Immunological measurement of aspartate/alanine aminotransferase in predicting liver fibrosis and inflammation

Background/Aims@#Enzymatic analysis of aspartate/alanine aminotransferase (AST/ALT) does not exactly represent the progression of liver fibrosis or inflammation. Immunoassay for AST (cytoplasmic [c] AST/mitochondrial [m] AST) and ALT (ALT1/ALT2) has been suggested as one alternatives for enzymatic analysis. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of immunoassay in predicting liver fibrosis and inflammation. @*Methods@#A total of 219 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) who underwent hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) and liver biopsy before antiviral therapy were recruited. Serum samples were prepared from blood during HVPG. Results of biochemical parameters including enzymatic AST/ALT and immunological assays of cAST, mAST, ALT1, and ALT2 through sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) immunoassay with fluorescence labeled monoclonal antibodies were compared with the results of METAVIR stage of live fibrosis and the Knodell grade of inflammation. @*Results@#METAVIR fibrosis stages were as follows: F0, six (3%); F1, 52 (24%); F2, 88 (40%); F3, 45 (20%); and F4, 28 patients (13%). Mean levels of AST and ALT were 121 ± 157 and 210 ± 279 IU/L, respectively. Mean HVPG score of all patients was 4.7 ± 2.5 mmHg. According to the stage of liver fibrosis, HVPG score (p < 0.001, r = 0.439) and ALT1 level (p < 0.001, r = 0.283) were significantly increased in all samples from patients with CHB. ALT (p < 0.001, r = 0.310), ALT1 (p < 0.001, r = 0.369), and AST (p < 0.001, r = 0.374) levels were positively correlated with Knodell grade of inflammation. @*Conclusions@#ALT1 measurement by utilizing sandwich ELISA immunoassay can be useful method for predicting inf lammation grade and fibrosis stage in patients with CHB.

A biologic study on toothash - plaster of paris mixture with absorbable collagen membrane in the treatment of peri-implant defects

The Prognostic Factors in the Oligodendrogliomas

In order to find out the prognostically significant factors in the oligodendrogliomas, we investigated the relationship between the clinical and histopathological characteristics and the mean survival time after surgery in 21 cases of oligodendrogliomas which were managed surgically and confirmed pathologically during the 12-year period. The survival analyses were performed on eight possible prognostic factors including age, duration of symptoms, Kernohan grade, mitosis, pleomorphism, endothelial proliferation, cell density, and gliofibrillary oligodendrocyte(GFOC) which was detected by immunohistochemical method. The results revealed that the tumor grade as classified by the Kernohan, cell density and the GFOC in Kernohan grade I & Ii had a prognostic significancy in order of decreasing importance. The best prognosis of the cases was found in the absence of GFOC in Kernohan grade I & II. The 2-year and 5-year survival rates after surgery were estimated as 62% and 42%, respectively.