• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.541-549
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• 2015

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype of breast cancer (BC) with higher metastatic rate and both local and systemic recurrence compared to non-TNBC. The generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) secondary to oxidative stress is associated with DNA damage, chromosomal degradation and alterations of both hypermethylation and hypomethylation of DNA. This study concerns differential methylation of promoter regions in specific groups of genes in TNBC and non-TNBC Saudi females in an effort to understand whether epigenetic events might be involved in breast carcinogenesis, and whether they might be used as markers for Saudi BCs. Methylation of glutathione S-transferase P1 (GSTP1), T-cadherin (CDH13), Paired box protein 5 (PAX5), death associated protein kinase (DAPK), twist-related protein (TWIST), DNA-binding protein inhibitor (ID4), High In Normal-1 (HIN-1), cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A (p16), cyclin D2 and retinoic acid receptor-${\beta}$ ($RAR{\beta}1$) genes was analyzed by methylation specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP) in 200 archival formalin-fixed paraffin embedded BC tissues divided into 3 groups; benign breast tissues (20), TNBC (80) and non-TNBC (100). The relationships between methylation status, and clinical and pathological characteristics of patients and tumors were assessed. Higher frequencies of GSTP1, ID4, TWIST, DAPK, PAX5 and HIN-1 hypermethylation were found in TNBC than in non-TNBC. Hypermethylation of GSTP1, CDH13, ID4, DAPK, HIN-1 and PAX5 increased with tumor grade increasing. Other statistically significant correlations were identified with studied genes. Data from this study suggest that increased hypermethylation of GSTP1, ID4, TWIST, DAPK, PAX5 and HIN-1 genes in TNBC than in non-TNBC can act as useful biomarker for BCs in the Saudi population. The higher frequency of specific hypermethylated genes paralleling tumor grade, size and lymph node involvement suggests contributions to breast cancer initiation and progression.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.56-63
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• 1995

Ecological study of the Cynoglossus joyneri was conducted based on the specimens from the western coast of Korea from 1992 to 1994. Ecological characteristics of this species such as gonadal development, occurrence of larvae, stomach contents, and environmental conditions were investigated. Few larvae of Cynoglossus joyneri occurred in Kunsan coast. This coast is influenced by the freshwater input of the Mangyong and Kum River, especially during the summer. Therefore, the larvae of C. joyneri were considered to be spawned and grown during their early life stage in the high saline water in outer bay. Spawning occur from June to September, having the peak spawning period from July to August. Biological minimum size of matured fishes containing mature oocytes is about 143.5mm in total length, which requires about 20 months after hatching. The ranges of total length by age are as follows : 0-ring group(floating stage), 30~70mm ; 1-ring group, 49.0~133.0mm 2-ring group, 128.6~167.0mm ; 3-ring group, 169.0~202.0mm ; 4-ring group, 200.7~240.0mm. The major food items of young fish under 8cm were copepods and invertebrate larvae, and those of adult fishes were annelids(polychaets) in winter, and bivalves and shrimps in summer and autumn. Therefore, it can be assumed that the population of C. joyneri could be reduced due to the decrease of food organisms caused by the continuous reclamation activities in the inner bays of the west coast of Korea.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.24-34
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• 2007

After releasing more than 1,000,000 fertilized eggs of Plecoglossus altivelis into Lake Okjeong, Jeollabuk-do, on October, 2001 by KOWACO, they seem to be land-locked. Study on the distribution and ecology of a land-locked ayu, P. altivelis, was performed from Lake Okjeong to upper streams as Jowon, Churyeong, Oknyedong where consisted of rocky bottom with fast current freshwater system during April to October. The hatched larva and juveniles descended from streams to Lake Okjeong and inhabit Lake Okjeong from November to next March. The sex ratio of female to male was 1 : 2.70, and the size in standard length of females and males was similar, in $90{\sim}220(142{\pm}29.3)mm$. During the middle September to the middle October, they laid eggs on the pebbly bottom of the rapids which are $20{\sim}22^{\circ}C$ in water temperature and 30~70 cm in depth. The number of full-grown eggs was greatly various from 14,283~91,500.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.37-47
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• 1977

Korea started the Atlantic tuna fishery from 1964 by means of longline, then added bait-boats in 1972. Both fisheries have given the top priority to catch yellowfin tuna(Thunnus albacares). The paper reviews available catch, effort and biological data, estimates some population parameters in order to understand the status of the Atlantic yellowfin tuna as a whole. The main findings are summarized as follows: 1. The total of 476 million hook-equivalent fishing effort was thrown to catch yellowfin tuna in 1974, among which one thired was shared by longliners. 2. The dominant age group becomes younger in both surface and longline fisheries. 3. The recent mortality coefficients were calculated as 1.5 for total mortality and 0.7 for fishing mortality. 4. The weight at recruitment was 2.7 kg in 1973 which was smaller than the regulation size(3.2kg) proposed by ICCAT. 5. The maximum sustained yield was calculated to 95-145 thousand metric tons, which was the level of recent catch. Therefore, it is apparent that the present yellowfin tuna fishery should continue to receive close attention.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.21-30
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• 1999

This study was carried out to describe the growth of Ruditapes philippinarum on Chohwa and Toksan tidal flat in Kwangyang Bay, from June 1994 to July 1995. On the Chohwa tidal flat, the mean gran size, organic content and chlorophyll-a of the surface sediment were the range of 2.50-4.46 , 4.99-5.11%, 14.53-19.90 $\mu\textrm{g}$ cm$\^$-3/, and on the Toksan tidal flat, 0.83-1.66 , 2.22-2.34%, 6.20-6.90 $\mu\textrm{g}$ cm$\^$-3/, respectively. The shell length of R. philippinarum increased rapidly from spring to summer, and gently from summer to autumn, and ceased during winter. Fresh weight increased during spring and autumn, and decreased during summer and winter. condition factors also showed the same variations of weights. Synthesized annual growth pattern of 4 year classes in shell length fitted the von Bertalnffy growth model well. The annual growth of weight fitted the Gompertz model relatively well. The values of w, initial shell growth rate, and AGR$\sub$max/, maximum weight growth rate, on the Chohwa tidal flat were lower than those on the Toksan tidal flat. Comparing the growth patterns in the same tidal flat, growth rate was higher on the lover tidal flat than those on the higher tidal flat. In conclusion, the Chohwa tidal flat maintaining higher density showed lover growth rate, because of relatively insufficient food supply and inhabiting space.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.1347-1350
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• 2016

Background: Breast cancer prognosis is influenced by several histopathology and clinical factors including expression of Ki67 which may have a predictive role in lymph node negative breast cancer patients. The aim of this study was to assess Ki67 expression in breast cancers without axillary lymph node involvement and to evaluate its prognostic value with regard to disease-free survival. Materials and Methods: Subjects were selected from non-metastatic invasive breast cancer patients who were referred to the oncology department of Ghaem hospital during 1 April 2001 to 1 April 2008. Ki67 levels were measured using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and compared with clinicopathological features. The relation of Ki67 expression with disease-free survival was also analysed. Results: A total of 106 women with a mean age of 49 were examined. Some 94.3% were classified as having invasive ductal carcinomas and the mean tumour diameter at the time of diagnosis was 2.8 cm. Some 50.9% of cases were ER positive and 47.2% were PR positive. P53 expression was positive in 48.1% of the cases. According to the IHC results, only 8.5% of the patients were Her2/neu positive. Ki67 was positive in 66 (62.3%) with a significant relation to lower age (p=0.0229) and P53 positivity (p=0.005). After an average of 40-months follow up, 13 (12.3%) demonstrated recurrence, most commonly systemic. Of 13 cases with relapse, 10 patients (77%) were Ki67 positive. Conclusions: In our population Ki67 appeared to be an independent prognostic factor for three-year survival. However, we stress that a survival study with a bigger sample size would help to support this conclusion.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.18
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• pp.7533-7537
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• 2014

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is the most frequent cancer type, and the leading cause of death from cancer among women in Israel. The Bedouin-Arab (BA) population in southern Israel is characterized by a high rate of consanguinity, common hereditary disorders, and transition from a semi-nomadic, traditional society to a more sedentary and urbanized society. In this hospital-based study, the demographic and the clinicopathological characteristics of BC in BA were compared with Jewish patients. Materials and Methods: 85 BA patients treated at the Soroka Medical Center, Beer Sheba, during the years 2004-2012, were studied and compared with 180 consecutive Jewish patients treated during the year 2007. Clinicopathological features compared included age, menopausal state, number of births, a history of BC in first-degree relatives, tumor size (T), extent of lymph-node involvement (N), distant metastases (M), stage, grade, estrogen and progesterone receptor (ER/PR), and Her2 status. Types of treatment, relapse rate and site, as well as outcome were also studied. Cox's regression models were applied for studying disease-free, and overall survival. Results: Compared with Jewish patients, BA patients were younger (average age $49{\pm}12$ yrs vs $59{\pm}13$, p<0.001), had a lower rate of BC in first-degree relatives (p<0.001), and a larger number of births ($6{\pm}4.2$ vs $2.5{\pm}1.9$, p<0.001). BA patients had larger tumors (p=0.02), more extensive lymph-node involvement (p=0.002), and more advanced stage (p=0.003). Grade, ER, PR, and Her2 status were similar in the two ethnic groups. Relapse type was most commonly systemic in BA patients (p=0.05), and loco-regional in Jewish patients (p=0.02). Median survival was 63, and 35 months for Jewish and BA patients, respectively (log-rank test, p=0.02). In Cox multivariate analysis, stage and PR status (HR-0.14, p<0.0001; HR-3.11, p=0.046), but not ethnicity, influenced overall survival. Conclusions: BC presents a decade earlier, and with more advanced disease in BA compared with Jewish patients. Biologic parameters including grade, ER, PR, and Her2 status were similar in both groups. Although prognosis was worse in BA than in Jewish patients, it was affected only by stage and PR status, but not by ethnicity.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.7
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• pp.4115-4119
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• 2013

Background: Previous reports have shown that human epidermal receptor (HER)-3 overexpression may be associated with poor prognosis in patients with breast cancer, but results have been conflicting. In this study, we sought to investigate the prognostic significance of HER-3 immunohistochemical expression in patients with metastatic breast cancer. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed HER-3 immunohistochemical expression profiles in 45 paraffin-embedded specimens from patients who had been treated between 1996 and 2006 in the Department of Oncology of the Uludag University School of Medicine, Bursa, Turkey. Membranous or cytoplasmic dominant expression patterns of HER-3 were analyzed using the Rajkumar score and a cytoplasmic 4-point scoring system, respectively. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) served as the main outcome measures. Results: The median PFS in the study participants was 9 months (interquartile range: 4.5-13 months), whereas the median OS was 20 months (interquartile range: 7.5-28 months). Categorization of the patient population according to HER-3 positive immunohistochemical expression did not reveal any statistically significant difference in terms of both PFS (p=0.70) and OS (p=0.81). The results of multivariable Cox regression analysis indicated that tumor size was the only independent predictor of PFS, whereas estrogen and progesterone receptor status was independently associated with OS. Conclusions: HER-3 immunohistochemical expression did not correlate with outcomes in Turkish patients with metastatic breast cancer. Although our results suggest that HER-3 expression in cancer specimens is not of prognostic significance, further prospective studies are warranted to confirm these results.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.7
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• pp.4301-4306
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• 2013

Aim: Apoptosis has been considered as a fundamental component in cancer pathogenesis, and related genetic factors might play an important role in gastric cardiac adenocarcinoma (GCA) genesis. Methods: We conducted a hospital based case.control study to evaluate the genetic effects of functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs): BCL2 rs17757541 C>G, BCL2 rs12454712 T>C, FAS rs2234767 G>A, FASL/FASLG rs763110 C>T, ERBB2 rs1136201 A>G and VEGFR2/KDR rs11941492 C>T on the development of GCA. A total of 243 GCA cases and 476 controls were recruited for the study and genotypes were determined using a custom-by-design 48-Plex SNPscan$^{TM}$ Kit. Results: The BCL2 rs17757541 C>G polymorphism was associated with increased risk of GCA. However, there was no significant associations with the other five SNPs. Stratified analyses indicated a significantly increased risk of GCA associated with the BCL2 rs17757541 C>G polymorphism among males, older patients and those with a history of smoking or drinking. Conclusion: These findings indicated that the functional polymorphism BCL2 rs17757541 C>G might contribute to GCA susceptibility. However, our results were limited by small sample size. Future larger studies are required to confirm our current findings.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.334-337
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• 2012

A new promising kiwifruit, 'Halla Gold' variety with yellow flesh and being harvested in October, was developed at the Agricultural Research Center for Climate Change, National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science, Rural Development Administration, Korea in 2007. This variety was derived from the seedling population crossed between Actinidia chinensis cv. Golden Yellow and A. chinensis cv. Songongu in 1997. It was selected out of 2,971 seedlings. Characteristic trials were carried out from 2001 to 2003. After the selection, adaptability test was also conducted at kiwifruit orchards in Jeju Island from 2003 to 2007. Shoots of 'Halla Gold' sprout slightly stronger than those of 'Jecy Gold' but weaker than 'Hort16A' and the color of leaf is green. Fruit shape is oblong and fruit skin color is yellowish-dark green without hair. The average weight of fruit is 106.3 g. Fruit has a moderate size soft core, yellow pericarp, and fragile and juicy flesh. Soluble solids content is $14.7^{\circ}$ Brix and acidity is 1.4%. The harvesting time is about 10 days earlier than 'Jecy Gold' and about 20 days ahead of 'Hort16A'. The storage life is about 90 days at $2^{\circ}C$. This variety can be recommended for cultivating at low land area bellow 100 m sea level in Jeju Island or under shelter to prevent disease and cold injury.