• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.115-130
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• 2022

This paper presents an application of the maturation effect on the strength of high-strength concrete which is produced with different origin aggregates. While investigating the maturation effect on HSC 384 specimens were prepared with 22 different origin aggregates. These prepared specimens were subjected to the standard compressive tests which were applied after curing for 2, 7, 28, and 56 days under appropriate conditions. The test results revealed that bright surface-low adherence behavior is valid in normal strength concretes, but is not as effective as expected in high-strength concretes. The application of artificial neural networks (ANNs) to predict 2, 7, 28, and 56 day compressive strength of HSC is also investigated in this paper. An ANN model is built, trained, and tested using the available test data gathered from experimental studies. The ANN model is found to predict 2, 7, 28, and 56 days of compressive strength of high-strength concrete well within the ranges of the input parameters considered. These comparisons show that ANNs have strong potential as a feasible tool for predicting the compressive strength of high-strength concrete within the range of the input parameters considered.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.35-41
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• 2009

In the present study, we investigated the effects of rearing condition during the winter period on artificial maturation and reproduction of cultured female eel, Anguilla japonica. The female eel was adapted by combination of environmental conditions (seawater/low temperature, $10^{\circ}C$; seawater/high temperature, $20^{\circ}C$; freshwater/low temperature, $10^{\circ}C$; freshwater/high temperature, $20^{\circ}C$) during 8 weeks of the winter period. Then, the female eel cultivated by different conditions during the winter were transferred to seawater at $20^{\circ}C$ for induction of artificial maturation by salmon pituitary extraction (SPE) injection. The results shown that gonadosomatic index (GSI) and plasma levels of estradiol-$17{\beta}$ (E2) were significantly higher in female eel were reared in seawater than in freshwater, and were the highest at eel adapted by seawater/low temperature. Also, reproduction coefficient were higher in seawater/low temperature than in the other groups. These results will provide valuable information for elevation of the artificial maturation and reproduction coefficient in the cultured female eel.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.10
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• pp.1097-1103
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• 2017

For the artificial induction of the sexual maturation of Anguilla japonica, salmon pituitary extract (SPE) is continuously injected into females, and the eggs obtained from artificial sexual maturation are artificially fertilized with sperms and hatched. However, repeated injection of SPE in the abdominal cavity causes tremendous stress in females, which may prevent their complete sexual maturation and reduce the immune system function, ultimately resulting in death. In addition, the poor quality of the ovulated eggs can reduce the hatching and survival rate of larvae. In the present study, sexual maturation of females was induced by inserting an osmotic (OS) pump containing hormone analogs known to effectively induce sexual maturation into the abdominal cavity of female eels, and the effect of the OS pump on the induced sexual maturation was investigated. Our study results showed that the gonadosomatic index (GSI) was significantly higher in the fish subjected to SPE injection than those subjected to human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog (GnRHa), and methyl testosterone (MT) injections, either separately or in combination. In addition, a histological analysis showed that the oocytes in the SPE OS pump groups were more mature (entered the nuclear shift stage) than those in the other groups. These results suggest that an osmotic pump containing hormone analogs can be used to induce sexual maturation in female A. japonica artificially.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.231-238
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• 2010

The Induction of regeneration and maturation in the free-living gametophytes of Ecklonia stolonifera Okamura was studied at four temperatures (5, 10, 15, and $20^{\circ}C$), four levels of irradiance (5, 10, 20, and 40 ${\mu}mol\;m^{-2}s^{-1}$) and three photoperiods (14:10, 12:12, and 10:14 h L:D). Female gametophyte fragments were maintained in active regeneration without reaching sexual maturity under $5{\sim}10^{\circ}C$, 10 ${\mu}mol\;m^{-2}s^{-1}$, 10:14 h (L:D), whereas the conditions for male gametophytes were slightly different at $20^{\circ}C$, 40 ${\mu}mol\;m^{-2}s^{-1}$, 10:14 h (L:D). The sexual maturation of female and male gametophytes was facilitated at $15^{\circ}C$, 20 ${\mu}mol\;m^{-2}s^{-1}$, 14:10 h (L:D). These results provide basic information for controlling the regeneration and maturation of the free-living gametophytes for artificial seed production of E. stolonifera.

• ALGAE
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.123-131
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• 2020

Sargassum macrocarpum is a rich source of anti-inflammatory compounds. Recently, one of the compounds, tuberatolide B, has been reported as a functional anti-inflammatory additive for foods and nutraceuticals. The artificial seeding, growth and maturation of S. macrocarpum were investigated from May 2018 to September 2019. Indoor culture experiments for induction of egg release were conducted at temperatures of 17, 20, 23, and 26℃ and irradiances of 0, 10, 20, 40, and 80 μmol photons m^-2 s^-1 under 14 : 10 h (L : D) photoperiod. Within a given treatment combination, higher temperatures and irradiance levels favoured the maturation of receptacles in S. macrocarpum. Using artificial temperature and irradiance control, thalli matured one month earlier than thalli in nature. Under natural condition, receptacle formation began in April, and the eggs were released in June and July. The release of eggs from the receptacles was promoted at 17-20℃ and 40-80 μmol photons m^-2 s^-1, and the fastest growth of germlings occuring at 15-17℃ and 40 μmol photons m^-2 s^-1. For mature thalli, 300 g wet-weight was sufficient to seed 100 m of seed string. Thalli grew to 10.5 ± 2.6 cm in length at a density of 6.7 ± 3.3 individuals m^-1 after 1 year of cultivation, from germination. This study demonstrates that it is possible to cultivate S. macrocarpum for the production of anti-inflammatory products.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.219-225
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• 2007

This study investigated the correlationship between artificial maturation season and reproduction coefficient of cultured eel Anguilla japonica from May (spring) to next January (winter). The brood stock, female eels ($400{\sim}600\;g$) were artificially matured by weekly intramuscular injections of salmon pituitary extracts (SPE, 20 mg/fish) to induce a completion of vitellogenesis. After completion of vitellogenesis, final oocyte maturation and ovulation was induced by injection of $17{\alpha}$, $20{\beta}-dihydroxyprogesterone$ (DHP) at about $2\;{\mu}g/g$ body weight. Most fish ovulated $15{\sim}18\;h$ following the DHP injection. The ovulated fish were induced to natural spawning or artificial fertilization by the dry method. Males ($200{\sim}350\;g$) were received weekly intramuscular injections of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) at a dosage of 1 IU/g body weight to induce testicular maturation and spermiation. Seasonal reproduction coefficient which includes the rate of ovulation, buoyancy, fertilization and hatching of eggs in the artificially matured eel during spring to summer ($May{\sim}July$) were significantly higher than the other season, while there were no significant difference among spring and summer (P<0.05). Furthermore, the number of eggs spawned and larvae hatched in the artificially maturated eel during spring to summer ($May{\sim}July$) were significantly higher than the other season, while there were no significant difference in spring and summer (P<0.05). These results indicate that artificial maturation by hormone treatment of A. japonica was successful only during spring to summer, which is the maturation period in the wild stock in nature. Consequently, it is possible to determine the period of artificially induced sexual maturity by the reproduction coefficient which includes the rate of ovulation, buoyancy, fertilization and hatching of eggs in the cultured eel A. japonica.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.309-314
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• 2023

Shark populations are constantly decreasing owing to environmental destruction and overfishing; thus, sharks are now at risk of extinction, with 30.5% of species classified as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List. Sharks are apex predators and keystone species in balancing the marine food chain; their extinction would create an imbalance in the entire marine ecosystem. Assisted reproductive technology is a last resort for protecting animals facing extinction. Here, as a proactive effort toward building a hormone-induced artificial insemination protocol for endangered wild sharks, we identified the possibility of germ cell maturation by administration of GnRH, a commercially produced synthetic salmon gonadotropin-releasing hormone, and calculated its optimum dosage and injection timing. The experiment was conducted on one shark species, Chiloscyllium plagiosum. Injections were administered in 24 h intervals to C. plagiosum females, and 0.2 mL/kg+0.2 mL/kg were the optimal doses. These doses effectively induced maturation and, and ovulation, and oocyte release. Our results confirm that GnRH is a suitable tool for shark hormone-induced artificial insemination and indicate that this method may facilitate the conservation of endangered shark species.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.151-156
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• 2010

For industrialization of the hard clams, Meretrix petechiails (Lamarck), spawning was induced per spawning induction technique in the artificial maturation group administered of parent maturation control and the natural maturation group of which parents were transported for artificial spawning per time period. Then, fertilization rates, hatching rates and D-shaped larva development rates were investigated. In addition, growth and survival rates of larvae were investigated per larva breeding technique. The results of spawning induction by exposure in the artificial maturation group indicated that response rates were relatively higher at 23% and 32% respectively at the 4th hour and the 8th hour of exposure. In terms of water temperature increase, responses began only when the temperature reached $28^{\circ}C$ or higher. In the experiment group administered with both exposure and water temperature increase techniques, response rate was found to be 45% or higher at the 4th hour of exposure and the temperature of $28^{\circ}C$. At the temperatures of 29, 30 and $31^{\circ}C$, significant differences were not observed. Therefore, it was indicated that the response rates of parent hard clams were higher toward water temperature increase than exposure time. As for spawning induction per time period of the transported parent group, response rate and D-shaped larva development rate were the highest at 67.6% and 96% respectively on August 6, 2009. In terms of water temperatures during larva breeding experiment, growth was faster as water temperature was higher. In addition, growth and survival rates were relatively higher at the salinity of 25. In terms of stocking density, growth and survival rates were relatively higher at 5 inds./mL.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.395-412
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• 1997

Mammalian eggs are ovulated arrested at meiotic metaphase II until fertilization. Generally in mammals, fertilization results in a series of intracellular calcium oscillations that are mediated by inositol triphosphate (IP$^3$) or cyclic adenosine diphosphoribose (cADPr). The high levels of maturation promotion factor (MPF) within the cell decrease, pronuclei form, the cytoskeleton is reorganized and proteins are post-translationally modified. If all is normal, the newly formed embryo initiates the developmental program specific to that species. Artificial methods of producing these effects in pig oocytes are discussed. One potential mechanism mediated via a signal transduction pathway is present in pig oocytes. Stimulation of this pathway leads to the early events following fertilization, and electrical stimulation leads to apparently normal de v velopment to day 12. Further studies are needed to determine which mechanism(s) the sperm uses to initiate development.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.117-124
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• 2007

The present study demonstrates the changes in body weight (BW) and plasma sex steroid hormone profiles during artificial maturation induced by human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) or salmon pituitary extract (SPE) injections in cultured eel, Anguilla japonica, kept in seawater for 3 months. In the weekly SPE-injected female group, BW was relatively stable during vitellogenesis. Following induction of vitellogenesis, females exhibited a rapid increase of BW, and the oocytes were observed to be in the migratory nucleus stage at the end of the experiment. Plasma testosterone (T) and $estradiol-17{\beta}$ ($E_2$) levels increased slightly during vitellogenesis and peaked at an average of 5.82 ng/mL and 4.76 ng/mL, respectively, at the end of the experiment. In the weekly control and HCG-injected female groups, BW slowly decreased during the experimental period, and the oocytes of the two groups were observed to be at the primary yolk globule stage. In the weekly HCG-injected female group, plasma T and $E_2$ levels increased slightly during vitellogenesis and decreased afterward. In the control female group, however, plasma T and $E_2$ levels were not altered during the experimental period. Furthermore, plasma $17{\alpha},20{\beta}-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one$ (DHP) was not detected in all experimental groups. Fertility and hatching rates of SPE-injected females were significantly higher in those that ovulated 15 h after DHP injection than 18 h. These results indicate that long rearing in seawater increases responsiveness to SPE in ovarian maturation of the Japanese eel, resulting in shortened period from completion of vitellogenesis by sex steroid hormone production.