• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.789-793
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• 2007

To evaluate the effectiveness of cupping and bloodletting therapy in the treatment of musculoskeletal diseases. Systematic searches were conducted on KSI, KISTI, DB Pia, KIOM Database, and Koreamed until January 2007 Hand-searches included conference proceedings and our own files. There were no restrictions regarding the language of journals published in Korea. Controlled trials of dry cupping, wet cupping, or blood letting for patients with musculoskeletal disease were considered for inclusion. Trials testing other forms of dry cupping therapy were included. Methodological quality was assessed by two doctors. 20 possibly relevant studies were identified and 5 studies were included. One trial tested wet cupping for ankle sprain and reported positive result. Two trials tested blood letting for low back pain, one was positive and the other one was neutral. One trial tested the types of dry cupping for low back pain, and Ki-gong cupping therapy was superior to other two types of cupping. One trial compared wet cupping with dry cupping for low back pain and the result was negative. The effectiveness of bloodletting plus acupuncture for treating patients with low back pain is superior to acupuncture in spite of low quality. One trial of wet cupping for ankle sprain had effects in reducing pain. However, I suggest that the rigorous RCTs of cupping and blood letting therapy will be conducted in well designed features.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.357-360
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• 2016

Background: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an acquired clonal frequent malignant disorder of myeloid progenitor cells. Our aim was to study demographical and clinicopathological features of adult Pakistani AML patients at presentation. Materials and Methods: In this single centre study extending from January 2010 to December 2014, data were retrieved from the patient records with a predetermined performa and analyzed with SPSS version 22. Results: Overall 125 patients were diagnosed at our institution with de novo AML during the study period. There were 76 males and 49 females (ratio 1.5:1), with an age range between 15 and 85 years and a mean age of $38.8{\pm}20.1years$. The major complaints were fever (72.8%), generalized weakness (60%), bleeding (37.6%) and dyspnea (12%). Physical examination revealed pallor in 56.8%, splenomegaly and hepatomegaly in 16% and 12.8%, respectively, and lymphodenopathy in 10.4%. The mean hemoglobin was $8.19{\pm}2.12g/dl$ with a mean MCV of $86.0{\pm}9.83fl$, a mean total leukocyte count of $43.1{\pm}68.5{\times}10^9/l$, an ANC of $3.09{\pm}6.66{\times}10^9/l$ and a mean platelet count of $62.3{\pm}78.6{\times}10^9/l$. Conclusions: AML in Pakistani patients is seen in a relatively very young population with male preponderance, compared with the west. However, clinico-pathological features appear comparable to published data.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.2307-2309
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• 2016

Background: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a malignant disease in which early lymphoid precursors proliferate and replace the normal hematopoiesis. It has distinctive clinical and biological features. In respect to adult ALL, available data from Pakistan are limited. Therefore we reviewed the demographical and clinicohematological profiles along with FAB stratification of adult patients with ALL presented at our hospital. Materials and Methods: In this cross sectional study, 51 adults (${\geq}15years$) patients with ALL were enrolled from January 2010 to December 2014. Results: The mean age was $23.8{\pm}12.9years$ with the median age of 18.0 years. The male to female ratio was 2:1. The major complaints were fever (60.7%), generalized weakness (47.0%), overt bleeding (19.6%) and weight loss (13.7%). Physical examination revealed lymphodenopathy as a predominant finding detected in 43.1% followed by splenomegaly and hepatomegaly in 23.5% and 21.5%, respectively. The mean hemoglobin level was $9.0{\pm}2.75g/dl$ with a mean MCV of $82.2{\pm}15.4fl$, a mean total leukocyte count of $31.1{\pm}64.0{\times}10^9/l$, a mean ANC of $2.1{\pm}3.0{\times}10^9/l$ and a mean platelet count of $71.7{\pm}85.7{\times}10^9/l$. According to FAB classification, 47.1% were L1 type, 45.1% L2 and 7.8% L3 variant. Conclusions: Clinico-pathological features appeared comparable to published data. Febrile illness associated with lymphodenopathy was the commonest presentation. FAB classification revealed a predominance of ALL-L1 variant in Pakistani adult patients with ALL.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.1833-1835
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• 2016

Background: Multiple myeloma (MM) is an acquired clonal B-cell malignancy which primarily affects elderly individuals with an annual incidence of approximately 1% of all malignancies. Our aim is to study demographic and clinicopathological features of adult Pakistani MM patients at presentation. Materials and Methods: This single centre retrospective study extended from January 2010 to December 2014. Data were retrieved from the patients' maintained records on predetermined performa. Results: Overall, 61 patients were diagnosed at our institution with MM during the study period. There were 43 males and 18 females. Age ranged between 34 and 81 years with a mean of $56.1{\pm}12.8$ and a median of 57 years. The male to female ratio was ~2:1. Common presenting complaints included fatigue (81.9%), backache (80.3%) and bone pain (67.2%). Physical findings revealed pallor (44.2%) as a presenting clinical feature. The mean hemoglobin value was $8.9{\pm}1.7g/dl$ with a mean MCV of $85.3{\pm}11.0fl$. Severe anemia with hemoglobin <8.5 gm/dl was seen in 40.9%. The mean total leukocyte count was $8.9{\pm}8.2{\times}10^9/l$, the ANC was $5.0{\pm}3.1{\times}10^9/l$ and the mean platelet count was $188.4{\pm}150.6{\times}10^9/l$. Conclusions: MM in Pakistani patients is seen in a relatively young population with male preponderance. The majority of patients present with symptomatic anemia and backache to seek medical attention. However, clinico-pathological features appear comparable to the published literature.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.2037-2041
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• 2015

Background: Relationships between poor prognosis of ovarian malignancies and changes in complete blood count parameters have been proposed previously. In this work, we aimed to evaluate clinicopathologic features in adolescents with adnexal masses and sought to establish any predictive value of the platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in diagnosis. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study was conducted on 196 adolescent females with adnexal masses. Three groups were constituted with respect to clinical or histopathology results: group 1, non-neoplastic patients (n:65); group 2, neoplastic patients (n:68); and group 3 expectantly managed patients (n:63). The main parameters recorded from the hospital database and patient files were age, body mass index (BMI), chief symptoms, diameter of the mass (DOM), tumor marker levels, complete blood count values including absolute neutrophil, lymphocyte, and platelet counts, mean platelet volume, platelet distribution width, and platecrit, surgical features, and postoperative histopathology results. Results: The expectantly managed patients were younger than the other groups (p=0.007). The mean body mass index (BMI) was higher in the neoplastic group (p=0.016). Preoperative DOM, CA125, mean platelet volume and PLR were statistically significantly different between the groups (p<0.05). ROC curve analysis demonstrated that increased PLR (AUC, 0.609; p=0.011) and BMI (AUC, 0.611; p=0.011) may be discriminative factors in predicting ovarian neoplasms in adolescents preoperatively. When the cut-off point for the PLR level was set to 140, the sensitivity and specificity levels were found to be 65.7% and 57.6%, respectively. Conclusions: We suggest that beside a careful preoperative evaluation including clinical characteristics, ultrasonographic features and tumor markers, PLR may predict ovarian neoplasms in adolescents.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.6527-6531
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• 2012

Purpose: Complement receptor 1 (CR1) is induced by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and may be a potential biomarker of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). We conducted the present study to evaluate the association of CR1 expression with clinicopathological features and prognosis of NPC. Methods: We enrolled 145 NPC patients and 110 controls. Expression levels of CR1 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were detected using quantitative real-time PCR and associations with clinicopathological features and prognosis were examined. Results: CR1 levels in the NPC group [3.54 (3.34, 3.79)] were slightly higher than those in the controls [3.33 (3.20, 3.47)] (P<0.001). Increased CR1 expression was associated with histology classification (type III vs. type II, P=0.002), advanced clinical stage (P=0.003), high T stage (P=0.017), and poor overall survival (HR, 4.89; 95% CI, 1.23-19.42; P=0.024). However, there were no statistically significant differences in CR1 expression among N or M stages. Conclusion: These findings indicate that CR1 expression in PBMCs may be a new biomarker for prognosis of NPC and a potential therapeutic target.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.159-162
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• 2010

Although the tail vessels are frequently used for serial blood sampling in rat, the definition of its vasculature remains in dispute. Herein, we investigated the number of blood vessels in Sprague-Dawley rat tail using angiographic and histological methods. Our results showed rat tail has one dorsal vein, two lateral veins, one ventral artery and one ventral vein. In the conclusion, when deciding which site is best for collecting blood, it is critical to consider the structure and features of the blood vessels to be used. This study will also be helpful for investigators to understand the structure of blood vessels in rat tail.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.379-393
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• 2007

The purpose of this article is to analyze the conceptual change of nine 11th graders after implementing the model-based instruction of blood circulation by multidimensional framework, and to find some implications about teaching strategies for improving conceptual understanding. The model-based instruction consisted of 4 periods: (1) introduction for inducing students' interests using an episode in the science history of blood circulation, (2) vivisectional experiment on rats, (3) visual-linguistic model instruction using the videotape of heartbeat, and (4) modeling activity on the path of blood flow. Based on the data from pre-test, post-test and interviews, we classified students' models on the path of blood flow, and investigated their ontological features and the conceptual status of blood circulation. Most students could describe the path of blood flow and the changes of substances in blood precisely after the instructions. However, the modeling activity were not sufficient to improve students' understanding of the mechanisms of the blood distribution throughout various organs and the material exchanges between blood and tissues. From the interview of 9 students, we acquired informative results about conceptual status elements that were helpful to, preventing from, or not used for students' understanding. It was also found that conceptual status of students depended on the ontological categories into which students' conceptions of blood circulation fell. The results of this study can help design the effective teaching strategy for the understanding of concept of the equilibrium category.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.72-77
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• 1984

A case of congenital malaria infection has been studied in a 46-day old female Korean infant. Her mother suffered from malaria infection during pregnancy in Uppervolta, Africa, and returned to Korea at the 9th month of gestation for delivery. At 39 days of age, the clinical features characterized by fever, irritability, pallor, jaundice and hepatosplenomegaly were developed. The laboratory data revealed a hemolytic anemia with thronbocytopenia, hyperbilirubinemia and increased hepatic enzyme values. A peripheral blood smear demonstrated intraerythrocytic malarial parasites and gametocytes of Plasmodium falciparum. She was successfully treated with quinine solfate (25mg/kg/day in three doses for 5 days) and trimethoprimejsulfamethoxazole (8mg/kg/day in two doses for 5 days) orally, and repeated blood smear had been negative for malaria. This report also signifies the first description of congenital malaria in Korea imported from Uppervolta in Africa. A brief review of related literature was made.

• Proceedings of the KOSOMBE Conference
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• v.1998 no.11
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• pp.233-234
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• 1998

The purpose of this paper is the evaluation of a permeability and blood compatibility for silicone/polypropylene combined membrane. Despite the overall good performances of polypropylene membrane, its long-lasting usage for artificial lung has been limited by serum leakage. In order to overcome this problem, we have newly fabricated polydimethylsiloxane(silicone)/polypropylene combined membrane(SPCM). SPCM has been proved to be serum leakage free in hours experimental. It has shown good long-lasting gas transfer and durability features.