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

No abstract available.
Cesarean Section* ; Cicatrix* ; Endometriosis* ; Female ; Pregnancy

No abstract available.
Endometriosis* ; Female ; Pregnancy*

No abstract available.
Child ; Histiocytoma, Benign Fibrous ; Humans

No abstract available.
Atrophy ; Pityriasis* ; Tinea Versicolor*

Vulvar melanosis (VM) is clinically characterized by asymmetric macules or patches of varying size with a tan to black color and irregular borders. VM is more commonly found among perimenopausal women with a median age of 42 years. The exact pathogenesis of VM is not well understood. The proposed etiological factors for VM include oral contraceptive use, infection with human papillomavirus, and chronic inflammatory skin diseases such as lichen sclerosus et atrophicus. Histologic examination can easily differentiate mucosal lentiginosis from melanoma, but VM superimposed on a background of anogenital lichen sclerosus, both clinically and histologically, may mimic malignant melanoma. There have been two cases of VM associated with Dowling-Degos disease in the Korean dermatologic literature. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of VM associated with lichen sclerosus et atrophicus in the Korean dermatologic literature.

Syringoid eccrine carcinoma (SEC) is a rare cutaneous malignant tumor thought to be derived from eccrine sweat glands. It is usually present in the scalp and face and often occurs in the fourth to seventh decades of life. A 76-year-old female patient visited our department with a 3-year history of a lesion showing a 5×4 cm-sized erythematous firm plaque with ulceration on her right shoulder. Histological findings revealed a tumor consisting of numerous proliferating tubular structures with two layers of basaloid cells with cellular atypia. Some ductal structures showed a tadpole appearance. Based on these findings, the final diagnosis was SEC. The patient was treated with slow Mohs micrographic surgery and a full-thickness skin graft and did not show any recurrence during the follow-up period of 6 months. Herein, we report a very rare case of a 76-year-old woman diagnosed with SEC that developed on the right shoulder.

Vulvar melanosis (VM) is clinically characterized by asymmetric macules or patches of varying size with a tan to black color and irregular borders. VM is more commonly found among perimenopausal women with a median age of 42 years. The exact pathogenesis of VM is not well understood. The proposed etiological factors for VM include oral contraceptive use, infection with human papillomavirus, and chronic inflammatory skin diseases such as lichen sclerosus et atrophicus. Histologic examination can easily differentiate mucosal lentiginosis from melanoma, but VM superimposed on a background of anogenital lichen sclerosus, both clinically and histologically, may mimic malignant melanoma. There have been two cases of VM associated with Dowling-Degos disease in the Korean dermatologic literature. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of VM associated with lichen sclerosus et atrophicus in the Korean dermatologic literature.

PURPOSE: After discharge from the hospital, very low birth weight infants require care consultation, information, and interaction and so forth, due to sequelae, different growth and developmental pattern; which increase the burdens and the worries of patients in nurturing them. With the counseling of experts in the related fields, the authors and the Food for the Hungry have run a department of childcare for a year, emphasizing on more family support than extreme early detection of disabilities. This study reports on relieving child care anxiety, promoting growth and development, educating parents on home treatment of sequelae, finding and coping with minor disabilities. METHODS: The subjects were chosen among infants under 1,500 g of birth weight and younger than a corrected age of 6 months. Meetings were held once in a month for a year. Infant care support classes were taught by experts in their fields including a music therapist (with play program), neonatologist, a children's nurse, a child-care director, a clinical psychologist, a rehabilitation therapist, a social worker and, a nutritionist. Within the self-dependent groups, the families were able to share their concerns and experiences on child-caring. Second home visits were carried out to monitor home oxygen therapy, tube feeding, cerebral palsy signs, and to find neglect or abuse in suspected cases. RESULTS: Fifty-one infants participated; the average weight was 1,060 g, the average gestational age was 27 weeks and 2 days. Eighteen were boys and 23 girls. The average age of the mothers was 33.4, and there were 26 appropriate for gestational age, 8 small for gestational age, and, 5 large for gestational age. Twenty three were first-born, 13 were second-born, 1 was third-born, and twins were 4 pairs. Home visits were done in 33 families, and secondary visits were done in 6 families. The depression score of mothers in the attendant group decreased from 10.47+/-5.18 to 8.18+/-5.87 (P=0.080). CONCLUSION: The depression score of mothers in the attendant group decreased after infant care support classes.
Anxiety ; Birth Weight ; Cerebral Palsy ; Child ; Child Care ; Counseling ; Depression ; Enteral Nutrition ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Gestational Age ; Growth and Development ; House Calls ; Humans ; Infant Care ; Infant* ; Infant, Very Low Birth Weight* ; Mothers ; Music ; Nutritionists ; Oxygen ; Parents ; Psychology ; Rehabilitation ; Social Workers ; Twins

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and effect of various cryopreservation method on the survival and the cytoskeletal stability of metaphase II mouse oocyte. METHODS: Mouse ovulated oocytes were collected and cryopreserved by a modified slow-freezing method with 1.5 M 1,2-propanediol (PrOH)+0.1 M sucrose or by vitrification using cryo loop and EM grid with 40% ethylene glycol+0.6 M sucrose. Four hours after thawing, intact oocytes were fixed and stained with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-conjugated monoclonal anti-beta-tubulin antibody to visualize spindle and propidium iodide (PI) to visualize chromosome. Spindle morphology was classified as follows: normal (barrel-shaped), slightly and absolute abnormal (multipolar or absent). RESULTS: Survival rate of the frozen-thawed oocytes in vitrification group was significantly higher than that of slow-freezing group (62.7% vs. 24.4%, p<0.01). Vitrification with cryo loop showed significantly higher survival rate than that with EM grid (67.7% vs. 53.5%, p<0.05). On the other hand, proportion of normal spindle and chromosome configurations of the frozen-thawed oocytes between two vitrification group was not significantly different. CONCLUSION: For mouse ovulated oocytes, vitrification with cryo loop may be a preferable procedure compared to slow-freezing method. Further study should be needed to investigate developmental competency of frozen-thawed mouse oocytes.
Animals ; Cryopreservation* ; Fluorescein ; Hand ; Metaphase ; Mice* ; Oocytes* ; Propidium ; Propylene Glycol ; Sucrose ; Survival Rate ; Vitrification