• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.485-492
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• 2009

Estrogen has dramatic effects on the development and function of the reproductive tract in mammals. Although diethylstilbestrol (DES) triggers the development of reproductive organs in immature animals, continued exposure to DES induces dysfunction of the female reproductive tract in mice. To investigate the effects of neonatal estrogen exposure on the reproductive tract of female chickens, we implanted DES pellets into the abdominal region of immature female chicks and then examined the effects of DES on the oviducts of both immature chicks and sexually mature chickens (30 weeks old). DES induced mass growth and differentiation of the oviduct in immature chicks. The chick oviduct increased by 2.7- and 29-fold in length and weight, respectively, following primary DES stimulation. In secondary DES stimulation, the length and weight of the chick oviduct increased by 4.5- and 74-fold, respectively. Additionally, DES treatments caused abnormal development of the infundibulum and magnum in hen oviducts. Furthermore, infundibulum abnormality gave rise to unusual ovulation of follicles and resulted in infertility and dysfunction of the magnum, such as less production of egg white proteins. Our results indicate that DES exposure during early developmental stages in chickens has detrimental effects on the development and maintenance of the female reproductive tract after sexual maturation.

• 한국균학회소식:학술대회논문집
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• 2015.11a
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• pp.35-35
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• 2015

Pleurotus eryngii has recently become a major cultivated mushroom; it uses tetrapolar heterothallism as a part of its reproductive process. Sexual development progresses only when the A and B mating types are compatible. Such mating incompatibility occasionally limits the efficiency of breeding programs in which crossing within loci-shared strains or backcrossing strategies are employed. Therefore, understanding the mating system in edible mushroom fungi will help provide a short cut in the development of new strains. We isolated and identified pheromone and receptor genes in the B3 locus of P. eryngii and performed a functional analysis of the genes in the mating process by transformation. A genomic DNA library was constructed to map the entire mating-type locus. The B3 locus was found to contain four pheromone precursor genes and four receptor genes. Remarkably, receptor PESTE3.3.1 has just 34 amino acid residues in its C-terminal cytoplasmic region; therefore, it seems likely to be a receptor-like gene. Real-time quantitative RT-PCR (real-time qRT-PCR) revealed that most pheromone and receptor genes showed significantly higher expression in monokaryotic cells than dikaryotic cells. The pheromone genes PEphb3.1 and PEphb3.3 and the receptor gene PESTE3.3.1 were transformed into P5 (A3B4). The transformants were mated with a tester strain (A4B4), and the progeny showed clamp connections and a normal fruiting body, which indicates the proposed role of these genes in mating and fruiting processes. This result also confirms that PESTE3.3.1 is a receptor gene. In this study, we identified pheromone and receptor genes in the B3 locus of P. eryngii and found that some of those genes appear to play a role in the mating and fruiting processes. These results might help elucidate the mechanism of fruiting differentiation and improve breeding efficiency.

• Journal of Haehwa Medicine
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.91-96
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• 2002

We arrived at the following conclusions after we have studied esophagitis through the literatures of oriental and western medicine. 1. The western medical causes of acute esophagitis are corrosiveness chemical material, esophageal or gastric disease, trauma, blister stomatitis, filamentous fungus infection and uremia of chronic patient etc, and the oriental medical causes are qi and blood stagnation, blood stasis and stagnation, stagnant phlegm by coldness, heating, dyspepsia and food poisoning etc. 2. The western medical causes of chronic esophagitis are malfunction of lower esophageal sphincter, esophageal tom chink and hernia, increase of gastric pressure by overeating, fatness, pregnancy and ascites etc, and the oriental medical causes are asthenic cardiac qi, hepatic qi attacking stomach by seven kinds of depression, cold-damp stagnation and insufficiency of gastric qi by overeating, excessive drinking and sexual indulgence etc. 3. The main symptoms of acute esophagitis are severe chest pain, instantly vomiting, swallowing pain etc, and chronic esophagitis are occasionally light chest pain, heart bum, anorexia, dysphagia, dizziness, general body weakness etc. These symptoms are come under thoracic obstruction, acid regurgitation, vomiting and chest pain of oriental medicine. 4. The western medical diagnoses of acute and chronic esophagitis have used radiation test, esophageal endoscopy, esophageal pressure test and biopsy etc, and the oriental medical diagnoses have used syndrome differentiation by four examination of inspection, listening and smelling examination, inquiring, pulse-taking and palpitation. 5. The western medical treatments of acute esophagitis have regarded preservation stability of esophagus as a principle, and the oriental medical treatments mainly have used expelling pathogen of expelling cold and regulating qi, cooling and removing stasis, promoting blood circulation to remove blood stasis, eliminating phlegm and regulating qi. 6. The western medical treatments of chronic esophagitis have regarded decrease flowing backward of gastric juice as a purpose, and the oriental medical treatments mainly have used strengthening body resistance of replenishing and strengthening cardioqi, dispersing stagnated hepatoqi, expelling cold and dehygrosis, invigorating stomach and nourishing qi.

• Korean Parent-Child Health Journal
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• v.2
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• pp.53-63
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• 1999

The purpose of this study is to describe how what influence sexuality has on women's health. Sex is determined by the sex chromosome: but sociocultural norms have much influence on the sex role of a woman or man. Women's sexuality has had a negative impact on them in a male-dominated society, which destroyed women's health, put women in a powerless position and forced them to live as dependent persons. Sociocultural perception of the sex role has not been very open, and very strict rules have controlled those perceptions; but currently these perceptions have been changing dramatically. Especially, women's sex role has changed, bringing about many problems: the number of women engaging in premarital sex, the number of unwed mothers, the number of pregnancies without marriage, the divorce rate, and the number of dysfunctional families have all increased. Those kinds of problems have negative effects on women, children and members of the whole family. Sexually transmitted disease because of free sex is a serious health issue for women: the number of women with AIDS has increased rapidly. Another big issue is sexual abuse, which is insulting to women, decreases women's self-esteem, increases depression, puts women in a powerless position and eventually causes women to get sick. Male-preference (among newborns) ideology raises health issues for women, such as artificial abortion. In the area of sex differentiation, therefore, we have to change people's thinking from male-preference ideology to equal sex preference. Finally, we have to use a holistic approach for women's health and increase awareness of the fact that the sex role and women's health are very important for the family, society and nation. Women's health is the nation's power.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.213-218
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• 2015

In the study for a differentiation and development of spermatogonial cells, the researchers should commonly require a simple, fast and reasonable method that could evaluate the developmental stage of male germ cells without any damage and also relentlessly culture them so far as a cell stage aiming at experimental applications. For developing the efficient method to identify the stage of sperm cells, the morphological characteristics of sperm cells were investigated by staining the cells with blue fluorescent dye Hoechst 33258, and a criterion for male germ cell classification was elicited from results of the previous investigation, then the efficiency of the criterion was verified by applying it to assort the germ cells recovered from male mice in age from 6 to 35 days. As morphological characteristics, spermatogonia significantly differed from spermatocytes in size, appearance and fluorescent patches of nucleus, and spermatids could also be distinguished from spermatozoa by making a difference in the volume and shape of nucleus and the shape and fluorescence of tail. Aforesaid criterion was applicable for classifying in vitro cultured sperm cells by verifying its efficiency and propriety for assorting the stages of testicular germ cells. However, the fluorescent staining showed that germ cells in mouse testis should be dramatically differentiated and developed at 21 days and 35 days of age, which were known as times of sexual puberty and maturity in male mice, respectively. In conclusion, the results indicated that this simple criterion for sperm cell classification using fluorescence staining with Hoechst 33258 may be highly efficient and reasonable for spermatogenesis study.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.62 no.1
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• pp.98-116
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• 2024

Epigenetic writers including DNA and histone lysine methyltransferases (DNMT and HKMT, respectively) play an initiative role in the differentiation and development of eukaryotic organisms through the spatiotemporal regulation of functional gene expressions. However, the epigenetic mechanisms have long been suspected in helminth parasites lacking the major DNA methyltransferases DNMT1 and DNMT3a/3b. Very little information on the evolutionary status of the epigenetic tools and their role in regulating chromosomal genes is currently available in the parasitic trematodes. We previously suggested the probable role of a DNMT2-like protein (CsDNMT2) as a genuine epigenetic writer in a trematode parasite Clonorchis sinensis. Here, we analyzed the phylogeny of HKMT subfamily members in the liver fluke and other platyhelminth species. The platyhelminth genomes examined conserved genes for the most of SET domain-containing HKMT and Disruptor of Telomeric Silencing 1 subfamilies, while some genes were expanded specifically in certain platyhelminth genomes. Related to the high gene dosages for HKMT activities covering differential but somewhat overlapping substrate specificities, variously methylated histones were recognized throughout the tissues/organs of C. sinensis adults. The temporal expressions of genes involved in eggshell formation were gradually decreased to their lowest levels proportionally to aging, whereas those of some epigenetic tool genes were re-boosted in the later adult stages of the parasite. Furthermore, these expression levels were significantly affected by treatment with DNMT and HKMT inhibitors. Our data strongly suggest that methylated histones are potent epigenetic markers that modulate the spatiotemporal expressions of C. sinensis genes, especially those involved in sexual reproduction.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.97-103
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• 1999

The enzyme steroid $5{\alpha}-reductase$ is responsible for the conversion of testosterone into the most potent androgen dihydrotestosterone (DHT). In man, this steroid acts on a variety of androgen-responsive target tissues to mediate such diverse endocrine processes as male sexual differentiation in the fetus and prostatic growth in men. Androgen levels in the prostate may influence carcinogenesis in this organ. The use of a $5{\alpha}-reductase$ inhibitor, finasteride, in the chemoprevention of prostate cancer is being evaluated in a clinical trial and have been used successfully for treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Therefore, for the discovery of $5{\alpha}-reductase$ type 2 inhibitors, we have evaluated the inhibitory effects of solvent fractionated extracts of natural products on $5{\alpha}-reductase$ type 2 activity. We have tested approximately 80 kinds of natural products after partition into n-hexane, ethyl acetate and aqueous layers from 100% methanol extracts of plants. The ethyl acetate fractions of Perilla sikokiana $(seed,\;IC_{50}\;:\;6.2\;ug/ml)$, Sophora flavescens $(root,\;IC_{50}\;:\;8.9\;ug/ml)$, and Angelica tenuissima $(root,\;IC_{50}\;:\;11.7\;ug/ml)$ revealed inhibitory effects on $5{\alpha}-reductase$ 2 activity in LNCaP cells. The effective ethyl acetate fractions of Perilla sikokiana, Sophora flavescens, Hydnocarpus anthelmintica, and Angelica tenuissima were subfractionated by column chromatography and tested. The subfractions $F4\;(IC_{50}\;:\;1.1\;ug/ml),\;F5\;(IC_{50}\;:\;2.0\;ug/ml),\;and\;F6\;(IC_{50}\;:\;5.8\;ug/ml)$ of the ethyl acetate fraction of Perilla sikokiana and the subfraction $F8\;(IC_{50}\;:\;5.3\;ug/ml)$ of the ethyl acetate fraction of Sophora flavescens displayed greater inhibition of $5{\alpha}-reductase$ type 2 than did finasteride in LNCaP cells. These active fractions are under the process of further sequential fractionation to find the effective pure compounds against $5{\alpha}-reductase$ 2 activity.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.70-81
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• 2015

Helicases are known to be a proteins that use the chemical energy of NTP binding and hydrolyze to separate the complementary strands of double-stranded nucleic acids to single-stranded nucleic acids. They participate in various cellular metabolism in many organisms. DEAD-box proteins are ATP-dependent RNA helicase that participate in all biochemical steps involving RNA. DEAD-box3 (DDX3) gene is belonging to the DEAD-box family and plays an important role in germ cell development in many organisms including not only vertebrate, but also invertebrate during asexual and sexual reproduction and participates in stem cell differentiation during regeneration. In this study, in order to identify and characterize DDX3 gene in the earthworm, Perionyx excavatus having a powerful regeneration capacity, total RNA was isolated from adult head containing clitellum. Full length of DDX3 gene from P. excavatus, Pe-DDX3, was identified by RT-PCR using the total RNA from head as a template. Pe-DDX3 encoded a putative protein of 607 amino acids and it also has the nine conserved motifs of DEAD-box family, which is characteristic of DEAD-box protein family. It was confirmed that Pe-DDX3 has the nine conserved motifs by the comparison of entire amino acids sequence of Pe-DDX3 with other species of different taxa. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that Pe-DDX3 belongs to a DDX3 (PL10) subgroup of DEAD-box protein family. And it displayed a high homology with PL10a, b from P. dumerilii.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.23 no.8
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• pp.1447-1453
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• 2014

The differentiation of sex is important for species preservation. However, Fairy Pitta is sexually monomorphic and sex of an individual is indistinguishable with its external characteristics. We determined the sex of Fairy Pitta through DNA analysis and investigated the causes and time of injury and mortality and the size based on sex. We collected 21 samples at Jeju Island, Korean Peninsula from 2004 to 2013 and extracted DNA from them and amplified chromo helicase DNA-binding gene from Z and W chromosomes through Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). We confirmed their sex with the banding pattern through Agarose gel electrophoresis, i.e. male (ZZ): one banded and female (ZW) two banded. We distinguished the sex of 17 of 21 samples resulting in 9 males and 8 females. Most casualties were recorded in adult of both sexes. Causes of injury and mortality proved that female casualties occurred from window strikes, dehydration, car accident, predation by natural enemies, and male occurred from window strikes, car accident and dehydration. The time of injury and mortality in adults differ by sex. There was no difference between sexes in any of the six size parameters. As the time of injury and mortality differ by sex, the survey on the role and ecological nature by sex in breeding season must be carried out in the future. External measurements may not be reliable for sexing of Fairy Pitta and other traits such as vocal or characteristics are required to identify the sex of individuals in the field.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2007

This study was focused on discriminating the molecular sexes of red deer and elk by duplex polymerase chain reaction(PCR) using two primer sets. Sex differentiation of mammals is primarily dependent on the presence or absence of sex determining region Y(SRY) gene encoded on Y chromosome which plays a key role for male development. Zinc finger X-Y(ZFX-ZFY) gene, one of X-Y homology gene group was found on X- and Y- chromosomes, respectively. At first, the nucleotide sequences were characterized for the intron 9 flanking region of ZFX-ZFY genes. The intron 9 of ZFX and ZFY is 529-bp and 665-bp in length, respectively. A transposable element sequence similar to bovine SINE element Bov-tA was detected only in ZFY gene of Cervidae. Sexing analysis was conducted by duplex PCR assay for amplification of SRY and ZFX-ZFY genes. Two differentially amplified patterns were found: one for females has a common band amplified only from ZFX as a template, and another for males had three bands(a common ZFX and two male-specific ZFY and SRY). On the separate tests using each gene, the results was identical to those from duplex PCR assay. Moreover, the results from PCR assays provide also identical information to phenotypic investigation of individuals of red deer, elk as well as their hybridized progenies collected from two isolated farms. These results suggest that it may be a rapid and precise method for determining the sexes by duplex PCR amplification using Y-chromosome specific SRY and X- and Y- homologous ZFX-ZFY genes showing sexual dimorphism in red deer and elk without any other controls.