• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.65-73
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• 1988

T-2 toxin is one of mycotoxins produced by fungi such as Fusarium spp. and possesses a potent cytotoxicity to eukaryotic cell. The contamination of mycotoxins in cereals and feedstuffs is one of the great concerns in health authorities. Therefore, the development of the specific, sensitive and simplified analysis method for T -2 toxin is required. During more than ten years, several chemical and biological analysis methods were proposed and applied for the detection and quantification of T-2 toxin. TLC, GLC-FID and GC-MS are widely employed, but these methods required numerous clean-up procedures before analysis, and the detection limit for T-2 toxin is more than 10 ppb. Biological analysis methods with dermal tissues and cultured cells are not specific to T-2 toxin, since T-2 toxin and other related derivatives possess a similar toxicological activity although their relative activity is different each otber. Based on tbe specific reaction between antibody and antigen, the authors tried to introduce the immunochemical methods for determination of T-2 toxin. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method using monoclonal antibody for T-2 toxin was applied to analyse T-2 toxin. The detection limit of T-2 toxin by ELISA method was 0.1 ppb. The correlation between ELISA and GC-MS method on these samples was very high. ELISA method developed for the detection and quantification of T -2 toxin in this paper possesses simplicity, high sensitivity and specific for T-2 toxin. Furthermore, the ELISA method with T-2 toxin monoclonal antibody was an excellent tool for the screening of Fusarium spp. which was suspected to produce T-2 toxin.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.237-241
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• 2012

Objective: Screening for colorectal cancer using guaiac-based fecal occult blood tests (gFOBT) is well established in Western populations, but is hampered by poor patient compliance due to the imposed dietary restrictions. Fecal immunochemical tests (FIT) do not require dietary restriction, but are more expensive than gFOBT and therefore restrict its use in developing countries in Asia. However, Asian diets being low in meat content may not require diet restriction for gFOBT to achieve equivalent results. The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the validity and suitability of gFOBT and FIT or a combination of the two in screening for colorectal neoplasias without prior dietary restriction in an Asian population. Methods: Patients referred to the Endoscopic Unit for colonoscopy were recruited for the study. Stool samples were collected prior to bowel preparation, and tested for occult blood with both gFOBT and FIT. Dietary restriction was not imposed. To assess the validity of either tests or in combination to detect a neoplasm or cancer in the colon, their false positive rates, their sensitivity (true positive rate) and the specificity (true negative rate) were analyzed and compared. Results: One hundred and three patients were analysed. The sensitivity for picking up any neoplasia was 53% for FIT, 40% for gFOBT and 23.3% for the combination. The sensitivities for picking up only carcinoma were 77.8%, 66.7% and 55.5%, respectively. The specificity for excluding any neoplasia was 91.7% for FIT, 74% for gFOBT and 94.5% for a combination, whereas for excluding only carcinomas they were 84%, 73.4% and 93.6%. Of the 69 with normal colonoscopic findings, FOBT was positive in 4.3%, 23.2 %and 2.9% for FIT, gFOBT, or combination of tests respectively. Conclusion: FIT is the recommended method if we are to dispense with dietary restriction in our patients because of its relatively low-false positivity and better sensitivity and specificity rates.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.12
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• pp.5111-5113
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• 2015

Background: To investigate the diagnostic and treatment methods for Chinese patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST). Materials and Methods: From January 2004 to June 2014, patients diagnosed with primary GIST and treated by a single medical team in the Department of Digestive Disease of XuYi Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine were retrospectively recruited. Re-examination and follow-up was conducted regularly and abdominal enhanced CT, blood biochemistry and responses to surgery or imatinib were recorded. Results: A total of 15 patients were enrolled, including 9 male and 6 female patients, with an average age of 54 years (ranging from 32-81 years). The primary symptoms were abdominal uncomfortable in 5 patients, abdominal pain in 6 patients as well as nausea and vomiting in 4 patients. One patient was diagnosed with bowl obstruction at the first visit. All patients were treated with surgery, and tumor site was confirmed 1 esophagus, 6 stomach, 4 small bowel, and 4 colorectal and all patients were pathologically diagnosed with GIST. Immunochemical test positive for CD 117 was found 12 patients, and positive for CD 34 in7 patients. The median follow-up time was 24 months (range of 3-63). Three metastasis were confirmed 1.5, 2 and 2.6 years postoperatively. Three patients were treatment by imatinib postoperatively. Conclusions: Surgery remains the main treatment method for Chinese patients with GIST and imatinib could be feasible and safe for treating Chinese patients with GIST.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2013

Objective : This study was undertaken in the belief that the atypical antipsychotic drug quetiapine could prevent apoptosis in the penumbra region following ischemia, taking into account findings that show 5-hydroxytryptamine-2 receptor blockers can prevent apoptosis. Methods : We created 5 groups, each containing 6 animals. Nothing was done on the K-I group used for comparisons with the other groups to make sure adequate ischemia had been achieved. The K-II group was sacrificed on the 1st day after transient focal cerebral ischemia and the K-III group on the 3rd day. The D-I group was administered quetiapine following ischemia and sacrificed on the 1st day while the D-II group was administered quetiapine every day following the ischemia and sacrificed on the 3rd day. The samples were stained with the immunochemical TUNEL method and the number of apoptotic cells were counted. Results : There was a significant difference between the first and third day control groups (K-II/K-III : p=0.004) and this indicates that apoptotic cell death increases with time. This increase was not encountered in the drug groups (D-I/D-II : p=1.00). Statistical analysis of immunohistochemical data revealed that quetiapine decreased the apoptotic cell death that normally increased with time. Conclusion : Quetiapine is already in clinical use and is a safe drug, in contrast to many substances that are used to prevent ischemia and are not normally used clinically. Our results and the literature data indicate that quetiapine could help both as a neuronal protector and to resolve neuropsychiatric problems caused by the ischemia in cerebral ischemia cases.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.47-51
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• 1999

In order to evaluate the dietary regulation of cysteine sulfinic acid decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.29) in cats, acitivity and protein content of CSAD were assessed in the liver and kidney of cats fed different levels of dietary protein, with and without taurine. Four groups of cats were fed one of the follow diets for 5 weeks ; 20% protein and taurine- free diet(LP0T) ; 20% protein and 0.15% taurine diet(LPNT) ; 60% protein and taurine-free diet(HP0T); and 60% protein and 0.15% taurine diet (HPNT). CSAD activity was determined in the liver and kidney of cats by measuring 14C2 released form [1-14C]-L cysteine sulfinic acid. CSAD protein was quantified using an immunochemical method. CSAD activity was extremely low in cat tissues, among which kidney showed the highest activity which was 0.118$\pm$0.050, and 0.377$\pm$0.056 nmol.min-1.mg soluble portein-1 iin animals fed LP0T and HP0T, respectively. Even though renal CSAD protein content was 18~55% of the hepatic CSAD protein content, renal CSAD acitivity was 1.3~6.5 times of the hepatic CSAD activity . Renal CSAD acitivities of cats fed 60% protein were about 1.6~3.2 times those of animals fed 2.% protein , and hepatic CSAD activity was not significantly affected by the dietary level of protein. Taurine depletion significantly elevated both hepatic and renal CSAD activities above the values for cats having normal taurine status most probably as an adaptive response.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.40 no.9
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• pp.593-599
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• 2007

Background: The correlation between levels of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and the effect of pulmonary resection on the right ventricle of the heart is not yet widely known. This study aims to assess the relationship between the change in hemodynamic values of the right ventricle and increased BNP levels as a compensatory mechanism for right heart failure following pulmonary resection and to evaluate the role of the BNP level as an index of right heart failure after pulmonary resection. Material and Method: In 12 non small cell lung cancer patients that had received a lobectomy or pnemonectomy, the level of NT-proBNP was measured using the immunochemical method (Elecsys $1010^{(R)}$, Roche, Germany) which was compared with hemodynamic variables determined through the use of a Swan-Garz catheter prior to and following the surgery. Echocardiography was performed prior to and following the surgery, to measure changes in right ventricular and left ventricular pressures. For statistical analysis, the Wilcoxon rank sum test and linear regression analysis were conducted using SPSSWIN (version, 11.5). Result: The level of postoperative NT-proBNP (pg/mL) significantly increased for 6 hours, then for 1 day, 2 days, 3 days and 7 days after the surgery (p=0.003, 0.002, 0.002, 0.006, 0.004). Of the hemodynamic variables measured using the Swan-Ganz catheter, the mean pulmonary artery pressure after the surgery when compared with the pressure prior to surgery significantly increased at 0 hours, 6 hours, then 1 day, 2 days, and 3 days after the surgery (p=0.002, 0,002, 0.006, 0.007, 0.008). The right ventricular pressure significantly increased at 0 hours, 6 hours, then 1 day, and 3 days after the surgery (p=0.000, 0.009, 0.044, 0.032). The pulmonary vascular resistance index [pulmonary vascular resistance index=(mean pulmonary artery pressure-mean pulmonary capillary wedge pressure)/cardiac output index] significantly increased at 6 hours, then 2 days after the surgery (p=0.008, 0.028). When a regression analysis was conducted for changes in the mean pulmonary artery pressure and NT-proBNP levels after the surgery, significance was evident after 6 hours (r=0.602, p=0.038) and there was no significance thereafter. Echocardiography displayed no significant changes after the surgery. Conclusion: There was a significant correlation between changes in the mean pulmonary artery pressure and the NT-proBNP level 6 hours after a pulmonary resection. Therefore, it can be concluded that changes in NT-proBNP level after a pulmonary resection can serve as an index that reflects early hemodynamic changes in the right ventricle after a pulmonary resection.