OBJECTIVE: There is a large and increasing body of experimental and clinical data supporting the existence of variable estrogen receptors in both normal and neoplastic estrogen target tissue. Recently, exon 5 deleted estrogen receptor(D5-ER) has been identified in many estrogen dependent tumors. The purpose of this study is to assess the relationship between uterine myoma and D5-ER. METHODS: The relative amount of wild type estrogen receptor mRNA and D5-ER mRNA were examined in human myometrium and myoma tissue obtained from 12 myoma patients and 12 control subjects by RT-PCR. The correlation between WT/D5-ER ratio and age was also evaluated. RESULTS: There was no difference in expression of D5-ER mRNA not only between myoma and myometrim of the myoma patients, but also between myometrium of myoma patients and normal subjects. No significant correlation was found between D5-ER expression and age of the subjects in myometrial tissue. However, we could find negative correlation between WT/D5-ER ratio and age in myoma tissue. CONCLUSION: Upon these data, we conclude that D5-ER is a common variant mutation of estrogen receptor, which is not related with development of myoma. However, in myoma tissue, there is possibility that D5-ER may act some role in the growth of tumor.
Animals ; Estrogens* ; Exons* ; Female ; Humans* ; Leiomyoma* ; Mice ; Myoma ; Myometrium* ; Receptors, Estrogen ; RNA, Messenger*

BACKGROUND: Adult with congenital heart disease represents a new category of specialized cardiovascular interest that requires the cooperation of a number of medical and surgical disciplines, and also requires the interactions among traditional departmental jurisdiction. Uninterrupted, long-term continuity care is essential if the concerns inherent in this new and increasing patient population are to be addressed. The purpose of this study was to analyze the clinical characteristics of congenital heart disease in adolescents and adults. METHODS: Between October 1994 and July 1996, retrospective follow-up records and registry chart of 229 consecutive patients with congenital heart disease for over 16 years in GUCH (grown-up congenital heart) clinic were reviewed by a physician and a nurse specialist. RESULTS: There were 126 female and 103 male GUCH patients with the mean age of 34+/-14.6 years old. Among the 229 patients, there were 179 natural survivors, those without cardiac repair, and 50 postoperative survivors. Congenital heart defects were 167 shunt legions, 17 obstructive and valvular legions, 14 tetralogy of Fallot, 15 complex congenital heart anomalies and 16 others. Among the 179 natural survivors; 122 (68%) required heart surgery or continuous medical surveillance, and among the 50 surgically repaired survivors; 37 (74%) required reoperation for residual heart defects, constant medical treatment or consultation from other medical divisions. The reasons for the hospital vistis were:cardiac operation or cardiac diagnosis in 128 (56%) patients, symptomatic heart conditions in 43 (19%), routine heart examinations since childhood in 31 (14%) and others in 27 (11%). Also, the patient compliances were higher in the GUCH clinic than the traditional departmental jurisdiction (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: To achieve continuing care for the patients with congenital heart disease in adolescents and adults, it is important to develope a specialized clinic addressing the specific needs of the congenital heart disease in adolescents and adults.
Adolescent* ; Adult* ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart ; Heart Defects, Congenital* ; Humans ; Male ; Reoperation ; Retrospective Studies ; Specialization ; Survivors ; Tetralogy of Fallot ; Thoracic Surgery

The aim of this study is to assess the association between crown-rump length (CRL) measured before the 10th gestational week and birth weight. Results from 316 transvaginal ultrasonography scans at the 46th, 53rd, 60th, 67th, and 74th days of pregnancy were compared in low birth weight (LBW) versus normal birth weight groups. A positive correlation between CRL and birth weight was observed when CRL was measured at days 60, 67, and 74. CRL measured on the 67th day of pregnancy was significantly smaller in the LBW group than in the normal birth weight group. A cut-off value of CRL=26.5 mm measured at day 67 has the highest power to predict LBW.
Adult ; *Crown-Rump Length ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; *Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Maternal Age ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Pregnancy ; *Pregnancy Trimester, First ; Ultrasonography, Prenatal ; Young Adult

No abstract available.
Autopsy* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: We report our initial experience with percutaneous transvenous closure of atrial septal defects (ASD). MATERIALS AND METHOD: Between September 1997 and May 2000, we attempted transcatheter closure of ASD in 18 patients using CardioSEALTM (8), STARFlexTM (4) and Amplatzer septal occluder (6). The ages of patients ranged from 4.5-64.8 (mean 32.8) years, body weight ranging from 16-76 (mean 51) kg, Qp/Qs ratio from 1.3-3.4 (mean 2.2). RESULTS: Embolization of device occurred in two patients; right pulmonary artery in one and left atrium in the other. In one patient, the device slipped into the right atrium before detachment. After retrieval of the device, the defect seemed too large for transcatheter closure. There were no other complications apart from a transient aggravation of pre-existing atrial premature beats in two patients. There was no significant size difference between the data measured by transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography. The stretched ASD diameter was larger (5.1 3.2 mm) than the size measured by transesophageal echocardiography. In the remaining 15 patients, complete closure of defects was confirmed by transthoracic echocardiography on the 1 day or 1 month follow-up. During the same period, transcatheter closure of patent foramen ovale(PFO) was also attempted in 7 patients with stroke. The guidewire could not be passed in 2 of the patients. In the other 5 patients, transcatheter closure was successfully performed without any problems. Though the follow-up period may have been short, no patients were found with further stroke attack. CONCLUSION: Transcatheter closure of ASD can be performed with high efficiency and safety if patient selection is adequate. The indication for ASD closure can be extended to patients with larger defects. Transcatheter closure of PFO is an easy and safe procedure, but the indications of PFO closure in patients with stroke is still unclear. Further evaluation is necessary for long-term results.
Body Weight ; Cardiac Complexes, Premature ; Echocardiography ; Echocardiography, Transesophageal ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Atria ; Heart Septal Defects, Atrial* ; Humans ; Patient Selection ; Pulmonary Artery ; Septal Occluder Device ; Stroke

Lipoma is a common benign tumor found at various sites in the body, but it is rarely encountered in the middle ear. We report a case of a 5-month-old girl who presented a middle ear lipoma, which was successfully removed by canal wall up mastoidectomy. To the best our knowledge, this is the youngest case of rare middle ear lipoma, which has ever been reported in the literature.
Ear, Middle ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Lipoma ; Otitis Media

Lipoma is a common benign tumor found at various sites in the body, but it is rarely encountered in the middle ear. We report a case of a 5-month-old girl who presented a middle ear lipoma, which was successfully removed by canal wall up mastoidectomy. To the best our knowledge, this is the youngest case of rare middle ear lipoma, which has ever been reported in the literature.

PURPOSE: Perigraft seroma and excessive fluid leaks are well known complications after the use of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene(ePTFE, Gore-Tex(R)) graft. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of precoating the grafts with fibrin glue in the patients underwent a modified Blalock-Taussig shunt. METHODS: Among 51 consecutive infants underwent modified Blalock-Taussig shunt between June 2000 and August 2003, 49 patients underwent 53 shunt procedures through thoracotomy were included for analysis. Their median age was 0.9 months(2 days-5.9 months), median body weight was 3.5(2.2-7.9) kg. The ePTFE grafts precoated with fibrin glue were used in 20 procedures. Perioperative variables of the precoated group were compared with those of a control group(n=33) using t-test and Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: There was no operative mortality in the both groups. No significant difference between the groups could be found in the preoperative variables, postoperative morbidity, and the incidence of perigraft seroma, which developed only in 1 case in the control group. The size of the grafts was significantly smaller in the precoated group(P<0.01). The total amount of pleural drainage per body weight of the precoated group was significantly less than that of the control group(19.7+/-25.2 versus 5.5+/-4.9 mL/kg; P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Precoating an ePTFE graft with fibrin glue may reduce perigraft leak after a modified Blalock-Taussig shunt, although the impact of the size of the graft used and the native pulmonary artery requires further investigation.
Blalock-Taussig Procedure ; Blood Vessel Prosthesis ; Body Weight ; Drainage ; Endoleak* ; Fibrin Tissue Adhesive ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Mortality ; Polytetrafluoroethylene* ; Postoperative Complications ; Pulmonary Artery ; Seroma ; Thoracotomy ; Tissue Adhesives ; Transplants

The objective of this study is to investigate whether BCG infection before, during or after sensitization suppresses allergen-induced airway hyperresponsiveness and eosinophilic inflammation in allergic asthma rats, and to determine the required dose of BCG to induce such an inhibition. Eighty-seven Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were sensitized and provoked with ovalbumin (OA). A pretreatment of 6 x 10(4) or 6 x 10(5) colony forming units (CFUs) of BCG or saline was done at four different times: 3 days before sensitization, at sensitization, 3 days before provocation, or at provocation. The assessment of tracheal smooth muscle (TSM) responsiveness to electrical field stimulation or acetylcholine (ACh) and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) were performed 1 day after OA provocation. Doses of 6 x 10(4) CFUs inhibited TSM sensitivity of rats infected 3 days before sensitization or at sensitization, but not 3 days before provocation or at provocation. However, doses of 6 x 10(5) CFUs significantly inhibited not only the airway eosinophilia of rats infected 3 days before sensitization or at sensitization, but also the TSM sensitivity of rats infected 3 days before provocation or at provocation. In conclusion, BCG infection suppresses the development of sensitivity of airway smooth muscle and airway eosinophilic inflammation in allergic asthma rats. Furthermore, a relatively high dose of BCG infection inhibits airway sensitivity, even after allergen sensitization.
Animal ; Asthma/immunology* ; BCG Vaccine/immunology* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Disease Models, Animal ; Eosinophils/immunology ; Leukocyte Count ; Lung/immunology* ; Male ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular/immunology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Time Factors ; Vaccination

The objective of this study is to investigate whether BCG infection before, during or after sensitization suppresses allergen-induced airway hyperresponsiveness and eosinophilic inflammation in allergic asthma rats, and to determine the required dose of BCG to induce such an inhibition. Eighty-seven Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were sensitized and provoked with ovalbumin (OA). A pretreatment of 6 x 10(4) or 6 x 10(5) colony forming units (CFUs) of BCG or saline was done at four different times: 3 days before sensitization, at sensitization, 3 days before provocation, or at provocation. The assessment of tracheal smooth muscle (TSM) responsiveness to electrical field stimulation or acetylcholine (ACh) and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) were performed 1 day after OA provocation. Doses of 6 x 10(4) CFUs inhibited TSM sensitivity of rats infected 3 days before sensitization or at sensitization, but not 3 days before provocation or at provocation. However, doses of 6 x 10(5) CFUs significantly inhibited not only the airway eosinophilia of rats infected 3 days before sensitization or at sensitization, but also the TSM sensitivity of rats infected 3 days before provocation or at provocation. In conclusion, BCG infection suppresses the development of sensitivity of airway smooth muscle and airway eosinophilic inflammation in allergic asthma rats. Furthermore, a relatively high dose of BCG infection inhibits airway sensitivity, even after allergen sensitization.
Animal ; Asthma/immunology* ; BCG Vaccine/immunology* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Disease Models, Animal ; Eosinophils/immunology ; Leukocyte Count ; Lung/immunology* ; Male ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular/immunology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Time Factors ; Vaccination