A study on prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen(HBsAg) in 1,292 grade-school children(548 of rural area, 744 of urban area) by Counterimmunoelectrophoretic method: various liver fuction tests and liver biopsy were performed, and the results obtained are as follows: 1) Fifty four of 1,292 children who were selected randomly were positive for HBsAg(4.2%) and incidence of HBsAg was higher in rural area(4.6%) than in urban area(3.9%). 2) The incidence of HBsAg was higher in male children(4.5%) than female Children(3.7%). 3) Age distribution revealed highest incidence at 10(5.9%), years old lowest incidence at 9(2.9%), but any significant interrelationship wasn't found between ages. 4) The order of liver function tests which showed abnormal values by numver are as follows: GGT(26.2%), SGOT(23.6%), Total protein(7.1%), SGPT(4.8%), TTT(4.8%), BSP retention test(2.4%), PT(0%). The values of GGT and SGOT were thought to be most useful in HBsAg positive children. 5) All tests showed normal values in 22 children(52.4%), one test and more than 2 tests showed abnormal values each in 18 children(42.8%) and in 2 children(4.8%). 6) On liver biopsy performed in nine HBsAg positive children, one showed normal liver tissue, two showed mild hepatocellular degenerative change, five showed chronic persistent hepatitis and showed chronic active hepatitis. On orcein staining, three showed intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies thought to be HBsAg.
Age Distribution ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Biopsy ; Child* ; Female ; Hepatitis B ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens* ; Hepatitis, Chronic ; Humans ; Incidence ; Inclusion Bodies ; Liver ; Liver Function Tests ; Male ; Prevalence ; Reference Values

The objective of this study is to determine the effectiveness of 4-month milk consumption in the prevention of osteoporosis in elderly women living in Asan. Subjects included 277 women age over 65 years were divided into control (n=111) and milk (n=166) groups. For those in the milk group, one cup (200ml) of partially lactose-digested low-fat milk was provided everyday for 4 months. Each subject was interviewed to assess food intake by 24-h recall method before and after milk supplementation. Prevalence of osteoporosis was determined by WHO criteria with calcaneus bone mineral density (BMD) measured by quantitative ultrasound (QUS) on left heel. After 4 months, the nutrient intake levels of control did not change while intakes of energy, protein, calcium, phosphorous, riboflavin, pyridoxin, niacin and folic acid were significantly increased in milk group. No significant changes were observed in anthropometric, and BMD in both control and milk groups. T-score of milk group, however, was significantly increased after 4 month milk consumption. Prevalence of osteoporosis was increased (27% to 32%) in control group while that of milk group was decreased (32% to 30%). When BMD and t-score changes after 4 months of milk consumption were compared between those with low baseline calcium intake and high calcium intake subjects in the milk group, BMD and t-score were significantly improved in the low baseline calcium intake group. We conclude that one cup a day milk consumption for a relatively short period of 4 months can prevent further bone loss and significantly improve intakes of both macro and micro-nutrients of elderly women.
Aged* ; Bone Density* ; Calcaneus ; Calcium* ; Chungcheongnam-do* ; Eating ; Female ; Folic Acid ; Heel ; Humans ; Milk* ; Niacin ; Osteoporosis ; Prevalence ; Pyridoxine ; Riboflavin ; Ultrasonography

BACKGROUND: In Korean Red Cross, recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA) has been used for the confirmatory test of HCV positive units since 1995. To certify the HCV infection in blood donors who showed the 'indeterminate result on the RIBA test, this study was performed. METHODS: Three enzyme immunoassay (EIA) kits (LG HCD 3.0, DONG-A HCV 3.0, and ORTHO HCV 3.0)and RNA detection method were employed to evaluate infection state of 135 samples of the 'indeterminate in the RIBA test. RESULTS: The 52.6% of the samples showed the same test results with three EIA kits. Fifteen samples (11.1%) were HCV RNA positive with RT-PCR-hybridization technique. Among 15 samples of HCV RNA positive, 13 (86.7%), 13 (86.7%), and 14(93.3%) of samples were positive in LG HCD 3.0, Ortho HCV 3.0 and Dong-A HCV 3.0 EIA, respectively. In the analysis of RIBA band reaction, HCV RNA positivity were correlated with core14, core518, and 897 antigen. However, among 64 samples which react with core antigen only, five samples (7.8%) were HCV RNA positive. CONCLUSION: Based on the results of the present study, it is recommend that the HCV RNA test be used as a method of confirmatory test in order to notify exact HCV positivity status to blood donor who showed indeterminate RIBA result.
Blood Donors* ; Humans ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; Red Cross ; RNA ; Tissue Donors*

The incidence of intussusception in adults is quite low. A preoperative diagnosis was quite difficult due to the atypical clinical features, but the success rate of preoperative diagnosis of intussusception has improved with the advances in abdominal US and CT. However, the value of colonoscopy in making a preoperative diagnosis is unclear. The incidence of multiple primary cancer of the colon and rectum can vary widely. We report a case of intussusception in a patient who had synchronous cecal and sigmoid colonic cancer. A 71-year-old man was visited our hospital for diarrhea and general weakness. The abdominal US and CT revealed a mass lesion in the cecal area. Preoperative colonoscopy confirmed the lesion to be cecal cancer with a synchronous sigmoid colon cancer. In conclusion, the rarity of these synchronous cancers may result in a misdiagnosis. Therefore, a preoperative colonoscopy or postoperative colonoscopy might be useful.
Adult ; Aged ; Cecal Neoplasms ; Colon* ; Colon, Sigmoid* ; Colonic Neoplasms* ; Colonoscopy ; Diagnosis ; Diagnostic Errors ; Diarrhea ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intussusception* ; Rectum ; Sigmoid Neoplasms*

Gastritis cystica profunda (GCP) is a rare disease in which mature glandular epithelium extends into the muscularis mucosae or below. GCP lesions mainly develop at the gastroenterostomy stomas. These lesions show malignant histologic features such as metaplastic and even dysplastic alteration, however they usually exhibit benign behavior. We report a case of a patient with GCP who had not previously undergone gastric surgery. A 63-year-old woman visited our hospital for anorexia and epigastric discomfort. The esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed two polyps on the anterior wall of the greater curvature, antrum. The polyps were removed by snare polypectomy and the histology findings showed the character of a tubular adenoma and a hyperplastic polyp with an associated GCP.
Adenoma* ; Anorexia ; Endoscopy, Digestive System ; Epithelium ; Female ; Gastritis* ; Gastroenterostomy ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Mucous Membrane ; Polyps ; Rare Diseases ; SNARE Proteins

BACKGROUND: Malignant cells exhibit increased glycolytic metabolism, and in many cases increased glucose transporter gene expression. The authors hypothesized that GLUT1 glucose transporter expression is increased in gallbladder carcinoma, and the degree of expression might have prognostic significance. METHODS: To evaluate a possible prognostic factor, we studied the expression of GLUT1 glucose transporter by an immunohistochemical method in 56 gallbladder carcinomas from patients and we compared these results with established prognostic factors. RESULTS: Of the 56 cases, 34 (60.7%) were positive for GLUT1. The expression of GLUT1 was not associated with patient age, sex and histologic type. Whereas the expression of GLUT1 was significantly correlated with depth of tumor invasion and lymph node and distant metastases. CONCLUSIONS: GLUT1 glucose transporter expression is strongly associated with poor prognostic factors of the gallbladder carcinoma and the assessment of the extent of GLUT1 immunostaining identifies patient with poorer prognosis.
Gallbladder* ; Gene Expression ; Glucose Transport Proteins, Facilitative* ; Glucose* ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Metabolism ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis

The throat swabs obtained from 1,098 adults and 432 children patients with respiratory diseases were examined for Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection detected by culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Antimicrobial susceptibilities of the resulting 60 M. pneumoniae isolates were evaluated by testing minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of erythromycin, minocycline, tetracycline, josamycin, sparfloxacin, ofloxacin, and ciprofloxacin by a broth micro-dilution method. In a preliminary screening, the detection rate of M. pneumoniae by PCR was 29.2% (277/948) for the adults and 28.3% (90/318) for the children. In the second survey, the isolation rate of M. pneumoniae by culture was 29.3% (44/150) for the adults, and 14.0% (16/114) for the children. The PCR detection rate was 36.7% (55/150) for the adults and 23.7% (27/114) for the children. The MIC90s of the M. pneumoniae isolates were 0.015 mg/ml for erythromycin, lower than 0.03 mg/ml for josamycin, 0.06 mg/ml for sparfloxacin and minocycline, 0.12 mg/ml for tetracycline, 0.5 mg/ml for ofloxacin and CFC-222, and 1.0 mg/ml for ciprofloxacin. The isolates were susceptible to erythromycin, josamycin, sparfloxacin, minocycline, tetracycline, and ofloxacin, but the 63.3% of them was resistant to ciprofloxacin. These results indicate that the PCR method has a significant potential as a rapid and sensitive method for early detection of M. pneumoniae infection in clinical specimens as compared with the culture method, but the PCR method could not provide any information concerning the biological chracteristics of M. pneumoniae strains. Erythromycin, josamycin, sparfloxacin, minocycline, and tetracycline could be recommended as the antimicrobial agents of choice in Korea.
Adult ; Anti-Infective Agents ; Child ; Ciprofloxacin ; Erythromycin ; Humans ; Josamycin ; Korea ; Mass Screening ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Minocycline ; Mycoplasma pneumoniae* ; Mycoplasma* ; Ofloxacin ; Pharynx ; Pneumonia* ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Tetracycline

PURPOSE: To evaluate potential correlation between the extent and site of avascular necrosis (AVN), as determined by preoperative magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, and the development of femoral head collapse. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using clinical, radiographic and MR imaging criteria, twenty hips in 15 patients were selected for core decompression. Preoperative MR results were classified into three categories: group A, less than 15% involvement of the weight-bearing portion of the femoral head; group B, 15%-30% involvement; group C, more than 30% involvement, according to ARCO staging. We also established three groups according to site of involvement of the femoral head, namely medial, middle and lateral. RESULTS: Of 20 cases, three were stage Ia; two, Ib; four, Ic; three, IIa; two, IIb; and 6, IIc. Ten cases of Ia, Ib, IIa or IIb showed no femoral head collapse during follow-up of at least 24 months, while ten cases of Ic or IIc showed femoral head collapse. CONCLUSION: The prognosis of core decompression in patients with early AVN is related to the area of lesion in the femoral head.
Decompression* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Head* ; Hip ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Necrosis* ; Prognosis ; Weight-Bearing