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Research Article
ScienceAsia 25 (1999) : 127-132 |doi: 10.2306/scienceasia1513-1874.1999.25.127
A Study of Strength Activity Index of Ground Coarse Fly Ash with Portland Cement
Yong Poovorawana,*, Apiradee Theamboonlersa, Podchanad Jantaradsameea, Nopparat Kaew-ina, Petra Hirscha, Pisit Tangkijvanichb and Pinit Kullavanijayac
ABSTRACT: In Thailand, hepatitis B virus infection along with its fatal sequelae liver cirrhosis and
hepatocellular carcinoma constitutes a public health burden of endemic proportions. The second phase
of the infection is usually characterized by cessation of HBV DNA replication and seroconversion to
anti-HBe. However, persistent viremia with active liver disease has been encountered in some anti-HBe
positive patients, a discrepancy explained by mutations in the precore/core region of the viral genome.
The resulting failure to synthesize HBeAg may help the virus evade immune clearance, while HBV
replication and expression of HBcAg proceed unchecked. Discreet types of mutation in the precore/core
region have been found at varying prevalence depending on the predominant HBV genotype in the
respective geographical areas. The purpose of the present study has been to elucidate both prevalence
and type along with the nucleotide positions of the mutations prevailing among Thai chronic hepatitis
patients. We subjected 68 patients to serological tests for HBeAg, as well as semi-nested PCR with
subsequent DNA sequencing. HBV DNA was detected in 87.5% of HBeAg positive and 40.9 % of HBeAg
negative patients, respectively. Mutations in the core promoter amounted to 28.6 % in HBeAg positive
and 75% in HBeAg negative patients, in the start codon of the precore gene to 37.5% and in codon 28 to
18.8% in HBeAg negative patients. Our results have shown mutations affecting the core promoter of
HBeAg to be by far the most prevalent in Thai patients, followed by mutations of the start codon whereas
those changing codon 28 into a stop codon are less frequently encountered than has been reported from
other areas indicating a distinct HBV genotype prevailing in Thailand.
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a Viral Hepatitis Research Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Chulalongkorn University & Hospital, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
b Department of Biochemistry, Chulalongkorn University & Hospital, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
c Department of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University & Hospital, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
* Corresponding author: Tel +66-2-256 4909 Fax +662-256 4929 E-mail Yong.P@chula.ac.th
Received 4 Feb 1999.
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