No abstract available.
Graves Disease* ; Humans ; Thyroid Gland*

No abstract available.

Human sperm are not only pleomorphic but also tend to show large numbers of obvious abnormalities that may be associated with infertility. It is known that the greater the numbers of abnormalities present in each sperm (teratozoospermic index) relates closely to abnormalities in sperm function and the presence of infertility. The variation in morphology that may be seen among human sperm involve the head, midpiece and tail. An oval head is deemed to be normal but many shape and size variations can be seen in an ejaculate, and these include large, small or tapering heads. Amorphous heads are now known to be associated with chromosomal anomalies and a sperm may even show the presence of a double head. Another anomaly of sperm morphology that is occasionally seen is the abnormality known as globozoospermia. In this condition, the sperm head lacks an acrosome and, as a consequence, the head of each spermatozoon becomes rounded. We have experienced a case of globozoospermia which was conceived by intracytoplasmic sperm injection. So we report this case with a brief review of literatures.
Acrosome ; Head ; Humans ; Infertility ; Male ; Sperm Head ; Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic* ; Spermatozoa

Paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis (PLE) is a rare neurologic disorder that can be combined with several systemic tumor. PLE is commonly associated with small cell lung carcinoma, but others are uncommon. The cause is unknown, but it is thought to be a autoimmune disorder developing secondary to carcinomatous process. Progressive neurologic symptoms usually predate the diagnosis of cancer, most symptoms usually improve after resection of tumor. PLE can combined with several tumors, but it is very rare with immature ovarian teratoma. We report a case of 31-year-old woman with PLE combined with an immature ovarian teratoma whose neurologic symptoms improved after resection of primary tumor.
Adult ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Limbic Encephalitis* ; Nervous System Diseases ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Prednisolone ; Small Cell Lung Carcinoma ; Teratoma*

OBJECTIVE: Central nervous system has unique inflammatory responses to the exposure to the endotoxin and immature brain may have a different response with that of the mature. The authors conduct this experiment to elucidate the characteristics of inflammatory response in immature brain. METHODS: Lipopolysaccharide(LPS) was injected in the right caudate nucleus in 7-day-old and adult Sprague-Dawley rats. The doses were 1 microliter of 0.1, 0.5, and 2.0mg/ml of LPS and the same amount of saline for controls. The rats were sacrificed 24hours after injections. Light microscopic examination was performed to evaluate the leukocyte recruitment, and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) to measure the expression of interleukin-1beta(IL-1beta) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-alpha) mRNA. RESULTS: Light microscopic examination revealed more pronounced leukocyte infiltration in neonatal brain than in adult, even though lower than in peripheral tissue. RT-PCR revealed dose dependent expression of IL-1beta and TNF-alpha mRNA in both neonatal and adult brain as in peripheral tissue. CONCLUSION: These results support that the immature brain is more vulnerable to the LPS induced inflammation in terms of leukocyte infiltration and possibly resultant brain damage. However, the mechanism of inflammatory response in immature brain should be studied further in association with the research of the activity of microglia, astrocyte, blood brain barrier, chemokine, and adhesion molecule in immature brain.
Adult ; Animals ; Astrocytes ; Blood-Brain Barrier ; Brain* ; Caudate Nucleus ; Central Nervous System ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-1beta ; Leukocytes ; Microglia ; Necrosis ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; RNA, Messenger ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Ventriculitis is one of the most serious complication of the ventriculoperitoneal shunt, which may cause intelligence deterioration in children. The purpose of this study is to investigate the mechanism of the neural damage in lipopolysacciride(LPS)-induced ventriculitis in rat. Ventriculitis was induced by intraventricular injection of 1mg/Kg LPS in rat. H & E and Tunel stains were done on the day 1, 2 and 14 to access the microscopic changes of the periventricular tissue and apoptosis, respectively. TNF-alpha and IL-1beta mRNA expressions were studied using RT-PCR. HRP was injected into the femoral vein and electron microscopic examinations were performed to access the BBB changes. Light microscopic examination one day after LPS injection revealed neutrophilic infiltration, which diminished on day 4, and disappeared on 14. Tunel stain revealed apoptosis on day 1 and 4. TNF-alpha and IL-1beta were expressed on day 1, and diminished progressively thereafter. HRP histochemical electron microscopic examination revealed accumulation of HRP reaction in the interstitial space around the brain parenchyma. These findings suggest the opening of the BBB and increased capillary permeability in the periventricular tissue in the LPS induced ventriculitis. This can possibly damage the periventricular neural tissue. TNF-alpha and IL-1beta seemed to play an important role in the opening of the BBB.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Blood-Brain Barrier ; Brain ; Capillary Permeability ; Child ; Coloring Agents ; Femoral Vein ; Humans ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Injections, Intraventricular* ; Intelligence ; Interleukin-1 ; Neutrophils ; Rats ; RNA, Messenger ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt

Atretic cephalocele is a rare congenital cranial anomaly. We have experienced 3 cases of atretic cephalocele at the Department of Neurosurgery, Kyungpook University Hospital between 1990 and 1993. Clinical features, operative considerations, and outcome are discussed.
Encephalocele* ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Neurosurgery

OBJECTIVE: Posttraumatic embitterment disorder (PTED) is characterized by states of “embitterment”, characteristically similar to “Hwa-byung”, which is a Korean culture-bound syndrome. The present study aimed to assess diagnostic relationships between PTED and Hwa-byung. METHODS: A total of 290 participants completed our survey. PTED and Hwa-byung were diagnosed using a diagnostic interview and scale. Scales for depression, suicide ideation, and anger were used for evaluation. Fisher's exact tests and Mann-Whitney U tests were performed to evaluate diagnostic overlap between PTED and Hwa-byung, and associations of scale scores for depression, suicide ideation, and anger between the PTED, Hwa-byung, and non-diagnosed groups. Associations of these scales between the depressive and non-depressive groups, and suicidal and non-suicidal groups were also evaluated. RESULTS: Among the participants, 1.7% of the sample fit the diagnostic criteria for PTED and 2.1% fit the criteria for Hwa-byung. No individual fit the criteria for both. Anger scores were significantly higher in the Hwa-byung group than in the non-diagnostic group. There were not any significant differences in anger scores between the PTED and non-diagnostic groups. Depression scores were significantly higher in the PTED than in the non-diagnostic groups. In contrast, no significant differences were observed between depression scores in the Hwa-byung and non-diagnostic groups. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that PTED may be a disorder category that is distinct from Hwa-byung.
Anger ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Depression ; Ethnopsychology ; Humans ; Suicide ; Weights and Measures

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been suggested to be contributory factors in complications of diabetes mellitus. In the present study, we investigated the generation of superoxide, the lipid peroxide level measured as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, the vasorelaxation of isolated thoracic aorta and the iNOS expression in kidney of streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. Sprague Dawley rats were divided into four groups: control, ascorbate (400 mg/kg rat weight daily in drinking water), diabetic (single dose of 50 mg of STZ/kg i.p.) and diabetic simultaneously fed with ascorbate for 12 wk. Rats in groups were studied at tri-weekly intervals (0 to 12 wk). Diabetic rats were evaluated periodically with changes of plasma glucose levels and body weight. The ascorbate supplimentation attenuated the development of hyperglycemia and weight loss induced by STZ injection in rats. In the present experimental condition, the ascorbate supplimentation had no significant effect on plasma glucose levels and changes in body weight of normal rate. The superoxide generation, formation of thiobarbituric acid reactive substance and iNOS expression in kidney were significantly increased in STZ-treated rats that were decreased by ascorbate supplimentation. The ascorbate supplimentation had no effect on vasorelaxation of isolated thoracic aorta. These results indicate that ascorbate supplimentation may exert an inhibitory effect on STZ-induced oxidative tissue damage through protection of pancreatic islet cells by scavanging reactive oxygen species. The ascorbate supplimentation may possibly attenuate the renal complication of diabetes mellitus.
Animals ; Aorta, Thoracic ; Blood Glucose ; Body Weight ; Diabetes Complications ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Drinking ; Hyperglycemia ; Islets of Langerhans ; Kidney* ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Streptozocin* ; Superoxides ; Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances ; Vasodilation ; Weight Loss

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to analyze the clinical results of thermo-irradiation treatment for surgically unresectable advanced hepatoma with or without hepatic arterial chemo-embolization (HACE), chemotherapy (CT) and interferon (IFN) therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between February 1990 and December 1992, 45 patients with surgically unresectable advanced hepatomas were treated by thermo-irradiation with or without hepatic arterial chemo-embolization and other treatment modalities. Among them, We analyzed retrospectively 25 patients who received more than three times of hyperthermias. Mean age was 50 years (range: 18-71 years) and male to female ratio was 20:5. In the study, treatment was administered as follows: 3 patients received radiation therapy (RT) and hyperthermia (HT). 3 received RT+HT+CT. 3 received RT+HT+HACE. 1 received RT+HT+CT+HACE. 2 received RT+HT+CT+IFN. 10 received RT+HT+HACE+IFN. 3 received RT+HT+CT+HACE+IFN. Radiation therapy was done by a 6 MV linear accelerator. Patients were treated with daily fractions of 180 cGy to doses of 11 Gy-50Gy (median 30Gy). Local hyperthermia was done by HEH-500C(Omron Com Japan), 30-45 min/session, 2 session/wk and the number of HT sessions ranged from 3 to 17 (median 7 times). 15 patients of 25 were followed by abdominal CT scan or abdominal ultra-sonogram. The following factor were analyzed : Age, histologic grade, sex, number of hyperthermia, total RT does, hepatic arterial chemo-embolization. RESULTS: Of 25 patients. There were observed tumor regression (partial response and minimal response) in 6 (24%), no response in 8 (32%), progression in 1 (4%) and not evaluable ones in 10 (40%) radiographically. The over all 1-year survival was 25% with a mean survival of 33 weeks. The treatment modes of partial and minimal responsive patients (PR+MR) were as follows: Two were treated with RT+HT+HACE, 2 were done with RT+HT+HACE+IFN Remaining 2 were treated with RT+HT+CT+HACE+IFN. The significant factor affecting the survival rate were RT dose (more than 25Gy), HACE, number of HT (above 6 times), responsiveness after treatment (PR+MR). Age, sex, histologic differentiation, chemotherapy, interferon therapy were not statistically significant factors affecting the survival rate. Conclusion : Although follow-up duration was short, the thermo-irradiation with/without hepatic arterial chemo-embolization was well tolerated and there were no serious complications. In future, it is considered the longer follow up and prospective, well controlled trails should be followed to evaluate the efficacies of survival advantage.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Fever ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hyperthermia, Induced ; Interferons ; Male ; Particle Accelerators ; Radiotherapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed