This article was published with an incorrect unit in Table 1.

PURPOSE: The aim of this work was to evaluate nuclear histone acetylation level and total histone acetyltransferase (HAT) and deacetylase (HDAC) activity in ejaculated sperm and their relevance to conventional sperm parameters. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-three normozoospermic men were included in this study. Semen samples were processed by swim-up and then immunostained by six acetylation antibodies (H3K9ac, H3K14ac, H4K5ac, H4K8ac, H4K12ac, and H4K16ac). Our preliminary study verified the expression of HAT/HDAC1 in mature human sperm. From vitrified-warmed sperm samples, total HAT/HDAC activity was measured by commercially available kits. Nuclear DNA integrity was also measured by TUNEL assay. RESULTS: The levels of six acetylation marks were not related with conventional sperm parameters including sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) as well as HAT/HDAC activity. However, sperm DFI was positively correlated with HAT activity (r=0.038 after adjustment, p<0.02). HAT activity showed a negative relationship with HDAC activity (r=-0.51, p<0.01). Strict morphology was negatively correlated with acetylation enzyme index (=HAT activity/HDAC activity) (r=-0.53, p<0.01). CONCLUSION: Our works demonstrated a significant relationship of acetylation-associated enzyme activity and strict morphology or sperm DFI.
Acetylation ; Adult ; DNA Fragmentation ; Epigenesis, Genetic ; Histone Acetyltransferases/*metabolism ; Histones/*metabolism ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Protein Processing, Post-Translational ; Semen Analysis ; Spermatozoa/*metabolism

There have been a few reports of occupational asthma caused by Tetranychus urticae in fruit farmers or greenhouse workers. We report a case of bronchial asthma induced by Tetranychus urticae from a pear orchard in Cheonan city. An 18-year-old female student living around a pear orchard suffered from intermittent cough, rhinorrhea, and dyspnea for the 3 years. Her PC20 -methacholine was 0.15mg/ml, and skin prick test done with 55 inhalant allergens showed negative responses except Tetranychus urticae extract which was prepared with highly parasitized pear leaves. Bronchial provocation test with Tetranychus urticae extract showed a dual asthmatic response. These findings indicate that Tetranychus urticae, which include parasites in fruit trees, herba,ceous plants, and greenhouse cultures, can cause IgE-mediated bronchoconstriction in Korea.
Adolescent ; Allergens ; Asthma* ; Asthma, Occupational ; Bronchial Provocation Tests ; Bronchoconstriction ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Cough ; Dyspnea ; Female ; Fruit ; Humans ; Korea ; Parasites ; Pyrus* ; Skin ; Trees

BACKGROUND: Recent reports suggest that Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) may play an important role in such a wide spectrum of human neoplasia. Recently, peripheral T cell lymphomas and particularly, angiocentric lymphomas (ACL), increasingly are reported to be associated with EBV.Nasal-type and nasal T/NK cell lymphoma (TNKL) have recently been reported to comprise most of ACLs. The prognosis of these tumors has been extremely poor. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate EBV association in primary or secondary cutaneous T-cell lymphoproliferative disorders and to identify any prognostic association. METHODS: Thirty six patients with primary or secondary cutaneous T-cell lymphoproliferative (CTCL) disorders were examined to evaluate the presence of Epstein-Barr virus using in situ hybridization for EBV-encoded RNA (EBER). RESULTS: EBER was detected in tumor cells in one third of the total cases (13/36); 4/4 secondary skin lymphoma from nasal TNKL, 8/8 primary cutaneous nasal type TNKLs and 1/5 mycosis fungoides (MF).EBER was not detected in the following disease: 6 cases of anaplastic large cell lymphomas (ALCL) including 2 cases of probable NK-like T cell lineage, 3 lymphomatoid papulosis, 2 CD56 (-) T cell ACLs and 7 subcutaneous panniculitic T-cell lymphomas (SPTL) by Revised European-American Lymphoma (REAL) classification and recent concept of further classification into NK-cell lineage. One case of T-cell pseudolymphoma as a negative control was also negative in EBER. CONCLUSION: High incidence of EBV was observed in primary or secondary CTCLs in Koreans, with predilection for nasal and nasal type TNKL. In MFs, an erythrodermic MF with fatal outcome was associated with EBV and the EBV detection might reflect worse prognosis in MFs as seen in an aggressive course of nasal and nasal type TNKLs.
Cell Lineage ; Classification ; Fatal Outcome ; Herpesvirus 4, Human* ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization ; Incidence ; Lymphoma ; Lymphoma, Large-Cell, Anaplastic ; Lymphoma, T-Cell ; Lymphoma, T-Cell, Peripheral ; Lymphomatoid Papulosis ; Lymphoproliferative Disorders* ; Mycosis Fungoides ; Prognosis ; Pseudolymphoma ; RNA* ; Skin ; T-Lymphocytes*

No abstract available.
Biopsy, Fine-Needle

No abstract available.
Cervix Uteri* ; Embryo Transfer* ; Embryonic Structures* ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro* ; Follicular Fluid* ; Humans* ; Spermatozoa* ; Spouses*

No abstract available.
Cervix Uteri* ; Embryo Transfer* ; Embryonic Structures* ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro* ; Follicular Fluid* ; Humans* ; Spermatozoa* ; Spouses*

This prospective study investigated the relationship between anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) level in the follicular fluid (FF) and the quality of the oocyte and embryo. A total of 65 FF samples from 54 women were included in this study. FF was collected from the largest preovulatory follicle sized> or =20 mm of mean diameter from each ovary. Samples were divided into 3 groups according to the FF AMH levels: below the 33th percentile (low group, FF AMH<2.1 ng/mL, n=21), between the 33th and the 67th percentile (intermediate group, FF AMH=2.1-3.6 ng/mL, n=22), and above the 67th percentile (high group, FF AMH>3.6 ng/mL, n=22). The quality of the ensuing oocytes and embryos was evaluated by fertilization rate and embryo score. FF AMH levels correlated positively with the matched embryo score on day 3 after fertilization (r=0.331, P=0.015). The normal fertilization rate was significantly lower in the low group than in the intermediate group (61.9% vs. 95.5% vs. 77.3%, respectively, P=0.028). Our results suggest that the FF AMH level could be a predictor of the ensuing oocyte and embryo quality.
Adult ; Anti-Mullerian Hormone/*analysis ; Embryo, Mammalian/*cytology ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Follicular Fluid/*metabolism ; Humans ; Oocytes/cytology ; Prospective Studies

This prospective study investigated the relationship between anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) level in the follicular fluid (FF) and the quality of the oocyte and embryo. A total of 65 FF samples from 54 women were included in this study. FF was collected from the largest preovulatory follicle sized> or =20 mm of mean diameter from each ovary. Samples were divided into 3 groups according to the FF AMH levels: below the 33th percentile (low group, FF AMH<2.1 ng/mL, n=21), between the 33th and the 67th percentile (intermediate group, FF AMH=2.1-3.6 ng/mL, n=22), and above the 67th percentile (high group, FF AMH>3.6 ng/mL, n=22). The quality of the ensuing oocytes and embryos was evaluated by fertilization rate and embryo score. FF AMH levels correlated positively with the matched embryo score on day 3 after fertilization (r=0.331, P=0.015). The normal fertilization rate was significantly lower in the low group than in the intermediate group (61.9% vs. 95.5% vs. 77.3%, respectively, P=0.028). Our results suggest that the FF AMH level could be a predictor of the ensuing oocyte and embryo quality.
Adult ; Anti-Mullerian Hormone/*analysis ; Embryo, Mammalian/*cytology ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Follicular Fluid/*metabolism ; Humans ; Oocytes/cytology ; Prospective Studies

Multifetal pregnancy reduction(MFPR) has been suggested to improve pregnancy outc-ome in multifetal pregnancies with three or more fetuses after assisted reproductive techn-ology(ART) such as IVF-ET program, and now it seems to be a rather safe and effective mothod to reduce perinatal loss associated with multifetal pregnancies. To investigate the effectiveness of MFPR, the perinatal outcome of twin pregnancies in IVF-ET patients was analyzed in 3 groups : Group I-12 infertile patients who had conceived more than quadru-plet pregnancy and underwent MFPR to twin pregnancy, Group II-29 patients who had conceived triplet pregnancy and underwent MFPR to twin pregnancy, and Group III-30 pat-ients who had conceived twin pregancy initially and served as control group. Among 3 gr-oups, fetal loss rate before 24 weeks of gestation, pregnancy non-reduced, complications, gestational age at delivery, and birth weight were compared. Fetal loss rate after MFPR was significantly higher in Groups I(41.7%) and Group II(17.2%) compared with Group III(3.3%), and positively correlated with the number of fetuses before MFPR in Groups I and II. However, pregnancy complication rate was not significantly different among 3 groups(41.7%, 48.3%, and 36.7%). After exclusion of fetal loss cases before 24 weeks, mean gestational age at twin delivery and mean birth weight were not significantly different among 3 groups(36.2 weeks, 36.6 weeks, and 36.1 weeks ; 2.37 kg, 2.45 kg and 2.47kg).In conclusion, MFPR in multifetal pregnancies is an ethically justified procedure that may improve perinatal outcome in cases of multifetal pregnancies.
Birth Weight ; Embryo Transfer* ; Embryonic Structures* ; Fertilization in Vitro* ; Fetus ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications ; Pregnancy, Triplet ; Pregnancy, Twin*