• Development and Reproduction
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.105-113
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• 2006

Reactive oxygen species(ROS) generated in cellular metabolism have an effect on cell maturation and development. In human reproductive tract, oxidative injury by ROS may induce female infertility. Also, oxidative injury may be responsible for developmental retardation and arrest of mammalian preimplantation embryos. Activating transcription factor 4(ATF4) is a member of the cyclic-AMP response element-binding(CREB) familiy of basic region- leucine zipper(bZip). ATF4 is known to regulate stress response to protect cell from various stress factors and inducer of apoptisis. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether ATF4 is involved in the defensive mechanism in oxidative stress condition during the development of mouse preimplantation embryos. To verify the expression of ATF4 in oxidative stress condition, 2-cell stage embryos were cultured in HTF media containing 0.1mM, 0.5mM or 1mM hydrogen peroxide($H_2O_2$) for 1hr(2-cell), 8hr(4-cell), 17hr(8-cell), 24hr(morula), 48hr(early blastocyst) or 64hr(late blastocyst). The developmental rate decreased in the 0.1mM $H_2O_2$ treated group compared with control group. In embryos treated with 0.5mM and 1mM $H_2O_2$ showed 2-cell block. As a results of the semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis of SOD1, ATF4 and Bax gene expression, SOD1, ATF4 and Bax genes were increased in 0.1mM, 0.5mM, 1mM $H_2O_2$ treated groups compared with control group. In 2-cell embryos, expression of SOD1, ATF4 and Bax genes were notably increased in 0.1mM, 0.5mM, 1mM $H_2O_2$ treated groups compared with control group. Immunofluorescence analysis showed that ATF4 protein was localized at the cytoplasm of preimplantation embryos. The increase in ATF4 immunoreactivety was observed in the 0.1mM, 0.5mM, 1mM $H_2O_2$ treated groups compared with control group. It suggests that oxidative stress by $H_2O_2$ induces expression of ATF4 and may be involved in protection mechanism in preimplantation embryos from oxidative injury.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.226-236
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• 1999

Growth, reproduction, mortality, and production of Laminaria japonica were experimentally studied at a cultivation ground on the coast of llkwang, where the largest amount of cultivated Laminaria has been produced in Korea. For this experiment, young sporophytes (0.33 cm in mean length) grown in the laboratory were transplanted at the depth of 3 m and field surveys on them were conducted twice a month from December, 1995 to August, 1996. Plants exhibited an annual life span; they were completely dead by August. Frond width, thickness, and wet weight showed similar pattern of seasonal growth and reached their maxima in July, but frond length showed no more increment after May. Maximum mean frond length and weight were 199.8 cm and 333.0 g wet wt., respectively. Overall meristematic growth in length and weight were 384.0 cm and 393.6 g wet wt., respectively. Absolute growth rates (AGR) which were calculated from the length of tissue developed from meristem varied seasonally; AGR of length and weight reached maxima in March (3.6 $cm{\cdot}d^{-1}$) and May (3.8 g wet $wt{\cdot}d^{-1}$), respectively. Absolute attrition rates gradually increased from February to July. Seasonal differences in growth and attrition rates appeared to be related to seawater temperature and nitrogen concentration in seawater. Reproductive sporophytes bearing sprorangium sorus began to occur from April, and the ratio of sorus area to blade area reached its maximum in July (0.034). Survival rate was exponentially decreased; more than 90% of plants decayed within 56 days after outplanting. After February, mortality was size-specific; mortality of smaller plants less than 30 cm in length were relatively higher. Maximum biomass occured in July (285.6 kg wet $wt{\cdot}m^{-2}$) and annual production was 758.7 kg wet $wt{\cdot}m^{-2}$.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.266-280
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• 1989

Gonadal maturation of the Korean pomfrets, Pampus echinogaster (Basilewsky) and Pampus argenteus (Euphrasen) were histologically investigated based on the samples captured in the East China Sea from January 1987 to December 1988. Gonadosomatic index (GSI) of P. echinogaster began to increase from March, and reached maximum between May and July. It began to decrease from July and reached mini-mum between August and February. P. argenteus had a similar cycle, however, P. argenteus has higher values in April than P. echinogaster. Hepatosomatic index (HSI) were positively related to GSI. HIS of P. echinogaster and P. argenteus reached maximum in $April\~July$ and $April\~August$, respectively, Fatness coefficient of two Pampus species were low in the summer, and high in the winter. Ovary is of saccular structure, and testis is of lobular structure. From February, the early oocyte (ca. $100\mu$ in diameter grows) rapidly at the germinal epithelium of ovarian sacs. From March to April the oocytes grew up to cu $400\~500\mu$ in diameter. At this stage, the yolk globules are accumulated rapidly in the cytoplasmic layer. From May, the oocytes roached ca. $650\~850\mu$ in diameter, and they are spawned in $May\~July$. After spawning the residual follicles and remained ripe eggs degenerate. From February, spermatogonia grows into spermatocyte on the epithelium of the testicular lobuli. From May, spermatozoa appeared and spawning occurs. After spawning, the epithelium is thickened and the remained spermatozoa degenerate. Annual reproductive cycle of two Pampus species could be divided into four successive stages: Growing stage ($March\~April$), Mature stage ($April\~May$), Ripe and spent stage ($June\~July$) and Recovery and resting stage ($August\~January$). Absolute fecundity of P. echinogaster was $9,441\~135,294$, and that of P. argenteus was $50,678\~221,894$. Absolute fecundity of two Pampus species were positively related to body length and total weight. Relative fecundity was positively related to body length, while it was reversely related to total weight. The increasing rate of absolute fecundity of P. echinogaster was lower than P. argenteus. In P. echinogaster half of female and male reached first maturity at body length of $15.0\~$17.9cm and $12.0\~14.9cm$, respectively. All of females and males reached first maturity at body length of $18.0\~20.9cm$ and $21.0\~23.9cm, respectively. In P. argenteus all of females and males reached first maturity at body length of 18.6cm and 16.7cm$, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.1084-1091
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• 2002

Mortierella alpina, a common soil fungus, is the most efficient organism for production of production acid presently known. Since arachidonic acid are important in human brain and retina development, it was undertaken the growing effect containing diet as a food ingredient. Arachidonic acid rich oil derived from Mortierella alpina, was subjected to a program of studies to establish for use in diet supplement. This study was compared the growth and learning effect of fungal oil rich in arachidonic acid by incorporated into diets ad libitum. Sprague-Dawley rats received experimental diets 5 groups (standard AIN 93 based control with beef tallow, extract oil 8%, and 4%, and Mortierella alpina in diet 10% and 20%) over all experiment duration (pre-mating, mating, gestation, lactation, and after weaning 4 weeks). Pups born during this period consumed same diets after wean for 4 weeks. There was no statistical significance of diet effects in reproductive performance and fertility from birth to weaning. But the groups of Mortierella alpine diet were lower of weight gain and diet intake after weaning. The serum lipids were significantly different with diet groups, higher TG in LO (oil 4%) group of dams, and higher total cholesterol in LF (M. alpina 10%) of pups, although serum albumin content was not significantly different in diet group. The spent-time and memory effect within 4 weeks of T-Morris water maze pass test in dam and 7-week- age pups did not differ in diet groups. On the count of backing error in weaning period of pups was lower in HO(extracted oil 8%) group. In the group of 10% and 20% Mortierella alpina diet, DNA content was lower in brain with lower body weight, but liver DNA relative to body weight was higher than control. Further correlation analyses would be needed DNA and arachidonic acid intakes, with Mortierella alpina diet digestion rate.

• Korean Journal of Weed Science
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.138-150
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• 1993

Experiments were carried out to understand how much do the environmental factors affect growth and tuber formation of arrowhead, Sagittaria trifolia L. The more the light transmittance decreased, the more the numbers of leaves and floral axes decreased. The dry matter weight of tops and the number and the fresh weight of formated tuber were significantly different between the light transmittance of more than 50% and that of less than 30% at the 5% level of DMRT. Plant height, number and width of leaves, and number of floral axis were affected by the Light spectra. And the degree of their effects on growth of arrowhead was different form the light spectrum. The natural light and the clear cellophane film were the most effective to increase the number and the fresh weight of formated tuber and the green spectrum was the least effective to do those. Plant height grown at 0-5cm water depth was shorter than that at 10-20cm water depth. The deeper the water depth was, the lower the leaves number was. The fresh weight and the number of arrowhead tuber were most produced at 0cm water depth and theose were least at 20cm water depth. The shoot growth and the tuber formation of arrowhead was much increased with increase of the application rate of fertilizer. The difference of the transplanted tuber size was not affected at the shoot growth, but tuber formation of arrowhead was increased with increase of the transplanted tuber size. From viewing the effect of temperature after rice heading, the shoot growth and the tuber formation at $35^{\circ}C$ were also higher than those at $25^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.175-186
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• 2002

Fluoride has been one of the most widely studied caries-preventive agents. But the effect of prenatal administration had been controversies for many years. The results showed that there were no influence on reproductive rate of rats with administration of fluoride from 0 to 20 ppm during pregnancy(p>0.05). There was a trend towards slightly increased the mean ash weight in the 1, 5 and 20 ppm groups, as compared with the control group. However, there was no significant differences among groups (p>0.05). The contents of calcium, magnesium and phosphorus in the total bone were increased with the administrated fluoride concentration were increased, but there were no statistically significant differences among groups(p>0.05). The mean fluoride level of 1 ppm group was significantly higher than that of control group, but the concentrations of fluoride in total carcass pups of 5 and 20 ppm groups were significantly less than that of 1 ppm group(p>0.05). The results of this study indicate that the amount of fluoride transferred to the offspring, which may produce anticariogenic effects in the primary teeth of their effects in the primary teeth of their offspring.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.295-306
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• 2009

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary calcium (Ca) and vitamin $D_3$ metabolite on eggshell quality and hatching egg production in aged egg-type breeder hens. A total of five hundred and forty 60-week-old Hy-Line Brown breeder hens were randomly allocated to nine treatments in a $3\times3$ factorial design to determine the effects of dietary Ca levels (3.3, 3.9, and 4.5%), combined with three levels of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol [25-$(OH)D_3$ 0, 75, and $150{\mu}g/kg$], on eggshell quality and egg production for 10 weeks. There were significant Ca and 25-$(OH)D_3$ effects (P<0.01) on egg production rate. There was a linear (P<0.01) increase in eggshell strength and thickness with increasing dietary Ca and 25-$(OH)D_3$ levels. Dietary 25-$(OH)D_3$ had a significant effect (P<0.05) on hatchability of egg although fertility was not influenced by dietarylevels of Ca and 25-$(OH)D_3$. Dietary Ca levels affected Ca content in tibia (P<0.05). These results indicated that relatively high levels of dietary Ca in combination with 25-$(OH)D_3$ had a beneficial effect on improving eggshell quality and reproductive performance in aged egg-type breeder hens.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.45-52
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• 2020

This study analyzed the components contained in the pine needles of first and second-year-olds to analyze the factors that the in vivo content of inorganic elements affects the sex determination of pine trees. In response, the plan for pine tree plant and maintenance was intended to be presented in consideration of the reproductive environment and physiological characteristics. The results are as follows. First, last year, when there were many encyclopedias, the analyzed N(%) content was found to be high. The nitrogen content of the previous year's soil was found to affect the production of the spheres the following year. This is believed to be possible to reduce the rate of Pine pollen produced in the new plant in the following year through a dispute over quality consumption in the spring of the previous year. Second, the weapons elements involved in the Pine cones and the generation of the Pine pollen in the new plant appeared to be P(%), K(%), Ca(%), and Fe(%). However, the nutrients from the previous year's leaves of Ca(%) and Fe(%) were found to have a low influence on the sex determination of first-year pine trees. Because Ca(%) and Fe(%) are not able to move nutrients accumulated in aging organs due to the nature of the components, feeding nutrients in the fall when the growth of the previous year's branches is reduced is expected to affect oral generation. Third, pine trees are extremely positive and Pine pollen is related to the time of the northeast wind. Therefore, it is believed that it would be good to be located in the northern direction, where the sunlight is good, in an outdoor space. In addition, it is important to use vaginal consumer products in spring and carry out a quarrel involving Mg and Fe during fall to reduce the effect of the Pine pollen, which is an outdoor plant. This is an important part of maintaining and managing pine trees in outdoor spaces as well as the sex determination of pine trees. This study suggested that plant planning, which derives the correlation between pine inorganic element content on sexual determination and takes into account the physiological characteristics of pine trees, is an important issue in the creation of outdoor space. Follow-up research on other factors affecting pine tree sex determination is expected.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.263-270
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• 2013

The vent sexing and the auto-sexing by using sex-linked traits are general sexing methods of day-old chicks. Currently, the feather sexing which is based on the differences in the feather characteristics at hatching is the representative sexing method of chicken, because the late-feathering is sex-linked trait. The feather sexing can be used if the breed has dominant feathering gene (K) in maternal and recessive gene ($k^+$) in paternal. Therefore it is necessary to identify the association of feathering genes and quantitative traits in chickens. In this study, we investigated the influence of the rate of feathering on productive traits in Korean Native Chicken. In results, there was no significant difference between early-feathering chickens and late-feathering chickens in reproductive performance such as fertility and hatchability. Livability, body weights, egg production, egg weight and egg quality also did not significantly differ between early- and late-feathering chickens. Age at first egg was the only trait of those tested in which significant difference was observed. The early-feathering chickens laid eggs 3 days earlier than late-feathering chicken. As a result, there is no influence of feathering phenotypes on productive performance in Korean Native Chickens. Consequentially, establishing the feather sexing strain is available using the Korean Native Chicken breed without considering of the effect of feathering genes on productive traits.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2009

Implantation itself is governed by an array of endocrine, paracrine and autocrine modulators, of embryonic and maternal origin. Window of implantation is the unique temporal and spatial expression of factors allows the embryo to implant via signaling, appositioning, attachment, and invasion in a specific time frame of $2{\sim}4$ days. When the embryo has arrived in the uterine cavity, a preprogrammed sequence of events occurs, which involves the production and secretion of a multitude of biochemical factors such as cytokines, growth factors, and adhesion molecules by the endometrium and the embryo, thus leading to the formation of a receptive endometrium. Cytokines such as LIF, CSF-1, and IL-1 have all been shown to play important roles in the cascade of events that leads to implantation. Integrin, L-selectin ligands, glycodelin, mucin-1, HB-EGF and pinopodes are involved in appositioning and attachment. The embryo also produces cytokines and growth factors (ILs, VEGF) and receptors for endometrial signals such as LIF, CSF-1, IGF and HB-EGF. The immune system and angiogenesis play an important role. The usefulness of these factors to assess endometrial receptivity and to estimate the prognosis for pregnancy in natural and artificial cycles remains to be proven. Integrins, pinopodes, glycodelin and LIF (from biopsies) are promising candidates; from uterine flushings, glycodelin and LIF are also candidates. The ideal serum marker is not available, but VEGF, glycodelin and CSF have some clinical implications. Further evaluation that includes larger groups of infertile women and fertile controls are needed to elucidate whether their presence in plasma, flushing fluid, or endometrial samples can be used as some kind of a screening tool to assess endometrial function and prognosis for pregnancy before and after artificial reproductive therapy. A better understanding of their function in human implantation may lead to therapeutic intervention, thereby improving the success rate in reproduction treatment. New molecular techniques are becoming available for measuring both embryonic and endometrial changes prior to and during implantation. The use of predictive sets of markers may prove to be more reliable than a single marker. Ultimately, the aim is to use these tools to increase implantation in artificial cycles and consequently improve live-birth rates.