• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.56-62
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• 2000

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and histologic changes of interferon-alfa therapy on chronic hepatitis B virus infection in children. Patients and Methods: Thirty five children aged 3~16 years who were seropositive for HBV DNA, HBsAg and HBeAg were enrolled. Interferon-alfa 2a ($3.4\;MU/m^2$) were given for 6 months. Serologic markers of viral replication was evaluated 1 year after therapy. Post treatment liver biopsy was performed in 18 patients who showed serologic response. Results: Serum HBeAg and viral DNA became negative in 22 (63%) of treated children at 12 months after therapy. Serum aminotransferase levels normalized in all of the responders and HBsAg became negative in one responder. Horizontal transmission, serum aminotransferase levels more than twice normal, and active inflammation on liver biopsy were predictive factors for response to interferon therapy. Periportal piecemeal necrosis, lobular activity, portal inflammation, fibrosis, and total histologic activity index were reduced in responders. Conclusion: In children with chronic hepatitis B, interferon alfa promotes loss of viral replication and improves aminotransferase. Serologic response is associated with improvement in hepatic histology.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.56 no.7
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• pp.286-290
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• 2013

Purpose: Although chronic and recurrent rhinosinusitis is prevalent in children, little is known about its causes. Here, we investigated the humoral immunity in children with chronic or recurrent rhinosinusitis. Methods: We examined 16 children attending the outpatient clinic at the CHA Bundang Medical Center including 11 boys and 5 girls, aged 3-11 years (mean age, 5.6 years), who had rhinosinusitis for >3 months or >3 times per year. The complete blood count with differential and total serum concentrations of Immunoglobulin (Ig) E, IgA, IgD, IgM, IgG, and IgG subclasses ($IgG_1$, $IgG_2$, $IgG_3$, and $IgG_4$) of all children were measured. All subjects received 23-polysaccharide pneumococcal vaccination (PPV), and the levels of antibodies to 5 serologic types (4, 6B, 14, 18C, and 23F) of pneumococcal capsular polysaccharide antigens were measured before and after vaccination. Post-PPV antibody titers ${\geq}0.35{\mu}g/mL$ or with a ${\geq}4$-fold increase were considered as positive responses. Results: The titers of IgG, IgA, IgD, and IgM were within normal range in all 16 children, whereas the total IgE concentration was higher than normal in 2 children. $IgG_1$ deficiency was observed in 1 patient and $IgG_3$ deficiency in 3. After PPV, 1 patient failed to respond to all 5 serologic types, 2 failed to respond to 4 serologic types, and 2 failed to respond to 3 serologic types. Conclusion: Clinicians should consider the evaluation of humoral immune functions in children with chronic or recurrent rhinosinusitis who do not respond to prolonged antibiotic treatment.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2000.11a
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• pp.264-265
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• 2000

Helicobacter pylori(H. pylori) is the causative agent of chronic gastritis and the single most important factor in peptic ulcer disease, however, the pathogenetic mechanisms underlying H, pylori infection are not well understood. Futhermore, there is a strong association between H. pylori infection and gastric cancer. Various diagnostic methods for detecting H. pylori infection are available. These can be divided into invasive methods, requiring endoscopy, and non-invasive tests, mainly 13C-urea breath tests and serologic detection of antibodies. Rapid urease test is the most recommendable endoscopic test for the diagnosis of H. pylori infection, presently. CLO test kit is the represent of rapid urease test kits. The principles of CLO test kit is that hydrolysis of urea by urease Is detected by a dye indicators showing a color change. Our device is used same principle but we improved the reaction time is more faster and positive color change is more distinctive from the color of the negative specimen. So, this kit is more reliable because it response faster and accuracy.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.71-75
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• 2008

The diagnosis of cryptosporidiosis has been carried out using coprologic techniques in the Republic of Korea. However, antibody responses to Cryptosporidium have rarely been studied. Serum antibodies from HIV-positive/oocyst-positive Korean patients recognized significantly 31 and 27 kDa antigens, and HIV-negative/oocyst-positive individuals clearly reacted to 15/17 kDa antigens. Compared with oocyst-positive cases, 18.7% and 75.8% of sera from HIV-positive patients reacted to 31 and 27 kDa antigens. Only 11.1% of HIV-negative individuals reacted to 15/17 kDa. Based on these findings, serum antibody responses were different between HIV-positive and HIV-negative individuals infected with Cryptosporidium, and it is suggested that HIV-positive patients are more frequently exposed to C. parvum compared to HIV-negative individuals.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.355-362
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• 1991

A total of 2,580 sera of the patients who were consulted to the serology laboratory of the Seoul National University Hospital were collected in 1990. The sera were screened by micro-ELISA to detect IgG antibody reacting with Pneumocystis carinii antigen. The absorbances were 0.00 to 1.41 and mean 0.27±0.253. As the positive criterion was set absorbance 0.2 or more with 70% sensitivity, total positive rate was 44.4oA. Mean absorbances and positive rates were higher in children than in adults; 0.40 and 62.9% in 0 year group, 0.50 and 81.2% in 1 year group, 0.41 and 66.0% in 2-3 year group, 0.33 and 61.4% in 4-5 year group, 0.25 and 42.3% in 6-10 year group respectively. In the age groups over 11 years, the absorbances were in range of 0.16 to 0.23 and the positive rates were 26.1% to 41.5%. The present level of absorbances and positive rates could be regarded similar with those in normal Korean population. The present findings suggest that most humans are exposed to Pneumocystis within 2 years after birth and meet much less new antigenic challenge after 11 years in Korea.

• Annals of Rehabilitation Medicine
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.822-832
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• 2018

Objective To determine the socio-demographic, psychologic, hematologic, or other relevant factors associated with hand grip strength in Korean farmers. Methods A total of 528 healthy Korean farmers were enrolled. Hand grip strength was measured in both hands using a hydraulic dynamometer. Socio-demographic characteristics were assessed and anthropometric measurements were obtained. Psycho-cognitive measurements such as sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) and Go/No-Go test response time were conducted. In addition to physical measurements, serologic parameters including insulin-like growth factor 1 were measured. The factors associated with hand grip strength were analyzed using multiple linear regression analysis after adjusting for age, height, and weight. Results The mean hand grip strength was associated with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index total score (${\beta}=-0.12$, p=0.01), the Go/No-Go test response time (${\beta}=-0.18$, p=0.001), vitamin D (${\beta}=0.12$, p=0.02), and insulin-like growth factor 1 levels (${\beta}=0.1$, p=0.045). In female farmers, hand grip strength was only associated with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index total score (${\beta}=-0.32$, p<0.001). Conclusion The results of this study demonstrate that hand grip strength was associated with sleep quality and attention in Korean farmers.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.101-106
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• 1995

Soluble protein of purified Pneumocvstis cnrinii was prepared from experimentally infected rats. SDS-PAGE of the crude antigen resolved about 20 protein bands from 20 to 200 kDa. Out of thenl, 116 kDa band strongly reacted and 45-55 and 100 kDa bands reacted weakly to the positive reference human serum from U.S.A. Western blot analysis with sera of 130 normal children and 15 newborns in Korea revealed specific IgG antibody reaction to 40-55 and 116 kDa protein bands. Forty percent (40.0%) of the 145 sera were positive with any of the antigenic protein bands of R corinii. The positive rate was 56% in 50 males and 33.3% in 48 females. The protein bands 40-55 and 116 kDa from rat P. carinii were confirmed to cross-react with human sera in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.181-186
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• 1996

The present study was conducted to investigate the biochemical and serologic characteristic of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae isolated from pneumonic lungs of pigs during the period from January 1992 to April 1993. A pleuropneumoniae was isolated from 17(27.0%) of 63 growing pigs with respiratory signs and 21(6.4%) of 330 pneumonic lungs of slaughtered pigs. The seasonal isolation frequency of A pleuropneumoniae was higher in winter and spring than that in summer or fall. The biochemical and cultural properties of A pleluropneumoniae isolated from the pneumonic lungs of pigs were identical to those of the reference strains used. The isolates were highly susceptible to ampicillin, cephalothin, ceftiofur, ciprofloxacin(MIC : ${\leq}0.39{\mu}g/ml$) and moderately susceptible to amikacin, chloramphenicol, erythromycin, kanamycin, methicillin, penicillin-G, streptomycin(MIC : 0.78~25IU or ${\mu}g/ml$), respectively. Sulfadimethoxine, sulfamerazine, tylosine showed no response to the isolates(MIC : ${\geq}100{\mu}g/ml$). Among the 38 isolates, 21(55.3%) and 13(34.2%) were resistant to oxytetracycline aid lincomydn, respectively(MIC : ${\geq}50IU$ or ${\mu}g/ml$). The majority of 38 A pleuropneumoniae isolates were turned out as serotype 2(47.4%) or serotype 5(54.7%) and the remaining 3 isolates were evenly classified to serotype 7, 10 or 12. It was noted A pleuropneumonine serotype 5 isolates were more resistant to oxytetracycline than serotype 2 isolates.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.93-96
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• 2005

Background: Myasthenia gravis (MG) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are well recognized to coexist and have some similarities in immunologic, clinical and serologic findings. Despite several reports of the association with autoantibodies and thymectomy in these disorders, the pathomechanism of coexistence remains to be elucidated. Objective: We aimed to investigate the relationship of MG and SLE through overall features of patients with both disorders;: clinical, laboratory, and electrophysiological findings. Materials and Methods: We reviewed the medical records of 6 consecutive patients with MG and SLE (2 men, 4 women, ages 17-51, mean 30.5 years, Seoul National University Hospital, from 1998 to 2005). Results: Three patients who developed SLE first, had ocular type of MG and 2 were children showing much severe and recurrent SLE features and only 1 patient had thymic hyperplasia. The other 3 developed MG first and they were generalized type and none underwent thymectomy. In addition, the development of MG or SLE was not coincident with remission or improvement of another disorder. Conclusion: The coexistence of SLE and MG may support the hypothesis of two different antibody populations modulated by thymus in the opposite extremesThis report suggests that the systemic and extensive autoimmune response in preceding MG or SLE may effect the development of the other disorder followed, while. the coexistence of two disorders cannot be explained by the hypothesis of two different antibody populations modulated by thymus in the opposite extremes The role of thymectomy and the theorectical subsequent effect on the development of SLE have been debated with controversy. However, SLE occurred without thymectomy in MG and these disorders did not develop in the quiescent period of another disorder. Therefore, the other pathomechanism for the coexistence of MG and SLE should be elucidated.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.70-75
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• 2002

Mycoplasma pneumioniae has a unique genomic composition, cellular biology, and a fastidious nature as the smallest cell-free living organism that lacks a cell wall. Previous studies have suggested that a clinical manifestation of a M. pneumoniae infection is a consequence of a host immune response, particularly involving cellular immunity. Adenosine deaminase (ADA) is the main T-lymphocyte enzyme, and its activity is high in diseases where cellular immunity is stimulated. Therefore, its activity is useful for diagnosing a tuberculous pleural effusion. A pleural effusion is found in 5-20% of Mycoplasma pneumonia patients. However, there are few reports of high ADA activity in a mycoplasmal pleural effusion. Here we report a case of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection established by a polymerase chain reaction and serologic tests, accompanying high ADA activity in a pleural effusion.