• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.155-160
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• 2020

Objective: The genes Bcl-2 and Bax play important roles in apoptosis. Many studies have shown that formalin has a strong deleterious effect on male fertility and can induce apoptosis. L-carnitine has been reported to potentially reverse the negative effects of formalin, leading to improved spermatogenesis. In this study, we examined the levels of expression of Bcl-2 and Bax in mice treated with formalin and L-carnitine. Methods: Thirty adult BALB/c mice were categorized into three groups. The mice in the control group (n = 10) were not injected with any substance. The mice in the second group (n = 10) received 10 mg/kg of formalin daily via an intraperitoneal injection, while those in the final group (n = 10) were intraperitoneally injected daily with a dose of 10 mg/kg of formalin and 100 mg/kg of L-carnitine. All mice were kept in isolated cages for 31 days. Results: The expression of Bax was significantly higher in the formalin-treated mice than in the mice of the control group, while the expression of Bcl-2 was significantly lower in the formalin-treated mice than in the control mice. Additionally, relative to control mice, Bcl-2 expression increased and Bax expression decreased in the mice administered both formalin and L-carnitine. Conclusion: In this study, L-carnitine was shown to augment Bcl-2 expression and to reduce Bax expression, indicating that this compound may inhibit apoptosis. Due to its positive effects, L-carnitine can be used as a prophylactic treatment for people who routinely come into direct contact with formalin as an occupational hazard.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.17
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• pp.7583-7587
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• 2015

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is an extremely common herpesvirus that may cause asymptomatic infection or various diseases, including infectious mononucleosis, certain lymphoproliferative diseases and several types of neoplasms. Vaccine development is an important strategy to reduce the burden of EBV-associated diseases and the timing of vaccinations should be before primary infection occurs. In the past, more than 90% of Thai children were infected with EBV in early childhood. Now, due to the improved healthcare system in Thailand, we aim to determine current prevalence of EBV infection among people in different age groups. A total of 538 sera were collected from residents of Khon Kaen province in northeastern Thailand for detecting anti-EBV IgG. Sera of infants under 2-years-old were also tested for anti-EBV IgM and EBV-DNA. The prevalence of anti-EBV IgG was 47.1% (95% CI: 23.3-70.8) in infants aged 0-6 months, 34.9% (95% CI: 23.1-46.7) in those aged 6-24 months, 87.9% (95% CI: 79.5-96.3) in children aged 3-5 years and then maintained at above 95% through adulthood. These seropositivity rates among Thai children remain similar to those found in a previous study conducted 20 years ago. Thai children are still exposed to EBV from an early age. Therefore, a prophylactic vaccine should be given within the first two years of life.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.1519-1524
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• 2012

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the main cause of cervical cancer. Limited epidemiologic data of HPV prevalence are available for women attending hospitals in southern China. This study aimed to evaluate the profiles of HPV infection and cytology status in gynecological outpatients in Chaozhou City. Methods: A total of 2833 eligible women were enrolled. The HPV GenoArray test was used for HPV detection and genotyping. Nearly one half of the HPV positive women received liquid-based cytology test. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the predictable effects of age and genotype for categories of abnormal cytology. Results: The prevalence of overall, high-risk, and low-risk HPV infection were 24.5%, 19.5% and 8.4%, respectively. A U-shaped age-specific prevalence curve was observed in overall HPV and high-risk HPV, but not in low-risk HPV, which declined with age increasing. The 6 most common high-risk HPV type in descending order, were types 52, 16, 58, 18, 68, and 33. Age and HPV genotype were both important determinants of abnormal cytology incidence, the older women (>45 years) and those infected with HPV type 16 and/or 18 having the highest risk for abnormal cytology. Conclusion: Our findings support the hypothesis that second-generation HPV prophylactic vaccines including HPV-52 and -58 may offer higher protection for women residing in Chaozhou and neighboring cities in Guangdong.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.318-328
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• 1998

The aqua-acupuncture blended with liquid medicine and acupuncture is known to be effective in treating various medical disorders. This study used gallbladders of bear (WoongDam, WD, Ursus arctos Linne) and pig(JeoDam, JD, Sus scrofa domestica Brisson) plus the stones from the ox gallbladder(WooHwang, WH, Bos taurus var, domesticus Gmelin) to produce the liquid medicine. For the acupuncture, acupoint of ST -36 which is located one finger breadth from the anterior crest of the tibia was selected. There were a couple of purposes in this experiment. First, the relationship between aqua-acupuncture and gastric activity was scrutinized. Secondly, the possibility of pig gallbladder as an alternative organ to bear gallbladder for making liquid medicine was evaluated. Thirdly, different injection concentration ratio of liquid medicine was tried to figure out the optimal dosage for the aqua-acupuncture. The data of the present results indicated that the mixtures of WD + WH and JD + WH have a similar hypotonic effect on the stomach. These findings illustrated that aqua-acupuncture or hydroacupuncture showed inhibitory effect on the stomach in addition to its well-known prophylactic value. Also the possible alternative medical organ of pig gallbladder was checked out since two mixtures illustrated very similar trends in suppressing the gastric activity. The injection concentration ratio was not very different between two mixtures in terms of gastric motility except a couple of ratio. In conclusion, the aqua-acupuncture is a promising way to control the gastric activity for better medical purposes and the gallbladder of pig was assessed as a prospective one for making a liquid medicine.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.187-193
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• 2000

The antidotal, anticonvulsant and neuroprotective effects of physostigmine and procyclidine. the combinational prophylactics for organophosphate poisoning, were evaluated in rats. In comparison with a low protective effect (1.6 fold) of atropine (15 mg/kg) and 2-pralidoxime (30 mg/kg), the traditional antidotes regimen, a marked protection ratio of 7.3 fold was achieved by combinational pretreatment with physostigmine (0.05 mg/kg) and procyclidine (10 mg/kg), which was superior to that (3.5 fold) with pyri-dostigmine (0.1 mg/kg) and atropine (15 mg/kg). Rats exposed to a high dose (10 mg/kg. 2 X $LD_{50}$) of diisopropylfluorophosphate showed severe epileptiform seizures on electroencephalography, resulting in necrotic and apoptotic brain injuries in discrete brain regions under histopathological and TUNEL immuno-histochemical examinations in 24 hr. Such seizures and excitotoxic brain injuries were fully prevented by pretreatment with physostigmine (0.05 mg/kg) and procyclidine (10 mg/kg). in contrast to a negligible effect of pyridostigmine (0.1 mg/kg) and atropine (15 mg/kg). Taken together, it is proposed that the prophylactics composed of physostigmine and procyclidine could be a promising regimen for the prevention of lethality, seizures and brain injuries induced by organophosphate poisoning.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.183-191
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• 2006

Thyroid nodules are less common in children than in adults and their management is still controversial. The clinical presentations, operations, complications, histopathologic findings, and postoperative progressions of 34 pediatric patients that underwent thyroidectomy for palpable thyroid nodule at the Department of Surgery, Seoul National University Children Hospital between 1986 and 2003 were studied retrospectively by reviewing medical records and telephone interviews. The mean age of the patients was 11.8 years old. There were 23 females (67.6 %) and 11 males (32.4 %). Surgical indications were clinical need of histological confirmation (n=15), unresponsiveness to thyroxin replacement therapy (n=10), suggestion of the carcinoma on fine needle aspiration cytology (n=5), cosmetic purpose-a huge benign nodule (n=2), completion thyroidectomy for medullary thyroid carcinoma (n=1), and prophylactic thyroidectomy in a MENIIpatient (n=1). Unilateral Lobectomy was performed in 20 patients (57.1 %), subtotal thyroidectomy in 8 (22.9 %), total thyroidectomy in 5 (14.7 %), and completion thyroidectomy in 1 (2.9 %). Lymph node dissection was performed in 9 cases. Benign tumor was found in 23 patients (67.6 %), adenomatous goiter (n=18) and follicular adenoma (n=5). Malignant tumor was found in 11 children (32.4 %), 9 papillary carcinomas (26.5 %), and 2 medullary carcinomas (5.9 %). Of the 9 papillary carcinomas, 7 cases (77.8 %) had lymph node metastasis. No lymph node metastasis was found in 2 medullary carcinomas. Complications developed in 5 cases - transient hypocalcaemia (n=2), and temporary hoarseness (n=3). There was no mortality. Median follow-up period was 7.4 years (0.5-18 years). One patient showed recurrence in cervical lymph nodes 10 years after surgery and modified radical neck dissection was performed. Because of the high incidence of malignancy and advanced stage at initial presentation, more meticulous diagnostic work up is necessary for children with thyroid nodule, and more radical surgical treatment should be performed when malignant nodule is suggested.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.152-161
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• 2006

Carcinoma of the gallbladder is an uncommon but highly malignant tumor with a poor five year survival rate. Early detection is very important for successful treatment because this tumor is very hard to cure in cases where it has advanced beyond the reach of surgical treatment. The purpose of this review was to evaluate risk factors for carcinoma of the gallbladder and determine the best management approach.. Solitary polys, more than one cm are considered to be predisposing factors for gallbladder carcinoma when they are found to be echopenic, sessile, and with a high cell density. Anomalous union of the pacreato-biliary duct(AUPBD) without a choledochal cyst is also considered to increase risk for gallbladder carcinoma. A polyps size of more than one cm and an AUPBD are indications for prophylactic cholecystectomy. The presence of gallstones is a well-established risk factor for the development of gallbladder carcinoma; risk appears to correlate with the stone size and the duration of chronic cholecystitis. Metaplastic changes of the gallbladder epithelium present with chronic cholecystitis and may indicate a premalignant lesion. Abnormal forms of cholecystitis such as xanthogranulomatous or a porcelain gallbladder also have malignant potential; cholecystoenteric fistula as well as bacterial infection of the gallbladder(typhoid, helicobacter species) also has malignant potential. In this review, the risk factors associated with carcinoma of the gallbladder are summarized with special attention to gallstones, polyps, AUPBD, and chronic inflammation.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.1570-1574
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• 2004

A flock of AA breed chickens were reared in peterstme brood-vait chamber and were provided with high energy pelleted feed. At 14 d of age, a total of 350 birds were randomly divided into 3 groups as follows: 100 birds were exposed to normal ambient temperature of 20$^{\circ}C$ for control group; 150 birds were exposed to lower ambient temperature of 11$^{\circ}C$ to induce ascites (treatment I); and another group of 100 birds were exposed to lower ambient temperature of 11$^{\circ}C$ and fed diet containing 1% L-arginine for ascitic prophylactic treatment (treatment II). Samples were collected from blood and abdominal fluid of chicken at 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 wk of age subsequently, to analysis the contents of plasma endothelin (ET-1), angiotensin II (Ang II), cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP). The results indicated that the contents of cAMP, cGMP, and Ang II in reatment I and ascitic broilers were higher than the corresponding control group (p<0.01, p<0.05), ET-1 of preascitic broilers were control group (p<0.05), while there was an insignificant difference with later ascitic broilers. The contents of cAMP and cGMP in treatment II were higher than the treatment I and control groups (p<0.01, p<0.05), whereas, the contents of Ang II were gradually decreased compared to the control group (p<0.05), the contents of ET-1 were insignificantly different. On further analysis, the increased plasma Ang II at low ambient temperature condition in broilers made endothelium cell secretion of increased ET-1, cAMP, cGMP and decreased NO. Therefore, low temperature accelerated ascites syndrome in broilers. Supplemently L-arginine can decrease ET-1, and increase cAMP and cGMP. It is concluded that cAMP mediated in broilers pulmonary hypertension syndrome.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.15
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• pp.6263-6267
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• 2014

Background: It is standard treatment to combine chemotherapy (CT) and thoracic radiotherapy (TRT) in treating patients with limited stage small cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC). However, optimal timing of TRT is unclear. We here evaluated the survival impact of early versus late TRT in patients with LS-SCLC. Materials and Methods: Follow-up was retrospectively analyzed for seventy consecutive LS-SCLC patients who had successfully completed chemo-TRT between January 2006 and January 2012. Patients received TRT after either 1 to 2 cycles of CT (early TRT) or after 3 to 6 cycles of CT (late TRT). Survival and response rates were evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method and comparisons were made using the multivariate Cox regression test. Results: Median follow-up was 24 (5 to 57) months. Carboplatin+etoposide was the most frequent induction CT (59%). Median overall, disease free, and metastasis free survivals in all patients were 15 (5 to 57), 5 (0 to 48) and 11 (3 to 57) months respectively. Late TRT was superior to early TRT group in terms of response rate (p=0.05). 3 year overall survival (OS) rates in late versus early TRT groups were 31% versus 17%, respectively (p=0.03). Early TRT (p=0.03), and incomplete response to TRT (p=0.004) were negative predictors of OS. Significant positive prognostic factors for distant metastasis free survival were late TRT (p=0.03), and use of PCI (p=0.01). Use of carboplatin versus cisplatin for induction CT had no significant impact on OS (p=0.634), DFS (p=0.727), and MFS (p=0.309). Conclusions: Late TRT appeared to be superior to early TRT in LS-SCLC treatment in terms of complete response, OS and DMFS. Carboplatin or cisplatin can be combined with etoposide in the induction CT owing to similar survival outcomes.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.10
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• pp.5843-5847
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• 2013

Background: Persistent infection with high risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) is strongly associated with cervical cancer. Normal cervical cells may also harbor hrHPV, and detection of early hrHPV infection may minimize risk of cervical cancer development. This study aimed to compare two commercial HPV genotyping assays that may affordable for early screening in a limited-resource setting in Bandung, Indonesia. Materials and Methods: DNA from cervical biopsies with histologically confirmed as squamous cell cervical cacinoma were HPV genotyped by Linear Assay 1 (Roche Diagnostics, Mannheim, Germany) or Linear Assay 2 (Digene HPV Genotyping RH Test, Qiagen Gaithersburg, MD). In a subset of samples of each group, HPV genotype results were then compared. Results: Of 28 samples genotyped by linear assay 1, 22 (78.6%) demonstrated multiple infections with HPV-16 and other hrHPV types 18, 45 and/or 52. In another set of 38 samples genotyped by linear assay 2, 28 (68.4%) were mostly single infections by hrHPV type 16 or 18. Interestingly, 4 samples that had been tested by both kits showed discordant results. Conclusions: In a limited-resource area such as in Indonesia, country with a high prevalence of HPV infection a reliable cervical screening test in general population for early hrHPV detection is needed. Geographical variation in HPV genotyping result might have impacts for HPV prevalence and molecular epidemiology as the distribution in HPV genotypes should give clear information to assess the impact of HPV prophylactic vaccines.