• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제29권2호
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• pp.97-103
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• 2002

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of pentoxifylline (PF) on the conventional ICSI program undergone in severe asthenozoospermia. Method: Total 348 cycles of ICSI programs undertaken at CHA General Hospital from January, 1996 to September, 2000, were divided into two groups - injected with pentoxifylline-treated sperm (PFT, 204 cycles) or non-treated sperm (NPFT, 144 cycles) and the clinical results of PFT group were compared with those of NPFT. Results: PF-treatment on sperm increased their motility of normozoospermia and severe asthenozoospermia. Fertilization rate of PFT group was higher than those of ICSI programs undertaken using sperm of NPFT (70.6% vs. 62.9%, p<0.01). And, ET and clinical pregnancy rates of PFT were slightly higher than those of NPFT (93.1%, 44.2% vs. 90.3%, 36.2%). Conclusion: These results showed that treatment of pentoxifylline has a beneficial role on selection of viable sperm in severe asthenozoospermia.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제33권1호
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• pp.53-60
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• 2006

목 적: 보조생식술에서의 정자처리법으로서 인간 난포액을 이용한 swim-down 방법의 유용성을 확인해 보고자 하였다. 연구방법: 분당서울대학교병원 산부인과에서 불임평가 목적으로 정액검사를 시행할 때 정자무력증 (asthenozoospermia, sperm motility < 50%)을 보이는 12명의 남성을 대상으로 하였다. 이들에서 검사 후 남은 정액을 100% 인간 난포액을 이용한 swim-down법과 SpermGrad를 이용한 밀도차 분리법을 적용하여 각각 처리하고 컴퓨터 정액분석기를 이용하여 정액검사를 시행하였다. 결 과: 두 군 모두에서 운동성과 빠른 운동성 정자의 비율, VCL (curvilinear velocity), ALH (amplitude of lateral head displacement)치 및 과활동성 정자의 비율이 통계적으로 유의하게 상승하였고 LIN (mean linearity)치는 유의하게 감소하였다. 100% 인간 난포액을 이용한 swim-down법에서 정자의 운동성이 SpermGrad를 이용한 밀도차분리법에 비하여 유의하게 높게 나타났으며 ($81.2{\pm}4.7$ vs. $67.6{\pm}2.3$, p=0.02), 다른 변수들은 두 군에서 차이를 보이지 않았다. 결 론: 100% 인간 난포액을 이용한 swim-down법은 정자무력증을 보이는 경우 유용한 정자 처리법으로 사료된다.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제18권1호
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• pp.89-94
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• 1991

Thirty five couples were treated by intrauterine insemination with sperm prepared by a washing and swim-up method. Fifteen women conceived(42.9%). Sperm washing and swim-up was found to significantly improve sperm motility for men of infertile couples and the increment of percent sperm motility after sperm preparation allowed significant differentiation of pregnant and nonpregnant patients in asthenozoospermia(submotile) group (p<0.01). The author suggest that the increment of percent sperm motility after sperm washing and swim-up could be a useful screening tool for in vitro procedure proposed to improve fertility in the intrauterine insemination of asthenozoospermia.

• 대한생식의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한불임학회 2001년도 제41차 추계학술대회
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• pp.116.1-116.1
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• 2001

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제13권2호
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• pp.175-180
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• 1986

It has been reported that oral kallikrein therapy exerts a favourable effect on sperm motility in asthenozoospermic patients. In order to evaluate the efficacy of kallikrein on asthenozoospermia, a total of 20 subfertile male patients with varicocele, whose sperm counts were less than $40{\times}10^6/ml$ and sperm motility was less than 30%, was subjected to this clinical study (Table 1). They were divided into 2 study groups: 1) Varicocelectomy group consisted of 10 patients with varicocele (grade II-III) who underwent varicocelectomy. 2) Kallikrein group was composed of 10 patients with varicocele (grade I) who were given kallikrein orally 600 KU (kallikrein unit) daily divided 3 times after meal for 3 to 9 months. Semen analyses were repeated twice before the study, once a month during the study and twice after the study. Effective results designate that sperm parameters improved more than 30% from the basical levels after varicocelectomy or kallikrein exposure. Sperm counts increased from $32.5{\times}10^5/ml$ to $45.5{\times}10^6/ml$ after varicocelectomy in 3 patients and sperm motility increased from 25% to 38.5% after varicocelectomy in 3 patients. Pregnancy occurred in 2 patients of 3 responders and 1 patient of 7 non-responders 3 to 6 months after varicocelectomy in Varicocelectomy group. Sperm motility increased from 28% to 40.2% after kallikrein treatment in 3 patients. Pregnancy occurred in 2 patients of the 3 responders in Kallikrein group (Tables 2-3). There were no significant changes in volume and morphology in Varicocelectomy group before after varicocelectomy and no significant changes in volume, counts, and morphology before and after kallikrein exposure. No remarkable side effects were noted with kallikrein treatment.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제14권1호
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• pp.29-35
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• 1987

Alternative methods were used in the field of infertility as the latest means for the treatment of misconception. Artificial insemination, which has been commonly used already, IVF-ET and GIFT are also used as artificicial method for conception presently. Appling such methods to the patient, following three categories should be considered; first, there should be an understanding and an agreement from the patient, second, if possible, reduce the cost of hospital expense and relieve physical and emotional problems of the patient, and third, increcrsing the pregnancy rate. Under these considerations, complication and pitfalls of artifical inseminations are a big burden to the physian and the patient. Though the conicicental complications are relatively very rare, detailed laboratoy tests, carefull examinations, and follow-up studies are necessary. In the distribution of the age groups, 40.3% was in the 25 to 29 years group, 30 to 34 years was 45%. 35 to 39 years was 8% and only 3.2% was above the 40 age groups. The range of infertile periods were from 1 to 17 years, and half of the patients were over 5 years, the other group 20% in 3 years and 2 to 4 years were 10%. Among 159 cycles of artificial insemination, there were complications such as infection(1.9%) and discomfort(5%) and abnormal bleeding (0.6%). During pregnancy, clinical abortion (1.9%) and toxemia (2.5%) were shown. Sex of new born infants were, male (68%) and female (31%). Fortunately, there were no cases of psychological complication and genetic abnormality. Indications of artificial insemination for male factors were aspermia (2.5%), azoospermia (28.8%), oligospermia (26.4%) and asthenozoospermia (1.8%), for female factors were irregular cycle (11.7%) and dysmucorrhea.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제21권3호
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• pp.247-252
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• 1994

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection(ICSI) was known as effective method in treatments of couples who unable to be helped by conventional in vitro fertilization. In 78 treatment cycles of 78 infertile couples using ICSI performed at our infertility clinic between May and August 1994 were analyzed. These patients were classified two groups, andrological factor(AF) and non-andrological factor(non-AF) group. The AF group, which had abnormal sperm physiology, included oligozoospermia, asthenozoospermia, oligoasthenoteratozoospermia(OATS) and microsurgical epididymal sperm aspiration(MESA) patients. The non-AF group, which had abnormal oocyte physiology, included abnormal zona pellucida, poor quality of oocyte and immune factor infertile patients. A single spermatozoon was injected into the ooplasm of 776 metaphase II oocytes. The fertilization rate was 44.6%(346/776) and 319 embryos were transferred. After 73 embryo transfers(93.6% of treatment cycles) 23 pregnancies were estabilshed, i. e. pregnancy rate of 29.4% per started cycle and 31.5% per embryo transfer. Fertilization rate of AF and non-AF group was 46.2% and 35.8%, pregnancy rate was 34.5%(20/58) and 20.0%(3/15), respectively. In order to increase the pregnancy rate, assisted hatching(AHA) has done after lCSl in 47 treatment cycles. Pregnancy rate of ICSI with AHA and without AHA group was 34. 0% (16/47) and 26.9%(7/26), respectively. ICSI was more effective in andrological factor infertility and the pregnancy rate was increased by ICSI with AHA procedure.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제48권2호
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• pp.97-104
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• 2021

Male infertility has a complex etiopathology, which mostly remains elusive. Although research has claimed that oxidative stress (OS) is the most likely underlying mechanism of idiopathic male infertility, the specific treatment of OS-mediated male infertility requires further investigation. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), a vitamin-like substance, has been found in measurable levels in human semen. It exhibits essential metabolic and antioxidant functions, as well as playing a vital role in mitochondrial bioenergetics. Thus, CoQ10 may be a key player in the maintenance of biological redox balance. CoQ10 concentrations in seminal plasma directly correlate with semen parameters, especially sperm count and sperm motility. Seminal CoQ10 concentrations have been shown to be altered in various male infertility states, such as varicocele, asthenozoospermia, and medical or surgical regimens used to treat male infertility. These observations imply that CoQ10 plays an important physiological role in the maintenance and amelioration of semen quality. The present article thereby aimed to review the possible mechanisms through which CoQ10 plays a role in the regulation of male reproductive function, and to concisely discuss its efficacy as an ameliorative agent in restoring semen parameters in male infertility, as well as its impact on OS markers, sperm DNA fragmentation, pregnancy, and assisted reproductive technology outcomes.

• 한국미생물·생명공학회지
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• 제49권4호
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• pp.587-593
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• 2021

Infertility is a key issue affecting mood and behavior in men. Microorganisms are one of the primary etiological agents that may be associated with infertility. The objective of the present study was to identify bacterial causative agents from the semen of infertile subjects and determine the effect of bacterial infection on sperm quality, as well as determine the susceptibility of these bacteria to drugs. Forty semen samples from 30 infertile patients and 10 fertile individuals were collected. The pH, volume, motility, and concentration of semen were analyzed. The samples were processed and identified by biochemical testing using API identification kits. The antibiotic susceptibility pattern was determined using the disc diffusion method. Abnormal sperm quality was observed. The mean age of the individual and their sperm morphology, concentration, progressive motility, pH level, and pus cell content were 31.9 years, 2.7%, 10.4 million/ml, 27.3%, 8.3, and 5.7, respectively. Among the tested samples, oligoasthenozoospermia was found to show the highest occurrence, at 27/30 samples, followed by teratozoospermia, at 25/30 samples, and asthenozoospermia, at 22/30 samples. Of the tested infertile patients' sperm, 19, 6, and 5 isolates were identified as Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Staphylococcus epidermidis, respectively. The results also revealed multi-drug resistance in the bacteria. Compared to that shown by the other tested antibiotics, amikacin showed higher activity against all isolated bacteria. However, the bacteria exhibited maximum resistance against gentamicin, cefotaxime, levofloxacin, and ampicillin. In conclusion, leukocytospermia and bacterial infections are possibly responsible for sperm abnormalities. Multi-drug resistant bacteria were detected. Gentamicin, cefotaxime, levofloxacin and ampicillin were shown the highest resistance, while amikacin was the most effective antimicrobial agent against the isolated bacteria.

• Anatomy and Cell Biology
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• 제56권4호
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• pp.518-525
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• 2023

Septin4 belong to a family of polymerizing GTP-binding proteins that are required for many cellular functions, such as membrane compartmentalization, vesicular trafficking, mitosis, and cytoskeletal remodeling. Since, Septin4 is expressed specifically in the testis, we aimed to determine the association between Septin4 gene expression with sperm quality, DNA damage, and stress oxidative level in infertile patients. The present study included 60 semen samples that grouped into three groups: normozoospermia (n=20), asthenozoospermia (n=20), astheno-teratozoospermia (n=20). Initially, semen parameters were analyzed by using the World Health Organization protocol. The mRNA expression of Septin4 in sperm was examined using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Oxidative stress markers, i.e., total antioxidant capacity, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and malondialdehyde, were determined by ELISA kit. The current study showed a statistically significant highly positive correlation in Septin4 gene expression with sperm motility, normal morphology, viability, capacity, and sperm mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). However, it showed significant negative correlation with sperm DNA fragmentation. Septin4 had a significant correlation with stress oxidative factor and antioxidant enzyme levels. In conclusion, Septin4 gene expression provides clinical useful information for the diagnosis of male infertility. It might be a marker for discrimination between fertile and infertile patients. The current study showed a statistically significant highly positive correlation in Septin4 gene expression with sperm motility, normal morphology, viability, capacity, and sperm MMP. However, it shows significant negative correlation with sperm DNA fragmentation. Septin4 had a significant correlation with stress oxidative factor and antioxidant enzyme levels.