No abstract available.
Embryonic Structures* ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Tubal*

PURPOSE: To determine the efficacy of CarnitilR (acetylcarnitine, Hanmi, Korea) therapy in idiopathic oligoasthenospermic men. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-four subfertile men with abnormal semen parameters were treated between March, 2003 and March, 2004 with 3 g of CarnitilR daily for 3 months. Changes in semen parameters were evaluated 3 months after this therapy. RESULTS: The mean age was 34.2 years and the mean follow-up duration was 3.7 months. In asthenospemic patients (n=28), semen analysis before and after CarnitilR treatment showed an increase in volume (2.64+/-1.65 ml vs. 3.10+/-1.60 ml), motility (35.1+/-17.7% vs. 45.9+/-20.4%) and viability (51.4+/-20.3% vs. 59.3+/-13.6%) respectively. In oligoasthenospermic patients (n=16), semen analysis before and after CarnitilR treatment showed an increase in sperm count (10.7+/-54.4 million/ml vs. 38.4+/-32.5 million/ml) respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggested that in idiopathic oligoasthenospermic men the empirical medical therapy with acetylcarnitine may be considered as primary treatment.
Acetylcarnitine* ; Carnitine ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; Male ; Semen ; Semen Analysis ; Sperm Count

We experienced a case of primary hepatic actinomycosis which was initially diagnosed by means of fine needle aspiration. The patient was a 31-year-old emaciated man with a 2-month history of 10 kg weight loss, right upper quadrant pain and flank pain. The liver was palpable and tender on physical examination. Computerized tomography scan of the liver showed two ill-defined hypodense masses in gallbladder fossa and inferior pole of right lobe. Hepatocellular carcinoma was clinically suspected. A CT-guided fine needle aspiration was performed. Microscopically, smears showed numerous radiating clusters of filamentous bacteria with many neutrophils and monocytes in necrotic background. The symptoms were improved by incision and drainage and massive administration of penicillin.
Actinomycosis ; Adult ; Bacteria ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Breast ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Diverticulum* ; Drainage ; Fibroadenoma ; Flank Pain ; Gallbladder ; Humans ; Infarction ; Liver ; Monocytes ; Neutrophils ; Penicillins ; Physical Examination ; Vesico-Ureteral Reflux* ; Weight Loss

BACKGROUND: Malignant thyroid tumors may mimic the clinical symptoms and signs of a non-malignant tumor in the early course of the disease. The choice of the treatment modality for a thyroid tumor can be based on exact interpretation of FNAC (fine needle aspiration cytology) and frozen section. METHODS: We have experienced 237 cases of thyroid tumors during the past ten years at St. Columban hospital. From September 1988 to August 1998, subjects were selected and a retrospective study was done. RESULTS: (1) Of the 237 cases in this study, 194 had non-malignant lesions and 43 had malignant lesions, a ratio of 4.5:1. (2) The female to male ratio was 9.2:1 with non-malignant lesions (female: 195/male: 19) and 9.8:1 with malignant lesions (female: 39/male: 4). (3) The age distribution was the 4th to the 6th decades, regardless of the nature of the lesions. (4) The duration of disease was within 3 months with 42.2% of subjects, and 71.8% of subjects came within first year of disease, regardless of the nature of lesions. (5) Thyroid function tests showed no abnormality with most of the patients, regardless of the nature of lesions. (6) Fine needle aspiration cytology biopsy showed a sensitivity of 32.7%, a specificity of 100%, and an accuracy of 90.8%, and revealed preoperative diagnostic validity. (7) Ultrasonography of the neck, showed a sensitivity of 32.7%, a specificity of 88.1%, and an accuracy of 77.4%, and had no diagnostic value. (8) With benign lesions, adenomatous goiters were most common (96 cases), and with malignant lesions papillary carcinomas were predominant (36 cases). CONCLUSIONS: FNAC and frozen section are valuable preoperative and intraoperative diagnostic tool for thyroid tumors.
Age Distribution ; Biopsy ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Carcinoma, Papillary ; Female ; Frozen Sections ; Goiter ; Humans ; Male ; Neck ; Needles ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Thyroid Function Tests ; Thyroid Gland* ; Ultrasonography

No abstract available.
Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic* ; Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory*

Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine the correlation between school-life adjustment and suicidal ideation in adolescents by applying the latent growth curve models to the longitudinal data. Methods: This study analyzed three waves of data from the Korean Children & Youth Panel Survey (2014~2016). A total of 1,534 students were included in the analysis. In the application of the latent growth curve models to the longitudinal survey data, we analyzed the initial status and growth changes for each wave, identified individual differences in the general characteristics, and examined the direct relationship between the two latent constructs. Results: The analysis revealed that variations in the initial status and rate of school-life adjustment were significant with respect to parents’ education level, household income and academic satisfaction. Variations in the initial status and growth rate of suicidal ideation were significantly associated with household income and family structure. The relationship between school-life adjustment and suicidal ideation showed a negative correlation in which the starting value of the former increased and that of the latter decreased and vice versa. Conclusion The results confirmed that school-life adjustment and suicidal ideation varied according to students' general characteristics. In addition, school-life adjustment was negatively correlated with suicidal ideation, thereby highlighting students' ability to adjust as an important factor influencing their suicidal thinking.

In order to see whether the binocular patching with cycloplegia improves the prognosis in the treatmet of traumatic hyphema, we studied prospectively 77 patients with nonperforating traumatic hyphema who were admitted and treated at the Chonnam University Hospital between January 1994 and July 1995. We analyzed the clearance time of blood clot in the anterior chamber, the incidence of rebleeding and the final visual acuity. The patients were divided into four groups : group I, of 17 patients treated by monocular patching ; group II, of 19 patients treated by monocular patching with cycloplegia ; group III, of 20 patients treated by absolute bed rest with binocular patching ; group IV, of 21 patients treated by absolute bed rest with binocular patching and cycloplegia. The average clearance time of blood clot was 7.4 days in group I, 7.4 days in group II, 6.9 days in group III and 7.5 days in group IV. The incidence of rebleeding was 5.8% (n=1) in group I, 10.5% (n=2) in group II, 0% (n=0) in group III, 14.3% (n=3) in group IV. The final visual acuity of 0.6 or better was achieved in 10 patients (58.8%) of group I, 13 patients (68.4%) of group II, 13 patients (65.0%) of group III, 14 patients (66.7%) of group IV. In the treatment of traumatic hyphema, binocular and monocular groups as well as cycloplegic and non-cycloplegic groups showed no significant difference from each other in the clearance time of blood clot, incidence of rebleeding and the final visual acuity.
Anterior Chamber ; Bed Rest ; Humans ; Hyphema* ; Incidence ; Jeollanam-do ; Prognosis ; Prospective Studies ; Telescopes ; Visual Acuity

No abstract available.
Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic* ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular*

BACKGROUND: The present study was performed to elicit what effect nalbuphine would have on isoflurane MAC (minimum alveolar concentration) in the patients undergoing lower abdominal surgery. METHODS: Sixty-two women were randomly allocated to one of five study groups to receive an intravenous injection of no nalbuphine (group I), 0.25 mg/kg (group II), 0.5 mg/kg (group III), 1.0 mg/kg (group IV), 1.5 mg/kg (group V). Anesthesia and tracheal intubation were induced with propofol 2 mg/kg, succinylcholine 1 mg/kg. Patients were inhaled at a preset end-tidal concentration of isoflurane, which was maintained for 20 min. Response to skin incision, movement or no movement, was determined 30 minutes after nalbuphine injection. The isoflurane concentration of the next patient in the same group moved up or down in steps of 0.1~0.3%, according to the previous patient's response. MAC was determined using the "up-down" method and logistic regression. RESULTS: The MAC's of isoflurane were 1.09 vol% end-tidal in the control group, 0.89 vol% in group II, 0.65 vol% in group III, 0.55 vol% in group IV, and 0.51 vol% in group V. CONCLUSIONS: It would be suggested that nalbuphine dose-dependently reduce the isoflurane MAC, and have ceiling effect on the reduction of isoflurane MAC.
Anesthesia ; Female ; Humans ; Injections, Intravenous ; Intubation ; Isoflurane* ; Logistic Models ; Nalbuphine* ; Propofol ; Skin ; Succinylcholine

Anticancer effect of methanol extract of Caesalpinia sappan L. on oral carcinoma (KB) and osteosarcoma (HOS) cells were investigated in this study. In order to elucidate the anticancer mechanism of Caesalpinia sappan L, we analyzed telomerase inhibitory effect of the methanol extract of Caesalpinia sappan L. In addition we prepared 5 fraction samples according to its polarity differences and analyzed anticancer effects on oral carcinoma and osteosarcoma cells. Following results are obtained in this study. 1. 50% cell proliferation inhibitory value (IC50) of the methanol extract of Caesalpinia sappan L. against oral carcinoma (KB) cells and osteosarcoma (HOS) cells were 9.0 microgram/ml and 10.9 microgram/ml, respectively. 2. The methanol extract of Caesalpinia sappan L. showed inhibitory effect of telomerase which is required for cancer cell immortality. Therefore, it seems that the anticancer effect of methanol extract of Caesalpinia sappan is at least partially due to telomerase inhibitory effect. 3. Five fraction samples were prepared according to its polarity and 88.7% of ingredient of total methanol extract was transferred to ethylacetate fraction. Thin layer chromatography analysis showed that dichloromethane fraction contained ingredient with relatively high polarity and ethylacetate fraction contained similar ingredient found in total methanol extract. 4. Anticancer effect was observed in n-hexane, dichloromethane, and ethylacetate fractions. The highest anticancer effect was found in dichloromethane fraction which had IC50 value of 4.4 and>4.0 microgram/ml against oral carcinoma (KB) cells and osteosarcoma (HOS) cells, respectively.
Caesalpinia* ; Cell Proliferation ; Chromatography, Thin Layer ; Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; Methanol ; Methylene Chloride ; Osteosarcoma* ; Telomerase