OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of nitric oxide(NO) in fetal growth. METHOD: We measured umbilical vein serum NO in preeclampsia by Stuehr method and evaluated the association with the fetal birth weight and compared with normal pregnancy and twin pregnancy. RESULTS: 1. The umbilical vein serum nitrite concentration in preeclampsia was higher than that of the normal pregnancy (p<0.005). 2. Umbilical vein serum nitrite concentration of FGR(fetal growth restriction) baby group was higher than that of the non-FGR group in preeclampsia (p<0.005). 3 Umbilical vein serum nitrite concentration of larger baby group was higher than that of the smaller baby group in twin pregnancy but statistically not significant (p>0.005). 4. There were no significant differences of umbilical vein serum nitrite concentration between twin pregnancy and normal single pregnancy group (p>0.005). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the increased nitric oxide production in the umbilical vein may be a compensatory response to improve blood flow and fetal growth in preeclampsia.
Birth Weight ; Fetal Development* ; Nitric Oxide* ; Pre-Eclampsia* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Twin ; Umbilical Veins*

No abstract available.
Fertilization in Vitro* ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone*

No abstract available.
Fertility* ; Humans ; Infertility, Male* ; Male ; Male* ; Sperm Motility* ; Spermatozoa*

As an optimal quality of the restorations, there should be a least amount of seating discrepancy between the casting and abutment teeth. However, high viscosity of the cementing medium and its resulting thickness ay prevent complete seating of the restoration. The use of die spacing material provides adequate internal relief for the cementing medium. The purpose of this study is to compare the thickness of three commonly used die spacing materials. Materials and Methods : Stone plates were fabricated and divided into 12 sections to be painted with die spacers. Tru-Fit, Whip-Mix and Belle de St. Claire die spacer which are commonly used in dental practice were tested in this study. Each die spacers were painted layer by layer according to the manufacturer's recommendation. The average thickness of each die spacers were measured with light microscope(x100) and compared between them. Results and Conclusions: A silver-colored Tru-Fit die spacer has the lowest value of thickness without statistical significance comparing with a gold-colored Tru-Fit die spacer and a gray layer of Whip-Mix die spacer has the highest value of thickness without any statistical significance comparing with Belle de St. Claire die spacer. Three and four layers of Tru-Fit die spacer and two layers of Whip-Mix and Belle de St. Claire die spacers seem to be in the acceptable range of thickness of 25 to 45micrometer for optimal seating of the restorations. The standard experimental design and method should be further evaluated for more consistent and objective results.
Paint ; Research Design ; Tooth ; Viscosity

Membranous glomerulonephropathy (MGN) is the most common primary cause of the nephrotic syndrome in adults, accounting for about 20% of the cases in most series. MGN is idiopathic in the majority of cases, however approximately 25% of adults have identifiable causes (secondary MGN). To evaluate the clinical and pathologic characteristics of MGN, we reviewed the clinical data and renal biopsies from 141 cases of MGN. The mean age of the patients at biopsy was 43 years old, but patients of all age were seen (range from 3 to 76 years of age). There were 88 males and 53 females. There were 99 idiopathic MGN cases and 42 secondary MGN cases. The associated causes of secondary MGN included hepatitis B infection (18 cases), SLE (10 cases), drugs (4 cases), post-transplantation MGN (5 cases), diabetes mellitus (4 cases), syphilis (1 case) and hepatitis B infection associated with rheumatoid arthritis. The prevalence of histologic stages by Ehrenreich and Churg was as follows. Stage I was 24 cases, stage II was 72 cases, stage III was 35 cases, and stage IV was 9 cases. All patients had proteinuria. Nephrotic syndrome was observed in 39%, edema in 73%, microscopic hematuria in 49%, gross hematuria in 28%, hypertension in 13%, and the serum creatinine level above 1.5 mg/dl was in 13%. Cases with glomerulosclerosis was observed in 45 cases with an increased percentage of glomerulosclerosis in the higher grade. Immunofluorescence (IF) examination showed predominantly granular IgG (118 cases) and C3 (84 cases) stainings along the glomerular capillary wall. In idiopathic MGN, sparse mesangial IF staining was noted up to 10% of the cases. However, mesangial IF staining in SLE was observed in 33%, hepatitis B infection in 28% and diabetes mellitus in 50%. An electron microscopic examination revealed subepithelial electron dense deposits of immune complex in all cases. The prevalence of mesangial and subendothelial electron dense deposit in idiopathic MGN was present in 19% and 6%, respectively. In SLE cases, mesangial and subendothelial deposits were observed in 78% and 56%, respectively. In hepatitis B infection, mesangial and subendothelial deposits were observed in 54% and 69%, respectively. In conclusion, immune deposits in the mesangium are scanty in idiopathic MGN, and if pronounced this should increase suspicion of underlying systemic diseases, such as SLE or other infectious diseases.
Adult ; Antigen-Antibody Complex ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Biopsy ; Capillaries ; Communicable Diseases ; Creatinine ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Edema ; Female ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Glomerulonephritis, Membranous* ; Hematuria ; Hepatitis B ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Immunoglobulin G ; Male ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; Prevalence ; Proteinuria ; Syphilis

Prostaglandins which are produced from amnionic cells are known to play a major role in uterine contraction and cervical dilatation in human. Recently it is reported that aspirin increases the expression of PGHS-1 and PGHS-2 in trophoblast cells from placenta. We examined here the changes of immunoreactive prostaglandin H synthase (PGHS) level by aspirin in cultured cells from amniotic fluid and human amnionic WISH cells. PMA (10-7 M), an activator of protein kinase C increased the induction of PGHS-2 in both cells with or without fetal calf serum. PGHS-2 protein was also increased significantly by 10-4 M aspirin at 6 hours in both cells in the presence of serum but it was not increased in the absence of serum. The expression of PGHS-1 protein was enhanced by asprin but not by PMA in the absence of serum. Other anti-inflammatory drugs such as acetaminophen, indomethacin, dexame- thasone, and mefenamic acid increased the PGHS-2 protein level in WISH cells. PMA-induced PGHS-2 expression in WISH cells was not decreased by aspirin, on the contrary, the level was increased additively. Our results show that the increased expression of PGHS in amnion cells or other amniotic fluid cells by aspirin and other several anti-inflammatory drugs is through an unidentified effect rather than feedback effect by depletion of prostaglandin.
Acetaminophen ; Amnion* ; Amniotic Fluid ; Aspirin* ; Cell Line* ; Cells, Cultured* ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; Female ; Humans ; Indomethacin ; Labor Stage, First ; Mefenamic Acid ; Placenta ; Pregnancy ; Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases* ; Prostaglandins ; Protein Kinase C ; Trophoblasts ; Uterine Contraction

No abstract available.
Child* ; Ear* ; Humans

No abstract available.
Congenital Hypothyroidism*

No abstract available.
Knee* ; Menisci, Tibial*

No abstract available.
Classification*