement of the germ cells and somatic cells. Gonad of embryo in TL 10.0 mm can be separated into the ovary and testis by external morphology. The testis had a separated form which was consisted with two lobes, and the ovary had a fused form in half-posterior part. In the testicular differentiation of the embryo, histological pattern of the seminiferous tubule appeared when TL of the embryo was to be 25.0 mm, for the seminal vesicle was formed In the individual TL of 30.0mm. The testis of the embryo with TL of 45.0 mm was similar to that of the adult fish in the external and internal structures. In the ovarian differentiation, formation of the ovigerous folds and the ovarian cavity were clearly observed when the TL reached to 30.0 mm. The ovary from the individual with TL of 60.0 mm was differentiated into a similar ovary as seen in the adult fish in the external and internal structure. Right before parturition the total length of the individual was approximately 63.0 mm of which the individual embryo has an ovary containing the oocytes in the chromatin nucleolus stage, or a testis containing the spermatogonia, respectively. And the embryonic sex ratio of female to male was 1.65 : 1. Ditrema temmincki is dioecism and the pattern of sex differentiation is belonged to a differentiation type.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.642-651
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• 1998

The accuracy of ultrasonography for determining the presence of a functional corpus luteum in subestrous dairy cows was investigated, using a radioimmunoassay for progesterone in plasma. Luteal status (high or low progesterone concentrations) was diagnosed in 534 cows, using B-mode transrectal ultrasonography. Accuracy of ultrasonography was 96.3% and 88.8% in the cows with and without functional corpus luteum, respectively. In 362 cows diagnosed with functional corpus luteum by ultrasonographic examination, 20 cows were diagnosed with the non-functional corpus luteum by analysis of plasma progesterone concentrations (false positive). In 172 cows with non-functional corpus luteum by ultrasonographic examination, 13 cows were diagnosed with the functional corpus luteum based on plasma progesterone assay (false negative). Most of the corpus luteum with well-defined border and homogeneous echotexture were diagnosed with functional corpus luteum. All cows that were not detected a corpus luteum by ultrasonographic examination were diagnosed as non-functional corpus luteum. The corpus luteum of cows that were diagnosed with false positive appeared homogeneous echotexture and above 15 mm in diameter, but the corpus luteum was the non-functional corpus luteum within Day 5 (Day 0 is ovulation day) or after Day 19. The corpus luteum of cows that were diagnosed with false negative appeared heterogeneous echogenicity and below 15 mm in diameter, but the corpus luteum was the functional corpus luteum after Day 5 or around Day 17. It was concluded that accuracy of ultrasonography was excellent for determining the presence of a functional corpus luteum in subestrous dairy cows. The corpus luteum that was diagnosed with false positive or false negative was the developing or regressing states. Thus, ultrasonography was required a serial examination of two or three times accurately diagnosing these corpus luteum.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.131-139
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• 1998

Progesterone을 함유하고 있는 CIDR(Controlled Internal Drug Release)의 질내삽 입은 황체기를 인위적으로 연장시킬 수 있다. CIDR의 삽입이,삽입시 존재했던 우세난포 (dominant follicle)의 반응과 난포의 발육반응 그리고 2회 또는 3회의 난포주기를 가지고 있는 처려우에서 CIDR의 삽입기간동안 난포의 성장 및 발육에 어떠한 영향을 미치는가를 비교검 토하기 위하여 배란후 16일째의 처녀우 4마리에 7일동안 CIDR를 삽입하였다. CIDR의 삽입 은 발정의 발현을 억제시켰으며 그리고 발정주기의 길이를 정상 발정주기보다 유의성있게 연 장시켰다($26.3{\pm} 0.5 vs 20.8{\pm}$ 1.5일, p<0.05). CIDR의 삽입시 혈장 progesterone 농도는 $3.6{\pm}$ 2.7 ng/ml 이었으며, 17일과 23일 사이에는 2.1-4.4 ng/ml($3.6{\pm}1.2 ng/ml$) 사이를 유지했다. 혈 장 estradiol-179의 농도는 난포의 발육 및 배란전 배란난포의 성숙을 나타내는 특징적인 변화 양상을 나타래었다. 4마리의 처녀우중 2마리는 CIDR 삽입전 발정주기당 2회의 난포주기를 가진 반면, 나머지 2마리는 주기당 3회의 난포주기를 가졌다. 그렇지만 CIDR의 삽입기간동안 모든 처녀우는 주기당 3회의 발정주기를 가졌다. CIDR의 삽입전 발정주기당 3회의 난포주기 를 갖는 처녀우에서 CRR의 삽입은 세 번째 난포주기에서 배란성 우세난포의 우세기 (dominant phase)를 연장시켰다. 3회의 난포주기를 갖는 2마리에서 CIDR의 삽입후 배란난포 는 존속시간과 우세기가 유의성있게 연장되었다. CIDR의 삽입전 발정주기당 2회의 난포주기 를 갖는 다른 2마리의 처녀우에서 CIDR의 삽입후 우세난포는 곧바로 퇴행되었고 새로운 난 포주기를 형성하였으며, 우세난포의 우세기와 배란난포의 존속기간을 연장시키지 않았다. CRR의 삽입은 CIDR의 삽입후 이어지는 발정주기동안 난포의 발육 및 성장에 영향을 미치 지 않았으며 발정주기의 길이, 난포주기, 혈장 progesterone 및 estradiol-179 농도에 영향을 미치지 않았다. 결과적으로 황체기 후반부에 CIDR의 삽입은 CIDR삽입전 발정주기동안 3회 의 난포주기를 갖는 처녀우에서 배란성 우세난포의 발육과 배란까지의 기간을 연장시켰고 2회 난포주기를 갖는 처녀우에서는 우세난포를 곧바로 퇴행시킨후, 새로운 난포주기를 형성 하였다.