PURPOSE: The cross-protection of 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) against vaccine-related serotypes has been controversial. We investigated the serological properties of cross-protective antibodies against vaccine-related serotypes 6A, 6C, and 19A induced in young children aged 12-23 months after booster immunization of PCV7. METHODS: IgG and IgM antibody concentrations and opsonic index (OI) against vaccine serotypes 6B and 19F and vaccine-related serotypes 6A, 6C, and 19A were measured by ELISA and opsonophagocytic killing assay (OPA) in 4 selected immunesera. The serological properties and antigenic specificity of protective antibodies were determined by IgM depletion of immunesera, OPA, and competitive OPA against serogroup 6 and 19 pneumococci. RESULTS: Compared to pre-IgM depleted immunesera, OI of IgM-depleted immunesera against 6B and 19F decreased and OI against 6A, 6C, and 19A decreased, too. In competition OPA, free 6B and 19F polysaccharide completely inhibited the immune protection against vaccine-related serotypes 6A, 6C, and 19A as well as vaccine types 6B and 19F. CONCLUSIONS: The booster immunization of PCV7 certainly induced cross-protective antibodies against vaccine-related serotypes 6A, 6C, and 19A with both IgG and IgM isotypes. Furthermore, IgM antibodies are more highly contributed to opsonophagocytic activity against vaccine-related serotypes as well as most of vaccine types than do IgG antibodies. Further studies are needed for the more immunized sera in the children as well as adults.
Adult ; Aged ; Antibodies ; Child ; Cross Protection ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Epitopes ; Homicide ; Humans ; Immunization ; Immunization, Secondary ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M ; Pneumococcal Vaccines ; Streptococcus pneumoniae ; Heptavalent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine

The kidney size is of special interest during the diagnostic work up of acute lymphocytic leukemia. But is still uncertain whether a finding of kidney enlargement at presentation has long-term prognostic value. We therefore reviewed the kidney size in children with acute lymphocytic leukemia by abdominal ultrasonograms at the time of diagnosis (n=54) and exmined if there was any statistical significance between the kidney size and prognostic parameters and later outcome. The following results were obtained 1) Among the patients whose kidney size was enlarged over 4SD from the normal, hepatomegaly in 3 cases (20%), splenomegaly in 3 cases (20%), mediastinal widening in 2 cases (13%) were noted. The interrelation between kidney size and infiltration of extramedullary system had no statistical significance. 2) Among the patients whose kidney size was enlarged over 4SD from the normal, patients under age 2 and over age 10 in 5 cases (33%), male in 8 cases (53%), involvement of central nervous system in 1 cases (7%), WBC count over 100x10E9/L in 3 cases (20%), Hb over 10 g/dl in 3 cases (20%) and platelet count below 100x10E9/L in 3 cases (20%) were noted. There was no statistical significance between kidney size and infiltration of extramedullary system. 3) Two Year survival rate based upon kidney size was; 95% in the group below 2SD, 79% between 2SD and 4SD, 59% over 4SD. And 2 Year event free survival rate was 71%, 56% and 58 respectively. In conclusion, the kidney size in childhood acute lymphocytic leukemia at the time of diagnosis influences the late outcome, but it is not a meaningful prognostic parameters.
Central Nervous System ; Child ; Diagnosis ; Disease-Free Survival ; Hepatomegaly ; Humans ; Kidney ; Male ; Platelet Count ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma* ; Splenomegaly ; Survival Rate ; Ultrasonography

BACKGROUND: In general, the outcomes of arthroscopic repair for superior labrum anterior to posterior lesions (SLAP) are favorable, however, persistent pain and limitation of motion are not rare complications. One of the possible cause is a “knot-ache”. This study evaluated the results of reoperation of symptomatic recurrent SLAP lesions and asked whether the knot is associated with postoperative complications. METHODS: Between 2005 and 2015, a total of 11 patients who had undergone arthroscopic SLAP repair were reoperated for recurrent symptomatic SLAP lesion. By retrospective chart review, operative findings, the visual analogue scale for pain (pVAS), the range of motion (ROM), and functional scores were analyzed. RESULTS: The mean age of the study participants was 38.3 years, and the mean follow-up period was 42.5 months. In the primary operation, there were nine cases of repairs with conventional knot-tying anchors and three cases with knotless anchors. Impingement of the knots during abduction and external rotation of the shoulder was observed in the all cases with knot-tying anchors. The mean pVAS, ROM, and functional scores significantly improved with reoperation. At the final follow-up, the mean satisfaction VAS was 8.3. CONCLUSIONS: The knots of suture anchor maybe a possible etiology of the pain, which we termed a “knot-ache”. Considering that reoperation is performed due to pain after primary repair, the use of knotless suture anchor may have benefits of eliminating one of possible cause, “knot-ache”. Therefore, authors suggest the use of knotless anchors during reoperation for recurrent or recalcitrant pain after primary SLAP repair.

Prostate cancer has long been considered a disease with a heterogeneous phenotype. The intratumor heterogeneity (ITH) may affect diverse phenotypes such as treatment response, drug resistance, and overall clinical outcomes. Despite technical advances over the past decade, we have an incomplete understanding of the extent and effects of ITH in prostate cancer progression. We present here a comprehensive review of the various studies dealing with ITH in prostate cancer. We discuss the advanced next-generation sequencing analyses including single cell sequencing and circulating cell-free DNA sequencing that have the impact of heterogeneity on clinical decision making.

Prostate cancer has long been considered a disease with a heterogeneous phenotype. The intratumor heterogeneity (ITH) may affect diverse phenotypes such as treatment response, drug resistance, and overall clinical outcomes. Despite technical advances over the past decade, we have an incomplete understanding of the extent and effects of ITH in prostate cancer progression. We present here a comprehensive review of the various studies dealing with ITH in prostate cancer. We discuss the advanced next-generation sequencing analyses including single cell sequencing and circulating cell-free DNA sequencing that have the impact of heterogeneity on clinical decision making.

BACKGROUND: Apoptosis plays a role in the development of pleural effusion. Caspase-cleaved cytokeratin 18, a marker for epithelial cell apoptosis, was evaluated in pleural effusion. METHODS: A total of 79 patients with pleural effusion were enrolled. The underlying causes were lung cancer (n=24), parapneumonic effusion (n=15), tuberculous effusion (n=28), and transudates (n=12). The levels of M30, an epitope of caspase-cleaved cytokeratin 18, were measured in blood and pleural fluids using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay along with routine cellular and biochemical parameters. The expression of M30 was evaluated in the pleural tissues using immunohistochemistry for M30. RESULTS: The M30 levels in pleural fluid were significantly higher in patients with tuberculosis (2,632.1+/-1,467.3 U/mL) than in patients with lung cancer (956.5+/-618.5 U/mL), parapneumonic effusion (689.9+/-413.6 U/mL), and transudates (273.6+/-144.5 U/mL; all p<0.01). The serum levels were not significantly different among the disease groups. Based on receiver operating characteristics analysis, the area under the curve of M30 for differentiating tuberculous pleural effusion from all other effusions was 0.93. In the immunohistochemical analysis of M30, all pathologic types of cancer cells showed moderate to high expression, and the epithelioid cells in granulomas showed high expression in tuberculous pleural tissues. CONCLUSION: Caspase-cleaved cytokeratin 18 was most prominently observed in tuberculous pleural effusion and showed utility as a clinical marker. The main source of M30 was found to be the epithelioid cells of granulomas in tuberculous pleural tissues.
Apoptosis ; Biomarkers ; Cytoskeleton ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Epithelial Cells ; Epithelioid Cells ; Exudates and Transudates ; Granuloma ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Keratin-18* ; Keratins* ; Lung Neoplasms ; Pleural Effusion* ; ROC Curve ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Pleural

To determine the long-term results after PMV, the incidence of restenosis and analysis the factors predicting restenosis, 108 patients were studied at pre-, post-PMV, after 3 months and 1 year (13+/-4 months) with echocardiography. 1) Restenosis was demonstrated in 25 of 108 patients(23%) at 1 year follow-up. 2) Descriminant analysis showed echocardiographic score and mitral valve area before PMV as predictors of restenosis. 3) There were significant decreament of mitral valve area from 1.8+/-0.4cm2 (after PMV) to 1.5+/-0.3 cm2 at 3 months follow-up and further stenosis (1.2+/-0.3 cm2) at long-term follow-up in group with restenosis. In contrast, in group without restenosis, mitral valve area after PMV was 1.8+/-0.3cm2, aat 3 months follow-up was 1.8+/-0.3cm2 and at long term follow-up was 1.8+/-0.4cm2. 4) There was higher restenosis rate in group with Inoue balloon (47%) than group with double balloon (18%) despite of large EBDA/BSA.
Constriction, Pathologic ; Echocardiography ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Mitral Valve

PURPOSE: With our medical school accepting graduate level students, there may be more conflicts between the older students and hospital employees. These issues need to be dealt with in order to improve the quality of education of medical students during clerkship. This study aims to improve the setting of clerkship by analysing how knowledgeable hospital employees are about medical school clerkship. METHODS: Study subjects included 206 hospital employees working at a university hospital in Pusan. Subjects completed a self-reported questionnaires on the hospital employees' knowledge about medical student's clerkship. Means and standard deviations were based on a five point scale, and data were analyzed using statistical methods including chi-square-test, two-sample t-test, ANOVA, and partial correlation. RESULTS: Opinions about the awareness of educational role of the university hospital, necessity of clerkship, influence that clerkship has on doctor's careers, necessity for clerkship students to understand roles of other hospital employees, and degree to which hospital employee explain their roles to clerkship students, were positive, but opinions about the attitudes of clerkship students were neutral, and opinions about attachment to clerkship students, clerkship students' efforts to understand the roles of hospital employees were negative. Opinions about the necessity of clerkship, influence that clerkship had on doctor's careers, clerkship students' efforts to understand roles of hospital employees showed significantly positive correlations with opinions about the attitude of clerkship students, attachment to clerkship students and the degree of explaining hospital employee's roles to clerkship students. CONCLUSION: To increase attentiveness in hospital employees towards medical clerkships, it seems necessary both to educate hospital employees on the clerkship itself and on working together with medical students, and to have clerkship students continue to be taught on the roles of other employees of the hospital.
Busan ; Education ; Humans ; Schools, Medical ; Students, Medical ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: Gastroesophageal reflux in infant is a physiological process. However, surgery is performed in high risk infants with severe gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) when medical management fails. This study focuses on efficacy and safety of Nissen fundoplication for GERD in infants under age 12 months. METHODS: This study was a retrospective case analysis of 11 neonates and infants under 12 months of age who underwent Nissen fundoplication following a failure of medical treatment between June 2010 and June 2013 at Pusan National University Children's Hospital. The records were reviewed to determine the effect of fundoplication on symptoms and post-operative complications. RESULTS: A total of 11 infants consist of four males and seven females. Mean birth weight was 2,305.5+/-558.6 g (1,390-3,130 g). They had some underlying disease, which are not related with GERD such as congenital heart disease (54.5%), prematurity (45.5%), neurologic disease (18.2%), respiratory disease (18.2%), and other gastrointestinal disease. Mean body weight at surgery was 3,803.6+/-1,864.9 g (1,938.7-5,668.5 g). Mean age at operation was 99.9+/-107.6 days (17-276 days). Duration from operation to full enteral feeding was 10.9 days. Symptoms related GERD disappeared in all patients including one who got reoperation. One infant died of congenital heart disease unrelated to surgery. There were no complications related to fundoplication. CONCLUSION: Fundoplication is effective and safe treatment in the neonates and infants with severe GERD.
Birth Weight ; Body Weight ; Busan ; Enteral Nutrition ; Female ; Fundoplication* ; Gastroesophageal Reflux* ; Gastrointestinal Diseases ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; Humans ; Infant* ; Infant, Newborn* ; Male ; Physiological Processes ; Reoperation ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND: Familial hypercholesterolemia(FH) is an autosomal dominant metabolic disorder caused by the mutation in low density lipoprotein receptor(LDLR) gene. However, direct genetic diagnosis of LDLR gene mutation is not easily available because more than 300 mutations have been described in LDLR gene of FH patients. Therefore indirect genetic diagnosis using the genetic markers can be used to follow the inheritance of defective gene in FH families. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of indirect genetic markers for detecting identical-by-descent LDLR gene abnormalities in FH families. METHODS: We examined the allele frequency, heterozygosity, polymorphism information content(PIC) of each genetic markers(D19S394, Taq I, Hinc II, Ava II, ATn, D19S221) in 94 unrelated healthy subjects. The genetic polymorphic haplotypes in 3 FH families were also determined. RESULTS: The heterozygosity and PIC values of RFLP's(Taq I, Hinc II, Ava II) were 0.51/0.344, 0.25/0.223, 0.28/0.233 and microsatellite markers(D19S394, ATn, D19S221) were 0.64/0.558, 0.56/0.455, 0.60/0.475. Hinc II and Ava II were significantly linked(|D|=0.72, p< 0.05). The cumulative PIC values of Taq I+Hinc II, Taq I+Hinc II+ATn, D19S394+ATn were 0.520, 0.814, 0.813, respectively. When applied in the FH pedigree, the genetic diagnosis using only one marker was not available in most cases. However, combination of two or more genetic markers could successfully discriminate the affected and unaffected members in FH families. Among the several combinations of the genetic markers, the combination of D19S394 and ATn was supposed to be the most effective and informative. Because one case of recombination was suspected in D19S221 allele, it was thought to be carefully used for genetic diagnosis of FH. CONCLUSION: We concluded that indirect genetic diagnosis using intragenic or extragenic genetic markers was useful for detecting identical-by-descent LDLR gene abnormalities in FH families and the most effective and informative combination of genetic marker seemed to be D19S394 and ATn.
Alleles ; Diagnosis* ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Markers* ; Haplotypes ; Humans ; Hyperlipoproteinemia Type II* ; Lipoproteins* ; Microsatellite Repeats ; Pedigree ; Receptors, Lipoprotein* ; Recombination, Genetic ; Wills