OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of low dose gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist(GnRH-a) therapy combined with high dose human menopausal gonadotrpin(hMG) following estrogen & progesteron therapy for poor responders. METHODS: From May 1997 to Feb 1999, 36 patients who were defined as poor responders on previous consecutive two and more superovulation cycles were randomly allocated to lowdose GnRH-a short protocol with high dose hMG protocol pretreated with estrogen & progesterone(E/P therapy)(n=16)(study group) and the clomiphene citrate with hMG(n=20)(control group). All patients were planned to undergone in-vitro- fertilization(IVF) and embryo transfer(ET) after controlled ovarian hyperstimulation(COH). RESULTS: Two groups were similar with respect to clinical features and basal FSH and E2 levels. The mean level of E2 on day 5, 304.3+/-148.ng/ml in study group was significantly higher than that in control group, 182+/-34.9ng/ml. The mean levels of E2 on hCG day was also significantly higher in study group than control group(1324+/-320ng/ml, vs 414+/-168ng/ml). The mean day of hCG day in study group, 12.3+/-0.3 was shorter than that in control group, 13.8+/-0.4. The concellation rates of cycles were significantly lower in study group than control group(13.2% vs 84.2%). But clinical pregnancy rates did not showed the significant difference between two groups. CONCLUSION: The study suggested that a lowdose GnRH-a short protocol with high dose hMG pretreated with estrogen & progesterone can improve the ovarian response in poor responder group.
Clomiphene ; Embryonic Structures ; Estrogens ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone* ; Humans ; Pregnancy Rate ; Progesterone ; Superovulation

No abstract available.
Osteoblastoma*

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Periotest. and OsstellTM were known as the most objective and quantitative mobility tests available for evaluating stability of implant in vivo. Although a correlation between PTV widely used and ISQ recently introduced exist, a PTV was corresponded to various ISQ. A correct evaluation of implant stability could be obtained only after one has a thorough understanding of the limitations of devices and factors that affect measurements. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the causes of variables in the values obtained with these two tests. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A total of 333 implants: 134 Bra.nemark, 5 Silhouette and 194 ITI implants were investigated. Result: 1. There was a correlation between PTV and ISQ (Spearman correlation =0.39, p<0.0001) 2. The factors that affected ISQ were diameter of implant fixture, location of implant and implant system (submerged type vs non-submerged type). 3. The factors that affected PTV were diameter of implant fixture, location of implant, and elapsed time after implant placement. 4. There was no significant difference between different surface treatments of RBM, smooth surface and ti-unite on PTV and ISQ. 5. In radiographic finding, no saucerization or bone resorption has been detected in implants with ISQ values that were above the average level of each PTV. These higher values had higher bone densities around the implant fixture. Saucerization was observed in the most impants with ISQ values that were below the average level of each PTV. CONCLUSION: There was a correlation between ISQ and PTV. However, each measuring methods had factors influencing the measured values. PTV were less sensitive to marginal bone resorption and influenced with the striking point on an implant to the level of bone. With ISQ, the height of implant from bone level to transducer should be considered.
Bone Density ; Bone Resorption ; Strikes, Employee ; Transducers

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Periotest. and OsstellTM were known as the most objective and quantitative mobility tests available for evaluating stability of implant in vivo. Although a correlation between PTV widely used and ISQ recently introduced exist, a PTV was corresponded to various ISQ. A correct evaluation of implant stability could be obtained only after one has a thorough understanding of the limitations of devices and factors that affect measurements. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the causes of variables in the values obtained with these two tests. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A total of 333 implants: 134 Bra.nemark, 5 Silhouette and 194 ITI implants were investigated. Result: 1. There was a correlation between PTV and ISQ (Spearman correlation =0.39, p<0.0001) 2. The factors that affected ISQ were diameter of implant fixture, location of implant and implant system (submerged type vs non-submerged type). 3. The factors that affected PTV were diameter of implant fixture, location of implant, and elapsed time after implant placement. 4. There was no significant difference between different surface treatments of RBM, smooth surface and ti-unite on PTV and ISQ. 5. In radiographic finding, no saucerization or bone resorption has been detected in implants with ISQ values that were above the average level of each PTV. These higher values had higher bone densities around the implant fixture. Saucerization was observed in the most impants with ISQ values that were below the average level of each PTV. CONCLUSION: There was a correlation between ISQ and PTV. However, each measuring methods had factors influencing the measured values. PTV were less sensitive to marginal bone resorption and influenced with the striking point on an implant to the level of bone. With ISQ, the height of implant from bone level to transducer should be considered.
Bone Density ; Bone Resorption ; Strikes, Employee ; Transducers

Urotensin II (UII) is a mitogenic and hypertrophic agent that can induce the proliferation of vascular cells. UII inhibition has been considered as beneficial strategy for atherosclerosis and restenosis. However, currently there is no therapeutics clinically available for atherosclerosis or restenosis. In this study, we evaluated the effects of a newly synthesized UII receptor (UT) antagonist, KR-36996, on the proliferation of SMCs in vitro and neointima formation in vivo in comparison with GSK-1440115, a known potent UT antagonist. In primary human aortic SMCs (HASMCs), UII (50 nM) induced proliferation was significantly inhibited by KR-36996 at 1, 10, and 100 nM which showed greater potency (IC₅₀: 3.5 nM) than GSK-1440115 (IC₅₀: 82.3 nM). UII-induced proliferation of HASMC cells was inhibited by U0126, an ERK1/2 inhibitor, but not by SP600125 (inhibitor of JNK) or SB202190 (inhibitor of p38 MAPK). UII increased the phosphorylation level of ERK1/2. Such increase was significantly inhibited by KR-36996. UII-induced proliferation was also inhibited by trolox, a scavenger for reactive oxygen species (ROS). UII-induced ROS generation was also decreased by KR-36996 treatment. In a carotid artery ligation mouse model, intimal thickening was dramatically suppressed by oral treatment with KR-36996 (30 mg/kg) which showed better efficacy than GSK-1440115. These results suggest that KR-36996 is a better candidate than GSK-1440115 in preventing vascular proliferation in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and restenosis.
Animals ; Atherosclerosis ; Carotid Arteries ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Ligation ; Mice ; Muscle, Smooth* ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; Neointima ; Phosphorylation ; Reactive Oxygen Species

Background: Direct immunofluorescence (DIF) is a histochemical technique used to detect tissue-bound autoantibodies and diagnose various immune-mediated skin diseases. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the sensitivity of DIF for each disorder, and the consistency between clinical, histopathological, and DIF results. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in 194 patients who underwent skin biopsy and DIF testing at our hospital between January 2011 and December 2021. An antibody panel against immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgA, IgM, C3, C1q, and fibrinogen was used. The concordance rate and κ-coefficient between the clinical, histopathological, and DIF results were evaluated. Results: DIF was observed to be positive in 87 cases; 51 cases of immune-mediated bullous diseases, seven cases of connective tissue diseases (CTDs), 25 cases of vasculitis, and four cases of other diseases. The overall sensitivity of DIF for immune-mediated bullous diseases was 71.8%, which was higher than that of histopathology (64.8%). In CTDs and vasculitis, the overall sensitivities of DIF were 30.4% and 65.8%, respectively, which were lower than those of histopathology (73.9% and 84.2%, respectively). In addition, good concordance among the clinical, histological, and DIF results was observed. Conclusion DIF is a useful diagnostic method, especially for immune-mediated bullous diseases, lupus erythematosus, and Henoch-Schonlein purpura. However, in other CTDs and vasculitis cases, the sensitivity of DIF is relatively low. Therefore, the diagnostic value of DIF along with clinical and histopathological findings will be maximized only when the DIF test is performed for appropriate diseases.

Malignant gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are rare non-epithelial, mesenchymal neoplasms of the gastrointestinal tract that metastasize or recur in 30% of patients who undergo surgical resection with curative intent. A 59-year-old man visited our hospital for an examination of a palpable mass in the left abdomen. Fourteen months prior to his visit, the patient underwent gastric wedge resection to remove a GIST of the gastric cardia. At the time of surgery, no evidence of metastatic disease was observed and the pathological interpretation was a high-risk GIST. A follow-up computed tomography scan of the abdomen revealed a partially necrotic solid mass (9.8 x 7.6 cm) and enhancing mass in the spleen (2.3 cm). On exploration, multiple masses were found in the liver, greater omentum, and mesentery. Here, we report a case of recurring GIST of the stomach that metastasized to the spleen. To the best of our knowledge, few reports of metastasis to the spleen exist.
Abdomen ; Cardia ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Humans ; Liver ; Mesentery ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Omentum ; Spleen ; Stomach

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Branemark or ITI are two currently most widely used implant systems but with contrasting design, surgical and restoration methods. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare changes and its statistical significance in bone height and shape which may rise due to the differences between two implant systems. Also to analyse the effect of inter-implant distance on annual bone height changes. MATERIAL & METHOD: Those patients who were treated with two or more of either Branemark or ITI implants at posterior mandibular area at Yonsei University Dental Hospital, Implant Clinic were selected. At annual examination appointments, standardised radiographs using parallel technique were taken. Marginal bone and inter-implant crestal bone changes were measured and following results were obtained. RESULTS: 1) When ITI and Branemark system were compared, both annual marginal and inter-implant crestal bone height changes in ITI system in the first two years were smaller than Branemark and they were statistically significant. On the third year, however, there was no statistical difference between two implant systems on their annual bone level changes (p>0.05). 2) The Marginal and inter-implant crestal bone changes were compared when inter-implant distance was less than 4mm. Statistically significant bone level changes were noted on the first year only for ITI implants but in the first and second year for Branemark implants (p>0.05). 3) When comparing angulation changes between marginal bone and implant fixture, ITI system had smaller angulation changes but the annual changes were not statistically significant (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Within the limitation of this study, it could be concluded that Branemark implant systems had more changes in marginal and inter-implant crestal bone level in the first and second year after loading with statistical significance. Further studies are recommended to see the effects of these bone loss during the first and second year after loading on the long term prognosis of Branemark Implants.
Appointments and Schedules ; Humans ; Prognosis

PURPOSE: Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) is a pleiotropic growth factor, which has been suggested to play a critical role during the development and homeostasis of the kidney. We evaluated the response of the human renal cell carcinoma (RCC) cell lines to BMPs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We evaluated the growth rate of the human RCC cell lines, 112, 117 and 181, according to the concentrations of BMP-4, -6 and -7, and detected the levels of the BMP receptors (BMPRs) expressed in the cell lines. To demonstrate that the defect in BMP-6 signaling is at the receptor level, BMP-6 resistant cell lines were transfected, with adenovirus containing the constitutively active form of the BMP receptor types II (BMPR-II). After transfection, the cells were transfected with pSBE4, the construct of the BMP-6-responsive luciferase reporter gene, and a luciferase assay performed. RESULTS: The BMP-6 inhibited the proliferation of the 112, but not those of the 117 and 181 cells, in a dose-dependent manner. From Northern blot and immunoblot analyses, it was demonstrated that the 117 and 181 cells had undetectable levels of BMPR-II expression. The levels of luciferase activity, following adenovirus infections, was elevated in both the 117 and 181 cells, suggesting that the down-stream signaling molecules of the BMP-6 was intact in these cell lines. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, these results demonstrate that the human RCC cell lines 117 and 181 are resistant to the growth inhibitory effects of the BMP-6 due to their decreased levels of BMPR-II expression.
Adenoviridae ; Adenoviridae Infections ; Blotting, Northern ; Bone Morphogenetic Protein 6 ; Bone Morphogenetic Protein Receptors* ; Bone Morphogenetic Proteins* ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell* ; Cell Line ; Genes, Reporter ; Homeostasis ; Humans* ; Kidney ; Luciferases ; Transfection

The purpose of the present study was to assess the temperature change and compressive property of bulk-fill composites (BFCs) by the light curing. Seven resin-based composites (RBCs), including five BFCs, were chosen to evaluate their maximum temperature rise and exothermic heat during and after light curing and compressive strength (CS) and modulus (CM) for 4-mm thick state. Light attenuation coefficients (ACs) showed reasonably high correlation with filler content (vol% and wt%).Except one resin product, AC values of BFCs were lower than those of RBCs tested. All the tested specimens showed temperature rise (9.8-23.6℃) and exothermic heat (4.2-18.3℃) for 4-mm thick case. CS and CM values of the tested specimens ranged approximately 69 to 116 MPa and 1.3 to 2.8 GPa, respectively. The difference of temperature changes and compressive properties (CS and CM) between BFCs and RBCs was not consistent and had no statistically consistent significance.