No abstract available.
Insemination* ; Spermatozoa*

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Animals ; Epidermal Growth Factor* ; Gene Expression* ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone* ; Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide* ; Rats*

Primary gallbladder carcinoma is generally assumed as uncommon but dismal malignancy. Only sporadic studies about pathologic features of the gallbladder carcinoma have drawn pathologists attention especially in association with cholelithiasis. Currently, we have focused much on the role of metaplastic changes in diseased gallbladders including cholecystitis with or without cholelithiasis, and raised its implication in the development of benign or malignant neoplasm. The authors reviewed 34 cholecystectomy cases with primary gallbladder carcinoma, and their histologic findings were analyzed with reference to the association of metaplastic changes both in tumor and adjacent nonneoplastic mucosal epithelium. Association with gallstones and metaplastic changes in the surrounding nontumorous mucosa is more frequent in intestinal typen than in non-intestinal type (P<0.05). Gallstones may play a role of irritant stimuli to the gallbladder mucosa which can be eventually reconstructed with more resistant cell type. And the subsequent increase in absorptive capacity and accumulation of carcinogenic substance may result in malignant transformation of (reserve) cells in replication zone. At this time we can assume that association of cholelithiasis and presence of metaplastic changes are in parallel relationshop in intestinal type adenocarcinoma. Intestinal type adenocarcinomas are usually papillary (72.7%) especially in superficial portion, but deeper area also shows infiltrative growth focally. This finding is comparable to intestinal type gastric carcinoma which represents frequently a polypoid and papillary growth pattern. With these results, as in the gastric carcinoma it is strongly supported that intestinal metaplasia may play a major role as a precancerous lesion in a minor group of the gallbladder adenocarcinoma. Controlled prospective study on biological behavior of intestinal type adenocarcinoma should be followed with more cumulative cases.
Adenocarcinoma

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the predictive value of initial serum B-hCG and progesterone measurement for pregnancy outcome in IVF-ET. METHODS: Serum B-hCG at 11-12th day after embryo transfer and progesterone at 7th day after oocyte aspiration were measured in 48 successful pregnant IVF-ET cases from July 1993 to June 1997. RESULTS: Of 48 cases, 26 cases (54.2%) successfully carried to sustaining gestation and 22 cases (45.8%) failed to sustain gestation. The estimated initial serum B-hCG levels in the normal sustaining pregnancy group (132.28+ 22.42 mlU/ml) were statistical significantly higher than 29.43+8.08 mIU/ml in the failed sustaining pregnancy group (p<0.001), while the estimated initial serum progesterone levels showed no significant differences (p=0.159). In order to determine the predictive values using the Receiver Operator Curve (ROC), an appropriate cutoff value of 38 mIU/ml for initial serum B-hCG was obtained. In IVF-ET pregnancies, the estimated serum B-hCG levels in cases of chemical abortion in failed sustaining pregnancy were significantly lower compared to the normal sustaining pregnancy group (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The initial serum B-hCG levels at 11 days after embryo transfer could be used to predict the pregnancy outcome in an IVF program. An initial progesterone level acquired on the 7th day after oocyte retrieval is not a useful indicator to predict pregnancy outcome.
Chorionic Gonadotropin* ; Embryo Transfer* ; Embryonic Structures* ; Female ; Humans* ; Oocyte Retrieval ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome* ; Pregnancy* ; Progesterone*

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether the rate of early mouse embryonal development could be enhanced by cumulus cell coculture in vitro. METHODS: Ham's F-10 culture media supplemented with 0.4% bovine serum albumin were used. Two-cell F1 mouse embryos were cultured in media with or without cumulus cells of female ICR mouse embryo for 96 hours, and the rates of embryonal development were observed and compared. RESULTS: The percentage of hatched blastocyst in the coculture group was significantly higher than that in the control group by 87.3% vs 64.8% respectively (p< 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study provides confirmative information that cumulus cell coculture will be useful in enhancing early mouse embryonal development.
Animals ; Blastocyst ; Coculture Techniques* ; Culture Media ; Cumulus Cells* ; Embryonic Structures ; Female ; Humans ; Mice* ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Serum Albumin, Bovine

No abstract available.
Animals ; Embryonic Structures* ; Fertilization in Vitro* ; Humans* ; Mice* ; Quality Control*

This study was performed to investigate the stimulating effect on oocyte maturation and cumulus cell expansion in TC199 media by human cord serum (HCS) supplementation. Immature mouse oocyte cumulus complexes (OCCs) were cultured in TC199 media supplemented with bovine serum albumin (BSA), HCS and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) instead of luteinizing hormone (LH) respectively, and the expression of cumulus expansion and oocyte maturation were observed. After 4hr and 24hr culture with or without OCCs, media containing 0.4% BSA, 10% HCS and 10 lU hCG respectively were collected and analyzed for changing concentrations of estradiol (E2), progesterone(P4), testosterone(T), and PGF2. There were no elevation of E2, T, and PGF2 by OCCs culture, but minute elevation of P4 level by 24hr OCCs culture in hCG supplementation (p=0.048). The stimulating pattern of cumulus expansion of OCCs by HCS and hCG supplementation was similar to our previously report using Ham's F-10 media, however oocyte maturation rates after 24hr OCCs culture in all media were increased by 20~30% compared to Ham's F-10 media. These results suggest that LH in HCS induce cumulus expansion probably by P4 secretion of OCCs, and TC199 is efficient media for immature mouse oocyte maturation.
Animals ; Chorionic Gonadotropin ; Cumulus Cells* ; Dinoprost ; Estradiol ; Humans* ; Luteinizing Hormone ; Mice ; Oocytes* ; Serum Albumin, Bovine

OBJECTIVES: This study was to investigate the fertilization rate after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) or partial zona dissection (PZD) of human and hamster sperm into hamster oocyte in in vitro fertilization (IVF). In addition, the possibility of clinical application was evaluated by the comparison of usefulness and difference of these method. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Hamster immature oocytes were obtained from oviducts superovulated by PMSG and hCG, and hamster sperms were obtained from epididymis. The freezed human sperms were thawed before use. Fertilization were confirmed by two pronuclei, one pronucleus, swollen sperm head or/and two polar bodies at 7~8 hour after ICSI or PZD. RESULTS: The fertilization rates after ICSI and PZD of human sperm to hamster oocyte were 3.6%, 64.2%, 73.6%, and 55.6% for negative control, positive control, ICSI, and PZD respectively, suggesting that ICSI only showed improved fertilization rate (p<0.01). The fertilization rates after ICSI and PZD of hamster sperm to hamster oocyte were 11.1%, 51.2%, 39.6%, and 72.7% for negative control, positive control, ICSI, and PZD respectively, suggesting that PZD only showed improved fertilization rate (p<0.01). PZD showed significantly higher fertilization rate than ICSI (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: As for the fertilization rate by ICSI and PZD using hamster oocyte in IVF, ICSI technique was considered to be more useful for human sperm and PZD technique for hamster sperm. Therefore, ICSI technique was considered more appropriate for experimental application using human sperm and hamster oocyte.
Humans

OBJECTIVES: This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of embryonic stage, cryoprotectant, and freezing-thawing method on the rates of survival and development of the cryopreserved mouse early embryo and finally to establish the cryopreservation method of surplus embryos obtained during assisted reproductive technology (ART). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two to eight cell embryos were obtained from oviducts of mated F1 hybrid female mice superovulated by pregnant mare's serum gonadotropin (PMSG) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Two-step 1,2-propanediol (PROH), dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and 4-step PROH, DMSO were used as cryoprotectant and dehydration and rehydration method of embryos, and slow- cooling or rapid-cooling method was used as frozen program. The survival rates of embryos were measured after thawing and rehydration, and the developmental rates of embryos were compared and observed during culturing embryos for 24, 48, 72, 96 hrs. RESULTS: As for the survival and development rates of embryos according to embryonic stage, the survival rate of 2 cell stage in PROH and DMSO was significantly higher than 4-8 cell (64.5% versus 62.1%, 79.7% versus 73.2%) (p<0.01, p<0.01), but the development rates of 4-8 cell embryos in PROH and DMSO were significantly higher than 2 cell embryos for whole culture period (p<0.01) and the development rates of 4-8 cell embryos in PROH were significantly higher than 2 cell embryos in DMSO (p<0.01). As for the survival and development rates of embryos according to cryoprotectant, the survival rate of 2 cell embryo in DMSO was significantly higher than that in PROH (74.4% versus 64.5%) (p<0.01), whereas the development rate of embryos was not differ till 24 hrs. The development rate from morular to hatching blastocyst, however, was significantly higher in PROH than in DMSO during 48 hr (p<0.01). The survival rate of 4-8 cell embryo was 62.1% in PROH and 73.2% in DMSO. The development rates of embryo in PROH were significantly higher for whole culture periods (p<0.01, 0.05). In respect to the effect of freezing and thawing program on the survival and development rates of embryos, method of slow cooling and rapid thawing was more effective than that of rapid cooling and rapid thawing. CONCLUSIONS: The survival rate of embryo in 2 cell stage was higher than in 4-8 cell stage, and PROH appears more effective cryoprotectant than DMSO because PROH showed better development rates of embryos in 2 and 4-8 cell stage. Moreover, slow cooling and rapid thawing method was considered as the best cryopreservation program.
Pregnancy ; Female ; Humans ; Mice ; Animals