• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.22
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• pp.9635-9641
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• 2014

Background: This retrospective study was aimed to investigate the efficacy of prophylactic agents in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients receiving TACE and compare the difference between lamivudine and entecavir. Materials and Methods: A consecutive series of 203 HBV-related HCC patients receiving TACE were analyzed including 91 patients given prophylactic agents. Virologic events, defined as an increase in serum HBV DNA level to more than 1 log10 IU/ml higher than the nadir level, hepatitis flares due to HBV reactivation and progression free survival (PFS) were the main endpoints. Results: Some 48 (69.6%) reached virologic response. Prophylaxis significantly reduced virologic events (8.8% vs 58.0%, p=0.000) and hepatitis flares (1.1% vs 13.4%, p=0.001). Patients presenting undetectable HBV DNA levels displayed a significantly improved PFS as compared to those who never achieved undetectable HBV DNA. Prophylaxis and e-antigen positivity were the only significant variables associated with virologic events. In addition, prophylaxis was the only independent protective factor for hepatitis flares. Liver cirrhosis, more cycles of TACE, HBV DNA negativity, a lower Cancer of the Liver Italian Program score, non-metastasis and no hepatitis flares were protective factors for PFS. Prophylactic lamivudine demonstrated similar efficacy as entecavir. Conclusions: Prophylactic agents are efficacious for prevention of HBV reactivation in HCC patients receiving TACE. Achievement of undetectable HBV DNA levels displayed a significant capability in improving PFS. Moreover, persistent tumor residual lesions, positive HBV DNA and hepatitis B flares might be causes of tumor progression in these patients.

• Nutritional Sciences
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.65-69
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• 2004

A study was carried out to determine the effect of a very low-carbohydrate diet on weight gain, body composition, and serum levels of cholesterol, triacylglycerol, glucose, ketone bodies and insulin. Twenty rats (mean initial weight, 212 g) were divided into two groups and each group was assigned a conventional high-carbohydrate diet (control) or a very low-carbohydrate diet containing 59.8% ground pork rind snack and fed the diet for four weeks. Average daily body weight gain was not different between the two groups during the first two weeks, but was significantly lower in rats fed the very low-carbohydrate diet than in those in the control group during third (p<0.05) and fourth weeks (p<0.01). Feedintake as well as energy intake was lower in rats fed the very low-carbohydrate diet than in those in the control group. The very low-carbohydrate diet reduced (p<0.01) serum triacylglycerol (34$\pm$83 vs 82$\pm$8 mg/l00 mL) and insulin (3.90$\pm$0.53 vs 7.60$\pm$0.61 $\mu$IU/mL) levels, while increasing (p<0.01) ketone body level (368$\pm$25 vs 236$\pm$24 $\mu$mol/L), compared with the control. Serum glucose and total cholesterol levels were not different (p>0.05) between the two dietary treatments. Proximate analysis of carcasses showed that the very low-carbohydrate diet decreased (p<0.01) body fat (26.1$\pm$1.04 vs 30.5$\pm$0.86%), while increasing (p<0.01) body protein (63.1$\pm$0.94 vs 59.4$\pm$0.70%) contents. Results indicate that short-term feeding of a very low-carbohydrate diet is beneficial for alleviating risk factors known to involve cardiovascular diseases or artherosclerosis. However, more studies with model animals as well as humans are recommended to examine the long-term health benefits of low-carbohydrate diets.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.262-269
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• 1991

The purpose of this study is to investigate the utility of the pleural fluid cholesterol level in separating the exudates from the transudates, and in differentiating tuberculous exudates from non-tuberculous exudates, 52 patients with pleural effusion were involved in this prospective study. By predefined criteria, 40 of these effusions were classified as exudates (Group I) and 12 as transudates (Group II). Group I was subdivided into tuberculous exudates (Group A) and non-tuberculous exudates (Group B). The followings are parameters used in separating the exudates from the transudates; pleural protein (P-PROT) 3.0 g/dl, pleural protein/serum protein ratio (P/S PORT) 0.5, pleural LDH (P-LDH) 200 IU, pleural LDH/serum LDH ratio (P/S LDH) 0.6, pleural cholesterol (P-CHOL) 50 mg/dl and pleural cholesterol/serum cholesterol ratio (P/S CHOL) 0.4. Mean values of the parameters in each group were compared, and then misclassified rate and the dignostic efficiency for each parameter were calculated. The results were as follows; 1) Mean P-CHOL ($94.98{\pm}73.86\;mg/dl$) in Group I was higher than that ($36.5{\pm}26.5\;mg/dl$) in Group II (p<0.05), but there was no significant difference in mean P-CHOL between Group A and Group B. 2) Mean P/S CHOL ($0.64{\pm}0.39$) in Group I was also higher than that ($0.27{\pm}0.15$) in Group II (p<0.01), but no difference was observed in mean P/S CHOL between Group A and Group B. 3) Misclassified rates for each parameter in separating the exudates from the transudates were as follows; P-PROT 1.9%. P/S PROT 3.8%. P-CHOL 9.6%, P/S CHOL 11.5%, P/S LDH 11.5%, and P-LDH 17.3%. 4) Diagnostic efficiencies for each parameter in separating the exudates from the transudates were as follows; P-PROT 98.1%, P/S PROT 96.2%. P-CHOL 90.4%. P/S CHOL 88.5%, P/S LDH 88.5%, and P-LDH 82.7%. In conclusion, we think that the pleural fluid chloesterol level could be used as a supportive parameter in separating the exudates from the transudates, but could not be used as a parameter in differentiating tuberculous exudates from non-tuberculous exudates.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.21-27
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• 1998

The present study was performed to analyze the gene expressions of pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide(PACAP) and its receptor in the rat uterus, a candidate for novel extrahypothalamic source and target. The PACAP cDNA fragments corresponding to the common exon region which is found in both the rat hypothalamus and testis were produced from all tissue samples including the rat uterus by reverse transcriptionpolymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). No PCR product was amplified from the rat hypothalamic, pituitary, ovarian and uterine samples when the 5' primer corresponding to the testis-specific exon 1 region was used, while the predicted size of product was detected from the testis sample. RT-PCR using the uterine RNA and specific primers for the PACAP receptor yielded products with predicted sizes. Transcripts for the rat uterine PACAP receptor were identified as type I isoforms with hip-hop and hip- or hop-type inserts. After pregnant mare's serum gonadotropin (15 IU) treatment of immature rats (day 25), the level of PACAP mRNA was increased in 24 h and 48 h group, and was declined to the lowest in 72 h group. The present study shows the presence of transcripts for PACAP and its receptor isoform in the rat uterus. These finding ssuggest that the uterine PACAP ight act as a novel autocrine and/or paracrine factor via its specific receptors on the reglulation of rat uterine function and physiology during the reproductive cycle.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.33 no.4 s.92
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• pp.319-327
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• 2000

The feeding behavior of 1-year-old silver carp, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix (Val.) on phytoplankton species in a shallow hypertrophic lake was studied from 22 May to 18 September, 1997. Over the experimental period, the filter-pore sizes of the fish, the total biomass of the phytoplankton and the water temperature in each enclosure changed little with time. The fish biomass in each enclosure increased with time, while their percentage of weight gain correlated negatively to the stocking density, due perhaps to competition for prey. An analysis of gut contents of silver carp showed a strong similarity between the algal communities in the foregut and the water, and was significant for the fish enclosure with a low density (p<0.05). The presence of silver carp rarely suppressed the abundance of phytoplankton such as Oscillatoria, Anabaena and Melosira even at high ingestion levels. There were weak relationships between the IU values of each phytoplankton and the selectivity of fish on them (r = 0.001, p>0.5). There was no doubt that the silver carp fed unselectively when cyanobacteria populations were high, even though the selectivity index for diatoms was slightly higher than those for cyanobacteria, green algae and cryptomonads. Improvements in methodologies are needed to clearly understand and generalize the feeding behavior of silver carp.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.15
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• pp.6275-6281
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• 2014

Nasal-type extranodal natural killer (NK)/T-cell lymphoma (ENKL) is a highly invasive cancer with a poor prognosis. More effective and safer treatment regimens for ENKL are needed. Pegaspargase (PEG-Asp) has a similar mechanism of action to L-asparaginase (L-Asp), but presents lower antigenicity. The aim of the present research was to evaluate the safety profile and the latent efficacy of a PEG-Asp-based treatment regimen in patients with ENKL. Data collected from 20 patients with histologically confirmed ENKL, admitted to the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University from January 2009 to August 2013, were included in the study. All patients received $2500IU/m^2$/IM PEG-Asp on day 1 of every 21-day treatment cycle. Patients received combination chemotherapy with CHOP (n=5), EPOCH (n=7), GEMOX (n=7) or CHOP with bleomycin (n=1). After 2-5 treatment cycles (median, 4 cycles) of PEG-Asp-based chemotherapy, five patients (25%) showed a complete response (CR), and the overall response rate (ORR) was 60%. Grade 3/4 neutropenia occurred in fourteen patients (70%). Grade 3 alanine aminotransferase (ALT) elevation was observed in two. Grade 1-2 non-hematological toxicity consisted of activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) elongation (n=9), hypofibrinogenemia (n=6), hypoproteinemia (n=17), hyperglycemia (n=3), and nausea (n=6). No allergic reactions were detected. No treatment related death was reported. Our results suggested that PEG-Asp-based chemotherapy presented an acceptable tolerance and a potential short-term outcome in patients with nasal-type ENKL.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.9
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• pp.1205-1209
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• 2000

The present study was undertaken to investigate the effect of stimulation of follicular development with eCG on the peripheral levels of inhibin and FSH in Murrah buffaloes. Estrus was synchronized in five normally cycling females by insertion of Crestar (Intervet, Boxmeer, Holland) implants for nine days. Estradiol valerate was administered i.m. on the day of implant insertion. On the 10th day of the induced estrous cycle a single dose of 3000 IU eCG (Folligon, Intervet, Boxmeer, Holland) was given, followed by treatment with 25 mg of $PGF_2$ alpha (Lutalyse, Upjohn, Belgium) 48 h later. Blood samples were obtained during the induced estrus, on cycle day 10 (luteal phase), at the superovulatory estrus (43 h after PGF) and during the periovulatory period (64 h after PGF). Ultrasonography was done daily to monitor follicular development. Plasma concentrations of inhibin and FSH were determined by specific radioimmunoassays. Differences between $mean{\pm}SEM$ values of different phases of the cycle were compared by ANOVA. The mean number of small (2-5 mm), medium (6-9 mm) and large (>10 mm) follicles observed two days after eCG treatment and on the day of superovulatory estrus was $2.8{\pm}0.31$, $5.2{\pm}0.30$ and $1.4{\pm}0.09$ and $1.9{\pm}0.21$, $2.8{\pm}0.40$ and $5.0{\pm}0.83$, respectively. The mean number of ovulations was $3.6{\pm}0.37$ and the mean number of unovulated follicles was $6.1{\pm}0.47$. Most of the follicles >10 mm in diameter had ovulated (72%). The mean ${\pm}SEM $ of plasma inhibin concentration $(2584.15{\pm}17.92pg/ml)$ during the superovulatory estrus was significantly higher $(p{\leq}0.05)$ than during the induced estrus $(749.87{\pm}17.29pg/ml)$, the luteal phase $(1099.54{\pm}24.98pg/ml)$ and periovulatory period $(1682.71{\pm}29.88pg/ml)$, respectively. $Mean{\pm}SEM$ plasma FSH concentration during the induced estrus $(10.35{\pm}0.41ng/ml)$ was not different from that during the superovulatory estrus $(8.52{\pm}0.39ng/ml)$, but was significantly higher $(p{\leq}0.05)$ than during the luteal phase $(2.81{\pm}0.42ng/ml)$ and periovulatory period $(5.7{\pm}0.28ng/ml)$. These data indicate that treatment with eCG in buffaloes for inducing superovulation results in a significant elevation in plasma inhibin levels and a decrease in plasma FSH levels during the superovulatory estrus. Thus, we suggest that the elevated plasma inhibin coming from fully developed follicles continued for a long time which results in inhibition of FSH leading to poor ovulation in the remaining follicles, which may be the cause of suboptimal superovulatory response.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.334-339
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• 2007

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generate during electrical activation of oocytes which has detrimental effects on embryo survival when overwhelmed. The present study was designed to investigate the ability of L-ascorbic acid, a novel water soluble antioxidant, to reduce the ROS level in developing embryos and their subsequent effects on embryo development in vitro. The compact cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs) were cultured in tissue culture medium (TCM)-199 supplemented with 10 ng/ml epidermal growth factor, 4 IU/ml pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG), and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and 10% (v/v) porcine follicular fluid (pFF) for 44 h. After maturation culture, the denuded oocytes were activated with a single DC pulse of 2.0 kV/cm in 0.3 M mannitol solution containing 0.5 mM of HEPES, 0.1 mM of $CaCl_2$ and 0.1 mM of $MgCl_2$ for $30{\mu}s$ using a BTX Electro-cell Manipulator. The activated oocytes were cultured in modified North Carolina State University-23 (mNSCU-23) medium for 168 h. The level of $H_2O_2$ in each embryo was measured by the dichlorohydrofluorescein diacetate (DCHFDA) method at 48 h after activation. The blastocyst formation rate was significantly higher when culture medium was supplemented with 50 and $100{\mu}M$ L-ascorbic acid (31.2 and 38.7%, respectively) compared to non-supplemented (16.1%) group. Accordingly, significantly more cells in blastocyst were found for 50 and $100{\mu}M$ L-ascorbic acid (50.0 and 56.4, respectively) compared to 0 and $200{\mu}M$ L-ascorbic acid (36.5 and 39.8, respectively). L-ascorbic acid reduces the $H_2O_2$ level in developing embryos in a dose-dependant manner. The $H_2O_2$ level (pixels/ embryos) was 191.5, 141.0, 124.0 and 163.3 for 0, 50, 100 and $200{\mu}M$ L-ascorbic acid, respectively. So, we recommend to supplement 50 or $100{\mu}M$ L-ascorbic acid in porcine in vitro culture medium.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.233-240
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• 1994

This study was conducted to compare the endocrine milieu, and pregnancy rates in In Vitro Fertilization and Embryo Transfer(IVF-ET) program employing combined with gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist(GnRH-a) and pergonal(LH 75lU+FSH 75lU) when either human chorionic gonadotropin(HCG) or progesterone were used for luteal phase support. A total number of 40 IVF-ET treatment cycles were prospectively studied. Ovarian hyperstimulation method was modified ultrashort protocol using GnRH-a. All patients started Decapeptyl at menstrual cycle day # 2, and HMG was started at # 3 days. When leading follicle was ${\geqq}$18mm or at least two follicles were ${\geqq}$14mm in diameter, HCG 10000lU intramuscularly was injected. After 36 hours HCG administration, oocytes were retrieved as usual guided by transvaginal ultrasound. Embryo were transfered 36-48 hours later. The patient's cycles were prospectively randomized to receive HCG(20cycles) or Progesterone (20cycles) for luteal support. The progesterone group received 25mg 1M starting from the day of ET. The HCG group received 1500IU 1M. on days 0, +2, +5 after ET. Estadiol($E_2$) and Progesterone($P_4$) were measured on the day of oocyte aspiration, ET day, and every 6 days thereafter. Results were follows as; 1. Estradiol, progesterone and LH levels on the day of HCG trigger, retrieved oocytes and number of transfered embryo were not significantly different in both groups. 2. On the day of aspiration and embryo transfered day, $E_2$, $P_4$ level were significantly higher in progesterone group than HCG group(p<0.01). 3. $E_2$, $P_4$ level on 6 days after ET were significantly higher in progesterone group than HCG group(p<0.01). But, $P_4/E_2$ ratio was not different in both groups. 4. $E_2$, $P_4$ level 12 days after ET were decreased abruptly in both groups and higher hormonal level appeared in HCG group(P<0.01). 5. The total pregnancy rate in the HCG group was 40% (8/20) and in the progesterone group 15%(3/20). 6. Comparing the pregnant and nonpregnant cases progesterone group was not different the hormonal status. In HCG group, pregnant cases appeared in higher $P_4$, $P_4/E_2$ ratio than nonpregnanct cases(P<0.01).

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.162-169
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• 2001

Background: Nitric oxide (NO), a cytotoxic molecule is produced in various tissues including tumor cells during interleukin-2 (IL-2) therapy . Lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells are induced during IL-2 therapy, and have cytotoxic activity against tumor cells. The current study investigated the effects of NO synthesized in target cells or exposure of target cells to NO on the sensitivity of target cells to LAK cell cytotoxicity. Methods: Cytotoxicity was measured using 4 h chromium release assays. LAK cells which were induced by a 4 day incubation of BALB/c mouse splenocytes with IL-2 (6,000 IU/mL) were employed as effector cells. RD-995 skin tumor cells originated from a C3H/HeN mouse were employed as target cells. NO synthesis in target cells was induced by a 24 h incubation of RD-995 cells with $IFN{\gamma}$ (25 U/mL), TNF (50 U/mL) and IL-1 (20 U/mL). S-nitrosyl acetylpenicillamine (SNAP), an NO donor, was used to expose target cells to NO. $N^G$-monomethyl-L-arginine (MLA) and carboxy-PTIO were added during cytotoxicity assays to inhibit NO synthesis, and to scavenge NO produced by target cells, respectively. Results: Sensitivity of NO-producing RD-995 cells to LAK cell cytotoxicity was decreased by addition of MLA and carboxy-PTIO during cytotoxicity assays. However, the two reagents had no effect on the sensitivity of non-NO-producing RD-995 cells. Pretreatment of RD-995 target cells with SNAP increased the sensitivity in comparison with untreated cells. Conclusions: Sensitivity of target cells to LAK cell cytotoxicity is increased by target cell NO synthesis or exposure to NO. Further studies are needed to evaluate whether these in vitro results have relevance to in vivo phenomena.