• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.48-57
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• 2024

Background: Cadmium (Cd) is toxic heavy metal that accumulates in organisms after passing through their respiratory and digestive tracts. Although several studies have reported the toxic effects of Cd exposure on human health, its role in embryonic development during preimplantation stage remains unclear. We investigated the effects of Cd on porcine embryonic development and elucidated the mechanism. Methods: We cultured parthenogenetic embryos in media treated with 0, 20, 40, or 60 µM Cd for 6 days and evaluated the rates of cleavage and blastocyst formation. To investigate the mechanism of Cd toxicity, we examined intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and glutathione (GSH) levels. Moreover, we examined mitochondrial content, membrane potential, and ROS. Results: Cleavage and blastocyst formation rates began to decrease significantly in the 40 µM Cd group compared with the control. During post-blastulation, development was significantly delayed in the Cd group. Cd exposure significantly decreased cell number and increased apoptosis rate compared with the control. Embryos exposed to Cd had significantly higher ROS and lower GSH levels, as well as lower expression of antioxidant enzymes, compared with the control. Moreover, embryos exposed to Cd exhibited a significant decrease in mitochondrial content, mitochondrial membrane potential, and expression of mitochondrial genes and an increase in mitochondrial ROS compared to the control. Conclusions: We demonstrated that Cd exposure impairs porcine embryonic development by inducing oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. Our findings provide insights into the toxicity of Cd exposure on mammalian embryonic development and highlight the importance of preventing Cd pollution.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.415-424
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• 2024

This study reveals that low-molecular-weight collagen peptide (LMWCP) can stimulate the differentiation and the mineralization of MC3T3-E1 cells in vitro and attenuate the bone remodeling process in ovariectomized (OVX) Sprague-Dawley rats in vivo. Moreover, the assessed LMWCP increased the activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), synthesis of collagen, and mineralization in MC3T3-E1 cells. Additionally, mRNA levels of bone metabolism-related factors such as the collagen type I alpha 1 chain, osteocalcin (OCN), osterix, bone sialoprotein, and the Runt family-associated transcription factor 2 were increased in cells treated with 1,000 ㎍/ml of LMWCP. Furthermore, we demonstrated that critical bone morphometric parameters exhibited significant differences between the LMWCP (400 mg/kg)-receiving and vehicle-treated rat groups. Moreover, the expression of type I collagen and the activity of ALP were found to be higher in both the femur and lumbar vertebrae of OVX rats treated with LMWCP. Finally, the administration of LMWCP managed to alleviate osteogenic parameters such as the ALP activity and the levels of the bone alkaline phosphatase, the OCN, and the procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide in OVX rats. Thus, our findings suggest that LMWCP is a promising candidate for the development of food-based prevention strategies against osteoporosis.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.412-418
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• 2015

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of acute hypoxia on the physiological stress responses (plasma cortisol as the primary response, and hematocrit, hemoglobin, plasma glucose, sodium, chloride, osmolality, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) as the secondary responses) of Korean rockfish. The mortality in Korean rockfish started at $0.7mg\;L^{-1}$ and $0.8mg\;L^{-1}$ levels at $12^{\circ}C$ and $20^{\circ}C$, respectively. And the time required for the mortality in experimental fish was 274 and 148 minutes at $12^{\circ}C$ and $20^{\circ}C$, respectively. Levels of hematocrit, hemoglobin, AST, ALT, ion concentration, osmolality, glucose and cortisol had significantly increased with decreasing dissolved oxygen at $12^{\circ}C$ and $20^{\circ}C$.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.444-452
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• 2022

Objective: An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of different levels of crude protein (CP) and two rearing systems (cage and floor), on blood parameters and digestive and reproductive organ development of brown laying hens. Methods: A total of 400 Hisex Brown laying hens between 30 and 45 weeks of age were distributed in a completely randomized design and a 2×4 factorial arrangement, with main effects including two rearing systems (cage and floor) and levels of CP (140, 150, 160, and 180 g/kg), in a total of eight treatments and five replicates of 10 birds each with initial body weight of 1,877 g (laying hen in cage) and 1,866 g (laying hens in floor). The parameters evaluated were plasma total protein, albumin, uric acid, total cholesterol, relative weights of oviduct, abdominal fat, liver, gizzard, crest and dewlap, length of small intestine and oviduct. Results: The blood parameters were similar in birds reared in cage and floor systems. The birds reared on the floor showed greater small intestine and oviduct weight (%) and lower liver and pancreas weight (%). A significant interaction was observed between factors for the relative gizzard, crest and dewlap weight, serum protein, uric acid, and total cholesterol (p<0.05). The diets with 140 g/kg CP resulted in lower serum protein and lower cholesterol in birds reared in floor system, while birds reared in cage system showed no effect of CP on both parameters. Birds reared in cage and fed with 140 and 150 g/kg CP presented lower uric acid. The group of birds reared in floor system fed 180 g/kg had greater uric acid. Conclusion: The dietary protein level can be reduced up to 140 g/kg for Hisex Brown hens (30 to 45 weeks of age) without an important effect on metabolic profile and organ development in both rearing systems.

• International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics Korean Journal of Geophysical Research
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.34-38
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• 1995

A diagnostic study on the summertime air mass thunderstorms occurring in the middle region of South Korea was made by analyzing the data of surface and upper air observations as well as the surface and upper level weather charts. The key parameters used in the present study are the amount of precipitable water below 850 hPa level, the vertical profiles of water vapor content and wind, and both the temperature difference and the equivalent potential temperature difference between 850 hPa and 700 hPa levels. It is found from this study that the summertime air mass thunderstorms in the middle region of South Korea can be classified into two distinct types, type I and type II. The thunderstorms of type I occur under the atmospheric conditions of high moisture content, low vertical wind shear in low levels, and conditional instability between 850 hPa and 700 hPa levels. On the other hand, the thunderstorms of type II occur under the atmospheric conditions of less moisture content, higher wind shear and conditional instability. Furthermore, our study suggests that atmospheric instability and the amount of water vapor below 850 hPa level are complementary in the development of air mass thunderstorms. The complementary nature between these two parameters may be an explanation for the thunderstorm development in the areas of low atmospheric water vapor content such as the plains of eastern Colorado.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.23-31
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• 2015

Catalpol, an iridoid glucoside, isolated from the root of Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch. It possesses a broad range of biological and pharmacological activity including anti-tumor, anti-inflammation and anti-oxidant by acting as a free radical scavenger. Therefore, in this study, the effects of catalpol on blastocyst development, expression levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and apoptotic index were investigated in porcine embryos. After in vitro maturation and fertilization, porcine embryos were cultured for 6 days in porcine zygote medium 3 (PZM-3) supplemented with catalpol (0, 100, 200 and $400{\mu}M$, respectively). Blastocyst development not significantly improved in the catalpol treated group when compared with control group. Otherwise, the intracelluar levels of ROS were decreased and the numbers of apoptotic nuclei were reduced in the catalpol ($100{\mu}M$) treated porcine blastocysts (P<0.05). On the other hand, blastocyst development was significantly improved in the catalpol ($100{\mu}M$) treated group when compared with the untreated catalpol group under $H_2O_2$ ($200{\mu}M$) induced oxidative stress (P<0.05). Otherwise, the intracellular levels of ROS in catalpol ($100{\mu}M$) treated group were significantly decreased in the untreated catalpol group under $H_2O_2$ ($200{\mu}M$) induced oxidative stress (P<0.05). Furthermore, the total cell numbers of blastocysts were significantly increased (P<0.05) in the catalpol ($100{\mu}M$) treated group under $H_2O_2$ ($200{\mu}M$) induced oxidative stress, whereas numbers of apoptoic nuclei were significantly reduced (P<0.05). In conclusion, our results indicate that treatment of catalpol may have important implications for improving developmental competence and preimplantation quality of porcine embryos through its anti-oxidant and anti-apoptotic effect.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.313-322
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• 2019

The epididymal fat pad is a male gonadal adipocyte tissue and is histochemically separated into distal and proximal parts. The development of epididymal fat during postnatal period has not been examined in detail. A previous research showed that expression of adipocyte-associated molecules in the distal epididymal fat of mouse is generally increased as postnatally aged. In the present study, expressional patterns of same adipocyte-associated molecules in the mouse proximal epididymal fat at 2, 5, 8, and 12 months of age were studied by quantitative real-time PCR analysis and were compared with those in the distal epididymal fat. The expressional levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (Pparg), lipoprotein lipase (Lpl), and fatty acid synthase (Fasn) at 5 months of age were significantly lower than those at 2 months of age, while transcript level of leptin (Lep) at 5 months was higher than that at 2 months of age. The transcript levels of all molecules at 8 months of age were significantly increased, compared with those at 2 and 5 months of age. At 12 months of age, expression of delta like non-canonical Notch ligand 1 (Dlk1) was further significantly increased, while there was no change on the transcript level of Pparg and significant decreases of Fabp4, Retn, Lpl, Lep, Fasn, and adiponectin (Adipoq) transcript levels. The current findings show that expressional patterns of molecules associated with adipocyte in the proximal epididymal fat is somewhat different with those of the distal epididymal fat, suggesting the existence of regional variance in the epididymal fat.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.1-31
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• 2007

Negative numbers have been one of the most difficult mathematical concepts, and it was only 200 years ago that they were recognized as a real object of mathematics by mathematicians. It was because it took more than 1500 years for human beings to overcome the quantitative notion of numbers and recognize the formality in negative numbers. Understanding negative numbers as formal ones resulted from the Copernican conversion in mathematical way of thinking. we first investigated the historic and the genetic process of the concept of negative numbers. Second, we analyzed the conceptual fields of negative numbers in the aspect of the additive and multiplicative structure. Third, we inquired into the levels of thinking on the concept of negative numbers on the basis of the historical and the psychological analysis in order to understand the formal concept of negative numbers. Fourth, we analyzed Korean mathematics textbooks on the basis of the thinking levels of the concept of negative numbers. Fifth, we investigated and analysed the levels of students' understanding of the concept of negative numbers. Sixth, we analyzed the symbolizing process in the development of mathematical concept. Futhermore, we tried to show a concrete way to teach the formality of the negative numbers concepts on the basis of such theoretical analyses.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.31-41
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• 2020

We investigated the effects of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress inhibitor and antioxidant treatments during the micromanipulation of somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) on in vitro development of SCNT embryos. Tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA), an ER stress inhibitor and vitamin C (Vit. C), an antioxidant, were treated by alone or in combination, then, the level of X-box binding protein 1 (Xbp1) splicing and the expressions of ER stress-associated genes, oxidative stress-related genes, and apoptotic genes were confirmed in the 1-cell and blastocyst stages. In the 1-cell stage, the levels of Xbp1 splicing were significantly decreased in TUDCA and Vit. C treatment groups compared to the control (p<0.05). In addition, the expression levels of most ER stress-associated genes and oxidative stress-related genes were significantly lower in all treatment groups than the control (p<0.05), and the transcript levels of apoptotic genes were also significantly lower in all treatment groups than the control (p<0.05). In the blastocyst stage, decreased expression of ER stress-, oxidative stress-, and apoptosis-related genes were observed only in some treatments. However, the blastocyst formation rates in TUDCA and Vit. C treatment groups (24.8% and 22.0%, respectively) and mean blastocyst cell number in all treatment groups (59.7±4.3 to 63.5±3.3) were significantly higher (p<0.05) than those of control. The results showed that the TUDCA or Vit. C treatment during micromanipulation inhibited both ER and oxidative stresses in the early stage of SCNT embryos, thereby reducing cell damage and promoting in vitro development.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.368-375
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• 2006

Four rumen-fistulated dairy steers were randomly assigned according to a $4{\times}4$ Latin square design to investigate effects of supplementation levels of sodium dl-malate in concentrates on rumen ecology, ruminal fermentation, nitrogen balance, feed intake and digestibility of nutrients and ruminal microbial protein synthesis. The dietary treatments were cassava concentrate-based, containing sodium dl-malate supplementation at 0, 9, 18 and 27 g/hd/d with urea-treated rice straw (UTS) fed ad libitum. The experiment was conducted for four periods, each period lasting 21 days. Ruminal pH increased with incremental addition of malate (p<0.05). Additionally, molar proportions of propionate were higher in supplemented groups and was highest at 18 g/hd/d of malate supplement (p<0.05). Microbial protein synthesis tended to be higher in dairy steers receiving sodium dl-malate supplements and also was the highest at 18 g/hd/d. Variable bacterial populations, such as amylolytic, proteolytic and cellulolytic species were increased (p<0.05). Furthermore, protozoal populations were decreased significantly (p<0.05), while fungal zoospores were dramatically increased in dairy steers receiving sodium dl-malate supplement (p<0.05). These results suggested that supplementation of concentrate containing a high level of cassava chip at 18 g/hd/d with UTS in dairy steers could improve rumen fermentation efficiency and rumen microbial protein synthesis.