OBJECTIVE: To understand the regulatory mechanism of apoptosis by pro- and anti-apoptotic genes in the cyclic human endometrium. METHODS: Each case of endometrial status was classified by Noyes criteria, and grouped into early proliferative(n=13), late proliferative(n=14), early secretory(n=15), and late secretory phases(n=15). Expression of bcl-2, and bax were assessed by Northern blot and immunohistochemistry in relation to apoptotic index by TUNEL. Results: Apoptotic index showed increasing tendency as progressing to the late secretory phase, which phase showed significantly higher apoptotic index compared to the other phases(p<0.05). The intensity of bcl-2 8.5kb transcript by Northern blot was highest in the late proliferative phase significantly(p<0.05), decreasing to nadir in the late secretory phase. In contrast to bcl-2 expression, bax mRNA expression was highest in the late secretory phase significantly(p<0.05). Both the relative ratio of bcl-2 8.5kb transcript and bcl-2 5.5kb trascript to bax showed that the ratio was higher in the early, and late proliferative phase, but, reversed in the late secretory phase. Both the immunoreactivity of bcl-2 and bax proteins could be detected in the basal, functional, and stromal layers of endometrium. The immunoreactivity of bcl-2 protein was more prominent in the proliferative phase, however, bax protein was more prominent in the secretory phase. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that apoptosis could be regulated by the relative dominance of bcl-2 or bax expression in the human endometrium. Thus, bcl-2 and bax expressions might be one of the possible mechanism in the regulation of normal menstruation.
Apoptosis* ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; Blotting, Northern ; Endometrium* ; Female ; Humans* ; Immunohistochemistry ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Menstruation ; RNA, Messenger

Most orthopedic surgeons were aimed at the rigid internal fixation on the surgical treatment of the fracture. And the compression plate was developed and regarded as an excellent rigid internal fixation device by its advantages of accurate anatomical reduction, early joint mobilization and shortening of the duration of the fracture healing, which are chief aim of A.S.I.F. method. During the period of January 1970 to December 1979, 67 cases of diaphyseal fractures of the long bones were treated with compression plate according to A.S.I.F. method at the Department of Orthopedic Surgery, College of Medicine, Seoul National University and results were obtained as follows: 1. The age of patient was ranged from 15 to 77, and the highest incidence was in the 3rd decade male group (31.4%). 2. Old fracture cases were slightly more than fresh cases, and the fresh femur fracture was the commonest. 3. The periods of the postop immobilization of fresh fractures were 3.7 weeks in humerun fracture, 6.3 weeks in forearm fractures, 8.7 weeks in femur fracture and 7.0 week in tibia fracture, and in old fractures about 4 weeks was longer than fresh fractures. 4. The bony union was accomplished in all cases between 8 week and 24 week. 5. The complication were 4 superficial infections, 4 deep infections, 1 delayed union and 9 joint stiffnesses. 6. Compression plate fixation is considered as an excellent method for the treatment of the fractures of the long bones.
Clinical Study ; Femur ; Forearm ; Fracture Healing ; Humans ; Immobilization ; Incidence ; Internal Fixators ; Joints ; Male ; Methods ; Orthopedics ; Seoul ; Surgeons ; Tibia

No abstract available.
Humans ; Mothers*

Iatrogenic Cushings syndrome is caused by administration of systemic steroids for some disorders, and is clinically characterized by truncal obesity, hypertension, fatigability, amenorrhea, hirsutism, abdominal striae, edema, glucosuria and osteoporosis. We report herein a case of iatrogenic Cushings syndrome in the treatment of atopic dermatitis. The patient, a 32-year-old male, had been diagnosed with atopic dermatitis and was intermittently treated with topical and systemic steroids for 12 years. He revealed facial edema, truncal obesity and striae distensae in both the axilla and abdomen. Steroids are one of the important agents in the treatment of atopic dermatitis but care must be taken in their administration.
Abdomen ; Adult ; Amenorrhea ; Axilla ; Cushing Syndrome* ; Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Edema ; Female ; Hirsutism ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Male ; Obesity ; Osteoporosis ; Steroids ; Striae Distensae

We observed a 55-year-old man who had granuloma pyogenicum on the medial border of the right fifth toe which developed after scratching of the wound. Histopathological findings showed many newly formed capillaries that had prominant endothelial cells and showed varying degrees of dilation without appearance of epidermal collarette signs. We tried intralesional treatment with triamcinolone acetonide (10mg%, 1/week*3). After 3 sessions of treatment, the lesion dramatically regressed nearly to normal size.
Capillaries ; Endothelial Cells ; Granuloma* ; Granuloma, Pyogenic* ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Toes ; Triamcinolone Acetonide* ; Triamcinolone* ; Wounds and Injuries

Pustulotic arthro-osteitis is a rheumatic syndrome of unknovn cause, characterised by an inflammatory osteitis of the sternocostoclavicular region and pustuosis palmaris et plantaris. Although many ases of the disease have been reported in Japan, it, has not been reported in Korea so far. Three cases of pustulosis palmaris et plantaris associated i rith sternocostoclavicular hyperostosis or pustulotic arthro-osteitis are presented.
Hyperostosis, Sternocostoclavicular* ; Japan ; Korea ; Osteitis ; Psoriasis*

BACKGROUND: Acute hypoxia tolerance has been evaluated by the time of useful consciousness, subjective symptoms, cardiovascular changes, visual deterioration, psychological performance, and so forth. But these methods are either subjective, lacking strict objectivity, or too demanding to collect sufficient data. Pulse oximeter monitoring has come to be used not only in hospitals but in the aviation environment. This noninvasive oxygen monitoring apparatus warrants a highly objective analysis to investigate acute hypoxia tolerance. METHODS: Eight healthy male volunteers (20-25 years old) were exposed three times to a simulated altitude of 25,000 ft (7,620 m) at intervals of 7 days. We monitored arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) and pulse rate by a pulse oximeter. The duration from taking the mask off to the time of 60% SaO2 was regarded as acute hypoxia tolerance. The venous hemoglobin concentration was measured a day before exposure to hypoxia. A questionnaire on the 14 subjective hypoxic symptoms was obtained after hypobaric chamber training. RESULTS: There were neither differences of acute hypoxia tolerance, hemoglobin concentration, nor pulse rate according to the repeated exposure of hypoxia. Four symptoms of sleepiness, fatigue, flushing and thinking impairment were sustained regardless of repeated exposures to hypoxia. But the incidence of symptoms of ear pain, anxiety, abdominal pain were reduced according to the repeated hypoxia. CONCLUSION: With pulse oximeter monitoring there was no difference between the values of time of 60% SaO2 in repeated exposures to hypoxia. The incidence of some subjective symptoms was reduced according to the repeated exposures to hypoxia.
Abdominal Pain ; Altitude ; Anoxia* ; Anxiety ; Aviation ; Consciousness ; Ear ; Fatigue ; Flushing ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Masks ; Oxygen ; Thinking ; Volunteers ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Homozygous Protein C deficiency is a rare genetic disease with catastrophic and fatal purpura fulminans like or thrombotic complication occurring during the neonatal period. Purpura fulminans is characterized by microvascular thrombosis in the dermis followed by perivascular hemorrhage, necrosis, and minimal inflammation. Laboratory findings are consistent with disseminated intravascular coagulopathy: We report a case of purpura fulminans in a neonate with the findings of disseminated intravascular coagulopathy and an undetectable level of protein C activity, whose parents proved to be heterozygous protein C deficiency.
Dermis ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Inflammation ; Necrosis ; Parents ; Protein C Deficiency* ; Protein C* ; Purpura Fulminans* ; Purpura* ; Thrombosis

Inhibin is a glycoprotein usually produced by granulosa cell of ovary and is known as regulator of FSH secretion. Inhibin is consisted of two heterodimeric subunit of a, B . There are two distinct molecular forms of the B subunit that exist (BA and BB) and when combined with an a subunit, form inhibin A, and inhibin B, respectively. Ovarian reserve describes women's reproductive potential, which usually decreased according to chronological age. Because useful markers claimed for the prediction of ovarian response during controlled ovarian hyperstimulation for IVF-ET have not been always successful, new biomarker has been investigated. The purpose of this study was to observe the changes in serum and ovarian follicular inhibin A concentration during controlled ovarian hyperstimulation for IVF-ET program and to evaluate the clinical significance of inhibin A as a prognostic marker for assisted reproductive technology outcomes. From Jan 1996 to Dec 1996, 48 patients who underwent IVF-ET were included. In each patient, the Day 3 FSH, LH, E2q were measured in the first month of cycle before commencing GnRH agonist administration, In the stimulation period after pituitary down regulation, blood samples for inhibin A were collected at the day 3, day 7, day of hCG injection, day of oocytes aspiration, and day of embryo transfer. Ovarian follicular inhibin A was collected at the day of oocyte aspiration. Inhibin A concentration was measured using test kit for inhibin A (INHIBIN-EASIA (code 40.134.00), Belgium Medgenix). The changes in serum inhibin A, E2 concentration during IVF-ET program showed increasing pattern throughout controlled ovarian hyperstimulation periods. If the cut-off value of day 3 serum inhibin A determined to 0.28 U/ml, the sensitivity and specificity were 80.0%, 75.0% respectively in predicting the number of oocytes retrieved being more than five. If the cut-off value of peak serum E determined to 1316 pg/ml, the sensitivity and specificity were 89.0%, 100.0% respectively in predicting the number of oocytes retrieved being more than five. In conclusion, measurement of serum inhibin A concentration on the day of starting stimulation (day 3) could be used as a useful marker for predicting the ovarian response in IVF-ET program.
Belgium ; Down-Regulation ; Embryo Transfer ; Female ; Glycoproteins ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone ; Granulosa Cells ; Humans ; Inhibins* ; Oocyte Retrieval ; Oocytes ; Ovary ; Reproductive Techniques, Assisted ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Serum

On July 5, 1980, the first in-training examination for Korean orthopaedic residents was performed to give each of them an evaluation of his general level of orthopaedic knowledge, and to provide their program directer with a comparative basis for evaluation of their programs in various subject areas. Forty one of the 42 residency programs in this country presented in the examination. The results of the examination and the survey of public opinion performed after the examination are as follows. 1. Two hundreds and ninety one of the 312 Korean orthopaedic residents at all level of training participated in the examination, so that the participation rate was 93.3 percent. According to the survey, the respondents wanted to continue the in-training examination in 77 percent. 2. The examination was not sufficient in its reliability because the questions were small in number, and it was deficient in its objectivity since there were 40 percent of the subjective questions. The test was not enough in its practicability because the questions of applying the knowledge clinically such as problem solving one were relatively insufficient in its number. 3. The mean scores of the. residents are increasing regularly with increasing years, which can be interpreted as the questions are somewhat adequate for the test and the orthopaedic training in Korea is efficient one. But the standard deviations of each mean is large, which means the residents level of the orthopaedic knowledge and his training are greatiy varied. The scores of the senior residents are not yet reach a plateau and the scores of the junior residents are inferior to that of the 1966 American counterpart. 4. According to the survey, the majority wants to open the questions with their referencies after the examination, but wants to neither open his score nor reflect his score in that of the Korean orthopaedic board examination.
Internship and Residency ; Korea ; Problem Solving ; Public Opinion ; Surveys and Questionnaires