• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.15-19
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• 2007

The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between body condition score (BCS), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and estrous expression for the purpose of improving reproductive performance. In total, 37 ovulations and 28 estrous detection were observed among 51 Holstein-Friesian dairy cows. The estrous inducement rate and estrous expression rate were significantly lower for cows with BCS below 2.0 than for cows with BCS above 2.0. There was 0% of rate of standing heat in cows with BCS below 2.0 whereas the rate of standing heat was markedly increased in cows with BCS above 2.0 (46.7% and 64.7% for BCS $2.0{\sim}2.49$ and BCS $2.5{\sim}3.0$ cows, respectively). The estrous expression rate was significantly lower for cows with BUN below 10mg/dl than for cows with BUN above 10mg/dl. There was no significant difference among duration time of estrus, estrous behavior patterns and BUN concentration. The rate of estrous expression and concentration of BUN was not significantly different between primiparous and multiparous cows. This result shows that the level of BCS and BUN affect the estrous expression. Considering the situation that estrous expression is decreased in recent years, effective nutritional management should be accompanied to improve reproductive performance.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.81-91
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• 2020

As part of method for ecologically utilizing abandoned paddy, potential of the abandoned paddy as a target site for ex-situ conservation of 9 endangered species of different life form was confirmed by considering the nature of rice paddy. In order to create Dum-bung, a component of traditional Korean rice paddy, a part of the abandoned paddy was modified to change the water environment. The seeds, asexual reproductive and sexually reproductive individuals of each endangerd species were transplanted into the abandoned paddy to observe the survival rate and phenological response for 1 year, and then monitored for 2 years. As a result, Hydrophyte 4 taxa (Euryale ferox, Saururus chinensis, Dysophylla yatabeana, Menyanthes trifoliata), Geophyte taxa 1 (Epilobium hirsutum), and Hemicryptophyte taxa 1 (Cicuta virosa) could be introduced into the abandoned paddy. In particular, Euryale ferox, Dysophylla yatabeana, and Menyanthes trifoliata should be introduced into Dum-bung, and Saururus chinensis, Epilobium hirsutum, and Cicuta virosa should be introduced into paddy wetland. Growth of Euryale ferox and Brasenia schreberi was inhibited by herbaceous species, and the growth of Epilobium hirsutum was inhibited by herbivores. Therefore, in order to help efficient settlement of endangered plants introduced in abandoned paddy, it is necessary to remove herbs that inhibit growth and to manage herbivores. In addition, it is necessary to prevent the collapse of paddy bank by planting on the paddy field trees or herbaceous forming vegetation mat. When using abandoned paddy ecologically, it is effective to diversify the moisture environment by creating a Dum-bung to increase biodiversity.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.125-131
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• 2007

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare GnRH antagonist and agonist flare-up treatment in the management of poor responder patients. Methods: One hundred forty-four patients from Jan. 1, 2002 to Aug. 31, 2005 undergoing IVF/ICSI treatment who responded poorly to the previous cycle (No. of oocyte retrieved$\leq$5) and had high early follicular phase follicle stimulating hormone (FSH>12 mIU/ml were selected. Seventy-five patients received agonist flare-up protocol and 71 patients received antagonist protocol. We analyzed the number of oocytes retrieved, number of good embryos (GI, GI-1), total dose of hMG administered, implantation rate, cycle cancellation rate, pregnancy rate, live birth rate. Results: The cancellation rate was high in antagonist protocol (53.5% vs. 30.1%). The number of oocyte retrieved, the number of good embyos were high in agonist flare-up group. There was no statistical difference between GnRH agonist flare up protocol and GnRH antagonist protocol in implantation rate (14.5%, 10.1%), clinical pregnancy rate per transfer (29.4%, 21.2%) and live birth rate per transfer (21.6%, 18.2%). Although the result was not statistically significant, GnRH agonist flare up group showed a nearly doubled pregnancy rate and live birth rate per initial cycle than GnRH antagonist group. Conclusions: The agonist flare-up protocol appears to be slightly more effective than the GnRH antagonist protocol in implantation rate, pregnancy rate, live birth rate but shows statistically no significance. Agonist flare-up protocol improved the ovarian response in poor responders. However, based of the result of the study, we can expect improved ovarian response in poor responders by GnRH agonist flare up protocol.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.184-195
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• 2023

To develop an effective management plan for Ambrosia trifida L., an invasive alien plant in Korea, we assessed the potential of Ophraella communa LeSage as a biological control agent. This involved investigating the host specificity of the herbivore Ophraella communa LeSage, its annual travel distance, and the impact of this insect on the fitness of Ambrosia trifida L. We confirmed the host plant preference of Ophraella communa LeSage. The travel distance of this insect was determined by monitoring its appearance in selected Ambrosia trifida L. communities without these insects at distances of 10, 20, 30, and 100 meters, based on the locations where the presence of Ophraella communa LeSage was observed. The growth, reproductive, and physiological responses of Ambrosia trifida L. were measured according to feeding by Ophraella communa LeSage. As a result, Ophraella communa LeSage fed on only three taxa and moved short distances within a radius of 30 m per year from the host. The feeding behavior of the herbivore had a negative impact on the growth, reproductive, and physiological responses of Ambrosia trifida L. And the plant's growth and reproduction improved with increasing distance from the herbivore. Furthermore, the introduction of herbivores was able to control over 90% of Ambrosia trifida L. when the coverage of the Ambrosia trifida L. group was below 50%. However, the effectiveness of the removal decreased when the coverage exceeded 90%. These results are likely to be utilized by Ophraella communa LeSage as an ecological control agent. It is advantageous to introduce them in spring (May) when the coverage is low to maximize the effectiveness of control.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.113 no.1
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• pp.97-106
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• 2024

Evaluating carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) inputs from litterfall is important for soil nutrient management to enhance forest productivity and to understand the mechanisms of nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems. This study was conducted to compare C and N inputs from litterfall components of Cryptomeria japonica D. Don an d Chamaecyparis obtusa Endlicher planted in adjacent sites in the Jinju Research and Experimental Forests in Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea. Litterfall into litter traps was collected at three-month intervals between December 2020 and December 2021, and the C and N concentrations of the litterfall components were measured. Litterfall amounts were not significantly different between the plantations, except for reproductive litterfall components. Litterfall accumulation peaked between December and March. The litterfall C concentration in the needle and seed litterfall was significantly higher for C. obtusa than for C. japonica. By contrast, the C concentrations in needle and flower litterfall differed seasonally. The mean N concentration of needle litterfall was significantly higher in C. japonica (0.96%) and C. obtusa collected between June and September (1.01%) than in the other seasons (C. japonica: 0.43%; C. obtusa: 0.53%). Carbon and N inputs in both plantations were highest in needle litterfall collected from December to March and lowest in needle litterfall collected from June to September. Annual C input by litterfall was similar between the plantations (C. japonica: 3,054 kg C ha^-1 yr^-1; C. obtusa: 3,129 kg C ha^-1 yr^-1), whereas total N input was higher for C. japonica (46.93 kg N ha^-1 yr^-1) than for C. obtusa (25.17 kg N ha^-1 yr^-1). The higher N input in the C. japonica plantation than in the C. obtusa plantation was associated with the input of reproductive components. These results could be applied to improve stand-scale models of C and N cycling by litterfall components in C. japonica an d C. obtusa plantations.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.133-144
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• 2022

This study was conducted to investigate the cultivation period, adaptive genetic resources, growth and development patterns, and water consumption for rice cultivation in the desert environment of United Arab Emirates (UAE). R esearch on rice cultivation in the desert environment is expected to contribute to resolving food shortages caused by climate change and water scarcity. It was found that the optimal cultivation period of rice was from late November to late April of the following year during which the low temperature occurred at the vegetative growth stage of rice in the UAE. Asemi and FL478 were selected to be candidate cultivars for temperature and day-length conditions in the desert areas as a result of pre-testing genetic resources under reclaimed soil and artificial meteorological conditions. In the desert environment in the UAE, FL478 died before harvest due to the etiolation and poor growth in the early stage of growth. In contrast, Asemi overcame the etiolation in the early stage of growth, which allowed for harvest. The vegetative growth phases of Asemi were from early December to early March of the following year whereas its reproductive growth and ripening phases were from early March to late March and from late March to late April, respectively. The yield of milled rice for Asemi was 763kg/10a in the UAE, which was about 41.8% higher than that in Korea. Such an outcome was likely due to the abundant solar radiation during the reproductive growth and grain filling periods. On the other hand, water consumption during the cultivation period in the UAE was 2,619 ton/10a, which was about three times higher than that in Korea. These results suggest that irrigation technology and development of cultivation methods would be needed to minimize water consumption, which would make it economically viable to grow rice in the UAE. In addition, select on of genetic resources for the UAE desert environments such as minimum etiolation in the early stages of growth would be merited further studies, which would promote stable rice cultivation in the arid conditions.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.367-378
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to explore the factors related to internet addiction in college student of Korea. Methods: From November 19, 2012 until December 14, 2012, 300 college students from one of the universities located at K city were surveyed. This study is a cross-sectional survey of college students in K city, and data was collected through self-report questionnaires. Data was analyzed by Fisher's exact test, independent t-test to identify different according to addiction group, and logistic regression analysis in order to factors related to on health behavior, sexual behavior and mental health of among college students. According to results, factors related to risk of addiction were lower frequency of exercise (p<0.05), no eat breakfast for 2 day (p<0.05), porno magazine/porno video contact pornography (p<0.05), subjective happiness index (p<0.05), and suicidal Ideation (p<0.05). This study suggest that exercise, regular diet, important of reproductive health, subjective happiness index and Suicidal Ideation are associated with internet addiction in College student. It is necessary to develop some preventive programs for those of internet addiction.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.39-48
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• 2020

The slender shinner (Pseudopungtungia tenuicorpa), a tiny freshwater fish of about 8 to 10 cm belonging to Cyprinidae, is an endangered species found only in the Han and Imjin Rivers on the Korean Peninsula. During the breeding season, this species spawns in nests of Coreoperca herzi, a predator of this species, or small crevices on rocks. This unique reproductive ecology can make this species more vulnerable to anthropogenic perturbance that can further limit the places to spawn. Here, mtDNA and microsatellite loci were analyzed to identify the genetic diversity and structure of slender shinners and further to provide the basic data necessary for the conservation planning of this species. A total of 28 polymorphic microsatellite markers were developed using Illumina paired-end sequencing, and 67 slender shinners collected from three localities in the Han River were genotyped using these loci. This species showed a remarkably high level of genetic diversity with mean expected heterozygosity of 0.914 and mean allele number per locus of 27.9, and no signature of drastic demographic decline was detected. As a result of our microsatellite analysis, the genetic structure between the two stems of the Han River, North Han and South Han, was prominent. Such a genetic structure was also evident in the sequence analysis of 14 haplotypes obtained from mtDNA control region. Although slender shinners are only found in very limited areas around the world, the genetic structure indicates that there is a block of gene flow among the populations, which should be reviewed in the future if management and restoration of this species is needed.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.16 no.7
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• pp.4632-4640
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to investigate the education needs related to prenatal care program in married immigrant women and to suggest the meaningful data in developing prenatal care programs. Data collection was conducted in a multi-cultural center, D-city from 2014 Mar to 2015 April and a total of 71 subjects participated in this study. Education needs related to prenatal care programs were investigated using a questionnaire including infertility, human reproductive structures, prenatal educations, vaccinations, health problems managements and so on. Scores in education needs related to prenatal care programs were high in newborn baby safety managements, vaccinations, health care managements, newborn baby normal developments and newborn baby care managements. In addition, education needs related to fertility in the married immigrant women from Vietnam were higher than the married immigrant women from China and others (F=5.53, p<.05). Thus, based on the results of this study, the contents of an educational program needs to focus on newborn baby normal developments and nursing care management for them.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.379-384
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• 1998

Endocrine disruptor is an exogenous substance that changes endocrine function and causes adverse effects at the level of the organism, its progeny, and/or (sub)populations of the organisms. Purported adverse effects are cancers, declines in reproductive health, developmental learning disabilities in humans, and declining populations, altered morphology, physiology or behavior in wildlife. In these days, expert groups on chemicals in IPCS, IFCS and OECD are intensively discussing the identification of endocrine disruptors and the proper management of those chemicals. In this study, we screened the endocrine disrupting effects of lead using fertilized eggs of Oryzias latipes. In brief, the eggs were exposed to lead with different concentrations at Ringer's solution, and the mortality, the incidence of deformation, the body movement and the hatching success were determined after incubation. The histological analysis of normal and deformed larvae was also carried out. Compared to control, the mortality and the heart rate of eggs and/or larvae increased, but the hatching success and the tail movement decreased. The morphological observation showed the asymmetrical deformation of larvae and the distortion of spinal cord. The absorption of the liquid in yolk sac was hindered. The adverse effects of lead in the ontogeny of fertilized eggs of Oryzias latipes seemed to be stronger in pH5.6 than in pH7.5 solution. In summary, lead showed adverse effects on the ontogeny of fish fertilized eggs plays critical role in regulating biological systems and controlling developmental processes as an endocrine disruptor.