OBJECTIVE: To assess the scavenging effect of carnitine derivatives on oxidative damage to sperm during sperm processing cryopreservation and thawing. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fresh semen samples from 20 normal healthy volunteers were collected by masturbation after at least 48 hours abstinence. After liquefaction of semen samples at room temperature, the specimens were diluted with sperm wash media (Ham's F-10, Life technologics) to a uniform density of 20x106/ml. L-carnitine or acetylcarnitine were added with various concentration of 0 micrometer, 10 micrometer, 30 micrometer in semen sample or cryoprotectant. All specimens were cryopreservated at -196degrees C LN2 for 3 days. Sperm motility, vitality, fertilizing capacity, reactive oxygen species formation and the level of lipid peroxidation were analyzed by computer assisted semen analyzer, eosin-nigrosin stain, hypo-osmotic swelling test, chemiluminescence and thiobarbituric acid method, respectively, during sperm processing, cryopreservation and thawing. RESULTS: The sperm motility was only increased in proportion to the concentration of acetylcarnitine with no statistical significance (p>0.05). The sperm vitality was also significantly improved in proportion to the concentration of acetylcarnitine with statistical significance (p<0.05). The sperm fertilizing capacity was significantly increased in proportion to the concentration of L-carnitine and acetylcarnitine and reactive oxygen species generation and lipid peroxidation were significantly decreased with same fashion(p<0.05). On comparison of effects between L-carnitine and acetylcarnitine, acetylcarnitine was superior to L-carnitine on the improvement of sperm motility and vitality as well as the suppression of reactive oxygen species generation and lipid peroxidation. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that carnitine derivatives have a scavenging effect against oxidative damages during sperm processing, cryopreservation and thawing. Therefore, carnitine derivatives may be useful as an oral antioxidant in patients with male infertility due to increased ROS generation.
Acetylcarnitine* ; Carnitine* ; Cryopreservation ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Luminescence ; Male ; Masturbation ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Semen ; Sperm Motility ; Spermatozoa*

No abstract available.
Craniocerebral Trauma* ; Head* ; Prognosis*

No abstract available.
Emergencies* ; Emergency Service, Hospital*

No abstract available.
Craniocerebral Trauma* ; Head*

Titanium alloy has been widely used as material for total knee arthroplasty(TKA). However, titanium alloy has frequently been reported as causing black staining of the periprosthetic tissues as a result of debries from metallic wear and tissue reaction. We report six cases of failed TKA in five patients, in which the tibial tray and/or metal backed patellar components were composed of titanium alloy. Wear, breakage or separation of the ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene of tibial insert and/or patellar component, which allowed metal-on-metal friction and aggravated the production of metal wear debries, were observed in all cases. The average time from primary operation to revision was 5 year and 3 months (range, 9 months to 8 year and 8 months). In all cases, patients showed painful swelling of knee jont and radiopaque periarticular deposits on radiogrphs. Most of radiographs showed abnormal position of the metallic components and metal line sign. Histology of synovium showed abundant titanium particles lying free and within histiocytes, and polyethylene and cement particles with foreign-body type giant cell reaction. The synovial lining showed a preliferative reaction and abundant fibrosis was noted. On polarizing briefringent. Elemental analysis of metal particles on histologic section, using energy dispersive X-ray spectrophotometer (EDS ; EDAX PV9900) unit attached to a transmission electron microscope, detected the titanium peak. Radiopaque metallic densitien in the painful knee after TKA are highly suggestive findings of titanium reaction. Tissue reaction in response to the metal wear debries from titanium prosthesis may have contributed to the early failure of these implants.
Alloys ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee ; Deception ; Fibrosis ; Friction ; Giant Cells ; Histiocytes ; Humans ; Knee ; Molecular Weight ; Polyethylene ; Prostheses and Implants ; Synovial Membrane ; Titanium

A retrospective review was performed of 297 patients admitted to Chung Ang Gil Hospital between June 1995 and December 1996 with a diagnosis of blunt chest trauma. Of these patients, 34% suffered either immediate or delayed complications. Immediate complications included hemothorax in 58.8%, pneumothorax in 26.5%, and pulmonary contusion in 20.5%. Delayed complications occurred in 9.1% of patients overall; these included pulmonary contusion in 12.7%, pneumonia in 9.8%, pulmonary embolism in 2%, poeumothorax in 2%, and hemothorax in 2%. The mean age of the patients were 43 years. 210 patients(70.7%) were under age 50 and 87(29.3%) were 50 years of age or older. Male to female ratio was 1.9:1. Mean Initial Revised Trauma Score (RTS) and the Injury Severity Score (ISS) were 7.10+/-0.94 and 14+/-8.69, respectively. There were associated injuries in 225(75.8%) patients. Overall mortality rate was 7.1% and the mortality rate was significantly greater in patients with a RTS<6, ISS>or=16, associated injuries, advanced age(50 years of age or older), and pulmonary complications. Pulmonary complications were significantly greater in patients with a RTS<6, ISS>or=16, and an associated injuries.
Contusions ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Hemothorax ; Humans ; Injury Severity Score ; Male ; Mortality* ; Pneumonia ; Pneumothorax ; Pulmonary Embolism ; Retrospective Studies ; Thorax*

CD44 is a family of transmembrane glycoproteins involved in cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions. Expression of CD44 isofonns (splice variants) has been shown to be associated with poor prognosis in several human cancers. We evaluated the expression patterns of the CD44 isofortn (CD 44 splice variant v6) in infiltrating ductal carcinoma of the breast by immunohistochemical and RT-PCR method. Paraffin embedded blocks from seventy-five cases of mastectomized samples were analyzed immunohistochemically using monoclonoal antibody against CD44v6. CD44v6 was detected in fifty-seven cases (76%) of the tumor samples. Adjacent normal myoepithelial cells and ductal epithelial cells revealed focal positive reaction to CD44v6. Thirtytwo cases (80.0%) with lymph nodal metastasis revealed overexpression of CD44v6 monoclonal antibody, but twenty-five cases (71.4%) without nodal metastasis also showed positive reaction to CD44v6 monoclonal antibody, and there is no statistically significant value. Other prognostic factors of infiltrating ductal carcinoma, such as tumor size, histologic grade and hormonal receptors did not show any significant correlation with CD44v6 expression. The RT-PCR studies for 9 cases of infiltrating ductal carcinoma showed the same band patterns both in the normal and tumor tissues. From the above results, it is concluded that the expression of CD44v6 is not a valuable prognostic marker of infiltrating ductal carcinoma of breast.
Breast* ; Carcinoma, Ductal* ; Epithelial Cells ; Glycoproteins ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Paraffin ; Prognosis

Erdheim-Chester disease (ECD) is a disseminated xanthogranulomatous infiltrative disease of unknown origin which reveals the infiltration of different organs and bones by foamy histiocytes. Patients with ECD have specific skeletal X-ray findings, with characteristic osteosclerosis of long bones, and histiocytes stained negative for S-100 antibody and electron microscopy of their cytoplasm does not reveal Birbeck granules. ECD represents variable clinical manifestations due to systemic involvement including the liver, spleen, pancreas, peritoneum, lung, pericardium, retroperitoneum and kidney. We report a case of ECD with bilateral hydronephrosis treated with the insertion of double J catheter following to the steroid based chemotherapy with a brief review of the literature.
Catheters ; Cytoplasm ; Drug Therapy ; Erdheim-Chester Disease* ; Histiocytes ; Humans ; Hydronephrosis* ; Kidney ; Liver ; Lung ; Microscopy, Electron ; Osteosclerosis ; Pancreas ; Pericardium ; Peritoneum ; Spleen

Nutcracker syndrome is a rare disease caused by the compression of the renal vein between the aorta and superior mesenteric artery. It is known to cause of venous hypertension, peripelvic and periureteral varicosities. Clinical manifestations include varicocele, hematuria, and flank or abdominal pain. Surgical correction is needed in nutcracker syndrome cases with severe or recurrent hematuria and abdominal or flank pain. Reanastomosis of the renal vein at 5cm below the original insertion site at the inferior vena cava is the one of the most common corrective methods and the transabdominal approach is usually employed. This disease usually appears in healthy young people and in order to decrease postoperative complications such as intestinal obstruction and bowel adhesion by avoiding unnecessary intraperitoneal manipulation, the authors used the extraperitoneal approach through a flank incision. We report because, in selected cases, we consider that this extraperitoneal approach is one of the alternative methods for the usual transperitoneal approach.
Abdominal Pain ; Aorta ; Flank Pain ; Hematuria ; Hypertension ; Intestinal Obstruction ; Mesenteric Artery, Superior ; Postoperative Complications ; Rare Diseases ; Renal Veins ; Varicocele ; Vena Cava, Inferior

Lymphomatoid papulosis is a strange disease; clinically benign, histologically malignant. Clinically, it may simulate pityriasis lichenoides et varioliformis acuta. The diagnosis is based on the typical histopathological features suggestive of malignant lymphoma, due to the presence of polymorphous lymphoid infiltrate consisting of small lymphocytes intermingled with conspicuous large atypical cells. We experienced a case of lymphomastoid papulosis in 35-year-old woman. Initially, her skin lesions developed as erythematous papules on the extremities, gradually spreading centrifugally with a tendency to involute slowly without treatment, leaving brown wrinkled surface and shallow ulceration. These skin lesions tended to become worse in warm weather and better in cold weather. At first visit, multiple erythematous grouped, ulcerated papules and nodules are seen. 18 months after first visit, most skin lesions are regressed except 5 erythematous pinhead sized papules on right leg in spite of no treatrnent. Labcratory examiniations of CBC, VDRL, urinatlysis, blood chemistry and chest X-ray were all within normal limits. Histopathologically there were hygerkeratosis, mild acanthosis, exocytosis in epidermis, and numerous lymphoid cells were infiltrated especially on perivascular and periappendegeal area, and many atypical cells showing hyperchromatic nuclei, kidney-shaped nuclei and mitotic figures in dermis.
Adult ; Chemistry ; Dermis ; Diagnosis ; Epidermis ; Exocytosis ; Extremities ; Female ; Humans ; Leg ; Lymphocytes ; Lymphoma ; Lymphomatoid Papulosis* ; Pityriasis Lichenoides ; Skin ; Thorax ; Ulcer ; Weather