No Abstract Available.
Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone* ; Receptors, LHRH*

No abstract available.
Female ; Mammals* ; Ovulation* ; Rupture*

This experiment was undertaken in order to find out if there is any morphological change in oocytes and two-cell embryos whose development have been suppressed by progesterone for six hours in vitro. It can be observed that some part of the outer side of nuclear membrane of the suppressed oocytes was damaged. The number of nuclear pores has decreased in suppressed oocytes and this suggests that progesterone might suppress the transport of intermediary metabolites between cytoplasm and nucleus. Sometimes, closely packed aggregates of parallel or irregular endoplasmic reticula were observed in suppressed oocytes. Microvilli of suppresed oocytes showed signs of degradation and the perivitelline space became apparent. Thus it is presumed that the egg membrane has constricted during cultivation under progesterone in vitro. The other cell organelles such as mitochondria, multivesicular bodies, cortical granules and fibrillar lattices showed no difference in morphology between treated and control (intact) oocytes. In two-cell embryos, there was also no evident morphological change except for the fact that many vacuoles appeared clearly in suppressed embryonal cells. In brief, there was no fundamental morphological change in the oocytes and the embryonal cells exposed to progesterone for six hours even though it inhibits their development. The action of progesterone should be investigated thoroughly.
Animal ; Embryo/cytology* ; Embryo/drug effects ; Female ; In Vitro ; Mice ; Oocytes/drug effects ; Oocytes/ultrastructure* ; Ovum/ultrastructure* ; Progesterone/pharmacology*

No abstract available.
Hematoma*

Oral contraceptives cause a number of serious side effects in young woman. Prominent among these is an increased incidence of thromboembolic events. Although these thromboemboli almost invariably occur on the venous side of the circulation, there have been reports describing the occurrence of arterial thromboses. Spontaneous thrombosis of the renal artery is a rare event. When reported, it has usually superimposed on an underlying anatomic abnormality of the renal artery after trauma, or very rarely in the setting of systemic disease such as polycythemia vera or thromboangiitis obliterans. Since isolated renal artery thrombosis in the absence of these underlying conditions has been rarely described, wewish to bring attention to the diagnosis of this disorder in a young woman taking oral contraceptives and without any other predisposing abnormality.
Contraceptives, Oral* ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Polycythemia Vera ; Renal Artery* ; Thromboangiitis Obliterans ; Thrombosis*

PURPOSE: The primary objective of this study was to examine the changes of basal cortisol and DHEA levels present in saliva and serum with age, and to determine the correlation coefficients of steroid concentrations between saliva and serum. The secondary objective was to obtain a standard diurnal rhythm of salivary cortisol and DHEA in the Korean population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: For the first objective, saliva and blood samples were collected between 10 and 11 AM from 359 volunteers ranging from 21 to 69 years old (167 men and 192 women). For the second objective, four saliva samples (post-awakening, 11AM, 4PM, and bedtime) were collected throughout a day from 78 volunteers (42 women and 36 men) ranging from 20 to 40 years old. Cortisol and DHEA levels were measured using a radioimmunoassay (RIA). RESULTS: The morning cortisol and DHEA levels, and the age-related steroid decline patterns were similar in both genders. Serum cortisol levels significantly decreased around forty years of age (p < 0.001, when compared with people in their 20s), and linear regression analysis with age showed a significant declining pattern (slope= -2.29, t= -4.297, p < 0.001). However, salivary cortisol levels did not change significantly with age, but showed a tendency towards decline (slope= -0.0078, t= -0.389, p=0.697). The relative cortisol ratio of serum to saliva was 3.4 - 4.5% and the ratio increased with age (slope=0.051, t=3.61, p < 0.001). DHEA levels also declined with age in saliva (slope= -0.007, t= -3.76, p < 0.001) and serum (slope= -0.197 t= -4.88, p < 0.001). In particular, DHEA levels in saliva and serum did not start to significantly decrease until ages in the 40s, but then decreased significantly further at ages in the 50s (p < 0.001, when compared with the 40s age group) and 60s (p < 0.001, when compared with the 50 age group). The relative DHEA ratio of serum to saliva was similar throughout the ages examined (slop = 0.0016, t = 0.344, p = 0.73). On the other hand, cortisol and DHEA levels in saliva reflected well those in serum (r = 0.59 and 0.86, respectively, p < 0.001). The highest salivary cortisol levels appeared just after awakening (about two fold higher than the 11 AM level), decreased throughout the day, and reached the lowest levels at bedtime (p < 0.001, when compared with PM cortisol levels). The highest salivary DHEA levels also appeared after awakening (about 1.5 fold higher than the 11 AM level) and decreased by 11AM (p < 0.001). DHEA levels did not decrease further until bedtime (p=0.11, when compared with PM DHEA levels). CONCLUSION: This study showed that cortisol and DHEA levels change with age and that the negative slope of DHEA was steeper than that of cortisol in saliva and serum. As the cortisol and DHEA levels in saliva reflected those in serum, the measurement of steroid levels in saliva provide a useful and practical tool to evaluate adrenal functions, which are essential for clinical diagnosis.
Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Analysis of Variance ; *Circadian Rhythm ; Dehydroepiandrosterone/blood/*metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone/blood/*metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Saliva/*metabolism

PURPOSE: The primary objective of this study was to examine the changes of basal cortisol and DHEA levels present in saliva and serum with age, and to determine the correlation coefficients of steroid concentrations between saliva and serum. The secondary objective was to obtain a standard diurnal rhythm of salivary cortisol and DHEA in the Korean population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: For the first objective, saliva and blood samples were collected between 10 and 11 AM from 359 volunteers ranging from 21 to 69 years old (167 men and 192 women). For the second objective, four saliva samples (post-awakening, 11AM, 4PM, and bedtime) were collected throughout a day from 78 volunteers (42 women and 36 men) ranging from 20 to 40 years old. Cortisol and DHEA levels were measured using a radioimmunoassay (RIA). RESULTS: The morning cortisol and DHEA levels, and the age-related steroid decline patterns were similar in both genders. Serum cortisol levels significantly decreased around forty years of age (p < 0.001, when compared with people in their 20s), and linear regression analysis with age showed a significant declining pattern (slope= -2.29, t= -4.297, p < 0.001). However, salivary cortisol levels did not change significantly with age, but showed a tendency towards decline (slope= -0.0078, t= -0.389, p=0.697). The relative cortisol ratio of serum to saliva was 3.4 - 4.5% and the ratio increased with age (slope=0.051, t=3.61, p < 0.001). DHEA levels also declined with age in saliva (slope= -0.007, t= -3.76, p < 0.001) and serum (slope= -0.197 t= -4.88, p < 0.001). In particular, DHEA levels in saliva and serum did not start to significantly decrease until ages in the 40s, but then decreased significantly further at ages in the 50s (p < 0.001, when compared with the 40s age group) and 60s (p < 0.001, when compared with the 50 age group). The relative DHEA ratio of serum to saliva was similar throughout the ages examined (slop = 0.0016, t = 0.344, p = 0.73). On the other hand, cortisol and DHEA levels in saliva reflected well those in serum (r = 0.59 and 0.86, respectively, p < 0.001). The highest salivary cortisol levels appeared just after awakening (about two fold higher than the 11 AM level), decreased throughout the day, and reached the lowest levels at bedtime (p < 0.001, when compared with PM cortisol levels). The highest salivary DHEA levels also appeared after awakening (about 1.5 fold higher than the 11 AM level) and decreased by 11AM (p < 0.001). DHEA levels did not decrease further until bedtime (p=0.11, when compared with PM DHEA levels). CONCLUSION: This study showed that cortisol and DHEA levels change with age and that the negative slope of DHEA was steeper than that of cortisol in saliva and serum. As the cortisol and DHEA levels in saliva reflected those in serum, the measurement of steroid levels in saliva provide a useful and practical tool to evaluate adrenal functions, which are essential for clinical diagnosis.
Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Analysis of Variance ; *Circadian Rhythm ; Dehydroepiandrosterone/blood/*metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone/blood/*metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Saliva/*metabolism

No abstract available.
Amebiasis* ; Diabetes Mellitus* ; Humans ; Kidney* ; Liver*

A 39-year-old renal transplant recipient was admitted for evaluation of pancytopenia which developed gradually 10 months ago. He received renal transplantation 10 years ago and maintained relatively good renal function. Since 1 year before admission, he showed progressive decline of hematocrit, WBC count and platelet. Initial bone marrow biopsy showed erythroid hypoplasia, and second bone marrow biopsy revealed myelodysplasia. Clinical course was fatal. In conclusion, if patients with long term azathioprine treatment show progressive pancytopenia, one should suspect the possibility of myelodysplastic syndrome.
Adult ; Azathioprine* ; Biopsy ; Blood Platelets ; Bone Marrow ; Hematocrit ; Humans ; Kidney Transplantation ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes* ; Pancytopenia ; Transplantation*

BACKGROUND: The most frequent disease seen in the anal area is hemorrhoid. The main therapeutic approach has been surgical treatment. However, in case of first degree and second degree hemorroids, the high frequency therapy is available. It can be applied on the OPD basis by the family pratitioners. Method: The data have been collected between Nov. 1997 and Apr. 1999, 464 cases are surveyed on the basis of sex, age, symptom duration, main symptom, location and duration of hemorrhoid, associated anal disease, therapeutic complication, and patients subjective satisfaction. Only 220 out of the 464 cases were available for the patients satisfaction study because of limited follow up study. RESULT: The sex ratio is 1.18:1 (252 in male, 212 in female). Age distribution shows a clustering pattern around the middle age(158 cases in the 30s, and 142 in the 40s respectively). Symptom duration before their first hospital visit reveals 118 cases(25.4%). under 5 years, 105 cases(22.6%) over 10 years, 102 cases(22.1%) 5 to 10 years orderly. The main symptom includes hemorrhoidal mass, bleeding, and pain. 146 cases(31.5%) had all the symptom descrived above. Patients with mass and bleeding were 122 patients(26.3%). In case of the degee of internal hemorrhoid, the second degree of hemorrhoid was the most common(386 cases: 83.2%) followed by the first degree(43 cases: 9.3%), the third degree (24 cases: 5.1%) and the forth degree(11 cases:2.4%). Total number of the patients with therapeutic complication were 99 cases. The complications were acute urinary retension (46cases: 46.5%), perianal edema (30 cases: 30.3%), bleeding (18cases: 18.2%) and anal stricture (5 cases: 5.0%). Satisfaction survey was based on the 220 follow up case study. 125 cases revealed very satisfied.(56.8%), 66 slightly satisfied (30.0%) and 29 unsatisfied.(13.2%). CONCLUSION: As shown in the study above, the high frequency therapy provided the patients with the high level of satisfaction. Based on the this fact, it is suggested to the family practitioners.
Age Distribution ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Edema ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemorrhage ; Hemorrhoids* ; Humans ; Male ; Sex Ratio