• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.11-19
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• 2008

Incubation routine and sex role of Streaked Shearwaters Calonectris leucomelas at Sasudo Island, in Jeju, South Korea, were studied during the incubation period, June to August in 2002. Incubation routine in Procellariiformes represents a sequence of alternating shifts taken in turn by female and male in a species-specific pattern. Hence, coordination of individual incubation rhythms between partners is crucial for successful breeding attempt. In Streaked Shearwaters, incubation routine represents a sequence of alternating shifts taken in turn by male and female. The first incubation shift was made by male after female had laid the egg. The mean incubation period was 50.8 days until hatching. Males had spent on average 26.5 days incubating and females 24.3 days accordingly. The mean duration of incubation shifts decreased progressively from 6th and 7th shift to hatching. Overall, males had spent more time incubating than females during the incubation period, but the mean duration of the incubation shift 5.6 days for males and 5.7 days for females did not differ between males and females. There were no effect of the body size of the breeding pair on incubation performance. For males the mean of body weight decreased during the incubation, whereas for females it remained approximately stable. In Streaked Shearwaters, the duration of incubation shift and subsequent foraging trip are related to loss of body weight during the period of fasting. In addition, coordination of individual incubation rhythms affects their incubation behaviour.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.82-86
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• 2011

Objective: To evaluate sperm nuclear DNA fragmentation and chromatin structure after 18 hours' incubation at room temperature. Methods: Twenty-eight male partners who participating IVF treatment were prospectively included in this study. Ejaculated sperm count and motility were assessed. The sperm was then immediately processed by the conventional swim-up method. After utilization of some of the sample for routine clinical use, the remainder of each of the samples was divided into two aliquots. One aliquot was immediately assessed for sperm nuclear DNA fragmentation (TUNEL assay) and chromatin structure (toluidine blue [TB] staining). The other aliquot was incubated at room temperature for 18 hours and then assessed by two methods. Only dark-TB sperms were considered as having abnormal chromatin structure. Data before and after extended incubation were compared using a paired Student's $t$-test. Results: Before and after extended culture, nuclear DNA fragmentation assessed by TUNEL was $4.9{\pm}4.7%$ and $7.0{\pm}6.4%$, respectively ($p$=0.008). The proportion of abnormal chromatin structure (dark-TB sperm) was $8.2{\pm}5.6%$ and $10.3{\pm}6.5%$ ($p$ <0.001), before and after incubation, respectively. Conclusion: After 18 hours' incubation at room temperature, sperm nuclear DNA and chromatin structure were significantly affected. The IVF practitioner should bear this information in mind when performing delayed insemination, especially for $in$ $vitro$ maturation cycles.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.429-440
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• 2010

HS-SPME-GC/MS was studied and optimized for the determination of 17 orgarnophosphorous pesiticides (OPPs: chlorpyrifos, chlorpyrifos-methyl, demeton-s-methyl, diazinon, dimethoate, EPN, fenitrothion, fenthion, malathion, methidathion, monocrotophos, parathion, phenthoate, phosphamidon, sulfotep, terbufos, triazophos) in blood. Optimum SPME parameters were selected: choice of SPME fiber (85 ${\mu}m$ polyacrylate), pH effect (0.5 N HCl), salt effect ($Na_2SO_4$, 0.2 g; 20%), headspace incubation temperature ($80^{\circ}C$), headspace incubation time (1 min), headspace adsorption time (30 min) and GC desorption time (2 min). These parameters were optimized using HS-SPME autosampler coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Method validation was carried out in terms of linearity, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantitation (LOQ) and recovery in blood. The assay was linear over 0.5~5.0 mg/l ($r^2$=0.955~1.000). Limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantitation (LOQ) in blood were determined 0.03~0.3 mg/l (S/N=3) and 0.1~1.1 mg/l (S/N=10), respectively. Relative recovery with 0.5, 1 and 5 mg/l (in blood) were 90.8%, 98.5% and 94.1%, respectively. This method will be applied to the determination of the orgarnophosphorous pesticides in postmortem blood. The proposed protocol can be an attractive alternative to be used in routine toxicological analysis.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.187-193
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• 1986

The purpose of this study was to establish optimal conditions for progesterone receptor assay using rat uterus, therby applying this system to understand action mechanism of progesterone in female reproductive organ and to evaluate physiological and pathological conditions in female reproduction. The results obtained were as follows 1. $^3H-R5020$ seemed to be more stable than 3H-progesterone as a ligand. 2. Optimal incubation time for ligand and receptor binding was 4-5 hrs at $4^{\circ}C$. 3. For the separation of bond and free ligand, optimal charcoal incubation time was 20 mins. 4. 2-3 mg cytosolic protein/ml was optimal for the binding of ligand. 5. Endogenous progesterone did not influence binding of ligand and receptor unless endogenous progesterone levels were extremely high as in case of pregnancy. 6. Dissociation rate for progesterone receptor was 1.22 nM. 7. $^3H-R5020$ did not bind to corticoid binding globulin (CBG), suggesting that addition of cortisol is saturate CBG was, not necessary as far as $^3H-R5020$ was used as a radioligand. It is, therefore, considered that this assay system established with these conditions might be used for the research as well as clinical routine purposes.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.59 no.5
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• pp.507-512
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• 2021

Since 1993, vivax malaria has been recognized as a public health burden in Korea. Despite of pan-governmental malaria-control efforts and the dramatic reduction in the burden of this disease over the last 10 years, vivax malaria has not been well controlled and has remained continuously endemic. We focused interviewed and examined the charts of 28 confirmed vivax malaria patients given malarial therapy for whom daily records were kept from Gimpo-si, Gyeonggi-do of Korea. Various epidemiological characteristics of vivax malaria, including the incubation period, medication used, and recurrence, and an evaluation of the parasitic characteristics from the focused interviews of patients from this region are described here. Most of the participants indicated the 3 most common symptoms of malaria (headache, chills and fever). Of the 28 cases, 2 experienced a second attack and there were 17 and 11 cases with short- and long-term incubation periods, respectively, yielding a short-term to long-term ratio of 1.5. Based on the parasitemia stages, most of the participants were tested at 5 to 7 days (11 cases) and 7 to 15 days (11 cases) after initial wave of asexual parasites. In conclusion, public health authorities should consider developing management measures to decrease the time lag for diagnosis and drafting unified and robust guidelines for drug use for malaria and drawing up unified and robust guidelines on the use of medication for malaria. It also suggests that routine monitoring, surveillance, and precise medical surveys in high-risk vivax malaria endemic areas are pivotal to controlling this persistent public disease and finally eliminating it from Korea.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.74-82
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• 2010

Purpose : The Dipslide culture test is a rapid method for diagnosis of urinary tract infection (UTI). The aim of this study is to determine the diagnostic availability of a urine Dipslide test for evaluation of UTI in febrile children. Methods : Urine specimens from 151 febrile infants were inoculated by a routine blood agar urine culture method and the Dipslide test at the same time. Following incubation for 16-24 hours, the results of the Dipslide test were read at the next visit. Both results of Dipslide and those of routine culture were compared. Results : The mean age of subjects was 15${\pm}$10.6 months. There were 150 infants (99.3%) who had fever with a mean duration of 2.6${\pm}$2.6 days. Thirty two infants (21.2%) were diagnosed as having UTI. Sensitivity and specificity of Uricult Trio CLED medium were 59.4% and 84.8%, respectively. Sensitivity and specificity of Uricult Trio E. coli medium were 60.0% and 96.2%, respectively. The Pearson correlation coefficient between results of Uricult Trio CLED medium and urine culture was 0.438 (P=0.01). Correlation between results of Uricult Trio E. coli medium and urine culture was 0.617 (P=0.01). Conclusion : The Dipslide test requires only 16-24 hours with high specificity in terms of UTI caused by E. coli without the problems associated with specimen delay. This test seems to be helpful for exclusion of UTI in febrile infants and it may reduce unnecessary hospitalization and antibiotic use. However, further studies are required before the product can be recommended as a routine diagnostic tool.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.1-12
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• 1973

The most commonly used methods for determining thyroxine binding globulin(TBG) concentration as the total thyroxine-binding capacity utilize electrophoretic seperation of serum. Although technically simple, the electrophoretic method is time consuming and is limited in the number of samples which can be run in a single assay. The author presented a single $T_4$ load ion exchange resin method as an approach to simplify the technique as with clinical practicability and results were analyzed. For construction of the standard curves, serum mixtures were diluted with barbital buffer.which effectively blocked $T_4$-binding to TBPA. For each serum dilution, a constant amount of $T_4-^{125}I$ and increments of unlabelled $T_4$ were added. After incubation in water bath, resin beads were dispensed to the samples which binded all $T_4$ not bound to TBG. The radioactivity in the supernatant was counted in the gamma scintillation counter. Each standard curve was plotted from the percent counts in the supernatant and total $T_4$ in each tube. Unknown samples were diluted to 1:40 and ran at a single $T_4$ loading concentration, and the TBG capacity of the samples was able to be read on the standard isobars. The following results were obtained. 1) Mean and standard deviation for TBG capacity in normal population was $28.6{\pm}5.09{\mu}g\;T_4/100ml$. 2) $24.9{\pm}3.87{\mu}g\;T_4/100ml$ in hyperthyroidism showed low TBG capacity comparing to normal population.(p<0.025) 3) $31.0{\pm}2.40{\mu}g\;T_4/100ml$ in hypothyroidism showed high TBG capacity tendency comparing to normal population. 4) Reversed correlationship existed between TBG capacity and $T_3$ resin uptake(r=-0.624), TBG capacity and serum $T_4$ value (r=-0.859), and TBG capacity and free thyroxine index(r=-0.623). The author assumes that this method of assay is considerably simpler in instrumentation and technique than any other assays traditionally being used, and seems to be more practical for routine clinical laboratory use.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.257-263
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• 1999

It is well known that discard of seminal plasma from the semen and separation of motile sperm should be preceded before insemination for IUI or IVF. Till now, more than ten kinds of semen treatment methods have been developed. Of those, swim-up and Percoll methods have been used widely in ART laboratories as a routine semen treatment methods because of its advantages. However, there are reports that Percoll can make a genetic trouble because of its chemical structure and therefore the necessity has been arisen to substitute Percoll for other equivalent materials. This study was performed to evaluate the effects of three different sperm preparation methods (swim-up, Percoll and Sil-Select) on sperm motility, sperm recovery rate and fertilization rate. Also, the feasibility of using Sil-Select instead of Percoll in ART was evaluated. Each semen samples were divided into three fractions and motile sperm were recovered by swim-up, Percoll and Sil-Select gradient centrifugation methods. Normal and sub-normal criteria of fifteen semen samples and seventeen IVF cycles were included in these study. As results, no significant difference was found in sperm recovery rate in normal semen treated by a Swim-up, Percoll and Sil-Select method ($13.2{\times}10^6,\;17.5{\times}10^6\;and\;17.7{\times}10^6$ respectively). The initial sperm motility was 61.9% and this increased to 87.1%, 92.6% and 89.5% through Swim-up, Percoll and Sil-Select treatment, respectively. Higher motility was observed in Percoll and Sil-Select treated groups (81.5%, 79.2%, respectively) than swim-up group (66.8%) after incubation for 24hrs. In sub-normal group, sperm recovery rates were higher in Sil-Select group $(2.9{\times}10^6)$ than Percoll gradients group $(1.8{\times}10^6)$. In IVF cycles, the outcomes of fertilization using sperm treated by swim-up and Sil-Select group were similar (82.2%, 79.7% respectively). In conclusion, our results indicate that Sil-Select can be used as a substitute material for sperm preparation instead of Percoll.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.313-318
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• 2016

Bacteria in the viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state fail to produce colonies on routine bacteriological media, but are still alive in the state of very low metabolic activity. The aim of the present study was to induce the VBNC state of the Edwardsiella tarda using sea water microcosm under starvation conditions at $10^{\circ}C$ and to investigate resuscitation of the VBNC cells in temperatures changed from 10 to $25^{\circ}C$, with and without additives. E. tarda entered into the VBNC state within about 42-84 days of incubation in the microcosm. Throughout this period, the total cell counts as determined using acridine orange direct counting remained near the original inoculum level of ${\sim}10^8cells/ml$. The live cell counts measured with direct viable counting, on the other hands, declined to ${\sim}10^4cells/ml$. When the VBNC cells were incubated with addition of yeast extract, fish muscle extract or serum at $25^{\circ}C$, the ratios of resuscitated samples were 37%, 23%, and 37%, respectively. The characteristics of resuscitated E. tarda were consistent with those of the original E. tarda. When the resuscitated E. tarda were intraperitoneally injected into olive flounders, all fishes died within 5 days, indicating that the VBNC E. tarda might retain its pathogenic potential. Therefore, E. tarda under starvation conditions in the winter enter into the VBNC state and the VBNC E. tarda cells resuscitated at summer and autumn seawater temperature are considered to be pathogen continuously to olive flounder on the southern coast of Korea.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.251-258
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• 2004

Soil testing for silicon (Si) in the upland soils has not been sufficiently investigated. The objective of this study was to identify a suitable Si extraction method for upland soils of oriental melon (Cucumis melo L.). Thirty-eight surface soil samples and matured leaf samples were collected from plastic film houses in Sungju, Gyeongbuk province. In the laboratory, six different methods were used for extracting Si from the soils. The methods included 0.5 N HCl extraction, 1 N sodium acetate buffer (PH 4.0) extraction, citric acid 1% extraction, water extraction, Tiis buffer pH 7.0 extraction, and extraction after incubation with water for 1 week. The concentration of dissolved Si in soil extracts from all methods was determined colorimetrically. With 1 N sodium acetate buffer extraction, as the available soil Si increased, the concentration ofSi in oriental melon leaf increased until around $14g\;SiO_2\;kg^{-1}$ was reached in the form of a saturation curve. Also, among the methods studied, extraction with 1 N sodium acetate buffer was the only method provided a significant linear correlation with oriental melon leaf Si content in the range of extractable soil Si lower than the level which inducing Si saturation in oriental melon leaf. These results indicate that 1 N sodium acetate buffer extraction procedure is the best soil Si test method for upland soils of oriental melon. This sodium acetate buffer extraction procedure is rapid and quite well acquainted with scientists and farmers, since the method has been used for routine paddy soil testing.