OBJECTIVE: To establish the evaluation system of the quality of oocytes on the basis of the incidence of cumulus cells apoptosis, to investigate the relationships between the incidence of cumulus cells and the outcomes of IVF-ET. METHOD: Thirth-four cycles undergoing controlled ovarian hypersimulation for IVF-ET with tubal infertility (23 cycles) or unexplained infertility (11 cycles) were included in this study. Cumulus cell masses surrounding mature oocyte and co-culture of embryos with autologous cumulus cells during IVF-ET process. The incidence of apoptosis in cumulus cells was assessed by apoptosis detection kit fluorescein. The effect of co-culture using cumulus cells and the incidence of cumulus cells apoptosis. RESULTS: The results were as follows: 1. The incidence of apoptosis in cumulus cells markedly increased in patients aged 40 or over, while the fertilization rate was greatly decreased in those age group. 2. Apoptosis in cumulus cells was found in both the fertilized oocytes and unfertilized oocytes, but the incidence of apoptosis was higher in unfertilized oocytes. 3. There is no clear correlation between apoptosis in cumulus cells and the number of oocytes retrieved. However, the incidence of apoptosis was increased when the number of oocytes retrieved was 5 and fewer in comparison with 6~10. 4. Embryo grade was significantly affected by the incidence of apoptosis in cumulus cells. 5. Pregnancy rate of IVF-ET per cycle was 29.4%, and the pregnant group had the higher fertilization rate and a significantly lower incidence of apoptosis in cumulus cells compared with the nonpregnant group. 6. When cumulus cells were used as helper cells in the co-culture of the embryo, in vitro activity of cumulus cells based on morphological change and proliferation did not influence the quality of embryo, but was closely associated with the implantation rate and pregnancy rate, which was enhanced when morphological changes and proliferation of cumulus cells was more active. 7. This difference in the outcome of IVF-ET according to in vitro activity of cumulus cells used for co-cultue was not associated with the incidence of apoptosis in cumulus cells, but rather had likely relations with the different secretion pattern of protein, which may be an embryotrophic factor by cumulus cells. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the incidence of apoptosis in cumulus cells can be used in predicting oocyte qualities and the outcomes of IVF-ET. And the effect of co-culture largely depends on the in vitro activity of cumulus cells as well.
Apoptosis ; Coculture Techniques ; Cumulus Cells* ; Embryonic Structures ; Fertilization ; Fluorescein ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infertility ; Oocytes ; Pregnancy Rate ; T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer

No abstract available.
Autografts* ; Heterografts* ; Transplants*

No abstract available.
Pneumonectomy* ; Radiography, Thoracic* ; Thorax*

Colon has the highest bacterial concentration in the gastrointestinal tract. When the colon is perforated, the operator has to decide whether to perform primary closure, resection with anastomosis, proximal colostomy, and exteriorizatoion. In this retrospective study, from October, 1993, through July 1998, 56 patient with panperitonitis due to colon perforation were operated at Ewha womans University medical center. The rectal perforation was limited the intraperitoneal portion. Our cases were divided into two groups. Group I included 34 patients who treated with one step operations of primaryrepair or resection anastomosis. Group II included 22 patients who treated with two step operations of proximal colostomy or exteriorization. The one step operations were performed in 34 patients, proximal colostomy in 21 patients, and exteriorization in 1 patient. There was 13.7% in the incidence of motality and 33.3% in the incidence of morbidity. The Chi-square test was used to evaluate the significance of differences between two groups. Independent risk factors for adverse outcomes were compared and used to analyse the probability for adverse outcomes with respect to the mode of treatmen. The mode of treatment was not dependent on the risk factors. These results suggest that one could select positively primary closure or resection with anastomosis for the treatment of patients with panperitonitis due to colon perforation.
Academic Medical Centers ; Colon* ; Colostomy ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Humans ; Incidence ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

No abstract available.
Teratoma*

188Re (beta=22 MeV; gamma=155 keV; T1/2=16.9 hours) is an attractive therapeutic radioisotope which is produced from decay of reactor-produced tungsten-188 parent (T1/2=69 days). 188W has been produced from the double neutron capture reaction of 186W. 188Re can be easily obtained by elution of saline on alumina based 186W/188Re generator, which is commercially available. Complexes labelled with 188Re have been developed for the radiotherapy treatment of diseases because of the desirable nuclear properties of the radioisotope and it's chemical properties similar to those of technetium, a well established diagnostic agent.
Aluminum Oxide ; Humans ; Neutrons ; Parents ; Radiotherapy ; Technetium

A key factor in successful application of PBL is creation of good problems. Unfortunately, published collections of problems do not exist for many subjects. Consequently, instructors usually write their own problems and case studies if they want to use problem-based instruction. In this study we proposed principles for creation of PBL problems and presented its example. If effective problems suitable to educational goals are engaged, PBL can be introduced to the first grade medical students who do not have any knowlege about medicine. However, additional factors such as number of faculties and students, budget, availability of learning materials also affect successful implementation of PBL.
Budgets ; Humans ; Learning ; Students, Medical

PURPOSE: To compare radiation therapy alone to combined modality therapy about survival rate and tolerance of elderly patients (70=or> or =) with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 1998 and 2002, 57 patients given radiation therapy due to NSCLC (Stage III) were analysed retrospectively. Radiation therapy alone (RT), concurrent chemoradiation (CRT), and sequential chemoradiation (SCRT) was done to 33, 16 and 8 patients, respectively. Patients' median age was 74 (range 70~85). Male and female are 51 patients and 6 patients, respectively. 23 patients were stage IIIa and 34 were stage IIIb. Patients' characteristic distribution of RT and CRT was not significantly different except mass size that RT has a bigger than CRT. The fraction size of radiation therapy was 1.8 Gy in CRT and 1.8~3 Gy in other groups. Total radiation dose was 51~63 Gy according to the fraction size. If the prescribed total radiation dose was successfully irradiated, we stated that it was completion of radiation therapy. RESULTS: 52 patients were dead. Median period of radiation therapy was as follow: RT, 35 days, CRT, 60.5 days and SCRT, 35 days. Overall median survival time (MST) was 10.1 months. The 1 yr- and 2 yr-overall survival rate was 39.8% and 17.6%, respectively. MST of RT, CRT and SCRT was 8.9, 8.2 and 11.7 months, respectively. The 1 yr survival rate of RT, CRT and SCRT was 38.4%, 37.5% and 50% (not significant). Patients given incomplete radiation therapy were 12 (RT, 5 CRT, 6 SCRT, 1). N stage (p=0.081) and the difference of treatment methods (p=0.079) were the factors affecting incompletion of radiation therapy, but it was not significant. In case of combined-agents chemotherapy, 4 of 8 ceased radiation therapy. T stage (T> or =3), mass size (> or =5 cm), Karnofsky performance scale (< or =70) and completion of radiation therapy were the prognostic factors in uni- and multi-variate analysis. CONCLUSION: In elderly patients with NSCLC, radiation therapy alone was a treatment method with similar survival period compared with other methods. Generally, patients given radiation therapy alone was tolerable to a treatment. Before planning concurrent chemoirradiation in elderly patients with NSCLC, physicians pay attention to a selection of patients and chemotherapy agents considering general condition and toxicity.
Aged* ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms* ; Lung* ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate

Hepatoma is one of the most common malignant disease among cancers that occur in Korea. Recently, according ta developing imaging diagnostic technology and non surgical treatment the hepatoma is easily detected in early diagnosis and appropriate treatment. From this point of view, the histologic pattern of hepatoma is markedly important. This is the first reported case of sclerosing hepatocellular carcinoma, which is characterized by intense fibrosis, in which the tubular neoplastic structures are embedded. The incidence of sclerosing hepatocellular carcinoma is very rare. Therefore the rare histologic pattern of hepatoma might be introduced by many studies and reports. We recently experienced a case of sclerosing hepatocellular carcinoma.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Early Diagnosis ; Fibrosis ; Incidence ; Korea

Widely used tests for the detection of platelet antibodies in Korea include platelet suspension immunofluorescence test(PSIFT), enzyme immunoassay and mixed passive hemagglutination(MPHA). In these tests, removal of HLA antigens from platelet are required to detect platelet-specific antibodies. Modified antigen capture ELISA(MACE) is known to be very sensitive for the detection of platelet-specific antibodies, in which specific platelet glycoprotein, captured by the monoclonal antibody is used as a target antigen. MACE is very useful for the detection of platelet-specific alloantibodies in neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia(NAIT) and posttransfusion purpura(PTP). We employed MACE in our laboratory, using AP2(anti-GPIIb/IIIa, monoclonal), #30 sera(anti-PlA1), 90-545 sera(anti-HLA-B51+52) and LYS sera(multispecific HLA antibodies). LYS sera had been used as our positive control( 1:120) in MPHA. Platelet from PIA1(+), HLA-B5 I, blood group O healthy male donor, gave positive result with #30 sera(1:40) and negative result with 90-545 sera in MACE. With LYS sera, MACE showed negative in 1:120, but positive in 1:20. So LYS sera was thought to contain strong multispecific HLA antibodies and relatively weak antibody(-ies) reacting with GPllb/Illa. Further studies employing different monoclonal antibodies, such as anti-GPIb/IX, -GPIa/Ila and -GPIV are under way.
Antibodies* ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Blood Platelets ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Glycoproteins ; HLA Antigens ; Humans ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; Isoantibodies ; Korea ; Male ; Tissue Donors