Male genital tract inflammatory conditions may be associated with unexplained infertility. The presence of cytokine such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) was reported in the semen of infertile men. However, the effect of these cytokines on human sperm function is still unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the in-vitro effects of TNF-alpha on human sperm motility with computer assisted sperm analysis. Washed sperm from 16 normal men were incubated without and with TNF-alpha(0.1, 10, 1000 ng/ml). The changes of parameters of sperm motility were recorded at different time intervals (0, 5, 24 hour). There was no significant change of parameters of sperm motility in the incubation with TNF-alpha. It is suggested that TNF-alpha alone does not interfere with the sperm motility and more studies are needed.
Cytokines ; Humans ; Infertility ; Male ; Semen ; Sperm Motility* ; Spermatozoa* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha*

We performed pars plana vitrectomy combined with anterior capsule-sparing lensectomy on forty three eyes WJth coexisting cataract and vitreoretinal disease and followed up more than 6 months. Preoperative vitreoretinal diseases consisted of nondiabetic vitreous hemorrhage (thirteen eyes), retained metallic intraocular foreign bodies (nine eyes), posterior uveitis (nine eyes), proliferative diabetic retinopathy (seven eyes) and rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (five eyes) . Thirty six eyes (84%) revealed the visual acuity of 0.1 or less before operation. Thirty eight eyes (88%) could get a better visual acuity after operation than before operation. Posterior chamber intraocular lenses were implanted to thirty eight eyes. The severity of anterior capsular opacity showed a statistically significant difference between the eyes with injection of intraocular gas or silicone oil and them without injection of that (p=0.004). In this study, we can find that the technique of pars plana vitrectomy combined with anterior capsule-sparing lensectomy would be recommendable and the anterior capsular opacity may have relation with intraocular gas or silicone oil.
Cataract ; Diabetic Retinopathy ; Foreign Bodies ; Lenses, Intraocular ; Retinal Detachment ; Silicone Oils ; Uveitis, Posterior ; Visual Acuity ; Vitrectomy* ; Vitreous Hemorrhage

No abstract available.
Cough* ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration*

A 47 year-old woman with generalized fresh tense or ruptured bullae was diagnosed as bullaus pemphigoid by histopathological and direct immunofluorescent test. We treated her with prednisolone and bethamethasone for 3 weeks. And soon after, herpes zoster developed along the right T9 dermatome. It is not precise whether true association or only incidental concomitance, but, there may be present some relatioship.
Female ; Herpes Zoster* ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Pemphigoid, Bullous* ; Prednisolone ; Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation

Xeroderma pigmentosurn is a photosensitive hereditary disorder and especially rare in Korea. A 30-year old male patient had been suffered from walnut sized tumor and several ulcerated papules on the face, and scattered brownish macules on the sun-exposed area. Clinical features and histopathologic findings were consistent with malignant malanoma and basal cell epithelioma developing in a xeroderma pigmentosum respectively. Malignant melanoma was surgically excised.
Adult ; Carcinoma, Basal Cell* ; Humans ; Ichthyosis* ; Juglans ; Korea ; Male ; Melanoma* ; Ulcer ; Xeroderma Pigmentosum*

We reviewed the records of seven patients who underwent pars plana vitrectomy and intravitreal phacofragmentation for removal of posteriorly dislocated lenses from September 26, 1994. to January 12, 1995. More than half volumes of crystalline lenses were dislocated during cataract extraction in four eyes, and all three eyes of dislocated lenses with intact capsules had a history of blunt trauma. Five eyes had visual acuity of 15/20 or better at 3 months after removal of intravitreal crystalline lenses. But two eyes, undergone excessive manipulation for removing intravitreal nuclear fragments via the limbus during cataract operation, had 4/20 vision with complication of retinal or choroidal detachment. These results suggest that the overall prognosis for visual recovery after pars plana vitrectomy and phacofragmentation for removal of intravitreal crystalline lens, is quite good if there were no excessive attempts to remove intravitreal lens fragment during cataract extraction.
Capsules ; Cataract ; Cataract Extraction ; Choroid ; Humans ; Lens, Crystalline ; Prognosis ; Retinaldehyde ; Visual Acuity ; Vitrectomy

No abstract available.
Silicones* ; Transplants*

No abstract available.
Mucocele* ; Paranasal Sinuses*

No abstract available.
Mucocele* ; Paranasal Sinuses*

The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between insomnia severity, depression, anxiety, and anxiety sensitivity and to find out the explanatory variables that account for the insomnia severity among depression, anxiety, and anxiety sensitivity in general population. 95 mentally healthy volunteers who visit health promotion center of Kangbuk Samsung hospital for their regular medical examination were requested to complete Athens Insomnia Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Anxiety Sensitivity Index. Association between total scores of Athens Insomnia scale and other variables (total scores of Beck Depression Inventory excluded item 16, total scores of State Anxiety, total scores of Trait Anxiety, and total scores of Anxiety Sensitivity Scale) was assessed individually with partial correlations adjusted by age and then together using multiple regression analysis. The total scores of Athens Insomnia Scale were significantly associated with total scores of Beck Depression Inventory excluded item 16(r = 0.541, p<0.001), total scores of Trait Anxiety(r = 0.642, p<0.001), total scores of State Anxiety(r = 0.267, p<0.05), and total scores of Anxiety Sensitivity Index(r = 0.312, p<0.01). Total scores of trait anxiety showed the highest correlation with the total scores of Athens Insomnia Scale and was the significant predictor to total scores of Athens Insomnia Scale among the other predictor variables (p<0.001). These results show that insomnia severity is positively correlated with depression, anxiety, and anxiety sensitivity. The correlation was strongest with trait anxiety. In addition, our results suggest that trait anxiety is associated with insomnia severity in general populations.
Anxiety* ; Depression* ; Health Promotion ; Healthy Volunteers ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders*