• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.239-250
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• 2000

Sixty-eight clinical isolates of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia from inpatients of 2 university hospitals in Taegu were epidemiologically analyzed by using the minimum inhibitory concentrations of 25 antimicrobial drugs, biochemical reaction, pulsed-field gel elctropgoresis (PFGE), and PCR with enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus sequences as primer (ERIC-PCR). 1. All the strains were susceptible to minocycline. More than 57% were susceptible to sulfisomidine (Su), ciprofloxacin (Ci), Ofloploxacin (Of), nalidixic acid (Na), and chloramphenicol (Cm), and $19{\sim}35%$ to ceftazidime (Cd), trimethoprim (Tp), Ticacillin-clavulanic acid, and cefoperazone-sulbactam. Most isolates were resistant to ${\beta}$-lactam antibiotics such as ampicillin (Ap), carbenicillin (Cb), cefotaxim (Ct), cefoxitin (Cx), and aminoglycosides including gentamicin (Gm), tobramycin (Tb), amikacin (Ak). 2. All the isolates were multiply resistant of 5 to 17 drugs and showed 40 different resistance pattern types. 3. All the strains showed very similar biochemical reactions except ${\beta}$-galactosidase and nitrate reduction test. Fourteen strains selected randomly were classified 10 different pattern type by PFGE and ERIC-PCR. These two methods showed identical result. Four strains isolated from wound in 1994 showed similar MIC pattern and identical API 20NE profile, PFGE, and ERIC-PCR pattern indicating episodes of cross-infection among patients. These results indicate that PFGE or ERIC-PCR profile has comparable discriminatory power for epidemiological typing of S. maltophilia.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.10
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• pp.6181-6184
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• 2013

Background: Lung cancer is the most frequent cancer in males and the fourth most frequent site in females, worldwide. This study is the first to explore the profile of lung cancer in Kuwait. Materials and Methods: Cases of primary lung cancer (Kuwaiti) in Kuwait cancer Registry (KCR) were grouped in 4 periods (10 years each) from 1970-2009. Epidemiological measures; age standardized incidence rate (ASIR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI), Standardized rate ratio (SRR) and Cumulative risk and Forecasting to year 2020-2029 used for analysis. Results: Between years, 2000-2009 lung cancer ranked the 4th and the 9th most frequent cancer in males and females respectively. M:F ratio 1:3. Mean age at diagnosis (95%CI) was 65.2 (63.9-66.4) years. The estimated risk of developing lung cancer before the age of 75 years in males is 1.8% (1/56), and 0.6 (1/167) in females. The ASIR for male cases was 11.7, 17.1, 17.0, 14.0 cases/100,000 population in the seventies, eighties, nineties and in 2000-2009 respectively. Female ASIR was 2.3, 8.4, 5.1, 4.4 cases/100,000 population in the same duration. Lung cancer is the leading cause cancer death in males 168 (14.2%) and the fifth cause of death due to cancer in females accounting for 6.1% of all cancer deaths. The ASMR (95%CI) was 8.1 (6.6-10.0) deaths/100,000 population and 2.8 (1.3-4.3) deaths/100,000 population in males and females respectively. The estimated Mortality to incidence Ratio was 0.6. Conclusions: The incidence of lung cancer between years 2000-2009 is not different from that reported in the seventies. KCR is expecting the number of lung cancer cases to increase.

• CELLMED
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.31.1-31.6
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• 2020

Introduction: Dyslipidaemia is directly associated with cardiovascular diseases. Temperament, the unique constitutional make-up of an individual, is responsible for one's personality traits, physical appearances, and disease predispositions. The rising prevalence of dyslipidaemia becomes a challenge to control morbidity and mortality due to cardiovascular diseases. Objective: To study clinical patterns and risk factors of dyslipidaemia and its association with temperament at the individual level was the main objective of this study. Materials and Methods: It was a descriptive and analytical cross sectional study. The participants (n=88) were screened on the basis of raised serum lipid profile from the outpatient department of National Research Institute of Unani Medicine for Skin Disorders, Hyderabad. The data were collected on a case record form designed for this study and analyzed retrospectively. Results: In this study, there were 57% participants (n=50) of phlegmatic temperament in which mean total cholesterol, triglycerides, low density lipoprotein- cholesterol and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol were 230.92 (±49.48) mg/dl, 182.34 (±110.61) mg/dl, 153.24 (±50.21) mg/dl and 46.3 (±10.83) mg/dl respectively. Discussion: This study showed the prevalence of different clinical patterns of dyslipidaemia in the population and the phlegmatic participants were dyslipidaemic in a higher percentage. The prevalence of dyslipidaemia in phlegmatic participants may be linked to the constitutional make-up of the individual. The temperament of an individual may be considered as one of the risk factors for dyslipidaemia. Conclusion: It was concluded that the temperament of an individual may be used as a screening tool to predict the individual's tendency to develop dyslipidaemia.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.489-494
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• 2013

Background: Lung cancer is one of the commonest and most lethal cancers throughout the world. The epidemiological and pathological profile varies among different ethnicities and geographical regions. At present adenocarcinoma is the commonest histological subtype of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in most of the Western and Asian countries. However, in India squamous cell carcinoma has been reported as the commonest histological type in most of the series. The aim of the study was to analyze the current clinico-pathological profile and survival of lung cancer at our centre. Materials and Methods: We analyzed 434 pathologically confirmed lung cancer cases registered at our centre over a period of three years. They were evaluated for their clinical and pathological profiles, treatment received and outcome. The available histology slides were reviewed by an independent reviewer. Results: Median age was 55 years with a male:female ratio of 4.6:1. Some 68% of patients were smokers. There were 85.3% NSCLC and 14.7% SCLC cases. Among NSCLCs, adenocarcinoma was the commonest histological subtype after the pathology review. Among NSCLC, 56.8% cases were of stage IV while among SCLC 71.8% cases had extensive stage disease. Some 29% of patients did not receive any anticancer treatment. The median overall and progression free survivals of the patients who received treatment were 12.8 and 7.8 months for NSCLC and 9.1 and 6.8 months for SCLC. Conclusions: This analysis suggests that adenocarcinoma may now be the commonest histological subtype also in India, provided a careful pathological review is done. Most of the patients present at advanced stage and outcome remains poor.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.23
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• pp.10091-10094
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• 2015

Easter Island is a small island of $180km^2$, located 3,800 km from the Chilean coast and one of the most isolated inhabited places in the world. Since the mid-twentieth century, it has been undergoing an epidemiological transition in relation to the causes of death, from a predominance of infectious to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cardiovascular ailments and cancer. The aim of this study is to describe the causes of death to Easter Island between 2000 and 2012, so the statistical records of Hanga Roa Hospital and death certificates were reviewed. The period under review of 13 years there was a total of 252 deaths, an average to 19.3 deaths per year. The most frequent causes of death found in the general population of Easter Island were cardiovascular diseases (25.4%), followed by neoplasms (23.4%), accidents (18.6%). Related to Rapa Nui people, cardiovascular and neoplastic diseases (both 26.7%) predominate, while in the population without belonging to the ethnic group the main causes were traumatic (25%) and cardiovascular (22.2%). Comparing the leading causes of death of Easter Island with mainland Chile, it can be seen how they resemble. Taking the island death profile, it is necessary to work on public health strategies aimed to this, considering that some of the causes are completely preventable.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.10
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• pp.1445-1454
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• 2014

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), a disease that spread widely in the world during late 2002 to 2004, severely threatened public health. Although there have been no reported infections since 2004, the extremely pathogenic SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV), as the causative agent of SARS, has recently been identified in animals, showing the potential for the re-emergence of this disease. Previous studies showed that 27 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) mutations among the spike (S) gene of this virus are correlated closely with the SARS pathogenicity and epidemicity. We have developed a SNP DNA microarray in order to detect and genotype these SNPs, and to obtain related information on the pathogenicity and epidemicity of a given strain. The microarray was hybridized with PCR products amplified from cDNAs obtained from different SARS-CoV strains. We were able to detect 24 SNPs and determine the type of a given strain. The hybridization profile showed that 19 samples were detected and genotyped correctly by using our microarray, with 100% accuracy. Our microarray provides a novel method for the detection and epidemiological surveillance of SARS-CoV.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.2867-2870
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• 2016

Background: Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecological malignancy among females worldwide, approximately 320,000 women being diagnosed with the disease each year and 76,000 dying. To date, there is limited knowledge of endometrial cancer in Malaysia. Objectives: To identify the epidemiological profile and prognostic factors of survival. Materials and Methods: A list of endometrial cancer patients in 2000-2011 was obtained from the hospital Record Department. Only cases confirmed by histopathology examination were included. We excluded those with incomplete medical records or referral cases. Simple and multiple Cox regression approaches were used for data analysis. Results: Only 108 cases were included with a mean (SD) age of 62.7 (12.3) years, with 87.0% Malay ethnicity. Grade of cancer was: 29.1% grade 1, 43.7% grade 2 and 27.2% grade 3. The majority of patients had non-endometrioid type (60.2%), with myometrial invasion (82.2%) and lymphovascular invasion (57.3%). The significant prognostic factors were age (HR 1.05; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.08, p=0.002) and having lymphovascular invasion (HR 2.15; 95% CI: 1.08, 4.29; p=0.030). Conclusions: Endometrial cancer patients should be diagnosed earlier to reduce the risk of mortality. The public should be given education on the signs and symptoms of the disease.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.192-201
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• 2014

A comprehensive profile of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in public spaces is needed for interpreting indoor air measurements. Seasonal differences in profiles are critical for epidemiological study and risk assessment. The purposes of this study were to establish profiles for individual VOCs in 50 indoor public places in Korea and to determine seasonal variations in their concentrations. Air samples were taken during working hours. Seventy-two of the 91 targeted VOCs were identified using multiple standards. Six VOCs detected in all summer and winter samples were toluene, acetone, m,p-xylenes, ethylbenzene, benzene, and styrene. In summer, methyl ethyl ketone and 1-butanol were also found in all samples. In both seasons, the dominant indoor VOCs were toluene, m,p-xylenes, ethylbenzene, acetone, and isopropyl alcohol. Other chemicals associated with gasoline emissions were dominant in summer. Limonene was dominant only in winter due to the consumption of tangerines. The nine VOCs with the highest concentrations comprised 64.8% and 49.6% of the TVOC in summer and winter, respectively. Comparing two types of adsorbent tube, a single adsorbent tube with Tenax-TA had similar detection performance as a double adsorbent tube with Tenax and Carbotrap.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.58 no.5
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• pp.527-535
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• 2020

To clarify the reinfection profile associated with risk factors of opisthorchiasis, we conducted an epidemiological study on the chemotherapeutic effects on reinfection with O. viverrini in the endemic areas of Northeastern Thailand for 3 years. A total of 3,674 fecal samples were collected from participants in villages of 5 provinces. They were examined microscopically using a modified technique of formalin ethyl-acetate concentration. Egg-positive residents were reexamined year (2018) by year (2019) after treatment with a single dose (40 mg/kg) of praziquantel. Health education was provided to the participants yearly. The egg-positive rate of O. viverrini was 14.3%, and was highest (22.2%) in the 20-30 year-old group in 2017. The egg positive rate was 15.3% in dogs and 11.4% cats. Human reinfection rate was 15.5% and 6.3% in next 2 years, and was highest (23.2%) among the fishermen. Relative risk factors of reinfection were significantly higher for males, over 40-year-old age, or working as fishermen or farmers, and eating uncooked fish within the preceding year. A significant difference resulting from a health education program was observed in the third year. Therefore, health education and sustainable surveillance for opisthorchiasis should be maintained to decrease the risk of reinfection.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2016

Laboratory workers, in resource-poor countries, still consider PCR detection of Giardia lamblia more costly and more time-consuming than the classical parasitological techniques. Based on 2 published primers, an in-house one-round touchdown PCR-RFLP assay was developed. The assay was validated with an internal amplification control included in reactions. Performance of the assay was assessed with DNA samples of various purities, 91 control fecal samples with various parasite load, and 472 samples of unknown results. Two cysts per reaction were enough for PCR detection by the assay with exhibited specificity (Sp) and sensitivity (Se) of 100% and 93%, respectively. Taking a published small subunit rRNA reference PCR test results (6%; 29/472) as a nominated gold standard, G. lamblia was identified in 5.9% (28/472), 5.2%, (25/472), and 3.6% (17/472) by PCR assay, $RIDA^{(R)}$ Quick Giardia antigen detection test (R-Biopharm, Darmstadt, Germany), and iodine-stained smear microscopy, respectively. The percent agreements (kappa values) of 99.7% (0.745), 98.9% (0.900), and 97.7% (0.981) were exhibited between the assay results and that of the reference PCR, immunoassay, and microscopy, respectively. Restriction digestion of the 28 Giardia-positive samples revealed genotype A pattern in 12 and genotype B profile in 16 samples. The PCR assay with the described format and exhibited performance has a great potential to be adopted in basic clinical laboratories as a detection tool for G. lamblia especially in asymptomatic infections. This potential is increased more in particular situations where identification of the parasite genotype represents a major requirement as in epidemiological studies and infection outbreaks.