No abstract available.
Counseling* ; Infertility*

No abstract available.
Abortion, Spontaneous* ; Chorion* ; Chorionic Villi* ; Female ; Humans ; Pregnancy

No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn* ; Plasma* ; Renin*

No abstract available.
Epithelium* ; Humans* ; Insulin*

Normal and abnormal follicular growth and steroidogenesis depend on gonadotropins as well as intraovarian peptides, which may mediate or potentiate gonadotropin action. Inhibin also affect follicular development and steroidogenesis and may play a role in dominant follicle selection and follicular atresia. Therefore, we studied the differences of serum inhibin, gonadotropin and androgen levels in the women with only the ultrasound findings and no disorder, and polycystic ovary (PCO) with ovulatory disturbance. We prospectively analysed forty-three women with PCO. The diagnosis of PCO was based on typical appearance of the ovaries on TVS. Twelve women with regular menstrual cycle and normal ovarian morphology were selected as control. Basal levels of inhibin, luteinizing hormone(LH), follicle stimulating hormone(FSH), estradiol(E2), testosterone(T), androstenedione(ADD), dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate(DS), prolactin and TSH in serum were determined. There were significant differences in basal LH levels and LH/FSH ratio between the control and the women with PCO. The basal levels of inhibin and E2 in the oligo-amenorrheic PCO (N=34) were significantly higher than those in the control. There was higher negative correlation between the inhibin and T levels in the oligo-amenorrheic PCO, but, not in the regular cycling PCO. Also, there was higher positive correlation between the LH and T levels in the oligo-amenorrheic PCO, but not in the regular cycling PCO. These data presume that the initial event of PCO is elevated pituitary LH secretion. Elevated levels of LH may down-regulate LH receptors on granulosa cells and also cause hypertrophy of the thecal layer. High level of androgen secreted by the hypertrophied thermal layer may stimulate inhibin secretion from granulosa cells and can be converted to estrogen by extraovarian tissues and could serve to augment pituitary sensitivity to GnRH with a resultant secretion of more LH follicular development and dominant follicle selection resulted in ovulatory disturbance.
Diagnosis ; Estrogens ; Female ; Follicular Atresia ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone ; Gonadotropins ; Granulosa Cells ; Humans ; Hypertrophy ; Inhibins* ; Lutein ; Menstrual Cycle ; Ovary* ; Peptides ; Prolactin ; Prospective Studies ; Receptors, LH ; Ultrasonography

No abstract available.
Ectoderm*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the US findings of soft tissue hemangiomas in extremities and to correlate the echo-pattern with MR signal characteristics of hemangiomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively studied forty-two patients either with pathologically proven cases or with characteristic features of hemangiomas on MRI, US and plain film. Hemangiomas were divided into two types according to the locations;subcutaneous and intramuscular. Analytic points on US and MR findings were gross morphology of the mass, internal echo-pattern or signal characteristics. We correlated the echo-pattern with MR signal characteristics in hemangiomas. RESULTS: Subcutaneous hemangiomas revealed homogeneously anechoic mass on US, which were well correlated with MR signal characteristics' homogeneous low singnal intensity(SI) on Tl-weighted image(WI) and high SI on T2-WI. Intramuscular hemangiomas showed heterogeneously mixed echoic masses on US. An anechoic component on US corresponded to dilated vascular channels on MRI. The signal intensity of intramuscular hemangioma was less than that of subcutaneous fat on T1-WI and greater than that of fat on T2-WI. Both types of hemangiomas had tubular or lace-like appearance with interspersed fibrofatty septa. CONCLUSION: The echo-patterns in US were well associated with MR signal characteristics on MRI. Regarding US and MR features, intramuscular hemangiomas were different to subcutaneous hemangiomas.
Extremities* ; Hemangioma* ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Retrospective Studies ; Subcutaneous Fat

OBJECTIVE: The involvement of IGF system in hyperandrogenism and abnormal follicular development is controversial. This study is to assess whether IGF system contribute to it in the women with polycystic ovary(PCO). METHODS: Baseline serum levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol (E2), testosterone (T), androstenedione (ADD), prolactin, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free insulin-like growth factor(IGF)-I, free IGF-II, insulin-like growth factor binding protein(IGFBP)-1, and IGFBP-3 were measured in twelve healthy regularly cycling volunteers and forty-two women with PCO then, the changes of baseline serum levels were evaluated after laparoscopic ovarian electrocauterization in nine PCO patients. In addition, the expression pattern of IGF-I and IGF-II was examined in the ovary of control and PCO group. RESULTS: Baseline levels of LH, ADD, free IGF-II, and IGFBP-3 were significantly higher in PCO group. However, there were no significant differences in the levels of free IGF-I and IGFBP-1, although free IGF-I showed decreasing tendency in PCO group. And there was a significant positive correlation between the LH and free IGF-II level in the PCO(P=0.011, r2=0.3899), but not in the control. After ovarian electrocauterization, LH, T, and ADD levels decreased, and free IGF-I and IGFBP-3 level increased. While free IGF-II and IGFBP-1 level showed no significant changes. In the ovary, expression of both IGFs showed similar pattern in normal and PCO ovaries. CONCLUSIONS: The elevated IGFBP-3 level may alter the bioavailability of IGF(s) in the PCO. The change in IGF-I level and resumption of ovulation after electrocauterization, suggest a possible role of IGF system in the impairment of follicular development in the PCO.
Androstenedione ; Biological Availability ; Carrier Proteins* ; Estradiol ; Female ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; Humans ; Hyperandrogenism ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 1 ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor II ; Luteinizing Hormone ; Ovary* ; Ovulation ; Prolactin ; Somatomedins* ; Testosterone ; Thyrotropin ; Volunteers

It is well known that the spatial patterns of basement membrane[BM] components show a close correlation with the morphogenetic process in developing organs during pre- and postnatal period. But little is known about the chronological changes in BM components during the development of thyroid gland. To investigate the correlation of the distribution of BM components with the development of the thyroid gland, immunohistochemical localization of the BM components was performed, using rat fetuses[from 15 to 21 days of gestation] and pups[from 1 to 14 days]. According to the histological features with H.E. staining, prenatal development[El5-21] of the rat thyroid could be divided into 3 representative stages : 1] Undifferentiated primordium of thyroid epithelia, forming cell cords or cell nests [until El5 day]. 2] An intervening stage of cell proliferation with the pattern of lobulation[El6-17 days]. 3] Stage of maturing follicles[El8-21 days]. It could be concluded that differentiation of the thyroid follicle are terminated during the prenatal period and growth in size and number occurs during the first two weeks after birth. By the immunohistochemical localization of laminin[LM], fibronectin[FN], type IV collagen[CIV], the basement membranes investing thyroid follicles could be clearly delineated at 15 days of gestation. Reactivity for LN and CIV associated with BM increased with advancing development, while that of FH was apparently weakened during the 2 weeks after birth. On the other hand immunoreactivity for CIV in the same age group increased, compared to that of previous swage of development. These results indicate that BM components were expressed in distinct spatial patterns with advancing development of thyroid gland. Based on these observations, it could be concluded that these BM components are important determinants in epithelial growth and differentiation during thyroid development.
Animals ; Basement Membrane* ; Cell Proliferation ; Collagen Type IV ; Fibronectins ; Hand ; Humans ; Laminin ; Parturition ; Pregnancy ; Rats* ; Thyroid Gland*

Background: Brain MRI may unexpectedly display abnormalities in splenium of the corpus callosum (SCC). However, the clinical implications of this lesion are unclear and are not always consistent with ischemic infarctions. We performed this study to clarify the clinical and radiological implications in patients with SCC lesions. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed consecutive patients with MRIreported SCC changes between 2009 and 2012. We analyzed clinical and radiological findings, etiologies, cognitive impairment, and clinical outcomes. Results: We found 30 patients (16 females; mean 50.5 years) who had SCC lesions on MRI. Confusion was the most common clinical finding in 50% of cases. Cerebral infarction was the most common etiology (50%). The most consistent SCC changes on MRI were low signal in T1WI, high signal on T2WI and FLAIR, and high signal on DWI. We classified SCC lesions into in situ SCC lesions (SCC only) and multiple (SCC plus) lesions for patients with multiple lesions. The clinical symptoms of SCC only lesions were relatively mild. Cognitive functions were evaluated by Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and clinical dementia rating (CDR) scale at the time of discharge and patients with SCC only lesions showed less impaired cognition compared with those with SCC plus lesions. Clinical outcomes were evaluated by the modified Rankin scale at 1 month and patients with SCC only lesions revealed good clinical outcomes compared with those with SCC plus lesions. Conclusions: MRI-reported SCC lesions may have heterogeneous etiologies and present with various symptoms. The clinical course and outcome are relatively good, particularly in small isolated and oval shaped SCC lesions.