OBJECTIVE: We investigated the expression of uPA and uPAR in eutopic endometrium of advanced stage endometriosis and control patients. METHODS: The 33 endometriosis patients and 32 controls were enrolled. Endometrial samples were obtained from 65 premenopausal women aged 29~44 years, undergoing laparoscopic surgery or hysterectomy for non-malignant lesions. Sufficient samples were collected from 33 patients with endometriosis stage III and IV and 32 controls without endometriosis confirmed by laparoscopic surgery. The mRNA expression of uPA and uPAR from eutopic endometrium were analyzed by RT-QC PCR. RESULTS: The mRNAs of uPA and uPAR were expressed in eutopic endometrium from endometriosis and normal controls throughout the menstrual cycle. Uterine endometrium from women with endometriosis expresses significantly (p<0.05) higher levels of u-PA mRNA than endometrium from normal women without endometriosis in the proliferative phase. There were no significant differences in expression of uPAR in eutopic endometrium between controls and endometriosis patients. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that eutopic endometrium from endometriosis patients may be more invasive and prone to peritoneal implantation because of greater u-PA mRNA expression than endometrium from women without endometriosis. Thus, increased proteolytic activity may be one etiology for the invasive properties of the endometrium resulting in the development of endometriosis.
Endometriosis* ; Endometrium* ; Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Laparoscopy ; Menstrual Cycle ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Proteolysis ; RNA, Messenger* ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to examine the effect of vitrification on the survival and in vitro development of mice 1-cell zygotes. METHOD: Effects of exposure to vitrification solution and vitrification, with different concentrations of the cryoprotectant solution, were examined. The 1-cell zygotes were also subjected to a slow freezing- thawing method to compare with vitrification method. Solution composed of ethylene glycol (6.0 M, 5.0 M, 4.0 M) and sucrose (1.0 M) were used as cryopropectant. The experiments employed the method loading the embryos on electron microscope grids. RESULTS: I. The effects of exposure in vitrification solution 1-cell zygotes were non-toxic at all concentrations of the vitrification solution showing the survival rate between 88.1% and 97.5%. Development into 2-cell was more successful in the higher concentrations of the vitrification solution. Therefore, higher concentrations of the vitirification solution do not seem to cause any problems in vitrification procedure. II. The effects of vitrification method 1-cell zygotes showed the survival rate between 78.8% and 92.4%. The lowest and the highest survival rate was observed in the 6.0 M and 4.0 M vitrification solution, respectively. 2-cell development rates varied from 77.6% to 91.3%. Blastocyst development rate was shown highest in 5.0 M and the lowest in 4.0 M solution. Therefore, the highest 2-cell and blastocyst development rate was observed in 5.0 M solution. III. Comparison of vitrification and slow freezing-thawing method on 1-cell zygotes This experiment showed that 1-cell zygotes had the highest survival and development rates in 5.0 M vitrification solution. Vitrified group of 1-cell zygotes, in the 5.0 M vitrification solution, were compared with the group processed in slow freezing-thawing method. The development rate into 2-cell and blastocyst as well as the survival rate were higher in the vitrified group than in the slowly freezed group. CONCLUSION: 1. The results demonstrate that the best cryoprotectant is a 5.0 M vitrification solution for 1-cell zygotes. 2. Vitrification method significantly increases the survival rate of the 1-cell zygote and its development into 2-cell and blastocyst. Equilibration and exposure time during the vitrification was remarkerbly short in this experiment. Total time, from the exposure to vitirification solution to storage in the liquid nitrogen, was taken only 90 seconds. In contrast, the slow freezing-thawing method have taken more than four hours. Taken together, we presume that the overall time used for the procedure contributes to the results as an important parameter. 3. The loading of 1-cell zygotes on the EM grid is technically more simple and takes less time than the straw or cryo vial method.
Animals ; Blastocyst ; Embryonic Structures ; Ethylene Glycol ; Group Processes ; Mice ; Nitrogen ; Sucrose ; Survival Rate ; Vitrification* ; Zygote*

No abstract available.
Hepatitis B* ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn* ; Vaccination*

Nasal chondromesenchymal hamartoma is a distinctive mixed mesenchymal lesion of sinonasal region with a complex histologic appearance and benign clinical course and clinicopathologically similar to those of the mesenchymal hamartoma of the chest wall of infancy. We report a case of nasal chondromesenchymal hamartoma occurred in the right nasal cavity in a 3-month-old female. She was admitted with a history of profuse nasal bleeding and obstruction. CT revealed complex solid and cystic mass, measuring 3.5x2.5x2.5 cm in dimensions which filled the right nasal cavity and extended into ethmoid sinus and cribriform plate. The received piecemeal fragments of tissue were brown tan-colored firm semitranslucent tissue with a cartilaginous appearance. Microscopically, the basic morphologic elements were irregular islands of hyaline cartilage and myxoid to spindle cell stroma with various cellularity.
Epistaxis ; Ethmoid Bone ; Ethmoid Sinus ; Female ; Hamartoma* ; Humans ; Hyaline Cartilage ; Infant ; Islands ; Nasal Cavity ; Thoracic Wall

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the expression of TSP-1 and -2 in eutopic endometrium of advanced endometriosis and control patients. METHODS: The 33 endometriosis patients and 32 controls were enrolled. Endometrial samples were obtained from 65 premenopausal women aged 29-44 years, undergoing laparoscopic surgery or hysterectomy for non-malignant lesions. Sufficient samples were collected from 33 patients with endometriosis stage III and IV and 32 controls without endometriosis confirmed by laparoscopic surgery. The mRNA expression from eutopic endometrium for TSP-1 and -2 were analyzed by RT-QC PCR. RESULTS: The mRNAs of TSP-1 and -2 were expressed in eutopic endometrium from endometriosis and normal controls throughout the menstrual cycle. There were no significant differences in expression of TSP-1 and TSP-2 in eutopic endometrium between controls and endometriosis patients. CONCLUSION: Our results indicated that TSP-1 and -2 had no crucial role compared to other molecules in the regulation of angiogenesis. These findings also suggest that dysregulation of other angiogenic regulators would be concerned in pathophysiologic role in endometriosis development.
Endometriosis* ; Endometrium ; Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Laparoscopy ; Menstrual Cycle ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Messenger* ; Thrombospondin 1 ; Thrombospondins

PURPOSE: This study was performed to evaluate the dietary nutrient intake status and hair mineral content of Korean young children. METHODS: Fifty-five children who visited Seoul National University Bundang Hospital were divided into three groups by age: infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. The 24-hour recall method was used to collect the food intake data of the subjects. Hair mineral analysis was conducted using a Mass Spectrometer. Serum iron, ferritin, and calcium were also measured. RESULTS: The mean energy intakes of the subjects were 730.3 kcal, 994.3 kcal, and 1,482.9 kcal for each age group. The mean percentage of energy intake compared to recommendation was 101.4% and was not different by age group. Toddlers of 37.8% and preschoolers of 54.5% consumed less than the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) of calcium. Infants of 28.6%, toddlers of 10.8% and preschoolers of 9.1% consumed less than the EAR of iron. In the case of zinc, copper, and selenium, only 0% to 5% of toddlers and none of the preschoolers consumed less than the EAR of those minerals. The hair calcium, iron and copper concentrations were lower in toddlers and preschoolers than those in infants. Serum calcium levels of preschoolers were significantly lower than those of infants, whereas serum iron and ferritin levels were not. CONCLUSION: Hair calcium, iron, and copper concentrations were significantly lower in toddlers and preschoolers than in infants. Insufficient dietary intake of calcium and iron seems to be related with decreased hair mineral contents in young children.
Calcium ; Child* ; Copper ; Ear ; Eating ; Energy Intake ; Ferritins ; Hair* ; Humans ; Infant ; Iron ; Methods ; Minerals ; Miners* ; Selenium ; Seoul ; Zinc

The uptake of glucose for metabolism and growth is essential to most animal cells and is mediated by glucose-transporter (GLUT) proteins. The aim of this study was to determine which class of glucose transporter molecules was responsible for uptake of glucose in the mouse early embryo and at which stage the corresponding genes were expressed. In addition, co-culture system with vero cell was used to investigate the effect of the system on GLUT expression. Two-cell stage embryos were collected from the superovulated ICR female and divided into 3 groups. As a control, embryos were cultured in 0.4% BSA-T6 medium which includes glucose. For the experimental groups, embryos were cultured in either co-culture system with vero cells or glucose-free 76 medium supplemented with 0.4% BSA and pyruvate as an energy substrate. 2-cell to blastocyst stage embryos in those groups were respectively collected into microtubes (50 embryos/tube). Total RNA was extracted and RT-PCR was performed. The products were analysed after staining ethidium bromide by 2% agarose gel electrophoresis. Blastocysts were collected from each group at 120hr after hCG injection. They were fixed in 2.5% glutaraldehyde, stained with hoechst, and mounted for observation. In control, GLUT1 was expressed from 4-cell to blastocyst. GLUT2 and GLUT3 were expressed in morula and blastocyst. GLUT4 was expressed in all stages. When embryos were cultured in glucose-free medium, no significant difference was shown in the expression of GLUTI1, 2 and 3, compared to control. However GLUT4 was not expressed until morular stage. When embryos were co-cultured with vero cell, there was no significant difference in the expression of GLUT1, 2, 3 and 4 compared to control. To determine cell growth of embryos, the average cell number of blastocyst was counted. The cell number of co-culture (93.8+/-3.1, n=35) is significantly higher than that of control and glucose-free group (76.6 +/- 3.8, n=35 and 68.2+/-4.3, n=30). This study shows that the GLUT genes are expressed differently according to embryo stage. GLUTs were detectable throughout mouse preimplantation development in control and co-culture groups. However, GLUT4 was not detected from 2- to 8-cell stage but detected from morula stage in glucose-free medium, suggested that GLUT genes are expressed autocrinally in the embryo regardless of the presence of glucose as an energy substrate. In addition, co-culture system can increase the cell count of blastocyst but not improve the expression of GLUT. In conclusion, expression of GLUT is dependent on embryo stage in preimplantation embryo development.
Animals ; Blastocyst ; Cell Count ; Coculture Techniques ; Electrophoresis, Agar Gel ; Embryonic Development ; Embryonic Structures* ; Ethidium ; Female ; Glucose Transport Proteins, Facilitative* ; Glucose* ; Glutaral ; Humans ; Metabolism ; Mice* ; Morula ; Pregnancy ; Pyruvic Acid ; RNA ; Vero Cells

A 68-year-old man was refered for evaluation and treatment of advanced esophageal cancer. He complained of substernal dysphagia for solid and liquid foods. He did not remember episodes about ingesting something that correlated with symptoms. The single-contrast esophagogram revealed subtotal obstruction of the cervical esophagus with barium outlining the polypoid-filling defect irregularly. After 18 hours later, the patient underwent endoscopic examination and at the direct esophagoscopic finding, the food materials mainly consisted of packed rice was filled in the cervical esophagus. After saline irrigation, a fish bone, which was about 50X9 mm, and looked like a knife was lodged just distal to the impacted food materials. The fish bone was removed successfully from the esophagus. The patient experienced dramatic relief of symptoms shortly after procedure.
Aged ; Barium ; Deglutition Disorders ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; Esophagus ; Humans

Juvenile dermatomyositis is an uncommon autoimmune disease with classic heliotrope discoloration of eyelids, erythematous skin rash of joints and proximal muscle weakness. Quite different from adults, malignancy is rarely accompanied in juvenile dermatomyositis. However vasculitis, muscle atrophy, calcification and gastrointestinal involvement are often observed in juvenile dermatomyositis. A six year old boy was admitted with chief complaints of general weakness and skin rash. Muscle biopsy was performed which was consistent with dermatomyositis. The patient was treated with intravenous immunoglobulin, steroid, methotrexate and physiotherapy. We report a case of juvenile dermatomyositis.
Adult ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Biopsy ; Dermatomyositis* ; Exanthema ; Eyelids ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; Joints ; Male ; Methotrexate ; Muscle Weakness ; Muscular Atrophy ; Vasculitis

Purpose: This study aimed to clarify and analyze the concept of a career plateau among clinical nurses. Methods: Using Walker and Avant’s concept analysis framework, 20 articles on the career plateau of clinical nurses were selected for this study. Results: The attributes of the clinical nurses’ structural career plateau were “unmet need for vertical movement” and “accepting of promotion restrictions”. The attributes of the clinical nurses’ content career plateau were “job repetition”, “involuntary job fixation”, “work lethargy”, “low expectations for nursing professional development,” and “indifference to care recipients”. The antecedent factors for the nurses’ career plateau were “lack of organizational support”, “lack of respect from the organization, bosses, and colleagues”, “personal problems arising or remaining unresolved”, “limited autonomy”, and “absence of role models”. As a consequence of the career plateau, job satisfaction, nursing competency, and nursing quality decreased, while burnout and turnover intention increased. Conclusion This study is significant in that it clarified the concept and attributes of the clinical nurses’ career plateau by reflecting the characteristics and purpose of nursing.