OBJECTIVE: We investigated the expression of uPA and uPAR in eutopic endometrium of advanced stage endometriosis and control patients. METHODS: The 33 endometriosis patients and 32 controls were enrolled. Endometrial samples were obtained from 65 premenopausal women aged 29~44 years, undergoing laparoscopic surgery or hysterectomy for non-malignant lesions. Sufficient samples were collected from 33 patients with endometriosis stage III and IV and 32 controls without endometriosis confirmed by laparoscopic surgery. The mRNA expression of uPA and uPAR from eutopic endometrium were analyzed by RT-QC PCR. RESULTS: The mRNAs of uPA and uPAR were expressed in eutopic endometrium from endometriosis and normal controls throughout the menstrual cycle. Uterine endometrium from women with endometriosis expresses significantly (p<0.05) higher levels of u-PA mRNA than endometrium from normal women without endometriosis in the proliferative phase. There were no significant differences in expression of uPAR in eutopic endometrium between controls and endometriosis patients. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that eutopic endometrium from endometriosis patients may be more invasive and prone to peritoneal implantation because of greater u-PA mRNA expression than endometrium from women without endometriosis. Thus, increased proteolytic activity may be one etiology for the invasive properties of the endometrium resulting in the development of endometriosis.
Endometriosis* ; Endometrium* ; Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Laparoscopy ; Menstrual Cycle ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Proteolysis ; RNA, Messenger* ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator

No abstract available.
Endometrium* ; Female ; Humans

OBJECTIVES: Information technology involves a risk of privacy violation in providing easy access to confidential information,such as personal information and medical information through the Internet. In this study, we investigated medical information security to gain a better understanding of trends in research related to medical information security. METHODS: We researched papers published on ‘의료정보’ and ‘medical information’ in various Korean journals during a 10-year period from 2005 to 2015. We also analyzed these journal papers for each fiscal year; these papers were categorized into the areas of literature research and empirical research, and were further subdivided according to themes and subjects. RESULTS: It was confirmed that 48 papers were submitted to 35 academic journals. There were 33 (68.8%) literature review articles, and analysis of secondary data was not carried out at all. In terms of empirical research, 8 (16.7%) surveys and 7 (14.6%) program developments were studied. As a result of analyzing these papers according to the research theme by research method, 17 (35.4%) papers on laws, systems, and policies were the most numerous. It was found that among the literature research papers on medical personnel were the most common, and among the empirical research papers, research on experts in information protection and medical personnel were the most common. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that further research should be done in terms of social perception, human resource development, and technology development to improve risk management in medical information systems.
Computer Security ; Electronic Health Records ; Empirical Research ; Hospital Information Systems ; Humans ; Industrial Development ; Information Systems ; Internet ; Jurisprudence ; Korea ; Medical Informatics ; Methods ; Privacy ; Risk Management ; Social Perception

Choriocarcinoma is a malignant tumor arising from chorionic villi following normal or abnormal gestation. It rarely originates in the extragonadal region such as retroperitoneum and mediastinum. In these extragonadal choriocarcinomas, primary gastric choriocarcinoma is extremely rare. A 37-year old woman with primary choriocarcinoma of the stomach presented with amenorrhea and anemia. Serum level of beta-hCG was moderately elevated. There was gastric choriocarcinoma with histologic pattern of adenocarcinoma. We wish to report the extremely rare finding of a choriocarcinoma occurring as a primary gastric neoplasm with gynecologic symptom.
Adenocarcinoma ; Adult ; Amenorrhea ; Anemia ; Choriocarcinoma* ; Chorionic Villi ; Female ; Humans ; Mediastinum ; Pregnancy ; Stomach ; Stomach Neoplasms

The amniotic band syndrome is a collection of fetal malformations caused by fibrous bands that appear to entangle or entrap various parts of fetus in utero, leading to deformation, malformation, or disruption involving the limbs, craniofacial region and trunk. The incidence of this syndrome is relatively rare. This syndrome often shows irreversible serious outcome. So, early diagnosis of amniotic band syndrome is important. Ultrasonography enables us to detect the amniotic band syndrome prenatally. In the second and third trimester of the pregnancy, it is relatively easy to detect major anomalies of amniotic band syndrome by its characteristic features, including amputation and/or constriction of the extremities, facial clefts, asymmetric encephaloceles and gastroschisis. Five cases of amniotic band syndrome which have been diagnosed prenatally by ultrasonography are discussed. The diagnosis was based on sonographic visualization of amniotic band and associated fetal deformation, malformations or disruption known to characterize the amniotic band syndrome.
Amniotic Band Syndrome* ; Amputation ; Constriction ; Diagnosis* ; Early Diagnosis ; Encephalocele ; Extremities ; Female ; Fetus ; Gastroschisis ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Third ; Ultrasonography*

The authors experienced a case of myoglobinuria accompanied by generalized myalgia and mild fever that developed 3 hours 30 minutes after general anesthesia. Tracheal intubation was done smoothly 5 minutes after injection of thiopental sodium(275 mg) and pancuronium bromide(6 mg), and anesthesia was maintained with ethrane/N2O/O2(1.5-2%/21/21/min). There was no specific event except tachycardia and fluctuation of blood pressure throughout operation. In this case, we assume that the myoglobinuria is a presentation of the sign of an abortive type of malignant hyperthermia. However, it was not confirmed. We had good patient outeome with the supportive measures of hydration and diuresis. The patient was discharged twenty three days after operation without any complication.
Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, General* ; Blood Pressure ; Diuresis ; Fever ; Humans ; Intubation ; Malignant Hyperthermia ; Myalgia ; Myoglobinuria* ; Pancuronium ; Tachycardia ; Thiopental

Adults of Maritrema obstipum (Digenea: Microphallidae) were found in the intestines of 4 species of migratory birds, including the sanderling (Crocethia alba), Kentish plover (Charadrius alexandrines), Mongolian plover (Charadrius mongolus), and red-necked stint (Calidris ruficollis), collected from Yubu Island, Chungcheongnam-do, Korea. The worms of were 451x265 microm in size, and were easily identifiable as Maritrema species by the presence of the cirrus sac, and the ring-like distribution of the vitellaria. More specifically, the ejaculatory duct curved posteromedially, and the 2 parts of vitelline follicles were found to be distinct at the posterior end. The eggs were brown-colored, and 19.8x12.3 microm in size. All these findings implicated M. obstipum as the pertinent species of the worms. Beside these, adult worms of Gynaecotyla squatarolae, Parvatrema duboisi, and Acanthoparyphium sp. were also discovered. This is the first report establishing migratory birds as the natural definitive hosts for M. obstipum.
Animals ; Bird Diseases/*parasitology ; Charadriiformes/*parasitology ; Host Specificity ; Intestines/parasitology ; Islands ; Republic of Korea ; Trematoda/anatomy & histology/classification/*isolation & purification ; Trematode Infections/parasitology/*veterinary

The objective of this study was conducted to investigate growth and development status of infants fed soy-based formulas over 3 months. The height and weight were measured and Z-scores were calculated by using standard of the same age groups. Their mothers were interviewed using questionnaires including general and environmental characteristics, total food intakes, soy based formula intakes and Ewha infant development screening test. Main results were as follows: 1) Nutrient intake levels of subjects were similar to or more than the level of Korean Recommended Dietary Allowances except for intakes of vitamin E (79.89% RDA), and the average status of nutrient intakes of infants were fairly good. 2) Z-scores of height for age (HAZ) and Z-scores of weight for age (WAZ), Kaup index, WLI and Ewha Infant Developmental Screening Test score of subjects were in the normal growth range. 3) There were no significant differences among soy based formula intake percentile groups in HAZ, WAZ, Kaup index, WLI and Ewha Infant Developmental Screening Test score. 4) Total energy intake was positively correlated with HAZ (p < 0.01), WAZ (p < 0.01), and WLI (p < 0.05) in infants less than 12 month. Also, soy based formula energy intake was positively correlated with HAZ (p < 0.05) in infants less than 12 month. However, energy and soy based formula intake levels of infants over 12 month were not significant among variables. Considering results of this study, infants fed soy-based formulas over 3 months showed normal growth and development status. Further studies are needed to evaluate long-term growth and development in infants fed soy based formulas.
Child ; Child Development ; Energy Intake ; Growth and Development* ; Humans ; Infant* ; Mass Screening ; Mothers ; Recommended Dietary Allowances ; Vitamin E ; Vitamins

Corpora amylacea (CA) are glycoproteinaceous inclusions that accumulate in the human brain during normal aging and neurodegenerative diseases. Although it has been suggested that the cellular sources of CA are neuronal or glial, the mechanisms underlying CA formation remain controversial. The aim of this study was to identify the source of CA in the human brain. Sample of the human brain tissues were obtained from the cadavers. H-E stain, periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) stain, and immunohistochemistry were performed in the brain tissues. Experimental induction of CA was also performed in rats. CA have been found in large numbers in the superficial, rather than in the deep, layer of the white matter in the lateral ventricle that is in contact with the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and sometimes near the blood vessels. Destroyed choroid plexi with psammoma bodies have been observed in the lateral ventricle of aged brains containing substantial numbers of CA. The cores of CA were mainly composed of amorphous PAS-positive materials, and glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive astrocytic processes were attached to the surface of the CA. Weak MAP2 was detected on a few CA in the gray matter such as dentate gyrus. PAS-positive CA were located on the border of the hippocampus contacting the CSF in the lateral ventricle in the cysteamine-induced CA animal model. Taken together, main cellular source of CA is astrocytes and CA core formation may be associated with CSF in the aged human brain.
Aged ; Aging ; Animals ; Astrocytes ; Blood Vessels ; Brain ; Cadaver ; Choroid ; Choroid Plexus ; Dentate Gyrus ; Hippocampus ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lateral Ventricles ; Neurodegenerative Diseases ; Neurons

No abstract available.
Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic ; Fever* ; Ulcer ; Wegener Granulomatosis