OBJECTIVE: A number of studies to improve in vitro culture conditions have been tried over past ten years by using co-culture system with helper somatic cells. However, the mechanism of coculture is poorly understood. This study was designed to understand the mechanism for the mode of actual action of co-culture system of ICR strain's 1-cell embryos with human oviduct epithelial cells by examining the effect of conditioned medium and contactless coculture using a cell culture insert on the embryo development and by measuring the level of superoxide anion from conditioned medium after co-culture. METHODS: ICR strain's zygote embryos were cultured in medium alone (control), coculture, conditioned medium, or contactless coculture system for 6 days. Conditioned media (CM) were prepared as following 5 groups. All CM were collected after culturing oviduct cells for 2 days. CM-1 was stored at -20degrees C until use, and CM-2 was prepared just before use as a culture medium. CM-3 was cocultured with embryos and retrieved just before use. CM-4 and CM-5 were derives from the microfilteration of CM-2 and CM-3, respectively, using Microcon-10 (10 kDa molecular weight cut-off). The percentage of the embryos developed to hatched blastocyst stage and the level of superoxide anion in supernatant from medium alone culture (control), coculture, and contactless coculture were measured. RESULTS: The rates of embryo development to the hatched blastocyst stage were significantly higher in coculture (43%) than in control (0%) (p<0.05). The CM-1 group had no embryo development since 2-cell embryonic stage, whereas the CM-2, CM-3, CM-4 and CM-5 groups had the improved development to 4 or 8 cell embryo stage, but the similar rate of development to hatched blastocyst compared to control. The effect of coculture on embryo develpment was disappeared in the contactless coculture group. The level of superoxide anion was significantly reduced in coculture group compared to control. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that the present coculture system overcomes the 2-cell block in vitro and improves the embryo development. This beneficial effect may be due to the direct cell-cell contact between embryo and helper cells or the removal of deleterious components from medium rather than the embryotrophic factors.
Animals ; Blastocyst ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Coculture Techniques* ; Culture Media, Conditioned ; Embryonic Development ; Embryonic Structures ; Epithelial Cells ; Female ; Humans ; Molecular Weight ; Oviducts ; Pregnancy ; Superoxides ; T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer ; Zygote

OBJECTIVES: To determine the level of mRNA expression of various members of the matrix metalloproteinase and tissue inhibitors in uterine leiomyoma compared with unaffected myometrium. Materials & Method: 30 cases of portions of leiomyoma and myometrium were collected immediately followimg hysterectomy. Thirteen cases were from proliferative phase and seventeen were from secretory phase of menstrual cycle. The mean age was 43.7years old. The level of expression of mRNAs of interstitial collagenase, gelatinase, stromelysin, TIMP-1,-2,-3 was determined by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) and normalized to GAPDH(glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase) mRNA. RESULTS: Myometrium and leiomyoma expressed all the members of above mentioned matrix metalloproteinase family and tissue inhibitors. Leiomyoma expressed a significantly higher level of stromelysin-3 during secretory phase, an extremely lower level of 92kDa gelatinase and a significantly lower level of TIMP-3. The immunohistochemical localization of TIMP-3 was smooth muscle cell and arteriole wall of myometrium and leiomyoma. CONCLUSIONS: The increased expression of stromelysin-3 in uterine leiomyoma compared with myometrium suggests that this MMP may be involved in the formation of a more fibrous extracellular matrix in leiomyoma. The extremely lower expression of 92kDa gelatinase of leiomyoma means that leiomyoma do not invade myometrium and forms a separated mass. Decreased expression of TIMP-3 of leiomyoma suggests that TIMP-3 is required for differentiation and homeostasis of extracellular matrix of normal myometrium and function as a suppressive role of tumor development
Animals ; Arterioles ; Extracellular Matrix ; Female ; Gelatinases ; Homeostasis ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Leiomyoma* ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 1 ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 3 ; Menstrual Cycle ; Mice ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; Myometrium* ; RNA, Messenger ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-3

Microvascular ultrasound (US) techniques are advanced Doppler techniques that provide high sensitivity and spatial resolution for detailed visualization of low-flow vessels. Microvascular US imaging can be applied to breast lesion evaluation with or without US contrast agents. Microvascular US imaging without a contrast agent uses a sophisticated wall filtering system to selectively obtain low-flow Doppler signals from overlapped artifacts. Microvascular US imaging with secondgeneration contrast agents amplifies flow signals and makes them last longer, which facilitates hemodynamic evaluation of breast lesions. In this review article, we will introduce various microvascular US techniques, explain their clinical applications in breast cancer diagnosis and radiologic-histopathologic correlation, and provide a summary of a recent radiogenomic study using microvascular US.

Microvascular ultrasound (US) techniques are advanced Doppler techniques that provide high sensitivity and spatial resolution for detailed visualization of low-flow vessels. Microvascular US imaging can be applied to breast lesion evaluation with or without US contrast agents. Microvascular US imaging without a contrast agent uses a sophisticated wall filtering system to selectively obtain low-flow Doppler signals from overlapped artifacts. Microvascular US imaging with secondgeneration contrast agents amplifies flow signals and makes them last longer, which facilitates hemodynamic evaluation of breast lesions. In this review article, we will introduce various microvascular US techniques, explain their clinical applications in breast cancer diagnosis and radiologic-histopathologic correlation, and provide a summary of a recent radiogenomic study using microvascular US.

Purpose: /Objectives: To determine predictors of fall events in hospitalized patients with cancer, and identification of fall risk. Methods: An analysis of medical records was conducted together with a review of standardized fall reports of 565 patients admitted between January 1 and December 31, 2020. The collected data were analyzed with the chi-squared test, Fisher exact test, independent t-test, and logistic regression analysis using STATA 17 program. Results: There was a statistically significant increased fall risk; accompanied by a guardian (OR=10.30 CI=2.66~39.94), number of attachment devices (OR=1.30, CI=0.46~0.64), medication (OR=0.17, CI=0.04~0.84), pain (OR=4.73, CI=1.59~14.0), walking problem (OR=29.85, CI=9.31~95.74), chemotherapy (OR=5.20, CI=1.81~14.89), and fall risk score (OR=1.83, CI=1.50~2.24). Conclusion These findings can serve as academic evidence to support the role of nurses in assessing the risk of fall events/accidents with regard to cancer patients and the development of individually adjusted fall assessment tools.

BACKGROUND: Both left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and microalbuminuria (MA) are well described markers or surrogate for cardiovascular outcome. Many factors are known to be related to the two markers which are encountered together in some patients. But the epidemiological backgrounds for the two markers are not clearly demonstrated so far. METHODS: Measurements of echocardiographic left ventricular mass index (LVMI) and MA were introduced to the population survey in Yangpyeong County, Korea in 2005 and 2006 for 1,767 among 2,028 subjects. The criteria for MA were 17-250 mg/g of albumin creatinine ratio (ACR) in male and 25-355 mg/g in female. 1,636 data were analyzed. RESULTS: Age was 60.9 +/- 10.4 years and the proportion of female was 59.4% (972). Body mass index (BMI) was 24.7 +/- 3.21 kg/m2 and blood pressure were 124.1 +/- 17.3 mm Hg/80.0 +/- 10.5 mm Hg. LVMI was 45.3 +/- 11.6 g/m2.7 and ACR was 23.9 +/- 150.9 mg/g. Prevalence of LVH and MA were 23.5% and 12.2%, respectively. In male/female, odds ratios for MA were 1.035 (range, 1.010-1.061)/1.01 (range, 0.988-1.032) for age, 0.962 (range, 0.882-1.049)/0.941 (range, 0.881-1.006) for BMI, 1.754 (range, 1.097-2.804)/2.158 (range, 1.413-3.298) for hypertension (HTN), 4.87 (range, 2.883-8.226)/2.154 (range, 1.311-3.539) for diabetes, 1.005 (range, 0.999-1.012)/1.007 (range, 1.002-1.012) for cholesterol, and 1.011 (range, 0.987-1.035)/1.011 (range, 0.994-1.029) for LVH. CONCLUSIONS: In a population level, even if diabetes was strongest factor for MA, HTN is also independent factor for MA in both genders.
Albuminuria ; Blood Pressure ; Body Mass Index ; Cholesterol ; Creatinine ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hypertrophy ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular ; Korea ; Male ; Obesity ; Odds Ratio ; Prevalence ; Republic of Korea

Far Eastern countries including Korea show the high prevalence of hepatitis B virus carriers, so that the incidence of liver cirrhosis is higher than in western countries. But pregnancies with liver cirrhosis are rarely encountered in clinical settings, since liver cirrhosis usually develops after childbearing ages and often causes the disturbance of estrogen metabolism, resulting in severe menstrual irregularity and infertility. Therefore, little is known about the interactions between liver cirrhosis and pregnancy. Liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension are not contraindications to pregnancy but necessitate intensive monitoring throughout pregnancy because the complications of liver cirrhosis, which pose additional risks during pregnancy, are numerous and unpredictable. We report 3 cases of pregnancies in patients with liver cirrhosis with brief review of the literature.
Estrogens ; Hepatitis B virus ; Humans ; Hypertension, Portal ; Incidence ; Infertility ; Korea ; Liver Cirrhosis* ; Liver* ; Metabolism ; Pregnancy* ; Prevalence

Apromising technique for the treatment of Parkinson's disease and other various neurodegenerative disorders is the transplantation of fetal neural tissue. There must, however, be a prompt and reliable source, and one solution is cryopreservation, where tissue viability can maintained for prolonged periods. Fetal neural tissue is, however, known to be susceptible to freeze-storage damage during cryopreservation. In this study, we examined the influence of different concentrations of cryoprotectants upon the survival of rat fetal neurones. Fetal rat brain tissue was frozen with 7-15% dimethyl sulfoxide(DMSO) and 10-50% fetal bovine serum(FBS) as cryoprotectants, then stored for a period of 5 months. Post-storage neuronal cell viabilty was assessed by vital staining followed by determination of cell density. Average total viability of frozen cells with 7% DMSO and 10-50% FBS was less than 50%. Cryopreserved cells with 10-50% DMSO and 10-50% FBS showed almost the same viability(around 70%). The highest viability was obtained with 15% DMSO+20% FBS combination(76%) and 10% DMSO+10% FBS combination(75%). Theoretically, the higher the concentration of cryoprotectants, the higher the viability: however, the best result was achieved stated above, when the combination of cryoprotectants was at the concentrations stated above.
Animals ; Brain ; Cell Count ; Cell Survival* ; Cryopreservation ; Dimethyl Sulfoxide ; Neurodegenerative Diseases ; Neurons* ; Parkinson Disease ; Rats ; Tissue Survival

No abstract available.
Ecthyma ; Humans ; Lymphohistiocytosis, Hemophagocytic ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to test if adjuvant hydrotherapy with viscosupplement is beneficial on management of pain, stiffness, function, and mental relaxation in knee osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS: Nineteen patients with OA were randomly assigned to hydrotherapy or control groups. All patients received viscosupplement injections once a week for 3 weeks. Hydrotherapy group (n=9) had a spa containing green tea, 3 days a week for 2 weeks. The control group (n=10) received only injections. All patients were assessed at baseline and after the third injection. All were assessed for pain (visual analog scale, VAS), pain severity, and functional status (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities osteoarthritis index, WOMAC), emotional status, quality of life (Euro quality of life health-related quality of life inventory five dimension, EQ-5D), and relative spectral power of alpha waves in electroencephalography (EEG). RESULTS: Both groups reported a statistically significant reduction of pain at the end of treatment and detailed assessment of pain, and function in WOMAC and the relative power of alpha in electroencephalogram showed statistical significant difference only in the hydrotherapy group. However, there were no significant intergroup differences, except for VAS score. CONCLUSION: Adjuvant 2-week hydrotherapy to viscosupplement might have a modest role in the management of pain and functional disability and the mental relaxation in patients with knee OA. Larger, randomized controlled trials with intervention of long term period to determine efficacy in treating knee OA are warranted.
Electroencephalography ; Humans ; Hydrotherapy* ; Knee ; Ontario ; Osteoarthritis ; Osteoarthritis, Knee* ; Quality of Life ; Relaxation* ; Tea ; Viscosupplements