BACKGROUND: Since Jan. 2012, for performance evaluation of viral reagents, analysis of domestic samples has been recommended in order to obtain approval from the KFDA when they are first introduced to Korea. This regulation requires the standard domestic materials driven from locally infected samples. We tried manufacturing the plasma working standards of HBV, HCV, and HIV NAT using a mixed titer of viral loads. METHODS: Forty three HBV DNA positive plasmas, 25 HCV RNA positive plasmas, and 26 HIV RNA positive plasmas were evaluated according to viral load and genotype. Several plasma units, which had high-titer viral loads and the common viral genotypes in Korea, were selected as the source materials for each viral standard. To adjust the appropriate concentration based on the detectable range of variable viral reagents, the source plasma was diluted to several concentrations, divided into small vials, and analyzed for quantification. RESULTS: The 13 plasma working standards, which had variable viral loads for the mixed titer performance panel of HIV, HCV, and HBV NAT, were produced. CONCLUSION: These national standard materials were first produced in order to supply the mixed titer performance panel for the viral NAT reagent of the level IV transfusion related high-risk group in Korea.
DNA ; Genotype ; HIV ; Indicators and Reagents ; Korea ; Mass Screening ; Plasma ; RNA ; Uronic Acids ; Viral Load

BACKGROUND: The Korean Red Cross blood laboratory centers have been performing comparative tests for NAT reactive specimens since February 2005. However, five discrepant specimens were found in HCV-diluted specimens between 2007 and 2008 and the reasons for this has been investigated. METHODS: For the five discrepant specimens, the HCV RNA concentration was measured in 5 tubes for each speciment. Subsequently, in order to compare the sensitivity of the low titer specimens measured by RT-PCR and TMA, comparative tests of diluted samples were examined six times per sample. Finally, the genotype was tested in order to determine the characteristics of the discrepant samples. RESULTS: Result of the quantitative tests for HCV RNA demonstrated that aliquots of the plasma bag were homogenous in term of viral load quantitation. As a result of the comparative test, all samples were found to contain over 1.0x10(1) IU/mL as detected by the two analytical systems. In contrast, those less than 1.0x10(1) IU/mL were not entirely detected by the two systems. CONCLUSION: It was impossible to completely detect using the two NAT system and the detection rates for both systems were equivalent for the samples examined. In particular, with respect to HCV, it may be undetectable on the NAT test because viral load decreases rapidly before and after sero-conversion. This result indicates that anti-HCV and NAT should be performed together as an HCV screening test prior to blood donation.
Blood Donors ; Genotype ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Plasma ; Red Cross ; RNA ; Uronic Acids ; Viral Load

BACKGROUND: Immunoblot assays (IBAs) have been widely used to confirm the reactivity of immunoassay. However, indeterminate (ID) results have shown the limits for interpreting IBAs. There is some debate about the benefit of these assays. We assessed the actual status of the IBAs for the donor screening process and we proposed more available algorithms. METHODS: We analyzed the data from the blood information management system of the Korean Red Cross. This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of the KRC. The analyzed data included the present condition of various utilities and the results of the IBAs in the world. RESULTS: The infectivity of the ID results in IBAs seemed not to be high, but the safety could not be assured. IBA for HTLV was used as a confirmatory test in many countries. Most of the eligible blood donors could be saved by IBAs. CONCLUSION: IBAs seem to be valuable methods as supplemental and follow up tests for ID results. Furthermore, IBAs were useful to distinguish eligible blood donors. When donors show positive results on an immunoassay and NAT (HIV and HCV) concurrently, then IBA does not seem to be required. Only a RIBA for HCV is recommended for the donors showing a S/CO ratio above 2.0 on immunoassay. The additional alternative immunoassay would be effective in the HTLV screening algorithm.
Blood Donors ; Donor Selection ; Ethics Committees, Research ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Immunoassay ; Information Management ; Mass Screening ; Red Cross ; Tissue Donors ; Uronic Acids

BACKGROUND: Genetic variants of virus appear to differ depending on the country, race, infection route, and so on. To characterize the main HIV subtype in infected blood donors and inquire about the route of HIV infection, we analyzed HIV subtype for samples that showed reactive results on the anti-HIV 1/2 and HIV-1 NAT test from September 2007 to February 2010. METHODS: To identify the HIV-1 subtype of the 90 samples that showed reactive results on the anti-HIV test and HIV-1 NAT, we performed HIV 1/2 Western blot assay, HIV RNA quantitative assay, HIV-1 nested PCR, and HIV-1 RNA sequencing. RESULTS: A total of 85 samples (94.4%) were confirmed to be HIV-1 subtypes. Among them, 82 samples (96.5%) were subtype B; and subtype A, C, and G was confirmed for one case each (1.2% for each case). We could not identify the subtype of the other five samples. One of them was amplified by nested PCR, but was not confirmed of the subtype, and four samples were not amplified even by nested PCR. CONCLUSION: The main HIV-1 subtype among the HIV-infected blood donors was confirmed to be subtype B. In addition, we identified one case each of HIV-1 subtype A, C, and G, which was not detected in blood donors in the past. It appeared that the route of HIV infection in Korea had become complicated. Therefore, we concluded that continuous research for HIV subtype analysis and efficient management of blood donors is needed.
Blood Donors ; Blotting, Western ; Continental Population Groups ; HIV ; HIV Infections ; HIV-1 ; Humans ; Korea ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA ; Uronic Acids ; Viruses

OBJECTIVE: To develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of a modified Naturalistic Action Test (m-NAT) for Korean patients with impaired cognition. The NAT was originally designed to assess everyday action impairment associated with higher cortical dysfunction. METHODS: We developed the m-NAT by adapting the NAT for the Korean cultural background. The m-NAT was modeled as closely as possible on the original version in terms of rules and scoring. Thirty patients receiving neurorehabilitation (twenty-three stroke patients, five traumatic brain injury patients, and two dementia patients) and twenty healthy matched controls were included. Inter-rater reliability was assessed between two raters. Validity was evaluated by comparing the m-NAT score with various measures of attention, executive functions, and daily life. RESULTS: Performance on the m-NAT in terms of the total score was significantly different between patients and controls (p<0.01). Patients made significantly more total errors than controls (p<0.01). Omissions error was the most frequent type of error in patient group. Intraclass correlation coefficients for total m-NAT score was 0.95 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.92 to 0.97; p<0.001); total error was 0.91 (95% CI, 0.89 to 0.92; p<0.001). Total m-NAT score showed moderate to strong correlations with Stroop test interference score & index, Trail Making Test parts A and B, Sustained Attention to Response Task commission error, Functional Independence Measure, Korean instrumental activities of daily living, Korean version of the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire, and Executive Behavior Scale (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The m-NAT showed very good inter-rater reliability and adequate validity. The m-NAT adjusted to Korean cultural background can be useful in performance-based assessment of naturalistic action for clinical and research purposes.
Activities of Daily Living ; Brain Injuries ; Cognition ; Dementia ; Executive Function ; Humans ; Psychometrics ; Stroke ; Stroop Test ; Trail Making Test ; Uronic Acids ; Surveys and Questionnaires

To develop a HPLC method for determination of the concentration of scutellarin and scutellarin ethyl ester and their pharmacokinetics were also compared. 104 mg kg-1of scutellarin or 114. 5 mg kg-1 scutellarin ethyl ester were given at single dose by oral gavarge. Blood samples were collected from the jugular vein. Plasma concentration was measured by HPLC. The pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated with Winnonlin program. The plasma concentration-time profile of scutellarin and scutellarin ethyl ester were both fitted with non-compartment model and both were double peaks. The main pharmacokinetic parameters of scutellarin and scutellarin ethyl ester were as follows: Tmax Cmax and AUC0-t for scutellarin were (6 +/- 1.26) h, (321.55 +/-48.31) microg L-1 and (2 974 +/-753) h micro.g L-1; for scutellarin ethyl ester, Tmax, Cmax and AUC0-t were 0.5 h, (1 550.82 +/-219.75) +/- microg L- and (6 407 +/- 399) h microg L-1. The speed ingested into the blood of scutellarin ethyl ester was faster than scutellarin, and the bioavailability of scutellarin ethyl ester was two times higher than scutellarin.
Animals ; Apigenin ; pharmacokinetics ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Flavones ; pharmacokinetics ; Glucuronates ; pharmacokinetics ; Glucuronides ; pharmacokinetics ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

PURPOSE: As in the case of the deep second-degree burn, proper eschar elimination and early epithelization is essential for spontaneous healing without surgical intervention. Accordingly, we have treated with using early dermabrasion and appling frozen cultured allogenic keratinocyte patients in deep second degree burns an eschar formed. METHODS: From January 2011 to January 2012 at Kepco medical center, we selected 46 patients who were suffered from deep second degree burn formed an eschar were enrolled. Patients were divided into two parts, study and control group. Study group were performed dermabrasion within first 3 days to 10 days of the injury and then applied frozen cultured allogenic keratinocyte. control group were managed moist dressing using hydrocolloid gel, form and alginate materials. We tried to prove its clinical efficacy by researching the period of wound healing, percentage of skin graft, and hospital days under chart review and photograph. RESULTS: In study group, the mean period of wound healing was 15.13+/-4.18 (mean+/-S.D.) days, and that of the hospitalization was 16.65+/-5.31 (mean+/-S.D.) days. For the 3 patients without the epithelization, skin graft was conducted. As for the control group, the mean period of wound healing was 24.22+/-2.79 (mean+/-S.D.) days, and that of the hospitalization was 28.30+/-3.33 (mean+/-S.D). 21 patients were conducted skin grafts. CONCLUSION: Based on these results, we concluded that the treatment in deep second degree burn patients eschar formed using early dermabrasion and frozen cultured allogenic keratinocyte is effective in reducing the duration of period of wound healing, hospital day and rate of skin graft.
Alginates ; Bandages ; Burns ; Colloids ; Dermabrasion ; Glucuronic Acid ; Hexuronic Acids ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Keratinocytes ; Skin ; Transplants ; Wound Healing

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the soft tissue and bone change around two adjacent implants in one-stage implant surgery. METHODS: Eleven subjects (7 males, 4 females) who were needed placement of 2 adjacent implants in the molar area were included. The two implants were placed with the platform at the level of the alveolar crest. The interproximal bone between the 2 implants was not covered with gingiva. After surgery, an alginate impression was taken to record the gingival shape and radiographs were taken to evaluate implant placement. Using a master cast, the gingival height was measured at baseline, 4 weeks, and 12 weeks. In the radiograph, the alveolar bone level was measured at the mesial and distal side of both implants at baseline and 12 weeks. RESULTS: The exposed bone was covered with gingiva at both 4 and 12 weeks. Loss of alveolar bone around implants was found in all areas. The alveolar bone level in the exposed bone area did not differ from that in the non-exposed area. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that the alveolar bone level and gingival height around 2 adjacent implants in the exposed bone area did not differ from that in unexposed bone area.
Alginates ; Alveolar Bone Loss ; Dental Implants ; Dental Papilla ; Gingiva ; Glucuronic Acid ; Hexuronic Acids ; Humans ; Male ; Molar

OBJECTIVEThe disinfection efficiency of a compound disinfectant spray with trichioro hydroxyl diphenyl ether on dental impression and plaster model, which have been contaminated by pathogens, were evaluated in this study.

METHODSAs experimental group, germ-free alginate impressions and plaster models were sprayed with the compound disinfectant of different density trichloro hydroxyl diphenyl ether or indophors for 5, 10 and is mm, after which were smeared with five tested pathogens, including Staphylococcus acre us, Escherichia cali, Saccharomyces albicans, Streptococcus mutans and black spore variants of Bacillus subtilis. The colonies were counted after sampling, inoculate and culture, which were used to deduce the killing logarithm value as the standard of the disinfecting efficiency.

RESULTSthe compound disinfectant spray with 3000 mg x L(-1) triebloro hydroxyl diphenyl ether was effective to all tested pathogens for 10 mm whatever on the impressions or the plaster models. The disinfectant spray with tame concentration was more effective on the alginate impression than on the plaster model in the same time (P = 0.000).

CONCLUSIONThe compound disinfectant spray with trichioro hydroxyl diphenyl ether is an effective antiseptics for alginate impressions and plaster models.

Alginates ; Dental Disinfectants ; Dental Impression Materials ; Disinfectants ; Disinfection ; Glucuronic Acid ; Hexuronic Acids

OBJECTIVETo explore the improvement the dingle technology through the PICC catheter puncture point elbow hemostatic effect. Selection.

METHODSBetween January 2013 and December 2013, chest hospital affiliated to Shanghai jiaotong university under the guidance of ultrasound improved the Ding Gehang PICC catheter patients of 997 cases were randomly divided into three groups A, B, C, respectively, using gauze pad, calcium alginate wound dressings, calcium alginate wound dressings with hemostatic gauze pad three methods to puncture point, compare the three groups within 48 h after puncture biopsy in patients with some local bleeding, treatment times and catheter after 1 week of the maintenance costs of the catheter.

RESULTSCompared with A, B two groups, patients of group C tube after 48 hours the puncture point local oppression hemostasis effect is better than that of group A and B, the difference was statistically significant (all P < 0.05); Catheter maintenance: group C within 1 week after catheter tube after local lowest maintenance cost.

CONCLUSIONPICC for surgery after the puncture point of oppression hemostasis method choice, the effect of calcium alginate dressings hemostatic gauze pad is better than that of gauze pads and calcium alginate dressings, calcium alginate dressings and gauze pad is more effective and economic, in clinical use.

Alginates ; Bandages ; Catheters ; China ; Glucuronic Acid ; Hemorrhage ; Hemostatic Techniques ; Hexuronic Acids ; Humans ; Punctures