• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.111-116
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• 2009

Juvenile hormone (JH) is an insect hormone mediating immature metamorphosis and adult reproduction. It also mediates immune responses to suppress hemocyte behavior, which is, however, activated by ecdysteroid. This study investigated an effect of a commercial pyriproxyfen (a JH agonist) formulation on a cellular immune response of the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella, and analysed its mixture with Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) in insecticidal potency. The commercial pyriproxyfen formulation significantly suppressed hemocyte-spreading behavior at low doses as did in pyriproxyfen technical grade. When the commercial pyriproxyfen formulation was mixed with Bt, Bt toxicity was significantly increased against P. xylostella larvae in laboratory. The mixture effect was then confirmed in field cultivating cabbage infested with P. xylostella larvae. The mixture showed a significantly enhanced mortality and reduced effective lethal time, compared to only Bt treatment.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.207-213
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• 2010

Thousands of new chemicals have been introduced to environment during last decades. Many of them and common consumer products have been shown to be the endocrine disrupting chemicals. One such chemical group is the phthalates, used in soft poly vinyl chloride (PVC) material and in a huge number of consumer products. The prevalence of these modem chemicals have a remarkable increase. Approximately 3.5 million tons of the main phthalate, di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), are produced annually worldwide and indeed, DEHP is considered a ubiquitous environmental contaminant. It has been demonstrated that high doses of phthalate can adversely affect adult and developing animals. In this review, we critically discuss the conclusions of recently original research papers and provide an overview of studies on reproductive disrupting effects of phthalates. In addition, we review the reproductive toxicity data of phthalates in some in vitro research and in both male and female reproductive systems in experimental and domestic animals. Finally, we point out some critical issues that should be addressed in order to clarify the implication of phthalates for human reproduction.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.35 no.8
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• pp.579-585
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• 2013

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are chemical substances which persist in the environment, bioaccumulate through the food web, and pose a risk of causing adverse effects to human health and the environment. POPs are thermally stable, highly lipophilic and water-insoluble compounds which can induce various toxic influences including immunotoxicty, carcinogenicity adverse effects on reproduction, development and endocrine fuctions. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers or PBDEs, are organobromine compounds that are used as flame retardant. Because of their toxicity and persistence, the industrial production of some PBDEs is restricted under the Stockholm Convention, a treaty to control and phase out major POPs. In this study, PBDEs was measured in various site of Sihwa industrial complex to investigate concentration distribution of POPs. The levels of PBDEs in house dust samples were 0.722~44.024 ng/g-dry. In PBDEs congener, BDE-209 was relatively higher in the all sites. The concentration of BDE-209 measured over 80.0% of total PBDEs. In various site, high molecular PBDEs homologues are measured higher than low molecular.

• Advances in environmental research
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.39-48
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• 2015

Bisphenol A is widely used in plastic and other industrial consumer products. Release of bisphenol A and its analogues into the aquatic environment during manufacture, use and disposal has been a great scientific and public concern due to their toxicity and endocrine disrupting effects on aquatic wildlife and even human beings. More recent studies have shown that these alkylphenols may affect the molting processes and survival of crustacean species such as American lobster, crab and shrimp. In this study, we have developed gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC-FID) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometric (GC-MS) methods for the determination of bisphenol A and its analogues in shrimp Macrobrachium rosenbergii, blue crab Callinectes sapidus and American lobster Homarus americanus samples. Bisphenol A, 2,4-bis-(dimethylbenzyl)phenol and 4-cumylphenol were found in shrimp in the concentration ranges of 0.67-5.51, 0.36-1.61, and < LOD (the limit of detection)-1.96 ng/g (wet weight), and in crab of 0.10-0.44, 0.13-0.62, and 0.26-0.58 ng/g (wet weight), respectively. In lobster tissue samples, bisphenol A, 2-t-butyl-4-(dimethylbenzyl)phenol, 2,6-bis-(t-butyl)-4-(dimethylbenzyl)phenol, 2,4-bis-(dimethybenzyl)phenol, 2,4-bis-(dimethylbenzyl)-6-t-butylphenol and 4-cumylphenol were determined at the concentration ranges of 4.48-7.01, 1.23-2.63, 2.71-9.10, 0.35-0.91, 0.64-3.25, and 0.44-1.00 ng/g (wet weight), respectively. At these concentration levels, BPA and its analogs may interfere the reproduction and development of crustaceans, such as larval survival, molting, metamorphosis and shell hardening.

• Journal of Marine Life Science
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.35-42
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• 2020

17β-estradiol (E₂) is a natural hormone secreted by ovary, and continuously discharged from household and livestock wastewater into aquatic environment. Due to its strong estrogenic activity, it has adverse effects on development and reproduction in crustacean as an endocrine disrupting chemical. Although ecdysteroid signaling pathway play a key role in development in crustacean, little information on transcriptional modulation of ecdysteroid-related genes in response to E₂ is available in small crustacean. Here, we investigated the acute toxicity of E₂ to obtain 24-h LC_x values in the brackish water flea Diaphanosoma celebensis. Time-dependent expression patterns of seven ecdysteroid pathway - related genes (CYP314a1, EcRA, EcRB, USP, ERR, Vtg, VtgR) were further examined using quantitative real time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). As results, 24-h LC₅₀ and LC₁₀ values were 9.581 mg/l and 4.842 mg/l, respectively. The mRNA expression of CYP314a1, EcRA, USP, VtgR was significantly up-regulated at 12 or 24 h after exposure to E₂. These findings indicate that E₂ can affect their molting and reproduction by modulating the expression of ecdysteroid pathway - related in D. celebensis. This study will be useful for better understanding of molecular mode of action of endocrine disrupting chemicals on molting process in small crustacean.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.295-300
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• 2012

Manganese ($Mn^{2+}$) is a trace element that is essential for normal physiology, and is predominantly obtained from food. Several lines of evidence, however, demonstrated that overexposure to $MnCl_2$ exerts serious neurotoxicity, immunotoxicity and developmental toxicity, particularly in male. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of 0, 1.0, 3.3, and 10 mg/kg/day doses of $MnCl_2$ on the reproductive organs in the immature female rats. Rats (PND 22; S.D. strain) were exposed to $MnCl_2$ ($MnCl_2{\cdot}4H_2O$) dissolved in drinking water for 2 weeks. The animals were sacrificed on PND 35, then the tissues were immediately removed and weighed. Histological studies were performed using the uteri tissue samples. Serum LH and FSH levels were measured with the specific ELISA kits. Body weights of the experimental group animals were not significantly different from those of control group animals. However, ovarian tissue weights in 1 mg and 3.3 mg $MnCl_2$ dose groups were significantly lower than those of control animals (p<0.05 and p<0.01, respectively). Uterine tissue weights of 3.3 mg dose $MnCl_2$ groups were significantly lower than those of control animals (p<0.01), while the 1 mg $MnCl_2$ dose and 10 mg $MnCl_2$ dose failed to induce any change in uterine weight. Similarly, only 3.3 mg $MnCl_2$ dose could induce the significant decrease in the oviduct weight compared to the control group (p<0.05). Non-reproductive tissues such as adrenal and kidney failed to respond to all doses of $MnCl_2$ exposure. The uterine histology revealed that the $MnCl_2$ exposure could affect the myometrial cell proliferation particularly in 3.3 mg dose and 10mg dose group. Serum FSH levels were significantly decreased in 1mg $MnCl_2$ dose and 10 $MnCl_2$ mg groups (p<0.05 and p<0.01, respectively). In contrast, treatment with 1 mg $MnCl_2$ dose induced a significant increment of serum LH level (p<0.05). The present study demonstrated that $MnCl_2$ exposure is capable of inducing abnormal development of reproductive tissues, at least to some extent, and altered gonadotropin secretions in immature female rats. Combined with the well-defined actions of this metal on GnRH and prolactin secretion, one can suggest the $Mn^{2+}$ might be a potential environmental mediator which is involved in the female pubertal process.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.257-263
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• 2002

This study was carried out not only to investigate the toxicities of 12 registered insecticides on different developmental stages, but also to determine the sublethal effects on longevity and reproduction of newly emerged adult female and development of the next generation in the rice skipper, Parnara guttata. Fenitrothion, fenthion, cartap hydrochloride, ethofenprox highly suppressed egg-hatch. All insecticides treated showed high larvicidal activity on the 1st to 2nd instar larva. The insecticides showed higher larvicidal activities on the 5th instar larva were fenitrothion, fenthion, ethofenprox, fipronil, methoxyfenozide, tebufenozide and Bt. var. kurstaki. The sublethal doses of fenthion, tebufenozide, cartap hydrochloride, methoxyfenozide, ethofenprox, imidacloprid and fipronil shortened the longevities of newly emerged adult female from the treated larva ($3{\sim}4$ instar). BPMC, imidacloprid, ethofenprox, fipronil and methoxyfenozide delayed the preoviposition periods of adult females and decreased the number of eggs laid when they were treated at the larval stages of the previous generation. Ethofenprox caused severe sublethal effects on P. guttata offspring, completely blocking the production. All insecticides except fenitrothion affected the egg viability, and all eggs from the adult females emerged from the survivors treated larvae with imidacloprid or fipronil fail to hatch. IGRs, methoxyfenozide and tebufenozide showed an adverse effect on the development of next generation larva.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.29-37
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• 1998

To investigate the role of oviductal environment in early mammalian development, we examined the effects of bovine oviductal fluid (bOF) on the development of mouse 2-cell embryos in vitro. All of the embryos cultured in medium containing 5% or more of bOF underwent degeneration after 48 hr, whereas only 5% of embryos cultured in the absence of bOF degenerated. When bOF was heated at 65 \circ C for 30 min and then added to the culture medium, the embryotoxic effect of bOF was not removed at all such that none of the embryos remained alive after 48 hr. However, when bOF heated at 90 \circ C for 30 min was added to the culture, nearly most (95%) of embryos was alive. Similarly, pretreatment of bOF with 0.1% chymotrypsin for 1 hr or overnight following heating at 65 \circ C resulted in the development of 95.5% of mouse 2-cell embryos to early blastula after 48 hr culture in the presence of treated bOF. Interestingly addition of an anti-oxidant removed the evbryotoxic effect of bOF so that 91.0% of 2-cell embryos developed to morulae or blastulae in the presence of both 5% bOF and 10 mM of glutathione (GSH) after 48 hr culture. Neither oxidized form of GSH (GSSG) nor other antioxidants, however, could support the embryonic development in the presence of bOF. From these results, it is suggested that bOF contains a protein-like factor(s) which becomes embryotoxic by exposing in vitro, probably via oxidation reaction.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.136-144
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• 2014

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of Platycarya strobilacea S. et Z. (PSE) extract on mouse hair growth and to determine the mechanism of action of PSE. PSE was purchased and its antioxidant activities, such as electron donating ability, total polyphenol content, and flavonoid content were tested. Toxicity during topical treatment was determined by the CCK-8 assay, a cell viability test. Fifteen 4-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were assigned to receive one of three treatments: dimethyl sulfoxide (negative control), minoxidil (positive control) or PSE. Test materials were topically applied to the shaved dorsal skin of each mouse daily for 3 weeks. After 21 days, we observed skin tissue hair follicle morphology and length, mast cell number, and stem cell factor (SCF) expression using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), toluidine blue, and immunohistochemical staining, respectively. Furthermore, the expression of cytokines involved in hair growth [i.e., insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1, keratinocyte growth factor (KGF), and transforming growth factor (TGF)-${\beta}1$] was determined by PCR. PSE was found to have very high antioxidant activity. The cell viability rate of PSE-treated mice was markedly higher than that of mice in the control group. We also observed an increase in hair follicle length, strong SCF staining, and a decrease in mast cell number in the PSE group. In addition, PSE-treated mice had higher IGF-1 and KGF expression and lower TGF-${\beta}1$ expression than mice in the minoxidil-treated group. These results suggest that topical application of PSE promotes hair growth by intensifying SCF, suppressing mast cell production, and increasing hair growth-promoting cytokine expression.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.441-447
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• 2011

The study aim is to investigate the free radicals scavenging and spermatogenic potentials, as well as to analyze any reproductive toxicity of ethanolic extract of Mucuna prureins (M. pruriens) Linn. in spermatozoa, under different dosages in normal male rat. Normal rats were randomly selected and suspension of the extract was administered orally at the dosages of 150, 200 and 250 mg/kg body weight of the different groups of male rats (n=6) once in a day for 60 days and grouped as group II, III and IV respectively. Saline treated rats served as control -group I. On the $60^{th}$ day the animals were sacrificed and the epididymal sperm were subjected to various analyses like level of ROS production, LPO, enzymatic and non enzymatic antioxidant, morphology, morphometry, chromosomal integrity and DNA damage. Results showed significant reduction in ROS production and peroxidation and significant increase in both enzymic and non-enzymic antioxidants in all concentration treated groups when compared with control. Results from all the drug treated groups showed good sperm morphology, increased sperm count and motility. There was no DNA damage and showed normal chromosomal integrity even in 250 mg/kg dose. When compared with control all the three extract treated groups showed increased ROS scavenging activity. However, group II (200 mg/kg) showed significant changes in all the parameters. From the present study it was confirmed that the M. pruriens has potential to improve the sperm qualitatively and quantitatively through scavenging the excess ROS with any adverse side effects. These observations suggest that ethanolic seed extract of M. pruriens may serve as anti-oxidant that can exploit to treat the oxidative stress mediated male factor infertility.