OBJECTIVE: To understand the regulatory mechanism of apoptosis by pro- and anti-apoptotic genes in the cyclic human endometrium. METHODS: Each case of endometrial status was classified by Noyes criteria, and grouped into early proliferative(n=13), late proliferative(n=14), early secretory(n=15), and late secretory phases(n=15). Expression of bcl-2, and bax were assessed by Northern blot and immunohistochemistry in relation to apoptotic index by TUNEL. Results: Apoptotic index showed increasing tendency as progressing to the late secretory phase, which phase showed significantly higher apoptotic index compared to the other phases(p<0.05). The intensity of bcl-2 8.5kb transcript by Northern blot was highest in the late proliferative phase significantly(p<0.05), decreasing to nadir in the late secretory phase. In contrast to bcl-2 expression, bax mRNA expression was highest in the late secretory phase significantly(p<0.05). Both the relative ratio of bcl-2 8.5kb transcript and bcl-2 5.5kb trascript to bax showed that the ratio was higher in the early, and late proliferative phase, but, reversed in the late secretory phase. Both the immunoreactivity of bcl-2 and bax proteins could be detected in the basal, functional, and stromal layers of endometrium. The immunoreactivity of bcl-2 protein was more prominent in the proliferative phase, however, bax protein was more prominent in the secretory phase. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that apoptosis could be regulated by the relative dominance of bcl-2 or bax expression in the human endometrium. Thus, bcl-2 and bax expressions might be one of the possible mechanism in the regulation of normal menstruation.
Apoptosis* ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; Blotting, Northern ; Endometrium* ; Female ; Humans* ; Immunohistochemistry ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Menstruation ; RNA, Messenger

It has been increasingly clear that the defence against Mycobacterium leprae(M. leprae) appears mainly to depend on cell-mediated rather than humoral immune mechanism. Nevertheless, the M. leprae is not only capable of producing specific humoral antibody, but also stimulating the formation of a variety of autoantibodies, since mycobacteria are known to exert adjuvant effect. Although the exact role of the autoantibodies in the pathogenesis of leprosy is not known, it is remarkable that the prevalence of autoantibodies has been reported different by several investigators, suggesting the possibility of geographical or racial difference. This study was undertaken to investigate the prevalence of some autoantibodies in Korean patients with leprosy. Eighty patients with leprosy registered at the Department of Dermatology, Seoul National University Hospital entered this study from February, 1977 through October, 1978, The diagnosis was made by clinical, histological, bacteriological and immunological assessments and the patients were classified according to the Ridley-Jopling scale. All patients were under anti leprosy chemotherapy with DDS (Diaminodiphenylsulfone) for various periods at the time of study. Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) test was performed in 80 patients and the sera displaying reactive VDRL were subjected to re-examination by Treponema Pallidum Hemagglutinin Assay (TPHA). Rbeumatoid factor was sought by means of latex fixation test in 66 patients. Antinuclear antibody (ANA) was detected by means of latex agglutination reaction in 61 patients using polysterene latex complexed with calf thymus deoxyribonucleoprotein. Cryoprotein was detected as described elsewhere. Four of the 80 patients(5%) showed reactive VDRL, while rheumatoid factor and antinuclear antibody were not detectable in all cases. Cryoprotein was detected in 15 patients (27. 3 %). Compared with other reports on the prevalence of autoantibodies in Caucacian and African patients, we found a much lower frequency. This result may be expained partly by the racial or geographic difference in the pattern of leprosy as suggeste4 by Turk.
Agglutination ; Antibodies, Antinuclear ; Autoantibodies* ; Dermatology ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Hemagglutinins ; Humans ; Latex ; Latex Fixation Tests ; Leprosy* ; Mycobacterium ; Prevalence* ; Research Personnel ; Rheumatoid Factor ; Seoul ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases ; Thymus Gland ; Treponema pallidum

No abstract available.
Femoral Fractures* ; Hip Dislocation* ; Hip*

We describe a case of cutaneous angiomyolipoma found in the ear lobe, that is not associated with tuberous sclerosis. The lesion developed on the youngest patient yet reported in the literature.
Angiomyolipoma* ; Ear ; Humans ; Tuberous Sclerosis

Experiences of 26 cases of electrical bone stimulation on normal adult rabbits was documented in this paper. The cathodic electrode was introduced longitudinally into the medullary cavity of the proximal tibia and the anodic electrode was introduced transversely in the distal femur of the same side. The contralateral tibia was used as the control, of which the Teflon coated Kirschner wire was introduced longitudinally into the medullary cavity. 10uA of direct current was passed continuously through the fixed wires between the proximal tibia and distal femur. At the second, fourth and sixth week, random bone scan with 99m-Tc was performed and the animals were sacrificed. The specimen X-rays of the tibia and femur were taken and the specimens were prepared for the microscopic study. The followings are obtained from this experimental study. 1. The rate of new bone formation is 69.2% in the stimulated group and 7.7% in the control group. There were also fibrosis and cartilage formation as well as the new bone formation. The fibrosis and cartrilage formation are observed only in the electrically stimulated side and their occurances are 69.2% and 11.1% respectively. So The new bone formation and fibrosis are definitely increased in the bones of the cathodic electrical stimulation than those of the control side. 2. The intramembraneous ossification is the predominent feature of this electrically stimulated new bone formation. 3. Bone and soft tissue necrosis was the main microscopic feature in the anode side. 4. Since new bone, fibrous tissue and sometimes new cartilage were observed in this study, it seems that the cathodic electrical stimulation is not specific for the new bone formation, but induce crude tissues such as bone, cartilage, fibrous tissue or vessels. Furthermore, it can be postulated that the 10uA electrical stimulation is only one of the best electrical environment for the formation of the crude tissues, especially for bone and fibrous tissue.
Adult ; Animals ; Cartilage ; Electric Stimulation ; Electrodes ; Femur ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Necrosis ; Osteogenesis ; Polytetrafluoroethylene ; Rabbits ; Tibia

Iliac vein compression syndrome is a rare clinical condition in which left common iliac vein is anatomically compressed between right common iliac artery and the fifth lumbar vertebrae or pelvic brim. Patients usually have marked edema of the left leg. Although the actual incidence is unknown, this syndrome most affects women in the second to fourth decade of life. We report 4 cases of iliac compression syndrome treated by surgical intervention during the last fifteen-year period. Among them, two women have suffered from chronic intermittent swelling and pain of left leg, and two men had acute or subacute symptoms. The fibrous web in the entrance of left iliac vein into vena cava existed in one case. Including this one, two were treated by transposition of iliac artery or vein with thrombectomy. One was decompressed the arterial compression by mobilization or adhesiolysis of the surrounding vessles with thrombectomy. To the last one in which the distal common iliac vein was compressed by tortous dilated left internal iliac artery, transsection and ligation of the internal iliac artery was performed. All patients have experienced improved left leg condition after operation. except the last one in which suffered from thrombosis of left popliteal vein after the iliac decompression.
Decompression ; Edema ; Female ; Humans ; Iliac Artery ; Iliac Vein ; Incidence ; Leg ; Ligation ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; Male ; May-Thurner Syndrome ; Popliteal Vein ; Thrombectomy ; Thrombosis ; Veins

No abstract available.
Lipomatosis*

The postanesthetic nausea and vomiting during the recovery period was regarded as one of the almost inevitable and undesirable sequelae of surgery and anesthesia. With the progress of anesthetic technics and agents the incidence of this complication has been reduced. The analysis of the incidence of postanesthetic nausea and vomiting that occurred in the postanesthetic recovery room was performed on 4239 patients who received general inhalation anesthesia from Nov. 1988 to Apr. 1989 in Seoul National University Hospital. The overall incidences of postanesthetic nausea and vomiting were 0.4% and 0.5% of 4239 patients, respectively. Although the use of isoflurane among anesthetics was followed by slightly lower incidence significant. The incidence was not significantly related to sex, operation site, and the department of surgery. The incidence decreased much more than before, but because nausea and vomiting can produce undesirable complications they should be carefully prevented and treated.
Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, Inhalation ; Anesthetics ; Humans ; Incidence ; Isoflurane ; Nausea* ; Recovery Room ; Seoul ; Vomiting*

No abstract available.
Female* ; Humans ; Pregnancy*

Inhibin is a glycoprotein usually produced by granulosa cell of ovary and is known as regulator of FSH secretion. Inhibin is consisted of two heterodimeric subunit of a, B . There are two distinct molecular forms of the B subunit that exist (BA and BB) and when combined with an a subunit, form inhibin A, and inhibin B, respectively. Ovarian reserve describes women's reproductive potential, which usually decreased according to chronological age. Because useful markers claimed for the prediction of ovarian response during controlled ovarian hyperstimulation for IVF-ET have not been always successful, new biomarker has been investigated. The purpose of this study was to observe the changes in serum and ovarian follicular inhibin A concentration during controlled ovarian hyperstimulation for IVF-ET program and to evaluate the clinical significance of inhibin A as a prognostic marker for assisted reproductive technology outcomes. From Jan 1996 to Dec 1996, 48 patients who underwent IVF-ET were included. In each patient, the Day 3 FSH, LH, E2q were measured in the first month of cycle before commencing GnRH agonist administration, In the stimulation period after pituitary down regulation, blood samples for inhibin A were collected at the day 3, day 7, day of hCG injection, day of oocytes aspiration, and day of embryo transfer. Ovarian follicular inhibin A was collected at the day of oocyte aspiration. Inhibin A concentration was measured using test kit for inhibin A (INHIBIN-EASIA (code 40.134.00), Belgium Medgenix). The changes in serum inhibin A, E2 concentration during IVF-ET program showed increasing pattern throughout controlled ovarian hyperstimulation periods. If the cut-off value of day 3 serum inhibin A determined to 0.28 U/ml, the sensitivity and specificity were 80.0%, 75.0% respectively in predicting the number of oocytes retrieved being more than five. If the cut-off value of peak serum E determined to 1316 pg/ml, the sensitivity and specificity were 89.0%, 100.0% respectively in predicting the number of oocytes retrieved being more than five. In conclusion, measurement of serum inhibin A concentration on the day of starting stimulation (day 3) could be used as a useful marker for predicting the ovarian response in IVF-ET program.
Belgium ; Down-Regulation ; Embryo Transfer ; Female ; Glycoproteins ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone ; Granulosa Cells ; Humans ; Inhibins* ; Oocyte Retrieval ; Oocytes ; Ovary ; Reproductive Techniques, Assisted ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Serum