OBJECTIVE: Many cases of fertilization failure after ICSI is attributed to decondensation defect of sperm head, therefore, selection of sperm with well-condensed, fully-matured nucleus is critical for successful fertilization. During mammalian spermiogenesis, replacement of the somatic histones by protamines allows normal sperm nuclear condensation. The degree of condensation can be shown with the aid of acidic aniline blue staining, which is able to discriminate between lysine-rich histones and arginine- or cysteine-rich protamines. The objective of this study was to investigate the possible relation between nuclear maturity of human sperm and hypo-osmotic swelling patterns. Hypo-osmotic swelling test is very simple and convenient test to measure functional integrity of human sperm membrane, and each already tested sperms can be used for fertilization. METHODS: For assessment of sperm nuclear maturity, aniline blue staining was performed on the slides, already undergone hypo-osmotic swelling test in 5 subfertile patients with abnormal semen parameters and 8 fertile donors. After 3 hours swim-up, these procedures were repeated in each cases. RESULTS: Sperms with negative aniline blue were significantly increased after swim-up in each group. There was a significant increase in the proportion of negative aniline blue in sperms with swelling patterns(e+f+g) compared to sperms with non-swelling patterns(a), except swim-up group in subfertile patients. CONCLUSION: Choosing the swelling patterns, rather than non-swelling sperms after hypo-osmotic test may be beneficial for the selection of sperms with well-condensed, mature nucleus and intact membrane.
Fertilization ; Histones ; Humans ; Membranes ; Protamines ; Semen ; Sperm Head ; Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic ; Spermatogenesis ; Spermatozoa* ; Tissue Donors

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of nitric oxide on the apoptosis of human luteinized granulosa cells. METHODS : Granulosa cell suspensions were incubated for 48 hours after adding nitric oxide donor (S-nitroso-N-acetyl-penicillamine, SNAP) and nitric oxide synthase inhibitor (nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, L-NAME) at different concentrations. Apoptosis was examined using a terminal deoxynucleotide transferase- mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling method, and immunocytochemical staining was performed for six apoptosis-related proteins. RESULTS: Apoptotic rates were significantly lower in cells incubated in SNAP 0.5 mM, but higher in L-NAME 0.5, 1.0, and 5.0 mM. SNAP 0.5 mM lowered the expressions of Fas and p53 in granulosa cells, but Bcl-2 expression was increased, and Fas ligand or Bax remained unchanged. In L-NAME 0.5 and 5.0 mM, the expressions of p53 and Bax were increased, and Bcl-2 was unchanged. Fas/Fas ligands were also activated especially in L-NAME 5.0 mM. CONCLUSION: Nitric oxide may inhibit apoptosis via decreased Fas and p53, and increased Bcl-2 expression in human luteinized granulosa cells.
Apoptosis* ; Fas Ligand Protein ; Female ; Granulosa Cells* ; Humans* ; Ligands ; Lutein* ; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; Nitric Oxide* ; Suspensions ; Tissue Donors

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to determine the correlation between the amount of pain reduction after local anesthetic injection into the subacromial space preoperatively and clinical outcome after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. METHODS: A total of 127 patients who underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair and followed up at least 1 year were analyzed retrospectively. Preoperatively, a visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain was measured in all patients before and after the ultrasound guided impingement test. The participants were divied into four groups according to pain reduntion ater impingement test (Group A: >75%, Group B: 50%–75%, Group C: 25%–50%, Group D: <25%). VAS for pain, shoulder range of motion, shoulder isometric strength, ASES score were evaluated preoperatively and at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months postoperatively. RESULTS: After surgery, the amount of pain reduction shows significantly at 3, 6 months in Groups A, B as compared to Groups C, D (p<0.05). Among the range of motion of shoulder joint, forward flexion was significantly improved in Group A at 3 months (p<0.05). The ASES score significantly improved at 3, 6 months in Groups A, B as compared to Group C, D (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative degree of pain reduction after impingement test correlates with the improvement of pain after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, especially in the early phase. Therefore, the impingement test could be effectively used.
Humans ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Retrospective Studies ; Rotator Cuff* ; Shoulder ; Shoulder Joint ; Shoulder Pain ; Ultrasonography

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the efficacy and safety of combined subacromial and intravenous patient-controlled analgesia for control of postoperative pain after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. METHODS: Between May 2012 and August 2014, 60 patients who underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair with acromioplasty and received patient-controlled analgesia were studied prospectively. Cases were divided into 2 groups: combined subacromial and intravenous infusion group (group A, 30 cases) and solitary intravenous infusion group (group B, 30 cases). The visual analogue scale was used to record the patient's level of pain every 12 hours during postoperative 72 hours and the following 48 hours after the suspension of patient-controlled analgesia. RESULTS: The mean preoperative visual analogue scale score was 7.8 in group A and 7.6 in group B, and the immediate postoperative visual analogue scale score was 7.9 and 8.1 for each group. At postoperative time (From 12 hours to 72 hours after operation), the scores of combined subacromial and intravenous infusion were significantly lower than those of solitary intravenous infusion. Significant difference in the frequency of supplemental analgesic injections was observed between group A and group B (p=0.008). However, no significant difference in complication rate was observed between the two groups (p=0.562). CONCLUSIONS: Combined subacromial and intravenous patient-controlled analgesia after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair is more effective than solitary intravenous infusion without significantly increasing complications. Therefore, combined subacromial and intravenous patient-controlled analgesia could be a effective pain control method.
Analgesia, Patient-Controlled* ; Humans ; Infusions, Intravenous ; Methods ; Pain, Postoperative ; Prospective Studies ; Rotator Cuff*

Multifetal pregnancy reduction(MFPR) has been suggested to improve pregnancy outc-ome in multifetal pregnancies with three or more fetuses after assisted reproductive techn-ology(ART) such as IVF-ET program, and now it seems to be a rather safe and effective mothod to reduce perinatal loss associated with multifetal pregnancies. To investigate the effectiveness of MFPR, the perinatal outcome of twin pregnancies in IVF-ET patients was analyzed in 3 groups : Group I-12 infertile patients who had conceived more than quadru-plet pregnancy and underwent MFPR to twin pregnancy, Group II-29 patients who had conceived triplet pregnancy and underwent MFPR to twin pregnancy, and Group III-30 pat-ients who had conceived twin pregancy initially and served as control group. Among 3 gr-oups, fetal loss rate before 24 weeks of gestation, pregnancy non-reduced, complications, gestational age at delivery, and birth weight were compared. Fetal loss rate after MFPR was significantly higher in Groups I(41.7%) and Group II(17.2%) compared with Group III(3.3%), and positively correlated with the number of fetuses before MFPR in Groups I and II. However, pregnancy complication rate was not significantly different among 3 groups(41.7%, 48.3%, and 36.7%). After exclusion of fetal loss cases before 24 weeks, mean gestational age at twin delivery and mean birth weight were not significantly different among 3 groups(36.2 weeks, 36.6 weeks, and 36.1 weeks ; 2.37 kg, 2.45 kg and 2.47kg).In conclusion, MFPR in multifetal pregnancies is an ethically justified procedure that may improve perinatal outcome in cases of multifetal pregnancies.
Birth Weight ; Embryo Transfer* ; Embryonic Structures* ; Fertilization in Vitro* ; Fetus ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications ; Pregnancy, Triplet ; Pregnancy, Twin*

Pulmonary function testing (PFT) is an important and fundamental method in the evaluation and treatment of respiratory diseases. Airway responsiveness assessed using histamine or methacholine by PFT is meaningful for the diagnosis of asthma. Spirometry is simple, and has been the most commonly used technique. However, in younger or uncooperative children, other commercially available tools such as impulse oscillometry (IOS), gas dilution, and plethysmography have been used. IOS is a noninvasive method that allows the measurement of airway mechanics (resistance [R] and reactance [X]) with minimal patient cooperation. Functional residual capacity (FRC) is one of the most important measurements obtained by gas dilution. Plethysmography is a gold standard to measure airway resistance and useful for lung function testing in infants. The purpose of this review is to help pediatric physicians being familiar with PFT techniques used in young children by discussing their principles, clinical applications, limitations, and current accessibility in Korea.
Airway Resistance ; Asthma ; Child* ; Diagnosis ; Functional Residual Capacity ; Histamine ; Humans ; Infant ; Korea ; Lung* ; Mechanics ; Methacholine Chloride ; Oscillometry ; Patient Compliance ; Plethysmography ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Spirometry

PURPOSE: The objective of this research is to provide the indoor environment management education program for the asthma patients and their families and then analyze the effectiveness in education preventing allergic asthma. METHODS: A pre-post single group quasi-experimental design was used to provide an education program about correct indoor environment management to a total of 58 households (29 patient households and 29 normal households). The performance rate of correct indoor environment management procedure, amount of house dust mite antigen, allergy subjective symptoms score and knowledge score about indoor environment management were compared before and after the education to test the effectiveness of the education. RESULTS: Home-visit education in this research had effects in improving subject households' performance rate of indoor environment management procedures, reducing the amount of house dust mite antigen - an important inducing factor of allergy, and reducing perceived subjective symptoms of allergy.
Asthma* ; Education* ; Family Characteristics ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Pyroglyphidae

Intramuscular hemangiomas are benign vascular lesions of skeletal muscle and constitutes less than 1% of all hemangiomas. Of all intramuscular hemangiomas, 13-25% occur in the head and neck, presenting lesions of enlarging soft tissue mass associated with pain. Usually they do not exhibit cutaneous changes, such as bluish skin discoloration as seen in cutaneous and superficial subcutaneous lesions. Because of their infrequency, deep location and unfamiliar presentation, intramuscular hemangomas are seldom correctly diagnosed clinically. We encountered a case of intramasseteric hemangioma in a 14-year-old female. She presented intermittent painful swelling on the right preauricular area. Sialography showed a multiple calcified lesion of the soft tissue, while CT scan and MRI showed a tumor mass lying in the masseter muscle. Angiography showed blush lesion but no tumor feeding arteries. After 6 months of intra-lesional sclerosing therapy with alcohol, total regression of tumor was obtained. As we experienced in this case, percutaneous sclerotherapy with alcohol could be the first therapeutic alternative.
Adolescent ; Angiography ; Arteries ; Deception ; Female ; Head ; Hemangioma ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Masseter Muscle ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Neck ; Salivary Gland Calculi* ; Sclerotherapy ; Sialography ; Skin ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

An emblem is a symbolic representational image that stands for a certain organization, concept, team, or society. This study investigated the emblems of the sleep societies in South Korea and the international sleep societies in which they were registered as members. Three South Korean sleep societies were found by searching for the keyword ‘sleep’ in the Korea Citation Index. Subsequently, we identified three international societies in which the three South Korean conferences participate. The emblems can be classified according to their composition. Taegeuk patterns represent yin and yang, electroencephalography that stands for the objective indicator of sleep, and the acronym or abbreviation indicating the name of the society. All emblems in this study were combinations of pictorial images and letters. The pictorial image of the Korean Sleep Research Society is the only emblem representing an inset with Hangeul. The emblem is a medium that conveys diverse meanings beyond representation. The societies have attempted to embody the identity as well as their directions.

An emblem is a symbolic representational image that stands for a certain organization, concept, team, or society. This study investigated the emblems of the sleep societies in South Korea and the international sleep societies in which they were registered as members. Three South Korean sleep societies were found by searching for the keyword ‘sleep’ in the Korea Citation Index. Subsequently, we identified three international societies in which the three South Korean conferences participate. The emblems can be classified according to their composition. Taegeuk patterns represent yin and yang, electroencephalography that stands for the objective indicator of sleep, and the acronym or abbreviation indicating the name of the society. All emblems in this study were combinations of pictorial images and letters. The pictorial image of the Korean Sleep Research Society is the only emblem representing an inset with Hangeul. The emblem is a medium that conveys diverse meanings beyond representation. The societies have attempted to embody the identity as well as their directions.