• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.69-69
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• 2006

Heterotopic pregnancy is the coexistency of intrauterine and extrauterine pregnancy. The incidence of heterotopic pregnancy is about 1 to 30,000 pregnancy in a natural cycle. However, the frequency of heterotopic pregnancy has steadily increased because of rising incidence of pelvic inflammatory disease, pelvic surgery and the development of ovulation induction and assisted reproduction. Because heterotopic pregnancy is difficult due to diagnose and it has high morbidity and mortality rate, one should always take this into consideration and should conduct careful and thorough gynecologic evaluation. We have experienced a case of heterotopic pregnancy in a 29-year old woman who presented with acute abdominal pain in a natural cycle and report this case with a brief review of literature.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.63-70
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• 2009

Objective: This study was performed to investigate the effectiveness of minimal stimulation using rhFSH and GnRH antagonist compared with GnRH antagonist multidose protocol (MDP) in IVF treated patients with aged 40 and above. Methods: Seventy-five patients with aged 40 and above were equally randomized to minimal stimulation group (n=37) or GnRH antagonist MDP group (n=38). For minimal stimulation group, ultrasound monitoring was started on cycle day 7 or 8. Daily injections of 0.25 mg cetrorelix together with 150 IU rhFSH were started from the day at 13${\sim}$14 mm of a leading follicle diameter. For GnRH antagonist MDP group, daily injections of 225 IU rhFSH were initiated from cycle day 2 and GnRH antagonist was started at a dose of 0.25 mg/day on rhFSH stimulation day 6 or the day at 13${\sim}$14 mm of leading follicle diameter. In both groups, transvaginal ultrasound-guided oocyte retrieval was performed. According to cleavage and morphologic characteristics of embryos, embryos were transferred 3 to 5 days after oocyte retrieval. Results: There were no differences in patients' characteristics and cycle cancellation rate between the two groups. Total dose and duration of rhFSH used were significantly fewer and shorter in minimal stimulation group than those in GnRH antagonist MDP group. The numbers of oocytes retrieved, mature oocytes and transferred embryos were also lower in minimal stimulation group. However, there were no significant differences in the clinical pregnancy rate and miscarriage rate between the two groups. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that minimal stimulation protocol provides comparable pregnancy rates to GnRH antagonist MDP with fewer dose and days of rhFSH used, and thus can be a cost-effective alternative in women aged 40 and above.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
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• v.15 no.4 s.48
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• pp.235-242
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• 2006

This study experimentally investigates the performance improvement of the heat pump by adopting the hot gas bypass method and using the internal heat exchanger according to the automatic defrost test conditions of ISO 5151 This study compares the hot gas bypass method with the time step method, and investigates effect on outdoor coil fan speed when the hot gas of compressor outlet enter outdoor coil inlet after the frost formation. The tests were made for the fan speeds of the outdoor coil controlled at 90, 60 and 30% of the normal speed together with the case of the stationary fan. The performance of the heat pump is evaluated by variables such as COP, heat capacity, and the average COP during the 210 minutes heating mode. Results show that average COP of the hot gas bypass mettled is $2.2{\sim}6%$ higher than that of the time step method. When the outdoor coil fan speed is 60% (780 rpm) of the normal speed, it shows the best COP and heating capacity.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Embryo Transfer Conference
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• 2002.11a
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• pp.88-88
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• 2002

인공수정 및 수정란기술의 활성화에 따라 소에 있어서 인공수정은 90%이상이 실시되고 있으나, 수정란이식은 수정란의 생산이 안정적이지 않아 활성화에 많은 지장을 초래하고 있다. 이의 원인은 수정란이식에 의한 수태율의 저하가 가장 크며, 수태율 향상을 위하여 수란우에 progesterone, hCG 등의 주사가 실시되고 있다. 그러나 이는 수정란의 착상에 있어서 자궁의 환경을 개선한다고 하나, 착상의 정확한 기전의 구명은 미미한 상태이다. 한편 비장유래 macrophage가 황체를 자극하고 TGF-$\beta$의 생산을 유도하는 것으로 보고되고 있으며, IL-I $\alpha$와 $\beta$에 따라 TGF-$\beta$ 생산에 있어서 약간의 차이를 보이는 것으로 보고되고 있다. 따라서 본 연구는 비장유래 macrophage가 TGF-$\beta$의 생산시 임신관련 Cytokine인 IL-I$\alpha$와의 관계를 조사하기 위하여 실시하였다. 임신 및 비임신 도축 암소의 비장을 채취하여 얼음에 채워 실험실로 운반한 후 비장의 표면을 70%의 알콜로 세척하고, 표피를 벗겨 비장조직을 세절하여 10% FBS+DMEM에 넣어 조직을 눌러 짜면서 조직속의 세포를 분리하였다. 세척한 배양액은 4-5$m\ell$를 100mm 유리 petri dish에 넣고 39$^{\circ}C$, 5% $CO_2$, 95% 공기인 배양기에서 2시간이상 배양하였으며, 배양 후 냉장된 buffer A 용액으로 세척하여 유리 petri dish의 바닥에 부착된 macrophage만을 cell scraper로 분리하였다. 분리한 macrophage는 0.5-1 $\times$ $10^{6}$ cells/$m\ell$가 되게 조정하여, IL-I 을 0.001, 0.01, 0.1 또한 1 ng/$m\ell$를 첨가하여 농도에 따른 효과를 조사하였고, 각각 24, 48, 72, 96 또한 120시간을 배양하여 시간에 의한 효과도 실시하였다. 각 배치구에서 얻어진 배양액은 TGF-$\beta$를 조사하기 전까지 -2$0^{\circ}C$에 동결 보존하였다. TGF-$\beta$의 측정은 TGF-$\beta$ kit(promega, USA)를 이용하여 실시하였으며, 통계학적 분석은 Anova test를 Statview program을 이용하여 분석하였다. 시험의 결과 대조구에 비해 IL-I 첨가구는 2-3배의 TGF-$\beta$생산을 보였으며, 배양시간에 따른 생산은 시간이 지남에 따라 약간 상승하는 경향을 보였으나, 유의적인 차이를 보이지는 않았다. 또한 IL-I의 농도에 따른 생산의 변화는 IL-I의 농도에 따라 약간의 차이를 보였고 유의적인 차이는 인정되지 않았다. 임신 및 비임신의 경우 임신우의 비장 macrophage가 비임신보다는 약간 상승하는 거스로 나타났다. 이상의 결과로 볼 때 IL-I $\alpha$ 는$\beta$subunit 보다 TGF-$\beta$ 생산에 있어서 서로 다른 양상을 보일 것으로 추정되며, IL-I은 macrophage의 직접적인 영향을 주기보다는 황체세포를 매개로 한 자궁에 TGF-$\beta$의 생산을 유도하는 것으로 사료되며, 임신관련 cytokine에 대한 다양한 연구가 요구되고 있다.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.293-300
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• 2009

Objective: This study was aimed to investigate whether uterine blood flow on the day of embryo transfer can be a predictor of pregnancy outcome in human IVF. Methods: Fifty-one patients undergoing IVF program were included in this study. Serum estradiol levels were measured on the day of hCG administration and uterine pulsatility index (PI) and resistance index (RI) was examined for at embryo transfer of day 3. Results: Of 51 cycles, 22 cycles were clinically pregnant (43.1%) and the implantation rate was 14.7%. Uterine PI and RI had a significant inverse correlation with serum estradiol levels (p<0.05). These uterine blood flows were not significantly different between pregnant and nonpregnant groups. The pregnancy rate was slightly higher in patients with PI more than 3.0 compared to those with PI of 3.0 or less, but there was no significant difference. Conclusion: These results suggest that uterine PI and RI at the day of embryo transfer could not be a good predictor of pregnancy in IVF treatment. But they had an inverse correlation with serum estradiol levels on the day of hCG administration.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.57-64
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• 2010

Objectives: Likewise fresh cycle, it is also important to select right blastocysts for transfer in purpose of improving the pregnancy and implantation rates in frozen-thawed embryo transfer (ET) cycles. To investigate the relationship between the developmental velocity at the time of cryopreservation and pregnancy rates, we compared pregnancy rates between the day 5 cryopreservation group and the day 6 cryopreservation group. Methods: Transfers of frozen-thawed blastocysts which had been cryopreserved by vitrification on day 5 or day 6 were performed between January 2006 and June 2007. Ethylene glycol, DMSO, and pull and cut straws were used for vitrification and artificial shrinkage was done in expanded blastocysts. Thawing was performed on the day before transfer and thawed blastocysts were cultured in for 15~18 hrs in Quinn's blastocyct media. Blastocyst survival was assessed before transfer and post-thaw survival was defined as >50% of cells remaining intact and blastocoele re-expansion by the time of transfer. Results: Transfers of thawed blastocyst had been cryopreserved on day 5 were 52 cycles and 41 transfer cycles were cryopreserved on day 6. Patient characteristics, the number of transferred embryos and the survival rate of thawed blastocysts were not different in each cryopreservation day. But the biochemical pregnancy, clinical pregnancy, ongoing pregnancy, and implantation rate were significantly high in transfer of frozen-thawed blastocyst which were cryopreserved on day 5. Conclusions: The clinical pregnancy and implantation rate of day-5 blastocyst showed significantly higher than those of day-6 blastocyst in frozen-ET cycles. This result indicated that developmental rate of blastocyst at cryopreservation time in frozen-thawed cycle is discriminative marker of pregnancy outcome as like in fresh cycle.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.189-196
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• 2007

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to investigate the clinical significance of age and basal serum FSH in predicting the outcomes of in vitro fertilization (IVF) in patients with poor-ovarian response. Methods: From January 2000 to December 2004, 85 second IVF cycles of 85 poor-ovarian response patients under the age of 42 with a back-ground of the first IVF cycles at our infertility center and 5 or less oocytes were retrieved and their basal serum FSH levels of 15$\sim$25 mIU/ml were enrolled in this study. Exclusion criteria were patients with a male factor for the etiology of infertility and undergoing genetic diagnosis of embryo such as PGD. Flare-up protocol was used for ovarian stimulation in all cases. Results: When we stratified the study groups by patient's age, the younger age group (age<35, n=35) showed significantly higher implantation rate (19.0% versus 4.0%, p<0.05) and higher ongoing pregnancy rate (100% versus 14.3%, p<0.05) than the older age group (age$\geq$35, n=50). And then, when we stratified the study populations by basal serum FSH level, the lower FSH group (basal serum FSH<20 mIU/ml, n=58) showed significantly higher number of retrieved oocytes (4.6$\pm$0.7 versus 2.2$\pm$0.5, p<0.05) and lower cancellation rate (19.0% versus 55.6%, p<0.05) than higher FSH group (basal serum FSH$\geq$20 mIU/ml, n=27). Conclusions: In conclusion, it was suggested that the patient's age could predict the IVF outcomes in respect to its potency of pregnancy and ongoing pregnancy. Serum basal FSH levels could predict more accurately the ovarian response of cycle, but not clinical outcomes.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.31-37
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• 2000

This study was designed to identify the ultrastructural changes of mouse endometrium during peri-implantation period and obtain the fundamental information for the establishment of 3-dimensional culture system of mouse endometrial cells in vitro. The used female ICR mice ($6{\sim}8$ wks) were conducted on pregnant. The biopsies were obtained from whole uterus at cycle day 1 (D1) and day 5 (D5) after hCG injection and mating. The biopsies materials were fixed 2.5% glutaraldehyde and 1% osmium tetroxide. Subsequently, for observation using light and transmission electron microscopy (LM and TEM), they were dehydrated and embedded in Epon and the embedded biopsies were sectioned and stained. For scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the fixed specimens were dehydrated, dried and coated with gold. 1) For LM, the biopsied materials at D5 (late secretory phase) were appeared the extended stromal layer by increased connective tissues and the fully developed endometrial glands and vessels compared with D1 (early secretory phase). 2) For TEM, the mouse endometrium was consisted of 3-layers, a simple polarized columnar epithelial cells, basement membrane and stromal cells. At D5, the distribution of microvilli, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi body, lipid and glycogen deposits, secretory granules and surface area of basement membrane were increased. 3) For SEM, the degree of folding and microvilli of surface of mouse epithelial cells was became more and more according to the process of secretory phase, and at D5, implantation time of mouse, the appearance of pinopodes as a specific marker of uterine receptivity was found. The uterine pinopodes of mouse were found in narrow sites at the luminal surface, irregularity and appeared the different stages in the same sample. Therefore, these results indicated that the mouse endometrium was experienced dramatic morphological changes during peri-implantation period.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.117-123
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• 1993

The condition of the endometrium is an important factor which may influence the success or failure in IVF-ET. This study was undertaken for evaluation of the value of endometrial growth as an early predictor for the success of IVF. Ultrasonographic endometrial measurement were performed in 43 IVF cycles that conceived, 101 cycles that did not with an IVF-ET There was no significant difference in the endometrial thickness and the serum concentration of estradiol in the pregnant versus nonpregnant group(10.4 vs. 9.9 mm: 2348 vs. 2017 pg/ml no hCG administration day). No correlation was found between the ultrasound image and serum estradiol levels around the time of hCG administration(r=0.54, p=0.13 no Day 2; r=0.45, p=0.14 no Day 1). The duration of gonadotropin treatment, number of follicles, number of oocytes retrieved, and fertilization rate were not statistically different in the two groups, however, there was a significant difference in the number of embryos in the pregnant versus nonpregnant group)p< 0.05). A higher pregnancy rate and ongoing pregnancy rate occured with an endometrial thickness over 11 mm compared with below 7mm(p< 0.05, p< 0.005). however, no significant differences were noted in the implantation rate and abortion rate among the groups that classified according to their endmetrial thickness. The endometrial growth(${\Delta}$) from hCG administration day(DO) to D6 was greater in the women who achieved pregnancy than in the nonpregnant group(p< 0.01). There were no significant differences in serum estradiol levels, implantation rate, pregnancy rate, and abortion rate among the groups that classified according to the pattern of echogenesity of endometrium, however, significantly higher ongoing pregnancy rate was noted in group A, B compared with group C.(p< 0.0001, p< 0.001) These results suggest that there were no ultrasonographically detectable differences in the patterns of endometrial growth and development around the time of hCG administration in patients who conceive versus those that do not in IVF-ET.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.199-206
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• 1994

We present here a new PCR-based cloning technique that allows the different PCR products during mouse embryogenesis. Recently, mRNA differential display described by Liang & Pardee (Science 257, 1992) and re-confirmed by Zimermann & Schultz (PNAS 91,1994). This method will detect the appropriate changes in the temporal patterns of expression or in the transition from maternal control to zygotic control as well as the functional difference of embryo with polyspermy or monospermy, the difference of expression between successfully hatched blastocyst and blastocyst failed to hatching, response to agents, and cell cycle regulation. By this methods, we have cloned an eDNA, which showed mouse 2 cell specific expression. Genomic DNA digested with EcoRI showed approximately 15 kb and then showed higher expression in fetal liver rather than adult liver. Furthermore, this gene is likely to have 2 mRNA by alternative splicing.