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

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

No abstract available.
Follow-Up Studies* ; Laser Therapy* ; Prostate*

We investigated elementary school students' knowledge, behavior, experience and preference of education method related to food safety in order to provide basic information for food safety educational program. A survey study was conducted with 569, fourth and sixth grade students, from two schools in Seoul and Ulsan. Students were asked thirty-two questions regarding food safety knowledge, behavior and experiences as well as their attitude to food safety class and preference for teaching method. The data was analyzed for the frequency analysis, t-test, chi-square test, one-way ANOVA and Pearson correlation using the SPSS/Windows. Results indicated that 91.9 percent of the respondents did not know what unsanitary food is. 67 percent of the respondents did not know the proper method of hand washing. Although the students' level of knowledge and behavior associated with food safety was low, there was meaningful correlation(r =.184, p<.01) between knowledge and behavior. Surprisingly, students in higher grade did not demonstrate an exceeding food safety knowledge and behavior. More than 50 percent of the subjects did not have food safety education either at home or school. 60 percent of the respondents interested in food safety and the majority recognized that a food safety education is needed. Students want to learn about unsanitary food(34.1%), foodborne illness(29.7%), food selection and storage method(21.3%), and personal hygiene(11.2%) through game, role play, and practice in real situation. These results suggest that development of food safety education program is needed through the elementary school year and the education program must include fun activities in which students can participate.
Surveys and Questionnaires ; Education* ; Food Preferences ; Food Safety* ; Hand Disinfection ; Humans ; Seoul ; Teaching ; Ulsan

No abstract available.
Urinary Bladder Neoplasms* ; Urinary Bladder* ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A*

No abstract available.
Transplantation*

Graves disease occur in association with myasthenia gravis is rare. We report a case of Graves disease and myasthenia gravis treated by bilateral subtotal thyroidectomy and total thymectomy simultaneously. A 37 year old woman was admitted with anterior neck mass and ptosis. Various examinations were compatible with combined Graves disease and myasthenia gravis. The bilateral subtotal thyroidectomy and total thymectomy were done simultaneously. The pathologic diagnosis was Graves disease and thymic hyperplasia. The patients postoperative course was uneventful. The thyroid function of patient became euthyroid and the clinical symptoms related with myastenia gravis resolved during follow up period.
Adult ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Graves Disease* ; Humans ; Myasthenia Gravis* ; Neck ; Thymectomy* ; Thymus Hyperplasia ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroidectomy*

Intentional delay of aftercoming siblings in multiple gestation is an infrequent occurrence in obstetrics. After delivery of an immature twin, conventional treatment calls for induction and delivery of the aftercoming sibling. However, several case reports have documented the feasibility of an expectant management. And also, as in our case, an aggressive treatment consisting of cerclage, tocolysis, and broad-spectrum antibiotics has been shown to prolong pregnancy. We experienced an unavoidable delivery of a nonviable first twin after premature rupture of membranes at 16 weeks' of gestation. The placenta was left undisturbed. Twin B was confirmed to be alive within the intact second sac. Tocolysis was started and cervical cerclage was done directly after delivery of twin A. Pregnancy was successfully prolonged, which enabled the second fetus to remain in utero and grow for another 145 days. To our knowledge, this was the longest interval between deliveries in a twin pregnancy reported in the literature. A healthy 3,050 gm male was delivered by cesarean section at 37 weeks' of gestation. Below we present this case in detail and discussed with respect to the aggressive approach undertaken to prolong gestation.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Cerclage, Cervical ; Cesarean Section ; Female ; Fetus ; Humans ; Male ; Membranes ; Obstetrics ; Placenta ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnancy, Twin ; Rupture ; Siblings ; Tocolysis ; Twins*

Transurethral resection is the mainstay of curative treatment for superficial bladder cancer. Unfortunately, tumors recur in 40~70% of patients. Recently, we tried intravesical Mitomycin C chemotherapy after TUR to eliminate or decrease the frequency of recrrence. In this study, 22 patients with superficial bladder carcinoma received Mitomycin C intravesically at weekly intervals for eight weeks in dose of 40mg/40ml, starting about 48 hours after TUR. The results were compared to a group consists of 39 patients with superficial bladder cancer who received no further therapy after TUR. In the follow-up of 6 and 12 months, tumor recurrence was l3.6(3pts) and 18.2(4pts) percent respectively, in the Mitomycin C group, and 38.5(15pts, and 43.6(17 pts) per cent, respectively, in the control group. The frequency of recurrence in the Mitomycin C group was significantly less than that in the control group in the follow-up of both 6(P< 0.05) and 12 months(P< 0.05). Side effects of intravesical Mitomycin C therapy were negligibly minimal. Therefore, Mitomycin C intravesical chemotherapy after TUR is effective prophylactic treatment in reducing bladder tumor recurrence.
Drug Therapy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Mitomycin* ; Recurrence* ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms ; Urinary Bladder*