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*

OBJECTIVE: To examine a normal range for nuchal translucency thickness between 9 and 14 weeks' gestation in normal fetuses. METHODS: Nuchal translucency was measured prospectively in 124 fetuses between 9 and 14 weeks' gestation resulted in normal pregnancy outcome. The nuchal translucency measurement was expressed as the median and the 5th, 25th, 75th, and 95th percentiles according to complete weeks of gestation based on ultrasound measurement. RESULTS: The median nuchal translucency thickness was 1.8 mm at 9 weeks' gestation and it declined to 1.6 mm at 10 weeks. But the median thickness increased from 1.95 mm at 11 weeks to 2.3 mm at 12 weeks, after which it slightly declined to 2.25 mm at 13 weeks. And then it increased to 2.5 mm at 14 weeks. A nuchal translucency thickness greater than 2.5 mm was not found at 9 and 10 weeks' gestation, but found in 21.8% of fetuses from 11 weeks to 14 weeks. CONCLUSION: In normal fetuses, there is a physiologic variation in the thickness of nuchal translucency between 9 and 14 weeks' gestation. The calculation of risk for trisomies based on this thickness should take this variation into account. The adoption of a gestational age-dependent cutoff point, based on the deviation of a given measurement from the median, may reduce the invasive procedure for karyotyping. And this study suggest that if the nuchal translucency measurement is greater than 2.5 mm before 10 weeks, it may advise the karyotyping.
Female ; Fetus* ; Karyotyping ; Nuchal Translucency Measurement* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Prospective Studies ; Reference Values ; Trisomy ; Ultrasonography

No abstract available.
Aminolevulinic Acid*

The linear IgA bullous dermatosis is a rare chronic vesicobullous disease resembling dermatitis herpetiformis or bullous pemphigoid. We report a case of linear IgA bullous dermatosis developed in a 16 year old female, whose cutaneous lesions were unusually acute. The urticarial wheals started on her buttock and spread to her entire body in two hours and generalized blistering de veloped within four days, The response by dapsone was also dramatic. Routine histological and both direct and indirect immunofluorescent microscopic findings were typical of linear IgA bullous dermatosis.
Adolescent ; Adult* ; Blister ; Buttocks ; Dapsone ; Dermatitis Herpetiformis ; Female ; Humans ; Linear IgA Bullous Dermatosis* ; Pemphigoid, Bullous

BACKGROUND: Extensive involvernent of alopecia areata seems to be different from the usual common type of alopecia areata in its damage to the patient and its pragnosis. The two forms are best dealt with differently. OBJECTIVE: We performed a clinical observation of a severe form of alopecia areata to understand to its course and therapeuic respones. METHODS: Clinical analysis of 68 cases of severe alopecia areata (37 alopecia totalis, 6 alopecia subtotalis, 13 alopecia universalis, 11 alopecia subtotal universalis, 1 ophiasis) was done for 9 years from 1985 to 1994. RESULTS: 1. The sex distribution was equal. The developrnent of hair loss started before the age of 30 in 67.6%(46/68). Twenty two patients(32.4%) developed the alopecia during the early twenties. The overall mean age was 26.4 years. 2. The duration from the initial hair loss to the involvement of the whole scalp was less than 3 months in 80%(40/50~) of patierits showing whole scalp baldness. 3. Exclamation mark hairs were seen in 85% (57/67) of severe alopecia areata. In 5 patients who were examined just at the start of the hair loss, exclamation mark hairs were found several weeks later. 4. When treated by methyl prednisolone pulse therapy, duration of the disease and type of involvement are the most important prognastic factors as follows. a) 71%(32/45) of patients with less than 6 months duration showed satisfyingly good results cosmetically, but this figure dropped to 30.4% (7/23) in patients with longer than 6 months duration. b) 83.7% (36/43) of patients with alopecia totalis or subtotalis showed good results but this figure dropped to 12%(3/25) in patients with alopecia universalis, subtotal universalis or ophiasis. 5. Methyl prednisolone pulse therapy seemed to be recommended in the acute stage of extensive involvement of alopecia areata. CONCLUSION: Severe alopecia areata has predilection for young adults and seems to show extensive involvement frorn its early stage. Exclamation mark hairs need some time to appear even in their early active stage of hair hedding. Pulse methyl prednisolone therapy is thought to be recommended when the disease is in its early active stage.
Alopecia Areata* ; Alopecia* ; Hair ; Humans ; Prednisolone* ; Scalp ; Sex Distribution ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: Extensive involvernent of alopecia areata seems to be different from the usual common type of alopecia areata in its damage to the patient and its pragnosis. The two forms are best dealt with differently. OBJECTIVE: We performed a clinical observation of a severe form of alopecia areata to understand to its course and therapeuic respones. METHODS: Clinical analysis of 68 cases of severe alopecia areata (37 alopecia totalis, 6 alopecia subtotalis, 13 alopecia universalis, 11 alopecia subtotal universalis, 1 ophiasis) was done for 9 years from 1985 to 1994. RESULTS: 1. The sex distribution was equal. The developrnent of hair loss started before the age of 30 in 67.6%(46/68). Twenty two patients(32.4%) developed the alopecia during the early twenties. The overall mean age was 26.4 years. 2. The duration from the initial hair loss to the involvement of the whole scalp was less than 3 months in 80%(40/50~) of patierits showing whole scalp baldness. 3. Exclamation mark hairs were seen in 85% (57/67) of severe alopecia areata. In 5 patients who were examined just at the start of the hair loss, exclamation mark hairs were found several weeks later. 4. When treated by methyl prednisolone pulse therapy, duration of the disease and type of involvement are the most important prognastic factors as follows. a) 71%(32/45) of patients with less than 6 months duration showed satisfyingly good results cosmetically, but this figure dropped to 30.4% (7/23) in patients with longer than 6 months duration. b) 83.7% (36/43) of patients with alopecia totalis or subtotalis showed good results but this figure dropped to 12%(3/25) in patients with alopecia universalis, subtotal universalis or ophiasis. 5. Methyl prednisolone pulse therapy seemed to be recommended in the acute stage of extensive involvement of alopecia areata. CONCLUSION: Severe alopecia areata has predilection for young adults and seems to show extensive involvement frorn its early stage. Exclamation mark hairs need some time to appear even in their early active stage of hair hedding. Pulse methyl prednisolone therapy is thought to be recommended when the disease is in its early active stage.
Alopecia Areata* ; Alopecia* ; Hair ; Humans ; Prednisolone* ; Scalp ; Sex Distribution ; Young Adult

Localized cystic disease of the kidney is a rare entity with the gross and microscopic features of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease localized to only a portion of a kidney, and negative family history. We report a case of localized cystic disease of the kidney in a 38-year-old woman who complained of intermittent right flank pain for 1 year. The resected kidney showed multiple cysts measuring up to 4.0 3.5 3.0 cm, which were scattered throughout the mid- and lower poles of the kidney. Microscopically, the cystic lesion was composed of numerous cysts of variable size, lined by flattened epithelium. The intervening septa of the cysts contained normal or compressed renal tubules and glomeruli. Neither dysgenetic tissue such as immature cartilage or primitive mesenchymal tissue nor malignant cells was identified. Localized cystic disease should be included in the differential diagnosis of cystic lesions in the kidney.
Adult ; Cartilage ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Epithelium ; Female ; Flank Pain ; Humans ; Kidney* ; Polycystic Kidney, Autosomal Dominant

The Hahn double 15 hue test is used for social and vacational aptitude test to separate strongly and mildly affected subjects among the colour vision defective persons, detected using colour vision test. However, the assessment of colour vision defect type and severity is based on the hue confusions which are represented diagrammatically on Hahn double 15 hue score sheet, this qualitative assessment of the test results have not provide a numerical score suitable for mathematical analysis. This paper presented a new proposal for quantitatively scoring the Hahn double 15 hue test based on those hue confusions made by the subject. With this program large numbers of double 15 hue test results can be processed easily and rapidly, and program helps to compare the severity of specific type colour vision defect and monitor acquired colour vision defect which has various disease process, continuously.
Aptitude Tests ; Humans ; Research Design* ; Vision Tests

Uterine cervical prolapse concurrent with pregnancy is a rare situation. Large variety of management options for pregnancy, labor, and delivery to this situation had been reported. We have experienced one case of third-degree cervical prolapse combined with pregnancy. This woman visited our hospital in the late first trimester. We had managed the patient successfully with a vaginal pessary to maintain cervical placement. hereby, We report this case with a brief review.
Female ; Humans ; Pessaries ; Pregnancy Trimester, First ; Pregnancy* ; Prolapse*

The high osteogenic potential in children can lead to the spontaneous regeneration of a significant bone loss, however, the site documented in the previous reports was limited to the diaphysis in long bones. We report an exceptional case of a spontaneous regeneration of the whole lateral malleolus, including epiphysis, physis, and metaphysic, after traumatic loss in a three-year-old boy. This case emphasizes the importance of attempts to save as much of the cartilaginous tissues and the periosteum as possible, which have a great osteogenic potential, in themanagement of open would in childrhood.
Child ; Diaphyses ; Epiphyses ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Metaphysics ; Periosteum ; Regeneration