• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제54권4호
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• pp.485-496
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• 2016

We describe 2 echinostome species recovered from an Eastern cattle egret, Bubulcus ibis coromandus, from Cheongju-si (city), Chungcheongbuk-do (province), Korea. Total 72 Pegosomum bubulcum specimens were recovered from the bile duct. They were $7,566{\times}2,938{\mu}m$ in average size and had 27 collar spines with vitelline extension from anterior 1/3 level of the esophagus to mid-level of the posterior testis as characteristic features. Total 9 specimens of Nephrostomum ramosum were recovered in the small intestines of the bird. They were ribbon-shaped, $11,378{\times}2,124{\mu}m$ in average size, and morphologically variable in some organs, i.e., the number of collar spines (47-50), the shape of ovary and testes, and the extension of vitelline follicles. These morphological variations observed in a single host indicated that these features are not critical for the classification of Nephrostomum species and thus were reconsidered taxonomically as synonym of N. ramosum. This study is the first report documenting and describing both flukes and their associated genera in Korea.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제55권3호
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• pp.341-345
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• 2017

The metacercariae of Artyfechinostomum malayanum (Leiper, 1911) Mendheim, 1943 were discovered in Pila sp. snails purchased from a market in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. They were isolated from the snails using the artificial digestion technique and were orally fed to 2 hamsters, 1 rat, and 2 mice to obtain the adult flukes. The metacercariae were round, $145-165{\mu}m$ in diameter, having a cyst wall of $6-10{\mu}m$ in thickness, a head collar and collar spines, and characteristic features of excretory granules. Adult flukes were recovered in the small intestines of the animals at days 14 and 32 post infection and were morphologically observed using a light microscope and a scanning electron microscope. They were plump or elongated, ventrally curved, $6.0-8.1{\times}1.6-2.0mm$ in size, and characterized by the head collar bearing 43 collar spines, including 5 end group ones on each side, a long cirrus sac extending beyond the posterior margin of the ventral sucker, a submedian ovary, and 2 deeply lobed testes. Eggs in uteri were operculate, ovoid to ellipsoid, and $120-135{\times}68-75{\mu}m$ in size. In scanning electron microscopy, the head collar was prominent with collar spines looking like horns. Scale-like tegumental spines were densely distributed on the ventral surface between the head collar and ventral sucker. Sensory papillae were distributed mainly on the tegument around suckers. By this study, it has been first confirmed that the life cycle of A. malayanum exists in Cambodia.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제49권2호
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• pp.187-190
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• 2011

Fecal examinations using the Kato Katz technique were performed on a total of 1,287 villagers (945 students and 342 general inhabitants) of Oddar Meanchey Province, Cambodia in May 2007 and November 2009. The overall intestinal helminth egg positive rate was 23.9%, and the most prevalent helminth species was hookworms (21.6%). Other helminth eggs detected included echinostomes (1.0%), Enterobius vermicularis (0.8%), small trematode eggs (0.7%), which may include Opisthorchis viverrini and Haplorchis spp., and Hymenolepis nana (0.4%). In order to recover adult echinostomes, we treated 2 patients with 10-15 mg/kg praziquantel and purged. Total 14 adult echinostomes, 1 and 13 worms from each patient, were collected. The echinostomes characteristically had 49-51 collar spines and 2 round or slightly lobated testes. They were identified as Echinostoma ilocanum (Garrison, 1908) Odhner, 1911. So far as literature are concerned, this is the first record on the discovery of human E. ilocanum infection in Cambodia.

• 한국강구조학회 논문집
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• 제23권6호
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• pp.763-775
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• 2011

경사진 평행 병렬 사장재 케이블의 웨이크 갤로핑 발현 특성을 2차원 부분모형을 통하여 규명하였다. 경사진 병렬 사장재를 모사하기 위하여 두 실린더를 나란히 경사배치 하였으며 중심간격 변화에 따른 풍상측 및 풍하측 실린더의 진동을 관찰하였다. 실린더 지름의 여섯 배까지 케이블강교량설계지침의 허용값을 초과하는 진동이 관할되었다. 이는 설계 시 관용적으로 사용되는 검토기준이 비교적 적정함을 의미하는 것이다. 반면, 감쇠의 증가는 웨이크 갤로핑의 발현을 억재하는 데 효과적이지 않음을 확인할 수 있었다.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제47권1호
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• pp.25-29
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• 2009

Paragonimus harinasutai metacercariae were found in a species of freshwater crab, Indochinamon ou, collected in a small stream of Namback District, Luang Prabang Province, Lao PDR. Adult flukes were recovered after experimental infection of the metacercariae to dogs. Metacercariae were round or slightly elliptical, $0.666{\times}0.626\;mm$ in average size, and had a thin cyst wall of about $20{\mu}m$ in thickness, a black excretory bladder, convoluted ceca, and some pinkish materials in the body. Adults were somewhat elongated, $95.2{\times}36.5\;mm$ in average size, covered with single-tipped tegumental spines, had a smaller oral sucker than the ventral sucker, a moderately branched ovary, and 5-6 lobulated testes. Eggs were ovoid and bilaterally symmetrical in shape, $79{\times}45{\mu}m$ in average size, and had a uniformly thickened shell. By the present study, it has been confirmed that I. ou is a new second intermediate host for P. harinasutai.

• Animal cells and systems
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• 제10권4호
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• pp.227-231
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• 2006

Micro-deletions at specific loci of the Y chromosome have been observed frequently in male infertility patients, suggesting that genes in these regions are involved in male germ cell development. DAZ is a representative male infertility gene at the AZFc locus of the Y chromosome. Since DAZ contains an RNA binding motif along with so-called a DAZ domain, it was proposed to participate in RNA metabolism during spermatogenesis. A mouse gene homologous to the human DAZ gene has been cloned and named Dazl (DAZlike). Dazl is autosomal and expressed in the testis and also at a low level in the ovary. Male mice homozygous for the Dazl null allele have small testes with a few spermatogonia and almost complete absence of germ cells beyond the spermatogonial stage, suggesting the requirement of Dazl for entry or progression through meiosis. However, its exact cellular functions have not been understood yet. In order to investigate cellular functions of Dazl, we decided to isolate candidate interacting protein genes of the mouse Dazl, using yeast two-hybrid screening. A number of candidate Dazlinteracting proteins have been isolated, such as Bprp, Acf, Hgs, Murr1, Nbak3 and Ranbp9, but dynein light chain 1 (Dlc1) was most predominant. A strong interaction of Dazl with Dlc1 suggests that Dazl might function as an mRNA adaptor to the dynein motor complex.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제57권6호
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• pp.647-656
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• 2019

Isthmiophora hortensis (Digenea: Echinostomatidae) is a dominant echinostome in animal reservoir hosts and humans in the Republic of Korea (Korea). We intended to investigate the infection status with this echinostome species in the several species of wild animals and describe the morphological characteristics in the faunistic view point. A total of 175 animal carcasses belonging to 3 families, i.e., Canidae, Felidae and Mustelidae, were collected from the southern regions of Korea from March 2010 to July 2017. Isthmiophora spp. worms were recovered from the small intestines of each animal under a stereomicroscope after washing of intestinal contents. Isthmiophora hortensis was recovered from 4 species of wild carnivores, i.e., Nyctereutes procyonoides (3/107: 2.8%), Mustela sibirica (11/31: 35.5%), Meles lucurus (2/3: 33.3%) and Martes flavigula (1/2: 50%). The other 3 carnivores comprising stray dogs, cat and leopard cat were negative for I. hortensis infection (0/2, 0/10 and 0/12, respectively). Specimens obtained from the Lutra lutra (6/8: 75%) were identified as a distinct species, I. inermis, by morphological comparison. Isthmiophora inermis has thinner body, elongate testes and different anterior limits of vitelline fields. Detailed morphological descriptions and comparisons with the morphological characteristics are provided. Conclusively, it was confirmed for the first time that 3 species of mustelid mammals, i.e., M. sibirica, M. lucurus, and M. flavigula, are to be the new definitive hosts of I. hortensis in Korea. Additionally, I. inermis is to be newly added in the Korean echinostome fauna.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제49권1호
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• pp.9-15
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• 2022

The angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor (ACE2) appears to be widely expressed in cells in the testes, predominantly in spermatogonia, Sertoli cells, and Leydig cells, and its co-expression with transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2) is essential for the entry of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). For this reason, the male reproductive system could be considered a potential target for SARS-CoV-2, as well as a possible reservoir of infection. However, to date, there is very little evidence about the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in semen and testicular samples. The aim of this paper was to review the current evidence regarding the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on male fertility and sexual health, with a particular focus on reproductive hormones, the presence of the virus in seminal fluid and testis, and its impact on fertility parameters. We found very limited evidence reporting the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in semen and testicular samples, and the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on reproductive hormones and fertility parameters is unclear. The quality of the examined studies was poor due to the small sample size and several selection biases, precluding definitive conclusions. Hence, future well-designed prospective studies are needed to assess the real impact of SARS-CoV-2 on male reproductive function.

• Applied Microscopy
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• 제28권4호
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• pp.603-613
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• 1998

The present study was designed in order to observe relationship between the endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi complex during spermiogenesis of the long-fingered bat (Miniopterus schreibersi fuliginosus). The testes were obtained from adult bats and treated with the prolonged osmification or fixed with ferrocyanide reduced osmiun. In the Golgi phase, The Golgi complex shows an oval shape, and was composed of a cortex and a medullar enclosing acrosome. The Golgi vacuoles with electron-dense granules of crescent shape were fused with each other. The smooth endoplasrnic reticulum was scattered in all the area of the cytoplasm. In the cap phase, The Golgi complex was crescent in shape, and faced to a nucleus. Large and small vesicles were fused with each other, and then fused with a acrosomal vacuole. The rough endoplasmic reticulum was close to the large Golgi vacuole. In the acrosome phase, The Golgi complex was moved to behind of the acrosome face. Small vesicles were fused with an acrosome, and cisternae of the trans-face of Golgi complex was connected with an acrosome in the early acrosome phase. The smooth endoplasmic reticulum was distributed in the cytoplasm. The annulate lamellar was originated from a radial body-annulate lammellae complex. In the maturation phase, The Golgi complex with dilated cistrern appeared in the cytoplasm, and also, annulate lamellar was observed in the cytoplasm. The connection of the annulate lamellar with the cistern of radial body suggests that an annulate lamellar seems to be closely related to radial body. The smooth endoplasmic reticulum was scattered in the cytoplasm in the early Golgi phase, but annulate lamellar-radial body complex which might be a residual and disappearing form of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum appeared in the acrosome phase. The Golgi complex steadily remained in the late maturation phase when the endoplasmic reticulum began to disappear from the cytoplasm: the Golgi complex was still occurred after acrosome formation. The observations obtained in the present study, which was characterized by the presence of the Golgi complex in the late maturation phase, suggests that the Golgi complex may play an important role also even after the acrosome formation.

• Applied Microscopy
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• 제40권3호
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• pp.125-132
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• 2010

작은땃쥐 Crocidura suaveolens는 치아 마모도를 이용하여 3개의 연령군으로 분류하였고 생식기관의 계절적 변이를 조사하였다. 유수들의 구치는 치아 마모를 보이지 않았고 세 번째 구치의 높이가 첫 번째와 두 번째 구치보다 낮았으며, 아성수는 약간의 치아 마모를 보였고 세 번째 구치의 높이가 첫 번째와 두 번째 구치의 높이에 이르렀고, 성수들은 깊은 치아 마모를 보였으며 세 번째 구치 높이 역시 첫 번째와 두 번째의 구치에 도달하였다. 조직학적 조사를 근거로, 번식의 계절적 변이가 명확해졌으며, 수컷 성수의 번식 상태는 2월 초에서 10월 초까지 유지되었고 4월과 7월에 가장 높은 번식 활동을 보였고 비번식기는 10월 중순에서 1월 말까지였다. 번식기에 포획된 아성수와 성수 수컷은 다양한 생식세포들로 채워진 확장된 세정관을 가진 큰 정소와 많은 정자들을 가진 팽창된 부정소 미부를 가졌고 비번식기에 포획된 아성수와 성수 수컷들은 정원세포만으로 채워진 가늘어진 세정관을 가진 작은 정소와 정자를 가지지 않는 감소된 부정소를 가졌다. 몸무게가 3.9g 이상이고 정소와 부정소 무게가 0.013 g 이상인 수컷은 번식기에 성적 성숙에 도달하였고, 몸무게가 3.8 g 이상이고 번식기에 포획된 암컷들은 5~6마리의 새끼를 가진 임신상태이거나 난소에 성숙난포들과 황체를 가지고 있었다.