• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Developmental Biology Conference
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• 2001.02a
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• pp.27-31
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• 2001

This study examined the extent of mammary excretion and placental transfer of bisphenol A in rats. Bisphenol A was given by simultaneous i.v. bolus injection plus infusion to steady-state at low, medium and high doses. The steady-state serum levels of bisphenol A were linearly increased with increasing the dosing rate. The systemic clearance (mean range, 119.2-154.1 ml/min/kg) remained unaltered over the dosing rate studied. The levels of bisphenol A in milk exceeded those in serum, with the steady-state milk to serum concentration ratio being 2.4-2.7. The steady-state milk levels of bisphenol A were also increased linearly with increasing the infusion rate. In a separate study, the kinetic disposition of bisphenol A in the rat maternal-fetal unit was studied in pregnant rats. After i.v. injection, bisphenol A concentration in the maternal serum declined biexponentially. Bisphenol A was rapidly distributed into placenta, fetus and amniotic fluid, with maximum concentrations in these tissues achieved within 1 hr of injection. The decline of bisphenol A in placenta, fetus and amniotic fluid paralleled that of maternal serum. A simultaneous computer simulation showed that the observed concentrations were well represented by a 5-compartmental model consisting of the maternal central, placenta, fetus, amniotic fluid, and maternal tissue compartments.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.36-40
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• 2019

A viable spermatozoon is a prerequisite for fertilization in intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Thus, it is crucial to select viable but immotile spermatozoa on the day of ICSI. We report conflicting results in the identification of viable but immotile spermatozoa between the eosin-nigrosin staining and the laser test, which resulted in confusion for embryologists during assisted reproductive technology (ART). Three patients' semen samples that showed no motile spermatozoa are described in this report. To identify viable spermatozoa, we used both the eosin-nigrosin test and the laser test for each sample, and repeated the semen analysis twice in each patient. Viable but immotile spermatozoa selected by the laser test were used for ICSI. Viable spermatozoa were detected by both the eosin-nigrosin and laser tests in two patients (case 1, 95.00% vs. 24.21% and 92.68% vs. 22.22%; case 2, 41.18% vs. 23.48% and 39.81% vs. 22.52%), indicating consistent results between the two methods. In the third patient, the eosin-nigrosin test yielded viability rates of 20.75% and 19.14%, while the result of the laser test was 0%. Thus, testicular aspiration was performed to collect viable sperm from this patient. Normal fertilization was achieved after the injection of viable but immotile spermatozoa selected from these patients by the laser test, resulting in the birth of two healthy babies. Our study documents a case where the eosin-nigrosin test showed a limitation in identifying viable but immotile spermatozoa for ART, while the laser test may overcome this limitation. Larger samples may be required to corroborate the clinical value of the laser test.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.721-726
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• 1998

The changes of thyroid hormone levels in plasma, eggs and yolk-sac larvae in female rockfish (Sebastes schiegeli) were examined after maternal injection of 3,5,3'-triiodo-L-thyronine ($T_3$) with a dose of 20 mg/kg fish wt. There were no differences of L-thyronine ($T_4$) level in maternal plasma and yolk-sac larvae between $T_3$ injection and vehicle-injected control. The significant decrease of $T_4$ level was found in eggs from the $T_3$ injected mother fish compared with that of control. $T_3$ levels in maternal plasma, eggs, and yolk-sac larvae were significantly elevated by $T_3$ injection. Therefore $T_4$ and $T_3$ in maternal circulation may be transferred into oocytes and subsequently into the yolk-sac larvae. These findings suggest that thyroid hormones may play some roles on physiological metabolism during early larval development of rockfish.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.85-89
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• 2017

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the effects of the insemination method on the outcomes of elective blastocyst culture. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the outcomes of elective blastocyst culture performed between January 2011 and December 2014. Results: There were 2,003 cycles of conventional in vitro fertilization (IVF) and 336 cycles of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), including 25,652 and 4,164 embryos that underwent sequential blastocyst culture, respectively. No significant differences were found in the female patients' age, basal follicle-stimulating hormone level, basal luteinizing hormone level, body mass index, number of oocytes, maturity rate, fertilization rate, or good-quality embryo rate. However, the blastocyst formation rate and embryo utilization rate were significantly higher in the conventional IVF group than in the ICSI group (54.70% vs. 50.94% and 51.09% vs. 47.65%, respectively, p<0.05). The implantation/pregnancy rate (IVF, 50.93%; ICSI, 55.10%), miscarriage rate (IVF, 12.57%; ICSI, 16.29%), and live birth rate (IVF, 42.12%; ICSI, 44.08%) were similar (p>0.05). No cycles were canceled due to the formation of no usable blastocysts. Conclusion: Although the fertilization method had no effect on clinical outcomes, the blastocyst formation rate and embryo utilization rate in the ICSI group were significantly lower than those observed in the conventional IVF group. Therefore, more care should be taken when choosing to perform blastocyst culture in ICSI patients.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.23-33
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• 1987

This study was carried out to investigate the characteristics of lithium concentration difference between maternal and fetal plasma and the effect of previous lithium loading on rapid transplacental transport of large amounts of lithium. Pregnant rabbits at $20{\sim}22\;days$ of gestation were divided into two groups: chronic $Li^+$ injection group and chronic plus acute $Li^+$ injection group. Small amounts of LiCl (1 mmol/kg per day) were given intraperitoneally to all rabbits of both group, for 5 days before sacrifice. The rabbits of chronic plus acute injection group, received additional intravenous injections of large amounts of LiCl (2 mmol/kg) one hour before sacrifice. Maternal arterial blood, placental sinus blood, fetal blood and amniotic fluid were drawn and analyzed for the plasma concentrations of $Li^+$, $Na^+$ and $K^+$ and for osmolartiy. Followings are the results obtained. 1) There was no difference in the $Li^+$ concentration between maternal plasma and placental sinus plasma in chronic lithium group, although the $Li^+$ concentration of placental sinus plasma was slightly lower than that of maternal arterial plasma in the chronic plus acute lithium group. 2) The $Li^+$ concentration of fetal plasma was much lower than that of placental sinus plasma in both groups, the ratio being $0.76{\pm}0.250$ ($mean{\pm}95%$ confidence interval) for the chronic $Li^+$ group and $0.78{\pm}0.366$ for the chronic plus acute $Li^+$ group. 3) The ratio of $Li^+$ concentration of fetal plasma to maternal arterial plasma was $0.71{\pm}0.196$ in the chronic group and $0.59{\pm}0.261$ in the chronic plus acute group. 4) $Li^+$ concentration of amniotic fluid was much higher than that of fetal plasma in the chronic $Li^+$ group but not significantly different in the chronic plus acute $Li^+$ group. 5) An acute loading of $Li^+$ did not produce any detectable changes in $Na^+$ and $K^+$ concentrations and osmolarity of the maternal plasma. The above results may suggest that: (a) The placental barrier maintains steady state lithium concentration gradient between placental sinus plasma and fetal plasma. (b) In rabbits chronically treated with $Li^+$ the steady state $Li^+$ gradient is established within one hour after an acute $Li^+$ loading, provided that the $Li^+$ concentration in the maternal plasma is less than 4 mmole/l.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.303-310
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• 1998

The growth and survival rate of larvae and juveniles from female rockfish (Sebastes schlegeli) broodstock in vitellogenesis by injection of 3,5,3'-triiodo-L-thyronine $T_3$ with a dose of 20 mg/kg fish wt. were examined for 30 days and compared with sham-control fish injected dime-thyl sulfoxide and control fish. Larvae were fed with rotifers for first 5 days after parturition, rotifers and Artemia nauplii for next 10 days. And then, they were fed with Artemia nauplii and commercial diet. Growth of larvae and juveniles from maternal $T_3$injection was significantly faster than that of two controls, nevertheless, the condition factor was lower than that of controls. The whole body proximate analyses indicated that there were significant effects of $T_3$ injection on protein and lipid, but no significant on moisture and ash contents. Survival rate of the fish from maternal $T_3$injection was significantly higher than that of fish from the two controls. These results indicate that thyroid hormone supplements appear to confer a distinct advantage to larval and juvenile rockfish in early, fragile development stage.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.167-176
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• 2023

This study aims to explore the impact of Rehmannioside D (RD) on ovarian functions of rats with diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) and its underlying mechanisms of action. A single injection of cyclophosphamide was performed to establish a DOR rat model, and fourteen days after the injection, the rats were intragastrically administrated with RD for two weeks. Rat estrus cycles were tested using vaginal smears. Ovarian tissues were histologically evaluated, the number of primordial, mature, and atretic follicles was calculated, and the apoptotic rate of granulosa cells. Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and estradiol (E₂) levels were determined by ELISA assays. Protein levels of Forkhead Box O1 (FOXO1), KLOTHO, Bcl-2, and Bax were investigated in ovarian tissues of DOR rats. The binding between FOXO1 and KLOTHO was verified by ChIP assay. High-dose administration of RD into DOR rats improved their estrus cycles, increased ovarian index, enhanced the number of primordial and mature follicles, reduced the number of atretic follicle number, and ovarian granulosa cell apoptosis in addition to inhibiting FSH and LH levels and upregulating E₂ expression. FOXO1 and KLOTHO were significantly suppressed in DOR rats. FOXO1 knockdown partially suppressed the protective effects of RD on DOR rats, and KLOTHO overexpression could restore RD-induced blockade of DOR development despite knocking down FOXO1. FOXO1 antibody enriched KLOTHO promoter, and the binding between them was reduced in DOR group compared to that in sham group. RD improved ovarian functions in DOR rats and diminished granulosa cell apoptosis via the FOXO1/KLOTHO axis.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.84-96
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• 1993

This study was to investigate the effects of maternal diabetes on the lung tissue of the fetal rat using lectin histochemistry and electron microscope technique. Maternal diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (75 mg/kg the body weight) into pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats on the 7th day of gestation. Fetuses of streptozotocin induced diabetic rats exhibited delayed lung maturation and reduced air space. In lectin histochemistry, the binding of Maclura pomifera (MPA) to fetal lungs from diabetic mothers was reduced, but no significant changes in the bindings of Concanavalin A (Con A), Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), Ricinus communis I (RCA I) and Griffonia simplicifolia (GSI-$B_4$) were noted. Because the MPA has affinity to terminal N-acetyl-D-galactosamine residues constantly linked O-glycosidically to serine or threonine, the present findings may indicates that maternal diabetes interfere with the processes of O-linked glycosylation in fetal rat lung.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.52-55
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• 2017

The aim of this study was to report a successful pregnancy using completely immotile frozen-thawed spermatozoa selected by laser. A single laser shot was used to detect the presence of viable immotile spermatozoa in fresh and frozen-thawed testicular spermatozoa. The viability rate was 55.8% after the laser detection, and cryopreservation was carried out immediately. The thawing test was performed on the day of oocyte pick-up, and no motile sperm were observed after extending the culture for another 4 hours, while a survival rate of 39.8% was detected using the laser. In all, five mature oocytes were injected, resulting in four cases of normal fertilization (80%) on day 1. Further, two high-quality day 3 embryos were transferred, which resulted in a singleton pregnancy. Our study demonstrates that completely immotile spermatozoa are worth cryopreserving for further intracytoplasmic sperm injection, which provides a new insight into male fertility preservation in cases of completely immotile spermatozoa.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.221-227
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• 2016

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of maternal age on fertilization, embryo quality, and clinical pregnancy in patients undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) using testicular sperm from partners with azoospermia. Methods: A total of 416 ICSI cycles using testicular spermatozoa from partners with obstructive azoospermia (OA, n = 301) and non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA, n = 115) were analyzed. Female patients were divided into the following age groups: 27 to 31 years, 32 to 36 years, and 37 to 41 years. The rates of fertilization, high-quality embryos, clinical pregnancy, and delivery were compared across maternal age groups between the OA and NOA groups. Results: The rates of fertilization and high-quality embryos were not significantly different among the maternal age groups. Similarly, the clinical pregnancy and delivery rates were not significantly different. The fertilization rate was significantly higher in the OA group than in the NOA group (p< 0.05). Age-group analysis revealed that the fertilization and high-quality embryo rates were significantly different between the OA and NOA groups in patients aged 27 to 31 years old, but not for the other age groups. Although the clinical pregnancy and delivery rates differed between the OA and NOA groups across all age groups, significant differences were not observed. Conclusion: In couples using testicular sperm from male partners with azoospermia, pregnancy and delivery outcomes were not affected by maternal age. However, women older than 37 years using testicular sperm from partners with azoospermia should be advised of the increased incidence of pregnancy failure.