Background: Water deer and sika deer, which breed in the wild environment, are known to have similar reproductive physiology mechanisms. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the differences in uterine development between water deer and sika deer during estrus. Methods: MMPs and uterine development-related factors were analyzed and morphological differences were compared in the uterus of sika deer captured near Russia near Korea and water deer captured in the wild in Korea. Results: In terms of morphological differences in the uterus, the glands that form villus within the endometrium of the water deer were newly developed, and the formation of small glands was high, but the villus and glands of the sika deer were expanded, and the stroma zone in the myometrium was higher than that of the water deer. Development has increased. Additionally, the expression of PAPP-A and VEGF factors was increased in the endometrium of water deer than in sika deer, but the actions of MMPs were increased in sika deer. Conclusions: As a result of this study, there is a significant difference in the development of glands in the endometrium of water deer and sika deer during estrus, and it is believed that there is a significant difference in the development of the uterus due to the physiological effects of estrus between water deer and sika deer. Additionally, it is believed that there will be differences in the timing at which pregnancy can be decided.

Background: Research on the reproductive physiology of Water and Sika deer, an endemic in Korea, still needs to be completed. This study analyzed the ovarian development and morphological characteristics of wild Water deer and Sika deer. Methods: Water deer and Sika deer ovaries were collected from the Korean Peninsula and Russia–Korean Peninsula border during the estrus and pregnancy seasons, respectively. And, morphological and physiological analysis and immunohistochemistry were conducted to confirm the detection of Ca2+ and assess the morphological changes in the ovaries. Results: The results of morphological analysis of ovaries during pregnancy and estrus, the development of the corpus luteum and follicles of Water deer showed similar patterns to other mammals. In contrast, the corpus luteum of Sika deer differed in tissue morphology and composition from Water deer. Ca2+ related to tissue metabolism was detected in the theca cells zone of Water deer on the estrus and was highly detected in the luteum cells zone during pregnancy. The hormone receptor protein expression patterns were generally higher in the ovaries of Water deer on the estrus and the pregnancy than in Sika deer. The expression of LH receptor was relatively low in the lutein cell zone, unlikely that of Water deer. The expression of VEGF was also different from Water deer, and the response in Sika deer was relatively very low compared to Water deer in expressing all proteins-related development. Conclusions: Therefore, the results of the study were shown that the composition of the corpus luteum of Sika deer is not clear compared to Water deer, and there are many differences in the functional and morphological formation of the corpus luteum.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors and effects of job stress of construction workers on construction accidents and turnover intention in order to improve the field work environment of construction industry which shows higher industrial accidents than other industries. To this end, research models and hypotheses were established based on previous research, and the questionnaire was distributed to 10 construction companies in Daejeon, Sejong, and Chungcheong provinces. The 301 data collected were performed statistical analysis such as basic statistical analysis, factor analysis, reliability analysis, correlation analysis, regression analysis, and logistic regression analysis using the statistical package (IBM SPSS 22). The results of this study are summarized as follows. First, job stress has a significant effect on accident occurrence. Among the sub-factors of job stress, there was positive (+) influence on work culture and relationship conflict between peers, and organizational system had negative influence. Job demands, compensation incompetence, and job instability were not statistically significant. Therefore, it is necessary to concentrate on the factors of work culture, organizational system, and relationship conflict in the construction site. Second, job stress has positive effect on turnover intention. Job stress, inadequacy of compensation, and work culture were positively related to turnover intention. Third, job demands have a slightly greater impact than compensatory inadequacies. The factors that make the job turnover more important are the excessive job burdens such as respect, internal motivation, responsibility rather than expectation non-conformity, time pressure, increase of work load. Therefore, in order to reduce the turnover intention of the construction worker, it is necessary to pay attention to improvement of the job requirement. Fourth, the worker’s job stress could overcome by exercise and fatigue elimination, work environment management, and self-opening for others. It is necessary to establish a work environment management system for counseling and intimacy formation to open up the exercise and fatigue relief program of the workers at the construction site and to open themselves between the workers and the supervisors.

한반도에 서식하는 노루의 계통분류학적 위치는 아직까지 명확하게 정리되어 있지 않으며, 최근까지 내륙과 제주도 지역에 서식하는 노루 간 외부형태와 유전학적 차이가 있다고 여러 차례 보고되고 있다. 따라서 본 연구는 외부형태와 유전적으로 차이가 나타나 두 아종으로 여겨지는 내륙과 제주도 노루의 머리뼈 특성에 있어서도 차이가 있을 것으로 생각하고, 그 차이를 비교․분석하여 한국노루의 분류학적 위치를 좀 더 명확하게 규명하고자 실시하였다. 총 50개체의 성체 노루 머리뼈를 비교․분석한 결과 머리뼈최대길이, 뒤통수뼈관절융기-치조점사이길이, 머리뼈바닥길이, 머리뼈최 대폭, 광대뼈사이폭, 눈확사이폭, 얼굴길이, 위어금니열길이 등에서 유의한 차이가 나타나 제주노루가 내륙노루 보다 머리뼈의 크기 및 형태가 작은 것으로 나타났다. 두개골의 형태는 노루 아종 간 차이를 결정하는 중요한 요소이며, 위도, 경도, 고도에 직접적인 영향을 받지는 않지만 이 요소들이 1차 생산자에 영향을 미쳐 먹이식물에 변화를 가져오고 노루의 먹이 선택과 연관되어 순차적으로 두개골 형태에도 영향을 미친다. 따라서 한반도에 서식하는 노루 두개골의 계량형태학적 특성을 비교․분석한 결과 내륙 노루는 아종인 C. p. tianschanicus와 비슷한 반면, 제주 노루는 시베리아노 루 3아종 및 유럽노루와 확연한 차이를 나타냈다. 이상의 결과를 종합해 볼 때 제주도 지역에 서식하는 노루의 경우 제주도에만 서식하는 고유종으로 아종 수준의 분류가 가능할 것으로 생각한다.

These studies were conducted to establish the practical Hanwoo (Korean native cattle) improvement system through the combining of embryo transfer technology and confirming individual Hanwoo oocyte culture system and to investigate that correlation of Hanwoo carcass classification (intramuscular marbling) and oocyte donor for blastocyst production in vitro. In case of Hanwoo, the carcass meat quality grades were divided to grade 1⁺⁺, 1⁺, 1, 2, and 3 depends on fat distribution of longest muscle cross-sectional surface. As results, the numbers of follicular oocytes collected from individual fundamentally-registered Hanwoo yielded 1⁺⁺, 1⁺, 1, 2 and 3 meat quality were 9.5, 9.4, 8.5, 8.8 and 8.8 per ovary, respectively. The numbers of retrieval oocyte from follicles were significantly higher in the cattle yield 1⁺⁺, 1⁺ meat quality than in the cattle yield 1, 2 and 3 meat quality (p<0.05). The rates of blastocyst formation were 18.2, 21.3, 29.4, 30.9, and 31.5% in the cattle yield 1⁺⁺, 1⁺, 1, 2 and 3 meat quality of after in vitro maturation, respectively. It was significantly lower in the cattle yield 1⁺⁺ and 1⁺ meat quality than in the cattle yield 1, 2 and 3 meat quality (p<0.05). In order to evaluate embryos quality, TUNNEL assay was conducted for each meat quality grade using blastocyst stage embryo on day 8. The results showed that apoptosis cell number was higher tendency in the cattle yield 1⁺⁺and 1⁺ meat quality (81 and 79, respectively) than in the cattle yield 1, 2 and 3 meat quality (51, 48 and 50, respectively) but there was no statistical significance in each group. After embryo transfer, the conception rate of recipient was 53.5 (23 out of 43), 52.1 (38 out of 73) and 58.0% (58 out of 100) in the meat quality of 1, 1+ and 1++, respectively. These results showed that the conception rate was significantly higher in the cattle yield 1 meat quality than in the cattle yield 1⁺⁺, 1⁺ , 2, and 3 meat quality (p<0.05). In summary, these results indicate that the application of confirming Hanwoo individual oocyte culture system and embryo transfer technology can make good use of the genetic resources conservation and improvement of Hanwoo. Relevance of the meat quality grade and reproductive ability of carcasses of Hanwoo will be considered to be one of the effective means for the associated research with obesity and reproduction.

The main purpose of this study is to estimate the effect of adding Tea-N-Tris (TES) to the freezing buffer for miniature pig sperm. In particular, we attempted to identify the association between the MMPs expression and the fertility and viability of frozen sperm from each extender (LEY (Lactose Egg-Yolk), TLE (TES + LEY), TFGE (TES + Fructose + Glucose Egg-Yolk)). In accordance with this, Hypoosmotic Swelling Test (HOST) respond test was the lowest among sperms frozen in LEY while the highest HOST respond was observed among sperms frozen in TLE. Furthermore, we observed MMPs expression in all sperm groups, with pro-MMP showing lower expression than active MMPs. The expression of MMP-9 and MMP-2 was the highest in sperms frozen in LEY, Meanwhile, sperms from the TFGE and TLE group showed lower level of MMP-9 and MMP-2 expression in the order of TLE being the lowest. LEY group showed lower rate of blastocyst development than the TES supplement group, although the difference was not statistically significant. Meanwhile the rate of blastocyst development appeared similar when sperms from TLE and TFGE group were used for IVF. Together, these results indicate that adding Tea-N-Tris to the sperm freezing buffer only suppresses MMPs protein activation but also maximize in-vitro fertility, providing a means to improve the success rate in the in vitro manipulation of miniature pig sperm.

To describe the macroscopic anatomy and ovarian-physiological difference of the genital organs of the female Korean water deer, organs from captured animals in a wild area of Korea were dissected. The ovary of estrus group was about 1.10 ± 0.02 mm long and weighed about 0.50 ± 0.02 g. And pregnant group was about 1.3 ± 0.10 mm long and weighed about 0.40 ± 0.05 g. And the crowns of corpora lutea were found in the estrus group, but we couldn't find crowns at the pregnant group. Especially, the estrus ovaries tended (p=0.04) to be heavier than the ovaries during pregnancy. The MMP-9 activity was higher at the Graafian follicles of pregnant group than that in estrus group. However, with regard to follicles of estrus group, MMP-2 level was higher than that in pregnant group. Furthermore, apoptosis detection marker (Casp-3) was highly expressed in Graafian follicle of the pregnant group and the corpora lutea of estrus group. Thus, the differential expression of MMPs observed in this study suggests that the reflected the mechanisms underlying of monovulatory in estrus and/or pregnancy. Our results may be very useful as it provides with information that may be considered for the development of reproductive biotechnologies in endangered animals.