In the laparoscopic enucleating and the removal of cyst to outside of body of huge dermoid cyst (more than 8 cm) with minimal abdominal spillage is very difficult due to large size although using endo-bag. Doo's catheter is specially designed for suction of dermoid content without obstruction by making multiple suction holes. After partial suction of content by using Doo's catheter, the laparoscopic enucleating and removal to outside of body of huge cyst were easy. We investigated the usefulness of Doo's catheter for laparoscopic operation for huge dermoid cysts. The study was performed university hospital. We did the 26 laparoscopic operations for huge dermoid cysts more than 8 cm by using Doo's catheter (Group A). They were compared with 34 patients who received the laparoscopic operation without Doo's catheter for huge dermoid cysts (Group B). The operation duration, amount of abdominal spillage and the frequency of conversion to laparotomy were compared. The statistical analysis was done by SPSS 13.0.View Large Image Figure ViewerDownload Hi-res image Download (PPT) The age-distributions and tumor sizes between Group A (34.0±7.6, 10.4±1.2 cm) and B (34.9±6.8, 10.9±0.8 cm) were not significantly different. The durations of operation were very shorter (P<0.01) in Group A (90.8±10.3 min.) than Group B (148.3±30.1 min.). The amount of abdominal spillage were much lesser (P<0.01) in Group A (2.3±2.1) than Group B (15.3±10.1). In group A, the conve4rsion to laparotomy was none, However, 3 cases were converted to laparotomy in Group B due to very large mass (more than 12 cm). Therefore if dermoid cyst is very large (more than 8 cm), the laparoscopic operation can be done by using Doo's catheter very easily for enucleating and removal. Doo's catheter is useful instrument for operation of huge dermoid cyst.

Study Objective: This study is to the usefulness of routine outpatients diagnostic flexible mini-hysteroscopy for sonographic and HSG (hysterosalpingographic) intrauterine abnormalities. Design: Prospective, randomized study'. Setting: University Hospital. Patients: The 734 patients were studied, who received flexible mini-hysteroscopy for intrauterine abnormalities on sonogram and HSG at outpatients clinic by patients' selection. Intervention: The 139 of 734 patients had intrauterine synechia on HSG. The 265 of 734 patients had endometrial polyps and the 107 of 734 had endometrial hyperplasia on sonogram. The 223 of 734 patients had submucosal myoma on sonogram. Measurements and Main Results: The 130 of 139 (93.5%) hysterosalpingographic synechias were hysteroscopic synechia (fundal: 85, cervical:45), and the others 9 patients were septate or bicornuate uterus. The 195 of 265 (73.6%) sonographic endometrial polyps were hysteroscopic polyps. The other 6 and 61 of 265 patients were hysteroscopic submucosal myoma and endometrial hyperplasia. The 83 of 107 (77.6%) patients were hysteroscopic endometrial hyperplasia. The 210 of 223 (94.2%) patients were hysteroscopic submucosal myoma (type 0: 115, type 1: 80, type 2: 15), and the other 13 patients were polyps. Total 27 of 734 patients were histeroscopically normal. The duration of procedure was 2.5 +/- 2.3 min. The cases of pains during procedures were only 21 of 734 patients, and the cases of postoperative pains were only 12 of 734 patients. There was no postoperative complication. Conclusion: The diagnosis by sonogram or HSG only for intrauterine abnormalities is not so accurate. The small 3mm diameter flexible mini-hysteroscopy was supposed to routine simple, safe and more accurate routine diagnostic tool for sonographic and hysterosalpingographic intrauterine abnormalities.

Study Objective: Even though endometrioma is benign in sonogram and pelvic MRI, serum CA 125 level is often very high. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine of the significance of high serum CA-125 level in endometrioma. Design: The prospective randomized study. Setting: University hospital. Patients: The study was done in 51 patients with high serum CA 125 level over the 50 U/ml, who diagnosed to endometriomas by sonogram and pelvic MRI. In 20 of 51 patients, CA 125 levels were over 100 U/ml. Therefore, we divided to Group B with serum 50–100 U/ml CA 125 levels and Group C with CA 125 levels over 100 U/ml. As control, 21 patients with CA 125 levels under 50 U/ml and endometriomas were observed together (Group A). Intervention: During laparoscopic operations, operative filed findings and adhesions were compared in Group A and Group B and Group C. The statistical analysis was done by Fisher's exact test. Measurements and Main Results: In Group A, 3 of 21 patients (14.3%) had adhesions. In Group B, 21 of 31 patients (67.7%) had adhesions and 4 of these 21 patients (19.0%) with adhesions had very hard firm adhesions. In Group C, 20 of 20 patients (100.0%) had adhesions and 16 of 20 patients (80.0%) had very hard firm adhesions. Especially, 8 of 16 patients (50%) had high CA 19-9 over 50 U/ml and very hard firm adhesions. The adhesions were significantly severe according to increase of serum CA 125 levels (P < 0.01). Occurrence rates of very hard firm adhesions were significantly increased in Group C than Group A and B (P < 0.01). Conclusion: Serum CA 125 level is related to abdominal adhesion in endometrioma. In CA 125 level over 100 U/ml, very hard firm adhesion can be suspected especially when it is accompanied by CA 19-9 level over 50 U/ml.

AIM:Our purpose was to investigate lipid peroxide levels, total peroxyl radical-trapping anti-oxidative parameter (TRAP) values, and anti-oxidant vitamin levels in umbilical venous plasma and placental tissues, and to evaluate their roles in the pathophysiology of pre-eclampsia.METHODS:Samples of umbilical venous plasma and placental tissue homogenates were obtained from 23 normal and 18 pre-eclamptic women at between 33 and 40 weeks' gestation. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method was used to assay alpha-tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha), and lipid peroxide levels were measured by thiobarbituric acid reaction. The TRAP values were measured using the modified Wayner's method. Ascorbic acid, retinol alpha-tocopherol and gamma-tocopherol were measured by high performance liquid chromatography.RESULTS:Levels of TNF-alpha in placental tissue homogenates of women with pre-eclampsia were significantly higher than those of women with normal pregnancy (21.4 +/- 3.39 v. 10.3 +/- 1.06 pg/mL, P < 0.05). Lipid peroxide levels in umbilical venous plasma and placental tissue homogenates of women with pre-eclampsia were significantly higher than those of women with normal pregnancy (10.3 +/- 1.1 v. 5.85 +/- 0.53, P < 0.01, 5.14 +/- 0.40 v. 3.99 +/- 0.33 nmol/mg protein, P < 0.05, respectively). The TRAP values in umbilical venous plasma and placental tissue homogenates of women with pre-eclampsia were significantly lower than those of women with normal pregnancy (0.39 +/- 0.02 v. 0.45 +/- 0.02, P < 0.05, 0.27 +/- 0.02 v. 0.34 +/- 0.03 mM, P < 0.05, respectively). Ascorbic acid levels in umbilical venous plasma and placental tissue homogenates of women with pre-eclampsia were significantly lower than those of women with normal pregnancy (325.4 +/- 50.4 v. 543 +/- 73.8, P < 0.05, 219.0 +/- 21.0 v. 333.3 +/- 32.6 nmol/mL, P < 0.05, respectively).CONCLUSIONS:The above results suggest that increased oxidative stress in the placenta is involved in the pathophysiology of pre-eclampsia, and ascorbic acid may act as an important preventative factor in the development of pre-eclampsia.

A multivariable optimal iterative learning control technique called BMPC (Batch Model Predictive Control) has been implemented and evaluated in a commercial RTP (Rapid Thermal Processing) system fabricating 200 mm silicon wafers. The wafer temperature was controlled at multiple points along the radial direction by manipulating multiple tungsten-halogen lamp groups. The study has addressed the following two issues: feasibility of BMPC in a commercial RTP equipment and enhancement of temperature uniformity using redundant inputs. As a consequence, satisfactory tracking performance could be realized with BMPC with reduced efforts for design and implementation of the controller by the standardized identification and tuning procedure. Redundant inputs whose number is larger than that of the temperature measurements was attempted to relieve the directionality of the system. Experimental tests revealed that the approach can provide us with improved temperature uniformity as well as tracking performance

Leptospirosis has significantly decreased in Korea since 1988, following the leptospiral vaccination programme initiated in 1988. Whether this wholly explains the decreased incidence is uncertain. As an initial step to answer this question, infection rates of Leptospira interrogans in field rodents, Apodemis agrarius, were examined and compared with previous data. Two hundred and twenty-two A. agrarius were captured during October-December 1996. Spirochaetes were isolated from 22 (9.9%) and leptospiral DNA was detected in an additional 6 rodents (12.6%). Subsequent microscopic agglutination tests (MAT) classified all these isolates as L. interrogans serogroup Icterohaemorrhagiae serovar lai. The above data did not significantly differ from previous surveys in 1984-7. There was no significant change of L. interrogans infection in field rodents following the introduction of the vaccination programme in Korea. Further studies are needed to determine the role of human vaccination in reducing incidence.

Effects of long-term oral administration of ginseng extract on serum protein profile and immunoglobulin (Ig) isotypes were studied in mice. Ginseng extract was orally administered to healthy female mice for 52 days at doses of 30 and 150 mg/kg per day and serum protein electrophoretograms and Ig isotypes levels were evaluated. Serum level of gamma-globulin was decreased dose dependently to 82% (P < 0.05) and 56% (P < 0.01) of control values at the doses of 30 and 150 mg/kg per day, respectively. Levels of total protein, albumin, alpha2- and beta-globulin fractions, as well as the ratio of albumin to globulin (A/G) did not change significantly. However, the alpha1-globulin level increased by 24% (P < 0.05) at the doses of 30 and 150 mg/kg per day. Among the Ig isotypes, including IgG1, IgG2a, IgG2b, IgG3, IgM and IgA, serum IgG1 was dose dependently decreased to 68% (P < 0.05) of control values at the dose of 150 mg/kg per day without significant changes in other Ig isotypes. As IgG1 isotype is rarely cytotoxic and can act as a blocking antibody, it is suggested that the selective decrease in serum IgG1 induced by ginseng extract without changes in the cytotoxic antibodies such as IgG2a may be helpful for the prevention and inhibition of cancer.

Nine Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato isolated in Korea were subjected to genomic hybridization using 16S rRNA gene probe and specific restriction patterns (Hin dIII and Eco RV) led these nine Borrelia into five subtypes. The evolutionary relationships of the five isolates corresponding to five RFLP groups were measured through the sequence determination of 16S rRNA gene and phylogenetic analysis. The isolates 935T (group I), 934U and 17Y (Group IIa, IIb) were well clustered with B. garinii and B. afzelii . 5MT and 9MT strains (Group IIIa and Group IIIb) formed a common branch shared with B. afzelii cluster although the evolutionary distance was rather long. So, most of B. burgdorferi sensu lato in Korea was B. afzelii or B. afzelii ‐related group and some minor group such as B. garinii also existed.