OBJECTIVES: From February 1995 to April 1998, those patients who had visited for evaluation of infertility, shown abnormal endometrial pattern on hysterosalpingography underwent resectoscopic operation. We evaluated about its therapeutic effect, recurrence rate of uterine adhesion and effectiveness of its assisted method. METHOD: We have reviewed 45 cases of intrauterine adhesion, classified as a central type, marginal type and multiple type. We used 26F resectoscope made in Storz for operation and inserted Lippes loop or pediatric foley catheter for prevention of readhesion. For promoting reepithelialization, conjugated estrogens(premarin) 5mg daily for 30 - 50 days were given and then 10mg of medroxyprogesterone acetate(provera) were added daily for the last 10 days. We evaluated the uterine cavity condition preoperatively and postoperatively by using hysterosalpingography. RESULT: In 45 cases, 41 cases were followed up postoperatively. 21 cases were markedly improved, 12 cases were improved and 8 cases were not improved or recurred on hysterosalpingography. In 41 cases, for prevention of readhesion 20 cases were used pediatric foley catheter and 5 cases(25%) were recurred. 21 cases were used Lippes loop and 3 cases(14%) were recurred. Pregnancy outcome was as follows;15 cases were pregnant and 10 cases delivered a viable infant, 3 cases aborted spontaneously, 1 case was ectopic pregnancy and laparoscopic salpingectomy was done, 1 case was ongoing pregnancy. CONCLUSION: This report suggests that resectoscopic operation is very effective in the treatment of intrauterine adhesion(therapeutic rate of 81%) and that the use of Lippes loop seems like to have the less recurrence rate than the use of pediatric foley catheter in prevention of postoperative readhesion, but more experience and further follow-up are necessary to obtain more detailed conclusions.
Catheters ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hysterosalpingography ; Infant ; Infertility ; Medroxyprogesterone ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Pregnancy, Ectopic ; Recurrence ; Salpingectomy

BACKGROUND: Enhancing blood flow and cell proliferation in the hair dermis is critical for treating hair loss. This study was designed to aid the development of alternative and effective solutions to overcome alopecia. Specifically, we examined the effects of Morus alba.L root extract (MARE, which has been used in traditional medicine as a stimulant for hair proliferation) on dermal fibroblasts and other cell types found in the epidermis. METHODS: We first optimized the concentration of MARE that could be used to treat human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) without causing cytotoxicity. After optimization, we focused on the effect of MARE on HDFs since these cells secrete paracrine factors related to cell proliferation and angiogenesis that affect hair growth. Conditioned medium (CM) derived from MARE-treated HDFs (MARE HDF-CM) was used to treat human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and hair follicle dermal papilla cells (HFDPCs). RESULTS: Concentrations of MARE up to 20 wt% increased the expression of proliferative and anti-apoptotic genes in HDFs. MARE HDF-CM significantly improved the tubular structure formation and migration capacity of HUVECs. Additionally, MARE HDF-CM treatment upregulated the expression of hair growth-related genes in HFDPCs. CM collected from MARE-treated HDFs promoted the proliferation of HFDPCs and the secretion of angiogenic paracrine factors from these cells. CONCLUSION Since it can stimulate the secretion of pro-proliferative and pro-angiogenic paracrine factors from HDFs, MARE has therapeutic potential as a hair loss preventative.

PURPOSE: A large number of studies have demonstrated that rhinitis and asthma commonly occur together, and that a temporary relationship between the onset of rhinitis and asthma with rhinitis frequently preceding the development of asthma. We studied to know whether there were asthmatic airway inflammations in subjects with allergic rhinitis with bronchial hyperresponsiveness to methacholine who had no asthma symptoms. METHODS: Thirty seven children with an allergic rhinitis who visited the pediatric allergy clinic from January 1998 through June 1999 were enrolled. They were grouped into two groups according to the degree of airway responsiveness to methacholine, and 19 bronchial asthma patients with had no asthma attacks for 2 months were compared as control group.; AR-Mch (+) group (n=19) had a PC20-Methacholine lower than 10 mg/mL: AR-Mch (-) group (n=18) had a PC20-Metacholine greater than 10 mg/mL. The relationship of PEFR variability, sputum eosinophils, and nasal eosinophils with bronchial hyperresponsiveness to methacholine in each groups was compared. RESULTS: 1) The PC20-Methacholine was 5.7+/-3.5 mg/mL in the AR-Mch (+) Group, 1.9+/-2.7 mg/mL in the BA Group. 2) Sputum eosinophil was 14+/-6.9% in the AR-Mch (+) Group, 8.1+/-5.2% in the AR-Mch (-) Group, 29.6+/-16.9% in the BA Group, and sputum eosinophils of the AR-Mch (+) Group was higher than that of the AR-Mch (-) Group. 3) PEFR dinural variation was 7.0+/-2.6% in the AR-Mch (+) Group, 5.0+/-2.9% in the AR-Mch (-) Group, 14.0+/-6.0% in the BA Group, and PEFR dinural variation in AR-Mch (+) Group was higher than that of the AR-Mch (-) Group. 4) The PC20-Methacholine was not correlated with PEFR dinural variation in both the AR-Mch (+) Group and the BA Group. 5) The PC20-Methacholine was correlated with sputum eosinophils only in the BA Group. 6) Nasal eosinophils were not correlated with sputum eosinophils in the AR-Mch (+) and the BA Group. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that patients with allergic rhinitis who had bronchial hyperresponsiveness to methacholine might have eosinophilic inflammation in the lower airway and increased dinural PEFR. Further studies are necessary to evaluate whether asthma symptoms will be developed in these allergic rhinitis children.
Asthma ; Child* ; Eosinophils ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Inflammation ; Methacholine Chloride ; Peak Expiratory Flow Rate ; Rhinitis* ; Sputum*

BACKGROUND: It is well known that the prevalence of lung cancer is higher in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis(IPF) patients than in the general population. This high prevalence is explained by the concept of 'scar carcinoma'. There have been several reports on the prevalence of histologic type of lung cancer in IPF with conflicting results. Despite of the high smoker rate in almost all previous reports, none considered the smoking history of patients. Therefore we performed a separate studies on fibrosis associated lung cancer and smoking associated lung cancer. The purpose of this study is to investigate the proportion of lung cancer in IPF that is fibrosis assiciated and to determine the most common histologic type in fibrosis associated lung cancer in IPF. METHODS: A retrospective review of medical records and radilolgic studies was performed for cases of lung cancer with IPF. We investigated smoking history, sequence of diagnosis of lung cancer and IPF, histologic type of lung cancer and the cancer location, especially whether the location is associated with fibrosis. To evaluate the proportion of fibrous associated lung cancer, the lung cancer in IPF were categorized according to the presence of fibrosis at cancer location. RESULTS: Fifty seven patients were subjects for this analysis. Six(11%) cases were diagnosed as lung cancer during follow-up for IPF, and both diseases were diagnosed simultaneously in the others. Ninety four percent of patients were smokers and the average smoking amount was 47.1±21.9 pack-year. Among the patients with IPF and lung cancer, 42(80.8%) cases were considered as 'fibrosis associated'. The remainder was 'not fibrosis associated' and probably was due to smoking etc. Although the most frequent histologic type was squamous cell carcinoma as a whole, adenocarcinoma was the prominent histologic type in 'fibrosis associated lung cancer.' CONCLUSION: Considering the proportion of 'fibrosis not associated lung cancer' in the patients with IPF and lung cancer, significant proportion of lung cancer in IPF may not be fibrosis induced. This may influence the distribution of histologic type of lung cancer in IPF.
Adenocarcinoma ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Diagnosis ; Fibrosis* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis* ; Lung Neoplasms* ; Lung* ; Medical Records ; Prevalence ; Retrospective Studies ; Smoke ; Smoking

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore the parenting image of modern Korean society through modern novels published during in the stage of modern change in Korea. METHOD: The data were analyzed through latent content analysis. Modern Korean novels (N=138) written during the Korean modernization stage were chosen for analysis. Five categories and seventeen meaningful sub-categories were drawn out from 636 significant sentences. RESULTS: The parenting images expressed in modern Korean society were as follows: From the category of [Devotional love], 5 sub-categories were drawn: Hedgehog's love, Lavish love, Sacrificial care, Exertion of the mind, and Prayer for the future of their children. From the category of [Stern father and affectionate mother], 3 sub-categories were drawn: Stern and Strict father, Tender and loving mother, and Strong maternal love. From the category of [Enthusiasm for their children's education], 3 sub-categories were drawn: Sense of duty to provide good education for their children, Zeal for their children's education, and Satisfaction with their hard-working children. From the category of [The head of family], 3 sub-categories were drawn: Person who has the right to make decisions, Reliable protector, and Object of filial devotion. From the category of [sexual discrimination], 3 sub-categories were drawn: Preference and favoritism to sons, Attaching importance to education of sons, Regarding daughters as those who help support the family. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study will help to improve the basic understanding the parenting image and parent-child relationship in present day Korea.
Child ; Education ; Fathers ; Head ; Humans ; Korea ; Love ; Mothers ; Nuclear Family ; Parent-Child Relations ; Parenting* ; Parents* ; Religion ; Social Change ; Child Health

Neurologic deficits following spinal anesthesia are extremely rare since the use of sterile spinal anesthesia kit and the relative small doses of the local anesthetics employed. We have experienced 29 years old healthy female patient developed left S root radiculopathy with dysesthesia and motor weakness of left foot after spinal anesthesia for appendectomy. And the patient recovered spontaneously after 6 months without specific treatment except physical and symptomatic therapy.
Adult ; Anesthesia, Spinal* ; Anesthetics, Local ; Appendectomy ; Female ; Foot ; Humans ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Paresthesia ; Radiculopathy

Relapsing polychondritis (RP) is an uncommon disorder of unknown etiology characterized by inflammation and destruction of the cartilaginous structures of many organs, including the tracheobronchial tree. We experienced a rare case of RP diagnosed after stellate ganglion block. A 56-year-old female has been treated under impression of rheumatoid arthritis and bronchial asthma for several years, but her symptoms were not markedly relieved. We performed right stellate ganglion block with 8 mL of 1% mepivacaine for the relief of the right shoulder pain. About 5 minutes later, she complained severe dyspnea and became cyanotic. Bronchoscopic finding was diffuse bronchoconstriction during expiration. We confirmed the diagnosis of relapsing polychondritis by bronchoscopic biopsy finding. Unfortunately, she died 3 months later due to recurrent pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Asthma ; Biopsy ; Bronchoconstriction ; Diagnosis ; Dyspnea ; Female ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Mepivacaine ; Middle Aged ; Pneumonia ; Polychondritis, Relapsing* ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult ; Shoulder Pain ; Stellate Ganglion*

We reviewed the records of 25 patients who were re-operated upon after primary repair of esophageal atresia with or without fistula at the Department of Pediatric Surgery, Seoul National University Children's Hospital, from January 1997 to March 2007. Types of the esophageal atresia anomalies were Gross type A in 5 patients, C in 18, and E in 2. The indications for re-operation were anastomosis stricture (n = 14), tracheo-bronchial remnant (n = 4), persistent anastomosis leakage (n = 3), recurrent tracheo-esophageal fistula (n = 2) and esophageal web (n = 2). The interval between primary and secondary surgery was from 48 days to 26 years 5 months (mean: 2 years and 4 months). Four patients required a third operation. The interval between the second and third operation was between 1 year 1 month and 3 year 10 month (mean: 2 years 5 months). Mean follow up period after last operation was 35 months (1 years-8 years 6 months). The secondary surgery was end-to-end esophageal anastomosis in 15, esophagoplasty in 5, gastric tube replacement in 5. After secondary operation, 6 patients had anastomosis stricture (4 patients were relieved of the symptoms by balloon dilatation, 2 patients underwent tertiary operation). Five patients had leakage (sealed on conservative management in all). Two patients had recurrent tracheo-esophagel fistula (1 patient received chemical cauterization and 1 patient underwent tertiary operation). Currently, only one patient has feeding problems. There were no mortalities. Secondary esophageal surgery after primary surgery for esophageal atresia was effective and safe, should be positively considered when complications do not respond to nonoperative therapy.
Cautery ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Dilatation ; Esophageal Atresia* ; Esophagoplasty ; Fistula ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Mortality ; Seoul

We expressed anti-HBsAg human antibody fragment (B7 Fd) using pRSET-A vector and BL21(DE3)pLysS strain of E. coli. B7 Fd is composed only of variable domain (VH) and CH1 constant domain of IgG heavy chain molecule. This Fd molecule was solubilized using guanidine salt and then expressed in the form of inclusion body and successfully refolded into functional antibody molecule by rapid dilution in refolding buffer. B7 Fd reacted with d epitope of hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg). Its affinity was determined by competition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (competition ELISA). The K value of B7 Fd was 3.3 * 10.
Antigens, Surface ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Guanidine ; Hepatitis B virus ; Humans* ; Immunoglobulin G ; Inclusion Bodies

BACKGREOUND: The magnitude of neuromuscular blockade is related to plasma concentration of muscle relaxants. This study was designed to compare the maximal depression of twitch height by blood flow occlusion using a tourniquet at various time interval after intravenous administration of muscle relaxants. METHOD: We studied 127 healthy male adult patients who underwent elective surgery under the general anesthesia with propofol infusion and 50% nitrous oxide. The single supramaximal twitch stimulation applied to the ulnar nerve at the wrist at 1 Hz. The twitch response of adductor pollicis muscles were measured by a 2 kg Load Cell strain gauge with a thumb piece modification and recorded by a Gould TA 240 recorder. After occlusion of blood flow by the tourniquet in the upper arm, in which the neuromuscular monitoring was applied on the wrist, we administered the equipotent dose (ED95) of succinylcholine (S group), mivacurium (M group), and vecuronium (V group) intravenously on the contralateral arm respectively. We measured the maximal depression (%) of twitch height after the releasing tourniquet at 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 240 second intervals after the injection of each drug. RESULTS: The depression of twitch height was not found from 90 seconds of tourniquet time in the M group, and 120 seconds of tourniquet time in the S group. However, in the V group, the depression of twitch height was maintained to 240 seconds of tourniquet time. CONCLUSIONS: It is suggested that the plasma concentration of mivacurium declined faster than that of succinylcholine, and that of vecuronium decreased slowest among the groups after intravenous administration of equipotent dose (ED95).
Administration, Intravenous ; Adult ; Anesthesia, General ; Arm ; Depression ; Forearm* ; Humans ; Male ; Muscles ; Neuromuscular Agents* ; Neuromuscular Blockade ; Neuromuscular Monitoring ; Nitrous Oxide ; Plasma ; Propofol ; Succinylcholine* ; Thumb ; Tourniquets ; Ulnar Nerve ; Vecuronium Bromide* ; Wrist