• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.153-158
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• 2010

Objective: To compare the clinical outcomes between oral micronized progesterone and dydrogesterone as a luteal phase support in stimulated intrauterine insemination (IUI) cycles. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed in 183 IUI cycles during January 2007 to August 2009. Superovulation was achieved by using gonadotropins combined with or without clomiphene citrate. The luteal phase was supported by oral micronized progesterone 300 mg/day (n=136 cycles) or dydrogesterone 20 mg/day (n=47 cycles) from day of insemination. Results: There were no significant differences in clinical characteristics such as age of female, infertility factors, number of mature follicles ($\geq$16 mm), total motile sperm counts, and endometrial thickness on triggering day between the two groups. The clinical pregnancy rates per cycle were similar between the two groups (21.3% in the micronized progesterone group vs. 19.1% in the dydrogesterone group, p=0.92). The clinical miscarriage rate tended to be 3-fold higher in the micronized progesterone group (34.5% vs. 11.1%, p=0.36). Conclusion: Supplementation of oral dydrogesterone as a luteal support has similar clinical outcomes compared with oral micronized progesterone. Large-scaled randomized study would be required to confirm our findings.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.359-365
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• 1986

Exponentially growing cells of S. cerevisiae were cultivated in the concomitant presence of $2{\times}10^{-3}\;M$ paraquat for 12 hours. Cellular growth became slower as the time passed and then, it was completely inhibited after 6 hours of cultivation. More than 70 percent of the yeast cells were killed with in 12 hours of paraquat treatment. It was observed that size of the yeast cell varied from $4.5{\times}5.5{\um}m$ to $2.5{\times}3.5{\um}m$ in diameter, while that of control was uniform. The number of budding cells became rare, Cell wall of the paraquat treated cell was thinner$(0.15{\mu}m)$ than that of control cell$(0.20{\mu}m)$. Outer part of the cell wall had higher density than inner part. Membrane structures such as plasma membrane and mitochondria was decomposed during the paraquat treatment for 12 hours.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.153-160
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• 1998

The objective of this retrospective study was to evaluate whether the transvaginal ultrasonographic analysis of endometrial pattern and thickness could predict the stage of menstrual cycle. Endometrial pattern and thickness were observed in those patients receiving infertility work up from April, 1994 to July, 1998 at Seoul National University Hospital. The study group was 185 patients with normal regular menstrual cycles. Among them, 44 patients received endometrial biopsy, and the date of endometrium was compared with the observed endometrial pattern and thickness. The observed endometrial pattern was presence or absence of central cavity echogenicity, triple line sign, endometrial hypoechogenicity, ring sign, endometrial hyperechogenicity and posterior acoustic sonic enhancement. The results were as follows; Central cavity echogenicity was seen throughout menstrual cycle. Triple line sign was observed in 81.1% of patients during early secretory phase. However, in mid to late secretory phase, triple line sign was appeared in only 6.8%. The percentage of positive endometrial hypoechogenicity was highest in early secretory phase. In contrast to hypoechogenicity, positive endometrial hyperechogenicty was highest in mid to late secretory phase. Ring sign was observed in 73.5% of the patients during early secretory phase with peak incidence. Posterior acoustic enhancement was seen in 72.7% of the patients during late secretory phase. The sensitivity and specificity of being a secretory phase if the patients showed hyperechogenic endometrium, were 84.2%, 83.3% respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of being a secretory phase if the patients showed posterior acoustic enhancement were 93.8%, 58.3% respectively. Endometrial thickness was not correlated with endometrial dating. In conclusion, transvaginal ultrasonographical delineation of the endometrial pattern might be useful tool in predicting endometrial status during normal menstrual cycle. But, endometrial thickness could not predict the endometrial dating.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.155-158
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• 2011

Uncoupling protein (UCP) 3 has a number of proposed roles in the regulation of fatty acid metabolism. A number of polymorphisms in the human UCP3 gene have been identified, and the correlation with obesity related phenotypes evaluated. The objective of this study was to identify SNP in porcine UCP3 gene and to investigate the effect of the SNP on economic traits. The sequencing analysis method was used to identify nucleotide polymorphisms at position 1405 bp (Genebank accession No : AY739704) in porcine UCP3 gene. The SNP (G150R), located in the exon 3, changed the amino acid to glycine (GGG) from arginine (AGG). This G150R showed three genotypes - GG, GR and RR - by digestion with the restriction enzyme Sma Ⅰ using the PCR-RFLP method. The G150R showed significant effects only on back fat (P<0.05). Animals with the genotype GG had significantly higher back fat thickness (1.358 cm) than animals with the genotype GR (1.288 cm, P<0.05) and RR (1.286 cm, P<0.05). However, the genotypes had no significant association with ADG and days to 90kg. According to results of this study, a G allele of the G150R was found to have a significant effect on back fat thickness. It will be possible to use SNP markers on selected pigs to improve backfat thickness, an important economic trait.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.275-281
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• 2009

Objective: This study was performed to evaluate the effect of oxytocin antagonist on the outcome of IVF/ICSI cycles in infertile patients with repeated failure of IVF/ICSI treatment. Method: Forty patients who had experienced two or more failures of IVF/ICSI treatment without low ovarian reserve, were recruited for this prospective randomized study. All patients received controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) using GnRH antagonist multidose protocol (MDP). For the intervention group, intravenous administration of atosiban (mixed vasopressin $V_{1A}$/oxytocin antagonist) started with a bolus dose 6.75 mg one hour before embryo transfer (ET) and continued at an infusion rate of 18 mg/hour. After ET, administered atosiban was reduced to 6 mg/hour and continued for 2 hours. The main efficacy endpoints were clinical pregnancy rate and implantation rate. Results: Patients' characteristics were comparable in the intervention and control groups. COS parameters and IVF results were also similar. The number of uterine contractions for 3 minutes measured just before ET was significantly lower in the intervention group than control group ($3.5{\pm}1.4$ vs $8.7{\pm}2.2$, p<0.001). While there was no statistically significant difference in the clinical pregnancy rate between control group and intervention group (20.0% and 40.0%, p=0.168), the implantation rate was significantly higher in the intervention group, with 16.9% (11/65) compared with 6.0% (4/67) in the control group (p=0.047). There were no differences in ectopic pregnancy rate and miscarriage rate between the two groups. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that administration of oxytocin antagonist during ET can improve the implantation rate probably by decreasing the frequency of uterine contractions in infertile patients undergoing IVF/ICSI treatment.