OBJECTIVE: To determine the useful subsequent study after the positive cervical fibronectin test in asymptomatic woman, fibronectin test was repeated and amniocentesis for the diagnosis of intra-amniotic infection was done. METHODS: Cervical fibronectin concentration in asymptomatic pregnant women between 23 and 31 weeks' gestation was determined. One hundred and sixty five singleton pregnant women with an initial positive fetal fibronectin test (>50 ng/mL) were divided into 4 groups. 1) Patients with two positive fibronectin tests (n=31); 2) Patients followed by a negative result (n=75); 3) Patients followed by a amniocentesis, not fibronectin test (n=31); 4) Patients followed no further study (n=28) The relationship between the results of serial testing and pregnancy outcome was determined. RESULTS: 1) Among women with an initial positive fetal fibronectin test, the rate of a second positive test within two weeks was 29.2% (31/106); 2) Women with two positive results had a higher rate of spontaneous preterm delivery before 34 weeks and 37 weeks of gestation than women with a positive test followed by a negative test (34 weeks: 13.8% (4/29) vs 2.7% (2/75) p<0.05, 37 weeks: 27.6% (8/29) vs 8.1% (6/74) p=0.02); 3) Among women with a positive fibronectin followed by a negative test, 91.9% (68/74) delivered at term and 97.3% (73/75) after 34 weeks of gestation. 4) In repeated positive results group, the change of concentration of fibronectin was not related to gestational age of delivery before 34 weeks. CONCLUSION: Patients with two positive fibronectin tests are at a higher risk of spontaneous preterm delivery than patients with a positive test followed by a negative result.
Amniocentesis ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Fibronectins* ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Inflammation* ; Obstetric Labor, Premature ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome* ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnant Women

An adequate supply of dietary iodine is essential for the synthesis of the thyroid hormons. The measurement of dietary iodine intake is important for the clinical assessment of thyroid disease, especially in areas where iodine intake is excessive or deficient.To evaluate dietary iodine intake in Korean and its effects on thyroid function, we measured urinary iodine excretion with morning urine by electrode method in 184 normal subjects, 96 postpartum women and 181 patients with thyroid disease from October 1994 to February 1995. The results were as follows;1) In normal control, the mean value of urinary iodine excretion was 3.8+-2.7mg/L (range 0.1-15.0mg/L). However, there was no sex and age differences in the urinary iodine excretion.2) In postpartum women, the urinary iodine excretion was 9.0+-10.8mg/L who were not taken high iodine diet(Miyok-Guk), the mean value was statistically higher than normal control(p<0.01) and significant increased the urinary iodine excretion after eating of high iodine diet(p<0.01).3) In volunteer, there were increase of urinary iodine excretion more than 10 folds after high iodine diet and medication.4) The urinary iodine excretion in patients with thyroid diseases was not different from normal control, and there were no significant differences of urinary iodine excretion among the patient groups. The urinary iodine excretion in the acute stage of patients with subactue thyroiditis or painless thyroiditis was significantly increased compared to the recovery stage. However, it was not significantly different from that of normal control.In conclusion, urinary iodine excretion in Korean population is very high comparing to the reported data in Western population but similar with Japanese. The urinary iodine excretion is significant increase( more than 10-folds of basal level) after high iodine diet or high iodine containing medication in postpartum women or healthy persons. As a clue of destruction induced thyrotoxicosis, the urinary iodine excretion measurement is not valid in area where iodine intake is excessive like Korea.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Diet ; Eating ; Electrodes ; Humans ; Iodine ; Korea ; Methods ; Postpartum Period ; Thyroid Diseases ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroiditis ; Thyrotoxicosis ; Volunteers

Background: Graves disease is an autoimmune disease caused by TSH receptor antibodies. Thyrotropin binding inhibitor immunoglobulins(TBII) are detected in most Graves patients, but some patients have no TBII activities in their sera. It is unknown whether the clinical features of TBII-positive patients are different from those of TBII-negative patients. Methods: To evaluate the prevalence of TBII-negative Graves' patients and its clinical differences from TBII-positive patients, we examined TBII by radioreceptor assay in 686 consecutive untreated Graves patients. We found 84 TBII-negative patients(15 men and 69 women, mean age ±EM: 40.9±.4 years) and compared their clinical characteristics with 87 TBII-positive patients (22 men and 65 women, mean age±EM: 39.9±.5 years) who were selected randomly from the same patients group. Results: In this study, TBII was undetectable in 12.2% of patients with Graves' disease(84 of 686). TBII-negative group had a less weight loss than TBII-positive group. However, there was no significant differences in age, sex ratio, prevalence of ophthalmopathy, duration of illness and positive rate of family history for thyroid diseases between TBII-negative and
Antibodies ; Autoantibodies ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Female ; Graves Disease ; Humans ; Male ; Prevalence ; Radioligand Assay ; Receptors, Thyrotropin ; Sex Ratio ; Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m ; Thyroid Diseases ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyrotropin ; Weight Loss

No abstract available.
Hemodynamics* ; Hepatocytes* ; Ischemia* ; Liver* ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator* ; Verapamil*

PURPOSE: Rebamipide is a propionic acid derivative that inhibits superoxide production and removes hydroxyl radicals. This study was performed to investigate the effects of adding rebamipide to semen, in an effort to determine if reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and lipid peroxidation of the sperm cell membrane as well as an improvement in seminal parameter and fertilizing capacity under oxidative stress was inhibited. MATERIALS AND MTHODS: Semen was collected from 30 normal healthy volunteers by masturbation after at least 48 hours abstinence. After liquefaction of the semen at room temperature, the prepared sperm was diluted with a sperm wash media to a uniform density of 20x106/ml. The semen was treated with 0.25ml of 0.2mM FeSO4 and 1mM sodium ascorbate for 60 min in the presence of various rebamipide concentrations (0, 10, 30, 100, and 300microM). ROS production, sperm motility, vitality, fertilizing capacity and the level of lipid peroxidation were analyzed by chemiluminescence, computer assisted semen analysis, eosin-nigrosin staining, a hypo-osmotic swelling test and the thiobarbituric acid method, respectively. RESULTS: Rebamipide at 100 and 300microM increased the sperm motility (p<0.05) but did not affect the sperm vitality. The ROS production and lipid peroxidation in the sperms treated with FeSO4/sodium ascorbate were inhibited by rebamipide in a dose-dependent fashion (p<0.05 in each). The total swelling rate of the hypo-osmotic swelling test was also increased by high rebamipide concentrations (100 and 300microM), respectively 49.2 17.9 and 50.8 21.7% (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest rebamipide is an effective free radical scavenger and may be useful as an oral antioxidant in patients with male infertility due to increased ROS generation. However, further study to be possible the clinical use of rebamipide for improve the fertilizing capacity in male infertility is required.
Antioxidants* ; Ascorbic Acid ; Cell Membrane ; Diethylpropion ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans* ; Infertility, Male ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Luminescence ; Male ; Masturbation ; Oxidative Stress ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Semen Analysis ; Semen* ; Sperm Motility ; Spermatozoa ; Superoxides

PURPOSE: Rebamipide is a propionic acid derivative that inhibits superoxide production and removes hydroxyl radicals. This study was performed to investigate the effects of adding rebamipide to semen, in an effort to determine if reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and lipid peroxidation of the sperm cell membrane as well as an improvement in seminal parameter and fertilizing capacity under oxidative stress was inhibited. MATERIALS AND MTHODS: Semen was collected from 30 normal healthy volunteers by masturbation after at least 48 hours abstinence. After liquefaction of the semen at room temperature, the prepared sperm was diluted with a sperm wash media to a uniform density of 20x106/ml. The semen was treated with 0.25ml of 0.2mM FeSO4 and 1mM sodium ascorbate for 60 min in the presence of various rebamipide concentrations (0, 10, 30, 100, and 300microM). ROS production, sperm motility, vitality, fertilizing capacity and the level of lipid peroxidation were analyzed by chemiluminescence, computer assisted semen analysis, eosin-nigrosin staining, a hypo-osmotic swelling test and the thiobarbituric acid method, respectively. RESULTS: Rebamipide at 100 and 300microM increased the sperm motility (p<0.05) but did not affect the sperm vitality. The ROS production and lipid peroxidation in the sperms treated with FeSO4/sodium ascorbate were inhibited by rebamipide in a dose-dependent fashion (p<0.05 in each). The total swelling rate of the hypo-osmotic swelling test was also increased by high rebamipide concentrations (100 and 300microM), respectively 49.2 17.9 and 50.8 21.7% (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest rebamipide is an effective free radical scavenger and may be useful as an oral antioxidant in patients with male infertility due to increased ROS generation. However, further study to be possible the clinical use of rebamipide for improve the fertilizing capacity in male infertility is required.
Antioxidants* ; Ascorbic Acid ; Cell Membrane ; Diethylpropion ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans* ; Infertility, Male ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Luminescence ; Male ; Masturbation ; Oxidative Stress ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Semen Analysis ; Semen* ; Sperm Motility ; Spermatozoa ; Superoxides

PURPOSE: The purpose of the present study was to develop and optimize solenoid coil for animal- model in 3 T MRI system and investigate and compare with the birdcage coil concerning the image quality with the various parameters such as SNR and Q-factor. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Solenoid coil for animal-model was made on the acryl structure (diameter 4 cm, length 10 cm) 3 times-winding cooper tape of width 2 cm , thickness 0.05 cm and length 10 cm with 2 cm interval between winded tapes. Capacitors from 2 pF to 100 pF were used, and the solenoid coil was designed for receiver only coil. RESULTS: SNR of the developed solenoid was 985 in CuSO4 0.7 g/L and 995 in rat experiment. Q-factor was 84-89 in unloaded condition and 203-206 in loaded condition. CONCLUSION: The resolution of the image obtained from solenoid was relatively higher than that of the conventional birdcage coil. In addition, the homogeneity of RF field by coil simulation was significantly excellent. The present study demonstrated that the solenoid coil could be useful to obtain small animal images with better contrast, resolution, visibility than images from birdcage.
Animals* ; Magnetic Fields* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Rats ; Wind

No abstract available.
Immunoglobulins, Thyroid-Stimulating* ; Phosphatidylinositols* ; Thyroid Gland*

BACKGROUND: It is important to recognize the independent prognostic factors of papillary carcinoma of thyroid in therapeutic and follow up planning. However, its good prognosis and its low prevalence make it difficult to analyze prognostic factors determining patients survival in a relatively short period of time. We retrospectively investigated the independent prognostic factors for determining disease recurrence after surgery which, in adults, are known to be closely related to the prognosis of cancer. METHOD: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of 456 patients (male 70, female 381, unknown 5, mean age of 43.9+-12.9 years) who had visited the thyroid clinic in Seoul National University Hospital and analyzed the data with statistical software program. RESULTS: 1) At initial visit, chief complaint of the patients was abnormal neck mass in 90 percent. 2) In preoperative thyroid scan study, 82% showed cold area and 16% showed diffuse enlargement. 3) Of the 50 recurrent cases after surgery (11.5% of the total cases), 39 cases (78%) had recurred disease in neck area and 11 cases (22%) had recurrences at distant sites. (Lung 9 cases, Brain I case, Mediastinum 1case) 4) Statistically significant risk factors for recurrence after surgery were male sex, size of tumor (above 4.5cm in this study), extrathyroidal invasion of cancer, involvement of resection margin and no remnant ablation of thyroid tissue using radioiodine. CONCLUSION: Through retrospective study, we presented some clinical characteristics of papillary thyroid cancer in Korea and independent risk factors of cancer recurrences after surgery.
Adult ; Brain ; Carcinoma, Papillary ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Mediastinum ; Neck ; Prevalence ; Prognosis ; Recurrence* ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Seoul ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms*

No abstract available.
Dexamethasone* ; Prognosis*