• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.195-203
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• 2022

Zea mays, known as maize or corn, is a major staple crop and an important source of energy for humans and animals, thus ensuring global food security. Approximately 9.4% of the loss of total annual corn production is caused by pathogens including fungi, bacteria, and viruses, resulting in economic losses. Although the use of fungicides is one of the most common strategies to control corn diseases, the frequent use of fungicides causes various health problems in humans and animals. In order to overcome this problem, an eco-friendly control strategy has recently emerged as an alternative way. One such eco-friendly control strategy is the use of beneficial microorganisms in the control of plant pathogens. The beneficial microorganisms can control the plant pathogens in various ways, such as spatial competition with plant pathogens, inhibition of fungal or bacterial growth via the production of secondary metabolites or antibiotics, and direct attack to plant pathogens via enzyme activity. Here, we reviewed microorganisms as biocontrol agents against corn diseases.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.799-805
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• 2016

Background: There is no standard treatment for patients with platinum-resistant or refractory epithelial ovarian cancer. Single agent chemotherapies have evidence of more efficacy and less toxicity than combination therapy. Most are very expensive, with appreciable toxicity and minimal survival. Since it is difficult to make comparison between outcomes, economic analysis of single-agent chemotherapy regimens and best supportive care may help to make decisions about an appropriate management for the affected patients. Objective: To evaluate the cost effectiveness of second-line chemotherapy compared with best supportive care for patients with platinum-resistant or refractory epithelial ovarian cancer. Materials and Methods: A Markov model was used to estimate the effectiveness and total costs associated with treatments. The hypothetical patient population comprised women aged 55 with platinum-resistant or refractory epithelial ovarian cancer. Four types of alternative treatment options were evaluated: 1) gemcitabine followed by BSC; 2) pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) followed by BSC; 3) gemcitabine followed by topotecan; and 4) PLD followed by topotecan. Baseline comparator of alternative treatments was BSC. Time horizon of the analysis was 2 years. Health care provider perspective and 3% discount rate were used to determine the costs of medical treatment in this study. Quality-adjusted life-years (QALY) were used to measure the treatment effectiveness. Treatment effectiveness data were derived from the literature. Costs were calculated from unit cost treatment of epithelial ovarian cancer patients at various stages of disease in King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital (KCMH) in the year 2011. Parameter uncertainty was tested in probabilistic sensitivity analysis by using Monte Carlo simulation. One-way sensitivity analysis was used to explore each variable's impact on the uncertainty of the results. Results: Approximated life expectancy of best supportive care was 0.182 years and its total cost was 26,862 Baht. All four alternative treatments increased life expectancy. Life expectancy of gemcitabine followed by BSC, PLD followed by BSC, gemcitabine followed by topotecan and PLD followed by topotecan was 0.510, 0.513, 0.566, and 0.570 years, respectively. The total cost of gemcitabine followed by BSC, PLD followed by BSC, gemcitabine followed by topotecan and PLD followed by topotecan was 113,000, 124,302, 139,788 and 151,135 Baht, respectively. PLD followed by topotecan had the highest expected quality-adjusted life-years but was the most expensive of all the above strategies. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICER) of gemcitabine followed by BSC, PLD followed by BSC, gemcitabine followed by topotecan and PLD followed by topotecan was 344,643, 385,322, 385,856, and 420,299 Baht, respectively. Conclusions: All of the second-line chemotherapy strategies showed certain benefits due to an increased life-year gained compared with best supportive care. Moreover, gemcitabine as second-line chemotherapy followed by best supportive care in progressive disease case was likely to be more effective strategy with less cost from health care provider perspective. Gemcitabine was the most cost-effective treatment among all four alternative treatments. ICER is only an economic factor. Treatment decisions should be based on the patient benefit.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.681-698
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• 2022

The Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus, Atlantic salmon Salmo salar, rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss, olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus, common carp Cyprinus carpio, grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella and rohu carp Labeo rohita are farmed commercially worldwide. Production of these important finfishes is rapidly expanding, and intensive culture practices can lead to stress in fish, often reducing resistance to infectious diseases. Antibiotics and other drugs are routinely used for the treatment of diseases and sometimes applied preventatively to combat microbial pathogens. This strategy is responsible for the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance, mass killing of environmental/beneficial bacteria, and residual effects in humans. As an alternative, the administration of probiotics has gained acceptance for disease control in aquaculture. Probiotics have been found to improve growth, feed utilization, immunological status, disease resistance, and to promote transcriptomic profiles and internal microbial balance of host organisms. The present review discusses the effects of single and multi-strain probiotics on growth, immunity, heamato-biochemical parameters, and disease resistance of the above-mentioned finfishes. The application and outcome of probiotics in the field or open pond system, gaps in existing knowledge, and issues worthy of further research are also highlighted.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.451-459
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• 2018

The aim of this study is to compare the differences in health promotion behaviors by the use of complementary alternative therapy(CAT) in elderly women with osteoarthritis. A total of 621 elderly women with osteoarthritis from public health centers and their branches at a city of C state were enrolled. This study analyzed the frequency and percentage of complementary alternative therapy utilization; a Chi-square test was used for utilization analysis according to subjects' general characteristics and disease features. Degree of health promotion behaviors according to CAT utilization was analyzed by a t-test and ANOVA. The study found that the CAT utilization rate for the total of 621 people was 61.7 %. For health promotion behaviors according to CAT utilization, statistically significant differences were found in exercise (p<0.001), health responsibility (p<0.001) and self-realization (p=0.016) from the domains. This study demonstrated the differences of health promotion behaviors based on CAT utilization. Due to the results of this study it is notable to mention that counseling, instruction for CAT utilization, and strategy development for health promotion are necessary for elderly women with osteoarthritis.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.16-24
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• 2017

Locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC) is composed of heterogeneous subgroups that require a multidisciplinary team approach in order to ensure optimal therapy for each patient. Since 2010, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network has recommended chemoradiation therapy (CRT) for bulky mediastinal disease and surgical combination for those patients with single-station N2 involvement who respond to neoadjuvant therapy. According to lung cancer tumor boards, thoracic surgeons make a decision on the resectability of the tumor, if it is determined to be unresectable, concurrent CRT (CCRT) is considered the next choice. However, the survival benefit of CCRT over sequential CRT or radiotherapy alone carries the risk of additional toxicity. Considering severe adverse events that may lead to death, fit patients who are able to tolerate CCRT must be identified by multidisciplinary tumor board. Decelerated approaches, such as sequential CRT or high-dose radiation alone may be a valuable alternative for patients who are not eligible for CCRT. As a new treatment strategy, investigators are interested in the application of the innovative radiation techniques, trimodality therapy combining surgery after high-dose definitive CCRT, and the combination of radiation with targeted or immunotherapy agents. The updated results and on-going studies are thoroughly reviewed in this article.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.1072-1077
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• 2010

Plant diseases including gray mold caused by Botrytis cinerea are often reduced when calcium compounds are used as alternative materials in paprika. However, much less information is available about the effects of calcium compounds on controlling of $B.$ $cinerea$. Seven calcium compounds such as calcium sulfate dihydrate, calcium chloride, calcium nitrate, calcium oxide, calcium hydroxide, calcium carbonate, and calcium hydride were evaluated for their effectiveness against $B.$ $cinerea$ on potato dextrose agar medium. The pH of selected calcium compounds was higher (pH 8.2-10) than that of the control (pH 6.6). Calcium carbonate, calcium oxide, calcium hydride, and calcium hydroxide among seven calcium compounds were more effectively inhibited the growth of $B.$ $cinerea$ than other calcium compounds. In the case of spraying the spore suspension on paprika applied with the selected four calcium compounds and supplied with the selected calcium supplements in a hydroponic culture system, the paprika treated with calcium compounds showed less severity of disease than those untreated plants. On the basis of our results, we propose that the suppressive effects of calcium compounds on $B.$ $cinerea$ in paprika resulted from the supply of calcium and a certain degree of salt stress.