• Clinical Endoscopy
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.340-352
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• 2023

Background/Aims: Colonic volvulus (CV), a common cause of bowel obstruction, often requires intervention. We aimed to identify hospitalization trends and CV outcomes in the United States. Methods: We used the National Inpatient Sample to identify all adult CV hospitalizations in the United States from 2007 to 2017. Patient demographics, comorbidities, and inpatient outcomes were highlighted. Outcomes of endoscopic and surgical management were compared. Results: From 2007 to 2017, there were 220,666 CV hospitalizations. CV-related hospitalizations increased from 17,888 in 2007 to 21,715 in 2017 (p<0.001). However, inpatient mortality decreased from 7.6% in 2007 to 6.2% in 2017 (p<0.001). Of all CV-related hospitalizations, 13,745 underwent endoscopic intervention, and 77,157 underwent surgery. Although the endoscopic cohort had patients with a higher Charlson comorbidity index, we noted lower inpatient mortality (6.1% vs. 7.0%, p<0.001), mean length of stay (8.3 vs. 11.8 days, p<0.001), and mean total healthcare charge ($68,126 vs. $106,703, p<0.001) compared to the surgical cohort. Male sex, increased Charlson comorbidity index scores, acute kidney injury, and malnutrition were associated with higher odds of inpatient mortality in patients with CV who underwent endoscopic management. Conclusions: Endoscopic intervention has lower inpatient mortality and is an excellent alternative to surgery for appropriately selected CV hospitalizations.

• Clinical Endoscopy
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.38-49
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• 2023

Background/Aims: Patients with Barrett's esophagus are at increased risk of developing esophageal adenocarcinoma. Endoscopic therapies aim to eradicate dysplastic and metaplastic tissues. Hybrid argon plasma coagulation (hybrid-APC) utilizes submucosal fluid injection to create a protective cushion prior to ablation that shields the submucosa from injury. We performed a pooled meta-analysis to evaluate the safety and efficacy of hybrid-APC. Methods: We conducted a systematic search of major electronic databases in April 2022. Studies that included patients with dysplastic and non-dysplastic Barrett's esophagus undergoing treatment with hybrid-APC were eligible for inclusion. Outcome measures included complete remission of intestinal metaplasia (CR-IM), stricture formation, serious adverse events, and number of sessions necessary to achieve CR-IM. Results: Overall pooled CR-IM rate for patients undergoing hybrid-APC was 90.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.872-0.939; I²=0%). Pooled stricture rate was 2.0% (95% CI, 0.005-0.042; I²=0%). Overall serious adverse event rate was 2.7% (95% CI, 0.007-0.055; I²=0%). Conclusions: Results of the current meta-analysis suggest that hybrid-APC is associated with high rates of CR-IM and a favorable safety profile. Interpretation of these results is limited by the inclusion of retrospective cohort and case series data. Randomized controlled trials that standardize treatment and outcome evaluation protocols are necessary to understand how this treatment option is comparable to the current standards of care.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.139-151
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• 2024

The objective of this study was to investigate the anticancer effects of EMPS (edible mushroom mycelium polysaccharide: Tremella fuciformis) in animal models with colorectal cancer induced by AOM/DSS. The experimental groups consisted of Nor (normal), NC (AOM/DSS), EMPS (EMPS 50, EMPS 100), and PC (Fluorouracil). The NC group had the highest number of colon tumors, whereas it was observed that tumor occurrence was significantly reduced in the EMPS consumption group. The expression of Bcl-2, an apoptosis inhibitor, was significantly lower in the EMPS 50 & 100 and PC groups. On the other hand, the mRNA gene expression of Bax, a factor that induces apoptosis, was significantly higher in the EMPS 50 & 100 and PC groups compared to the NC group. The mRNA expression levels of TNF-α and COX-2 significantly increased in the NC group, but showed a significant decrease in the EMPS and PC groups, indicating inhibition of the cancer-promoting response of cells. At the phylum level of the mice's intestinal microbial composition, the proportion of Bacteroidetes tended to decrease, while the proportion of Firmicutes tended to increase with EMPS administration. This suggests that changes in the gut microbiota caused by inflammation can be influenced by dietary intake.

• Journal of Digestive Cancer Research
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.165-170
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• 2023

Gastric cancer is histologically classified into two types. One is the intestinal and diffuse type according to Lauren's classification, and the other is the differentiated and undifferentiated type based on Nakamura's classification. In 2007, Japanese groups proposed a new type of well-differentiated gastric adenocarcinoma in the gastric fundic glands with distinct endoscopic and clinicopathologic features. This is gastric adenocarcinoma of the fundic-gland type (GA-FG), a rare variant of gastric cancer. In a 2012 Korean study, of 6,000 cases of gastric cancer tissues, only three cases of GA-FG were identified. GA-FG is usually located in the upper third of the stomach and not known to be associated with the Helicobacter pylori infection. We herein report a case of GA-FG diagnosed in a 63-year-old man. A gastric polyp was incidentally detected during an upper endoscopy screening while conducting a health check-up, and he was diagnosed with GA-FG after an endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) was conducted for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Our case suggests that for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, EMR may be beneficial in case of gastric polyps with suspected GA-FG.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.516-524
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• 2024

This study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary spray-dried plasma (SDP) on the gut microbiota of lactating sows and their piglets. A total of 12 sows were randomly assigned to one of two dietary treatment groups in a completely randomized design. The treatments were a sow diet based on corn and soybean meal (CON), and a CON diet with an added 1% SDP. The sows were fed the dietary treatments from d 30 before farrowing to weaning (d 28). The fecal samples of three sows from each treatment and two of their randomly selected piglets were collected to verify their fecal microbiota. There were no differences in the alpha diversity and distinct clustering of the microbial communities in the sows and their piglets when SDP was added to the sow diets from late gestation to weaning. The fecal microbiota of the lactating sows and their piglets showed a higher relative abundance of the phylum Bacteroidota and genus Lactobacillus and Ruminococcus and showed a lower relative abundance of the phylum Bacillota and genus Bacteroides, Escherichia/Shigella, and Clostridium in the sows fed the SDP diet than those fed the CON diet. Overall, these results show that the addition of SDP to the sow diet during lactation altered the gut environment with positive microbial composition changes. These results were similar in the nursing piglets, suggesting that the control of the sow diets during lactation may contribute to the intestinal health and growth in piglets after weaning.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.171-185
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• 2023

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of supplementation of Allium hookeri (AH) root powder on the gut microbiome, immunity, and health in broiler chickens fed experimental diets from d 10 to 28. A total of 60 10-day-old Ross 308 broilers were weighed and assigned to two dietary treatments with 5 birds per cage in a randomized complete block design based on body weight. The two experimental diets consisted of a control diet based on corn-soybean meal and the control diet supplemented with 0.3% AH root powder. All birds were fed ad libitum with experimental diets and water for 18 d. At 28 d, two birds near the median weight from each cage were selected for cecal content and small intestinal tissue sample collection. The addition of AH changed the gut microbiome by increasing probiotic candidate beneficial bacteria such as Enterococcaceae, Lactobacillaceae, Limosilactobacillus, Cuneatibacter, and Ruminoccoides. Regarding gut immunity, the supplementation of AH resulted in changes in intestinal immune cells, including reduced CD3+CD4+ T cells, which are a type of helper T cell, in the small intestine of birds (P=0.049). Additionally, there was a tendency to increase the expression of antioxidant function-related gene such as GPX2 (P=0.060), but no significant changes were observed in cytokines such as IL1b, IL6, and IL10. Overall, the addition of AH root powder may have positive effects on the microbiome of the chickens. This may help promote gut health in broiler chickens at the age of d 10 to 28.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.9
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• pp.4285-4288
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• 2012

Background: Opisthorchis viverrini infection is a serious public-health problem in Southeast Asia. It is associated with a number of hepatobiliary diseases and the evidence strongly indicates that liver fluke infection is the etiology of cholangiocarcinoma. Objectives: This study aimed to determine Opisthorchis viverrini infection in elderly people in Surin province, Northeastern Thailand. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among 333 elderly in 17 districts of Surin province, during one year period from January to December 2011. O. viverrini infection was determined using Kato's Thick Smear technique and socio-demographic were collected using predesigned semi-structured questionnaires, respectively. Results: A total of 333 elderly including 116 males and 217 females were selected from different study sites. Overall intestinal parasitic infection was 16.2%, predominantly in O. viverrini (9.91%) and followed by Strongyloides stercolaris (4.80%) and hookworm (1.50%), respectively. The O. viverrini infection was found higher in males (13.8%) than females (7.83%), and frequently in elderly 60-70 year old with 14.2%. Chi-square testing indicated that education and occupation were significantly associated with O. viverrini infection (P value = 0.02). The distribution of O. viverrini infection was found in 11 districts which was covered 64.7% of the studies areas. The highest prevalence was found in Thatum with 39.1%, and followed by Sangkha (24.0%), Buachet (21.1%), Samrong Thap (19.1%), Si Narong (15.0%), and Ratanaburi (13.3%) districts. Conclusion: This findings stress that O viverrini is still a problem in Thailand. We confirmed, for the first time, the high endemicity of human O. viverrini infections in elderly in Surin province of Thailand, underlying the fact that mass treatment and health education are urgently required.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.50-56
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• 1982

This study was undertaken to evaluate the present status of parasitic infection and swine pen human latrine system in Cheju Do, from July to September 1982. The 663 stool specimens (male 323 and female 340) and 579 scotch tape anal swabs collected from 161 households of 2 areas in Cheju Do were examined. The methods employed were formalin-ether technique for the prevalence rate of various helminthic and protozoan infection, and scotch tape anal swab technique for the prevalence rates of Enterobius vermicularis. In addition to these, questionaire was used to evaluate the present status of swine pen human latrine system and prevalence rates of taeniasis in these areas. The results are as follows ; 1) Prevalence rates of parasitic infections of any kind was 33.9%. It was 35.7% in Cheju City in contrast to 32.1% in North Cheju Gun. The infection rates of Trichuris trichiura was 10.0% and it was the highest prevalence rate in this survey. The prevalence rates of the other parasites were as follows ; Ascaris lumbricoides 2,3%, Hookworm 0.2%, Clonorchis sinensis 0.5%, Hymenolepis nana 1.5%, Entamoeba coli 3.2%, and Giardia lamblia 0.5%. 2) The infection rates of Enterobius vermicularis in 579 peoples (male 285, female 294) by applying scotch tape anal swab technique was 13.1% through the survey. It was 16.9 in Cheju City and 8.5% in North Cheju Gun. 3) The Infection rate of Taenia species by applying the stool examination and making up a question was 19.2%(21.4% in Cheju City and 16.7% in North Cheju Gun). 4) Sexual distribution of the parasitic infections showed slightly higher rate in female than that of male. 5) The positive rates of parasitic infection by the stool examination and questionaire positive cases of taeniasis were higher in 0-9 and over 60 year old than any other age group. 7) The swine pen human latrine systems were used in 46 households (28.6%). 7) Relationship between swine pen human latrine system and taeniasis was not noted.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.181-191
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• 2001

Toxocariasis is produced by the migration of Toxocara canis larvae into the extra- intestinal tissue of unnatural hosts or natural hosts under unsuitable conditions. Soil contaminated with T. canis embryonated eggs in the main source of infection of man. In the present study, ELISA with T. canis adult crude antigen was used for determination the seroprevalence of T. canis infection in two areas of Korea. It was found that antibody positive rate was 15.7% in Keoje- Island. In the analysis according to sex, female group presented significantly higher positive rate than male group (23.8% in female and 7.4% in male, p<0.05). In Inchon city, the positive rate was 13.1%, and there was no significant difference between female and male group. Immunoblot analysis was performed to some positive patient sera. As the results, 9 cases of 15 cases were positive in Keoje-Island, and 22 cases of 27cases were positive in Inchon city by immunoblotting.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.167-171
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• 2009

Purpose: This study was done to determine the usefulness of serum pepsinogen (PG) levels as a screening method for gastric cancer, and to assess the relationships between serum PG and clinicopathologic factors of gastric adenocarcinoma. Materials and Methods: Serum PG concentrations were measured in 94 subjects who were classified into (a) a control group (50 subjects) without abnormal endoscopic finding on a health checkup, or (b) a gastric cancer group (44 subjects) who had surgery at Daegu Catholic University Hospital between Nov. 2008 and May 2009. Receiver operator characteristic curves were utilized to select the most suitable test. Using different cutoff points, sensitivity and specificity were calculated. We compared preoperative serum PG levels with several clinicopathologic findings for patients with gastric adenocarcinoma. Results: The Serum PG I：II ratio was the most useful as a screening test. The sensitivity and specificity of PG screening for gastric cancer were, respectively, 81.8% and 82%. The cut off point correlated with the type of intestinal cancer (Lauren classification; P=0.003), tumor stage (P=0.001), and gastric adenocarcinoma with peritumoral chronic atrophic gastritis (P=0.036). Conclusion: Serum PG levels were found to be a potentially useful screening test and to correlate with clinicopathologic factors in gastric cancer patients. But, in order to use serum PG found in a health checkup for gastric cancer as a clinical application a large scale study is recommended.