The truncated E1192-283 and E2384-649 genes of hepatitis C virus (HCV) linked to the gene for glutathione 5-transferase (GST) were constructed and their expressions were analyzed. The GST-E1192-283 fusion gene overexpressed the fusion protein in E. coli as a soluble form, while the GST-E1192-383 plasmid did not express expected fusion protein. The purified GST-E1192-283 fusion protein was efficiently cleaved by thrombin. More than 90% pure, HCV E1192-283 protein was obtained by GST-agarose chromatography. The truncated GST-E2384-649 fusion gene expressed the fusion protein mainly as an insoluble form, whereas the GST-E2384-740 did not express the fusion protein. The truncated GST-E1 182-283 and GST-E2384-649 fusion proteins reacted specifically with an HCV patient serum. In addition, mice immunized with either the purified E1192-283 or GST-E2384-649 proteins generated specific antibodies to each antigen. The results suggested that hydrophobic carboxyl portions of the E1 and E2 proteins might affect expression levels as well as the solubility of each fusion protein in bacteria. Also, the truncated E1 protein with Tyr-192 to Ser-283 contained antigenic epitope(s) which could be specifically recognized by an HCV patient serum.
Animals ; Antibodies ; Bacteria ; Chromatography ; Glutathione ; Hepacivirus* ; Hepatitis C* ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Mice ; Plasmids ; Solubility ; Thrombin

No abstract available.
Transplants

PURPOSE: This study addressed the feasibility and effect of surgical treatment of metachronous periampullary carcinoma after resection of the primary extrahepatic bile duct cancer. The performance of this secondary curative surgery is not well-documented. METHODS: We reviewed, retrospectively, the medical records of 10 patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) for secondary periampullary cancer following extrahepatic bileduct cancer resection from 1995 to 2011. RESULTS: The mean age of the 10 patients at the second operation was 61 years (range, 45-70 years). The primary cancers were 7 hilar cholangiocarcinomas, 2 middle common bile duct cancers, and one cystic duct cancer. The secondary cancers were 8 distal common bile duct cancers and 2 carcinomas of the ampulla of Vater. The second operations were 6 Whipple procedures and 4 pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomies. The mean interval between primary treatment and metachronous periampullary cancer was 20.6 months (range, 3.4-36.6 months). The distal resection margin after primary resection was positive for high grade dysplasia in one patient. Metachronous tumor was confirmed by periampullary pathology in all cases. Four of the 10 patients had delayed gastric emptying (n = 2) or pancreatic fistula (n = 2) after reoperation. There were no perioperative deaths. Median survival after PD was 44.6 months (range, 8.5-120.5 months). CONCLUSION: Based on the postoperative survival rate, PD may provide an acceptable protocol for resection in patients with metachronous periampullary cancer after resection of the extrahepatic bile duct cancer.
Ampulla of Vater ; Bile Ducts, Extrahepatic* ; Cholangiocarcinoma ; Common Bile Duct ; Cystic Duct ; Gastric Emptying ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Neoplasms, Second Primary ; Pancreatic Fistula ; Pancreaticoduodenectomy* ; Pathology ; Reoperation ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate

Post-menopausal osteoporosis is known to be related to estrogen deficiency. The purpose of this experimental study is to investigate whether or not estrogen administration can prevent or retard the process of osteoporosis induced by oophorectomy in rats. Fifty-two Sprague-Dawley rats, aged five months, were separated into three groups. Group 1 (4 rats) was control group that had sham operation without oophorectomy. Goup 2 (32 rats) was another control group that had bilateral oophorectomy alone. Group 3 (16 rats) was experimental group that had estradiol administration from the fourth week through the eighth week after bilateral oophorectomy. In group 1, all the rats were killed at the fourth week after sham operation. In group 2 and group 3, four rats in each group were killed weekly until the eighth week after oophorectomy. All the animals were subjected to radiological, histological studies on the tibia, ilium, skull, and the sixth lumbar vertebra. Also, histomorphometric measurements were 1. Osteoporotic changes were evident from the fifth week after oophorectomy and increased with time on the radiologic examination in group 2. In contrast, osteoporotic changes were evident from the second week after oophorectomy and progressed with time on the histological and histomorphometric studies in group 2. 2. After administration of estradiol, osteoporotic changes which include thinning of the cortex, decrease of the amount of trabeculae were partially restored on the radiological, histological studies in group 3. 3. Histomorphometric study revealed that the trabecular area percent (the proportion of total area of the trabeculae from the whole metaphyseal area), decreased progressively through the eight week after oophorectomy in gorup 2. Whereas the trabecular area percents of group 3 were higher than those of group 2, but still lower than initial value before oophorectomy. Based on the above observations, estradiol administration appeared to delay the progression of the osteoporotic changes induced by oophorectomy in rats.
Animals ; Estradiol ; Estrogens ; Female ; Humans ; Ilium ; Osteoporosis ; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal ; Ovariectomy ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Skull ; Spine ; Tibia

No abstract available.
Allografts* ; Fibroblasts*

PURPOSE: We performed dynamic MR imaging using GdDTPA to find characteristic enhancement pattern of hepatic hemangioma distinguishing from hepatocellular carcinoma. METHODS AND MATERIALS: 28 hepatic hemangiomas and 10 hepatocellular carcinomas were evaluated. Serial dynamic scans after Gd-DTPA(0.1mmol/kg) intravenous injection were obtained by using 0.5T machine and analyzed contrast-to-noise ratio(CNR) of the lesion and enhancement pattern on each scan. RESULTS: Hepatic hemangiomas had positive CNR from 1-2 minute images, and revealed typical "fill-in phenomenon" on early phase with prolonged enhancement in 26 cases(92.8%), and early homogeneous enhancement with isointensity on delayed phase in 2 cases(7.2%) of small hemangiome~ Hepatocellular carcinomas revealed inhomogeneous enhancement with hypointensity on delayed phase in 10 cases(100%) and 3 cases (30%) of capsular enhancement. CONCLUSION: Hepatic hemangioma can be easily distinguished from hepatocellular carcinoma by using Gd DTPA enhanced dynamic MR imaging according to its typical enhancement pattern of "fill-in phenomenon" and prolonged enhancement.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Diagnosis, Differential* ; Gadolinium DTPA ; Hemangioma* ; Injections, Intravenous ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging*

PURPOSE: Human bocavirus (hBoV), a recently discovered virus, has been detected in children with respiratory tract infections worldwide. The aim of this study was to analyze the frequency and molecular phylogeny of hBoV in the respiratory samples of children with acute respiratory tract infections in 2010. METHODS: Nasopharyngeal samples were collected from 953 children with lower respiratory tract infections at Severance children's hospital in Korea from January 2010 to December 2010. We applied the multiplex PCR technique for the identification of 12 respiratory viruses from the samples. Among the total specimens, hBoV positive samples were subjected to phylogenetic analysis by sequencing a fragment of the VP1/VP2 gene junction. RESULTS: hBoV was detected in 141 (14.8%) among 953 patients. The 61.7% of hBoV-positive samples were found to co-exist with other respiratory viruses. The results of phylogenetic analysis showed that all 141 hBoV-positive isolates were identified as hBoV 1, revealing a high similarity among the isolates (>98%). CONCLUSION: hBoV 1 with minimal sequence variations circulated in children with acute respiratory infections during 2010. More research is needed to determine the clinical severity and outcomes of the minimal sequence variations.
Child ; Child, Hospitalized ; Human bocavirus ; Humans ; Korea ; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Phylogeny ; Respiratory System ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; Viruses

No abstract available.
Coronary Sinus*

Nontyphoidal Salmonella are gram negative bacilli organism, which may induce systemic infection such as febrile enteritis, bacteremia, and osteomyelitis. Main route of infection is known as food but also possible through reptile, amphibian, and fish raised as pets in the house. There is no known cases report of Salmonella infection through pets in Korea and also rare in the overseas. We report 2 patients who visited Severance children's hospital with chief complaint of fever and diagnosed as nontyphoidal salmonellosis. Each case had a history of raising turtle or tropical fish with possibility of Salmonella infection through these pets. Increasing incidence of raising pet reptile and fish lately, contact precaution and proper prevention and control of Salmonella infection of these pets especially in children under 5 years old are necessary due to higher risk of serious complications of salmonellosis.
Amphibians ; Bacteremia ; Child ; Enteritis ; Fever ; Fishes ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Osteomyelitis ; Reptiles ; Salmonella ; Salmonella Infections ; Turtles

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine the frequency, epidemiology and the clinical manifestation of human metapneumovirus (hMPV) infection in Korean children. METHODS: From February 2010 to January 2012, we collected nasopharyngeal aspiration from 1,554 children who were hospitalized for acute lower respiratory tract infections at the Department of Pediatrics, Severance Children's Hospital. hMPV was detected by performing reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The medical records of the patients with positive results were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: We detected hMPV in 99 of the 1,554 hospitalized children. The mean age of the hMPV infected children was 25 months, and 87% of the illnesses occurred between April and June. The most common diagnoses were pneumonia (73%) and bronchiolitis (16%). The clinical manifestations included cough, fever, respiratory distress, hoarseness, tachypnea, and wheezing. Coinfection with other respiratory viruses was found in 43 children (43%). CONCLUSION: hMPV is one of the major virus causing acute respiratory tract infection in the age between 13 months and 48 months old with peaks during April to June. Reports of hMPV in Korea has been increasing but additional studies are required to define the epidemiology and the extent of disease caused by hMPV to determine future development of this illness in Korean children.
Bronchiolitis ; Child ; Child, Hospitalized ; Coinfection ; Cough ; Fever ; Hoarseness ; Humans ; Korea ; Medical Records ; Metapneumovirus ; Pediatrics ; Pneumonia ; Respiratory Sounds ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; Retrospective Studies ; Tachypnea ; Viruses