• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.63 no.1
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• pp.46-57
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• 2021

Fruits with antioxidant enrichment can be an economically affordable supplement for mitigating oxidative damage prone spermatozoa membrane pathologies. Computer-assisted sperm analyzer and oxidative status were utilized to evaluate the impact of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) fortification of dextrose saline as diluent for rooster semen and fertility response of hens inseminated. Watermelon juice and dextrose saline were used to formulate diluent of 7 treatments consisting of unextended semen (positive control), 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50% and only dextrose saline (negative control) designated as Treatments 1-7. Pooled semen was obtained from fertile roosters and equilibrated with diluents at ratio 1:2 in the various treatments and were evaluated using computer software coupled microscope and seminal oxidative status assay. 168 laying hens randomly divided into 7 treatment of 8 replicates and 3 hen per replicate. Hen were everted, and semen (2 × 108 Spermatozoa) deposited intra-vagina and eggs collected over 8 weeks to assess fertility and hatchability of eggs laid. The result obtained revealed that watermelon-dextrose saline rooster semen diluent enhanced progressive motility, sperm kinetics and lowered non-progressive motility in T2-T6 compared to T7 over the 3 hours of evaluation. Watermelon addition to rooster semen diluent enhance the antioxidant capacity of rooster semen and lowered lipid peroxide generation. The percentage fertility was highest in T3 (81.01%) and T4 (81.24%) with lowest value obtained in T7 (73.46%). The hatchability of eggs set of hens inseminated with undiluted semen (71.46%) was lower than values for hens inseminated with watermelon inclusive extended semen (75.71%-80.39%). The optimal inclusion of 30%-40% watermelon in dextrose saline diluent enhance rooster semen kinetics, seminal oxidative stability and egg fertility.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.81-101
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• 2008

The purpose of this study is to examine support policies regarding work and family reconciliation, to suggest plans to improve workplace policies, and to suggest directions for further studies. This study looks at OECD's work-life reconciliation policies as well as family friendly workplace policies in Korea to find a way to enhance business' receptiveness and implementation of the policies. By examining women's labor conditions, this study finds that family friendly workplace policies are necessarily imminent in our society of low fertility and ageing. Along with the evaluation of benefit level and the effectiveness of current policies, this study uses data from interviews with working mothers who have had the experience of family friendly benefits. The results of the analyses suggest that the government should focus on improving the workplace environment in companies that do not show bias against the use of family friendly policies. In order to farm more successful policies, future studies are needed to analyze the changes of fertility, working conditions, support programs, and benefits.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.14-31
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• 1988

The national family planning program in Korea, which was instituted as an integral part of the nation's economic development plans since 1962, has contributed greatly to a reduction in the fertility and population growth rate. The total fertility rate dipped from 6.0 births per women in 1960 to 2.0 in 1985, and the population growth rate rom 2.84 percent per year to 1.25 percent during the same period, while the contraceptive practice rate for the 15-44 married women increased from 9 percent in 1965 to 70 percent in 1985. Study findings indicate that the fertility reduction in the past 26 years is largely attributed to the virgorous implementation of the national family planning program, rising age at marriage, wide-spread use of induced abortion, and the changes in attitude regarding the value of children that came into being in the wake of the rapid socio-economic development over the period. Among the strengths of the national family planning program are the following : 1) a pluralistic system of program manageent with active participation of various government and voluntary organizations, 2) utilization of a large corps of family planning field workers to conduct face-to-face communication and motivation activities, 3) use of private physicians with government support to provide contraceptive services, 4) a systematic program management system including program planning of traget allocation, evaluation, and supervision with a broad MIS and award system, 5) numerous incentive and disincentive schemes for stimulating the small family norm and contraceptive use, and 6) strong commitments to the family planning program by political leaders. The new demographic targets during the Sixth Five-Year Economic and Social Development plan period(1987-91) have been set for a further reduction in the population growth rate to 1.0 percent by 1993, assuming that the TFR will decline to 1.75 level in 1995. This target is, however, not easy to achieve due to anticipated unfavorable factors like the strong boy preference, high discontinuation rates of reversible contraceptive methods, fertility termination-oriented contraceptive use, a plateau level of contraceptive practice rate that has mostly accounted for a sterilization, shortened length of birth intervals, and the changing patterns of contraceptive mix. The recent changes in contraceptive and fertility behaviors clearly indicate that the past quantity-oriented management system of the national program should be redirected toward a quality-oriented approach. Particularly, program efforts should be expanded to recruit new contraceptive users in the 20s of younger age groups, both for birth spacing and controlling their fertility since the women aged 20 to 29 account for more than 80 percent of the total annual births in recent years. In addition, the current contraceptive fee system of the national family planning program should be gradually shifted from free contraceptive services to a acceptor's charge system, and the provision of contraceptive services through the medical insurance system, which will cover the entire population by 1989, should be accelerated as a means of integration of family planning program with other health programs.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.26-30
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• 2016

Objective: We aimed to investigate the prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED) and the usage of phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors for ED treatment in infertile couples. Methods: A total of 260 male partners in couples reporting infertility lasting at least 1 year were included in this study. In addition to an evaluation of infertility, all participants completed the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF)-5 questionnaire to evaluate their sexual function. The participants were asked about their use of PDE5 inhibitors while trying to conceive during their partner's ovulatory period and about their concerns regarding the risks of PDE5 inhibitor use to any eventual pregnancy and/or the fetus. Results: Based on the IIEF-5 questionnaire, 41.5% of the participants (108/260) were classified as having mild ED (an IIEF-5 score of 17-21), while 10.4% of the participants (27/260) had greater than mild ED (an IIEF-5 score of 16 or less). The majority (74.2%, 193/260) of male partners of infertile couples had a negative perception of the safety of using a PDE5 inhibitor while trying to conceive. Only 11.1% of men (15/135) with ED in infertile couples had used a PDE5 inhibitor when attempting conception. Conclusion: ED was found to be common in the male partners of infertile couples, but the use of PDE5 inhibitors among these men was found to be very low. The majority of male partners were concerned about the risks of using PDE5 inhibitors when attempting to conceive. Appropriate counseling about this topic and treatment when necessary would likely be beneficial to infertile couples in which the male partner has ED.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.101-105
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• 2015

Objective: Several publications have established a relationship between sperm DNA damage and male factor infertility, based on data from America, Europe, and Asia. This study aimed to compare the extent of sperm DNA damage in sperm samples from Nigerian men with unexplained infertility and in sperm samples from a fertile group composed of sperm donors who had successfully impregnated a female partner naturally or through assisted conception. Methods: A total of 404 men underwent male fertility evaluation at Androcare Laboratories and Cryobank participated in this study. Semen analysis and a sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA) were performed on all subjects. Results: The men in the unexplained infertility group were slightly older than the men in the fertile sperm group ($36{\pm}10$ years vs. $32{\pm}6$ years, p=0.051). No significant difference was observed between the two groups in semen analysis parameters ($p{\geq}0.05$). Men in the unexplained infertility group with normal semen parameters had a significantly higher DNA fragmentation index (DFI) than men in the fertile sperm group ($27.5%{\pm}7.0%$ vs. $14.1%{\pm}5.3%$, p<0.05). In the unexplained infertility group, 63% of the men had a DFI greater than 20%, compared to 4% in the fertile sperm group. In the unexplained infertility group, 15.2% of the subjects had a DFI greater than 30%, compared to 1% in the fertile sperm group. Conclusion: Our study showed that the SCSA may be a more reliable predictor of fertility potential than traditional semen analysis in cases of unexplained infertility.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.137-150
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• 2008

Sexually mature male and female rats were orally intubated with the organophosphorus insecticide, Pestban at a daily dosage of 7.45 or 3.72 mg/kg bwt, equivalent to 1/20 and 1/40 $LD_{50}$, respectively. Male rats were exposed for 70 days, while the female rats were exposed for 14 days, premating, during mating and throughout the whole length of gestation and lactation periods till weaning. The results showed depressed acetylcholinesterase(AChE) activity in the brain of parents, fetuses and their placentae in a dose-dependent manner. The fertility was significantly reduced with increasing the dose in both treated groups, with more pronounced suppressive effects in the male treated group. The number of implantation sites and viable fetuses were significantly reduced in pregnant females of both treated groups. However, the number of resorptions, dead fetuses, and pre-and postimplantation losses were significantly increased. The incidence of resorptions was more pronounced in treated female compared to male group and was dose dependant. The behavioral responses as well as fetal survival and viability indices were altered in both treated groups during the lactation period. The incidence of these effects was more pronounced in the treated female group and occurred in a dose-related manner. The recorded morphological, visceral, and skeletal anomalies were significantly increased with increasing the dose in fetuses of both treated groups, with more pronounced effects on fetuses of treated females. In conclusion, the exposure of adult male and female rats to Pestban would cause adverse effects on fertility and reproduction.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.378-380
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• 2012

BACKGROUND: In Korea, green manure has been cultivated for reducing chemical fertilizer application, maintaining soil fertility, and feeding livestock in winter season. We evaluated the phosphate balance under green manure-rice cultivating system with different removal rates of green manure for maintaining soil fertility. METHODS AND RESULTS: The barley and hairy vetch mixture was selected as the green manure in this study. The barley and hairy vetch was sowed at a rate of 135 and 23 kg/ha, respectively, without fertilizer application. Total aboveground biomass was 12000 (barley: 5400 kg/ha, hairy vetch: 6600 kg/ha) kg/ha, and these green manure were incorporated with different input rates before rice planting. The input rates of green manure in this study were 0 (NPK+0%), 25 (NPK+25%), 50 (NPK+50%), 75 (NPK+75%) and 100 % (NPK+100) and the standard fertilization (NPK) without green manure cultivation. All treatments were applied with standard fertilizer (N-P-K: 90-19.6-48.3 kg/ha) before rice planting. The highest rice yield was observed in NPK+50% which was 20% higher compared with NPK. The phosphate balance with different incorporation rates of green manure was-104.0,-76.8,-52.9,-27.4, and 6.0 kg/ha for NPK+0%, NPK+25%, NPK+50%, NPK+75%, and NPK+100%, respectively. CONCLUSION(S): The use of green manure for livestock feeding in green manure-rice cropping systems could remove a huge amount of phosphate. This cropping system strongly requires phosphate application before green manure seeding for maintaining soil fertility.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.106-112
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• 2022

Cryopreservation of porcine ovarian tissue by vitrification method is a promising approach to preserve genetic materials for future use. However, information is not enough and technology still remains in a challenge stage in pig. Therefore, the objective of present study was to determine possibility of vitrification method to cryopreserve porcine ovarian tissue and to confirm an occurrence of cryoinjuries. Briefly, cryoinjuries and apoptosis patterns in vitrified-warmed ovarian tissue were examined by histological evaluation and TUNEL assay respectively. In results, a damaged morphology of oocytes was detected among groups and the rate was significantly (p < 0.05) lower in vitrification group (25.8%) than freezing control group (67.7%), while fresh control group (6.6%) showed significantly (p < 0.05) lower than both groups. In addition, cryoinjury that form a wave pattern of tissues around follicles was found in the frozen control group, but not in the fresh control group as well as in the vitrification group. Apoptotic cells in follicle was observed only in freezing control group while no apoptotic cell was found in both fresh control and vitrification. Similarly, apoptotic patterns of tissues not in follicle were comparable between fresh control and vitrification groups while freezing control group showed increased tendency. Conclusively, it was confirmed that vitrification method has a prevention effect against cryoinjury and this method could be an alternative approach for cryopreservation of genetic material in pigs. Further study is needed to examine the viability of oocytes derived from vitrified-warmed ovarian tissue.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.34 no.12
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• pp.1879-1885
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• 2021

Objective: Owing to the lack of a breeding index for efficient and quick fertility evaluations of Holstein bulls when using traditional or genome-wide detection methods, this study aimed to determine whether in vitro fertilization (IVF) could be used as an indicator of conception rate of artificial insemination (AI). Methods: Conventional and sexed frozen semen from nine bulls were used for IVF and AI. Results: The IVF and AI conception rates of each bull were confirmed to be positively correlated between the conventional frozen and sexed frozen semen. The correlation coefficient R values of nine bulls between IVF and AI methods were 0.73 and 0.97 for the conventional frozen and sexed frozen semen, respectively. The average conception rate of three bulls undergoing AI was 69.5% and 64.2%, 61.8% and 58.8%, and 48.2% and 46.2% in first-, second-, and third-born cows when conventional frozen and sexed frozen semen were used, respectively, which showed a positive correlation with the fertilization rate in the same parity. We propose an evaluation standard to assess the fertilization ability of bulls based on their IVF test results, which is categorized into three grades: grade one, normal fertility bull with an AI conception rate of 40%±5% and IVF rate of 45% to 60%; grade two, higher fertility bull with an AI conception rate of 50%±5% and IVF rate of 61% to 80%; and grade three, highest fertility bull with an AI conception rate of 60%±5% and IVF rate of >80%. Conclusion: These findings reveal that IVF results can be used as a breeding index for bulls to evaluate their AI conception ability, which may shorten the time required to select bulls for breeding.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.69-75
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• 1995

The present study was carried out to establish several spermatotoxicity test methods. For this purpose we investigated following parameters in the fertility study of DA-125, a new anticancer agent, in rats: testicular spermatid counts, epididymal sperm counts, daily sperm production rate, sperm morphology, and serum testosterone concentration. Motility and velocity of sperms were also measured using non-treated rats. At 0.3 mg DA-125/kg, spermatids per 1g testis and daily sperm production rate per 1g testis were significantly decreased, when compared with those of control group. Several types of abnormal sperms, such as no head, pin head, double head, hook at wrong angle, no tail, and small sperm, were found in both treated and control groups at a low frequency. Serum testosterone concentration at 0.3 mg DA-125/kg was close to the control value. Sperm motility and velocity measured with non-treated rats were in a good agreement with the results of other investigators. In our study established spermatotoxicity test methods can be used as a tool not only for the close examination of the cause of drug- or chemical-induced infertility, but also for the effective evaluation of reproductive toxicity.