Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) has not played a large role in the surveillance of hepatocellular carcinoma due to inadequate sensitivity and specificity for active chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of AFP in small hepatocellular carcinomas after hepatitis C virus eradication to determine the optimal cutoff value. We conducted a case-control s...

BACKGROUND Total serum immunoglobulin (IgE) test is usually performed to aid in the diagnosis of allergic diseases, but its reference values may vary among people of different ethnic backgrounds. OBJECTIVES To establish reference values of total IgE in Asian children and to assess their significance in the diagnosis of atopy and allergic diseases. STUDY DESIGN 1321 Asian children aged 5-18 ...

INTRODUCTION Measurements of eosinophils in induced sputum and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) are noninvasive biomarkers for assessing airway inflammation phenotypes in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Nevertheless, the clinical application of the correlation between FeNO levels and sputum eosinophilia is controversial. The study aimed to investigate the correlation and pre...

A loss of potency as one ascends a homologous series of compounds (cutoff effect) is often used to map the dimensions of binding sites on a protein target. The implicit assumption of steric hindrance is rarely confirmed with direct binding measurements, yet other mechanisms for cutoff exist. We studied the binding and effect of a series of n-alkanols up to hexadecanol (C16) on two model protein...

Objective: To evaluate the effect of dialysis and kidney transplantation on serum levels of several tumor markers such as PSA, AFP, CA125, CA19- 9, CA15-3, CEA and to compare with normal age matched controls. Methods: Between September of 2000 and July of 2001, the following tumor markers: PSA, AFP, CA125, CA19-9, CA15-3 and CEA were measured by ELISA Method in 29 hemodialyzed patients (group A...

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic significance of CA-125 for endometriosis without ovarian endometriomas. METHODS Preoperative serum CA-125 levels were measured in 775 consecutive women diagnosed by laparoscopy or laparotomy with endometriosis, adenomyosis, leiomyomas, or normal pelvis. RESULTS Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that the ...

OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to determine the reliability of body mass index based (BMI) cutoff values in diagnosing obesity among Sri Lankan children. METHODS Height, weight, waist circumference (WC) and hip circumference (HC) in 282 children were measured. Total body water was determined by deuterium dilution and fat mass (FM) derived using age and gender specific constants. A percent...

OBJECTIVE Evidence collected in many parts of the world suggests that, compared to older students, students who are relatively younger at school entry tend to have worse academic performance and lower levels of income. This study examined how relative age in a grade affects suicide rates of adolescents and young adults between 15 and 25 years of age using data from Japan. METHOD We examined i...

INTRODUCTION Confirming abstinence during smoking cessation clinical trials is critical for determining treatment effectiveness. Several biological methods exist for verifying abstinence (e.g., exhaled carbon monoxide [CO], cotinine), and while cotinine provides a longer window of detection, it is not easily used in trials involving nicotine replacement therapy. The Society for Research on Nico...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effectiveness of mass screening of newborns for congenital hypothyroidism of central origin (CH-C) by measurement of free thyroxine (FT(4)) and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). DESIGN Questionnaire-based survey of CH-C patients born between 1999 and 2008 in Kanagawa prefecture, Japan. METHODS TSH and FT(4) levels in dried blood spots on filter paper were measured...