No abstract available.
Urinary Bladder* ; Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide*

OBJECTIVEs: Cytogenetic investigations were carried out on 770 women with primary (n=560) and secondary amenorrhea (n=210) to determine the frequency of chromosomal or genetic causes of amenorrhea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 770 women with primary amenorrhea (n=560) and secondary amenorrhea (n=210), chromosomal analysis were performed. RESULTS: 1) The most prevalent age group is 16-20 years of age group with primary amenorrhea and 26-30 years of age group with secondary amenorrhea. 2) Out of 560 cases of primary amenorrhea, 343 cases (61.3%) had the normal chromosome constitution and 217 cases (38.7%) had the abnormal chromosome constitution including 46,XY. 3) In 217 cases of abnormal chromosome of primary amenorrhea, 57 cases (26.3%) had 45,X and 34 cases (15.8%) had the 46,XY, 24 cases (11.0%) had 45,X/46,X,i (Xq), 23 cases (10.6%) had 45,X/46,X,+mar and 14 cases (6.6%) had 45,X/46,XY. 4) Out of 210 cases of secondary amenorrhea, 181 cases (86.2%) had the normal chromosome constitution and 29 cases (13.8%) had 45,X/46,XX. CONCLUSION: High percentage of chromosomal abnormalities was diagnosed in primary amenorrhea and most of them were sex chromosome anomalies. In secondary amenorrhea, the prevalence was lower than primary amenorrhea, so a preselection of patients with secondary amenorrhea for cytogenetic investigations seems to be necessary.
Amenorrhea* ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Constitution and Bylaws ; Cytogenetics* ; Female ; Humans ; Prevalence ; Sex Chromosomes

No abstract available.
Factor VIII* ; Prevalence*

No abstract available.
Antigens, CD4*

Vibrio vulnificus infection is one of the most fatal diseases in Korea. This study was undertaken to determine the cellular fatty acid (CFA) compositions of ninety-five clinical strains of V. vulnificus isolated from Korea during 1985-1995. We compared these results with the CFA profile of V. vulnificus in the Microbial Identification System (MIS) (CLIN library version 3.9; Microbial ID Inc., Newark, Del.), and also evaluated the MIS ability to identify V. vulnificus. Subgrouping of V. vulnificus by CFA analysis was performed and its results were compared with those of serotyping. Most of the CFAs in V. vulnificus strains were similar to the CFA profile of V. vulnificus in the MIS, but some distinctive differences were observed. First, means of two major CFAs, 16:0 and 16:1w7c, were 22.16% and 18.26% in this study, but 23.52% and 25.44% in the MIS respectively. Second, all isolates had 11:Oiso3OH, which was not present in the MIS. Eighty-five strains (89.5%) disclosed the first choice identification of V. vulnificus by the MIS, but only two strains (2.1%) were identified with SI values of 0.6. Remaining ten strains (10.5%) showed 'NO MATCH' results. Cluster analysis of CFA could separate V. vulnificus into nine subgroups, and predominant subgroups were subgroup VII (45 strains) and V (36 strains). There was heterogeny between subgroups by CFA and serotypes of V. vulnificus. The strains of 04 serotype which accounted for 80% (76/95) of the isolates were distributed into six different subgroups such as VII (40 strains), V (27 strains), III (4 strains), I (2 strains) and VI (1 strain). These showed that V. vulnificus strains isolated from Korea had different characteristics in the CFA composition in comparison with the MIS V. vulnificus library. Subgrouping by the CFA analysis might be a useful tool for the epidemiological study of V. vulnificus infection in Korea.
Korea* ; Serotyping ; Vibrio vulnificus* ; Vibrio*

The purpose of this pilot study was to identify the effects of hand moxibustion therapy to decrease pain and relieve coldness of the body in women who had a hysterectomy. The conceptual framework of this study was derived from Ying-Yang, Khi and other corresponding theories. The data were collected from February to May 1997. A Graphic Rating scale was used to measure the degree of pain and Digital Infrared Thermographic Imaging(D.I.T.I) was used to examine the degree of coldness. The subjects were women who resided in Seoul and had a hysterectomy within five years. An experimental group was composed of five women who received moxibustion and a control group was composed of five who did not. The research procedure began with having both the experimental group and control group describe their general characteristics and the degree of pain they perceived. Then, Digital Infrared Thermographic Imaging(D.I.T.I) was conducted. Moxibustion was only given to the experimental group on both hands twice every day for a total of five weeks. Their perception of pain and D.I.T.I were examined weekly. The control group received no therapy. After finishing therapy, the perception of pain and D.I.T.I for both groups were also measured. According to this study, moxibustion therapy resulted in a change of body temperature on the right shoulder joint(p=0.00074), abdomen(p= 0.0047), waist(p=0.0068) and hands(p=0.0317) respectively. Also, the study results showed significant decrease (p=0.0001) in pain over time and significant improvement over body coldness.
Body Temperature ; Female ; Hand* ; Humans ; Hysterectomy* ; Moxibustion* ; Pilot Projects ; Seoul ; Shoulder

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this investigation is to determine the frequency of chromosomal or genetic causes of recurrent spontaneous abortion. METHODS : A cytogenetic study was made in of 921 couples for 13 years from January 1984 to December 1997 in which the woman was ascertained to have had two or more spontaneous abortions at our Cytogenetic Laboratory, Institute of Reproductive Medicine and Population, Seoul National University. RESULTS : The overall incidence of chromosome anomaly was 80 out of 921 (8.7%). There were 34 cases (3.69%) of reciprocal balanced translocation and 13 cases (1.41%) of Robertsonian translocation. Also 17 cases (1.85%) of inversion and 5 cases (0.54%) of X chromosome mosiacism was observed. In the case of reciprocal balanced translocation, chromosome 8,6,7,13 were preferentially involved over others. And in the case of Robertsonian translocation, chromosome 13 was preferentially involved. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates that cytogenetic analysis is indicated in couples with 2 or more spontaneous abortion and about half of these disorders are reciprocal balanced or Robertsonian translocations.
Abortion, Spontaneous* ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 13 ; Cytogenetic Analysis ; Cytogenetics* ; Family Characteristics ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Pregnancy ; Reproductive Medicine ; Seoul ; X Chromosome

No abstract available.
Cell Count* ; HIV* ; Humans

Neutrophils are important effector cells against protozoan extracellular parasite Entamoeba histolytica, which causes amoebic colitis and liver abscess in human beings. Apoptotic cell death of neutrophils is an important event in the resolution of inflammation and parasite's survival in vivo. This study was undertaken to investigate the ultrastructural aspects of apoptotic cells during neutrophil death triggered by Entamoeba histolytica. Isolated human neutrophils from the peripheral blood were incubated with or without live trophozoites of E. histolytica and examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Neutrophils incubated with E. histolytica were observed to show apoptotic characteristics, such as compaction of the nuclear chromatin and swelling of the nuclear envelop. In contrast, neutrophils incubated in the absence of the amoeba had many protrusions of irregular cell surfaces and heterogenous nuclear chromatin. Therefore, it is suggested that Entamoeba-induced neutrophil apoptosis contribute to prevent unwanted tissue inflammation and damage in the amoeba-invaded lesions in vivo.
Animals ; Apoptosis/*physiology ; Entamoeba histolytica/*physiology ; Host-Parasite Relations/physiology ; Humans ; In Vitro ; Neutrophils/physiology/*ultrastructure ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

No abstract available.
46, XX Disorders of Sex Development* ; Adrenal Hyperplasia, Congenital* ; Female* ; Humans