Cell growth rate and the secretion of ectopin hormones such as human chorionic gonadotropin(hCG), free beta-subunit and beta core fragment of hCG, were measured in the culture media with various serum concentrations from ovarian carcinoma cell lines, Bixler and Bix2NMB. The concentrations of fetal bovine serum contained in the culture media that showed the most active cell growth and hormone secretion were investigated to decide the best optimal serum concentration as one of the appropriate culture conditions in the experiment using cell culture. Ovarian concer cells were not able to proliferate in the media without serum. Cells proliferated more actively in higher concentration of serum. They secreted more hormone according to the increment of confluency as long as they secreted hormone. These findings suggest that serum is essential for surviving and cellular activity of cancer cells. The selection of the optimal serum concentration of culture media is very important to get appropriate data from the experiments which use cell culture technique. It is considered that we must have the knowledge on the most efficient concentration of serum in the culture media or on the exact percentage of serum in the media that matched to that of in vivo.
Cell Culture Techniques ; Cell Line ; Chorion ; Chorionic Gonadotropin* ; Culture Media* ; Humans* ; Ovarian Neoplasms*

No abstract available.
Amniotic Fluid* ; Female ; Humans ; Obstetric Labor, Premature* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate achievements of a community health center for vulnerable population in urban areas and to find out its strength and weakness. METHOD: This evaluative study employed system theories and analytic techniques. RESULTS: The purpose of improving vulnerable population's health-related self-care abilities adequately met the operation of programs. This center maintained close connection to a nursing college as a information resource. The subjects' satisfaction was high because team members who visited them were faithful and there were face-to-face contact, sufficient time set, closeness and resourcefulness. There were needs for regular meetings to discuss overall matters in organizing the program and to improve management skills. The mean score of health promotion lifestyle was 2.23 on a 4 point scale. This score indicates what in higher than vulnerable people in other communities. CONCLUSIONS: Community-based nursing centers for vulnerable population in urban areas should be developed as support organizations and community network.
Community Health Centers* ; Community Networks ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Life Style ; Nursing ; Self Care ; Vulnerable Populations*

PURPOSE: To investigate the relationship between the smart devices usage-related factors and self-regulation ability development in early childhood. METHODS: Parental questionnaires of 187 children aged 3–6 years were analyzed. The metrics included smart device usage frequency (times/week, scored as uFreq), smart device usage time (hours/day, scored as uTime), parental scale for appropriate smart device usage level (scored as uLevel), the Korean-developmental screening test (K-DST), and the scale for self-regulation ability in young children (scored as SRS, and including four sub-categories: self-appraisal, self-determination, behavior inhibition, and emotionality). The correlations were analyzed by total age group and by each age. RESULTS: In the total age group analysis, uFreq and uTime were negatively correlated with mean SRS (rs =−0.366, −0.330; P < 0.001) and sub-category SRS (rs =−0.186 to −0.370; P < 0.05). Mean uLevel score was positively correlated with mean SRS (rs =0.406; P < 0.001) and most of the mean sub-category SRS (rs =0.174 to 0.362; P < 0.05). In 3-year-old children, the mean SRS was strongly negatively correlated with uFreq (rs =−0.751; P < 0.001), negatively correlated with uTime (rs =−0.518; P < 0.001), and positively correlated with mean uLevel score (rs =0.533; P=0.013). Such correlations seemed to decrease at the age of 4–6 years. CONCLUSION: Self-regulation ability was significantly correlated with smart device-related factors and was the highest in the 3-year-old children. Encouraging appropriate smart device usage will be helpful for self-regulation development of young children.
Child ; Child, Preschool ; Diagnostic Self Evaluation ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Parents ; Self-Control* ; Smartphone

Adnexal torsion is not a common surgical emergency in Obstetrics and Gynecology. and is not observed frequently during pregnancy with its incidence being one out of about 5,000 pregnancies: Pregnancy is a factor that encourages torsion. The traditional treatment for ischemic and twisted adnexa consists of oophorectomy or salpingo-oophorectomy. with early diagnosis, a conservative approach is recommended in cases of young women to assure future fertility. with a brief review ofliterature, we report a case of unilateral salphingo-oophorectomy during pregnancy due to adnexal torsion with the delivery of a normal baby.
Early Diagnosis ; Emergencies ; Female ; Fertility ; Gynecology ; Humans ; Incidence ; Obstetrics ; Ovariectomy ; Pregnancy*

BACKGROUND: In some instances, thyroid cancer may be diagnosed only after resection of a putative or suspected benign nodule. In these cases a complete thyroidectomy is usually recommended to prevent recurrence. We analyzed the frequency of malignancy in the contralateral lobe after a complete thyroidectomy, and assessed the factors that may predict the presence of a malignancy, which might necessitate a complete thyroidectomy. METHODS: Between 1995 and 2001, 65 patients, who initially underwent a lobectomy and isthmectomy, but were finally diagnosed with differentiated thyroid carcinoma, underwent complete thyroidectomies. Their mean age was 39.8 +/- 12.4 years, ranging, 14 to 71 years. After initial surgery, 45 proved to have follicular carcinomas, 18 papillary carcinomas, 1 medullary and 1 insular carcinoma. The mean tumor size was 4.0 +/- 1.8 cm, ranging from 0.3 to 8.5 cm. After a complete thyroidectomy, the presence of a tumor the at contralateral lobe was assessed according to clinical parameters and the pathological findings in the ipsilateral lobe. RESULTS: The first surgeries revealed tumor multifocality in 27 cases, perithyroidal tumor extension in 4 and lymph node metastasis in 1. On completion of the thyroidectomy, 22 of the 65 patients had a malignancy in the contralateral lobe. Age, sex, size or the pathological primary tumor type, were not associated with the presence of additional tumors at the contralateral lobe. Tumor multifocality at the first surgery was the only significant variable to predict the presence of a tumor in the contralateral lobe. CONCLUSION: When thyroid cancer is diagnosed after ipsilateral surgery, the only predictive factor for the presence of a contralateral tumor was multifocality. We believe that a complete thyroidectomy is mandatory in these cases.
Carcinoma, Papillary ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Recurrence ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms* ; Thyroidectomy*

BACKGROUND: To determine mean clitoral and glans size of Korean female newborn. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The size of glans and clitoris of 68 Korean female newborns born at Yeungnam University Medical Center were measured from May in 1999 to August in 1999. RESULTS: The mean size of the 68 newborns were 2.38+/-1.14 mm in glans length, 2.55+/-1.48 mm in glans width and 4.66+/-1.93 mm in clitoral length. In the premature infants the mean clitoral size was 1.92+/-1.58 mm in glans length, 1.78+/-1.24 mm in glans width and 3.86+/-2.16 mm in clitoral length. In the full term infants 2.53+/-1.12 mm in glans length, 2.75+/-1.58 mm in glans width and 4.94+/-1.89 mm in clitoral length. In low birth weight infants clitoral size was measured 1.55+/-1.10 mm in glans length, 2.04+/-2.03 mm in glans width and 3.29+/-1.87 mm in clitoral length. In normal birth weight infants 2.53+/-1.13 mm in glans length, 2.68+/-1.48 mm in glans width and 4.92+/-1.91 mm in clitoral length. In high birth weight infants 1.54+/-0.50 mm in glans length, 1.63+/-0.53 mm in glans width and 3.18+/-1.04 mm in clitoral length. CONCLUSION: There was no significant correlation between gestational age and clitoral size or glans size, but significant negative correlation was found between birth weight and clitoral size or glans size.
Academic Medical Centers ; Birth Weight ; Clitoris ; Female* ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn* ; Infant, Premature

BACKGROUND: Oxidative stress is important in both diabetic complications and the development and the progression of type 2 diabetes via the effects on the pancreatic beta-cells. EGCG (epigallocatechin galleate), a major constituent of green tea, has been known to have beneficial effects on various diseases through the mechanisms of antioxidant and cell signaling modulation. But, very small numbers of studies were published about the direct effects of EGCG on the pancreatic beta cell lines. We performed this study to see the protective effect of EGCG on pancreatic beta cell line under H2O2 and the mechanisms of this phenomenon. METHODS: We used INS-1 cells and hydrogen peroxide as an oxidative stressor. Their viabilities were verified by MTT assay and FACS. The activity of glutathione peroxidase was assessed by total glutathione quantification kit. Western blot and semi-quantitative RT-PCR for the catalase, SOD (superoxide dismutase), PI3K and Akt were performed. Functional status of INS-1 cells was tested by GSIS (glucose stimulated insulin secretion). RESULTS: The biological effects of EGCG were different according to its concentrations. 10 micrometer EGCG effectively protected hydrogen peroxide induced damage in INS-1 cells. The expression and the activity of SOD, catalase and the glutathione peroxidase were significantly increased by EGCG. EGCG significantly increased PI3K and Akt activity and its effect was inhibited partially by wortmannin. GSIS was well preserved by EGCG. CONCLUSION: EGCG in low concentration effectively protected INS-1 cells from the oxidative stress through the activation of both antioxidant systems and anti-apoptosis signaling. Further studies will be necessary for the more detailed mechanisms and the clinical implications.
Androstadienes ; Blotting, Western ; Catalase ; Diabetes Complications ; Glutathione ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; Insulin ; Insulin-Secreting Cells ; Oxidative Stress ; Tea

No abstract available.
Brain Diseases* ; Brain Stem* ; Humans ; Hypertensive Encephalopathy ; Stroke, Lacunar*

Malignant germ cell tumors of the ovary are uncommon neoplasms. Although 20-25% of all ovarian tumors are derived from germ cells, only about 3% of germ cell tumors are malignant. Mixed germ cell tumors contain at least two malignant germ cell elements. These lesions should be managed with combination chemotherapy, preferably BEP. Recently we experienced a case of mixed germ cell tumor with 6 components of germ cell and sarcomatous change in a 11 year old girl. Preoperative CA-125, B-hCG, aFP, LDH, a-1-antitrypsin were elevated and the final pathologic report was mixed germ cell tumor composed of endodermal sinus tumor, embryonal carcinoma, mature and immature teratoma, choriocarcinoma, dysgerminoma and sarcomatous change, Postoperative chemotherapy with 6 courses of BEP regimen was performed and all tumor markers became normal after 4 courses of chemotherapy. What we interested in this case was several components of germ cells and sarcomatous change and the sarcomatous change might be derived from the mature cystic teratoma component, so we present this case with a brief review of the literatures here.
Carcinoma, Embryonal ; Child ; Choriocarcinoma ; Drug Therapy ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Dysgerminoma ; Endodermal Sinus Tumor ; Female ; Germ Cells* ; Humans ; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal* ; Ovary ; Pregnancy ; Teratoma ; Biomarkers, Tumor