No abstract available.
Animals ; Fibronectins* ; Macrophages* ; Mycobacterium bovis* ; Nitric Oxide Synthase* ; Nitric Oxide* ; Rats* ; Urinary Bladder*

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Proton pump inhibitor (PPI) and two types of antimicrobial agents, amoxicillin, and clarithromycin have been widely used for the eradication of Helicobacter pylori. However, antibiotic resistant strains has rapidly increased and has emerged as an important factor for eraducation failure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients diagnosed with chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer disease or gastric epithelial neoplasm was examined by H. pylori PCR for mutation at 23S rRNA. Positive H. pylori PCR without 23S rRNA mutation was eradicated by standard triple therapy. Patients with 23S rRNA mutation was eradicated by standard triple therapy or concomittent therapy with amoxicillin, PPI, clarithromycin and metronidazol or quadruple therapy with bismuth, PPI, tetracycline and metronidazol. We evaluated the predictors of eradication failure with regards to 23S rRNA mutation and initial eradication regimen. RESULTS: Nine hundred sixty-one patients were studied. H. pylori PCR was positive in 35.0% of the patients and 23S rRNA mutatation was found in 22.2% of the patients. The eradication rate of H. pylori for the A2143G point mutated group with standard triple therapy was 28.5% and significantly lower than 93.1% of the wild type group and 100% of the concomitant therapy group, 66.6% of one week quadruple group and 100% of two week quadruple group (P<0.005). CONCLUSIONS: When 23S rRNA point mutation was positive, the standard triple therapy was not effective and the eradication rates was only 22.2%. Alternative regimens should be considered when 23S rRNA point mutation is detected, especially when A2143G point mutation is detected because A2143G point mutation is highly related to eradication failure.
Amoxicillin ; Anti-Infective Agents ; Bismuth ; Clarithromycin ; Daegu ; Gastritis ; Helicobacter pylori* ; Humans ; Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial ; Peptic Ulcer ; Point Mutation ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Proton Pumps ; RNA* ; Tetracycline

OBJECTIVES: To determine the level of aircraft noise exposure and how it relates to hearing loss, and to investigate the association between noise exposure and anxiety and depression in subjects residing adjacent to a military airbase. METHODS: The study was conducted upon 898 inhabitants between the ages of 30-79, living near the military airbase in Jeonra-do. The subjects were divided into three noise-exposure groups: high-exposure, low-exposure, and a control group. The cut-values were 80 and 60 on the Weighted Equivalent Continuous Perceived Noise Level scale. A self-administered questionnaire including the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were completed. Pure tone audiometry tests were performed. RESULTS: Hearing loss prevalence was defined by a >40 dB loss in bilateral ears or in one ear; the difference of <15 dB compared to the better side was 30.8%. The mean BAI/BDI score was 18.9+/-14.3/18.7+/-11.6, the number of abnormal subjects with BAIs > or =22 was 317 (35.3%), with BDIs > or =21 was 347 (38.6%). The pure tone average, BAI, and BDI scores were higher in the noise-exposure groups compared to the control. The BAI/BDI abnormal subjects showed a higher hearing threshold shift level compared to the normal scored subjects. The odd ratios for anxiety was significantly high in both noise exposure groups and the hearing loss, for depression was significantly high in high-exposure group and hearing loss. CONCLUSIONS: Anxiety and depression were higher when exposure to high-level noise and further complicated by hearing loss. Further investigation is needed to determine the cause-effect relationship.
Aircraft ; Anxiety ; Audiometry ; Depression ; Ear ; Hearing ; Hearing Loss ; Humans ; Military Personnel ; Noise ; Prevalence ; Questionnaires

Background: Accurate measurement of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) is crucial for a diabetes diagnosis and subsequent patient management. The detection method and presence of variant Hb can interfere with HbA1c measurements. We evaluated the HbA1c-measuring performance of the DxC 700 AU (Beckman Coulter, Brea, CA, USA) immunoassay-based device in comparison with another immunoassay device and the reference method. Methods: A total of 120 normal and 14 variant Hb samples were analyzed using the Cobas c 513 (Roche Diagnostics, Mannheim, Germany) and DxC 700 AU analyzers. Variant Hb samples were also analyzed using the reference method, along with 20 normal samples. The accuracy, precision, linearity, and carryover were determined. Results: DxC 700 AU results strongly correlated with those of Cobas c 513 and exhibited accuracy in comparison with the reference method. The within-run, between-run, between-day, and total imprecision (%CV) values for the low- and high-concentration control materials were below 2%. The results of DxC 700 AU were linear over a wide HbA1c range (3.39%–18.30%). Although DxC 700 AU performed well in the presence of variant Hb, the HbA1c concentration was underestimated in the presence of fetal Hb. The possibility of interference from a high HbH proportion could not be ruled out. Conclusions The overall analytical performance of DxC 700 AU was acceptable. The device is accurate, precise, and linear over a wide HbA1c concentration range. Although DxC 700 AU results highly correlated with those of Cobas c 513, caution should be exercised in cases of high HbF and HbH concentrations.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of alpha-interferon (IFN) on liver histology as well as on activation of hepatic stellate cell ( HSC) and trans for ming growth fact or beta-1 (TGF beta-1) expression. We had also investigated the clinical usefulness of TGFbeta-1 and alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) expression in liver tissue for predicting a response to alpha-IFN therapy in chronic hepat it is B. METHODS: We studied the expression of TGFbeta-1 and alpha-SMA in liver biopsys pecimens from 51 chronic hepatitis B pat ients. Using immunohistochemical staining and a semiquant it ative scoring met hod, we also evaluated TGF-beta1 and alpha-SMA expression in liver stellate cells before and after alpha-IFN therapy in liver tissue from rebiopsys pecimen of the 12 chronic hepatitis B pat ients. Recombinant IFN alpha-2b (Intron A) in doses of 6 MU/ d was given to patients intramus cularly three times per week for 6 months (total doses , 432 MU). The patients were divided into two groups according to serum alanine aminotransferase levels as well as HBV- DNA and HBeAg s eroconversion stat e. Histological grading and staging scores were according to modified Histological Activity Index (HAI) grading systems of Ishak (1995). RESULTS: The index of portal inflammation and total scores of HAI grading significantly decreased in biopsies after alpha-IFN treatment, but the scores of fibrosis staging showed no significant change in biopsies after IFN treatment. A significant decrease in alpha-SMA expression, especially in periportal area, was found, but the change of TGFbeta-1 expression was not significant. The immunoreactivity of alpha-SMA was significantly lower in responders than in non-responders, whereas the diffference of immunoreactivity of TGF-beta1 between these two groups was not found. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that alpha-IFN therapy may reduce the necroinflammatory activity in liver tissues of chronic B viral hepatitis and that the degree of alpha-SMA expression before treatment may be employed as a pottent predicting indicator for the therapeutic efficacy of IFN-alpha.
Actins ; Alanine Transaminase ; Biopsy ; DNA ; Fibrosis ; Hepatic Stellate Cells ; Hepatitis ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; Hepatitis B, Chronic* ; Hepatitis, Chronic* ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Interferon-alpha ; Interferons* ; Liver* ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1*

BACKGROUND: Income is a major socioeconomic index, and low household income is known to negatively affect health. Nevertheless, there is a lack of research on the health status and health behavior of middle-aged and older women with low-income. This study aims to provide basic information on the health status and health behavior of low-income women, using data representative of South Koreans. METHODS: This cross-sectional study used data from the 6th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Among the total of 8,018 respondents, 2,713 women aged 35 years or older were enrolled in the study. The subjects were classified by income status based on standard household income quartiles. RESULTS: The low-income group showed the lowest education levels and the highest unemployment rate (P<0.001). The percentage of smokers was the highest, while the frequency of exercise was the lowest in this group (P<0.001). The incidence of hyperlipidemia was highest (P=0.028), and they showed the highest body mass index, waist circumference (P<0.001), blood pressure, fasting blood glucose (P=0.018), and triglyceride level (P=0.03), as well as the lowest high density lipoprotein level (P=0.039), and the highest risk of cardiovascular diseases (P=0.002). Additionally, perceived health status was negative and quality of life was lowest among the groups (P<0.001). Although the enrollment rate for free health check-up services was highest (P=0.007), subscription to private health insurance, adult health check-ups, cancer screening rate were all lowest of the groups. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirmed a health gap among middle-aged and elderly women of low income, compared to higher income groups.
Adult ; Aged ; Blood Glucose ; Blood Pressure ; Body Mass Index ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Early Detection of Cancer ; Education ; Family Characteristics* ; Fasting ; Female ; Health Behavior* ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; Incidence ; Insurance, Health ; Korea ; Lipoproteins ; Nutrition Surveys* ; Quality of Life ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Triglycerides ; Unemployment ; Waist Circumference

BACKGROUND: BMI alone may not serve as an index of obesity because it does not reflect body composition. The present study aimed to compare arterial stiffness as assessed by the brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (ba-PWV) among groups defined by body fat percentage (pBF) and BMI. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was based on 1,700 participants (1,044 men and 656 women) who completed a health screening examination at a national hospital between January 2011 and February 2016. Participants were divided into four groups according to BMI and pBF: normal fat and normal weight (NFNW); excessive fat and normal weight (EFNW); normal fat and obese (NFO); and excessive fat and obese (EFO). The ba-PWV and other cardiometabolic factors were compared among the four groups in men and women separately. RESULTS: For both sexes, the NFNW group had a lower metabolic risk compared to that in the other groups (EFNW, NFO, and EFO). After adjusting for multiple variables, the NFO males had a significantly lower ba-PWV compared to those in the other groups, including NFNW males. The NFO group had significantly more skeletal muscle mass and muscle mass compared the other groups (P < 0.05). Among women, the NFNW group had a significantly lower ba-PWV compared the other groups, even after adjusting for multiple variables. CONCLUSION: Lower pBF in obese men may be associated with improved cardiovascular risk.
Adipose Tissue* ; Body Composition ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mass Screening ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Obesity ; Pulse Wave Analysis* ; Sex Characteristics ; Vascular Stiffness*

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is widely accepted as an alternative treatment to surgical resection for gastric neoplastic lesions. Among the complications of gastric ESD, perforation is usually manifested as a pneumoperitoneum. Here, we report a patient with a right-sided pneumothorax, pneumoperitoneum, and pneumoretroperitoneum as complications of gastric ESD. The patient recovered without further complications using conservative treatment, including endoscopic clipping, nasogastric drainage, and insertion of a chest tube.
Chest Tubes ; Drainage ; Endoscopy ; Humans ; Pneumoperitoneum ; Pneumothorax* ; Retropneumoperitoneum

Distal renal tubular acidosis (RTA) caused by autoimmune nephritis occurs in up to 25% of patients with Sjögren's syndrome. However, patients with hypokalemic paralysis are sometimes overlooked, because most symptoms of autoimmune nephritis in Sjögren's syndrome are mild. We present a case of hypokalemic paralysis in a 54-year-old female who also had dry eyes and mouth, and Raynaud's phenomenon. Further evaluation, including autoantibody tests, revealed distal RTA with Sjögren's syndrome as the cause of hypokalemia. Distal RTA diagnosis was made based on normal anion gap hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis, alkaline urine with positive urine anion gap, high transtubular potassium concentration gradient (TTKG), positive anti-La antibody, and symptoms of sicca complex. The patient's symptoms resolved following treatment with intravenous and oral potassium, immunosuppressants, and steroids. This case illustrates that distal RTA and Sjögren's syndrome should be considered in cases of hypokalemic paralysis.
Acid-Base Equilibrium ; Acidosis ; Acidosis, Renal Tubular* ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Hypokalemia ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; Middle Aged ; Mouth ; Nephritis ; Paralysis* ; Potassium ; Steroids

Acute gastric variceal bleeding is one of the most serious complications in portal hypertension, and is associated with high mortality and morbidity. Endoscopic variceal obturation (EVO) using Histoacryl(R) (n-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate) has been accepted as an effective hemostatic procedure in acute gastric variceal bleeding. However, EVO is not a widely performed because of technical difficulties and complications such as mucosal ulceration, perforation, and systemic embolism. Herein, we report a patient who developed hepatic failure caused by portal vein occlusion by Histoacryl(R) injection for management of gastric variceal bleeding.
Embolism ; Esophageal and Gastric Varices* ; Humans ; Hypertension, Portal ; Liver Failure ; Mortality ; Portal Vein* ; Splenic Vein* ; Ulcer