No abstract available.
Colitis, Ischemic* ; Colon*

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to investigate the relationship between the levels of IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in the peritoneal fluid of women with and without endometriosis and infertile women. METHODS: This study is prospective and case-control study in University hospital, enrolled thirty-four women with laparoscopic findings of minimal to severe endometriosis, and thirty-seven women with no visual evidence of pelvic endometriosis and with benign gynecologic disease. IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels in peritoneal fluid were determined using commercial ELISA. IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentrations were compared among women with and without endometriosis, and with infertile and fertile women, and then also compared according the revised American Fertility Society classification. RESULTS: IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentrations were higher than in the peritoneal fluid of women with endometriosis than in matched normal controls. Cyclic variations in IL-6 concentrations were seen in peritoneal fluid from patients with endometriosis: the concentrations in the secretory phase were significantly higher than those in the proliferative phase. The concentrations were higher than among of infertile women than in fertile women. A significant correlation between IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentrations and endometriosis stage III and IV was noted. CONCLUSION: Increased levels of IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in patients with endometriosis in the peritoneal fluid may be relate to the pathogenesis of endometriosis suggesting that partially contribute to the disturbed immune regulation observed in patients with endometriosis.
Ascitic Fluid* ; Case-Control Studies ; Classification ; Endometriosis* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Fertility ; Genital Diseases, Female ; Humans ; Interleukin-6* ; Prospective Studies ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha*

This study was performed to evaluate the tensile bond strength and modulus of elasticity of three permanent soft denture liners (Molloplast B , Ufi Gel C , Tokuyama ) before and after thermocycling. And their water sorption were also evaluated. Each soft denture liner was bonded to PMMA denture base resin blocks and the tensile bond strength and modulus of elasticity were measured by using universal testing machine. For the water sorption, weight measured after immersion of soft denture liners in 37+/-1degrees C water bath for 4 weeks. The results were as follows : 1. Molloplast B had the highest tensile bond strength, while Tokuyama had the lowest tensile bond strength, There was no significant difference between Tokuyama and Molloplast B in the both nonthermocycling and thermocycling. There was significant difference in tensile strength of Tokuyama before and after thermocycling(p<0.05). 2. For the modulus of elasticity, there was no significant difference between Ufi Gel C and Tokuyama in the both nonthermocycling and thermocycling. There was significant difference in modulus of elasticity of Tokuyama before and after thermocycling(p<0.05). 3. The failure modes of Molloplast B and Ufi Gel C were nainley adhesive type and that of Tokuyama was mainly mixed type in case of nonthermocycling and cohesive type after thermocycling. 4. The water sorption of each soft liners was within+/-2% in times (p<0.05) but, there was no significant difference among the soft liners in times.
Adhesives ; Baths ; Denture Bases ; Denture Liners* ; Dentures* ; Elastic Modulus ; Immersion ; Polymethyl Methacrylate ; Tensile Strength ; Water

This study was performed to evaluate effect on color and opacity of 3 different copy-milled In-Ceram cores by glass infiltration and porcelain veneering. Color was evaluated by the CIEL*a*b* readings were recorded with a Colorimeter, Color difference value( E*ab) was calculated and opacity was represented by the contrast ratio. The variance of each color parameter (L*, a*, b*), color difference value, and opacity change after glass-infiltrated and veneered with porcelain was compared. Three experimental groups were fabricated as follows. Group 1 (Alumina core) : 15 Alumina blanks was infiltrated with originally marketed glass (A1) and veneered with porcelain(A1) Group 2 (modified Alumina core) : 15 Alumina blanks was infiltrated with its associated glass(S11) and veneered with porcelain(A1) Groups 3 (Spinell core) : 15 Spinell blanks was infiltrated with originally developed glass(S11) and veneered with porcelain(A1) The results were as follows: 1. After glass infiltration, L* value showed decrease, a* value showed decrease only group 1(p<0.001) and b* value showed increase on group 1, increase on group 1, increase on group 2, 3(p<0.001). 2. After porcelain veneering L* value showed decrease(p<0.001), a* value showed increase on group 1, decrease on group 2(p<0.05) and b* value showed decrease on group 1, increase on group 2, 3(p<0.001). 3. E* ab between before and after galss infiltration was more than 13.77, and between after glass infiltration and after porcelain veneering more than 19.63. 4. After glass infiltration and porcelain veneering, Alumina showed the lowest L*, a* value and highest b* value among 3 different groups (p<0.05). E*ab between group 1-2, 1-3 was higher than that of group 2-3. 5. After glass infiltation, opacity showed decrease, Group 1 had the highest opacity(p<0.05), but no significant differences between group 2 and 3. Above results suggest that glass infiltration and porcelain veneering effects on color and opacity of In-Cream core, and that modified In-Ceram Alumina uses single crowns of bridges like In-Cream Spinell.
Aluminum Oxide* ; Crowns ; Dental Porcelain ; Glass ; Reading

Pain snd disability often fractures of the cslcaneus even though the original injury was skillfully treated. The causes are traumstic arthritis of the subtalar joint, abnormalities of the peroneal tendons or weakness of Gastrocnemius, etc. We have experienced the resection of lateral prominence of calcaneus in 7 patients who complained of pain by entrapment of peroneal tendons between lateral malleolus and lateral prominence of malunited calcaneus. The follow up time after operation was 3 years and 4 months to 12 months. In all patients the pain was markedly improved between postoperative 5 weeks and 10 weeks. When the last follow up, 6 patients among 7 patients except one case of subtalar arthritis were astisfaetory.
Arthritis ; Calcaneus ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Subtalar Joint ; Tendons

OBJECTIVE: Endometriosis is a disease affecting a large population of women all over the world. A local sterile inflammation occurs in the peritonel cavity of patients with endometriosis. It suggests that immunological events play a major role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. We have studied the levels of serveral T cell and monocyte derived cytokines, especially IL-6 (promoter of immune response) and IL-10 (inhibitor of immune response), in the peritoneal fluid of patients with endometriosis to characterize the change of immune response that occurs at the site of endometriosis. Method: This study was performed in Hallym university hospital from October, 1997 to October 1998 and enrolled 29 women with gross or microscopic findings of minimal to severe endometriosis in case group, and 28 women without visual evidence of pelvic endometriosis and with benign gynecologic disease in control group. IL-6 and IL-10 levels in the peritoneal fluid were determined using commercial ELISA and compared between endometriosis and controls and between fertile and infertile women with endometriosis and according to the revised American Fertility Society classification. RESULT: IL-6 was higher and IL-10 was lower in the peritoneal fluid of endometriosis group than of control group. Cyclic variations in the IL-6 concentrations were seen in endometriosis group : the concentrations in the secretory phase were significantly higher than those in the proliferative phase. In endometriosis group, IL-6 concentrations of infertile women were higher than fertile women. Both IL-6 and IL-10 in the peritoneal fluid of endomtriosis group did not show significant correlation according to r-AFS stages. CONCLUSION: Increased IL-6 and decreased IL-10 levels in the peritoneal fluid may be related to infertility and pathogenesis in the endometriosis, suggesting that partially contribute to the disturbed immune regulation observed in endometriosis.
Ascitic Fluid* ; Classification ; Cytokines ; Endometriosis* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Fertility ; Genital Diseases, Female ; Humans ; Infertility ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-10* ; Interleukin-6* ; Monocytes

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to investigate the relationship between the levels of IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in the peritoneal fluid(PF) of women with and without endometriosis and infertile women. Design: Prospective and case-control study. Setting: University hospital. Patients: Twenty-nine women with laparotomy or laparoscopic findings of minimal to severe endometriosis, and twenty-eight women with no visual evidence of pelvic endometriosis and with benign gynecologic disease. Main Outcome Measures: PF IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels were determined using commercial ELISA. IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentrations were compared among women with and without endometriosis, and with infertile and fertile women, and then also compared according the revised American Fertility Society classification. RESULTS: IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentrations were higher than in the PF of women with endometriosis than in matched normal controls. Cyclic variations in IL-6 concentrations were seen in PF from patients with endometriosis: the concentrations in the secretory phase were significantly higher than those in the proliferative phase. IL-6 concentrations were higher than in the PF among of infertile women than in fertile women. A significant correlation between PF IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentrations and endometriosis stage III and IV was noted. CONCLUSIONS: Increased PF levels of IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in patients with endometriosis may be relate to endometriosis-associated infertility and to the pathogenesis of endometriosis suggesting that partially contribute to the disturbed immune regulation observed in patients with endometriosis.
Ascitic Fluid* ; Case-Control Studies ; Classification ; Endometriosis* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Fertility ; Genital Diseases, Female ; Humans ; Immunity, Cellular* ; Infertility ; Interleukin-6 ; Laparotomy ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Prospective Studies ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

BACKGROUND: White coat effect (WCE) and white coat hypertension (WCH) are relatively prevalent in clinical situation (20 - 57% of WCH in the hypertensive population). The aim of this study was to analyze the determinant factors of WCE. METHODS: A prospective study was carried out in outpatient clinic in a consecutive hypertensives without receiving pharmacologic treatment. Twenty-four hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) was performed following more than two resting blood pressure (BP) determinations carried out with the interval of 1 - 2 weeks by mercury sphygmomanometer. WCE was calculated for systolic and diastolic BP as the difference between a clinic BP (CBP) and an average daytime ambulatory BP (ABP). WCH was defined as;BP in the clinic > or = 140/90 mmHg with a mean daytime BP by ABPM < or =137/< or =89 mmHg. RESULTS: 1) Two hundred thirty-five patients (mean age 49.7 years, females 74%) were studied. Thirty-seven percent in male and forty-six percent in female patients fulfilled WCH criteria. 2) CBP was significantly correlated to daytime ABP (systolic BP;r=.47, p<.001 and diastolic BP;r=.65, p<.001). 3) The magnitude of WCE was greater in the group of WCH (28.9+14.6/19.3+6.9 mmHg) than ambulatory hypertensives (15.1+15.7/13.0+8.2 mmHg) (p<.001). 4) The magnitude of WCE is significantly correlated with female (r2=.12, p<.001) and the stage of CBP according to JNC-V (r2=.23, p<.001) in systolic BP, the stage (r2=.08, p<.001) in diastolic BP, and the stage (r2=.09, p<.001) and weight (r2=.15, p<.01) in mean BP. CONCLUSIONS: The magnitude of WCE in essential hypertension diagnosed at the clinic is significantly correlated with female, the magnitude of clinic BP, and weight.
Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Blood Pressure ; Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Male ; Prospective Studies ; Sphygmomanometers ; White Coat Hypertension

No abstract available.

PURPOSE: It has been suggested that approximately 40% of women between 40 and 64 years of age cease their sexual activity. The aim of this study was to establish the basic data for FSD (female sexual dysfunction) and FSD-related factors in regional urban and rural areas of Korea. METHOD: Three hundred twenty five women over 20 years of age and resident in regional urban and rural areas were analyzed by a visit survey with an organized questionnaire. The female sexual function index (FSFI) for measurement of sexual dysfunction was used. The significance between the degree of sexual dysfunction and characteristics of the participants was analyzed by a t-test and ANOVA test. The relationship between the degree of sexual dysfunction and related factors was analyzed by Pearson's correlation coefficient. RESULTS: All analyzing tools including the FSFI had a high validity for measuring. The FSFI in Korean women was 19.97+/-4.87 and ranged from 2 to 29. Old age, menopause, medication, no contraception usage and longer marital duration were significantly related with a lower FSFI score. Pearson's correlation coefficient revealed the significance in degrees of sexual distress (r=-.469, p=.000), sexual attitude (r=.305, p=.000) and a stressful life event (r=-.141, p=.038) with the sexual function index score. CONCLUSION: Women with sexual dysfunction should be evaluated for these sexual function-related factors in the history taking, and this data can be a basis for study for sexual dysfunction.
Contraception ; Female* ; Humans ; Korea ; Menopause ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Sexual Behavior ; Women's Health