No abstract available.
Contraception*

BACKGROUND: Routine renal function tests are not sensitive enough to detect early renal complication of diabetes. To detect the complication as soon as possible, we measured urine N-Acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase(NAG) and evaluated in comparison with microalbumin and beta2-microglobulin(beta2-MG). METHODS: 87 patients with type II diabetes visited Catholic University Hospital of Taegu Hyosung during the period October 1995 to March 1996. We collected 24 hour urine samples and measured NAG, albumin excretion rate (AER), beta2-MG. urinalysis, BUN, creatinine(Cr) Cr clearance(CrCl), fasting and 2 hour postprandial blood sugar and hemoglobin A1c. RESULTS: The average age of the patients was 53+/-15 years old and their average disease duration was 5.8+/-5.0 years. Abnormal rates of each renal function tests were as follows : NAG/gCr 52.1%, AER 51.7%, CrCl 42.5%, BUN 18.4%, beta2-MG 13.8% and creatinine 6.9% in order. From 36 patients whose AER was within normal limit, 13 of them(36.1%) showed increased level of NAG/gCr. Of 38 patients with increased NAG/gCr results, the 31 patients (81.6%) recorded abnormal results of renal function tests. Among 87 patients studied 60 patients(68.5%) showed increased level of NAG/gCr or AER results. Compared with AER test alone. the combined tests with NAG/gCr increased 16.8% of detection rates of renal complication in type II diabetes. CONCLUSION: Urine NAG/gCr and AER tests were very useful for detecting the early renal complication of type n diabetes. As increase of NAG/gCr suggest the proximal tubule damage, it is necessary to have further evaluation about the proximal tubule damage of renal complication in type II diabetes.
Acetylglucosaminidase* ; Blood Glucose ; Creatinine ; Daegu ; Fasting ; Humans ; Urinalysis

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

Many oncogenes and tumor supressor genes have been identified and studied in colorectal carcinoma. Among them, p53 is a tumor supressor gene and its mutation is frequently noted in human tumors. E-cadherin is a cell adhesion molecule and associated with tumor differentiation. CD44 is a cell surface glycoprotein that plays a role in cell migration and metastasis. nm23 is a gene known to lower metastatic potential of tumors and has been proposed to be a metastasis supressor gene. Tumor angiogenesis is required for the expansion of the primary tumor and metastasis and its degree is related to the potential of malignancy. We studied the expression of p53, E-cadherin, nm23, CD44 and tumor angiogenesis in 36 cases of colorectal adenocarcinomas. They were compared with previously known prognostic factors such as the stage, tumor size, depth of invasion, differentiation, presence of lymphatic or venous invasion, the lymph node and distant metastasis. The results were as follows. 1) The expression of p53 was not significantly associated with any prognostic factors. 2) The expression of E-cadherin was significantly associated with tumor differentiation. In the well differentiated adenocarcinomas, its expression was higher than in the poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. 3) The expression of nm23 was also significantly associated with tumor differentiation. In carcinoma with lymph node metastasis, the expression of nm23 was reduced, but statistically it was not significant. 4) The expression of CD44 was higher in tumors with lymph node metastasis than in tumors without lymph node metastasis, but it was not statistically significant. 5) The degree of microvessel density was significantly associated with lymphatic invasion. According to the above results, the expression of E-cadherin and nm23 are related to the differentiation of the tumor and tumor angiogenesis is related to the lymphatic invasion of the colorectal adenocarcinoma.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Cadherins* ; Cell Adhesion ; Cell Movement ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Genes, vif ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Membrane Glycoproteins ; Microvessels ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Oncogenes ; von Willebrand Factor

No abstract available.
Aged* ; Child* ; Dislocations* ; Hip* ; Humans

No abstract available.
Renal Dialysis* ; Urea*

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

Met protein is a transmembrane 190 kD heterodimer with tyrosine kinase activity, encoded by c-Met oncogene. It serves as a high affinity receptor for hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)/scatter factor (SF), a cytokine which stimulates cell proliferation, motility, and invasion. In this study, we immunohistochemically evaluated the expression of Met/hepatocyte growth factor receptor in colorectal cancers. Met protein was expressed in 31 of 72 patients (43.1%). The staining pattern was cytoplasmic in nature, present throughout the tumor, and showed variable intensity from case to case. The relationship between the expression rate and intensity, and age and sex of patients, tumor size (p=0.645), tumor site (p=0.902) and tumor differentiation (p=0.844) was not statistically significant. The expression rate and intensity were significantly correlated with lymphovascular invasion (p=0.001), lymph node metastasis (p=0.010), depth of invasion (0.019), and stage (p=0.023). Cytoplasmic accumulation of Met protein was not associated with enhanced PCNA index of tumor cells (p=0.052). These results suggest that Met protein may play an important role in the invasion and metastasis of colorectal cancer cells.
Cell Proliferation ; Colorectal Neoplasms* ; Cytoplasm ; Hepatocyte Growth Factor ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Oncogenes ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases

No abstract available.
Prospective Studies*

PURPOSE: To determine the value of thin-section CT in the diagnosis of nasal bone fractures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We evaluated the thin-section CT scans of 40 patients with nasal bone fracture. CT scans were obtained with both axial and coronal planes, 1.5mm collimation with 2mm interval, and 9.6cm field-of-view. The axial scan plane was kept parallel to the orbitomeatal line from the nasion to the lower limit of the nose and the coronal plane was kept perpendicular to the axial plane. The data were reconstructed with bone algorithm. Nasal bone fracture was classified into 1 of 3 types on thin section CT:(I) simple fracture;(ll) simple fracture with displacement;(III) comminuted fracture. Associated facial bone injuries were also evaluated Simple radiographs of nasal bone were reviewed for comparison. RESULTS: Six patients had simple fracture, 10 patients had simple fracture with displacement, and 24 patients had comminuted fracture. Twenty-six patients had associated facial bone injuries which included fracture of nasal septum (n=15), fracture of frontal process of maxilla (n=9), fracture of ethmoid (n=6), widening of nasofrontal suture (n=5), and fracture of nasolacrimal duct (n=2). In 15 of 40 patients, CT could identify nasal bone fractures not detected on simple radiographs. CONCLUSION: Thin-section CT is a valuable aid in the evaluation of nasal bone fracture for accurate identification, nature, and combined facial injury.
Diagnosis ; Facial Bones ; Facial Injuries ; Fractures, Comminuted ; Humans ; Maxilla ; Nasal Bone* ; Nasal Septum ; Nasolacrimal Duct ; Nose ; Sutures ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed