Testosterone Relaxes Rabbit Seminal Vesicle by Calcium Channel Inhibition

Recent studies have documented that testosterone relaxes several smooth muscles by modulating K+channel activities. Smooth muscles of seminal vesicles play a fundamental role in ejaculation, which might involve testosterone. This study was aimed to assess the role of testosterone in seminal vesicular motility by studying its effects on contractile agents and on the ion channels of single vesicular myocytes in a rabbit model. The contractile responses of circular smooth muscle strips of rabbit seminal vesicles to norepinephrine (10 micrometer), a high concentration of KCl (70 mM), and testosterone (10 micrometer were observed. Single vesicular myocytes of rabbit were isolated using proteolytic enzymes including collagenase and papain. Inside-out, attached, and whole-cell configurations were examined using the patch clamp technique. The applications of 10 micrometernorepinephrine or 70 mM KCl induced tonic contractions, and 10 micrometertestosterone (pharmacological concentration) evoked dose-dependent relaxations of these precontracted strips. Various K+channel blockers, such as tetraethylammonium (TEA; 10 mM), iberiotoxin (0.1 micrometer), 4-aminopyridine (4-AP, 10 micrometer, or glibenclamide (10 micrometer rarely affected these relaxations. Single channel data (of inside-out and attached configurations) of BK channel activity were also hardly affected by testosterone (10 micrometer). On the other hand, however, testosterone reduced L-type Ca2+currents significantly, and found to induce acute relaxation of seminal vesicular smooth muscle and this was mediated, at least in part, by Ca2+current inhibition in rabbit.

Statistical Analysis on Each variable of Fetal Heart Rate and Outcomes of Newborn Infants / 대한주산의학회잡지

OBJECTIVE: Nonstress test(NST) has become an important method of antepartum evaluation of fetal well-being. The fetal heart rate(FHR) testing is used frequently as a nonstress test(NST). However, NST highly depends on whom to interpret the result of FHR testing. Recently, for interpretation of FHR, objective decision methods using softwares have been introduced. In this study, we aim to analyse the correlation between each variable affecting FHR and fetal outcome using objective decision basis with principal component analysis and multiple regression analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The clinical observation was made on 5,314 data from pregnant women who took a NST which had been collected from 1989 to 1997 at Hanyang University Hospital. For collection of data and values of each variable, we used our own FHR interpretation softwares, HYFM-I(DOS version, 1989) and HYFM-II(Window-version, 1998). Then, the principal component analysis is performed to find significant variable and multiple regression analysis using these variables. RESULTS: Each groups were divided and classified as followings ; 1 minute Apgar score-normal, 1 minute Apgar score-abnormal, 5 minute Apgar score-nomal, 5 minutes Apgar score-abnormal; there is significant difference between signal loss and 1 minute Apgar score only. And significant difference was shown between mean baseline FHR, FHR variability-amplitude, FHR variability-MMR, and fetal outcomes(body weight of newborn & Apgar score). The FHR variability-amplitude, FHR variability-MMR, and weight of baby were important values in predict of fetal well-being. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, there are close relation in each variable of FHRand fetal outcome. The result of this study would be useful background data in the development of objective and automated FHR analysis software, especially in the computerized FHR analysis system.

A Study of Frequency, Indications and Complications on Peripartum Hysterectomy / 대한주산의학회잡지

By means of hospital-based data over 8 years we sought to evaluate the clinical indications and incidence of emergency peripartum hysterectomy by demographic characteristic and reproduction history. From the obstetric record of all deliveries at Chung Goo Hospital between Jan. 1, 1990, and Nov. 31, 1997, we identified all women undergoing emergency cesarean hysterectomy, calculated incidence rates, conducted statistical tests of linear trends and heterogenety, and observed the clinical indicatons preceding the onset of this procedure. There were 16731 deliveries during this period, Cesarean hysterectomy was performed in 24 of 5993 cesarean sections(0.40%) and in 10 of 10738 vaginal deleveries(0.09%), so more frequently after cesarean section than vaginal delivery. The age of patients varied from 22 to 40 years old. The higher the age and the parity of patients, the higher incidence of cesarean hysterectomy was noted. The most common indication of cesarean hysterectomy was uterine atony(52.94%) followed by placental disorders(41.18%), uterine myoma with pregnancy(2.9%) and uterine rupture (2.9%). All patients who had hysterectomy received transfusion from 1 pint to 57 pints. The postoperative complications were bladder injury, febrile morbidity, disseminated intravascular coaguolopathy and wound disruption. There were three maternal deaths, the cause was disseminated intravascular coaguolopathy and amniotic embolism. The data identifiy uterine atony as the primary cause for gravid hysterctomy. The data also illustrated how the incidence of emergency peripartum hysterectomy increases significantly with increasing parity, especially when influenced by a current placenta previa or a prior cesarean section. Maternal morbidity remained high.

A Clinical Study for Intrauterine Fetal Death / 대한산부인과학회잡지

The intrauterine fetal death(IUFD) is the death of the fetus prior to complete expulsion or extraction from its mother when the fetus is over 20 weeks gestation or weights more than 500 gm. This is a clinical study of 262 cases of IUFD and 262 control cases among 18542 deli-veries at Chung Goo Sung Sim Hospital during 10 years from 1987 to 1996. The results obtain-ed were as follows: 1. The incidence of IUFD was 1.41%. 2. The risk of IUFD was high in women older. 3. The risk of IUFD was high in women with parity of three or more, there was a previous history of IUFD in 11.2% of the IUFD cases and in 6.3% of the control cases, but there was no difference between the two groups of women in history of spontaneous abortion. 4. The sex ratio of male versus female was 1.24:1 in the IUFD cases, 1.11:1 in the control cases. 5. The low birth weight and preterm infants were much more frequent in the IUFD cases. 6. The mode of delivery IUFD was induced labor(77.5%), laparotomy(12.2%), spontaneo- us delivery(10.3%). The indications for laparotomy were placental abruption, placenta previa, transverse lie, previous cesarean section status, cephalopelvic disproportion and uterine rupture. 7. The most common cause of IUFD was unexplained causes(45.1%). 8. There were 67 cases(25.6%) of maternal complication, and the most common complica- tion was fever(35.8%). 9. In the incidence of abnormal coagulation test, the low platelet count(14 seconds) was 7.2%, the prolonged partial thr- omboplastin time was 1.0%, the hypofibrinogenemia(40 ug/ml) was 8.4%. 10. The risk of IUFD was lowered as the number of antenatal care was increased.