No abstract available.
Antibodies* ; Chlamydia trachomatis* ; Chlamydia* ; Humans ; Neisseria gonorrhoeae* ; Neisseria* ; Prevalence*

No abstract available.
Antibodies* ; Chlamydia trachomatis* ; Chlamydia* ; Humans ; Neisseria gonorrhoeae* ; Neisseria* ; Prevalence*

No abstract available.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Cervix Uteri* ; Female ; Humans

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Feeding in infancy is the most significant determinant of the intestinal microbiota in early life. The aim of this study was to determine the gut microbiota of Korean infants and compare the microbiota obtained between breast-fed and formula-fed Korean infants. SUBJECTS/METHODS: We analyzed the microbial communities in fecal samples collected from twenty 4-week old Korean (ten samples in each breast-fed or formula-fed) infants using pyrosequencing. RESULTS: The fecal microbiota of the 4-week-old Korean infants consisted of the three phyla Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria. In addition, five species, including Bifidocbacterium longum, Streptococcus salivarius, Strepotococcus lactarius, Streptococcus pseudopneumoniae, and Lactobacillus gasseri were common commensal intestinal microbiota in all infants. The predominant intestinal microbiota in the breast-fed infants (BFI) included the phylum Actinobacteria (average 70.55%), family Bifidobacteriacea (70.12%), genus Bifidobacterium (70.03%) and species Bifidobacterium longum (69.96%). In the microbiota from the formula-fed infants (FFI), the proportion of the phylum Actinobacteria (40.68%) was less, whereas the proportions of Firmicutes (45.38%) and Proteobacteria (13.85%) as well as the diversity of each taxonomic level were greater, compared to those of the BFI. The probiotic species found in the 4-week-old Korean infants were Bifidobacterium longum, Streptococcus salivarius, and Lactobacillus gasseri. These probiotic species accounted for 93.81% of the microbiota from the BFI, while only 63.80% of the microbiota from the FFI. In particular, B. longum was more abundant in BFI (69.96%) than in FFI (34.17%). CONCLUSIONS: Breast milk supports the growth of B. longum and inhibits others. To the best of our knowledge, this study was the first attempt to analyze the gut microbiota of healthy Korean infants according to the feeding type using pyrosequencing. Our data can be used as a basis for further studies to investigate the development of intestinal microbiota with aging and disease status.
Actinobacteria ; Aging ; Bifidobacterium ; Humans ; Infant* ; Lactobacillus ; Microbiota* ; Milk, Human ; Probiotics ; Proteobacteria ; Streptococcus ; Sulfalene

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of baseline ovarian systs after luteal phase gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist(GnRH-a) administration on the clinical response to controlled ovarian hyperstimulation(COH) for intrauterine insemination(IUI). From May 1994 to December 1995, 71 COH cycles using luteal long protocol of GnRH0a for IUI were assessed for the formation of baseline ovarian cysts defined as a mean diameter>or=15 mm. Outcome data were compared between cycles with and without baseline ovarian cysts. Of 71 COH cycles, baseline cyst>or=15 mm were noted in 23 cycles(32.4%). Of 23 cyst cycles, baseline cysts>or=20 mm were noted in 15 cycles and aspirated under transvaginal ultrasonogram guidance. There was no significant difference in baseline serum FSH values between cyst cycles and non-cyst cycles. There were also no significant differences in ovarian response as indicated by the number of ampules of gonadotropin used and duration of honadotropin administration in ovarian stimulation, and serum E2 level and number of follicles(>=14 mm) on the day of hCG administration between cyst cycles and non-cyst cycles. There was also no significant difference in endometrial thickness measured on the day of hCG administration between cyst cycles and non-cyst cycles. Clinical pregnancy rate was somewhat lower in cyst cycles compared with non-cyst cycles(13.0% versus 31.3%), but was not significantly different. This study suggests that baseline ovarian cysts after luteal phase GnRH-a administration has a potentially harmful effect on the clinical outcome in COH with IUI program.
Female ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone ; Gonadotropins ; Insemination* ; Luteal Phase ; Ovarian Cysts* ; Ovulation Induction ; Pregnancy Rate ; Ultrasonography

A 36-year-old male patient with no remarkable medical history was admitted to our hospital for a health check up. On chest radiography, bilateral aortic notches at the level of aortic arch were shown suggesting aortic arch anomaly without any clinical symptoms. Two aortic arches were almost same-in-size on suprasternal view of transthoracic echocardiography. In addition, multidetector computed tomography showed balanced type double aortic arch forming a complete vascular ring which encircled the trachea and esophagus. The trachea was slightly compressed by the vascular ring whereas the esophagus was intact. Nevertheless, the pulmonary function test was normal. The patient was discharged from hospital with instructions for periodic follow-up.
Adult ; Aorta, Thoracic ; Echocardiography ; Esophagus ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Multidetector Computed Tomography ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Thorax ; Trachea

Retinoic acid(RA), formed in vivo by oxidation of retinol, is known as morphogenic signal. RA plays an active role in normal embryonic development at physiological concentration, but excess RA can be a powerful teratogen in human and animals. The present study was designed to examine the direct effect of RA on murine embryogenesis(gastrulation) and to define the specific development processes perturbed by RA. Five to fifteen blastocysts were randomly assigned to separate culture dishes of the experimental group. Various concentrations of RA(10(-9) M, 10(-7) M, and 10(-5) M) were used in culturing blastocysts. In the effect of RA on the normal grouwth of embryo, the rates of development to the stages of attachment, early egg cylinder(EEC), late egg cylinder(LEC), and early somite(ES)were significantly(p < 0.01) decreased as the RA concentration increased. Stil in the yolk sac formation rate, there was a significant, dose-dependent difference(p < 0.01) according to the RA concentration. In the degeneration of embryos by RA, the effect was more apparent as the concentration of Ra increased. The production rates of embryos devoid of egg cylinder region and embryos with abnormal egg cylinder region were increased (p < 0.01)in a dose-dependent manner according to RA concentration. In conclusion, RA probably act as teratogen at gastrula stage embryos in high concentration and effect of teratogenesis is dose-dependent.
Animals ; Blastocyst ; Embryonic Development ; Embryonic Structures ; Female ; Gastrula ; Gastrulation* ; Humans ; Mice* ; Ovum ; Pregnancy ; Teratogenesis ; Tretinoin* ; Vitamin A ; Yolk Sac

This study was performed to assess whether measurement of uterine artery blood flow impedance(the pulsatility index[PI] and resistance index [RI]) as determined by transvaginal color Doppler ultrasound on the day of oocyte retrieval in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) can predict successful pregnancy. From August 1995 to January 1997, ninety-two infertile women with tubal or peritoneal factor infertility who had undergone IVF during controlled ovarian hyperstimulation(COH) cycles were allocated to the study group. The COH using luteal long protocol of GnRH agonist was used in all patients. Transvaginal color Doppler assessment of uterine artery blood flow impedance(PI and RI) on the day of oocyte retrieval was done. When the patients were grouped into pregnant(n=31) and nonpregnant(n=61), the mean value of PI and RI of the nonpregnant group were significantly higher than those of the pregnant group(2.86+/-0.62 vs 2.47+/-0.35 and 0.88+/-0.05 vs 0.85+/-0.04). The patients were also grouped according to whether the PI was low(1.00 to 1.99), medium(2.00 to 2.99), or high(>or=3.00). The pregnancy rate were 33.3%, 44.8% and 10.7% for the low, medium, and high PI groups, respectively, and the pregnancy rate of the medium PI group was significantly higher than that of high PI group. The embryo implantation rates were 11.5%, 15.2% and 4.0% for the low, medium, and high PI groups, respectively, and the implantation rate of medium PI group was significantly higher than that of the high PI group, too. There was no correlation between the mean PI and RI value and serum E2 concentration on the day of hCG administration, or endometrial thickness measured on the day of oocyte retrieval. In conclusion, we fond that the measurements of uterine artery blood flow impedance(PI and RI) on the day of oocyte retrieval might predict subsequent pregnancy and implantation rates and also contribute much to effective management of infertile couples.
Embryo Implantation ; Family Characteristics ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro* ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone ; Humans ; Infertility ; Oocyte Retrieval* ; Oocytes* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Rate ; Ultrasonography* ; Uterine Artery*

This study was undertaken to verify a specific effect of intravenous immunoglobulin treatment on the outcome of pregnancy in the patients with a history of unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion. Five patients with a history of unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion were treated with intravenous immunoglobulin during their following pregnancy, as soon as pregnancy was confirmed. When pregnancy was confirmed, women were started with 10 gm of immunoglobulin intravenously which was repeated every 2 weeks and four to six times. One of them experienced termination of pregnancy due to blighted ovum syndrome at 9th weeks of gestation and four patients delivered live births at term. Two of them had experienced cesarean section because of breech presentation and placenta previa respectively, rest of them delivered vaginally without problem. There were no adverse reaction in the study patients. These results imply that intravenous immunoglobulin could be effective on the patients with a history of unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion, and could be applied to them as an alternative method of allogenic leukocyte transfusion.
Abortion, Spontaneous* ; Breech Presentation ; Cesarean Section ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins* ; Leukocyte Transfusion ; Live Birth ; Ovum ; Placenta Previa ; Pregnancy

The present study was designed to investigate if antithyroid antibodies(ATA) could affect the pregnancy outcome in euthyroid women undergoing superovulation with intrauterine insemination(IUI). From January 1995 to September 1996, 18 euthyrouid women with ATA who undersent superovulation with IUI were suudied. Thirty-two euthyroid women without ATA who underwent superovulation with IVI were served as control. Thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOA) and thyroglobulin antibody(TGA) were assayed using radio ligand assay kits as ATA. All patient included in the study and the control groups had only ovulatory factor in infertility or had suffered from unexplained infertility. The infertile patients with ovulatory factor were resistant to clomiphene citrate(CC) or had previously failed to conceive despite 3 ovulatory cycles using CC. Long protocol of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist(GnRH-a) was used for superovulation in all patients. There were no significant differences between the study and the control groups in patient characteristics such as age, infertility duration and hormonal profil. There were also no significant differences between two groups with respect to the clinicalresponse to superovulation. The clinical pregnancy rate per cycle was significantly lower in the study group at 23.5%(8/34) compared with 44.4%(24/54) in the control group.l The biochemical pregnancy rate per cycle was significantly higher in the study group at 17.6%(6/34) compared with 3.7%(2/54) in the control group. The miscarriage rate seemed to be higher in the study group than in the control group(37.5% vs 8.3%), but the difference was not statistically significant. In the study group, both TPOA and TGA titers were higher in the miscarriage group than in the ongoing or delivery group, although statistical significance was not found. This study suggests that ATA in euthyroid women could be associated with the poor pregnancy outcome in superovulation with IUI cycles and ATA may serve as possible marker for reproductive failure.
Abortion, Spontaneous ; Antibodies* ; Clomiphene ; Female ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone ; Humans ; Infertility ; Insemination* ; Iodide Peroxidase ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Pregnancy Rate ; Superovulation ; Thyroglobulin