• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.23 no.9
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• pp.1152-1158
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• 2010

In differentiating human embryonic stem (d-hES) cells there are a number of types of cells which may secrete various nutrients and helpful materials for pre-implantation embryonic development. This study examined whether the d-hES could function as a feeder cell in vitro to support mouse embryonic development. By RT-PCR analysis, the d-hES cells revealed high expression of three germ-layered differentiation markers while having markedly reduced expression of stem cell markers. Also, in d-hES cells, LIF expression in embryo implantation-related material was confirmed at a similar level to undifferentiated ES cells. When mouse 2PN embryos were cultured in control M16 medium, co-culture control CR1aa medium or co-cultured with d-hES cells, their blastocyst development rate at embryonic day 4 (83.9%) were significantly better in the d-hES cell group than in the CR1aa group (66.0%), while not better than in the M16 group (90.7%)(p<0.05). However, at embryonic days 5 and 6, embryo hatching and hatched-out rates of the dhES cell group (53.6 and 48.2%, respectively) were superior to those of the M16 group (40.7 and 40.7%, respectively). At embryonic day 4, blastocysts of the d-hES cell group were transferred into pseudo-pregnant recipients, and pregnancy rate (75.0%) was very high compared to the other groups (M16, 57.1%; CR1aa, 37.5%). In addition, embryo implantation (55.9%) and live fetus rate (38.2%) of the d-hES cell group were also better than those of the other groups (M16, 36.7 and 18.3%, respectively; CR1aa, 23.2 and 8.7%, respectively). These results demonstrated that d-hES cells can be used as a feeder cell for enhancing in vitro and in vivo developmental potential of mouse pre-implantation embryos.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.7.1-7.7
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• 2015

To meet the increasing demands of specific pathogen free (SPF) minipigs in biomedical researches, 8 pregnant Chinese Wuzhishan minipigs (WZSP) sows with clear background were chosen to obtain SPF WZSP by hysterectomy. At $111{\pm}days2$ of the pregnancy, piglets were aseptically taken out from the sows and artificially suckled for 40 to 45 days in the positive isolators. Then, the piglets defined as F0 were transferred to barrier environment and fed with standard feeds. The original SPF colony was formed for breeding by selected piglets from F0 group of 6-8 months old. Biological characteristics of SPF WZSP were collected and further compared to those of conventional (CV) WZSP, including growth performance, reproductive performance, hematology and blood biochemistry, and major pathogens detection. As a result, 61 F0 piglets were obtained from 8 candidate sows, and 55 out of them survived. After strictly selection, 35 F0 piglets were used to form the original SPF colony, which produced 14 litters of SPF piglets defined as F1. Piglet survival rates, growth performance, and reproductive performance of SPF WZSP were similar to CV WZSP. Some hematology and blood biochemistry parameters showed significant differences between SPF and CV WZSP. Eighteen kinds of pathogens were identified to be free in F0 and F1 SPF colony by repeated pathogen detections. In conclusion, we established a satisfied SPF WZSP colony maintaining original characteristics, free of controlled diseases, and being proved to be a suitable laboratory animal.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.637-647
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• 2018

Extra-hypothalamic growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) plays an important role in reproduction. To study the treatment effect of Grin (a novel hGHRH homodimer), the infertility models of 85 male Chinese hamsters were established by intraperitoneally injecting 20 mg/kg of cyclophosphamide once in a week for 5 weeks and the treatment with Grin or human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) as positive control was evaluated by performing a 3-week mating experiment. 2-8 mg/kg of Grin and 200 U/kg of hMG showed similar effect and different pathological characteristics. Compared to the single cyclophosphamide group (0%), the pregnancy rates (H-, M-, L-Grin 26.7, 30.8, 31.3%, and hMG 31.3%) showed significant difference, but there was no difference between the hMG and Grin groups. The single cyclophosphamide group presented loose tubules with pathologic vacuoles and significant TUNEL positive cells. Grin induced less weight of body or testis, compactly aligned tubules with little intra-lumens, whereas hMG caused more weight of body or testis, enlarging tubules with annular clearance. Grin presented a dose-dependent manner or cell differentiation-dependentincrease in testicular GHRH receptor, and did not impact the levels of blood and testicular GH, testosterone. Grin promotes fertility by proliferating and differentiating primitive cells through up-regulating testicular GHRH receptor without triggering GH secretion, which might solve the etiology of oligoasthenozoospermia.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.255-265
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• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of emergency contraceptive pill on adolescent sexuality and contraceptive behaviors through a meta - analysis of intervention studies on advance provision of emergency contraceptives. This study aimed to provide objective data on the transition of general medicines to be discussed in relation to the reclassification of emergency contraceptive pills. Methods: Using electronic database, 1,820 studies written in Korean or English without limitation of the year were reviewed and for analysis, 5 studies were selected, in which emergency contraceptives were provided to adolescents. Results: The advance provision of emergency contraceptives has increased their use and shortened the time it takes to take contraceptive pills after unprotected sex. There was no change in the frequency of engaging in sexual intercourse and unprotected sex or in existing contraceptive behavior, pregnancy rates decreased, but there was no increase in sexually transmitted infection. Conclusion: The results of this study provide objective grounds for the reclassification of emergency contraceptive pills and propose effective interventional programs on contraceptive education, such as on efficacy and side effects of the contraceptive drug and its proper use among the youth who engage in sexual activity, to improve their reproductive health.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.234-237
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• 2011

Objective: During stimulated IVF cycles, up to 15% of oocytes are recovered as immature. The purpose of this study was to investigate the trend of oocyte maturity in repeated ovarian stimulation for IVF. Methods: One hundred forty-eight patients were selected who underwent two consecutive IVF cycles using same stimulation protocol during 2008 to 2010. Ovarian stimulation was performed with FSH and human menopausal gonadotropin and flexible GnRH antagonist protocol in both cycles. Oocyte maturity was assessed according to presence of germinal vesicle (GV) and the first polar body. Immature oocyte was defined as GV stage or metaphase I oocyte (GV breakdown with no visible polar body) and cultured up to 48 hours. If matured, they were fertilized with ICSI. Results: Percentages of immature oocytes were 30.8% and 32.9% ($p$=0.466) and IVM rates of immature oocytes were 36.2% and 25.7% ($p$=0.077), respectively. A significant correlation was noted between percentage of immature oocytes in the two cycles (R=0.178, $p$=0.03). Women with >40% immaturity in both cycles (n=21) showed lower fertilization rate of $in$ $vivo$ matured oocytes (56.4% vs. 72.0%, $p$=0.005) and lower pregnancy rate (19.0% vs. 27.1%, $p$=0.454) after the second cycle when compared with women with <40% immaturity (n=70). In both groups, female age, number of total retrieved oocyte and embryos transferred were similar. Conclusion: In repeated ovarian stimulation cycles for IVF, the immature oocyte tended to be retrieved repetitively in consecutive IVF cycles.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.178-188
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• 2019

Objective: To determine the clinical pregnancy (CP) and live birth (LB) rates arising from frozen embryo transfers (FETs) that had been generated under the influence of in vitro fertilization (IVF) adjuvants given to women categorized as poor-prognosis. Methods: A registered, single-center, retrospective study. A total of 1,119 patients with first FETs cycle include 310 patients with poor prognosis (109 treated with growth hormone [GH], (+)GH group vs. 201 treated with dehydroepiandrosterone, (-)GH group) and 809 patients with good prognosis (as control, (-)Adj (Good) group). Results: The poor-prognosis women were significantly older, with a lower ovarian reserve than the (-)Adj (Good) group, and demonstrated lower chances of CP (p< 0.005) and LB (p< 0.005). After adjusting for confounders, the chances of both CP and LB in the (+)GH group were not significantly different from those in the (-)Adj (Good) group, indicating that the poor-prognosis patients given GH had similar outcomes to those with a good prognosis. Furthermore, the likelihood of LB was significantly higher for poor-prognosis women given GH than for those who did not receive GH (p< 0.028). This was further confirmed in age-matched analyses. Conclusion: The embryos cryopreserved from fresh IVF cycles in which adjuvant GH had been administered to women classified as poor-prognosis showed a significant 2.7-fold higher LB rate in subsequent FET cycles than a matched poor-prognosis group. The women with a poor prognosis who were treated with GH had LB outcomes equivalent to those with a good prognosis. We therefore postulate that GH improves some aspect of oocyte quality that confers improved competency for implantation.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.355-359
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• 2015

The cause of infertility is either fertilization failure or early embryonic death. The aetiology may involve a combination of many factors, e.g. genetic factors, abnormalities in the gametes nutritional disorders, inadequate luteal function, and delayed ovulation. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of microorganisms collected from uterus of Hanwoo cattle on early embryonic development. Microorganisms isolated from the uterus of Hanwoo cattle included Bacillus cereus (Bc), Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), Staphylococcus warneri (Sw) and Enterococcus faecalis (Ef). When cultured with Bc, Bt, Sw, and Ef, oocytes were not developed into a blastocyst in vitro. The proportion of blastocyst was dramatically increased after reducing the number of microorganisms ($10^4CFU/ml$). Interestingly, the proportion of blastocyst was decreased by adding the Sw and Ef. These results indicate that among intrauterine microorganisms, Sw and Ef strains negatively affect theearly embryonic development, thereby aggravate the rates of implantation and pregnancy. These findings will provide useful information for association studies in other pig populations.

• The Journal of Korean Academic Society of Nursing Education
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.257-265
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• 2007

Purpose: This study was done to investigate sexual problem behaviors of high school students in one province, North Cholla. Method: The participants in this research were 951 high school students, grades 1, 2 and 3, chosen at random in big cities, small towns and rural areas of North Cholla Province. Result: The routes for sexual knowledge acquisition were through a peer group or an older member(35.8%), internet(29.8%), classes and the teacher at school(18.8%), multimedia(8.4%) and parents (7.2%). The percentages for domains of sexual problem behaviors were masturbation 36.7%, sexual impulse 35.6%, voyeurism 12.6%, sexual violence 9.6%, transvestism 4.1%, prostitution 3.5%, exhibitionism 3.1%, and pregnancy of a female student 0.6%. Sexual problem behaviors experienced by 30% or more of the students were reported as the experience of the desire to embrace, the desire to kiss, the desire to touch a friend's body of the opposite sex, masturbation and the desire to sleep with a friend of the opposite sex. The biggest sexual problem behaviors for the students were sexual impulses toward friends of the opposite sex and masturbation. These experience rates were higher for boys than for girls(p<.05), higher vocationally than academicly(p<.05), and higher in the largest cities than smaller cities and rural area(p<.05). Conclusion: These findings suggest that systematic programs that focus on a problem solution method should be developed for sexual problem behavior prevention.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.434-439
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• 2017

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), one of the common metabolic disorders of pregnancy, leads to functional alterations in various cells including stem cells as well as some abnormalities in fetal development. Perivascular stem cells (PVCs) have gained more attention in recent years, for the treatment of various diseases. However, the effect of GDM on PVC function has not been investigated. In our study, we isolated PVCs from umbilical cord of normal pregnant women and GDM patients and compared their phenotypes and function. There is no significant difference in phenotypic expression, response to bFGF exposure and adipogenic differentiation capacity between normal (N)-PVCs and GDM-PVCs. However, when compared with N-PVCs, early passage GDM-PVCs displayed decreased initial rates of cell yield and proliferation as well as a reduced ability to promote wound closure. These results suggest that maternal metabolic dysregulation during gestation can alter the function of endogenous multipotent stem cells, which may impact their therapeutic effectiveness.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.15-21
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• 2017

Objective: The aims of this study were to investigate whether fertilization could induce the resumption of meiosis in mouse oocytes arrested at metaphase I (MI) after in vitro maturation (IVM), and to investigate the effect of $Ca^{2+}$ chelator treatment at the time of fertilization on the transition from MI to metaphase II (MII). Methods: MII-stage and arrested MI-stage mouse oocytes after IVM were fertilized, and then embryonic development was monitored. Blastocysts from each group were transferred into 2.5 days post-coitum pseudo-pregnant ICR mice. MI oocytes after IVM were treated with a $Ca^{2+}$ chelator to investigate the effect of $Ca^{2+}$ oscillations on their maturation. Results: As insemination time increased, the number of oocytes in the MI group that reached the MII stage also increased. The blastocyst rates and total cell numbers in the MII group were significantly higher than in the MI group. No pregnancy occurred in the MI group, but 10 pregnancies were achieved (10 of 12) in the MII group. The proportion of MI oocytes that matured to MII oocytes after fertilization was significantly higher in the non-treated group than in the $Ca^{2+}$ chelator-treated group. Conclusion: The findings that a higher proportion of MI-arrested oocytes progressed to MII after fertilization and that the MI-to-MII transition was blocked by $Ca^{2+}$ chelator treatments before fertilization indicate that the maturation of MI oocytes to MII oocytes is associated with intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ oscillations driven by fertilization.