• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.991-996
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• 2015

Side population (SP) cells have stem cell-like properties with a capacity for self-renewal and are resistant to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Therefore the presence of SP cells in human breast cancer probably has prognostic value. Objective: To investigate the characteristics of SP cells and identify the relationship between the SP cells levels and clinico-pathological parameters of the breast tumor and disease-free survival (DFS) in breast cancer patients. Materials and Methods: A total of 122 eligible breast cancer patients were consecutively recruited from January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2007 at Yunnan Tumor Hospital. All eligible subjects received conventional treatment and were followed up for seven years. Predictors of recurrence and/or metastasis and DFS were analyzed using Cox regression analysis. Human breast cancer cells were also obtained from fresh human breast cancer tissue and cultured by the nucleic acid dye Hoechst33342 with Verapami. Flow cytometry (FCM) was employed to isolate the cells of SP and non-SP types. Results: In this study, SP cells were identified using flow cytometric analysis with Hoechst 33342 dye efflux. Adjusted for age, tumor size, lymph nodal status, histological grade, the Cox model showed a higher risk of recurrence and/or metastasis positively associated with the SP cell level (1.75, 1.02-2.98), as well as with axillary lymph node metastasis (2.99, 1.76-5.09), pathology invasiveness type (1.7, 1.14-2.55), and tumor volume doubling time (TVDT) (1.54, 1.01-2.36). Conclusions: The SP cell level is independently associated with tumor progression and clinical outcome after controlling for other pathological factors. The axillary lymph node status, TVDT and the status of non-invasive or invasive tumor independently predict the prognosis of breast cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.7
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• pp.3207-3210
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• 2014

Background: Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is an aggressive form of locally advanced breast cancer characterized by rapidly progressive breast erythema, pain and tenderness, oedema and paeu d'orange appearance. It accounts for 1-3% of all newly diagnosed cases of breast cancer in the west. Data on IBC from India are lacking. The aim of our study was to assess the clinical-pathological parameters and outcome of IBC at, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, a large tertiary care centre. Materials and Methods: We screened 3,650 breast cancer cases registered from January 2004 to December 2012 and found 41 cases of IBC. Data included demographics as well as clinical, radiological and histopathological characteristics, and were collected from clinical case records using the International Classification of Diseases code (C-50). Patients who presented with IBC as a recurrence, or who had a neglected and advanced breast cancer that simulated an IBC were excluded from this study. Results: The median age was 45 years (range 23-66). The median duration of symptoms was 5 months. The American Joint Committee on Cancer stage (AJCC) distribution was Stage III - 26 and IV - 15 patients. Estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) positivity and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2/neu) positivity were 50%, 46% and 60%, respectively. Triple negativity was found in 15% of the cases. All the non metastatic IBC patients received anthracycline and/ or taxane based chemotherapy followed by modified radical mastectomy, radiotherapy and hormonal therapy as indicated. Pathological complete remission rate was 15%. At a median follow-up of 30 months, the 3 year relapse free survival and overall survival were 30% and 40%respectively. Conclusion: IBC constituted 1.1% of all breast cancer patients at our centre. One third of these had metastatic disease at presentation. Hormone positivity and Her2 neu positivity were found in 50% and 60% of the cases, respectively.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.62-68
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• 2012

Objectives : This study aimed to evaluate the single oral dose toxicity of Seonpyejeongcheon-tang (SJT) in male and female Sprague-Dawley rats. Methods : In this single oral toxicity study, rats were orally administrated in a single dose of 0 or 5,000 mg/kg SJT. There were 7 rats in each group. After single administration, mortality, clinical signs, body weight changes and gross pathological findings were observed for 14 days. Organ weight, clinical chemistry and hematology were tested after 14 days. Results : There was no mortality or other clinical signs for 14 days. There were also no significant differences in body weight, organ weights, hematological and serum chemical parameters between the SJT and control groups. Conclusions : The results obtained in this study suggest that the 50% lethal dose of SJT is over 5,000 mg/kg, so this finding can be expected to provide scientific evidence for the safety of SJT.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.187-193
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• 2013

The effect of Korean red ginseng (KRG) on diabetic renal damage was investigated using streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. The diabetic rats showed loss of body weight gain, and increases in kidney weight and urine volume, whereas the oral administration of KRG at a dose of 100 or 250 mg/kg of body weight per day for 28 d prevented these diabetes-induced physiological abnormalities. Among the kidney function parameters, elevated plasma levels of urea nitrogen and creatinine in diabetic control rats tended to be lowered in KRG-treated rats. In addition, administration of KRG at a dose of 100 mg/kg body weight in the diabetic rats showed significant decreases in serum glucose and tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$), implying that KRG might prevent the pathogenesis of diabetic complications caused by impaired glucose metabolism and oxidative stress. KRG also significantly reduced advanced glycation end product (AGE) formation and secretion from kidney of diabetic rats. Furthermore, KRG decreased the levels of N-(carboxymethyl) lysine and expression of AGE receptor. KRG also reduced the overexpression of cyclooxygenase-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase in the kidney via deactivation of nuclear factor-kappa B. We also found that KRG prevented STZ-induced destruction of glomerular structure and significantly suppressed high glucose-induced fibronectin production. Taken together, KRG ameliorates abnormalities associated with diabetic nephropathy through suppression of inflammatory pathways activated by TNF-${\alpha}$ and AGEs. These findings indicate that KRG has a beneficial effect on pathological conditions associated with diabetic nephropathy.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.197-201
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• 2003

Background: The aim of this study is to present the basic reference data of kinematic gait analysis of normal Korean adults with 3 dimensional electrogoniometer, $Domotion^{(R)}$. Method: The basic kinematic gait parameters of hip, knee and ankle joints on the sagittal plane were obtained from 10 healthy adults with 5 repetition for each. Three-dimensional gait analysis was performed with $Domotion^{(R)}$ electrogoniometer in 10 meters long flat floor. Each data collected was processed with IBM PC equipped with gait analysis program. Results: Mean maximal hip flexion was $23.05^{\circ}{\pm}4.62^{\circ}$and mean maximal hip extension was $6.46^{\circ}{\pm}1.30^{\circ}$. Knee flexion was observed with two peak values. The first peak knee flexion was $6.50^{\circ}{\pm}2.07^{\circ}$ at 20.4% of gait cycle and the second peak flexion was $50.34^{\circ}{\pm}2.23^{\circ}$ at 75.8% of gait cycle. Mean maximum ankle dorsiflexion was $5.57^{\circ}{\pm}1.19^{\circ}$ at 44% of gait cycle and mean maximum ankle plantar flexion was $15.51^{\circ}{\pm}1.73^{\circ}$ at 68.5% of gait cycle. Conclusion: We concluded three dimensional gait analysis with electrogoniometer $Domotion^{(R)}$ offers a valid and reliable kinematic data and the application of this tools for clinical gait evaluation will be helpful in management of pathological gait.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.143-149
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• 2005

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the significance of pH monitoring at two levels, hypopharynx and esophagus in gastroesophageal reflux. Methods: 29 patients with pathological gastroesophageal reflux were classified into two groups: Group I had recurrent respiratory symptoms and Group II had not recurrent respiratory symptoms. The ambulatory pH monitoring was performed at the hypopharynx and the esophagus simultaneously with two channel catheter for 18~24 hr. The pathological reflux was defined when the percent of time that pH was below 4.0 exceeding the 95th percentile of normal value. Hypopharyngeal reflux was defined as the pharyngeal pH drops below 4. Results: 39 patients were performed pH monitoring at the level of hypopharynx and esophagus for 24 hours. Among 7 patients with chronic respiratory symptom, 6 patients (85.7%) have pathological esophageal reflux. Among 32 patients without chronic respiratory symptom, 23 patients (71.8%) have pathological esophageal reflux. Thus 29 out of 39 patients (74%) have pathological esophageal reflux. In the Group I, all parameters except the longest episode showed significant differences between hypopharyngeal and esophageal pH monitoring. None of parameters showed significant differences between group I and II in the pharyngeal pH monitoring. Conclusion: Regardless of presence of respiratory symptoms, the pH monitoring at the pharyngeal level in patients with gastroesophageal reflux did not showed any differences compared with the esophageal pH monitoring. Therefore we may reconsider the usefulness of hypopharyngeal pH monitoring in patients with chronic respiratory symptoms.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.12
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• pp.7713-7718
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• 2013

DNA methylation is considered a promising biomarkers for diagnosis of cancer in general and of ovarian cancer in particular. In our study, we validated the accuracy of methylation specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP) to analyze the methylation pattern of BRCA1, RASSF1A and ER in 59 and 10 Vietnamese patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) and benign ovarian tumors, respectively. We found methylation of BRCA1, RASSF1A and ER in 11/59 (18.6%), 40/59 (67.8%) and 15/59 (25.4%) of EOC cases, while methylation of BRCA1 was only detected in 2/10 (20%) benign ovarian patients. Forty five out of the 59 EOCs (78%) demonstrated methylation at one or more genes. The methylation frequency of RASSF1A was significantly associated with EOC (p<0.0005). No significant association was observed between methylation status of these genes and the clinical and pathological parameters of tumors collected from Vietnamese women suffering from ovarian cancer.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.210-215
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• 2010

Acute toxicity on the polysaccharide fraction of Pueraria lobata was examined using male and female Sprague-Dawley rats. The polysaccharide fraction of Pueraria lobata was orally administered at a dose of 5 mg/kg, 50 mg/kg, 500 mg/kg, 2,000 mg/kg and 5,000 mg/kg and observed for two weeks. No mortality and abnormal clinical signs were observed at the doses used. There were not any significant differences in parameters of blood biochemical values and urinalysis by the treatment of test material. All rats were appeared to be healthy and normal throughout the observation period. Also there was no difference in net body weight gain and gross pathological findings among the groups rats treated with different doses of the polysaccharide fraction with Pueraria lobata.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.148-160
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• 2023

Depression is a neuropsychiatric disorder associated with persistent stress and disruption of neuronal function. Persistent stress causes neuronal atrophy, including loss of synapses and reduced size of the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. These alterations are associated with neural dysfunction, including mood disturbances, cognitive impairment, and behavioral changes. Synaptic plasticity is the fundamental function of neural networks in response to various stimuli and acts by reorganizing neuronal structure, function, and connections from the molecular to the behavioral level. In this review, we describe the alterations in synaptic plasticity as underlying pathological mechanisms for depression in animal models and humans. We further elaborate on the significance of phytochemicals as bioactive agents that can positively modulate stress-induced, aberrant synaptic activity. Bioactive agents, including flavonoids, terpenes, saponins, and lignans, have been reported to upregulate brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression and release, suppress neuronal loss, and activate the relevant signaling pathways, including TrkB, ERK, Akt, and mTOR pathways, resulting in increased spine maturation and synaptic numbers in the neuronal cells and in the brains of stressed animals. In clinical trials, phytochemical usage is regarded as safe and well-tolerated for suppressing stress-related parameters in patients with depression. Thus, intake of phytochemicals with safe and active effects on synaptic plasticity may be a strategy for preventing neuronal damage and alleviating depression in a stressful life.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.3595-3600
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• 2016

Background: To investigate the association between preoperative pathological Ki-67 labeling index and serum tumor marker cancer antigen 15-3 (CA 15-3) with clinic-pathological parameters and treatment outcomes in early breast cancer. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study at 4 cancer centers in Saudi Arabia and Egypt was performed. Data were collected for female patients diagnosed with unilateral early breast cancer between March 2010 and October 2013. Cases treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) followed by surgery and radiotherapy were included. NACT included 6-8 cycles of anthracycline and taxane based regimens. Trastuzumab and hormonal treatments were added according to HER2 and hormone receptor status. Baseline serum CA15.3 and pathological Ki67 levels were evaluated and correlated with disease free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Results: A total of 280 pts was included. The median age was 49 years (38-66 y) and median overall survival was 35 (20-38) months (mo). Estrogen receptors (ER), progesterone receptors (PR) and HER 2 receptors were positive in 233 (83.2%), 198 (70%) and 65 cases (23.2%), respectively. High preoperative Ki67 and CA15.3 were noted in 177 (63.2%) and 131 (46.8%). A total of 45 (16%) patients had distal or local recurrence and 24 (8.6%) died of their disease. Most of the relapsed cases had high preoperative Ki-67 (n=41, 91%) and CA15.3 (n=28, 62%) values. All of the patients who died had a high Ki-67 but CA15.3 was high in 9 (37%) only. Mean DFS/OS in patients with high preoperative Ki-67 was 32 months /32 months as compared to 37 months/35 months in those with normal Ki-67 (p<0.001). Correlation of preoperative CA15.3 and survival was statistically not significant. Conclusions:Preoperative Ki-67 can be a predictive and prognostic marker. Higher levels are associated with poor DFS and OS in patients with early BC.