Hormonal imbalances and psychological scars left behind in infertile men.

The effect of infertility on the psychological well-being of couples has been the subject of increasing attention in recent years. The frustration of couples of a relatively young age (ie, in their fourth decades) provokes not only anxiety and depression but also negative effects on the relationships. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a diagnosis of male infertility on anxiety and depression in the men themselves and in fertile female spouses.

Trends in epidemiology of neonatal sepsis in a tertiary center in Korea: a 26-year longitudinal analysis, 1980-2005.

There were many reports of longitudinal changes in the causative organisms of neonatal sepsis in Western countries but few in Asia. We aimed to study longitudinal trends in the epidemiology of neonatal sepsis at Seoul National University Children's Hospital (SNUCH), a tertiary center in Korea, and compared the results to previous studies of Western countries. The medical records of all of the neonates who were hospitalized at SNUCH from 1996 to 2005 with positive blood cultures were reviewed.

Healthy range for serum ALT and the clinical significance of "unhealthy" normal ALT levels in the Korean population.

Background And Aims: It remains unclear whether the currently-used normal range for serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels really reflects a healthy liver. The present study was conducted to evaluate the healthy range of serum ALT in the Korean adult population and to determine the clinical significance of unhealthy levels.

Methods: We reviewed the medical records, including questionnaires and the results of laboratory and radiological tests conducted at the Health Promotion Center at Korea University Anam Hospital between March 2005 and February 2007.

Ultralow bending loss fibers with higher-order mode strippers.

We propose and demonstrate bend-insensitive fibers equipped with higher-order mode strippers. The mode stripper is realized by filling a section of air holes with epoxy to attenuate any higher-order modes that are excited at fiber junctions and are confined by the air holes surrounding the core. We found that the higher-order modes are well suppressed with 5 cm-long epoxy columns.

Intrauterine inflammation as a risk factor for persistent ductus arteriosus patency after cyclooxygenase inhibition in extremely low birth weight infants.

Objectives: To test the hypothesis that intrauterine inflammation increases prostaglandin production and may be a risk factor for persistent ductus arteriosus after therapy with indomethacin, a nonselective cyclooxygenase inhibitor.

Study Design: Indomethacin therapy was started after confirming ductus arteriosus within 24 hours after birth in extremely low birth weight infants. After one cycle of therapy, infants with closed ductus were classified as responders, and those with patent ductus were classified as nonresponders.

Stem cell factor/c-Kit signaling in in vitro cultures supports early mouse embryonic development by accelerating proliferation via a mechanism involving Akt-downstream genes.

Purpose: stem cell factor (SCF)/c-Kit regulates the proliferation and survival of germ cells or stem cells; however, little is known about the role of SCF/c-Kit in pre-implantation embryo development.

Methods: using exogenous SCF supplementation and c-Kit siRNA injection, we investigated the role and mechanism of SCF/c-Kit in pre-implantation mouse embryos.

Results: addition of soluble SCF to the culture medium improved blastocyst formation.

Remission of cap polyposis maintained for more than three years after infliximab treatment.

Cap polyposis is a rare disorder with characteristic endoscopic and histological features; its etiology is still unknown, and no specific treatment has been established. We report a case of cap polyposis that improved remarkably after infliximab infusion and had no recurrence for 3 years.

Effects of postnatal age and aminophylline on the maturation of amplitude-integrated electroencephalography activity in preterm infants.

Background: The use of amplitude-integrated electroencephalography (aEEG) is increasing during the neonatal intensive care of preterm infants.

Objective: This prospective study was designed to assess factors that affect the maturation of aEEG activity in preterm infants with a gestational age (GA) of <32 weeks.

Methods: aEEGs with cerebral function monitoring were performed weekly in preterm infants, and the recordings were evaluated and scored to assess the degree of continuity, the degree of sleep-wake cycling, and the amplitude of the lower border.

Risk factors for periventricular-intraventricular hemorrhage in premature infants.

Periventricular-intraventricular hemorrhage (PV-IVH) is a major cause of neurological disabilities in preterm newborns. This study aimed to determine the perinatal factors associated with PV-IVH. We conducted a retrospective case-control study from preterm infants born at < or =34 weeks of gestation and admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Units of Seoul National University Children's Hospital and Seoul National University Bundang Hospital between June 2003 and December 2007.

Gastrointestinal and biliary stents.

Advances in stent design have led to a substantial increase in the use of stents for a variety of malignant and benign strictures in the gastrointestinal tract and biliary system. Whereas early stents were mostly composed of plastic, the majority of contemporary stents are self-expanding metal stents that are composed of either nitinol or stainless steel. These stents are able to exert an adequate expansile force and, at the same time, are highly flexible and biocompatible.

Histone deacetylase inhibitors decrease the antigen presenting activity of murine bone marrow derived dendritic cells.

Once activated by infected pathogens, dendritic cells (DCs) undergo activation and release inflammatory mediators responsible for the signs of inflammation. Our aim was to elucidate whether histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACIs), trichostatine-A (TSA), scriptaid (ST) and sodium butylate (SB) regulate the inflammatory response of DCs. Pre-treatment with TSA and ST reduced the syngeneic and allogeneic-antigen presenting activity of LPS-stimulated DCs in a dose dependent manner to statistical significance.

Usefulness of warm water and oil assistance in colonoscopy by trainees.

Background And Study Aims: Success rate of cecal intubation, endoscopist's difficulty, and procedure-related patient pain are still problems for beginners performing colonoscopy. New methods to aid colonoscopic insertion such as warm water instillation and oil lubrication have been proposed. The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of using warm water or oil in colonoscopy.

Tectorigenin inhibits IFN-gamma/LPS-induced inflammatory responses in murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cells.

Tectorigenin (Tg) and tectoridin (Td) are the major compounds isolated from the rhizomes of iridaceous plant Belamcanda chinensis which is well known as a chinese traditional medicine for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. In this study we investigated whether tectorigenin and tectoridin can be applied to the suppression of interferon-gamma and lipopolysaccharide (IFN-gamma/LPS)-induced inflammatory responses in macrophages. Anti-inflammatory activities of tectorigenin and tectoridin were compared with genistein (Ge), well known isoflavonoid as a phytoestrogen and regarded as an emerging anti-inflammatory agent.

Atypical radiological manifestation of pulmonary metastatic calcification.

Metastatic pulmonary calcification refers to calcium deposition in the normal pulmonary parenchyma and this deposition is secondary to abnormal calcium metabolism. The most common radiologic manifestation consists of poorly-defined nodular opacities that are mainly seen in the upper lung zone. We present here a case of metastatic pulmonary calcification that manifested as atypical, dense, calcium deposition in airspaces within the previously existing consolidation in the bilateral lower lobes, and this process was accelerated by pneumonia-complicated sepsis in a patient with hypercalcemia that was due to hyperparathyroidism.

Report of AIDS-related lymphoma in South Korea.

Background: The prevalence of AIDS-related lymphoma (ARL) is increasing in South Korea. The aim of this study is to identify the clinical features of ARL in South Korea.

Methods: From 1998 through 2006, we retrospectively analysed a total of 23 cases of ARL from seven institutions.

A case of intestinal Behcet's disease similar to Crohn's colitis.

Behcet's disease is a multi-systemic vasculitis and characterized by systemic organ involvement. Although the gastrointestinal and systemic features of Behcet's disease and inflammatory bowel disease overlap to a considerable extent, they are generally viewed as two distinct diseases. A 39-yr-old female was diagnosed as having Behcet's disease.

Pneumoretroperitoneum, pneumomediastinum, peumopericardium, and subcutaneous emphysema after colonoscopic examination.

Colonoscopy is regarded as a relatively safe procedure and is widely performed. However, complications such as bleeding, perforation, and coagulation syndromes can occur during colonoscopy. Although bowel perforation is as rare as 0.

Hypersensitivity reactions to oxaliplatin.

Oxaliplatin is a third-generation platinum compound that is used as a single agent and in combination with fluorouracil (5-FU) to treat colorectal and gastric carcinoma. The patients treated with oxaliplatin may develop hypersensitivity and idiosyncratic reactions, although these complications are known to be rare. We report here on two patients who suffered with metastatic colorectal cancer and who underwent palliative combination chemotherapy with oxaliplatin; they then developed hypersensitivity reactions to oxaliplatin.