Necro-Inflammation and Fibrosis P. Siddappa 1 , P. Kar 1 , B. Das 2 , R. Gondal 1 , M. Asim 1 1 Maulana Azad Medical College, 2 ICPO, New Delhi, India Background: Chronic hepatitis B(CHB) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality. Methods: Pilot study involving 30 patients of CHB, were equally randomized to receive either Adefovir or Lamivudine for 6 months. Quantification of serum and hepatic HBV DNA levels by Real time PCR and liver biopsy done at start and end of 6 months. Results: After 6 months there was significant and comparable reduction in Serum and hepatic HBV DNA viral load and liver biopsy showed significant reductions in HAI scores in both the groups. Serum ALT which was elevated to 2 or more times normalized in both the groups. In the Adefovir group 2 patients became HBeAg negative and 2 patients who were HbeAg negative at the start of therapy remained so. In the Lamivudine group one patient became HBeAc negative and 2 patients who were negative at the start of therapy remained so. In the Adefovir group 4 patients became HBV DNA (qualitative test) and in the Lamivudine group 2 patients became HBV DNA negative. There was strong correlation between serum and hepatic HBV DNA levels both before and after the completion of therapy. Conclusion: Both the drugs bring about biochemical, histological and serological improvement with significant reduction in viral load in serum liver after 6 months without complete clearance of virus. There was not enough evidence to show therapeutic advantage of one drug over the other. The serum and hepatic HBV DNA levels correlate well with eachother before and after treatment. Aim: Assessing efficacy and safety of treatment of chronic hepatitis B in children with pegylated IFN. Materials and Methods: 13 children (9 boys and 4 girls) aged 11-17 years with CHB treated with PEG-IFN alfa-2a, 100 g/m 2 /week during 48 weeks, 5 HBeAg-positive and 8 HBeAg-negative children, 4 previously treated with recombinant interferon. No child had liver disease greater than grade 2, stage 2. Serum HBV DNA was quantified at baseline, TW 4, ("RVR") TW 24, TW 48 (ETR) and W 72 (SVR) with RT PCR method (Roche TaqMan). ALT activity, haematology and adverse events were monitored. Results: After 4 weeks treatment median HBV DNA level decreased from 7.8x10 3 IU/mL at baseline to 1.43x10 2 IU/mL (p<0.01). "RVR" -undetectable HBV DNA at TW4 was observed in 6/13 children and associated with lower pretreatment ALT levels <25 IU and pretreatment viral load <750 IU/mL. All children with "RVR" were HBeAg-negative pretreatment. At TW 24 and TW 48 seven children including all with "RVR" had undetectable HBV DNA. 5 children achieved SVR (undetectable serum HBV DNA in W 72), among them 3 with "RVR". In 2/6 children with "RVR" HBsAg disappearance was observed since TW 48. Leukopenia was reported in 7 children, thrombocytopenia in 3. No adverse events were observed following dose modifications. Conclusions: 1. PEG-IFNalfa-2a is a good therapeutic option for children with CHB, in particular with HBeAg-negative CHB 2. Low pretreatment viral load and "RVR" seem to be predictive factors of efficient therapy. control by investigating the sanitizing modes among appliances used in the public service places (PSP) and HBsAg among appliances and practitioners worked in those places. Methods: 63 beauty parlors, barber shops and bathing centers selected by stratified randomization sampling, 682 workers were investigated in questionnaire. The HBsAg in appliances of PSP and employee was detected by RIA. Results: The rate of HBsAg among appliances of PSP was 2.13%. The rate of HBsAg in large-, medium-and small-sized appliances was 0.63%, 2.67% and 3.70%. The rate of HBsAg has different( 2=6.68 P 0.05). The rate of HBsAg among appliances of beauty parlors, barbering shops and footbath inns was 2.97%, 0.61% and 3.42%. Different appliances had different rate of HBsAg, such as the rate of acne needle and the forceps was 5.13% and 4.17%. The positive of HBsAg amongworkers in PSP was 7.13%. The rate of HBsAg among workers in large-, medium-and small-sized PSP was 7.34%, 8.33% and 2.94%. The rate of HBsAg among workers in beauty parlors, barbering shops, footbath inns and bathing centers was 9.01%, 6.37%, 4.35% and 7.29%. The HBsAg rate among workers was different in different works, the rate was higher in tattoo workers (13.33%), pedicures workers (12.68%), Massagists (8.03%). Conclusions: It is important to enhance the sanitizing management in PSP and improve workers KAP) of HepB. And we should promote health education to enhance the knowledge of Hepatitis B control and build up supervision consciousness. Background: Integration of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA into host chromosomes is often found in chronic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma, which is likely an early event of HBV-related carcinogenesis. However, the molecular mechanism of integration remains unclear. Here we describe a potential mechanism of HBV integration and identify that Ku70 and Ku80, the gatekeepers of non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) repair pathway, can serve as targets for anti-hepatitis virus integration. Methods: Using I-Sce endonuclease-based system, we induced a DNA double-strand break (DSB) in human hepatoma cell line HuH-7. The cells were then incubated with serum from patients with chronic HBV infection. PCR amplification and direct sequencing were used to detect the inserted sequence in the site of DSB. Finally, we employed TaqMan-based real-time PCR assay to quantify the integrated HBV DNA and evaluate the effects of shRNA on HBV integration. Result: When HuH-7 were exposed to viral serum and incubated for several days, HBV DNA was detected in integrated form at the exact site of DNA damage. Furthermore, small interference RNA (siRNA) targeted against gatekeeper genes for NHEJ can down-regulate NHEJ repair and even the frequency of HBV integration. Conclusion: Thus, this project provided us with the first direct evidence that DNA double-strand breaks are potential targets for HBV integration. The study has also shown that shRNAs targeted against gatekeeper genes for NHEJ can regulate the frequency of HBV integration. Objective: To screen proteins of human pancreas cDNA library interacting with HBsAg protein. Methods: The library was amplifed, purified and evaluated, and then the puried library plasmids were transformed into yeast strain Y187. The reconstructed plasmid pGBKT7-HBsAg was transformed into yeast strain AH109 and screened on the nutrient deficiency medium SD/-Trp. The transformed AH109 mated with Y187 containing the library plasmid. The diploid yeast cells were plated on nutrient deficiency medium SD/-Trp/-Leu/-His/-Ade and SD/-Trp/-Leu/-His/-Ade containing X--gal for selecting. The plasmids in diploid yeast cells were extracted and electrotransformed into E.coli DH5 . The plasmids in DH5 were extracted, sequenced and analyzed by bioinformatic methods. Results: Sixteen proteins interacting with HBsAg were founded. Conclusions: These results show that HBsAg protein may be related with metabolism of glucose and lipid.