Gender Differences in Relationship between Fat-Free Mass Index and Fat Mass Index among Korean Children Using Body Composition Chart

∙ The authors have no financial conflicts of interest. © Copyright: Yonsei University College of Medicine 2011 This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Licens

Impact of prior lamivudine use on the antiviral efficacy and development of resistance to entecavir in chronic hepatitis B patients

Background/AimsTo determine the efficacies of entecavir (ETV) in nucleos(t)ide analogue (NA)-naïve chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients and in those with prior lamivudine (LAM) use who did not develop resistance.MethodsWe retrospectively enrolled 337 patients with CHB who were treated with ETV (0.5 mg daily) for at least 30 months. The study included 270 (80.1%) NA-naïve patients and 67 (19.9%) LAM-use patients. Ten of the LAM-use patients were refractory to LAM therapy without developing resistance.ResultsGenotypic resistance to ETV developed more frequently in the LAM-use group (13.1%) than in the NA-naïve group (2.6%) at 60 months (P=0.009). In subgroup analysis, after excluding the 10 patients who were refractory to LAM therapy, the cumulative probability of ETV resistance did not differ significantly between the two groups (P=0.149). Prior LAM refractoriness and a higher hepatitis B virus DNA level at month 12 were independent predictive factors for the development of ETV resistance.ConclusionsETV resistance developed more frequently in LAM-use patients with CHB. However, prior LAM use without refractoriness did not affect the development of ETV resistance. The serum hepatitis B virus DNA level at month 12 was a major predictor for the development of ETV resistance

The Prevalence of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and the Associated Factors to CKD in Urban Korea: A Population-based Cross-sectional Epidemiologic Study

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a worldwide problem. This study was designed to survey the prevalence and risk factors for CKD in Korea. The 2,356 subjects were selected in proportion to age, gender, and city. Subjects 35 yr of age or older were selected from 7 cities. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was calculated using the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) Study equation, with albuminuria defined as a urine albumin to creatinine ratio of 30 mg/g or more. The overall prevalence of CKD was 13.7%. The prevalences of CKD according to stage were 2.0% stage 1, 6.7% stage 2, 4.8% stage 3, 0.2% stage 4, and 0.0% stage 5. The prevalences of microalbuminuria and macroalbuminuria were 8.6% and 1.6%, respectively. The prevalence of eGFR less than 60 mL/min/1.73 m(2) was 5.0%. Age, body mass index (BMI), hypertension, diabetes mellitus, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and fasting blood glucose were independent factors related to the presence of CKD. In conclusions, Korea, in which the prevalence of CKD is increasing, should prepare a policy for early detection and appropriate treatment of CKD. The present data will be helpful in taking those actions.Moranne O, 2009, J AM SOC NEPHROL, V20, P164, DOI 10.1681/ASN.2008020159Chin HJ, 2008, NEPHROL DIAL TRANSPL, V23, P2810, DOI 10.1093/ndt/gfn132Zhang LX, 2008, AM J KIDNEY DIS, V51, P373, DOI 10.1053/j.ajkd.2007.11.009BRODSKY J, 2008, AM J KIDNEY DIS S, V51, pS239Imai E, 2007, AM J KIDNEY DIS, V50, P927, DOI 10.1053/j.ajkd.2007.09.004Coresh J, 2007, JAMA-J AM MED ASSOC, V298, P2038Kwan BCH, 2007, CLIN J AM SOC NEPHRO, V2, P992, DOI 10.2215/CJN.04221206Iseki K, 2007, HYPERTENS RES, V30, P167Madan P, 2007, NEPHROL DIAL TRANSPL, V22, P440, DOI 10.1093/ndt/gfl572IMAI E, 2007, CLIN EXP NEPHROL, V11, P156Kuo HW, 2007, AM J KIDNEY DIS, V49, P46, DOI 10.1053/j.ajkd.2006.10.007CHIN HJ, 2007, KOREAN J NEPHROL, V26, P195Ma YC, 2006, J AM SOC NEPHROL, V17, P2937, DOI 10.1681/ASN.2006040368Li ZY, 2006, CLIN CHIM ACTA, V366, P209, DOI 10.1016/j.cca.2005.10.011*KOR SOC NEPHR, 2006, KOREAN J NEPHROL, V25, pS425Fried LF, 2005, J AM SOC NEPHROL, V16, P3728, DOI 10.1681/ASN.2005040384Viktorsdottir O, 2005, NEPHROL DIAL TRANSPL, V20, P1799, DOI 10.1093/ndt/gfh914Shlipak MG, 2005, NEW ENGL J MED, V352, P2049, DOI 10.1056/NEJMoa043161Domrongkitchaiporn S, 2005, J AM SOC NEPHROL, V16, P791, DOI 10.1681/ASN.2004030208Foley RN, 2005, J AM SOC NEPHROL, V16, P489Coresh J, 2005, J AM SOC NEPHROL, V16, P180Go AS, 2004, NEW ENGL J MED, V351, P1296, DOI 10.1056/NEJMoa041031Wasen E, 2004, J INTERN MED, V256, P70John R, 2004, AM J KIDNEY DIS, V43, P825, DOI 10.1053/j.ajkd.2003.12.046Hunsicker LG, 2004, J AM SOC NEPHROL, V15, P1363, DOI 10.1097/01.ASN.0000126069.68755.99Fox CS, 2004, JAMA-J AM MED ASSOC, V291, P844Chadban SJ, 2003, J AM SOC NEPHROL, V14, pS131, DOI 10.1097/01.ASN.0000070152.11927.4ACoresh J, 2003, AM J KIDNEY DIS, V41, P1, DOI 10.1053/ajkd.2003.50007SAMAK MJ, 2003, CIRCULATION, V108, P2154Ramirez SPB, 2002, J AM SOC NEPHROL, V13, P1907, DOI 10.1097/01.ASN.0000018406.20282.C8Ko GTC, 2001, BRIT J NUTR, V85, P239Levey AS, 1999, ANN INTERN MED, V130, P461Iseki K, 1996, KIDNEY INT, V49, P8001

TSCOT + Thymic Epithelial Cell-Mediated Sensitive CD4 Tolerance by Direct Presentation

Although much effort has been directed at dissecting the mechanisms of central tolerance, the role of thymic stromal cells remains elusive. In order to further characterize this event, we developed a mouse model restricting LacZ to thymic stromal cotransporter (TSCOT)-expressing thymic stromal cells (TDLacZ). The thymus of this mouse contains approximately 4,300 TSCOT+ cells, each expressing several thousand molecules of the LacZ antigen. TSCOT+ cells express the cortical marker CDR1, CD40, CD80, CD54, and major histocompatibility complex class II (MHCII). When examining endogenous responses directed against LacZ, we observed significant tolerance. This was evidenced in a diverse T cell repertoire as measured by both a CD4 T cell proliferation assay and an antigen-specific antibody isotype analysis. This tolerance process was at least partially independent of Autoimmune Regulatory Element gene expression. When TDLacZ mice were crossed to a novel CD4 T cell receptor (TCR) transgenic reactive against LacZ (BgII), there was a complete deletion of double-positive thymocytes. Fetal thymic reaggregate culture of CD45- and UEA-depleted thymic stromal cells from TDLacZ and sorted TCR-bearing thymocytes excluded the possibility of cross presentation by thymic dendritic cells and medullary epithelial cells for the deletion. Overall, these results demonstrate that the introduction of a neoantigen into TSCOT-expressing cells can efficiently establish complete tolerance and suggest a possible application for the deletion of antigen-specific T cells by antigen introduction into TSCOT+ cells

IS6110-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism and Spoligotyping Analysis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Clinical Isolates for Investigating Epidemiologic Distribution in Korea

The Beijing family of Mycobacterium tuberculosis has been emerging in the world. However, there are few nationwide data of genotypic distribution in Korea. This study aimed to identify the genotypic diversity of clinical isolates of M. tuberculosis and to demonstrate the population of Beijing family in Korea. We collected 96 clinical M. tuberculosis isolates from 11 university hospitals nationwide in Korea from 2008 to 2009. We observed 24 clusters in IS6110-RFLP analysis and 19 patterns in spoligotyping. Seventy-five isolates were confirmed to be Beijing family. Two isolates of the K strain and 12 isolates of the K family strain were also found. We found that drug resistance phenotypes were more strongly associated with Beijing family than non-Beijing family (P=0.003). This study gives an overview of the distribution of genotypes of M. tuberculosis in Korea. These findings indicate that we have to pay more attention to control of M. tuberculosis strains associated with the Beijing family

Diode Laser—Can It Replace the Electrical Current Used in Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection?

Background/Aims A new medical fiber-guided diode laser system (FDLS) is expected to offer high-precision cutting with simultaneous hemostasis. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of using the 1,940-nm FDLS to perform endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) in the gastrointestinal tract of an animal model. Methods In this prospective animal pilot study, gastric and colorectal ESD using the FDLS was performed in ex vivo and in vivo porcine models. The completeness of en bloc resection, the procedure time, intraprocedural bleeding, histological injuries to the muscularis propria (MP) layer, and perforation were assessed. Results The en bloc resection and perforation rates in the ex vivo study were 100% (10/10) and 10% (1/10), respectively; those in the in vivo study were 100% (4/4) and 0% for gastric ESD and 100% (4/4) and 25% (1/4) for rectal ESD, respectively. Deep MP layer injuries tended to occur more frequently in the rectal than in the gastric ESD cases, and no intraprocedural bleeding occurred in either group. Conclusions The 1,940-nm FDLS was capable of yielding high en bloc resection rates without intraprocedural bleeding during gastric and colorectal ESD in animal models

Bacterial Inactivation of Wound Infection in a Human Skin Model by Liquid-Phase Discharge Plasma

Background: We investigate disinfection of a reconstructed human skin model contaminated with biofilm-formative Staphylococcus aureus employing plasma discharge in liquid. Principal Findings: We observed statistically significant 3.83-log10 (p,0.001) and 1.59-log10 (p,0.05) decreases in colony forming units of adherent S. aureus bacteria and 24 h S. aureus biofilm culture with plasma treatment. Plasma treatment was associated with minimal changes in histological morphology and tissue viability determined by means of MTT assay. Spectral analysis of the plasma discharge indicated the presence of highly reactive atomic oxygen radicals (777 nm and 844 nm) and OH bands in the UV region. The contribution of these and other plasma-generated agents and physical conditions to the reduction in bacterial load are discussed. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate the potential of liquid plasma treatment as a potential adjunct therapy for chronic wounds