Ovulation induction in hypothalamic amenorrhea using gonadotropin- releasing hormone(GnRH) pulse therapy is complicated by widely variant patient responses ranging from anovulation to multiple pregnancy. Route of administration(intravenous vs subcutaneous), pulse therapy, GnRH dose, infusion interval, or hormone preparation may contribute. We evaluated the bioactivity of 4 GnRH preparations(Relisorm,Serono; Lutrelef,Ferring; Factrel,Ayerst; GnRH,Sigma) in a rat anterior cell bioassay. Dispersed rat anterior pituitary cells were placed for 48 hrs at 5x105 cells/well, washed and incubated with GnRH. The GnRH was diluted according to the manufacturer's culture medium(10(-12) to 10(-5)M). GnRH stimulated immunoreactive luteinizing hormone(LH) production was assested in culture medium after 4 hrs by radioimmunoassay(RIA). A linear dose-response relationship was exhibited by all preparations from 10(-10) to 10(-7)M. Msximal LH production was 249+/-24 ng/ml/4hrs(mean+/-SEM) and was not different among the preparations tested(ANOVA, p>0.05). The minimal effective dose of GnRH was 10-10M for all preparations(basa1=27+/-4ng/ml/4hrs:mean+/-SEM). No significant differences were noted for MED, or dose-response slope(p<0.05, ANOVA and slope test for parallelism, respectively). In addition, bioactive LH and immuno and bioactive follicular stimulating hormone(FSH) dose responses were confirmed. We concluded that the principal variability of patient response seen with GnRH pulse therapy cannot be attributed to the bioactivity of these commercial GnRH preparations. But rather, most of the variability is due to the inherent individualism in patient response or other factors of the treatment protocol.
Amenorrhea ; Animals ; Anovulation ; Biological Assay ; Clinical Protocols ; Female ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone* ; Humans ; Lutein ; Ovulation Induction ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Multiple ; Rats

Sjogren's syndrome has been considered to be an autoimmune disease affecting various organs including salivary and lacrimal glands. It occurs most commonly in middle-aged women, and less than 20 cases with primary Sjogren's syndrome have been reported in children. An 11-yim-old boy presented with recurrent annular erythema on the face that had been present for 2 years. A schirmers test showed a positive result. ANA was detected at a dilution of 1:640. Anti-Ro/SSA and anti-La/SSB antibodies were also detected. On histological examination, lymphocytes were infiltrated in the periappendegeal areas as well as the papillary and reticular dernis. The skin findimg is uncommon in children, but has become a characteristic feature of childhood Sjogrens syndrome with anti-Ro and/or anti-La antibodies.
Antibodies ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Child ; Erythema* ; Female ; Humans ; Lacrimal Apparatus ; Lymphocytes ; Male ; Sjogren's Syndrome* ; Skin

Baboon syndrome is used to denote a systemic allergic contact dermititis with a characteristic color and distribution pattern. It is also referred to as mercury exanthem, because inhalation of mercury vapor usually causes the skiri lesion in a sensitized person. Diffuse pi,ikish erythema of the buttock, upper inner thigh, and axilla are characteristic features. We report a case of baboon syndrome developed after exposure to the smoke of a burning amulete a charm written on a piece of paper in a 12 year-old female. Mercury sensitivity was confirrned by a patch test. Atomic absorption by a spectrographic method and Scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive for analysis X-ray detected mercury in the urine and the ed scraped pigments from the amulet, respectively.
Absorption ; Axilla ; Burns ; Buttocks ; Child ; Erythema ; Exanthema ; Female ; Humans ; Inhalation ; Papio* ; Patch Tests ; Smoke* ; Thigh

Adhesives ; Burns ; Calcium Chloride ; Cicatrix ; Cicatrix, Hypertrophic ; Collagen ; Factor XIII ; Fibrin Tissue Adhesive ; Fibrin ; Fibrinogen ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gingiva ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Mouth ; Nose ; Polymers ; Skin Transplantation ; Skin ; Surgery, Oral ; Sutures ; Thrombin ; Tissue Donors ; Transplants ; Wound Healing

The spinal injuries were reported by relatively low incidence than other fracture and dislocation in the body. However, the rate of spine injury tend to increase year by year as the rate of traffic accident and industrial accident have been increased. Authors have experienced 403 cases of various type of injuries from Jan, 1966 to Aug. 1971. They were analysed as follows. 1. Out of 330 patient, males were 212 cases (64.2%) and female 118 (37.8%) Among them 74% of cases were between 20 to 40 years of age. About 51.9% of cases of the spinal injury were caused by traffic road accident. 2. The most most common fracture site in the spinal segments were between 12th thoracic spine and 2nd lumbar spine (69.0%) and most common types of spine injury was simple wedge fracture (70.7%) which is induced by flexion violence. 3. The stable injuries of the spine (69.4% 229 cases) were treated by functional methods such as bed rest, early ambulation. Injured spine were not immobilized in cast. They gave a more functional results than rigidly immobilized group. 4. 27 cases (8.2%) were complicated by paraplegia and mostly (59.3%) were caused by rotational fracture-dislocation. The common site of lesion were between D12-L2 (67.4%) 5. Among the 185 cases who were followed over 6 months, sponetaneous spinal fusion within 6 months after injury occured in 166 cases (89.7%) 76.8% of them were fused within 4 months. 6. Among the 27 paralysed cases, 3 were died within 2 weeks of admission, and 3 cases had complete recovery without residua.
Accidents, Occupational ; Accidents, Traffic ; Bed Rest ; Dislocations ; Early Ambulation ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Paraplegia ; Spinal Fusion ; Spinal Injuries ; Spine ; Violence

No abstract available.
Hematoma*

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinicopathologic characteristics of the torsion of the ovarian tumor in postmenopausal women. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of 20 postmenopausal patients with a postoperative diagnosis of torsion of the ovarian tumor in Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hanyang University Hospital from January 1989 to December 1998. RESULTS: The postmenopausal patients with torsion of the ovarian tumor constitute 20/94 (21.3%) of all adnexal torsion patients encountered during this period. The mean (+/-SD) age of the 20 patients was 63.5+/-9.0 years, with a range of 52-90 years. The mean time since menopause was 16.5+/-10.3 years, with a range of 1-39 years. The mean parity was 5.4+/-2.0 (range of 3-10). Lower abdominal pain (65%) was the most frequently presenting symptom, palpable mass(20%) or diagnosed mass(15%) being the second. But, in 20% of cases there was no lower abdominal pain. The torsion occurred at the right side in 11cases (55%) and at the left side in 9 cases. The most frequent degree of torsion was those cases that was rotated twice (720 degrees). The neoplasms undergoing torsion ranged in diameter between 5cm and 30cm and the most prevalent size was 6 to 10 cm (8 cases). Most of the patients (17cases) were treated by total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. The tumors that produce torsion varied histologically and the most common type was cystic teratoma (in 5 cases), simple cyst(in 3 cases), serous cystadenoma(in 2 cases), mucinous cystadenoma(in 2 cases). CONCLUSIONS: In our study, ovarian tumor torsion occurring in postmenopausal patients constituted approximately 20% of all torsion patients, therefore adnexal torsion should be considered when a postmenopausal woman presents with lower abdominal pain. When torsion is diagnosed, total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy is the usual treatment for postmenopausal patients. Histologically, in more than 90% of cases, the tumors that produce torsion were benign. If cancer is evident, more extensive surgery is required.
Abdominal Pain ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Gynecology ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Medical Records ; Menopause ; Mucins ; Obstetrics ; Parity ; Teratoma

Although bimaxillary surgery enhances patients' self-esteem and mood by improving their facial appearance, surgical outcome assessments for this procedure are limited. This preliminary study investigated differences in brain activity on functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during self-face evaluation before and after bimaxillary surgery. Three patients (1 man and 2 women, age range: 20–27 years) underwent fMRI while viewing self-face images before and after bimaxillary surgery for maxillofacial deformity. The activation in the left postcentral gyrus, and medial orbital frontal cortex was significantly great in response to after-surgery self-face images compared to before-surgery images. Our preliminary results may facilitate the development of an objective measure for patient satisfaction after orthognathic surgery including bimaxillary surgery.

OBJECTIVE: There are various surgical approaches to far-lateral lesions in the L5-S1 intervertebral space. Of these is the validity of a paramedian tangential approach is being investigated in this study. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on 25 patients who had been diagnosed as having a far-lateral L5-S1 disc herniations, osteophyte, costal process hypertrophy, and had undergone a paramedian tangential approach from November 1999 through December 2003. The degree of symptoms and improvement were compared via the visual analog pain scale, before and after surgery. RESULTS: This study included 4 males and 21 females with a mean age of 62+/-11.8 years old. The average follow-up period after surgery was 8.2+/-2.7 months. The visual analog pain scale taken before surgery was 6.7+/-1.1 points, while the post-surgical scale was 2.4+/-0.9 points showing a significant decrease (p<0.05). There were no complications that developed during surgery. CONCLUSION: A paramedian tangential approach is less invasive in the soft tissue than that of the median approach. This approach may effectively reduce nerve root compression and expand intervertebral foramens, and is devoid of the risk of spinal instability after surgery. The authors suppose that a paramedian tangential approach is quite an effective technique to relieve compression in the far-lateral L5-S1 intervertebral space.
Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hypertrophy ; Male ; Osteophyte ; Pain Measurement ; Radiculopathy ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: We evaluated a rapid preparation procedures for the labeling and quality control of 99mTc-ECD, MAG3, and MIBI using microwave heating and Sep-Pak cartridges. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 99mTc labeling of ECD, MAG3, and MIBI kit preparation was performed according to the package inserts with microwave heating modification. Heating time was 10-15 sec, and heating was performed with 3 mm plastic bottle with screw cap to prevent radiation contamination. Labeling efficiency was obtained with C18 or Alumina N Sep-Pak cartridges. RESULTS: The radiochemical purity of 93~96% for 99mTc-ECD and 95~99% for 99mTc-MIBI was obtained using Alumina N Sep-Pak cartridge. The optimum irradiation time of microwave method for 3 ml 99mTc-labeled radiopharmaceutical solution was 10 sec for 99mTc-ECD and 99mTc-MIBI, and 15 sec for 99mTc-MAG3. The RESULTS of quality control data with Sep-Pak cartridges were well correlated with TLC method. The total preparation time of these radiopharmcaeuticals was 5~6 min including quality control procedure. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that radiopharmaceuticals preparation by microwave heating and quality control by Sep-Pak cartridges can be efficiently utilized as an alternative to the recommended method by manufacturer's manual.
Aluminum Oxide ; Heating* ; Hot Temperature* ; Microwaves* ; Plastics ; Product Labeling ; Quality Control* ; Radiopharmaceuticals ; Technetium Tc 99m Mertiatide