Polarization properties of cube-corner retroreflectors and their effects on signal strength and nonlinearity in heterodyne interferometers.

The polarization properties of solid-state cube-corner retroreflectors, which are uncoated glass or metal-coated glass on the reflecting surfaces, are examined analytically and compared. Experimental verifications are presented for the case of linearly polarized incident light. When the uncoated cube-corner is used in a heterodyne interferometer, the polarization properties reveal that the axial orientation of the corner reflector has an effect on the strength of the beat signal and the nonlinearity error.

In vitro induction of differentiation by ginsenoides in F9 teratocarcinoma cells.

The aim of this study was to determine the ability of the ginsenosides, extracts of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer, to cause differentiation of F9 teratocarcinoma stem cells as a model system.

Anti-invasive activity of ursolic acid correlates with the reduced expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in HT1080 human fibrosarcoma cells.

We examined the anti-invasive activity of ursolic acid (UA) on the highly metastatic HT1080 human fibrosarcoma cell line. UA reduced tumor cell invasion through a reconstituted basement membrane in a transwell chamber. A significant down-regulation of matrix metalloproteinase-9 [MMP-9; Mr 92,000 gelatinase/type IV collagenase (gelatinase B)] by UA was detected by Northern blot analysis.

Combined cis-platinum and alpha interferon therapy of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

To evaluate the clinical efficacy of alpha-interferon(IFN-alpha) plus cis-platinum in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC). 56 inoperable patients with HCC were divided into IFN-alpha plus cis-platinum treated group (n = 30) and no antitumor therapy group (n = 26). The survival of IFN-alpha plus cis-platinum treated patients was significantly better than that of patients who received no antitumor therapy (p = 0.

Expression of insulin-like growth factor II in chronic hepatitis B, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma.

In this study we investigated the expression of insulin-like growth factor II (IGf-II) to explain a role for this growth factor in concert with hepatitis B virus (HBV) involvement in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) from chronic hepatitis type B (CAH-B) and liver cirrhosis (LC). The expressions of IGF-II and HBsAg were tested in tissue samples from 38 patients with CAH-B, 32 with LC, and 31 with HCC, by immunohistochemical staining using monoclonal anti IGF-II and anti HBs. All patients were seropositive for the presence of HBsAg.

Cytochemical localization of the acetone-inducible cytochrome P-450 isoform, CYP2E1, in murine colonic epithelium.

Immunolocalization of a toxicologically important cytochrome P-450 isoform, the alcohol-inducible CYP2E1, was examined in mouse colon. Male CD-1 mice (30-40 g) were exposed to acetone (1% v/v), a potent inducer of hepatic CYP2E1, in drinking water for 14 days. Tissue sections were fixed in 1% paraformaldehyde and incubated with anti-rat CYP2E1 polyclonal antibody.

Differential expression of transforming growth factor alpha and insulin-like growth factor II in chronic active hepatitis B, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.

In the present study we investigated the expression of transforming growth factor alpha and insulin-like growth factor II to explain the role of these growth factors in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma from chronic active hepatitis B and cirrhosis. The expression of transforming growth factor alpha and insulin-like growth factor II was tested in 38 tissue samples from patients with chronic active hepatitis B, 32 cirrhosis and 31 hepatocellular carcinoma, by immunohistochemical staining using monoclonal anti-transforming growth factor alpha and anti-insulin-like growth factor II. All patients were seropositive for HBsAg.

Prevalence of hepatitis C antibody in patients with chronic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma in Korea.

To investigate the contribution of hepatitis C virus (HCV) to chronic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Korea, antibodies to HCV (anti-HCV) were tested by enzyme immunoassay in 1759 patients with chronic liver disease and HCC, and in 808 healthy adults. The prevalence of anti-HCV was 1.6% in 808 controls.

Metal affinity engineering of proinsulin carrying genetically attached (His)10-X-Met affinity tail and removal of the tag by cyanogen bromide.

An E. coli expression clone coding for human proinsulin, which was fused to NH2-terminal beta-galactosidase, was engineered for the separation from host proteins by introducing peptide devices, and for the sequential removal of the fused polypeptide by cyanogen bromide in front of the NH2 terminal residue (methionine) of the human proinsulin gene. Short synthetic genes encoding oligopeptide residues including (Glu)n, (His)n, (Trp)n, and (Ser)n (n = 10 or 11), which have certain characteristic physical properties such as metal-affinity, polarity, hydrophobicity, and hydrophilicity, respectively, were inserted at the junction region of the gene fusion.

A case of agenesis of the right lobe of the liver.

Agenesis of the right lobe of the liver is a rare congenital anomaly and only 29 cases have been reported in the literature. We encountered a patient with this anomaly diagnosed by ultrasonography, Computed tomography (CT), hepatobiliary scintigraphy, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and celiac angiography. The radiological findings, differential diagnosis, and clinical significance of this anomaly are reviewed.

Effect of multiple scattering on the intensity fluctuation of speckle backscattered from a randomly rough metal surface.

In laser speckle backscattered to the far field from a randomly rough metal surface the effect of multiple scattering on the intensity fluctuation g((2))(0) is investigated. The s-polarized (perpendicular to the incidence plane) laser beam is incident with an angle of -30 degrees on the slowly rotating ground glass. The ground surface is aluminum coated, and the angular distributions of the mean intensity and the g((2))(0) of the dynamic speckle are measured.

Effect of adenine arabinoside and alpha-interferon in patients with HBeAg-positive chronic active hepatitis.

To evaluate and compare the therapeutic efficacy of adenine arabinoside (Ara-A) and alpha-interferon (alpha-INF), 40 patients with biopsy proven chronic active hepatitis B were chosen at random to receive Ara-A (15 mg/Kg, iv, for 10 day) or alpha-INF (3 million unit, sc, every other day for 12 wks) and followed up to 12 months after completion of the therapy. All patients were HBeAg positive. The clinical effects of Ara-A and alpha-INF on seroconversion of HBeAg positive.

Relationship between T-lymphocyte subsets and suppressor cell activity in patients with chronic active hepatitis B.

Thirty-nine patients with chronic HBV infection and 38 normal persons were investigated by simultaneous assay of T suppressor cell function and enumeration of T-lymphocyte subsets by monoclonal antibodies. In patients with chronic active hepatitis B (CAH-B), T suppressor cell activity (17.8 +/- 8.

Immunological studies in patients with HBsAg-positive chronic active hepatitis--spontaneous lymphocyte transformation and natural killer cell activity.

The present study was to address the nature of cells which are responsible for enhanced spontaneous lymphocyte transformation (SLT) observed in patients with HBsAg-positive chronic active hepatitis (CAH). The subjects consisted of 34 cases with HBsAg-positive CAH (group I), 31 HBsAg carrier (group II), and 27 normal persons (group III) who had no serological evidence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. SLT values and the number of cells bearing HLA-DR antigens in group I (1021.

A comparative study of blood pressure and sodium intake in Belgium and in Korea.

A comparative blood pressure and sodium excretion were higher in Korea than in Belgium. By multiple regression and covariance analysis an independent positive association between sodium and blood pressure and a negative correlation between potassium and blood pressure were found in some population subgroups and in the total population studied in Korea. In Belgium a positive association between sodium and blood pressure was found when higher powers of age, height, weight and sodium were included in the analysis.