• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.22-31
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• 2011

Purpose : To compare free-breathing and respiratory-triggered diffusion-weighted imaging on 1.5-T MR system in the detection of hepatic lesions. Materials and Methods: This single-institution study was approved by our institutional review board. Forty-seven patients (mean 57.9 year; M:F = 25:22) underwent hepatic MR imaging on 1.5-T MR system using both free-breathing and respiratory-triggered diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) at a single examination. Two radiologists retrospectively reviewed respiratory-triggered and free-breathing sets (B50, B400, B800 diffusion weighted images and ADC map) in random order with a time interval of 2 weeks. Liver SNR and lesion-to-liver CNR of DWI were calculated measuring ROI. Results : Total of 62 lesions (53 benign, 9 malignant) that included 32 cysts, 13 hemangiomas, 7 hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs), 5 eosinophilic infiltration, 2 metastases, 1 eosinophilic abscess, focal nodular hyperplasia, and pseudolipoma of Glisson's capsule were reviewed by two reviewers. Though not reaching statistical significance, the overall lesion sensitivities were increased in respiratory-triggered DWI [reviewer1: reviewer2, 47/62(75.81%):45/62(72.58%)] than free-breathing DWI [44/62(70.97%):41/62(66.13%)]. Especially for smaller than 1 cm hepatic lesions, sensitivity of respiratory-triggered DWI [24/30(80%):21/30(70%)] was superior to free-breathing DWI [17/30(56.7%):15/30(50%)]. The diagnostic accuracy measuring the area under the ROC curve (Az value) of free-breathing and respiratory-triggered DWI was not statistically different. Liver SNR and lesion-to-liver CNR of respiratory-triggered DWI ($87.6{\pm}41.4$, $41.2{\pm}62.5$) were higher than free-breathing DWI ($38.8:{\pm}13.6$, $24.8{\pm}36.8$) (p value < 0.001, respectively). Conclusion: Respiratory-triggered diffusion-weighted MR imaging seemed to be better than free-breathing diffusion-weighted MR imaging on 1.5-T MR system for the detection of smaller than 1 cm lesions by providing high SNR and CNR.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.222-229
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• 2002

Ixeris dentata root were extracted with methanol and then fractionated with n-hexane, EtOAc and BuOH to get active fractions. and their antioxidant and antimicrobial activities in each fraction were determined. Ethyl acetate fraction of Ixeris dentata root showed strong antioxidant activities, but aqueous fraction did not show any activities. But in the antimicrobial test, aqueous fraction showed strong antimicrobial activities except to Escherichia coli. especially, aqueous fraction showed the strongest activities against Hypocrea nigricans. and butanol fraction showed the strongest activities against Cladosporium herbarum. This study was performed to determine the antimutagenic and cytotoxic effect of Ixeris dentata root methanol extract on Salmonella typhimurium TA98, TA100 and cancer cell lines using ames test and cytotoxicity assay, respectively. Cancer cell lines include human lung carcinoma(A549), human breast adenocarcinoma(MCF-7) and human hepatocellular carcinoma (Hep 3B). Futher fractionations with hexane, ethyl acetate, butanol and water from methanol extract of Ixeris dentata root were performed to obtain effective fraction, methanol extracts showed 79.94% inhibitory effect on the mutagenesis induced by N' -methyl- N' -nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine(MNNG) against TA100, while 89.99% inhibition was observed on the mutagenesis induced by 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide(4NQO) against TA98. In the meanwhile, butanol fraction showed 89.92% and 71.01% inhibitory effect on the mutagenesis induced by benzo(a)pyrene(B(a)P) against TA98 and TA100, respectively. Ethyl acetate fraction showed the strongest effect against A549, MCF-7 and Hep3B at the same concentration compared to those of other fration.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.432-441
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• 2016

Machaerium cuspidatum, a canopy liana, is a species of genus legume in the Fabaceae family and contributes to the total species richness in the tropical rain forests. In the present study, we investigated the antioxidative and anti-cancer effects of M. cuspidatum and its mode of action. The methanol extract of M. cuspidatum (MEMC) exhibited anti-oxidative activity with an $IC_{50}$ value of $1.66{\mu}g/ml$, and this was attributable to its 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging capacity. MEMC also exhibited a cytotoxic effect and induced morphological changes in a dose-dependent manner in several cancer cell lines including human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells, human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells, and human colon carcinoma HT29 cells. Moreover, MEMC treatment induced the accumulation of subG1 population, which is indicative of apoptosis in A549 and HepG2 cells. MEMC-induced apoptosis was confirmed by the increase in Annexin V-positive apoptotic cells and apoptotic bodies using Annexin-V staining and DAPI staining, respectively. Further investigation showed that MEMC-induced apoptosis was associated with the increase in p53 and Bax expression, and the decrease in Bcl-2 expression. In addition, MEMC treatment led to proteolytic activation of caspase-3, 8, and 9 and degradation of poly-ADP ribose polymerase (PARP). Taken together, these results suggest that MEMC may exert a beneficial anti-cancer effect by inducing apoptosis via both the extrinsic and intrinsic pathways in A549 and HepG2 cells.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.190-196
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• 1993

The prognosis of chronic hepatitis C is very variable. In some, the disease is progressive and cirrhosis can develop from chronic hepatitis C. Hepatitis C virus(HCV) may act as a trigger towards hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with cirrhosis. Interferon has been used for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in abroad, 16 patients with chronic C liver disease were treated with ${\alpha}$-interferon (alfa-2b; "Intron A" Schering Corp. Kenilworth. NJ). All patients were given ${\alpha}$-interferon in subcutaneous doses of 3 million units three times weekly for 1 to 9 months. During therapy, CBC and ALT levels were checked weakly to monthly. After therapy, patients were followed for 1 to 8 months. Among 16 patients treated with ${\alpha}$-interferon, progressive decrease of ALT levels was observed in 14(87.5%). In 11 patients(68.8%), ALT levels fell into the normal range during therapy, and in 9 of 11, within one month after therapy, 6 months after the completion of therapy in 4 of 9 patients(44.4%) whose ALT levels were in the normal range, ${\alpha}$-interferon seems to have effect in controlling disease activity in patients with chronic hepatitis C. But the changes in the usage of ${\alpha}$-interferon, dose and duration, long term follow up and more convenient and simple tests for HCV detection are recommended for the better effect and the exact evaluation on the effect of ${\alpha}$-interferon therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.10
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• pp.1532-1537
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• 2010

This study compared the inhibitory effects of methanol extracts from yellow and black soybeans (black soybean, Seomoktae and Seoritae) on mutagenicity using the Ames test and growth of human cancer cells (AGS human gastric adenocarcinoma, HT-29 human colon cancer, Hep 3B hepatocellular carcinoma cells). In the Ames test system using Salmonella typhimurium TA100, aflatoxin $B_1$ ($AFB_1$)-induced mutagenicity was significantly inhibited by treatments with the methanol extracts from either yellow or black soybeans in a dose dependent manner (p<0.05). The methanol extracts from various black soybeans tended to have a greater inhibitory effect compared to those from yellow soybeans. As for N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguamidine (MNNG)-induced mutagenicity, the methanol extracts (5 mg/assay) from black soybean, Seomoktae and Seoritae showed 51%, 61% and 53% inhibitory rates, respectively, indicating that Seomoktae, a type of black soybean, had a stronger antimutagenic activity against mutagens (both $AFB_1$ and MNNG). Methanol extracts from black soybeans showed an inhibitory rate of greater than 50% on the growth of human cancer cells (AGS, HT-29 and Hep 3B) and the inhibition was more effective in the methanol extract from Seomoktae. Our results suggested that the methanol extracts from black soybeans showed stronger inhibitory effects on mutagenicity and growth of cancer cells than those from yellow soybean. It is concluded that intake of black soybean can be recommended for improving health.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.25-31
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• 2009

This study was carried out to investigate the mutagenic, antimutagenic, cytotoxicity and antitumor effects of Adenophora triphylla (AT). AT was extracted with 70% ethanol and then further fractionated to hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, butanol and water. Antimutagenic, cytotoxicity and antitumor effects of AT extracts were measured by using Ames test, SRB method, and the tumor growth inhibition test. AT extracts did not show any mutagenicity in the Ames test; however, 70% ethanol extracts and its fractions had strong antimutagenic effects against mutation induced by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) and 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4NQO). The ethyl acetate fraction of AT (200 ${\mu}g$/plate) showed approximately 66.5% inhibitory effect on the mutagenesis induced by 4NQO against TA98 strain, whereas 83.3% and 75.1% inhibitions were observed on the mutagenesis induced by MNNG and 4NQO against TA100 strain. In anticancer effects, the cytotoxicity of AT extract and its fractions against cancer cell lines including human cervical adenocarcinoma (HeLa), human hepatocellular carcinoma (Hep3B), human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7), human gastric carcinoma (AGS), human lung carcinoma (A549) and transformed primary human embryo kidney (293) were investigated. The treatment of 1 mg/mL AT ethyl acetate faction had the highest cytotoxicity of 79.9%, 74.9%, 66.0%, 71.0% and 74.3% against HeLa, Hep3B, MCF-7, AGS and A549 cells, respectively. In contrast, the extract and its fractions showed only $3{\sim}36%$ cytotoxicity for a normal human kidney cell line (293). In vivo anti-cancer effect of Adenophora triphylla extract was tested using Balb/c mice transplanted sarcoma-180 cells. Adenophora triphylla ethyl acetate fraction showed the highest inhibition rate of 37.2% at the 50 mg/kg concentration.

• Asian Oncology Nursing
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.145-154
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• 2003

Purpose: The study was to furnish basic raw materials that evaluate the efficacy of meatal care according to the form and the relative importance of symptom distress which most of cancer sufferers have been experienced. For that, an investigation of five diverse major cancer symptom distress made a comparison between symptom distress and degree of suffering. Method: Study subjects were 138 inpatients with stomach cancer, lung cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC), large intestine cancer and breast cancer, except those in the terminal-stage, in 'H' university hospital in Seoul and 'K' center in Ilsan gathered from November 20, 2002 to February 20, 2003. To measure the correlation between feeling of discomfort and agony caused by cancer, 5 point scale (from zero to four), stood on the basis of Symptom Distress Scale (SDS, Rodes & Watson, 1987), was used for this study and the Cronbach's coefficient alpha was 0.95. Accumulated data was analyzed with SPSS 10.0 for window, also used by ANOVA and Duncan's Multiple Range Test. Pearson's Correlation Analysis. Results: 1. Symptom distress of cancer patients was noted and defined in their severity-fatigue, anorexia, pain, depression, dyspepsia, changing appearance and nausea. The degree of symptom distress was fatigue, dyspepsia, depression, anorexia, pain, changing appearance and the degree of suffering was nausea, pain, anorexia, dyspepsia, vomiting, breathing difficulty, changing appearance and fatigue. 2. Examining the difference of degree of symptom distress in each cancer cases, it takes the precedence of them. First, in case of stomach cancer, depression, pain, vomiting and nausea were shown in sequence. In case of lung cancer depression, pain, sleeping problem, anxiety, changing appearance, inattentiveness and vomiting were showed in sequence, depression, changing appearance, sleeping problem, pain in case of HCC, depression, pain in case of large intestine cancer and lastly in case of breast cancer changing appearance, depression, pain and anxiety were shown in sequence. The category of the degree of symptom distress that has a signifiant difference was anorexia, activity discomfort, fatigue, constipation or diarrhea, breathing difficulty, dyspepsia, caughing, fever or chillness, scotoma and urinary disorder. Verifying the highest degree of symptom distress in each cancer cases, anorexia was 1.94(F=4.00, p<.01) in stomach cancer, activity discomfort was 0.97(F=3.08, p<.01) in lung cancer and HCC, fatigue was 2.32(F=4.64, p<.01) in HCC, constipation or diarrhea was 1.83(F=22.31, p<.001) in large intestine cancer, breathing difficulty was 1.83(F=4.00, p<.01) in lung cancer, dyspepsia was 2.69(F=9.98, p<.001) in stomach cancer, coughing was 1.53(F=20.49, p<.001) in lung cancer, fever or chillness was 1.23(F=6.88, p<.001) in lung cancer, scotoma was 1.20(F=3.02, p<.05) in lung cancer and urinary disorder was 1.54(F=11.56, p<.001) in HCC. 3. Examining the difference degree of suffering on cancer cases, the result was as follows; depression of lung cancer was 1.17(F=3.76, p<.01), anorexia of stomach cancer was 1.61(F=3.89, p<.01), constipation or diarrhea of large intestine cancer was 1.42(F=10.43, p<.001), changing appearance of breast cancer was 1.65(F=5.43, p<.001), breathing difficulty of lung cancer was 2.27(F=18.57, p<.001), dyspepsia of stomach cancer was 1.97(F=13.56, p<.001), coughing of lung cancer was 1.70(F=22.07, p<.001), fever or chillness of lung cancer was 1.13(F=4.41, p<.01), scotoma of lung cancer was 0.87(F=3.34, p<.05), anxiety of lung cancer was 0.87(F=4.50, p<.001) and urinary disorder of HCC was 1.43(F=16.71, p<.001). 4. In consequence, comparing between symptom distress and degree of suffering on cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, lung cancer patients showed the highest feeling of discomfort following stomach cancer, HCC, breast cancer and large intestine cancer(F=2.88, p<.05). On those undergoing radiotherapy, lung cancer, HCC, breast cancer, large intestine cancer was in sequence(F=3.78, p<.05) and those resisting radiotherapy, lung cancer, HCC, stomach cancer, large intestine cancer and breast cancer was in sequence(F=2.72, p<.05). 5. Correlation between symptom distress and degree of suffering on cancer patients was generally significant. Conclusion: this study not only defines a significant correlation between symptom distress and degree of suffering but also proffers basic data to evaluate the efficient meatal care depending upon diverse spectrums of symptom distress and degree of suffering.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.67-70
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• 2013

Purpose: Surge in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, hepatic artery chemical embolization is one of the effective interventional procedures. The PET/CT examination plays an important role in determining the presence of residual cancer cells and metastasis, and prognosis after embolization. The other hand, the hepatic artery chemical embolization of embolic material used lipiodol produced artifacts in the PET/CT examination, and these artifacts results in quantitative evaluation influence. This study, the radioactivity density and the percentage error was evaluated by the extent of the impact of lipiodol in the image of PET/CT. Materials and Methods: 1994 NEMA Phantom was acquired for 2 minutes and 30 seconds per bed after the Teflon, water and lipiodol filled, and these three inserts into the enough to mix the rest behind radioactive injection with $20{\pm}10MBq$. Phantom reconfigure with the iterative reconstruction method the number of iterations for two times by law, a subset of 20 errors. We set up region of interest at each area of the Teflon, water, lipiodol, insert artifact occurs between regions, and background and it was calculated and compared by the radioactivity density(kBq/ml) and the% Difference. Results: Radioactivity density of the each region of interest area with the teflon, water, lipiodol, insert artifact occurs between regions, background activity was $0.09{\pm}0.04$, $0.40{\pm}0.17$, $1.55{\pm}0.75$, $2.5{\pm}1.09$, $2.65{\pm}1.16 kBq/ml$ (P <0.05) and it was statistically significant results. Percentage error of lipiodol in each area was 118%, compared to the water compared with the background activity 52%, compared with a teflon was 180% of the difference. Conclusion: We found that the error due to under the influence of the attenuation correction when PET/CT scans after lipiodol injection performed, and the radioactivity density is higher than compared to other implants, lower than background. Applying the nonattenuation correction images, and after hepatic artery chemical embolization who underwent PET/CT imaging so that the test should be take the consideration to the extent of the impact of lipiodol be.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.17
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• pp.7825-7829
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• 2015

Background: Egypt has the highest prevalence of HCV infection in the world (~14.7%). Around 10-15% of HCV-infected persons will advance to cirrhosis within the first 20 years. The incidence of HCC is expected to grow in the next two decades, largely due to HCV related cirrhosis, and detection of HCC at an early stage is critical for a favorable clinical outcome. No simple reliable non-invasive marker has been available till now. B2M, a non-glycosylated polypeptide composed of 99 amino acids, is one of the components of HLA class I molecules on the surfaces of all nucleated cells. It has been reported that the level of serum B2M is elevated in patients with chronic hepatitis C and HCV-related HCC when compared to HCV-negative patients or healthy donors. Determining the clinical utility of serum B2M as a marker for disease progression in Egyptian patients with HCV related chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma was the aim of the present study. Materials and Methods: In this analytical cross sectional study 92 participants were included in 4 equal groups: Group (1) non cirrhotic chronic HCV; Group (2) HCV related liver cirrhosis; Group (3) HCC on top of HCV,; and Group (4) healthy controls. History taking, clinical examination, routine labs and abdominal ultrasound were conducted for all patients, PCR and Metavir scores for group (1) patients, and triphasic CT abdomen and AFP for Group (3) patients. B2M levels were measured in serum with a fully-automated IMX system. Results: The mean serum B2M level of Group (1) was $4.25{\pm}1.48{\mu}g/ml$., Group (2) was $7.48{\pm}3.04$, Group (3) was $6.62{\pm}2.49$ and Group (4) was $1.62{\pm}0.63$. Serum B2M levels were significantly higher in diseased than control group (p<0.01) being significantly higher in cirrhosis ($7.48{\pm}3.04$) and HCC groups ($6.62{\pm}2.49$) than the HCV group ($4.25{\pm}1.48$) (p<0.01). There was a significant correlation between B2M Level and ALK, total and direct bilirubin and INR (p<0.05), and a significant inverse correlation between B2M level and albumin, total proteins, HB andWBCS values (p<0.05). There was no significant correlation between B2M level and viral load or Metavir score, largest tumour size or AFP (p>0.05). The best B2M cut-off for HCV diagnosis was 2.6 with a sensitivity of 100%, a specificity of 92%, a positive predictive value (PPV) of 97% and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 100%. The best B2M cut-off for HCC diagnosis was 4.55 which yielded sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive values of 74%, 62%, 39.5, 87.8% respectively (p-value <0.01) while best cut-off for cirrhosis was 4.9, with sensitivity 74 % and specificity 74%.The sensitivity for HCC diagnosis increased upon B2M and AFP combined estimation to 91%, specificity to 79%, NPV to 95% and accuracy to 83%. Conclusions: Serum B2M level is elevated in HCV related chronic liver diseases and may be used as a marker for HCV disease progression towards cirrhosis and carcinoma.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.309-315
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• 2006

Purpose: Accurate evaluation of cervical lymph node (LN) metastasis of head and neck squamous cell canter (SCC) is important to treatment planning. We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) for the detection of cervical LN metastasis of head and neck SCC and performed a retrospective comparison with CT/MRI findings. Materials & Methods: Seventeen patients with pathologically proven head and neck SCC underwent F-18 FDG PET/CT and CT/MRI within 4 week before surgery. We recorded lymph node metastases according to the neck level system of imaging-based nodal classification. F-18 FDG PET/CT images were analyzed visually for assessment of regional tracer uptake in LN. We analyzed the differences in sensitivity and specificity between F-18 FDG PET/CT and CT/MRI using the Chi-square test. Results: Among the 17 patients, a total of 123 LN levels were dissected, 29 of which showed metastatic involvement. The sensitivity and specificity of F-18 FDG PET/CT for detecting cervical LN metastasis on a level-by-level basis were 69% (20/29) and 99% (93/94). The sensitivity and specificity of CT/MRI were 62% (18/29) and 96% (90/94). There was no significant difference in diagnostic accuracy between F-18 FDG PET/CT and CT/MRI. Interestingly, F-18 FDG PET/CT detected double primary tumor (hepatocellular carcinoma) and rib metastasis, respectively. Conclusion: There was not statistically significant difference of diagnostic accuracy between F-18 FDG PET/CT and CT/MRI for the detection of cervical LN metastasis of head and neck SCC. The low sensitivity of F-18 FDG PET/CT was due to limited resolution for small metastatic deposits.