OBJECTIVE: Many cases of fertilization failure after ICSI is attributed to decondensation defect of sperm head, therefore, selection of sperm with well-condensed, fully-matured nucleus is critical for successful fertilization. During mammalian spermiogenesis, replacement of the somatic histones by protamines allows normal sperm nuclear condensation. The degree of condensation can be shown with the aid of acidic aniline blue staining, which is able to discriminate between lysine-rich histones and arginine- or cysteine-rich protamines. The objective of this study was to investigate the possible relation between nuclear maturity of human sperm and hypo-osmotic swelling patterns. Hypo-osmotic swelling test is very simple and convenient test to measure functional integrity of human sperm membrane, and each already tested sperms can be used for fertilization. METHODS: For assessment of sperm nuclear maturity, aniline blue staining was performed on the slides, already undergone hypo-osmotic swelling test in 5 subfertile patients with abnormal semen parameters and 8 fertile donors. After 3 hours swim-up, these procedures were repeated in each cases. RESULTS: Sperms with negative aniline blue were significantly increased after swim-up in each group. There was a significant increase in the proportion of negative aniline blue in sperms with swelling patterns(e+f+g) compared to sperms with non-swelling patterns(a), except swim-up group in subfertile patients. CONCLUSION: Choosing the swelling patterns, rather than non-swelling sperms after hypo-osmotic test may be beneficial for the selection of sperms with well-condensed, mature nucleus and intact membrane.
Fertilization ; Histones ; Humans ; Membranes ; Protamines ; Semen ; Sperm Head ; Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic ; Spermatogenesis ; Spermatozoa* ; Tissue Donors

No abstract available.
Blood Gas Analysis*

No abstract available.
Brain Abscess* ; Brain*

No abstract available.
Brain Abscess* ; Brain*

Adrenal cortical carcinoma is a rare disease both in adults and in children. Most of these tumors are functional, especially in children, producing endocrine syndromes such as virilization, Cushing syndrome, hyperaldosteronism or feminization. We experienced a case of adrenal cortical carcinoma in a 7yr old boy who showed features of virilization such as rapid growth rate, penile enlargement, and pubic hair. This case was diagnosed with typical hormonal findings and abdominal MRI and confirmed by pathologic findings. He was successfully treated by total left adrenalectomy and has been followed up without problem over eight months.
Adrenalectomy ; Adrenocortical Carcinoma* ; Adult ; Child ; Cushing Syndrome ; Feminization ; Hair ; Humans ; Hyperaldosteronism ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Rare Diseases ; Virilism

No abstract available.
Psychosurgery*

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychological characteristics of the patients with bruxism by Minnesota Multiphase Personality Inventory(MMPI). METHODS: MMPI was administered to 87 patients(46 bruxism group and 41 control group) who had visited a local dental clinic from January to August 1998. RESULTS: The bruxism group had a higher score than control group in Masculinity-Femininity(Mf) scale. There were no differences between bruxism group and control group on the distribution of Depression(D), Psychopatic Deviate(Pd), Paranoia(Pa), Psychasthenia(Pt) scales. The bruxism group with the family history showed higher score than the bruxism group without family history in Pd scale. Male bruxism group had a higher score than female bruxism group in Defensiveness(K) scale and female bruxism group had higher score than male bruxism group in Pa scale. The bruxism group of clenching type had higher score than the bruxism group of mixed type in Social Introversion(Si) scale. There were no differences in MMPI score between those who had and did not have symptoms such as masticatory musle pain, neck pain and headache. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that individualized approach may be effective to the evaluation of psychological disturbances which might be related to sex, family history and, type of bruxism, while we did not find significant differences in personality charateristics between the bruxism and control groups.
Bruxism* ; Dental Clinics ; Female ; Headache ; Humans ; Male ; Minnesota ; MMPI* ; Neck Pain ; Weights and Measures

No abstract available.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of nitric oxide on the apoptosis of human luteinized granulosa cells. METHODS : Granulosa cell suspensions were incubated for 48 hours after adding nitric oxide donor (S-nitroso-N-acetyl-penicillamine, SNAP) and nitric oxide synthase inhibitor (nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, L-NAME) at different concentrations. Apoptosis was examined using a terminal deoxynucleotide transferase- mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling method, and immunocytochemical staining was performed for six apoptosis-related proteins. RESULTS: Apoptotic rates were significantly lower in cells incubated in SNAP 0.5 mM, but higher in L-NAME 0.5, 1.0, and 5.0 mM. SNAP 0.5 mM lowered the expressions of Fas and p53 in granulosa cells, but Bcl-2 expression was increased, and Fas ligand or Bax remained unchanged. In L-NAME 0.5 and 5.0 mM, the expressions of p53 and Bax were increased, and Bcl-2 was unchanged. Fas/Fas ligands were also activated especially in L-NAME 5.0 mM. CONCLUSION: Nitric oxide may inhibit apoptosis via decreased Fas and p53, and increased Bcl-2 expression in human luteinized granulosa cells.
Apoptosis* ; Fas Ligand Protein ; Female ; Granulosa Cells* ; Humans* ; Ligands ; Lutein* ; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; Nitric Oxide* ; Suspensions ; Tissue Donors

BACKGROUND: Total occlusion of the infrarenal abdominal aorta is a very rare disease in clinical practice. The clinical outcome may be poor unless management is attempted promptly. Surgical bypass has been recommended as the treatment of choice for these lesions. However, there was relatively high surgical mortality and morbidity associad with aorto-bifemoral bypass graft in patients with other systemic disease, especially coronary artery disease. As a result, the use of, thrombolysis with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) has recently been extended to this disease as an alternative method to surgery. PTA is technically simpler with less morbidity and mortality than surgery.We report our experience with thrombolysis and balloon angioplasty of total aortic occlusion in 14 patients between March 1991 and December 1996. METHODS: Fourteen patients, whose mean age was 59+/-13 years (11 male, 3 female), serve as the study's patients. Aortography was introduced via transbrachial artery. The end hole multipurpose catheter with guidewire was introduced into the thrombotic portion of the total occlusion. Urokinase was infused into the thrombus through the catheter if there were no contraindications. in sysremic thrombolysis. Thrombolytic therapy was continued until the thrombi was resolved and flow was restored. Balloon dilatation was followed in residual stenotic lesions. Stents were implanted in case of suboptimal results after ballooning. RESULTS: Clinical findings were resting leg pain in 6 patients, gangrene in 5 patients, and claudication in 3 patients. The causes of aortic occlusion were thromboembolism in 4 patients and thrombosis of an atherosclerotic aorta in 10 patients. Location of obstruction was below the renal artery in all cases. The clinical outcome of interventional therapy was successful in all cases except one patients. Operative treatment was undertaken in 2 cases because they could not received thrombolytic therapy due to contraindication and complication of thrombolytic therapy (gastrointestinal bleeding). Near normal revascularization was achieved in 3 patients by thrombolytic therapy only. PTA was performed at the stenotic after thrombolytic therapy in 4 patients. Stenting were performed at the stenotic sites after balloon dilatation in another 4 patients. There was bleeding complication in one case. CONCLUSIONS: Interventional therapy such as thrombolytic therapy with PTA is an effective and safe treatment modality for abdominal aortic total occlusion in selected cases. These techniques were very useful in some high risk patients who received surgical bypass procedures.
Angioplasty ; Angioplasty, Balloon ; Aorta ; Aorta, Abdominal* ; Aortography ; Arteries ; Catheters ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Dilatation ; Gangrene ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Leg ; Male ; Mortality ; Rare Diseases ; Renal Artery ; Stents ; Thromboembolism ; Thrombolytic Therapy ; Thrombosis ; Transplants ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator