• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.163-173
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• 2006

Purpose : To reduce the number of injections necessary to vaccinate young infants, various combined vaccines have been developed. The $Comvax^{TM}$ manufactured by Merck & Co. is a combination of Hepatitis B and PRP-OMP conjugate Haemophilus influenzae Type b vaccine. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the immunogenicity and safety of $Comvax^{TM}$ in Korean infants. Methods : The infants who were vaccinated at 0 months of age with Hepatitis B vaccine, were recruited for this study after parental informed consent was obtained. The subjects were vaccinated with $Comvax^{TM}$ at 2 and 4 months of age. At each visit, infants were also immunized with DTaP, inactivated poliovirus vaccine, and pneumococcal vaccine when indicated. The serum anti-PRP and anti-HBs were measured at 2 months after the 1st dose(4 months age), and the 2nd dose(6 months age) by the ELISA and chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay method, respectively. The local and systemic adverse reactions of vaccination were monitored for 3 consecutive days after each immunization. Results : Among sixty-five healthy infants(35 male infants) enrolled in this study; fifty eight(32 male infants) completed the scheduled immunizations. The geometric mean titers (GMTs) of anti-PRP at 2 months after the 1st dose and the 2nd dose were 1.96 ${\mu}g/mL$ (95% CI; 1.38~2.78) and 10.02 ${\mu}g/mL$ (95% CI; 7.04~14.26), respectively. Anti-PRP ${\geq}1.0$ ${\mu}g/mL$, was obtained in 63.2%(95% CI; 53.75~72.65) after 1 dose, and 96.6%(95% CI; 93.05~100) after 2 doses. The GMTs of anti-HBs were 38.32 mIU/mL(95% CI; 22.42~65.51), and 101.17 mIU/mL(95% CI; 65.94~155.25) at 2 month after the 1st dose and 2nd dose of $Comvax^{TM}$, respectively. Anti-HBs ${\geq}10$ mIU/mL was observed in 73.7%(95% CI; 65.07~82.33) after 1 dose and 94.8%(95% CI; 90.45~99.15) after 2 doses. Most of the adverse reactions after vaccination were mild. Irritability, the most common systemic reaction, was observed in 24.8%, followed by drowsiness(19.2%), poor feeding(19.2%) and fever(7.2%). Among the local reactions tenderness was observed in 25.6%, redness(${\geq}5$ mm) in 19.2% and swelling(${\geq}5$ mm) in 4.8%. Conclusion : The $Comvax^{TM}$ vaccine was highly immunogenic for PRP and safe in Korean infants. Although the hepatitis B vaccine component was administered at 0, 2, 4 months, this study showed good immunogenicity against HBsAg.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.152-160
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• 2003

Purpose: We compared the therapeutic efficacy of low dose with that of standard dose of interferon (IFN) treatment and also compared the first IFN treatment with retreatment. Methods: We have studied 51 children (age, 2~14) treated for chronic hepatitis B from March 1990 to August 1999. Twenty seven children had been treated with $3\;MU/m^2$ ($2.66{\pm}0.66\;MU/m^2$) of IFN-${\alpha}$ three times a week for 6 months (range, 6~12 months), whereas 24 children with $6\;MU/m^2$ ($4.45{\pm}0.94\;MU/m^2$). There was no significant difference in gender, age, initial ALT and HBV DNA levels between each comparative group. Results: Among the 27 children treated with $3\;MU/m^2$ of IFN, ALT level had normalized in 11 children (41%) and anti-HBe seroconversion occurred in 9 children (33%) one year after the initiation of treatment. In comparison, among the 24 children treated with $6\;MU/m^2$ of IFN, ALT normalized in 12 children (50%) and anti-HBe seroconversion occurred in 7 children (29%). In comparing the first treatment group to retreatment group, ALT level had normalized in 23 children (45%) and anti-HBe seroconversion occurred in 16 children (31%) among the 51 children treated with the first course of IFN treatment. In comparison, ALT normalized and anti-HBe seroconversion occurred in 3 children (25%) among the retreated 12 children. Conclusion: There was no significant difference in the therapeutic efficacies between $3\;MU/m^2$ and $6\;MU/m^2$ dose of IFN treated groups in ALT normalization and anti-HBe seroconversion. The retreatment efficacy of IFN-${\alpha}$ was as effective as the first treatment.

• Perspectives in Nursing Science
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.50-54
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• 2010

The studies of M. Colombo (1989) and W. Lange (1992) showed that 30~40% of people became chronic after suffering from hepatitis B virus (HBV) and C virus (HCV) infection, and about 50% of the chronic cases transformed into primary liver cancer. There have been few studies done in Mongolia on hepatitis infection among health professionals, particularly in nurses. In a study done by Chimedsuren (8), the study showed that 19.4% of people with identified surface hepatitis B antigen (HBsAg) and antibodies to hepatitis C virus and 8% of people with the identified nucleotide of RNA for the hepatitis C virus (polymerase chain reaction) had an acute form of hepatitis C. Studies on the hepatitis virus genome damaging effect on liver cells showed that genotype 8 (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, TTV) had the most damaging effect on liver cells (Hahn and Faeka, 2007). Several studies have shown a relationship between hepatitis B virus infection and a lack of compliance regarding safety regulations and rules by medical personnel. Results of a study from the Maternal and Child Health Research Center showed that tests done to detect hepatitis B virus antigen and antibodies to C virus did not reveal anything. Both antigen and antibodies in 69% cases did not show, and separately, B virus and antibodies to hepatitis C virus were identified in 13% and 9%, respectively. Results of the tests taken from health personnel in Shastin Central Hospital showed that in 76% of the cases, the B virus antigen with C virus antibodies was not identified. In 8% of the cases, the B virus antigen was present on its own. The combination of B the virus antigen and C virus antibodies were present in 8% of nurses and doctors, respectively. 82% of the cases had negative results for the detection of a combination of B virus antigen and C virus antibodies taken from health personnel from the State Central Clinical Hospital whereas the B virus antigen and C virus antibodies by themselves were present in 7% and 14% of the cases, respectively. Combined cases of the B virus antigen and C virus antibodies were identified in 4% of the personnel. Results of the tests taken from the health personnel in the Hospital of the Ministry of Justice and Internal Affairs showed that in 79% of the cases, the B virus antigen with C virus antibodies were not identified. Separately, the B virus and antibodies to hepatitis C virus were identified in 8% and 13% of the cases, respectively.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.232-236
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• 1999

IgA 신병증은 사구체 중맥에 IgA가 침착하는 것이 특징적인 질환이며 막성 사구체 신염은 IgG가 사구체 기저막의 상피하에 미만성으로 침착하는 질환이다. 원발성 사구체 질환중 IgA 신병증과 막성 사구체신염은 비교적 흔한 질환이나 전체적인 빈도는 낮은 편으로, 한 환자의 사구체에서 두 질환이 동시에 발생하는 경우는 매우 드물다. IgA 신병증과 막성 사구체신염의 중복 신염은 Doi등이 1983년 원발성 신질환으로서 처음 보고한 이래, 성인에서 20여례가 보고되었다. 저자들은 신증후군이 발생한 환아에서 신생검을 시행한 결과 원발성 신질환으로서 IgA 신병증과 막성 사구체신염의 소견이 동시에 보이는 중복신염의 드문 예를 경험하였기에 보고하는 바이다. 환아는 7세된 남아로 내원 한달 전부터 발생한 전신부종을 주소로 내원하였다. 가족력과 과거력상 특이 소견없었으며, 내원시 이학적 소견상 전신적인 허약감과 안와부종, 복부팽만, 하지의 함요부종이 관찰되었고, 검사소견에서는 WBC $19,800/mm^3$, Hb 14.1g/dL, Platelet $397,000/mm^3$, BUN/Cr 10/0.4mg/dL, protein/albumin 4.43/2.73g/dL, cholesterol 429mg/dL, IgA 85mg/dL, $C_3$ 68.8mg/dL, $C_4$ 13.4mg/dL, ANA(-), ANCA(-), RF(-), HBsAg/Ab(-/-)이었다. 뇨검사에서는 RBC many/HPF, WBC 2-3/HPF, protein ${\le}\;300mg/dL$ 였으며, 24시간 소변 검사상 protein 9.18g/day, Ccr 66.67ml/min의 소견을 보였다. 신생검을 시행한 결과 광학현미경상에서 몇몇 사구체의 분절성 경화와 중맥역의 증식이 관찰되었고, 면역형광현미경검사에서는 IgA(3+)가 과립상으로 미만성 분포를 보이며 중맥역에 침착되어 있고, 미세한 과립상과 위선의 양상으로 IgG(1+)가 모세혈관벽에 침착되어 있었으며, 전자현미경 소견상 중맥역과 모세혈관 기저막 상피하에 소량의 전자 고밀도 침착이 함께 관찰되었다. 환아는 prednisolone을 경구 투여 받았으나 단백뇨와 혈뇨가 지속되어 solumedrol pulse therapy, captopril과 cyclophophamide로 치료 받은 후, 전신 상태 호전되고, 혈뇨가 사라졌으며, 24시간 소변 검사상 단백뇨가 487.5mg/day로 감소하여 외래에서 추적 관찰 중이다.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.233-241
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• 2005

Plants have considerable advantages for the production of antigenic proteins because they provide an inexpensive source of protein and an easy administration of vaccine. Since a publication describing edible plant vaccine of HBsAg in 1992, a number of laboratories around the world have studied the use of plants as the bioreactor to produce antigenic proteins of human or animal pathogens. Over the last ten years, these works have been mainly focused on three major strategies for the production of antigenic proteins in plants: stable genetic transformation of either the nuclear or plastid genome, or transient expression in plants using viral vectors. As many antigenic proteins have been expressed in tobacco, also several laboratories have succeeded to express genes encoding antigenic proteins in other crop plants: potato, tomato, maize, carrot, soybean and spinach. At present many works for the production of edible plant vaccine against bacteria-mediated diseases have mostly performed the studies of enterotoxins and adhesion proteins. Also the development of new-type antigens (pili, flagella, surface protein, other enterotoxin and exotoxin etc.) is required for various targets and more efficacy to immunize against microorganism pathogens. Many works mostly studied in experimental animals had good results, and phase I clinical trial of LTB clearly indicated its immunogenic ability. On the other hand, edible plant vaccines have still problems remained to be solved. In addition to the accumulation of sufficient antigen in plants, human health, environment and agriculture regulation should be proven. Also oral tolerance, the physiological response to food antigens and commensal flora is the induction of a state of specific immunological unresponsiveness, needs to be addressed before plant-derived vaccine becomes a therapeutic option.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.637-642
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• 2014

The pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) related to habitual betel quid (BQ) chewing is unclear. Risk of HCCis increased with adverse hepatic fibrosis. This study aimed to assess the impact of chronic viral hepatitis on adverse hepatic fibrosis in HCC related to BQ chewing. This hospital-based case-control study enrolled 200 pairs of age- and gender-matched patients with HCC and unrelated healthy controls. Serologic hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), antibodies to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV), ${\alpha}$-fetoprotein (AFP), and surrogate markers for significant hepatic fibrosis were measured. Information on substance-use habits was obtained with a questionnaire. By analysis of surrogate markers for hepatic fibrosis, the prevalence of significant hepatic fibrosis in patients chewing BQ was between 45.8% and 91.7%, whereas that for patients without BQ chewing was between 18.4% and 57.9%. The difference was significant (P <0.05 for each surrogate marker). Multivariate analysis indicated that cirrhosis with Child-Pugh C (odds ratio (OR) = 3.28; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.29-8.37), thrombocytopenia (OR = 3.92, 95% CI, 1.77-8.68), AFP >400 mg/L (OR = 2.21, 95% CI, 1.05-4.66) and male gender (OR = 4.06, 95% CI, 1.29-12.77) were independent factors associated with habitual BQ chewing. In conclusion, adverse hepatic fibrosis and severe liver damage play important roles in the pathogenesis of BQ-related HCC, which could be aggravated by chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis C. BQ-cessation programs and prevention of chronic HBV/HCV infection are needed to prevent HCC related to BQ chewing.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.407-412
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• 2008

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship of nonalcoholic fatty liver and cardiovascular risk factors. Methods: This study was conducted to investigate the association of nonalcoholic fatty liver and cardiovascular risk factors for adult men (n=2976) and women (n=2442) who were over 19 years old, after excluding the HBsAg(+) or anti-HCV(+) patients and the men and women with increased alcohol intake (men: 40g/week, women: 20g/week). Results: Compared with the normal liver subjects, the nonalcoholic fatty liver subjects showed a significantly increased frequency of abnormal systolic blood pressure (${geq}120mmHg$), fasting blood sugar (${\geq}100mg/dL$), total cholesterol ($({\geq}200 mg/dL$), triglyceride ($({\geq}150mg/dL$), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (<40 mg/dL), low density lipoprotein cholesterol ($({\geq}130g\; m/dL$) and abdominal obesity in men, and all these measures were significantly increased in the women except for abnormal HDL cholesterol. After adjusting for the body mass index, age, smoking, exercise and a nonalcoholic liver, the odds ratios of an abnormal waist hip ratio were 1.35(95% Confidence Interval=1.05-4.72) in the mild fatty liver, 1.61 (1.19-2.18) in the moderate fatty liver, 2.77(1.57-4.92) in the severe fatty liver compared with a normal liver. The adjusted odds ratios for abnormal fasting blood sugar were 1.26(1.03-1.53) in the mild fatty liver, 1.62(1.27-2.06) in the moderate fatty Iiver and 1.77(1.12-2.78) in the severe fatty liver. The adjusted odds ratios for abnormal triglyceride were 1.38(1.11-1.72) in the mild fatty liver, 1.73(0.33-2.24) in the moderate fatty liver and 1.91 (1.17-3.10) in the severe fatty liver of men. Adjusted odds ratios for abnormal triglyceride were 1.50(1.04-2.15) in mild, 1.71(1.07-2.68) in moderate, 1.81(0.69-4.38) in severe fatty liver of women. Conclusions: The nonalcoholic fatty liver subjects had more cardiovascular risk factors compared with the normal liver subjects. Thus, prevention and treatment of the nonalcoholic fatty liver is necessary by lifestyle modifications such as restriction of alcohol intake, no smoking, exercise and adequate eating habits.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.233-241
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• 1986

Patients of chronic hepatic diseases(n=107) including chronic hepatitis caused by hepatitis B virus infections(n=31), liver cirrhosis(n=53), and hepatocellular carcinoma(n=23) were examined to ascertain genetic relationship between chronic hepatic diseases and histocompatibility antigen. Peripheral blood lymphocytes were separated from whole blood by the method of Ficoll/Hypaque gradient. Total 54 histocompatibility antigens(class I antigens: 41, class II antigens: 13) were analysed by performing of complement dependent microlymphocytotoxicity method using Terasaki's and Catholic Medical College tissue typing plates. HLA antigen frequencies were compared with those of 661 normal controls. The following results were obtained: 1. HLA antigen frequencies of HLA-Bw46, -Bw76, -Cw1, -Cw6, and HLA-DR8 in chronic hepatitis patients were shown to be higher than those in controls(P<0.01). 2. HLA antigen frequencies of HLA-Bw46, -Cw7(P<0.01), and HLA-B37, -Bw58, -Cw1, -MT1(P < 0.05) in liver cirrhosis patients were shown relatively higher frequencies than those in controls. 3. In patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, antigens of HLA-A1, -A26, -Cw3, -Cw7 and HLA-DR6 were dominantly detected. 4. There were negative associations with HLA-Cw4, and -DR4 in patients of chronic hepatic diseases(P < 0.05).

• KSBB Journal
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.87-94
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• 1990

Enhancement of hybridoma cell growth and monoclonal antibody(MAb) production by the addition of a small amount of serum into both serum-free medium and enriched medium was studied. The enriched medium was constructed by mixing a basal serum-free medium and a nutrient-fortified RPMI 1640 medium. It was supplemented with human serum albumin, insulin, transferrin, and monoethanolamine. It was found that addition of low concentration of serum with other serum-free supplements was favorable for growth of a mouse hybridoma 2c3.1 cells. The concentration of serum was determined to 0.5%. The maximum cell concentration obtained in this enriched medium supplemented with 0.5% fetal bovine serum (FBS) was $3.06{\times}10^6$ cells/ml and the concentration of secreted anti-Hepatitis surface antigen (antiHBsAg) MAb was $159.7{\mu\textrm{g}}\;/\;ml$ compared to $43{\mu\textrm{g}}\;/\;ml$ in RPMI 1640 medium with 10% FBS and $50{\mu\textrm{g}}\;/\;ml$ in previously-developed serum-free medium. The 2c3.1 cell growth and MAb production could be enhanced considerably by using the enriched medium supplemented with 0.5% FBS and serum-free supplements instead of RPMI 1640 medium or serum-free medium. The enhancement in MAb production in the enriched medium was more noticeable.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.1-18
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• 2008

Although Lamivudine and adefovir dipivoxil are efficacious drugs for preventing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in chronic hepatitis B patients, their efficacy is far from completely satisfactory. The risk of liver cirrhosis and HCC begins to increase at an HBV DNA level of $10^4$ copies/ml. Even with latent or past HBV infection, episomal covalently closed circular DNA(cccDNA) plays a key rolein the persistence, relapse and resistance of HBV in its natural course or during therapy. The annual incidence of HCC in YUMC is 1.8% and 4.7% patients/year in the antiviral treatment and control groups, respectively. The ability to achieve a high rate of sustained HBV suppression with low risk of drug resistance is the ultimate goal in the treatment of chronic HBV infection. The efficacy of universal immunization with striking reductions in the prevalence of HBV in localized countries needs to be spread worldwide. With hepatitis B immunization and effective antiviral therapy, global control of HBV infection and HBV-related complications, including HCC, are possible by the end of the first half of the $21^{st}$ century.