Comparison of Four Commercial ELISA Kits and In-House Immunoblotting for Diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori Infection / 대한소아소화기영양학회지

PURPOSE: Commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits have been considered less reliable for children than for adults. The aim of this study was to compare four ELISA kits and in-house immunoblotting based on the analysis of anti-H. pylori-IgG antibody reactivity. METHODS: A total of 399 serum samples were collected at the GNU Hospital during 1998-1999. All sera were tested using ELISA and immunoblotting. Statistically significant differences were determined by the chi2 test. RESULTS: The overall seropositivity rates using GAP IgG, Genedia IgG, HM-CAP, Pyloriset EIA-G, and immunoblotting were 13.0%, 25.1%, 18.3%, 15.8%, and 62.9%, respectively. Immunoblotting showed a higher seropositivity rate than did all four ELISA kits in all age groups. Genedia IgG had the highest seropositivity among the ELISA kits. The seropositivity rate for children aged 13 to 18 months was lowest, and that of children aged 15 years was highest (90.0%). The seropositivity rate for children aged 7 months to 5 years was significantly lower than that for children aged 6 to 15 years among the four ELISA kits (p<0.0001) and immunoblotting (p=0.02). CONCLUSION: Immunoblotting is the most sensitive test for detection of anti-Helicobacter pylori IgG antibodies among the serological tests in this study. These results emphasize the need for standardization when commercial ELISA tests are used in different nations or in young age groups. Immunoblotting could be a suitable noninvasive assay for serodiagnosis and seroepidemiologic study of H. pylori infection in Korean children.

Effects of Aromatherapy on Depression, Anxiety and the Autonomic Nervous System in Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Adjuvant Radiotherapy / 한국호스피스완화의료학회지

PURPOSE: The study was designed to verify effects of aromatherapy on depression, anxiety and the autonomic nervous system in breast cancer patients who are undergoing adjuvant radiotherapy. METHODS: Data were collected from November 2006 through March 2007 at the C university hospital in Seoul. The study included 33 patients and they were assigned to three groups. Group I had aroma oil inhalation for 2 minutes per time, three times a day for six weeks whereas Group II and a control group inhaled aroma oil for 2 minutes per time, once a day for six weeks. For Groups I and II, a mixture of lemon, lavender, rosewood and rose essential oils were used while control group inhaled tea tree oil. RESULTS: Depression was significantly decreased in patients in the experimental groups only. In Groups I and II patients, anxiety level was lower than that in control patients. Patients in Groups I and II also showed stronger physical resistance to stress than control group patients. CONCLUSION: Aromatherapy should be considered as a method that can significantly decrease depression in breast cancer patients who are undergoing adjuvant radiotherapy.

Successful treatment by exchange transfusion of a young infant with sodium nitroprusside poisoning / 소아과

Although sodium nitroprusside (SNP) is often used in pediatric intensive care units, cyanide toxicity can occur after SNP treatment. To treat SNP-induced cyanide poisoning, antidotes such as amyl nitrite, sodium nitrite, sodium thiosulfate, and hydroxycobalamin should be administered immediately after diagnosis. Here, we report the first case of a very young infant whose SNP-induced cyanide poisoning was successfully treated by exchange transfusion. The success of this alternative method may be related to the fact that exchange transfusion not only removes the cyanide from the blood but also activates detoxification systems by supplying sulfur-rich plasma. Moreover, exchange transfusion replaces cyanide-contaminated erythrocytes with fresh erythrocytes, thereby improving the blood's oxygen carrying capacity more rapidly than antidote therapy. Therefore, we believe that exchange transfusion might be an effective therapeutic modality for critical cases of cyanide poisoning.

A comparative study of the clinical effects of chitosan nanofiber membrane in the treatment of mandibular class II furcation defects / 대한치주과학회지

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of guided tissue regeneration(GTR) technique using chitosan nanofiber membrane and to compare it to the clinical efficacy following GTR using PLA/PLGA(copolymer of polylactic acid and polylacticglycolic acid) membrane in mandibular class II furcation defects in human. The chitosan nanofiber membranes were applied to the mandibular class II furcation defects of 13 patients(test group) and PLA/PLGA membranes were applied to those of 11 patients(control group). Probing pocket depth, clinical attachment level, gingival recession, plaque index and gingival index were measured at baseline and 3 months postoperatively. Vertical and horizontal furcation defect depth were measured at surgery. Both groups were statistically analyzed by Wilcoxon signed Ranks Test and Mann-Whitney Test using SPSS program. The results were as follows: 1. Probing pocket depth, clinical attachment loss and gingival index were significantly reduced at 3 months postoperatively compared to values of baseline in both groups(p<0.05). 2. Gingival recession and plaque index were not significantly decreased at 3 months postoperatively compared to values of baseline in both groups. 3. No significant difference between two groups could be detected with regard to changes of probing pocket depth, gingival recession, clinical attachment level, plaque index and gingival index at 3 months postoperatively. In conclusion, chitosan nanofiber membrane is effective in the treatment of human mandibular class II furcation defects and a longer period study is needed to fully evaluate the outcomes.

A comparative study of the clinical effects of chitosan nanofiber membrane in the treatment of mandibular class II furcation defects / 대한치주과학회지

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of guided tissue regeneration(GTR) technique using chitosan nanofiber membrane and to compare it to the clinical efficacy following GTR using PLA/PLGA(copolymer of polylactic acid and polylacticglycolic acid) membrane in mandibular class II furcation defects in human. The chitosan nanofiber membranes were applied to the mandibular class II furcation defects of 13 patients(test group) and PLA/PLGA membranes were applied to those of 11 patients(control group). Probing pocket depth, clinical attachment level, gingival recession, plaque index and gingival index were measured at baseline and 3 months postoperatively. Vertical and horizontal furcation defect depth were measured at surgery. Both groups were statistically analyzed by Wilcoxon signed Ranks Test and Mann-Whitney Test using SPSS program. The results were as follows: 1. Probing pocket depth, clinical attachment loss and gingival index were significantly reduced at 3 months postoperatively compared to values of baseline in both groups(p<0.05). 2. Gingival recession and plaque index were not significantly decreased at 3 months postoperatively compared to values of baseline in both groups. 3. No significant difference between two groups could be detected with regard to changes of probing pocket depth, gingival recession, clinical attachment level, plaque index and gingival index at 3 months postoperatively. In conclusion, chitosan nanofiber membrane is effective in the treatment of human mandibular class II furcation defects and a longer period study is needed to fully evaluate the outcomes.

A Case of Thyroid Hormone Resistance (RTH) / 대한소아내분비학회지

Thyroid hormone resistance (RTH) is a rare autosomal dominant disease characterized by reduced tissue sensitivity to thyroid hormone. Approximately 90% of subjects with RTH have mutation in the thyroid hormone receptor beta (TRbeta) gene. Approximately 10% of subjects diagnosed as having RTH do not carry mutation in the TRbeta gene. We report a 12-year-old male. The patient was euthyroid in spite of high total and free T4 and T3 concentrations, while TSH is slightly increased. TSH response to TRH stimulation was normal, and TSH values to TRH stimulation after T3 suppression revealed partial response. Sequence analysis of TRbeta gene showed no mutation. We report a case of RTH without mutations in the TRbeta gene.

Activation of calcium signaling by hepatitis B virus-X protein in liver cells

Hepatitis B virus x gene product (HBx) is known to be a transactivator of transcriptional elements that regulate the expression of a variety of genes associated with the growth, differentiation, survival and the apoptosis of cells. However, the exact mechanism of the activation and inhibition of cellular events by HBx remains uncertain. The present study was designed to measure the effect of HBx, on the signal transduction pathways associated with intracellular Ca(2+)mobilization following HBx transfection in the stable Chang liver cells (CHL-X). Enhanced cell proliferation by HBx in CHL-X was confirmed by MTT assay and by the immunodetection of PCNA. The transactivation of AP-1 by HBx induced in CHL-X was inhibited by cyclosporin A (CsA), a mitochondrial Ca(2+)channel blocker and by BAPTA-AM, a cytosolic Ca(2+)blocker. Activation of the SAPK/JNK signaling pathway by HBx was evidenced by the increased phosphorylations of c-Jun (Ser63) and of JNK (Thr183/Tyr185). Increased phospho-Erk/Erk and phospho-Raf1/Raf in HBx-induced CHL-X indicated that HBx might stimulate the MAPK pathway. PI3K activity and cytosolic free Ca(2+)levels were elevated in HBx-induced CHL-X. These results imply that HBx transactivates both JNK and MAPK signal transduction pathways in association with the mobilization of cytosolic Ca(2+).

Childhood Acute Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura in Korea: Multicenter Study of Korean Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology / 대한소아혈액종양학회지

PURPOSE: Childhood acute immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is a benign hematologic disease. Therapy does not affect the natural history of the illness. We evaluated the clinical and laboratory findings, treatment and prognosis of childhood acute ITP in Korea through a retrospective multicenter study. METHODS: We analyzed retrospectively the data of 1, 829 children with acute ITP through survey of 33 hospitals among 43 hospitals in Korea from Sep. 1992 to Aug. 2001. RESULTS: Male to female ratio was 1.3: 1 and the median age at the diagnosis of ITP was 2.9 (0.1 17) years. Median duration of follow up was 6 months. One hundred and forty nine cases of the total 1, 829 patients (8.1%) received no treatment. The initial median platelet count of the non-treated group was 42, 500/mm3. Among the 861 cases who were followed up over 6 months, 315 cases (36.6%) progressed into chronic ITP. Associated with this high rate of chronicity of childhood acute ITP patients in Korea, we must consider the fact that acute ITP patients with fast improvement in the first episode tend not to follow up. Considering that fact, the rate of chronicity becomes 17.2% of the 1, 829 acute ITP patients. The treated group used many kinds of treatment methods. Intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG) with or without prednisolone (PD) (67.5%) were the most commonly used regimens. In the group treated with IVIG alone, the platelet count began to rise above 50, 000/mm3 at 2.6 days, 100, 000/mm3 at 3.7 days and 150, 000/mm3 at 4.9 days. Four hundred and twenty two cases of the 1, 686 (25.0%) cases followed up after first episode of ITP relapsed. The relapse rate was significantly higher in older patients and in girls than in younger patients and in boys (P< 0.05). The chronicity of ITP statistically increased with age (P< 0.05) and that was the only valuable factor. CONCLUSION: Despite the fact that childhood acute ITP is a pretty common disaese, there is no agreement on the best treatment method for this disease. The establishment of Korean treatment guideline of childhood acute ITP, based on an analysis of multicenters, seems to be needed.

Expression and characterization of a mutant recombinant blood coagulation factor VIII (rFVIII (m))

In an earlier study, a site directed mutant rFVIII (rFVIII(m), Arg(336) -> Gln(336)) expressed in baculovirus-insect cell (Sf9) system was found to sustain high level activity during incubation at 37 for 24 h while the cofactor activity of normal plasma was declined steadily. In this study, a mutant B-domain deleted rFVIII(m), Arg(336) -> Gln(336) expressed in baculovirus-insect cell (Sf9) system was characterized for its enzymatic and chemical properties. The expressed rFVIII(m) and plasma FVIII (pFVIII) were purified by immunoaffinity column chromatography and identified by Western blot analysis. The partially purified rFVIII(m) exhibited cofactor specific activity of 2.01 X 10(3)units/mg protein. The molecular weight of rFVIII(m) ranged between 40 to 150 kDa with a major band at 150 kDa. Treatment of both rFVIII(m) and pFVIII with thrombin increased their cofactor activity in a similar pattern. Treatment of both the activated rFVIII(m) and native FVIII with APC decreased their cofactor activities, however, the former exhibited a slower decrease than the latter, although no significant difference was present. rFVIII(m) formed a complex with vWF, resulting in a stabilized form, and the lag period of thrombin-mediated activating was extended by vWF association. These results implicated that rFVIII(m) expressed in baculovirus-insect cell system had a comparable capacity as FVIII cofactor activity and might be a good candidate for the FVIII replacement therapy for hemophilia A patients.