• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.63 no.3
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• pp.358-365
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• 2020

To describe how to perform urological evaluation in children with tethered cord syndrome (TCS). Although a common manifestation of TCS is the development of neurogenic bladder in developing children, neurosurgeons often face difficulty in detecting urological problems in patients with TCS. From a urological perspective, diagnosis of TCS in developing children is further complicated due to the differentiation between neurogenic bladder dysfunctions and transient bladder dysfunctions owing to developmental problems. Due to the paucity of evidence regarding evaluation prior to and after untethering, I have shown the purpose and tools for evaluation in my own practice. This may be tailored to the types of neurogenic bladder, developmental status, and risks for deterioration. While the urodynamic study (UDS) is the gold standard test for understanding bladder function, it is not a panacea in revealing the nature of bladder dysfunction. In addition, clinicians should consider the influence of developmental processes on bladder function. Before untethering, UDS should reveal synergic urethral movement, which indicates an intact sacral reflex and lack of TCS. Postoperatively, the measurement of post-void residual urine volume is a key factor for the evaluation of spontaneous voiders. In case of elevation, fecal impaction, which is common in spinal dysraphism, should be addressed. In patients with clean intermittent catheterization, the frequency-volume chart should be monitored to assess the storage function of the bladder. Toilet training is an important sign of maturation, and its achievement should be monitored. Signs of bladder deterioration should be acknowledged, and follow-up schedule should be tailored to prevent upper urinary tract damage and also to determine an adequate timing for intervention. Neurosurgeons should be aware of urological problems related to TCS as well as urologists. Cooperation and regular discussion between the two disciplines could enhance the quality of patient care. Accumulation of experience will improve follow-up strategies.

• Journal of Korean Library and Information Science Society
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.31-50
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• 2011

In education, evaluation is an important element because instructor can judge the growth and development of students, it has been to bring about quality improvement in education. Performance assessment has emerged to overcome traditional evaluation such as paper test, multiple choice test. Performance assessment is an approach to measuring a student's status based on the way the student completes a specified task. Information literacy instruction is aimed at cultivating information literacy. Performance assessment suitable for measurement to status of Information literacy. In order to performance assessment, task should have the first. However, instructor is difficult to develop a good performance task to meet the assessment needs. Therefore, this research aims at suggesting the developmental tool of performance task applicable to Information literacy instruction. The proposed tool is a template type, consists of 4 steps, educational goals and learning objectives, knowledge and capabilities, task types, measurement and scoring criteria.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.201-210
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• 1996

This experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of early mouse embryonic development in vitro by co-culture with bovine and porcine oviductal epithelial cells (BOEC and POEC). The 2-cell embryos were collected from the oviducts of the superovulated and mated cultured in D-PBS /15% FCS at 48 hours after hCG injection. The in vitro developmental rate of blastocyst formation in the embryos were examined under the fllowing treatments; 1) TCM 199 added 15% HCS, 2) Ham's F-10 added 15% HCS, 3) MediCult IVF medium, 4) TCM 199 added 15% HCS + BOEC, 5) TCM 199 added 15% HCS + POEC, 6) Ham's F40 added 15% HCS + BOEC, 7) Ham's F-10 added 15% HCS + POEC,8) MediCult IVF medium + BOEC, 9) MediCult IVF medium + POEC. For a comparative study of in vitro development for 96 hours after hCG injection, were cultured with oviductal epithelial cell and media only. The obtained results were 2-cell embryos developed to the blastocyst stage in TCM 199, Ham's F-10 and MediCult IVF medium at the rates of 84.4,83.2 and 81.6%. respectively. The higher developmental rates(91~97%) of blastocyst formation was appeared when the embryos were co-cultured with a monolayer of bovine or porcine oviductal epithelial cells in TCM 199 or Ham's F-10 and MediCult IVF media. No significant difference in developmental rates was shown between bovine and porcine oviductal epithelial cells but significant difference in co-culture system in comparison between media only system and co-cultures. In conclusions, oviductal epithelial cells, BOEC and POEC, when co-culture with mouse early embryos improved the rates of development, blastocyst and hatching. Therefore, it is suggested that co-culture system using oviductal epithelial cells improve early embryonic developtnent in mouse.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.23 no.9
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• pp.1152-1158
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• 2010

In differentiating human embryonic stem (d-hES) cells there are a number of types of cells which may secrete various nutrients and helpful materials for pre-implantation embryonic development. This study examined whether the d-hES could function as a feeder cell in vitro to support mouse embryonic development. By RT-PCR analysis, the d-hES cells revealed high expression of three germ-layered differentiation markers while having markedly reduced expression of stem cell markers. Also, in d-hES cells, LIF expression in embryo implantation-related material was confirmed at a similar level to undifferentiated ES cells. When mouse 2PN embryos were cultured in control M16 medium, co-culture control CR1aa medium or co-cultured with d-hES cells, their blastocyst development rate at embryonic day 4 (83.9%) were significantly better in the d-hES cell group than in the CR1aa group (66.0%), while not better than in the M16 group (90.7%)(p<0.05). However, at embryonic days 5 and 6, embryo hatching and hatched-out rates of the dhES cell group (53.6 and 48.2%, respectively) were superior to those of the M16 group (40.7 and 40.7%, respectively). At embryonic day 4, blastocysts of the d-hES cell group were transferred into pseudo-pregnant recipients, and pregnancy rate (75.0%) was very high compared to the other groups (M16, 57.1%; CR1aa, 37.5%). In addition, embryo implantation (55.9%) and live fetus rate (38.2%) of the d-hES cell group were also better than those of the other groups (M16, 36.7 and 18.3%, respectively; CR1aa, 23.2 and 8.7%, respectively). These results demonstrated that d-hES cells can be used as a feeder cell for enhancing in vitro and in vivo developmental potential of mouse pre-implantation embryos.

• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
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• 2001.03a
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• pp.64-64
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• 2001

To facilitate the widespread application of somatic cell cloning, improvements in blastocyst production efficiency and subsequent fetal viability are required. Area where technical improvements are needed include donor cell treatments, starvation and passage numbers. This study was carried out to investigate the effect of serum-starvation and passage on the development of ear skin fibroblast cells cloned embryos. A skin biopsy was obtained from the ear of a 2-year-old Korean Hanwoo female. The cells were cultured in 10% FBS＋DMEM up to 2-3 months(up to 10 passages) and then used. In Experiment 1, the Korean bovine Ear Skin Fibroblast cells (KbESF) were either serum starved (culture in 0.05% FBS＋DMEM) or serum fed (10% FBS＋DMEM) for 4-7 days Prior to NT In Experiment 2, the KbESF cells used for nuclear transfer in these experiments were from passages 2 to 10. The development of 208 nuclear transfer (NT) embryos reconstructed from either serum starved or serum fed ear skin fibroblast was assessed. NT embryos reconstructed from serum starved and serum fed cells showed the same developmental rate (cleavage 80.16 vs. 85.37%; blastocyst 20.63 vs. 19,51%). The development of 590 nuclear transfer (NT) embryos reconstructed from passage 2 to 10 was assessed. We observed the same developmental rates for embryos derived from later Passages as compared with those embryos from early passages(blastocyst from 16.69 to 27.91%, average 20.17%). There was no significant difference between serum-fed and serum-starved donor cells. We observed no difference in developmental rates for embryos derived from 2 to 10 passages. These data show that prolonged culture and serum starvation does not affects the cloning competence of adult somatic cells.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.133-139
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• 2005

Oxidative stress is one of the major causes of failure in in vitro storage of boar semen. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are known to be important mediators of such stress. The present study examined the effects of pyruvate and taurine on sperm motility and expression of BAD, Cytochrome c, Caspase-3 and Cox-2 protein in in vitro storage of boar semen, and tested the effect of semen treated with antioxidant with or without hydrogen peroxide on the development of IVM/IVF porcine embryos. Semen samples were transported to the laboratory at $17^{\circ}C$ within 2 hr after collection and were treated with different concentration of pyruvate $(1\~10mM)$ and taurine $(25\~100mM)$ with or without 250uM $H_2O_2$ respectively. The supplementation of pyruvate and taurine increased sperm motility in boar semen during in vitro incubation at $37^{\circ}C$. Expression of apoptosis protein (BAD, cytochrome c, caspase-3 and cox-2) were reduced in the group of boar semen treated with pyruvate and taurine when compared to the other groups. The developmental rates of IVM/IVF porcine embryos fertilized by semen treated with pyruvate and taurine were significantly increased when compared to control (P<0.005). These results indicate that supplementation of pyruvate and taurine as antioxidants in boar semen extender can improve the semen quality and increase in vitro development of porcine IVM/IVF embryos when boar semen treated with antioxidants was used for in vitro fertilization.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.191-196
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• 1996

The objective of this study were to investigate the effects of culture media and additives on the development of bovine in vitro matured(IVM) and in vitro fertilized(IVF) oocytes. In experiment 1, bovine oocytes were cultured in droplets of TC 199 supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum(FBS) with or without hormones (5$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml FSH, 5$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml LH, 1$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml E2). Cleavage rates of embryos cultured for 40~44hrs after IVF were higher when embryos were cultured in TC 199 supplemented hormones (68.1%, 921/35) than without hormones (52.7%, 77/146), but the percentages of development beyond morulae stage were not difference (20.7%, 19.4%). In experiment 2, the effects of various media such as TC 199, synthetic oviduct fluid(SOF), CR1aa with different energy source (fatal bovine serum, FBS; bovine serum albumin, BSA) on developmental capacity of IVM/IVF bovine embryos were investigated. The developmental rates into morulae and blastocysts were 27.1, 10.7, 6.3 and 0%, respecitvely, in CR1aa plus 3mg/ml BSA, SOF plus 10% FBS, TC 199 plus 10% FBS, SOF plus 3mg/ml BSA. In experiment 3, the comparisons of bovine embryos developed to morulae and blastocysts in different culture media (TC 199, SOF, CR1aa, Menezo's B2) were investigated. The developmental capacity beyond morulae stage were 32.9, 26.6, 11.1 and 7.1%, respectively, in Menezo's B2 plus BSA, CR1aa plus BSA, SOF plus BSA, TC 199 plus FBS medium. The cell numbers of the blastocyst were not different in different cultrue media. In experiment 4, bovine embryos were co-cultured with vobine oviduct epithelial cells(BOEC) in TC 199 plus FBS, SOF plus BSA, CR1aa plus BSA, Menezo's B2 plus BSA. The morula and blastocyst rates were 44.7, 32.9, 26.0 and 23.3%, respectively, in CR1aa TC 199, SOF, and Menezo's B2 medium. The cell numbers of the blastocyst were similar to those of blastocyst developed in different culture media.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.337-346
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• 2005

Objective: The oligosaccharide moieties of glycoproteins and proteoglycans have a vital function in blastocyst differentiation. Concanavalin (ConA), a lectin, is known to bind on the preimplantation embryos, especially on blastocyst. In this study, we investigated whether ConA can modulate the trophoblast development and about the regulating mediator. Also, we investigated whether expansion is enough for hatching procession of the mouse blastocyst. Method: Embryos were collected at 72 h post hCG injection and chemicals were treated after 24 h (96 hr post hCG injection). ConA or calcium ionophore A23187 were exposed to blastocyst and than analysis the developmental process for 48 hr. Intracellular free-$Ca^{2+}$ concentration in trophectoderm was measured with confocal laser microscope after exposing to ConA or calcium ionophore A23187. ConA-pretreated blastocyst exposed to the calcium ionophore A23187 and then analyzed the developmental process. Otherwise ouabain was treated to the blastocyst to block the $Na^+/K^+$-ATPase activity. Results: In contrast to the control blastocyst, the ConA-exposed blastocysts developed beyond the expansion stage with significantly high rate (90.4%) at 12 h post administration. ConA induced an increase the intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ concentration in trophectoderm. Calcium ionophore A23187 also stimulated expansion of blastocyst. Most of the control blastocysts developed to the hatching stage at 144 h post hCG injection. However, strongly 65% of the ConA-exposed embryos were arrested at expanded stage at same time point. The developmental progression rates to hatching stage of both ConA- and calcium ionophore A23187-expose blastocysts were significantly lower than that of the control. However ConA-pretreated embryos developed to the hatching stage like control embryos. Ouabain showed a tendency to delayed the progress to expansion stage but did not inhibit the development to the hatching stage. Conclusion: ConA-mediated expansion is the result of the increase of intracellular free-calcium in blastocyst stage embryo. It is suspected that expansion of the blasocyst is a essential indirect factor in hatching and the calcium may triggering the cellular mechanisms for the both expansion and hatching progression.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.153-160
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• 2012

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare vitrification optimization of mouse embryos using electron microscopy (EM) grid, cryotop, and thin plastic strip (TPS) containers by evaluating developmental competence and apoptosis rates. Methods: Mouse embryos were obtained from superovulated mice. Mouse cleavage-stage, expanded, hatching-stage, and hatched-stage embryos were cryopreserved in EM grid, cryotop, and TPS containers by vitrification in 15% ethylene glycol, 15% dimethylsulfoxide, 10 ${\mu}g/mL$ Ficoll, and 0.65 M sucrose, and 20% serum substitute supplement (SSS) with basal medium, respectively. For the three groups in which the embryos were thawed in the EM grid, cryotop, and TPS containers, the thawing solution consisted of 0.25 M sucrose, 0.125 M sucrose, and 20% SSS with basal medium, respectively. Rates of survival, re-expansion, reaching the hatched stage, and apoptosis after thawing were compared among the three groups. Results: Developmental competence after thawing of vitrified expanded and hatching-stage blastocysts using cryotop and TPS methods were significantly higher than survival using the EM grid (p<0.05). Also, apoptosis positive nuclei rates after thawing of vitrified expanded blastocysts using cryotop and TPS were significantly lower than when using the EM grid (p<0.05). Conclusion: The TPS vitrification method has the advantages of achieving a high developmental ability and effective preservation.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.12
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• pp.7561-7568
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• 2013

Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is a carbohydrate-binding protein which is thought to be involved in cancer progression but its contribution to epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) remains unclear. The present study sought to determine the role of Gal-3 in chemoresistance of the human SKOV-3 ovarian cancer cell line to paclitaxel (PTX) using recombinant human Gal-3 (rhGal-3) and PectaSol-C modified citrus pectin (Pect-MCP) as a specific Gal-3 competitive inhibitor. Our results showed 41% increased cell proliferation, 36% decreased caspase-3 activity and 33.6% increased substrate-dependent adhesion in the presence of rhGal-3 compared to the control case (p<0.001). Treatment of cells with a non-effective dose of PTX (100nM) and 0.1% Pect-MCP in combination revealed synergistic cytotoxic effects with 75% reduced cell viability and subsequent 3.9-fold increase in caspase-3 activity. Moreover, there was 39% decrease in substrate-dependent adhesion compared to control (p<0.001). These results suggest that inhibition of Gal-3 could be a useful therapeutic tool for combination therapy of ovarian cancer.