• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.29-44
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• 1990

In 105 patients with the past history of poor response to the previous controlled ovarian hyperstimulation(COH) due to poor follicular growth or premature LH surge, the effectiveness of pituitary suppression with gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist(GnRH agonist) in IVF/GIFT program was evaluated in 112 cycles of COH using a combination regimen of Leuprolide acetate (Lupron TAP Pharmaceuticals, USA) and FSH/hMG or pure FSH from May to December, 1989 at SNUH. Starting on day 21 of the menstrual cycle(MCD #21, Day 1), Lupron (1.0mg/day, subcutaneous) was administered once a day till next MCD #3(suppression phase). After the confirmation of pituitary suppression, ovarian follicular growth was stimulated with FSH/hMG or pure FSH from MCD #3(Day + 1), and Lupron was continued with hMG or FSH until hCG administration (D 0) (stimulation phase). After suppression phase, serum E2 level decreased from 183.7${\pm}$95.1(Day 1) to 17.4${\pm}$12.3pg/ml (Day +1), and serum progesterone level from 19.17${\pm}$8.67 to 0.12${\pm}$0.05ng/ml. But there was no decresas in serum LH and FSH levels; LH from 12.74${\pm}$6.21 to 15.49${\pm}$4.93mIU/ml,FSH from 7.60${\pm}$3.84 to 8.58${\pm}$3.15 rnlU/ml. There was no occurrence of premature LH surge during COH. Eleven cycles(9.8%) were cancelled due to poor follicular growth during stimulation phase, and 3 cycles (3.0%) failed in the transvaginal oocytes fretrieval. Serum E2 level was 1366.8${\pm}$642.4 on D 0 and 1492.3${\pm}$906.9pg/ml on D+1. 7.00${\pm}$3.32 follicles(FD${\geq}$12mm) were observed on D 0, and 6.11${\pm}$4.15 oocytes were retrieved, with the oocyte retrieval rate per follicle of 95.0%. 3.59${\pm}$2.57 oocytes were fertilized and cleaved with the oocyte cleavage rate of 55.7%. In 83 IVF patients, 4.08${\pm}$2.39 embryos were transferred, and 16 pregnancies were obtained with the pregnancy rate per ET 2.39 mebryos were transferred, and 16 pregnancies were obtained with the pregnancy rate per ET of 19.3%. In 6 GIFT patients, 7.83${\pm}$3.31 oocytes were retrieved and transferred with maximum number of 6, but no pregnancy was obtained. When compared with the previous 108 cycles of COH using FSH/hMG or pure FSH regimen, the cancellation rate during COH was significantly decreased, and all the parameters of the outcome of COH including the pregnancy rate were increased. These data suggest that GnRH agonist therapy for pituitary suppression is an effective adjunct to the current gonadotropin regimens for COH in IVF/GIFT and can increase the probability of oocytes retrieval and pregnancy, especially in the previous poor responders.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.138.2-138.2
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• 2011

Astronomical data such as calendar day and time of rising/setting of the sun and onset of twilight are essential in our daily lives. Knowing the calendar day of the past is particularly crucial for studying the history of a clan or a nation. To verify previous studies on the calendar day of the Joseon dynasty (1392 - 1910), we also investigated the sexagenary cycle of the new moon day (i.e., the first day in a lunar month) using different sources: results of the calculation by the Datong calendar (a Chinese Calendar of the Ming Dynasty) and data of Baekjungryeok (a Perpetual Calendar - literally, a one hundred-year almanac). Compared with the study of Ahn et al., we have found that as many as 17 sexagenary cycles show discrepancies. In the case of nine discrepancies, we found that the sexagenary cycles of this study are identical to those of the almanacs at that time. In addition, we study six sexagenary cycles by using the historical accounts of Joseon Wangjo Sillok (Annals of the Joseon Dynasty), Seungjeongwon Ilgi (Daily Records of Royal Secretariat), Chungung Ilgi (Logs of Crown Prince), and so forth. We present historical materials supporting the results of this study for the remainder. In conclusion, we think that this study will greatly contribute to the comparison between luni-solar calendar days during the Joseon dynasty and those in the modern (i.e., Gregorian) calendar.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.844-852
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• 1997

Background : Recent studies have documented increased release of endothelin(ET) during acute attack of asthma. The purpose of this study is to observe the link between plasma level and urinary excretion of each and changes during acute exacerbation. Method : Plasma and 24 hour urine were collected from sixteen asthmatics during acute exacerbation, twice ; first day of symptomatic exacerbation and two weeks after treatment. Controls were ten healthy normal subjects. All patients were treated with corticosteroid and beta-2 adrenergic agonist on admission. ET was determined by radioimmmunoassay and had 100% cross reactivity with ET-1, 67% with ET-2, 84% with ET-3, and 8% with Big-ET. Results : Plasma ETs were significantly elevated during acute attack of asthma compared with those in remission and controls.,However, there was no significant changes in urine ET concentrations or total ET amounts in 24 hour urine during exacerbation upto two weeks. Those levels of urine ET in asthmatics were still higher than controls. ET concentrations in plasma or urine were not correlated with pulmonary functional parameters and hypoxemia. Conclusion : The findings suggests that increased plasma ETs are related with exaggerated release during acute asthma. Urinary ET excretion is increased in asthma. However, urine ET changes during exacerbation should be observed in a larger and longer scale.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.35-41
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• 1998

This study was carried out to investigate the development rates of human embryos co-cultured with cumulus cells to each blastocyst stage. Human zygotes were co-cultured on cumulus cell monolayer in YS medium supplemented with 20% hFF. On day 2, if patient had four or more "good" embryos (regular blastomeres without fragmentation), embryos were further cultured for 72hrs. Blastocysts on day 5 were classified into early blastocyst (ErB), early expanding blastocyst (EEB), middle expanding Blastocyst (MEB), and expanded blastocyst (EdB) on the basis of their morphological aspects of trophectoderm cells and blastocoele. Subsequently, maximum 3 of best blastocysts were transferred in 486 cycles. The results in this study were as follows: Patients who had four or more "good" embryos on day 2 were 498 persons, but patients whose embryos could not be transferred due to failure in development to the blastocyst stage on day 5 were 12 persons (2.4%). The development rate of embryos to the blastocyst stage was 58.2% (2,885/4,957) on day 5, and the rates that developed to the ErB, EEB, MEB, and EdB stage were 15.0% (743/4,957), 14.9% (739/4,957), 14.4% (714/ 4,957), and 13.9% (689/4,957), respectively. Total 1366 blastocysts were transferred in 486 cycles (mean number=2.81). The implantation rate and the ongoing implantation rate obtained by observing the number of G-sac and FHB were 29.9% (409/1,366) and 22.5% (308/1,366), respectively. The clinical pregnancy rate was 51.2% (249/486), and the ongoing pregnancy rate' was 39.1% (190/486). Among women showing ongoing pregnancy, women with singleton were 50% (95/190), women with twin were 37.9% (72/190), and women with triplet were 12.1% (23/190). Although triplet pregnancy rate in this study was high such as 12.1%, because many blastocysts with high viability were produced in our co-culture system using cumulus cells on day 5, we really believe that a multiple pregnancy except twin should not occur by selecting good embryos for maximum two blastocyst transfer. These results demonstrate that autologous cumulus cells may be used for the production of blastocysts with high developmental competence, and the use of autologous cumulus cells to be collected easily, and to be treated conveniently at OPU must be an effective means for obtaining high implantation and pregnancy rate.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.479-487
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to analyze photochemical activity of nursery seedlings under drought stress, using chlorophyll fluorescence reaction analysis. Young nursery seedlings of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) and cucumber (Cucumis sativa L.), were grown under drought stress for 8 days. Analysis of chlorophyll fluorescence reaction (OJIP) and parameters, were performed to evaluate photochemical fluctuation in nursery seedlings under drought stress. Chlorophyll fluorescence reaction analysis showed maximal recorded fluorescence (P) decreased from the 5 day after treatment in tomato seedlings, while an amount of chlorophyll fluorescence increased at the J-I step. Thus, physiological activity was reduced. In cucumber seedlings, maximal recorded fluorescence (P) and maximal variable fluorescence ($F_V$) lowered from the 4 day after treatment, and chlorophyll fluorescence intensity of J-I step increased. Chlorophyll fluorescence parameter analysis showed electron transfer efficiency of PSII and PSI were significantly inhibited with decreasing $ET2_O/RC$ and $RE1_O/RC$ from the 5 day after treatment, in tomato seedlings and from the 4 day after treatment, in cucumber seedlings. $ET2_O/RC$ and $PI_{ABS}$ significantly changed. In conclusion, 6 indices such as $F_V/F_M$, $DI_O/RC$, $ET2_O/RC$, $RE1_O/RC$, $PI_{ABS}$ and $PI_{TOTAL}ABS$ were selected for determining drought stress in nursery seedlings. Drought stress factor index (DFI) was used to evaluate whether the crop was healthy or not, under drought stress. Cucumber seedlings were less resistant to drought stress than tomato seedlings, in the process of drought stress.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.18-29
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• 2011

Objectives: To investigate anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic effects of Gyulpidaehwangbakcho-tang (GDBT) extract in a murine model of rheumatoid arthritis. Methods: The mice received $100{\mu}g$ of bovine type II collagen in Freund's complete adjuvant by intradermal injection at the base of the tail on day 0 and a booster injection on day 21. The mice were orally administered with GDBT (200 or 50mg/kg dissolved in distilled water) daily from day 1 to day 21 after arthritis incidence, and monitored for disease incidence and the severity of arthritis up to day 21. In order to evaluate the effect of GDBT on disease progression, we examined pro-inflammatory cytokines including IL-$1{\beta}$, IL-6, TNF-${\alpha}$, COX-2 and NOS-II. Results: GDBT produced a significant and dose dependent inhibition of arthritis and inflammation during the entire duration of the study. This action was characterized by the decreased production of IL-$1{\beta}$, IL-6, TNF-${\alpha}$, COX-2, and NOS-II in vivo. Conclusion: We believe that the anti-arthritic activity of GDBT is due to its modulatory effect on the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine in the synovium. Our results contribute towards validation of the traditional use of GDBT in the treatment of RA and other inflammatory joint disorders.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.219-230
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• 2000

This study was carried out to determine the factors on achieving good viability of embryos biopsied fur sexing, to investigate pregnancy rate following embryo transfer(ET) with sexed embryos, and to confirm the accuracy for the calves bort following ET with sexed embryos by polymerase chain reaction(PCR). To investigate viability of Hanwoo embryos after biopsy for sexing, fresh and frozen/thawed embryos were biopsied according to different developmental day of blastocysts, different stage of blastocysts, and different biopsy grade and the embryos themselves were incubated for 2 hours in TCM199 after microsection to be evaluated morphologically for recovery as blastocyst. The results obtained were as follows : 1. The rate of oocytes cleaved in vitro and the rate of blastocyst of the cleaved oocytes were 52.5% and 21.6%, respectively. The rate of blastocyst on day 8 was 11.2%, denoting the highest rate during whole culture period posterior to in vitro fertilization(IVF) 2. After biopsy for sexing, the viability rate of blastocyst on day 7, 8 and 9 was 75.0%, 88.4%, and 100.0%, respectively and the viability of early, mid, and expanded blastocyst after biopsy was 75.0%, 88.9%, and 91.1%, respectively The viability rate of fresh and frozen/thawed embryos was 89.9%, 71.4%, respectively. And the viability of expanded, hatching, and hatched blastocyst of frozen/thawed embryos was : 75.0%, 75.0%, and 50.0%, respectively. The viability of embryos according to biopsy grade of 10∼20%, 21∼30%, and 31∼40% was 85.7%, 91.5%, and 71.4%, respectively. 3. Pregnancy rate after transfer with biopsied embryo between flesh and frozen/thawed embryos was 22.6% and 20.0%, respectively. 4. In comparison between sex by PCR method and sex of calves born after embryo transfer, the accuracy of sex deterimination was 92.3% (12/13).

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.116-124
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• 2013

Purpose: Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$ is thought to contribute to pulmonary hypertension. We aimed to investigate the effect of infliximab (TNF-${\alpha}$ antagonist) treatment on pathologic findings and gene expression in a monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension rat model. Methods: Six-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were allocated to 3 groups: control (C), single subcutaneous injection of normal saline (0.1 mL/kg); monocrotaline (M), single subcutaneous injection of monocrotaline (60 mg/kg); and monocrotaline + infliximab (M+I), single subcutaneous injection of monocrotaline plus single subcutaneous injection of infliximab (5 mg/kg). The rats were sacrificed after 1, 5, 7, 14, or 28 days. We examined changes in pathology and gene expression levels of TNF-${\alpha}$, endothelin-1 (ET-1), endothelin receptor A (ERA), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 2, and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase (TIMP). Results: The increase in medial wall thickness of the pulmonary arteriole in the M+I group was significantly lower than that in the M group on day 7 after infliximab treatment (P<0.05). The number of intraacinar muscular arteries in the M+I group was lower than that in the M group on days 14 and 28 (P<0.05). Expression levels of TNF-${\alpha}$, ET-1, ERA, and MMP2 were significantly lower in the M+I group than in the M group on day 5, whereas eNOS and TIMP expressions were late in the M group (day 28). Conclusion: Infliximab administration induced early changes in pathological findings and expression levels of TNF-${\alpha}$, and MMP2 in a monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension rat model.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.843-848
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• 2009

This experiment was conducted to compare the effects of oak acorns and corn on broilers growth performance, carcass characteristics and meat fatty acid (FA) composition according to different ages of broilers. Two separate groups of 400 male broilers, reared for six weeks, were fed diets containing 33.5% green oak acorns (GO) and 67% of corn (C), respectively. At day 35, the body weight of the chickens fed the GO diet was 12% lower (p<0.05) compared with controls (C). However, at day 56 birds reached similar final weights. Abdominal adipose tissue (AAT) was 78% higher in the controls compared to those fed the oak acorn-based diet. The total lipids (TL) of thigh muscle were higher in the controls compared to dietary treatment GO (3.1 against 2.5 g/100 g of muscle). There were significant differences in fatty acid (FA) composition of the muscle between two groups. The broilers fed oak acorn exhibited more C18:2, as well as a higher proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) and PUFA:SFA (saturated fatty acid) ratio than those on the control diet, but no significant differences were observed among groups for the age of birds. There was a higher proportion of linolenic acid in broilers fed the oak acorn compared to the controls (0.8 vs. 0.6%). Furthermore, linolenic acid content decreased with age (p<0.001) in both groups. The results indicated no significant differences in FA with the age of birds. In conclusion, the meat fatty acids provided by the GO diet appeared to improve the nutritional quality preferred by the consumer.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.119-126
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• 2003

In the previous study, we obtained list of differentially expressed genes between postnatal day 1 and day 5 mouse ovaries using suppression subtractive hybridization(SSH) and found that MT Oansposon-like element, clone MTi7(MTi7) was one of the highly expressed genes in the day 5 mouse ovary(Park et at., 2002). Results of in situ hybridization and RNA interference revealed that the expression of MTi7 is oocyte-specific in the ovary and may be involved in the regulation of oocyte maturation(Park et at., 2003). At present, MTi7 sequence has been known only in the mouse. Therefore, the present study was accomplished 1) to identify MTi7 sequence in the other mammalian species, such as bovine, porcine, rat, and human, and 2) to evaluate the flanking sequence of the mouse MTi7 since it has transposon characteristics. Using ovarian cDNAs derived from low different species, we cloned and identified new MTi7 sequence showing a high degree of sequence homology with the mouse MTi7(87∼98%). By using inverse PCR, we found that the mouse MTi7 may intercalated the beta-carotene 15, 15'-monooxygenase(Bcdo) gene and/or serine protease inhibitor, Kunitz Dpe I(Spint 1) gene. By finding the MTi7 sequences in the other mammalian species and the flanking gene of the MTi7 in mouse, it is expected to reveal the role(s) of MTi7 in the oogenesis as well as folliculogenesis in the near future.