BACKGROUND/AIMS: Transfection of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) genome requires the cloning of tandem HBV sequences inserted into a plasmid vector, which is usually screened for by the restriction enzyme digestion of plasmid minipreparation from at least a dozen of bacterial colonies. The aim of this study was to develop a simple alternative screening method for bacterial colonies harbouring tandem HBV sequences by a PCR. METHODS: A set of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primer was designed to detect the bacterial colonies harbouring "head to tail" dimeric HBV DNA. PCR which amplifies the head to tail junction site of two tandem HBV molecules was performed. RESULTS: PCR products with appropriate size (1.2kb) were obtained. The accurate detection by PCR screening technique was confirmed by enzyme digestion. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that PCR screening technique is a simple and rapid method for the identification of bacterial colonies containing tandem HBV sequences.
Clone Cells ; Cloning, Organism ; Digestion ; DNA ; Genome ; Head ; Hepatitis B virus ; Hepatitis B* ; Hepatitis* ; Humans* ; Mass Screening* ; Plasmids ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Transfection

No abstract available.
Blood Pressure* ; Heart Rate* ; Heart* ; Intubation* ; Lidocaine*

No abstract available.
Adolescent* ; Humans ; Naloxone* ; Self-Injurious Behavior*

Catheters ; Choanal Atresia ; Diagnosis ; Emergencies ; Hand ; Membranes ; Nasal Cavity ; Nasopharynx ; Nose ; Operative Time ; Parturition ; Rubber

Either increased cellular proliferation or decreased death might result in an expansion of their numbers in the oncogenic process. Cellular apoptosis represents an autonomous suicide pathway that helps to restrict the cell number. However bcl-2 and mutant p53 inhibit programmed cell death. To determine whether the bcl-2 gene is activated during colorectal tumorigenesis and whether it has any relationship with p53 and apoptosis, we studied the expression of bcl-2 and p53 in the normal colonic mucosa, in the adenomatous polyps and in the adenocarcinomas using the immunohistochemical method. Also we evaluated the status of apoptosis using the in situ end labeling method. The bcl-2 immunoreactivity was restricted to the basal epithelial cells of all normal colonic mucosa and they were expressed in all adenomas and 86% of adenocarcinomas, especially in the superficial lesion of some tumors. Mutations of p53 were not found in the normal colonic mucosa, but they were present in dysplastic cells of adenomas (52%) and in cancer cells of the adenocarcinomas (47%). Apoptosis was confined to the tips of the normal colonic mucosa. It was more easily detected in the p53-positive adenomas than in the p53-negative adenomas (p=0.010). In the adenocarcinomas, the findings of apoptotic process are not related with p53 mutation (p=0.3) and bcl-2 expression (p=0.187). p53 and bcl-2 are probably one step of several apoptotic processes in the adenocarcinomas.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Adenoma* ; Adenomatous Polyps ; Apoptosis* ; Carcinogenesis ; Cell Count ; Cell Death ; Cell Proliferation ; Colon ; Epithelial Cells ; Genes, bcl-2 ; Mucous Membrane ; Suicide

No abstract available.
Esophagus* ; Transplants*

PURPOSE: The aim for this study was to investigate clinical manifestation of seasonal influenza A and B during the 2012 winter season in Wonju, South Korea. Their clinical and laboratorial characteristics and effect of oseltamivir were compared and analyzed. METHODS: Children under the age of 18 years who visited the Wonju Severance Christian Hospital with fever or acute respiratory symptoms and who were diagnosed with influenza A or B by rapid antigen test from nasopharyngeal swab were selected for the study. The medical records of patients were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Influenza A was detected in 374 patients (83.7%), and influenza B in 72 (16.6%). The incidence of influenza A was highest in February (n=186), while that of influenza B was highest in March (n=36). The most common symptoms were fever (n=434, 97.1%) and cough (n=362, 81.0%). No significant differences were observed between influenza A and B in symptoms and laboratory data. Patients who had used oseltamivir within 2 days showed statistically lower admission rate, shorter admission duration, and lower incidence of pneumonia. CONCLUSION: This study found no statistical difference between influenza A and B, in symptoms, progression, and laboratory test, but those who were treated with oseltamivir given within 2 days of the onset of fever experienced more positive outcomes.
Child ; Cough ; Fever ; Gangwon-do ; Humans ; Incidence ; Influenza, Human* ; Korea ; Medical Records ; Oseltamivir ; Pneumonia ; Retrospective Studies ; Seasons*

Rapid identification of Mycobacterium spp. isolated from patients is important with increased isolation of mycobacteria other than tubercle bacilli (MOTT). DNA-DNA hybridization with streptavidin-peroxidase and tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) color reaction method was recognized as a useful tool for identification of various species of mycobacteria. In this study, optimum condition of the test was determined. The optimal concentrations of tetramethylbenzidine dihydrochloride and hydrogen peroxide for streptavidin-horseradish peroxidase were 0.3-0.6 ug/ ml and 0.16 mM, respectively. The TMB stock solution was stable when prepared in methanol and the dilution of TBM stock solution in 10 mM sodium citrate-10 mM EDTA solution (pH 5.0) gave highest peroxidase-TMB activity. The suitable composition of hybridization solution consisted of 2 x SSC, 10% dextran sulfate, 50 ug/ml salmon DNA, 5 x Denhardt's solution, and 50% formamide. The 5-minute heating at 100C of test DNA prior to photobiotin labeling significantly increased the reaction. In conclusion, DNA-DNA hybridization method with streptavidin-peroxidase and TMB color reaction method may be useful for rapid identification of Mycobacterium spp. isolated from patients.
Dextran Sulfate ; DNA ; Edetic Acid ; Heating ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; Methanol ; Mycobacterium* ; Peroxidase ; Salmon ; Sodium

Metastatic tumors to the oral cavity from other parts of the body are rarely reported and representing about 1-4% of all oral malignancies. The most common primary tumor site of oral metastatic tumor was the breast followed by the lung, kidney, thyroid, prostate, and colon. Oral metastasis of primary esophageal carcinoma is extremly rare and only 11 cases were reported till now. Only one case was metastased to the maxilla. We experienced a mteastatic squamous cell carcinoma to the maxilla and the scalp in a 52-year-old male patient who previously diagnosed as esophageal carcinoma and performed operation with post operative radiation therapy. We report the case with literature review.
Breast ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Colon ; Humans ; Kidney ; Lung ; Male ; Maxilla* ; Middle Aged ; Mouth ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prostate ; Scalp* ; Thyroid Gland

PURPOSE: We examined changes in the corneal curvature and recurrence rate following pterygium surgery with relation to pterygium size and morphology. METHODS: One hundred eyes with primary nasal pterygia were graded as atrophic(Group 1), intermediate (Group 2), or fleshy(Group 3) according to morphology and grouped as small area group or large area group according to an assessment of pterygium length from and along the limbus. Corneal curvature was measured with autokeratometer at 3 days, 1 week, 1 month, and 6months preoperatively and postopera-tively as well. Recurrence was evaluated at the same periods. RESULTS: Each group had no significant difference(p>0.05) to preoperative corneal curvature when pterygia were divided according to morphology. Large area group had significantly smaller corneal curvature than the preoperative one(p<0.05), but small area group didn't(p>0.05). The angle of astigmatism had the tendency of against-the-rule at 3 days postoperatively(163.3degrees), more strikingly in small area group(159.1degrees). The recurrence rate was 10% totally with no significant difference among each group(p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The magnitude of the corneal curvature following pterygium surgery was smaller than the preoperative one and the change of angle had the tendency of against-the-rule astigmatism. Surgically induced changes in the corneal curvature and recurrence rate related to morphology had no significant difference, but preoperative corneal curvature and postoperative changes were related to pterygium size.
Astigmatism ; Pterygium* ; Recurrence*