OBJECTIVE: In search of an ideal method of assisted hatching (AH), we compared the effects of conventional micropipette-AH and laser-AH on the blastocyst formation rate (BFR) and blastocyst cell numbers. METHODS: Four- to five-week-old ICR female mice were paired with male mice after superovulation using Pregnant mare's serum gonadotropin (PMSG) and hCG. The two-cell embryos were flushed from the oviducts of female mice. The retrieved two-cell embryos underwent one of five AH procedures: single mechanical assisted hatching (sMAH); cross mechanical assisted hatching (cMAH); single laser assisted hatching (sLAH); quarter laser assisted hatching (qLAH); and quarter laser zona thinning assisted hatching (qLZT-AH). After 72 hours incubation, double immunofluorescence staining was performed. RESULTS: Following a 72 hours incubation, a higher hatching BFR was observed in the control, sMAH, cMAH, and sLAH groups, compared to those in the qLAH and qLZT-AH groups (p<0.05). The hatched BFR was significantly higher in the qLAH and qLZT-AH groups than in the others (p<0.05 for each group). The inner cell mass (ICM) was higher in the control and sMAH group (p<0.05). The trophectoderm cell number was higher in the cMAH and qLAH groups (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Our results showed that the hatched BFR was higher in groups exposed the the qLAH and qLZT-AH methods compared to groups exposed to other AH methods. In the qLAH group, although the total cell number was significantly higher than in controls, the ICM ratio was significantly lower in than controls.
Animals ; Blastocyst ; Cell Count ; Embryonic Development* ; Embryonic Structures ; Female ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Gonadotropins ; Herpes Zoster ; Humans ; Male ; Mice* ; Oviducts ; Pregnancy ; Superovulation

Usher syndrome type II (USH2) is the most common form of Usher syndrome, characterized by moderate to severe hearing impairment and progressive visual loss due to retinitis pigmentosa. It has been shown that mutations in the USH2A gene are responsible for USH2. The authors herein describe a 34-year-old Korean woman with the typical clinical manifestation of USH2; she had bilateral hearing disturbance and progressive visual deterioration, without vestibular dysfunction. Molecular genetic study of the USH2A gene revealed a novel frameshift mutation (c.2310delA; Glu771LysfsX17). She was heterozygous for this mutation, and no other mutation was found in USH2A, suggesting the possibility of an intronic or large genomic rearrangement mutation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a genetically confirmed case of USH2 in Korea. More investigations are needed to delineate genotype-phenotype correlations and ethnicity-specific genetic background of Usher syndrome.
Female ; Frameshift Mutation ; Genetic Association Studies ; Hearing ; Hearing Loss ; Humans ; Introns ; Korea ; Molecular Biology ; Retinitis Pigmentosa ; Usher Syndromes

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Obliterative otitis media is a condition in which the entire middle ear cavity is filled up with fibrous tissue and with intact tympanic membrane. The aim of this study was to define the clinical features and analyze the treatment outcomes of this disease. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Between January 2000 and August 2011, 16 patients consistent with the criteria of obliterative otitis media were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: All patients had intact but thickened eardrum, with mixed hearing loss of mild to moderate degree. The video pneumatic otoscopic examination revealed very limited mobility of eardrum. Myringotomy did not reveal any air-filled spaces or fluid in the tympanic cavity. There was no significant improvement of hearing after myringotomy or ventilation tube insertion. CONCLUSION: Obliterative otitis media is a discrete clinical entity and should not be confused with otitis media with effusion or adhesive otitis media.
Adhesives ; Ear, Middle ; Eustachian Tube ; Hearing ; Hearing Loss ; Hearing Loss, Mixed Conductive-Sensorineural ; Humans ; Otitis ; Otitis Media ; Otitis Media with Effusion ; Tympanic Membrane ; Ventilation

Intrinsic cellular defenses are non-specific antiviral activities by recognizing pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). Toll-like receptors (TLRs), one of the pathogen recognize receptor (PRR), sense various microbial ligands. Especially, TLR2, TLR3, TLR4, TLR7, TLR8 and TLR9 recognize viral ligands such as glycoprotein, single- or double-stranded RNA and CpG nucleotides. The binding of viral ligands to TLRs transmits its signal to Toll/interleukin-1 receptor (TIR) to activate transcription factors via signal transduction pathway. Through activation of transcription factors, such as interferon regulatory factor-3, 5, and 7 (IRF-3, 5, 7) or nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB), type I interferons are induced, and antiviral proteins such as myxovirus-resistance protein (Mx) GTPase, RNA-dependent Protein Kinase (PKR), ribonuclease L (RNase L), Oligo-adenylate Synthetase (OAS) and Interferon Stimulated Gene (ISG) are further expressed. These antiviral proteins play an important role of antiviral resistancy against several viral pathogens in infected cells and further activate innate immune responses.
Animals ; GTP-Binding Proteins/metabolism ; Humans ; Interferon Regulatory Factors/metabolism ; Interferon Type I/*metabolism/physiology ; Models, Biological ; NF-kappa B/metabolism ; Toll-Like Receptors/metabolism ; Virus Diseases/*immunology/*metabolism/virology ; eIF-2 Kinase/metabolism

Combined pegylated interferon and ribavirin therapy for chronic hepatitis C infection cause a wide range of side effects, including flu-like syndrome, hematological abnormalities, cardiovascular symptoms, gastrointestinal symptoms, pulmonary dysfunction, depression, and retinopathy. Interferon-alpha has been shown to be related to the development of various autoimmune diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune thyroid disease, and type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM). Type 1 DM and thyroid disease respectively develop in 0.08~2.61% and 10~15% of patients treated with combined interferon-alpha and ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C. The coexistence of type 1 DM and autoimmune thyroiditis was rarely reported. We report a case of a 33-year-old female patient with chronic hepatitis C who simultaneously developed diabetic ketoacidosis and autoimmune thyroiditis after treatment with pegylated interferon-alpha 2b and ribavirin.
Adult ; Antiviral Agents/*adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Diabetic Ketoacidosis/drug therapy/*etiology ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Hepatitis C, Chronic/*drug therapy ; Humans ; Insulin/therapeutic use ; Interferon Alfa-2b/*adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Polyethylene Glycols/*adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Ribavirin/*adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Thyroiditis, Autoimmune/drug therapy/*etiology ; Thyroxine/therapeutic use

Treatment with sorafenib prolongs both the median survival and time to progression by nearly 3 months in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. Although the effects of combining sorafenib therapy with other anticancer treatment modalities have not been clarified, combination treatment is strongly expected to be beneficial. We report the case of a 50-year-old man who exhibited a partial response and portal vein thrombosis (PVT) revascularization after sorafenib combined with hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC). He exhibited a decrease in tumor size and PVT after 2 months of sorafenib monotherapy. However, no additional response was seen during the subsequent 2 months. To achieve a better tumor response, we combined HAIC with sorafenib. Daily cisplatin (7 mg/m2 on days 1-5) and 5-fluorouracil (170 mg/m2 on days 1-5) were infused repeatedly every 4 weeks, and the sorafenib prescription was modified. After four cycles of combined therapy, both the tumor size and PVT were much improved and exhibited partial response.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Cisplatin ; Fluorouracil ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Niacinamide ; Phenylurea Compounds ; Portal Vein ; Prescriptions ; Thrombosis

PURPOSE: To evaluate the incidence and clinical features of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in Korea. METHODS: Web-based (www.armd-nova.or.kr) registration was conducted for AMD patients aged 50 or more who were newly diagnosed by retinal specialists in Korea from August 20, 2005 to August 20, 2006. Patient data including ophthalmologic examination, fundus photography, fluorescein angiogram and/or indocyanin green angiogram (ICG), past medical history, behavioral habit, combined systemic diseases were up-loaded. RESULTS: Among finally enrolled 1,141 newly diagnosed AMD patients, 690 patients (60.5%) were male and 451 patients (39.5%) were female. The average age of AMD patients was 69.7+/-8.0. Early AMD was observed in 190 patients and 951 patients had late AMD. Classic choroidal neovascular membrane (CNVM) was observed in 18.6% of exudative AMD patients and 63.4 % had occult CNVM. Subfoveal CNVM was observed in 80.4% of the patients with CNVM. Among the 580 exudative AMD eyes that performed indocyanin green angiography (ICG), 184 eyes (31.7%) had polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) and 36 eyes (6.2%) showed retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP). Age, male gender, smoking, diabetes and hypertension significantly increased the risk of the AMD among Koreans. CONCLUSIONS: Because of the low rate of participation by retinal specialists, definite incidence of AMD was not obtainable. However, the estimated 1-year AMD incidence in the Pusan area of Korea is at least 0.4%. In contrast to Western people, 31.7% of exudative AMD cases were revealed to be PCV and 6.2% were revealed to be RAP. This discrepancy between ethnic groups should be considered in the diagnosis and treatment modality selection of Korean AMD patients.
Aged ; Angiography ; Choroid ; Ethnic Groups ; Eye ; Female ; Fluorescein ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Korea ; Macular Degeneration ; Male ; Membranes ; Photography ; Retinaldehyde ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Specialization

We report on a 45-year-old man with a confirmed diagnosis of acute myopericarditis associated with Mycoplasma pneumoniae. He visited our emergency department due to high fever (39degrees C) via a primary clinic. We made a diagnosis of myopericarditis based on symptoms, cardiac enzymes, electrocardiography, and transthoracic echocardiography. Serology (particle agglutination) testing for M. pneumoniae IgG antibody was also performed. The IgG antibody titer was 1:80 on the second day of admission, and increased to 1:2,560 by the 12th day of admission. Therefore, we confirmed the diagnosis of acute myopericarditis associated with M. pneumoniae and subsequently treated him with azithromycin. The symptoms and laboratory findings improved, and he recovered uneventfully.
Adult ; Azithromycin ; Echocardiography ; Electrocardiography ; Emergencies ; Fever ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Middle Aged ; Mycoplasma ; Mycoplasma pneumoniae ; Pneumonia ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma

We report on a 45-year-old man with a confirmed diagnosis of acute myopericarditis associated with Mycoplasma pneumoniae. He visited our emergency department due to high fever (39degrees C) via a primary clinic. We made a diagnosis of myopericarditis based on symptoms, cardiac enzymes, electrocardiography, and transthoracic echocardiography. Serology (particle agglutination) testing for M. pneumoniae IgG antibody was also performed. The IgG antibody titer was 1:80 on the second day of admission, and increased to 1:2,560 by the 12th day of admission. Therefore, we confirmed the diagnosis of acute myopericarditis associated with M. pneumoniae and subsequently treated him with azithromycin. The symptoms and laboratory findings improved, and he recovered uneventfully.
Adult ; Azithromycin ; Echocardiography ; Electrocardiography ; Emergencies ; Fever ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Middle Aged ; Mycoplasma ; Mycoplasma pneumoniae ; Pneumonia ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma

Interstitial ectopic pregnancy is a rare condition of pregnancy and may be very dangerous if not identified and treated urgently. We report a case of successful treatment of an interstitial pregnancy using selective uterine artery embolization. A 27-year-old woman with interstitial pregnancy was treated by uterine artery embolization after failure of systemic methotrexate treatment. Her serum beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) was undetectable one month after the therapeutic embolization and transvaginal sonography 31 days after embolization showed normal endometrium and cornu. The patient achieved a normal pregnancy eight months after embolization.
Adult ; Embolization, Therapeutic/*methods ; Female ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Ectopic/*therapy/ultrasonography ; Uterus/*blood supply