• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.12
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• pp.7085-7090
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• 2013

Objective: Published data have shown that microRNAs (miRNAs) could play a potential role as diagnostic and prognostic indicators in cancers. Data for the predictive value of microRNA-155 are inconclusive. The aim of the present analysis was therefore to evaluate the role of miR-155 in prognosis for patients with a variety of carcinomas. Methods: Relevant studies were identified by searching PubMed and EMBASE. Data were extracted from studies comparing overall survival (OS), recurrence-free survival (RFS) or cancer-specific survival (CSS) in patients with carcinoma with higher miR-155 expression and those with lower levels. The pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of miR-155 for clinical outcome were calculated. Results: A total of 15 studies were included. The pooled hazard ratio (HR) for OS of higher miR-155 expression in cancerous tissue was 1.89 (95% CI: 1.20-2.99, P=0.006), which could markedly predict poorer survival in general cancer. For RFS/CSS, elevated miR-155 was also associated with poor prognosis of cancer (HR=1.50, 95% CI: 1.10-2.05, P=0.01). On subgroup analysis, the pooled HR for OS in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was 2.09 (95% CI: 0.68-6.41, P > 0.05), but for RFS/CSS was 1.28 (95% CI: 1.05-1.55, P=0.015), with statistical significance; the pooled HRs for OS and RFS/CSS in digestive system neoplasms were 3.04 (95% CI: 1.48-6.24, P=0.003) and 2.61 (95% CI: 1.98-3.42, P<0.05), respectively. Conclusions: The results indicated that the miR-155 expression level plays a prognostic role in patients with cancer, especially NSCLCs and digestive system carcinomas.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.1889-1894
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• 2013

Background: Basaloid squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus (BSCCE) is a rare and distinctive tumor with no standard treatment. This study aimed to explore treatment in relation to prognosis of the disease. Methods: A total of 142 patients with BSCCE that underwent treatment in our hospital from March 1999 to July 2010 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients received surgery, 42 postoperative radiotherapy and 28 patients chemotherapy. Results: There were 26 patients included in stage I, 60 in stage II, 53 in stage III and 3 in stage IV. The clinical symptoms and macroscopic performances of BSCCE did not differ from those of typical esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Among 118 patients receiving endoscopic biopsy, only 12 were diagnosed with BSCCE. The median survival time (MST) of the entire group was 32 months, with 1-, 3- and 5-year overall survival (OS) of 81.4%, 46.8% and 31.0%, respectively. The 5-year OS of stage I and II patients was significantly longer than that of stages III/IV, at 60.3%, 36.1% and 10.9%, respectively (p<0.001, p=0.001). The MST and 5-year OS were 59.0 months and 47.4% in patients with tumors located in the lower thoracic esophagus, and 27.0 months and 18.1% in those with lesions in the upper/middle esophagus (p=0.002). However, the survival was not significantly improved in patients undegoing adjunctive therapy. Multivariate analysis showed TNM stage and tumor location to be independent prognostic factors. Furthermore, distant metastasis was the most frequent failure pattern, with a median recurrence time of 10 months. Conclusion: BSCCE is an aggressive disease with rapid progression and a propensity for distant metastasis. It is difficult to make a definitive diagnosis via preoperative biopsy. Multidisciplinary therapy including radical esophagectomy with extended lymphadenectomy should be recommended, while the effectiveness of radiochemotherapy requires further validation for BSCCE.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.536-547
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• 2008

Anthocyanidin synthase (ANS, leucoanthocyanidin oxygenase), a 2-oxoglutarate iron-dependent oxygenase, catalyzed the penultimate step in the biosynthesis of the anthocyanin class of flavonoids, from the colorless leucoanthocyanidins to the colored anthocyanidins. The full-length cDNA and genomic DNA sequences of ANS gene (designated as GbANS) were isolated from Ginkgo biloba for the first time. The full-length cDNA of GbANS contained a 1062-bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding a 354-amino-acid protein. The genomic DNA analysis showed that GbANS gene had three exons and two introns. The deduced GbANS protein showed high identities to other plant ANSs. The conserved amino acids (H-X-D) ligating ferrous iron and residues (R-X-S) participating in 2-oxoglutarate binding were found in GbANS at the similar positions like other ANSs. Southern blot analysis indicated that GbANS belonged to a multi-gene family. The expression analysis by real-time PCR showed that GbANS expressed in a tissue-specific manner in G. biloba. GbANS was also found to be up-regulated by all of the six tested abiotic stresses, UV-B, abscisic acid, sucrose, salicylic acid, cold and ethylene, consistent with the promoter region analysis of GbANS. The recombinant protein was successfully expressed in E. coli strain with pET-28a vector. The in vitro enzyme activity assay by HPLC indicated that recombinant GbANS protein could catalyze the formation the cyanidin from leucocyanidin and conversion of dihydroquercetin to quercetin, suggesting GbANS is a bifunctional enzyme within the anthocyanidin and flavonol biosynthetic pathway.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.18
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• pp.7719-7724
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• 2014

Background: Lymph node metastasis is believed to be a dependent negative prognostic factor of esophageal cancer. To explore detection methods with high sensitivity and accuracy for metastases to regional and distant lymph nodes in the clinic is of great significance. This study focused on clinical application of FDG PET/CT and contrast-enhanced multiple-slice helical computed tomography (MSCT) in lymph node staging of esophageal cancer. Materials and Methods: One hundred and fifteen cases were examined with enhanced 64-slice-MSCT scan, and FDG PET/CT imaging was conducted for neck, chest and upper abdomen within one week. The primary lesion, location and numbers of metastatic lymph nodes were observed. Surgery was performed within one week after FDG PET/CT detection. All resected lesions were confirmed histopathologically as the gold standard. Comparative analysis of the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy based on FDG PET/CT and MSCT was conducted. Results: There were 946 lymph node groups resected during surgery from 115 patients, and 221 were confirmed to have metastasis pathologically. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy of FDG PET/CT in detecting lymph node metastasis were 74.7%, 97.2% and 92.0%, while with MSCT they were 64.7%, 96.4%, and 89.0%, respectively. A significance difference was observed in sensitivity (p=0.030), but not the others (p>0.05). The accuracy of FDG PET/CT in detecting regional lymph node with or without metastasis were 91.9%, as compared to 89.4% for MSCT, while FDG PET/CT and MSCT values for detecting distant lymph node with or without metastasis were 94.4% and 94.7%. No significant difference was observed for either regional or distant lymph node metastasis. Additionally, for detecting para-esophageal lymph nodes metastasis, the sensitivity of FDG PET/CT was 72%, compared with 54.7% for MSCT (p=0.029). Conclusions: FDG PET/CT is more sensitive than MSCT in detecting lymph node metastasis, especially for para-esophageal lymph nodes in esophageal cancer cases, although no significant difference was observed between FDG PET/CT and MSCT in detecting both regional and distant lymph node metastasis. However, enhanced MSCT was found to be of great value in distinguishing false negative metastatic lymph nodes from FDG PET/CT. The combination of FDG PET/CT with MSCT should improve the accuracy in lymph node metastasis staging of esophageal cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.14
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• pp.5835-5842
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• 2015

Background: Melatonin, which is mainly produced by the pineal gland, has a good inhibitory effect on cell growth of multiple cancer types. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of anti-tumor activity for colon cancer have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we investigated the effects of melatonin on migration in human colon cancer RKO cells and the potential molecular mechanisms. Materials and Methods: The viability of RKO cells was investigated by MTT assay after treatment with melatonin, SB203580 (p38 inhibitor) and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA, MAPK activator) alone or in combination for 48h. The effects of melatonin, and ML-7, a selective inhibitor of myosin light chain kinase (MLCK), and SB203580, and PMA on the migration of RKO cells were analyzed by in vitro scratch-wound assay. The relative mRNA levels of MLCK was assessed by real-time quantitative RT-PCR. Western blotting analysis was performed to examine the expression of MLCK, phosphorylation of myosin light chain (pMLC) and p38 (pp38). Results: The proliferation and migration of human colon cancer RKO cells were inhibited significantly after treatment with melatonin. The expression levels of MLCK and phosphorylation of MLC of RKO cells were reduced, and real-time quantitative RT-PCR showed that melatonin had significant effects on suppressing the expression of MLCK. Furthermore, the phosphorylation level of p38, which showed the same trend, was also reduced when cells were treated by melatonin. In addition, ML-7 (25umol/l) could down-regulate the phosphorylation of p38. Conclusions: Melatonin could inhibit the proliferation and migration of RKO cells, and further experiments confirmed that p38 MAPK plays an important role in regulating melatonin-induced migration inhibition through down-regulating the expression and activity of MLCK.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Oriental Medical Informatics
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.130-287
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• 2011

"zhenjiusunanyaozhi(鍼灸素難要旨)" is composed of three volumes and published in 1529 by Gao Wu(高武). Gao Wu(高武) is skillful in astronomy, the art of war and the law as well as a medical practitioner in Ming Dynasty. The books he wrote "zhenjiujuying(鍼灸聚英)", "zhizhi(直指)", "douzhenzhengzong(痘疹正宗)", "shexuezhinan(射學指南)", "zhenjiujieyao(鍼灸節要)". "zhenjiusunanyaozhi鍼灸素難要旨" is written by classifying the origin of acupuncture and moxibustion. In other words, it is edited by classifying the contents related to acupuncture and moxibustion out of the ancient Chinese medical book "yellow emperor's canon of medicine and yellow emperor eighty-one difficult" in which are composed of 3 volumes as follows, Volume 1 says the main diseases on "the nine acupuncture needles figure" (九針圖), "the reinforcing and reducing the meridian" (補瀉), "the needle depth" (針刺深淺), "the five shu points - metal, wood, water, fire, earth" (正,滎,輸,經,合) based on 18 chapters in terms of acupuncture in "yellow emperor eighty-one Difficult "難經"", in which it quotes the annotation of "the difficulty by the original meaning "難經本義"" written by Hua Shou(滑壽) in Yuan Dynasty. Volume 2 is composed of 2 parts. Part 1 says the method of treatment on 36 Chapters, the method of acupuncture use in the Linshu "靈樞" and the Suwen "素問" such as "the rule of acupuncture use" (用針方宜), "the nine-pin method" (九針式) and "the nine-pin to only use the time appropriate to consider nature of Heaven, Earth and person" (九針應天地人時以起用) etc., Part 2 says "the five difficult acupuncture(五亂刺)", "the rise and fall of energy and blood(氣血盛衰)". "the pain tolerance(耐痛)" and ect., in which are in terms of method of treatment collected the original texts of 59 chapters on acupuncture to each disease and of 8 chapters on moxibustion in the Linshu "靈樞" and the Suwen "素問". Volume 3 includes 10 chapters in which consist of "the stabbing to disease in 12 meridians (十二經病刺)", "the eight extra meridian disease (寄經八脈病)", "the twelve meridians(十二經脈)", "the fifteen collaterals (十五絡脈), the twelve meridian muscles (十二經筋)", "the acupoint (孔穴)" and etc. This is the book edited comprehensively by classifying the contents on the theory of acupuncture and moxibustion and the circulations of meridians in "yellow emperor's canon of medicine and yellow emperor eighty-one difficult" and there is no case story in particular except his comments in person. This study is for the purpose of helping researching and developing acupuncture and moxibustion and applying their clinical training.

• Korean Journal of Exercise Nutrition
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.65-71
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• 2012

Oxygen is the final acceptor of electron transport from fat and carbohydrate oxidation, which is the rate-limiting factor for cellular ATP production. Under altitude hypoxia condition, energy reliance on anaerobic glycolysis increases to compensate for the shortfall caused by reduced fatty acid oxidation [1]. Therefore, training at altitude is expected to strongly influence the human metabolic system, and has the potential to be designed as a non-pharmacological or recreational intervention regimen for correcting diabetes or related metabolic problems. However, most people cannot accommodate high altitude exposure above 4500 M due to acute mountain sickness (AMS) and insulin resistance corresponding to a increased levels of the stress hormones cortisol and catecholamine [2]. Thus, less stringent conditions were evaluated to determine whether glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity could be improved by moderate altitude exposure (below 4000 M). In 2003, we and another group in Austria reported that short-term moderate altitude exposure plus endurance-related physical activity significantly improves glucose tolerance (not fasting glucose) in humans [3,4], which is associated with the improvement in the whole-body insulin sensitivity [5]. With daily hiking at an altitude of approximately 4000 M, glucose tolerance can still be improved but fasting glucose was slightly elevated. Individuals vary widely in their response to altitude challenge. In particular, the improvement in glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity by prolonged altitude hiking activity is not apparent in those individuals with low baseline DHEA-S concentration [6]. In addition, hematopoietic adaptation against altitude hypoxia can also be impaired in individuals with low DHEA-S. In short-lived mammals like rodents, the DHEA-S level is barely detectable since their adrenal cortex does not appear to produce this steroid [7]. In this model, exercise training recovery under prolonged hypoxia exposure (14-15% oxygen, 8 h per day for 6 weeks) can still improve insulin sensitivity, secondary to an effective suppression of adiposity [8]. Genetically obese rats exhibit hyperinsulinemia (sign of insulin resistance) with up-regulated baseline levels of AMP-activated protein kinase and AS160 phosphorylation in skeletal muscle compared to lean rats. After prolonged hypoxia training, this abnormality can be reversed concomitant with an approximately 50% increase in GLUT4 protein expression. Additionally, prolonged moderate hypoxia training results in decreased diffusion distance of muscle fiber (reduced cross-sectional area) without affecting muscle weight. In humans, moderate hypoxia increases postprandial blood distribution towards skeletal muscle during a training recovery. This physiological response plays a role in the redistribution of fuel storage among important energy storage sites and may explain its potent effect on changing body composition. Conclusion: Prolonged moderate altitude hypoxia (rangingfrom 1700 to 2400 M), but not acute high attitude hypoxia (above 4000 M), can effectively improve insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance for humans and antagonizes the obese phenotype in animals with a genetic defect. In humans, the magnitude of the improvementvaries widely and correlates with baseline plasma DHEA-S levels. Compared to training at sea-level, training at altitude effectively decreases fat mass in parallel with increased muscle mass. This change may be associated with increased perfusion of insulin and fuel towards skeletal muscle that favors muscle competing postprandial fuel in circulation against adipose tissues.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.78-88
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• 2016

The comparative analysis result of appearance characteristic of landscape elements and symbolic elements implied by the tablets on the 16th century's Korean Damyang garden and Chinese Suzhou garden is as follows. First, among the landscape elements implied in the tablets, appearance rate of botanical factors appeared high in the gardens of both areas. Damyang garden displayed bamboo grove and natural forest around the garden, while Suzhou garden displayed artificial mountain(假山) created artificially and a variety of plants including lotus, bamboo, and pine surrounding it were associated with the significance of the tablets. On the other hand, climatic/celestial elements including the rain, wind, and the moon were associated with the tablets of Damyang garden, while the artificial factors such as the building, bridge, and book, etc. were mostly were associated with the tablets of Suzhou garden. Second, among the symbolic elements included in the tablets, ethical personality which is the basic virtue of a noble man(聖人), was the universal characteristic of the meditation world of the garden in both areas. However, a will for political stability was mostly associated with the tablets of Damyang garden, while the retrospect heart for the immortal was mostly associated with the signboard in Suzhou garden. It was concerned with political ideal and the thought of Confucianism respectively. Third, the symbolic elements that appeared frequently in the tablets of Damyang garden, "Ethics" and "Political stability", were associated with the scene atmosphere created by the climatic elements and celestial elements. On the contrary, the symbolic elements which most frequently appeared in the tablets of Suzhou garden, "Ethics", was associated with the symbolic significance of the plant. The invisible space of gardens was expanded by tablets in both areas.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.98-109
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• 2017

The results of this study attempting to graft to the space by cognizing and categorizing the characteristic of the under-toned private property to the tablets of the Zhuozhengyuan are as follows. The tablet of Zhuozhengyuan was typed into three groups. In the A group, the frequency of artificial elements including the top, ship, and head was high, and the main emphasis was on the elegance and integrity spirit that the Sunbi(classical scholar) had to have. It has a characteristic of good architects such as pavilion and Nu(樓) is included and as it is adjacent to the water surface the one side of the building is integrated to the water surface. The B group is characterized mainly by the fact that the scenery is portrayed through the climatic factors including rain, wind, and snow, or the scene atmosphere and it is located at the top of the summit which is good for viewing the scenery. In the C group, plant elements such as lotus, magnolia, plum, and bamboo appeared frequently, and various buildings such as pavilion, Kwan(館), Gak(閣) and Dang(堂) belong to this structure. The structure has the characteristic of integrating directly with the water surface or putting the terrace between and scattering throughout the whole garden. Furthermore, this study identified area characteristics based on the frequency of the tablet type. In the west area, Group A is mostly distributed and the humor and concept implied in the tablet, combined with the shape and location of the scenery, viewpoint of the viewer, and the composition of the landscape, improved the orderliness of the space, which led to expand the scope of the enjoyment to the entire space. Meanwhile, in the middle area, tablets of Group C are mostly distributed, and the unique characteristics and shapes of the woody plants that were used as the name of the tablet were connected with various buildings including pavilion, Dang, Kuan, and Gak, improving the unique identity of the space and forming connection with the world of ideas through unity and independence.