Effects of melatonin on hepatic glutathione-peroxidase (GSH-Px) and glutathione-reductase (GSH-reductase) activities were studied in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats administered i.p. (10 mg/kg body weight) with melatonin during 15 days. The activity of cytosolic GSH-reductase in the liver was not changed by melatonin. However, melatonin injection increased significantly the activity of liver cytosolic GSH-Px activity compared with those in saline-treated rats. At the same time, plasma GSH-Px was also increased significantly in melatonin-treated rats. Since GSH-Px, a major antioxidative enzyme, removes H-2O-2 and lipid peroxides which are formed during lipid peroxidation from cellular membrane, such elevation of heptatic GSH-Px activity may contribute to the improvement of antioxidative effects under oxidative damage in the liver.
Animals ; Cytosol ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Lipid Peroxides ; Liver ; Melatonin* ; Membranes ; Plasma ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley*

PURPOSE: There have been high rates of false positive and recall in neonatal screening test using the cut-off points set by the manufacturing company. So, it is necessary to re-evaluate the cut-off values to minimize the false positive rates. METHODS: We collected capillary blood in dry filter paper from 996 healthy neonates on the third day in cases of normal vaginal delivery or the fifth day in cases of Cesarean section. The levels of phenylalanine, galactose, 17-hydroxyprogesterone and branched-chain amino acids were measured using enzyme immunoassay. The results were compared with the original cut-off points set by the manufacturing company. RESULTS: The original cut-off points of four substances were 4.0mg/dL, 7.5mg/dL, 35ng/mL, and 8.0mg/dL, respectively, so that false-positive rates were 0.4, 1.6, 3.93, and 0.001%, respectively. When we set the cut-off point at 99.7 percentile using the data from healthy neonates, they should be 4.0mg/dL, 9.2mg/dL, 54.3ng/mL, and 8.0mg/dL, respectively. CONCLUSION: The false-positive and recall rates were higher in galactosemia and congenital adrenal hyperplasia when using the original cut-off points, suggesting that it would be reasonable to modify the cut-off point at 99.7 percentile after measuring those substances from enough of healthy neonates.
17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone ; Adrenal Hyperplasia, Congenital ; Amino Acids, Branched-Chain ; Capillaries ; Cesarean Section ; Female ; Galactose ; Galactosemias ; Humans ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; Infant, Newborn ; Metabolism, Inborn Errors* ; Neonatal Screening* ; Phenylalanine ; Pregnancy

PURPOSE: There have been high rates of false positive and recall in neonatal screening test using the cut-off points set by the manufacturing company. So, it is necessary to re-evaluate the cut-off values to minimize the false positive rates. METHODS: We collected capillary blood in dry filter paper from 996 healthy neonates on the third day in cases of normal vaginal delivery or the fifth day in cases of Cesarean section. The levels of phenylalanine, galactose, 17-hydroxyprogesterone and branched-chain amino acids were measured using enzyme immunoassay. The results were compared with the original cut-off points set by the manufacturing company. RESULTS: The original cut-off points of four substances were 4.0mg/dL, 7.5mg/dL, 35ng/mL, and 8.0mg/dL, respectively, so that false-positive rates were 0.4, 1.6, 3.93, and 0.001%, respectively. When we set the cut-off point at 99.7 percentile using the data from healthy neonates, they should be 4.0mg/dL, 9.2mg/dL, 54.3ng/mL, and 8.0mg/dL, respectively. CONCLUSION: The false-positive and recall rates were higher in galactosemia and congenital adrenal hyperplasia when using the original cut-off points, suggesting that it would be reasonable to modify the cut-off point at 99.7 percentile after measuring those substances from enough of healthy neonates.
17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone ; Adrenal Hyperplasia, Congenital ; Amino Acids, Branched-Chain ; Capillaries ; Cesarean Section ; Female ; Galactose ; Galactosemias ; Humans ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; Infant, Newborn ; Metabolism, Inborn Errors* ; Neonatal Screening* ; Phenylalanine ; Pregnancy

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular remodeling after acute myocardial infarction has been identified as an important prognostic factor because it leads to ventricular enlargement, ventricular aneurysm, and increased mortality. However predictors of left ventricular remodeling are not clearly defined. This study was perforrned to evaluate the efficacy of dobutamine echocardiography in the prediction of left ventricular remodeling in patients with acute myocardial infarction. METHODS: Forty-five patients(39 males, age 56.9+/-10.2 years) with acute myocardial infarction(AMI) and patent infarct-related artery(no significant narrowing with/without revascularization) underwent dobutamine echocardiography at 2 7 days after AMI. The stages of dobutamine infusion were baseline, 5, 10, 20ug/kg/min, and images at each stage were directly compared and analyzed with the use of 16-segment model(by American Society of Echocardiography) and scoring system(1: normal, 2: mild to moderate hypokinesia, 3: severe hypokinesia, 4: akinesia, 5: dyskinesia). The viability of infarct zone was defined as improvement of wall motion score in more than 2 contiguous segments during dobutamine infusion in areas of resting asynergy. Coronary angiography was performed at 7~10 days after AMI and revascularization of infarct-related artery was done, if severe stenosis was present. Follow-up(F/ U) echocardiography was performed more than 3 months after AMI. We have measured left ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic volume at baseline, dobutamine(peak dose) and follow-up echocardiography by modified Simpsons method. RESULTS: 1) Dobutamine echocardiography was performed at 5.5+3.9 days after acute myocardial infarction, and follow-up echocardiography was performed at 7.5+3.4 months after dobutamine echocardiography. 2) We assessed left ventricular end-diastolic volume(LVEDV) at follow-up echocardiography compared to LVEDV at baseline echocardiography, and patients were divided into 2 groups. Group 1(n=14) with increase in LVEDV during F/U period(mean change 13.9+14.2ml); Group 2(n=31) with no increase in LVEDV volume during F/U period(mean change 27.4+22.1). Between two groups, clinical parameters such as age, sex, incidence of anterior myocardial infarction, incidence of non-Q myocardial infarction, peak CK, peak CKMB, pre-infarction angina, incidence of reperfusion therapy, follow-up duration, were not significantly different. 3) Between group 1 and group 2, there were no singnificant differences in baseline echocardiographic parameters such as ejection fraction, wall motion score index, LVEDV, LV enddiastolic dimension. 4) In group 1, the incidence of patients with infarct zone viability assessed by dobutamine echocardiography was significantly snialler than the one in group 2(5 of 14 and 21 of 31, respectively, p <0.05). 5) Beween group 1 and group 2, the change of LVEDV at dobutamine echocardiography compared to LVEDV at baseline echocardiography was significantly different( -1.3+/-17.7 and -17.1+/-26.2, respectively, p<0.05). 6) Linear regression analysis indicated that the change of LVEDV during follow-up period was predicted by the change of LVEDV during dobutamine echocardiography. LVEDV(F/U) LVEDV(baseline) = 0.726[LVEDV(dobutamine) LVEDV(baseline) ] 5.648(r=0.65, p<0.05) CONCLUSION: The viability of infarct zone assessed by dobutamine echocardiography was predictive of left ventricular remodeling at F/U of acute myocardial infarction and the change in LVEDV during dobutamine echocardiography correlated with the change in LVEDV at follow-up of acute myocardial infarction. Dobutamine echocardiography can be an useful tool for the prediction of LV remodeling after acute myocardial infarction.
Aneurysm ; Arteries ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Coronary Angiography ; Dobutamine* ; Echocardiography* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hypokinesia ; Incidence ; Linear Models ; Male ; Mortality ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Reperfusion ; Ventricular Remodeling*

BackgroundUntil now, various types of combined therapy with nucleotide analogs and pegylated interferon (Peg-INF) in patients with hepatitis B patients have been tried. However, studies regarding the benefits of de novo combination, late-add on, and sequential treatment are very limited. The objective of the current study was to identify the efficacy of sequential treatment of Peg-INF after short-term antiviral treatment.

MethodsBetween June 2010 and June 2015, hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive patients (n = 162) received Peg-IFN for 48 weeks (mono-treatment group, n = 81) and entecavir (ETV) for 12 weeks with a 48-week course of Peg-IFN starting at week 5 of ETV therapy (sequential treatment group, n = 81). The primary endpoint was HBeAg seroconversion at the end of follow-up period after the 24-week treatment. The primary endpoint was analyzed using Chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, and regression analysis.

ResultsHBeAg seroconversion rate (18.2% vs. 18.2%, t = 0.03, P = 1.000) and seroclearance rate (19.7% vs. 19.7%, t = 0.03, P = 1.000) were same in both mono-treatment and sequential treatment groups. The rate of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) normalization (45.5% vs. 54.5%, t = 1.12, P = 0.296) and serum hepatitis B virus (HBV)-DNA <2000 U/L (28.8% vs. 28.8%, t = 0.10, P = 1.000) was not different in sequential and mono-treatment groups at 24 weeks of Peg-INF. Viral response rate (HBeAg seroconversion and serum HBV-DNA <2000 U/L) was not different in the two groups (12.1% vs. 16.7%, t = 1.83, P = 0.457). Baseline HBV-DNA level (7 logU/ml vs. 7.5 logU/ml, t = 1.70, P = 0.019) and hepatitis B surface antigen titer (3.6 logU/ml vs. 4.0 logU/ml, t = 2.19, P = 0.020) were lower and predictors of responder in mono-treatment and sequential treatment groups, respectively.

ConclusionsThe current study shows no differences in HBeAg seroconversion rate, ALT normalization, and HBV-DNA levels between mono-therapy and sequential therapy regimens.

Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01220596; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01220596?term=NCT01220596&rank=1.