Given a passage, construct a question on the basis of the information present in the passage. Construct the question in such a way that (i) it is unambiguous, (ii) it is answerable from the passage, (iii) its answer is unique (iv) it answer uses text phrases from the passage. Avoid creating questions that (i) can't be answered correctly without actually understanding the passage and (ii) uses the same words or phrases given in the passage.

The clinical significance of the hepatitis B virus core-related antigen (HBcrAg) assay in monitoring the antiviral effects of lamivudine is reviewed.', 'The HBcrAg assay simultaneously measured serum levels of hepatitis B core (HBc) and e (HBe) antigens using monoclonal antibodies which recognize common epitopes of these two denatured antigens.', 'Although serum HBcrAg levels correlated linearly with those of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA in natural course, the decrease in HBcrAg was significantly slower than in HBV DNA after initiation of lamivudine administration. We analyzed the clinical significance of HBV DNA and HBcrAg levels to predict the occurrence of lamivudine resistance. HBV DNA measurement may be useful to identify patients who are at high risk of developing lamivudine resistance, and HBcrAg measurement may help to detect patients who are at low risk of drug resistance. The measurement of HBcrAg was also found to be a useful prognosticator for reactivation of hepatitis after cessation of lamivudine administration.
Is hepatitis B core-related antigen assay useful for monitoring the antiviral effects of nucleoside analogue therapy?

The inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is associated with inflammatory processes and cancer formation through production of nitric oxide (NO). However, the clinical importance of the expression of iNOS in oral cancer remains unclear. In the present study, we examined whether up-regulation of the iNOS gene can affect growth and metastasis of an oral cancer cell line (B88t cell) in vitro and in vivo.', 'We constructed an expression vector containing sense-oriented murine iNOS cDNA with pcDNA3.1. We transfected B88t cells with the sense expression vector to up-regulate the expression of the iNOS gene in the sense transfectants.', 'The expression of iNOS protein was up-regulated in the sense transfectants and that up-regulation of the iNOS gene exerted a growth inhibitory effect on B88t cells in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, up-regulation of the iNOS gene markedly inhibited the migration of cancer cells in a Boyden chamber. Furthermore, up-regulation of the iNOS gene dramatically inhibited metastases to the cervical lymph node in vivo.
Does overexpression of iNOS gene suppress the tumorigenicity and metastasis of oral cancer cells?

A prospective radiographic analysis of deformity correction during the balloon kyphoplasty procedure.', 'To determine the spontaneous reduction of the deformity in prone position, the subsequent deformity correction by the inflatable bone tamp, and the overall deformity correction after deposition of the cement.', 'Fracture mobility has been shown to contribute to fracture reduction in vertebroplasty. Spontaneous reduction has not been taken into account in recently published series of balloon kyphoplasty, but it must be considered when performing vertebral augmentation and when reporting and interpreting the significance of vertebral height restoration.', 'A consecutive series of 39 osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures were treated in 30 patients. Lateral radiographs were taken and analyzed at six different time points: 1) Preoperative standing. During the kyphoplasty procedure, four consecutive radiographs were obtained: 2) after placing the patient in prone position on the operation table, 3) after inflation of the bone tamp (IBT), 4) after deflation and removal of the IBT, and 5) after deposition of the cement. 6) Standing lateral radiographs were taken after the procedure. All fractures were analyzed for improvement in sagittal alignment (Cobb angle, kyphotic angle, sagittal index, vertebral height), complications, and reduction of pain (VAS).', 'Placement of the patient in prone position displayed a significant spontaneous reduction in deformity of 6.5 degrees +/- 4.1 degrees Cobb angle. Inflation of the IBT demonstrated a further reduction of the fracture and a significant improvement of the Cobb angle of 3.4 degrees compared with baseline prone. After deflation and removal of the IBT and placement of the cement, no significant loss of fracture reduction was seen. Postoperative measurement of the Cobb angle by means of standing radiographs demonstrated a 3.1 degrees significant loss of reduction compared with the intraoperative measurement in prone position after cement application. Cement leaks occurred in 9 of 39 vertebral fractures. All patients subjectively reported immediate relief of their typical fracture pain. The VAS score significantly improved from 8.7 +/- 1.4 before surgery to 2.3 +/- 0.9.

Is balloon kyphoplasty effective in deformity correction of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures?