Titrated extract of Centella asiatica increases hair inductive property through inhibition of STAT signaling pathway in three-dimensional spheroid cultured human dermal papilla cells.

Dermal papilla (DP) is a pivotal part of hair follicle, and the smaller size of the DP is related with the hair loss. In this study, we investigated the effect of titrated extract of Centella asiatica (TECA) on hair growth inductive property on 3D spheroid cultured human DP cells (HDP cells). Significantly increased effect of TECA on cell viability was only shown in 3D sphered HPD cells, not in 2D cultured HDP cells.

Serial Evaluation of Endometrial Blood Flow for Prediction of Pregnancy Outcomes in Patients Who Underwent Controlled Ovarian Hyperstimulation and In Vitro Fertilization and Embryo Transfer.

Objectives: To investigate endometrial blood flow during the menstrual cycle in patients undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH), in vitro fertilization (IVF), and embryo transfer (ET) and prediction of pregnancy outcomes based on these characteristics.

Methods: Endometrial blood flow was measured in 35 patients undergoing COH and IVF-ET (nonpregnant [n = 15] and pregnant [n = 20]) by measuring the resistive index (RI) of the uterine radial artery using 2-dimensional Doppler ultrasonography. Measurements were obtained in 4 different phases of the menstrual cycle day: early follicular, midfollicular, preovulatory, and midluteal.

Prolactin receptor gene polymorphism and the risk of recurrent pregnancy loss: a case-control study.

Since the first study was published reporting the candidate association between the prolactin receptor gene intron C/T polymorphism (rs37389) and recurrent miscarriage, no replication study has been performed. In this study, we investigated the role of the prolactin receptor gene C/T polymorphism in 311 Korean women with recurrent pregnancy loss and 314 controls. Genotyping for prolactin receptor gene intron C/T polymorphism was performed using a TaqMan assay.

Hypogonadism Makes Dyslipidemia in Klinefelter's Syndrome.

Klinefelter's syndrome (KS) is a genetic syndrome that presents with hypogonadism and is associated with metabolic syndrome. Patients demonstrating hypogonadism show a greater prevalence of metabolic syndrome due to changes in body composition. We aimed to determine the association between KS and dyslipidemia.

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus, Fetal Growth and Vitamin D.

Vitamin D is an important secosteroid hormone in skeletal and non-skeletal systems. Vitamin D has relevance to muscle and immune function, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cancer, and pregnancy because vitamin D receptors (VDR) are present in many non-skeletal tissues. Vitamin D acts on target tissues via the binding of its active form to VDR.

Korean Society for Bone and Mineral Research Task Force Report: Perspectives on Intermittent High-dose Vitamin D Supplementation.

An adequate supply of vitamin D is considered necessary for osteoporosis management and fracture prevention. Intermittent high-dose vitamin D supplementation is an effective and convenient way to achieve and maintain sufficient vitamin D status. However, the long-term effectiveness of supplementation for preventing falls and fractures is unclear, and some deleterious effects of such treatments have been reported.

Potential Biomarkers for Diagnosis of Overactive Bladder Patients: Urinary Nerve Growth Factor, Prostaglandin E2, and Adenosine Triphosphate.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of overactive bladder (OAB).

Methods: A total of 219 subjects were enrolled and divided into 2 groups: OAB subjects (n=189) and controls without OAB symptoms (n=30). Three-day voiding diaries and questionnaires were collected, and urinary levels of nerve growth factor (NGF), prostaglandin E2, and adenosine triphosphate were measured and normalized to urine creatinine (Cr).

Genome-wide gene expression analysis in the placenta from fetus with trisomy 21.

Background: We performed whole human genome expression analysis in placenta tissue (normal and T21) samples in order to investigate gene expression into the pathogenesis of trisomy 21 (T21) placenta. We profiled the whole human genome expression of placental samples from normal and T21 fetuses using the GeneChip Human Genome U133 plus 2.0 array.

Androgens Upregulate Endometrial Epithelial Progesterone Receptor Expression: Potential Implications for Endometriosis.

Background: Androgenic compounds have been implicated in induction of endometrial atrophy yet the mechanisms of androgen effects on human endometrium have not been well studied. We hypothesized that androgens may promote their endometrial effects via modulation of progesterone receptor (PR) expression.

Methods: Proliferative phase endometrial samples were collected at the time of hysterectomy.

Method to minimize ozone effect on Cy5 fluorescent intensity in DNA microarrays.

Cyanine 5 (Cy5) is an established fluorescent dye in microarray analysis. It is degraded rapidly when exposed to atmospheric ozone during post-hybridization washes, which leads to loss of fluorescent intensity. To minimize this undesirable effect, we coated microarray slides with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) solution at post-hybridization washes.

Nutrient intake and urinary incontinence in Korean women: A propensity score-matched analysis from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data.

Objectives: To evaluate the relationship between dietary nutrients and female urinary incontinence using nationally representative data from Korea.

Methods: We included 8090 women aged >20 years who had participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey IV. We carried out a propensity-matched study by identifying women with urinary incontinence.

Mutant p53 stimulates cell invasion through an interaction with Rad21 in human ovarian cancer cells.

Missense mutations of TP53 are extremely common, and mutant p53 accumulation and gain-of-function play crucial roles in human ovarian cancer. Here, we investigated the role of mutant p53 in cell migration and invasion as well as its underlying molecular mechanisms in human ovarian cancer cells. Overexpression of mutant p53 significantly increased migration and invasion in p53-null SKOV3 cells.

Predictors of live birth and pregnancy success after fertilization in infertile women aged 40 and over.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate pregnancy outcomes and the live birth rate at 1-year age increments in women aged ≥40 years undergoing fresh non-donor fertilization (IVF) and embryo transfer (ET), and to identify predictors of success in these patients.

Methods: This retrospective study was performed among women ≥40 years of age between 2004 and 2011. Of the 2,362 cycles that were conducted, ET was performed in 1,532 (73.

Comparison of clinical outcomes between fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in IVF-ICSI split insemination cycles.

Objective: This study aimed to compare the clinical outcomes between fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in sibling oocytes. Additionally, we evaluated whether the implementation of split insemination contributed to an increase in the number of ICSI procedures.

Methods: A total of 571 cycles in 555 couples undergoing split insemination cycles were included in this study.

Comparing epidural surgical anesthesia and spinal anesthesia following epidural labor analgesia for intrapartum cesarean section: a prospective randomized controlled trial.

Background: The conversion of epidural labor analgesia (ELA) to epidural surgical anesthesia (ESA) for intrapartum cesarean section (CS) often fails, resulting in intraoperative pain. Spinal anesthesia (SA) can provide a denser sensory block than ESA. The purpose of this prospective, non-blinded, parallel-arm, randomized trial was to compare the rate of pain-free surgery between ESA and SA following ELA for intrapartum CS.

Primary mucinous adenocarcinoma of the vulva, intestinal type.

Primary vulva malignancy is a rare gynecologic malignancy. Most of them are squamous cell carcinomas and adenocarcinomas are much less common. Intestinal type is a rare variant of primary adenocarcinoma of the vulva.

Prognostic assessment of sarcomatous histologic subtypes of ovarian carcinosarcoma.

Objective: Ovarian carcinosarcoma is a rare subtype of this disease that has not been thoroughly investigated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic factors and out comes in patients with ovarian carcinosarcoma.

Methods: All patients with histologically confirmed ovarian carcinosarcoma who were treated at Cheil General Hospital and Women's Healthcare Center between January 2000 and December 2015 were identified and analyzed.

Evaluation of the learning curve for external cephalic version using cumulative sum analysis.

Objective: We evaluated the learning curve for external cephalic version (ECV) using learning curve-cumulative sum (LC-CUSUM) analysis.

Methods: This was a retrospective study involving 290 consecutive cases between October 2013 and March 2017. We evaluated the learning curve for ECV on nulli and over para 1 group using LC-CUSUM analysis on the assumption that 50% and 70% of ECV procedures succeeded by description a trend-line of quadratic function with reliable R values.

Clinicopathological significance of atypical glandular cells on cervicovaginal Pap smears.

Objective: To evaluate the histologic correlation and clinical significance of atypical glandular cells (AGC) detected on Pap tests.

Methods: Pap tests interpreted as AGC were retrieved from an institutional cytopathology database. The AGC subcategories according to the Bethesda system 2001 include atypical glandular cells, not otherwise specified (AGC-NOS), atypical endometrial cells (AEM), and atypical endocervical cells (AEC).

Effect of Red Ginseng on Genotoxicity and Health-Related Quality of Life after Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Patients with Epithelial Ovarian Cancer: A Randomized, Double Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

We evaluated the effect of red ginseng on toxicity, health-related quality of life (HRQL) and survival after adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). A total of 30 patients with EOC were randomly assigned to placebo ( = 15) and red ginseng groups ( = 15). All patients took placebo or red ginseng (3000 mg/day) for three months.

Primary osteosarcoma of the breast: a case report.

Primary osteosarcomas of the breast are extremely uncommon. Here we describe a case of a 77-year-old woman who presented with a hard mass on her right breast. Mammography and breast ultrasound demonstrated a round-shaped calcified mass on the right breast but the features were not definitely diagnostic.

Paternal age as an independent factor does not affect embryo quality and pregnancy outcomes of testicular sperm extraction-intracytoplasmic sperm injection in azoospermia.

This study was performed to evaluate the independent influence of paternal age affecting embryo development and pregnancy using testicular sperm extraction (TESE)-intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in obstructive azoospermia (OA) and nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA). Paternal patients were divided into the following groups: ≤30 years, 31-35 years, 36-40 years, 41-45 years and ≥46 years. There were no differences in the rates of fertilisation or embryo quality according to paternal and maternal age.

The Usefulness of Intraoperative Circumferential Frozen-Section Analysis of Lumpectomy Margins in Breast-Conserving Surgery.

Purpose: Intraoperative frozen-section analysis of the lumpect-omy margin during breast-conserving surgery (BCS) is an excellent method in obtaining a clear resection margin. This study aimed to investigate the usefulness of intraoperative circumferential frozen-section analysis (IOCFS) of lumpectomy margin during BCS for breast cancer, and to find factors that increase the conversion into mastectomy.

Methods: From 2007 to 2011, 509 patients with breast cancer underwent IOCFS during BCS.