No abstract available.

OBJECTIVES: This study was to investigate the fertilization rate after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) or partial zona dissection (PZD) of human and hamster sperm into hamster oocyte in in vitro fertilization (IVF). In addition, the possibility of clinical application was evaluated by the comparison of usefulness and difference of these method. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Hamster immature oocytes were obtained from oviducts superovulated by PMSG and hCG, and hamster sperms were obtained from epididymis. The freezed human sperms were thawed before use. Fertilization were confirmed by two pronuclei, one pronucleus, swollen sperm head or/and two polar bodies at 7~8 hour after ICSI or PZD. RESULTS: The fertilization rates after ICSI and PZD of human sperm to hamster oocyte were 3.6%, 64.2%, 73.6%, and 55.6% for negative control, positive control, ICSI, and PZD respectively, suggesting that ICSI only showed improved fertilization rate (p<0.01). The fertilization rates after ICSI and PZD of hamster sperm to hamster oocyte were 11.1%, 51.2%, 39.6%, and 72.7% for negative control, positive control, ICSI, and PZD respectively, suggesting that PZD only showed improved fertilization rate (p<0.01). PZD showed significantly higher fertilization rate than ICSI (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: As for the fertilization rate by ICSI and PZD using hamster oocyte in IVF, ICSI technique was considered to be more useful for human sperm and PZD technique for hamster sperm. Therefore, ICSI technique was considered more appropriate for experimental application using human sperm and hamster oocyte.
Humans

OBJECTIVES: This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of embryonic stage, cryoprotectant, and freezing-thawing method on the rates of survival and development of the cryopreserved mouse early embryo and finally to establish the cryopreservation method of surplus embryos obtained during assisted reproductive technology (ART). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two to eight cell embryos were obtained from oviducts of mated F1 hybrid female mice superovulated by pregnant mare's serum gonadotropin (PMSG) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Two-step 1,2-propanediol (PROH), dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and 4-step PROH, DMSO were used as cryoprotectant and dehydration and rehydration method of embryos, and slow- cooling or rapid-cooling method was used as frozen program. The survival rates of embryos were measured after thawing and rehydration, and the developmental rates of embryos were compared and observed during culturing embryos for 24, 48, 72, 96 hrs. RESULTS: As for the survival and development rates of embryos according to embryonic stage, the survival rate of 2 cell stage in PROH and DMSO was significantly higher than 4-8 cell (64.5% versus 62.1%, 79.7% versus 73.2%) (p<0.01, p<0.01), but the development rates of 4-8 cell embryos in PROH and DMSO were significantly higher than 2 cell embryos for whole culture period (p<0.01) and the development rates of 4-8 cell embryos in PROH were significantly higher than 2 cell embryos in DMSO (p<0.01). As for the survival and development rates of embryos according to cryoprotectant, the survival rate of 2 cell embryo in DMSO was significantly higher than that in PROH (74.4% versus 64.5%) (p<0.01), whereas the development rate of embryos was not differ till 24 hrs. The development rate from morular to hatching blastocyst, however, was significantly higher in PROH than in DMSO during 48 hr (p<0.01). The survival rate of 4-8 cell embryo was 62.1% in PROH and 73.2% in DMSO. The development rates of embryo in PROH were significantly higher for whole culture periods (p<0.01, 0.05). In respect to the effect of freezing and thawing program on the survival and development rates of embryos, method of slow cooling and rapid thawing was more effective than that of rapid cooling and rapid thawing. CONCLUSIONS: The survival rate of embryo in 2 cell stage was higher than in 4-8 cell stage, and PROH appears more effective cryoprotectant than DMSO because PROH showed better development rates of embryos in 2 and 4-8 cell stage. Moreover, slow cooling and rapid thawing method was considered as the best cryopreservation program.
Pregnancy ; Female ; Humans ; Mice ; Animals

Objectives: This study was to evaluate whether Ham's F-10 used in assisted reproductive technology (ART) could be replaced with newly-introduced Medicult or Human Tubal Fluid (HTF) media, and the rate of embryo development could be enhanced by cumulus cell coculture. METHODS: Ham's F-10, Medicult, and HTF media supplemented with 0.4% bovine serum albumin (BSA) were used. Two-cell embryos were obtained from oviducts of mated F1 hybrid female mice superovulated by pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Cumulus cells for coculture were obtained from oviducts of ICR female mice superovulated by PMSG and hCG. Two-cell embryos were cultured in Ham's F-10, Medicult, and HTF media respectively to observe and compare the rate of embryo development. In addition, two-cell embryos were cultured in these three media for 24, 48, 72, 96 hrs with or without cumulus cell, and rates of embryo development were investigated and compared. RESULTS: As for the rate of embryo development to hatched blastocyst after 96 hrs culture, HTF (87.5%) and Ham's F-10 (85%) were significantly higher than Medicult (70.5%). The beneficial effect of embryo development by cumulus cell coculture on two-cell mouse embryo among these three media was enhanced significantly in Medicult (control 88.5% versus coculture 98.5%) by 24 hrs, and was not enhanced statistical significantly but slightly elevated in Ham's F-10 (86.5% versus 95.5%) and HTF (91.3% versus 96.9%) by 48 hrs, but rates of embryo development were similar between control and coculture group in all three media by 96 hrs. Significant differences were not shown in three media, but HTF showed generally high tendency of the enhancing effect of embryo development and the beneficial effect of embryo development by coculture. CONCLUSIONS: As a result of culturing two-cell embryos in three media for 96 hrs, generally HTF and Ham's F-10 showed higher rate of embryo development than Medicult. As for the beneficial effect of coculture, Medicult only showed early transient significant improvement of embryo development. Considering that coculture effect of good quality media may be not so great, Ham's F-10 and HTF are more stable media than Medicult. Accordingly, HTF may be considered to be a medium to replace with Ham's F-10, however, the present study suggest that Medicult or HTF is not able to replace with Ham's F-10 in ART.
Animals ; Blastocyst ; Chorionic Gonadotropin ; Coculture Techniques* ; Culture Media* ; Cumulus Cells* ; Embryonic Development* ; Embryonic Structures* ; Female ; Gonadotropins ; Humans* ; Mice* ; Oviducts ; Pregnancy ; Reproductive Techniques, Assisted ; Serum Albumin, Bovine

No abstract available.

The purpose of this study was to verify the use of Seo's Elderly Stress Scale (SESS), which was developed in 1996. Through the modified tool, it is possible to examine the stress of Korean elders and to contribute to the welfare of them. The subjects were 350 elders over 65 years old who live in Seoul, Kwang-Ju, Yang-Ju Gun Kyung-ki Do, Ui-Jong Bu, and Young-Am Kun, Jeun-Ra Nam Do. the data of 331 elders (94%) were analyzed. Data were collected between January and March in 1996 and analyzed using the SPSS Win 8.0. The result are as follows: 1. Items with low correlation with the total items were removed. So 27 items were removed and 37 items remained. This 37 items were death in the family and/or close friends, family member's behavior not meeting expectations, marriage of daughter, marriage of son, friction with daughter- in-law, argument among children, children refuse to live with parent, children leaving home, sex injury or accident, in frequest visits from children and grandchildren, providing care for your daughter or daughter-in-law post-partum, decrease in decision making and authority in home, Lunar new year and the harvest featival, house sitting, working in the house, performing a sacrificial rite, missed birthday, not living with the eldest son, decreased eyesight, decreased strength, decreased memory, sleep pattern changes, thoughts about death, loneliness, decreased hearing, change of dental condition, change in your diet or eating style, difficulty in self care, moving because of disease or aging, argument with friend or neighbour, travel, dealing with the procedure of heritage, loss of money or property, not enough pocket money, hearing on elderly neglect in television or radio, hope of going home and ignorant from others. 2. Overlapped items were discussed by colleagues and were modified. 'marriage of daughter' and 'marriage of son' were modified in 'marriage of children'. 'self injury or accidents' and 'family accidents' were modified in to self or family accidents. 3. Factor analysis was done in order to identify validity and three factors were obtained from the result. The first factor familial relation area, included 17 items. The second factor, physical area, included 9 items. The third factor, psycho-socio-economic area, included 9 items. Cronbach coefficient alpha for the 35 items was .923. 4. Pearson's correlation was .704 between SESS and SOS (Symptoms of Stress) in order to confirm construct validity. Based on the result, the following is suggested; 1. The modified SESS needs to be reverified with elder. 2. Korean elder's health promotion can be made by development of stress intervention which was accurately measured with SESS.
Aged* ; Aging ; Child ; Decision Making ; Diet ; Eating ; Factor Analysis, Statistical ; Friction ; Friends ; Gwangju ; Gyeonggi-do ; Health Promotion ; Hearing ; Hope ; Humans ; Loneliness ; Marriage ; Memory ; Nuclear Family ; Parents ; Self Care ; Seoul ; Television

Hormone replacement therapy combined with progestogens induces changes in effect of estrogen on serum lipid levels and it has been known that the changes depend on a type and dosage of progestogen. It is also known that progestational agent induces positive ch-ange in bone mineral density. To study the effects of progestogen on lipoprotein and bone metabolism, we administ- ered conjugated equine estrogen 0.625 mg alone to 50 postmenopausal women, in combinat- ion with medroxy- progesterone acetate 5 mg to 40 postmenopausal women. The data demonstrated a beneficial effect in lipoprotein profiles in both groups. Total cholesterol in two groups decreased from the baseline values, LDL-cholesterol decreased significantly by 4.8 % in group I and 16.2 % in group II(p < 0.05), HDL-cholesterol increa- sed significantly by 11.3 % in group I and 14.7 % in group II(p < 0.05), triglyceride incre- ased slightly in both groups. Bone mineral density of femur was maintained and BMD of vertebrae increased by 1.1 % in group I and 2.0 % in group II, but it is not statistically significant. The differences of changes between two groups were not statistically significa- nt. Our results suggest that medroxyprogesterone acetate have no adverse effect on HDL -cholesterol and have no additive effect on bone mineral density in hormone replacement therapy.
Bone Density* ; Cholesterol ; Estrogens* ; Female ; Femur ; Hormone Replacement Therapy ; Humans ; Lipoproteins ; Medroxyprogesterone Acetate ; Metabolism ; Progesterone ; Progestins ; Spine ; Triglycerides

A 24-year-old woman was seen for evaluation of an skin lesion on thiright nipple. Examination revealed a solitary 1.5 x 1cm-sized, erythematous, oozing, eroded andruted, verrucous nodule on the right nipple. A small amount of serous discharge was found but there was no pain or tenderness. Histopathologic findings showed cystic invaginations extending down vard from the epidermis and papillary projections extending into the lumina of the invagination. Pupiae were lined by two rows of cells. In stroma, there were marked inflammatory infiltrates containing any plasma cells. The overlying dermis showed an adenomatous growth pattern with a prolifertion of round, oval or irregular shaped ducts and fibrotic stroma.
Adenoma* ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1 ; Dermis ; Epidermis ; Female ; Humans ; Nipples* ; Plasma Cells ; Skin ; Young Adult

Pseudoepitheliomatous, keratotic and micaceous balanitis is a rare distictive clinical entity that represents a histologic spectrum ranging from hypertrophic hyperpalstic penile dystrophy to verrucous carcinoma. This condition is thought to be a malignant growth potential by resistance to treatment and its tendency toward local recurrence. We report two cases with similar clinical presentation of hyperkeratotic plaque and micaceous scaly patches on the glans penis that were compatible with pseudoepitheliomatous, keratotic and micaceous balanitis. Histopathologically, case 1, 48 year-old male was progressed to squamous cell carcinoma and case 2, 78 year-old male, was shown pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia without malignant changes.
Aged ; Balanitis* ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Carcinoma, Verrucous ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Penis ; Recurrence

We describe a case of typical cytophagic histiocytic panniculitis occuring in 10-year-old male. He had recurrent subcutaneous nodules, fever, pancytopenia and abnormal liver function tests since 5 months of his age, and recently showed hemorrhagic diathesis. The histologic picture showed lobular histiocytic panniculitis with "bean bag" cytophagic cells.
Child ; Fever ; Hemorrhagic Disorders ; Humans ; Liver Function Tests ; Male ; Pancytopenia ; Panniculitis*