• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.9-30
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• 1985

The study was carried out to find out the changes of the sex hormone levels in the milk of Holstein cows during the reproductive stages such as the estrous cycle, pregnancy and periparturient period. The FSH, LH, estradiol-17$\beta$ and progesterone from the milk samples were assayed by radioimmunoassay methods. The results of this study were summarized as follows: 1. The levels of progesterone and estradiol-17$\beta$ were similar among inter-quarters, but they were higher in after milking than before milking times, with no statistical significance. 2. The milk progesterone levels during the estrous cycles reached a peak mean level of 3.55$\pm$0.26ng/$m\ell$ at 15 days after estrus and they did not show any differences among the length of estrous cycles. The estradiol-17$\beta$ levels during the estrous cycles showed a peak level of 36.40$\pm$2.38pg/$m\ell$ at estrus, and decreased(17.20$\pm$0.46 pg/$m\ell$ to 18.65$\pm$1.26pg/$m\ell$) at luteal phase. 3. The FSH levels during the estrous cycles ranged from 2.25$\pm$0.23mIU/$m\ell$ to 4.35$\pm$0.24mIU/$m\ell$ showing significant changes. The LH levels during the estrous cycles gradually increased and remained a peak level of 10.90$\pm$0.36mIU/$m\ell$ from 20 to 25 days after estrus. 4. The progesterone levels during the pregnancy were decreased from 30 to 60 days after artificial insemination, and therafter continuously increased until 240 days. The estradiol-17$\beta$ levels during the pregnancy were 24.56$\pm$1.19pg/$m\ell$ at day 30 after artificial inseminaton, and increased rapidly until 180 days. The levles were agagin decreased by 26.17$\pm$3.03pg/$m\ell$ until 210 days and markedly increased by 68.00$\pm$8.70pg/$m\ell$ until 240 days. 5. The prolactin levels during the pregnancy were 31.27$\pm$2.31ng/$m\ell$ and 42.60$\pm$2.37ng/$m\ell$ at day 150 and 240 after artificial insemination respectively. The LH levels during the pregnancy reached a peak of 27.47$\pm$7.90mIU/$m\ell$ at day 30 after artificial insemination, and thereafter gradually decreased. 6. The progesterone levels during the periparturient period reached a peak of 4.61$\pm$0.34ng/$m\ell$ at day 3 prepartum, and thereafter gradually decreased, and showed 2.05$\pm$0.60ng/$m\ell$ at day 7 postpartum. The estradiol-17$\beta$ levels during the periparturient period showed high level from 207.23$\pm$6.04pg/$m\ell$ at day 1 prepartum to 239.90$\pm$13.90pg/$m\ell$ at day 2 prepartum, and thereafter began to decline and reached 51.87$\pm$1.72pg/$m\ell$ at by 7 postpartum. 7. The prolactin levels during the periparturient period showed relatively higher level at the time of parturition. The LH levels during the periparturient period rnage from 6.32$\pm$0.32mIU/$m\ell$ to 13.90$\pm$1.37mIU/$m\ell$ showing significant changes. 8. The progesterone levels(4.6$\pm$0.8ng/$m\ell$) of the pregnant cows were significantly higher than those (1.84$\pm$1.4ng/$m\ell$) of nonpregnant cows. The cows of artificial insemination from 61 to 90 days after parturition showed higher progesterone levels. 9. During 20 to 25 days after artificial insemination, the accuracy of pregnancy diagnosis from milk progesterone levels were 94.4% for nonpregnant cows(<2.3ng/$m\ell$), and 75.0% for pregnant cows( 3.2ng/$m\ell$). The average overall accuracy of pregnancy prediction for nonpregnant and pregnant cows 83.3% 10. The results obtained this study suggest that the understanding of the endocrinological mechanisms by means of milk hormone analysis during the estrous cycle, pregnancy and parturition would give the basic information needed for increasing efficiency of reproduction. This study would not only provide an accurate method of the early pregnancy diagnosis by milk progesterone levels but also contribute to the research of providing the method of detecting of FSH levels in milk, which was difficult in blood serum.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.67-71
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• 2015

Objective: Elevated serum progesterone (P) levels on triggering day have been known to affect the pregnancy rate of in vitro fertilization (IVF). This study aimed to identify the possible factors influencing serum P levels on triggering day in stimulated IVF cycles. Methods: Three hundred and thirty consecutive fresh IVF cycles were included in the study. All cycles were first attempts and were performed in a single infertility center. The indications for IVF were male factor infertility (n=114), ovulatory infertility (n=84), endometriosis (n=61), tubal infertility (n=59), unexplained infertility (n=41), and uterine factor infertility (n=39). A luteal long protocol of a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist (n=184) or a GnRH antagonist protocol (n=146) was used for pituitary suppression. Ovarian sensitivity was defined as the serum estradiol level on triggering day per 500 IU of administered gonadotropins (OS[a]) or the retrieved oocyte number per 500 IU of administered gonadotropins (OS[b]). Results: Univariate analysis revealed that the serum P level on triggering day was associated with the serum estradiol level on triggering day (r=0.379, p<0.001), the number of follicles ${\geq}14mm$ (r=0.247, p<0.001), the number of retrieved oocytes (r=0.384, p<0.001), and ovarian sensitivity (OS[a]: r=0.245, p<0.001; OS[b]: r=0.170, p=0.002). The woman's age, body mass index, antral follicle count, and basal serum follicle stimulating hormone and estradiol levels were not associated with serum P level on triggering day. The serum P level on triggering day did not show significant variation depending on the type or cause of infertility, pituitary suppression protocol, or the type of gonadotropins used. Conclusion: The serum P level on triggering day was closely related to the response to ovarian stimulation.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.31-40
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• 1999

Many factors may affect periodontal changes during the physiologic conditions of woman(e.g. puberty, menstrual cycle, pregnancy, menopause). Recently many research has focused on the immunological changes of host, but the exact mechanism is not clear. Collagen is a major constituent of periodontium, and collagenase specifically digests the collagen and plays a role in destruction of periodontal tissue. So, I suppose that it participates with the cytokines in the inflammation of gingiva and vascular response during the changes of female sex hormones. Because there are some evidences of the existence of the receptors of estrogen and progesterone in the gingiva, it may be a target tissue of female sex hormones. In this experiment, gingival fibroblast and periodontal ligament cell were cultured in the presence of various concentrations of estrogen or progesterone corresponding to the menstrual cycle and pregnancy. Collagenase activity of the supernatant of culture media was determined by Spectrophotometric collagenase assay. The enzyme activity was calculated by the % decrease of the coated collagen. 1. The estrogen at both concentrations had no effect on the activity of collagenase of the gingival fibroblast. 2. The progesterone had some effect on the collagenase activity of the gingival fibroblast at low and high concentration of menstrual cycle, and elevated the enzyme activity at all range of pregnancy concentrations. 3. In periodontal ligament cells, estrogen elevated the enzyme activity at the early pregnancy concentration and progesterone elevated at the concentration just before menstruation. In this experiment, pregesterone elevated the collagenase activity of gingival fibroblast and periodontal ligament cells. But the mechanism of the up-regulation of the enzyme activity was not confirmed. The more experiments of direct effect of progesterone on gingival at the molecular level(e.g. northern blot analysis) can reveal the exact mechanism.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.29-37
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• 1984

Morphological changes of the epithelium of the endometrium by prolonged treatment of $17{\beta}$-estradiol or progesterone in ovariectomized rats was studied at the ultrastructural level. The epithelium of the endometrium in ovariectomized rats was characterized by the appearance of a number of vacuoles which was contained with the membraneous structures, lipid droplets and the others. The epithelium was low cuboidal, and a few short microvilli were present at the cell surface. Secretory granules are rarely found. After estradiol treatment, the epithelium was high columnar in shape. The mitochondria was appeared throughout the cytoplasm, however, long or swelling mitochondria was often found. Golgi apparatus and rER were relatively well-developed. Relatively long and sparse microvilli were present at the cell surface. After progesterone treatment, the epithelium was characterized by the appearance of numerous vesicles at the apical region and numerous lipid droplets at the subnuclear region. At the cell surface a number of short and blunt microvilli were found. These data indicated that the endometrium was dependent on estrogen and progesterone for changes in both its morphological and functional state and suggested that each hormone exerted a unique effect on the epithelial cells.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.258-262
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• 1991

Rate of 11.alpha.-hydroxylation of progesterone with Rhizopus nigricans was accelerated by glucose. Glucose seemed to play an important role in the formation of cofactor because its effects on the reaction were almost same as those of electron acceptors such as NADPH and $NaIO_{4}$. Rate of glucose consumption appeared to increase in proportion as the rate of hydroxylation reaction, which enhanced with increase in the glucose concentration to level off at 0.5 g/l for mycelia and at 20 g/l for spores. However, for mycelia immobilized in polyacrylamide gel, externally added glucose did not affect the reaction rate at all because of the glucose accumulated in the gel during the cultivation period. 5.alpha.-Reduction of 11.alpha.-hydroxyprogesternoe required much higher concentration of glucose than 11.alpha.-hydroxylation of progesternoe so that high yield of 11.alpha.-hydroxyprogesternoe can be obtained by repressing the activity of 5.alpha.-reductase at low concentration of glucose.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2017

In all mammalian species, progesterone is essential to both the preparation for, and maintenance of, pregnancy. The $20{\alpha}$-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase ($20{\alpha}$-HSD) enzyme predominantly converts progesterone into its biologically inactive form $20{\alpha}$-hydroxyprogesterone, thereby regulating its activity. Thus, to directly assess sexual maturation in the MediKinetics $micropig^{(R)}$, we analyzed the concentration of the steroid hormones progesterone and estradiol during the estrous cycle. Our results show that the progesterone level exhibited by the analyzed $micorpig^{(R)}$ was low at the beginning of the estrous cycle, and then abruptly increased to $30.32{\pm}10.0ng/mL$ and $46.37{\pm}11.0ng/mL$ by days 9 and 11 of the cycle, respectively. It reached the highest level $55.87{\pm}3.5ng/mL$ on day 13 of the estrous cycle, before decreasing to $46.58{\pm}13.1ng/mL$ and $10.0{\pm}7.6ng/mL$ by days 15 and 17 of the cycle, respectively. In contrast, the estradiol level was shown to be highest ($27.13{\pm}11.2ng/mL$) at the initiation of the estrous cycle, after which point it decreased to $13.29{\pm}6.5ng/mL$ and $10.94{\pm}5.9ng/mL$ by days 4 and 5 of the estrous cycle, respectively. By day 17 of the estrous cycle, the estradiol level decreased to $4.13{\pm}7.6ng/mL$. We anticipate that these results will provide useful information to enable the study of human ovulation and reproductive physiology using the MediKinetics $micoripig^{(R)}$ as a model system. We recommend further investigation to elucidate the functional mechanisms underlying the regulation of sexual maturation in the MediKinetics $micropig^{(R)}$.

• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.509-520
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• 1995

The effect of water extract of antler on serum level of female hormones was investigated in ovariectemized rats. Sprague-Dawley rats were ovariectomized(ox). After a further 40 days the animals were administrated with water extract of antler (625mg/kg daily) for 10, 20 and 30 days, respectively. Serum level of estradiol, progesterone, leutenizing hormone and follicle stimulating hormone were measured. Significant increase of serum estradiol level was elicited at 20 and 30 days after treatment with water extract of antler, respectively, Associated with the increase of serum estradiol level, there was a concomitant decrease in serum follicle stimulating hormone level. Serum progesterone level was also significantly increased at 30 days after treatment with water extract of antler. Although serum leutenizing hormone level of ox rats treated with water extract of anther was slightly lower than that of untreated ox rats, the decrease was not significant.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.78-83
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• 1998

The objective of this study was to investigate the responsiveness of hypophysis and gonads to synthetic GnRH among prepubertal buffalo heifers at 12 months of age. Peripheral plasma FSH, LH, estradiol and progesterone level were measured in blood samples collected at 1 hr before and up to 18 days subsequent to the administration of $200{\mu}g$ GnRH (n=6) or saline (n=6) in Murrah buffalo heifers. The pretreatment peripheral plasma FSH, LH, estradiol and progesterone among GnRH treated heifers were $7.35{\pm}0.45ng/ml$, $1.08{\pm}0.3ng/ml$, $22.93{\pm}1.06pg/ml$ and $0.27{\pm}0.04ng/ml$ respectively. A quick elevation (p < 0.01) of FSH and LH within five min of GnRH administration was observed in all geifers. Although the peak FSH $(89.57{\pm}23.43ng/ml)$ and LH $(7.52{\pm}3.08ng/ml)$ reached by 10 min of GnRH administration, yet the animals differed both in terms of their amplitude response of FSH and LH release as well as in terms of time which animals took to exhiit maximum response to GnRH administration. The GnRH administration did not cause alteration in plasma estradiol and progesterone level. The present study suggests that the pituitary of 12 month buffalo heifers has capacity to synthesize and store of gonadotropin and have developed receptors for GnRH for a spike of gonadotropin release.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.95-107
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• 2006

Purpose : Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix is a herb with an effect on extravasated blood and is widely used in gynecology. This study examine, the effects of Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix on endometriosis. Methods : Rats with surgically induced endometriosis were administered Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix for 40 days. The size of the ectopic uterine implants at the serosal wall and the concentration of progesterone, estradiol, TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-2, 4, 6 and 10 in the blood were examined and compared with the control group. Results : The size of the ectopic uterine implants in the treated group was much smaller than that in the control group. The estradiol concentration was significantly lower in the experimental group than in the control group. The IL-10 level was significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group. The TNF-${\alpha}$ level was lower in the experimental group than in the control group but the difference was not significant. The progesterone, IL-2, 4, 6 levels were similar in the experimental and control groups. Conclusion : These results indicate that Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix reduces the size of ectopic uterine implants at the serosal wall and inhibits the growth of ectopic uterine implants. This suggests that Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix is an effective treatment for endometriosis.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.109-120
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• 2006

Purpose : To observe the effect of retention enema therapy Gamihongdeung-tang on experimentally induced endometriosis. Methods : Rats with surgically induced endometriosis were administered in Gamihongdeung-tang rectally. After treatment for 40 days, the serum concentrations of progesterone, estradiol, tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$(TNF-${\alpha}$),　interleukin(IL)-2,　IL-4, IL-6 and IL-10 were measured. Results : The size of the ectopic uterine implants in the treated group was much smaller than that in the control group. The concentration of estradiol was significantly lower in the experimental group than in the control group. The IL-4, IL-6 levels were significantly lower in the experimental groups than the control groups. TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-2 levels were lower and IL-10 level was higher in the experimental groups than in the control groups but the difference was not significent. The progesterone level was similar in the experimental and control group. Conclusion : These results indicate that Retention enema therapy with Gamihongdeung-tang reduces the size of ectopic uterine implants at the serosal wall and inhibits the growth of ectopic uterine implants. This suggests that retention enema therapy with Gamihongdeung-tang is an effective treatment for endometriosis.