OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess toxicities of cryoprotectants. METHODS: Toxicities of two cryoprotectants, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and 1,2-propanediol (PROH), were investigated using a murine embryo model. Female F-1 mice were stimulated with gonadotropin, induced ovulation with hCG and mated. Two cell embryos were collected and cultured after exposure to either DMSO or PROH. Embryo development was evaluated up to the blastocyst stage. Blastocysts were stained with bis-benzimide to evaluate the cell count and with terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP nick labeling (TUNEL) to assess apoptosis. RESULTS: The total cell count of blastocysts that were treated with DMSO at the 2-cell stage was significantly lower than that were treated with PROH (75.9+/-27.0) or the control (99.0+/-18.3) (p<0.001). On comparison of two cryoprotectant treated groups, the DMSO treated group showed a decreased cell count compared with the PROH treated group (p<0.05). Both DMSO (14.2+/-1.5) and PROH (11.2+/-1.4) treated groups showed higher apoptosis rates of cells in the blastocyst compared with the control (6.2+/-0.9, p<0.0001). In addition, the DMSO treated group showed more apoptotic cells than the PROH treated group (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The potential toxicity of cryoprotectants was uncovered by prolonged exposure of murine embryos to either DMSO or PROH at room temperature. When comparing two cryoprotective agents, PROH appeared to be less toxic than DMSO at least in a murine embryo model.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Blastocyst ; Cell Count ; Cryoprotective Agents ; Dimethyl Sulfoxide ; DNA Nucleotidylexotransferase ; Embryonic Development* ; Embryonic Structures* ; Female ; Gonadotropins ; Humans ; Mice ; Ovulation ; Pregnancy ; Propylene Glycol

PURPOSE: Cervical cancer can be prevented by regular cervical screening. Embarrassment has been reported as one important barrier to cervical screening uptake. The absence of appropriate instrumentation, however, has limited our understanding of the links between embarrassment and health care outcomes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate psychometric attributes of the uterine cervical cancer screening embarrassment questionnaire. METHODS: A convenience sample for field study was recruited from four gynecological clinics in Gyeongju, Korea. Within a cross-sectional descriptive design, 339 women who had cervical screening completed self-administered measures of embarrassment including a visual analogue, general medical embarrassment, dispositional embarrassment, and Pap smear related negative emotion. RESULTS: Rasch analysis of items demonstrated the evidence of one-dimensional construct and good 7-point rating scales functioning. Factor analysis revealed that uterine cervical cancer screening embarrassment was comprised of two domains-bodily manifestations and perceiving an undesirable social face. Construct validity was demonstrated by a high subscale-to-subscale correlation. Convergent and discriminant validity was evidenced by significant correlations with a 100 mm VAS scale, general medical embarrassment, and Pap smear related negative emotion. Known-group validity was established by comparing women with high versus low trait embarrassment. Both two sub-scales and overall scale demonstrated good internal reliability. CONCLUSION: The Uterine uterine cervical cancer screening questionnaire is a reliable and valid instrument suited to assessing the manifestations of embarrassment during screening. The use of instrument can be extended to understand the client's embarrassment undergoing health examinations which require the exposure of their private parts.
Delivery of Health Care ; Early Detection of Cancer ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Mass Screening ; Psychometrics ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; Weights and Measures

Thirty-six females and 1 male of Aedes bekkui were captured at human bait in Kyungki Province, Korea Republic, in June 1987. This is the 1st time the species has been recorded from that country. Notes on the taxonomic diagnosis of adults and larvae are given.
parasitology-arthropoda ; Aedes bekkui ; taxonomy

Background and Objectives: Real-world clinical data, outside of clinical trials and expert centers, on adverse events related to the use of SyncCardia total artificial heart (TAH) remain limited. We aim to analyze adverse events related to the use of SynCardia TAH reported to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s Manufacturers and User Defined Experience (MAUDE) database. Methods: We reviewed the FDA’s MAUDE database for any adverse events involving the use of SynCardia TAH from 1/01/2012 to 9/30/2020. All the events were independently reviewed by three physicians. Results: A total of 1,512 adverse events were identified in 453 “injury and death” reports in the MAUDE database. The most common adverse events reported were infection (20.2%) and device malfunction (20.1%). These were followed by bleeding events (16.5%), respiratory failure (10.1%), cerebrovascular accident (CVA)/other neurological dysfunction (8.7%), renal dysfunction (7.5%), hepatic dysfunction (2.2%), thromboembolic events (1.8%), pericardial effusion (1.8%), and hemolysis (1%). Death was reported in 49.4% of all the reported cases (n=224/453).The most common cause of death was multiorgan failure (n=73, 32.6%), followed by CVA/other non-specific neurological dysfunction (n=44, 19.7%), sepsis (n=24, 10.7%), withdrawal of support (n=20, 8.9%), device malfunction (n=11, 4.9%), bleeding (n=7, 3.1%), respiratory failure (n=7, 3.1%), gastrointestinal disorder (n=6, 2.7%), and cardiomyopathy (n=3, 1.3%). Conclusions Infection was the most common adverse event following the implantation of TAH. Most of the deaths reported were due to multiorgan failure. Early recognition and management of any possible adverse events after the TAH implantation are essential to improve the procedural outcome and patient survival.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to examine cognitive dysfunctions in positive and negative schizophrenic patients and investigate the effect of tardive dyskinesia on cognitive dysfunctions in them. METHODS: Thirty two schizophrenic patients with tardive dyskinesia and thirty two schizophrenic patients without tardive dyskinesia as a control group were selected some psychiatric inpatients at a lunatic asylum and the cognitive dysfunctions of these patients were assessd with some neuropsychological tests including KWIS test, Grooved Pegboard test, Trail making test A and B, Wisconsin card sorting test, and Wechsler memory scale test. From these patients, we classified eighteen schizophrenic patients as a positive syndrome group and twenty five patients as a negative syndrome group with positive and negative syndrome scale and compared the results of neuropsychological tests between these two groups. RESULTS: Patients without tardivc dyskinesia showed better performances than those with tardive dyskinesia on picture completion subtest of KWIS. Positive schizophrenic patients showed better performances than negative schizophrenic patients on comprehension subtest of KWIS and trail making test A. CONCLUSION: Negative schizophrenic patients showed frontal lobe dyfunction and more memory impairment than positive schizophrenic patients. In conclusion, negative syndrome of schizophrenia is significantly associated with cognitive dysfunctions although tardive dyskinesia is not.
Comprehension ; Dyskinesias ; Frontal Lobe ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Memory ; Movement Disorders* ; Neuropsychological Tests ; Schizophrenia ; Trail Making Test ; Wisconsin

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Following the positive results from recent trials on endovascular therapy (EVT), bridging therapy (intravenous alteplase plus EVT) is increasingly being used for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke. However, the optimal dose of intravenous alteplase remains unknown in centers where bridging therapy is actively performed. The optimal dose for eventual recanalization and positive clinical outcomes in patients receiving bridging therapy also remains unknown. METHODS: In this prospective Enhanced Control of Hypertension and Thrombolysis Stroke Study (ENCHANTED) sub-study, we explored the outcomes following treatment with two different doses (low- [0.6 mg/kg] or standard-dose [0.9 mg/kg]) of intravenous alteplase across 12 Korean centers where EVT is actively performed. The primary endpoint was a favorable outcome at 90 days (modified Rankin Scale scores 0 to 1). Secondary endpoints included symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in all patients, and the recanalization rate and favorable outcome in patients who underwent cerebral angiography for EVT (ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01422616). RESULTS: Of 351 patients, the primary outcome occurred in 46% of patients in both the standard-(80/173) and low-dose (81/178) groups (odds ratio [OR], 1.14; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.72 to 1.81; P=0.582), although ICHs tended to occur more frequently in the standard-dose group (8% vs. 3%, P=0.056). Of the 67 patients who underwent cerebral angiography, there was no significant difference in favorable functional outcome between the standard- and low-dose groups (39% vs. 21%; OR, 2.39; 95% CI, 0.73 to 7.78; P=0.149). CONCLUSIONS: There was no difference in functional outcome between the patients receiving different doses of alteplase in centers actively performing bridging therapy.
Cerebral Angiography ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; Cerebral Infarction ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Intracranial Hemorrhages ; Prospective Studies ; Stroke ; Thrombectomy ; Tissue Plasminogen Activator

Background: We investigated the association between geographic proximity to hospitals and the administration rate of reperfusion therapy for acute ischemic stroke. Methods: We identified patients with acute ischemic stroke who visited the hospital within 12 hours of symptom onset from a prospective nationwide multicenter stroke registry. Reperfusion therapy was classified as intravenous thrombolysis (IVT), endovascular therapy (EVT), or combined therapy. The association between the proportion of patients who were treated with reperfusion therapy and the ground transport time was evaluated using a spline regression analysis adjusted for patient-level characteristics. We also estimated the proportion of Korean population that lived within each 30-minute incremental service area from 67 stroke centers accredited by the Korean Stroke Society. Results: Of 12,172 patients (mean age, 68 ± 13 years; men, 59.7%) who met the eligibility criteria, 96.5% lived within 90 minutes of ground transport time from the admitting hospital. The proportion of patients treated with IVT decreased significantly when stroke patients lived beyond 90 minutes of the transport time (P = 0.006). The proportion treated with EVT also showed a similar trend with the transport time. Based on the residential area, 98.4% of Korean population was accessible to 67 stroke centers within 90 minutes. Conclusion The use of reperfusion therapy for acute stroke decreased when patients lived beyond 90 minutes of the ground transport time from the hospital. More than 95% of the South Korean population was accessible to 67 stroke centers within 90 minutes of the ground transport time.