PURPOSE: Recent studies suggest that the symptomatic improvement in benign prostatic hyperplasia significantly related with transition zone volume (TZV). The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical significance of TZV and transition zone index (TZI) in changes of prostate volume (PV) and clinical parameters following finasteride therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 140 patients over 50 years of age with symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia were treated with finasteride (5mg/d) for 12 months and underwent transrectal ultrasound evaluation of PV and TZV prior to initiating therapy and after 12 months. Patients were grouped according to the results of PV (> OR =40ml or <40ml), TZI (> OR =0.45 or <0.45) and PSA level (> OR =2.5 or <2.5). The responders was determined as improvement in peak flow rate more than 3mL/sec. RESULTS: PV decreased by 14.11% in patients with TZI less than 0.45, while the decrease was 19.25% for men with TZI greater than 0.45 (p<0.01). In addition, PV was significantly decreased by 16.72% in patients with PV less than 40cc and TZI greater than 0.45 (p<0.01). PV decreased by 17.37% in patients with PSA less than 2.5, while the decrease was 18.92% in men with PSA greater than 2.5. In responders, only TZI was significantly different among PSA, PV and TZI (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Treatment effect of finasteride on symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia patients was increased in proportion to enlarged PV, increased TZI, increased PSA. TZI was a useful proxy for predicting clinical outcomes in initiating finasteride therapy on benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Finasteride* ; Humans ; Male ; Prostate ; Prostatic Hyperplasia* ; Proxy ; Ultrasonography

Clear cell chondrosarcoma, first described by Unni in 1976, is distinguished from classical chondrosarcoma by a typical histological picture, mostly an epiphyseal site of origin, and relatively a benign clinical course. We present a case of clear cell chondrosarcoma arising from hyoid bone in a 70-year-old male. Histologically, large areas of closely packed cells with characteristic clear cytoplasm were seen in addition to the usual elements of a conventional chondrosarcoma. Our search and review of the literature did not reveal any reported case of clear cell chondrosarcoma arising from hyoid bone.
Aged ; Chondrosarcoma* ; Cytoplasm ; Humans ; Hyoid Bone* ; Male

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyze factors affecting burnout among clinical nurses according to Positive Psychological Capital. METHODS: The study design was a descriptive survey and questionnaires were collected from 412 clinical nurses who worked in a general hospital in "J" city. Data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, independent t-test, One-way ANOVA, Scheffe test, Pearson Correlation, and hierarchical multiple regression. RESULTS: In Model individual characteristics accounted for 27.8% of the influence on burnout. In model II with the addition of the 4 factors; Self-efficacy, Hope, Resilience, Optimism, individual characteristics accounted for 48.5% of the influence on burnout. Optimism and Resilience of the Positive Psychological Capital sub-variables were statistically useful as factors influencing burnout. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that it is necessary to develop active human resource management and educational programs to decrease burnout and strengthen the Positive Psychological Capital of the nurses.
Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVE: Since IVF program was first established, various types of media and culture systems have been developed either in-house or commercially. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of in-house Maria Research Center (MRC) media to that of commercially available Sydney IVF media in human day 3 embryo transfer cycles. METHODS: Three hundred sixty nine couples were included in this prospective, randomized, and comparative study. All couples undergoing IVF treatment at the Maria Fertility Hospital were randomly assigned to either Sydney IVF (n=178) or MRC (n=191) media. RESULTS: No difference was observed between the MRC media and Sydney IVF media groups with respect to fertilization rate (74.4% vs. 75.5%). The clinical pregnancy and implantation rates of MRC media (47.1% and 20.0%, respectively) were also similar to those of Sydney IVF media (44.4% and 19.4%, respectively). However, the proportion of embryos with good quality on day 3 was significantly higher in the MRC media group than the Sydney IVF media group (50.2% vs. 43.2%) (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: MRC media were as effective as Sydney IVF media for sustaining embryo development and pregnancy rates. The present study implies that MRC media can be a suitable alternative to commercially available media for human IVF-ET program.
Embryo Transfer ; Embryonic Development ; Embryonic Structures ; Family Characteristics ; Female ; Fertility ; Fertilization ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Rate ; Prospective Studies

PURPOSE: Ineffective communication between healthcare professionals leads to medical errors and puts patients at risk of harm. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of interdisciplinary communication training in simulated settings on self-confidence in communication, observed communication behavior, and technical skill performances of nursing students. METHODS: A repeated measures design with one group was conducted. Data was collected from 92 nursing students through a self-administered questionnaire and an observed behavior checklist. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics, a paired t-test, the Wilcoxon signed rank test, the Friedmann test, a Repeated Measures ANOVA, and the Spearman correlation coefficient. RESULTS: Self-confidence in communication, observed Identification-Situation-Background-Assessment-Recommendation-Read Back communication behavior, and technical skill performances of nursing students were significantly improved. In observed communication behavior, the performance of Assessment and Read Back communication significantly improved. However, communication of Background, Assessment, and Recommendation did not improve to a satisfactory level. Observed communication behavior was not correlated with the overall technical skill performance. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that interdisciplinary communication training in simulated settings was effective in improving nursing students' confidence and communication skills with physicians. Longitudinal studies with larger samples are recommended in order to verify the effects of interdisciplinary communication training on clinical outcomes as well as communication competence.
Checklist ; Clinical Competence ; Delivery of Health Care ; Humans ; Interdisciplinary Communication* ; Longitudinal Studies ; Medical Errors ; Mental Competency ; Nursing* ; Simulation Training ; Statistics as Topic ; Students, Nursing*

Cell Adhesion Molecule(CAM) is a cell surface glycoprotein that plays an important role in many inflammatory reaction. This is responsible for the migration and accumulation of different populations of leukocyte in inflamed tissues. To investigate the relevance of CAM expression to giant papillary conjunctivitis associated with type I and/or type IV hypersensitivity, the histology of conjunctival giant papillae from patients with papillary conjunctivitis was examined with light microscopy and using indirect immunofluorescent staining method with monoclonal antibodies against the ICAM-1, VCAM-1, and CD44. The infiltrates of the inflammatory cells such as eosinophil, basophil, plasma cell and lymphocyte were noted in conjunctival stroma by light microscopy. The ICAM-1, VCAM-1, and CD44 were expressed or upregulated in stroma and vascular wall by immunofluorescent method. These findings suggest that CAM may play a key role in the pathogenesis of giant papillary conjunctivitis. Further efforts to block or modulate the expression of CAMs may provide new therapeutic modalities in the treatment of conjunctival disease.
Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Basophils ; Cell Adhesion ; Conjunctival Diseases ; Conjunctivitis ; Conjunctivitis, Allergic* ; Eosinophils ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity, Delayed ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1* ; Leukocytes ; Lymphocytes ; Membrane Glycoproteins ; Microscopy ; Plasma Cells ; Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1*

OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to investigate whether fertilization could induce the resumption of meiosis in mouse oocytes arrested at metaphase I (MI) after in vitro maturation (IVM), and to investigate the effect of Ca²⁺ chelator treatment at the time of fertilization on the transition from MI to metaphase II (MII). METHODS: MII-stage and arrested MI-stage mouse oocytes after IVM were fertilized, and then embryonic development was monitored. Blastocysts from each group were transferred into 2.5 days post-coitum pseudo-pregnant ICR mice. MI oocytes after IVM were treated with a Ca²⁺ chelator to investigate the effect of Ca²⁺ oscillations on their maturation. RESULTS: As insemination time increased, the number of oocytes in the MI group that reached the MII stage also increased. The blastocyst rates and total cell numbers in the MII group were significantly higher than in the MI group. No pregnancy occurred in the MI group, but 10 pregnancies were achieved (10 of 12) in the MII group. The proportion of MI oocytes that matured to MII oocytes after fertilization was significantly higher in the non-treated group than in the Ca²⁺ chelator-treated group. CONCLUSION: The findings that a higher proportion of MI-arrested oocytes progressed to MII after fertilization and that the MI-to-MII transition was blocked by Ca2+ chelator treatments before fertilization indicate that the maturation of MI oocytes to MII oocytes is associated with intracellular Ca²⁺ oscillations driven by fertilization.
Animals ; Blastocyst ; Calcium Signaling ; Cell Count ; Embryonic Development ; Female ; Fertilization ; In Vitro Oocyte Maturation Techniques ; In Vitro Techniques* ; Insemination* ; Meiosis ; Metaphase* ; Mice* ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Oocytes* ; Pregnancy ; Spermatozoa*

We report herein an unusual case of tick bite. A 56 year old woman complained of erythematous nodular skin lesion on the left upper chest. An excision biopsy specimen of the lesion showed darkish-red nodule, in which there was a tick. It was identified as an adult female of Ixodes nipponensis by the scanning electron microscopic examination.
Adult ; Biopsy ; Female ; Humans ; Ixodes* ; Middle Aged ; Skin ; Thoracic Wall* ; Thorax* ; Tick Bites ; Tick Infestations* ; Ticks*

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not the shed endometrial tissues in menstrual fluid (MF) have adhesive potentials, using human amniotic membrane (AM). METHODS: The MF from 20 patients with regular menstruation was collected with Wallace catheter by aspiration from the uterine cavity on the second or third day of the menstrual period. The AM was obtained from the placenta of term delivery without any complication. The MF was washed and diluted fivefold with Hams F-10 medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum. The cell suspension was placed on either epithelial layer (EP) or extracellular matrix layer (ECM) of the AM. After 5 days of culture, the adhesion sites were observed under a stereomicroscope. For histological observation, each cultured AM was prepared for the serial paraffin section. RESULTS: The adhesion sites of endometrial tissues in MF were found both ECM (20/20) and EP (11/20) of the AM. The size of adhesion sites in each AM were highly variable from microscopic to macroscopic size. CONCLUSION: We found that the shed endometrial tissues in MF have adhesive potential to epithelial layer in addition to extracellular matrix layer of amniotic membrane. This adhesive potential may be related to pathogenesis of endometriosis. We suggest that this culture system can be useful as an in-vitro model for endometriosis.
Adhesives* ; Amnion* ; Catheters ; Endometriosis* ; Extracellular Matrix ; Female ; Humans ; Menstruation ; Paraffin ; Placenta

OBJECTIVES: It was aimed to observe the regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) response on methamphetamine challenge test in rats which were subjected to repeated administration of methamphetamine, and to investigate the mechanism(s) of changes in rCBF response in relation to the dopaminergic receptors and cyclic AMP. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats received daily injections of methamphetamine (0.3 mg/kg, i.p.) for 10 days, and were then allowed a 4-day drug-free period. Naive and methamphetamine-pretreated rats were challenged with topical application of methamphetamine on the surface of parietal cortex through a cranial window. The changes in rCBF were measured by laser-Doppler flowmetry. RESULTS: Acute topical application of methamphetamine dose-dependently increased rCBF with little effect on mean arterial blood pressure. The methamphetamine-induced increases in rCBF were significantly blocked by SCH23390, a D1-like receptor antagonist, but not by sulpiride, a D2-like receptor antagonist. Repeated administration of methamphetamine induced progressive augmentation of rCBF in response to the challenge of methamphetamine. Repeated administration of methamphetamine in combination with SKF38393, a D1-like receptor agonist, as well as with SCH23390 significantly attenuated the development of augmentation of rCBF response to methamphetamine. The augmentation of rCBF response was markedly inhibited by pretreatment with 2',3'-dideoxyadenosine, a specific adenylyl cyclase inhibitor, and Rp-cAMPS, a protein kinase A inhibitor, respectively. CONCLUSION: Based on these results, it is suggested that repeated administration of methamphetamine induces an augmentation of rCBF in response to the challenge of methamphetamine, and that D1-like receptor-mediated cyclic AMP plays a critical role in the development of augmentation of methamphetamine-induced rCBF response.
2,3,4,5-Tetrahydro-7,8-dihydroxy-1-phenyl-1H-3-benzazepine ; Adenylyl Cyclases ; Animals ; Arterial Pressure ; Cyclic AMP ; Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases ; Dideoxyadenosine ; Humans ; Laser-Doppler Flowmetry ; Male ; Methamphetamine* ; Rabeprazole ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sulpiride