• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제51권4호
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• pp.393-400
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• 2013

Ocular toxoplasmosis is a disease caused by the infection with Toxoplasma gondii through congenital or acquired routes. Once the parasite reaches the retina, it proliferates within host cells followed by rupture of the host cells and invasion into neighboring cells to make primary lesions. Sometimes the restricted parasite by the host immunity in the first scar is activated to infect another lesion nearby the scar. Blurred vision is the main complaint of ocular toxoplasmic patients and can be diagnosed by detection of antibodies or parasite DNA. Ocular toxoplasmosis needs therapy with several combinations of drugs to eliminate the parasite and accompanying inflammation; if not treated it sometimes leads to loss of vision. We describe here clinical features and currently available chemotherapy of ocular toxoplasmosis.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제60권5호
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• pp.367-370
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• 2022

Fascioliasis is a parasitic infection caused by liver flukes. Although several cases have been reported in Korea, phylogenetic analysis of isolates is lacking. In this study, a 66-year-old woman with right upper quadrant (RUQ) abdominal pain was diagnosed as fascioliasis involving abdominal muscle by imaging study. She received praziquantel treatment, but symptoms were not improved. Lateral movement of the abscess lesion was followed. Trematode parasite was surgically removed from the patient's rectus abdominis muscle. The fluke was identified as Fasciola hepatica based on sequence analysis of 18S rDNA. To determine the phylogenetic position of this Fasciola strain (named Korean Fasciola 1; KF1), the cox1 gene (273 bp) was analyzed and compared with the genes of 17 F. hepatica strains isolated from cows, sheep, goats, and humans from various countries. Phylogenetic analysis showed that KF1 was closely related with the isolates from China goat.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권24호
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• pp.10961-10966
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• 2015

Background: Minor cervical cytologic abnormalities include atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US) and low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL). Approximately 10-20% of women with minor cytologic abnormalities have histologic high-grade squamous intraepithelial or worse lesions (HSIL+). In Thailand, women with minor cytologic abnormalities have a relatively high risk of cervical cancer, and referral for colposcopy has been suggested. A triage test is useful in the selection of women at risk for histologic HSIL+ to reduce the colposcopy burden. The aim of this study was to assess the performance of high-risk HPV DNA test in triage of women with minor cytologic abnormalities in northern Thailand. Materials and Methods: All women with ASC-US/LSIL cytology who were referred to our colposcopy clinic from October 2010 to February 2014 were included. HPV DNA testing was performed using Hybrid Capture 2 (HC2). All patients received colposcopic examination. Accuracy values of HC2 in predicting the presence of histologic HSIL+ were calculated. Results: There were 238 women in this study (121 ASC-US and 117 LSIL). The HC2 positivity rate was significantly higher in the LSIL group than in ASC-US group (74.8% versus 41.0%, p<0.001). Histologic HSIL+ was detected in 9 women (7.4%) in the ASC-US group and 16 women (13.7%) in the LSIL group (p=0.141). There was no histologic HSIL+ detected among HC2-negative cases (sensitivity and negative predictive value of 100%). The performance of HC2 triage was highest among women aged >50 years with ASC-US cytology. An increase in the cut-off threshold for positive HC2 resulted in a substantial decrease of sensitivity and negative predictive value. Conclusions: HPV DNA testing with HC2 shows very high sensitivity and negative predictive value in triage of women with minor cervical cytologic abnormalities in northern Thailand. An increase of the cut-off threshold for HC2 triage is not recommended in this region.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• 제1권3호
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• pp.129-135
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• 2001

Purpose: Dysplasia or flat adenoma of the stomach is regarded as a precancerous lesion. However, the frequency and the evolutionary process of malignant transformation of gastric dysplasia are still debated. In order to see whether the lesion was a monoclonal or a polyclonal proliferation, clonality was assayed by X-linked HUMARA polymorphism. Materials and Methods: DNA was extracted from the paraffin-embedded tissue of 16 consecutive cases of endoscopic biopsy, eight of which supplied both dysplastic and nondysplastic tissue for comparison. HUMARA was amplified by PCR with or without pretreatment with methylationsensitive restriction enzyme, HpaII. The amplification products were electrophoresed on polyacrylamide gel and silver-stained. Results: Among the 16 cases, 13 cases were informative and 3 cases noninformative. Of the 13 cases, one case showed skewed lyonization, rendering 12 cases to be analyzed further. A monoclonal band pattern was noted in 2 cases, and a polyclonal band pattern in 10 cases. A review of the histopathologies of the monoclonal and the polyclonal cases did not reveal features discriminating the two groups. Conclusion: These results suggest that gastric dysplasia is a disease entity heterogeneous in the genetic level, and many cases may be non-neoplastic.

• 식물병연구
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• 제28권4호
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• pp.209-220
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• 2022

Charcoal canker of oak, which has recently increased in southern Iran, could pose a serious threat to the entire forest ecosystem in the near future. In addition, it seems that climate change and its consequences, such as drought in the southern regions of Iran, have exacerbated this phenomenon. Consequently, the objective of this study was to identify the fungal pathogens that could cause charcoal canker disease in the oak forests of South Zagros. It was also sought to find associations between changes in the occurrence/exacerbation of charcoal canker disease under non and intense drought stress in non-inoculated or inoculated Quercus brantii seedlings. In total, 120 isolates were obtained from eight oak forests located in the Zagros Mountains of Southern Iran, Kohgiluyeh & Boyer-Ahmad and Fars provinces, which were classified as Biscogniauxia mediterranea based on morphological assessment. Subsequently, molecular assay confirmed the result by phylogenetic inference of internal transcribed spacer-rDNA regions, α-actin, and β-tubulin genes. The results of the pathogenicity test showed that the response of isolates of B. mediterranea (Iran-G1 and Iran-M70) was varied in different environments for the measured necrotic lesion length. In comparison with the control moisture treatments (non-stress), the necrotic lesion length in inoculated treatments increased under intense drought stress. In general, inoculated oak seedlings' exposure to water-deficient stress by the pathogen of B. mediterranea could affect the spread/severity of the charcoal canker disease.

• 식물병연구
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• 제22권1호
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• pp.50-54
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• 2016

2014년 6월 초 충남 예산과 금산의 농가포장에서 재배 중인 아로니아에서 점무늬낙엽병으로 의심되는 증상이 관찰되었다. 초기에는 잎에 갈색의 작은 점무늬가 생기고 이것이 확대되면서 둥근 겹무늬를 형성하고, 암갈색으로 변하였다. 그리고 병세가 심해지면 잎 전체에 병반이 확대되면서 떨어지는 증상이 관찰되었다. 병든 아로니아 잎에서 분리한 병원균은 PDA에 배양하였을 때 균체는 올리브 회색과 진한 회색으로 다양한 색을 나타내었다. 포장에서 감염된 잎과 PDA에서 분리한 분생포자의 크기는 각각 $19-50{\times}5-9{\mu}m$, $20-59{\times}8-13{\mu}m$이고, 길거나 짧은 부리를 가지며, 분생자경의 끝에 1-3개의 분생포자가 형성되었으며, 3-8개의 횡경막을 보이고 종경막은 없거나 1-3번째 횡경막 내에 1개 형성되었다. 병원성 검정 결과, 접종 7일 후 아로니아와 사과 모두에서 자연발생한 병징과 동일하게 관찰되었다. 이상 병원균의 형태적 특성, 병원성 검정과 ITS rDNA 염기서열 비교분석 결과를 토대로 아로니아에서 분리한 병원균은 A. mali로 동정하였고, 이 병을 아로니아 점무늬낙엽병으로 명명하였다.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제17권3호
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• pp.1129-1134
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• 2016

Vulva and Vaginal cancers are rare among all gynecological cancers worldwide, including Thailand, and typically affect women in later life. Persistent high risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) infection is one of several important causes of cancer development. In this study, we focused on HPV investigation and specific type distribution from Thai women with abnormality lesions and cancers of the vulva and Vaginal. A total of ninety paraffin-embedded samples of vulva and Vaginal abnormalities and cancer cells with histologically confirmed were collected from Thai women, who were diagnosed in 2003-2012 at the National Cancer Institute, Thailand. HPV DNA was detected and genotyped using polymerase chain reaction and enzyme immunoassay with GP5+/bio 6+ consensus specific primers and digoxigenin-labeled specific oligoprobes, respectively. The human ${\beta}$-globin gene was used as an internal control. Overall results represented that HPV frequency was 16/34 (47.1%) and 8/20 (40.0%) samples of vulva with cancer and abnormal cytology lesions, respectively, while, 3/5 (60%) and 16/33 (51.61%) samples of Vaginal cancer and abnormal cytology lesions, respectively, were HPV DNA positive. Single HPV type and multiple HPV type infection could be observed in both type of cancers and abnormal lesion samples in the different histological categorizes. HPV16 was the most frequent type in all cancers and abnormal cytology lesions, whereas HPV 18 was less frequent and could be detected as co-infection with other high risk HPV types. In addition, low risk types such as HPV 6, 11 and 70 could be detected in Vulva cancer and abnormal cytology lesion samples, whereas, all Vaginal cancer samples exhibited only high risk HPV types; HPV 16 and 31. In conclusion, from our results in this study we suggest that women with persistent high risk HPV type infection are at risk of developing vulva and Vaginal cancers and HPV 16 was observed at the highest frequent both of these, similar to the cervical cancer cases. Although the number of samples in this study was limited and might not represent the overall incidence and prevalence in Thai women, but the baseline data are of interest and suggest further study for primary cancer screening and/or developing the efficiency of prophylactic HPV vaccines in Thailand.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권14호
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• pp.6093-6097
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• 2015

Background: HPV DNA testing has been recently introduced as an adjunct test to cytology in the follow-up of patients after treatment for cervical lesions using the loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP). The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of HPV testing in the detection of persistent or recurrent disease after LEEP in patients with cervical epithelial lesions in northern Thailand. Materials and Methods: Patients who underwent LEEP as a treatment for histological low-grade (LSIL) or high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) or worse at Chiang Mai University Hospital between June 2010 and May 2012 were included. Follow-ups were scheduled at 6-month intervals and continued for 2 years using co-testing (liquid-based cytology and Hybrid Capture 2 [HC2]) at 6 months and 24 months and liquid-based cytology alone at 12 and 18 months. Results: Of 98 patients included, the histological diagnoses for LEEP included LSIL in 16 patients, and HSIL or worse in 82 patients. The LEEP margin status was negative in 84 patients (85.7%). At follow-up, 10 patients (10.2%) had persistent/recurrent lesions; 4 among LSIL patients (25.0%) and 6 in the group with HSIL or worse (7.3%). Only 2 of 82 patients (2.4%) with HSIL or worse diagnoses had histological HSIL in the persistent/recurrent lesions. Using histologically confirmed LSIL as the threshold for the detection of persistent/recurrent disease, cytology had a higher sensitivity than HC2 (90.0% versus 70.0%). At the 6-month follow-up appointment, combined cytology and HC2 (co-testing) had a higher sensitivity in predicting persistent/recurrent disease (80.0%) compared with that of cytology alone (70.0%) and HC2 (50.0%). Conclusions: After LEEP with a negative surgical margin, the rate of persistent/recurrent lesions is low. The addition of HPV testing at the 6-month visit to the usual cytology schedule may be an effective approach in the follow-up after LEEP.

• 동의생리병리학회지
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• 제23권3호
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• pp.645-661
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• 2009

The water extract of Dohongsamul-Tang(DHSMT) has been traditionally used to stroke and brain injuries in Oriental Medicine. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of DHSMT on the gene expression profile of cerebral infarction by cDNA microarray in photothrombotic ischemia mouse model. Photothrombotic ischemia was induced in stereotactically held male BALB/c mice using rose bengal and cold light. MRI was performed 24 hours after inducing photothrombosis using 1.5 T MRI and 47 mm surface coil to obtain T2-weighted, and contrast-enhanced images. After MRI test, animal was sacrificed and the brain sections were stained for hematoxylin and eosin and immunohistochemistry. MRI and histological analysis revealed that lesion of thrombotic ischemia was well induced in the cortex with the evidence of biological courses of infarction. The target area of thrombotic infarction was 1 mm anterior to bregma and 3 mm lateral to midline with 2 mm in diameter, which were decreased by administration of DHSMT. To assess gene expression pattern of cerebral infarction, mRNA was isolated and reacted with microarray chip(Agilant's DNA Microarray 44K). Scatter and MA plot analysis were performed to clustering of each functional genes. M value [M=log2(R/G), A={log2(R ${\times}$ G)}/2] was between -0.5 and +0.5 with 40% difference. After pretreatment with DHSMT, the expression levels of mRNA of many genes involved in various signaling pathway such as apoptosis, cell cycle, cell proliferation, response to oxidative stress, immune response, angiogenesis, and inflammatory cytokine were markedly inhibited in photothrombotic ischemia lesion compared to the control group. These results suggest that DHSMT prevent ischemic death of brain on photothrombotic ischemia model of mice through modulation of gene expression at the transcriptional level.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제52권4호
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• pp.476-480
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• 2009

목 적 : 저자들은 가와사키병 환아에서 TNF-alpha 유전자의 다형성을 조사함으로써 가와사키병과 유전자 다형성의 관련 여부를 알아보고, 또한 관상동맥 병변의 발생과 연관이 있는지를 살펴보려 하였다. 방 법 : 2003년 1월부터 2007년 1월까지 가와사키병 환아 51명과 대조군 48명을 대상으로 TNF-alpha 촉진자의 단일 유전자 다형성을 살펴보았으며, 가와사키병 환아 중 관상동맥 병변이 있는 24명(관상동맥병변군)과 관상동맥 이상이 없었던 27명(정상관상동맥군)에서의 유전자 다형성을 또한 비교하였다. 말초 혈액에서 DNA를 추출하여 TNF-alpha 유전자 -308 부위의 촉진자에 위치한 2개의 단일 염기 서열 G/A에 대한 대립 유전자의 다형성을 Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) 방법으로 분석하였다. 결 과 : 가와사키병 환아군에서의 -308번 TNF-alpha 유전자의 다형성은 51명 중 9명으로 17.6%였고, 정상 대조군에서는 48명 중 3명으로 6.8%로 가와사키병 환아군에서 높았으나 통계학적으로 유의성은 없었다. 가와사키병 환아 중 관상동맥병병군 24명 중 3명인 12.5%에서 유전자 다형성이 있었고 정상관상동맥군은 27명 중 6명인 22.2%로 정상관상동맥군에서 더 높은 빈도 이었으나 통계학적으로 유의하지 않았다. 결 론 : 본 연구에서는 가와사키병 환아의 TNF-alpha의 다형성과 가와사키병의 발병과의 관련성이 통계학적으로 유의한 수준은 아니지만 가와사키병 환아에서 G/A 빈도수가 17.6%으로 대조군에서 6.8% 보다 다소 높게 나타난 결과를 얻었고 앞으로 많은 수의 환아를 대상으로 한다면 유의한 차이가 있을 것으로 생각되므로 향후 대규모의 지속적인 연구가 필요할 것이다.