No abstract available.
Pregnancy*

No abstract available.
Chondrogenesis* ; Ear*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Pulmonary Atresia* ; Siblings* ; Ventricular Septum*

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Although interferon-a(IFNa) is currently the most effective antiviral agent for treating patients with chronic hepatitis C, its efficacy is not always reliable. Factors suggested to infruence outcome of IFN-a therapy for chronic hepatitis C are histological activity, level of viremia and HCV genotype, etc. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between several pretreatment factors and response to IFN-a therapy in patients with chronic HCV infection. METHODS: Fifty-four patients with chronic HCV infection(47 with chronic hepatitis and 7 with liver cirrhosis) who received IFN-a(2a or 2b) therapy(3 6 MU, three times a week, for 3 12 months) were included. Level of serum HCV RNA(50 patients), HCV genotype(27 patients) and IgM anti- HCV(21 patients) during pretreatment period were assayed. RESULTS: Overall, 19(35%) subjects achieved sustained response(SR), 12(22%) had transient response(TR) and 23(43%) did not respond (nonresponse;NR). Mean age of patients with SR, TR and NR was 46+ 10, 51+ 7.5 and 54+ 9.7 years, respectively(p<0.05 between SR and NR). Among 30 patients with biopsy-proven chronic hepatitis, 13(43%) achieved SR;but only one(14%) in 7 patients with liver cirrhosis. Mean serum HCV RNA level(X10' copies/ml) was higher in nonresponders(7,7+ 13.0) compared with SR(2.3+ 2. 7) or TR(3.1+ 4.9), although statistically insignificant HCV genotyping in 27 patients revealed type la in 5(18.5%), 1b in 14(52%), 2a in 5(18.5%), 2b in 1(3.7%) and 4 in 2(7%), respectively. In non-1b patients, SR rate was significantly higher than 1b patients(69.2% vs. 21.4%, p=0.03). Although IgM anti-HCV was positive in 12(57%) among 21 patients studied, the positive rate and the titer of IgM anti-HCV was not significantly different in three groups. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that in patients with chronic hepatitis C, infection with genotype 1b, old age, high serum HCV RNA level and the presence of cirrhosis would predict poor response to IFN therapy.
Fibrosis ; Genotype ; Hepatitis C, Chronic ; Hepatitis, Chronic ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin M ; Interferons* ; Liver ; Liver Cirrhosis ; RNA ; Viremia

No abstract available.
Methylation*

No abstract available.
Thanatophoric Dysplasia*

No abstract available.
Thanatophoric Dysplasia*

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of focal and grid pattern PASCAL photocoagulation treatment in diabetic macular edema patients. METHODS: A total of 72 patients (75 eyes) who were diagnosed as diabetic macular edema were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into 3 groups as follows: group 1 (31 patients, 31 eyes) received an intravitreal bevacizumab injection, group 2 (17 patients, 20 eyes) underwent focal and grid pattern PASCAL photocoagulation treatment, and group 3 (24 patients, 24 eyes) underwent focal and grid pattern argon photocoagulation treatment. Macular thickness and visual acuity (logMAR) of 75 eyes were compared among groups before and after treatments. RESULTS: Visual acuity improved in 13 eyes (65.0%) in group 1, 16 eyes (51.6%) in group 2, and in 10 eyes (41.6%) in group 3; however, there was no statistical significance. Macular thickness reduction occurred in 24 eyes (77.4%) in group 1 and 13 eyes (65.0%) in group 2 which were statistically significant decreases at only 1 month after treatment (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Focal and grid pattern PASCAL photocoagulation is a good therapeutic option for diabetic macular edema. Focal and grid pattern PASCAL photocoagulation is as effective as intravitreal bevacizumab injection or focal and grid pattern argon photocoagulation treatment.
Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized ; Argon ; Eye ; Humans ; Light Coagulation ; Macular Edema ; Retrospective Studies ; Visual Acuity ; Bevacizumab

No abstract available.
Ascites* ; Hernia, Umbilical* ; Leiomyoma*

No abstract available.
Animals ; Dogs* ; Facial Bones* ; Periosteum* ; Silicone Elastomers* ; Transplants*