No abstract available.
Edema* ; Hydrops Fetalis*

A varicocele is an abnormal tortuosity and dilatation of the veins of pampiniform plexus within the spermatic cord, which is usually best demonstrated with the patient in the standing position. Valsalva's maneuver brings out a varicocele, and assuming ever, after surgical intervention, the sperm quality is improved. The exact mechanism of the effect of varicocelectomy on semen quality is not clear. A clinical study was made on 20 cases of varicocele during the period from August 1981 to July 1983, at Masan Korea General Hospital. The results were obtained as follows: 1. During this period, the total number of in-patients at Department of Urology was 598, among which 20 cases had varicocele, giving a rate of about 3% of total in-patients. 2. The age distribution was between 21 and 35 year, showing the highest incidence in 21 to 30 year (90%) age group. 3. The side of the lesion showed 95% in left, and 5% in right. 4. The chief complaint showed dragging pain and palpable mass in 90% and infertility in 10%. 5. In all cases, semen analysis was done preoperatively, among 'which 70% shoed poor semen quality. Postoperatively eight cases of semen analysis was done with the result of 62.5% of improvement. 6. In all cases, operation was performed by Palomo's procedure. 7. No complication or recurrence was found in one year follow up study.
Age Distribution ; Dilatation ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infertility ; Korea ; Recurrence ; Semen Analysis ; Spermatic Cord ; Spermatozoa ; Urology ; Valsalva Maneuver ; Varicocele* ; Veins

Surgery of renal lithiasis has progressed considerably during the past 20 years. The first of many advances was an intrasinusal approach to the renal pelvis, which has allowed removal of calculi through the collecting system without causing damage to the renal parenchyma or its vessels. The second was substitution of the longitudinal pyelotomy with a transverse pyelotomy. We present a surgical observation on 43 cases of renal stones during the period from March, 1981 to April, 1983 on the Department of Urology of Masan Korea hospital, in Masan. Pyelolithotomy was performed in 19 patients, nephrectomy in 12, extended pyelolithotomy in 11 and partial nephrectomy in one patient.
Calculi ; Humans ; Kidney Pelvis ; Korea ; Lithiasis ; Nephrectomy ; Urology

We report a patient with an unusual manifestation of Trichophyton rubrum infection. A 75-year-old male presented an erythematous patch with painless crusted and non-crusted nodules on the left elbow which had persisted for 5 weeks. Histologic findings of the erythematous nodule showed epidermal hyperplasia and granulomatous change in the lower dermis. Trichophyton rubrum was isolated on the fungus culture of the biopsy specimen. The patient was treated with itraconazole (100mg/day) for 8 weeks, resulting in the clearing of the skin lesion and there has been no recurrence of any skin lesion over a 3-month' follow-up period.
Aged ; Biopsy ; Dermis ; Elbow ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fungi ; Granuloma* ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Itraconazole ; Male ; Recurrence ; Skin ; Trichophyton*

PURPOSE: Peroxynitrite plays a critical role in vascular pathophysiology by increasing arginase activity and decreasing endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activity. Therefore, the aims of this study were to investigate whether arginase inhibition and L-arginine supplement could restore peroxynitrite-induced endothelial dysfunction and determine the involved mechanism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were treated with SIN-1, a peroxynitrite generator, and arginase activity, nitrite/nitrate production, and expression levels of proteins were measured. eNOS activation was evaluated via Western blot and dimer blot analysis. We also tested nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and performed a vascular tension assay. RESULTS: SIN-1 treatment increased arginase activity in a time- and dose-dependent manner and reciprocally decreased nitrite/nitrate production that was prevented by peroxynitrite scavenger in HUVECs. Furthermore, SIN-1 induced an increase in the expression level of arginase I and II, though not in eNOS protein. The decreased eNOS phosphorylation at Ser1177 and the increased at Thr495 by SIN-1 were restored with arginase inhibitor and L-arginine. The changed eNOS phosphorylation was consistent in the stability of eNOS dimers. SIN-1 decreased NO production and increased ROS generation in the aortic endothelium, all of which was reversed by arginase inhibitor or L-arginine. N(G)-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) prevented SIN-1-induced ROS generation. In the vascular tension assay, SIN-1 enhanced vasoconstrictor responses to U46619 and attenuated vasorelaxant responses to acetylcholine that were reversed by arginase inhibition. CONCLUSION: These findings may explain the beneficial effect of arginase inhibition and L-arginine supplement on endothelial dysfunction under redox imbalance-dependent pathophysiological conditions.
15-Hydroxy-11 alpha,9 alpha-(epoxymethano)prosta-5,13-dienoic Acid ; Acetylcholine ; Arginase* ; Arginine ; Blotting, Western ; Endothelium ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells ; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester ; Nitric Oxide ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III* ; Oxidation-Reduction ; Peroxynitrous Acid ; Phosphorylation* ; Reactive Oxygen Species

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Pregnancy*

BACKGROUND: To evaluate whether Staphylococcus aureus is actually the leading cause of infective endocarditis in Korea, investigation on updated clinical pictures, treatments, and prognosis was performed. This study also aims to describe differences in clinical characteristics of infective endocarditis in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty five patients who were diagnosed with infective endocarditis, using modified Duke criteria, at 4 Soon Chun Hyang University Hospitals (located in Seoul, Bucheon, Cheonan, and Gumi) from January of 2000 to June of 2007 were enrolled. Patients were separated into two groups; those on hemodialysis and those who were not on hemodialysis (control group). Medical records and laboratory results of each patient were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: The positive rate of blood culture was 72.7%. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated in 38.2% of the patients, making it the most common causative organism of infective endocarditis. It was also the most common organism in both hemodialysis group and non-hemodialysis group. Six patients (10.9%) died while admitted to the hospital and the in-hospital death rate for hemodialysis group was significantly higher. CONCLUSION: In most parts of the world, S. aureus is increasingly becoming the principal causative organism of infective endocarditis. To our knowledge, this is the first study that shows S. aureus to be the most common causative organism of infective endocarditis in Korea, and that Korea is not except from this global epidemiology.
Endocarditis ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Korea ; Medical Records ; Prognosis ; Renal Dialysis ; Retrospective Studies ; Staphylococcus ; Staphylococcus aureus

BACKGROUND: To evaluate whether Staphylococcus aureus is actually the leading cause of infective endocarditis in Korea, investigation on updated clinical pictures, treatments, and prognosis was performed. This study also aims to describe differences in clinical characteristics of infective endocarditis in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty five patients who were diagnosed with infective endocarditis, using modified Duke criteria, at 4 Soon Chun Hyang University Hospitals (located in Seoul, Bucheon, Cheonan, and Gumi) from January of 2000 to June of 2007 were enrolled. Patients were separated into two groups; those on hemodialysis and those who were not on hemodialysis (control group). Medical records and laboratory results of each patient were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: The positive rate of blood culture was 72.7%. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated in 38.2% of the patients, making it the most common causative organism of infective endocarditis. It was also the most common organism in both hemodialysis group and non-hemodialysis group. Six patients (10.9%) died while admitted to the hospital and the in-hospital death rate for hemodialysis group was significantly higher. CONCLUSION: In most parts of the world, S. aureus is increasingly becoming the principal causative organism of infective endocarditis. To our knowledge, this is the first study that shows S. aureus to be the most common causative organism of infective endocarditis in Korea, and that Korea is not except from this global epidemiology.
Endocarditis ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Korea ; Medical Records ; Prognosis ; Renal Dialysis ; Retrospective Studies ; Staphylococcus ; Staphylococcus aureus

No abstract available.
Amniocentesis* ; Cytogenetics*

Spontaneous pregnancy in Turner's syndrome is very rare because of ovarian dysgenesis and subsequent streak gonads. Recently we experienced 3 cases of pregnancies and deliveries in Turner's syndrome, so we report with a brief review of literature.
Gonads ; Mosaicism ; Pregnancy* ; Turner Syndrome*