• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제44권1호
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• pp.47-51
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• 2017

Objective: This study was designed to report the status of assisted reproductive technology (ART) therapy in South Korea between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2012. Methods: A localized online survey, originally developed by the International Committee Monitoring Assisted Reproductive Technologies, was first launched and provided to all available ART centers via email in 2015. Fresh embryo transfer (FET) cases were categorized as standard in vitro fertilization, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), or half-ICSI. Thawed embryo transfer (TET) and other related procedures, including surgical sperm retrieval, were surveyed. Results: Data from 33,956 ovum pick-up procedures were provided by 75 clinics in 2012. Of the 33,088 cycles in which ovums were retrieved, a complete transfer was performed in 90.5% (29,932 cycles). In addition, 10,079 FET cycles were confirmed to have resulted in clinical pregnancy, representing a pregnancy rate of 30.5% per ovum pick-up and 33.7% per ET. The most common number of embryos transferred in FET was 2 (41.6%), followed by 3 (34.0%), and non-elective single ETs (10.0%). Of the 10,404 TET cycles in which transfer was completed, 3,760 clinical pregnancies (36.1%) were confirmed by ultrasonography. Conclusion: The overall clinical pregnancy rate for FET and TET cycles in 2012 was higher than in 2011 (33.7% vs. 33.2% and 36.1% vs. 31.1%, respectively). The most common number of embryos transferred in FET cycles was 2, unlike in 2011.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제48권1호
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• pp.85-90
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• 2021

We present data from three Caucasian men with Zinner syndrome who attended our center for the treatment of primary couple's infertility. Each patient was scheduled for conventional testicular sperm extraction (cTESE) and cryopreservation. Sperm analysis confirmed absolute azoospermia. Patient 1 had right and left testis volumes of 24 mL and 23 mL, respectively; left seminal vesicle (SV) agenesis, severe right SV hypotrophy with right renal agenesis. Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) was 3.2 IU/L. Patient 2 exhibited right and left testis volumes of 18 mL and 16 mL, respectively; a left SV cyst of 32 × 28 mm, ipsilateral kidney absence, and right SV agenesis. FSH was 2.8 IU/L. Patient 3 showed a testicular volume of 10 mL bilaterally, a 65 × 46 mm left SV cyst, right SV enlargement, and left kidney agenesis. FSH was 32.0 IU/L. Sperm retrieval was successful in all patients. Nevertheless, cTESE should be performed on the day of oocyte retrieval.

• 대한수의학회지
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• 제55권3호
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• pp.155-161
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• 2015

The number of wild animal species is gradually decreasing due to poaching, hunting and habitat loss. While several endangered animal species have been successfully preserved at the zoo, assisted reproductive technology (ART) must be applied to restore wild animals. In the case of critically endangered animals, somatic cell cloning is considered the most appropriate method of ART. Somatic cell cloning can be beneficial for the reproduction of endangered species with limited female populations. However, gene and cell banks, and understanding of reproductive physiology and optimization of ART for wild animals are urgently required for further activation of artificial reproduction of endangered species, which enlarges its application and maintains biodiversity. Care should also be taken to consider ethical and legal issues associated with somatic cell cloning for conservation of endangered animals.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제49권1호
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• pp.2-8
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• 2022

Humanity is in the midst of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and vaccines-including mRNA vaccines-have been developed at an unprecedented speed. It is necessary to develop guidelines for vaccination for people undergoing treatment with assisted reproductive technology (ART) and for pregnancy-related situations based on the extant laboratory and clinical data. COVID-19 vaccines do not appear to adversely affect gametes, embryos, or implantation; therefore, active vaccination is recommended for women or men who are preparing for ART. The use of intravenous immunoglobulin G (IVIG) for the treatment of immune-related infertility is unlikely to impact the effectiveness of the vaccines, so COVID-19 vaccines can be administered around ART cycles in which IVIG is scheduled. Pregnant women have been proven to be at risk of severe maternal and neonatal complications from COVID-19. It does not appear that COVID-19 vaccines harm pregnant women or fetuses; instead, they have been observed to deliver antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV-2) to the fetus. Accordingly, it is recommended that pregnant women receive COVID-19 vaccination. There is no rationale for adverse effects, or clinical cases of adverse reactions, in mothers or neonates after COVID-19 vaccination in lactating women. Instead, antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 can be delivered through breast milk. Therefore, breastfeeding mothers should consider vaccination. In summary, active administration of COVID-19 vaccines will help ensure the safe implementation of ART, pregnancy, and breastfeeding.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제20권3호
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• pp.453-460
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• 2007

An overview of developments important in the future of animal breeding is discussed. Examples from the application of quantitative genetic principles to selection in chickens and mice are given. Lessons to be learned from these species are that selection for production traits in livestock must also consider selection for reproduction and other fitness-related traits and inbreeding should be minimized. Short-term selection benefits of best linear unbiased predictor methodology must be weighed against long-term risks of increased rate of inbreeding. Different options have been developed to minimize inbreeding rates while maximizing selection response. Development of molecular genetic methods to search for quantitative trait loci provides the opportunity for incorporating marker-assisted selection and introgression as new tools for increasing efficiency of genetic improvement. Theoretical and computer simulation studies indicate that these methods hold great promise once genotyping costs are reduced to make the technology economically feasible. Cloning and transgenesis are not likely to contribute significantly to genetic improvement of livestock production in the near future.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제63권9호
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• pp.368-372
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• 2020

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder defined by impairments in social interaction and verbal and nonverbal communication. Purpose: Determine the association between use of assisted reproduction technology (ART) and the risk of ASD among children. Methods: This case-control study included 300 participants (100 cases, 200 controls). The control group included women with a child aged 2-10 years without ASD, while the cases were women with a child aged 2-10 years with ASD. We used a researcher-made questionnaire. Data were analyzed using Stata ver. 14 at the 0.05 significance level. Results: In the univariate analysis, there was significant association between child sex, delivery mode, history of preterm delivery, history of using ART, and maternal age at child's birth and the risk of ASD. After the adjustment for other variables, this association was significant for male sex (2.66; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11-4.31; P=0.001) and history of using ART (4.03; 95% CI, 1.76-9.21; P=0.001). Therefore, after the adjustment for confounder variables, there was no significant association between ART and the risk of ASD among children (4.98; 95% CI, 0.91-27.30; P=0.065). Conclusion: After the adjustment for other variables, risk factors for ASD were male sex and history preterm delivery. Thus, there was no significant association between ART and the risk of ASD among children.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제41권4호
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• pp.168-173
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• 2014

The purpose of this study is to report a successful twin pregnancy and delivery in a female patient with X-linked dominant incontinentia pigmenti (IP) who underwent assisted reproductive technology followed by preimplantation genetic screening (PGS). A 29-year-old female with IP had a previous history of recurrent spontaneous abortion. A molecular analysis revealed the patient had a de novo mutation, 1308_1309insCCCCTTG(p.Ala438ProfsTer26), in the inhibitor of the kappa B kinase gamma gene located in the Xq28 region. IVF/ICSI and PGS was performed, in which male embryos were sexed using array-based comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH). After IVF/ICSI and PGS using aCGH on seven embryos, two euploid male blastocysts were transferred with a 50% probability of a viable male pregnancy. The dizygotic twin pregnancy was confirmed and the amniocentesis results of each twin were normal with regard to the mutation found in the mother. The patient delivered healthy twin babies during the 37th week of gestation. This case shows the beneficial role of PGS in achieving a successful pregnancy through euploid male embryo gender selection in a woman with X-linked dominant IP with a history of multiple male miscarriages.

• 한국산학기술학회논문지
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• 제17권8호
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• pp.318-326
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• 2016

본 연구는 난임 치료 시술 유경험자를 대상으로 난임 특성을 파악하고, 특성에 따른 보조생식술의 치료 결과와의 관계를 분석하였다. 울산 일 산부인과전문병원의 협조를 얻어, 2012년~2013년까지 난임 시술을 받은 344명의 데이터를 수집하여 분석하였다. 분석방법은 교차분석, 로지스틱 회귀분석을 하였고, 통계적 검정은 ${\chi}^2-test$를 하였다. 난임 대상자 특성은 30대(72.1%)가 가장 많았고, 질병은 없는 경우(70.9%), 출산 자녀도 없음(77.0%)이 가장 많았다. 난임 원인은 연령이 높을수록 자궁요인이 많았고, 연령이 낮을수록 난소 요인이 많았다. 보조생식술을 시행한 시술은 IUI(51.5%), IVF(23.0%), IUI+IVF(25.6%) 이었고, 보조생식술 시술은 연령(p<.013), 난임 기간(p<.014), 유산경험(p<.008)이 통계적으로 유의하였다. 보조생식술 시술 결과 임신이 34.9%이었고, 그 중 인공수정은 49.2%, 체외수정은 50.8% 이었다. 성공 시술 평균 횟수는 인공수정 시술은 1.64회, 체외수정 시술은 1.36회로 체외수정이 인공수정보다 0.28회 낮았다. 따라서 보조생식술 유형에 따른 임신 성공률을 높이기 위해서는 인공수정 시술은 연령이 낮고, 난임 기간이 짧을수록, 출산 자녀가 없는 경우, 체외수정 시술은 연령이 높고, 난임 기간이 길수록, 출산 자녀가 있는 경우 선택해야 한다. 본 연구는 보조생식술을 시행한 전체를 대상자로 분석하였다는 연구적 의의가 있으나, 일 광역시라는 지역적 제한으로 일반화 하기는 어렵다. 이를 기초로 지역별 및 전국 난임 치료자를 대상으로 한 후속 연구가 이루어진다면 난임 원인별 특성을 파악하여, 효율적 치료 방안 구축 마련에 도움이 될 것이다.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• 제37권1호
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• pp.17-22
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• 2013

Although assisted reproductive technology is very useful to develop novel and therapeutic biomaterials for reproduction, research on molecular mechanism of folliculogenesis in pig is not clear. Therefore, the alteration of gene expression during follicular development in pigs was examined in this study. The expression of folliculogenesis-related genes was quantified in preantral ($250{\sim}300{\mu}m$) and antral (> $300{\mu}m$ in diameter) follicles, and overall gene expression was evaluated by a genome-wide microarray. The microarray results showed that 219 genes were differentially expressed, and of those, 10 and 22 known genes showed higher and less expression at the preantral stage than at antral stages, respectively. Among them, the expression of NR0B1, PPARG, GATA4, and ANXA2 genes related to folliculogenesis was validated by quantitative real-time PCR analysis. The expression of PPARG and GATA4 genes were increased at antral stages, but a significantly stage-specific increase (p<0.05) was only detected in annexin A2 (ANXA2) in antral-stage follicles. The expression of NR0B1 genes was increased at preantral stage and these patterns of gene expression were comparable to the results obtained by microarray analysis. We propose that the systematical regulation of genes supporting specific follicle stage should be employed for improved in-vitro folliculognesis.

• 한국습지학회지
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• 제25권4호
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• pp.257-266
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• 2023

전 지구적으로 개체수가 감소하고 있는 양서류는 멸종 위기에 직면하고 있다. 서식지 파괴와 질병, 기후변화 및 환경오염으로부터 위험에 처한 양서류의 생물다양성과 지속 가능한 관리를 위해, 각 국에서는 생태정보 파악 및 번식 생태학에 대한 활발한 연구를 진행하고 있다. 정자 동결보존은 양서류의 유전자 다양성 유지를 돕는 중요한 보조 생식 기술로 알려져 있으며, 여러 연구를 통해 기술 개발의 상당한 진전이 보고되었다. 그러나, 크기가 큰 양서류 정자 세포의 경우 삼투압 스트레스에 대한 높은 민감도로 인해, 종마다 최적의 동결보호제와 냉각 및 해동 속도가 다르다는 한계가 있다. 또한, 동결보호제의 농도에 따른 독성 유발과 동결보존 후 해동된 정자 세포의 수정 성공률 및 자손의 생존율의 장기적인 영향을 평가하는데 어려움이 있다. 본 문헌 고찰은 양서류 보존에 있어서 동결보존 기술 개발 중요성의 개요를 제공하며, 기존 동결 보존제의 한계점에 대한 최적 보존제의 조합 탐색의 필요성을 강조한다. 해동 후 수정과 번식 성공뿐만 아니라, 자손의 생존 및 생식 성공까지 장기적인 모니터링 평가 도입을 통해 양서류 보전 방법에 대한 기초 연구 자료로 활용될 수 있을 것이다.