Seroprevalence of Hepatitis A and E Viruses Based on the Third Korea National Health and Nutrition Survey in Korea

AbstractObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to investigate the seroprevalence of hepatitis A virus (HAV) and hepatitis E virus (HEV) in Korea during 2005.MethodsStudy subjects were selected from across Korea using a stratified multistage probability sampling design, and HAV and HEV seroprevalence was compared on the basis of sex, age, and residency. A total of 497 rural and urban people aged 10–99 years of age (mean ± SD age = 28.87 ± 17.63 years) were selected by two-stage cluster sampling and tested serologically for anti-HAV and anti-HEV IgG using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.ResultsAmong this population, the overall seroprevalence of HAV was 63.80% (55.21% aged in their 20s and 95.92% in their 30s, p < 0.01) and that of HEV was 9.40% (5.21% aged in their 20s and 7.14% in their 30s, p < 0.01). Seroprevalence also varied according to area of residence. HEV prevalence in rural areas was higher than that of urban regions based on the anti-HEV antibody, odds ratio 3.22 (95% confidence interval: 1.46–7.10, p < 0.01). There were no significant differences between male and female against anti-HAV/HEV antibodies.ConclusionOur study suggested that the seropositive rates of HAV and HEV might be related to age and environmental conditions

Estimation of HIV Seroprevalence in Colorectal Hospitals by Questionnaire Survey in Korea, 2002–2007

AbstractObjectivesThe incidence of anal disease is higher among persons with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection than among the general population. We surveyed the status of seroprevalence in colorectal hospitals in Korea.MethodsThe survey was conducted in colorectal hospitals in Korea from November to December 2008. The questionnaire was comprised of six topics about the status of HIV testing in colorectal hospitals. We gathered the data by website (http://hivqa.nih.go.kr/risk) or fax.ResultsAmong 774 colorectal hospitals contacted, 109 (14%) hospitals participated in the survey. Among these, 48 hospitals (44%) performed HIV tests in their own hospitals and 11 (23%) took HIV testing by rapid method. The main reason for recommending an HIV test was surgical operation (54%) followed by endoscope (11%) and health checkup (9%). The annual number of HIV tests increased from 58,647 (at 21 hospitals) in 2002 to 246,709 (at 58 hospitals) in 2007. HIV seroprevalence was >3.0 per 10,000 individuals during 2002–2005, decreased to 2.2 per 10,000 individuals in 2006 and rose to 2.8 per 10,000 individuals in 2007.ConclusionsHIV seroprevalence of colorectal hospitals was more than twice that of general hospitals in Korea. HIV surveillance systems based on colorectal hospitals for HIV/AIDS transmission prevention by early HIV diagnosis are needed

Cluster-like Headache Secondary to Cerebral Venous Thrombosis

Cluster headache (CH) is considered a primary headache syndrome. However, symptomatic cases that resemble CH have also been reported. A patient with cerebral venous thrombosis presented with ipsilateral frontal pain accompanied by ophthalmoparesis, nasal congestion, and lacrimation. The patient's headache showed a dramatic response to oxygen. He experienced no further cluster-like headaches after treatment with an anticoagulant. This case suggests the possible role of venous stasis of the cavernous sinus in cluster-like headache

Microdamage generation by tapered and cylindrical mini-screw implants after pilot drilling

Objective:  To investigate the relationship between mini-screw implant (MSI) diameter (1.6 vs 2.0 mm) and shape (tapered vs cylindrical) and the amount of microdamage generated during insertion. Materials and Methods:  Thirty-six cylindrical and 36 tapered MSIs, 6 mm long, were used in this study. Half of each shape was 1.6 mm in diameter, while the other half was 2.0 mm. After pilot drilling, four and five MSIs were inserted, respectively, into fresh cadaveric maxillae and mandibles of dogs. Bone blocks containing the MSIs were sectioned and ground parallel to the MSI axis. Epifluorescent microscopy was used to measure overall cortical thickness, crack length, and crack number adjacent to the MSI. Crack density and total microdamage burden per surface length were calculated. Three-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to test the effects of jaw, and MSI shape and diameter. Pairwise comparisons were made to control the overall significance level at 5%. Results:  The larger (2.0 vs 1.6 mm) cylindrical MSIs increased the numbers, lengths, and densities of microcracks, and the total microdamage burden. The same diameter cylindrical and tapered MSIs generated a similar number of cracks and crack lengths. More total microdamage burden was created by the 2.0-mm cylindrical than the 2.0-mm tapered MSIs. Although higher crack densities were produced by the insertion of 1.6-mm tapered MSIs, there was no difference in total microdamage burden induced by 1.6-mm tapered and 1.6-mm cylindrical MSIs. Conclusions:  Pilot drilling is effective in reducing microdamage during insertion of tapered MSIs. To prevent excessive microdamage, large diameter and cylindrical MSIs should be avoided

High dose therapy followed by autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation as a first line treatment for multiple myeloma: a Korean Multicenter Study.

We conducted a phase II multicenter trial to estimate the response and survival of patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma to high dose melphalan therapy followed by autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation. Eligible patients who had undergone induction with vincristine, adriamycin and dexamethasone (VAD) should have adequate cardiac, pulmonary and renal function (creatinine <2 mg/dL). Melphalan at 200 mg/m2 was used as a conditioning regimen. Eighty patients were enrolled from 13 centers. The median age of the patients was 53 yr (range; 20 to 68 yr). The initial stage was IA/IIA/IIB/IIIA/IIIB in 3/8/1/54/14 patients, respectively. Beta2-microglobulin, CRP and LDH were increased in 74, 42 and 34% of the patients examined. Cytogenetic data were available in 30 patients, and 6 patients showed numeric or structural abnormalities. Two therapy-related mortalities occurred from infection. Among the 78 evaluable patients, CR/PR/MR/NC/PD were achieved in 48/26/2/1/1 patients, respectively. After a median follow-up of 30 months, the median overall and event-free survivals were 66 months (95% CI: 20-112) and 24 months (95% CI: 18-29), respectively. This study verifies the efficacy and feasibility of high dose melphalan therapy with autologous stem cell transplantation in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma

Necrotizing Sialometaplasia Accompanied by Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma on the Soft Palate

Necrotizing Sialometaplasia (NS) is a benign, self-limiting inflammatory disease of the mucus-secreting glands, and this illness mainly involves the minor salivary glands. The significance of NS resides in its clinical and histopathological resemblance to malignancy. We present here a case of necrotizing sialometaplasia on the soft palate, and this was accompanied by adenoid cystic carcinoma. We report here on this case to draw attention to the difficulty for deciding the extent of resecting a malignancy, and especially when the malignancy is simultaneously accompanied by necrotizing sialometaplasia

Pulmonary Toxicity after a Quick Course of Combinatorial Vincristine, Bleomycin, and Cisplatin Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Cervical Cancer

Pulmonary toxicity is one of the most serious adverse effects associated with a quick course of vincristine, bleomycin, and cisplatin neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC-VBP). The aim of this study was to evaluate pulmonary toxicity related to a quick course NAC-VBP. A total of consecutive 61 patients, who underwent at most 3 cycles of NAC-VBP every 10 days in the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage IB-IIB cervical cancer from 1995 to 2007, were retrospectively analyzed. Of the 61 study subjects, 7 (11.5%) were identified to have pulmonary toxicity and 2 (3.3%) died of pulmonary fibrosis progression despite aggressive treatment and the use of a multidisciplinary approach. No factor predisposing pulmonary toxicity was identified. Initial symptoms were non-specific, but bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia and interstitial pneumonitis were characteristic findings by high-resolution computed tomography of the chest. The benefit of steroid therapy was uncertain and was associated with steroid-induced diabetes mellitus requiring insulin therapy in two patients. Fatal pulmonary toxicity is a major concern of a quick course NAC-VBP. In conclusion, these patients require special monitoring for bleomycin-induced pulmonary toxicity

Quantum critical point for stripe order: An organizing principle of cuprate superconductivity

A spin density-wave quantum critical point (QCP) is the central organizing principle of organic, iron-pnictide, heavy-fermion and electron-doped cuprate superconductors. It accounts for the superconducting Tc dome, the non-Fermi-liquid resistivity, and the Fermi-surface reconstruction. Outside the magnetically ordered phase above the QCP, scattering and pairing decrease in parallel as the system moves away from the QCP. Here we argue that a similar scenario, based on a stripe-order QCP, is a central organizing principle of hole-doped cuprate superconductors. Key properties of Eu-LSCO, Nd-LSCO and YBCO are naturally unified, including stripe order itself, its QCP, Fermi-surface reconstruction, the linear-T resistivity, and the nematic character of the pseudogap phase.Comment: Written for a special issue of Physica C on "Stripes and electronic liquid crystal

Genome-wide expression patterns associated with oncogenesis and sarcomatous transdifferentation of cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND: The molecular mechanisms of CC (cholangiocarcinoma) oncogenesis and progression are poorly understood. This study aimed to determine the genome-wide expression of genes related to CC oncogenesis and sarcomatous transdifferentiation. METHODS: Genes that were differentially expressed between CC cell lines or tissues and cultured normal biliary epithelial (NBE) cells were identified using DNA microarray technology. Expressions were validated in human CC tissues and cells. RESULTS: Using unsupervised hierarchical clustering analysis of the cell line and tissue samples, we identified a set of 342 commonly regulated (>2-fold change) genes. Of these, 53, including tumor-related genes, were upregulated, and 289, including tumor suppressor genes, were downregulated (<0.5 fold change). Expression of SPP1, EFNB2, E2F2, IRX3, PTTG1, PPARγ, KRT17, UCHL1, IGFBP7 and SPARC proteins was immunohistochemically verified in human and hamster CC tissues. Additional unsupervised hierarchical clustering analysis of sarcomatoid CC cells compared to three adenocarcinomatous CC cell lines revealed 292 differentially upregulated genes (>4-fold change), and 267 differentially downregulated genes (<0.25 fold change). The expression of 12 proteins was validated in the CC cell lines by immunoblot analysis and immunohistochemical staining. Of the proteins analyzed, we found upregulation of the expression of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related proteins VIM and TWIST1, and restoration of the methylation-silenced proteins LDHB, BNIP3, UCHL1, and NPTX2 during sarcomatoid transdifferentiation of CC. CONCLUSION: The deregulation of oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes, and methylation-related genes may be useful in identifying molecular targets for CC diagnosis and prognosis