• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제42권4호
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• pp.136-142
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• 2015

Objective: Smoking has been reported to harm nearly every organ of the body, but conflicting results have been reported regarding the effects of smoking on assisted conception. In this prospective cohort study, we aimed to investigate the prevalence of positive urinary cotinine tests in infertile couples and whether cotinine positivity was associated with infertility treatment outcomes. Methods: A qualitative urinary cotinine test was administered to 127 couples who underwent in vitro fertilization (IVF, n=92) or intrauterine insemination (IUI, n=35). Results: The overall prevalence of positive urinary cotinine test was 43.3% (55/127) in the male partners and 10.2% (13/127) in the female partners with similar prevalence rates in both genders in the IUI and IVF groups. Semen characteristics, serum markers of ovarian reserve, and number of retrieved oocytes were comparable among cotinine-positive and cotinine-negative men or women (with the exception of sperm count, which was higher among cotinine-positive men). The results of urinary cotinine tests in infertile couples were not associated with IVF and IUI outcomes. Conclusion: The presence of cotinine in the system, as indicated by a positive urinary cotinine test, was not associated with poorer outcomes of infertility treatment.

• Applied Microscopy
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• 제34권3호
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• pp.159-170
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• 2004

한국산 다람쥐(Tamias sibiricus)의 정자변태 과정을 투과전자현미경으로 조사하였다. 정자변태는 첨체변화와 핵의 형태의 특징을 기초로 하여 골지기, 두모기, 첨체기, 성숙기 그리고 이탈기로 구분하였고, 골지 두모 첨체기는 각각 전 중 후기, 성숙기는 전 후기, 이탈기는 1기로 세분하였다. 따라서 다람쥐(Tamias sibiricus)의 정자변태는 12기(phases)로 구분되어졌다. 골지기(steps 1-3)의 경우, 잘 발달된 골지복합체는 첨체소포가까이에 위치하고, 첨체소포는 3단계에서 핵막과 융합하여 함입되어있다. 두모기(steps 4-6)에서는, 첨체소포가 핵의 표면 위에 넓게 퍼지며 핵의 1/3을 덮고, 첨체과립은 아직 분산되지 않았다. 첨체기(steps 7-9)동안에 있어서, 핵과 첨체는 신장되었으나 핵질은 농축되지 않았다. 성숙기(steps 10-11)에서는 핵질이 더욱 농축되어 졌으며, 미토콘드리아들은 축사의 중심에 완전하게 배열되어졌다. 이탈기(step 12)에서 정자머리는 완전하게 주걱형태의 모양을 갖추고 있었다.

• 한국수산과학회지
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• 제51권1호
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• pp.54-63
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• 2018

We investigated the effect of $CO_2$ exposure on the reproductive process of chameleon goby Tridentiger trigonocephalus. Rearing aquaria were exposed for 90 days to $CO_2$ gas through diffuser connected with pH controller maintaining at pH 7.2 ($156.31{\pm}7.90ppm$) in low treatment, and at pH 6.5 ($274.17{\pm}6.51ppm$) in high treatment. $CO_2$ treatment had no significant effects on survival rates although the value was decreased compared to the controls. In female fish, $CO_2$ treatment had no significant effects on gonadosomatic index (GSI), hepatosomatic index (HSI) and condition factor (CF). However, high $CO_2$ treatment decreased HSI and CF in males significantly compared to the controls (P<0.05). The spawning occurrence was 6 times in the low level $CO_2$ treatment, and 4 times in the high level $CO_2$ treatment although only once in the controls. For the histological observations, there was no significant difference in $CO_2$ treatments. However, in male fish, $CO_2$ treatment delayed the formation of sperm from spermatid compared to controls. These results suggest $CO_2$ may disrupt reproductive process by delaying gametogenesis in chameleon goby and it was more sensitive in males.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제19권2호
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• pp.69-77
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• 2015

Cell-cell direct communication through channel-forming molecules, connexin (Cx), is essential for a tissue to exchange signaling molecules between neighboring cells and establish unique functional characteristics during postnatal development. The corpus epididymis is a well-known androgen-responsive tissue and involves in proper sperm maturation. In the present research, it was attempted to determine if expression of Cx isoforms in the corpus epididymis in the adult is modulated by exposure to estrogenic or anti-androgenic compound during the early postnatal period. The neonatal male rats at 7 days of age were subcutaneously injected by estradiol benzoate (EB) at low-dose ($0.015{\mu}g/kg$ body weight) or high-dose ($1.5{\mu}g/kg$ body weight) or flutamide (Flu) at low-dose ($500{\mu}g/kg$ body weight) or high-dose (50 mg/kg body weight). The corpus epididymis collected at 4 months of age was subjected to evaluate expressional changes of Cx isoforms by quantitative real-time PCR. Treatment of low-dose EB resulted in increases of Cx32, Cx37, and Cx45 transcript levels, while exposure to high-dose EB decreased expression of Cx26, Cx30.3, Cx31, Cx31.1, Cx32, Cx40, Cx43, and Cx45. Treatments of Flu caused significant decreases of expression of all examined Cx isoforms, except Cx37 and Cx43 shown no expressional change with high-dose Flu treatment. These findings imply that expression of most Cx isoforms present in the corpus epididymis would be transcriptionally regulated by actions of androgen and/or estrogen during postnatal period.

• 한국수정란이식학회지
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• 제32권3호
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• pp.221-226
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• 2017

Spermatozoa viability can be assessed by microscopy, flow cytometry, and other methods using fluorescent stain. Flow cytometry can be used to examine the morphological and functional characteristics of spermatozoa in a short time. The purpose of this study was to compare the viability of cryopreserved spermatozoa in Jeju black cattle by two dual fluorescent stain methods. Semen of Jeju black cattle raised in Subtropical Livestock Research Institute, National Institute of Animal Science, RDA were collected with artificial vaginal technique. Sperm was diluted with $Triladyl^{(R)}$-egg yolk diluent and then was performed cryopreservation. There was no significant difference in viability of spermatozoa according to the two dual fluorescent stain methods. However, when the distribution of spermatozoa according to the staining method was compared, the spermatozoa group stained with 6-CFDA/PI was more clearly distinguished than the spermatozoa group stained with calcein AM/PI.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제44권3호
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• pp.141-145
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• 2017

Objective: Delaying embryo transfer (ET) enables us to select among the embryos available for transfer and is associated with positive effects on implantation and pregnancy outcomes. However, the optimal day for ET of human cleavage-stage embryos remains controversial. Methods: A retrospective study of 3,124 in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles (2,440 patients) was conducted. We compared the effects of day 2 and 3 ET on rates of implantation and pregnancy outcomes between young maternal age (YMA; < 38 years old, n = 2,295) and old maternal age (OMA; ${\geq}38years\;old$, n = 829) patient groups. Results: The YMA and OMA groups did not differ in terms of patient characteristics except for the proportion of unexplained factor infertility, which was significantly greater in the OMA group, and the proportion of arrested embryos, which was significantly greater in the YMA group. However, the biochemical pregnancy, clinical pregnancy, ongoing pregnancy, abortion, and implantation rates per cycle were not significantly different between day 2 and 3 ET in the YMA group or the OMA group. Conclusion: We suggest that offering patients the opportunity to decide which day would be suitable for ET could be part of a patient-friendly protocol that takes into consideration an infertile woman's circumstances and work schedule by allowing ET to be performed on day 2 instead of the traditional transfer on day 3.

• 수산해양교육연구
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• 제23권1호
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• pp.35-42
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• 2011

Behaviour habitats of sailfin sandfish, Arctoscopus japonicus, one of the stock recovery species of Korea, were investigated when they were approaching toward the eastern coastal waters of Korea during spawning season. Underwater surveys were conducted in December, 2009 at Jug-island, Goseong, Gangwon-province to observe the behaviour of sailfin sandfish by underwater video camera and underwater camera, and the body characteristics of sailfin sandfish caught by gillnet were measured. It was observed that the species generally move in school but a few of individuals go out of the school to approach and dig into the sand bottom. Eggs of sailfin sandfish were shown in many cases to be attached to seaweed like Sargassum fulvellum and Zostera mairna. The females maintain its body in horizon and shake the body to breed eggs. It was also observed that the males spray sperm on the eggs attached on seaweed. Sailfin sandfish is assumed to make diurnal migration by moving to the shallow coast at night for spawning and fertilization, and moving out to the offshore at sunrise.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.50.1-50.10
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• 2021

Background: Bovine papillomatosis is a type of proliferative tumor disease of skin and mucosae caused by bovine papillomavirus (BPV). As a transboundary and emerging disease in cattle, it poses a potential threat to the dairy industry. Objectives: The aim of this study is to detect and clarify the genetic diversity of BPV circulating in dairy cows in Xinjiang, China. Methods: 122 papilloma skin lesions from 8 intensive dairy farms located in different regions of Xinjiang, China were detected by polymerase chain reaction. The genetic evolution relationships of various types of BPVs were analyzed by examining this phylogenetic tree. Results: Ten genotypes of BPV (BPV1, BPV2, BPV3, BPV6, BPV7, BPV8, BPV10, BPV11, BPV13, and BPV14) were detected and identified in dairy cows. These were the first reported detections of BPV13 and BPV14 in Xinjiang, Mixed infections were detected, and there were geographical differences in the distribution of the BPV genotypes. Notably, the BPV infection rate among young cattle (< 1-year-old) developed from the same supply of frozen sperm was higher than that of the other young cows naturally raised under the same environmental conditions. Conclusions: Genotyping based on the L1 gene of BPV showed that BPVs circulating in Xinjiang China displayed substantial genetic diversity. This study provided valuable data at the molecular epidemiology level, which is conducive to developing deep insights into the genetic diversity and pathogenic characteristics of BPVs in dairy cows.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제32권1호
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• pp.118-125
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• 2019

Objective: This study investigated the effects of soapnut (Sapindus mukorossi) shell powder (SSP) on serum hormone level, egg quality, semen characteristics and reproductive performance of broiler breeders fed with a maize-soybean meal based diet. Methods: Ninety six female and twenty four male CARIBRO-VISHAL broiler breeders, 38-week old, were individually caged and randomly allocated to four treatment groups (24 female breeders/treatment and 6 male breeders/treatment): an un-supplemented control (T1) and three groups with 0.0176% SSP (group T2), 0.026% SSP (group T3) and 0.0528% SSP (group T4), to have supplementary saponin at 0, 50, 75, and 150 ppm, respectively, for 42 days. Results: The results indicated that serum (p<0.001) and seminal plasma (p<0.05) testosterone level, semen volume (p<0.001), mass motility (p<0.001), and live spermatozoa count (p<0.001) was increased in groups T3 and T4 compared to T2 and control groups. Compared with control group, total sperm count was increased (p<0.001) and dead spermatozoa count was decreased (p<0.001) in SSP supplemented groups. Supplementation of SSP did not affected the quality of egg lay. Compared with control group, fertility (p<0.01) and hatchability (total eggs set and fertile eggs set) (p<0.001) were significantly improved in SSP supplemented groups with the highest improvement in T3 treatment group. Embryonic death was decreased (p<0.001) in SSP supplemented groups compared to control; lowest embryonic death was recorded in T3 treatment group. Conclusion: Thus, it was concluded that dietary supplementation of 0.026% SSP (saponin equivalent 75 ppm) improved the reproductive performance of broiler breeders.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제47권4호
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• pp.300-305
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• 2020

Objective: The feasibility of a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) trigger in normal responders is still a matter of debate. The aim of this study was to compare the number of mature oocytes, the number of good-quality embryos, and the live birth rate in normal responders triggered by GnRHa alone, GnRHa and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG; a dual trigger), and hCG alone. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at the infertility clinic of a university hospital. Data from 200 normal responders who underwent controlled ovarian hyperstimulation and intracytoplasmic sperm injection with a GnRH antagonist protocol between January 2016 and January 2017 were reviewed. The first study group consisted of patients with cycles triggered by GnRHa alone. The second study group consisted of patients with cycles triggered by both GnRHa and low-dose hCG (a dual trigger). The control group consisted of patients with cycles triggered by hCG alone. Results: The groups were comparable in terms of demographics and cycle characteristics. The numbers of total oocytes retrieved and metaphase II oocytes were similar between the groups. The total numbers of top-quality embryos were 3.2±2.9 in the GnRHa group, 4.4±3.2 in the dual-trigger group, and 2.9±2.1 in the hCG group (p=0.014). The live birth rates were 21.4%, 30.5%, and 28.2% in those groups, respectively (p=0.126). Conclusion: In normal responders, a dual-trigger approach appears superior to an hCG trigger alone with regard to the number of top-quality embryos produced. However, no clinical benefit was apparent in terms of live birth rates.