No abstract available.
Antibodies* ; Hepacivirus* ; Hepatitis C* ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Prevalence* ; Renal Dialysis*

No abstract available.
Thorax*

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to exam the effect of a biomedical ethics education program on the consciousness of biomedical ethics, moral sensitivity and critical thinking disposition in nursing students. METHOD: A quasi-experimental research design and repeated measured ANOVA were used. The participants were divided into an experimental group (n=148) and a control group (n=169). Each group underwent freshman university nursing training in two major cities. The mean age was 21.3 years and the time of providing the biomedical ethics education program was 15 hours for 15 weeks. The experimental group was provided biomedical ethics education during the semester; the control group was not provided any biomedical ethics education. RESULTS: The consciousness of biomedical ethics was increased significantly in the experimental group (t=-4.724, p<.001). Moral sensitivity was increased significantly in the experimental group (t=-2.021, p<.004). Critical thinking disposition was increased significantly in the experimental group (t=-5.775, p×.001). CONCLUSION: The results of the study show that providing biomedical ethics education to nursing students is an effective method to increase the consciousness of biomedical ethics, moral sensitivity and critical thinking disposition.
Bioethics* ; Consciousness ; Education* ; Humans ; Methods ; Nursing* ; Research Design ; Students, Nursing* ; Thinking

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of seminal vesicle fluid (SVF) on the acrosome reaction (AR) occurred spontaneously or induced by Ca2+ ionophore A23187, follicular fluid, and progesterone in mouse epididymal sperm. SVF was divided into high (MW>10 kM)) and low (MW<10 kD) fractions by ultrafiltration. The low MW fraction of SVF decreased the rate of spontaneous AR, however the high MW fraction did not. It suggested that the low MW fraction of SVF might have contained decapacitation factor(s) responsible for prolonging of time need for capacitation. When sperm preincubated for 60 min in the presence of SVF, the rate of AR induced by A23187 was decreased, but prolongation of preincubation time for 120 min significantly potentiated the AR by A23187. It suggested that addition of SVF into sperm preincubation medium imposed the epididymal sperm a condition similar to ejaculation. AR induced by human follicular fluid or progesterone was also inhibited by SVF. It suggested that substance in SVF might have affected AR of mouse sperm by inhibiting the interaction between AR inducing ligands and sperm surface receptors involved in acrosomal exocytosis.
Acrosome Reaction* ; Acrosome* ; Animals ; Calcimycin ; Ejaculation ; Exocytosis ; Female ; Follicular Fluid ; Humans ; Ligands ; Male ; Mice* ; Progesterone ; Seminal Vesicles* ; Spermatozoa* ; Ultrafiltration

M-mode, pulsed Doppler and Doppler color flow mapping, in addition to two-dimensional echocardiography, have greatly improved imaging of the fetal heart through identification of abnormal cardiac anatomy and rhythm in utero. The early detection of cardiac disturbance in utero permits alteration in obstetric management such as delivery in a high-risk center for optimal neonatal care and/or decision in optimal delivery time. We report two cases of the neonatal arrhy-thmia which were observed by fetal echocardiography. In the first case, female baby showed neonatal arrhythmias including tachycardia and brady-cardia until 3 days after birth, and then turned to bradyarrhythmia due to non-conducted atrial bigeminy. These events lead us to review the fetal echocardiographs of the patient carefully. Premature atrial contractions were observed in her fetal echocardiography. At 2 months after birth, the patient's electrocardiogram showed normal sinus rhythm. Severe neonatal bradycardia of the second case was due to congenital complete heart block, identified clearly by electrocardiogram after birth. This case also showed complete heart block in her fetal echocardiography. After insertion of the temporary pacemaker, cardiomegaly was improved. Both the neonate and the mother had positive anti-SSA/Ro autoantibody. But any other symptoms and signs of neonatal lupus did not appear in the neonate. Patient's mother also did not show any symptoms and signs of systemic lupus erythematosus. Since the prognosis depends upon the cause of bradyarrhythmia in fetus and neonates, differential diagnosis is important in obstetric management and optimal neonatal treatment.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac* ; Atrial Premature Complexes ; Bradycardia ; Cardiomegaly ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Echocardiography* ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Fetal Heart ; Fetus ; Heart Block ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; Mothers ; Parturition ; Prognosis ; Tachycardia

No abstract available.
Adenosine Triphosphatases* ; Adenosine* ; Alkaline Phosphatase* ; Female ; Ovarian Follicle*

PURPOSE: We performed this study to define the characteristic mammographic and ultrasonographic findings in lower risk lesions of fibrocystic change and also tried to evaluate the role of both modalities in planning the treatment of these lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 38 cases of mammography and 46 cases of ultrasonography in biopsy proven 55 cases of fibrocystic change, histologically showing the nonproliferative pattern or proliferative pattern without atypia. We analyzed the mammographic and ultrasonographic findings, final assessments, and compared the effectiveness of each modality. RESULTS: On mammography, there were no abnormalities in 20 cases(53%), nodules or masses in 9 cases(24%), microcalcifications in 6 cases(16%) and asymmetric density in 5 cases(14%). On ultrasonography, there were 40 cases(87%) of focalsonographic abnormality and no abnormality in 6 cases(13%). Most focal sonographic abnormalities were smooth(40cases, 93%), well-defined(21 cases, 49%) or ill-defined(22 cases, 51%) round or oval(36 cases, 84%) shaped, homogeneous(31 cases, 67%), hypoechoic(30 cases, 65%) lesions. Final assessment revealed that only 7 cases(18%) of mammography and 8 cases(18%) of ultrasound examinations were included into the category of indeterminate and malignancy groups which were recomended biopsy. Mammography was excellent to demonstrate the microcalcifications and ultrasonography was effective in depiction of the focal lesions. CONCLUSION: The mammography and ultrasonography findings were not specific in diagnosing lower risk group of fibrocystic change. But complementary study of both modalities in conjunction with clinical findings will be helpful in making decinion amary biopsy, fine needle aspiration, and simple close follow up of the lesions.
Biopsy ; Breast* ; Mammography ; Needles ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVE: To verify the effect of Matrigel, a ECM complex from Engelbreth-Holm-Swarm(EHS) mouse sarcoma on the preimplantation development and apoptosis of mouse fertilized eggs. METHOD: Late Pronucleus stage eggs were cultured through the blastocyst stage in the presence of Matrigel (0.5%, v/v). Characteristics of apoptosis and cell number assessed by Hoecst staining and TUNEL labeling at the blastocyst stage, respectively. RESULTS: Morphological development, number of cells per embryo was significantly increased but rate and number of TUNEL positive nuclei of the embryo were decreased in the presence of Matrigel. CONCLUSION: This result suggested that at low concentration of Matrigel improves both viability and morphological development in the preimplantation mouse embryos.
Animals ; Apoptosis* ; Blastocyst ; Cell Count ; Eggs ; Embryonic Structures* ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Mice* ; Ovum ; Sarcoma ; Zygote

No abstract available.
Ascites* ; Pancreatitis, Chronic* ; Pleural Effusion*

No abstract available.
Emergencies* ; Emergency Service, Hospital* ; Humans