OBJECTIVE: Identification of the regulatory mechanism for arrest and initiation of primordial follicular growth is crucial for female fertility. Previously, we found 15 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) that were specifically abundant in the day-5-subtracted cDNA library and that the B357 clone was novel. The present study was conducted to obtain the whole sequence of the novel gene including B357 and to characterize its mRNA and protein expression in mouse ovary and testis. METHODS: The extended sequence of the 2,965-bp cDNA fragment for the clone B357 was named 5-day-ovary-specific gene-1 (5DOS1) and submitted to GenBank (accession number AY751521). Expression of 5DOS1 was characterized in both female and male gonads at various developmental stages by Northern blotting, real-time RT-PCR, in situ hybridization, Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: The 5DOS1 transcript was highly expressed in the adult testis, brain, and muscle as compared to the other tissues. In the ovary, the 5DOS1 transcript was detected in all oocytes from primordial to antral follicles, and highly expressed at day 5 after birth and decreased thereafter. In contrast, expression of 5DOS1 showed a gradual increase during testicular development and its expression was limited to various stages of male germ cells except spermatogonia. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report on the expression and characterization of the 5DOS1 gene in the mouse gonads. Further functional analysis of the 5DOS1 protein will be required to predict its role in gametogenesis.
Adult ; Animals ; Blotting, Northern ; Blotting, Western ; Brain ; Clone Cells ; Cluster Analysis* ; Databases, Nucleic Acid ; DNA, Complementary ; Expressed Sequence Tags ; Female ; Fertility ; Gametogenesis ; Gene Library ; Germ Cells ; Gonads ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; In Situ Hybridization ; Male ; Mice* ; Oocytes ; Ovary* ; Parturition ; RNA, Messenger ; Spermatogonia ; Testis*

OBJECTIVE: Sperm must be properly prepared in in vitro fertilization (IVF)-embryo transfer (ET) programs in order to control the fertilization rate and ensure that embryos are of high quality and have appropriate developmental abilities. The objective of this study was to determine the most optimal sperm preparation method for IVF. METHODS: Patients less than 40 years of age who participated in a fresh IVF-ET cycle from November 2012 to March 2013 were included in this study. Poor responders with less than three mature oocytes were excluded. Ham's F-10 medium or sperm-washing medium (SWM) was used in combination with the density-gradient centrifugation/swim-up (DGC-SUP) or SUP methods for sperm preparation. A total of 429 fresh IVF-ET cycles were grouped according to the media and methods used for sperm preparation and retrospectively analyzed (DGC-SUP/Ham's F-10, n=82; DGC-SUP/SWM, n=43; SUP/Ham's F-10, n=181; SUP/SWM, n=123). RESULTS: There were no significant differences among these four groups with respect to the mean age of the female partners, duration of infertility, number of previous IVF cycles, and retrieved oocytes. We determined that both the DGC-SUP and SUP methods for sperm preparation from whole semen, using either Ham's F-10 or SWM media, result in comparable clinical outcomes, including fertilization and pregnancy rates. CONCLUSION: We suggest that both media and both methods for sperm preparation can be used for selecting high-quality sperm for assistive reproductive technology programs.
Centrifugation, Density Gradient ; Embryonic Structures ; Female ; Fertilization ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Humans ; Infertility ; Oocytes ; Pregnancy Rate ; Reproductive Techniques ; Reproductive Techniques, Assisted ; Retrospective Studies ; Semen ; Spermatozoa

PURPOSE: This descriptive study was conducted to identify the level of knowledge of stroke symptoms and risk factors among older adults. METHODS: A total of 200 older adults over 65 years of age were conveniently recruited from out patient departments of two hospitals and a health care center from October to November 2008. The level of knowledge was assessed using both open-ended questions and a structured questionnaire based on semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed by t-tests and ANOVA using the SPSS program. RESULTS: 52.5% of the sample had hypertension and 30% had diabetes. The mean knowledge scores for symptoms and risk factors were 8.4 +/- 3.1(out of 15) and 9.5 +/- 3.9 (out of 16), respectively. The older adults who had lower education, lower family income, and who lived in rural areas were more likely to have less knowledge of stroke symptom and risk factors(p < .05). There was no significant knowledge difference between the older adults who had at least one risk factor and those who had no risk factor for stroke. CONCLUSIONS: Educational intervention should be focused on informing older adults who are at risk for stroke about the early symptoms and management of risk factors, especially those who have low education and low social status.
Adult ; Delivery of Health Care ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Risk Factors ; Stroke ; Surveys and Questionnaires

This paper presents the corrective surgical methods of lop ear deformities based on the degree of helical constriction. The deformities were corrected by antihelical tubing procedure and/or cartilage graft. The additional skin coverage, if required, was obtained by postauricular V-Y advancement flap or Grotting flap. Total 22 lop ear deformities were corrected including nine tubing procedures, three cartilage grafts and ten cartilage grafts combined with tubing procedure. All patients were followed up more than one year and most of them maintained natural auricular appearances.
Cartilage* ; Congenital Abnormalities* ; Constriction ; Ear* ; Humans ; Skin ; Transplants*

The reconstruction of defects after the resection of oropharyngeal tumors must not only cover the defect area but also be able to recover its functional structure enabling speech and mastication. To achieve a functional reconstruction, the volume and the length of the pedicle must be suitably designed and a donor site fit for the location and size of the defect must be chosen. However, in reality, the structures in oropharyngeal tumor patients who underwent resection to classify the different defect shapes according to the resection site. Bases on the classification of oropharyngeal defects, we tried to standardize a flap design method for the different defects. We investigated 44 patients who underwent tumor resection and reconstruction surgery for oropharyngeal tumor during the past 3 years at Severance hospital. The defects were divided into 6 zones and 4 types of design methods of radial forearm free flap were standardized. Surgery was performed on 25 patients during September of 1998 to September of 1999 with modified design methods based on the standardized ones. A faster and more efficient flap design was possible due to the standardized method. It was also possible to enable a functional reconstruction in cases where the soft palate was involved without any nasal escape.
Classification ; Forearm* ; Free Tissue Flaps* ; Humans ; Mastication ; Palate, Soft ; Tissue Donors ; Tongue Neoplasms ; United Nations

Human papilloma virus 16 E6 and E7 oncoproteins are well known to change cell functions, especially through p53 and pRb expression, so we studied their effects on molecular mechanisms and on the cell death associated with hypoxia and ionizing radiation. These treatments both caused cell death and increased p53 protein expression in HepG2 cells. This increased p53 expression by gamma-irradiation under hypoxia induced G1 cell cycle arrest and led to apoptosis even though HepG2 cells have a relatively reduced ability to induce p21 and pRb expression levels. Ablation of p53 expression by the HPV 16 E6 gene induced E2F-1 expression, which plays a role in cellular survival, especially under hypoxia or gamma-irradiation. The steady-state level of p53 action produced by HPV 16 E7 did not induce apoptotic cell death or the production of the apoptotic regulators, the bcl-2 family and caspase-3, so it did not appear to participate in apoptotic signaling in response to hypoxia and ionizing radiation. Thus, the HPV 16 E7 oncoprotein did not increase the rate of cell death induced by p53, although p53 might play a role in apoptosis in HepG2 cells.
Anoxia* ; Apoptosis* ; Caspase 3 ; Cell Death ; G1 Phase Cell Cycle Checkpoints ; Hep G2 Cells* ; Human papillomavirus 16 ; Humans* ; Oncogene Proteins ; Papilloma* ; Radiation, Ionizing

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common and serious complication in critically ill patients, especially in the intensive care unit (ICU). The present study was performed to evaluate the occurrence rate of AKI using the RIFLE (increasing severity classes risk, injury, and failure, and the two outcome classes loss and end-stage kidney disease) classification, to define factors associated with AKI and hospital mortality. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study of all ICU patients over a 6-month period at Keimyung University Dongsan Hospital, Daegu, Korea. AKI was evaluated according to the RIFLE classification. RESULTS: AKI occurred in 156 of the 378 patients (41.3%) during their ICU stay, with maximum RIFLE-R, I, and F in 13.8%, 12.4%, and 15.1%, respectively. In univariate analysis, the proportion of medical admission and maximum Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score (SOFAmax) were significantly higher in patients with AKI than in those without. However, these factors did not remain significant in a multivariate analysis. The overall mortality rate of ICU patients was 25.7%. In multivariate analysis, mean age, occurrence of AKI, SOFAmax score, pulmonary disease, and malignancy were independent risk factors for hospital mortality. CONCLUSIONS: In these ICU patients, AKI is associated with increased hospital mortality. The RIFLE classification is a simple and useful clinical tool to detect and stratify the severity of AKI, and may aid in the prediction of outcome.
Aged ; Critical Illness/*mortality ; Female ; Hospital Mortality ; Hospitals, University/statistics & numerical data ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units/*statistics & numerical data ; Kidney Failure, Acute/*mortality ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Renal Insufficiency, Acute/*mortality ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Survival Analysis

Gastric hemangioma in the neonatal period is a very rare cause of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. We present a case of hemangioma limited to the gastric cavity in a 10-day-old infant. A huge, erythematous mass with bleeding was observed on the lesser curvature side of the upper part of the stomach. Surgical resection was ruled out because the location of the lesion was too close to the gastroesophageal junction. Medical treatment with intravenous H₂ blockers, octreotide, packed red blood cell infusions, local epinephrine injection at the lesion site, application of hemoclip, and gel-form embolization of the left gastric artery did not significantly alter the transfusion requirement. Hemostasis was achieved with endoscopic argon plasma coagulation (APC). After two sessions of APC, complete removal of the lesion was achieved. APC was a simple, safe and effective tool for hemostasis and the ablation of gastric hemangioma without significant complications.
Argon Plasma Coagulation* ; Argon* ; Arteries ; Epinephrine ; Erythrocytes ; Esophagogastric Junction ; Hemangioma* ; Hemorrhage ; Hemostasis ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn* ; Octreotide ; Stomach

PURPOSE: To compare the size, circularity and repeatability between the conventional manual technique and the open-ring guided continuous curvilinear capsulorrhexis (CCC) technique in cataract surgery. METHODS: The present study comprised 120 eyes divided into two equal groups. In the first group (group A), CCC was performed using a 5.3-mm open ring-shaped caliper and in the second group (group B), CCC was performed using the conventional manual technique. Photographs were taken after each surgical step (CCC, phacoemulsification, Intraocular lens insertion and corneal stromal hydration). The diameter, area and circularity of the anterior capsule were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The anterior capsule diameter was 5.32 +/- 0.26 mm for group A (coefficient of variation 0.049) and 5.14 +/- 0.64 mm for group B (coefficient of variation 0.125); the area was 22.9 +/- 0.71 mm2 for group A (coefficient of variation 0.031) and 21.40 +/- 1.37 mm2 for group B (coefficient of variation 0.064). Circularity was 0.93 +/- 0.24 for group A (coefficient of variation 0.258) and 0.86 +/- 0.78 for group B (coefficient of variation 0.907). CONCLUSIONS: The open ring-guided CCC technique resulted in an increase of diameter and capsulorrhexis area. This method showed superior circularity and repeatability compared to conventional manual technique and can be useful in cataract surgery.
Capsulorhexis* ; Cataract ; Chlormequat ; Eye ; Lenses, Intraocular ; Phacoemulsification

We report a case of central venous stenosis due to a structural deformity caused by a tuberculosis-destroyed lung in a 65-year-old woman. The patient presented with left facial edema. She had a history of pulmonary tuberculosis, and the chest X-ray revealed a collapsed left lung. Angiography showed leftward deviation of the innominate vein leading to kinking and stenosis of the internal jugular vein. Stent insertion improved her facial edema.
Aged ; Brachiocephalic Veins/*pathology/radiography ; *Central Venous Pressure ; Constriction, Pathologic/*etiology/pathology/therapy ; Edema/therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Jugular Veins/pathology/radiography ; Stents ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/*complications/pathology/radiography ; Vascular Diseases/*etiology/pathology/therapy