To determine the concentration and the physiologic role of metal components in blood plasma and seminal plasma in relation to male infertility, the concentrations of twelve metal components in blood plasma and seminal plasma including Na, Mg, K, Ca, Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Se, Cd and Pb were measured by atomic absorbance spectrophotometery or ion selective electrode analysis. Semen and blood samples were obtained from a total of 110 men including 70 male infertility patients, 20 vasectomized persons and 20 fertility proven volunteers visited to the Male Infertility Clinic of Pusan National University Hospital. The concentrations of Ca, Zn, Mg, Cr and Cd in control group were higher in seminal plasma than in blood plasma, and additionally Pb were higher in infertility group. The concentrations of all metal components revealed no significant difference according to patients' age, resident, occupation, sperm density, motility and hormone level in blood plasma, but some metal components including Ca, Mg, Cu, Mn, Cd and Pb revealed a significant difference according to each these parameters except patient's age in seminal plasma. The concentrations of Mn, Cd and Pb in the vasectomy persons were higher than in the infertility group III including testicular and epididymal factors, but not in blood plasma. We conclude that the quantitative changes of metal components in the seminal plasma may have effects on not only spermatogenesis and sperm function, but also contribute to diagnostic parameter according to organ specificity of the metal in the male reproduction.
Busan ; Electrodes ; Fertility ; Humans ; Infertility ; Infertility, Male ; Male* ; Occupations ; Organ Specificity ; Plasma ; Reproduction ; Semen* ; Spermatogenesis ; Spermatozoa ; Vasectomy ; Volunteers

Dendritic cell (DC)s are protessional antigen presenting cells and they have been used for antitumor immunotherapy or cell vaccines. However therapy using DC is restricted because the number of DC available from tissue is very low. Flt3 ligand (FL) has been known as a hematopoietic growth factor that increases proliferation of hematopoietic stem cells and progenitor cells, and recently it showed inducibility of dendritic cell (DC)s and signiticant antitumor effects in vivo. Thus FL will be frequently used for DC induction and antitumor immunotherapy in future. Here we constructed FL plasmid and studied its in vivo effect. FL plasmids were made by cloning of partial FL cDNA into pcDNA3 plasmid, and gene expression and protein producibility of FL plasmid were confirmed in Renca cells transfected with FL plasmid. Mice were injected with FL plasmid (100ug/mouse) three times and 20 days later mouse spleens were harvested for staining and RT-PCR. There were lots of blastogenic cells in the spleen of mice treated with FL plasmid. FL plasmid also induced DEC205, IL-12 and GM-CSF gene expression in mouse splenocyte. All these data suggest FL plasmid may be used for induction of DC and antitumor therapy as DNA adjuvant.
Mice ; Animals

The tibial plafond fractures result from an axial compression snd rotational forces causing variable degrees of metaphyseal disruption, articular damage, and malleolar displscement. It is relatively uncommon but a most difficult fracture to manage. It has been treated in a number of manners, but the best results have been occurred when stable internal fixation is accomplished using plates and screws. Basic steps in reconstruction are restoration of anatomic length of the fibula with plate fixation, reconstruction of the tibial articular surface, cancellous bone grafting of the metaphyseal defect and buttress plating of the distal tibia. The suthor analysed the 20 cases of the tibial plafond frsctures in 17 patients, which were trested at the Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Paik Hospital, Inje Medical College from Jsnuary 1983 to March 1987. The longest durstion of followup was 2 years and 4 months and shortest one was 6 months, and the aversge was one year. The results were as follows : 1. Among the 17 patients, male were 16 and female was one. 2. The major causes of injury were a fall from a height. 3. The most frequent type of fracture was type C by Ruedi and Allgower classification. 4. Regardless of the method of trestment the type A and B were in good and fair result, but the type C were fair in 4 cases and poor in 8 cases. There were 7 cases of snkle fusion in poor group. 5. It is important to remind the basic steps in reconstruction and applied in sn individual csse especially in type C. If anatomic reconstruction of the joint surface can be restored and stable fixation achieved, esrly motion of the ankle joint is made possible. This early motion reduces stiffness of the ankle and win yeild the most sstisfying result. But the anatomic reduction of ank1 joint is difficult to be obtained in each case especially in type C and may consider an ankle fusion.
Ankle ; Ankle Joint ; Bone Transplantation ; Classification ; Clinical Study ; Female ; Fibula ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Joints ; Male ; Methods ; Orthopedics ; Tibia

Paralytic hand is the ultimate result of permsnent damage of the central nervous system, failure of the functional repair of peripheral nerve injuries and extensive muscular or tendinous defect resulting in the impairment of hand function. There are a lot of controversies in the side of treatment methods in the paralytic hand, and it is very difficult to formulate the most adequate surgical reconstruction for a given pstient. At Depsrtment of Orthopedic Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital, 66 cases oi paralytic hands in 62 patients have been treated surgically with tendon transfers for 7 years from Jan, 1980 to Dec, 1986. 49 case in 46 patients were followed up for more than one year, and surgical method and its results were anslysed. They consist of CNS lesion (17), peripheral nerve lesion(23) and musulotenidinous defect(9). The methods of surgical reconstruction were opponenesplasty(12), standard set extensor reconstruction(9), Green and Bsnks FCU transfer(11), intrinsic reconstruction(7), pronator rerouting(7), adductorplasty (5) and so on. The mean follow-up was 2.2 years, and in 38 cases good or excellent results were obtained.
Central Nervous System ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hand ; Humans ; Methods ; Orthopedics ; Peripheral Nerve Injuries ; Peripheral Nerves ; Seoul ; Tendon Transfer

No abstract available.
Antibodies, Neutralizing* ; Feces* ; Rotavirus*

PURPOSE: We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy and clinical usefulness of fluoroscopy-guided bone biopsy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 31 patients with various skeletal lesions underwent fluoroscopy-guided bone biopsies. The targets were long bones in 16 cases, pelvic bones in 7 cases, spines in 6 cases, and ribs in the rest 2 cases. RESULTS: The overall accuracy was 71%(22/31). The accuracy was 100% in case of primary sarcoma and multiple myeloma. But it was low in malignant lymphoma(1/4), malignant fibrous histiocytoma(0/1), and nonossifying fibroma(0/1). CONCLUSION: Percutaneous fluoroscopy-guided bone biopsy is a simple, safe, not-expensive, and rather accurate diagnostic procedure in evaluation of bone tumors. In addition to that, it is useful in the managment planning and fllow-up of the patients.
Biopsy* ; Humans ; Multiple Myeloma ; Pelvic Bones ; Ribs ; Sarcoma ; Spine

No abstract available.
Female ; Hydatidiform Mole* ; Pregnancy ; Trophoblasts*

Teratomas are neoplasm composed of a wide variety of tissues foreign to the organs or anatomic sites in which they arise. They generally arise in gonads but a few cases are described in extragonadal sites, such as sacro-coccygeal region, mediastinum, neck, and retroperitoneum. Most sacrococcygeal teratomas are encountered in infants, particularly in neonates, and a primary sacrococcygeal teratoma is a extremely rare neoplasm in adults. Recently, we experienced two cases of presacral teratomas arising in adult, therefore we present these cases with a brief review of the literatures
Adult* ; Gonads ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Mediastinum ; Neck ; Teratoma*

After attempts of percutaneous laser disc decompression on 14 patients of lumbar disc herniations, disappointing results were recorded as follows, 2 cases(14.2%) were considered excellent, 2 cases(14.2%) good, 2 cases(14.2%) fair and 8 cases(57.1%) poor. While successfully treated patients had minimal subligamentous extension of nucleus pulposus, failed cases had moderate to severe subligamentous extension of nucleus pulposus through the annular tearing. In preliminary conclusion of percutaneous laser disc decompression, successful result can be expected only on the minimal subligamentous extension cases, and chemonucleolysis will be better choice for the moderate to severe subligamentous extension cases.
Decompression* ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Chemolysis

Sinus is a cavity within a bone. Most are commonly found in the bones of the face. Specially, paranasal sinuses are air cavities in the cranial bones, especially those near the nose. They include the frontal sinuses, the ethmoid sinuses, the sphenoid sinuses and the maxillary sinuses. There are many types of sinus disease. They are classified as acute (quick onset) and chronic (over a long period of time). Besides, there are several other types of sinus diseases due to fungus and polyps. Sinus tumors also happen although it is relatively uncommon. Navigation software for general sinus surgery has been developed and are being used in the operation room. However, there are still many blind regions in the sinus area by using conventional straight type endoscope and devices. To cope with such a problem, flexible endoscope and devices are being developed along with advanced navigation algorithms. In this review, many research activities associated with computer-aided sinus surgery are discussed.
Endoscopes ; Ethmoid Sinus ; Frontal Sinus ; Fungi ; Maxillary Sinus ; Nose ; Paranasal Sinuses ; Polyps ; Sphenoid Sinus