• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.253-259
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• 1997

Objective: To investigate effects of cryoprotectant and cryopreservation on the chromosome of the human immature oocytes. Design: Intact cumulus-enclosed immature oocytes were collected from unstimulated ovaries and divided into three groups, such as no treatment as control (group 1), only 1,2-propanediol (PROH)-treated (group 2), and cryopreserved oocytes (group 3). Oocytes in group 1, 2, and survived oocytes after cryopreservation in group 3 were cultured for 48 hours. Setting: Infertility Medical Center at the CHA General Hospital, Seoul, Korea. Patients: Oocytes were obtained from Patients undergoing gynecological surgery. Main Outcome Measures: Maturation rate, abnormality in chromosomes by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Results: There was no effect of PROH only treatment on the chromosomal abnormalities in group 2 compared to control oocytes (41.4% and 31.8%, respectively). Whereas significantly increased abnormalities in chromosome (77.8%) were found in group 3. Conclusions: Human oocytes matured in vitro after cryopreservation at the germinal vesicle (GV) stage showed increased incidence of chromosomal abnormalities. These abnormalities may impair the capacity for further development of the embryos derived from frozen-thawed oocytes.

• Journal of Breast Cancer
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.399-405
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• 2018

Purpose: Vesicle-associated membrane protein 8 (VAMP8) is a soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor receptor protein that participates in autophagy by directly regulating autophagosome membrane fusion and has been reported to be involved in tumor progression. Nevertheless, the expression and prognostic value of VAMP8 in breast cancer (BC) remain unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical significance and biological function of VAMP8 in BC. Methods: A total of 112 BC samples and 30 normal mammary gland samples were collected. The expression of VAMP8 was assessed in both BC tissues and normal mammary gland tissues via a two-step immunohistochemical detection method. Results: The expression of VAMP8 in BC tissues was significantly higher than that in normal breast tissues. Furthermore, increased VAMP8 expression was significantly correlated with tumor size (p=0.007), lymph node metastasis (p=0.024) and recurrence (p=0.001). Patients with high VAMP8 expression had significantly lower cumulative recurrence-free survival and overall survival (p<0.001 for both) than patients with low VAMP8 expression. In multivariate logistic regression and Cox regression analyses, lymph node metastasis and VAMP8 expression were independent prognostic factors for BC. Conclusion: VAMP8 is significantly upregulated in human BC tissues and can thus be a practical and potentially effective surrogate marker for survival in BC patients.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.601-609
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• 2019

Bifidobacterium longum KACC 91563 secretes family 5 extracellular solute-binding protein via extracellular vesicle. In our previous work, it was demonstrated that the protein effectively alleviated food allergy symptoms via mast cell specific apoptosis, and it has revealed a therapeutic potential of this protein in allergy treatment. In the present study, we cloned the gene encoding extracellular solute-binding protein of the strain into the histidine-tagged pET-28a(+) vector and transformed the resulting plasmid into the Escherichia coli strain BL21 (DE3). The histidine-tagged extracellular solute-binding protein expressed in the transformed cells was purified using Ni-NTA affinity column. To enhance the efficiency of the protein purification, three parameters were optimized; the host bacterial strain, the culturing and induction temperature, and the purification protocol. After the process, two liters of transformed culture produced 7.15 mg of the recombinant proteins. This is the first study describing the production of extracellular solute-binding protein of probiotic bacteria. Establishment of large-scale production strategy for the protein will further contribute to the development of functional foods and potential alternative treatments for allergies.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.720-726
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• 2022

The behavior changes of the lipid bilayer, induced by the hydroxybutyric-acid incorporation, were investigated with respect to each phase of the layer using fluorescence intensity change. Spherical phospholipid bilayers, called vesicles, were prepared using an emulsion technique. Only in the aqueous inside of the vesicles was encapsulated 8-Aminonaphthalene-1,3,6-trisulfonic-acid-disodium-salt(ANTS). p-Xylene-bis-N-pyridinium-bromide(DPX) was included as a quencher only outside of the vesicles. The fluorescence scale was calibrated with the ANTS-encapsulated vesicles in DPX-dispersed-buffer taken as 100% and the mixture of ANTS and DPX in the buffer as 0%. Hydroxybutyric-acid addition into the vesicle solution led the change in the bilayer. The change was found to be related to the phase of each layer according to the ratio of hydroxybutyric-acid to lipid. These results seem to depend on the stability of the vesicles, due to the osmotic and volumetric effects on the arrangement in both head-group and tail-group.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.352-361
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• 2021

Objective: The study assessed the developmental potential of germinal vesicle (GV) oocytes subjected to in vitro maturation (IVM) after prematuration culture with cilostamide (a phosphodiesterase-3 inhibitor) and the impact of cilostamide exposure on the morphology of meiosis II (MII) oocytes and subsequent embryo quality. Methods: In total, 994 oocytes were collected from 63 patients. Among 307 GV oocytes, 140 oocytes were selected for the experimental group and 130 oocytes for the control group. The denuded GV-stage oocytes were cultured for 6 hours with cilostamide in the experimental group and without cilostamide in the control group. After 6 hours, the oocytes in the experimental group were washed and transferred to fresh IVM medium. The maturational status of the oocytes in both groups was examined at 26, 36, and 48 hours. Fertilization was assessed at 18 hours post-intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Embryo quality was assessed on days 3 and 5. Results: In total, 92.1% of the oocytes remained in the GV stage, while 6.4% converted to the MI stage (p<0.01) after cilostamide exposure. In both groups, more MII oocytes were observed at 36 hours (25.8% vs. 21.5%) than at 26 hours (10.8% vs. 14.6%) and 48 hours (13% vs. 7.9%) (p>0.05). With the advent of cilostamide, blastocyst quality was better in the experimental group than in the control group (p<0.05). Conclusion: Cilostamide effectively blocked nuclear maturation and promoted cytoplasmic growth. Prematuration culture with cilostamide enabled synchronization between cytoplasmic and nuclear maturity, resulting in better blastocyst outcomes.

• Journal of Marine Life Science
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.55-59
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• 2022

This study was conducted to provide basic information on the sexual mature and reproductive biology of Trichiurus lepturus. During the oogenesis, size of oocyte and nucleus showed the increase tendency but size ratio of nucleolus to nucleus was decreased. In the result of H-E stain, the stainability of the cytoplasm was changed from basophilic to eosinophilic. The egg diameter of initial vitellogenic oocyte was about 63.2 (±12.7) ㎛. In the cytoplasmic cortex, eosinophilic yolk nucleus was observed. The size of mature oocyte was 216.6 (±24.7) ㎛ and GVBD (germinal vesicle breakdown) was observed. The size of ripe oocyte was 317.9 (±80.9) ㎛ and the thickness of zona radiata was 4.2 (±1.7) ㎛. The oocyte developmental type is considered to belong to the group synchronous type. The accumulation of yolk in the oocyte, like most teleost, is thought to be of two types: exogenous and endogenous accumulation.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.11-15
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• 1984

To save the labour reguired for separation of copulated moth during egg Production, some of the chemicals available at the market were on screen test for easy separation of copulated moth of silkworm. The obtained results are summarized as following. 1. In a separation ratio of copulated moth along with a treating time, TCTFE(Trichloro-trifluoroethane) completely separated the copulated moth in 10 minutes. The combinations of TCTFE plus Acetone (87.5 : 12.5 V/V) and TCTFE plus Acetic acid (50 : 50 V/V) take 25minutes for the complete separation of copulated moth. Use of Acetic acid solution only makes 100% separation of copulated moth in one hour and foully minutes and non$.$treatment shows only 47.5% of separation in three and half hours. On the other hand. There is no statistical significance between TCTFE Plus Acetone and control in the egg productivity. 2. The combination of TCTFE Plus Acetone (87.5 : 12.5 V/V) does not infuluence the egg productivity of the moth, showing 443 grains for an average number of egg per moth out of which 417 grains are for the number of fertilized eggs while control shows 452 grains for an avarage number of egg/moth and 428 grains for the number of fertilized eggs. However a sing1e use of TCTFE and Acetic acid shows less egg productivity and number of ferilized eggs per moth, respectively as compared to those of the control. In particular, a single use of acetic acid makes an increase of number of non-egg prodncible moth and it seems to be brought due to a chemical damage. 3. In a rearing test of the egg laid by the chemical treated moth, there are no differences among the treatments in all of the useful characters of the larvae; larval duration, survival rate, cocoon yield, single cocoon weight, single cocoon shell weight and cocoon shell ratio. In these regards, it is recognized that TCTFE can be practically used for the separation of copulated moth and the combination of TCTFE and Acetone promote its efiectiveness on the separation of copulated moth.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.269-279
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• 2010

Some characteristics of germ cell differntiations and the function of accessory cells during spermatogenesis, and mature sperm ultrastructure in male Protothaca (N.) jedoensis were investigated by transmission electron microscope observations. The morphology of the spermatozoa of this species has a primitive type and is similar to those of other species in the subclass Heterodonta. Accessory cells, which are connected to adjacent germ cells, are involved in the supplying of the nutrients for germ cell development. The morphologies of the sperm nucleus and the acrosome of this species are the cylindrical type and cap shape, respectively. Spermatozoa are approximately $46{\sim}50{\mu}m$ in length including a long sperm nucleus (about $2.44{\mu}m$ in length), an acrosome (about $0.45{\mu}m$ in length), and tail flagellum (about $42{\sim}46{\mu}m$). The axoneme of the sperm tail shows a 9+2 structure. As some characteristics of the acrosomal vesicle structures, the basal and lateral parts of basal rings show electron opaque part (region), while the anterior apex part of the acrosomal vesicle shows electron lucent part (region). These characteristics of the acrosomal vesicle were found in the family Veneridae and other several families in the subclass Heterodonta. These common characteristics of the acrosomal vesicle in the subclass Heterodonta can be used for phylogenetic and systematic analysis as a taxonomic key or a significant tool. The number of mitochondria in the midpiece of the sperm of this species are four, as one of common characteristics appear in most species in the family Veneridae and other families in the subclass Heterodonta. However, exceptionally, only three species in Veneridae of the subclass Heterodonta contain 5 mitochondria. The number of mitochondria in the sperm midpiece can be used for the taxonomic analysis of the family or superfamily levels as a systematic key or an important tool.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Fisheries and Ocean Technology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.131-136
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• 1985

The calculation of the resulting fluid motion is an important problem of ship hydrodynamics. For a partially immersed body the condition of constant pressure at the free surface can be linearized. The resulting linear boundary-value problem for the velocity potential is the Neumann-Kelvin problem. The two-dimensional Neumann-Kelvin problem is studied for the half-immersed circular cylinder by Ursell. Maruo introduced a slender body approach to simplify the Neumann-Kelvin problem in such a way that the integral equation which determines the singularity distribution over the hull surface can be solved by a marching procedure of step by step integration starting at bow. In the present pater for the two-dimensional Neumann-Kelvin problem, it has been suggested that any solution of the problem must have singularities in the corners between the body surface and free surface. There can be infinitely many solutions depending on the singularities in the coroners.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.203-213
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• 1985

The in situ posture of anterior body of Metagonimus yokogawai was observed in experimental metagonimiasis of dog. The metacercariae were collected from naturally infected sweetfish by peptic digestion; a total of 8 dogs was orally infected with 10,000 metacercariae respectively. Two dogs were killed on 3 days, 9 days, 4 weeks and 10 weeks after the infection. The postures of worms in histological section of small intestine and of whole worms collected from the fixed intestinal mucosa were examined by light and scanning electron microscope. The results were summarized as follows: 1. The recovery rates of worms were 42.6% on 3 days, 55.0% on 9 days, 33.2% on 4 weeks and 9. 8% on 10 weeks after the infection respectively. 2. In histological sections of small intestine, most of worms were found at intervillous spaces as ovoid sections of posterior body. However, many worms, especially in 3 day-old worms, revealed protruded anterior body in glandular lumens of crypt. Some sections of anterior body were bifurcated or sacculated. 3. The worms collected from fixed intestinal mucosa under dissecting microscope exhibited a variety of postures. Many worms showed flat shapes with a concavity or curvatures. However, in many worms, the anterior body made a single or multiple protrusions. 4. By SEM observation of protruded anterior body, a longitudinal groove was found. 5. The frequency of worms with protruded anterior body decreased in 9 days, 4 weeks and 10 weeks than in 3 day-old worms. The above findings indicated that the anterior body of juvenile and adult M. yokogawai protruded to lumens of glandular crypt by folding their lateral portions to make a reversible tubelike structure. Frequent multiple protrusions were considered to be made to adapt the microniche of glandular crypts of dog intestine.