• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.932-947
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• 2001

The purpose of this study was 1) analyze the current state of Sanhojoriwon; and 2) to suggest the new model for the community based mother infants health care delivery system: strategies of TMIC are related to Public Health policy, cost-effectiveness, mother infant care provision of medical professionalism, and so on. Method: Forty-seven workers from seventeen Sanhojoriwon participated to analyze several aspects of Sanhojoriwon. Using a questionnaire developed at Korean Sanhojori Research Forum (KSARF), such as the traditional and medical concept of the Sanhojori, postpartum care, Korean traditional postpartum care, job description on women and infant care at Sanhojoriwon, professional management, health care policy and the educational need. Results: Based on the descriptive study results, the TMIC, the community based transitional mother infants care center was suggested as a new model for the cyclic public health care system related on the reproductive health, using an already existing related center, Sanhojoriwon. Also, several strategies were presented on the TMIC.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.123-126
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• 1999

A successful outcome of pregnancy requires an efficient uteroplacental vascular system. Since this system may be compromised by disorders of haemostasis associated with a prothrombotic state, maternal thrombophilia might be a risk factor for fetal loss. Hereditary deficiencies of the naturally occuring anticoagulants are well recognized conditions predisposing to recurrent venous thromboembolism. Since thrombotic phenomena have been implied as a cause of abortion and stillbirth, these deficiencies might increase the risk of fetal demise. We have experienced a case of antiphospholipid syndrome associated with protein C deficiency in patient with recurrent spontaneous abortion. So we report this case with a brief review of literatures.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.246-254
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• 2016

The objective of the present study is to determine whether blue honeysuckle lyophilized concentrated powder (BH) has favorable effects on hypothyroidism and related reproductive organ damage. Hypothyroidism was induced by 9 subcutaneous administration of propylthiouracil (PTU) for 28 days. Levothyroxine (LT4)-treated group was intraperitoneally injected with LT4 for the same period, while for BH (125, 250, and 500 mg/kg) or Flos Lonicerae lyophilized aqueous extract (LF, 250 mg/kg)-treated groups, the test materials were orally administrated for 42 days: two weeks before PTU injection and during PTU administration. The changes in serum thyroid hormone levels, serum male sex hormone levels, and testis antioxidant defense system were observed by histopathology of the thyroid gland, epididymis, prostate, and testis. The oral administrations of 125, 250, and 500 mg/kg of BH showed favorable effects compared to LF on hypothyroidism and related damages of reproductive organs through augmentation of the antioxidant defense system in the testis. In conclusion, BH is a promising new potent thyroid gland protecting agent.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.16 no.12
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• pp.8673-8678
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• 2015

This study is on the development of the growth diagnosis system for tomato. We defined the key index which affect to the growth of the tomato. Using the key index, we can make a diagnosis the status of the growth and take action to tomato. The index consists of Measure Index(MI) which is used to confirm the status of the tomato using the continuous growth check and Period Index(PI) which decide to the step whether vegetation period or reproductive growth period of the tomato. The system supports MI and PI recording module using the observation diary. In case of MI, the diagnosis is the result of the comparing work with the observed data and the standard value of MI. A a result of diagnosis, the system provides the action information. The system implemented to extend to the other plants. Using the system, Farms may be expected to enhance the productivity.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.247-268
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• 1996

It has been known for a long time that gonadotropins and steroid hormones play a pivotal role in a series of reproductive biological phenomena including the maturation of ovarian follicles and oocytes, ovulation and implantation, maintenance of pregnancy and fetal growth & development, parturition and mammary development and lactation. Recent investigations, however, have elucidated that in addition to these classic hormones, multiple growth factors also are involved in these phenomena. Most growth factors in reproductive organs mediate the actions of gonadotropins and steroid hormones or synergize with them in an autocrine/paracrine manner. The insulin-like growth factor(IGF) system, which is one of the most actively investigated areas lately in the reproductive organs, has been found to have important roles in a wide gamut of reproductive phenomena. In the present communication, published literature pertaining to the intrauterine IGF system will be reviewed preceded by general information of the IGF system. The IGF family comprises of IGF-I & IGF-II ligands, two types of IGF receptors and six classes of IGF-binding proteins(IGFBPs) that are known to date. IGF-I and IGF-II peptides, which are structurally homologous to proinsulin, possess the insulin-like activity including the stimulatory effect of glucose and amino acid transport. Besides, IGFs as mitogens stimulate cell division, and also play a role in cellular differentiation and functions in a variety of cell lines. IGFs are expressed mainly in the liver and messenchymal cells, and act on almost all types of tissues in an autocrine/paracrine as well as endocrine mode. There are two types of IGF receptors. Type I IGF receptors, which are tyrosine kinase receptors having high-affinity for IGF-I and IGF-II, mediate almost all the IGF actions that are described above. Type II IGF receptors or IGF-II/mannose-6-phosphate receptors have two distinct binding sites; the IGF-II binding site exhibits a high affinity only for IGF-II. The principal role of the type II IGF receptor is to destroy IGF-II by targeting the ligand to the lysosome. IGFs in biological fluids are mostly bound to IGFBP. IGFBPs, in general, are IGF storage/carrier proteins or modulators of IGF actions; however, as for distinct roles for individual IGFBPs, only limited information is available. IGFBPs inhibit IGF actions under most in vitro situations, seemingly because affinities of IGFBPs for IGFs are greater than those of IGF receptors. How IGF is released from IGFBP to reach IGF receptors is not known; however, various IGFBP protease activities that are present in blood and interstitial fluids are believed to play an important role in the process of IGF release from the IGFBP. According to latest reports, there is evidence that under certain in vitro circumstances, IGFBP-1, -3, -5 have their own biological activities independent of the IGF. This may add another dimension of complexity of the already complicated IGF system. Messenger ribonucleic acids and proteins of the IGF family members are expressed in the uterine tissue and conceptus of the primates, rodents and farm animals to play important roles in growth and development of the uterus and fetus. Expression of the uterine IGF system is regulated by gonadal hormones and local regulatory substances with temporal and spatial specificities. Locally expressed IGFs and IGFBPs act on the uterine tissue in an autocrine/paracrine manner, or are secreted into the uterine lumen to participate in conceptus growth and development. Conceptus also expresses the IGF system beginning from the peri-implantation period. When an IGF family member is expressed in the conceptus, however, is determined by the presence or absence of maternally inherited mRNAs, genetic programming of the conceptus itself and an interaction with the maternal tissue. The site of IGF action also follows temporal (physiological status) and spatial specificities. These facts that expression of the IGF system is temporally and spatially regulated support indirectly a hypothesis that IGFs play a role in conceptus growth and development. Uterine and conceptus-derived IGFs stimulate cell division and differentiation, glucose and amino acid transport, general protein synthesis and the biosynthesis of mammotropic hormones including placental lactogen and prolactin, and also play a role in steroidogenesis. The suggested role for IGFs in conceptus growth and development has been proven by the result of IGF-I, IGF-II or IGF receptor gene disruption(targeting) of murine embryos by the homologous recombination technique. Mice carrying a null mutation for IGF-I and/or IGF-II or type I IGF receptor undergo delayed prenatal and postnatal growth and development with 30-60% normal weights at birth. Moreover, mice lacking the type I IGF receptor or IGF-I plus IGF-II die soon after birth. Intrauterine IGFBPs generally are believed to sequester IGF ligands within the uterus or to play a role of negative regulators of IGF actions by inhibiting IGF binding to cognate receptors. However, when it is taken into account that IGFBP-1 is expressed and secreted in primate uteri in amounts assessedly far exceeding those of local IGFs and that IGFBP-1 is one of the major secretory proteins of the primate decidua, the possibility that this IGFBP may have its own biological activity independent of IGF cannot be excluded. Evidently, elucidating the exact role of each IGFBP is an essential step into understanding the whole IGF system. As such, further research in this area is awaited with a lot of anticipation and attention.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.1-24
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• 1999

The purpose of this study was to define the content of requisite human structure and function knowledge needed for clinical knowledge of nursing practice. Subjects of human structure and function were divided into 10 units, and each unit was further divided into 21 subunits, resulting in a total of 90 items. Contents of knowledge of human structure and function were constructed from syllabus of basic nursing subjects in 4 college of nursing, and textbooks published by nurse scholars prepared with basic nursing sciences. The degree of need of 90 items was measured with a 4 point scale. The subjects of this study were college graduated 136 nurses from seven university hospitals in Seoul and three university hospitals located in Chonnam Province, Kyungbook Province, and Inchon. They have been working at internal medicine ward, surgical ward, intensive care unit, obstetrics and gynecology ward, pediatrics ward, opthalmology ward, ear, nose, and throat ward, emergency room, rehabilitation ward, cancer ward, hospice ward, and their working period was mostly under 5 years. The results were as follows: 1. The highest scored items of human structure and function knowledge necessary for nursing practice were electrolyte balance, blood clotting mechanism and anticoagulation mechanism, hematopoietic function, body fluid balance, function of plasma, and anatomical terminology in the order of importance. The lowest scored items of human structure and function knowledge necessary for nursing practice was sexual factors of genetic mutation. 2. The highest order of need according to unit was membrane transport in the living unit, anatomical terminology in movement and exercise unit, mechanism of hormone function in regulation and integration unit, component and function of blood in oxygenation function unit, structure and function of digestive system in digestive and energy metabolism unit, temperature regulation in temperature regulation unit electrolyte balance in body fluid and electrolyte unit, concept of immunity in body resistance unit, and genetics terminology in genetics unit. The highest order of importance according to subunit was membrane transportation in cell subunit, classification of tissues in tissue unit, function of skin and skin in skin subunit, anatomical derivatives of the skeleton subunit, classification of joints in joint subunit, an effect of exercise on muscles in muscle subunit, function of brain in nervous system subunit, special sense in sensory subunit mechanism of hormone function in endocrine subunit, structure and function of female reproductive system in reproductive system unit, structure and function of blood in blood unit, structure of heart, electrical and mechanical function in cardiovascular system unit, structure of respiratory system in respiratory system subunit, structure and function of digestive system in digestive system subunit, hormonal regulation of metabolism in nutrition and metabolism subunit, function of kidney in urologic system subunit, electolyte balance in body fluid, electolyte and acid-base balance subunit. 3. The common content of human structure and function knowledge need for all clinical areas in nursing was structure and function of blood, hematopoietic function, function of plasm, coagulation mechanism and anticoagulation mechanism, body fluid, electrolyte balance, and acid-base balance. However, the degree of need of each human structure and function knowledge was different depending on clinical areas. 4. Significant differences in human structure and function knowledge necessary for nursing practice such as skin and derivatives of the skin, growth and development of bone, classification of joint, classification of muscle, structure of muscle, function of muscle, function of spinal cord, peripheral nerve, structure and function of pancrease, component and function of blood, function of plasma, structure and function of blood, hemodynamics, respiratory dynamics, gas transport, regulation of respiration, chemical digestion of foods, absorption of foods, characteristics of nutrients, metabolism and hormonal regulation, body energy balance were demonstrated according to the duration of work. 5. Significant differences in human structure and function knowledge necessary for nursing practice such as classification of tissue, classification of muscles, function of muscles, muscle metabolism, classification of skeletal muscles, classification of nervous system, neurotransmitters, mechanism of hormone function, pituitary and pituitary hormone, structure and function of male reproductive organ, structure and function of female reproductive organ, component and function of blood, function of plasma, coagulation mechanism and anticoagulation mechanism, gas exchange, gas transport, regulation of respiration, characteristics of nutrients, energy balance, function of kidney, concept of immunity, classification and function of immunity were shown according to the work area. Based on these findings, all the 90 items constructed by Korean Academic Society of Basic Nursing Science should be included as contents of human structure and function knowledge.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.249-256
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• 2011

Nesfatin-1/NUCB2, which is secreted from the brain, is known to control appetite and energy metabolism. Recent studies have been shown that nesfatin-1/NUCB2 was expressed not only in the brain, but it was also expressed in the gastric organs and adipose tissue. However, little is known about the expression of nesfatin-1/NUCB2 in the male reproductive system. Therefore, we examined whether the nesfatin-1/NUCB2 and its binding site exists in the male reproductive organs. Nesfatin-1/NUCB2 mRNA and protein were detected in the mouse testis and epididymis by PCR and Western blot analysis. As a result of the immunohistochemistry staining, the nesfatin-1 protein was localized at the interstitial cells and Leydig cells in the testis. Nesfatin-1 binding sites were also displayed at boundary cells in the tunica albuginea. Furthermore, in order to examine if the expression of nesfatin-1/NUCB2 mRNA in the testis and epididymis were affected by gonadotropin, its mRNA expression was analyzed after PMSG administration into mice. NUCB2 mRNA expression levels were increased in both of the testis and epididymis after PMSG administration. These results demonstrated for the first time that nesfatin-1 and its binding site were expressed in the mouse testis and epididymis. In addition, nesfatin-1/NUCB2 mRNA expression was controlled by gonadotropin, suggesting a possible role of nesfatin-1 in the male reproductive organs as a local regulator. Due to this, further study is needed to elucidate the functions of nesfatin-1 on the male reproductive system.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.337-351
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• 1996

Melatonin Is a multifunctional hormone secreted from the pineal gland in the middle of cerebrum and cerebellum. Its synthesis and release reflect photopedod;Photopedod is a yearly predictable ambient factor that most animals utilize as an environmental cue for maximum survival. Hamsters maintaln reproductive activity in summer during which day length exceeds night time. Upon the advent of autumnal equinox they undergo gonadal regression. The photoperiodic effects are prevented by removal of the pineal gland and restored by the timed repiacument of melatonin. The results suggest that melatonin constitutes part of control mechanism whereby environmental information is transduced to neuroendocrine signal responsIble for the functional integrity of the reproductive system. From the studies for the action site of melatonin following the treatment of photopedod or melatonin in the lesion of a spedflc portion of hypothalamus, suprachiasmatic nuclei and pars tuberalis are shown to be a consensus site for melatonIn. The action of melatonin. In the regulation of reproduction is largely unknown. It is mainly due to the lack of acute effect of melatonin on gonadotropin secretion. However, reduction of the gonadotropln release and augmentation of the hypothalamic gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) content by long-term treatment of melatonln Indicate that constant presence of melatonln may partidpate in the regulation of sexual activity via the GnRH neuronal system. The action mechanism by which melatonin exerts Its effect on GnRH neuron needs to be eluddated. The inability of opiold analogues to affect the reproductive hormones in sexually regressed animals by inhibftory photopedod and melatonin suggests that the opioldergic neuron may be a prime intervening mediator. Recent cloning of melatonin receptor will contribute to investigate its anatomical Identification and the action mechanism of melatonin on target tissues at the molecular level.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.43-52
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• 2023

Objective: This study aimed to examine the influence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection on pregnancy in cytokeratin-18 (K18)-hACE2 transgenic mice. Methods: To determine the expression of hACE2 mRNA in the female reproductive tract of K18-hACE2 mice, real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed using the ovary, oviduct, uterus, umbilical cord, and placenta. SARS-CoV-2 was inoculated intranasally (30 μL/mouse, 1×10⁴ TCID₅₀/mL) to plug-checked K18-hACE2 homozygous female mice at the pre-and post-implantation stages at 2.5 days post-coitum (dpc) and 15.5 dpc, respectively. The number of implantation sites was checked at 7.5 dpc, and the number of normally born pups was investigated at 20.5 dpc. Pregnancy outcomes, including implantation and childbirth, were confirmed by comparison with the non-infected group. Tissues of infected mice were collected at 7.5 dpc and 19.5 dpc to confirm the SARS-CoV-2 infection. The infection was identified by performing RT-PCR on the infected tissues and comparing them to the non-infected tissues. Results: hACE2 mRNA expression was confirmed in the female reproductive tract of the K18-hACE2 mice. Compared to the non-infected group, no significant difference in the number of implantation sites or normally born pups was found in the infected group. SARS-CoV-2 infection was detected in the lungs but not in the female reproductive system of infected K18-hACE2 mice. Conclusion: In K18-hACE2 mice, intranasal infection with SARS-CoV-2 did not induce implantation failure, preterm labor, or miscarriage. Although the viral infection was not detected in the uterus, placenta, or fetus, the infection of the lungs could induce problems in the reproductive system. However, lung infections were not related to pregnancy outcomes.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.9
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• pp.1207-1214
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• 2017

Since the industrialization of swine production in the late 1900s, swine farms in the United States, as well as in Europe, have largely become consolidated. Pig farms became larger in size but fewer in number, with 91% of market pigs being produced by large operations with 5,000 or more pigs on-site in the US, and only 3% of the total utilized agricultural land representing organic farming. Such change in the market made it difficult for small farmers to stay competitive, forcing them to find alternative ways to reduce the cost of production and increase profit using the outdoor production system. In contrast to the indoor confinement system, outdoor production system uses pasture-based units and/or deep-bedded hoop structures that promote animal welfare and environmental sustainability with a lower capital investment. In accord with the growing concern for animal and environmental welfare and food safety by the consumers, small farmers practicing an outdoor production system are seeing increased opportunities for marketing their products in the pork niche market. Unlike the general belief that the reproductive and growth performance measures of the outdoor sows and piglets are poorer in comparison with the animals reared indoors, studies showed that there was no significant difference in the performance measures, and some traits were even better in outdoor animals. Improved reproductive and production traits can increase the sustainability of outdoor farming. Present study reviewed the recent studies comparing the performance measures, meat quality and health of indoor and outdoor animals, as well as the efforts to improve the outdoor production system through changes in management such as hut types and breed of animals.