• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.7
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• pp.3035-3042
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• 2015

Background: Isorhamnetin (Iso), a novel and essential monomer derived from total flavones of Hippophae rhamnoides that has long been used as a traditional Chinese medicine for angina pectoris and acute myocardial infarction, has also shown a spectrum of antitumor activity. However, little is known about the mechanisms of action Iso on cancer cells. Objectives: To investigate the effects of Iso on A549 lung cancer cells and underlying mechanisms. Materials and Methods: A549 cells were treated with $10{\sim}320{\mu}g/ml$ Iso. Their morphological and cellular characteristics were assessed by light and electronic microscopy. Growth inhibition was analyzed by MTT, clonogenic and growth curve assays. Apoptotic characteristics of cells were determined by flow cytometry (FCM), DNA fragmentation, single cell gel electrophoresis (comet) assay, immunocytochemistry and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase nick end labeling (TUNEL). Tumor models were setup by transplanting Lewis lung carcinoma cells into C57BL/6 mice, and the weights and sizes of tumors were measured. Results: Iso markedly inhibited the growth of A549 cells with induction of apoptotic changes. Iso at $20{\mu}g/ml$, could induce A549 cell apoptosis, up-regulate the expression of apoptosis genes Bax, Caspase-3 and P53, and down-regulate the expression of Bcl-2, cyclinD1 and PCNA protein. The tumors in tumor-bearing mice treated with Iso were significantly smaller than in the control group. The results of apoptosis-related genes, PCNA, cyclinD1 and other protein expression levels of transplanted Lewis cells were the same as those of A549 cells in vitro. Conclusions: Iso, a natural single compound isolated from total flavones, has antiproliferative activity against lung cancer in vitro and in vivo. Its mechanisms of action may involve apoptosis of cells induced by down-regulation of oncogenes and up-regulation of apoptotic genes.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
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• v.38
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• pp.83-100
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• 1998

The purpose of this study is to figure out how stage costume of Peking Opera communicates what the character wants to inform to spectator. The stage costume means the clothing, shoes, headdress, accessory that the cast is worn for communicating personality of character. Stage costume not only reveals the character of new spirit who the director and the work is like to create, but also makes the style of play harmonizing with the atmosphere of the work. So, the stage costume in the play is a sort of symbol system that forms the depth of play. The stage costume of Peking Opera was formed on the basis of the Chinese traditional stage costume in the Qing period, however the style of stage costume was beautified the costume of Ming period and here contained the factors of successive costumes. But the stage costume of Peking Opera don't have the same rank system with real history costume and don't have demarcation according to period and history. Only it is that transformed and created the real history costume with Chinese fine view and made how they wear Chinese fine view and made how they wear the costume according to position, age, personality of character in the play. In the stage costume of Peking Opera, the color is cultural language that director can communicate to spectators and can inform spectator of sex, age, personality, position of the character. The color of the stage costume of Peking Opera reflects the principles of Yin and Yang and the five elements of the Chinese cosmogony. The pattern of decoration also makes the personality and characteristic of the character. The dragon pattern symbols the authority and majesty, so only the character of high position can use it. The pattern of tiger and leopard symbols bravery, so the military officer can use it. Civil officer decorates with the pattern of Japanese apricot, orchid, chrysanthmum, bamboo that symbols integrity and honor. The stage costume of Peking Opera communicates the identity of character with the special form of costume. Kanjien is a costume of the young priestess, Houyi is the Sunwukong'costume. Chayi is a costume of boatman. Lingzi, Sweixiu, Kaoqi is the props for the foramtive effect of stage costume, also they play an important part in expressing the emotion situation. In the result of study, we could know that the form, color, pattern of the stage costume and props of Peking Opera play important parts in communicating informations that let spectator can understand the play. So, the stage costume of Peking Opera is an‘picturizing costume’that the form, color, pattern of the stage costume is a sort of symbol system. It makes spectator feels actually the viewing Peking Opera.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.610-614
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of fumonisin contamination in corn and corn-based feeds in Taiwan. A total of 233 samples was collected from 8 feed mill factories located in four different regions in Taiwan. The presence of fumonisin $B_1$ ($FB_1$) and $B_2$ ($FB_2$) was determined by thin layer chromatograph, while the total fumonisin content was determined using immuno-affinity column cleanup and fluorometer quantitation. Our results showed that 55 samples of swine feeds had the highest percentage of incidence of $FB_1$ and $FB_2$ (41.8% and 41.8%, respectively), followed by 66 samples of duck feeds (40.9% and 37.8%). However, the percentage of incidence of $FB_1$ and $FB_2$ was much lower in 43 samples of broiler feeds (23.2% and 13.9%) and 69 samples of corn (17.3% and 10.1%). Corn and duck feeds were found to have a significant higher level of means of total fumonisins ($5.4{\pm}1.5$ and $5.8{\pm}0.6$ ppm, respectively) than swine feeds ($2.9{\pm}0.4$ ppm) and broiler feeds ($3.0{\pm}0.5$ ppm). Comparing fumonisins distribution in different regions, the highest percentage of $FB_1$ incidence (39.2%) was found in the eastern region of Taiwan, and total fumonisins level ($4.5{\pm}0.7$ ppm) was significantly higher than other regions. However, the highest percentage of $FB_2$ incidence (32.0%) was found in the central region of Taiwan. Trimonthly analysis of data showed that both high percentage of $FB_1$ and $FB_2$ incidence (39.3% and 37.7%) and total concentration of fumonisin ($5.7{\pm}0.4$ ppm) were found in the period of Jan. to Mar., The incidence and concentration were significantly higher than other trimothly periods. These results indicate that fumonisin B mycotoxins are both widespread and persistent in feed-grade corn and corn-based feeds in Taiwan.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.6379-6384
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• 2012

Objective: To investigate the relationship between plasma EBV-DNA concentration and clinicopathologic features of Hodgkin's lymphoma cases. Methods: At first, the positive rate of plasma EBV-DNA was determined with a nested-PCR method using 45 specimens from Uygur HL patients, as well as 110 healthy people sampled as normal controls. Secondly, using fluorescent quantitative nested-PCR, EBV viral load was assessed in the EBV-DNA positive plasma samples. Then, relationships between plasma EBV viral load and clinicopathologic features of HL patients were analyzed. Results: The positive rate of plasma EBV-DNA of HL patients was significantly higher than that of normal controls (53.3% vs 26.4%, P=0.001). There was no significant difference about plasma EBV viral load between EBV-associated HL and EBV-DNA positive normal people (P=0.490). Looking at patients' characteristics, plasma EBV viral load in 10-20 years EBV-associated HL was higher than in EBV cases which were less than 10 years or more than 35 years (P=0.025). Furthermore, in EBV-associated HL, concentration of plasma EBV-DNA was significantly higher in advanced stage disease (stages III-IV; P=0.013), and with B-symptoms (P=0.020). Conclusion: EBV-DNA levels were associated with part of clinicopathologic features of cases. It was of practical use to screen HL. Further etiological studies appear warranted.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.7
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• pp.4243-4247
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• 2013

The relationship between the X-ray repair cross-complementing group 3 (XRCC3) Thr241Met polymorphism and gliomas remains inclusive or controversial. For better understanding of the effect of XRCC3 Thr241Met polymorphism on glioma risk, a meta-analysis was performed. All eligible studies were identified through a search of PubMed, Elsevier Science Direct, Excerpta Medica Database (Embase) and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM) before May 2013. The association between the XRCC3 Thr241Met polymorphism and gliomas risk was conducted by odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). A total of nine case-control studies including 3,533 cases and 4,696 controls were eventually collected. Overall, we found that XRCC3 Thr241Met polymorphism was significantly associated with the risk of gliomas (T vs. C: OR=1.10, 95%CI=1.01-1.20, P=0.034; TT vs. CC: OR=1.30, 95%CI=1.03-1.65, P=0.027; TT vs. TC/CC: OR=1.29, 95%CI=1.01-1.64, P=0.039). In the subgroup analysis based on ethnicity, the significant association was found in Asian under four models (T vs. C: OR=1.17, 95%CI=1.07-1.28, P=0.00; TT vs. CC: OR=1.79, 95%CI=1.36-2.36, P=0.00; TT vs. TC/CC: OR=1.75, 95%CI=1.32-2.32, P=0.00; TT/TC vs. CC: OR=1.11,95% CI=1.02-1.20). This meta-analysis suggested that the XRCC3 Thr241Met polymorphism is a risk factor for gliomas, especially for Asians. Considering the limited sample size and ethnicities included in the meta-analysis, further large scale and well-designed studies are needed to confirm our results.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.273-279
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• 2013

The microorganisms producing high protease activity and acid producing ability were isolated from Chunggukjang and kimchi, which were identified as Bacillus subtilis and Lactobacillus planetarum by morphological, biochemical and nutrient requirement. The attempt was made to produce soybean milk yoghurt by using the isolated microorganisms. The mixed culture of Bacillus subtilis and Lactobacillus plantarum exhibited the lowest pH value of 4.23 and highest titratable acidity of 0.88% compared to those of single cultures at $37^{\circ}C$ for 32 hrs, and their total viable count was $4.09{\times}10^8$ $cfu/m{\ell}$. The ${\alpha}$-amylase activity was the highest in culture of Bacillus subtilis after incubation for 24 hrs, while protease activity was most produced in mixed culture of Bacillus subtilis and Lactobacillus plantarum. The amounts of reducing sugars were steadily decreased as soy milk fermentation progressed.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.20
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• pp.8947-8950
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• 2014

Immunological functions of heat shock proteins (HSPs) have long been recognized. In this study we aimed to efficiently purify HSP70 from renal cell carcinoma and test it as a tumor antigen for pulsing dendritic cells in vitro. HSP70 was purified from renal cell carcinoma specimens by serial column chromatography on Con A-sepharose, PD-10, ADP-agarose and DEAE-cellulose, and finally subjected to fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC). Dendritic cells derived from the adherent fraction of peripheral blood mononuclear cells were cultured in the presence of IL-4 and GM-CSF and exposed to tumor HSP70. After 24 hours, dendritic cells were phenotypically characterized by flow cytometry. T cells obtained from the non-adherent fraction of peripheral blood mononuclear cells were then co-cultured with HSP70-pulsed dendritic cells and after 3 days T cell cytotoxicity towards primary cultured renal cell carcinoma cells was examined by Cell Counting Kit-8 assay. Dendritic cells pulsed in vitro with tumor-derived HSP70 expressed higher levels of CD83, CD80, CD86 and HLA-DR maturation markers than those pulsed with tumor cell lysate and comparable to that of dendritic cells pulsed with tumor cell lysate plus TNF-${\alpha}$. Concomitantly, cytotoxic T-lymphocytes induced by HSP70-pulsed dendritic cells presented the highest cytotoxic activity. There were no significant differences when using homologous or autologous HSP70 as the tumor antigen. HSP70 can be efficiently purified by chromatography and induces in vitro dendritic cell maturation in the absence of TNF-${\alpha}$. Conspecific HSP70 may effectively be used as a tumor antigen to pulse dendritic cells in vitro.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.8
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• pp.3403-3410
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• 2014

Context: Interest exits in whether TNF-alpha antagonists increase the risk of breast cancer and total malignancies in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Objectives: To analyze the risk of malignancies, especially breast cancer, in patients with RA enrolled in randomized control trials (RCTs). Methods: A systematic literature search for RCTs from 1 January 1998 to 1 July 2013 from online databases, such as PubMed, WILEY, EMBASE, ISI web of knowledge and Cochrane Library was conducted. Studies included RCTs that compared the safety of at least one dose of the five TNF-${\alpha}$ antagonists with placebo or methotrexate (MTX) (or TNF-${\alpha}$ antagonists plus MTX vs placebo plus MTX) in RA patients for more than 24 weeks and imported all the references into document management software EndNote${\times}6$. Two independent reviewers selected studies and extracted the data about study design, patients' characteristics and the type, number of all malignancies. Results: 28 RCTs from 34 records with 11,741 patients were analyzed. Of the total, 97 developed at least one malignancy during the double-blind trials, and breast cancer was observed in 17 patients (17.5% of total malignancies). However, there was no statistically significant increased risk observed in either the per protocol (PP) model (OR 0.65, 95%CI [0.22, 1.93]) or the modified intention to treat (mITT) model (OR 0.75, 95%CI [0.25, 2.21]). There were also no significant trend for increased risk of total malignancies on anti-TNF-${\alpha}$ therapy administered at approved doses in either model (OR, 1.06, 95%CI [0.64, 1.75], and OR, 1.30, 95%CI [0.80, 2.14], respectively). As to the two models, modified intention to treat model analysis led to higher estimation than per protocol model analysis. Conclusions: This study did not find a significantly increased risk of breast cancer and total malignancies in adults RA patients treated with TNF-${\alpha}$ antagonists at approved doses. However, it cannot be ignored that more patients developed malignancies with TNF-${\alpha}$ antagonists therapy compared with patients with placebo or MTX, in spite of the lack of statistical significance, so that more strict clinical trials and long-term follow-up are needed, and both mITT and PP analyses should be used in such safety analyses.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.8
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• pp.3451-3455
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• 2014

Background: The serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level can reflect tumor growth, recurrence and metastasis. It has been reported that epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations in exons 19 and 21may have an important relationship with tumor cell sensitivity to EGFR-TKI therapy. In this study, we investigated the clinical value of EGFR mutations and serum CEA in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Materials and Methods: The presence of mutations in EGFR exons 19 and 21 in the tissue samples of 315 patients with NSCLC was detected with real-time fluorescent PCR technology, while the serum CEA level in cases who had not yet undergone surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and targeted therapy were assessed by electrochemical luminescence. Results: The mutation rates in EGFR exons 19 and 21 were 23.2% and 14.9%, respectively, with the two combined in 3.81%. Measured prior to the start of surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and targeted treatment, serum CEA levels were abnormally high in 54.3% of the patients. In those with a serum CEA level <5 ng/mL, the EGFR mutation rate was 18.8%, while with 5~19 ng/mL and ${\geq}20ng/mL$, the rates were 36.4% and 62.5%. In addition, in the cohort of patients with the CEA level being 20~49 ng/mL, the EGFR mutation rate was 85.7%, while in those with the CEA level ${\geq}50ng/mL$, the EGFR mutation rate was only 20.0%, approximately the same as in cases with the CEA level<5 ng/mL. Conclusions: There is a positive correlation between serum CEA expression level and EGFR mutation status in NSCLC patients, namely the EGFR mutation-positive rate increases as the serum CEA expression level rises within a certain range (${\geq}20ng/mL$, especially 20~49 ng/mL). If patient samples are not suitable for EGFR mutation testing, or cannot be obtained at all, testing serum CEA levels might be a simple and easy screening method. Hence, for the NSCLC patients with high serum CEA level (${\geq}20ng/mL$, especially 20~49 ng/mL), it is worthy of attempting EGFR-TKI treatment, which may achieve better clinical efficacy and quality of life.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.7
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• pp.3239-3245
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• 2014

Background: College students are recommended as the target groups for catch-up human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination. Systematical exploration of awareness, acceptability, and decision-making factors of HPV vaccination among Chinese college students has been limited. Materials and Methods: A multi-center survey was conducted in mainland China between November 2011 and May 2012. College students aged 18-22 years were stratified by their grade, gender, and major for sampling. Socio-demographic and HPV-related information such as knowledge, perceptions, acceptability, and attitudes were collected through a questionnaire. Results: A total of 3,497 undergraduates completed the questionnaire, among which 1,686 were males. The acceptability of the HPV vaccine was high (70.8%). Undergraduates from high-level universities, at lower grade, or with greater prior knowledge of HPV vaccines showed higher acceptability of HPV vaccination ($p_{trend}$ <0.001). Additionally, undergraduates with vaccination experience outside the National Expanded Program on Immunization (OR=1.29; 95%CI: 1.10-1.51) or fear of HPV-related diseases (OR=2.79; 95%CI: 2.28-3.41) were more willing to accept HPV vaccination. General knowledge of HPV vaccine was low among undergraduates, and safety was a major concern (71.05%). The majority of students wished to pay less than 300RMB for HPV vaccine and chose the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention as the most appropriate venue for vaccination. Conclusions: Although most undergraduates demonstrate positive attitudes towards HPV vaccination, challenges pertaining to introduction exist in China. Corresponding proactive education and governmental subsidy to do so are urgently needed by this age-group population. Suggestions and potential strategies indicated may help shape the future HPV vaccination program in China.