OBJECTIVE: To evaluate mouse embryos development in conventional medium IVF-20 versus vero cell coculture. METHODS: Female ICR mice aged 6 to 8 weeks, were stimulated with 5IU PMSG and 48 hours later were injected 5IU of hCG, then female and male mice were mated. At 48 hour post-hCG injection, oviducts were dissected out and 2-cell embryos were flushed. The 2-cell embryos were cultured in IVF-20 media or media containing vero cell (African green monkey kidney epithelial cell lines) for 120 hours. Coculture techniques have been applied in mouse 2-cell embryos culture used vero cell lines. RESULTS: 1. After 48 hours culture, 60.7% and 55.7% of 2 cell embryos developed to 4 cell and morulae stage, respectively, in IVF-20 culture medium, but significantly less embryos developed to 4 cell (47.6%, p<0.05) and momlae (42.9%, p<0.05) in vero cell coculture. 2. After 72 hours culture, 51.6% of 2 cell embryos developed to blastocyst and expanded blastocyst in IVF-20 culture medium, but significantly less embryos developed to blastocyst and expanded blastocyst (25.9%, p<0.01) in vero cell coculture. 3. After 96 hours culture, 37.7% and 32.6% of 2 cell embryos similar developed to expanded blastocyst and hatching in IVF-20 culture medium and vero cell coculture, respectively. 4. After 120 hours culture, 36.9% and 37.4% of 2 cell embryos similar developed to expanded blastocyst and hatching in IVF-20 culture medium and vero cell coculture, respectively. CONCLUSION: There was no difference of embryo development rates between the two culture groups. IVF-20 medium alone gives a benefit to the viability of an embryo compared with a vero cell coculture.
Animals ; Blastocyst ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; Coculture Techniques* ; Embryonic Development ; Embryonic Structures* ; Epithelial Cells ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney ; Male ; Mice* ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Morula ; Oviducts ; Pregnancy ; Vero Cells*

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the prognosis of pregnancy and perinatal outcomes of epileptic women used antiepileptic drugs. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 66 consecutive pregnancies of 41 epileptic women from January 1989 through December 2005 was performed. The maternal and perinatal outcomes of pregnancies with epilepsy were compared with those of 1,000 normal pregnancies of similar age and parity occurred during the same period. We also compared the perinatal outcomes regarding protocol of antiepileptic drugs (monotherapy vs polytherapy), existence of gestational seizure, and duration of epileptic history. Statistical analyses with chi-square test and t-test were performed. RESULTS: In our comparison study between epilepsy and normal groups, with the exception of primigravida (43.8% vs 31.8%, p=0.009), induction of labor (43.1% vs 22.1%, p=0.001) and major congenital malformation (6.9% vs 2.0%, p=0.015), no other significant differences regarding maternal and perinatal outcomes were noted between two groups. There were no different obstetrical outcomes between monotherapy and polytherapy groups. In epileptic women with gestational seizure, the rate of fetal distress (20.0% vs 2.3%, p=0.02) was significantly increased. In longer epileptic history (> or =10 years), the rates of preterm birth, low birth weight, and major congenital malformation were increased, but there was no statistical significance. CONCLUSION: There are no increased maternal and perinatal complications in epileptic women used antiepileptic drugs, except for major congenital malformation.
Anticonvulsants* ; Epilepsy ; Female ; Fetal Distress ; Humans ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Parity ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnant Women* ; Premature Birth ; Prognosis* ; Retrospective Studies ; Seizures

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of HIV drug resistance mutations in drug-naive patients has been shown to differ with geographic origin. The purpose of this study is to assess the prevalence of transmitted antiretroviral drug resistance mutations in drug-naive patients in Korea. METHODS: Genotypic resistance was determined by the use of the Viroseq Genotyping System in 42 antiretroviral treatment naive HIV-infected patients between March 2005 and July 2006. Transmitted drug resistance was estimated according to the IAS-USA 2005 definition, taking into account only major mutations in the protease and all mutations in the reverse transcriptase, including revertant mutations at codon 215. RESULTS: The median age of the patients was 42 years and 37 (88%) were male. The median CD4+T cell count was 136/mm3 and the mean plasma RNA level was 4.98 log copies/mL. Among 42 patients studied, 37 (88%) were newly diagnosed patients. None of the patients were recent seroconverters; 38 patients (90%) were infected with subtype B and 4 patients were infected (10%) with the non-B subtype strains (2 patients with CRF01-AE 1 as CRF02-AG; 1 patient with subtype A). Of the 42 subjects tested, we found 2 (4.8%) mutations in NRTI (V118I), but did not find a mutation in NNRTI as well as in the PI region. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of transmitted antiretroviral drug resistance in drug-naive patients is still low in Korean patients.
Cell Count ; Codon ; Drug Resistance* ; HIV ; HIV-1* ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Plasma ; Prevalence ; RNA ; RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase

From January 1998 to December 2002, 3,259 cases of uterine myoma were treated at the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chunbuk National University Hospital. A clinico-stastical study of uterine myoma was perfomed to analyse the clinical characteristics. The results were as follows. 1. The incidence of uterine myoma was 9.8%. 2. The most frequent age group was 40 to 49 years, and the mean age was 44.6 years. 3. The average parity was 2.29, the infertility was 163 cases (5.0%), while the primary infertility, 2.4%, the secondary, 2.6% respectively. 4. The most frequent chief complaint was pain which was observed in 2,648 cases (81.2%), abnormal bleeding in 1,775 cases (53.8%). dizziness in 270 cases (8.3%). 5. The corporeal myomas were observed in 2,879 cases (95.9%). Intramural type was observed in 1,687 cases (58.2%), subserous in 529 cases (18.2%), submucous in 191 cases (6.5%), mixed type in 483 cases (17.0%). 6. The mean value of preoperative hemoglobin was 11.1 gm/dL, and the anemia (Hb<10.0 gm/dL) was observed in 481 cases (11.7%). Transfusion was necessary in 215 cases (6.5%). 7. The mean weight of the uterine myoma operated was 335.0 gm. 8. The secondary change of myoma was found in 54 cases (1.7%) and hyaline degeneration was the most common (0.7%). 9. The most common associated condition was chronic cervicitis, which was observed in 784 cases (24.1%). 10. The gynecologic surgery were performed in 1,456 cases (44.7%), medical therapy in 25 cases (0.8%), observation in 1,792 cases (55.0%). 11. Total abdominal hysterectomy was performed in 607 cases (41.7%), total abdominal hysterectomy with unilateral adnexectomy in 115 cases (7.9%), total abdominal hysterectomy with both adnexectomy in 164 cases (11.3%), subtotal hysterectomy in 304 cases (20.9%), myomectomy in 153 cases (10.5%), total laparoscopic hysterectomy in 103 cases (7.0%), laparoscopy assisted vaginal hysterectomy in 8 cases (0.5%), diagnostic laparoscopy in 2 cases (0.1%) respectively. 12. The postoperative complication were found in 113 cases (3.5%) and the wound infection was the most common (1.6%). 13. The mean period of hospitalization was 8 days, and the period less than 10 days in 1,177 cases (80.9%).
Anemia ; Dizziness ; Female ; Gynecologic Surgical Procedures ; Gynecology ; Hemorrhage ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Hyalin ; Hysterectomy ; Hysterectomy, Vaginal ; Incidence ; Infertility ; Laparoscopy ; Leiomyoma* ; Myoma ; Obstetrics ; Parity ; Postoperative Complications ; Uterine Cervicitis ; Wound Infection

Heterotopic pregnancy in a natural cycle is rare case. This case occurs by one out of 30,000 cases of pregnancies. It is quite difficult to diagnose a heterotopic pregnancy clinically. But, recently, the availability of high-resolution sonography has improved the preoperative diagnosis rate. We present a case of spontaneous heterotopic pregnancy which was diagnosed pre-operatively by transvaginal ultrasound.
Diagnosis* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Heterotopic* ; Ultrasonography*

Hemangiopericytoma is a rare vascular tumor arising from the adventitial pericytes of the small capillaries. Hemangiopericytomas primarily affect adults and are rare in infants and children. Both genders are equally affected. The most common anatomic locations for hemangiopericytoma are the lower extremity, axilla, pelvis, retroperitoneum, and head and neck. Surgical resection is the treatment of choice for hemangiopericytoma. The occurrence of this tumor in the vulva is rare, and to our knowledge we report the first case of a hemangiopericytoma arising from the vulva in Korea
Adult ; Axilla ; Capillaries ; Child ; Head ; Hemangiopericytoma ; Humans ; Infant ; Lower Extremity ; Neck ; Pelvis ; Pericytes ; Vulva