• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.69 no.6
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• pp.426-433
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• 2010

Background: Persistent cough has recently been found to be associated with Chlamydia pneumoniae infection. We aimed to investigate the infection rate of C. pneumonia in adult patients with chronic cough. Methods: We recruited 68 patients with persistent cough lasting in excess of 3 weeks, who visited Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital from January 2005 to August 2005. On the first visit, chest and paranasal sinuses radiography, skin prick test of common allergens, and induced sputum samples for C. pneumoniae were performed in all of patients. Further evaluation for diagnosis included a methacholine provocation test and eosinophil counts in induced sputum. Results: The most common cause of chronic cough was upper airway cough syndrome (UACS) (26.5%), followed by eosinophilic bronchitis (20.6%) and cough variant asthma (16.2%). Idiopathic chronic cough was the cause in 33.8% of patients. The mean duration of cough was 11.7 months. C. pneumoniae was isolated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from one patient who had upper respiratory air way syndrome. Conclusion: Chlamydia pneumoniae appears to have a minor role as a cause of chronic cough in patients.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.56-78
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• 1998

Objective: Chronic hepatitis B infection (CHB) occurs in 6% to 10% of population in Korea. In ethinic communities where prevalence of chronic infection is high such as Korea, transmission of hepatitis B infection is either vertical (ie, by perinatal infection) or by close family contact (usually from mothers or siblings) during the first 5 years of life. The development of chronic hepatitis B infection is increasingly more common the earlier a person is exposed to the virus, particularly in fetal and neonatal life. And it progress to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, especially in severe liver damage and perinatal infection. Histopathology of CHB is important when evaluating the final outcomes. A numerical scoring system which is a semiquantitatively assessed objective reproducible classification of chronic viral hepatitis, is a valuable tool for statistical analysis when predicting the outcome and evaluating antiviral and other therapies. In this study, a numerical scoring system (Ludwig system) was applied and compared with the conventional histological classification of De Groute. And the comparative analysis of cinical findings, family history, serology, and liver function test by histopathological findings in chronic hepatitis B of children was done. Methods: Ninety nine patients [mean age=9 years (range=17 months to 16 years)] with clinical, biochemical, serological and histological patterns of chronic HBV infection included in this study. Five of these children had hepatocelluar carcinoma. They were 83 male and 16 female children. They all underwent liver biopsies and histologic evaluation was performed by one pathologist. The biopsy specimens were classified, according to the standard criteria of De Groute as follows: normal, chronic lobular hepatitis (CLH), chronic persistent hepatitis (CPH), mild to severe chronic active hepatitis (CAH), or active cirrhosis, inactive cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). And the biopsy specimens were also assessed and scored semiquantitatively by the numerical scoring Ludwig system. Serum HBsAg, anti-HBs, HBeAg, anti-HBe, anti-HBc (IgG, IgM), and HDV were measured by radioimunoassays. Results: Male predominated in a proportion of 5.2:1 for all patients. Of 99 patients, 2 cases had normal, 2 cases had CLH, 22 cases had CPH, 40 cases had mild CAH, 19 cases had moderate CAH, 1 case had severe CAH, 7 cases had active cirrhosis, 1 case had inactive cirrhosis, and 5 cases had HCC. The mean age, sex distribution, symptoms, signs, and family history did not differ statistically among the different histologic groups. The numerical scoring system was correlated well with the conventional histological classification. The histological activity evaluated by both the conventional classification and the scoring system was more severe as the levels of serum aminotransferases were higher. In contrast, the levels of serum aminotransferases were not useful for predicting the degree of histologic activity because of its wide range overlapping. When the histological activity was more severe and especially the cirrhosis more progressing, the prothrombin time was more prolonged. The histological severity was inversely related with the duration of seroconversion of HBeAg. Conclusions: The histological activity could not be accurately predicted by clinical and biochemical findings, but by the proper histological classification of the numerical scoring system for the biopsy specimen. The numerical scoring system was correlated well with the conventional histological classification, and it seems to be a valuable tool for the statistical analysis when predicting the outcome and evaluating effects of antiviral and other therapies in chronic hepatitis B in children.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.53-58
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• 2014

Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is an inherited immunodeficient disease characterized by recurrent infections and granuloma formation. Granulomatous obstruction of esophagus is one of the rare complications of CGD. The use of steroids and antimicrobials for esophageal obstruction by granuloma in CGD patients has been controversial due to the possibility of concomitant inapparent infection. We report a case of esophageal obstruction in an 8-year-old CGD patient showing the poor response to antibiotics therapy. However, dramatic improvement of symptoms and radiologic findings of esophageal obstruction were achieved after steroid therapy. One month after discontinuation of steroid, esophageal obstruction recurred and the patient was re-treated with steroid. After that time, he experienced one more recurrence of esophageal obstruction. This symptom subsided after antibiotics therapy without steroid and he has been followed up to the present without further relapse.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.2865-2869
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• 2013

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection can become chronic and if left untreated can progress to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Thailand is endemic for HBV and HCC is one of the top five cancers, causing deaths among Thai HBV-infected males. A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) at the KIF1B gene locus, rs17401966, has been shown to be strongly associated with the development of HBV-related HCC. However, there are no Thai data on genotypic distribution and allele frequencies of rs17401966. Thai HBV patients seropositive for HBsAg (n=398) were therefore divided into two groups: a case group (chronic HBV with HCC; n=202) and a control group (HBV carriers without HCC; n=196). rs17401966 was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and analyzed by direct nucleotide sequencing. The genotypic distribution of rs174019660 for homozygous major genotype (AA), heterozygous minor genotype (AG) and homozygous minor genotype (GG) in the case group was 49.5% (n=100), 40.1% (n=81) and 10.4% (n=21), respectively, and in controls was 49.5% (n=97), 42.3% (n=83) and 8.2% (n=16). Binary logistic regression showed that rs17401966 was not statistically associated with the risk of HCC development in Thai chronic HBV patients (p-value=0.998, OR=1.00 and 95% CI=0.68-1.48). In conclusion, the KIF1B gene SNP (rs174019660) investigated in this study showed no significant association with HBV-related HCC in Thai patients infected with HBV, indicating that there must be other mechanisms or pathways involved in the development of HCC.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.591-595
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• 2016

The liver is one of the most common sites of cancer in the world, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) predominating. Chronic hepatitis B virus infection (CHB) is considered as an important potential risk factors for HCC. Different people have diverse responses to HBV infection regarding the likelihood of HCC development, and host factors such as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) might account for this. The present study was conducted to evaluate any association between SNP frequencies in two genes, XRCC4 (rs1805377) and ATF6 (rs2070150), and the risk of CHB and HCC development in Thai patients. The study covered 369 subjects including 121 HCC patients, 141 with chronic hepatitis B virus infection (CHB) and 107 healthy controls. With TaqMan real-time PCR, the results showed that no significant association between XRCC4 (rs1805377) and ATF6 (rs2070150) and risk of HCC in the Thai population. From this first study of the 2 polymorphisms and HCC in Thailand it can concluded that rs1805377 and rs2070150 polymorphisms may not be applicable as genetic markers in the Thai population for HCC assessment.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.15
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• pp.6457-6461
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• 2015

MicroRNAs directly and indirectly influence many biological processes such as apoptosis, cell maintenance, and immune responses, impacting on tumor genesis and metastasis. They modulate gene expression at the posttranscriptional level and are associated with progression of liver disease. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a cancer which mostly occurs in males. There are many factors affect HCC development, for example, hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), co-infection, environmental factors including alcohol, aflatoxin consumption and host-related factors such as age, gender immune response, microRNA and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Chronic infection with the hepatitis B virus is the major factor leading to HCC progression since it causes the liver injury. At present, there are many reports regarding the association of SNPs on miRNAs and the HCC progression. In this research, we investigated the role of miR-149 (rs2292832) and miR-101-1 (rs7536540) with HCC progression in Thai population. The study included 289 Thai subjects including 104 HCC patients, 90 patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection (CHB) and 95 healthy control subjects. The allele and genotype of rs2292832 and rs7536540 polymorphisms were determined by TaqMan real-time PCR assay. Our results revealed no significant association between miR-149 (rs2292832) and miR-101-1 (rs7536540) and the risk of HCC in our Thai population. However, this research is the first study of miR-149 (rs2292832) and miR-101-1 (rs7536540) in HCC in Thai populations and the results need to be confirmed with a larger population.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Tobacco Science
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.29-38
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• 2009

Although prion diseases, a group of fatal neurodegenerative diseases of human and animals, are presumed to be caused by several mechanisms including abnormal change of prion protein, oxidative stress is still believed to play a central role in development of the diseases. Cigarette smoking has a few beneficial effects on neuronal diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease despite of many detrimental effects. In this study, we investigated how chronic cigarette smoking could exert such beneficial effect against oxidative damage. For this study, homogenates of 87V scrapie-infected brain was inoculated on intracerebral system of IM mice through stereotaxic microinjection and biochemical properties concerning with oxidative stress were examined. The scrapie infection decreased the activity of mitochondrial Mn-containing superoxide dismutase by 50% of the control, meanwhile the effects on other antioxidant enzymes including Cu or Zn-containing superoxide dismutase were not significant. Additionally, the infection elevated superoxide level as well as monoamine oxide-B (MAO-B) in the infected brain. Interestingly, many of the detrimental effects were improved in partial or significantly by long-term cigarette smoke exposure (CSE). CSE not only completely prevented the generation of mitochondrial superoxide but also significantly (p<0.05) decreased the elevated mitochondrial MAO-B activity in the infected brain. Concomitantly, CSE prevented subsequent protein oxidation and lipid peroxidation caused by scrapie infection; however, it did not affect the activities of antioxidant enzymes. These results suggest that chronic exposure of cigarette smoke contribute to in part preventing the progress of neurodegeneration caused by scrapie infection.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.311-318
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• 2020

Chronic hepatitis B viral (HBV) infection remains a major health threat, especially in high-prevalence areas. Most infants infected by mother-to-infant HBV transmission become chronic carriers. In Taiwan, many important preventive interventions have been implemented to block the perinatal transmission of HBV in the past 35 years. The first nationwide universal HBV vaccination program was launched in Taiwan in July 1984. The three-dose HBV vaccine completion rate reached 98.1% in 2018. The prevalence of Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) decreased from 9.8% in pre-vaccinated period in 1984 to 0.5% in the vaccinated cohort in 2014. The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in children aged 6-9 years significantly declined from 0.52 to 0.13 per 100,000 children born before and after 1984, respectively. Furthermore, we have performed a maternal HBV screening program during pregnancy since 1984, with the screening rate peaked at 93% in 2012. The HBsAg- and HBeAg-seropositive rate in pregnant women declined from 13.4% and 6.4% in 1984-1985 to 5.9% and 1.0% in 2016, respectively. To closely control perinatal HBV infection, we have administered hepatitis B immunoglobulin immediately after birth and checked the serum level of HBsAg and anti-HBs in high-risk babies born to HBsAg-seropositive mothers, irrespective of their HBeAg status, since July 2019. We have also adopted short-term antiviral treatments such as tenofovir 300 mg daily in the third trimester for highly viremic mothers and reduced the perinatal infection rates from 10.7 to 1.5%. Through all these efforts, we expect to meet the global goal of eliminating HBV infection by 2030.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.176-183
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• 1999

Chronic osteomyelitis have been treated with wound dressing and antibiotics therapy often results in healing but foul odor pus discharges from the fibrotic soft tissues reactivates and requires appropriate control of the infection. Debridement of the wound, curettage and sequestrectomy, bone graft and immediate free flap transplantation is the curative protocol for the chronic osteomyelitis in the lower extremity. Authors have treated 7 cases of chronic osteomyelitis in the lower extremity with microsurgical free tissue transplantation at Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Chonbuk National University Hospital from December 1993 through February 1998. The results are as follows. 1. The chronic osteomyelitis occurred in tibial shaft in 4 cases, in calcaneus 2 cases and in femur 1 case. 2. Duration of the chronic osteomyelitis was at average 31.6 years. 3. Squamous cell carcinoma in the surrounding fibrotic tissue was biopsied in 1 case. 4. 4 cases had no trauma and occurred through hematogenous infection and 3 cases had fracture trauma. 5. Wound debridement and immediate free muscle transplantation had done in 5 cases and wound debridement, sequestrectomy and immediate free muscle transplantation in 2 cases. 6. Rectus abdominis muscle transplantation had peformed in 4 cases(57.1%), latissimus dorsi mucle 1 case(14.3%), latissimus dorsi myocutaneous 1 case(14.3%) and gracilis 1 case (14.3%). 6 cases of 7 were success(85.7%). 7. 1 case of failed latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap in thigh had done above knee amputation and 1 case of chronic posttraumatic osteoarthritis of the ankle joint had done below knee amputation at other hospital.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.2093-2097
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• 2016

Background: HCV is a major global health problem. IL-27 is a member of the IL-6/IL-12 cytokine family with a broad range of anti-inflammatory properties. Recent studies highlighted the effect of a SNP in the IL-27 promoter region on modulating the progression of infectious diseases and individual responses to therapy. Aim of the work: The present study investigated the potential role of (-964 A/G) SNP in the promoter region of IL-27p28 gene (alleles rs153109) on the outcome of HCV infection among genotype 4a infected patients. Materials and Methods: HCV genotyping confirmed that all of the HCV-infected patients had genotype 4a infection. Genomic DNA was extracted from 111 patients with chronic HCV infection, 42 spontaneous resolvers (SR) and 16 healthy controls. IL- 27p28.rs153109 genotyping was assessed using PCR-RFLP then confirmed by DNA sequencing. Results: The frequency of IL-27-p28.rs153109AA, AG, and GG genotypes among chronically infected subjects were 74.8 %, 25.2%, and 0% while among the SR, they were 57.1%, 35.7%, and 7.14%, respectively. Our data show the unique presence of G/G genotype in the SR group (3 patients; 7.14%). Moreover, the "G" allele frequencies among chronic and resolved subjects were 12.6% and 25.0%, respectively (p=0.0136). Importantly, subjects with the GG genotype were more likely to clear their HCV infection than those with the AA genotype (p=0.0118). Conclusions: HCV genotype 4a subjects with the IL-27-p28.rs153109 A/G and G/G genotype were more likely to clear their HCV infection. Therefore, we propose IL- 27p28.rs153109SNPas a genetic biomarker for predicting HCV infection outcome.