While there have been not a few reports on the seroepidemiological characteristics of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in Korea, most of them, however, have had several limitations; operational definition of HBV infection, validity of detection methods of HBV serologic markers, size of the study population, and confirmation of the vaccination history against HBV, etc. In order to avoid such limitations, authors randomly selected 1,495 healthy adults among the 217,511 insured (target population) of Korean Medical Insurance Corporation, living in seoul, and tested HBV(HBsAg, anti-HBs and anti-HBc) of all the subjects were tested, 392(26.2%) of interview failure cases 742 nonvaccinee were excluded from the actual population. Finally, the serologic markers tested of 742 nonvaccinee (study population) only were analyzed for the seroepidemiologic observation of the natural infection of HBV. The seroepidemiological characteristics of HBV infection in Korea were as follows ; 1 Point prevalence of HBs antigenemia was 11.7(9.1-14.3)% in male, which was slightly higher than that of female, 9.5(3.7-15.3)%. This level was one of the highest among those of Asian-Pacific countries. Decreasing tendency of HBsAg prevalence after the age of 50 was observed, which seems to be due to selective attrition of HBV chronic carriers among the healthy adults and/or to the limited-lasting duration of the HBs antigenemia, in part. 2. Point prevalence of anti-HBc(78.8% in male, 50.9% in female) was higher than that of anti-HBs(65.2% in male, 46.6% in female), respectively. And both of them were higher in male than in female. Increasing tendency of the prevalence of both antibodies was observed by age, which seems to be largely due to recurrent infection in adults and to some cumulative effect, in part, of their relatively longer-lasting duration. 3. The level of HBV infection defined by positive for at least one of the 3 serologic markers of HBV by RIA method was 84.7(81.8-87.6)% in male and 61.2(51.9-70.5)% in female, which was also one of the highest among those of Asian-Pacific countries. The proportion of susceptible population to HBV infection among healthy adults was 15.3% in male and 38.8% in female. 4. The relative frequency of current or past infection and chronic carrier among HBV infected person was estimated. The currently or past infected was estimated 75.7% in male and 71.8% in female, and chronic carrier state, 13.8% in male and 14.1% in female. The analysis of the geometric mean of the antibody titer in anti-HBs positive sera indicated also to be compatible with the above findings, suggesting that active, even though inapparent, infection of HBV occur so frequently among healthy adults in Korea.
Adult* ; Antibodies ; Carrier State ; Female ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Hepatitis B virus* ; Hepatitis B* ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Insurance ; Korea ; Male ; Prevalence ; Radioimmunoassay ; Seoul* ; Vaccination

Flavimonas oryzihabitans is a gram-negative, glucose non-fermentative bacillus, and is rarely reported as a pathogen in human. In recent years, reports of infection due to F. oryzihabitans, especially in immunocompromised patients with indwelling catheter or peritoneal Tenckhoff catheter have increased. We report two cases of F. oryzihabitans peritonitis in patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD).
Bacillus ; Catheters ; Catheters, Indwelling ; Glucose ; Humans ; Immunocompromised Host ; Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory* ; Peritonitis* ; Pseudomonas*

The aim of this study was to assess the degree of association between individual stress and the amount of smoking among male senior students of a medical college. The questionnaire survey was conducted twice for collecting the data on stress level in terms of BEPSl score, smoking amounts, alcohol intake, and residence type in 1992 and 1993. Among the 223 responders, 39.9% were smokers. In the smokers, the association between stress level and smoking amount was significant after controlling for alcohol intake and residence type (P < 0.l). Especially in the group of living without family, the association was more significant (p=0.06). Therefore, it is recommendable that the stress management program is called upon for the student smokers to reduce smoking amount.
Humans ; Male ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Smoke* ; Smoking*

No abstract available.
Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation* ; Heparin*

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia, especially due to steroid-12-hydroxylase(P450c21) deficiency, is one of the most common autosomal recessive inborn errors at adrenal steroidogenesis in Korean. Molecular genetic analysis has demonstrated that there are two steroid 21-hydroxylase genes, CYP21A1P and CYP21A2. The CYP21A2 gene encodes P450c21, whereas the CYP21A1P gene is a pseudogene. Since there is 98 percent homology between the CYP21A1P and CYP21A2 gene in nucleotide sequences, it has hampered the characterization of molecular defects in the CYP21A2 gene.In this study, efforts have been made to selectively PCR amplify the CYP21A2 gene and test feasibility of DNA microextraction from Guthrie card for prospective use of molecular screening. This study was also aimed at investigating deletion mutations in P450c21 deficient patients, as well as allele frequencies and average heterozygosity of exon 1 A/C polymorphism in Korean newborns. Genomic DNAs were obtained from Guthrie cards of 50 Korean newborns by microextraction method and these DNAs were analyzed by PCR-allele specific oligonucleotide(ASO) hybridization. First part of the CYP21A2 gene has been successfully amplified and digested by restriction enzyme using Taq I or Kpn I, subsequently run on 1.5% agarose gel to confirm its specificity. The anterior 1141 bp PCR product was utilized to examine the frequency and average heterozygosity of exon 1 A/C polymorphism in 100 alleles by ASO dot blot hybridization. Amplified genomic DNAs from four P450c21 deficient patients out of three families were screened by PCR to see if any one has complete deletion of the CYP21A2 gene.The results were as follows;1) The average 1230ng of genomic DNA was obtained form single semi-circled Guthrie card of 1/2 inch diameter by microextraction method, which has been successfully used for DNA analysis.2) The PCR amplified anterior 1141 bp product from the CYP21A2 gene was digested by Kpn I, generating 309 bp, 832 bp fragments, not by Taq I, indicating its specificity.3) The frequencies of exon 1 nucleotide 138 A/C polymorphism in Korean population were 0.81, 0.91 respectively, and average heterozygosity was 0.31.4) None of four P450c21 deficient patients turned out to carry complete deletion of the CYP21A2 gene based on selective PCR amplification of the CYP21A2 gene.In conclusion, dried blood spots from Guthrie card can be sued for DNA analysis because of easy sample collection, bandling, shipment, and DNA extraction feasibility. The selective PCR amplification of the CYP 21A2 gene will pave the way for molecular characterization in P450c21 deficient patients. The exon 1 A/C polymorphism can by efficiently used for molecular diagnosis of P450c21 deficiency in informative families, though it has a drawback of handling radioactive material.
Adrenal Hyperplasia, Congenital ; Alleles ; Base Sequence ; Diagnosis ; DNA ; Exons ; Gene Frequency ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Mass Screening ; Methods ; Molecular Biology ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prospective Studies ; Pseudogenes ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Sepharose ; Sequence Deletion ; Steroid 21-Hydroxylase

PURPOSE: To evaluate and compare the diagnostic findings and usefulness of MRI and MR arthrogram in recurrent anterior dislocation of the shoulder. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MRI and MR arthrogram of thirty-two cases of thirty patients with recurrent anterior dislocation of the shoulder were retrospectively analyzed to evaluate glenohumeral ligaments, pattern of labral injury, bony Bankart lesion, capsular stripping, Hill-Sachs lesion, and loose body. RESULTS: Labral abnormalities was detected on MRI in 23 cases(72%) and MR arthrogram in 22 cases(69%) as labral tear, detachment, and deficiency. All cases involved anteroinferior labrum. On MR arthrogram, labral abnormalities was confined to anteroinferior portion in 4 cases(18%), extended into midglenoid level in 13 cases(59%), and that into anterosuperior portion in 5 cases(23%). Capsular stripping was noted on MRI in 6 cases(19%) and MR arthrogram in 12 cases(38%). Loose body was detected only on MR arthrogram in 5 cases (16%). Bony Bankart lesion and Hill-Sachs lesion was detected equally on MRI and MR arthrogram in 2 cases (6%) and 21 cases(66%) respectively. We obtained identical findings on both MR arthrogram and operation field in 6 patients. CONCLUSION: MRI with its excellent soft tissue contrast resolution and multiplanar imaging capafility helps detection of labral injury in recurrent anterior dislocation of the shoulder. MR arthrogram is slightly invasive, but shows good artatomic details of labral-ligamentous-capsular relationship and thus provides accurate detec- tion of pattern of labral injury, capsular stripping, and loose body.
Dislocations* ; Humans ; Ligaments ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Retrospective Studies ; Shoulder*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*

No abstract available.
Female ; Humans ; Hysterosalpingography*

Nethertons syndrome is characterized by a triad of ichthyosiform dermatosis, multiple hair-shaft defects(including trichorrhexis invaginata), and an atopic diathesis. Intermittent amminoaciduria, mental retardation, or recurrent infection have been observed in some cases. We have seen an 8-year-old girl presenting with polycyclic, erythematous patches bordered by distintive double-edged scales as a skin manifestation and ball-and-socket deformity as a hair defect.
Child ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Disease Susceptibility ; Female ; Hair ; Humans ; Intellectual Disability ; Skin Diseases ; Skin Manifestations ; Weights and Measures

PURPOSE: Recent studies have shown that the cysteinyl leukotriene (cysLT) of exhaled breath condensate (EBC) could be predictive of inflammatory status and effectiveness of treatment in allergic disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the inflammation and therapeutic effectiveness of cysLT in EBC in pediatric patients with allergic rhinitis (AR). METHODS: We enrolled 34 healthy children (median age, 4 years 10 months) and 67 AR children (median age, 5 years 1 month). All of the AR patients received intranasal steroid (fluticasone furoate) once daily for 2 weeks. After 2 week of fluticasone furoate treatment, they were classified into 2 groups: the fluticasone furoate (F) and montelukast (M) groups. We treated each group for another 8 weeks. To evaluate the therapeutic effectiveness, we used symptom score (SS) and EBC leukotriene E4 (LTE4). EBC samples were collected with RTube. Each parameter was checked at 0, 2, and 10 weeks of therapy. RESULTS: Most of the AR patients showed clinical improvement with 2- and 10-week fluticasone therapy (F group: 0-week SS, 5.6; 2-week SS, 3.6; 10-week SS, 2.1; P<0.01; M group: 0-week SS, 4.8; 2-week SS, 3.2; 10-week SS, 1.9: P<0.01). LTE4 levels were higher in AR patients than in control subjects (0 week: 87 pg/mL vs. 18 pg/mL) and were reduced after 2 weeks of fluticasone treatment (F group: 90→51.6 pg/mL, P<0.01; M group: 84→46.1 pg/mL, P<0.01). After 10 weeks of treatment, there was no significant difference in the LTE4 level between the F and M groups. CONCLUSION: LTE4 in EBC may be useful for evaluating inflammation and therapeutic effectiveness in patients with allergic rhinitis.
Child* ; Fluticasone ; Humans ; Inflammation* ; Leukotriene E4* ; Rhinitis, Allergic*