In view of the potential of replicase protein as a diagnostic reagent for human caliciviruses (HuCVs), we have cloned and over-expressed this gene from the Snow Mountain-like Korean strains in Escherichia coli as a fusion protein with glutathione S-transferase (GST, and described the preliminary antigenic characterization of the recombinant products. Each 470bp fragment corresponding to highly conserved region of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase was generated by RT-PCR from stools of two diarrheal children, cloned in pMOSBlue T-vector, and subcloned between the EcoRI and SalI restriction sites of pGEX-47-3, a GST gene fusion vector, yielding pGCVpol. This construct expressed a Snow Mountain-like HuCV replicate under the control of the IPTG-inducible pac promoter. An extract prepared by sonication of the E. coli cell inclusion bodies bearing pGCVpol products was purified and analyzed by SDS-PAGE. After Coomassie blue staining, it was shown that the recombinant replicase migrated on the gels with an approximate molecular mass of 46.5 kDa, that was subsequently cleaved into a 26 kDa GST fragment and a 20.5 kDa replicase protein upon digestion with thrombin protease. The replicase was recognized on immunoblotting with the sera from symptomatic children with the HuCV-associated diarrhea but not by asymptomatic sera from adults. The results presented the first biological activity of individually expressed HuCV replicase subunit and provided important reagents for diagnosis of HuCV infection.
Adult ; Child ; Clone Cells ; Diagnosis ; Diarrhea ; Digestion ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Escherichia coli ; Gels ; Gene Fusion ; Glutathione Transferase ; Humans ; Immunoblotting ; Inclusion Bodies ; Indicators and Reagents ; RNA Replicase ; Snow* ; Sonication ; Staphylococcal Protein A ; Thrombin

No abstract available.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Brain* ; Humans

No abstract available.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Brain* ; Humans

9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene ; Animals ; Carcinogenesis ; Carcinoma in Situ ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cricetinae ; Cytoplasm ; Epigenomics ; Epithelium ; Islands ; Mineral Oil ; Mouth Neoplasms ; Mucous Membrane ; Prognosis ; Transforming Growth Factor alpha ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; Transforming Growth Factors

CD44 is a cell-surface glycoprotein postulated to play a role in tumor cell metastasis. Aberrant expression of the cell adhesion molecule CD44 has been detected in human tumors and the expression of specific isoforms(splice variants) has been shown to be associated with metastasis and poor prognosis in human malignancies. We used variant exon sequence-specific monoclonal antibody to epitope encoded by exon v6 of human variant CD44 to study the expression of CD44 splice variant by immunochemistry in fifty nine samples of human cervical cancer. twenty seven tissue samples of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia(CIN) and normal cervix were included in this study. CD44v6 was stained positive in the basal and parabasal layer of normal epithelial cells homogenously but was absent in the stromal cells. The intensity of CD44v6 staining was the strongest in invasive squamous cell carcinoma followed by normal cervical epithelium, CIN, adenocarcinoma. In the malignant samples, heterogeneity in staining intensity among different clusters of tumor cells was observed. Furthermore the intensity of staining was stronger in proportion to stage, depth of invasion, lymphovascular invasion(p<0.05), and lymph node metastasis(p=NS). This study suggest that the expression of CD44v6 adhesion molecule may be useful value in predict the high stage, depth of invasion, lymphovascular invasion and lymph node metastasis probably.
Adenocarcinoma ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cell Adhesion ; Cervix Uteri ; Epithelial Cells ; Epithelium ; Exons ; Female ; Glycoproteins ; Humans ; Immunochemistry ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Population Characteristics ; Prognosis ; Stromal Cells ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*

No abstract available.
Bronchopulmonary Sequestration*

We reviewed the recent findings in diagnosis, pathogenesis and management of Sjogren's syndrome. New diagnostic classification criteria for Sjogren's syndrome were published by the American College of Rheumatology in 2012, and validation was completed. Salivary gland ultrasonography has been examined as a diagnostic and prognostic marker for Sjogren's syndrome, and the results have revealed that it has high specificity and low sensitivity. Disease activity assessment tools for Sjogren's syndrome have been developed and validated for upcoming clinical trials. Several associated genes were identified by genome-wide association studies, with large cohorts in Europe and China. Several single nucleotide polymorphisms of Sjogren's syndrome are related to germinal center formation and lymphoma development. New treatment modalities, including interleukin-1 receptor antagonist, anti-CD20, anti-BAFF/Blys, and CTLA4-immunoglobulin were investigated, but the optimal therapeutic compounds have yet to be found.
China ; Classification ; Cohort Studies ; Diagnosis ; Europe ; Genome-Wide Association Study ; Germinal Center ; Interleukin-1 ; Lymphoma ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Rheumatology ; Salivary Glands ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Sjogren's Syndrome* ; Ultrasonography

No abstract available.
Antigen-Antibody Complex* ; Humans ; Interleukin-2* ; Ovarian Neoplasms*

PURPOSE: This study describes the CT and MR findings of mucoceles occurred in the post-operative maxillary sinuses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CT and/or MR of 19 maxillary mucoceles in 16 patients who had been operated by CaldwelI-Luc procedure were reviewed. CT scans were performed after contrast enhancement in axial and coronal planes with 5mm thickness. Three cases were studied with a 2.0 T or 0.5 T MRI, which demonstrated multi-compartment lesions. RESULTS: The lesions were bilateral in 3 cases. Compartmentalization of the antral cavity was seen in 7 out of 19 involved sinuses. Surgical bone defect of the anterior wall was the most frequent route of extension (11 cases) and extension into the infratemporal fossa with erosion of posterolateral wall was seen in 7 lesions. In 6 cases, the lesions involved orbit. The expansile and erosive bone changes were localized in every case. In one case with multi-compartment lesion, both T1- and T2-weighted MR images showed different signal intensities in each compartment which represented different protein concentration. CONCLUSION: Post-operative maxillary mucocele showed CT findings of localized erosion and bulging most frequently at the anterior wall in which the bone windows were made during the previous surgery. Post-operative compartmentalization of maxillary antrum may cause eccentric expansion of mucocete and each compartment may show different signal intensities on MR.
Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Maxillary Sinus* ; Mucocele* ; Orbit ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the changing patterns of nausea, vomiting, anorexia and calorie intake. To examine the influence of those variables on the nutritional status of the cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. METHOD: To assess nutritional status, anthropometry and blood test were performed on 94 stomach cancer patients receiving postoperational chemotherapy on the daily basis. NVA and calorie intake were measured during chemotherapy. RESULT: 93% of subjects had low level of hemoglobin and 45.7% was below the lymphocyte count. 57% of subjects lost 10% of usual weight. The value of anthropometry was reduced but the difference between pre- and post-chemotherapy did not reach any statistical significance. 27% of subjects was grouped into the malnutritional state. During chemotherapy, the higher the degree of NVA, the less calorie intake. The significant predictors for nutritional status were nausea and calorie intake. CONCLUSION: The chemotherapy affected the food intake of cancer patients through NVA. Though the influence of chemotherapy on anthropopmetry was not significant in this research, nausea and food intake were the most affecting factors for nutrition of cancer patients. Therefore we need to assess nutritional status and support for cancer patients receiving chemotherapy and to develop an intervention for improvement of symptoms and food intake.
Anorexia ; Anthropometry ; Drug Therapy* ; Eating ; Hematologic Tests ; Humans ; Lymphocyte Count ; Nausea ; Nutritional Status* ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Vomiting