Objective: To investigate the value of the content of neutrophil elastase (NE) in the expressed prostatic secretion (EPS) and seminal plasma (SP) as a combined predictor in the diagnosis of type IIIA prostatitis with secondary infertility. METHODS: This study included 62 fathers (group A) and 67 infertile men (group B), all with type IIIA prostatitis, and another 57 controls with no genitourinary tract disease (group C). We measured the NE contents in the EPS and SP, obtained the results of routine semen and EPS examinations and Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (CPSI), and calculated the ratio of EPS NE/SP NE by binary logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The combined predictor of type IIIA prostatitis with secondary infertility was SP NE-2 × EPS NE. Among the 129 patients with type IIIA prostatitis, the combined predictor was correlated strongly negatively with the WBC count in the EPS (r = －0.914, P <0.01), negatively with CPSI, sperm concentration, sperm mobility and sperm viability (P <0.01), but not significantly with the WBC count or pH value in the SP (P >0.05). The mean values of the combined predictor in groups A, B, and C were －2 238 (95% CI: －2 595 to －2 054), －1 511 (95% CI: －1 778 to －1 307), and －148 (95% CI: －181 to －118), respectively, with statistically significant differences between the cases and controls as well as between groups A and B (P <0.01). The area under the ROC curve of the combined predictor for the diagnosis of type IIIA prostatitis with secondary infertility was 0.71 (P <0.001). CONCLUSIONS The content of neutrophil elastase in the EPS combined with that in the seminal plasma contributes to the diagnosis of type IIIA prostatitis with secondary infertility, which is superior to either the neutrophil elastase content in the EPS or that in the seminal plasma used alone.
Biomarkers ; analysis ; Chronic Disease ; Clinical Enzyme Tests ; methods ; Fathers ; Humans ; Infertility ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Leukocyte Elastase ; analysis ; Male ; Prostatitis ; complications ; diagnosis ; Semen ; enzymology ; Semen Analysis ; Sperm Motility

A synthetic peptide was prepared based on the antigenic region of Paragonimus westermani pre-procathepsin L, and its applicability for immunodiagnosis for human paragonimiasis (due to Paragonimus heterotremus) was tested using an ELISA to detect IgG4 antibodies in the sera of patients. Sera from other helminthiases, tuberculosis, and healthy volunteers were used as the references. This peptide-based assay system gave sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and positive and negative predictive values of 100%, 94.6%, 96.2%, 100%, and 88.9%, respectively. Cross reactivity was frequently seen against the sera of fascioliasis (75%) and hookworm infections (50%). Since differential diagnosis between paragonimiasis and fascioliasis can be easily done by clinical presentation and fascioliasis serology, this cross reaction is not a serious problem. Sera from patients with other parasitoses (0-25%) rarely responded to this synthetic antigen. This synthetic peptide antigen seems to be useful for development of a standardized diagnostic system for paragonimiasis.
Adult ; Animals ; Antibodies, Helminth/*blood ; Antigens, Helminth/*diagnostic use ; Clinical Laboratory Techniques/*methods ; Cross Reactions ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay/methods ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G/*blood ; Paragonimiasis/*diagnosis ; Paragonimus/*immunology ; Parasitology/*methods ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Sensitivity and Specificity

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between DNA degradeation and postmortem interval. METHODS: dUTP was transferred to 3'terminal of DNA by using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TDT), then the reminders of dUTP after experimental reaction, as indicator of quantity of DNA degradation, were detected. RESULTS: The reminders of dUTP were decreasing along with the postmortem interval. CONCLUSION Postmortem DNA degradation may be used in postmortem interval judgment.
Animals ; Cell Nucleus/metabolism* ; Clinical Enzyme Tests/methods* ; DNA/metabolism* ; DNA Nucleotidylexotransferase/metabolism* ; Kidney/metabolism* ; Liver/metabolism* ; Male ; Postmortem Changes ; Pyrophosphatases/metabolism* ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet ; Spleen/metabolism* ; Time Factors

BACKGROUND/AIMS: M2 pyruvate kinase (M2-PK) is an enzyme that is produced in undifferentiated and proliferating tissues. This study aims to evaluate the usefulness of the immunochromatographic M2 pyruvate kinase (iM2-PK) for the screening of colorectal cancer (CRC) and premalignant lesions. METHODS: Healthy volunteers and patients with colorectal neoplasia were enrolled in six academic hospitals in the capital province of Korea. The iM2-PK value was compared with the immunochromatographic fecal occult blood test (iFOBT) and fecal tumor M2-PK enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: A total of 323 subjects were enrolled. The sensitivity of iM2-PK for CRC was 92.8%, which was superior to iFOBT (47.5%, p<0.0001). For adenomatous lesions, the sensitivity of iM2-PK was 69.4%, which was also superior to iFOBT (12.1%, p<0.001). Compared with M2-PK ELISA, iM2-PK exhibited significantly enhanced sensitivity for CRC (97.5% vs 80.0%, p=0.0289). The sensitivity of iM2-PK was higher in advanced stages of CRC compared with cancers confined to the mucosa and submucosa (p<0.05). However, lymph node metastasis had no influence on the sensitivity of iM2-PK. CONCLUSIONS: The iM2-PK exhibited increased sensitivity for identifying CRC and adenomatous lesions compared with iFOBT. Given its rapid results and convenience, CRC screening using iM2-PK is promising.
Adenoma/*diagnosis ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Biomarkers, Tumor/*analysis ; Clinical Enzyme Tests/*instrumentation ; Colorectal Neoplasms/*diagnosis ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Feces/*enzymology ; Female ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Immunochromatography/methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occult Blood ; Precancerous Conditions/diagnosis/enzymology ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Pyruvate Kinase/*analysis ; Reagent Kits, Diagnostic ; Republic of Korea ; Sensitivity and Specificity

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We investigated the time of onset of antituberculous drug-induced hepatotoxicity (ADIH) and related characteristics. METHODS: Adult patients (n = 1,031) treated with first-line antituberculous drugs between February 2009 and January 2013 were enrolled. RESULTS: Of the 1,031 patients, 108 patients (10.5%) developed ADIH a mean of 39.6 +/- 43.7 days after treatment initiation. Twenty-eight patients (25.9%) developed ADIH within 7 days, 73 (67.6%) within 30 days, and the rest after 30 days. The < or = 30-day group was characterized by higher peak alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level and a high proportion of patients with maintenance of first-line antituberculous drugs compared to the > 30-day group. In subgroup analysis, the < or = 7-day group was characterized by higher baseline aspartate aminotransferase and ALT, high proportion of patients with maintenance of first-line antituberculous drugs, and high proportion of patients with extrapulmonary tuberculosis compared to patients with ADIH that developed beyond 7 days. In multivariate analysis, serum ALT > 40 IU/L (odds ratio [OR], 2.995; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.580 to 5.680; p = 0.001) and presence of anti-hepatitis C virus (OR, 4.204; 95% CI, 1.822 to 9.700, p = 0.001) were independent risk factors for development of ADIH. CONCLUSIONS: Approximately 70% of the cases of ADIH occurred in the first month of antituberculous treatment, and were associated with continuation of the first-line drug regimen.
Adult ; Aged ; Alanine Transaminase/blood ; Antitubercular Agents/*adverse effects ; Aspartate Aminotransferases/blood ; Biomarkers/blood ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury/blood/*diagnosis/etiology ; Chi-Square Distribution ; Clinical Enzyme Tests ; Coinfection ; Drug Monitoring/*methods ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Early Diagnosis ; Female ; Hepatitis/complications/diagnosis ; Humans ; *Liver Function Tests ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Odds Ratio ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Time Factors