OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this study were to analyze efficacy of immature and mature mouse oocytes after vitrification and warming by applying various combinations of cryoprotectants (CPAs) and/or super-rapid cooling using slush nitrogen (SN2). METHODS: Four-week old ICR female mice were superovulated for GV- and MII-stage oocytes. Experimental groups were divided into two groups. Ethylene glycol (EG) only group: pre-equilibrated with 1.5 M EG for 2.5 minutes and then equilibrated with 5.5 M EG and 1.0 M sucrose for 20 seconds. EG+dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) group: pre-equilibrated with 1.3 M EG+1.1 M DMSO for 2.5 minutes and equilibrated with 2.7 M EG+2.1 M DMSO+0.5 M sucrose for 20 seconds. The oocytes were loaded onto grids and plunged into SN2 or liquid nitrogen (LN2). Stored oocytes were warmed by a five-step method, and then their survival, maturation, cleavage, and developmental rates were observed. RESULTS: The EG only and EG+DMSO groups showed no significant difference in survival of immature oocytes vitrified after warming. However, maturation and cleavage rates after conventional insemination were greater in the EG only group than in the EG+DMSO group. In mature oocytes, survival, cleavage, and blastocyst formation rates after warming showed no significant difference when EG only or EG+DMSO was applied. Furthermore, cleavage and blastocyst formation rates of MII oocytes vitrified using SN2 were increased in both the EG only and EG+DMSO groups. CONCLUSION: A combination of CPAs in oocyte cryopreservation could be formulated according to the oocyte stage. In addition, SN2 may improve the efficiency of vitrification by reducing cryoinjury.
Animals ; Blastocyst ; Cryopreservation ; Cryoprotective Agents ; Dimethyl Sulfoxide ; Ethylene Glycol ; Ethylenes ; Female ; Humans ; Insemination ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Nitrogen ; Oocytes ; Sucrose ; Vitrification

OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to compare postoperative adjuvant paclitaxel and platinum (TC) chemotherapy and radiation therapy in women with uterine endometrial carcinoma. METHODS: Total one hundred five patients were entered into this trial. Non-endometrioid histologic subtypes such as serous, clear cell and small cell types were excluded from the study because they have different biological potentials. Of 58 assessable patients, who were needed adjuvant treatment according to surgico-pathologic reports, after surgery, 34 were received TC chemotherapy and 24 were received radiation therapy. Chemotherapy consisted of paclitaxel 175 mg/m2 and carboplatin AUC 5 (or cisplatin 50 mg/m2) every 3 weeks for 3 or 6 cycles. Irradiation dosage was 4,500~5,040 cGy in 28 fractions. RESULTS: In 58 evaluated patients, median follow-up time was 40.3 months (range 7~64 months). The 5-year overall survival and 5-year disease-free survival were 91.3% and 91.0% in 34 patients treated with TC chemotherapy, and 91.4% and 82.8% in 24 cases who treated with radiation therapy, however, there were no significant difference (P=0.646, P=0.129). The most common adverse effect of TC chemotherapy was hematologic toxicity, which was manageable conservatively. The serious gastrointestinal complication of radiotherapy was noted in 5 patients (20.8%), three of these patients were received another bowel surgery, such as ileo-cecal bypass, however, symptoms were persisted after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that postoperative adjuvant TC chemotherapy is a promising treatment which could be substituted for radiation therapy, with major activity and a acceptable toxicity profile for the treatment of uterine endometrial carcinoma.
Area Under Curve ; Carboplatin ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Cisplatin ; Disease-Free Survival ; Endometrial Neoplasms ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Paclitaxel ; Platinum ; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in South Korea since the year 2000 and it is more common in elderly patients, with a peak incidence at around 70~80 years of age. However, these elderly patients receive treatment less often than do the younger patients because of organ dysfunction related to their age and their comorbidities, and they show poor tolerance to chemotherapy. The aims of this study were to analyze the clinical characteristics and treatment-related survival of elderly patients with lung cancer. METHODS: In this retrospective study, we analyzed the clinical data of 706 lung cancer patients who were diagnosed at hospitals in Daegu and Gyeongsangbukdo from January 2005 to December 2005. We compared the clinical characteristics and outcomes of the patients who were aged 70 years and older (elderly patients) with those clinical characteristics and outcomes of the younger individuals. RESULTS: The median age of the patients was 68 years (from 29 to 93) and the elderly patients were 38.7% (n=273) of all the study's patients. Squamous cell carcinoma was the most common type of lung cancer in both the elderly and younger patient groups. Elderly patients had more symptoms of dyspnea and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) than the younger patients (p<0.001 and p<0.001, respectively). A good performance status (ECOG 0-1) was less common for the elderly patients (p<0.001). The median survival of the non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients was significantly higher in the younger patient group than in the elderly patient group (962 days vs 298 days, respectively, p=0.001). However, the median survival of the NSCLC patients who received any treatment showed no significant difference between the younger patient group and the elderly patient group (1,109 days vs 708 days, respectively, p=0.14). CONCLUSION: Our data showed that appropriate treatment for selected elderly patients improved the survival of patients with NSCLC. Therefore, elderly NSCLC patients with a good performance status should be encouraged to receive appropriate treatment.
Aged ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Comorbidity ; Dyspnea ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms ; Prognosis ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; Republic of Korea ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of HIV drug resistance mutations in drug-naive patients has been shown to differ with geographic origin. The purpose of this study is to assess the prevalence of transmitted antiretroviral drug resistance mutations in drug-naive patients in Korea. METHODS: Genotypic resistance was determined by the use of the Viroseq Genotyping System in 42 antiretroviral treatment naive HIV-infected patients between March 2005 and July 2006. Transmitted drug resistance was estimated according to the IAS-USA 2005 definition, taking into account only major mutations in the protease and all mutations in the reverse transcriptase, including revertant mutations at codon 215. RESULTS: The median age of the patients was 42 years and 37 (88%) were male. The median CD4+T cell count was 136/mm3 and the mean plasma RNA level was 4.98 log copies/mL. Among 42 patients studied, 37 (88%) were newly diagnosed patients. None of the patients were recent seroconverters; 38 patients (90%) were infected with subtype B and 4 patients were infected (10%) with the non-B subtype strains (2 patients with CRF01-AE 1 as CRF02-AG; 1 patient with subtype A). Of the 42 subjects tested, we found 2 (4.8%) mutations in NRTI (V118I), but did not find a mutation in NNRTI as well as in the PI region. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of transmitted antiretroviral drug resistance in drug-naive patients is still low in Korean patients.
Cell Count ; Codon ; Drug Resistance* ; HIV ; HIV-1* ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Plasma ; Prevalence ; RNA ; RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase

PURPOSE: Mycophenolic acid (MPA), the active metabolite of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), is a potent inhibitor of inosine-monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH), a new immunosuppressive drug used. It was reported that MPA protected neurons after excitotoxic injury, induced apoptosis in microglial cells. However, the effects of MPA on hypoxic-ischemic (HI) brain injury has not been yet evaluated. Therefore, we examined whether MPA could be neuroprotective in perinatal HI brain injury using Rice-Vannucci model (in vivo) and in rat brain cortical cell culture induced by hypoxia (in vitro). METHODS: Cortical cells were cultured using a 18-day-pregnant Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats and incubated in 1% O2 incubator for hypoxia. MPA (10 microgram/mL) before or after a HI insult was treated. Seven-day-old SD rat pups were subjected to left carotid occlusion followed by 2 hours of hypoxic exposure (8% O2). MPA (10 mg/kg) before or after a HI insult were administrated intraperitoneally. Apoptosis was measured using western blot and real-time PCR for Bcl-2, Bax, caspase-3. RESULTS: H&E stain revealed increased brain volume in the MPA-treated group in vivo animal model of neonatal HI brain injury. Western blot and real-time PCR showed the expression of caspase-3 and Bax/Bcl-2 were decreased in the MPA-treated group In in vitro and in vivo model of perinatal HI brain injury, CONCLUSION: These results may suggest that the administration of MPA before HI insult could significantly protect against perinatal HI brain injury via anti-apoptotic mechanisms, which offers the possibility of MPA application for the treatment of neonatal HI encephalopathy.
Animals ; Anoxia ; Apoptosis ; Blotting, Western ; Brain Injuries* ; Brain* ; Caspase 3 ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Incubators ; Models, Animal ; Mycophenolic Acid* ; Neurons ; Neuroprotective Agents* ; Oxidoreductases ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction

We have reviewed the medical records of 4 pregnant patients with concomitant acute leukemia at our institution in conjunction with determining the delivery process in order to reduce complications associated with the delivery. Of the 4 patients, three cases were diagnosed as acute leukemia and the other as myelodysplastic syndrome. One experienced an incomplete abortion at gestational age of 10 weeks, after remission induction chemotherapy. The remaining three patients made delivery at full term by Cesarean section. Our observation indicated that Cesarean delivery was advisable for these three patients. Most of the patients had thrombocytopenia or anemia. Before the Cesarean section or dilatation or evacuation, transfusion was undertaken to prevent hemorrhage or severe anemia. In the cases of refractoriness to blood transfusion, a greater amount was transfused. After Cesarean section, some complications were reported such as fever, delayed wound repair, and vaginal bleeding. Based on the our observations, we are of the opinion that pregnant women with acute leukemia or myelodysplastic syndrome can be managed even in those cases where the state of leukemia is not in complete remission or chemotherapy-induced cytopenia is. And the proper measures are timely undertaken to prevent complications associated with delivery.
Abortion, Incomplete ; Anemia ; Blood Transfusion ; Cesarean Section ; Dilatation ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Fever ; Gestational Age ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Leukemia* ; Medical Records ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnant Women ; Remission Induction ; Thrombocytopenia ; Uterine Hemorrhage ; Wounds and Injuries

These are natural inhibitors of coagulation, and deficiencies of any of these factors is referred to as thrombophilia. The identified main causes of thrombophilia are deficiencies of antithrombin III, protein C, or protein S, resistance to actived protein C associated with Factor V Leiden mutation, and inherited hyperhomocystinemia. Inherited and acquired thrombophilias may also contribute to pathophysiological processes involved in recurrent pregnancy loss, fetal death, intrauterine growth restriction, placental abruption, placental infarction, and pre-eclampsia. Various therapeutic protocols with low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) were used. because it is associated with a low incidence of osteoporosis and thrombocytopenia. We experienced the two cases of successful deliveries by Cesarean section following a successful pregnancy maintenance in thrombophilia. we administered LMWH to prevent thromboembolism. one patient was the primi-gravidarum, with inherited thrombophilia, who has the familial history of pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis. the other was the multi-gravidarum, with acquired thrombophilia, who has the past medical history of pulmonary embolism.
Abruptio Placentae ; Antithrombin III ; Cesarean Section ; Factor V ; Female ; Fetal Death ; Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infarction ; Osteoporosis ; Pre-Eclampsia ; Pregnancy Maintenance ; Pregnancy* ; Protein C ; Protein S ; Pulmonary Embolism ; Thrombocytopenia ; Thromboembolism ; Thrombophilia* ; Venous Thrombosis

BACKGROUND: Hyperhomocysteinemia is an independent risk factor for cerebrovascular disease. MTHFR 677TT genotype can induce hyperhomocysteinemia. However, the association between this 677TT genotype and ischemic stroke still remains controversial. This study was undertaken to determine whether MTHFR 677TT genotype was associated with certain subtype of ischemic stroke. METHODS: The case group consisted of 129 patients with ischemic stroke and the control group consisted of 157 healthy individuals. We checked their fasting plasma homocysteine levels and analyzed the C677T mutation in the MTHFR gene. The relative risk of MTHFR 677TT genotype was assessed by odds ratios using multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: Homocysteine levels in plasma were significantly higher in ischemic stroke patients (10.386.44 mol/L) than in controls (8.002.40) (P<0.05). In small-artery disease (11.366.01), the same result was found (P<0.05). On the other hand, the prevalence of the homozygote mutation was not significantly higher in ischemic stroke patients (20.2%) than in controls (13.4%) (adjusted OR 1.39, 95% CI 0.65 to 2.96). The adjusted OR and 95% CI was 2.59 (1.08 to 6.25) for the TT genotype in patients with small-artery disease compared to controls. The 677TT genotype was increased in small-artery disease compared to large-artery disease (adjusted OR 7.60, 95% CI 1.66 to 34.77). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the homozygous C677T mutation in the MTHFR gene is a risk predictor in the subtype of ischemic stroke, such as small-artery disease.
Fasting ; Genotype ; Hand ; Homocysteine ; Homozygote ; Humans ; Hyperhomocysteinemia* ; Logistic Models ; Odds Ratio ; Plasma ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Stroke*

No abstract available.
Antiemetics* ; Cisplatin* ; Dexamethasone* ; Humans ; Lorazepam* ; Metoclopramide* ; Ondansetron*

No abstract available.
Candidiasis* ; Fluconazole* ; Humans