This study investigated the effect of Matrigel on the differentiation and proliferation of luteinized granulosa cells in vitro. Human luteinized granulosa cells (LGC), obtained after the oocyte retrieval from the IVF process were cultured either on plastic or on Matrigel. Phase-contrast microscopy showed that LGC were flat and attached on the surface of poly-D-lysine while they formed three dimensional cell aggregates when cultured on Matrigel. Bromodeoxiuridine (BrdU) labeling followed by immunocytochemistry for BrdU and 3b-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD) demon-strated that BrdU-labeld cells were shown in both of the 3b-HSD positive and negative granulosa cells when cells were cultured on Matrigel and on poly-D-lysine. Progesterone secretion was increased until culture day 4, and then slightly decreased. The difference in progesterone secretion between the cells cultured on Matrigel and those on poly-D-lysine was increased, as the culture day was increased. The results suggested that Matrigel provides a better culture environment for LCG and maintains proliferation of LCG.
Bromodeoxyuridine ; Female ; Granulosa Cells* ; Humans* ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lutein ; Microscopy, Phase-Contrast ; Oocyte Retrieval ; Oxidoreductases ; Plastics ; Progesterone

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to examine the effects on food intake, body weight, and metabolic parameters by amisulpride administration in male and female mice, comparing the effects of risperidone and vehicle administration. METHODS: Female and male C57BL/6 mice were grouped into low dose amisulpride(1.5mg/kg), high dose amisulpride(15mg/kg), risperidone(0.1mg/kg) and vehicle. Drugs were administered once daily through intraperitoneal injection over 21days. Body weight was measured weekly and food intake was measured daily. Levels of triglyceride, glucose, insulin and prolactin were determined at the end of experiment(on day 22). RESULTS: In the female mice, low and high dose amisulpride as well as risperidone caused significant weight gains. But weight gains in amisulpride groups were numerically smaller than that of risperidone group. In male mice, only high dose amisulpride caused significant weight gain. Among weight gain groups, only weight gain of male mice with high dose amisulpride was significantly associated with increased food intake. Weight gain group in female mice did not show significant correlation with food intake. In male mice, both amisulpride groups showed significantly high plasma insulin levels compared to vehicle. In female and male mice, low and high dose amiulpride groups showed significant high plasma prolactin levels compared to vehicle. Tri-glyceride level were not significantly changed in all groups. Glucose level was changed significantly only in male risperidone group. CONCLUSIONS: Administration of amisulpride caused more significant weight gains in female and male mice than controls but changes of metabolic parameters were different according to sex of mice. Our results suggest that different mechanisms of amisulpiride are likely to affect weight gain between male and female mice.
Animals ; Body Weight ; Eating ; Female ; Glucose ; Humans ; Injections, Intraperitoneal ; Insulin ; Male ; Mice ; Plasma ; Prolactin ; Risperidone ; Sulpiride ; Weight Gain

OBJECTIVES: The Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) has been reported as a valid tool for the assessment of depression because it is based on the core symptoms of depression. The aim of this study is to assess the reliability, validity and psychometric properties of the Korean version of the MADRS (K-MADRS). METHODS: One hundred seven patients, including in-patients and out-patients, diagnosed as major depressive disorder according to the DSM-IV criteria were enrolled in this study. They were assessed with K-MADRS, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Clinical Global Impression (CGI) to examine cross-validation. Statistical analysis was done using calculation of Cronbach's alpha, Spearman Correlation Coefficient and Principal Components Analysis. RESULTS: The Cronbach's alpha coefficient of K-MADRS was 0.79. And the correlations of each item with total score were statistically significant (r=0.47-0.75, p<0.001). The inter-rater reliabilities of total score (r=0.89, p<0.001) and individual score (r=0.74-0.95, p=0.001) were high. The factor analysis revealed two factors. However, the first one accounted for 39% of variance, while the second one only for 11.1%. The total score of K-MADRS showed a significant correlation with those of HDRS, BDI and CGI (r=0.82, 0.47, 0.74, respectively, p=0.001). CONCLUSION: The K-MADRS showed good reliability and validity for the assessment of severity of depressive symptoms. And it demonstrated similar psychometric properties to previous studies. The K-MADRS is an useful instrument for assessing depressive symptoms in Korea.
Depression* ; Depressive Disorder, Major ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Humans ; Korea ; Outpatients ; Psychometrics ; Reproducibility of Results

PURPOSE: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has become an attractive therapeutic strategy for severe aortic stenosis (AS) in elderly patients due to its minimally-invasive nature. Therefore, early results of its clinical outcomes in elderly Korean patients were evaluated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We compared early clinical outcomes of TAVI, surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR), and optimal medical therapy (OMT) in patients aged > or =80 years with symptomatic severe AS. Treatment groups were allocated as follows: TAVI (n=10), SAVR (n=14), and OMT (n=42). RESULTS: Baseline clinical characteristics including predicted operative mortality were similar among the three groups. However, patients with New York Heart Association functional class III or IV symptoms and smaller aortic valve area were treated with TAVI or SAVR rather than OMT. In-hospital combined safety endpoints (all-cause mortality, major stroke, peri-procedural myocardial infarction, life-threatening bleeding, major vascular complication, and acute kidney injury) after TAVI or SAVR were significantly lower in the TAVI group than in the SAVR group (10.0% vs. 71.4%, respectively, p=0.005), along with an acceptable rate of symptom improvement and device success. During the follow-up period, the TAVI group showed the lowest rate of 3-month major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events, a composite of all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction, major stroke, and re-hospitalization (TAVI 0.0% vs. SAVR 50.0% vs. OMT 42.9%, p=0.017). CONCLUSION: Treatment with TAVI was associated with lower event rates compared to SAVR or OMT. Therefore, TAVI may be considered as the first therapeutic strategy in selected patients aged > or =80 years with symptomatic severe AS.
Age Factors ; Aged, 80 and over ; Aortic Valve/*surgery ; Aortic Valve Stenosis/diagnosis/*surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Prognosis ; Risk Factors ; Treatment Outcome