BACKGROUND: Several studies have demonstrated that quantitation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA in sera of HBsAg-positive patients is more useful test for the assessment of infectivity and for the evaluation of disease status than previously utilized numerous serological markers and qualitative polymerase chain reaction for the detection of HBV DNA. We tried to measure serum HBV DNA using a branched DNA (bDNA) signal amplification assay, which is recently introduced and known to be a simple and nonradioisotopic method. METHODS: Total forty patients with HBsAg were randomly selected and serum HBV DNA was measured with duplication using bDNA signal amplification assay (QUANTIPLEXTM HBV DNA ASSAY, Chiron, USA). Quantitation was determined from a standard curve and expressed as HBV DNA equivalents/mL (Eq/mL; 1 Eq = 1 molecule of the primary HBV DNA standard). Serum HBeAg, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) , and soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) were compared with HBV DNA. RESULTS: Serum HBV DNA was quantitated in 13 patients (32.5%) (range 6.4x106-7.4x109 Eq/mL, mean 1.8x109 Eq/mL, CV 8.1%). All eleven patients (100%) with both HBsAg and HBeAg an4 2 of 29 patients (6.9%) with HBsAg but not with HBeAg showed measurable HBV DNA (p < 0.001). In addition, serum levels of AST, ALT, and sIL-2R were significantly higher in HBV DNA measured patients compared with those of unmeasured patients. CONCLUSIONS: Above results show that more than half the HBsAg-positive patients do not have enough HBV DNA which is measurable with boNA signal amplification assay but all of HBeAg-positive patients and some of HBeAg-negative patients do. In addition, HBV DNA quantitation might be correlated with the disease activity in HBsAg-positive patients because serum levels of AST, ALT, and sIL-2R are higher in patients measured with HBV DNA than unmeasured.
Alanine Transaminase ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Branched DNA Signal Amplification Assay* ; DNA ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Hepatitis B virus* ; Hepatitis B* ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Interleukin-2 ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

A 38-year-old male patient visited our clinic complaining of three skin lesions on the scalp. There were yellowish to brownish, waxy, non-tender, walnut-sized nodules. Hematoxylin and eosin staining revealed amorphous pinkish material deposits in the dermis. The Congo red stain and Dylon stain under polarizing microscopy showed yellow-green birefringence and the immunoglobulin-lambda light chain stain showed a positive reaction. An electron microscopic examination revealed filaments with uniform diameter(6 to 10nm) that were straight and neither branched nor anastomosed. Based on the clinical, histopathological, immunohistochemical and electron microscopical findings, the skin lesions were diagnosed as nodular amyloidosis.
Adult ; Amyloidosis* ; Birefringence ; Congo Red ; Dermis ; Eosine Yellowish-(YS) ; Hematoxylin ; Humans ; Male ; Microscopy ; Scalp ; Skin

BACKGROUND: T cell mediated immune destruction is an important mechanism of liver injury in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Serum levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor(sIL-2R) seem to serve as a marker for the T cell activation and progressive liver injury, This study examined serum levels of sIft-2R and hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA in patients with chronic HCV infection to determine the correlation with the severity of chronic hepatocellular damage. METHODS: Serum levels of sIft-2R in 73 patients with HCV infection (chronic hepatitis 52, liver cirrhosis 9, hepatocellular carcinoma 12) and 40 healthy controls were measured by sandwich enzyme immunoassay (CELLFREE, T Cell Sciences, USA). HCV RNA was quantified by QUANTIPLEX(TM) HCV RNA 2.0 assay (Chiron, USA) with duplication. This assay is a sandwich nucleic acid hybridization procedure using branched DNA amplification for the quantitation of HCV RNA. RESULTS: The sIL-2R levels of 52 patients with chronic hepatitis (591.4+/-238.7U/mL), 9 with liver cirrhosis(949.4+/-721.9 U/mL), and 12 with hepatocellular carcinoma (1,167.4+/- 554.4 U/mL) were significantly higher than those of healthy controls(370.8+/-71.8 U/mL) (p<0.001). A progressive and significant increase occurred in sIL-2R levels with chronic hepatitis C, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in order (p(0.001). The HCV RNA was detected in all patients and the means of HCV viral load were 3.3 MEq/mL in chronic hepatitis, 2.8 MEq/mL in cirrhosis, and 3.7 MEq/mL in HCC. There was no significant correlation between HCV RNA and the severity of liver injury in chronic HCV infection. There were no correlations among sIL-2R, HCV RNA and serum ALT. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that chronic hepatocellular injury by HCV progress mainly by T cell mediated immune response, not by direct cytopathic injury. Also, sIL-2R can be useful as a marker in monitoring the patients with HCV infection at high risk of getting HCC.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; DNA ; Fibrosis ; Hepacivirus* ; Hepatitis C* ; Hepatitis C, Chronic* ; Hepatitis* ; Hepatitis, Chronic* ; Humans ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; Interleukin-2* ; Liver ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Nucleic Acid Hybridization ; RNA ; Viral Load

BACKGROUND: T cell mediated immune destruction is an important mechanism of liver injury in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Serum levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor(sIL-2R) seem to serve as a marker for the T cell activation and progressive liver injury, This study examined serum levels of sIft-2R and hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA in patients with chronic HCV infection to determine the correlation with the severity of chronic hepatocellular damage. METHODS: Serum levels of sIft-2R in 73 patients with HCV infection (chronic hepatitis 52, liver cirrhosis 9, hepatocellular carcinoma 12) and 40 healthy controls were measured by sandwich enzyme immunoassay (CELLFREE, T Cell Sciences, USA). HCV RNA was quantified by QUANTIPLEX(TM) HCV RNA 2.0 assay (Chiron, USA) with duplication. This assay is a sandwich nucleic acid hybridization procedure using branched DNA amplification for the quantitation of HCV RNA. RESULTS: The sIL-2R levels of 52 patients with chronic hepatitis (591.4+/-238.7U/mL), 9 with liver cirrhosis(949.4+/-721.9 U/mL), and 12 with hepatocellular carcinoma (1,167.4+/- 554.4 U/mL) were significantly higher than those of healthy controls(370.8+/-71.8 U/mL) (p<0.001). A progressive and significant increase occurred in sIL-2R levels with chronic hepatitis C, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in order (p(0.001). The HCV RNA was detected in all patients and the means of HCV viral load were 3.3 MEq/mL in chronic hepatitis, 2.8 MEq/mL in cirrhosis, and 3.7 MEq/mL in HCC. There was no significant correlation between HCV RNA and the severity of liver injury in chronic HCV infection. There were no correlations among sIL-2R, HCV RNA and serum ALT. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that chronic hepatocellular injury by HCV progress mainly by T cell mediated immune response, not by direct cytopathic injury. Also, sIL-2R can be useful as a marker in monitoring the patients with HCV infection at high risk of getting HCC.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; DNA ; Fibrosis ; Hepacivirus* ; Hepatitis C* ; Hepatitis C, Chronic* ; Hepatitis* ; Hepatitis, Chronic* ; Humans ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; Interleukin-2* ; Liver ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Nucleic Acid Hybridization ; RNA ; Viral Load

Sepsis refers to the systemic response to serious infection. Patients with sepsis usually manifest fever, tachycardia, tachypnea, leukocytosis, and a localized site of infection. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA) is a gram-positive, nonmotile, aerobic, catalase- positive coccus, which is resistant to all the B -lactam antibiotics. Cutaneous manifestations in sepsis are maculopapules, nodules, petechiae, ecchymoses, purpurae, pustules, vesiculobullae, hemorrhagic bullae and ulcers. When MRSA is identified in blood cultures and skin tissue cultures, the skin lesions can be considered as cutaneous manifestations in sepsis caused by MRSA. We report two cases with erythematous pustules, petechiae, hemorrhagic bullae and maculopapules caused by MRSA sepsis. MRSA grew in blood cultures and skin tissue cultures.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Ecchymosis ; Fever ; Humans ; Leukocytosis ; Methicillin Resistance* ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus* ; Purpura ; Sepsis* ; Skin ; Staphylococcus ; Tachycardia ; Tachypnea ; Ulcer

The prognostic factors for extrahepatic biliary atresia (EHBA) after Kasai portoenterostomy include the patient's age at portoenterostomy (age), size of bile duct in theporta hepatis (size), clearance of jaundice after operation (clearance) and the surgeon's experience. The aim of this study is to examine the most significant prognostic factor of EHBA after Kasai portoenterostomy. This retrospective study was done in 51 cases of EHBA that received Kasai portoenterostomy by one pediatric surgeon. For the statistical analysis, Kaplan-Meier method, Logrank test and Cox regression test were used. A p value of less than 0.05 was considered to be significant. Fifteen patients were regarded as dead in this study, including nine cases of liver transplantation. There was no significant difference of survival to age. The age is also not a significant risk factor for survival in this study (Cox Regression test; p = 0.63). There was no significant difference in survival in relation to the size of bile duct. However, bile duct size was a significant risk factor for survival (Cox Regression test; p = 0.002). There was a significant difference in relation to survival and clearance (Kaplan-Meier method; p = 0.02). The clearing was also a significant risk factor for survival (Cox Regression test; p = 0.001). The clearance of jaundice is the most significant prognostic factor of EHBA after Kasai portoenterostomy.
Bile Ducts ; Biliary Atresia* ; Humans ; Jaundice ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Liver Transplantation ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

We report a case of woolly hair. Woolly hair is found frequently in most blacks but is unusual in individuals of non-negroid origin. A 12-year-old female patient visited our clinic complaining of a hair abnormality. It had been tightly curled, fine, light brown, short and easily broken since birth. On scanning electron microscopy, many of the hairs showed damaged cuticles with cuticular splintering, and most hair shafts were round to oval on cross sectional examination.
African Continental Ancestry Group ; Child ; Female ; Hair* ; Humans ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Parturition

The pharmacological treatment of Alzheimer's disease is based on symptomatic therapy of cognitive decline and behavioral problems. Numerous therapies have been investigated for the treatment and prevention of Alzheimer's disease. We reviewed the current evidence-based medical research and guidelines of treatment for Alzheimer's disease. The use of cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEI) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) inhibitors can bring about significant but modest therapeutic improvement. There is insufficient evidence to recommend vitamine E, estrogen, ginko biloba, or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for the prevention or treatment of Alzheimer's disease. This article reviews the available data on current pharmacological treatments through evidence-based medicine.
Alzheimer Disease ; Cholinesterase Inhibitors ; Estrogens ; Evidence-Based Medicine ; Ginkgo biloba ; Memantine ; N-Methylaspartate ; Vitamins

Traumatic ventricular septal defect secondary to nonpenetrating chest trauma is very rare. We present one case of nonpenetrating traumatic ventricular septal defect with the review of the literatures.
Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular* ; Thorax*

BACKGROUND: Hypothermia is a condition that can lead to serious complications and even to death in newborn. Although the temperature control is essential in neonatal care, it is often neglected during urgent transfer from local private hospitals. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the incidence and clinical outcomes of transfer induced neonatal hypothermia. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: In this retrospective study, subject is limited to transferred outborn babies with age less than 24 hours from June 1996 to May 1999. A total of 3,086 patients were admitted in NICU during the study period and inborn and outborn babies were 1,743(56%) and 1,343(44%) respectively. Among the 1,343 outborn babies, 212 babies were transferred from the private hospital within 24 hours of birth and were eligible for the study. Rectal temperature on arrival, transfer time, birth weight, gestational age, initial arterial gas study, and clinical outcome were compared. Statistical analysis has been done with chi-sqaure test and multiple logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: There were 84 cases(39.6%) hypothermia(<36degrees C> among the 212 babies and the rate of hypothermia in transfered babies have not decreased over the study period. There were significantly more hypothermia in lower gestational age (less than 28 weeks) and lower birth weight (less than 2,000gm) caused hypothermia significantly more than normal gestational age or normal range of birth weight. And time interval (less than 12 hour) from birth to arrival at emergency department was also significant factor in hypothermia. The mortality rate was three fold higher in hypothermia than normothermic or hyperthermic babies. CONCLUSION: This study shows that hypothermia during neonate transportation is a major cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity in prehopital care. Body temperature control during transport of neonates under 24 hours of age should be emphasized for the better outcome of treatment.
Birth Weight ; Body Temperature ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Gestational Age ; Hospitals, Private ; Humans ; Hypothermia* ; Incidence ; Infant ; Infant Mortality ; Infant, Newborn* ; Logistic Models ; Mortality ; Parturition ; Reference Values ; Retrospective Studies ; Transportation*