OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical outcomes of intrauterine insemination (IUI) according to the catheter used. MATERIALS AND METHOD: From March 1998 to September 1998, total 95 infertile patients were included in this study. Patients were randomly allocated to TomCat group (n = 39) and Mackler group (n = 56) according to the catheter for insemination. The controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) using luteal long protocol of gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a) was used in all patients. Statistical analysis was performed using Student's t-test, Fisher's exact test, and x2 test as appropriate. Statistical significance was defined as p < 0.05. RESULTS: The total dose and duration of exogeneous gonadotropin required were similar between the two groups. There were also no significant differences in serum estradiol (E2) level, endometrial thickness and texture on the day of hCG administration between the two groups. However, the percentage of uterine souding due to failure of initial approach was significantly higher in TomCat group compared to Mackler group (23.1% vs. 0%, p < 0.01). The percentage of bleeding after IUI in TomCat group seemed to be higher than that in Mackler group (15.4% vs. 3.6%, p = 0.06), although there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups. There was also no significant difference in the clinical pregnancy rate per patient between the two groups. CONCLUSION: These results suggested that using Mackler catheter might be effective for IUI, especially for the patients with cervical factor infertility.
Catheters* ; Estradiol ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone ; Gonadotropins ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Infertility ; Insemination* ; Pregnancy Rate

This study was conducted to determine the level of inflammatory cytokines in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with meningitis. All the CSF of the patients were examined by Gram and acid-fast stain, culture, and PCR for Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycoplasrma spp..The levels of sugar, protein and leukocytes count were also evaluated in the CSFs. Concentrations of Interleukin (IL)-1B, IL-6, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-a in the CSF were evaluated by the ELISA kit (Genzyme, USA). General bacteria, tubercle bacilli, and Mycoplasma spp. were not detected with stain and culture methods, but, Mycoplasma spp. was detected by PCR method from four (6.3%) patients with meningitis. The mean CSF concentration of IL-1B, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-cx in the control group were 0.6+/-0.2, 896.8+/-107.6, 50.1+/-5.1, and 4.8+/-1.4 pg/ml, respectively. The mean CSF concentration of IL-1B, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-a in the patients with aseptic meningitis were 3.8+/-0.6, 1261.6+/-144.3, 466.7+/-42.3, and 10.8+/-2.0 pg/ml, respectively. The mean CSF concentration of IL-1B, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-a in the patients with mycoplasmal meningitis were 10.2+/-8.1, 1979.5+/-133.8, 459.7+/-96.4, and 17.5+/-5.1 pg/ml, respectively. There were significantly differences in the levels of IL-1B, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-a between control and patients with aseptic meningitis or Mycoplasmal meningitis (each p<0.001). These results suggest that increased levels of IL-1B, IL-8, and TNF-a could be higly suggestive of meningitis.
Bacteria ; Cerebrospinal Fluid* ; Cytokines ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Interleukin-6* ; Interleukin-8* ; Interleukins ; Leukocytes ; Meningitis* ; Meningitis, Aseptic ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; Mycoplasma ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

No abstract available.
Dexamethasone* ; Psychotic Disorders*

BACKGROUND: Total intravenous anesthesia with propofol can cause respiratory depression and apnea especially during induction of anesthesia. To study the possibility of reversal of respiratory depression during anesthesia with propofol, pretreated with nabuphine or not, the respiratory effects of doxapram to spontaneously ventilating patients were investigated. METHODS: Patients were divided into 4 groups - saline-propofol-saline group (SPS), saline-propofol- doxapram group (SPD), nalbuphine-propofol-saline group (NPS), and nalbuphine-propofol-doxapram group (NPD). After saline or nalbuphine pretreatment, anesthesia was induced with propofol and then doxapram or saline was intravenously injected. Apneic time interval, blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, minute ventilation, end tidal CO2 partial pressure and oxygen saturation were measured in every minutes during induction of anesthesia. Percent changes of each values were compared. RESULTS: There is no differences in apneic time intervals in each groups. The percent change of first minute ventilation in SPD group after doxapram injection unchanged significantly compared with those depressions of SPS, NPS and NPD group (p<0.05). Respiratory rates increased in SPD and SPS groups after laryngeal mask insertion. There is no differences in minute ventilation, respiratory rate and end-tidal CO2 concentration between nalbuphine pretreated groups regardless of doxapram injection. CONCLUSIONS: Doxapram has effect in increasing minute ventilation after propofol induction within first few minutes, but it cannot reverse respiratory depression during propofol induction pretreated with nalbuphine.
Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, Intravenous* ; Apnea ; Blood Pressure ; Depression ; Doxapram* ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Laryngeal Masks ; Nalbuphine* ; Oxygen ; Partial Pressure ; Propofol* ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Respiratory Rate ; Ventilation

No abstract available.
Cleft Lip* ; Congenital Abnormalities* ; Skin*

No abstract available.
Colon* ; Polyps*

We investigated the occurrence of color vision loss in 70 organic solvent mixtures exposed workers and in 47 controls. Color Vision was assessed with a color arrangement test designed to identify the defective color sense, the Han Double 15-Hue Test. The results of the test were no significant difference between exposed workers and controls in the proportion of subjects who committed one or two errors. Quantitative analysis, using color confusion index(CCI), showed no signifiant difference between exposed workers and controls. A significant linear correlation was present between age and CCI in both exposed workers(CCi=0.0056age + 0.94; r=0.23; p<0.05) and controls(CCI=0.0066age + 0.86; r=0.33; p<0.05). Qualitative analysis of the patterns on the hue circle showed that the prevalence of acquired dyschromatopsia was 21% in both and no significant difference. Multiple regression analyses showed that age was significantly related to color vision loss. These results did not provide evidence of a relationship between organic solvents exposure and incidence of color vision loss. In field studies for monitor the people at risk of the acquired color vision loss involving low-dose organic solvents exposed workers, both quantitative and qualitative information should be considered.
Color Vision ; Incidence ; Prevalence ; Solvents

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Proper proximal contact is important for maintaining and stabilizing the dental arch. However, the proximal contact strength (PCS) is not a constant value and can be affected by a variety of factors. PURPOSE: This study examined the influences of postural changes on the posterior PCS. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twelve adults with a normal occlusion and had not undergone prosthetic treatment or proximal restoration were participated in this study. A metal strip was inserted into the proximal surface and removed at a constant velocity. The contact strength was measured in every contact point between canine to second molar in both arches. The PCSs were obtained initially in the upright position, secondly in the supine position and finally in the upright position again. All measurements were repeated after a 2 hour period. Statistical analysis was carried out using the Friedman test (P < .05). RESULTS: Generally, a decrease in PCS occurred when the posture was changed from the initial upright to supine position, while it increased when the posture was changed from the supine to upright position. A significant change was observed in all areas except for between the canine-first premolar in the maxilla and between the first molarsecond molar in the mandible areas. CONCLUSION: The posterior PCS, which dentists generally believe to be a static feature of occlusion, is affected significantly by posture.
Adult ; Bicuspid ; Dental Arch ; Dentists ; Humans ; Mandible ; Maxilla ; Molar ; Posture ; Supine Position

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) and granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) on expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2, 9 (MMP-2, 9) mRNA in mouse embryos. Materials and METHOD: From October 1997 to December 1998, morula stage mouse embryos were cultured for 48 hours with G-CSF and GM-CSF at concentrations of 0.1 pg/ml, 1 pg/ml, 10 pg/ml, 100 pg/ml, 1 ng/ml and 10 ng/ml, respectively. Embryos not treated with G-CSF or GM-CSF were served as control. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) has been used to examine the expression of MMP-2, 9 mRNA in developed blastocysts. Following reverse transcription, strategically designed nested primers, optimized for specificity, were used for amplification from the cDNA equivalent of a single embryo. The products were then verified by restriction enzyme digestion and sequence analysis. Results were analyzed with Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and analysis of variance (ANOVA). The statistical significance was defined as p< 0.05. RESULTS: The relative quantities (relative volume x intensity) of MMP-2 mRNA expressed in embryos of all G-CSF treatment groups were significantly increased than in the control, especially in 10, 100 pg/ml and 1 ng/ml treatment groups. The relative quantities of MMP-2 mRNA in all GM-CSF treatment groups were also significantly increased than in the control, especially in 100 pg/ml treatment group. The relative quantities of MMP-9 mRNA of all GM-CSF treatment groups except 10 ng/ml group were significantly increased than in the control, especially 10, 100 pg/ml and 1 ng/ml treatment group. However, the relative quantity of MMP-9 mRNA was significantly increased in only 10 ng/ml G-CSF treatment group than in the control and other treatment groups. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that G-CSF and GM-CSF may increase the m-RNA expression of MMP-2 or 9 in mouse blastocysts with the concentration-specific manner.
Animals ; Blastocyst ; Colony-Stimulating Factors* ; Digestion ; DNA, Complementary ; Embryonic Structures* ; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor* ; Granulocytes* ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2* ; Mice* ; Morula ; Reverse Transcription ; RNA, Messenger ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Sequence Analysis

OBJECTIVES: To examine the in vitro interactions of blastocyst attachment using type I collagen. MATERIALS AND METHODS: ICR mice were used and follicular growth was stimulated by pregnant mare serum gonadotropin and human chorionic gonadotropin. On day 4 of pregnancy, the uteri were removed and blastocysts were flushed. Mixtures of 1mL sterile water, 0.5mL DMEM, 2mL type collagen solution and 0.5mL 0.1M NaOH were prepared and transferred to an incubator where the collagen solution polymerized. Blastocysts were transferred to dishes previously coated with type I collagen. CMRL 1066 was used as the basic culture medium. It was supplemented with 1mM glutamine and 1mM sodium pyruvate plus 50 IU/ml penicillin and 50 mg/ml streptomycin. During the first 4 days the culture medium was supplemented with 20% fetal calf serum and thereafter with 20% heat inactivated human cord serum. All blastocysts were initially cultured for 2 days without media change. After 2 days, fresh medium was renewed daily. The stages of embryo growth were examined and recorded everyday under a dissecting microscope and classified according to the standard in vivo criteria set forth by Witschi. RESULTS: By 48h, nearly all blastocysts had attached to the surface of collagen pad. Following adhesion to the collagen pad, the blastocysts maintained their 3-dimensional integrity in contrast to control. The embryos in collagen pad were not flattening and kept polarity and spherical shape during culture. The polar trophoblast invaded the type I collagen downward unlike the horizontal growth in control. In the developmental stage of mouse blastocyst, there were significant differences between control and type I collagen group during day 4 and 5 culture. CONCLUSION: Blastocyst development was better in type I collagen group than control. Therefore, in vitro culture study using type I collagen could provide improved model for the establishment of blastocyst implantation study.
Animals ; Blastocyst ; Chorionic Gonadotropin ; Collagen ; Collagen Type I* ; Embryo Implantation ; Embryonic Structures* ; Female ; Glutamine ; Gonadotropins ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Incubators ; Mice* ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Penicillins ; Polymers ; Pregnancy ; Pyruvic Acid ; Sodium ; Streptomycin ; Trophoblasts ; Uterus ; Water